Ch.14Disciplinary Committee (3)

“Ruide has arrived.”

“Well, of course. That guy would come… What?”

Chancellor Clifford lifted his head from the paperwork he was buried in. He removed his glasses.

“That good-for-nothing is here?”

“Yes, he is.”

Clifford was considerably taken aback by Fenicia’s words. Memories from the past flashed through his mind momentarily.

-‘Since I share responsibility for not stopping him, I’ll take part of the punishment. Please, just don’t expel him!’

-‘Dividing expulsion is still expulsion. Do you want to be expelled too? What a strange fellow.’

-‘…At least let him have a fair trial! Expulsion without a disciplinary committee violates fairness!’

-‘My, look at this audacious fellow. Who said we wouldn’t hold one? Of course we will. It’s just that the outcome is already decided.’

-‘What kind of trial has a predetermined outcome!’

He had said something because the boy was being so annoying.

-‘Fine then, you fool. Bring the victim.’

-‘Excuse me?’

-‘If the victim, Ruide Christopher, defends the perpetrator, then perhaps the predetermined outcome could change.’

“Well… I told him to uproot a great tree while pointing at a skinny twig, and he actually did it. It’s a miracle, truly a miracle. In this case, should I praise the twig, or criticize the great tree for being uprooted so easily?”

“You should criticize the person who gave such a ridiculous order to uproot a great tree while pointing at a skinny twig.”

“Sigh, raising a daughter is all meaningless. Completely meaningless.”

He hadn’t planned to attend this disciplinary committee meeting. It would be criminal for the Academy Chancellor to waste time on something with an obvious outcome.

However, if Ruide Christopher was involved, that was different. Recently, Ruide had become the most interesting person for Clifford to observe.

That’s why Clifford raised his heavy behind.

“That good-for-nothing, what is he thinking?”

“Forgiveness, I suppose. Forgiveness is a noble virtue.”

Clifford looked at Fenicia as she opened the large door to the chancellor’s office and said:

“What a nuisance.”

He walked with his hands behind his back. Fenicia, watching his retreating figure, followed while grumbling incredulously.

“What are you dissatisfied with now? His forgiving heart is quite admirable.”

“What’s admirable about that protruding stone of a boy!”

“Sigh, Chancellor. It’s not good to hate just one side too much. As Chancellor, you should be fair.”

Hearing those words, Clifford stopped in his tracks.

He nodded toward Fenicia and said incredulously:

“I haven’t done anything yet?”

“But you’re about to! You spend half your day badmouthing Ruide!”

“What? When did I ever do that!”

Just this morning, he had spent at least four hours grumbling about Duke Windsor’s reply: “Clifford, if you’re so annoyed, expel him and send him back. Let me see my son’s face.”

Fenicia had at least a hundred things to say but barely managed to hold back.

“You’re turning people into villains. I’m fairer than anyone, you wench!”

He shouted as he hurriedly walked toward the meeting hall.

**

This was the first time Clifford had seen Ruide in person.

Ruide, called the genius of the century.

Having such a figure as a graduate of the Imperial Academy was a huge merit in itself.

That’s why he had recruited him with the ridiculous condition that “he doesn’t have to attend classes.”

Of course, this decision was within Clifford’s capacity, but regardless of the rational judgment, he personally disliked it very much.

That’s why he hadn’t conducted a personal interview when Ruide enrolled.

Anyway, Clifford’s first impression of Ruide was this:

‘My, if he goes astray, he could destroy the world twice over.’

Even to the eyes of Clifford, the Academy Chancellor and one of the great mages, Ruide’s magical power was immeasurable.

If that had been all, he wouldn’t have thought this much about it. Near Ruide’s heart, he saw a black sphere. It was so black that it looked as if his heart had been pierced through.

Such a pitch-black color was something even Clifford had never seen before.

Would gathering and compressing all the mana in the world produce such a color? He didn’t know, but one thing was certain.

‘Genius of the century? Hmph, right now he’s my student.’

For now, he was just one of the 1,001 students. He was someone to be guided, and Clifford had a duty to lead Ruide correctly.

