In conclusion, Yenika’s decision to call Roneh was a very wise one.

Thanks to Roneh’s precise leadership, befitting her background in the Imperial Knights, the situation was quickly resolved.

The only thing that remained unresolved was the conversation between teacher and students.

Roneh, who had told them to stay put and not go anywhere, returned to Count Lumen’s room as soon as she finished handling the auction site.

The children, without being told, sat on the long sofa with impeccable posture, not a single wrinkle in their demeanor.

If one were to look for faults, they could be found endlessly.

Visiting a criminal organization, attending an illegal auction and purchasing auction items, assault, endangering royalty and threatening national politics, nearly ruining the Crown Prince’s royal marriage, and so on.

The children rolled their eyes restlessly like puppies needing to relieve themselves.

The little Knox who never left Nigel Ars’s side.

Count Lumen, tied up in a strange knot on the chair, covered in marks from various fists.

The unknown magical formulas and calculations surrounding them.

And the list of auction items and participants in her hand.

Roneh looked at all of this in turn and heaved a big sigh.

“You kids… what on earth have you gotten yourselves into?”

No matter how much she tried to cover for them, the scale was too large.

Roneh knew the children hadn’t done anything wrong.

Their eyes, though their bodies were shrunk in fear, were still alive and unextinguished, telling her so.

However, without solid evidence to prove the children’s motives, it would be difficult to protect them from the old men in the back rooms of the palace who only cared about their own interests while pretending to serve the greater good.

Especially Nigel Ars, if not the others.

“Why don’t you try explaining yourselves?”

Roneh said, hiding her emotions and scolding the children.

“P-Professor! We didn’t come here on purpose, there are circumstances…”

“Fail. Next.”

“We only came to find Her Highness Princess Yenika’s lost engagement ring.”

“Without evidence, that’s a fail. Next.”

Allen and Sid were quickly eliminated, and suddenly it was Nigel’s turn.

‘I collected these bit by bit thinking they’d be necessary to put Lumen in prison, but to think I’d use them to avoid academy demerits.’

Nigel rummaged through her belongings and produced a stack of papers and two metal objects.

“These are auction-related documents found in Count Lumen’s room, the necklaces that were around the Knox’s necks, and the ring that controlled them. Oh, and among the documents is a receipt proving that Sid and I purchased Her Highness Yenika’s engagement ring.”

As she spoke, Nigel gave a subtle nod to Allen.

“Ah, right! I received a receipt too!”

“And if you examine the ring, you’ll find that only specific spells have been removed. The evidence for that is in that pile of papers on the floor, so take it as evidence.”

As expected of the child I had my eye on.

Roneh smiled, her lips splitting wide. With this, all the children could be cleared of charges.

Clang!

At that moment, Lumen’s ring slid down the papers and fell to the floor with a clatter.

Nigel bent down to search for the ring.

“…?”

Something seemed off.

Thinking she might have seen wrong, she blinked, but it remained the same.

The inside of the ring was shimmering silver.

It seemed familiar, like she had seen it somewhere before…

If she just bent down a little more, she felt she could identify it.

That’s when it happened.

Red hair obscured Nigel’s view, and in an instant, the ring was snatched away.

Nigel reached out in disappointment, but her fear of Roneh’s force was greater than her regret, so she quickly gave up.

“Leave the rest to the adults, children. You’ve gotten too deeply involved.”

“What do you mean? In a way, all of this could be said to be your fault, Professor.”

Noah said stiffly.

“Me? Why?”

Roneh wore a face of incomprehension.

“Well, of course, it’s because you helped Yenika esca-”

Allen’s words trailed off as he finally noticed the unnatural sight of Yenika sitting up straight without a word.

…Yenika, it was a lie?

No wonder her lies seemed too good to be true!

The rest of the group also seemed to have caught on to Yenika’s lie, their eyes widening suddenly.

“…You were all fooled too?”

At this moment, a voice full of untold stories was heard.

Thinking about it, it was strange. The Emperor himself had ordered the protection of the princess, yet she had helped her escape with just one earnest request.

The Sienna students and professor looked at each other with pity, deepening the bond between teacher and students.

“Being fooled by Her Highness is one thing, but you lot.”

At Roneh’s low voice, the sound of gulping could be heard vividly from around them.

“You know this isn’t something that can be easily overlooked, right? Moreover, you three musketeers even went all the way to Ather with Her Highness?”

“How did you…”

Allen’s face fell.

“Don’t underestimate an adult’s information network. Anyway, it’s become difficult to hide the fact that you were involved in this incident.”

“Professor, please, couldn’t you hide it for us…! No, even if the whole world knows, just please don’t tell our parents…!”

Allen clasped his hands as if in prayer and looked at Roneh pleadingly.

“Please, Professor. Isn’t the protection of students the top priority for a Sienna professor? I beg you to reconsider.”

Sid, too, was just as desperate to keep the secret. With his succession ceremony approaching, Sid valued his reputation more than his life.

“I can’t do that.”

Roneh completely shattered Allen and Sid’s hopes with a shake of her head, then slowly curled her lips upward.

At this cruel deception, Allen and Sid’s hearts were deeply wounded.

“After all, this incident should be publicly commended by Sienna.”

“…What?”

“…Huh?”

Allen and Sid, unable to grasp the meaning at once, widened their eyes.

Blink.

“Your merit in finding Her Highness Princess Yenika’s ring and liberating the Knox is too great to hide.”

The two’s faces paled for a different reason.

Sid and Allen hugged each other tightly and let out cries of joy, as if they had never been at odds.

In contrast, Nigel’s face soured.

Having to face Widrun again. She’d rather roll in a dung heap ten times.

“Nigel, are you very surprised? Don’t worry. You won’t get any demerits for this incident, hahaha!”

Despite Roneh’s hearty consolation, Nigel’s face didn’t brighten.

“I’d like to send you hardworking kids straight home, but an investigation is necessary. Since you’ve already gone through so much, please bear with it a little longer.”

“…Yes.”

As a gloomy quartet sounded simultaneously, Roneh burst into boisterous laughter.

“Ugh, it’s so bright!”

“We went to the auction house when the sun had set, but we’re coming out when it’s high noon.”

Nigel and the others were questioned one by one to establish the exact causal relationship of the events.

Thanks to Roneh’s consideration, the questioning took place in a comfortable atmosphere.

During the investigation, the checks on which prices and names were written were completely invalidated, and as a bonus, even Allen’s ugly ancient statue was invalidated, causing Allen to break into a big smile despite the solemn investigation.

And then came the time for farewells.

Yenika’s eyes were moist, as if tears would fall faster than words could come out.

Although it was just a short night’s adventure.

This brief encounter, not even lasting a full day, had been so intense.

For the first time, she had made friends who acted without expecting anything in return, and learned the joy and sense of achievement of working together to help someone, the happiness of having trivial conversations.

It all happened after meeting Nigel and everyone else.

The time given to her was very short. She had so much to say, but her vision kept blurring and words wouldn’t come out.

That’s when it happened.

A black curtain fell over her vision, and then the now-familiar embrace hugged Yenika tightly.

It was Nigel.

Following Nigel, Allen, Noah, and even Sid approached Yenika and gently hugged her.

Sometimes, no words are needed, and small actions are enough.

Yenika learned a new fact from them until the very end.

“Your Highness.”

Roneh gave the signal.

Now they really had to part.

Still, there was one thing she wanted to say.

“…Everyone, let’s meet again for sure.”

“Of course.”

“Absolutely! I won’t be able to rest easy until I see you properly married with that ring.”

“Our next meeting will be at the wedding then. I’ll see you again then.”

“It was an honor to meet you. I look forward to our future encounters.”

Different voices were promising her. That this meeting wasn’t the end. That there would be a next time.

That’s why Yenika simply couldn’t help but smile.

Nigel rubbed her eyes as she woke up. Looking at the window curtains glowing blue, it seemed to be dawn already.

She remembered parting with Yenika and meeting Sebastian, but after that, her memory was completely blank.

If it weren’t for the two hairpins on the bedside table and the egg given by the Knox child, she might have dismissed it as a strange dream, a mirage-like day.

As she drew back the window curtains, she saw Noah gazing at the dark blue seaside.

…There was still one unfinished business left.

Nigel threw on some clothes and walked out to the beach.

Before Nigel could even step onto the sand, Noah had turned around.

Nigel approached closely, standing quietly a step behind Noah.

The perceptive Noah would know why she had come without her saying anything.

Just like that day when they had hurt each other, a bright, round moon was dipping into the sea.

Then Noah spoke first.