Wendy’s group followed Aurelia through the Saint Academy Branch.
The architectural style here was starkly different from the eerie eccentricity of the Magic Division or the grim, killing intent of the Military Branch.
A massive statue of an angel stood in the central square, and a pure white dome reached toward the clouds.
Every corridor pillar was carved with holy scriptures, making the entire complex look like a divine cathedral situated in the mortal realm.
The Dean of the Saint Academy’s office was exactly as Wendy had imagined.
It was solemn and dignified.
The air was thick with the scent of old parchment mixed with holy water, carrying a sense of pressure that could quiet one’s soul.
Oil paintings of past Popes hung on the walls, their expressions filled with pity as they gazed upon every soul that entered.
On the mahogany desk, a cross made of solid gold reflected a cold, divine light.
However, this solemnity was shattered by a woman.
Dean Layana—Laxana’s mother—was leaning against the guest sofa with absolutely no sense of decorum, one long leg lazily crossed over the other.
Her violet Mage’s robe accentuated her breathtakingly mature curves.
Her presence was entirely out of place with every piece of furniture in the office.
She did not look like a guest; she looked more like a demoness who had broken into a temple and already made herself the master of the house.
The master of the office, Dean Aurelia, stood with her back to them.
She was positioned before a massive floor-to-ceiling window, staring at the rows of students dressed in white robes praying outside.
“Mother, Astreia she…”
Laxana’s voice was as thin as a mosquito’s hum.
In this environment, she subconsciously wanted to gain some advantage for her childhood friend.
But Layana didn’t even look at her.
She simply swept her gaze over her daughter with her soul-snaring violet eyes.
One movement, and the meaning was clear—’Be quiet and watch the show.’
Laxana immediately shut her mouth.
After a long silence, Aurelia slowly turned around.
Her gaze first landed on the blood-soaked, murderous Astreia, then slid to Wendy, who was being protected in her arms with a face full of pure innocence.
Finally, it settled on the boneless-looking woman on the sofa.
“Layana, this is the Saint Academy, not your messy Magic Tower. Fix your posture. If the other students saw you like this, I don’t know where the Dean of the Magic Division would hide her face!”
“Yes, yes, everything as you say.”
Layana stretched lazily, a simple movement that further emphasized her already impressive curves.
Only then did she reluctantly sit up straight.
Aurelia felt a vein throb in her temple.
She didn’t bother bickering any further with this crazy woman who was over 100 years old and looked directly at the center of the incident.
“Astreia, do you have anything to say?”
Astreia finally raised her head from Wendy’s chest.
On that beautiful, blood-stained face, there wasn’t a single hint of regret.
“She provoked me first. She insulted me, insulted Valoran, and tried to steal my person.”
“A Life and Death Contract was signed on the duel platform. I killed her; it was perfectly reasonable.”
Three sentences—concise, clear in logic, and shifting all responsibility away.
“Steal your person?”
Aurelia’s gaze darted back and forth between Wendy and Astreia, her brow furrowing so deeply she could have crushed a fly.
“Astreia, do you know who you killed? That was the heir to the throne of the Macary Kingdom! Once this leaks out, war will break out between Valoran and Macary immediately!”
“Then let there be war.”
Astreia’s answer was firm, even carrying a hint of impatience.
“Valoran never fears war.”
“You—”
Aurelia was so choked by those words that she couldn’t speak for a long time, her chest heaving violently.
Finally, she could only let out a helpless, long sigh and turn her gaze toward the final breakthrough—the youth who looked weak and harmless yet was the source of all the chaos.
“Wendy Black.”
“Present!” Wendy replied obediently.
“This entire matter started because of you. You, what do you have to say?”
The classic blame-shifting segment.
Wendy wailed inwardly, but his face instantly transformed into an expression of heart-wrenching, agonizing grief.
“Your Excellency, you’ve misunderstood! This is a massive misunderstanding!”
“I truly have nothing to do with this matter!”
The Prince took a step forward, launching into a passionate accusation:
“I am but a quiet, fragile, peace-loving prince. At the time, I was minding my own business, eating lunch in the dining hall, tasting the academy’s delicacies, and feeling the beauty of peace.”
“It was that woman named Daphne! She took the initiative to harass me! Her words were frivolous, she… she even wanted to touch my hand! Her behavior was scandalous!”
At this point, Wendy gave an exaggerated shudder and hurried to hide his hands behind his back as if they were desecrated holy relics.
“Her Highness Astreia and Miss Laxana, those two noble ladies of high character, acted solely to preserve the holy atmosphere of the academy! To protect the dignity of women, they reached the limit of their endurance and had a small dispute with the other party!”
“They are righteous! They are innocent!”
“As for me…”
Wendy covered his chest, his handsome face written with shock and trauma.
A single crystalline tear even squeezed out from the corner of his eye.
“I am just a victim who was innocently swept into this terrifying storm… My soul, my spirit, have both suffered irreparable and severe trauma!”
“To soothe this trauma, I… I must demand compensation for mental distress from the Macary Royal Family! Not much, just 10,000 gold coins!”
Laxana’s mouth hung wider and wider as she listened.
She almost couldn’t resist clapping for Wendy on the spot.
‘What a waste of talent. With this ability to turn black into white and strike back at the accuser, it’s a tragedy he didn’t become a charlatan!’
Meanwhile, Layana on the sofa could no longer hold it in and let out a silver-bell-like laugh.
She laughed so hard her whole body trembled, and the fullness of her chest surged accordingly, making Wendy’s heart skip a beat.
“Tee-hee… how interesting. What an interesting little guy.”
She laughed while looking at Wendy with an appreciative gaze.
“Aurelia, listen to that. Look at how frightened the little Prince is. As the Dean, shouldn’t you show some sincerity and give him some compensation?”
Aurelia’s face was now as black as the bottom of a pot.
“Compensation? I think her father would want to ask you for mental distress fees instead!”
“Enough, stop acting.”
Aurelia waved her hand weakly, looking mentally exhausted.
“I am fully aware of how things transpired.”
“Astreia, your actions were too heavy-handed and your methods too cruel. You are sentenced to three days in the confinement room to reflect on your actions.”
“As for the outside world…”
She paused, her tone becoming exceptionally serious.
“It will be as I say: Daphne Macary unfortunately failed while performing a high-level magic experiment, resulting in an accidental death with no remains left behind.”
“This matter ends here.”
“Once you walk out of this office, if anyone dares to utter so much as half a word of gossip—”
“Don’t blame this old woman for being heartless!”