Clifford deactivated his clairvoyance and said:

“I now commence the disciplinary committee meeting regarding the magic usage incident. The investigating officer in charge, please speak.”

Gilbert, a third-year from the Swordsmanship Department and the investigating officer, stood up holding documents.

“The responsibility for this incident is simple. Catherine Ovillion picked a fight with the victim who was just eating his meal, and when the victim didn’t react much, she got angry and launched a preemptive attack with the 3rd tier ‘Ice Pistol’.”

Gilbert flipped through the documents with a tired face.

“In this process, the victim countered with a much higher-level magic, an application of Gravity, but it was purely for self-defense. There was no culpability on his part during the process.”

Gilbert put down the documents. With a bothered expression, he said:

“Respected judge. Catherine Ovillion not only intimidated an innocent victim, but also afterward refused to acknowledge her guilt and tried to evade responsibility. The fact that she launched a surprise attack on a victim who wasn’t even holding a staff, makes her crime very serious. Therefore, I request that the perpetrator, Catherine Ovillion, be expelled to uphold the justice of the Imperial Academy.”

After finishing his statement, Gilbert sat down.

The Chancellor looked at Catherine and said:

“Catherine Ovillion, speak.”

“……”

Catherine kept her head down and said nothing.

Cold gazes.

Pressure and tension.

The despair that no words would improve the situation.

All these emotions weighed down on Catherine.

“Catherine Ovillion.”

Clifford called her name once more.

“Catherine Ovillion.”

Still, there was no answer. Clifford looked straight ahead and declared:

“I will consider that there is no room for excuse. Then, I will conclude this disciplinary committee by expelling Catherine Ovillion…”

Just as Catherine’s eyes were dying:

“I object.”

Ruide stood up from his seat.

Clifford sharply looked at the sleepy-eyed Ruide.

‘This good-for-nothing. Caught red-handed. I don’t know what you’re after.’

Inwardly, he smiled a sinister smile that would rival a black mage.

‘Things won’t go as you want.’

“Did you say you object?”

“Yes.”

“It had better be a proper objection. If it’s a trivial reason-“

Ruide had an expression that said, “What are you going to do about it?”

“I will impose the extreme punishment of cleaning the Chancellor’s office for a month.”

Ruide didn’t even blink.

‘That kind of thing, I could just wave my hand once and…’

“Magic is forbidden, of course.”

Ruide felt a threat to his life.

His sleepy expression turned quite serious.

“Speak.”

As soon as Clifford finished speaking, Ruide calmly said:

“Magic use is prohibited in the Academy, but severe punishment is only given for offensive magic that harms others.”

Ruide looked at Gilbert and blinked slowly.

“Simple daily magic ends with just a light demerit, as I understand.”

Gilbert was known for his investigative skills rather than his swordsmanship. He always saw through to the essence, earning him the nickname “Gilbert of Truth.”

He was in a difficult position now. He glanced at Ruide with tired eyes. After all, Ruide was the younger brother of his superior, Amelia Windsor.

He was debating whether to do his job properly or to yield appropriately.

“Gilbert, if you lose to that good-for-nothing despite being an investigating officer, consider the promised imperial recommendation letter void.”

Gilbert immediately looked at Ruide and poured out words fluently:

“The magic Catherine Ovillion used was ‘Ice Pistol.’ For a mage, it’s powerful enough to cause death if hit without a barrier. Also, the victim is known as ‘Lazy Ruide’ within the Academy. While barriers are a daily morning routine for mages, there’s a high possibility that she targeted the victim’s weakness, knowing his reputation for laziness. Above all, Ice Pistol is clearly an offensive magic, not a daily magic.”

“That statement fails to consider my level.”

Ruide was confident.

“For me, 3rd tier spell magic doesn’t even reach the level of daily magic.”

“…!”

It was an arrogant statement.

However, no one could refute those presumptuous words.

“And while it’s called 3rd tier, that’s just the shell; the substance was pathetic. The magic’s structure and the quality of magical power were at the 1st tier level. No one would die from being hit by that. Even if I had been hit, it would have just felt a bit cool.”

