Ch.3333. Rumors Transform in Three Stages

“I’m so sleepy.

Actually, I haven’t lacked sleep since coming to this world.

I need something to do at night.

Without a phone or anything else, the most I can do here is exchange messages, and the only person I exchange messages with is Celia.

[Celia: It’s getting late. I’m going to bed now.]

And that Celia is a well-behaved princess who always goes to bed before 10 PM.

Thanks to that, I really have nothing to do after 10 PM.

With nothing to do, I end up going to bed early, and as a result, even when I get enough sleep, I often wake up in the early morning.

But yesterday, after being dragged into Reina’s monster capture operation and going to bed late… it was quite a struggle to wake up in time for school.

Actually, this was the first time I woke up to the alarm clock by my bedside. I always woke up before it and turned it off.

And I wasn’t the only one like this.

Even our well-behaved princess wasn’t so well-behaved yesterday.

“Ludion. Good morning.”

“Your expression doesn’t look good at all.”

“…Is it that obvious?”

Yes. Your eyes are already half-glazed over.

“You’re right. It’s not a good morning at all. I’m so tired.”

“That’s why I told you not to wait up…”

No matter how tired we were, we couldn’t skip class, so Celia and I headed to the lecture hall together.

She was staggering with sleepiness, looking like she could fall asleep at any moment.

If that was the case, she could have gone in first and rested. But she still waited for me.

In the end, we both dozed off endlessly during that day’s lecture. Both me and Celia.

“Huh, what are you two trying to do as a pair?”

From the professor’s perspective, it must have been quite annoying. The two students with the best grades in the class were dozing off side by side in the front row…

Moreover, one was the princess and the other was her direct assistant. She couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

Thanks to dozing off so much—to the point where it would have been better to skip the lecture—we experienced the fantastic situation of coming to our senses only to find that the lecture had ended.

“Ludion, Celia? You two, come see me for a moment.”

And with that, we were dragged away.

Neither Celia nor I could say anything as we followed her.

It was Reina’s personal research lab from yesterday. Judging by the luggage bag from yesterday still scattered around, it seemed she hadn’t tidied up yet.

Celia and I waited for Reina to say something, but she just kept looking at us and then drinking her coffee, repeating this without saying a word.

Finally, unable to wait any longer, Celia spoke up.

“Professor Reina. May I ask why you called us?”

Hearing this, Reina smiled and asked back.

“Do I need to tell you that?”

“…I’m sorry for dozing off during your lecture.”

When Celia apologized, Reina shook her head.

“No, it’s not because of that. I called you for another reason. I don’t really care whether you listen to the lecture or not.”

“Then what…”

“Ludion.”

“…Yes?”

Suddenly Reina called my name. We were clearly in the middle of a conversation, so I was quite surprised when my name was suddenly called.

Reina finally revealed why she had called us.

“Yes, you. Why did you go to the girls’ dormitory last night?”

Though she didn’t directly state it, her question made it clear why she had called us.

“…So that was all found out?”

“Of course. Even though it was late, there are plenty of students who stay up studying until that hour.”

“Oh no.”

Come to think of it, that’s true. I had overlooked this because I’ve been lazing around instead of studying, but this is one of the most prestigious academies.

With midterms season approaching, it’s only natural that some would reduce their sleep to study.

So…

“This morning, a report was filed. That you were lurking around the girls’ dormitory in the middle of the night.”

It wasn’t strange that things turned out this way.

But Reina didn’t seem to be suspicious or contemptuous of me.

The atmosphere didn’t seem bad, so I was calmly listening when she whispered something to Celia that only she could hear.

“Well, honestly, I didn’t really believe it… but seeing you two dozing off together, the situation becomes pretty clear, doesn’t it? Ahaha! My, Celia. You’ve really become a lady now?”

“…Don’t tease me.”

Celia’s face turned bright red. What on earth did she say to make her react like that?

Reina giggled, finding Celia’s reaction cute, then calmed down and continued.

“Anyway, the problem is this. The person who reported it omitted everything about Celia when describing the situation.”

“Couldn’t you just investigate to find the answer?”

