Charisma 100: My Academy Life As A Heartbreaking Commoner-Chapter 176: Summer Auction 9

Sunlight poured through the bedroom window.

Aegis stirred, aware of weight pressing against her side. Serilla was draped over her like a possessive blanket, one leg thrown across Aegis’s thighs, one arm wrapped around her waist, face buried in the curve of her neck.

Both of them still naked. Both of them sticky with dried cum.

[Gross... But worth it.]

Aegis allowed herself a moment to appreciate the situation. Serilla’s pink hair looked like it had lost a fight with a tornado. Her makeup had smeared sometime during the night, leaving dark smudges under her eyes. She looked like she’d been fucked within an inch of her life.

[Hehehe... I did that.]

A knock at the door.

Aegis carefully extracted herself from Serilla’s grip, earning a sleepy mumble of protest. She grabbed the first thing she could find, a simple bathrobe hanging on the door, and pulled it on as she padded toward the sound.

The knock came again.

"Coming, coming."

She opened the door.

Evelyn stood in the hallway, ledger in hand, expression professionally neutral despite the obvious state of her employer.

"Good morning, my lady."

"Morning, Evelyn. What time is it?"

"Nearly ten. I apologize for the late wake-up call, but you have correspondence that requires attention."

Aegis stepped out of the bedroom, closing the door softly behind her. The robe was short, barely covering her thighs, and she hadn’t bothered to tie it properly. Hickeys dotted her neck and collarbone like a map of last night’s activities.

She didn’t care.

[If I can’t be comfortable in my own. fucking. manor, where can I be comfortable?]

She dropped into a chair in the hallway, lounging back with her legs crossed.

"Let’s hear it."

If Evelyn had any opinions about her employer receiving reports while half-naked in a hallway, she kept them to herself.

"Several letters arrived this morning from nobles who attended the Auction." Evelyn flipped open her ledger. "Lord Hensworth sends his regards and inquires about potential military training partnerships. Baron Galehurst wishes to discuss trade route investments. Lady Dawnwood requests a meeting to explore charitable collaborations."

"All positive?"

"Mostly." Evelyn’s expression flickered. "There is one exception."

She handed Aegis a sealed envelope. The wax bore the Cindergrave crest.

Aegis broke the seal and scanned the contents.

Lady Starcaller,

You have made a powerful enemy. Enjoy your minor victory while it lasts. The game is far from over, and newcomers who overreach often find themselves falling from greater heights.

Tread lightly.

Duke Malcolm Cindergrave

Aegis snorted.

"Threats already? He works fast."

"Shall I arrange additional security, my lady?"

"No. Let him stew. An angry Cindergrave is a sloppy Cindergrave."

[Besides, what’s he gonna do? Send a strongly worded letter?]

The bedroom door opened.

Serilla walked out completely naked.

Not wrapped in a sheet. Not wearing Aegis’s robe. Just... naked. Tits out, cock soft against her thigh, walking like she owned the place.

Evelyn’s eyebrow twitched.

"Good morning, Lady Frost."

"Morning." Serilla stretched, arms above her head, tits lifting with the motion. "Evelyn, was it? You’re the steward?"

"I am."

"Efficient. I like that." Serilla sauntered closer. "Tell me, do you ever take breaks? You look tense."

"I’m adequately relaxed, thank you."

"Are you sure? I could help with that."

"I’m certain, my lady."

Serilla shrugged.

"Fine. Your loss."

Evelyn turned to Aegis with an expression that very clearly communicated I don’t get paid enough for this.

"If there’s nothing else, my lady, I’ll begin coordinating responses to your correspondence."

"Go ahead. Thanks, Evelyn."

Evelyn walked away, spine rigid, dignity barely intact.

Down the hall, two laborers carrying wood planks crashed into a wall. Then each other. Then the wall again. Their eyes were locked on Serilla’s ass as she followed Aegis back toward the bedroom.

"You’re causing accidents," Aegis observed.

"Good. Now you know who you need to fire. You’re welcome."

Serilla caught Aegis’s arm, spinning her around. She cupped Aegis’s face and kissed her. Deep, as usual. Possessive, as usual, with her tongue shoving past her lips like it belonged there.

