Contrary to concerns, they no longer harassed Riley.

Of course, Riley did not lower her guard. She didn’t think they had completely given up on retaliation. Especially in the lectures she took with Rivne, the daughter of the Narvic Bank president was also present, and she glared at Riley with murderous eyes every time.

Riley tried to stay in crowded places as much as possible. She always stayed with Hila when she could, and if she saw anyone suspicious, she would run away without looking back.

One day, as she was spending her peaceful days like the calm before a storm.

“Hey, Riley. You know the daughter of the Narvic Bank president? The one who was bullying you.”

“Yeah.”

“I heard she broke her leg and was hospitalized.”

“……Suddenly?”

“Yeah, she claims someone attacked her and broke her leg. Not just that, but two guys who hung out with her also had their arms and legs broken. So the three of them are in the hospital side by side.”

“Were they all attacked?”

“Yeah, so they started an investigation, but honestly, does it make sense? They say they were attacked inside the academy.”

“Why doesn’t that make sense?”

“Well, not just anyone can enter the academy. Only those registered or with permits can enter. Outsiders and peddlers are transported to a different location the moment they cross the entrance.”

“Then it could have been done by a fellow student?”

“That’s right. But who could it be? To dare touch a Blestige noble… It’s an admirable person. Anyway, it seems it’s not easy to identify suspects. Honestly, how many people would have a grudge against them? Not just you, they’ve been causing trouble everywhere…”

The main instigators of the bullying were injured, and it seems they won’t be able to attend the academy for a while.

But I wondered if that would make much of a difference.

‘They’re glaring so much.’

It seemed the number of people glaring had increased compared to before. Even if I tried not to distinguish, the difference between those from Blestige and those who weren’t was now clear. The rumors must have spread even worse among that group.

But it’s not my fault their legs were broken.

Riley sighed deeply and opened her textbook.

Only after the lecture started could she be free from the piercing gazes.

[This is the timeline separator]

The youngest daughter of Count Lucan. The youngest daughter of the Narvic Bank president.

So Josephine Lucan was still in shock.

Having grown up pampered and cherished, she had never been attacked or threatened by anyone before. She always had reliable guards by her side, and even those who tried to pick fights would crawl away once they knew her identity.

She started experiencing shock when she entered the academy.

She had great expectations for life at Horizon Academy. It was thrilling to be praised as a mage smart enough for the youngest daughter of Count Lucan to enter Horizon. Just entering Horizon Academy brought a flood of marriage proposals from everywhere.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be a dream to have marriage talks with one of the princes.

Then she heard that Rivne Lianster, who had been on extended leave, had returned to school. And that she would be taking one of the lectures Josephine was taking.

Rivne Lianster’s existence was somewhat special even within Blestige high society. She was at the top of the class pyramid, and had a mystical image due to rarely appearing in society and not interacting easily.

Josephine was very happy to be taking a lecture with such a person. She hoped to use this rare opportunity to become her closest friend.

So she tried to act as friendly as possible when she saw her. In fact, they had seen each other a few times in passing and even had brief conversations several times.

When Rivne sat next to some country bumpkin girl, Josephine didn’t think much of it at first. She just thought the girl was a bit dense for not moving away on her own.

Asking her to move was a natural request from Josephine’s perspective.

Because she was a Blestige noble. It was an unspoken rule that everything revolved around the influence of “Blestige nobles”. Taking someone’s seat was also one of the things commonly done within the academy.

It wasn’t something to be so insulted about.

“I’m not as lowly as you.”

Her face burned hot.

It was the first time in her life she had been insulted like that. But given who the other person was, she couldn’t say anything.

That’s when Josephine realized. That this was normal. That even if you face injustice or unfairness from those higher and more influential than you, you have to endure it. That this was natural.

So her anger was directed downward instead of upward.

She was angrier at the outsider girl sitting blankly next to Rivne than at Rivne herself who had scolded her. If only she had moved away before being asked, this wouldn’t have happened.

