Chapter 115: Carlotta: Aeron, You Wouldn't Want...
Aeron had originally thought that with his unique playstyle of a suicidal Sion plus Karthas, complete with infinite resurrection armor, he could easily handle any opponent he encountered—even Golden Experience Requiem couldn't do anything to him. [T/N: I did't understand a single thing in this paragraph.]
But now he realized he was wrong.
Because what he had to face wasn't just enemies, but also those he couldn't afford to make enemies of.
"So... why can't I go home even after getting off work?"
He had thought he could leave after negotiating with Phrolova, but just as Aeron was about to make his exit, Carlotta stopped him at the last moment.
"Well, Phoebe is still waiting for me at the Order."
"Don't worry, Fisalia and our Montelli will find a way to clean up the Order's mess. Phoebe is more capable as the new Primus than you think, and with the King you chose yourself... Honestly, you're even more free than you imagine."
"What if I told you I still have to deal with the 'Evil Spirit'?"
This was a mess Aeron had created himself. Though it was just a spur-of-the-moment idea at the time, dealing with it now was still somewhat troublesome.
After all, from now on, Rover and Carlotta would be taking center stage in Ragunna, and they couldn't let such a not-so-positive image steal the spotlight.
As for why Aeron had thought of this... well, what's wrong with a mentally healthy (?) man being a bit chuunibyou?
Talking about it online was one thing, but in reality, who wouldn't want to be like Ren Amamiya, jumping ten ships at once, getting surrounded on Valentine's Day, and then being hit with an all-out attack? (Arsène: Kids, don't try this at home, or you'll end up beaten to your knees.)
Back to the main topic—part of the reason Aeron chose to stay at the Order was that, as the 'Evil Spirit,' remaining there would save a lot of trouble.
This way, he could spare Phoebe unnecessary headaches and later explain to outsiders that Aeron was just cooperating with the Order's plans. Perfect.
But before all that, he still had to do some work with the neighbors. Aeron didn't want to be teased by Brant with lines like, "Oh, isn't this the Evil Spirit bro?"
Hearing Aeron's excuse to slip away, Carlotta simply chuckled softly.
"Heh... It seems you didn't understand what I meant."
Well, he really didn't want to understand either!
But Aeron wasn't bold enough to say that to Carlotta's face.
"Then, could the Second Young Lady explain what she meant?"
"It means you can't escape without my permission."
"Holy crap, what did I ever do to you?"
"Hmm~ Has someone already forgotten about that debt from Carnevale?"
Carlotta looked Aeron up and down with a playful glint in her eyes, taking half a step forward. Aeron could smell the faint fragrance from her silver hair.
But hearing Carlotta's words, Aeron couldn't help but avert his gaze.
"Ahahaha, who knows? Maybe it's just some unpleasant little misunderstanding, hahaha."
Aeron said this without any tone or emotion—pure deadpan delivery.
Sigh, if only he had the ability to disguise himself too, then he could pin all the blame on the Fractsidus. Putting on an act was something he considered himself quite skilled at.
"A misunderstanding? I did tell you back then, didn't I?"
"Tell me what? And weren't you quite cooperative at the time!"
Aeron admitted that he had said some rather harsh words to Carlotta during Carnevale, but he never expected her to hold onto it until now.
"Cooperative, yes," Carlotta circled around Aeron, tilting her head to look at him, a strand of silver hair slipping over her shoulder.
"But I never said I wouldn't hold you accountable afterward for those… improvised lines of yours. 'Don't get in the way'? Hmm?"
Carlotta's tone lifted slightly at the end, her meaning clear without needing further explanation.
Aeron: ...Sweating bullets, man.
Carlotta stopped walking, facing Aeron directly as his eyes darted around. Aeron had no idea what was going through her mind.
He had to admit, being stared at like this made him feel a bit flustered.
Even though she was two heads shorter than him, the aura and pressure she exuded were undeniably real.
"...Cut me some slack, Second Young Lady. As an ordinary person, I've already done everything I could."
In the end, this was all Aeron could muster.
Carlotta was someone who understood the bigger picture and wouldn't make unreasonable demands over something like this.
Still, Aeron wouldn't apologize. It might sound a bit boastful, but he believed he had done his best.
Fenrico had fallen, the truth about Toccata had been revealed, Fisalia's duties had been affirmed, the innocent members of the Fool's Troupe had returned, and Leviathan had lost its chance to extend its reach into Ragunna.
Rover, who was currently inside communicating with her "old acquaintance," could surely do better than him, but Aeron was satisfied enough with this outcome.
Carlotta didn't respond immediately. Of course, she knew what Aeron had done. After all, as one of the main characters in the drama he had orchestrated, she had watched from the closest vantage point as he guided the play step by step toward its finale.
At this thought, a relaxed smile finally bloomed on Carlotta's face.
