Chapter 303: From a Room to a Cage

The girl in the spectator stands really had nothing more to add. She had been paid five gold coins by a maid she didn't know, given a forged letter, and told to hand it to Carine. That was the long and short of it.

She was just an errand girl looking for easy pocket money, completely oblivious to the sheer mess she’d been dragged into. Of course, she’d be pulled in for more questioning later and probably handed a proper punishment for even considering doing something like that, but so far, she sounded like a dead end.

I gave her a small, polite nod as Feyt and began walking towards the stairs leading down from the spectator stands alongside Leila.

Meanwhile, inside the northern office, the air had grown heavier than it was cold.

The volunteer was practically slumping in his chair, looking as though every last drop of energy he had had been wrung out of him. He didn’t even try to use his Talent now; his eyes were just hollow, staring aimlessly at the floor beneath him.

I placed my right hand on the desk as I slightly leaned forward.

“Now, tell me the name of the one who hired you. The person behind the maid,” I said firmly as Carine. “I’m sure you know now there are no more excuses you can throw at me.”

The volunteer didn’t react violently as he did earlier. He seemed utterly defeated.

“I-I can’t…” he whimpered. “I can’t tell you. If I ever said his name, he said he’ll… my family will face ruin!” he said with a heavy, conflicted frown.

A sigh echoed from the far end of the table, from the director.

Director Aella leaned forward on her shoulders. “Hey, you do know you are sitting in front of the Sareid heir, right? Do you honestly think whoever hired you holds more power than her? If she wanted to, she could make your family disappear in a blink of an eye.”

The volunteer stiffened and bit his lower lip. His face turned pale as he closed his eyes hard, seemingly paralyzed.

He’s really that conflicted, huh?

Alright… I think I’ve tortured this kid’s heart enough for one day.

He was clearly just a desperate pawn who didn’t know what he got himself into. If I kept pushing him for a name right now, he was probably going to pass out. Heck, he looked like he might do so at any moment.

I took a small breath and leaned back, taking a step away from the table to give him space.

“Fine, I won’t force you for a name,” I said as Carine. “However, at the very least, do you know where we can find that maid?”

The volunteer swallowed as he slowly leaned forward in his chair. It seemed this was one question he was willing to cooperate on.

“I believe… she was heading towards Sir Feyt’s dorm.”

“What?!” I blurted out as Carine. “Why would she be there?!”

“W-When she gave me the bottle with the drug… she had two of them. I actually asked her what the second bottle was for. She said it was a contingency plan, and told me that if I was ever cornered during the investigation by Feyt, I should tell the officials to inspect Sir Feyt’s dorm room.”

So she’s planting the drug in my room?!

Immediately, I broke into a sprint as Feyt, rushing out of the arena entrance. Leila quickly followed behind me, a look of worry on her face.

“S-Sir Feyt? Where are we going?” she said calmly despite her speed.

“My dorm room! The maid, she’s uhh…”

Dammit, I can’t explain why I’m so confident about it without weirding Leila out.

“I-I have a bad feeling someone’s there! Trust me on this!”

Leila continued to keep pace with me, but then she asked a question.

“Sir Feyt, may I rush ahead?” She turned her attention forward. “If your hunch is right, we might be able to catch her before she leaves.”

“Y-Yes, go ahead!”

“Understood.”

In a flash of incredible speed, Leila surged past me, leaving a trail of startled looks from the visiting guests as we ran across the academy grounds. But I didn’t mind their eyes. Catching that maid red-handed was the only thing that mattered, if she was still there, at least.

“So, Lady Carine,” the director suddenly asked. “What do you plan on doing? Should we send someone to find this maid?”

I was taken aback by the sudden question, but I regained my composure even though I was sprinting as if my life depended on it as Feyt.

“N-No need, I have a feeling someone is heading there as we speak,” I said calmly.

Director Aella raised an eyebrow. “And what makes you say that?”

Ah shit. What do I say here?

My mind raced while I was literally racing as Feyt on the other side. I needed an excuse that explained why people were moving without admitting I was sharing a mind with Feyt.

"Feyt is not a fool, Director," I said as Carine, letting a confident, subtle smile touch my lips. "He wouldn’t even think about hanging around with his friends knowing what’s happening. I have faith that he’s chasing a lead as we speak."

Aella leaned back in her chair, studying me.

“You put a remarkable amount of faith in your attendant, Lady Carine,” Aella mused, resting her chin on her hand. “Are you truly so certain he even knows who to look for?”

“I am,” I replied with a calm nod.

It was a total bluff, of course. Looking completely confident in myself was literally the only card I had left.

—

I turned around the final corner of my dorm. If that maid was still here, I was fully expecting to see a frantic struggle, a broken door, or at least Leila holding a struggling intruder.

Instead, the hallway was dead silent.

Leila stood directly in front of my door, her posture straight. And right before her stood a young woman in a maid’s uniform.

She wasn't trying to run. She wasn't throwing a tantrum or making excuses. She was just standing there with her shoulders hunched, her head bowed so low her chin was practically pressed against her chest.

I slowed my pace as I approached them. “W-What’s going on here?”

Hearing my footsteps, the maid slowly, hesitantly raised her head. Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, looking like she was on the verge of tears. The moment her gaze met mine, she flinched, immediately looking away.

Without a single word, she raised her trembling, pale hands and extended them forward. Resting across her open palms was a small glass bottle filled with a clear liquid.

