Neris’s heart was boiling.

On her way to the student council room, she had thought of dozens of excuses to tell Abelus and Nelrysion.

However, all those thoughts were based on the assumption that Natasha was the one who put the exam paper under her bed, so they were vaguely spinning in circles.

What reason would Natasha have to want Neris expelled?

And, as she had experienced in her previous life, Natasha preferred an immediate approach that didn’t consider the consequences. She wasn’t the type to set such a roundabout trap.

Then what was the purpose of putting the exam paper there? Had Abelus perhaps noticed something? Or was it related to Nelrysion?

There was no clear conclusion to be drawn from speculation lacking evidence.

But the moment she saw a familiar face gently supporting Idalia, Neris realized many things.

It was Idalia.

The person who put the exam paper in Neris’s room.

The one who had tried to betray Neris in collaboration with Eustace in her previous life.

During the kidnapping incident, Natasha probably knew about her sister’s plan. But Natasha’s own role in that plan must have been lower than Neris had assumed all along.

Rather, Idalia must have acted much more actively.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have given up such a close attendant who had been with her since childhood!

Now only Abelus, Nelrysion, and Neris remained in the student council room. Neris could clearly see through Abelus’s thoughts.

He must be turning over his own evidence in that vulgar mind of his, trying to figure out if Neris was the one who freed Cledwin just last night. He must also be considering the possibility of the Elandria family’s betrayal.

And he must have kept in mind the possibility that Neris really was the exam paper thief.

‘From neither side.’

She must not arouse suspicion. Not yet.

Neris put on a slightly embarrassed expression. The kind of expression a 12-year-old girl from a lower noble family would make when facing the crown prince.

“First of all, I’m sorry to hear about the theft, Your Highness. But how did I become a suspect? I’m confused because I didn’t go near any teacher’s office last night.”

Abelus’s eyes rolled for a moment. Nelrysion spoke.

“I heard that all other first-years were in class yesterday evening.”

That was the most detailed hint he could give. Neris knew that Nelrysion wasn’t seriously suspecting her. That was fortunate, at least.

Judging by the sight of student council members gathered with uncombed hair this morning, the exam paper theft must have been discovered at the earliest by dawn today.

Lord Sheridan would have been in his office until he left for the social test rehearsal yesterday evening, so the theft could have occurred anytime between when he left his office and this morning.

Yet the fact that they specifically mentioned the evening time meant they had no other evidence to implicate Neris as the culprit besides her class attendance.

If so, it would be easier. If she could create a plausible situation, Nelrysion would find another culprit on his own.

The surest way to remove Abelus’s suspicion that the Elandria family was involved in this incident would be to completely clear Neris of suspicion.

Abelus continued.

“The missing item was clearly evaluation material related to the first-years. Then the thief must be a first-year, and you’re the only first-year who wasn’t present yesterday evening.”

Neris put on a very perplexed expression.

“I… But I didn’t steal anything. Really.”

“Oh? Then what were you doing yesterday evening?”

“As I said, I was in my room. I had a severe headache.”

“Liar.”

“Why do you think I’m lying?”

“You went all the way to the classroom and then returned to your room just because of a headache?”

“Huh? I didn’t make it to the classroom yesterday. I got lost in the next building. Natasha kindly showed me the way, but I got a headache while finding the right building. But how did Your Highness know I went near the classroom?”

Abelus pondered whether there was any trap hidden in Neris’s words. Nelrysion filled the gap in the conversation instead.

“You greeted Joseph yesterday evening, didn’t you? Joseph told us. You had a headache? Did you perhaps visit the infirmary then?”

The school had a resident doctor to prepare for any possible incidents among the young nobles gathered there.

“I wanted to go, but curfew had already passed…”

Neris’s explanation lacked supporting evidence. Abelus’s eyes grew fiercer.

“Look, Miss Trude. If you keep making such petty excuses, even Nelrysion won’t be able to protect you. You’re the only suspect right now. If you can’t prove it, you’ll be expelled.”

Neris closed her mouth. Just before Abelus’s doubt turned into certainty in his mind.

“…Actually, my period suddenly started… So I couldn’t go to the classroom and went back to my room.”

The student council room fell silent.

Nelrysion looked somewhat shocked at the secret revealed by the 12-year-old girl, and Abelus raised one eyebrow.

She could bet that she was among the top three women who had uttered the word “period” in front of these two men who had grown up seeing only pretty and pure-looking women. She could bet on it.

There was a reason for deliberately making such an excuse. While a headache couldn’t be proven, menstruation could be evidenced.

Neris had rubbed the blood-stained clothes she wore last night onto a not-so-expensive pair of underwear. And she disposed of the clothes she had actually worn.

After finishing that work and resting nonchalantly in her room, Abelus’s knight had dragged her here.

Neris sighed as if she was dying of embarrassment. And she patiently waited for either of the two men to speak again.

After a moment of exchanging glances, Nelrysion hesitantly asked.

“Uh, um… Neris, you know that… that still doesn’t prove where you were, right…?”

“Yes. I didn’t want to tell such an embarrassing story, so I just said I had a headache… Um, if you want, you can search my room. I don’t know why I would need to steal that evaluation material thing… I really don’t have anything like that.”

More than Neris’s explanation being convincing, it was her awkward attitude towards Nelrysion that made Abelus’s doubt waver like a reed. Isn’t this really the appearance of someone who knows nothing?

