Sakuramoria

- Just don't forget, it's an important matter.

Looking at the figurines, it became clear what the family of merchants had been doing all of September.
"The quality is up to par," Futaba said, turning Michael over.
Her gaze fell on the red-horned figure, and she frowned, once again remembering everything that had happened. Was she personally to blame? Could she have played the card differently? As far as she could remember, the horned one had been showing pettiness and malice from the very first day, even before any action was taken against him. This reached its climax after the pre-election speeches, when he first interfered with her kidnapping, and even then, he didn't just carry out the order, but also indulged in satisfying his own perversions. Later, catching her near Hatiora's office, he took great pleasure in her helplessness and savored every threat he uttered.
Strictness was applied to him - he was made to stand in line for a while, in public view, but he continued his misdeeds behind her back, only intensifying his hidden resentment. Care was shown to him - he didn't understand it and took it as a mockery. Affection and even love were shown to him - he laughed at her, first taking advantage of her, and then discarding her when she was no longer needed. Perhaps Levizia was right in her friendship lesson when she quoted the philosopher's words that one should judge not by the color of one's skin, but by one's character. Regardless of whether his demonic origin played a role, their adopted bastard was, in any case, a complete jerk, no matter how you look at it.
Of course, he was not really "their" bastard. It was easy to put two and two together after learning about his mother. A Lilyian whore slept with some Aeolian fool and gave birth to this specimen, dumping him as a chick into the Moecchi family, who didn't care about anything. He took responsibility for this unstable time bomb, providing a royal life and giving his mother a lot of gifts, and after about fifteen years, it exploded and took the elder son - the heir to the throne - with it, and almost provoked a civil war.
Did Alidum feel even the slightest doubt while killing Caladium like an animal? The fact that the horned one suffered no damage at all speaks only to one thing - his victim did not expect such an outcome under any circumstances and trusted him as a full member of the family, as his own flesh and blood. Did Alidum feel even the slightest doubt when he severed Caladium's head with the same dagger? Have you ever tried to cut off a human head with a dagger? Logic suggests that this requires enormous effort and serious involvement. He probably spent five to ten minutes on this process, holding the body and Caladium's head, which was looking at him, with both hands, scraping the knife against the cartilage, breaking and dislodging the cervical vertebrae. And he wasn't even required to do this, it wasn't part of the plan; he decided to do it himself, for a vague purpose and just for fun.
Perhaps the king was right when, a few months ago, he suggested sending him to Aeolia. The horned one was also right when he threw a tantrum and decided to test his stepmother, suggesting that he be sent there. At the time, it seemed like a heated argument, but it was obviously the most correct decision - a beast belongs in the wild. And now, Levizia and her loved ones had to pay for this mistake.
Turning away from the figurine, Futaba points to Carvia:
"Put it next to it. It will create a composition. You can sell it in the 'Alma's freaks' section."
All these thoughts upset her so much that she automatically went out the side door, sat down in the alley, and lit a child's cigarette, mindlessly looking at the cracks and streaks on the neighboring wall.
After a while, she returned and noticed a couple of magazines.
"And what is this?" - Yumi asks, looking at the covers.