“I-Is that…” I began, my words trailing off.

“I-I’m sorry…” she whimpered, her voice cracking. “I… I couldn’t do it. I’ll cooperate… I’ll tell you everything. Just… please…”

I stared at the bottle, then at the weeping, broken maid, before slowly turning my head toward Leila in genuine shock.

“L-Leila… did you—”

Leila turned her emotionless eyes toward me and shook her head.

“I did nothing, Sir Feyt,” Leila reported. “When I arrived, she was simply standing in front of your door, clutching the bottle in her hands. The moment I approached… she immediately surrendered and offered no resistance.”

I blinked, looking back at the sniffling maid.

I took a small step forward as Feyt, keeping my voice gentle. “That thing you are holding. Is that a performance-enhancing drug?”

She nodded. “Y-Yes, I’m the one who gave it to the volunteer… and the one told to plant this in your room.”

She confessed, just like that? My lingering paranoia began to rear its ugly head.

Is this… a trap?

Or is she planning on covering for her master?

“W-Why are you surrendering?”

“Because I can’t do this anymore!” she sobbed, no longer able to keep the floodgates shut. “No matter how much gold he promises… no matter how much he threatens me… I can’t keep doing this! The forged writings… the lies… the yelling… I can’t take it anymore!”

She bowed so deeply her forehead was almost pressed against the wooden floorboards, her entire body shaking violently.

“I-I’ll confess everything! The plan! My master! Everything! But please… all I ask… is for Lady Carine’s forgiveness…”

Through Feyt’s ears, I listened to the very raw tone of her voice and the heavy, miserable thump of her heart.

I knew right then and there… she wasn't lying.

I took a deep breath and put on a warm smile.

“Alright,” I said, extending a hand toward her. “I’m sure Lady Carine will forgive you. Now, would you like to walk with us back to the arena? You can tell me everything on the way.”

The maid slowly raised her face. Looking at my outstretched hand, she gave a slow, hesitant nod.

“Thank you…”

Once she managed to calm her breathing, she handed the small glass bottle over to Leila for safekeeping, and the three of us began making our way back toward the arena.

“So,” I said quietly as we walked. “Mind telling me everything? Starting from the beginning.”

She took a shaky breath and nodded.

“My name is Nina… and my master is…”

—

Nicholas Nineid sat comfortably in an armchair in his room, casually swirling a steaming cup of tea. A slow, satisfied smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he stared at his ceiling.

I have truly outdone myself.

He couldn't help but marvel at the sheer brutality of his plan.

It had all started after his failed attempt at framing Feyt during the "laundry incident." The only reason that setup had collapsed was due to Carine’s unexpected meddling.

She had arrived far too fast, cutting things off before his narrative could properly take root in the minds of the spectators.

This time, however, he had ensured she wouldn't be anywhere near the arena to save her attendant.

In the days leading up to the tournament, he had casually questioned various students about her routine, confirming that she was actively seeking Ravilenna as a sparring partner.

With a letter "written" by Ravilenna requesting a quick spar, Carine was bound to rush straight to the designated room, likely in a hurry, fearing her own upcoming match might start soon.

And inside that third-floor room, he had placed another student whose sole duty was to stall her for just a few precious minutes.

Given the tournament's strict schedule, a match postponement could only last so long. With Carine stuck all the way on the third floor of the main building, even if she learned of the incident the very second it happened, it would take her at least ten minutes to sprint back.

By then, the volunteer would have already established the narrative Nina taught him, the officials would have lost their patience, and Feyt would be publicly denounced as a cheater.

The absolute best part of it all? He hadn't even needed to step a single foot outside his luxurious dorm room.

As far as the academy was concerned, he was completely out of the picture.

Even if, by some bizarre stroke of terrible luck, Nina’s name was somehow brought up during an investigation, he already had contingency plans in place.

He would simply send her back to his family’s estate, request a replacement maid immediately, and act as though she had never existed in the first place.

Nicholas paused, frowning slightly down at his cup.

“Though… where in the world is Nina?” he mused with slight irritation. “She’s taking far too long to report back. I actually had to brew this tea myself.”

It was hotter than usual, almost to the point of boiling. But he needed a drink, and waiting for Nina was taking far too long.

He scoffed, swirling the amber liquid. “Had planting the bottle in that brat’s room proven more difficult than expected? Or had one of those worthless lackeys deviated from the plan?”

He shook his head, brushing the thought away with a quiet scoff.

“No matter. If she failed to plant the drug, it’s only a contingency plan. And even if one of the students falters, every single road for Carine and that commoner has been closed. They have nowhere left to run.”

He closed his eyes, leaning back against the plush cushions as he brought the cup back to his lips, savouring another sip of the tea.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Nicholas flinched at the loud knocks on his door, nearly splashing the hot tea onto his pristine uniform. He scowled at the door. "How uncouth! Who dares beat on my door like a brute?!"

“Nicholas Nineid!” a stern, booming voice barked from the hallway, backed by the metallic clatter of armor. “You are officially being placed under custody on suspicion of smuggling prohibited substances! Open this door immediately, or we’ll be forced to break through!”

The cup slipped from Nicholas’s fingers, splashing hot tea all over his pants before breaking cleanly on the floor. But through the pain of the hot liquid soaking his thighs, the only word he could utter was…

“...Huh?”