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Chapter 66
“How many days has it been already?”
“Well… it’s been about nine days now. We even contacted the election management committee, but they said they’re doing their best. I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
At Princess Francia’s soft-spoken tone, one of her campaign members bowed deeply, apologizing as if the situation were their fault.
“No, there’s no need to apologize to me. This isn’t anyone’s fault.”
She shook her head gently, and her kind demeanor moved the other students, who looked at her with admiration.
Just then, Rozen Ravenia’s voice rang out.
“Come on, we all know who’s behind this. Who else would pull something like this except Lady Cecilia’s camp?”
“But there’s no proof.”
“Proof? Hah, sure, there’s no proof—just strong suspicion.”
“I still can’t believe someone as kind as her would do something like that.”
“Oh really, senior? And which campaign are you with again?”
“I’m just saying what I feel.”
Vice President Obern frowned at Rozen’s sarcasm and spoke firmly.
Rozen, still sounding irritated, pressed on.
“Then why don’t we just increase patrols and surveillance? Catch the culprit right away.”
“Well, that’s easier said than done.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Night patrols are handled exclusively by the academy’s security corps. Students aren’t allowed to form their own patrol units.”
“For god’s sake… unbelievable.”
Indeed, according to academy regulations, students were not allowed outside their dormitories past midnight unless they had explicit permission for an emergency or special circumstance.
So, Princess Francia’s campaign had requested the academy guards to increase night patrols, and while they complied, it didn’t last long.
“But there’s a limit to what they can do with their current numbers. They might stay alert for a day or two, but beyond that, it’s not sustainable.”
The anonymous posters were cunningly and strategically placed throughout the academy.
The culprits seemed almost professional at avoiding detection—ceasing activity on nights with heavy patrols and resuming the moment surveillance weakened.
“This is pathetic. If the security corps can’t do it, we should request permission from the election committee to form our own patrol team! We can’t just sit and watch this happen.”
“I told you, Rozen. That’s the security corps’ jurisdiction. We can’t form an independent patrol.”
“So what then, we just watch? Do you even know what people are saying about the Princess now? My own friends keep asking me if the rumors are true!”
“……”
Thanks to the ongoing gossip and false posters, Princess Francia’s reputation was starting to crumble.
Barely ten days after the first slanderous posters appeared, people had begun associating her name with words like “smoker,” “delinquent,” and “commoner-hater.”
“Everyone, please.”
When the Princess raised her hand, all attention returned to her.
“Vice President Obern.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“As far as I know, the student council president has the authority to form an independent patrol team. Is that correct?”
“That’s… yes, that’s true.”
He nodded slowly.
“The student council president can form one.”
“And President Alec still insists on staying neutral, doesn’t he?”
“Yes. He declared he wouldn’t involve himself in this election at all… I doubt he’ll take any action.”
“Ugh, seriously. That’s so frustrating.”
“Alright, then. Given the situation, I can’t keep ignoring this anymore. We’ll start issuing official rebuttals to the ridiculous rumors and fake news. And also…”
The Princess turned to Obern again.
“I still want to respect President Alec’s stance. But if this chaos continues, it’ll start harming the academy and the students. Please let him know I’d like to meet and talk with him personally.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll make sure he gets the message.”
“Lady Rozen, please prepare written rebuttals addressing the content of the posters.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Then that’s all for today’s meeting.”
With that, Princess Francia adjourned the meeting and left the room, heading back to her office.
“Are we really doing this?”
“Yeah, do we seriously have to go this far?”
With annoyed expressions, Crollin and Mok muttered complaints, only for Sol to hush them urgently.
“Shh! Keep it down.”
The three so-called Monster Brothers were currently hiding throughout the academy, trying to catch whoever had been putting up the defamatory posters.
“How long have we been at this?”
“Like, three nights without sleep?”
“Hey, I said shut up.”
Sol’s sharp tone made Crollin grumble even more.
“I mean, do you really think the bastard’s gonna come here? Who’d be dumb enough to post one in such a public spot?”
