Chapter 37: Clearing the Assault Allegations
’Crap!’
Cillian’s eyes narrowed at the clock above the club’s door. Both arrows point at twelve, signaling noon.
Actually, looking at the time would be worthless if his class was already designated with an enemy class that might’ve already commenced with the tournament.
Rule number nine of the celebration enforced that students who are not able to attend will receive heavy punishment. Additionally, rules eleven and twelve heavily enforce this rule, which is already enough trouble as it.
’A few days... This eye said a few days, not several days. Hopefully, it’s been less than three days! Please, just let it be that way,’
Cillian prayed to himself before looking at the Mouthful Eye and asked, preparing to hear the worst possible statement from its mouth.
"Hey, what day is it today?"
Mouthful Eye rolled at Phillip, lightly jumped, and used his abdomen to hop in the air as if it were a mini trampoline before answering.
"If we’re using the time of this world, it’s Monday. You’ve been unconscious for nearly three days. Why? Something important came up?"
Cillian finally heaved a sigh of relief, feeling his worries had subsided. Now that the major problem was gone, it was time to fix the minor ones.
Yet just as he was about to do it, a hand reached out to his finger.
Feeling the smooth skin tickling his hand, Cillian looked at the ground slightly, only to see Caspin waking up.
"—"
Before she could even react, Cillian had already removed his hands from Caspin’s shoulders.
He was supposed to shake her out of her sleep, but he realized he didn’t need to. In the end, Caspin lightly fell to the ground, her back touching the solid ground.
"Ugh, my head hurts... my back too."
Caspin’s vision slowly stabilizes.
"Cillian Sparrow... Sparrow?"
Touching her splitting head without any idea what happened, Caspin suspiciously seized up Cillian.
"Hey, why the hell am I in your club!?"
Her voice was furious and doubtful.
Cillian felt that if he ever gave any unbelievable answer, such as she was hexed by a terrifying power and made her unconscious for a few days, it might lead to a difficult situation that didn’t sound logical at all.
Cillian had given her time to juggle her memories, yet by the looks of it, she was very unaware of what had become known.
Or is she?
Still, Cillian needed the answer to come from her mouth.
Like her, who is confused, Cillian came up with a plan to do the same thing.
Feign ignorance.
"Actually, I don’t know what happened as well. When I woke up, I found you three still sleeping. I was just about to wake you guys till you managed to do it yourself."
Caspin seemed to be doubtful once more, looking as if she didn’t believe any words Cillian uttered from his hideous lips.
"Hmm... I-I see."
She slightly moved away from him, acting like a victim getting away from a pervert who was there to do her degenerate actions.
’Hey, hey! Don’t look at me like that! I was also affected as well! Why the hell are you wary of me? Where is the usual unbiased treatment of students go—oh.’
Thinking that he had a history of being a bully that became exaggerated, which turned it into some sort of debauchery, Cillian convinced himself that Caspin’s actions were reasonable.
She would’ve realized that there’s more than what meets the eye.
Still, she didn’t let her rationality affect her thinking. Probably.
With shaking hands, Caspin retorted with a rather nervous tone.
"I-I see... So, you’re saying to me that you, your two friends, and myself have been S-STUCK in this room together for a few days without knowing what actions we have done? A beautiful woman like me with three boys... Does that mean I was assaulted—"
"Stop!"
Cillian immediately stopped her raging thoughts from going wild.
"Why would you even think that we assaulted you! Okay, I know it looks like one, but I’m also a victim! Victim! I’m not in the wrong here, damn it!"
Caspin didn’t seem to believe that, as when she looked down at her clothes, she found them to be wrinkled and crumpled as if they had just finished rough sessions of rough exercises.
Her eyes began to tear up when she thought about what rough sessions of rough exercise it was.
Feeling that her emotions were going haywire just the way she was acting, Cillian had to stop her raging imagination from working together with it.
Putting a halt to it is a must; hence, his mind worked faster than ever to land a definitive answer.
With quick thinking, Cillian suggested.
"I know this is a wild... situation. That’s why we report this phenomenon to the student council! I assure you, we didn’t do anything at all! Right, what do you even remember after coming to this room?"
He managed to slip through something from his statement, as he had to know how much Caspin had managed to remember, unlike him, who recalled it all.
"Report..."
Caspin looked agreeing to the idea before answering in a low tone.
"Actually, I remembered that I was still in the student council, finishing up documents... until I heard a knock."
’What?’
Caspin’s memories didn’t reach the club’s room or even the time they walked together in the hallway. Instead, inside the Student Council?
