"You know exactly what you did! How can you even face Twiggy after this?!"
Belle sat on the workshop sofa, radiating righteous fury.
She'd barely even woken up — face unwashed, teeth unbrushed — when Fairy pushed a news alert straight to her feed. The next thing that happened was Belle's bedhead reaching critical mass as she spontaneously combusted.
"You two-timing scumbag! It hasn't even been a few days and you've already gotten your hooks into the Timefield young miss?! Have you no shame?!"
As Twiggy's best friend, Belle felt it was her solemn personal duty to be the first one to condemn Geno's scumbag behavior.
Not that she'd gotten around to telling Twiggy yet — she'd been among the first to catch wind of it.
"Huh? Scumbag? Me? Hold on — how do you even know about me and the Timefields?"
He'd barely picked up and Belle had already chewed him out from six different directions, but as the verbal barrage faded, Geno found himself genuinely puzzled.
Hadn't he only just settled the whole fake engagement arrangement with Old Master Timefield yesterday? He was certain he hadn't said a single word about it to Belle.
"You don't know? You're already headline news across every major outlet! Give it a few more hours and there won't be a soul left in all of New Eridu who hasn't heard the great name of Geno!"
Geno blinked — then immediately grabbed his phone.
[BREAKING: Timefield Heir of Venerable Old Family Attacked!]
[The Story Between Me and the Timefield Young Miss — What Had to Be Said!]
[A Family on the Brink of Ruin — Their Last Resort Turns Out to Be...]
Every trending search was Timefield-related. When he tapped through, there it was — the ambush by Ravenlock, photos included, presented as hard evidence.
"What — what is going on here?"
Geno stared at his screen, dumbstruck. It had barely been any time at all and someone had already broken the story.
"Heh heh heh. Don't underestimate the paparazzi — this is their livelihood."
Old Master Timefield wore the expression of a man whose plan was proceeding exactly on schedule.
"Was all of this your doing?"
At this point, it couldn't have been more obvious — every bit of this had been sanctioned by Old Master Timefield. There was no other way the paparazzi could have been on the scene, let alone published that fast.
"Of course. It was all part of the plan. After all, using you to draw their fire only works if the rest of the world knows about it. And this way, Ravenlock will have to keep their moves considerably more... proper."
As he said it, something seemed to bring yesterday's events back to him — and the old patriarch's expression darkened a shade.
"At the same time, I've suppressed all information regarding that hand-shaped creature. You understand why — if the civilians knew something like that was roaming around, New Eridu wouldn't stay peaceful for long."
Spreading the engagement story served two purposes. The first: redirect the attention of those lurking in the shadows onto Geno, buying room to maneuver in the dark.
The second: send a message to Ravenlock. Stop making your little moves.
But that giant hand — anyone who'd seen it with clear eyes knew it was no ordinary thing. It bore far more resemblance to an Ethereal. One that could walk outside the Hollow.
That thought made him glance briefly at Geno.
If the public learned that an Ethereal had appeared inside the city limits — that wouldn't just be "social unrest." That would be something far worse.
After all, today's attack had occurred under his tacit approval.
And with municipal elections currently underway, if anything truly went sideways, the Timefield name wouldn't be walking away unscathed.
"I see."
Geno caught up with the logic. Right — without spreading the news, how else were they supposed to draw the enemy's eye?
Because from the very start, what Old Master Timefield had wanted, above all else, was to keep Alice safe.
"She's the only granddaughter I have. If something happened to her — when my time comes, what face would I have left to meet my late wife? Or my worthless son and that poor daughter-in-law?" Cough, cough, cough.
A faint look of nostalgia passed across Old Master Timefield's face. When it came down to it, he was nothing more than an old man whose candle was burning low — his only wish was for the generations after him to be safe and well.
"Grandpa Timefield..."
Geno had his grievances with how the old man had gone about things. But that sentiment — it came through exactly as it was, without a single layer of pretense.
"Of course — if you and Alice were to truly end up together, this old man would be absolutely overjoyed~"
"Which is precisely why that is never going to happen."
Geno said it like a nail being hammered flat — and then remembered his call was still connected.
"Sorry, Belle — kept you waiting. Long story short, I didn't have a choice in any of this. Could you do me a favor and explain things to Twiggy?"
"No need. I heard everything."
"Twiggy?!"
The voice on the other end wasn't Belle's bright, bubbly energy. It was Twiggy's. Familiar — but where her usual researcher's arrogance normally lived, there was now something colder, and it made Geno's chest tighten.
"We'll discuss this when you get back. There's something I'd like to say to that gentleman."
"Oh?"
Old Master Timefield was briefly caught off guard to find the call was for him — but he composed himself quickly and gave Geno a small nod of assent.
He took the phone from Geno's hand, and the conversation with Twiggy began.
Geno had no idea what Twiggy was actually saying — but the way Old Master Timefield went utterly silent while the light in his eyes grew steadily, visibly brighter told him it was going rather well.
"Hoh hoh hoh~ What remarkable talent for someone so young! My, my — an old fossil like me really ought to step aside and make room for your generation."
"You're too kind. A senior of your standing still commands tremendous authority among the city's business community."
"Heh. Slippery tongue on her."
Old Master Timefield narrowed his eyes. The implication being — that she'd already surpassed him in the academic field?
Audacious young woman. He didn't dislike her in the slightest.
"Then it's settled — I trust our future cooperation will go smoothly."
With that, Old Master Timefield returned the phone to a thoroughly bewildered Geno.
"Twiggy, what exactly did you just say to Grandpa Timefield?"
"'Grandpa Timefield?' Sounds like a certain someone's rumors are turning out to be true after all."
"No — it's not like that, Twiggy — just hear me out!"
Geno scrambled to explain himself, voice hovering one step away from panic — but fortunately, Twiggy had only been teasing.
"I'm joking. I know exactly what kind of person you are."
A quiet laugh drifted through the line. Twiggy was not the jealous type — she had complete confidence in her own charm, and in Geno's character.
Besides, even if that young miss were truly — [line corrupted in source] ...
"Alright, I've got things to take care of. We'll talk properly when you're back."
With that, Twiggy ended the call.
Geno had just let out a long, relieved breath — when something clicked.
"...Go back?"
____
👻🔥+40 ch: Walnut-chan🔥👻
🔥 New history: JJK: Naoya Zenin Reborn as a Woman
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