Chapter 104: Fun with some Camel
The day finally came.
I stood inside the ceremonial hall of the academy. The place was packed.
Students had filled the upper galleries. Faculty lined the side walls with their arms folded. Guards stood at every entrance. Even the maids had gathered near the corners pretending to be working while their eyes stayed glued to the stage.
And most of them were women.
My little confession yesterday must have spread like wildfire. A tragic love story between great houses. The heartbroken weak hero fighting for his forbidden romance. To them this was better than any novel their world could produce.
One female professor was staring at me with eyes so pitiful you’d think I had survived some horrifying trauma. Like I was a wounded soldier returning from war with nothing but memories of the woman he lost.
I ignored her. Scanned the rest.
The press had arrived early. Broadcasting stones were being adjusted and calibrated around the hall. These things would transmit everything live to the entire world. Every word spoken in this room would reach every corner of every kingdom.
Exactly what I wanted.
On one side stood the hero duo. Charlotte and Angelica surrounded by their circle of friends and personal servants. Charlotte’s face was composed but I could see the tightness in her jaw. She hadn’t slept well. Wonder why.
On the opposite end stood Aria. Alone. Arms crossed. Leaning against a pillar like she wanted zero association with anyone in this building.
When her eyes found mine, I smiled and gave her a cheerful wave.
She turned away instantly.
I wanted to walk over and tease her for a bit but I wasn’t allowed to leave this spot. I was currently the main character of this little performance and the elevated chamber at the center of the hall was my stage.
Standing in front of me was the truthseeker. A woman in her fifties from the Holy Order. Her face carried the kind of calm that comes from decades of listening to people lie and watching them crumble when exposed.
Everything was set. We were just waiting for the signal.
Then the headmaster of the academy stepped forward.
The hall went silent.
"Citizens of every kingdom and territory connected to this broadcast." His voice carried through the hall with practiced authority. "By order of the Imperial Academy’s governing body, and in accordance with the terms agreed upon following the sanctioned duel between four of our students, we are gathered here today to fulfill the rightful reward of the victorious party."
The press closed in. Broadcasting stones hovering near his face.
"For those watching who are already aware of recent events within these walls, you understand the significance of what is about to unfold. For those who do not, allow me to bring you up to the moment."
He paused. Let the weight settle.
"It began with a confrontation between two students. Charlotte Lombardi and Aria Halloway. Their conflict escalated into a formal challenge. Two allies joined the fray. For Charlotte, the Imperial Princess Angelica Zel Holfort stood. For Aria, student Deculein fal Orenis stepped forward."
Another pause.
"What followed was a double duel witnessed by the entire academy. The terms were clear. A wager was set. And the outcome was decisive. The side of Aria Halloway emerged victorious. As the reward, her partner Deculein requested a session with the Holy Truthseeker. A chance to present a truth and have it verified before the world."
He gestured toward me.
"We will now begin with the student’s demands."
Every broadcasting stone in the room swiveled to face me. Every eye in the hall locked onto my position.
Center of attention. Right where I needed to be.
The truthseeker gave a small nod. Ready.
But before I could open my mouth, the press pounced.
"Why did you support Lady Aria when you loved Princess Charlotte?"
"Did you plan all of this with the Princess? Angering Lady Aria so it would all lead to this moment where you could confess to the world?"
Then a particularly bold one. "It makes no sense why you supported Aria Halloway despite her insulting the woman you love!"
I glanced at Aria. Her face was angry now. She probably thought I orchestrated this entire circus with Charlotte from the beginning.
I raised a hand.
"Hold on with your questions. How about we answer them with the truthseeker’s ability active? That way we can test whether the trial is functioning properly."
I looked at the truthseeker. She nodded her permission.
I turned back to the press.
"So. Why did I help her?" I let the question sit for a moment. "Honestly, I don’t fully know myself. I followed my heart. And in fact, at first I thought I was helping a different person entirely. But then I realized she was someone else. Someone who needed my help far more than she’d ever admit. Despite how much she refuses it."
Silence filled the hall.
Then the truthseeker spoke. Her voice was clear and absolute.
"There is no deception or lie in his words. It is the truth."
