My Ruin to You - Chapter 19

A few days later, the disciplinary committee convened.

Vermouth, who had previously spread absurd rumors—claiming Roseline had approached him first before Valen’s arrival, that she had clung to him despite his refusals, and that she had attacked him in a fit of rage when rejected—suddenly changed his stance.

“Lady Celodienne provoked the conflict. She criticized my mana control, and when I objected, she attacked me with offensive magic to ‘prove her point.'”

Squeak, squeak.

As soon as the young master finished speaking, the sound of a squealing mouse came from somewhere. The professors seated around the large oval table glanced around, searching for the source. Roseline placed a small cage she had hidden in the folds of her dress onto the table.

“I prepared this in case the young master gave false testimony. It’s a truth-squeak mouse.”

Truth-squeak mice were magical creatures that reacted to lies. The young master shot up from his chair, sputtering in outrage. One of the professors, after reprimanding him for the outburst, turned to Roseline.

“Where did you get that?”

“I borrowed it from the preparation room with the professor’s permission. Since I didn’t take it off-campus, it doesn’t violate school regulations.”

“This is ridiculous! She could have enchanted that mouse herself!”

“Feel free to check. I did nothing to it—that would be against the rules.”

Roseline blinked innocently and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The infuriatingly composed gesture made the young master lurch to his feet again, only to sit back down with a resentful glare after being warned that further disruptions would get him ejected.

The professor in charge of transformation magic examined the mouse thoroughly. After confirming that no foreign mana had been applied beyond the creature’s natural magic, it was finally Roseline’s turn to speak.

“The young master harassed me. He said that, with the right sway of my hips, I might not be as good as His Grace the Grand Duke, but I’d still be worth investing in. Oh, and he also assaulted me—he grabbed my shoulder without permission. Not that I’m saying I did the right thing, but even a brothel worker would throw a drink in his face for that kind of insult.”

Unsurprisingly, the truth-squeak mouse stayed silent. Instead of the mouse, it was the young master who looked ready to cry, grinding his teeth in frustration.

Though the Academy was an institution for nurturing mages, over ninety percent of its students were nobles, and intergender discipline was strict. For nobles who staked their lives on honor, harassment and assault were particularly grave offenses. Vermouth knew this—which was why he was scrambling for excuses.

“If Lady Celodienne’s words are true, this is deeply disappointing, Vermouth.”

The professor, having made up his mind based on the truth-squeak mouse’s reaction, began reprimanding the young master. Just as Vermouth gritted his teeth with an audible grind, about to protest, someone sitting at the edge suddenly raised their hand and interjected.

“Everything the lady said is true. I witnessed it myself—heard every word clearly with my own two ears.”

It was Lady Schnitzel.

She had slipped in quietly when the disciplinary committee began, sitting with her characteristic blank expression. Roseline had wondered why she was there—turns out she’d come as a witness. While grateful, it was puzzling. Unlike Lady Malsen, who’d glared daggers at Roseline, Lady Schnitzel had never been particularly friendly. In fact, their relationship mostly consisted of exchanges like, “Because of you, I haven’t had a single peaceful day.”

Not to mention, Roseline had noticed lately that whenever she turned around, Lady Schnitzel would be staring at the back of her head.

Even after the lobby incident, Lady Schnitzel’s attitude hadn’t changed. She remained as aloof as ever, occasionally even prickly. She seemed to dislike everyone equally—Roseline included. Probably just her personality.

“I object! Lady Schnitzel is from the same healing affinity as Lady Celodienne! They could have colluded to give false testimony. This should be taken into account!”

“Is that big head of yours just for decoration? The truth-squeak mouse isn’t squeaking.”

Seriously?

Lady Schnitzel, arms crossed, looked at the young master as if he were the dumbest creature on earth. Vermouth glowered, but that was all he could do. What, is House Schnitzel also terrifying? Roseline clicked her tongue and spoke up.

“One more thing. The young master should also be punished for spreading completely false rumors that damaged my reputation. Thanks to those absurd scandals, I couldn’t even hold my head up in public.”

As soon as Roseline finished, Lady Schnitzel raised her hand again.

“Ah, I heard those rumors too. I suppose having such a large head means your imagination is… exceptional.”

“Lady Schnitzel is insulting me!”

“Insulting you? I’m just stating the obvious.”