Chapter 6: I Hate You All
Chapter 06: I Hate You All
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21st April 2008, 9:30 A.M, Pendragon, Britannia Imperial Palace,
"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"
Huh, weird. I've found myself in this place twice in less than three months. It's quite a leap from my previous fifteen years, I must say.
However, something feels different this time around; there are no overseeing nobles present, only the Emperor, the Knight of One, Auntie Mari, and myself in the hall room.
Honestly, I can't help but feel a sense of unease creeping over me.
"Stand up," the Emperor orders me.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Naturally, I promptly rise from my kneeling position. It wouldn't be appropriate to show any disrespect to the Emperor, especially in front of the Knight of One, right?
"You have done well." Wait, what? Did the Emperor just compliment me? That's rather unexpected. I can't help but wonder if he's starting snorting Sakuradite from Japan. No wonder he wants to invade that country.
"Your words are wasted on me, Your Majesty." Setting aside my initial confusion, I respond with humility.
"What do you think about his skills, Bismarck?" The Emperor shifts his gaze towards the tall man standing on his left side.
"He is skilled enough to humiliate a member of the Knights of the Round, Your Majesty. I believe he is indeed fit to become a member of the Round." Wait, what? What have they been snorting to get this high? I'm surely not a Knight of the Round material. While I wouldn't mind breaking free from my brother's control, this is a bit much. What are you both snorting?
"They are not snorting any anything, Ben," Auntie Mari interjects from the Emperor's right side. Oh, come on! How is she able to keep reading my thoughts?
"Magic," she responds with a smirk. Did she just fucking pull a SpongeBob on me?
"Oh, aren't you a brave little kid?" my father smirks. It's disconcerting how he seems unperturbed by my impolite thoughts. Alright, whatever Auntie Mari might be saying, Father is definitely snorting something.
"You're thinking that again, Ben," Aunt Mari lets out an exasperated sigh, as if she's become all too familiar with my inner musings.
"Please stop reading my thoughts, Auntie Mari," I, a sixteen-year-old youth, can't help but pout at her playful teasing.
"A mother can read her child's thoughts with or without permission," Auntie Mari asserts, pushing her chest outward in an attempt to appear more imposing.
"You are not my mother!" I nearly shout, right in front of the Emperor.
"Don't mind the details," Okay, that's it! Am I being bullied here?
Ahem
The Knight of One clears his throat to regain our attention. Thankfully, both my father and Auntie Mari cease their bullying and return to the topic.
"As I described before, His Highness Benedict has every qualification to become a member of the Knights of the Round," His eagerness to recruit me into the Knights of the Round feels rather perplexing.
"Then make him one," just like that?! I've been busy planning to help Nonette become a member of the Knights of the Round, and now I'm being offered a spot before her? Wow.
"As you wish, Your Majesty," the Knight of One places his hand over his heart and bows lightly.
"You become a member of the Knights of the Round at sixteen years old! Aren't you a clever young man?" Wait, when did you get beside me, Auntie Mari? No, release me, you woman! I am not a child! Go and hug your husband! No! Don't put my face into your boobs!
"Father, please save me," I stretch out my hand toward my father, pleading. And this is the first time I'm addressing him as "father" to his face.
"You proclaim yourself as the strongest, yet you can't even release yourself from a woman," One of my eyes see a smirk forming on Charles' face. "You are weak! And weakness is a sin," Yeah, fuck you too, Dad.
"Your Highness Benedict, the Knight of Four spot is currently vacant. I will make preparations for tomorrow's official appointment ceremony," Lord Bismarck delivers this information in a businesslike manner, offering no assistance or guidance at my plight.
"Please help me, Sir Bismarck," I plead, turning to the only person in the room whom I consider to be sane.
"I am sorry, Your Highness," Sir Bismarck apologizes, his tone dripping with feigned politeness. "I cannot go against Lady Marianne," he adds, a mischievous glint in his eye, clearly enjoying the tease at my expense.
So, I do what most all intellectuals will do. I bury my face in her boobs. As they say, "If you can't beat them, join them," right? I stop resisting her hug and fully embrace my situation. After all, what harm could come from losing consciousness like this, right? I should be thanking to the God.
And sure enough, I find myself quickly slipping into unconsciousness, all thanks to her boobs and the overwhelming absurdity of the situation. I hope this is a dream. I'd rather face an Anti-Spiral than seeing Charles acting like a father.
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21st April 2008, 3 P.M., Pendragon, Aries Imperial Villa,
I wake up in one of the vacant rooms within Auntie Mari's Imperial Villa. With the uncertainty of what lies ahead, I decide to freshen up, preparing myself for any unexpected encounters within this grand estate.
Stepping out of my room, I'm instantly greeted by an unfamiliar voice. "So, you're the kid Charles is interested in, huh?" I turn to see a girl with flowing green hair. Her presence catches me off guard, a surprise I hadn't expected in this upscale environment.
"Who might you be?" I inquire, feigning a lack of knowledge. "And it seems we're of similar age," I add, attempting to establish some common ground.
"You may call me C.C," she responds with a hint of indifference, not bothering to think of a normal name.
"C.C? Some sort of code name?" I raise an eyebrow, opting for a lighthearted tone. "Cool," I comment, offering her an easy thumbs up. Her lack of reaction isn't lost on me, but I'm determined to keep things cordial.
C.C doesn't reply verbally but rather shakes her head, displaying her annoyance. "You're going to see Marianne, right? I'll lead the way," she asserts, forging ahead without waiting for my response.
"Hey, C.C.?"
"What?" Her tone remains curt.
"Is that hair color natural?"
"Yes," she responds tersely.
"Cool."
Our conversation falls into an awkward silence as we continue on our way. I find myself struggling to come up with suitable topics to engage her in.
Upon our arrival at the living room, Auntie Mari's cheerful voice welcomes me. "Oh, Ben! Good afternoon!"
"Good afternoon to you too, Auntie Mari," I greet her with a respectful bow, a touch of unease lingering beneath my courtesy.
"Oh, I take it you've met my friend C.C?" Auntie Mari shifts her attention towards C.C and playfully winks.
"I did," I confirm with a nod. "And she seems to enjoy treating me like a child," I can't help but note, trying to maintain some lightness in the conversation. "Please excuse me, but it's time I return to my own home. I appreciate your hospitality."
"Take care!" I'm somewhat surprised that Auntie Mari doesn't insist on keeping me here. While I'm not entirely certain, I can't help but harbor suspicions about what she and my father might have in store for my future.
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Author's Note;
Today's chapter may be shorter than usual and a little rushed, but I can't help it.
Let's make this real. Ben is officially a bully target of both Charles and Marianne. Initially, I considered making Marianne his adopted mother, but I decided against it. Similarly, I had thought about having the two show Ben the thought elevator, but I also scrapped that idea.
C.C finally makes her debut in this story after six chapters!
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