I Don't Want To Be An Omega In My Sister's Trashy Reverse Harem [BL]-Chapter 196: Attention Seeker!

Rin kept staring at his aunt long after her words settled inside him. Three days. Only three days until the demons reach the capital. His brain tried to arrange the thoughts, but they kept falling into each other, messy and loud.

He opened his mouth.

"How did you..."

"Quiet," Lirien cut him off sharply. She looked over her shoulder to check if anyone was near. "Follow me. Immediately."

She didn’t wait. She marched down the hallway, her steps quick and strong, and Rin had no choice but to walk after her.

They reached her office, since it was one of the few quiet rooms in the building... no noise from the brothel, no perfume smell, no workers rushing in and out.

Lirien closed the door, locked it, then turned to him.

Rin crossed his arms.

"Okay. Now can you tell me how you know they’re coming? Because three days is..."

"I sent my familiar," she replied, interrupting again.

Rin blinked. "Your... what?"

"My familiar," she repeated.

He frowned harder. "Aunt, I would appreciate it if you spoke normally. What are you talking about?"

Rin knew he had heard that word somewhere before, or maybe he had read it in a book while surfing the library in the palace. He wasn’t sure.

Lirien sighed dramatically, the kind of sigh adults make when a child is being slow.

"Fine. I’ll just show it to you."

She lifted her hand and drew a quick circle in the air. A faint pulse of energy rippled through the room before Rin could even blink. A shadow rose from the floor like spilt ink, stretching and twisting until a shape formed.

A cat.

No... not a cat.

A black creature, small like a kitten, but its eyes were nothing but glowing white circles. Its fur looked like smoke made solid, shifting slightly like it wasn’t fully part of this world.

Rin gasped loudly.

"W-What... Aunt, what is that?!"

Lirien folded her arms proudly. "My familiar."

Rin stared at it, mouth open. His mind immediately went back to Niblet. Everyone else saw a cute little dog...but Rin saw a three-headed monster... Cerberus. A true demon form... hiding behind a harmless shape.

This cat... this familiar... had the same kind of presence.

"You can’t be serious," he whispered. "This thing is real?"

The creature turned its head toward him. Those blank white eyes stared straight into his soul.

He gulped.

Lirien smirked. "Familiars can take any form. They can hide, spy, observe, and return with information. That is how I knew about the demon movement."

Rin tore his eyes away from the creature. "Can I get one?"

"No," she answered immediately.

"Why not?!"

"The ritual takes time." She waved a hand like she couldn’t be bothered to explain. "And you’re not doing that now. Maybe later."

Rin groaned. "Ugh. You could’ve just said that at the beginning instead of summoning this nightmare cat."

"It isn’t a nightmare," Lirien said before snapping her fingers.

The creature dissolved instantly, melting into shadows until it vanished completely.

Rin exhaled loudly in relief. "Okay. That was... horrifying."

Lirien ignored him and walked to her desk. "Rin, you need to get ready."

"I already am." Rin sat on the chair opposite her. "I’m not worried about the brothel workers or anyone inside since they’re safe."

Lirien glanced up. "Safe? How?"

"I built a safe house under the brothel," he said simply. "Don’t you remember?"

She dropped the quill she was holding. "You... did what?"

"It’s fully underground." Rin kept his voice calm. "When you asked me to take charge of the renovation of the brothel, I did that. It has stone walls and reinforced doors. No one can enter unless they know the path. So, while everyone focuses on the Golden Goose game today and tomorrow, you can order some of the trusted omegas to fill it with food, water, and clothes. It should be enough to last months."

Lirien stared at him for a long moment before she let out a breathless laugh.

"You... You built all that?"

"Yes, I did."

"For who?"

"For everyone," Rin said. "If war comes, I can’t save all of the capital. But I can save the people here."

Lirien shook her head slowly. "You’re unbelievable." She smiled faintly. "I didn’t even understand what you were doing back then. But now... I see."

Rin lifted his chin proudly. "Well, I am smart."

She rolled her eyes, but she didn’t hide the small smile tugging on her lips.

