~Is it still raining outside?~

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As Veracity finished her story, still keeping her typical stoic look on her face, the Hughes stared at her empathetically.

"You poor thing," and with those words, the two roommates embraced each other, accompanied by a seemingly long, comfortable silence.

"Please, don't worry about me, for the moment anyway." Quinn began. "I have an idea I would like to share with you in order to prove my innocence."

The other female looked towards her new aquaintence curiously. "Something you would like to share with me?"

"Yes, of course you don't have to feel inclined to work with me. This is only a proposal." The brown haired girl shook her head.

"After hearing your situation, I am willing to do anything you need me to." Quinn made a small smile at those words. "Also, before you begin, can I add that there is a Patrica Albrecht currently attending this very academy."

That was new; the Veracity was yet to hear of this. Knowing the Albrecht, she will definitely cause problems for her, so the entire plan falls on whether the said girl can keep her tongue.

"Well, this may bring some change to my plan, but no matter. I know many ways to deal with her."

The Hughes looked at the girl with curiosity. "So the rumours of your family's wit are truly instead just facts."

"Miss Hughes, you have yet to witness the extent of what I am capable of." Quinn then stood, not long ago finished packing away all her belongings. "Let us now busy ourselves with the situation at hand as I still have a trip to make for the evening."

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The following morning, as the pair walked down the female dominated halls of the dormitory with toiletries in hand, the Veracity, having already explained the plan to her roommate, took the lead, squeazing herself through the crowd and making her figure as small and slim as she could to get past.

Lavitica, however, struggled slightly, having to always push up her spectacles and fix her grip on her towel and toothbrush. When Quinn had noticed, she sighed, took the hand of the girl, and helped lead her down the corridor until they found their way to a large door with a sign beside it reading 'Dormitory Washroom'.

Once the two had finally reached the room, they were met with an extended leg, which Quinn managed to stop at, but Lavitica, not prepared for the sudden halt, ended up bumping into her, causing them both to fall in a heap on the ground.

The cackling of some of the other girls became the only noise going through the Veracity's ears.

"So, the worm found a slug!" A dominant voice overrid the rest of the laughs. "How fitting indeed." Patrica Albrecht.

"I would say that I'm more of a snail, but please, call me whatever you wish." Quinn stood, then assisted her friend also to her feet.

"Oh, isn't that the twin sister of the heir to the 'Fortune of Veracity'?!"

"I'm sure of it!"

"I wonder if that means her brother is here also..."

The whispers and mumbles enveloped around the hallways as the Albrecht and her little group of underlings scoffed.

"Your face seems to know no bounds." The female approached the Veracity, close enough to whisper in her ear. "If you don't want your little sentencing getting out, then stay in line, slug, and know that despite your wealth, I am the one who runs this academy." And with that, the group left, each member getting a laugh in the face of Quinn, and the last a shove into the elbow of Lavitica.

"Miss Hughes, are you alright -?" Before she could finish, the Veracity was overwhelmed by multiple females trying to get a word with her.

"Miss Veracity, what are your reasons for staying in a school so below your league?"

"So the rumours of your hair being the shade of light grey oak is true!"

"Are you truly fine with being referred to as a snail?"

"Are you planning on staying for the end-of-year ball?"

Statements upon questions were thrown at the young girl as she kept her stoic expression.

"I will try to answer all of your enquiries at some point, but please first allow me to get cleaned up." She then turned to find Lavitica, back stuck to the wall of the halls with a wavering smile and a weak nod.

"Please, do whatever you need to!"

"We will assist you in whatever way possible!"

As Quinn then went to accompany her roommate, the crowd began to hurl round themselves and squeal and squeak about their interaction with the Veracity.

"Miss Hughes, I hope that you are well?"

"Yes, do not worry about me." She then turned to look at the group. "At this moment, I am more concerned for you. Do you usually receive this much attention?"

"I have always been taught from home, and I do not frequently leave the estate." Quinn answered before taking Lavitica's hand again. "Now let us quickly freshen up so that we can begin."

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Once they had showered in the unexpectedly cold water, they quickly changed into their uniforms, readied their bags, and left the dormitory building.

As Quinn and Lavitica walked along the path approaching the fountain, the squirming of girls and low voices of boys caught their attention.

"Is it always like this in the mornings?" The silver haired girl asked.

"Most of the time, but today it seems different." The two gazed into the crowd, and it didn't take the Veracity long before realising what it was.

"Let us hurry on past them. It would be a hinderance if we were to be seen -"

"My adorable little sister!" The long legs and kneed-high strapped boots of the Veracity's twin brother began to stride over to the pair. Heads started to turn in Quinn's direction as the arms of her older brother engulfed her in a hug before pulling away to rest both hands on either one of her shoulders. "How has your sleep been?"

"Brother, good morning." The younger Veracity said. "I rested well. What about you?"

