558 Unsettling news of an unbelievable situation
[Humph! I wanted to name it, but after watching you think so deeply, I didnât want to bother you...]
[Humph! Why did I think you were going to ask for my help... Sigh. ]
-You wanted to give it a name? What name did you think was appropriate? I am curious now.-
[Explosion of death and destruction.]
-...- Vincent felt thankful Kazumi waited for him to come up with a name.
*Buzz, buzz* The joyful moment was abruptly interrupted by the vibrating of Vincent and Lilithâs studentâs card.
When both of them looked at the card, their face became slightly pale from anxiety. The moment of truth had arrived because they were requested to meet the headmaster.
âGo to Darwinâs office. Donât worry if you two need any help.â *Pat* Biro patted his chest while continuing, âI will see what I can do to help in resolving this matter.â
VIncent, Kazumi, and Lilith felt reassured. The Duke in front of them offered a helping hand. The matter felt less stressful than before.
.....
âI am grateful teacher Biro. You are helping me more than I imagined. It feels reassuring, to be honest.â
âThank you, teacher Biro. I feel less anxious now.â
âGo on now. â Biro said while signaling with his hand to leave. âI canât let the couple I attended to their wedding deal with hardship alone.â
Vincent and Lilith thanked Biro again before leaving. The two of them walked the almost empty hallways as it was still about halfway through the morning lesson.
Lilith nervously held Vincentâs hand. âI hope we can have the option to act as if nothing happened... but I am afraid the five noble families are too humiliated to call it quits...â
âItâs okay, Lilith. I have the bright Kazumi to help me find the right answer.â Vincent said, hoping to comfort the anxious Lilith.
[Hey! Donât I have a say in this matter? I know I am intelligent, hehe. Regardless, donât dump all the responsibility on me!]
-How is Lilithâs egg doing?-
[It is still like before, yet it is brighter than Wolfie and Freerieâs egg... Hey! Donât trick me into changing the subject, or I will become angry!]
Vincent smirked while walking with Lilith, hand in hand. He didnât respond to Kazumi, and it made her more annoyed for being ignored.
Vincent and Lilith soon stood in front of the headmasterâs door. The two of them looked at each other and noticed a nervous expression. Vincent tried to reassure himself he could face anything thrown at him, while Lilith felt a little reassured Vincent was nervous like her. IT meant he had to be cautious.
âAre you ready?â Asked Vincent.
â... yes. â Lilith responded after a few seconds. She released Vincentâs hand, gulped, and faced the door in front of her. Behind the door was a man who could give good, bad, or very unpleasant news.
*Knock, Knock* Vincent knocked on the door and waited. It took five seconds to hear the word âEnterâ yet it felt like a minute to Vincent and Lilith.
Vincent opened the door. âGood morning, headmaster Darwin.â He greeted.
âG-good to meet you, h-headmaster Darwin.â The nervous Lilith stuttered.
In Lilithâs mind were a lot of negative thoughts about how badly the situation could develop. Regrettably, Jun Ye Rim is considered exiled by her family. Thus, her family would not try to defend their daughterâs honor.
Additionally, Lilithâs parents had recently started to stand on their feet and prepare samples for their new business. Leonis and Teresa Lionheart not only were Baron rank, but they didnât have much money for a settlement to stop the hostility.
âGood morning, Baron Vincent and Baroness Lilith. Please take a seat.â Darwin noticed Lilith was becoming pale from anxiety. He swiftly stood up and offered refreshments.
âT-thank you. â Lilith said before sipping a cup of tea.
âNow. I lets talk about the matter at hand.â
âOne female student was molested, and she jumped to her death before things became worse. The victimâs statement, the victimâs state of mind, and the areas where the victim was injured match. The victim has an alibi, yet she has no witness other than watching her jumping to her death.â
Vincent frowned as it meant some people could still say Jun Ye Rim was acting the part of the victim. It was all planned to punish the five students who turned into molesters as a cause to use physical force.
Kazumi didnât like how the words revealed the current situation. The victim Jun Ye Rim had a weak defense because the witnesses only saw her jump. Only Jun Ye Rimâs statement, state of mind during that time, and report about her injuries could help in her defense.
On the other hand, Lilith became more anxious to hear what Darwin was going to say next.
