The Stupid Cannon Fodder is Stunning Today

Chapter 9: Mercury Stella

This chapter is brought to you by <Coping Mechanism> by WILLOW. 

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"--Tobus Arcadia... Lord Calypto's long lost nephew--"

"--formally invited to the Calypto Ball--"

"--introducing his nephew to the city--"

It has been two weeks since Lord Calypto came back to the city with his mysterious nephew in tow. 

Mercury had heard nothing but the spewing of hypotheses and theories regarding this nephew who appeared out of nowhere. 

The people of Vesna had little to gossip about, but now wives and husbands and their children were talking about it. 

Tobus Arcadia. 

The nephew didn't take the Calypto name. 

For what reason? 

Was he an illegitimate child? Was Lord Calypto ashamed of his existence? 

Mercury had seen the boy from a distance. 

The hoard of children dressed in red, with three overgrown cats following at their heels, was a sight to see. 

But no one dared to approach them, merely eyeing them curiously or apprehensively. 

Under the secret orders of Lord Calypto, no one was to speak with his nephew and the children he came with until the next Calypto Ball. 

Mercury scoffed at the idea of another Calypto Ball. 

Unlike most Houses in Vesna, the Calyptos hailed from old blood. They held balls and soirees like the aristocrats of the Capital and pretended their riches came from trades and businesses rather than violence and war.  

The House was a branch of nobility that was rumored to be related to the Imperial Family. Lord Eartha treated them with just as much respect as he treated the Monttevis, who descended from mercenaries and were known as the House of War Gods. 

The rivalry between the Calyptos and Monttevis was insane. They often fought in the streets, dueling and brawling, and trying to murder one another on sight. 

Vesna was not a peaceful city, not when it housed dangerous families known to be the Imperial Family's beasts, but the two houses hated each other on sight. 

... And it seemed the new long-lost Calypto nephew was not spared from the hate, either. 

Mercury watched from the rooftop as the arrogant-looking boy dressed in red stared at his friend with a half-lidded gaze. 

On the other side of the fountain, across from the group dressed in red, Bel looked as if he was ready to throttle Rowan, as the younger boy remained on the ground and refused to move. 

Bel had told him what happened when he first encountered Tobus Arcadia. 

"He was... intimidating. Very... mean eyes. Stares into your soul. The greenest eyes I've ever seen. And he's prett--I mean, mean-looking. And I think he declared we were enemies? Seems kind of fast to hate each other on the spot, but he was sort of nice? He did find Rowan and... but I think he called me a... dog. Worthy of being his rival, don't you think?"

So Bel was delusional, but he often was when he found himself in situations where he fumbled basic social norms. That was fine. 

Mercury would have to meet this Tobus Arcadia up close to judge what type of person he was. 

He decided on a first impression that would wow anyone and promptly threw himself off the roof he was standing on.

Crash landing on Bel was a bonus.