When she pulled back, her grip on Aegis’s jaw tightened.

"I need you to understand something." Serilla’s voice was low. "If you start ignoring me—if you get distracted by your princess or your projects or whatever else or someone else—I’m going to lose my fucking mind."

She pulled on Aegis’s lower lip with her teeth. Hard enough to hurt.

"Do you understand?"

Aegis’s brows shot up.

[I guess this is what Rosanna was talking about.]

"I understand."

"Good." Another kiss, softer. "Now let’s get breakfast. I’m starving."

They’d barely made it to the main hall when the front door burst open.

Sophie bounded in like an overexcited puppy, Vera trailing behind her looking bored.

"Big sis! Big sis!" Sophie’s eyes were sparkling. "We heard about everything! The auction, the potions, the dance—you’re famous! Everyone’s talking about how you humiliated that old duke guy!"

"News travels fast."

"Scarlett told us. She was practically vibrating." Sophie finally noticed Serilla, still naked, standing behind Aegis. Her eyes went wide. Then hungry. "Oh. Hello."

"Hello yourself." Serilla smirked. "Somehow, it slipped my mind Aegis had a sister."

"You’re Lady Frost, right? The one who—" Sophie’s gaze dropped to Serilla’s cock. "Oh, nice."

"Sophie," Aegis warned.

"What? I’m just admiring!"

"You’re drooling."

"Am not." Sophie wiped her chin anyway. "Okay, maybe a little. Can you blame me? Look at that thing."

"Sophie."

"Fine, fine." Sophie pouted. "You never let me have any fun."

Vera, meanwhile, had frozen in the doorway.

Her face had gone pale.

She was staring at something behind Aegis.

Aegis turned.

Evelyn had returned, ledger in hand, apparently with a follow-up question. She’d also frozen mid-step, eyes locked on Vera.

"Mom!?"

"Vera."

The word hung in the air.

Aegis’s brain short-circuited.

[Wait. Wheeler. Vera Wheeler. Evelyn Wheeler. OH SHIT. I KNEW I remembered that last name from somewhere!!!]

"What are you doing here!?" Vera’s voice cracked.

"I work here. What are you doing here?"

"I’m Sophie’s friend! We came to congratulate Aegis!"

"You know Lady Starcaller?"

"She’s Sophie’s sister!"

Mother and daughter stared at each other, both clearly processing information they hadn’t expected to encounter this morning.

"You never told me you were working for a noble house," Vera accused.

"You never told me you were friends with my employer’s sister," Evelyn countered.

"I didn’t know!"

"Neither did I!"

Sophie, completely unbothered by the family drama unfolding three feet away, had sidled up to Serilla.

"So," Sophie said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "You and my big sis, huh?"

"That’s right."

"She’s great, isn’t she? The best." Sophie stepped closer. "But you know, I’m pretty great too. If you ever want to compare notes... or compare other things..."

"Sophie!" Aegis grabbed her sister’s arm. "Stop trying to seduce my... Serilla."

"Your Serilla?" Serilla’s eyebrow rose. "How eloquent."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

The chaos continued—Vera and Evelyn arguing about communication and boundaries, Sophie making increasingly unsubtle suggestions to an amused Serilla, laborers still walking into walls—and Aegis found herself standing in the middle of it all, exhausted and entertained in equal measure.

[I need coffee. Or wine. Or both mixed together.]

She retreated to a quiet corner, pulling up her HUD while the others were distracted.

Her Scandal Points total glowed: 255

More than enough.

The Shadow Empress’s identity had been sitting in her Scandal Shop since the beginning, locked behind a 150-point paywall. Finally, she’d accumulated the necessary amount.

She thought about it for a moment.

[... No sense in putting it off, right?] She nodded to herself. [Alright. Let’s see who’s going to try to destroy the world.]

She navigated to the shop, selected the option, and confirmed the purchase.

150 Scandal Points Deducted

Remaining: 105

Processing...

Accessing Timeline Data...

Cross-Referencing Shadow Magic Signatures...

Most Likely Shadow Empress In This Timeline:

A name appeared.

Aegis read it.

Read it again.

Aegis Starcaller

She blinked.

[... What?]