Students, No Fighting
"Why on earth..."
A week had passed.
"Why is she still standing at the podium?"
Selene was still a professor at the academy. Rumors had circulated that she would soon be expelled from her position, but she remained completely unscathed.
To be precise, while the students' gazes had shifted and her fellow professors' reactions grew increasingly cold, she held her ground. For some reason, the Vice Principal and the Chief Academic Dean were shielding her.
"Her lecture... I failed to refute her again today..."
Meanwhile, every time Selene's class resumed, Rubelia would bring a thick notebook and unleash a barrage of aggressive questions. But it was all in vain.
Selene evaded every single trap question without missing a single syllable. In fact, every time Rubelia heard the answers to her questions, it felt as though she was the one being tutored.
"Ah, Lady Rubelia."
"Hello."
"Today's lecture was amazing, wasn't it?"
"Pardon?"
"Who knew there were so many ways to pinpoint the location of one's dantian..."
"Ah... yes."
"It's all thanks to you asking such diligent questions, Lady Rubelia."
"Pardon?"
"Because you pointed it out, we were able to get such an answer."
"Is... is that how it is?"
"Of course. Ah... of course, I don't mean to say I agree with Professor Selene's ideology, haha."
"..."
Rubelia's reputation as the "Question Queen" of the class was steadily building a positive image of an enthusiastic student. Even Rubelia's personal knowledge was rapidly expanding.
On the other hand, Selene was supposedly crumbling under the weight of challenging academic authority and touching Kyran Valcazar.
Is this... right?
Just as Rubelia wanted, Selene's standing was shrinking. However, it wasn't because of the flimsy skills of a Reformist educator, as she had originally thought. On the contrary, Selene was brilliant. She possessed academic talent greater than anyone else.
After a week of relentless questioning, Rubelia realized it. Selene wasn't falling because of a lack of competence. What was tearing her down was society. A society that rejected anything new...
"N-No. That's not it! This is also just a trick of the Reformists! Appealing to emotions, pretending to be victims of their era!"
But as Rubelia's memories brushed against a certain someone once more, she clutched her head, trying to suppress her rising anxiety.
"It's for the best. Yes... it's actually better this way. That's right..."
"Oh? Is that Rubelia?"
Just then.
"...Kyran."
Hearing a voice, she turned around to find the eldest son of the Valcazar family standing there.
"I saw you eagerly tossing questions at that bitch again today."
"What business is it of yours?"
"Are you actually shielding that wench?"
"What did you say?"
"Am I wrong? At first, I thought you were fighting with that professor bitch. But looking closely, every time you ask a question, it feels like you're just boosting her ego, doesn't it?"
"T-That wasn't my intention! It's just..."
"Just what?"
"It's just that my success rate is poor. She... she is too perfect..."
"Perfect? Ha!"
"If you have nothing more to say, I will be leaving."
"Where do you think you're going?"
Kyran grabbed Rubelia roughly as she tried to pass him, ignoring his annoying presence.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I know exactly what's going on in that head of yours."
"I have no idea what you've been talking about this whole time! Let go of me, or I'll scream!"
"You! You're in league with that bitch, aren't you?"
"What?!"
"Deliberately asking easy questions to boost her reputation as a professor. And in the process, humiliating me! In front of everyone! Me, a Valcazar!"
"Who... who is taking her side?! Why on earth would I?!"
"Why else, you filthy wench!"
"If you speak so recklessly one more time, as a lady of the Estel family..."
"Estel... Right. You lot were in on it together, weren't you?"
"In on it?"
"That's right!"
His burning eyes glared at Rubelia as if looking at something utterly repulsive. Rubelia froze. She knew that look all too well. Because she, too, had once looked at someone with those exact eyes...
"You filthy Reformist bitch!"
"What?"
The moment those words left Kyran's mouth.
"Who... did you call a Reformist?!"
Crackle!
Rubelia could no longer hold back.
"Oh? You want to go?"
Sensing her killing intent, Kyran immediately stepped back and drew his sword. In response, Rubelia glared at him with murderous eyes and leveled her blade.
"Take back those filthy words this instant!"
"Why? Afraid of the truth?"
"Shut up!"
Their swords clashed. One side carried pure rage; the other, a mocking sneer.
"Ugh!"
The scales of power tipped toward rage—toward the one whose family had been insulted, the one forced to recall an unforgettable nightmare.
"You bastard!"
"Right now! Take those words back right now!"
"I don't want to!"
"Then I will reclaim my family's honor with my own hands!"
"Is that so?"
Rubelia's sword fiercely pressed Kyran back.
"Are you sure you want to do this? Your father is going to be in a lot of trouble if you do."
"What?"
But before Rubelia's sword could pierce his vital point.
"What... what do you mean by that?"
"Are you truly ignorant, or are you just pretending?"
"..."
"Did you think I wouldn't know your family is under imperial investigation?"
"Ugh!"
"The ones tasked with interrogating your father and ransacking your estate are none other than us, the Valcazars!"
"What... did you say?"
Rubelia's sword froze.
Clang!
"Ugh?!"
Not missing a single beat, Kyran deflected Rubelia's sword. Before she could resist, he aimed his blade directly at her throat.
"Our family took over your father's stagnant investigation. I made a special request for it!"
"Why would you do such a thing?!"
"Because the evidence of the Reformists was found right here at this academy!"
"What..."
"I realized it the moment I saw you acting up in that professor bitch's class. Seeing you associate with that Reformist whore, it's clear that both you and your father are Reformists!"
"That's absurd!"
"Why? Do you have any defense left?"
