Cause and Effect [4]

Of course, Desmond had a couple more plans up his sleeve.

Charlotte and Cassandra was only the start, to see how much his 'moral compass' could take.

And if he had to say, there was no going back.

It was quite funny. He was supposed to be a third year now, on the path to graduation, but one Professor made it impossible.

Vanitas Astrea himself.

Desmond didn't want to graduate in the alchemy department. Far from it.

So, with the little sister of the Professor he loathed with every fiber of his being now here, alongside Arwen's younger brother, wasn't this the perfect stage to witness his performance?

Playing with fire?

He didn't care.

Because in the end, it wouldn't be him standing in the flames.

It would be Vanitas Astrea.

Desmond made sure of it.

His plan wasn't born overnight. It had been in motion for over a year. A set of moves meant to dismantle Vanitas Astrea's reputation piece by piece.

But even after taking everything into account, there was no such thing as a perfect plan.

Desmond had completely underestimated the volatility of a commoner, who, through sheer persistence and dedication, had clawed her way into the top 100 of the ESAT examinations.

In other words, after nearly three years at Silver University Tower, Desmond had forgotten a bunch of crucial facts.

Everyone here was the best the continent had to offer.

And then there was the inherent flaw in aristocracy itself.

They were opportunists. 

Cowards, who would shift their allegiances at the first sign of danger.

And lastly, something that was completely out of expectations.

Born with the blood of nobility, Desmond had the tendency to look down on those with insignificant last names.

To him, anyone below the rank of Marquess was nothing more than a commoner.

But Astrid Barielle Aetherion, a Princess of the Imperial Family, did not share his views.

Astrid didn't uphold the aristocratic norms most aristocrats harbored.

In fact, she aspired for a world driven by merit, not lineage.

Which led to the current situation.

"Tell me, Desmond Wyndale," Astrid began. "Is what she's claiming true?"

Desmond found himself startled for a bit. But he quickly composed himself.

If he faltered here, it would all come crumbling down.

"Princess, with all due respect, what exactly is she claiming? Perhaps we should clarify before jumping to conclusions."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Astrid said coldly. "Cassandra has accused you and your friends of tormenting her."

"Tormenting? That's quite the heavy word, Princess. Cassandra and I may have had a few.… misunderstandings, but torment? That's a stretch, wouldn't you agree?"

Astrid's expression remained calm, meeting Desmond's gaze with an air of authority. 

"I'm simply asking for your side, Wyndale. If there's nothing to hide, there's no need to be defensive."

Desmond's smirk wavered as he glanced around. 

The hallway was filled with students watching.

"...."

Then, his eyes darted to a group of familiar faces who had been complicit in his antics.

Cowards. 

They were avoiding his gaze, shrinking back as if the distance would absolve them of guilt.

"I'm not defensive, Princess," Desmond said, forcing his smirk back. "But I do wonder why my name keeps getting dragged into these baseless accusations."

"If you've done nothing wrong, then the truth will clear your name."

Her words stung more than they should have. 

The crowd was watching.

Ezra, standing beside Astrid, crossed his arms. "Yeah, Wyndale. Let's hear it. If you're innocent, prove it."

Desmond's jaw clenched. "I don't need to prove anything to you, Kaelus. This isn't a court, and I don't answer to commoners."

Suddenly.

Slap—!

A sharp sound echoed through the hallway. 

Desmond staggered slightly as his hand flew to his stinging cheek. 

"You…."

His eyes widened in shock as he turned to face his assailant.

It was Charlotte.

She stood close with her hands raised. The intensity of her expression froze him in place.

"Swear it," she demanded.

"You bitc—" He stopped himself. "You…. why would you…. how dare you?" His voice wavered in disbelief.

Charlotte didn't so much as blink. "Swear it," she repeated.

"Swear what?" he snapped. "What nonsense…?"

"An absolute oath."

"What?"

"An oath," Charlotte pressed. "Swear you aren't lying. Swear you've had nothing to do with Cassandra's suffering."

Desmond laughed, though it was strained. 

"You expect me to bind myself with an absolute oath? Do you even know what you're asking for, you little—"

"Afraid?" Charlotte cut him off, boring her dark eyes into his. "If you've done nothing wrong, it shouldn't matter."

Desmond's jaw tightened as his eyes darted toward the crowd.

"You think I'll play along with this farce?" Desmond scoffed. "You're insane."

Ezra, who had been silent until now, took a step forward.

"If you're so sure of your innocence, then prove it. Take the oath."

Desmond's glare shifted to Ezra. "You stay out of this, commoner."

