Charisma 100: My Academy Life As A Heartbreaking Commoner-Chapter 191: Misinformation

The twins arrived at sunset.

Aegis was in her study, reviewing trade manifests, looking at paperwork, doing generally boring shit, when Evelyn showed them in. Kai’Lin looked agitated, her ears flat against her head. Mei’Lin was calmer, but there was tension in the set of her shoulders.

"We have news, nya," Kai’Lin said. "Bad news."

"Give them to me, nya," Aegis said.

"H-Hey! Don’t mock us!"

"That’s bigoted, nya!"

"I’m not mocking you. I think it’s cute and I wanna be cute too. Anyway, what’s the news?"

"Duke Cindergrave’s been busy," Mei’Lin added. "He’s sabotaging your trade contracts. We tracked three separate instances this week alone."

"The textile shipment to House Varren? Delayed indefinitely. The potion order from Lady Fairweather? Cancelled. And someone’s been spreading rumors that Harmond and Sons is about to go bankrupt." Kai’Lin’s tail lashed. "It’s coordinated. Professional."

Aegis leaned back in her chair.

And laughed.

The twins exchanged confused glances.

"Um," Kai’Lin said. "Did you hear what we—"

"Oh, I heard." Aegis was grinning. "This is perfect. I was hoping he’d try something."

"You... were?"

"Remember that laborer I ’fired’ last month? The one who got caught stealing supplies?"

Mei’Lin’s eyes narrowed.

"The one you made a big show of throwing out in front of witnesses?"

"That’s the one." Aegis steepled her fingers. "He’s been feeding information to Cindergrave’s people ever since. Information I gave him."

Silence.

"You planned his sabotage?" Kai’Lin asked slowly.

"I planned for him to think he was sabotaging me." Aegis pulled out a ledger, flipping to a marked page. "The Varren shipment? Already rerouted through a different carrier. Lady Fairweather’s order? She cancelled the fake one, but placed a larger real one through a shell company I set up last week. And the bankruptcy rumors about Harmond?" She smiled. "Those will make people very confused when we announce record profits at the end of the month."

The twins stared at her.

"Wow."

"Thank you."

Kai’Lin shook her head, ears slowly perking back up.

"So what do you want us to do?"

"Escalate." Aegis stood, walking to the window. "Cindergrave thinks he’s winning. He’ll get bolder. Overconfident. I want you to help him along."

"How?"

"Spread a rumor. House Starcaller is in talks for a major partnership with House Embertide."

Mei’Lin tilted her head.

"Are you?"

"No. But Cindergrave doesn’t know that. Embertide controls most of the eastern shipping lanes. If he thinks I’m about to lock him out of that market, he’ll panic. Move too fast. Make mistakes I can exploit."

Kai’Lin scratched behind one ear, looking uncertain.

"We’re not really... rumor people, nya. Following them, sure. But making them? How do we even do that?"

Aegis blinked.

"Go drink at a tavern or something. Sneak it into casual conversation. ’Oh, did you hear about House Starcaller? I heard they’re partnering with Embertide. Big deal. Very hush-hush.’" She waved a hand. "People will talk. Trust me. That’s literally all gossip is."

The twins exchanged another look.

"That’s... it?" Mei’Lin asked.

"That’s it. You’re overthinking this. Just be natural. Chat people up. Let things slip. By tomorrow, it’ll be all over the city. Promise."

"If you say so, nya."

They left, still looking skeptical. Aegis wasn’t worried. They’d figure it out. The twins were smart, and more importantly, they were charming. People liked talking to pretty catgirls.

She was about to return to her manifests when the study door opened again.

Nazraya leaned against the frame, one eyebrow raised.

"Done playing spymaster?"

"For now."

"Good." She pushed off the frame and walked over, hips swaying. "Because you still owe me a training session. And after your performance last time, I have high expectations."

Aegis grinned.

"Lead the way, Professor."

---

The next morning, Aegis woke to the smell of breakfast.

Which was normal.

What wasn’t normal was the voice drifting up from the dining room.

A voice that definitely wasn’t Evelyn. Or Serilla. Or any of the staff.

Aegis threw on a robe and headed downstairs, a knot forming in her stomach.

She found Sister Mirabel sitting at her dining table.

The priestess looked exactly as Aegis remembered. Stern features. Cold eyes. The kind of expression that suggested she was perpetually disappointed in everyone around her. She wore her usual habit, and her hands were folded primly around a cup of tea.

"Lady Starcaller," Mirabel said. "Good morning."

"Sister Mirabel." Aegis kept her voice neutral. "This is... unexpected. Can I help you with something?"

"Perhaps." Mirabel took a sip of tea. "I’ve heard some troubling rumors lately. About Professor Nazraya."

[Shit.]

"Rumors?"

"That she’s moved in with you. Left the academy entirely. At least, for the moment." Those cold eyes fixed on Aegis. "I wanted to see for myself if it was true."

"I’m not sure where you heard that, but—"

"And if it is true," Mirabel continued, "I’d like to know what exactly she’s teaching you. Because Nazraya has always had... questionable interests. In certain forbidden arts."

[Shit shit shit.]

Aegis’s mind raced. She needed to deflect. Deny. Come up with some believable excuse for why the shadow magic professor was allegedly living in her house.

"Sister Mirabel, I assure you, there’s nothing—"

The door behind her opened.

Nazraya walked in.

Completely naked.

Her black hair was loose and slightly damp, like she’d just gotten out of the bath. Her huge tits swayed with each step. Her cock hung heavy between her thighs. She looked like she’d just rolled out of bed and couldn’t be bothered to find clothes.

Because she probably had. And she probably couldn’t.

"Good morning, darling," Nazraya said to Aegis. Then she noticed Mirabel. "Oh! Mira. What a pleasant surprise."

She walked over to the priestess and kissed her on the cheek.

Mirabel’s face went through approximately seventeen different colors in the span of two seconds.

"I— You— This is—"

"Would you like some breakfast?" Nazraya asked, settling into a chair across from her. She made no move to cover herself. "The cook does wonderful eggs."

Mirabel stood up so fast her chair scraped against the floor.

"I have to go."

"So soon? But you just got here."

"I have— There’s— I need to—"

She didn’t finish the sentence. Just turned and walked out at a pace that was definitely not running but was absolutely fleeing.

The front door slammed behind her.

Silence.

Aegis let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.

"Did you do that on purpose?"

"Do what?" Nazraya asked innocently, examining her nails.

"Walk in naked while the woman who can literally sense shadow magic was interrogating me about whether you’re teaching me forbidden arts."

"I simply forgot to dress. It happens."

"You never forget anything."

Nazraya smiled. That slow, dangerous smile that always made Aegis’s stomach flip.

"Perhaps I was motivated by the desire to see Mira’s face turn that particular shade of purple. It’s been a favorite of mine since we were together."

"You’re evil."

"I prefer ’strategic.’" She stood, stretching in a way that did very distracting things to her chest. "Now. Shall we have breakfast? I believe we’ve earned it."

Aegis slumped into a chair, the tension draining out of her.

Mirabel was suspicious. Had been for a while. If she ever actually caught Aegis practicing shadow magic...

[Don’t think about it. Deal with it later. For now, just breathe.]

She reached for the eggs.

They were, in fact, wonderful.