The Stupid Cannon Fodder is Stunning Today

Chapter 26: One Fire Burns Out Another's

This chapter is brought to you by Cross My Heart I Hope U Die by Meg Smith. 

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Bel came back to the Monttevi Compound in the evening, utterly exhausted by the day's event. He wanted to sob in the privacy of his bedroom. 

It was for naught because he had a mission to prepare for. 

He sent the men who were involved in the brawl to the barracks and forced them to train until they dropped. 

They should be thankful he was so merciful. 

Quin and Juno were Tobus' kittens, but Bel knew Tobus was fair and would not hold back on teaching them a lesson. 

The thought of Tobus irritated him. 

He was behaving so strangely, and Bel didn't know what to do to help him. 

"Belwyn."

Bel spotted his uncle quickly approaching with a troubled expression. 

"What's the matter, Uncle?" he asked, concerned. 

His uncle looked at him for a moment, and then, slowly, he said, "I heard you and Lord Arcadia were involved in a brawl earlier today." 

Bel averted his eyes at the reminder and clenched his hands into fists. 

He shook his head and answered, "His men insulted mine and they fought. Then he showed up and attacked one of our own, and to be fair, Abramo did try to stab Juno, but still..." Bel trailed off. 

"We crossed swords." 

His uncle paused. He stared at him, almost in pity.

Oh wow. 

Bel thought.

That was rude. He didn't even have the whole context, but thanks for assuming that my relationships are imploding as we speak, uncle. I love you, too.

"He has always been unreasonable," his uncle said as if he was dealing with a delicate matter.

He should have simply asked about Bel's day and left him alone to sulk for the remaining hour he had left before the big mission that was super important and should be the sole focus of their current conversation, but no. 

Let them discuss the inevitable collapse of his and Tobus' relationship. Truly, it was top priority. 

"He is, as many have known him, akin to a cat. Calyptos are all like that, even if he was not Valerius' kin by blood." 

Thanks, uncle. That makes me feel so much better. 

Bel made a noise of affirmation, regardless of how he felt. "I'm simply frustrated, uncle. We've worked together for so long, and I thought everything was alright. Now he acts like I'm not even worth his attention and refuses to confide in me when there is something obviously troubling him." 

"This too, you shall overcome, Belwyn," his uncle answered. "The feud of our family has prolonged for many generations, though it has not affected our professions. You are not the first of our House to be sent on missions with Tobus. Long before you were an agent, he had worked with men of our House. He has a record of cooperating well with our House. So be at ease and know he will not endanger you despite his sudden misgivings." 

Bel didn't know what to say to that. 

His uncle had somehow thought Bel was upset because he didn't know if Tobus would have his back now that they weren't on speaking terms. 

That's not the problem, uncle!

Still, he nodded and let his uncle assume what he wanted to assume.