Chapter Fifty-Seven: What If They Can't Defeat You?

Seeing Helen stammering under her sister’s interrogation, Louis immediately understood what was going on.

It appeared that the frequent visits by the Foxes around the office were actually reconnaissance missions.

The two sisters continued their conversation, discussing the Foxes at length. Osyclis was the archetype of a pure white witch, a model student whom nobody dared provoke. She was not particularly aware of the world’s darker side.

But Helen was different.

“Sis, you have no idea—not only are all the academy’s witches afraid of the Foxes, even the Department of Magic’s Office of Mysteries pays them protection money every month…” Helen boasted, looking proud rather than ashamed.

“Protection money?!” Osyclis and Louis exchanged a glance, both staring at Helen in disbelief.

If Blackhorn Alley was a den of filth and crime, then the Office of Mysteries, with its all-encompassing jurisdiction, could be considered half a police station, and Triff, its director, half a chief.

A gang of young delinquents collecting protection fees from the police?

“Did I hear that right?” Osyclis was thoroughly shocked. “I’ve been at the academy for ages, how have I never heard of this?”

Helen rolled her eyes. “What do you know? Hey, hey, sis, don’t pinch me! I’ll talk, I’ll talk, okay? Stop pinching—(‘You ought to be growing, Helen, let me massage you.’) Bad girl.”

Amid the noisy banter, Helen spilled a few underworld secrets.

Originally, the Foxes never messed with the Office—they were official, after all.

But the crux was that Triff was a lecher, abusing his director’s position to take his agents out carousing. He’d often ask the young Foxes if they wanted to become stars.

Then he ran into Lilith, a real headache—she truly had star quality.

It was then Triff realized that the Red Fox Den wasn’t just a force in Blackhorn Alley; it also had deep ties within the Department of Magic—far beyond his reach.

Knowing he’d tangled with someone untouchable, Triff wanted to back off, but the Foxes wouldn’t let him. To this day, all the agents’ striptease tapes remained in the Foxes’ possession.

To keep the peace, the Office began paying protection money—not a small sum, fifty percent of the budget, though the Foxes gave kickbacks.

Thus, a surprisingly solid relationship was forged between the two, growing ever stronger—of course, the Foxes amassed more and more dirt on the agents.

So every month, the Office bought all sorts of bizarre counterfeit magical items from the Foxes at inflated prices—a pile of them cluttered the Office, wands included.

The agents hadn’t been seen for a month, and last month’s payments hadn’t been settled.

“So Lilith will come tomorrow to collect the protection fee?” Osyclis said, stunned.

She couldn’t believe the Department’s politicians were so corrupt. Nor that the Office of Special Affairs was so spineless!

Helen’s eyes widened, realizing she’d let slip something she meant to use to scare Louis into obedience.

“No, no, sis, they’re just coming to play with me. Director Triff isn’t around, so what’s to collect?”

Osyclis relaxed—it sounded reasonable enough.

After hearing all this, Louis finally understood why the storybook had given him so many “strange dancing porcelain dolls,” as well as that peculiar disciplinary ruler.

So this was the protection money—how accurate the storybook's predictions were.

‘In that case, I’m wide awake now.’

‘These unruly students, who refuse to study and instead cause trouble everywhere, wearing their misdeeds as badges of honor, have turned the academy into a mess. The atmosphere needs a thorough cleanse. Since the professors can’t handle them, as a soon-to-be professor, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.’

‘After disciplining them, I’ll make the Foxes write me a letter of commendation.’

“All done, so white,” Helen said, patting Louis’s foot and smiling.

Osyclis brushed her hair from her forehead and said to Louis, “Alright, go to bed.”

“Good, you two should sleep early as well,” Louis said with a cheerful smile, pinching both Helen and Osyclis on the cheek. Amid their brilliant gazes, he took the rag from Osyclis, wiped his feet, then climbed under the covers and smiled at them, “Good night.”

A flash of lightning split the sky, wind howled, and heavy rain clattered against the windows.

Osyclis, dizzy, nearly collapsed into Helen’s arms.

