“Hey, have you heard?”
“No, did something happen?”
“Indeed, the Lady from the Castellane household didn’t return to her dorm room, everyone has been talking about it!”
“She hasn’t returned? Did she elope with one of the seniors and run away?”
The news of Viola Castellane's disappearance spread like wildfire among the students of the Institute. Rumors and speculations flourished, filling the air with hushed conversations in corridors and dormitories. While the official stance from the Institute was that Viola was on a temporary leave due to personal matters, the truth was far more complicated and the hearing was imminent.
Roland, the man responsible for overseeing the unruly noble, didn't get much sleep the previous night. Alongside Thorne, he had prepared himself for the mage council meeting that would determine Viola's fate. This decision was closely tied to Lucienne's future, whom he considered a victim. He wasn't sure how the other mages would perceive it, considering she had still entered the training room with the other mages. It was possible that she would be deemed unworthy of attending the Institute as well, which would probably be a devastating blow to his younger sister.
‘It would be better if someone like Robert was here…’
As he walked through the halls of the Enforcement department, he let out a sigh. Despite being her older brother, this fact remained unknown to Lucienne. Roland could only speculate on how alone she must be feeling in a school that had already failed her. No one had come to her aid before, and without Roland's intervention, the bullying would likely have persisted. He wished he could send for his older brother to keep his sister company, but there was neither time nor any way to reach him, even through magical means.
‘I haven’t been able to reach out to him for a while now, could he also be in trouble? My only clue would be Lucille De Vere but she didn’t answer the call either… ‘
It appeared that he was on his own here, and ensuring his sister's safety became his priority. Some of the other teachers were giving him strange looks, and it wouldn't be surprising if they were on the Castellane payroll. Fortunately, after defeating the Magic Swordmaster, his strength had been confirmed, and to many, it wasn't worth the risk to confront someone seemingly as powerful as him.
‘Well, not like they would let Robert into the Institute anyway, but that goes the same for any other nobles.’
For the time being, he wouldn't need to worry about any pesky nobles sending their armies into the magical institute. It functioned as a sort of neutral zone sanctioned by the Royal family. Even powerful noble families couldn't simply enter. Instead, they depended on teachers like his main opponent, Professor Delauder. All they needed to do was sponsor him, and he turned into a loyal supporter.
“When will you get it through that empty skull of yours? You can’t enter, Pops said so!”
“There must have been some kind of mistake, how can you…”
“Just go away already, no one can see this student.”
Roland heard people engaged in a loud conversation and quickened his pace, recognizing this as the location where his sister was being kept. Thorne had assured him that some trustworthy individuals would be guarding her, and they appeared to be doing their job diligently. Upon turning the corner, he observed a group of three enforcers in a heated argument with two others who were positioned at the door.
Delauder wasn't the only person on the noble payroll, and there were others who saw this as a chance to gain some favors as well. The easiest way was by threatening one of the main witnesses, which was Lucienne. The loud voice belonged to quite a small person, a gnome lady who was half the size of everyone else. She had a wild look in her eyes while shouting at the three men before her. Her partner on the side was someone of similar height but somewhat different, a halfling male. The two made a strange duo, but their mana was strong and close to the pinnacle of tier 2.
“We will not leave until we question the suspect.”
“Question? You mean interrogate? It ain’t going to work, just buzz off.”
The short woman replied while shaking her head, and her partner just crossed his arms while grinning mischievously. The tension in the air escalated as Roland approached, his taller frame casting a shadow over the arguing group. The halfling and gnome turned their attention to him, instantly recognizing his enforcer robe.
“Well, well, what do we have here? Aren’t you the famous newbie that is responsible for this mess?”
Roland calmly looked at the gnome woman that was grinning his way and soon glanced in the direction of the three other enforcers. They were clearly not thrilled by his appearance and were clearly on high alert after they saw him. The information that he was a ferocious combatant probably already reached everyone's ears which to some degree made things now easier.
“I’m here to guide Lucienne Arden to the hearing.”
“Sure thing, go right through.”
He was given a wink before the gnomish woman wiggled her finger. Some mana left it and collided with the magical door, which quickly swung open. Roland nodded in response and headed inside, while the other enforcers continued to protest.
“Why can he go in while we can’t?”
“Didn’t you hear? He is here to take her away just like pops said, do you want to go against his orders? Want me to report all of you?”
“If the Department head ordered it…”
The group of three finally relented after hearing that they would be reported to Thorne. Roland didn't really care as he vanished into the magical room, a space designed for interrogating or holding people. It wasn't as small as a prison cell, but it reminded him of his old dorm room that he had to share with another person.
