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Rosia's voice trembled faintly.
Seeing her like that, Ayla suddenly recalled the venomous voice Rosia had used when she slapped Ayla's cheek.
The fact that someone who had spoken with such animosity was now pretending to be kind made it impossible to see her as sincere.
“Don’t act like you have me in the palm of your hand.”
Kadin spat out those words and turned away coldly.
His attitude showed no hesitation, as if he didn't care what happened to Rosia, who was left behind.
Rosia stared blankly at his retreating figure.
She couldn't believe the words he had just spoken.
‘He might change his mind?’
Did that mean he might not go through with the engagement with her?
Was he going to abandon the alliance between their Noble houses because of Ayla, who had fallen to the status of a commoner and was now nothing?
It was unbelievable. She couldn't believe it.
But the words she had just heard were definitely not a misunderstanding.
Rosia slowly inhaled.
But her insides, which were a mess with anger, were not easily calmed.
‘This really won’t do. If I leave Ayla alone any longer, my position will be in danger.’
Kadin's warning not to touch Ayla became a trigger that stimulated Rosia even more.
‘I’ll make that bitch so miserable that she won’t even be able to think about looking back at him.’
Rosia's eyes gleamed with humiliation.
The headmaster was anxiously waiting at the academy's main gate.
Beside him was Rosia, the accuser in this incident.
He frowned as he thought.
‘For investigators from the Imperial Palace to be suddenly dispatched, what is all this commotion?’
When he first received the report from Rosia and locked Ayla in a solitary cell, he thought the matter would be resolved quickly.
Whether those commoners, who were like thorns in his side, were kicked out or not, it wasn't a big deal to him.
‘I even thought I could get rid of Felix, that annoying guy, at the same time.’
But things didn't go as he expected.
Duke Argenta had stepped forward to defend Felix with great enthusiasm.
Because of that, there was a lot of talk among the professors in the academy.
They began to say that the egg Ayla had was not a Monster's egg.
‘Only Stephan is excited.’
He had discovered a rare egg and began to gather all the demonology scholars around him to the academy.
He said that the egg Ayla was protecting might be the egg of a Divine Beast that had never been discovered before.
Of course, the headmaster didn't believe it.
‘They’re just commoners making up excuses to avoid punishment. It seems the identification of the rare species is a bit delayed, but in the end, they won't be able to avoid being locked up.’
The headmaster was pulled out of his deep thoughts when the investigators from the Imperial Palace arrived at the academy.
“Count Helio!”
The headmaster approached the Count with a bright expression.
‘Thank goodness. I was nervous that a strict investigator would be dispatched and stir up unnecessary trouble.’
The fact that someone he knew was appointed as an investigator was a positive thing.
“It’s been a while, Headmaster.”
“How have you been? It’s been a while since I saw you at the last banquet.”
Count Helio, who finished his greetings with a bitter smile, immediately got to the point.
“His Majesty was very sorry to hear about this incident. For such an unpleasant thing to happen at the academy that Princess Consort Peony attends.”
“I am ashamed. We wouldn't have known anything about it until now if it weren't for this student's accusation.”
“We must investigate thoroughly and correct it from now on.”
It was when the headmaster nodded with a determined face.
Count Helio's gaze reached Rosia.
“Is this the student who reported this incident?”
“Yes, hello. My name is Rosia Blanche.”
“I have many things to ask you about this incident, so it would be good to have time to talk slowly.”
“Yes, I will cooperate to the best of my ability.”
“I heard that you were the runner-up because of the student in question? Don't worry. I will help you regain the position you rightfully deserve.”
“Thank you so much, Count.”
The headmaster tilted his head in confusion.
The Count and Rosia, who had clearly met for the first time today, seemed quite friendly.
‘The Count is not usually someone who easily shows favor to ordinary students. Is it because Rosia is a Princess Consort of the Blanche Noble house?’
The headmaster didn't think deeply.
He just thought that Rosia was a student with a good background and was smart, so he looked at her favorably.
“I will guide you to the place where the egg is.”
The Monster's egg was currently being kept in Professor Stephan's laboratory.
The headmaster guided the investigators to the academy's research building with a very polite attitude.
Rosia's face was filled with excitement. Today was the happiest day she had had in recent times.
That person had finally considered her situation and sent an investigator.
Now this incident would be resolved quickly.
The investigators were planning to announce that the egg Ayla had was a Monster's egg as soon as they returned to the Imperial Palace.
‘Yes, maybe the two of them are really innocent, as Ayla claimed.’
But regardless of the truth, this egg would be disguised as a Monster's egg.
Then, none of their excuses would work.
‘You should have taken the chance when I gave it to you, Ayla.’
She was determined not to forgive her even if she regretted it later and cried and begged.
Ayla had to be punished for offending her.
Just imagining it made Rosia feel relieved, and a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.
Before she knew it, the group of investigators had arrived in front of Professor Stephan's laboratory.
Rosia opened the door and frowned.
‘If you want to prevent the egg from hatching, you have to keep it in a cold place.’
Professor Stephan's laboratory was excessively warm.
It was as if he had deliberately created an environment conducive to hatching the egg.
The headmaster and the investigation team also frowned as if they felt puzzled.
“Professor Stephan, what is going on? If it's this warm, the egg will hatch.”
“What if a dangerous Monster hatches? From what I see, there don't seem to be many soldiers guarding the laboratory.”
Professor Stephan was flustered when he saw the people who had suddenly barged into his laboratory.
“Headmaster, who are these people?”
“These are the investigators from the Imperial Palace. They have decided to take the Monster's egg and investigate this case directly.”
As soon as he heard those words, Professor Stephan urgently blocked the egg.
“No, please give me a little more time. This egg is not a Monster, but a very special Divine Beast.”
The headmaster frowned.
This was because the reactions of Professor Stephan and the scholars who were studying the egg had been unusual lately.
“Are you still saying that? Are you trying to hatch a dangerous egg that might be a Monster, believing the student's absurd false testimony? If you do this, you might even be dragged away on charges of taking care of the egg.”
“Please listen to me. I found something in an ancient book after hearing Felix's testimony.”
Professor Stephan said urgently.
“The moment I saw it, I couldn't let this egg be disposed of as it was. If I had kept the egg in a cold place, valuable research data would have died. Ayla's innocence would not have been proven either.”
The headmaster wanted to shout right away. What was so important about proving the innocence of those commoners?
But he exercised patience as much as possible and chose to remain silent.
This was because Professor Stephan had not finished speaking yet.
“According to Felix's testimony, this egg was initially a very small egg. But over time, it grew in size and its color deepened. That made me think of something.”
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