Chapter 67
Just as Eila was about to respond to Darian’s words, a sudden uproar erupted at the far end of the ballroom.
The academy’s principal stormed into the ballroom, his face furious.
Behind him, dozens of armed soldiers followed.
Peony whispered to Eila, her face full of confusion.
“Why is the principal acting like this? He looks so angry. And what are those soldiers doing here?”
“I don’t know…”
Everyone attending the ball was from the empire’s highest aristocracy.
The principal, who always tried to lower his profile around such high-ranking nobles, suddenly arrived with armed soldiers, disrupting the event. This meant something very serious was happening.
Eila frowned.
It might have just been her feeling, but the principal seemed to be getting closer and closer to her.
And his gaze was full of deep disdain and hostility.
Soon, the principal stopped right in front of her.
He was panting heavily as he spoke firmly.
“Eila, I need you to cooperate with the investigation. Come with me immediately.”
“Investigation? What do you mean all of a sudden?”
Darian looked at the principal with an expression of displeasure.
He had been talking with Eila when the principal suddenly barged in without even a greeting, demanding to take her away. His behavior was clearly rude.
When Darian glared at him, the principal seemed momentarily flustered.
He hadn’t realized that the person he was interrupting was none other than the First Prince.
The principal immediately bowed deeply to Darian, showing excessive respect.
“Your Imperial Highness, First Prince Darian Celestian.”
“And what’s the reason you’re trying to take Eila away in front of me?”
Darian asked coldly, and the principal cast a resentful glance at Eila.
Then, in a voice full of grievance, he shouted.
“Your Highness, Eila has been raising a monster egg! And she’s been doing so in a private greenhouse provided by Professor JC!”
As soon as the principal finished speaking, the ballroom was engulfed in an eerie silence, as if all the air had been sucked out.
People stared at Eila with shocked expressions.
“She’s been raising a monster egg?”
“Now that I think about it… she did just become the top student. A student who raised a monster egg suddenly taking the top spot, that’s strange.”
“My goodness, raising a monster egg in the sacred academy? Only evil magicians use such things to enhance their skills.”
The crowd whispered among themselves.
Their gazes turned cold almost instantly.
Sensing that the atmosphere was turning in his favor, the principal raised his voice even more.
“As you can see, we need to interrogate her about what she did with the monster egg. I apologize for my rude behavior, but given the situation, there was no other choice.”
Darian pressed his lips together, his expression growing tense.
Raising a monster egg was considered a serious crime in the empire.
It was one of the main ingredients in forbidden magic that led to the destruction of the ancient people long ago.
The principal then looked down at Eila with a venomous expression.
“I was truly shocked when you became the academy’s top student. Despite your humble origins, I briefly thought you might have real talent.”
The principal raised his voice loudly, as if to make sure everyone heard.
“But of course, I was right. You must have used this vile trick to take the top spot.”
Despite the reactions of the crowd, Eila remained unfazed.
She just shook her head firmly.
“I didn’t raise a monster egg.”
The principal snorted in disbelief.
“We’ll see about that. Let’s see if you’ll still say that after we examine the egg.”
He didn’t seem interested in listening to her explanation.
He immediately gestured to the soldiers behind him and gave them an order.
“Take Eila away and lock her in a solitary cell!”
As soon as the order was given, the soldiers moved toward Eila.
However, before they could reach her, someone stepped forward.
“Wait a moment.”
It was none other than Eila’s partner, Felix.
He naturally extended his arm to block the soldiers between Eila and himself.
“I was the one who gave her the egg. If you’re going to take her, take me instead.”
Felix’s attitude was resolute, his eyes fixed firmly on the principal.
The principal’s face twisted in anger at his disrespectful behavior.
‘This commoner has no idea what he’s doing…!’
But despite his frustration, he couldn’t act immediately.
Felix was currently the only disciple of Duke Azenta.
If he arrested Felix carelessly, Duke Azenta’s family might get involved, and the situation could become even more complicated.
‘Of course, if it turns out this is true, the Duke might even expel Felix from his position as a disciple.’
The principal tried to hide his discomfort as he looked at Felix.
“What do you mean, Felix? You’re telling me you gave Eila the monster egg? Am I understanding this correctly?”
“Yes, I discovered the egg first and gave it to Eila. But I didn’t think it was a monster egg, so I gave it to her. So, if you’re going to arrest someone, take me.”
The principal cleared his throat.
Since Felix had spoken up in front of everyone, it became difficult to exclude him from the investigation.
But he couldn’t just let Eila go either.
He frowned and declared with an air of frustration.
“Fine. Then I’ll take both of you into custody. Until we can bring you to trial, both of you will be locked in solitary cells.”
This might actually work out well for him.
The principal had always been displeased with the way Felix, a commoner, was being treated as a future leader of the Kistar Order.
‘I hope this is the opportunity for the Duke to finally get rid of him.’
Duke Azenta was a man of integrity, so if the investigation confirmed their crimes, he would no longer protect Felix.
As the soldiers came to arrest them again, Felix placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Not wanting things to escalate, Eila urgently grabbed his arm.
“It’s okay, Felix.”
“But I gave her the egg. It’s unfair for Eila to be locked up too.”
Felix’s voice carried a strange sense of injustice.
But Eila whispered gently into his ear to reassure him.
“Like you thought, the egg isn’t a monster egg. So don’t worry. There’s no need to make a scene.”
Her voice was like magic.
Strangely, those few words calmed Felix’s heart.
Felix stopped resisting.
The soldiers then came and dragged them both away.
“Eila…”
Peony’s face was streaked with tears from the sudden turn of events.
“Trust me, brother. She’s not someone who would raise a monster egg. She took the top spot purely based on her own abilities.”
“Don’t worry, Peony. If Eila is innocent, she’ll be released safely.”
Darian gently hugged his little sister’s shoulders.
After they left, the ballroom was filled with chaos.
People couldn’t dance or enjoy the ball anymore as they whispered about the shocking scene they had just witnessed.
Sitting beside Irene, Rosia was struggling to suppress a smile.
It was the perfect opportunity to shake her up.
In a voice so quiet that only Irene could hear, Rosia whispered in her ear.
“Can you believe it? Raising a monster egg.”
“…”
“Did Eila really want to beat me that badly? I’m so upset, Mother. I’ve tried to compete fairly…”
“She’s not like that.”
Irene’s words caused Rosia’s face to contort in annoyance.