Well, Nelrysion wasn’t a fool, and wouldn’t it have been better for him to kill Cledwin, who was already caught, and gain benefits for himself rather than saving him?

Abelus waved his hand, finding it all tedious. Inwardly cursing Cledwin’s monstrous nature.

“Fine. We’re searching your room, so stay here.”

“Yes. Um, and…”

“What now?”

Although he had initiated the threatening interrogation, Abelus’s tone in asking back was full of annoyance.

Nelrysion was relieved, knowing that this indicated the dissipation of suspicion towards Neris, and by extension, towards the Elandria family.

Neris was too useful to bear the dishonor of expulsion here due to trivial slander. Of course, the family shouldn’t arouse the suspicion of the imperial family.

“Why were Megara and Idalia here from the morning? They were in their pajamas…”

“Didn’t you hear earlier? I said they were witnesses.”

“Did Your Highness call them to ask who wasn’t in class last night?”

“No, they came on their own.”

Seeing Neris’s sour expression, Nelrysion’s clever mind understood what she was trying to say. Before he could open his mouth, someone knocked on the door.

“Your Highness, we’ve thoroughly searched Neris Trude’s room.”

“Come in.”

The conversation that shouldn’t be known to the student council was over. Abelus spoke casually, yawning due to lack of morning sleep.

The door opened and Abelus’s attendant entered. He was from the imperial knights. Unlike the student council members who grew up gently and lacked deft hands, he knew what a ‘search’ meant.

The attendant entered the student council room, bowed politely, and reported.

“There were no items.”

No items. That meant not only that the missing exam papers weren’t there, but also that there was nothing to prove any suspicious exchanges between Neris Trude and Cledwin Maindlant, or any other families.

Abelus’s suspicion towards Neris completely disappeared. Now he was irritated by the fact that he had no clues on how to catch the exam paper thief.

Should he catch them all and search one by one?

“Go!”

Abelus gestured to Neris. Neris curtsied and left the student council room.

Megara, who was standing right outside the student council room, threw a cold glance at Neris as she walked out nonchalantly. Why is she coming out with such a confident attitude?

Did Simon hide the exam papers too deeply? Or did that fox-like girl already find and remove the exam papers this morning?

But if it’s the latter, how? How could she suddenly find something well-hidden between last night and this morning? Unless she searched the room once with the certainty that something was hidden in the room.

When Neris’s eyes met Megara’s, she stood there and asked.

“Megara, I heard you came to the student council early in the morning to give an important testimony?”

“Yes, you’re not blaming me, are you? It’s a big deal that there’s such a terrible thief among us. I said what I knew because we need to catch them quickly. You should be glad, girl. You even got to talk with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

As the gazes of the student council members turned to her, Megara responded with her usual perfectly gentle demeanor. Neris nodded with an agreeing expression.

“You’re right. You really are an exemplary student, Megara.”

Exemplary. Although there was no hint of mockery in that word, Megara felt insulted. The nerve, the nerve! Originally, you weren’t even qualified to enter this school!

How did you manage to escape! Can’t the student council even properly search one small dormitory room!

Receiving Megara’s subtle glance, Idalia reluctantly opened her mouth despite her anxiety. There was no use defying Megara’s instructions at this point.

“Um, Neris. Are you okay? Are you alright now?”

It was a statement of great concern. Neris smiled meaningfully at Idalia, narrowing her eyes. Idalia flinched, never having received such an affectionate treatment from Neris before.

“Yes. I’m fine. It’s so kind of you to worry. You’re really nice, Idalia. Thanks to your concern, everything’s been resolved, so don’t worry.”

“Now, now, girls.”

As the three first-years didn’t move from the entrance of the student council room, Natasha spoke roughly, as if she had run out of patience.

“Move aside. Your seniors are busy.”

“I’m sorry, senior. You showed me the way last night, but I didn’t properly go to the supplementary class… Making you all so tired like this.”

It wasn’t Neris who had tired out the student council, but the exam paper thief. However, Neris intentionally apologized with an innocent face. Natasha looked at Neris strangely and then hesitated.

The word ‘last night’ drew out the anxiety in Natasha’s heart. In fact, she had trouble falling asleep last night, thinking about what this impudent little first-year had said.

Although she didn’t like the fact that a mere lower knight’s daughter had the audacity to comment on a high noble’s marriage matters, the little one’s words had some truth to them.

Would Megara really, daringly, presumptuously act?

Megara didn’t know that Natasha was looking at her strangely. Instead, Megara was pondering the meaning of what Neris had said to Idalia.

Neris and Idalia were only close in empty words. Because they pretended not to know each other. So why did she suddenly speak kindly?

And the words ‘everything’s been resolved thanks to your concern’.

A suspicion crystallized in Megara’s mind. Could it be that this hypocrite, despite being so strictly warned to keep quiet!

Abelus’s voice was heard from inside the student council room.

“Miss Likeandros, Miss Kendal, come in for a moment.”

Megara and Idalia’s faces stiffened slightly at the same time. In Megara’s case, it was almost imperceptible, while in Idalia’s case, it was a bit more noticeable.

Before Megara entered the student council room, Neris kindly said to her back.

“It was worth coming here early in the morning, Megara. How nice, you even get to talk with His Highness the Crown Prince.”