**Chapter 75: A Solo Lunch, But an Incident Occurs**
Thus, Rest’s school life began. After attending several classes and deepening his friendships with classmates, he was enjoying a relatively smooth academic experience. However, about two weeks into his enrollment, he was suddenly caught up in a commotion.
On a certain lunch break, the Rosemary Sisters were hosting a tea party with their female friends, leaving Rest to act alone for a change. This academy, an educational institution for nobles, had several salons where students could gather, provided they submitted a request in advance.
(For nobles, tea parties are a venue for gathering information. It’s a lady’s pastime, I suppose.)
Usually, he would share a meal with the sisters, enjoying the bento provided by the marquis family. However, seizing the opportunity, he decided to have lunch in the cafeteria today. Since he didn’t have a class during the first period of the afternoon, he could take his time with his meal. As he walked down the corridor toward the cafeteria at a leisurely pace, a sudden loud bang echoed through the air.
“What the…!”
Startled by the explosion, Rest instinctively braced himself. There was no doubt about it; that was an explosion caused by fire magic. Looking around to find the source of the sound, he noticed smoke rising from a classroom at the end of the hall.
“Is that… the D Class classroom?!”
Indeed, it was the classroom for the first-year D Class. Students were hurriedly evacuating, while a crowd of onlookers began to gather.
“……!”
Cautiously approaching the problematic classroom, Rest peered inside among the spectators. In the center of the room lay a male student, collapsed.
“Ugh… ah…”
“No! Franz! Franz!”
The fallen student had his clothes charred and bore burns all over his body. He was breathing faintly, so he was alive, but it seemed that urgent medical attention was necessary to save his life. A female student clung to him, desperately calling his name and crying.
“Hmph… Fool. To touch this noble body is an act of rudeness.”
And there, looking down at the two, was a familiar figure. It was Rodel Aiwood, the Third Prince, who had caused a stir by barging into the A Class classroom right after the entrance ceremony.
“Hey, what happened here?”
“Um… who are you?”
“Just tell me what happened.”
Rest caught a boy who seemed to be a D Class student and asked him for details, and he began to explain.
“Prince Rodel approached one of the female students, asking her to join him for a meal. When her boyfriend tried to intervene, they got into an argument, and the prince grabbed the boy’s arm…”
“Wait… did he use magic? In a classroom like this?”
Surprised, Rest inquired, and the boy nodded. It was hard to believe that someone would resort to attacking magic just because they were interrupted while flirting. He had heard that the prince was foolish, but he hadn’t expected it to be to this extent.
(What a feudal mindset… or perhaps it’s just this prince being an idiot…)
“Because of you, my clothes are ruined. Girl, you will take responsibility.”
“Look, the prince has spoken! Get up already!”
“No, please!”
One of Rodel’s lackeys grabbed the girl’s arm and forced her to stand. If Rest remembered correctly, this was the boy who had been referred to as “the son of Count Dora” by Celestine. Another small lackey stood beside Rodel, grinning as he cast lewd glances at the resisting girl.
“Please, let me tend to Franz! If this continues, he will die…!”
“I don’t care about the life of a worthless commoner. Don’t keep me waiting any longer.”
Rodel coldly replied to the girl’s pleas. Though his tone was icy, his gaze was fixated on the girl’s chest and the thighs peeking from her skirt. He had heard that Rodel was a womanizer, and it seemed that was indeed the case.
(What should I do…?)
Rest narrowed his eyes at the brazen scene unfolding before him, feeling a bitter expression form. Emotionally, he wanted to intervene. Anyone with a sense of decency would find the spectacle in the classroom utterly distasteful.
(But… if I draw the prince’s attention, it could become troublesome.)
Even if he stepped in to stop it, he doubted anyone would criticize him. No matter how noble he was, this was clearly going too far.
(But… I doubt the prince would be expelled or face severe punishment…)
According to what Celestine had told him, while this prince was a worthless man, he had powerful backing. It wouldn’t be so simple as to resolve this with an expulsion.
(Given the prince’s personality, he would definitely hold a grudge. It would be fine if it were just me, but if Viola or Primula got caught up in this, it would be a problem…)
He couldn’t let the two of them attract the prince’s attention. Yet, it also didn’t feel right to simply look away and walk past.
(A man who would abandon someone in need is not worthy of the Rosemary Sisters… I can’t let them down.)
Rest had resolved not to disgrace himself in front of the Rosemary Sisters who had chosen him. He couldn’t allow himself to turn a blind eye to the evil right in front of him.
“Let’s do this…”
He wouldn’t overlook the prince’s misdeeds. However, he would strike without being noticed, ensuring he wouldn’t be recognized. It was a simple task, wasn’t it?
“**Smoke Screen**!”
As Rest activated the spell, a curtain of white smoke enveloped the interior of the D Class classroom.