Chapter 73
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Scene 073: The Lie
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Let me ask again.
It was a chilling voice.
Sia unconsciously swallowed quietly.
What were you two doing here?
Tristan Ruelverta.
The empires worst noble, who had arrived on the day of the entrance ceremony, causing a massive stir, and taken up the position of president.
He was staring at the two of them with eyes that seemed to pierce through everything.
I heard an explosion from the direction you came running.
Hiding it was impossible, as expected.
Was it something you two did?
Anyone could see they had been fleeing the scene.
No, if it had been another professor or student, they might have been able to brush it off somehow.
But no petty tricks would work on this man.
Just looking at his ice-cold eyes made Sia freeze in place.
Youre not going to answer? Sia Ryumin.
...!
Unexpectedly, the name that came from the presidents mouth was hers.
Sia had no prior acquaintance with Tristan. The Ryumin and Ruelverta families were far from friendly.
And yet, Tristan remembered her.
As if he had marked her as prey.
Her hiccups stopped immediately.
Sia barely suppressed her trembling and spoke.
Thats not...
Then explain what happened.
Uh...
How could she explain it?
That she, consumed by jealousy, had swung her wand at a classmate.
And the target was the tyrant of the crowd, who had boldly declared in front of all the students that the school belonged to him.
She had caused material damage to his school.
She had touched a man she should never have touched.
It wasnt something that could be covered up even with her familys power.
The Ryumin family was one of the empires famed noble houses, part of the Seven Stars, but it wasnt on a level to stand against the Ruelverta family.
If this escalated to involve the families, it would be a massive blunder for the Ryumin side.
Knowing that, Sia couldnt bring herself to open her mouth.
Um...
At that moment, the girl beside Sia spoke up.
C-Count... Eek?!
The girl flinched suddenly.
Because Tristan was glaring at her with terrifying eyes.
Shrinking under that gaze, the girl said in a trembling voice.
Ugh... P-President... Hic! I-Ill explain everything... Hic!
...First, stop those hiccups and speak. Wendy.
Y-Yes... Hic... Hng...
Only then did Sia remember.
The name of the girl who had taken the top spot from her.
Right... It was Wendy...
The youngest student ever admitted to Meikahel University since its founding.
On the entrance ceremony day, her spotlight had been overshadowed by the presidents bombshell remarks, but Wendy was still a frequent topic in the freshman community.
Rumors about her identity were especially rampant.
On entrance ceremony day, Wendy had unusually not revealed her family name.
For nobles, declaring ones family was a form of courtesy.
Especially in a school teeming with nobles, knowing each others status made interactions smoother.
Yet, Wendys reasons for not revealing her surname boiled down to two main theories.
Either she was a commoner with no surname at all, or someone in a position where she couldnt disclose her family due to circumstances.
The community overwhelmingly favored the latter.
The dominant theory was that she was a princess from a distant foreign kingdom, not the empire.
Someone had even claimed to have seen Wendy taking friendly photos with the president and some high-status nobles after the ceremony.
Well... Even so, it was probably just a rumor.
In any case, Sia had leaned toward the latter as well.
She had been hailed as a prodigy for her exceptional magic talent in middle and high school.
Someone surpassing her would naturally have a status like a neighboring kingdoms princess.
But now, Sia realized she had been wrong.
Sia recalled it.
The glimpse of talent Wendy had shown that morning.
It was magic so intricate that even Sia, a genius in water magic, couldnt touch it.
No mere princess from a neighboring country could reach that level.
It was like the realm of a legendary sage.
Wendys magic had split the heavens.
Literally. Amid the rain, Wendy walking under the only ray of sunlight looked almost holy.
As if the gods themselves were moved by her talent.
Compared to that... how pathetic Sias magic seemed.
Overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of misery, Sia bowed her head.
From now on, Wendy would report every detail of Sias actions to the president.
Her legs shook. Standing was all she could manage.
No matter what Wendy said, Sia planned to admit everything.
It was clearly her fault.
If she had done wrong, she deserved the punishment.
But the words from Wendys mouth were completely different from what Sia expected.
Its m-my fault!
...Huh?
Wendy said in a trembling voice, head bowed deeply.
I-I made a mistake handling magic...!
...A mistake?
Yes... I-I'm still inexperienced... I was practicing magic in secret... and then...
What?
...
Sia stared at Wendy in bewilderment.
Why was this girl covering for her?
It was clearly Sias fault to anyone watching.
Yet this girl was trying to lie right in front of the president.
To defend Sia.
I see...
Tristan stepped closer.
He stood right in front of Wendys nose and looked down at her.
Lift your head, Wendy.
Sniff...
At his words, Wendy raised her head.
Look into my eyes.
P-President...
Look straight at me.
