Chapter 40
Agenor was already there near her seat, appearing to have arrived early.
When their eyes met, he waved his hand loosely.
The onlookers buzzed at the sight of him waving so casually.
“Did Young Lord Agenor just wave a warm greeting?”
“Goodness, I heard he wasn’t on good terms with his siblings……”
“Don’t the Young Lords under Lord Pierre avoid even speaking to one another? I heard it’s nothing but fighting even when they do face each other.”
Calypso Aquasiadel scanned the hall before stopping her gaze at one spot.
Familiar faces were visible opposite her seat.
It was Lord Bayan and his gang.
Their gazes were murderous, as if they had been glaring at her even before she looked.
‘That look says they want to tear me apart, doesn’t it?’
Calypso Aquasiadel smirked.
She smiled brightly and even raised her middle finger.
They might not know the exact meaning, but it would certainly feel unpleasant.
Calypso Aquasiadel’s gaze left the indignant Lord Bayan and landed on the calm-looking lady sitting beside him.
‘As expected, my Uncle didn’t come.’
It was required for a parent to come.
Since that meant either one of the two could attend, the person there was Calypso Aquasiadel’s aunt.
‘This is bad. It might have been better if my Uncle had come personally.’
The calm-looking aunt remained composed alone, regardless of how noisy the room was or who her son was glaring at.
It was as if she were in a different space.
She had her gray hair elegantly pinned up.
That person was also an orca.
From a branch family.
Indeed, the fact that Lord Bayan himself could not attend the Family Meeting would already have a fatal impact on them.
‘Grandmother loves to flaunt her influence at the Family Meeting.’
It wasn’t a place where all vassals gathered and focused for no reason.
Every major and minor affair was decided and processed there.
To be excluded from that place meant never entering the center of this underwater community.
‘I really wanted to go this time, but it’s a shame.’
Since Lord Bayan was absent, it seemed Rodesen, her uncle, intended to go and act as Grandmother’s sycophant.
Calypso Aquasiadel chuckled as if she could picture the scene.
‘Ah, Uncle really is good at playing the sycophant.’
Time passed.
And it was time for the Disciplinary Committee to begin.
At the same time, the Family Meeting would be opening somewhere else.
‘Is it starting now?’
This was a massive conference hall.
There was a semi-circular table and the Chairperson’s seat, built like a judge’s bench in a courtroom.
The semi-circular table was occupied sparsely by the parties involved, including Calypso Aquasiadel and Agenor, and their parents.
Aside from them, the vassals acting as jurors were also present.
And in the Chairperson’s area, two people were sitting besides Laila; Calypso Aquasiadel easily recognized one of them as the Chairperson of the Intermediate Institution.
‘Who is the other one? The face looks strangely familiar.’
“Everyone, please be silent. We will begin the High Disciplinary Committee.”
When Laila, sitting in the highest seat, spoke, the hall fell silent instantly.
“I am Laila, acting as the moderator and Chairperson.
At this venue, I ask everyone to faithfully engage in the meeting regardless of rank and to promise in the name of the Sea that you will speak only the truth while the meeting is in progress.
First, Lord Bayan, the party involved and the perpetrator of this agenda.”
“……I promise upon the Sea.”
“And Calypso Aquasiadel, the party involved and the victim of this agenda.”
“I promise upon the Sea.”
“Lord Agenor.”
“I promise upon the Sea.”
In addition, Laila made all parties take the oath, and only after the oaths of the branch family children were finished did she scan the hall with calm eyes.
When her gaze turned toward Calypso Aquasiadel, someone other than Laila opened their mouth.
It was the Chairperson of the Intermediate Institution, who had been quiet until now.
“Before we begin, I am Chaya, one of the Chairpersons. As Chairperson, there is a matter I am curious about.”
Chaya, who raised her hand, was an elderly woman with drooping eyes.
However, her gaze was sharp and possessed an overwhelming power.
“This is a venue where a Disciplinary Committee is held regarding the conduct of minor students of an educational institution.
Therefore…… I believe it was notified in advance that accompanying a guardian is mandatory.”
She was an orca warrior who had crossed paths with the current Head of the Family through life and death, and she was currently a person dedicated to nurturing future students.
“Why is there no guardian beside Calypso Aquasiadel and Lord Agenor?”