"Looks like you're scared," Ezra said with a smirk. "What's the matter, Wyndale? Got something to hide?"

The students gasped. The tension in the hallway was immense.

Creaaaaak....

Suddenly, the creak of a door opening broke the tension. All eyes immediately flicked toward the source of the sound.

It was the bathroom.

And stepping out, looking utterly nonchalant, was none other than….

"Hm?"

Vanitas Astrea.

He paused as the subtle waft of perfume trailed behind him, having just dried his freshly washed hands with a handkerchief.

His gaze swept over the scene before him.

Vanitas raised an eyebrow. "Don't let me stop you. Go on. I was just about to leave anyway."

With a casual shrug, he slid his hands into his pockets and turned to walk away.

But then, Charlotte's voice rang out

"Oppa."

"...."

Vanitas froze mid-step.

The hallway grew quiet, everyone unfamiliar with the odd nickname.

Slowly, he turned back, his expression a mixture of surprise and slight disbelief. "What?"

"Exercise your authority," Charlotte demanded. "Allow us to impose him on an absolute oath."

"No," Vanitas shook his head. "It doesn't work like that."

A common misconception was that an absolute oath could expose lies. In reality, without a contractual exchange, it held no power to disprove falsehoods. Moreover, an absolute oath couldn't be invoked on a whim.

In most cases, an absolute oath required formal notarization by an attorney or an official with the authority to oversee such agreements.

Without concrete evidence to justify the oath, enforcing one was a crime in itself. 

To demand such a measure without proof was to gamble recklessly.

It risked not only the credibility of the accuser but also exposing the accused to potential repercussions.

In the eyes of the law, bullying alone—though despicable—wasn't enough to warrant the use of such a binding agreement. 

Forcing an absolute oath under these circumstances would be seen as an abuse of power, and even Vanitas couldn't bend those rules.

Not even Astrid herself. 

Charlotte's expression faltered. "But he—"

"He what?" Vanitas walked towards them. "Tell me exactly what he did."

In the perspective of a third party, it looked as if Vanitas was siding with Desmond.

Even Desmond himself found himself baffled by the situation. Vanitas Astrea himself? Defending him?

Charlotte hesitated, glancing around the hallway. 

The crowd was watching intently as Vanitas's presence tore through the tension.

"He tormented her," Charlotte said. "....He's been tormenting Cassandra."

Vanitas tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Tormenting, you say? And do you have proof of this torment?"

Charlotte's fists clenched at her sides. Her silence spoke louder than any words could.

Vanitas nodded, glancing briefly at Cassandra, who avoided his gaze and stared at the floor.

"That's what I thought," he said.

The murmurs in the hallway grew louder. Some students exchanged confused glances.

Vanitas stopped directly in front of Desmond.

"And you," he said. "Do you deny the allegations?"

Desmond swallowed deeply, hesitating before responding. 

"Of course I do, Professor. These baseless accusations are nothing more than hearsay. Without evidence, I see no reason to entertain such nonsense."

Vanitas nodded again. "Good. Then you won't mind if I hold a disciplinary hearing with the council to address these allegations, will you?"

Desmond's smirk faltered. "A…. hearing?"

"Standard procedure," Vanitas said. "If you're innocent, the process will only clear your name. After all, someone of your standing has nothing to fear from a thorough investigation, correct?"

The smug expression on Desmond's face wavered, and a bead of sweat formed on his temple. 

"Of course," he said quickly. "....I have nothing to hide."

Vanitas turned back to the crowd and addressed all the students watching.

"Let this serve as a reminder. No one is above accountability, no matter their name or status. If anyone has relevant information regarding this case, you are encouraged to come forward."

His gaze shifted to Cassandra, who had remained silent the entire time. Her shoulders hunched as though she wished to disappear.

"And you," he said. "If you wish to fight this battle, do so properly. Gather evidence. Build a case. Recklessness will only weaken your position."

"...."

Cassandra looked up. She opened her mouth to respond but quickly shut it again and nodded instead.

Vanitas then turned to Desmond, stepping closer, and spoke.

"The hearing will take place in two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Desmond repeated, confusion evident in his expressions. "Why two weeks? Isn't it usually scheduled for one?"

"In most cases, yes. But considering your circumstances, I've decided to allot extra time."

"Circumstances…?" Desmond blinked, his voice wavering.

Vanitas tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk tugged at his lips.

"Oh, you haven't heard?"

Desmond's stomach sank.

"Your father has been arrested." Vanitas continued. "He's under investigation as we speak."

"...."

The color drained from Desmond's face. The murmurs in the hallway turned to gasps as students processed what had just been said.

