SAINTESS [Chapter 29] Come, come with me and confess

“First-year student Winnie Varelis, signing up for tomorrow's Mars dungeon expedition.” Winnie had been queuing since afternoon, and finally it was his turn. He handed his student ID to the student council member at the registration desk.

“Eh? Winnie? It's actually you??” It must be said, working in the student council has its benefits. Participating in an event hosted by the academy means the staff at registration are likely people you know.

Winnie met a fellow first-year member of the student council. However, this person's abilities were clearly far superior to Winnie's. Within one semester, he had already gained appreciation from many seniors, and naturally his workload increased too, after all, the seniors were carefully grooming him.

As for Winnie, well, let's just say his work performance still leaves something to be desired.

“Yes, it's me. I want to participate in tomorrow's dungeon exploration. Is that alright?” Winnie said.

“Of course, absolutely fine. You're exactly the kind of student who should participate in this expedition.” The colleague nodded. Although he wasn't particularly close with Winnie, they did know each other, working under the same roof, you inevitably see each other often.

“Exactly the kind?” Winnie said in surprise. Wasn't this dungeon exploration supposed to be open to everyone? He didn't remember any restrictions.

“Yes. The academy added an additional rule later. First-years are still allowed to participate in this dungeon exploration, but with restrictions, they must rank within the top fifty of their current year to qualify.”

“If I recall correctly, you're ranked twenty-third in the first year. Yes, that ranking hasn't changed since last semester's practical assessment and written exam results. That proves your final grades were excellent, maintaining your position. So this semester, you qualify for the Mars dungeon exploration.” The student council member skillfully flipped through Winnie's records as he spoke.

“I see.” Winnie thought his excellent final grades were likely due to high scores in the practical assessment. As for his written exam performance, he had a rough idea, he had put in effort, but certainly not enough to achieve outstanding results. Just maintaining his ranking was already a blessing.

The colleague finished processing Winnie's registration and handed him a token marked with a numbered digit.

“Keep this safe, Winnie. This token is your sole lifeline during the dungeon exploration. It's absolutely something you must not lose. Do you understand?” The student member council said solemnly as he handed over the token. “Even if you forget your weapon on the day, you must not forget this. Although they'll check tokens before entering anyway.”

Winnie glanced at the number written on his token. It reads 'fifteen'.

“This is your team number. This dungeon requires teams of three. Tomorrow, you'll find out who your teammates are.” The student member council explained.

There were many people queuing, but he still patiently explained things to Winnie, after all, they did have some acquaintance.

“Alright, alright, thanks.” Winnie took the token, thanked his colleague, and then left.

The other person still had work to do, unlike someone like Winnie who just idled around in the student council. Besides, today wasn't even Winnie's shift.

Winnie held the token, originally intending to return to his dormitory, but suddenly seemed to remember something and murmured to himself, “Forget it. I'm tired of eating home meals. Today, I'll splurge a little.”

With that, he headed to the business district, making his way to a popular restaurant among ordinary students.

But perhaps it was too late, the restaurant was nearly empty.

Winnie sat down in a corner spot, ordered a bowl of tomato beef noodles from the owner, and then stepped away, apparently finding the token troublesome to carry, he placed it on the chair.

After all, this was a corner seat, hardly anyone around now, his view blocked, no one would notice this spot.

Thus, he confidently went to the restroom.

And in that brief moment, someone entered the shop. First glancing at the counter and seeing no one there, he sneaked over to the corner where Winnie had been sitting, found the token Winnie had left on the chair.

He flipped back, confirmed no one was around, then casually slipped the token into his pocket, replacing it with a counterfeit one that looked flawless.

Everything went smoothly, he wasn't discovered by anyone.

Turning to leave, just as he stepped out the door, thinking he'd succeeded and inwardly sneering at Winnie for being such a careless fool, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

“Student, what you did is illegal. Come, turn yourself in.”

“?!” The boy nearly cried out in fright, suddenly turning his head to find a blue-haired youth's face mere inches from his own.

“Come, turn yourself in.” With that, Winnie grabbed the male student's hand and began dragging him toward the Student Council Disciplinary Committee.

“W-wait, wait a second!” Naturally, the boy wouldn't sit idly by. He struggled desperately to break free from Winnie's grip.

“What are you doing?! What self-surrender? What are you talking about? Don't spout nonsense, watch out, I'll report you for assaulting a classmate!”