“Exactly. Shouldn’t this be the Princess’s campaign team’s job anyway? Why are we the ones doing this when we’re not even on her team?”
As their complaints piled up, Sol Krensh sighed in frustration.
“Did you forget our orders? We were told to investigate Kamon, right? They think he’s behind the posters. What do you expect us to do?”
“Yeah, but that’s what I don’t buy. You really think Kamon did this?”
“There’s no proof, man. They’re just guessing.”
“Then go tell the Princess yourself you don’t wanna do it.”
“Huh?”
“Sol, why do you always say stuff like that?”
“Because I’m sick of hearing you whine.”
The truth was, Sol hated being stuck between Princess Francia and Kamon Bayde.
Sure, at first he obeyed out of fear of their power… but now?
“Why the hell are we even doing this?”
If he’d truly been one of her trusted aides, he might’ve accepted it—but that wasn’t the case.
He still remembered the day he’d gone to the Princess to personally report information about Kamon.
— “That’s all?”
Her cold, unfeeling stare had left him speechless.
Then—
— “I’d prefer you didn’t come to me unannounced like this again. I’ll contact you when I need you.”
He’d been practically thrown out.
“That damned Kamon, and that stuck-up Princess both…”
Neither loyalty nor admiration bound them—only fear and necessity.
Just as the resentment simmered among the Monster Brothers—
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
Rustle—!
A figure cloaked in black appeared down the path.
“Quiet. Someone’s here.”
The hooded person swiftly pulled something from their cloak and began sticking it to the wall.
“……!”
Then—
Tap, tap, tap!
The figure darted away in an instant.
“Hey—! Damn, that guy’s fast!”
“Shit, he’s gone already!”
No matter how hard they chased, the speed was unreal. They lost him within seconds.
“What now?”
Scratching his head, Crollin asked, and Sol snapped back irritably.
“What do you think?”
“Huh?”
“Go back to hiding. Same spot.”
“Oh, for f***’s sake!”
As their shouts echoed down the street, not far away, behind a building—
The black-cloaked figure panted heavily and muttered,
“Damn it… those idiots were hiding nearby?”
Lowering his hood, the man revealed his face.
“How should I deal with those pests next time?”
The poster culprit—the man in the black cloak—was none other than Kamon Bayde, the very person the Monster Brothers had been desperately searching for.
Clang! Clang!
“Whoa, your sword’s heavier than usual today.”
Kyle laughed as he parried another strike.
“……”
Whoosh!
Chelsea said nothing, only increasing her speed.
“Not bad—your swings have power and speed. Hard to block all of them!”
Despite her relentless attacks, Kyle deflected every strike with practiced ease, not giving her even a single opening.
Biting her lip, Chelsea decided to put everything she had into one decisive blow.
“Hah!”
Her sword came down with tremendous force—
—but Kyle merely grinned.
“Yikes, now that one I can’t block!”
With a nimble sidestep, he dodged cleanly.
Tap!
“Alright, alright! Let’s stop there before one of us gets hurt.”
Landing lightly, Kyle sheathed his sword and waved his hands.
“Phew.”
Chelsea lowered her sword, breathing hard, her eyes dark and frustrated.
Not even one hit.
She had gone all out—no holding back, no control—and still hadn’t landed a single strike.
“Your swordsmanship’s sharper today than usual. Something bothering you, Chelsea?”
His gentle smile only made her want to smack him over the head.
No matter how hard she pushed, the gap between their skills was obvious.
“It’s nothing…”
“Really? I thought maybe something upset you. Things have been pretty tense around here lately.”
He wasn’t wrong. Ever since the posters appeared, the academy atmosphere had been uneasy.
“Well, I’ll clean up over here,” Kyle said, gathering their training equipment.
Chelsea muttered under her breath.
“Upset? Me?”
Then, unbidden, Kamon’s face flashed through her mind.
“Ugh, stop it.”
She shook her head hard, dismissing the thought.
“No point thinking about that.”
Taking a deep breath, she picked up her sword again.
“Hey! I’ll help.”
And together, she and Kyle began tidying the training ground.