Rin stood up. "I’ll bring Winter back tomorrow. Don’t tell Mother about any of this until we return. I don’t want her worrying."

"I won’t." Lirien watched him walk toward the door. "Rin?"

He paused and looked back.

She rubbed her chin like she didn’t want to say anything.

"At times like this... You really are mature. I’m proud of you."

He shrugged lightly. "Well, someone has to be."

Her smile faded a little as she murmured to herself, "Just don’t transform into your demon form during the war.. If you do, it’ll be hard to come back as a human."

But Rin didn’t hear her. He had already left.

.

.

The carriage ride back to the Vortellion estate felt strangely quiet. Rin sat near the window, staring outside while his mind moved faster than the horses pulling him.

The city was beautiful. Lanterns hung from shops, children played on the streets, artists performed music on corners, and nobles walked proudly in their fine clothes.

In three days... all this would be gone. It would be burned to the ground. Screams replacing laughter. Blood replacing music.

Rin swallowed tightly.

’I can’t save everyone. I’m not a hero. I never wanted to be one.’

But there were some people he could save. His family. His mother. His brother. People under Elyria’s care. The workers. The ones who trusted him.

’My sister also... If I happen to see her.’

That was enough.

He leaned back and whispered, "System... how long do you think the war will last?"

DING!

[Calculating...]

[Estimated duration: Three to six months if the Knights are prepared.]

[One week if they are not.]

Rin’s eyes widened when he saw the one week.

A single week of unending bloodshed.

He imagined it too clearly... houses collapsing, fire spreading with bodies on the streets. And somewhere in the middle of it all, he’d be thrown into battle whether he wanted it or not.

He covered his face with both hands.

"...I need help."

He needed more hands. He needed someone strong. Someone who wouldn’t break easily.

Lucien. That name dropped in his head.

He exhaled shakily.

"I’ll tell him everything tonight. About me. About the demons. Everything. If he... reacts badly, then... I just have to handle it."

Before his thoughts could spiral further, the carriage jerked violently and came to a sudden stop.

Rin grabbed the edge of the seat. "What now?"

A knight knocked on the carriage window.

Rin rolled it down. "Yes?"

"Lord Rin, apologies," the knight said. "You can’t ride all the way to Master Lucien’s wing. You’ll have to walk from here."

Rin frowned. "Why?"

"The old Master is... occupied with his fiancée and it could ruin the event."

Rin stared at the knight then he rolled his eyes so hard he saw his soul.

"Fine."

He stepped out of the carriage and muttered under his breath,

"Only if I had a horse... or if I could use my powers without people screaming about demons..."

He shoved his hands into his pockets and began walking.

.

The path to Lucien’s wing passed by Evan’s compound. Rin always avoided the place because it annoyed him just by existing, but today he had no choice.

As he walked through the garden that linked the pathways, a sudden force shot toward him from the side.

His body reacted before his mind did. He turned sharply and caught the object with one hand.

He looked down.

"...A ball?"

A moment later, a man with chains around his ankles staggered toward him, reaching weakly. "P-Please... the ball..."

Rin’s head snapped up.

Lady Mirielle stood a short distance away. She was dressed in warm clothes, though her chest was almost entirely exposed to the cold air. Her expression was bored and cruel... like she had nothing better to do than torment the injured slaves kneeling behind her.

Evan stood beside her, smiling softly like he enjoyed the show.

Rin handed the ball back to the chained slave. The man bowed shakily, then turned and hurried toward Mirielle.

She slapped him across the face hard enough that even Rin heard the sound echo.

"Go back to the line," she snapped.

"Yes, my lady..." the slave whispered, blood trickling down the corner of his mouth.

Rin’s jaw tightened. He scanned the line... ten of them. They were all injured and bleeding. All of them were shaking from the cold and exhaustion.

Mirielle turned her eyes to Rin and grinned.

Rin smirked faintly.

’Ah. So that’s what she wanted. My attention.’

He turned his head slightly and saw Evan smiling at him too. It looked soft, polite, innocent... but somehow even worse than Mirielle’s grin.

Rin closed his eyes for one brief second.

"...Ah. This is going to be hell."