She knows it’s forced logic. But emotionally, she needed to find someone to take out her shame and humiliation on. Moreover, even without this reason, the fact that Rivne had started protecting and keeping close some outsider was displeasing in itself.

An outsider of all people!

Giving such humiliation to Josephine Lucan, and keeping close some nameless, unheard-of trash! To be pushed aside by such trash! This was truly a dishonor to the Lucan family.

So she planned to bully her. She thought she needed to vent her anger at least once.

But that was it. She was going to stop after venting just once. She didn’t have enough of a grudge to continue bullying beyond that.

However, on the day she lured her to the warehouse, she suddenly disappeared, and when she tried to lure her a second time, someone attacked her.

“You really didn’t see their face?”

“It happened so quickly, I tell you!”

Josephine shouted at the investigator, unable to hold back.

“How many times are you going to ask the same question! I’m already distressed enough! They suddenly appeared and attacked me. They broke my leg and disappeared in the blink of an eye! It happened faster than I could feel the pain. How could I see people faster than the eye? If I had seen their faces, would I be here like this?”

It was just a desire to vent. She didn’t intend to bully her that severely. She just wanted to hear an apology from that mouth.

But suddenly an attack by assailants? No, how could an attack by assailants even happen in the academy in the first place?

“Why is the security at Horizon Academy so lax? Who would imagine being attacked by assassins in the front yard of Horizon, considered the safest place in the world?”

“Then perhaps you’ve made enemies recently?”

“What enemies would I… No, could it be.”

Josephine thought it couldn’t be.

‘No way, she wouldn’t even have the money to hire someone in the first place?’

She had investigated her, but not much came up.

Though she held the title of baroness, she was from a border region with little influence, and her father was just a small-time philanthropist from an unremarkable family. A woman from such a family couldn’t possibly do something like this.

But at that moment, Josephine’s mind raced quickly.

‘It’s absurd, but…’

Josephine grinned.

This, if used well, could be a chance for revenge for that day?

“There is one person. Someone who recently raised their voice at me.”

“Who is that?”

Josephine answered, shaking like an aspen tree.

“It’s Riley Eadalyn.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Come with us for a moment.”

As Riley was about to leave the lecture hall, she was stopped by a mysterious group. Riley wondered if they might be a group of Blestige nobles sent by Josephine Lucan.

However, when she showed a cautious look, they immediately revealed their identities.

“We’re from the Horizon Student Council.”

“…Student Council?”

“We need to investigate the attack on Josephine Lucan, Horn Levanon, and Matthew Ofrey.”

“That incident has nothing to do with me, though?”

“Whether it’s related or not, we’ll find out after investigating.”

Hila, who was standing next to her, looked anxiously back and forth between the Student Council and Riley. She seemed very surprised. Much more than Riley, who was actually involved in this incident.

Riley calmed the surprised Hila.

“It’s okay, I’ll be back.”

Then she followed the Student Council.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Who’s being investigated?”

“Lady Riley has been taken by the Horizon Student Council, sir.”

Givnen openly displayed his displeasure.

“My shadows committed the act, so why are they randomly taking my wife?”

“From what I hear, Josephine Lucan mentioned Lady Riley’s name.”

“Why?”

“She was asked if she had made any enemies recently. So it seems Lady Riley’s name came up.”

“She seems well aware that she’s done things to make enemies.”

“Anyway, since the lady’s name came up, it seems they’re investigating her.”

“Did they confess to the incident where they tried to hang my sister from a treetop?”

“I’m not sure about that, but they probably didn’t mention it separately.”

Why are they so desperate to not leave Riley alone, this one and that one?

Givnen rested his chin on his hand and narrowed his eyes. The more he thought about it, the more unpleasant it became.

They quietly covered up that incident because bringing it to the surface and making a fuss wouldn’t benefit Riley. Yet they approach Riley again, and after being treated like that by the shadows, they still blame all of this on Riley.

