Stone Mage: Revenge of the Villain System

Don suddenly received two tokens for a play by Lovushka's troupe from his brother, Ronin.

"What is this for, Brother?" He asked.

"I bought tickets for me and Cermin but ended up having to do some important business next Week's End." Ronin said succinctly. "You can watch the play with someone else in the meantime. They tend to be long so you would have to expect being in the Amphitheater for most of the day."

After all, real-life plays back in Shakespeare's time also take almost 2-4 hours too. And that was not counting the time intervals between acts that require some stage preparation and setting. People literally take time off their work just to watch these performances.

It was only in the modern era that people are intolerant of movies that exceed even just 1 hour and 30 minutes.

"Is that so?" Don rubbed his chin. "Hmm, maybe I should take Marigold, Calla, or Edelweiss with me."

He sighed. "But Edelweiss and Calla had been busy lately and seemed to be tense, maybe because of Calla's apprenticeship and Edel's new invention."

"Invention?" Ronin raised an eyebrow.

"She had created this sort of glass that makes her see people's Heartstones. I do not understand very well how it functions, but she had Calla testing it recently. It was to save the endangered species from being mistaken for other Heartstones and being overhunted."

Don smiled a bit. "Edel is really an amazingly smart but also a kind-hearted woman. I'm glad we managed to become friends in the end."

Ronin rubbed his chin. 'So that was how they found Sordido out, huh?'

'I did hear a bit from their thoughts about an obsidian glass or something similar, but it was being muffled by the many other voices in other people's heads.'

After that was done with, Ronin talked to Don a bit more, pretending to just want to talk and have a nice sibling-to-sibling chat...

But while he was too busy to notice, he took a few strands of hair from his hairbrush.

When the Week's End came Calla Lily and Edelweiss went to the Amphitheater before the show began, when the Lovushka's troupe was still setting up preparations.

Calla was still wearing the Heartstone glass in case Sordido pulled off something funny like changing disguises.

He did not, and stayed in his Garnet curtain drawer man form. When he saw the two girls, he went over.

"I still have to make a formal request of leave to Lovushka." He told them.

Calla rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't mind losing such a valuable member that just helps draw and close the curtains."

"Shut your smart mouth, witch. You don't know how extremely difficult that man is like. If he notices something, my whole mission fails."

Edelweiss frowned. "Wasn't Lovushka good at discerning disguises anyway?"

"Well, not good enough to notice me. Must be because this was a Mage Focus." Sordido shrugged, and went over to excuse himself to his boss.

Lovushka was wearing women's clothing again, as he would be acting as the Sea goddess Nereid this time. It seems that the time he acted as Father Spider would just be a once-in-a-blue-moon experience.

They saw that Sordido sweated a little as he approached the man having his skin painted and wearing rogue and medieval make-up. He said something, and Lovushka nodded.

He felt relieved, but then got pulled all of sudden for a kiss on the cheek, then the pretty man waved like those pretentious queens at him as he walked away.

"What was that?" Calla sneered a little, seeing this Blanc D'Argent scum looking so annoyed and embarrassed but unable to do anything.

He made a low growl. "He said it was a goodbye kiss and for me to take care of. He's like that with everyone in the troupe, it's disgusting. Like calling us his 'lovely babies' and 'adorable darlings'."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter! Let's go now! Ah, it pisses me off that someone terrible like that can look so good as a woman!"

He was a known womanizer after all, but the existence of someone like Lovushka would obviously confuse him.

But funny shenanigans aside, they went straight to business.

Edelweiss said. "Wait here, I'll fetch Don and ask him to join us."

She went to Don's room, and found him there just sitting and enjoying some tea while reading.

"Oh, hello, Edel!" He greeted her joyfully. "I didn't expect you to visit all of a sudden."

"Yes, well.... We kept it a secret until the last moment because we wanted to stay cautious and safe. But we need you to come with us."

"Oh?" Don tilted his head to the side. "Where?"

"We'll..... Tell you on the way. We need your help."

Don closed his book and blinked innocently. "Alright..... Well, I'm always happy to help, but this is really too abrupt."

He joined them and soon found Calla and Sordido waiting on a carriage.

"This is your bodyguard?" Sordido chuckled. "Hah! This tiny, scrawny midget? How unlucky you girls are, even unable to find a legitimate Hero Mage to protect you---"

Don did not hesitate to kick him in the gut, almost breaking one of his ribs. Sordido fell to the ground and he kept him in place with his boots.

"Is this what you need help with?" Don asked.

Calla clapped. "Great job, Don dear, but you can let him go now. We need him to lead us somewhere, ignore his stupid mouth."

Don let go calmly, and Sordido coughed out. His eyes blazed with fury, he had been humiliated by so many people already.....

But then, this tiny Hero Mage said.

"Enter the carriage now. Before I pulverize you."

As he said the word enter, Sordido did feel inclined to go inside without any more complaints.

Not to mention those eyes...

Somehow, those blue eyes feel like the wrong color, and they should be darker than they should.

The ride was pretty much quiet, as they traveled further and further away from most of civilization in Sephyrine and reached a small, low hill. A fortress blocked the entrance and one would have expected guards.....

But there was no one insight, and the heavy wooden doors were wide open.

On that hill was a dilapidated house that seemed to have been wonderfully extravagant until it had suffered severe damage from several attacks. Some by fire, and scratches of weapons can also be seen on the side of its walls with the fortress.

"What happened here?" Edelweiss frowned.

Sordido scoffed. "You dare ask when your beloved Cermin caused all of this. And that demon lurking by his side."

Calla snapped back at him with her delicate fingers. "How is my dear Edel supposed to know that? She had cut ties with that prince a long time ago."

Don just watched the stonework of the ruined walls with great interest.

Sordido observed all of them, then sighed.

"After learning about the theft and embezzlement, the people that worked with Father pointed fingers at him, letting him take all the downfall. Our own servants and people revolted, we received attacks from towns under our domain, and my Father was not in any state to fight back."

"Big Brother had to suffer tremendously along with him, and fall into poverty like tramps on the street. I accompany him in this ruined house because he has nowhere else to go, and he truly was pitiful sleeping at a manor without any roof."

Calla raised an eyebrow. "We do not come to sympathize with you. You all have reaped the fruits of your downfall. What we aim to learn here was what he wants with Ronin Willowe, and what exactly are you planning with all the espionage at the Academy."

Sordido wore a grave expression, before saying:

"He will be able to explain it better to you. Then you'll see that our cause is not bad, and we are actually trying to be the saviors of mankind in Magecia itself."

"But.... There's another condition."

Edelweiss scowled. "You are in no position to ask us more conditions---"

"Keep your bodyguard behind the door. That's all I ask. You can simply shout for help or stay close by, but...."

He glared at Don. "He must not be in the same room with Big Brother."

Don just blinked in confusion. "Uh.... Why not? What did I do?"

Edelweiss also crossed her arms. "You're being unreasonable. He's here to protect us."

"Yes, but....."

Sordido gave a meaningful look. "Who will protect my brother and I from him?"

Calla caught on to something from that look. She turned to Don.....

And somehow took the time to pay attention to his chest.

There was something missing there. Everything was perfect, from the way he does his hair, to his clothes, and his expression and general demeanor....

But he wasn't wearing that color-changing necklace that Edelweiss gave him.

It was usually hidden under his clothes so nobody notices, but when he was in side view, the bulge should have been seen underneath.

Yet Calla didn't say anything and just said.

"I agree. We will leave Don behind the door. Let us go now."