Chapter 94: Which path do you want to choose?

The dean accepted the two items and briefly examined them. His forehead creased sharply as his sense of smell picked up the scent coming from one of them.

"Liliana, step forward and stand beside me," the dean ordered.

Liliana clenched her fingers tightly before finally nodding and stepping forward.

"Dean?"

"Do you know what this is?"

Liliana shook her head. "I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve ever seen it."

The dean shifted his gaze toward Ken Forst, Mali’s mother, and the instructor. He then tossed the object in his hand directly toward the instructor.

"You must know what this is, don’t you?" he asked calmly, without the slightest change in his expression.

"Dean?"

"In your class, you allowed a student to bring poison from the human world? And now, you’re still accusing Liliana of killing her?"

"Dean, perhaps Liliana used the same method she used when she killed her first adoptive father, the Alpha of Pack Forst!" he retorted.

The dean sneered.

"With my sense of smell, you still dare to question my words? I couldn’t detect even the slightest trace of this poison on Liliana’s body."

Leonhardt, Lucien, Vincent, and Cassian immediately raised their heads to look at the dean before shifting their gazes toward Liliana. Their eyes gleamed with the same expression.

Ken Forst immediately knelt before the dean.

"Dean, Liliana might have tried to erase the scent from her body after my younger sister, Mali, died. How could it be... my sister..."

"Do you want me to investigate this matter further, Ken Forst?"

Seeing the dean’s sharp gaze, Ken struggled to swallow. His fingers clenched tightly together.

"Dean, I know you have a rather good relationship with the head of Pack Draven. Are you trying to..."

Whoosh!

The dean waved his hand. A powerful gust of wind immediately swept toward Ken, sending him crashing to the floor.

Mali’s mother quickly stood up to help Ken to his feet before kneeling again.

"Dean, why did you hurt my son? Did my son do something wrong? Was losing my husband and daughter not enough? Do you intend to kill my son as well? I know Pack Forst has suffered a significant decline and is no longer worthy of your attention. But is this how you treat us, even though we’re the victims here?"

Ken wiped the blood from the corner of his lips before looking at Liliana.

"Liliana..." He chuckled. "Did my father and Mali ever treat you badly? My father was always fair to you and asked you to be a good sister to Mali. Even when we found out that you had killed our Alpha, we still spared you from the Pack’s punishment and simply banished you. And now, what do we get in return?"

Liliana shook her head. She walked toward Ken Forst and Mali’s mother.

"Brother... Mother... I didn’t kill them. I didn’t kill my adoptive father, the Alpha, or Mali. I never laid a hand on either of them."

Mali’s mother immediately shoved Liliana with great force, trying to push her away.

Liliana, who hadn’t been prepared for it, was sent stumbling backward. However, before she could hit the wall behind her, Leonhardt swiftly rushed forward and appeared behind her in an instant.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a low voice.

Cassian, Lucien, and Vincent, who had witnessed what happened, finally let out sighs of relief.

Liliana shook her head. "I’m fine."

She gently pushed Leonhardt away before looking at Mali’s mother, Ken Forst, and even the instructor, who was now staring at her in surprise.

"Mother, I did meet Mali in the forest earlier. But we only had an ordinary fight. I didn’t kill her at all."

Liliana raised both her trembling hands.

"I... I really didn’t kill her. Please, take me to see Mali. Maybe I can..."

"Liliana," Leonhardt called right beside her ear.

Liliana flinched. She raised her head and immediately met Leonhardt’s golden eyes.

"Mali is already dead. Don’t say anything unnecessary."

The tears on Liliana’s face finally began to fall freely. She shook her head in disbelief.

"Mother... I know I’ve made mistakes, but I really didn’t kill Mali. I considered her my own younger sister. How could I possibly..."

Slap!

Mali’s mother, who had just stood up, slapped her. The woman then smiled coldly as she looked at Liliana’s swollen cheek.

"Mother..."

"Stop!" Mali’s mother interrupted. "Don’t call me that. You’re not my daughter. My only daughter is Mali. And my greatest mistake..."

She pointed at Liliana’s face with a trembling hand.

"Was allowing my husband to adopt you as our daughter and even letting you spend time with my own daughter!"

"Ahhhh!" Mali’s mother screamed, no longer able to contain her emotions.

Ken Forst immediately caught his mother’s body, trying to calm her down.

Leonhardt, who was about to return Mali’s mother’s slap, was quickly stopped by Liliana. The girl gently shook her head.

Leonhardt finally let out a heavy sigh before turning his dissatisfied gaze toward the dean.

The dean, realizing Leonhardt’s sharp gaze, finally cleared his throat. He stood up and walked toward the instructor. A swift kick struck the man’s body, sending him sprawling across the floor. He was no longer even able to attempt to stand.

The dean snorted before turning toward Mali’s mother and Ken Forst.

"Tell me, which path do you want to choose? Admit everything you’ve done, or continue with the investigation?"

He smiled coldly.

"Don’t think you can keep pretending in front of me."

Liliana stared at the dean for several moments before shifting her gaze toward Mali’s mother and Ken Forst.

"Dean, what do you mean? Are you saying we’re just pretending? Are you saying Mali’s death was merely..."

The dean waved his hand, cutting her off.

"Ken Forst, you’re the future Alpha of Pack Forst. If you keep talking nonsense, do you think I’ll let you graduate from this academy? Forget about graduating. Even your right to remain at this academy could be revoked at any moment."

Ken Forst stared at the dean and shook his head in disbelief.

"Dean..."

The dean fixed his sharp gaze on Mali’s mother, causing the woman to immediately fall silent.

"You entered the academy without seeking my permission first, then caused such a huge disturbance. Does Pack Forst think my academy’s reputation is worth less than mud?"

Mali’s mother unconsciously lowered her head. The overwhelming pressure coming from the dean made her body tremble.

"Return to your Pack. That includes you, Ken Forst. You will receive a one-month suspension."

"But..."

"If you still refuse," the dean interrupted, "don’t blame me if I summon the Imperial Palace investigators to look into this matter. You should know what will happen if that actually takes place, shouldn’t you?"