"Alright, alright, don't be so tense. Seeing you in such an awkward state now makes up for it, I suppose~"
Logically, Carlotta understood that Aeron's hurtful words were a necessary part of the performance.
Emotionally, she had been genuinely hurt at the time, but… how could she hold that against Aeron?
"Uh... If you were really going to let me off, you wouldn't have kept me here, would you?"
"Heh, you're just as quick-witted as ever."
Carlotta chuckled softly, taking half a step back to give Aeron a bit of breathing room, but her composed demeanor made him feel uneasy.
"You should understand Ragunna's current situation. The 'king' you chose needs someone to help stabilize things and handle matters beneath the surface."
"That's why I went to the Order..."
"But there are limits to what the Order can do."
Carlotta finished Aeron's sentence, her expression maintaining the composure befitting a young lady.
"With Fenrico's downfall creating a power vacuum, all sides are watching and waiting. Phoebe needs to solidify her position as the Primus, purge internal dissent, and rebuild faith—all of which requires support from secular forces, right?"
She looked at Aeron, her gaze frank, the smile still on her face.
Carlotta and Rover had sought out Aeron together not merely to have him help resolve the matter with that performer.
What she intended was to have this man who could turn Ragunna upside down stand on Montelli's side.
It wasn't that Carlotta distrusted the Order or Phoebe, but she still hoped that in the days to come, Aeron would remain an asset to Montelli.
Cantarella's Fisalia hadn't yet won over the hearts of the people in Ragunna, and Phoebe's position as High Seat still needed time to be scrutinized by the populace...
Since Aeron had reasons to lend a hand to them, Montelli had to have one too!
Now, at this very moment, was the most opportune time.
Carlotta: We'll win!
...What is all this about?
But unfortunately, Aeron truly hadn't grasped what Carlotta was thinking.
"The 'King' needs support—not just on the battlefield, but also in maintaining Ragunna's new order. Official affairs, ceremonies, diplomacy—those are handled by me and others. But certain matters that aren't so concerned with rules and costs... the 'King' can't do them. Montelli needs someone who can."
"...?"
...
Aeron pointed at himself, and Carlotta nodded with satisfaction.
"To put it more plainly... how does it feel to draw two salaries?"
"Not great. Can't I just live a laid-back life after helping take down Leviathan?"
"Breaking the heavens and then pretending nothing happened—there's no such rule in this world~"
Carlotta took another step forward, closing the distance between them once more. Aeron could see his own constipated expression clearly reflected.
And that was exactly the reaction Carlotta wanted.
"Or, think of it from another angle..."
She lowered her voice, adopting a tone that was both persuasive and subtly sharp.
"Whether it's Phoebe, Zani, or Ciaccona, they'll all be affected to some extent by what happened before. There might even be people with ill intentions like the Fractsidus targeting them."
Carlotta stared up at Aeron from below, carefully observing the changes in his expression.
"As long as you're willing, Montelli will ensure those troubles don't reach them—ow!"
Before Carlotta could finish, Aeron flicked her forehead.
"If you just want my help, isn't that simple enough? Why resort to such tactics?"
At first, Aeron thought she was being so cryptic for some grand purpose, but it turned out to be just this straightforward matter.
He knew Carlotta wasn't the type to use underhanded methods. All that talk earlier was just to make Aeron willingly offer assistance to Montelli on some possible future day.
"Your negotiation skills have improved, but given our relationship, there's no need for all that trouble."
"Grr... given your attitude before, who knew if you'd agree or not..."
Carlotta, who had been easily seen through by Aeron, covered her forehead, feeling a bit unwilling deep down.
She had put so much effort into setting things up just to get a handle on Aeron. Although she ultimately achieved her goal, she still felt a little frustrated.
Then, she felt a warm sensation on her head—Aeron had pressed down on that silver cowlick and placed his hand on her head.
"I'll take care of everything I need to do, don't worry, Shorty."
"Who's short?!"
Just as Aeron pushed away Carlotta, who was trying to lay hands on him, the door to the adjacent containment room opened.
Rover stepped out, seemingly emotionless, but Aeron could still sense that her state of mind had changed somewhat after speaking with Phrolova.
Only when she saw Aeron and Carlotta did her expression shift.
"Are you two done talking?"
"Sort of... though it feels more like someone was just throwing a one-sided tantrum."
"That's not true at all!"
Rover glanced at Carlotta, then at Aeron, who looked resigned, before finally relaxing.
Aeron himself let out a sigh.
No matter what, things were finally done. All that was left was to grab a meal and head home for a good night's sleep—
"Aeron."
Just as Aeron was pondering how to spend the rest of the day, Rover suddenly called his name.
"Huh?"
"There's something I need to talk to you about. Is it okay if we go somewhere else?"
"..."
Damn.