Charisma 100: My Academy Life As A Heartbreaking Commoner-Chapter 167: Double Agent

Aegis woke to pounding on her door.

Not gentle knocking. Full-on aggressive hammering that made her bolt upright in bed.

"What the fuck?"

Lune stirred, groaning.

"Make it stop."

More pounding.

Aegis stumbled to the door, yanking it open.

Rosalie stood there, red-faced and furious, holding a crumpled piece of parchment.

"We have a problem."

"What time is it?"

"Early. Doesn’t matter. Look at this."

She shoved the parchment at Aegis.

It was a crude advertisement for "Premium Mana Restoration Potions" being sold in Rosevale’s market district. Same blue glow. Same promised effects. Half the price.

Aegis’s blood went cold.

"Where did you get this?"

"A merchant gave it to me this morning when I went to buy supplies. Said everyone’s talking about it. There’s a rival alchemist selling knockoffs based on our formula."

"How the hell did they get the formula?"

"I don’t know! I’ve been careful. No one had access to my workshop except you, me, and—"

Rosalie stopped.

"The laborers."

"Fuck."

Aegis grabbed her clothes, dressing quickly.

"I’ll handle this. Don’t do anything yet."

"Aegis, if this gets out before the auction—"

"I said I’ll handle it. Trust me."

She left Rosalie in the hallway and practically ran to the manor.

---

The market district was already active despite the early hour.

Merchants setting up stalls, customers browsing for deals, the usual morning chaos.

Aegis found the rival alchemist’s stall easily enough. A shabby setup with cheap bottles arranged in sloppy rows. The "mana potions" glowed blue, but the color was wrong. Too bright. Somehow, they looked artificial.

[But probably still good enough to fool anyone who hasn’t seen the real thing.]

She activated her Maid’s Earring, focusing her hearing.

Conversations filtered in from all directions.

"—heard Starcaller’s offering got leaked—"

"—cheap knockoffs, but they work well enough—"

"—wonder if she’ll still present at the auction—"

Aegis gritted her teeth.

She moved through the crowd, listening, tracking conversations back to their sources.

Finally, she overheard two men talking near a bakery stall.

"You sure Cindergrave’s people won’t trace it back to you?"

"They paid me enough to disappear if it comes to that. Besides, the girl’s just a commoner. What’s she gonna do?"

Aegis recognized the voice.

One of her laborers. Older guy, decent with repairs, always seemed reliable.

[Of course. Cindergrave’s trying to undercut me before I even present.]

She had two options.

Option one: expose him publicly. Drag him in front of witnesses, make an example of him, show that House Starcaller doesn’t tolerate betrayal.

But that would damage her reputation. "Poor hiring practices." "Can’t even trust her own staff." No matter how reasonable it was, people would just see an upstart being incompetent somehow.

Option two: handle it quietly.

[Yeah. Quiet is better.]

She waited until the man finished his conversation and started walking toward the docks.

Then she followed.

He was halfway to the waterfront when Aegis stepped out of an alley, blocking his path.

He froze.

"Lady Starcaller. I—this isn’t—"

"Save it."

Aegis walked closer. The man backed up until he hit a wall.

"How much did Cindergrave pay you?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"I heard you. Literally. I have magic that lets me hear conversations from fifty meters away. So let’s skip the part where you lie and get to the part where you tell me everything."

His face went pale.

"He—it was just—I needed the money. My daughter’s sick, the healers are expensive—"

"How. Much."

"Five hundred gold."

Aegis felt a headache coming on.

[Five hundred. For a formula worth thousands. Cindergrave played him like a fiddle.]

"Here’s what’s going to happen," she said, voice calm but cold. "You’re fired. Effective immediately. You’ll pack your things and leave the manor today."

"Please, I—"

"I’m not done. You’re also going to become a double agent."

He blinked.

"What?"

"Cindergrave thinks you’re his spy. Fine. Let him keep thinking that. But from now on, everything you tell him is false information I feed you. You’re going to pretend like you’re still working for me, which you won’t, while I tell you what to say. Understand?"

"But—"

"You betrayed me once. Don’t do it again, or I’ll make sure no one in Valdria hires you. Not just noble houses. Merchants, guilds, farms—no one. You’ll be unhireable. Your daughter will stay sick because you can’t afford a healer."

His hands shook.

"I understand."

"Good. Now. What did you tell Cindergrave about the auction?"

"That you were planning to sell the potions. That you needed the money."

"Perfect. Tell him I’m panicking about the knockoffs. Say I’m considering not attending the auction at all."

"Are you?"

"Maybe. Who knows?"

The man paused and then nodded.

"I’ll tell him. I promise."

"You better."

Aegis stepped back, letting him leave.

