Meanwhile, at the Bilgam Brother’s Base of Operations, most commonly referred to as “The Fort”…

“Mademoiselle…” Julian called out from the other side of the door.

I didn’t answer, I was busy.

“Mademoiselle, I understand you’re upset about recent events, but you’ve been holed up in the sleeping quarters for some time now. Frankly, as your General, it’s worrying… (not to mention the complaints were getting from the other members who want to sleep there as well…)”

Leave me be for a couple more days, will ya? I’m busy right now.

Just then, I heard a That’s it! Before seeing the sleeping quarters’ doors bust wide open. Julian stomped his way over to me as I quickly hid a piece of paper under my pillow.

“What do you want, Julian?”

“Miss Cecily, if it’ll help you recover, I am even willing to personally pay those traitors a visit and slice them to a-!”

I cut him off immediately.

“Do anything to them and you’ll be my next victim.”

He looked to be a bit confused at my reaction. I have no clue where he got the idea that I ever wanted revenge on them.

Even if I really wasn’t a part of it, how would killing a girl’s friends somehow cheer her up? Is fighting really his only way to solve a problem? How’d he manage to keep this damned gang in check then?

Pondering these questions, I apparently didn’t realize that I was staring off into space, leading to him startling me with an ahem:

“Listen, this may sound rude of me, what with forcing you out of your bed when you’re suffering, but this community needs your help.” He said with a serious tone.

What could it be? A heist, defending from another gang? Attacking another gang? This might actually be a good way to kill some time…

“I would never tax the mademoiselle with any difficult jobs, so while you regain your vigor, would you mind helping out with the housekeeping?”

“Get out.” I said, shutting the door on his face.

“Wait! Please listen, no matter how much those traitors are hated among The Fort, no one can deny that they basically did all of the heavy lifting involving mundane tasks! That Lune would take out the trash, restock the library shelves, and always stay behind in the kitchen to hand your brother the plates. After your brother’s cleaning, those dishes were spotless! And that Edward… he’s a househusband among househusbands! I think it goes without saying that his work here is indispensable.” He praised them.

“And what about me?” I asked, feeling a bit left out.

“You err- You’re amazing at fighting!” he scrambled for a compliment.

No no no! I don’t want to be good at fighting! I want to be cute, I want to be sweet, not this bullshit! How is Ed better at being a wife than me! I didn’t ask to be born in the slums, damn it!

After he flubbed out some more funny sounding praises, I finally gave in and decided to help out around the base.

***

My first job was, of course, taking out the trash. It was a simple task in theory, but you shouldn’t underestimate it! No, no, it’s a grueling task that very little can do right, even with years of experience.

“Cecily, for Gods’ sakes, just take the bags one at a time, please!” Begged the Trash man.

“And stop calling me Trash man!” added the Trash man.

“Well you’re the person I’m delivering trash to, so it was between trash collector and trash man…” I retorted.

He grumbled something about missing Lune before leaving for the day.

I miss him too, y’know?

This job was horrible, not fitting for a young girl at all! I have to make a whole lap around The Fort collecting all 47 of the bags from the trashcans before finally taking them all to the trash man. He keeps telling me it’s easier if I carry one or two at a time, but I’ll be damned if I have to make more than one lap around the entire base (I even custom made a cart on some wheels to make trash pickup easier).

After the job was done for the day, though, I smelled like, well, garbage! I had to take a shower immediately! It certainly didn’t help that immediately after that, my next job was up…

“Listen, Cecily. Cleaning the dishes isn’t a contest of strength, STOP BEING SO FORCEFUL WITH THE SCRUBBING! The plates are all scratched up from the sponge! Don’t use the rough side!” The Dish man complained.

“And stop calling me Dish man!” said the Dish man, “My name is William!”

“You’re the one so hung up on the cleanliness of the dishes, though. What’s the point of cleaning them if they’re just gonna get dirty again tomorrow?” I asked, thinking I’ve found a suitable response.

