Chapter 63 - Sienna Slughorn
It all started with a girl!
Wars are often linked with love for a reason.
Eren liked a classmate in his past timeline. Her name was Sienna Slughorn. He didn't know anything about her. All he thought at the time was she looked cute.
Of course, Eren didn't have the guts to confess his affection. But a vixen Sienna had figured it out by his shy yet consistent stares.
Sienna was the daughter of a viscount. And she liked Ken Riverine who was from an Earl family.
Ken was one of the top students of their year. And he looked mature and dashing.
But the girl didn't only think with her ovaries. Sienna thought of elevating her family's position by being tied to the house of an Earl.
It would have been fine if Sienna ignored a silly crush directed at her when she had set Ken as her goal. But she decided to use that against her ordinary admirer to further her cause.
This was Eren's third academic year! Every student had selected the subject of their specializations by then. The merit points were based on the assignments belonging to such specializations.
Sienna first introduced herself to Eren who was progressing steadily in his potioneering. She asked him if he could guide her in the subject. Of course, Eren didn't need to be asked a second time. He gladly accepted her request.
Sienna wasn't interested in learning of course. She pretended for a while then dumped all her potioneering assignments on Eren. She then pursued intimacy with Ken who was in a battle-oriented course.
Eren figured out Sienna's intentions after a few weeks of slogging his ass in her work. He was naive and inexperienced in a lot of things in his previous life. But he wasn't stupid even back then.
Eren quickly got over his childish feelings. He wanted to become a genuine potion master due to Nina's influence on him. So anyone messing with his potioneering routine had to be kicked out of his life.
He told Sienna one day that he wouldn't do her share of assignments anymore.
"Why are you acting so rudely with me, Eren? What has happened to you?"
Sienna had asked innocently when Eren refused to keep being her clown. Like he was the one to blame for hurting her and her interests.
"Stop taking me for a fool, Sienna. I have my things to worry about. So you'd have to complete the assignments given to you."
"Hmm? What else do you do all day? It's not like you have a life outside the lab, is it? You don't have friends. You are not good at anything other than potion-making.
Why not spend your time completing my assignments while you are "living the best time of your life" with these herbs? I might consider you taking me for a date if you do that, you know."
"Haah! You could've fooled me. You are already trying to get in Ken's pants. But he is in a battle oriented course that starts at the same time of the day the first-year potioneering lab stays open.
You are using me to go to his battle oriented courses. I don't have a problem with you getting together with anyone, of course. Not anymore.
But I'd suggest you pursue that relationship with your merits and efforts. Stop counting on me to save your ass from penalties that'd befall you if and when you fail to complete your potioneering assignments.
I don't want to spend my time only completing my assignments. Unlike you, most students take this subject to create a living out of it. I'm one of them.
I'll have to go beyond only completing assignments if I'm to become a successful potion master. That means experimenting with the recipes and finding my style of potioneering.
I'll need to invest time in exploring extra-curriculum potion recipes. Experiment with ingredients and draw my own conclusions from them. Study previous research papers. Read famous potion masters' books. And try to achieve three-star standards in all the basic potions of my rank.
I don't have enough time to do all this even if I don't take up your assignments. And you want me to reduce that time even further for your gains? And what would I receive in return even if I decide to do that like an idiot I was in the past? A whole lot of nothing.
Fat chance of that happening, miss. If you want to be close with Ken, deal with the penalty that comes from changing the course midway and take up battle oriented courses."
Eren refuted buying Sienna's bullshit.
He had already bought enough to last him for a while. Sienna started laughing like a maniac after listening to Eren's final refusal.
"You were less of an idiot than I gave you credit for. Hehe! I'll admit. I WAS using you. But I don't see anything wrong with it.
You were happy to be able to talk with a girl like me. And I was happy to allow you to do that in exchange for a little bit of favour.
A dork like you should consider yourself lucky that I even allowed you to serve me. You should be grateful. But instead of thanking me, you are trying to sabotage everything for me that I worked hard to achieve.
Listen carefully, Eren. I'll only say this once. Consider it a suggestion, warning, or downright threat. I belong from the house of a viscount. You DO NOT want to offend me.
If you do this favour for me, I'll tell my family to hire you as lowliest of potioneer even if you fail in the course. You'll earn a decent amount of money for a low amount of work.
The Slughorn potions are famous in the southern region.
Our family operates a fair number of supply-and-distribution chains. And we own many potion-making establishments spread across the southern region.
That's why I chose a potion-making course even when I didn't like doing it. I have to maintain the family image. So you can imagine why I can't quit this course.
You are right. I'm not interested in dating you. I never was. As cliche as it sounds, the family backgrounds matter. You look alright. But you are not even a baron. And I know from a valid source that your parents have abandoned you.
Your aunt Nina is the only guardian you have. But her status as a C-Rank healer can only garner her so much respect. That too is only limited to the city of Osan.
So anything happening between us is out of the question. Now that you've seen through this farce, I won't play the same card.
But I know how to deal with commoners like you. Let's talk business if that's what it takes.
You want to become a potion master, right? You'll have to extend this kind of courtesy to your suppliers and buyers sooner or later. Consider this extra assignment as a potion-making order from me. Furthermore, I can surely find a place for you to work in any of our Slughorn establishments if you cooperate with me.
But refuse my kind intentions, and I'll show you how angering me is never a good idea. Now decide, what will it be?"
Sienna blurted everything in one go. She stopped pretending and showed her true colours to the ex-gullible boy. When deception didn't work, she went for the carrot-and-stick approach.
One had to say her upbringing as a noble young lady was spot-on.
But Eren had already made up his mind by then. He would not get associated in any way with this cold-hearted vixen.
"Maybe you didn't hear me the first time. I told you to either quit being part of the potioneering course. Or find some other way to be with Ken. But it'll have nothing to do with me.
I don't want your extra money or any position in Slughorn establishments. I'm perfectly capable of securing a good position as a potion master anywhere with my merits after graduating.
So now you have my decision. It's a big, fat NO!"
Sienna's smile became even wider after hearing Eren's response. But now that smile had a shade of viciousness. She couldn't believe the guy had grown so much spine after the realization of getting used to her scheme had dawned on him.
What pissed Sienna off, even more, was the fact that Eren had snapped out of his devotion towards her more quickly than he had gotten into it. It challenged her self-gratifying assumption that was based on pride, hubris, and self-esteem of being the most desirable girl in her class. This, to her, was even more unacceptable than just refusing to cooperate with her.
"Eren! My sweet summer child, Eren. I thought a shut-in nerd like you would know your place in the hierarchy. But turns out you are delusional. Never mind. I'll help you realize your worth.
You want to be a potion master, right? I'll simply take that away from you. I'll make sure that you become anything BUT a potion-master.
I'll ensure that you become a failure in everything you do.
Only after wearing the shades of despair will you be able to see what truly lies in your future. The house of Slughorn will ensure there's nobody named Eren Elijah Edril acting as a potion master in this kingdom. And we will place a bounty on you if you try to leave the kingdom.
Prepare to say goodbye to these herbs you call your friends and this lab in some days. And remember the name that will be the reason behind your ruin. It's Sienna Slughorn!"
==============
Author' Note: Enjoy three-chapter mini mass release. ;)