SAW 48 - After the festival(2)

We walked for a while before reaching the staff's building.

"The court is in the staff's building?"

"Yes, it is."

Princess Reyna and Cecilia came along with me since they're worried.

We then walked upstair to the second floor of the staff's building, which is the first time even though I've been here multiple times.

Even though there's a lot of rooms on the hall way on the first floor, there's none on the second floor.

There is only one door at the end of the hall, which probably lead to the court room.

"Enter."

I then opened the door and was about to enter with princess Reyna and Cecilia, but the guard held them back.

"The two of you must stay here."

Squinting her eyes, princess Reyna asked in an intimidating voice.

"Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Princess Reyna De Gracias. We're just letting you know that this is the academy, not the royal family territory. Your authority doesn't mean anything here."

After saying that they just keep standing guard in front of the door, which leaves me with no choice but to enter alone.

Inside, Kim Jaesuk is standing in the middle of the court.

After looking around, I saw a lot of familiar and unfamiliar figures.

Instructor Alex, headmistress Alice, and there's also Kim Jaesuk's opponent during the open competition, Leo Vermillion.

I then felt an intimidating gaze towards me coming from next to the headmistress' seat,

It was from a handsome middle aged man, with long hair tied to ponytail.

Taking a closer look, his features comes close to Frankwell.

'Don't tell me...'

"Is that the commoner who beat up my son before?"

He suddenly asked a student standing next to him.

"Ye- Yes... he punched sir Frankwell in the face weeks ago in the noble's dorm..."

"What?"

I asked in surprise, then the middle aged man commanded again.

"Tell me the story again."

"Yes, Viscount Edmond! So a few weeks ago, we together with sir Frankwell were going to visit his bride-to-be Cecilia, but then found out that she cheated on him with that commoner. Trying to make him say the truth, he retaliated in the process, punching sir Frankwell on his face and beating the rest of us."

Couldn't handle anymore bullshit, I shouted at him.

"You bastard! What the heck are you talking ab-"

But then the middle aged man called Viscount Edmond cut me off.

"INSOLENT! HOW DARE YOU RAISE YOUR VOICE IN THE ACADEMY COURT!"

He then uses his mana to give me pressure, which is trying to make me kneel.

"Ugh!"

I groaned while trying to withstand the pressure.

"You brat! Not only did you humiliated my deceased son, you also have no manners! No wonder you're just a commoner!"

Glaring at me, he humiliated me in front of everyone.

I looked around and no one has any intention of trying to stand on my side, including Kim Jaesuk.

I then noticed that he's gripping his hand with blood flowing out of his palm.

Come to think of it, He hasn't even looked back at me and just keep looking towards the front since I entered the room.

Which means, he's probably under some spell which unable him to move.

I glared back at Viscount Edmond, though I'm unable to say anything but grit my teeth due to the pressure.

Just as I was about to be forced to kneel, the headmistress finally took action.

"Enough!"

(Woosh!)

The pressure dissipated straight away and I felt liberated.

"Huff... Huff..."

I catches my breath while still glaring at the viscount.

The viscount just turned his head to the headmistress while questioning her.

"What is the meaning of this, headmistress?"

"That's my question, Viscount Edmond. What are you doing to my student?"

"I'm punishing this commoner of course! How can you let a student like that roam around the academy freely?"

"That's our problem to take care of, not yours, viscount."

"What do you mean?! The fact that he beat my son up is already a crime deserve death! a commoner beating a noble in the face, how dare he!"

The headmistress was about to say something, but I spoke just before she did.

"Hey old man, you've been spouting this nonsense about noble and commoner..."

"It's not your place to speak, kid."

"It is, you fucking idiot. Do you even know where this is? It's the academy territory, not the royal family territory... By punishing me instead of letting the academy, are you trying to say that the royal family is able to manage the academy's business?"

"?!"

Everyone seems surprised by my statement, including the headmistress.

Viscount Edmond's face then changed while mana started to pour out of him.

"You bra-... ugh!"

He was about to do something when he suddenly groaned in pain while clutching his chest.