“Lucienne Arden?”
“Ah yes!”
His sister had been lying on the bed before he entered and quickly jumped off it to greet him. The sparkle that usually accompanied her expressions had dulled and it was apparent that she hadn’t slept at all. She seemed restless and it wasn’t surprising considering the recent events. Even though she was exhausted, she performed a curtsy to greet him.
“I wasn't able to, but please accept my gratitude! I don't have anything to offer as thanks, but I'm sure that later…”
“There is no need to thank me, I was just doing my job. Are you feeling well? Have you eaten something yet?”
“Eaten something? No not really…”
Almost as if on cue Lucienne’s tummy started rumbling. Due to the circumstances, Thorne was afraid to have anyone talk to the main witness. However, it also was clear that they didn’t think that giving her food for the short stay was necessary. It was seven in the morning and only a few hours had passed since the incident.
“Take a seat, the hearing will start in half an hour.”
Lucienne had a perplexed expression on her face but for some reason, she did seem a lot less tense now that he was here. He wasn’t sure if the clairvoyance skill had something to do with it or if she had some kind of intuition that he was not her enemy.
After she sat down, he reached into his chest, which at first scared her. Not much time had passed since his trip here, so he still had some leftover cooking from his wife. Thanks to the pocket dimension and some specialized magic that wouldn't allow it to rot, there was no need for a microwave to heat it either.
“I don’t have much, but it should be enough to keep you going until the hearing is over.”
“This is?”
”It's just a sandwich. Ah, nobles don’t really eat them but don’t be alarmed, it's fresh and quite tasty.”
Lucienne looked at the sandwich with some interest. While this food existed within this world, it wasn't widely spread in noble circles, which preferred eating full-course meals. It was something adventurers liked to take along, as they could pack it full of everything and not just be forced to eat dried meat for the whole trip. Roland handed her a small box containing some warm sandwiches and a flask of tea. Lucienne's eyes widened in surprise as she accepted the food.
“You didn’t have to do this for me. Thank you so much!”
“It’s the least I can do. Now, eat up. It’ll help you gather your strength for what’s to come.”
He wasn't sure if she would take him up on the offer. Roland was a strange-looking magician with unknown motives. She didn't know his true identity, which he was still trying to withhold from everyone. For one reason or another, it seemed that she trusted him enough to take the food and give it a probing bite.
“T-this… how does this taste so good?”
Roland chuckled at her reaction. It seemed the simple sandwich was a novelty for her, and he felt a sense of satisfaction in providing her with something enjoyable amidst the chaos. As Lucienne savored the flavors, Roland took a moment to gather his thoughts. The upcoming hearing would be crucial in determining Viola Castellane's fate and, by extension, Lucienne's future at the Institute.
“I’m glad you like it. Now, Lady Lucienne, we need to talk about the hearing. I want you to be honest and answer the questions truthfully. I have a recording of the incident, so there's no need to worry about false accusations. Just tell the whole truth, and we’ll get through this together.”
The moment he mentioned the hearing, he noticed that Lucienne stopped eating. It was clear that the young girl, who had just recently turned fifteen, was terrified. He wasn't sure how long she had been holding things in, but it was clearly unhealthy.
“Are you afraid?”
“Afraid? No, I’m…”
“Do you wish to remain silent and have Viola Castellane go unpunished? That is also a possibility, but it will only make your situation worse.”
“W-what do you mean Professor?”
“You will probably be expelled and the Castellane estate might insist that the Arden estate compensated them for this issue.”
“A compensation but I didn’t do anything…”
Lucienne clenched her fist as Roland continued to explain. She seemed to be on the fence about this issue, probably scared to go against someone she was instructed never to bother. However, even if she took all the blame there would be more punishment waiting.
“They won't care; they will only care about their reputation being tarnished. Perhaps even your parents will have to make an official apology instead of sending in a monetary reward, but... you would be safe. Sometimes, running away is the right decision.”
He looked at her as she listened. Roland wasn't sure what the girl wanted and didn't really want to make the decision for her. He was nothing more than an outsider who didn't know the whole picture. In his past, he also chose to run away from his problems, which brought him to his current situation. Now that he was a bit older and wiser, he knew that running away could become a habit, an easy way out. However, while it was one of the easiest solutions, it didn't always lead to the best outcomes.
“B-but what should I do? Will father and mother be punished? I didn’t do anything wrong… I…”
It was clear that the young girl was confused. For a moment he was feeling bad for even bringing up the subject but a decision needed to be made.