She watched him disappear into the morning crowd, then turned and headed back to the manor.

[Alright. The leak is handled. Now I need to pivot strategy.]

---

Back at the manor, Evelyn was waiting with tea and a concerned expression.

"I heard about the knockoffs."

"Already handled. The leak came from one of our guys. I fired him but kept him as a false informant for Cindergrave."

"Clever."

"I try."

Aegis sat, accepting the tea gratefully.

"We need to change the plan. I can’t sell the potions now—not with knockoffs flooding the market. They’ve lost some value."

"What’s the alternative?"

"We give them away."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow.

"Give them away."

"As gifts to key nobles. Establish goodwill instead of profit. Show that House Starcaller values relationships over money."

"That’s... actually brilliant. It reframes the entire offering from commerce to diplomacy."

"Exactly."

Aegis pulled out her notebook, scribbling names.

"Lady Cassandra Vermillion gets one, obviously. Lady Roseheart. Then we target swing votes—nobles who aren’t committed to Cindergrave but aren’t in my corner yet."

"That’s about ten potions for strategic gifts. What about the rest?"

"We present them as a general offering to the gathering. ’House Starcaller’s contribution to Valdria’s prosperity’ or some bullshit like that."

Evelyn made notes.

"I’ll arrange the presentation. Gilded case, individual holders for each bottle, dramatic unveiling."

"Perfect. Make it theatrical. Give them something to remember."

They worked through the details for another hour before Evelyn left to coordinate with the manor staff.

Aegis sat alone in the study, staring at the wall.

[Yeah, it sucks that I won’t make twelve thousand gold. But sometimes the best investment is generosity. Build relationships now, cash in later. Besides, watching Cindergrave’s face when his sabotage backfires will be payment enough.]

She allowed herself a brief smile before getting back to work.

That evening, Aegis was reviewing supply lists when someone knocked on the manor’s front door.

She opened it.

Serilla stood there, looking infuriatingly perfect in a dark blue dress.

"Serilla. What are you doing here?"

"Checking on my date." Serilla leaned against the doorframe. "Making sure you haven’t run off or gotten cold feet."

"Please. I don’t get cold feet."

"Good. Because I’d hate to show up tomorrow alone and have to explain to everyone that Lady Starcaller chickened out."

Serilla stepped inside without being invited, her eyes sweeping over the entrance hall. She touched one of the newly repaired walls, running her fingers along the stone.

"You know, most people would wait to be invited in."

"Most people are boring." She paused. "This place needs more art, but the bones are solid."

"Thanks. I think."

"You should commission something. A portrait of yourself, maybe. Looking powerful and slightly threatening. Really commit to the whole ’upstart noble’ aesthetic."

"I’ll get right on that. Right after I finish not going bankrupt."

Serilla laughed, turning to face her.

"So. Ready?"

Aegis closed the door, crossing her arms.

"Are you?"

"I’m always ready." Serilla’s smile turned predatory. "By the way," Serilla said, examining her nails like she was discussing the weather, "I took care of a couple of those houses you mentioned."

Aegis blinked.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing permanent. Just... reminded certain people that their secrets aren’t as secret as they think." Serilla’s smile was all teeth. "Cindergrave’s bloc is down by two. You’re welcome."

"I... thank you. Actually."

"Don’t thank me yet. Thank me after tomorrow, when everyone sees you on my arm."

Serilla stepped closer, closing the distance between them.

"We should practice the Waltz. Make sure we’re... coordinated."

"Is that what we’re calling it?"

"For now."

Serilla’s hand found Aegis’s waist.

[I guess we’re doing this.]

Aegis’s hand found Serilla’s hip. They swayed together, no music, just the quiet of the empty manor.

The dancing lasted approximately thirty seconds before Serilla’s mouth was on hers.

Aegis kissed back, tasting wine and something floral. Serilla pressed her against the wall, hands roaming, tongue demanding.

It was good. Really good.

Too good.

Aegis pushed her back gently.

"Fucking hell. If I let you stay any longer, I won’t get any work done tonight."

"And?" Serilla smirked. "That was kind of the idea."

"AND I have an auction to prepare for."

Serilla pouted—actually pouted, like a child denied dessert.

"Fine. But just letting you know, after the Waltz, you’re mine."

"We’ll see."

Serilla stole one more kiss before sauntering to the door. She paused at the threshold, glancing back.

"Don’t disappoint me, Starcaller."

Then she was gone.

Aegis stood in the empty hallway, heart still racing.

Affection Gained!

Affection: +15

Serilla Frost: (❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️)

[Wait, it went up? It’s already maxed. How does that even—]

She shook her head.

[Whatever. I need a nap.]

Tomorrow was the Summer Auction.

She hoped it would go well.