[Hmph. I knew Sis’s hypnosis was off—hmph. She just wanted to wash Louis’s feet, and she’s always wanting to kiss him. It must be that—hmph.]

Helen blinked, puffed out her chest, and said, “Good night.”

That night, Osyclis dreamed she successfully hypnotized Louis. He stared at her with helpless eyes, unable to move.

She pinched his cheeks viciously, laughing.

‘You mischievous student, let’s see how I put you in your place…’

But Louis seemed to be pretending; in her panic, he pulled her close…

He was strong—like a furnace, radiating heat.

Awakening in the middle of the night, Osyclis bit her lip.

She had dreamed of that troublesome student again…

…

The next morning, Louis rose early.

As expected, Helen, the silly girl, was still asleep and had forgotten last night entirely. But Osyclis was already up, had swept the floor, prepared breakfast, and seemed ready to leave early.

‘Look at her red-rimmed eyes—she must have been so moved by my “good night” that she couldn’t sleep,’ thought Louis, feeling gratified as he surveyed the tidy living room. ‘Her Highness the Princess, under my encouragement, is growing ever more diligent and energetic.’

‘Lucky I got up early today—otherwise I’d have missed my chance to praise her.’

He quickly packed his breakfast to eat on the way, keeping an eye on the living room, hoping to join her for breakfast. Yet he was still a bit late; by the time he emerged from the washroom, towel draped over his shoulder, Osyclis was already at the door, slipping on her heels.

Seeing her leave, Louis called after her, “Hey! You did great~ Teacher, you’re amazing!”

Osyclis’s shoulders tensed; she turned, eyes blazing, glared at Louis, and closed the door behind her.

“Looks like she’s received my goodwill,” Louis thought with satisfaction.

Clearly, your mentor’s hostility level toward you has reached 89%, approaching the threshold. You might want to be careful…

‘Looks like I need to keep working at it,’ Louis thought, shaking his head as he went to knock on Helen’s door.

Helen’s weak voice came through the door. “I—I’m sick, Louis. You go ahead this morning, I’ll be there at noon.”

Louis blinked, wondering, ‘Did I go too far yesterday? Did I actually make her worry herself sick?’

“Should I stay home and take care of you?” Louis asked with concern. “Where does it hurt? I’ll get you some medicine.”

“No, no, just let me sleep a bit. Go on, clock in for me. Don’t be late.”

[What should I do? Where did my new maid outfit and stockings go? Hmph~ (furious thumping), I spent more than two hundred gold coins to get Lilith herself to come. She said she’s only free today—if I don’t make it in time and Louis doesn’t dance in the maid outfit, what will I do?]

[And where’s my recording crystal? Where’s the invisibility cloak Father gave me…hmph…] Sounds of frustrated banging drifted from her room.

Hearing Helen’s little thoughts, Louis pondered.

‘Silly girl, I was worried about you, but what friends are these? They help you bully a bookworm, but charge you? Are you just their wallet? Helen never sees it—she thinks everyone’s her friend.’

‘Who does Helen hang out with? She spends money on them and gets treated like a hanger-on. That’s just being their piggy bank. “Showing you the world” is just teaching you to extort others?’

Louis grew ever more curious about Helen’s so-called “best friends.”

He packed up the breakfast, planning to eat on the go. “I’ll head out then.”

Today Helen would bring her girlfriends to play, so he had to tidy up the office and host them well.

Just as Louis was about to leave, Helen’s door opened suddenly. She looked weak, waving him over. Louis entered her room and saw Helen, sickly, lying in bed—the place was a mess, but her acting paid attention to detail.

“Louis, I—cough, cough—I probably can’t make it this morning. If Li… cough, cough… if six Foxes come to collect protection fees, don’t provoke them, okay? I’m afraid—they might beat you up… I’m afraid you can’t handle them.”

“Don’t worry, Helen, I won’t fight with them—they’re just here to collect?”

“I don’t know, Louis,” Helen blinked, looking innocent. “They’re just here to see me. If I’m late, just entertain them for me.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your sisters,” Louis replied gently.

This girl needed proper discipline.

As he left, Louis took Osyclis’s disciplinary ruler with him.

At that moment, holding the ruler, Louis felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier.