10 - A Thorny Case

This morning, I found myself waking up earlier than usual, so I decided to take a walk in the academy's front courtyard. I didn't expect to run into her... 

A tall, elderly woman in a black cloak and monocle, her white hair swept back, arms crossed. She still wears that stern expression. One of the Five Mages and the director of this academy, Maria Vril Atherton.

"What are you planning?" She calls from a distance. 

"I'm not sure what you mean, Ms. Director."

"Don't play dumb" she turned her head toward me "sneaking into my academy under a false identity and using the name of the Transformer Mage in your certificate."

I stay silent. She discovered everything. I know I can't distract her only by meeting her gaze. 

"It's not something that would affect you, I guess" based on her political stance. 

She exhales slowly, then walks toward the entrance. 

"Never mind, it's not like I'm aligned with the current system either. But don't mess with my academy."

"No worries, I won't." 

By the time I finish speaking, she's already gone. What a way to start the morning. 

I almost forgot, the lesson will start soon. I enter the academy building and head toward the classroom. 

Before I step in, I notice many students are gathering there. Is something happening? I push forward. 

"Just confess you stole it- oh, you're here too" she turns her gaze from Sara and Felix to me. 

The girl from the first class, the daughter of the Countess Mireille. She marches toward me. 

"Confess. You two stole my brooch right?" She demands with a sharp tone. 

"What are you talking about, Ms. Mireille?"

"Don't play innocent! Yesterday I was in the library, sitting near your table. But when I left I noticed my brooch was gone."

"And does this make us thieves?"

"O-of course! Who else would steal in the library except you commoners?" She isn't that sure though. 

"Maybe you dropped it! Have you tried to search about it there?" Felix intervened. 

"I did!"

Suddenly, the students part as a figure approaches, blonde haired with a charming smile, Edwin Ellis Cerellion. Besides him a black haired guy, Bayern Aldric Arenberg, son of Duke Arenberg. 

"What's the commotion?" The crown prince asked, walking toward us. 

"These commoners stole my brooch and refuse to confess" she hurried to him. 

"But-" Felix falters. I glanced at Arenberg, Felix was staring at him for a moment. 

"Quiet. You, tell us what happened yesterday" the black haired noble, Arenberg, pointing at me. 

Sara is shrinking in the background, it's her usual. Felix seems uncharacteristically withdrawn. I'll have to handle this myself. 

"Yesterday evening, we went to the library to read, and we stayed until sunset. Ms. Mireille happened to be at a nearby table and lost her brooch there."

"You mean you stole it!" She insists. 

"Calm down, Ms. Mireille, I promise we will find it" the prince kisses her hand, she blushes. 

"Alright, Your Highness, I leave it to you."

"Then, we'll search your rooms."

Too bad… if they search my room they'll find my bag. I look at Felix and Sara, Felix looks cornered. I can't let this happen. 

"Wait, Your Highness" I say firmly "I don't think treating us as suspects is the right behavior."

"What are you-" the prince cuts Mireille off. 

"Interesting. What do you suggest then?" 

"I'll handle the investigation as a witness."

"What if you twist the facts to save yourself?" 

"I'll observe her, Your Highness" Arenberg walked ahead, taking his place beside me. 

"Mr. Arenberg- I can trust you. Very well" he agreed, then left the classroom. 

"You'd better succeed" Mireille warned.

"Ms. Mireille, exactly what time were you in the library?"

"From 4pm to 6pm. What does that matter?" She snaps. 

"As far as I recall, you weren't alone yesterday right?" 

"I was with two friends. So what?"

"I'd like to speak with them. May I?"

"Fine." 

She led me down the corridor toward the first class. Then entered the class to call for her friends while I waited outside. 

Then, two girls walked toward me, with aggressive stares on their faces. 

"What do you want to ask?"

"When was the last time you saw the brooch yesterday?" I ask Ms. Veilla on the left first. 

"I don't know. I was distracted reading."

"What book?" 

"The Winds, it's a book about the wind element."

"By Michael Reveney? The most interesting part is chapter six."

"Yes! That's where I got most involved."

"Okay. What about you, Ms. Bellamy, what's the last time you saw the brooch?"

"I don't remember well, just like Ms. Veilla, I was distracted by my book. Telepathy."

"I see, the most surprising fact is that you should keep glancing at the person's head."

"Yeah, true" she laughs. 

"That's it. See ya" 

I walked away toward the library, there's something I need to check as soon as possible. And yes, this guy has been following me all along. 

"You already know who the perpetrator is, don't you?" I didn't expect him to talk to me, he's usually quiet. 

"Why do you think so?"

"Your questions to them."

"Interesting, let's see about it."

I entered the library and walked directly toward the circulation desk, where the library manager is sitting. 

"Hello, I want to ask you about something."

"Sure" she looks at me, confused. 

After I got the answer I wanted, I walked out and asked Arenberg to bring the others. Time to reveal the truth. 

"Have you discovered the perpetrator? Or should we start searching your rooms" the prince warns. 

"No need, Your Highness, I already know who it is" I announced "the thief had to be someone very close to the victim at the time of the crime."

"You're talking about yourself! Hurry up and confess" Mireille snaps. 

"No. There was someone else just close to you at that moment too, right?"

"You mean... " she trails off, glancing at her friends. 

"Are you kidding me? You better know what happens to commoners who accuse nobles" Veilla protects. 

"You better have proof of your accusations" the prince defends them too. 

"Did you know? Manipulation Magic depends entirely on imagination. To perform telepathy you have to visualize, there's no such thing as staring at the person's head."

"What do you mea- wait" Veilla turns sharply to look at her friend. 

The trembling girl standing in the back can barely lift her head. 

"Yes, the one who never focused on her book. Ms. Bellamy."

"But not focusing on her book isn't proof."

"I knew you'd say that, that's why I called the librarian."

The librarian stepped forward and asked my agreement to start testifying. 

"Yesterday, after sunset, I was about to close the library when Ms. Bellamy rushed in. She went straight to where they had been sitting before and picked something up. After recalling, it was a brooch."

"So it was you, Ms. Bellamy?" 

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, but... " she breaks into tears. 

"Viscount's finances have been struggling for years" Arenberg added. 

"Yes, we're drowning in debt, I just wanted to help my family. I'm so sorry, Ms. Mireille. Here, your brooch" she pulled the red brooch from her pocket. 

"Keep it, Ms. Bellamy" she gave it back to her. 

"But... Thank you so much" she sobs. 

"Stealing from a noble is a serious crime. Usually you'd face expulsion, but given your circumstances, I'll let it pass with a warning."

"Yes. Thank you Your Highness" she lifted her head with a faint smile. 

"And sorry for dragging you all into this" she turned to us. 

"It's fine" I reassured her.

"Yes, no need to apologize" Sara added softly. 

She smiled then walked back to her friends. 

"That's settled, then" the prince leaves. 

I looked at Arenberg as he walked away in silence. But just before he disappears, his gaze turns toward us for a moment.