“Such nonsense…!”

Gilbert’s tone rose.

He calmed his excitement and spoke calmly:

“Nothing changes. The important thing is that Catherine Ovillion used magic against a person.”

“You don’t get expelled just for shooting water droplets at a passerby.”

“I’m telling you, it wasn’t water droplets, it was 3rd tier magic!”

Gilbert was frustrated. More than being frustrated with Ruide, he was frustrated with himself. There was clearly some loophole, but he couldn’t articulate it.

“Even disregarding my level, it’s the same. If shot at an ordinary passerby, it would have just stung a bit, isn’t that right, Sir Gilbert?”

Ruide lowered his eyes fiercely.

“Are you doubting my magical qualifications?”

“……”

Gilbert closed his mouth. He was from the Swordsmanship Department. A knight couldn’t challenge a mage on magic.

But Gilbert couldn’t back down here.

He couldn’t lose his precious recommendation letter over such an absurd matter.

Just as he was about to counter:

“And I’ll write you a recommendation letter.”

Gilbert immediately turned his waist to face the Chancellor and said:

“As the victim says, Catherine Ovillion didn’t intend to harm, but rather expressed her anger considering the victim’s known genius status. Please reduce the punishment…”

“It seems you should be the one expelled?”

“I retract my statement. Indeed, the crime is very serious…”

Clifford sighed.

“Enough, you fool.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gilbert sat upright with his arms against his knees.

Clifford looked at Ruide with mysterious eyes.

‘This guy, he uses quite intelligent rhetoric.’

Ruide didn’t just counter Gilbert with logic. He used his position as a lord’s son and his genius title. That’s why Gilbert couldn’t offer much rebuttal.

‘Hehe, indeed an interesting fellow. How about this?’

But Clifford had no intention of letting Ruide have his way.

“Very well. I accept your objection. However, you tell me, Ruide. What punishment do you think would be appropriate for Catherine Ovillion?”

The important thing about this incident wasn’t what tier of magic was used. What mattered was that it had been less than a month since the warning not to use magic was given at the entrance ceremony.

So a measure was needed that would make anyone realize “I shouldn’t use magic carelessly.”

Expulsion was chosen simply because it was the quickest and easiest way to convey that message.

But what if Ruide argued for innocence?

This would clearly disrespect his authority, so he would not only make Ruide clean but also attend classes. He planned to keep him close and educate his character.

‘No matter how much of a genius he is, he’s still a youngster. He won’t come up with a result that everyone can accept.’

Imposing an appropriate punishment according to the weight of the crime was a much more difficult task than one might think.

A genius who had never understood others could never give a reasonable answer.

Clifford was confident in his victory.

“Tell me. If you claim that expulsion is excessive, surely you have an alternative. Or are you perhaps arguing for innocence?”

“I never said expulsion was excessive.”

“What?”

Clifford narrowed his eyes.

“Then why are you here?”

“Because it’s too weak.”

“…Too weak?”

“Expulsion is too weak. She made me uncomfortable with her pathetic magic.”

Huh, Clifford let out a hollow laugh. He never imagined such an answer.

“Tell me with your own mouth. What punishment stronger than expulsion exists in the Academy?”

‘Many. So many.’

They were nobles, after all.

They were beings for whom pride was more important than life itself.

And Ruide had only promised to prevent expulsion, not to make the punishment lighter.

He glanced at Catherine, whose pupils were shaking greatly, and said:

“I propose that she go to the Magic Feast, bow and apologize, and then work as a waiter for a year. Unpaid, of course.”

Clifford doubted his ears.

And he cautiously asked:

“…Was the Ovillion family at odds with the Windsor family?”

Meanwhile, Gilbert was shocked.

‘How can he be so cruel!’

The ‘Magic Feast’ was a restaurant where only commoners worked.

No matter what, Ovillion was still a noble. Making that high-nosed noble lady bow and apologize to commoners, not to mention making her work in a restaurant.

And unpaid at that!

‘She’d rather be expelled…!’

Gilbert thought the unpaid part was too much, if nothing else.