Chapter 24
Chapter 24
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Academy Cultural Festival (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It's not that I'm particularly suspecting Lucia. I've already confirmed her character multiple times by now.
Even as a commoner, she takes responsibility for the tasks she's assigned, and she fulfills her role as a Student Council executive without any shortcomings.
If what she said back in Delona Village was sincere, then all the more so.
‘I want to earn my own living expenses! Just like you said, Lady Elena, I think I should be able to take care of myself with my own strength!’
It was hard to imagine that a girl who said something like that would change her mind less than a month after summer break ended.
She wouldn't want to do anything that would tarnish the name of Elena, whom she respects.
...Of course, that's just my own assumption.
"She's a commoner, but that doesn't mean she's so destitute that she'd steal from the Student Council's funds! And, and...!"
"......"
"......"
"......"
"I-I really... I didn't steal it..."
...I could understand why the others hesitated to defend her rashly.
If, by some off chance—just a one-in-a-million possibility—Lucia turned out to be the culprit, it would create another political weakness down the line.
Stories could easily be spun: having such poor judgment that you couldn't distinguish allies from thieves, or conspiring with a commoner to steal from the Academy's funds—plenty of damaging narratives could be attached.
We've spent about half a year together as Student Council colleagues, but strictly speaking, that's all our relationship amounts to.
‘In this case, it might be best if I step in to calm things down.’
It would be a hassle if this incident caused discord among the Student Council members.
With that thought, I rose to defend Lucia, but once again, Elena's voice beat mine to it.
"I think the same. You all know Lucia isn't the type to do something like that, right?"
"Lady Elena...!"
"It's too harsh to pin the blame on her just because she's a commoner. If we set aside all noble backgrounds from the start, I'd still be the most suspicious one."
"?!"
"No, surely Lady Rozier couldn't be the culprit..."
"No, in cases like this, we need to look at everyone equally. And since it was during the Cultural Festival period, several club presidents came in and out of the Student Council room, so it might be good to expand the scope of the investigation."
"...Well, realistically speaking, an outsider is the most likely culprit."
"Yeah, pretty much~?"
"......"
"I don't think Lucia is the culprit either. It's just that if the thief is someone inside the Student Council..."
"Young Master Esbaren, that's enough."
The second son of the Esbaren family—scholarly lineage through generations—blithely piping up without reading the room after the atmosphere had finally calmed.
Meanwhile, Elena continued speaking with a quite serious expression, clearly determined to definitively shield Lucia from suspicion.
"If you're going to suspect someone inside the Student Council, suspect me first. And if you won't suspect me, then I hope you won't carelessly accuse anyone else in the Student Council of being the culprit."
"...That was imprudent of me, Lady Rozier. I'm sorry to you too, Miss Lucia."
"Ah, no... I'm fine..."
Even as she said that, she stuck close to Elena—the one who had defended her first amid the chaos.
Yet Elena spread her fingers wide and declared confidently, seemingly intent on calming the still-awkward Student Council atmosphere.
"The culprit... is somewhere in this Academy!"
The day before the Cultural Festival, after wrapping up the final chaotic Student Council meeting.
The moment we returned to the dormitory, Elena flopped onto the bed, and I quickly averted my eyes to avoid glimpsing up her skirt.
-Thud.
"Ahh, I'm exhausted..."
"You worked hard, Elena."
"Ah, thanks... Man, this damn Student Council never ends no matter how much you do..."
With those words, Elena rolled around on the bed still in her Academy uniform.
She was already carefree, but lately even more defenseless—before her legs could suddenly shoot up into the air, I hurriedly changed the subject.
"So. Do you know who the culprit is, Elena?"
"Huh? Oh, the one who stole the gold coins and ledger?"
"Yeah. I figured you would."
"Hmm... No idea."
"...Huh?"
The response was far too nonchalant for something said in such a relaxed tone.
I pondered quietly how to react, and Elena's next words followed immediately.
"There are three suspects. But I don't know which one's the culprit."
"...Is it someone inside the Student Council by any chance?"
"Nah. Probably one of the club presidents who came to the Student Council room during the Cultural Festival prep and checked the ledgers."
"...I see."
At least Lucia's not the culprit, then.
I'd thought so from the start, but hearing it from Elena made me feel a bit more relieved.
"Ahh, I specifically finalized and stored the ledger last night to prevent something like this. How the hell did they steal it?"
"To prevent it...? Did something similar happen in the future you know?"