"Arrested?" Desmond's voice trembled. "That's…. impossible. You're lying."

"You're welcome to confirm it yourself. I hear the Crusade Order has been quite thorough with their inquiries."

Desmond's fists clenched at his sides. If his father was truly under investigation, his family's reputation—and his own—were at risk of crumbling.

Vanitas turned away without another word, addressing the crowd one final time. 

"This conversation is over. Return to your lectures."

Then, Vanitas's gaze shifted to Cassandra, who stood frozen in place.

For a moment, their eyes met.

"...."

He winked.

"...."

The subtle gesture left Cassandra stunned, causing her to raise her brows.

Without another word, Vanitas slid his hands into his pockets and walked away.

Unable to think about the situation, with clenched fists, Desmond bolted down the hallway, most probably heading toward the exit to confirm the situation.

Silence settled over the remaining group. No one seemed able to process what had just transpired.

The one to break through the tense stillness was, unsurprisingly, Ezra.

"What just happened?"

"Uh…." 

Even Astrid couldn't comprehend it. Has the situation been resolved or not?

Suddenly, as if he realized something, Ezra turned to Charlotte, and asked, "Charlemagne, are you close with the Professor?"

"...."

The group froze.

Charlemagne? How could someone mess up Charlotte's name to that extent?

Ezra rubbed his chin thoughtfully, like a detective on the verge of cracking a case. 

"You know, now that I think about it, it's kind of weird. You just showed up in our class, specifically in Professor Vanitas's class."

"...."

And yet, somehow, he didn't mess up Vanitas's name!?

Charlotte sighed, fixing Ezra with a blank stare. 

"He's my brother."

"...."

Ezra froze, looking like he'd just seen a ghost. His mouth hung open as if his soul had left his body.

Astrid, unable to resist, smirked and chimed in. "You seriously didn't know?"

"Pftt~"

Even Cassandra, who had been silent, let out a soft chuckle.

"....Holy shit!"

***

For the past couple of weeks, Margaret had been thoroughly trying to uncover the traitor.

But no matter how hard she tried, it was impossible.

She couldn't afford to blindly accuse her members without concrete evidence. Doing so would only sow distrust among her order.

To make matters worse, she had to deal with the aftermath of the Mage Killer's death.

His capture would've been a monumental boost for her order's reputation.

But unfortunately, his death had become a missed opportunity that left a heavy blow to her group.

Then, out of nowhere, something changed.

An anonymous tip arrived.

They were skeptical at first. Anonymous tips were common, after all, and turned out to be baseless claims.

But as they scrutinized the details, it seemed to be thoroughly detailed.

It was something they couldn't just ignore.

After securing permission from the government, Margaret and her Crusade Order quickly moved.

They arrived at the Wyndale estate. The servants, clearly taken aback, exchanged nervous glances as the group approached.

"We request the presence of Lord Wyndale," Margaret stated.

One of the butlers stepped forward, bowing politely.

"I'm afraid the Lord isn't home."

"...."

Margaret frowned but remained composed. 

The absence of the Lord complicated matters, but it wasn't enough to stop their mission.

Immediately, they presented the warrant.

The butler hesitated, then reluctantly stepped aside.

The Crusade members thoroughly searched every corner of the mansion.

But for all their efforts, nothing incriminating was found.

Until they reached one room.

The Lord's office.

The door was locked with a magical barrier.

Margaret nodded to one of her members, who quickly prepared a countermeasure. 

They placed a specially crafted magic circuit on the door. Within moments, the barrier dismantled, and the door creaked open.

The group stepped inside.

"Search everything," she ordered.

Her team got to work. They checked every drawer, flipped through every book, and inspected every corner.

It didn't take long.

One of the members called out, "Found something!"

Margaret approached the desk, where a hidden compartment had been revealed.

Inside were artifacts and parchment papers inscribed with symbols that sent chills down her spine.

She reached for one of the parchments.

"...."

Exactly as the anonymous tip had claimed.

"Lord Wyndale," she murmured, "has been harboring dark magic artifacts."

The room fell silent as the Crusade members exchanged glances.

Margaret turned to her second-in-command. "Secure everything. This is now a matter for the Council."

The team moved swiftly. They collected the incriminating items and documented every detail.

And they didn't have to wait longer.

"What's going on? Why are all of you here?" the Lord, who had just arrived home, said.

"Lord Wyndale of the Wyndale Marquess Family," Margaret began, stepping forward. "You are under arrest for violating Section 4, Article 17 of the Imperial Code. The possession and concealment of dark magic artifacts."

"....?"

The Lord's face twisted in a mix of confusion and disbelief.

"What the fuck—"