Chapter 19: Where’s My Sister?
As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the window, Kailun sat up in bed, engrossed in a book.
The title was “How to Make a Bad Woman Hate You to the Bone.” It detailed dozens of methods, ranging from mental and emotional abuse to physical torture. It was a popular read among the nobility.
Kailun tossed it aside with a sigh.
“Useless! It’s all useless!”
He buried his face in his hands, despair washing over him.
By the time Anna had passed out, her favorability had risen to -50. He had no doubt that with a few more nights of “effort,” it would turn positive.
His [Mental Pollution] talent was a complete failure. He couldn’t possibly resort to bedding every important character he encountered, could he?
He glanced at Anna, who lay fast asleep beside him. Her face was streaked with tears and exhaustion, her body covered in marks.
The bloodstained sheets barely concealed her lower half, the curves of her figure on full display.
The slave mark on her abdomen pulsed with a faint glow, as if energized by their encounter.
From initial resistance to eventual compliance, he could only imagine the turmoil she had experienced.
Thanks to her rising favorability, his overall attributes had actually decreased.
“What am I supposed to do with you? I treat you like this, and you can’t even muster up enough hatred? Now we’re both worse off. If you weren’t my first, I might actually lock you up and torture you properly.”
He ruffled her hair playfully.
His frustration eventually dissolved into a sigh. He got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
“Splash, splash!”
The sound of running water roused Anna from her slumber. Despite the aches and pains that wracked her body, she felt a strange sense of renewal.
It was a feeling she had never experienced before. Free, light, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
And for some reason, she didn’t hate Kailun as much as she used to.
Confused and overwhelmed, she pulled his pillow over her head, seeking refuge from reality.
She wouldn’t tell him that she had actually enjoyed certain aspects of their encounter.
…
At eight o’clock sharp, Kailun arrived at the academy.
He had left Carol behind to look after Anna. After reading his family’s reply, he had headed to school alone.
Phils had left even earlier to avoid arousing Princess Hilna’s suspicions.
“Kailun, have you seen my sister? She didn’t come home last night.” Paul approached him the moment he entered the classroom, his face etched with worry.
He figured that exploiting Kailun’s influence was the easiest way to find Anna. As long as he asked, the good-natured Kailun would surely help.
“What? Anna didn’t come home?!” Kailun feigned shock and concern. He grabbed Paul’s shoulders. “Do you think she was kidnapped? She’s so beautiful, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone had their eye on her. Damn it! Just imagining her being… handled by some other guy makes me so envious! I mean, angry!”
“…” Paul’s face darkened. “Don’t you dare curse my sister! And don’t tell me you have your eyes on her?”
Kailun slung an arm around his shoulder. “Come on, Paul, we’re friends, right? You know what they say, keep it in the family. It would be a waste if she ended up with some random guy.”
“I have no right to interfere with my sister’s love life. If you can win her heart, that’s your business.” Paul scoffed inwardly. “Besides, shouldn’t we be focusing on finding her?”
He couldn’t imagine Anna, with her disdain for nobles, ever falling for Kailun.
Moreover, she had come home yesterday afternoon ranting about Kailun, calling him a shameless scoundrel with nothing but his family name to his credit.
Would she ever fall for him?
He wouldn’t believe it even if he saw it with his own eyes. If Kailun managed to woo his sister, he would personally chop off his own head and present it to him as a chamber pot. That’s how confident he was!
“I know you’re worried, but calm down. Let’s think this through. Did Anna say anything before she left yesterday?” Kailun decided to have some fun with Paul, curious to see how the protagonist would handle this situation.
Paul racked his brain. “She only said she was going to a classmate’s place and would be back before dark.”
“Did anything unusual happen recently? Think carefully.”
“Unusual?”
Kailun’s words triggered a memory. Could it be related to the forbidden scroll? Had Anna been discovered?
No, if she had been caught, the academy would have contacted him. He still had the scroll; he hadn’t finished copying it yet.
They had targeted the forbidden scroll to secure first place in their respective year-end exams.
It was precisely because of the stolen scroll that Paul hadn’t reported Anna’s disappearance to the academy. Otherwise, he would have sought their help instead of Kailun’s.
“Nothing unusual happened. Everything was normal. You have to help me, Kailun. If you help me find my sister, I’ll even set you up with someone.”
He bowed deeply, his sincerity convincing on the surface.
“Alright, I promise. I’ll have my people search for her after school today. Trust me, with my family’s resources, we’ll find her quickly.” Kailun patted his shoulder reassuringly.
“Can’t we go now? I’m afraid something might happen if we wait.” Paul was getting desperate. He feared that any further delay would expose their theft of the forbidden scroll.
“How about we skip class together?” Kailun suggested, grabbing his shoulder.
Paul shrugged him off. “No way! I can’t be late! I’ll lose my scholarship! You know my family’s situation. Without the scholarship, I can’t afford to stay here.”
“Fine, but when I find your sister, you’re splitting your scholarship with me.”
“…Fine.” Paul reluctantly agreed.
[Paul’s current favorability towards you is -50. You have received a 50% attribute bonus.]
Despite helping him, Paul’s hatred for him had intensified.
“Alright, for my good friend Paul, I’ll skip class.”
Kailun turned to leave, only to bump into Hilna at the door.
She glared at him. “Did I dismiss you?”
She had learned of Phils’ failed plan before class and was in a foul mood. Seeing Kailun attempting to skip class was the last straw.
She had decided. Tonight, she would launch her attack on the Kate family’s businesses.
Instead of disappointment, a secret smile bloomed on Kailun’s face.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
No Good protagonists are really hateful.