"Not similar—practically identical. In the original story, they threw in a little deduction event like this."
"...Sorry, but could you explain it in a way I can understand?"
"Ah, right. Basically, the story goes like this..."
Elena explained to me, swapping out various terms midway.
I tried my best to follow her explanation this time too, but it was a bit hard to grasp at once—even for me.
"The culprit who took the additional budget proposal from the Student Council room could change randomly?"
"Yeah."
"...How is that possible?"
"Because that's how it's set up... how the story flows."
"......"
"Doesn't make sense?"
"...I'm not even sure how you're expecting me to make sense of it. Is this realistically possible?"
A student bold enough to steal the Student Council room's additional budget would have unavoidable circumstances to match.
Even if, by some fluke, they lacked proper motive and were just rotten to the core, it was incomprehensible. People's hearts and desires can't just shift or flow 'randomly.'
"Hmm, what you're saying isn't incomprehensible to me, Cedric..."
"Isn't it?"
"...Well, maybe you'll get it if I explain like this? Cedric, hand out your hand."
"Why my hand all of a sudden...?"
"If you don't, you're last—scissors, rock, paper!"
With that, Elena suddenly shook her fist and thrust it toward me.
I reflexively followed suit without thinking.
The result: my rock beat her scissors.
"Ah, I lost."
"...So, what does rock-paper-scissors have to do with your explanation...?"
"If you don't, you're last—scissors, rock..."
"......"
Elena shook her hand again without properly explaining.
Wondering if my rock was the wrong choice, I switched to paper this time—and lost again.
"I won this time."
"...Yeah, Elena."
"Think of it like this."
"......What do you mean?"
"The culprit who stole from the Student Council room changing is like the whimsy of what you'll pick in rock-paper-scissors. At least in my world, it was."
"......"
"I get why you find it weird, but that's just how it felt to me. Like rolling a die and getting a 6, but the die says, 'I was fated to roll a 1!'"
"......Is that so."
That felt like a rather cruel analogy.
Is this how prophets see others?
A tentative thought crept in: maybe this is part of why Elena doesn't see me as fully rational.
"Of course, the rock-paper-scissors and dice were extreme examples. Even now, I don't see you or the others as data moving on rails... no, as people. Hmm, it's hard to explain..."
"It's fine. I get the gist of what you're trying to say."
"Ah, really?"
"Enough of that—now tell me how to find the culprit. You seem like you know."
"Of course. There are three candidates, and you narrow it down by finding clues one by one..."
From there, Elena began explaining who stole the Student Council's gold pouch.
...Honestly, though, her words barely registered this time.
And, the next day.
To verify Elena's words, she and I left the dormitory a bit early and headed to the Student Council room.
After hearing her explanation yesterday, finding the culprit didn't seem that hard.
‘Culprits always return to the scene. Stealing the cash ledger wasn't intentional—they'll want to return it to avoid leaving a trail.’
‘...Return it?’
‘Yeah. They'll sneak back into the Student Council room tonight. They'll just place the cash ledger on the desk, and if you're lucky, maybe leave a simple note too.’
‘......’
‘Then inspect the ledger closely—white powder falls off. Depending on whether it's ‘flour,’ ‘chemical powder,’ or ‘plaster powder,’ the culprit changes. Easy, right? It's a romance game, after all—no need to overcomplicate the deduction part. Players who want to skip can rush through...’
Elena explained how to find the culprit more easily than expected. ...Though I mostly glossed over the latter part.
Still, we could quickly clear up the needless suspicion on Lucia. The Student Council, chaotic since the festival's first day, could return to normal soon too.
With those thoughts, Elena and I entered the Student Council room—but the door, which should have been locked, was already open, as if someone was inside.
-Creak.
"......Lucia?"
"Ah, Your Highness Prince Cedric... Lady Elena..."
Lucia, sitting in front of the Student Council safe, waved and greeted us the moment our eyes met.
Her fatigued eyes and listless muttering made it look like... she'd been guarding the safe all night.
"...Were you in the Student Council room last night by any chance?"
"Yeees... I didn't want another theft... So just in case, after classes yesterday, I came back to guard it..."
Her earnest effort to help the Student Council was admirable.
...But hearing she'd guarded it all night sparked an uneasy premonition.
"Hey, Cedric. This is fucked."
"...I think so too, Elena."
If Elena's prediction held, the ‘cash ledger’ should have been on the Student Council desk by now—but it was nowhere to be seen.