âFive students accused of molestation and previously accused of excessive harassment on the same victim have been attacked twice. Once in from of a spar where injuries could happen. The second time wasnât a spar, but a fight which breaks the no fighting rule.â
*Sigh* âNot only did they lose, but the victor threw them to their deaths. When the perpetrator saw, they were rescued by other students. He used Domination Intent to subdue those around and inflict bodily harm of the scarring type. After the victims woke up, they became terrified of the color green while saying, âGreen is the color of the grim reaper.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Vincent, Kazumi, and Lilith were shocked to hear how what Vincent did sound far horrible, despicable, and inhumane. There was no mention of acting from emotional anger. Instead, Vincent was called a perpetrator, while the five he punished were called the victims.
âThat is the report I, the student council, and the victimâs parents have in our hands.â
[This doesnât make sense! I know what you did was brutal revenge, but why is Jun Ye Rimâs part so weakly written? Itâs as if what you did is the main focus, and how it started isnât important.]
Vincent agreed with Kazumi. He frowned and questioned, âSo I have become the perpetrator now, huh? What about the five molesters? Why are they poor victims now? If I didnât arrive in time, those five poor victims were going to appear as murderers when someone inspected Jun Ye Rimâs corpse.â
âMolesters... Attempted murderers... â Lilith murmured her thoughts out loud.
âI can understand how the two of you are feeling right now, but the matter has become too much for the academy to handle. Being a Baron makes Vincent an adult in the noble world.â
âAdult noble world?â Questioned Vincent with a confused expression. He was starting to feel the Baron rank had too much responsibility than he knew.
*Sigh* âBecause you are considered a responsible noble adult, the families of the five students are requesting significant compensation directly from the Lionheart Branch Family instead of the Lionheart Main Family.â
âThey are seeking compensation for the injuries received, for tarnishing their familyâs honor, and emotional damage all the family members are currently suffering from.â
[Before we think about what they want, can you ask how much they are talking about? Also, can you ask how much Jun Ye Rim can ask as compensation?]
Vincent asked, but the response wasnât a welcoming one. It made Vincent enraged, and Kazumi wished she could possess the body of others to slap them until she was satisfied. On the other hand, Lilith looked overwhelmed, and her mind was filled with thoughts.
âNothing? Wasnât Jun Ye Rim abandoned? Why does she need her family to apply for compensation? Why canât she seek justice if her family is too far and probably will not care what happened to her?â Lilith suddenly shouted out of anger. Her sapphire-colored eyes burned with anger.
Vincent, Kazumi, and Darwin became surprised to hear Lilith speak angrily. The previously anxious and slightly pale Lilith disappeared. In her place was an angry woman seeking justice for a person she knew.
âPlease calm down, Lilith. Jun Ye Rim isnât a Baroness. She canât act on her own like the two of you...â
âIs that why if an elf comes to learn here, they are called abandoned by their family? Does it mean the human students can do anything to these students?â Vincent questioned out of anger.
Darwin understood Vincent and Lilith were enraged about the situation regarding Jun Ye Rim. However, he needed to continue discussing on how to proceed.
âI apologize, but the situation turned in their favor. The compensation fee is fifty gold per student.â
Vincent, Kazumi, and Lilith froze from the immense shock. Hearing how they needed to give two hundred and fifty gold coins almost made their ears bleed.
[I... I am... speechless... ] Kazumi said while Vincent and Lilith hand similar thoughts.
âVincent. Lilith. How do you want to proceed with this matter?â Asked Darwin.
âI want them to kneel in front of Jun Ye Rim and apologize while saying what they did to her. Additionally, I demand two hundred and fifty gold coins to call their compensation demand even.â Vincent clenched his fist, and his knuckles made a cracking sound. âIf they are in the mood to demand, then I am also in the mood to demand.â
âVincent... I can lend you the money if you want...â Darwin was trying to offer help and a way out. Still, Vincent didnât want to be indebted with an enormous amount of money and turning his act of delivering judgment into a crazy person doing brutal acts.
âNo!â Vincent hardheadedly interrupted.
âI also want them to apologize. Jun Ye Rim looks in more pain than when she broke her arm.â Lilith added with an enrage gaze.