Chapter 277

Chapter 277 – Between Witness and Culprit

The campus had settled into a quiet rhythm now that the midterm examinations were behind them.

Inside the first-floor dining area of the second-year hall, various clusters of students lingered to pass the hours of the evening following their dinner.

In a quiet, out-of-the-way corner, completely removed from the soft melodies and peaceful vibe of the room, a group sat.

Three young men and one young woman gathered around a table, enveloped in a strangely heavy mood.

Breaking the initial silence was Chenbi, the boy with brown hair.

“We shall now begin this inquiry. Defendant Aster.”

“Present.”

“The individual in question absented himself from scheduled academy lectures without formal authorization for a duration of exactly sixteen days. Do you acknowledge this charge?”

Aster offered a small nod, looking haggard and weighed down like a convict facing a severe sentence, his eyelids drooping.

“State your response clearly.”

“I acknowledge it.”

Chenbi narrowed his gaze slightly upon hearing Aster’s dry, raspy delivery.

It was an appearance and tone that might easily evoke sympathy from an onlooker, but Chenbi’s expression carried a sharp bite completely uncharacteristic of his usual self.

“Very well. Moving forward, the witness, Miss Evelyn.”

Faced with Chenbi’s gaze shifting toward her, Evelyn gave an uncomfortable reply.

“Yes.”

“The defendant, Aster, has designated Miss Evelyn to speak on his behalf. What is your input regarding this? To put it plainly, do you intend to offer a defense for Aster?”

Evelyn knit her brows together at Chenbi’s inquiry.

“No, what defense could I possibly…”

A disbelieving laugh nearly burst from her lips at the pure absurdity of it all, but that was precisely when Damian, who had been sitting quietly until now, suddenly boomed.

“The lawbreaker needs to remain silent!”

“…”

Just a moment prior, she had been referred to as a witness, yet suddenly she was being labeled not even as a defendant, but as an outright lawbreaker.

Granted, this wasn’t an actual court of law, but the sheer lack of structure was genuinely farcical. Conducting an inquiry while tossing around terms like defendants and lawbreakers…

‘Where exactly do I fit into this… And who is even running this show?’

Evelyn blinked rapidly, her mind spinning as she struggled to make sense of the chaotic environment.

So, how exactly had she wound up in this predicament?

It had all commenced earlier that day.

In the pitch black of early dawn, Aster had forced his way into her living space.

• Evelyn, gather your belongings immediately. We need to depart for a location without delay.

Though she had a multitude of inquiries, she chose to suppress them upon seeing his shaking eyes and tense posture.

As a result, Evelyn gathered only the absolute necessities—funds, property documents, and similar items—before departing from the second Black-White Slums. Instead of a standard journey, Aster placed her into a pulled cart and hurried across the open fields.

Moving at a pace that outstripped a galloping horse, they eventually reached the gates of the city of Hazen.

“Why have we come here…”

Aster offered no reply.

He merely guided her forward in absolute silence.

Their journey concluded at Jenion Academy, a revelation that left Evelyn thoroughly perplexed.

He had claimed the matter was of the utmost urgency, so why come to a school? Furthermore, how had they managed to bypass the school’s defensive measures with such absolute ease?

Her thoughts were a tangled mess of confusion when Aster finally broke his silence shortly after.

• You wished to know the reason for our presence here?

• I do. Is our associate at this school facing some sort of peril?

Aster shook his head in denial.

• Not a chance. That individual possesses the survival traits of a cockroach, the cunning nature of a goblin, and a thoroughly dreadful disposition—he is far too stubborn to expire even if one attempted to end him.

It was at that precise moment that Evelyn formed a mental image of their Magic Tower ally as a creature capable of outliving a disaster, possessing the black heart of a goblin.

Regardless, that wasn’t the core issue.

• In that case, is this an opportunity for you to present me to him?

Indeed, that seemed like a logical explanation.

The associate embedded within the school could practically be viewed as a foundational pillar of the Magic Tower.

Given that she was now managing the financial operations of the Magic Tower, it was only proper that she eventually introduce herself and exchange greetings.

Yet, Aster shook his head once more.

• No, it is regarding an issue of far greater significance.

• What could it be?

• Direct your gaze over there.

Tracing the path of Aster’s outstretched hand, Evelyn observed the sun as it climbed halfway above the horizon.

• What are your thoughts on it?

• It is quite blinding.

• …

An unanticipated reaction, evidently.

Aster lapsed into brief silence.

However, the uneasy moment passed quickly. He soon adopted his characteristically grave expression once more and spoke.

• Throughout a person’s existence, there are specific eras you can experience only a single time, never to return. Do you recognize when that is?

• What connection does that have to the rising sun?

• It refers to the years you spend as a student.

• Again, what does that have to do with the sun?

Aster’s gaze turned incredibly sharp.

