Chapter 39 : Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Alexein’s cold, commanding gaze fixed on Ruben.

Joy saw a glint in his eyes, similar to Marcel’s.

A natural, sharp look that placed others beneath him.

It flipped her perception of him as a mere spoiled noble.

As Joy berated her naivety, Ruben, trembling and pale, raised his voice.

“Why would I steal from Kirhausen’s heir at the academy?! If I meant to steal, why leave it somewhere so obvious? It doesn’t make sense!”

His anguished cry was echoed by the commoners’ fervent nods.

But Alexein’s group remained unmoved.

Instead, they chuckled, finding it genuinely amusing.

“…Pfft.”

Jeremy, the first to laugh, gestured at Joy’s wand.

“No reason to steal?”

All eyes turned to her wand.

“…”

A heavy silence followed.

Alexein’s group snickered again.

Joy, Ruben, and the commoners’ faces darkened.

Jeremy’s gesture turned their earlier awe into a motive for theft.

They couldn’t let this stand.

“You must live in a small world…” Joy’s voice trembled.

“Not everyone who’s poor resorts to stealing.”

The commoners bowed their heads, tears in their eyes.

Fixing her gaze on Alexein, Joy spat with resolve, “Someone’s clearly framing Ruben with a dirty trick.”

Her eyes were full of certainty.

Alexein met her gaze without flinching.

Her defiance was welcome.

“Think, Joy. We reached out to make peace with you commoners. But if you defend an obvious thief and try to pin it on someone else…”

He trailed off.

His voice turned cold and firm.

“How can we get along with you now?”

“…!”

Joy realized Alexein’s plan.

He wasn’t reporting the theft to a professor right away to make them choose.

Defend Ruben and oppose Alexein’s group, or abandon him for peace.

The choice was clear.

‘He wants us to betray Ruben ourselves.’

Ruben, realizing the same, grew paler with fear.

He looked at his friends, trembling.

But—

“…!”

One by one, they avoided his gaze or bowed their heads.

Finally, he looked at Joy desperately.

Unlike the others, she faced him directly.

But her red eyes trembled too.

Resigned, Ruben lowered his head.

Joy bit her lip until it bled.

“I thought we could foster harmony between nobles and commoners… What a shame,” Alexein said, his voice devoid of regret, a faint smile of victory on his lips.

The situation had turned into “commoners causing trouble by defending a thief, scolded by nobles.”

Waving the voucher, Alexein moved to conclude.

“I’ll take this to the professors as evidence—”

Swish—Tap!

The voucher flew from his hand.

All eyes followed it.

There stood Powell, looking grave.

“There’s quite a commotion before I arrived.”

“Professor…!”

The commoners sighed in relief.

Alexein’s group, previously smug, tensed, their smirks fading.

But Alexein remained composed.

“This is a serious matter. We need to get to the bottom of it.”

Powell’s deep voice resonated, showing his intent to resolve it thoroughly.

“All involved stay after class.”

***

The class began, but the students’ minds were elsewhere.

The clash between Alexein’s group and the commoners.

The theft controversy involving Ruben.

And the victim being Marcel Kirhausen.

The combination fueled excitement and curiosity.

‘Will Kirhausen make an issue of this?’

‘Will Ruben be abandoned by the commoners?’

‘What stance will Dickens and Kirhausen take?’

The students whispered about the incident’s future impact.

Two of Luxorin’s pillars’ heirs were involved.

It naturally drew the attention of magical family heirs.

But no one questioned who stole Marcel’s voucher.

It no longer mattered.

“…”

The commoners were filled with despair.

Usually fervent note-takers, they sat listlessly.

Eddie, arriving just in time, shook his head.

‘They must feel wronged and shocked. They never expected the elites to scheme so ruthlessly.’

The commoners were thoroughly outplayed.

Using tails to frame an undeniable theft without dirtying their hands.

Casting the strongest as the victim and the weakest as the culprit, an unbeatable setup.

Perfect timing and execution.

Then crushing the opponent with overwhelming authority, manipulating their psyche.

It was a complete victory for Alexein’s group.

‘Raised to read and predict two steps ahead, elite kids are used to this. Naive commoners can’t handle such sophisticated schemes.’

But the tide was about to turn.

It was time for Alexein to face consequences.

‘Your turn, you reckless colt, Eustaph’s grandson. Time to learn the world doesn’t bend to your will.’

Eddie gave Alexein’s triumphant grin a cold glance.

***

After class, four students remained in Dennis Room.

Alexein, the accuser; Ruben, the suspect; Joy, Ruben’s ally; and Marcel, the victim.

Powell scanned their faces.

Confidence, fear, anger, and indifference.

‘The victim seems to think this isn’t worth his time.’

Powell tilted his head at Marcel’s disinterested look.

He turned to Alexein, eager to speak.

The situation was clear.

After thirty years teaching elite heirs, Powell saw through it.

‘But even obvious circumstances require protocol.’

He didn’t immediately expose Alexein’s scheme.

He adhered to his principle of clarity.

***

“I heard you wanted to see me, Professor Showman.”

Fred, summoned to Dennis Room, greeted Powell briefly.

He approached the students, already briefed by Eddie’s note but showing no sign.

“One of the Emporium vouchers you gave out was stolen. It was found in a student’s possession, and we’re sorting it out.”

“I see.”

“Did only these two students receive the vouchers?”

“Yes. Only Marcel and Joy.”

“No additional vouchers for other reasons?”

“No. Those two are the only ones I gave to first-years.”

“Got it. Thanks for your time, Professor Arno.”

Powell nodded and turned to the students.

Alexein, emboldened, raised his voice.

“Then it’s clear Ruben stole Marcel’s voucher. Joy used hers for a wand, so this unused one must be Marcel’s.”

Feigning a sigh, he continued, “I didn’t want to escalate this. But as Marcel’s friend and a fellow Luxorin pillar, how could I stay silent?”

“…”

Powell stared silently at Alexein’s fluent speech.

‘He’s practically begging to punish Ruben and warn the commoners.’

His intentions were clear.

He kept mentioning Marcel and their families, pressuring the commoner professors.

‘The Dickens heir, reduced to this… Disgraceful.’

Powell’s expression hardened with concern.

Then—

“I appreciate your concern, Alexein, but you’re missing a key fact.”

Marcel’s voice broke the silence, drawing all eyes.

His eyes gleamed as he faced Powell.

“It’s true I received a voucher, didn’t use it, and it was on my desk last night. But…”

Pausing deliberately, he turned to Alexein.

“…!”

Alexein flinched at Marcel’s changed demeanor.

Something was wrong.

Marcel looked away and said, “This voucher isn’t mine. I gave it to Eddie shortly after receiving it.”

“…!”

Alexein’s eyes widened in shock.

Ruben lifted his head, and Joy’s expression brightened.

The situation flipped.

Powell, frowning slightly, asked, “By ‘Eddie,’ you mean Eddie Summerson, your roommate?”

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