“Oh? Trying to play the first victim, are you?” Winnie gasped. “Wait, no, maybe I'm the villain here? Hmm, no, that doesn't sound right either.”

"Listen, classmate. What path do you walk? With tracking skills like yours, do you dare even call yourself a stalker? You were exposed the moment you started tailing me from the registration desk, you know that?"

“Your footsteps aren't quiet, your eyes keep darting around, and you're always pretending to be casual, acting natural. The more you lack something, the more you overcompensate for it. Acting so obviously, don't you know anything about an actor's self-cultivation?” Having spent so much time with Aesphyra, transforming more into Vanessa, Winnie had picked up quite a bit.

“W-what are you even talking about?! I don't understand any of this!” The male student was clearly panicking.

“Don't understand? That's fine. Come with me to the Disciplinary Committee. There, you'll have plenty of time to understand.” With that, Winnie dragged the student toward the Disciplinary Committee office.

“And take this fake wooden token with you. You'll have to explain exactly what you intended. You'd better think hard right now about how you'll defend your actions, and who exactly pushed you to do this. Do you even know what you've done?” Winnie raised the counterfeit token in his hand.

“You have no evidence! You're slandering me for no reason!”

“Evidence? Isn't the real token in your pocket proof enough? Hmph, classmate, do you need any more evidence? Do you really think the Disciplinary Committee can't tell which one is real and which is fake?” Winnie sneezed.

“That's something you planted on me later to frame me!” The student gritted his teeth, feigning indignation.

“Hmph. Classmate, you didn't really think I wouldn't anticipate you saying that, did you?” Winnie coldly retorted, pulling out a recording stone. “When you swapped the tokens, did you even notice what was sitting on the other chair?”

“Your entire act was recorded by me with this recording stone.” Winnie stared at the boy's increasingly pale face, speaking each word deliberately.

In this moment, the young master's aura was fully unleashed.

“I, I!...” The male student clearly had never experienced such a situation, now stammering incoherently.

“Let me go! I didn't even do anything…” he confessed weakly.

“Didn't do anything?” Winnie repeated emotionlessly, fell silent for a moment, then suddenly grabbed the student and slammed him against the wall.

“Do you even know what you're saying?!”

“If I hadn't noticed you, your token swap would have cost someone their life. That's what 'didn't do anything' means?”

“I'm not pointing fingers specifically, but harming anyone is the same. Don't you feel even a shred of guilt?” Winnie's ice-blue eyes were filled with coldness. "What right do you have to take someone's life? To take the life of someone you've never even met?!"

“I, I was just joking with you!” The student, intimidated by Winnie's aura, trembled as he defended himself.

“A joke? You think this is just a joke?” Winnie sneezed. “As a student of Carillian Academy, you should know how dangerous dungeons are, especially those of unknown civilizations. You're not stupid, you're just inherently wicked.”

"Come. Turn yourself in with me." Winnie stopped wasting words. He absolutely detested people like this. Gripping the boy's sleeve, he started dragging him away.

“W-wait! Give me another chance! Just one more chance! I was just possessed by a moment of madness!” The student, realizing he was doomed, cried desperately.

“Madness? I think your evil nature simply overpowered your courage.” Winnie said coldly. “I don't know anything else, but I do know that if people like you aren't eliminated, they'll end up harming the good.”

“Stop talking. I still have some patience with you now, but don't exhaust it. Keep babbling, and the young master won't treat you gently anymore!” The aura Winnie exuded, forged in blood and fire, immediately subdued the male student.

The boy dared not speak again, trembling and quivering as Winnie dragged him to the Disciplinary Committee.

“What happened?” At the Disciplinary Committee hall, a bespectacled member pushed up his glasses as he saw the two entering in a struggle.

Judging by the scene, Winnie was dominant and forceful, while the boy he'd captured appeared meek and frightened. No one could tell what exactly had happened.

“Senior sister from the Disciplinary Committee, it's like this.” Winnie explained the entire sequence of events.

After listening, the Disciplinary Committee member's expression gradually turned serious.

“Classmate, is what he said true?” The member turned a questioning gaze towards the male student.

“I didn't! He's making it all up!” Naturally, the boy refused to admit it.

“So you'd rather die denying it? Then why is my token in your pocket?” Winnie shot back.