"It could have been better, but it was still quite pleasant." Andrew then leant down to her ear. "I hope my message was clear enough to you." The girl's eyes narrowed slightly at that. After he had taken a step back, he looked over at Lavitica. "And who might you be?"

Now, knowing that this must have been the murderer and reason behind her friend's sentence, and aware that he too must take after the Veracity's intellect, the Hughes got nervous, but still tried to keep composure.

"L-lavitca Hughes!" She bowed slightly. "Pleased to meet you, Mr Anndrew Veracity." The said male smiled.

"Pleased to meet you too, Miss Hughes."

Quinn looked over to her friend through the corner of her eye, happy enough with her response, but already knew that Andrew must know that she would begin to make allies for the sake of her plan.

"Hey, Andrew! How rude of you not to introduce me to little Miss Veracity here." An unfamiliar male became visible. His wavy black hair half up, half down with his long fringe split in two so that his green eyes and lightly tanned skin were visible.

"I believe that you would have already met my dear sister if you had allowed me to bring her with us on one of our many outings." The older twin retorted.

"Nice to meet you, pretty little Miss." The boy ignored the other Veracity and extended an arm to Quinn. "I am Benedict Monroe, but I'll give you the honour of calling me Benny. I'm also your brother's rommate."

As she shook his hand, she realised that his name had been mentioned to her before, on the evening of her alleged crime, by her brother.

"Quinn Veracity, pleasure to meet you." After she had let go of his hand, she took Lavitica's. "Now, please excuse me and Miss Hughes." They then left the scene to make their way to the main school gates, leaving the two males beside the now dispersed group of students.

"She left me again without another hug." Sighed the older Veracity as his friend stared after the girl.

"Your sister's interesting. You said she played violin?" Monroe enquired.

"My darling sister can play many instruments... but yes, violin is her preferred." He then turned to Benedict. "Is there a particular reason for which you ask?"

"No, just wondering."

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A few minutes had passed of the two females wandering through the streets of the neighbouring village. Despite its small population, due to it being in the countryside, the residents and buildings were fairly luxurious.

"Come, Miss Hughes." Quinn ushered Lavitica, who was trailing slightly behind her as they speed-walked down the sidewalks. "Our first destination of our day is right here."

She stopped outside an average-sized bakery as she waited for a moment as her companion caught her breath. "Now, let us hope that the Lady is still here."

As they both entered, the ring of the bell captured the attention of both the women standing one behind and the other in front of the counter.

"Miss Veracity, how are you?" Said the fancier and more nobly dressed, with her blonde hair freshly curled and resting on her shoulders.

"Mrs Anne Cecil, I'm pleased to see you well. Of course, I could have been better without the unfortunate event, but I am grateful to still be somewhat 'free'." Quinn responded as she and Lavitica approached the female, as the other went off into the back of the store. "I have come to enquire of you before you go to the bank."

The lady looked over curiously at the two. "Before I make any disclosures, who is this young woman?"

"I-Im Lavitica Hughes, first and only child of the lawyer M-Mr Arthur Hughes." She slightly dipped her head as Quinn looked about herself, scanning for anyone else.

"Well, nice to meet you, Miss Hughes." Mrs Cecil smiled. "I take it that you are already aware of the young Lady's sentence?"

"Oh, yes, I am."

"Then I will say it now," she turned to face Quinn with a sharp and bold look. "You are innocent. I know that you are, as I overheard a conversation between your brother and another. At the time, I didn't understand its importance until much later on."

Anne Cecil then rested a hand on the Veracity's shoulder. "I apologise for only realising after your guilty sentence."

"I knew you thought this, for that is the reason in which we have come to speak with you." Quinn began as the lady looked at her with a confused expression. "Allow me to explain then. I knew you were a woman of great taste in sweets and savouries, and after I recalled you working in the area, I came by here yesterday evening, just before the sun set, to confirm whether you were a regular or not.

"It was not hard to figure out, as this is the only bakery in the village, and fortunately for me, I was told that you visited every morning just after eight to collect your bag of pastries." The Veracity continued. "During the banquet, I was made aware by my brother that that he was going abroad with a friend, and of course, to do this, he would need money.

"Before leaving the estate, I checked with mother and father to see if he had made them aware of his plans of departure, and they answered me, saying that they only heard  briefly of it when he was speaking to me. That then suggested to me that he had no intentions of taking the deposit from one of our local banks.

"Upon arriving here, I recalled how one of our banks were located in this village, and how you worked as a clerk there, so I thought it necessary to come and check with you. That is the series of events that have led me to having this meeting with you, believing that you would have information for me so that I can prove my innocence."

Once she had finished her explanation, Lavitica stared mouth agape at her aquaintence, despite already knowing of this. The older woman smiled as she shook her head. "I should have expected no less from a Veracity." She began before changing her expression to a more serious one. "Let me quickly tell you what I know before you both have to go back to school..."

"That would be much appreciated."

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