ID Chapter 38: Amelia

Celia’s dad, Lucas, was a very charismatic-looking man with a cleanly shaven square jawline that complimented the blue hues radiating from his droopy eyes. Yet, Ethan could feel a grim feeling beneath Lucas’s smile. Celia’s mother had a similar atmosphere.

‘Am I imagining things?’

Celia tugged at his shirt. “Do you want to spend time in my room?”

Her violet eyes twinkled, clearly showing her hope for Ethan’s agreement. Unwilling to let her down, Ethan nodded his head. Celia returned a bright smile and grabbed his hand.

“Congrats, baby,” Lucas said.

“Thanks, Dad. I’ll be in my room.”

“Thanks, Uncle,” Ethan said, letting himself dragged by Celia.

“If Onii-sama wants to stay, then it can’t be helped,” Mio grumbled behind Ethan.

Celia kicked open the door and pulled him inside her room. She forced him to sit on the bed before she sat down and heaved a big sigh of relief.

Ethan quietly patted her back and glanced around. Nothing had changed in Celia’s room since Ethan’s last visit. Rows of cute plushies lined up on the shelves stacked against the walls colored in rose pink. Manga, games, light novels, anime figurines—this woman sure spent a decent chunk of money on her hobbies.

Celia leaned against him. “I still can’t believe we are engaged now.”

“Neither can I.”

He hadn’t thought the engagement will be this… lackluster. He expected a lot of struggle to convince Marienne. If that didn’t work, he would charm her. Nothing of the sort happened, leaving him a tad bit disappointed.

“Onii-sama and I are engaged from the moment of our kiss.”

“Delusional,” Celia murmured. “Yes, you are, dear. I’d never dare to take Ethan’s first from you.”

Mio raised her chin, looking down on Celia with piercing eyes. “It’s good that you know your place.”

“Yes, Mio Onii-sama.”

“Hmph.”

‘Mio acts tsundere towards Celia?’

Ethan smiled. Everything was fine as long as these two stopped fighting and got along. Celia also did a commendable job in calming Mio’s violent attitude.

‘I should buy a ring for them.’

The two deserved a lot more, and an engagement ring sounded like a good start. He decided on shopping after clearing the dungeon Alyssia mentioned.

Mio quietly snuggled against him. It seemed like they’d fall asleep any second.

‘I should prepare for the dungeon dive.’

When paired with his strength stats, Regina’s spear seemed like it could hold its own against any iron-ranker. The crossbow might not be so lucky to penetrate the thick skin of trolls. Then again, his wind element could propel the arrows well beyond the crossbow’s maximum speed.

‘I need to put more time in learning it.’

The spear and crossbow covered close and medium range. He always had the option to cross distance through the shadow realm. The only thing he lacked was defense. He had nothing special to protect himself in a pinch other than the unnamed dream bear. He felt awful for thrusting his new companion into danger after she almost died to the goblin.

He experimented with his wind element. A simple thought lit a mystical green glow on his finger. He drew circles in the air. Like a kid who obtained his first coloring kit, he kept drawing. Mio’s face, Alyssia, Lulu, he drew anything that came to his mind.

The door opened and a soft voice called out. “Mistress, congratulations.”

Ethan’s hands froze, and the lingering glow faded. He shakily turned to the door. A girl gawked at him, her hazel eyes stretched wide behind her round glasses. Her shoulder-length distinct white hair ended with pale blue tips as though she messed up the coloring process. Numerous frills decorated her Victorian-style maid dress that almost touched the ground. Despite her timid expression, she carried a bust larger than both Mio and Celia.

Ethan had met this young maid a few times in the past, but he never had any lengthy interaction.

“Amelia?”

“Master Ethan, what was that?”

Ethan flinched at the ‘Master Ethan’ coming from a girl barely older than him. “What are you talking about?”

“Your fingers were glowing. I saw it.”

“What?” Ethan wagged his fingers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Were my eyes wrong?”

The ‘there is something with your eyes’ card seemed super effective against the maid. He pressed a finger on his lip, glancing at Mio and Celia dozing off in bright daylight.

The maid understood and nodded seriously.

“Please call me when Mistress wakes up,” she said in a hushed tone, raised her ankle-length white skirt, and tiptoed out of the room.

‘That worked? Isn’t Amelia a bit too… simpleton?’

Even if she wasn’t airheaded, she still worked for Celia. So the chances of Amelia revealing his magic to anyone would be rather low. How did she handle Celia’s business? People like her will be manipulated to no ends in the industry.

He shook his head. Densford Family business wasn’t his problem. Only Celia mattered.

‘I should be more careful where to use my abilities.’

***

(Marienne)

“Hmm… some element is gathering nearby,” the eldritch abomination babbled atop Marienne’s head. “I fear someone from the other side has sensed my presence.”

“What? Someone from Avalon invaded my home?”

“Indeed. It is not very powerful. However, I cannot take any chances. Do you remember our plan?”

“Blow up the servers and get out.”

“Yes. Accomplish that, and I’ll keep my part of the deal.”

Marienne nodded her head. “Yes.”

***

(Ethan)

Mio and Celia ended up sleeping until two. They might’ve stayed up after his summoning to Avalon. He wondered how the two acted in his absence.

“Let’s stay until night,” Celia proposed.

“Sur—no. I have a training session with Regina!”

“Ah, crap. When do we leave then? I’ll let Amelia know.”

“Right now. I’ll need some rest before I’m summoned.”

Mio pinched his shirt with her phone in her hand. “Don’t worry about Regina. I can ask her to cancel today’s training.”

“Don’t. You two can stay here. I’ll go alone.”

He wanted to absorb more knowledge of combat before diving into the dungeon.

“Never, Onii-sama!”

“No fucking way.”

The two instantly rejected his intention.

“I can’t leave you alone with a woman,” Celia paused and waved her hands. “I-I’m not trying to question your loyalty. It’s just your charm ability that can make Regina fall for you.”

“Yes. As she said, Onii-sama. I believe in you, but I can’t let this ability seduce any more women.”

“Fine. We all go together.”

Celia gave a swift nod and slapped the bed frame. Tring! A ring resounded. The door was flung open almost immediately, showing Amelia with a broom in her hands. She tossed the broom outside and bowed her head.

“Mistress. Congratulations on your engagement with Master Ethan.”

“Thank you,” Celia said and walked toward the maid. “Hold just a second.”

She took off Amelia’s glasses. The maid froze, taken aback. After a moment of surprise, she got on one knee and lowered her head.

“Mistress.” Amelia’s voice came out stern, far colder than her usual. “What is your command?”

‘Did she fucking turned into a knight?’

Ethan was befuddled by this transformation. This wasn’t an anime where people turned by switching glasses.

“Investigate mother. Get more people if you need.”

“It will be done.”

Amelia got up and bowed again before leaving.

“I didn’t want to resort to using her.” Celia turned around with a mirthless smile. “Ethan, I have this gut feeling that something is wrong with Mom.”

“You also noticed?”

“Onii-sama, I also felt it. I can usually guess people’s feelings toward Onii-sama. I couldn’t guess the intentions of that woman.”

Everyone carried the same doubt.

‘Why now of all time! God, please let me focus on the dungeon today.’