“Why? Sister has never done anything to make them hold a grudge against her. Why are they so desperate to keep bothering her?”

“That’s because she seems easy to target, isn’t it? The name Eadalyn doesn’t protect the lady there. It’s a name with no influence. And people are usually cruel to those who are weaker and more vulnerable than themselves.”

Givnen stood up from his seat and grabbed his coat.

“Let’s go.”

[This is the timeline separator]

The atmosphere in the Student Council’s investigation room was more brutal than expected.

“Is there anyone who can prove you were alone at that time?”

“How can there be someone to prove I was alone? I told you there was no one around.”

“What were you doing alone at that time?”

“I often go to the park to read books. That’s what I was doing then too.”

“But there’s no one to prove that?”

“You could find people who were in the park at that time. I’m a new student, so I don’t know who was in the park at that time. If you find them, wouldn’t at least one person have seen me in the park?”

What they were doing wasn’t an investigation. It was more like an interrogation.

The oppressive atmosphere, the piercing gazes. Watching them act as if she was the culprit for something she didn’t do, pressuring her to confess, it almost made her wonder if she really had hurt them.

“Recently, you’re the only one who would have a grudge against them, new student.”

“Are you saying I hurt them?”

“Did you pay someone to do it? According to their testimony, they didn’t see the face, but it was three adult men with large builds.”

“It wasn’t me. I’m not well-off enough to pay people like that.”

“There are other ways to persuade people besides money.”

Riley frowned for the first time after being cooperative.

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“…This feels more like an interrogation than an investigation. Is it just my imagination that you seem to want to frame me as the culprit?”

The investigator smiled while resting his chin on his hand at Riley’s words.

“Maybe so.”

“…”

“Well, there’s been an incident of academy students being attacked inside Horizon. You’re the only one we suspect. The victims explicitly mentioned that you clearly hated them.”

“They’re the ones who clearly hated me.”

“That’s why you’re the only one with a motive to commit such a revenge crime.”

“It wasn’t me. And why are you acting like this is an interrogation when you say you’re investigating? If you’re going to do this, just hand the case over to the city police and have them conduct a proper investigation.”

“We can’t expose an unpleasant incident that occurred within the academy to the outside. It would tarnish Horizon’s reputation.”

“So you think it’s right to frame someone as the culprit based on mere suspicion?”

The male investigator sighed deeply, then narrowed his eyes.

“Someone has to take responsibility.”

“…”

“And they want you to take that responsibility.”

“So you want me to take responsibility?”

“There are victims claiming you seem to be the culprit, but no one to prove your innocence, right?”

They never intended to investigate from the start.

It became clear that they called her here for persuasion or intimidation. They probably weren’t interested in uncovering the truth of the incident from the beginning. They clearly want to wrap up this case as quickly as possible and cover it up. That’s why they’re not requesting an official investigation from the city police.

“If you feel wronged, bring someone who can prove your innocence.”

Riley clenched her fists and lowered her head.

That’s when it happened.

“She is innocent, I am the witness.”

When someone entered the investigation room, the investigator snapped without even checking the face of the person who came in.

“I said not to let anyone in, why…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence.

It was because the face of the person sitting down next to Riley was too familiar.

“How did you come here?”

“I came because I wanted to see you, and I heard you were detained here.”

“It’s not a big deal, just…”

“Why are you making excuses, sister? It seems there are others who should be making excuses.”

The investigator couldn’t grasp the situation. He was very flustered. He was surprised once at why the Matapju had come to such a humble place, and again at why the Matapju was acting so familiar with the woman in front of him.

Trying his best not to show his confusion, he asked calmly.

“What brings you here?”

“It seems like you’re trying to pin a crime on an innocent person, so I came to stop it.”

“…”

“I came as a witness for Riley Eadalyn. And.”

Givnen crossed his legs and stared at the investigator.

“I’m also her future husband.”

The investigator’s expression soured.