I turned to look at headmistress and her eyes are currently glowing.

"Head... headmistress! what are you doing??"

He asked while stuttering.

"I've been lenient with you it seems... you've been talking back to me this whole time and have been ignoring our rules even though I've been agreeing to your demand this whole time."

"Arghh!"

After saying that, the pressure on the viscount got more intense.

"Who do you think you are? A mere viscount dare to pour mana here and there at my academy... if you want to do that, at least bring the royal family guard general here."

(Crack!)

At that moment, the viscount finally fell to his knees, and the pressure on him dissipated.

"Then- then I demand an explanation regarding my deceased son's treatment from that commoner!"

Even after made to kneel, he's still able to shout that bullshit.

"That's just a story coming from one side... let's hear what the other side has to say, shall we? Let them enter!"

The door then opened, princess Reyna and Cecilia entered.

Both of their face seems very angry, so I guess they were able to hear what happened from outside the door.

"Prin- princess Reyna!"

The viscount's face changed at her appearance.

"Cecilia, tell us the story from your side."

"Yes, ma'am. A few weeks ago, I brought Alex to my room in order to teach him about mana quality. He was about to go back when I noticed that there were a bunch of students blocking his way, which included the deceased Frankwell. They then started to accuse Alex and tried to beat him up, to which Alex retaliated."

Hearing the story, viscount Edmond shouted.

"What?! How can you, an engaged woman brought another man into your room?!"

"I'm not engaged! I've never agreed to that engagement, especially not with that bastard son of yours!"

Cecilia shouted back in angry voice.

"Frankwell said you already agreed! You-"

"That's enough, viscount."

The princess finally spoke up.

"Cecilia never agreed to any one sided engagement made by your son, and neither are Alex and Cecilia in any kind of relationship. Even if they are, you're not in any position to be concerned about it."

"But-"

"That's enough viscount."

This time, the headmistress cut him off.

"Since both statement contradict with each other, we'll do an investigation and look into it to find out which one is true. Only after that we will give out punishment as we see fit."

Viscount Edmond hung his head low without saying anything more.

"Alex, led him out."

The headmistress then commanded instructor Alex to bring viscount Edmond out before proceeding to continue the court.

"Now then, Jaesuk. When you killed Frankwell inside the blood barrier, were you so sure that there is no other way out beside killing him?"

"..."

"Oh, I forgot that you're under viscount Edmond's spell."

The headmistress clicked her finger and the spell on Kim Jaesuk disappear and he looked more relaxed.

"Huff... yes headmistress, I think so."

"Why?"

"He told us himself, that the blood barrier will only be released when one of the people inside died. And considering between having Alex or Frankwell die, I rather kill Frankwell."

Kim Jaesuk said with a serious expression.

The headmistress nodded her head before saying,

"What about you Alex? Tell us what you think."

"I remember Frankwell said that too. But I passed out when a hole was formed in my stomach, so I have no idea what happened next."

I said the word hole with a high volume to remind everyone in the court that Frankwell had pierced my stomach with the intention to kill me.

"I see. Well, you both may leave and we will let you know how we will proceed."

The guards then escorted me and Kim Jaesuk out before standing guard beside the door again.

Princess Reyna and Cecilia then came out as well.

I turned to look at Kim Jaesuk and he did so too at the same time.

But we didn't really say anything to each other and it gets really awkward on our way back to the dorm.

Even the girls both have awkward looks plastered on their face.

"Hey..."

I then called him out.

"Hmm?"

"What are you acting so awkward for?"

"What do you mean?"

"Cut the crap, you've been avoiding my eyes and were hesitating to say something the whole time since earlier..."

"I'm n-"

"What? You're gonna say you're not? Don't mess with me you bastard..."

Blood rushed to my head and I started saying mean things.

Princess Reyna tried to stop me but then I still didn't stop.

Kim Jaesuk just stood there not saying anything but stare at me.

With the look that I always hated.

Having had enough, I then said something unexpected.

"Hey, let's have a duel."