Chapter 107: The Disciplinary Board 6
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 107: The Disciplinary Board 6
Behind Darun, who had initiated the confrontation, stood more than ten students armed with swords, staves, and bows.
In such a situation, being on guard was only natural. It was common sense to refrain from lowering one's defenses or revealing one’s true name to a group of armed strangers.
The club representatives and professors nodded, clearly finding my logic sound.
"As Student Loki said, caution is the only natural response in that situation. In fact, I’d like to commend him for his vigilance."
"The fact that he didn't simply ignore the greeting and actually engaged in conversation shows he was being more than polite enough."
"But why did Darun bring a group of armed students just to talk to Loki?"
"I don't know the reason either, but it’s certain he didn't do it with good intentions."
As the professors took my side, I heard the sound of teeth grinding beside me. Grit.
Words have the power to move hearts.
Knowing this well, I acted in a way that ensured everyone present would be fully immersed in my narrative.
‘Everything Senior Darun said is true!’
I had captured their attention by admitting to Darun’s claims faster and more cleanly than anyone expected.
‘But everyone, please think about this logically for a moment.’
Then, I prompted the listeners to think for themselves.
‘Ignoring a senior’s greeting and giving a fake name? Of course, if we’re debating whether that’s right or wrong, it’s certainly not the height of etiquette.’
If you simply point out someone’s fault directly like Darun did, the listener doesn't internalize it. You have to lead them there.
‘However, do you really think that’s enough reason for more than ten seniors to attack me all at once?’
By tossing out that question and pausing, I forced the audience to ponder the answer.
"Why did you bring armed students with you just to talk to Loki?"
The question from the professor in charge of the Disciplinary Board was directed straight at Darun.
The gazes of the club representatives and the other professors shifted toward him as well, heavy with suspicion.
"That’s because..."
Darun opened his mouth to retort, but the words died in his throat. He fell silent.
No matter how hard he scrambled, he wouldn't be able to come up with a logical rebuttal.
He had intended to claim that I was the one who picked a fight by being disrespectful, but I had already blocked that path by framing my actions as self-defense.
Darun must know.
He knew that I hadn't ignored him or used a fake name out of "caution," but specifically to provoke him.
However, even if he knew it, saying it out loud was a different matter.
Logically speaking, who would believe that a single student would pick a fight with more than ten armed seniors? Naturally, everyone would assume I was the victim.
Seeing Darun standing there with his mouth clamped shut, the professor in charge of the Disciplinary Board let out a deep sigh.
"Sigh... So you threatened him first, and then ordered the other students to attack Loki simply because he was wary of you?"
"N-No, that’s not it!"
Now that it was established that he was the aggressor, Darun denied the professor’s words, terrified of the consequences if the full truth came out.
"Then are you saying Loki attacked first?"
It would be quite entertaining if Darun tried to claim I struck first, but he wasn't quite that stupid.
"No, that’s not it either. Actually..."
I was curious myself. What lie would he spin now?
"My friends saw Loki’s behavior and felt I had been insulted! They attacked him before I even had a chance to stop them!"
So, his grand plan was to pin all the blame on his lackeys?
It was true that there were no witnesses before the fight started, even if some had gathered during the commotion. Since there was no hard evidence of the initial exchange, he intended to exploit that gap.
Is he actually an idiot?
It wasn't a sarcastic thought; it was a genuine question. I take back what I said about him not being that stupid.
Did he seriously forget what happened after that?
I racked my brain to see if I had missed anything, but I couldn't understand his thought process at all. If Darun had truly forgotten and uttered those words, it was impressive in its own way.
"Wow. Attacking me on your behalf because they felt you were insulted? Those are some truly loyal subordinates—I mean, friends you have there, Senior Darun."
I offered a mock round of applause for Darun’s stupidity, but he merely gnashed his teeth and ignored me.
Just as I was about to pull that out, someone tugged at my sleeve.
"Miss Sepia, do you have something to say?"
"What are you planning to do?" she whispered in a low voice, her eyes trembling as if she were on the verge of tears.
"Darun is trying to dump everything on his lackeys. Are you just going to sit there and watch?"
Did she forget too? No, there was no way Sepia was as dense as Darun...
"If you end up getting disciplined here..."
Ah, so that was it.
Seeing Sepia’s trembling shoulders, I realized why she wasn't thinking clearly. She was so worried about me that she had lost her composure.
"Even if I do get disciplined, it won't affect you at all, so don't worr—"
"Do you think that's the point right now?"
Sepia cut me off and pinched my side. It was more of a sharp sting than actual pain.
"I'm sorry. It was a joke. I'll finish this as quickly as possible so you don't have to worry."
"I wasn't particularly worried..." she muttered, pouting.
I patted her head lightly. Besides, I just found another reason to end this quickly. Johanna, standing in the back, was sending that chilling, murderous gaze my way again.
"You should wait while having some tea like before..."
I tried to pull some tea out of my Pocket Dimension, but for some reason, the container was empty.
I thought back carefully.
Ah, right. I drank it all while I was with Johanna earlier.
Feeling sheepish, I scratched my head. I’d have to buy more after school.
"I guess we’ll have to have tea together after the Disciplinary Board is over."
Leaving Sepia with those words, I walked slowly to the center of the room where everyone could see me.
"I’d like to submit this video as evidence."
At the mention of a video, Darun’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
In my hand was the camera Professor Elicia had handed me when she gave me that finger flick earlier. She hadn't said much at the time, but I trusted that she had realized exactly what I needed.
As I activated the device, a large holographic screen—like something out of a movie theater—manifested in the air.
"What is that?"
"It looks just like the screen used during the practical exam."
While the room buzzed with noise at the sudden appearance of the screen, the video began to play.
Then, silence fell.
* * *
““““............””””
The club representatives, the professors, and the Special Class students all stared blankly at the screen. The only sound in the hall was the audio from the recording.
[Hyaaaap!]
On the screen, a second-year student swung a sword with lethal intent. Other students were firing arrows and launching spells simultaneously.
However, neither the steel nor the magic reached their target. They struck only empty air.
The figure on the screen dodged every incoming attack with his hands casually shoved in his pockets. His white mask was stark, and his red cloak fluttered elegantly with every movement.
He evaded every strike by a hair’s breadth, his movements so precise they looked choreographed. Every attack missed by a fraction of an inch, yet there was no sense of danger.
Everyone watching could tell just how vast that "fraction" actually was. It wasn't luck; it was total dominance.
[Haa... Haa! Hyaaaap!]
While the breathing of the attacking second-years grew ragged and desperate, the voice of the man dodging remained perfectly calm.
As the audience watched in awe, one person was staring at the video for a very different reason.
When on earth did he—!
Darun ground his teeth as he watched the footage. He hadn't seen a camera being set up, nor had he noticed one in the area!
If there was one saving grace, it was that the recording seemed to start from the moment his subordinates began their assault. The part where he initially ordered them to attack wasn't there.
Stupid brat.
Darun was flustered for a moment, but then he thought this might actually work in his favor. If he played his cards right, he could use this to prove he wasn't the one swinging the weapon.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait a minute.
No way.
Darun’s face turned a sickly shade of pale. As he watched the video, the actions and words he had momentarily forgotten in his rage came flooding back like a tidal wave.
"Sto—"
Darun instinctively tried to shout for the video to be stopped, but...
[Everyone, use your artifacts!!!!!]
Faster than he could speak, the video played back his own voice, screaming at his subordinates to use their high-level artifacts to finish the job.
““““..............””””
Loki looked at Darun, who was trembling with his mouth hanging open, and thought:
Did this idiot seriously forget?