Fate/Broken Tree 3 (Patreon)

Fate/Broken Tree 3 - or ‘When Mediocrity, mixed with Meta Knowledge and Determination, leads to Greatness’ (Fate/Apocrypha, Caules!SI)

Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia was not a happy girl even after a full year of being sworn in to this Romania-based family.

Many would fail to assume what was going within her mind as her common scowling was usually referred to as the ‘regal expression’ of a future heiress. It was, after all, no secret that Darnic favored her above others in regard to making her the ‘proper successor’ to his main line.

Ironically-speaking, it was the most ‘fatherly thing’ Fiore had ever been granted since her father seemed to think less of her due to her leg-disabling illness. It wasn’t like that pathetic waste of space was to blame for his defective genes.

Still, the claim was quite unpleasant and… somewhat deserved. Not without good reason, obviously, as either members were too ‘dumb’, or they just didn’t fit the bill in terms of interest and/or ambitions.

She could make an individual list of why everyone would fail to stand up to her, but Fiore saw no point in doing that- in fact, she was most interested in the one that would easily take the seat from her if he was to ask and demand.

Caules was a smarter boy than Darnic and anyone like him would consider him being. Fiore was aware her talent held some incredible and ‘attractive’ potential to many Magus families, but it wasn’t… the best.

It wasn’t like Caules, whose talent in Electronics allowed him to tap into mystery that was not studied by Magus, and thus could pursue this research without any burdening expectations. And while it was upsetting, Fiore felt proud of being the sole keeper of this secret beyond her brother.

The mere idea he could tap into mysteries of mundane connotation through the means of electronic notions was indeed fascinating as it created a new ‘diversion’ from the usual talent that their family was known to have.

And secrets were gold in this world.

At the same time, however, Fiore was a bit of a silly girl herself. While many would easily think her wish was to be able to walk, a foolish dream she abandoned due to how dangerous the wish could be if twisted outrageously, she was actually looking into becoming an approachable wife to someone that was tied to her blood. And she wasn’t planning to do so with the faulty grail.

Ah yes, the pure idea of romancing her own brother… It was so hopeless as she never dared to entice herself to it unless she was sure they could be in the right position to form a proper family.

The desire was strong in her, especially since she had been mad in love with him for many years. He had been her rock and her anchor to the dark sea that was the world of presumptions and expectations. He cared for her just as much as she cared for him.

So, she thought of him as the only individual that could truly and meaningfully carry her to the happiest life possible. He was also so considerate in keeping track of how she felt about Yvette. And while many women would feel jealous of such circumstances, Fiore understood she currently had no chance and that… It wasn't unheard of for small families to try and spread the seed with multiple connections.

It was rare, that was for sure, but it was mostly due the higher houses were too connected with how much they breed into each other's families. The Forvedge had some connections with top blood, but none of that concerned Yvette himself.

It was also true that Fiore saw Yvette as a ‘specimen’ for her experiment about love. After all, Caules’ care was a touch different than the brotherly affection he showed her. Fiore was aware of such a difference, but it made her wonder so much how he would just caress and cuddle with her with just the same sweetness as Yvette.

The two were tight and in love, it was clear they would have a good family to keep by regardless of her wish coming true or not- after all, her brother would still love her and never abandon her unlike their parents. And as Fiore continued to study, it became clear that her brother would be slightly isolated in this castle.

At first, she thought he would have been ‘eaten alive’ by Darnic’s little homunculus, Althea, but Fiore was pleasantly surprised when her attitude changed from cold and quite unforgiving into a rather doting maid personality.

She wasn’t sure how that happened, but it was refreshing to know her brother outlasted that obstacle early on. But it wasn’t the only hurdle he had to face in this first year.

The next issue was a ‘favor’ he gained from the Musik family by having a proper talk with their own Homunculus, Toole. Although the Homunculus girl was sharp and quite clever, the personality she was granted was one of ‘strictness’ beyond belief.

Caules had told her that she had actually ‘beaten up’ both Gordes and his son, Goredolf, in an effort to keep herself as the ‘strong and dominating teacher’. So, when Gordes talked with Caules about it, her bespectacled and clearly insane brother decided that talking was the best option.

She thought he would have found him bruised and injured, but he was fine just… ‘tired’. That had been rather weird considering he was always full of energy. Yet, for some reasons, he seemed to run ‘dry’ when it came to handle Toole in particular.

Fiore thought that something else was afoot so, rather than just pester him like a little brat, she decided to check on him when she knew he was supposedly talking with Toole and-

Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap!

For a moment, Fiore felt mortified. After all, it was clear as a sunny day’s sky that there was a reason this loud clapping noise was coming from his room while he was alone with Toole.

It was immediate, yet it made sense with the kind of man her brother truly was.

He is… Spanking Toole!

The punishment made sense- it was clear Toole was actually a closeted masochist and thus that sort of pain could keep her under control. It was a sacrifice, but a rather awkward one.

Fiore couldn’t fault her brother for keeping quiet about it. After all, she could see how such a burden could be so shameful to tell her, someone that Caules would never lie to.

So, she was off with a lighter mind but… a few perplexing thoughts and wet dreams on how it would feel to be ‘punished’ by her brother with spanking for being a ‘terrible big sister’.

For some reason, that just made her somewhat flustered and… curious.

Still, Fiore didn’t let this bring her down. She was still a proud Magus, with a loving brother, and a long-lasting plan to secure the ultimate happy family for herself and those she shrined as her most precious people.

And no one, not even that old fool Darnic, was going to step from achieving that.

—------d-d-d-d—---

AN

Correction of Althea: 95%.

Correction of Toole: 75%.

And yes, Caules is going for the ‘double kill’. Maybe triple if a certain ‘rival step-sister’ doesn’t stop being deserving of correction.