Eek...
Tristan stared at Wendys face up close.
If Sia had been in Wendys position, she might have fainted.
His overwhelming presence made even Sia, standing beside her, shrink back.
Depending on your answer, I could send you both to the disciplinary committee.
His terrifying eyes fixed on Wendy.
Is that truly what happened? Wendy.
Wendy was trembling violently.
Yet she didnt avoid Tristans gaze.
With tears welling up in her eyes, she barely managed to answer.
Y-Yes... Sob...
It was an obvious lie that anyone could see through, told straight to Tristan.
Was it her courage that impressed him?
Your lying is clumsy.
...Sniff.
But Ill accept it.
...Huh?
Wendy and Sia both looked up at Tristan simultaneously.
I dont know the full story. No matter how much I speculate, its all just my assumptions. So, Ill take your word for it.
And Tristan added,
I wont send you to the disciplinary committee. However, since you caused a disturbance, I cant just let it slide...
He turned to Sia.
Sia Ryumin.
Yes...?
Go dry your clothes and head to class.
With that, Tristan turned his head as if he had no further interest in Sia.
And Wendy.
Y-Yes?!
From today onward, come straight to my office after classes end. It seems you need to be punished.
The moment Sia heard that, her face drained to a pale blue.
Wendy had fallen into the clutches of this infamous president.
And all to take the fall for Sia!
Y-Yes...
Wendy bowed her head weakly.
To Sias eyes, she looked like a pitiful animal being led to the slaughterhouse.
No...
The Wendy Sia had envied would become this wicked presidents plaything.
It should have been satisfying for Sia.
But she couldnt allow it.
Wendy was taking punishment in her place.
As payment for covering Sias mistake.
Sia wasnt rotten enough a student to pretend otherwise.
Moreover, Tristan was a man called a genius of villainy.
Who knew what he might do, turning this poor girl into his slave.
She absolutely couldnt leave them alone together.
She couldnt hand this poor girl over to that man.
With that thought, Sia found herself shouting at the president.
Stop it!
When I heard the explosion from the cafeteria, I instinctively knew it involved Wendy.
The reason I always kept her by my side.
It was because of her trait, Misfortune.
Trait: Misfortune.
Rank: Beyond Rank.
Details: Misfortune is woven into your life. This trait turns your life into a thorny path. If youre wondering why such a trait exists, thats perfectly normal.
Because of this trait, Wendy gets caught up in incidents without intending to.
In short, shes a trouble magnet. And to me, a death flag character. If she gets hurt in some incident, my own safety could be at risk.
Good thing I became president...
Its easier to handle anything happening to Wendy at school.
I hurried over for that reason... but there was an outsider present. And a named character at that.
Sia Ryumin.
The lady of the Ryumin family, one of the Seven Stars noble houses in antagonistic relations with Ruelverta, and a genius in water magic with no equal.
I had no idea why someone like her was with Wendy.
At first, I thought shed just gotten caught up in it, but it seemed something had happened between them.
Unlike the unscathed Wendy, only Sias clothes were soaked through.
There were many suspicious points, but sorting out the situation took priority.
If it went to the disciplinary committee, things would get messy.
Since no one was hurt, it was something I could cover up myself.
However, because Sia Ryumin was involved, I had to at least pretend to issue an appropriate punishment.
So, I decided to resolve it by having Wendy clean my office or something.
But unexpectedly, Sia stopped me.
Stop...?
I asked her back.
It was a genuine question.
She had no reason or power to stop me. She surely knew that.
And yet, Sia put on a brave front.
It was all... all m-my doing!
Sia stood between me and Wendy, blocking the way.
Only then did I realize.
This girl did nothing wrong! So... the one who should be punished is me, not her!
It wasnt mere bravado.
She was thrashing about.
Desperately trying to protect Wendy from me.
Sia glared at me as if she wanted to kill me.
Perhaps influenced by Pride, her arrogant gaze was laughably pathetic.
But I wasnt displeased.
Our goals were the same, after all.
Does that mean youll take full responsibility for this disturbance alone? Sia Ryumin.
Sia slowly nodded.
Then, youre saying youll take Wendys punishment instead?
Yes...
Friendship between girls, huh.
I smiled inwardly.
It felt like the moment a daughter brings home her first school friend.
Interesting words.
However, to become Wendys friend, one needed qualifications.
I decided to test Sias friendship.
One thing to clarify.
I approached Sia, whose face was stiff and rigid.
I have no intention of punishing the daughter of the Ryumin family.
...Yes?
The Ryumin are a house known for their loyalty, devoted wholly to the imperial family. Even though theyve crossed swords with Ruelverta, I respect that loyalty. So...
I whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
Ill let you off the hook, just this once. Sia Ryumin.