’That’s how far she can remember? Isn’t that too much?’
Cillian then glanced at Mouthful Eye.
’Ah, is it related to hiding Aiden’s whereabouts and situation? No, wait. I can consider that this is Aiden’s power doing since I’ve been exposed to it. Man, he might be... slumbering now, but how powerful is he anyway?’
Thinking that his mind was drifting to the current talk, Cillian shook his head before answering.
"Ah, probably the person who knocked was me. I remember that we went together to my club to look for something, but we were unable to pinpoint what actually happened here."
"Really?"
Cillian nodded.
He revealed such information because he was afraid his lie would be uncovered after the investigation began. If an investigation happened, that is.
Many people saw them together, after all.
It will lead to unnecessary development that might endanger the reputation of his growing club.
He also had the freaking door to mind where Aiden is currently resting to put his attention to as well.
"I see. Putting it that way, it actually makes sense. My memory is really fuzzy."
Caspin commented, her eyes slightly cleared.
Cillian grunted in an agreeable gesture to her claims before he realized he had to end their conversation, knowing class lots had already been drawn and inspection for items to use in the incoming battle was underway.
Meaning, he had to hurry.
"Ma’am Caspin, I know this situation confuses you. Believe me, I do too. But we should get going. Do we even remember how long we have fallen asleep? Aren’t you worried someone might’ve been worried about your absence?"
Freaked out by such statements, Caspin tacitly agreed before she stood up and left the club room without even saying farewell. Cillian, who didn’t mind it, quickly began to move by locking the door first.
Right after, he picked up the eye artifact and ordered.
"Do your thing. Use the Whispering Sphere ability,"
The eye retorted.
"Okay, but place me wherever you want to activate it. The middle of the room is a good choice. Then rub me."
’Rub, huh.’
Cillian hastened his steps and did what the artifact told him to. Placing the mouthful eye in the middle of the room, he rubbed it once, and he saw a slight change of atmosphere inside his room.
Once he was done analyzing what had happened, he quickly moved to his colleagues once more, and this time, forcibly tried to wake them up.
Pak!
Slapping their cheeks so hard that they began to redden, Cillian called out.
"Hey, sleep time is over!"
Both Phillip and Vin seemed to have jolted upwards, their gazes slightly disturbed. They scratched their heads, that pang with pain.
Their attention slowly drifted to Cillian, who woke them up.
"Hey, let’s go! I will explain after all our first matches are over. Right now, we need to attend to see if our classes are the first five to fight. And don’t you dare open that door!"
Confused and troubled, the two of them appeared to have been lost.
They were unfocused and slowly trying to think straight, but Cillian didn’t have time to worry about their well-being since all their memories relating to this room probably must’ve disappeared as well.
Hence, he quickly dashed toward one of the spare rooms and grabbed the belongings he had prepared for the upcoming tournament.
Before the event on the fateful day of meeting Aiden, Cillian had already made arrangements.
Food, equipment, and necessities were put in a single adventurer’s bag. On the other hand, his main weapon, which is a bow and a set of quivers, had to be carried separately.
Once he managed to grab every necessity he needed for himself, Cillian grabbed Mouthful Eye and immediately bid his two colleagues farewell, who slowly came to their senses.
Eventually, they also started to prepare.
Even though there’s half a chance their classes are picked, it’s better to make preparation rather than regretting it. Like him, everyone in the academy must have done a thing or two, even if their class isn’t picked.
After running for a few minutes of running through the empty hallway, Cillian eventually made his way through the ground complex.
The stadium, which was usually quiet, spacious, and empty, was crowded with students all around the place.
His gaze instantly narrowed at the section for the contestants.
In there, his classmates were almost finished being inspected for their belongings. All of them are equipped, battle-hardened, stern, and resolute to win the contest.
’My goodness, we’re really picked.’
Cillian felt gladdened that he had prepared everything in advance, as all he needed to do was gather them all and attend.
With a smirk, he dashed through the students and made his way to his class.
Seeing him approach and stop at the supervisor inspecting his equipment, the others wore complicated expressions. Mostly didn’t care, some threw him distasteful looks, but Aster calmly watched him come.
Once he positioned himself quite away from the group, Cillian sighed and felt the intense gaze coming from somewhere.
Tracing to where it was, he looked at Aster and stared back at him.
"What?"
Aster stared at him after a few moments before ignoring him, leaving Cillian raising a brow before he also waited.
A moment later, the tournament commenced its opening stage.
