The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

33 - Siege on Celeste Castle - Part 1

As soon as I woke up, I found Eric by my bedside. The kid didn't look like he had slept a wink, and with the questions running through his mind I deem it understandable. To my knowledge he'd been looking down on Lily, so the reversal of positions with regard to power was understandable.

Well, the secret was already out, so I answered his questions... or rather... well... mixing two minds is a mess, and since I decided to be Rei in Lily, I'll stick to calling it that 'The original Lily answered' to the best of her ability while sorting away what Rei would have thought.

Well... while the original Lily did have some spite at him wishing her dead, I don't really expect anything of him. The original Lily was a burden to him, and had risked his life. I didn't expect him not to hate her... so when Eric asked for forgiveness with teary eyes, I gave in quickly.

So, after we finished that he threw the following words at me.
"You cannot leave the rest to me. I will not take credit for what you did," with an all determined voice.

"Even if you say that it's not like there is a choice. I am a girl." I proceeded to remind him of the current situation, since he seemed to have forgotten.

"Even so, I won't claim it." He went into stubborn mode. I clicked my tongue annoyed.

"It's not like I don't want to take credit for it, but women cannot claim it. You know that Our family will be in trouble politically and you will be deemed incompetent forever with the words 'you are worse than a girl'" I tried using logic with him again... but he just turned his head to the side and crossed his arms.

"I won't do it. There's no way I can take the honor for this. They'll find out." He retorted.

"It's fine, you just have to reach the same level by the time you go to war the first time. I'll help  teach you as well," I replied to erase his worry.

"And the mass healing?"

An awkward silence spread at his words.
Ara.
He had a point...
I clicked my tongue again, and in return he sighed.

"Well, I guess we could always go back to dressing you up as a girl and me as a boy forever," I replied to tease him a bit while I remade my plans.

"Augustus... don't tease Eric too much. Your brother is very tired..."

Mother's voice appeared from the slightly open door.

She's been eavesdropping.

"...Augustus?" Eric seemed confused at her words, but I understood them just fine.

"Are you really fine with this, mother. It might turn out a scandal..." I warned her, but she smiled.

"Of course. If they found out I'd sent such a cute twin brother to study overseas the other ladies of court would be quite furious."

She even gave the cover story in her answer... she was cunning. Eric, you should take a fragment of a leaf out of her book.

Eric finally seemed to understand and headed out the door in a hurry.

I nodded and then took a soft breath before chanting a healing prayer towards myself. The first spell of the day was used.

I got up as mother walked in. She was alone. Her escort was probably standing outside the door to allow us privacy to change. Ameline wasn't here either, she was probably helping out with the civilians.

I removed the bandages and took a look over my body. I'd gotten a few scars here and there, but interestingly, it seemed like the fairy light magic didn't leave scars when it healed wounds. The huge gash on my chest from the bandit Captain was nowhere to be seen. On the other hand, those that I had healed myself had cleaned up quite well. The skin was smooth with only a little bump of a white line where I'd been cut. Some of these would fade entirely with time, but most would stay.