Chapter 428 – After The Hearing.

Roland paced nervously in the hallway, his mind racing with thoughts about what might happen next. The outcome of the hearing could have far-reaching consequences not only for Viola but also for Lucienne and even Roland himself. The mages inside were deliberating, and the tension hung in the air.

“Are they still in there? It’s been an hour already. They must really not be sure about what to do if it’s taken this long.”

Arion joined him outside; though not a part of the judges, he could sense that something was amiss. Typically, decisions in matters like these were made swiftly. It was apparent that these old mages hesitated, likely reluctant to offend the nobles. However, the rules were clear – Viola Castellane needed to be punished.

‘I can’t imagine the punishment being too great but perhaps Thorne will use it as an example to deter other nobles from doing the same, at least that seemed to be his main goal…’

Soon enough the heavy doors of the hearing chamber finally creaked open, revealing the five judges. It was time for all the involved to return as a verdict had been made. Roland looked at the five trying to figure out the decision by their facial expressions. Thorne seemed stoic, Rathos contemplative, and Delauder unhappy.

“After careful consideration of the evidence presented and the testimonies provided, we have reached a decision,”

Thorne announced, breaking the tense silence after everyone had returned to the hearing chamber. Roland held his breath, awaiting the verdict that would determine not just Viola’s fate but the course of his sister’s future at the Institute. Lucienne stood next to him in an environment seemingly against her, while Viola huddled with all the other students and her knight.

“Lady Viola Castellane, based on the evidence and testimonies, you are found guilty of orchestrating an unauthorized expedition, endangering the lives of fellow students, and engaging in reprehensible behavior, not befitting of a student of the Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry…”

A sense of relief washed over Roland as Thorne delivered the verdict. Lucienne was quite shocked by the one-sidedness of it, and Viola could not comprehend what she was hearing. She was stunned by the words the Enforcement Head was speaking, unable to grasp the situation.

“No this must be some kind of mistake, I didn’t do anything wrong…”

“Lady Castellane, please don’t interrupt, if you continue speaking, your punishment will be heightened. Now… where was I?

Viola stood up in protest but soon found her legs going weak. She wasn’t taking the harsh tone or words lightly but the consequences for her actions weren’t as harsh as Roland hoped for.

“As a consequence of your actions, Lady Viola, you are hereby suspended from attending classes for the next two months. This suspension will serve as a period of reflection and rehabilitation. Further, a formal apology is expected to be issued to Lady Lucienne Arden for the emotional distress caused along with a monetary compensation of a thousand gold coins. If you are unable to pay the monetary price, the suspension will be extended and merit points will be used instead…”

In summary, the extensive verdict concluded that Viola had to pay restitution or work using merit points. She could achieve this by taking on various tasks within the institute, working outside or just paying it off. Elythaes, her knight, was prohibited from attending the Institute as Viola’s guard, and the other students received a few weeks of suspension.

‘A thousand gold coins is nothing for a noble house like that, she won’t have to work for it for even a minute…’

Roland expected Viola to receive somewhat of a slap on the wrist, so he wasn’t too surprised by the lenient verdict. He acknowledged that if it were a commoner who had done such a thing to a noble, they would likely have been expelled instantly. The two months away from the Institute amounted to nothing more than a free vacation. After that period, people would likely stop talking about the incident, and it would eventually be forgotten. However, he wasn’t so sure if Viola would ever forget this disgrace.

As the weight of the verdict settled in, Viola’s expression shifted from shock to anger. She glared at Lucienne, who stood quietly beside Roland and perhaps realized that her actions had not only failed to break Lucienne but also led to her honor being tarnished. Thorne continued, addressing the other students involved in the unauthorized expedition. Each received varying degrees of punishment, ranging from suspensions to community service within the Institute.

‘It would be good if things ended at this but…’

It was evident that this young Lady was angered, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she used those two months to plan her revenge. Roland, who had been the deciding factor in this whole hearing, would likely be on her radar, possibly a higher priority than Lucienne, who had finally managed to stand up to her. Despite being a baron house, they were still a noble house. The thing nobles detested the most was a tarnished reputation, and perhaps their parents could come to some type of deal now that the truth was out.

‘Wentworth Arden, he should have some friends in the royal military… I’m not sure if even the Castellanes can offend him that easily, that is if he cares enough to pull some strings…’

Lucienne, who had just been through a lot, chose to position herself behind him, seeking refuge from Viola’s death glare. Wentworth was her father, and he should be the one protecting her, not Roland, who had arrived here by accident. In Roland’s mind, his father was a failure in terms of raising children, and it was something he hoped to never become if he ever had children of his own.

“Don’t worry, she won’t be bothering you for a while…”

Lucienne nodded as the hearing concluded, and the students began to disperse. While the verdict had been delivered, they still had some time to gather their belongings before leaving for their suspension. The only person who had been outright expelled from the Institute was Viola’s guard dog, the Magic Swordsman. He along with Viola were being escorted out by the same enforcers that had previously removed their bindings and the two that helped safeguard his sisters appeared to escort her away. She looked a bit apprehensive and for some reason looked to him for confirmation.

“It’s okay, they will just lead you back to your dorm room.”

Lucienne offered a small, grateful smile, her eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and exhaustion. Roland observed as Viola, with her head held high but anger burning in her eyes, was escorted out of the hearing chamber. Thorne gave him a nod, and previously they had agreed to meet up later. However, once outside the hearing chamber, he encountered his friend Elythaes, who appeared to be waiting to give him a warning which was obviously a threat.

“I don’t know who you think you are but remember, a Baskerville never forgets a debt, and we never forgive those who interfere with the Castellane name.”

Elythaes’ words carried a menacing undertone, and his eyes bore into Roland’s visor, signaling a potential conflict in the future. Roland, however, maintained his composure, meeting the Baskerville Knight’s gaze without flinching.

“Spoken like a true guard dog but you should be careful, that misguided loyalty could bring about your downfall.”

“Hah, I don’t know where that bravado comes from but it might serve you well to remember that I am not just a guard dog. I am a Baskerville, and we have ways of dealing with those who cross us.”

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“Just as you dealt with me on the training ground? If that’s what a Baskerville is, then I don’t have anything to worry about. Now, vacate the premises as you were instructed… otherwise…”

Roland turned it up a notch as he attempted to intimidate the knight back. He knew there was no way of going back now, and these people were his enemies. It was better to at least make it clear that he wouldn’t be an easy target.

“You…”

Elythaes snorted in response, clearly dissatisfied with Roland’s words. Without another word, he finally turned away to walk back to Viola’s side. Arion, who wasn’t far behind, overheard the conversation and quickly voiced his opinion.

“What a buffoon, he dares to threaten a member of the faculty?”

“It was a warning”

He responded while thinking some other things

‘I’ll have to be careful, once outside the Institute I could be targeted…’

“How barbaric, we need to keep such people away from this Institute!”

Roland believed that he shouldn’t worry too much about getting in trouble while inside the institute, but when he finished his research, what he did here could lead to some trouble. He was sure that both the Baskerville knights and Castellane would probably try to dig up his past. It was even possible that they could make a connection to Arthur and Albrook, but that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. If his connection to a duke household was revealed, it might shield him from further harm.

“We probably should.”

“Is something wrong? You seem to be concerned about something?”

Roland paused for a moment and Arion caught the change in his tone. There was one thing that he was still worrying about and it didn’t concern Albrook.

“Is it that obvious, where were the student dorms again?”

“The student dormitory? It’s not far from here.”