They don’t just arrest someone based on a report, do they? That’s absurd.

The academy isn’t that gullible, and where would they handle things so recklessly anyway?

There are magic stones serving as CCTV all around the dormitory. They could check those.

They don’t have real-time monitoring or recording functions like actual CCTV, but when an incident occurs, they can use the recording magic engraved in those stones to see what happened.

Since it was just last night, the situation should be clearly recorded.

Reina nodded in agreement with my words, but the problem still seemed unresolved.

“Yes, that’s right. But the problem I mentioned isn’t that.”

Reina pointed at Celia as she spoke.

“Who is she?”

Celia.

No, Celia Rubetia. The Imperial Princess.

“I don’t care what you two do in the middle of the night. But… would the Imperial Palace not care either?”

When something involving Celia happens within the academy, it’s supposed to be immediately reported to the Imperial Palace. That was the Emperor’s will.

Previously, when Celia blew up the cafeteria ceiling, it had probably been reported long ago, even though there wasn’t much of a reaction.

The reason the reporter omitted her name was probably because, unlike me who is a commoner, messing with her could lead to unpredictable consequences. The reporter would also be considered an involved party.

And in this situation… involving Celia wasn’t a good choice.

Even if she were involved, my mistake of approaching the girls’ dormitory wouldn’t disappear, it would only escalate the issue.

“Do you really want an investigation? I’ll do as you wish. After all, I’m in charge of this case.”

There were two options.

Reveal the truth and involve Celia in this matter. Or… just accept it on my own.

“Which way do you want to go?”

She spoke as if I had a choice, but the answer was practically predetermined.

“I should accept it alone. What good would come from dragging the Imperial Palace into something like this?”

“Hehe. Yes. You thought well.”

It can’t be helped. If we hadn’t been caught, maybe, but now that we’ve been discovered, it’s not easy to deny.

I’ll just have to take the blame.

Just when I thought the conversation was wrapping up, Celia, who had been listening quietly, tapped me and hesitantly spoke.

“Um, Ludion?”

“Yes?”

“I, I don’t really… mind if this matter is reported to the Imperial Palace…”

What is she saying?

Do you want to tell your parents that you were wandering around with a boy in the middle of the night?

But I understood what she was thinking, so I didn’t scold her.

“Celia. If you’re doing this for me, you don’t need to worry. Even if you get involved, it doesn’t erase my mistake.”

“That’s not it, it’s… um… I don’t know. Do as you please.”

Celia was showing a rare timid side, perhaps thinking she had done something wrong.

Actually, this could have been avoided if I had been a bit more careful, but as expected, someone with the trait ‘Absolute Good’ thinks differently.

Anyway, it was decided that I would take responsibility for this incident.

Maybe if I say I got lost while half-asleep, they’ll be lenient?

I have an alibi that I returned late with Reina that day, so I think there’s sufficient justification.

Anyway, just lurking around isn’t a major offense, so at worst it would be demerit points or community service on campus.

Now all I could do was wait with such thoughts.

“By the way, Celia. I’m just asking in case… you two aren’t really dating, are you?”

“D-dating?! There’s no way!”

What are they chatting about so happily? I don’t find it amusing at all.

“Well. Leave the rest to me and go back for today. Be more careful next time.”

“Yes.”

This incident didn’t seem serious enough to convene the disciplinary committee, so there was no need to prepare anything additional.

As I was coming out with Celia after responding to Reina… for some reason, Lilith was waiting outside. The training should have ended yesterday.

When I asked why she was waiting, she suddenly started saying strange things.

“Hey, you two. Is the rumor true?”

“What are you suddenly talking about? What rumor?”

“That you, Ludion, tried to force your way into the girls’ dormitory and got chased away by Celia? It’s causing quite a stir right now.”

…What?

“Who said that?”

“It’s not just one person; the rumor has spread among all the first-years.”

I was definitely just lurking around the girls’ dormitory until just now.

Somehow, I’ve been transformed into someone who tried to sneak into the girls’ dormitory.

The rumor is too distorted. How can a story without legs transform three times?”