Calypso Aquasiadel felt a tiny prick of guilt inside.
But it was only for a moment.
What was meant to come had arrived.
Yes, it had simply come.
‘I thought I’d slip past naturally thanks to Laila.’
This was probably Laila’s own form of consideration.
She must have thought it was strange too, but she hadn’t brought it up at all when they greeted each other.
“Is it perhaps going to take time?”
At the powerful voice, Calypso Aquasiadel turned her eyes.
Calypso Aquasiadel met Chaya’s eyes boldly, even in front of her piercing gaze.
A strange light flickered in Chaya’s eyes, but only for a brief second.
“I have no guardian.”
At Calypso Aquasiadel’s confident statement, everyone in the hall faltered.
Even Chaya, who had asked the question, froze.
“The reason for a guardian’s presence is to receive their help, considering our immaturity as minors.
Is that correct, Chairperson?”
“……That is correct.”
Laila nodded.
Calypso Aquasiadel turned her gaze.
“Brother Agenor and I will be our own advocates.”
He’s a person who would only be a nuisance anyway.
It’s fine without him.
I can push through.
The seats where the three chairpersons sat and the jury seats where the vassals sat grew noisy.
Mostly, it was a debate over whether Calypso Aquasiadel’s opinion could be accepted.
“Even if I do not have a guardian, this becomes a disadvantage for me and Brother Agenor; it does not become a disadvantage for the opposing side.
Therefore, I wish to proceed as is.”
However, perhaps because Calypso Aquasiadel spoke so clearly, everyone seemed inclined to agree, thinking, ‘Is that so?’
Except for one person.
“I object!
This venue is one opened according to solemn laws and rules.
How can we proceed with a meeting for a party that hasn’t even followed the basic rules?”
The one objecting, even making a Thud sound, was Chaya.
Chaya also admired Calypso Aquasiadel’s sharp guts, but she was a person of extreme principles and rules.
‘Ah, did they say she was Grandmother’s friend? Or comrade? She’s no help…….’
Because Chaya’s argument was so adamant, the opinions of the observers split in two, but the atmosphere was leaning slightly toward Chaya’s side.
“It doesn’t matter if it takes time.
Summon the guardian, Calypso Aquasiadel.”
Agenor looked at Calypso Aquasiadel.
A look asking what she was going to do.
Calypso Aquasiadel’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Actually, it wasn’t that she hadn’t thought this far ahead.
However, the plan she was thinking of from now on was a method she didn’t really want to use.
“……According to rumors, wasn’t it said that the Princess was on good terms with Lord Pierre?”
“I heard that rumor too.
They say he cherishes her extremely……”
“Then why isn’t he here?”
“Could he perhaps be ill?”
The whispering stuck right into her ears.
If things went wrong here, Calypso Aquasiadel might be caught in her own lie and end up in a disadvantageous situation.
Lord Bayan, who was watching, smirked.
“Why don’t we just do it?
She says she doesn’t have a father, so what can you do?”
“Hahaha, Lord Bayan is right.”
“Chairperson, let’s just do it.”
“That’s right.
Let’s start quickly so we can go to the Family Meeting.”
Chaya, who had been arguing strongly, frowned.
At this rate, the proceedings were about to start with the laws completely ignored.
However, if the flow went that way, it was true that even she would find it difficult to argue further.
Calypso Aquasiadel suppressed a sigh inside as she watched the atmosphere unfold.
At this rate, even if the Disciplinary Committee ended well, she wouldn’t be able to avoid rumors of a fallout with Pierre.
‘It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.’
As Calypso Aquasiadel resigned herself and requested once more to proceed without a guardian—
“I have no intention of leaving it that way.”
Calypso Aquasiadel’s eyes widened.
……It was definitely a voice that shouldn’t be heard here.
“Laws are laws.”
As she slowly turned her head, she saw a figure who had opened the door and entered soundlessly, appearing as if he had been there all along.
A tall, sleek silhouette.
The Master who always wore loose clothing was nowhere to be found.
“Of course they must be followed.”
Calypso Aquasiadel’s eyes grew wide.
“The guardian of my daughter and son has arrived.”
Wearing a formal suit impeccably, his clothes were the same blue as Calypso Aquasiadel’s own, as if they had been coordinated.
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