Evelyn recognized that look. If she uttered another word, she might genuinely receive a physical blow.

Consequently, she chose to hold her tongue, and by piecing together the true meaning behind Aster’s statements, she arrived at a conclusion.

‘The Magic Tower is of great importance… but I do not wish for you to give up too much of your life for its sake?’

In truth, Evelyn had never viewed her situation through such a lens.

She performed her duties simply because the compensation was excellent.

She had aligned herself with the Magic Tower because the venture promised to be entertaining. Furthermore, their objectives appeared honorable.

Thus, Evelyn had never viewed her actions as a sacrifice for the Magic Tower. She hadn’t done so in the past, nor did she plan to do so moving forward.

Nevertheless.

‘…Very well, if that is how he views it.’

Evelyn felt utterly spent from laboring through the entire night, yet she attended the academy anyway out of consideration for Aster’s sentiments. The underlying sentiment wasn’t entirely unappealing.

For a change, she even dedicated herself fully to the day’s lectures.

The curriculum for the second-year students was considerably more advanced, and having missed prior material, she found herself struggling to keep up as a headache began to form, yet she maintained her focus throughout.

In a strange way, sitting through those lectures allowed her to grasp the core of what Aster had been trying to convey.

Perhaps she didn’t comprehend it entirely, but the experience possessed its own unique charm.

Right up until the moments preceding the evening meal.

As she was making her way back toward the residential quarters with heavy eyelids, fully intending to sleep, Chenbi blocked her path.

• Evelyn, Aster has named you as his witness.

A witness? For what imaginable reason?

Though she was filled with skepticism, unexpected developments of this nature were hardly a novelty, and she lacked the stamina to engage in an argument, so Evelyn simply followed along without protest.

Which brought them to the present reality.

“Miss Evelyn, I shall ask you once more. Is it the witness’s intention to provide a defense for the defendant?”

Evelyn’s eyelids fluttered at the intensely solemn tone Chenbi used, acting for all the world like an authentic magistrate.

She simply could not restrain herself any longer.

“Listen… this is merely out of curiosity. Why exactly am I being involved in this? Is Aster being absent from class truly an offense that requires a formal inquiry? Better yet, what connection does Aster’s truancy have to me…?”

“That inquiry is best directed to the lawbreaker Damian.”

Damian was considered a lawbreaker in this scenario as well?

Evelyn tilted her head in sheer bewilderment, but the lawbreaker Damian offered a cheerful response.

“A companion of mine vanished without a trace. It is only natural that I would experience anxiety. Surely you can comprehend that much?”

“I can understand that part…”

“In that scenario, what is the appropriate course of action for a companion? I concluded that I needed to embark on a journey to liberate my companion, who was likely enduring hardships in some unknown place.”

“Is that the genuine truth? Or did you simply desire a reason to absent yourself from the academy?”

“To be fair, that factored into the decision as well.”

“…”

Evelyn snapped her mouth shut, refusing to say more.

Very well, she could follow the logic up to that specific point.

Aster had gone missing, and Damian attempted to utilize that disappearance as a convenient pretext to flee the campus grounds.

She could wrap her head around that much…

Damian pressed on.

“Because of that sequence of events, Chenbi was subjected to an immense amount of hardship. That is the true offense committed by my companion—he served as the catalyst for the entire mess.”

“…”

What absolute nonsense…

Evelyn stared at Chenbi, her expression full of sheer skepticism. It was futile to listen to Damian’s rambling, so she required Chenbi to provide a rational explanation.

Yet, look at how he reacted.

“…”

Chenbi offered a profound nod, his lips pressed together in a firm line.

“What in the world…”

It was actually true.

Consequently, this entire inquiry had been organized solely due to the rationale Damian had just laid out.

‘Hold on… Is that the reason Chenbi appeared uniquely drained of life during the examination period?’

Evelyn, who had remained by their side right up until the midterms concluded, recalled Chenbi’s thoroughly exhausted demeanor. His eyes had grown increasingly hostile with each passing day—she had chalked it up to the pressure of exams, but that was entirely wrong.

Wait a moment.

‘…That was a near miss.’

A cold sweat broke out across Evelyn’s skin as she shook herself out of the daze. She had come perilously close to accepting their absurd train of thought.

Pulling herself back together, she shifted her focus toward Aster.

“Aster, why am I participating in this? Explain it to me in your own words.”

If they wished to live in a fantasy world where this inquiry made sense, that was fine, but she could not fathom why Aster had dragged her into the center of it.

It was then that Aster’s voice reached her ears in a quiet murmur.

[A pretext…]

A pretext?

[I was unable to formulate a believable pretext…]

“…”

Evelyn fell completely silent.

Aster likewise chose to say nothing more.

The lawbreaker Damian, having grown utterly weary of the proceedings, loudly took a sip from the beverage that had been purchased using funds provided by the defendant Aster.