“Fine then, tomorrow you’ll be served food on a dirty dish, and we’ll see if you still think it’s okay not to clean them regularly.” He retorted.

“Fine! Sorry, I’ll try harder next time!”

“Gods, if only Ed was here…” He said offhandedly.

I don’t know what it is about that Ed, but he pisses me off to no end. It’s always Ed this, Ed that! Well I’m sick of it! What’s he got that I don’t?!

Finally, the calm part of the day awaited me. Restocking the books in the library. This was the reprieve I needed! No stupid gang grunts telling me off, no idiots catcalling me, just the calm and tranquil quiet of the books that surround me. I’d basically just spend a couple hours sitting around reading some books, as the only people smart enough to appreciate books are the Generals. That being said, some of the gym bros started getting interested in literature ever since I started manning the desk here. Where was that enthusiasm to read before, you dopes?

The most shameful fact about the library is the fact that they hid all the good romcoms way in the back. I actually found some of the newer chapters of Love Between during my time here as a librarian that I didn’t even know existed.

“I was sure that volume 7 was the last one! I gotta tell… Lune… about this.”

All the momentum and hype of finding the book simply vanished after I realized he’s not here. Neither is Ed, or Carter for that matter. They should be at Blue Lions right now, but who knows if the plan really went their way.

Carter was the one who planned this whole thing out ahead of time:

“Listen, sis’.” He said to me, “After th’ war ‘tween BilBros n’ Blue Lions is all dun’ n’ dusted, I’ll try ta’ incriminate the three ‘f us.”

“What?” I asked, perplexed.

“Jus’ listen! Once we’re thrown outta the gang, we’ll have you stay here n’ spy s’more on BilBros. After we gather sum’ fightin’ power over at Blue Lions, we’ll attack from the outside, while ya’ attack from the inside!” he reasoned.

I had only one thought in my head at the time.

“Why do only I have to stay?”

He looked at me with a look that said I knew you were gonna say that. So after a while of pondering some more, he finally came to a conclusion.

“Fine, I won’t tell those two ‘bout tha plan.” He said.

“What? But wouldn’t that ruin the plan? We’ll get found out!” I said, pulling back my words after realizing I might’ve just jeopardized his plan.

“S’gonna be fiiiiiiiiine! Dun’ worry! This way, we’ll leave it up ta’ luck. If one ‘f them catches on to my plan, they’ll come with me. The other one that doesn’t will stay witcha!”

While I did like the plan at first, I realized that if neither Ed nor Lune understand the plan, it’ll mean Carter will have to go to Blue Lions alone. As an older sister, I can’t have him be this reckless!

“No, absolutely not! Carter, let’s think of another way-!”

“Hey guys!” Lune called out from the distance, “C’mon, the General’s calling for a meeting! Says everyone needs to attend!”

“Let’s go, sis.” Carter smiled.

I didn’t like that smile of his. He would always make it when his ideas worked, but the problem lies in the fact that all his successful ideas lead to dangerous situations. I don’t want my brother to have to bear these tribulations. The very reason I travelled from Zacharis to here was because I wanted better living conditions for him, for us. But the world isn’t that kind, I guess…

These nights, sleep hasn’t been all that fruitful. I’d mostly spend the nights missing those three, and when I’d finally get some shuteye, all I could dream about was hanging out with them.

Lune would be walking right next to me as I talked about the new volumes of the romcoms I’ve read, with him telling me all about some grand adventurer Schnell. Ed was off buying some crepes for us, but he’d naively tell the vendor to keep the change, before realizing he accidentally gave him a gold coin’s worth of change. Carter was way off in the distance, I could barely see him. He held something in his arms, but I couldn’t tell what. Knowing him, it’s probably something he found and picked up from the ground.

Before I realized it, I woke up with teary eyes. This damned plan better work, you guys…