Chapter 28: Disciplinary Council and Morning Political Storm

Morning sunlight streaming through my dorm window felt blindingly bright, carrying lingering physical exhaustion that hadn't fully left my bones. Last night, after parting with Prince Leonhardt in the academy courtyard, I sneaked back into my room through the window undetected, then collapsed onto the bed from total mana exhaustion.

Now, the large wall clock showed seven-ten AM. Loud, persistent knocks suddenly shattered the morning silence, making my resting heart hammer with alertness.

"Lady Alicia! Wake up! You are ordered to report to the academy disciplinary council right now!" shouted a royal guard from behind my carved wooden door.

I exhaled deeply, smoothing my slightly messy hair, then donned my academy uniform robe with calm, controlled movements. The cold, arrogant villainess mask was locked perfectly back onto my face before my right hand turned the door knob and swung it wide open.

Outside, two silver-armored elite guards from the council stood stiffly. At the corridor's end, several noble students—including Sterling faction lackies—whispered while glancing my way with curious, cunning smirks. News of my absence from morning drills or anonymous reports from last night must have reached top council ears.

Ignoring the judgmental stares, I stepped out with my chin held high, radiating absolute dominance making the guards step back slightly. "No need to shout at my door. I know the way to the disciplinary council," I said coldly, leaving the guards frozen and clearing a path.

Walking toward the main disciplinary building, my mind raced analyzing the situation. Sudden morning summons were never ordinary. This was definitely Sterling faction work or enemy teachers trying to exploit the destroyed underground lab incident to ruin the Valerian family's credibility. They assumed I was trapped and lacked an alibi for wandering a restricted zone.

Arriving before the black oak double doors bearing the royal lion crest, a guard opened them slowly. The hearing room atmosphere felt grim and oppressive. At the front seat of honor, Academy Headmaster Lord Vane sat beside senior faculty members and a special representative from the Sterling family clan.

In the corner, Prince Leonhardt stood tall with a flat, emotionless expression, wearing formal royal prince attire adorned with gold badges. His ice-blue eyes glanced my way as I crossed the thick red carpet, signaling silently that our emergency plan from last night must run flawlessly.

"Take a seat, Lady Alicia," Lord Vane's heavy voice echoed across the high-ceilinged hearing room. "Or rather... stand before the council to account for the severe violations committed last night."

I stopped dead center, avoiding exaggerated bows, maintaining the dignified posture of a military noble daughter. "What severe violations, Headmaster? Is strolling to breathe night air within academy grounds now classified as a crime under royal law?"

A senior teacher from the Sterling faction stood abruptly, pointing a slightly trembling finger at me in anger. "Don't dare act insolent before the council, Alicia! Emergency magic investigation reports from last night show high-level ice mana distortion and massive explosions in the forbidden underground labyrinth ruins! And eyewitnesses report your magical traces lingered alongside shadow monsters!"

Muffled whispers rippled through the back rows of faculty members. The hearing heated toward a singular conclusion: they wanted to make me a scapegoat for the academy's shadow faction terror incident.

Before accusations widened to discredit my family name, I smirked thinly, casting a dismissive gaze at the Sterling faction teacher. "Mana distortion? Magical traces?" I said calmly yet piercingly. "Fascinating how academy monitors analyze residual magic in ruins so thoroughly, yet stay so negligent as to miss poison-wielding assassins sneaking into the girls' dorm days ago."

That direct statement silenced the room instantly. The Sterling faction teacher swallowed hard, face flushing red, not expecting a counterattack exposing the academy's own security failures.

"Watch your tongue, Lady Alicia!" protested the teacher half-shouting.

"Enough!"

A firm, authoritative interruption halted the debate. Prince Leonhardt stepped forward from the corner, standing to my right with upright posture exuding absolute authority as crown prince. Every eye fixed on him.

"Prince Leonhardt," Lord Vane leaned forward inquiringly. "Do you hold specific testimony regarding Lady Alicia's presence in the labyrinth ruins last night? Night patrol logs report you were also near the scene."

I held my breath, glancing sideways at the prince. Our biggest gamble rested on this second. If Prince Leonhardt betrayed me and followed Sterling's setup, my academy life was truly over.

Instead, the silver-blonde youth stared straight at the faculty board with flawless, cold composure. "The night patrol report is correct, Headmaster. I was indeed in the underground labyrinth last night. And I can testify absolutely that Lady Alicia holds zero affiliation with the shadow faction."

Leonhardt paused, adding dramatic tension making the room hold its collective breath.

"On the contrary," Leonhardt continued in a firm bariton, "last night, Lady Alicia conducted a secret investigation under my direct orders to track the shadow faction's hideout threatening academy security. The labyrinth explosion occurred because we successfully ambushed their base and escaped a shadow monster trap."

Total silence blanketed the disciplinary council room. Council members exchanged pale-faced glances. No one expected the crown prince to assume full responsibility and protect Alicia with such a watertight alibi. The Sterling faction representative in the corner clenched fists until knuckles turned white over their ruined plot.

Lord Vane furrowed his brows deeply, shifting piercing glances between Prince Leonhardt and me. "If this was an official royal secret investigation, why wasn't prior notice given to the academy board, Your Highness?"

"Because reporting through slow academy bureaucracy full of information leaks would have tipped off those shadow criminals," Leonhardt answered without hesitation, exuding supreme noble authority unchallengeable by anyone present.

I wore a victory smirk beneath my cold exterior. We won the first round of this political war thanks to a solid emergency alliance. Yet, I knew deep down, the shadow faction and court enemies wouldn't surrender easily. The real chess game had just begun, and I needed to stay steps ahead of them all.