I knew it would pass. Because it was the truth. I had carefully presented my genuine thoughts on the matter. I walked into that arena thinking I was helping Diana. When the revelation hit that it was the real Aria, I still chose to stay. Whether my heart made that call or something else, I couldn’t say. But there was no lie in any of it.
I looked at Aria.
Her jaw had dropped. Her expression was something I had never seen before on that face. Confusion. Genuine, unfiltered confusion mixed with something softer that she clearly didn’t know how to process.
She may have took my words as I was referring to her fake and real sides.
Maybe she respected me now. At least a little.
Then the press surged again. "If you genuinely wanted to help Lady Aria, then why cast aside the woman you loved? Lady Aria insulted her in front of the entire academy! She even mocked Princess Charlotte’s face, saying it looked like a constipated camel!"
I nearly choked.
Every ounce of willpower in my body went into not laughing. My lips trembled. My chest burned. I turned to Aria to find her standing there staring at me, completely ignoring what the reporter had just said about her. Waiting for my answer with an intensity that surprised me.
I sighed and turned back to the crowd.
"Look. First of all, let’s clear something up. There is nothing between me and Charlotte. It was all a publicity stunt. Designed to gain the attention of all of you."
The truthseeker’s voice cut through instantly. "The truth. No deception detected."
The hall erupted.
Not with applause. With fury.
Curses flew from every corner. Angry voices overlapping each other. Women who came here for a love story were now screaming for my head. The romantic tale they had built in their imaginations was just shattered to pieces.
And through the chaos, my eyes found Charlotte.
She was smiling. Satisfied. In her mind, this was the best outcome. The fake love story was dead. No more rumors. No more ties to me.
I gave her an even brighter smile.
Then turned to the crowd. "Let me finish first. Let me tell you why I pulled that stunt. I mean, no sane person would do something like that for no reason, right? There has to be a purpose behind it."
The curses halved. Not gone. But enough people wanted to hear what came next.
"So then, let’s start with my reward, shall we?"
I gestured toward Charlotte.
Panic flickered across her face for just a fraction before she buried it. She walked toward me graciously. Every step measured. Every movement controlled.
When she reached my side, her fake smile stayed locked in place. But her whisper was pure venom.
"What do you think you are doing?"
I whispered back. "Just trust me. I’m helping you. And besides, don’t forget. The only reward I asked for was to question you in front of the truthseeker. So let me use it for your freedom."
She didn’t look satisfied. But she turned to the crowd and announced with a voice that echoed through the hall.
"I am ready. Ready to answer any question that Deculein asks. Willingly."
I grinned at the audience. "Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation. And to those who came purely for entertainment, I promise I won’t disappoint."
Their faces told me they weren’t convinced. But that was fine.
"So. Last night when I walked into my room, I discovered something interesting." I clasped my hands behind my back. "Someone had urinated in my room. Right on the floor. I was genuinely curious. Who could it be? And why would they target me specifically?"
I let the disgust settle into the crowd’s expression.
"The sheer hatred behind such an act. The kind of person who would do something this vile pointed to only one individual. Someone whose contempt for me burns brighter than anyone else’s in this entire academy."
I turned to Charlotte. Her jaw had dropped. I could practically smell the panic radiating off her skin.
"Now, I’m not accusing you." I raised my hands innocently. "I’m just curious. Is there anyone in this academy who hates me more than you do?"
She snapped.
Her hand shot forward and grabbed my collar. "How dare you, you scum!" Her composure was in ruins. "You promised me you wouldn’t use your reward against me! You said you would help me!"
I blinked.
"Did I? Because I can’t recall any of that."
I slapped her hand away from my collar. Straightened my shirt.
"Relax. I’m still helping you. Trust me."
"Trust you?"
"Yes. Trust me." I turned toward the crowd and spread my arms. "Come on then, Charlotte. Just answer the question and prove my stupid accusation false. Simple."
She was sweating now. Visibly. Her composed royal mask was cracking at every edge.
"That’s totally bullshit." Her voice was louder than it needed to be. "I would never do such a disgust..."
"She is lying."
The truthseeker’s voice cut through the hall like a guillotine dropping.
Every sound died. Every whisper. Every breath.
The silence that followed wasn’t confusion.
It was something much worse.