At that exact juncture, Chenbi’s voice echoed directly in Evelyn’s ear.

“In the event that you decline to provide an answer, both the defendant and the witness shall be subjected to the Damian penalty.”

The Damian penalty?

Damian immediately chimed in to clarify.

“It entails enduring my company for an extended duration.”

“…”

Evelyn found herself entirely devoid of speech.

Aster spoke up without losing a beat.

“Evelyn bears no responsibility for this.”

“No responsibility?”

Chenbi tilted his head to the side, displaying genuine curiosity.

Evelyn scowled at the unresolved look on his face, but Aster had not concluded his statement.

“Evelyn, do not worry about me. I shall ensure your confidentiality remains intact. Dragging you into this environment was a lapse in judgment on my part. My apologies. Chenbi, allow Evelyn to depart. Even if you were to end my life through physical violence, my lips remain sealed.”

Was this the result of extreme sleep deprivation? Evelyn felt a sudden tightness at the base of her neck, her balance wavering momentarily.

‘Confidentiality? What hidden matter is he referring to?’

Framing the situation in that manner made it appear as though she were the root cause behind Aster’s prolonged absence!

Just as she was preparing to vociferously declare her complete lack of involvement, Evelyn placed a hand against her forehead, attempting to bring structure to her racing thoughts.

This was merely a deceptive ploy manufactured by Aster. She needed to maintain her composure. While Damian might easily be deceived by such tactics, Chenbi was far too sharp.

“Aster, your current objective is to shift the blame entirely onto my shoulders…”

Evelyn closed her eyes, forcing her voice to remain composed. However, she was prevented from finishing her thought.

The interruption came from Chenbi’s voice sounding right beside her.

“Evelyn.”

“Yes?”

“Aster has departed.”

“Departed? To what location…”

Setting aside her pounding head, Evelyn cast a glance to her side. The spot next to her held nothing but an unoccupied seat.

An entirely vacant chair.

Even the beverage had vanished alongside him.

“…”

Evelyn offered a hollow gaze at the empty space. Chenbi’s voice cut through the silence once more.

“Now then, Evelyn, the burden falls upon you to provide an explanation. What was the underlying motive?”

“Ah, well… I am truly in the dark regarding the matter.”

Evelyn forced an uncomfortable grin onto her face. Beneath the surface, however, her internal state was anything but placid.

‘Th-this terrible individual…’

Could it be that his entire purpose in escorting her to the academy grounds had been to orchestrate this exact outcome? To cleanly evade this incredibly convoluted predicament.

Regardless of the chaos, the routine of school life marched forward.

For Aster, just as it did for Evelyn.

In the meantime, while Evelyn was left to endure her ordeal under Chenbi’s questioning, Aster was casually walking along a serene, wooded trail located within the school boundaries.

He wasn’t attempting to escape from Chenbi. Rather… indeed, he had an appointment to keep with Principal-senior.

What was the purpose of this meeting?

It was to provide an account of the events that had transpired during the period he was away. Furthermore, before he paid a visit to Library Director Teheman-senior, he intended to request a bit of assistance.

‘I held the belief that I had conducted my life in an honorable fashion, yet I find myself burdened with an immense accumulation of retribution. An absolute mountain of it.’

During the morning hours, he had been called in by his instructor, Jeira, to endure what amounted to an informal interrogation.

Come evening, he was reduced to a non-entity by Chenbi, forced to sit through an array of indignities.

In truth… it likely wasn’t actually born from resentment over Damian’s attempt to flee the school.

It was rooted in genuine anxiety for his well-being. Because of that anxiety, Chenbi felt anger, yet found himself unable to articulate the true source of his emotion.

That suppressed feeling had likely manifested in the structure of this mock trial.

Aster experienced a fresh realization of just how poorly equipped he was to receive such genuine displays of care.

He simply lacked the understanding required to navigate intense emotions that originated from a place of kindness.

Had it been open malice, he could have neutralized it with absolute clarity…

Indeed, such a scenario would have proven far less complicated.

‘…Just like the situation unfolding right now.’

Aster came to a sudden halt. He had no alternative.

Shing—

An icy sensation pressed firmly against the skin of his throat.

From the shadows behind him, a masculine voice delivered a quiet warning.

“Retreat the way you came. Disobey, and…”

The sentence was left unfinished, but Aster was entirely capable of deducing the implied threat.

For what reason?

Sss…

An overwhelming wave of murderous intent surged out into the open air, serving as an unmistakable declaration.

A single incorrect movement would result in the steel tearing through his neck. Yet, despite the mortal peril, a low laugh escaped Aster’s lips.

No matter the circumstances…

“You chose to launch an assault first?”

“……!”

In the immediate aftermath, the attacker’s eyes stretched wide with pure astonishment.