I had thought long and hard about what rune to steal and from whom, but since I didn't know much about the other heirs I needed something to investigate them beforehand.
That was why I created the [spying mirrors], its range was limited, but for something I whipped out in half a day it was still good enough, I also discovered I had a talent for enchanting mirrors.
Either way, thanks to the [spying mirrors] I was able to plan which rune to steal and how.
Poor Selan was just a byproduct of me trying to eat Auriel's face, I was just lucky she put herself on a silver plate for me.
When I stopped the kiss after acquiring the [divinity] rune, Auriel looked at me with a surprised face.
The smell of blood was completely gone, my face was perfectly fine and my smile was blinding.
"So that's how it worked mh? I can't even be mad, if you're gonna prank everyone so be it. Let's see who can survive his pranks!!"
Seraph had gone from angry to amused so quickly it almost made me respect him, but Auriel seemed to understand that I had pranked him for a kiss.
"What did you do?"
I laughed lightly and just shook my head.
"I must say, you really have a delicious taste Lord Auriel. Much better then the food Lady Selan has been stuffing herself with."
He smiled back at my jokes and whispered for only me to hear.
"You're forgiven only because she received 2 pranks."
I nodded and stood up. Went back to seat near Seraph, snapped my finger and my black earring vibrated slightly.
[Echo of Action]
At the same place all the heir had proven their prowess, a Doppelgänger of myself appeared while I began eating without a care in the world. It confused everyone and I was fighting against myself to restrain the laughter.
My doppelgänger started speaking and all attention was on him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, greetings! I'm Crow Morvane, adopted son of Disorder, not an heir, so leave me the fuck alone."
Someone actually giggled at that introduction.
"Either way, what's there to know about me? Not much, but I will graciously accept and receive every gift related to forgotten or ancient magic, I might even spare you from the pranks already planned for tonight. If you can find me of course."
At that mention everyone turned to look at where I should have been seating, of course I had already dipped.
Where had I gone? Nowhere in particular, just with the Duke himself in his personal quarters watching everything through my mirror and laughing like maniacs.
My adoptive father was a good sport at least.
But there really were important issues to address.
"Duke…"
"Call me dad."
"Sure, however… is it confirmed? Did my trick work?"
"It sure did, the elders were bawling their eyes out in laughter when they watched your performance."
"Then when are they going to break the curse?"
"After the signing of the treaty. It will be signed with blood after all."
Oh! an enforced blood contract.
"Then do you need my blood now?"
"Don't you want to sign the treaty as well? You have every right to do so."
I had already thought long and hard of that, but I was already tied to this duchy, I didn't want any more shackles.
"Not really, I already have your protection for at least a year while I develop [mirage] magic. I'm not saying I want to kill them, but I have been hearing talks about a traitor… so…"
"What if it was really us? The ones who sided with the Beyond?"
"Well… that might be fun as well… however I really do like this world, there's so much to see for someone like me…"
"So you'd sell us out?"
"I don't know… dad… it depends on what your aim is really, in the worst case I'd probably try to escape up north or south east, I read about lost continents, that also seems fun."
He stayed silent for a long time and just watched as I activated the mirror in the plate before Marin Thalassor from a distance and [foxfire] started dancing dangerously close to her. She conjured water that instead of defusing the flames, it just splashed on Caelum's noble face.
"Marin! How can you be so weak to not defuse those feeble flames?!"
"CAELUM YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT! JUST FIND THAT MAN AND GIVE HIM SOME MAGIC TOMES!"
Rolling on my back I looked up at duke Morvane.
"You should really get back there, you might rack in some interesting magic."
"Yeah yeah."
I went down to the hall but before entering I activated [echo of actions] once again.
I entered the room only to be tackled by Lord Niven who fell face first passing through my illusory body. While I was already back sitting near Seraph.
"I didn't think the same trick would work twice."
I was really shocked, but I guessed one of the traits of being young was also being impulsive.
"Yom, who tried to buy a spare from you directly?"
"Lady Juste, Lady Eira and Lord Lyss."
I opened my hands to receive the bribes and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the goods.
Lady Juste had given an enchanted scroll that could answer any one question regarding magic if it was recorded in the government archives with her own level of clearance.
Lady Eira had given an ancient ballad elves used to grow plants better.
And Lord Lyss had presented Yom with a book on ancient rune crafting.
"Well, with this level of sincerity I can't simply spare you all from my pranks, ask one question each."
Lady Juste jumped at my offer immediately.
"What happened to Lady Selan?"
Uuuhhh.
"Fine, I guess I will answer, it's not a pretty story."
I looked at Lady Moon herself and smiled bitterly.
"What Lady Selan had experienced was the starvation I experienced continuously from basically the day I was born until I was adopted…"
When everyone heard my answer, the mood plummeted to the ground, especially Selan herself became even more pale than she already was.
"Y-you survived that? THAT?"
"It's not like I had a choice Lady Selan."
The room stayed somber for a little more, until I clapped my hands.
"Now! Let's not dwell on the past, I'm a man who enjoys fun more than anything else! Lady Eira? Lord Lyss?"
"Were you the one spying on us through that silver mirror?" -Eira
"Yes."
"Why?" -Eira
"Didn't I say one question?"
"Come on Crow, satisfy their curiosity." -Yom
"Already abusing the brotherly love? Fine. I just wanted see who would react better to which prank. I'm sure if I tried to starve Lord Rovan, it would probably not have much effects right?"
"Hahahah! Of course not! I'm a trained soldier, I've starved for weeks!"
Oh? Now I'm tempted to see…
Lady Aurelia clearly saw through me and didn't miss the opportunity to put down that muscle head.
It was high time for someone to teach him a lesson and seeing how Lady Selan had reacted, that starvation was something nobody should be able to bear.
"Why don't you prove your worth Lord Rovan?" - Aurelia
And could I miss such an opportunity? Of course not!
"Let's make it a competition! Who will be able to resist?"
Aurelia's face darkened while Rovan grinned like a wild beast, but I didn't give them time to change her mind.
[Fraud's starvation]
Neither of them resisted even a second.
"Pfttt!!! Hahahahaha!!! She thought she could use me to teach a lesson to Lord Rovan?"
"Hahahahahahahaha! But I think Rovan actually resisted a fraction of a second more then her!" -Yom
I snapped my fingers and they immediately stopped eating. Both of their faces flushed with embarrassment, one because he'd sell himself for more than he actually was, the other because she was made an example of.
"Now, Lord Lyss?"
"How did you make those mirrors?"
"Ah, I'm afraid I can't answer that, I'm under NDA for my research. Something else you'd like to know?"
"Then… why did you deceive Auriel for a kiss?"
This smartass asking all the right questions.
"Well, he is a handsome fella and really did taste delicious, but I really wanted an excuse to punish lady Selan more, since she called me mutt and all that."
Auriel blushed, Selan's face dropped and I was beaming with delight looking at Caelum, who visibly had a shiver run down his spine.