Chapter 88: Imposter
"Did you know that the instructors who survived the attack are being detained?"
"What?"
Cillian was shocked when these words dropped from Freya’s mouth. He was startled by why they were being held captive, but the reason was soon revealed by her, or something she liked to call a reason.
"I don’t care if they are hearing this or not. They are currently looking for people to punish, and the instructors who failed to protect the students are their choice. We haven’t seen them since the time before we were interrogated, right? It’s because of this nonsense."
Cillian indeed remembered that he hadn’t seen the instructors back then because they had to be separated according to the people in charge at the time. It was weird because the surviving instructors had also endured the attack, not just the students.
"That’s absurdly ridiculous."
Cillian commented after hearing about it from Freya, while forming a few questions in his head here and there.
Freya paused for a while, her gaze drifting across the ballroom with a distant expression before she finally added,
"But I find this action suspicious. It felt to me that they are planning something, and it’s related to whatever this ball is. Well, now that it’s finally here, they must’ve finalized whatever they were about to do."
Cillian glanced at Freya before looking around the lively ballroom with an expectant expression, convinced that the people behind the scenes were orchestrating something through this ball if he took Freya’s words to heart.
There might be a reason for it. There might not be. But if there is a reason as to what it would achieve, only time will tell.
It might be today, though.
’I just hope it won’t turn out very bad.’
"Cillian."
Suddenly, someone called out from behind them, making Cillian and Freya turn around. They saw Vin and Phillip, who greeted them with warm smiles.
The duo approached them, which made Freya take it as her cue to leave since she had already taken up too much of his time. Guests continued pouring in, and she would have to meet other people along the way.
"See you, Cillian."
Freya left, her blonde hair swaying without even turning back.
Phillip and Vin watched Cillian’s indifferent gaze before whispering among themselves, having to make sure that their voices were low enough for only the intended recipient of their talks to hear.
"Do you think they are going out?"
"I don’t believe so. Freya Gray is just..."
"Out of his league?"
"You get it."
Cillian sighed and turned around, then he placed an arm around each of the duo as he made his way to the center. Then, with a chuckle, he warmly greeted his two friends.
"So, how are you guys holding up?"
...
The Ball of Honors continued without a problem. Guests almost filled up the entire ball, and even important people were already entering. There might be a few minutes left till the event starts, and Cillian wasn’t even enjoying the rest of the time he was here after leaving the food table earlier.
Chatter—!
There are a lot of unfamiliar people at his age in this circle. They were insufferable to hear because of a lot of bragging, taunting, and just talking.
This was the new Brotherhood that Fergus is trying to form. Aside from the few survivors from the academy, who are Phillip, Vin, Cillian, and Fred, this was the best thing he could manage.
As for what reason?
It seemed that Fergus was planning on revealing it now as he placed himself in the middle of the circle and announced calmly.
Well, Cillian didn’t even want to hear the cliché reasons for it, even though he has ideas.
"Hey, guys."
The chatters and whispers came to a halt.
Fergus then continued.
"You guys will become the new Brotherhood that I have carefully hand-picked. After all, the weak ones die. This time, I recruit you all to make our own organization, and you are all worth being part of it. That’s all, I wish everyone a good night today."
’Worth being part of it.’
Most of the new Brotherhood members clapped their hands at the announcement as they watched Fergus leave the circle and make his way toward the original members, who had positioned themselves in the farthest corner near the middle of the second floor, where they could see the people below.
Fergus placed himself at the edge of the balustrade, resting both of his hands while looking down below.
"Cillian, didn’t you receive my message from your father? One of the things I mentioned there was to be on time. You’re the only one I’ve had to wait for before giving this speech. It’s been almost an hour! If I hadn’t sent Vin and Phillip to fetch you, would you have even come?"
Fergus started complaining with a calm expression, even though his voice sounded so restrained that, if no one were watching, he would have already punched Cillian in the face.
’I really was planning to not attend, you know? But I don’t want to trouble Phillip and Vin.’
Cillian remained indifferent as he watched the new Brotherhood, which was so different from before. Well, he didn’t know what it had been like originally because it was already broken by the time he got here, at least at the Academy.
But Cillian doesn’t want any part of it.
Not now or ever.
"Fergus, do you like playing house?"
Phillip, who was listening to them, flinched. Vin remained silent as he quietly listened to the two of them.
"What did you say?"
Cillian slowly glanced at Fergus and could see how twisted his expression had become before getting straight to the point. There was one reason why he had come here, and it was to put an end to this joke.
"I’ll be direct with you. I don’t want to do anything with this Brotherhood anymore."
The only thing that was connecting Cillian to Fergus was this Brotherhood. It was different when the whole Sparrows were serving under the Lord of Viola.
It might cause some problems later on, but Cillian is already taking countermeasures in case this decision might affect his family. He doesn’t care if something happens to the Whisper Broker as a whole, as the only thing that matters for now is the previous Cillian’s family.
That’s what he liked to repay for taking over his body.
Besides, there was no point in joining this group at this point.
Fergus is too unstable and someone Cillian can confidently say he wouldn’t be able to manipulate.
Fergus stared directly into Cillian’s indifferent eyes before grabbing his collar and hissing, unable to contain his anger any longer.
"You...!"
Fergus continued locking his gaze onto him. There were traces of fear and confusion in his eyes before he added.
"You’re not Cillian, are you?!"
For some reason, Fergus had this nagging feeling from the moment he had met Cillian, when their Sorcerer Academy had been destroyed.
The Cillian Fergus once known was gone.
The person standing before him was nothing like the childhood friend he remembered.
He thought his eyes were tricking him at first, and that it was his rattled emotions conflicting with the way he was thinking. But Fergus understood it now.
Everything about Cillian was different after Fergus was put in prison, and in the end, he was expelled.
"Where’s my best friend, you imposter!"
’Oh?’
Cillian couldn’t help but be impressed.
It might be because it was Cillian’s nature as insignificant or extra that people are able to know the changes, or even if they do, they didn’t get the full extent of the picture.
But Fergus was different. He, Fergus, and Fred were all friends back when they were very little.
Now, the three of them had changed.
Fergus became a criminal at an early age, Fred turned into a traumatized kid after his experience with the attack, and Cillian changed. They probably knew each other better than their own family.
The resemblance when they were children was gone.
That was why Fergus was making this bold claim.
Cillian slowly curled his lips upwards.
He felt excited at this development.
Acting as if he had indeed taken over Cillian’s body, he spat out straight bull answers.
"What do you mean, Fergus?"
His tone turned eerily warm.
"It’s your friend here, Cillian."
Cillian continued wearing the same mocking expression as he watched Fergus’s face become even more twisted.
"It’s your little dog here ready to wag his tail every time, your Cillian Sparrow."
Fergus pushed Cillian away, causing him to land on the ground. Fergus couldn’t bear to hear any more of the words his imposter was saying and quickly ran away from them.
The rest of the Brotherhood followed behind Fergus while glaring at Cillian along the way.
After a few moments, the only ones left in that place were Vin and Phillip, who were watching Cillian on the ground as he continued smiling.
Yet his eyes were cold as ever.
’Well, I guess he’s quite strong for his age. Tsk, falling like this. How pathetic.’
Now, Cillian has achieved his first objective in coming here. Making clear that he wouldn’t join Fergus or contract with him regarding anything. At the very least, he wouldn’t be able to see Fergus for a while.
’Now then...’
Cillian stood up again and positioned himself on the second floor, resting his hand on the railing of the balustrade.
’Where are you, therapist bastard.’