“Lady Lucienne, you need to make a decision. Viola Castellane should be punished but if you wish to let the matter rest, I will not blame you for it. There might even be a way for you to remain within the Institute.”
“There is?”
“Yes, while Viola Castellane might have been the main culprit, the blame can be put on another, Elythaes Baskerville.”
Though he harbored a desire to deal out punishment to the main villainess of the story, there were alternative approaches. The Baskerville knight attempted to bribe him, offering himself as a scapegoat in place of Lucienne. He was confident that even Delauder would endorse this, given the difficulty in concealing the attempted bribe and ensuing battle. However, the role of Viola, who orchestrated the entire affair, could be conveniently overlooked.
“He will gladly protect his lady and take the punishment, you will be seen as just an accomplice in a ploy made by an adult. Both of you and Viola Castellane will be lightly punished. Things will go on as they were and nothing will change.”
“Nothing will change…”
Roland observed the conflicted expression on Lucienne's face. He could see the internal struggle within her as she weighed the consequences of her decision. The offer to shift the blame onto the Baskerville knight was a tempting escape route, one that would likely protect her family from any potential backlash but it would not change her current fate. Viola was likely to vent her anger on Lucienne, and if another incident occurred, there might be no one around to come to her aid.
“Lady Lucienne, the choice is yours to make. I won't force you into anything, and whatever decision you make, I will support you. Perhaps, we could send you to a different academy away from Castellane's influence. Now one will blame you for anything.”
Lucienne lapsed into a contemplative silence, her gaze lowered as she weighed the options before her. In a sense, Roland hoped she would entertain the idea of negotiating to bring a resolution to the situation. It felt like a tactic he might employ in comparable circumstances.
While transferring to a less prestigious magical academy would unquestionably alleviate things for his sister, there was no guarantee that her tormentor wouldn't seek revenge. At least, if she confronted the issue now, she could brace herself for an immediate retaliation attempt instead of constantly looking over her shoulder throughout her academy life.
“No, I can’t let this keep going on any longer... I might be scared, but I won't run away from the truth. I want justice, not just for myself but for everyone who was hurt by Viola Castellane's actions.”
Lucienne uttered strong words, but her demeanor resembled that of a frightened kitten. Her body was curled up, and she clutched her clothes tightly. Despite appearing resolute, he doubted whether she would stand firm once face-to-face with Viola. The possibility lingered that she might change her mind at that moment. It was probably up to him to give her some confidence and make her realize that she had people on her side as well.
“Very well, Lady Lucienne. But don’t forget, you are not alone in this. I will be by your side and won’t let anyone cause you harm. That I promise.”
While giving out some cheesy lines he blushed under his helmet. For the time being he was trying to act as an ally of justice and an Enforcer that wouldn’t let an innocent student be harmed. To bring his point across even more he pointed at her face with his finger. She was startled for a moment as an aura of golden light appeared around her but soon Lucienne realized the marvelous effect she was under.
“This is so refreshing…”
“This spell will alleviate your fatigue, we can’t have you falling asleep during the hearing but be sure to rest later, the effect won’t last for more than a few hours.”
“T-thank you!”
To his surprise, his sister did something unexpected. Once the spell dispersed, and she felt better, she leaped up from her seat to embrace him. Despite her shorter stature compared to his towering two meters, clad in bulky armor, she enveloped him in a hug.
“...”
“I’m sorry, I’m fine now! If it’s with the Professor's help, I feel like I can do it!”
Lucienne nodded at him while clenching both her fists, the previous expression of a helpless kitten started to shift towards a lion. It seemed that she had finally been fed up with all the mistreatment and ready to show her tormentor that she wouldn’t be denied. He wasn’t sure how long her bravery would last but he would be there to support her in this endeavor.
“Sure, now we don’t have much time left, so let me explain what you can expect during the hearing, so listen well.”
“I’m listening!”
She nodded three times while still being very energetic and then listened to Roland’s explanation. He emphasized the importance of sticking to the truth. He assured her that the evidence was on her side, and with the recording of the incident, there was a solid foundation to expose Viola's actions.
Soon, the two emerged from the holding room, only to encounter their first obstacle: Lady Viola and her Knight. The other four suspects were also emerging from their respective holding rooms. The enforcers handling them appeared surprisingly lax; they didn't resemble prisoners but rather seemed to be treated as victims.
“Lucienne! Come here!”
Roland closed the door behind his sister, and before he could react, Viola launched an offensive. If looks could kill, Lucienne would have been on the ground already. It was evident that before they could reach the hearing, they needed to navigate Lucienne past this confrontational moment.
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