“That's something he planted on me!” The boy stubbornly refused to confess, knowing full well that admission would mean expulsion at the very least.

“Here we go again. Take it up with my recording stone.” With that, Winnie pulled out his recording stone.

“What's going on?” At that moment, a familiar voice entered the scene.

Winnie and the several Disciplinary Committee members present turned to look.

“Isatia??” Winnie recognized the black-haired beauty currently on duty.

“Team leader??” The other Disciplinary Committee members followed suit.

Huh? Team leader??

Winnie looked at Isatia, who remained calm and collected, thinking to herself that she truly lived up to being the fated heroine, already promoted to a Disciplinary Committee team leader within just one semester.

“Winnie?” Isatia walked over and recognized Winnie immediately.


“What happened?” She looked at Winnie, then at the male student he was holding.

“Here's what happened.” Winnie recounted the entire incident, then handed the recording stone to Isatia.

After reviewing it, Isatia immediately took out a form and began filling it out.

“Team leader, should we conduct an investigation?” The other Disciplinary Committee members who had witnessed everything naturally knew this was solid evidence, but still felt obliged to ask.

“Investigation? There's no need for a procedure. Caught red-handed with evidence. Proceed with handling immediately.” Isatia said expressionlessly.

“Aaah?!” Upon hearing he was about to be dealt with, the male student's legs nearly gave out.

“Name?” Isatia pulled over a chair, sat down, and crossed her black-stockinged legs, exuding immense pressure.

In that instant, Winnie felt as if Isatia had already ascended the throne. The way she looked at people was exactly like how the Empress of the Tyrell Empire would gaze upon insects destined to be cleared, the overwhelming presence of a true ruler.

If one were to ask which heroine possessed the most imperial and authoritative aura, Isatia claiming second place meant no one dared claim first.

Just a few simple words made the male student tremble with terror, like a captured enemy soldier dragged before an emperor.

“I— I— I— ”

“You'll be found out eventually. Refuse to speak, and I'll add obstruction of justice, deliberately increasing our workload.” Isatia crossed her arms, speaking coldly.

“I, I'm Wood!” The student hastily replied upon hearing this.

“Which class? Entrance ranking? Current ranking? Student ID number, registration number, state them all.” Isatia commanded in an absolute tone.

Wood had never seen such a scene. He could only confess everything.

“Then, why did you try to frame Winnie? What was your motive? According to Winnie, you two don't even know each other.” Isatia continued, legs still crossed, her expressionless violet eyes radiating imperial disdain, full of imposing authority.

“I, I…” Wood's eyes flickered with brief hesitation, then hardened. “I just disliked him. That scoundrel deserves to die in some unknown dungeon!”

“No. You're lying to me.” Yet, who was Isatia? She wasn't fooled for a second. Her beautiful violet eyes locked onto Wood, as if nothing deliberately concealed could escape her gaze, she saw through his every thought instantly.

“Your eyes just now, your subtle expressions, and behavioral logic, they all tell me your motive isn't really this.”

“Maybe you truly feel this way, but logically, this alone is insufficient to drive you to harm someone. Someone ordered you to do this, didn't they?” Isatia said meaningfully.

“I, I! That's absolutely not!” Wood, as if his inner thoughts had been pierced, began panicking.

“Student Wood, no, Wood. You'd better think carefully before you speak.” Isatia leaned back slightly, making Wood feel as if he were only fit to look up at her, an overwhelming sense of hierarchy pressing down.

“You think this matter ends with losing your student status and expulsion? You're gravely mistaken.”

“Judging by your expression, you clearly don't understand. Let me educate you, unless under special circumstances, in any human nation, an attempt of murder is the death penalty.”

“Your actions just now fall entirely within the scope of attempted murder, you know?”

“If you were from the Camella Kingdom, I'd happily hand you over to Mirexia for judgment. Believe me, she wouldn't show you any favoritism, she might even deal with you more harshly than I would. If you're from the Tyrell Empire, then it's even simpler.”

“I don't need the Imperial High Judge to handle you. Right now, I can personally deliver your final judgment, strip you of your Carillian Academy student status, deport you back home, and immediately upon your return, have you thrown into prison.”

“Thud!” Wood's legs gave out completely, and he collapsed onto the floor, staring up at those beautiful eyes looking down upon him, stammering in terror.