"I am!"
"You're what? What can you do here? Are you going to resist me? A Valcazar? If a suspect resists an investigator, what do you think the investigator will make of that?"
"Valcazar!"
Rubelia glared at him. But there was nothing she could do. Both the duel and the political situation were a clear defeat for Rubelia. No, it was a defeat for the Estel family. If she provoked him any further here...
"S-Stop..."
"What?"
"I... I am not a Reformist. Neither is my father..."
"And how are you going to prove that?"
"That is..."
"Then let's do this."
Kyran smiled coldly and looked around. Before they knew it, a crowd of onlookers had gathered in the quiet backyard of the professors' dormitory.
"Apologize to me publicly, right here."
"What did you say?"
"Apologize to me publicly right here. And then, kiss my boots."
"W-What on earth...?"
"Do it on behalf of the Estel family. Then, I'll pay special attention to your father's case..."
"Ugh!"
Humiliation. The first time in her life—no, perhaps the second time she had ever felt such humiliation. A sickening, unbearable humiliation. Yet, she could not escape it. Just like that day when she had trembled in fear, waiting to be rescued...
"I, I..."
"I don't have all day."
"I..."
Rubelia squeezed her eyes shut. Her heavy head began to tilt, bit by bit. Downward. Toward the depths where disgrace awaited her.
"Ugh?!"
But at that moment.
A sharp grunt from Kyran, followed by a heavy thud from above, snapped Rubelia back to her senses. She raised her head.
"Huh? Lab rat student?"
"Gaaah?!"
Standing before her was Professor Selene.
"Professor... Selene?"
Selene often found opening doors to be a hassle. Thus, she always kept her windows open, climbing up walls or jumping straight out of them. Today was one of those days. Hearing Mona's approaching footsteps, she found it too bothersome to open the door and walk out. She didn't want to listen to her nagging. So, she jumped. However, something heavy cushioned her fall. It was Kyran. Having taken Selene directly to the crown of his head, Kyran was knocked out cold.
"Oh?"
Staring blankly down at Kyran, Selene's gaze shifted to Rubelia.
"Inquisitive student."
Rubelia stared back at Selene in a daze.
"Did you... save me?"
(Tilt head?)
"..."
But Rubelia's expression quickly darkened. This changed nothing. If anything, Kyran would only become more convinced. Convinced that she was definitely involved with Selene. That she was definitely a Reformist.
"Rubelia. Hurt?"
"Don't touch me."
(Tilt head?)
"Ugh!"
Rubelia fled the scene as if running for her life.
"Inquisitive student..."
Selene merely tilted her head, utterly baffled by the situation.
"Aaaah! Professor! Did you jump out of the window again?! ...Eek! You landed on someone?! See, what did I tell you?!"
But as Mona poked her head out of the window and began her dramatic lecture, Selene found herself unable to escape the scene.
Meanwhile.
"Pant... pant..."
Rubelia ran blindly. No, she was fleeing. But in the end, it was a past she could never truly run away from.
"No. I'm not. I'm not!"
Reaching an empty, deserted clearing, Rubelia screamed as if to tear her own throat.
"What is it that you aren't?"
"Gasps?!"
But she was not alone.
"This... voice?"
A heavy, blunt thud echoed. Caught completely off guard, Rubelia lost consciousness on the spot.
"Ugh..."
Rubelia opened her eyes inside a pitch-black building.
"Welcome, Rubelia."
"Ah!"
There,
"How is your father doing?"
Rubelia came face-to-face once again with a countenance she wanted to forget but could never erase from her mind.
"Y-You?"
"Good to see you, Rubelia."
"Eek!"
The moment she saw the face sitting in the corner of the basement, Rubelia gasped and let out a sharp shriek.
"Where... is this..."
"Does that matter, now that we've met again?"
"N-No... Let me go... I'm not... I'm not like you..."
But her body was already bound. She had no idea where she was.
"It's already too late, Rubelia."
Rubelia did not resist. She didn't even have the strength to try. As the nightmare of her past returned to reality, she was utterly paralyzed.
"Cassian... Why?"
"Calling me Cassian? Is that how you address your former tutor?"
"Y-You were supposed to be dead!"
"Dead? Are you so sure of something you didn't see with your own eyes?"
"Ugh..."
"'I will spare your life, so live as quiet as a dead mouse,' is what your father told me, you know?"
"Ugh... sob..."
Rubelia wept.
"I'm... not. I'm not..."
"What is it you've been denying this whole time?"
"I am not a Reformist. I am... different from you."
"Reformists... Well, I suppose I did hide behind that name once."
"..."
"But we are far more sublime than that. A compromising word like 'reform' does not suit us."
"Ugh, sob..."
"Rather than reform, it is revolution... No, even those fools are just trash when you peel back the layers. We do not even fit such a label. The vessel is far too small."
"Let... let me go right now..."
"No, no."
The man called Cassian smiled gently as he stroked Rubelia's hair. Rubelia shuddered in disgust and tried to turn her head away, but she could not escape his touch.
"You are with us forever."
"Ugh!"
"Obediently become the nourishment for our Red Sanctuary."
The next day.
"Hello, everyone."
The students were greeted by her.
"O-Oh? Lady Rubelia?"
"Good morning. Um... were you alright yesterday? I heard there was... a fight?"
Just like any other day...
"Hehe. I'm sorry. I've caused you all unnecessary worry."
"Ah, no..."
"But I am perfectly fine. Hehe."
No, they were greeted by a Rubelia who seemed far brighter than ever before...
"Because everything is going wonderfully well."