NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29
After forming a contract with “The Staff of Calamity,”, on the following day…
“Hey, is this staff really okay? It won’t suddenly attack me or anything, right?”
“I’ve told you multiple times that it’s fine! Can’t you stop being so annoying?”
Rud pointed at my ring, which had transformed from the “Staff of Calamity,” and kept chattering nervously. Irritated, I gave him a light punch while holding my head, but he still had a suspicious look in his eyes directed at my ring.
I grew tired of this and temporarily ignored Rud, sighing as I entered the classroom.
A commotion ensued.
As soon as I entered the classroom, it suddenly became quite noisy.
Normally, when I entered the classroom, everyone would avoid making eye contact with me, but today, all eyes were focused on me. In their gazes, aside from disdain and contempt, there was also clear hostility.
Especially from the girls.
In the midst of this strange scene, Rud mumbled something to me.
“What… hey, Jin, what on earth did you do?”
“Don’t assume everything is my fault. Besides, we’ve been together most of the time recently.”
Indeed, I had been spending a lot of time with Rud lately, so there wasn’t much for me to be accused of. So, why was there such intense hostility directed at me?
I tilted my head in confusion but decided to ignore it for now. I took my usual seat, and Rud followed suit, sitting next to me.
However, even though we were in the back of the classroom, the hostile glances never stopped. In fact, people were whispering about something while looking at me.
“Hey, do you think those rumors are true?”
“They probably are. I mean, it’s him, right?”
“There have been so many bad rumors about him.”
The whispers continued behind me.
“Rumors…?”
I wondered if I had done something again.
“Hey, Rud, do you know about the rumors about me? They seem to be new.”
“Do you think I’d know about them? I don’t really have any friends here,” Rud replied confidently.
He seemed way too confident for someone who should have no idea about these rumors. So, what kind of rumors were circulating now?
Just when I was getting more confused, I overheard hushed voices again.
“Can you believe he actually came to school today after what he did yesterday?”
“Hey, do you think yesterday’s incident… could it be related?”
Rud and I both tensed up.
“Do you mean… yesterday’s incident?” Rud asked nervously.
Of course, “yesterday’s incident” referred to the events involving the “Staff of Calamity.”
However, if we get caught, we’ll be the first ones called in by the school…
“Took advantage of a female student in the library…”
…Huh?
“Eh? What’s that about?”
Both of us were at a loss for words, feeling embarrassed.
When I gathered information from various students, it boiled down to something like this.
After school yesterday, it was said that two female students were sexually assaulted in the library.
The culprit is a male student who suddenly used magic to restrain the female students who were studying in the library, rendering them unable to move. He then proceeded to sexually assault the two girls to silence their protests.
In the midst of this, a female student who had made a studying arrangement arrived late and discovered the crime.
She managed to fend him off using some magic and helped the two girls, but it was already over.
I heard that the two girls didn’t come to school today.
…Well, what’s that got to do with me?
It has nothing to do with me at all.
Besides, we were there after school yesterday, and there was no one else, right?
“Jin… does this mean…”
“Yeah. Seems like someone wants to tarnish my reputation.”
Well, listening to the story now, I pretty much know who spread the rumor.
It’s probably Yuffie and her followers, who were already acknowledged by my family as my ex-fiancée when I announced the engagement cancellation two weeks ago.
She had two lackeys, and above all, she’s a piece of trash who takes pleasure in others’ misfortune.
There’s still no evidence, so it’s hard to say for sure, but considering her character, it’s 99% likely.
I couldn’t believe they had the audacity to come after what they did.
I clenched my fists tightly to control my anger, desperate to keep my magic from leaking out.
I had let it slide, but I never expected them to retaliate. Should I have broken their spirits completely, ensuring they wouldn’t dare cross me again? Well, thinking about it now wouldn’t change a thing.
One thing was clear: I had to erase this rumour.
In this world, even an attempt at rape—especially when it involved noblewomen—was a grave crime that would lead to severe punishment, regardless of the perpetrator’s status.
The childish rumour until now could be ignored, but this was different. This was serious.
I would end up in a prison cell, without a doubt.
As I desperately brainstormed solutions, the classroom door swung open, and I sensed several people approaching. It was the last people I wanted to see.
I looked up, my irritation building, and there they were—Eugene and the other key members, their faces flushed with anger.
“Jin Divinesword! How about you explain exactly what happened?!” Eugene spat out.
Next to him was the princess, glaring at me as if she had said silence was absolutely not an option.
Damn it all.
Nothing ever seems to go my way…
I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.
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VOLUME 2 IS COMPLETED ON MY KO-FI.