Next day

"What are you doing here?"

Rio said as he just walked out his dorm and saw Bernhardt standing there..

"Come on, I haven't seen you for so long. Thought I'd drop by and say hi." Bernhardt smiled as he walked ahead and placed his hand over Rio's shoulder.

Since Rio's height was still a notch below the bastard prince, Bernhardt always did this just to annoy him.

"Just don't mess with my hair, I don't wanna look like a golden haired bird who just left its nest." Rio said, looking at Bernhardt's messy hair and slightly reddish eyes.

"Hey, don't blame me, okay, this is a new style I just saw in a dungeon world." Bernhardt said, showing him a few images of other people with that same messy scattered hair style.

"Yeah, the style of lazy people." Rio said and started walking ahead. "What's going on with you? I heard some fancy rumors about you being caught roaming around the girl's dormitory a few days back."

Hearing the question Bernhardt looked surprised, before asking embarrassingly "Who told you that?"

"Does it matter? Tell me, did someone catch your eye, or are you just messing around in your last year." Rio said without answering his question.

"I was just helping her with the training and the preparation for the party. It was the warden's fault who misunderstood us." Bernhardt said, while shrugging his shoulders.

"In the middle of the night, on the rooftop whose door you locked with three little formations. - sure, just simple training, right?" Rio said sarcastically before shaking his head at this prince who obviously left his weird sisterly obsession written in the novel, but then turned around and got the traits of a playboy.

Rio couldn't even remember how many times he had to leave his room or cover for this guy whenever they were out training or entering the dungeons, just cause Bernhardt had called for his 'friends' into their room.

Although all this playfulness did stop when Dahlia came to be at the academy, but that's a love story that ended way too soon and here we are again.

"Hey, are you keeping tabs on me?" Bernhardt asked, blocking his way.

"Obviously, who's gonna handle your shit if you cause a scandal like last time." Rio said, reminding him of the time when the dear brother Alfred had sent a girl into Bernhardt's room and created a large drama to ruin this guy's reputation at the palace. "Not to mention, aunt Beliana told me to beat you hard if you ever do something stupid again."

Bernhardt was still smiling hearing his words, until he heard the mention of his mother and him getting beaten, then his face froze a little, but he smiled next second and replied jokingly. "Like you can beat me? I'm already two major ranks higher than you, you know. If anything, you should be careful lest I slap you to death, hehehe."

"Yeah, why don't you give it a try and see who slaps whom." Rio said, grabbing his hand before he could land a slap on his back, before twisting it until he heard the scream from this golden boy.

"Argh ok, ok, okay, I was just joking." Bernhardt said, pulling himself away, while trying to use thunder to get himself out of his grip. "Jeez, you're dumb." he said, massaging his wrist as he could see red marks forming there.

"So tell me, who's the girl this time?" Rio ignored him and asked again.

"Erina." Bernhardt said, "You know, the one with the brown hair and perky boobs. Dang, did she grew those melons in these two years? They're huuge." He explained with his hand signs, going into details better left unsaid.

"Idiot. She's a commoner right?" Rio asked, shaking his head and ignoring his weird smile.

"Yupp, though she did join some sect last year, I think it was some absolute heaven or some other cringy name like that."

"Absolute heaven's beginning sect?"

"Yeah that one." Bernhardt nodded his head hearing Rio mention the right name. "Wait, you know that sect, don't tell me they're some bigshot, I thought it was just some random roadside dojo, but a bit fancy."

Rio shook his head and replied "I just heard the name in passing. Be careful though, I heard the sect leader has some screws loose."

"Well, as long as he's not blind, he'll know his place." Bernhardt said in dismissal but made a mental note to get a clear investigation done on his new 'girlfriend'.

"How are things going for you huh? The girls in your batch are aamazing, I heard." he said changing the topic back to Rio.

"Can you atleast behave like a prince? You sound more like a serial rapist on the loose." Rio replied.

"Come on, don't be like that. Tell me all the juicy gossip. Which beauty got paired up with whom. And did anyone catch your eye?" Bernhardt asked, again placing his hand over his shoulder and pulling him close.

Shaking his head over this fool, Rio replied jokingly "Becca would kill you, if she heard you now."

"Don't change the topic, tell me everything. I gotta place my bets right on who's gonna win the first beauty rank tonight." Bernhardt said

"You're into betting again?" Rio asked.

"What do you mean again, I'm not addicted. It's just a hobby." Bernhardt defended as he pressed his neck by the shoulder for joking about the past.

"Yeah, if you say so." Rio said, and replied back. "Nothing interesting is happening, the same old routine of boring classes, 'tiring' training and a few spar and some light bullying here and there."

"What do you mean nothing interesting, I heard Ken's little sister was roaming around with the boy who got framed for rape attempt last night, who just also happens to be the first ranker and student council's president's little brother. Isn't that juicy enough to share?" Bernhardt said as he let go of his hand and walked beside him.

"You said framed? Is the staff's investigation already over?" Rio asked, raising his eyebrows at this info.

"Yeah, didn't you check your watch. I think the staff even sent a class wide notice to stop the rumors or any bad impact caused by this incident." Bernhardt said what he heard, watching as Rio shook his head and started flipping through his messages.

[Dear classman of first years, this message is to inform you regarding the findings of the incident that had happened at the party last night.

The staff had checked all the proofs and talked with all the students and many witnesses present there. And after everything, the conclusion was clear that all three of the involved students were just victims in this case. Their blood samples were all checked and found with the traces of high hallucinogenic drug particles.

Whatever happened with them was nothing but an illusion they all fell into. It might've been a bad prank from someone or a trap to ruin their reputation, which is why a further investigation is still ongoing.

But for now the academy requests you to not be fooled and rallied by some lies and misunderstandings, Zenith has and always will be a place of knowledge and justice. So refrain from any sort of rumors and prejudice against the said students.

May you all enjoy the unity of this event and work towards the goal to form a brighter future ahead Together.

Xander Skyshaper

Elder of the Judgement ]

"Xander, so he called you out huh." Rio muttered after reading the whole passage written by the Hall of Justice, and that too by an elder level staff.

'Looks like you're getting serious my little lamp. Taking no chances and all. But if it was that easy to solve the rumors, my original fate wouldn't be so grim.' He thought and smiled to himself.

'But since you're out already, I guess it's time for that viking fella to wake up too. It's time to end your rivalry with your death.' Rio thought, his brain already cooking up plans to kill the supporter apollo arranged for leon.

"Oye, what's that smile for?" Bernhardt asked, looking at him.

"Nothing just read the last lines praising Zenith as righteous justice peak and all, and couldn't help myself." Rio said, and changed the topic with his next words.

"Well, if you want to bet on who's winning the beauty contest, just pick Becca. I'm sure she'll win." Rio said in a confident tone as he remembered it was Leon and Rebecca who won the respective contests of boys and girls in the novel.

"You sure, what about that elven princess or the other girls from Noble's and elite's houses. I mean, not gonna lie it's tough competition this time. Some of them are barethttaking." Bernhardt said.

"Are you saying Becca will loose?"

A voice came from the back and without looking back, Bernhardt replied instantly "Well, maybe. That's why I'm asking…"

"Is that so. Not only are you betting, but also praying for your sister's loss huh." A voice broke Bernhardt's explanation as he looked up and noticed Rio's smiling expression and had a bad feeling in his heart.

'She's behind me, isn't she?' He mouthed the words and cursed as Rio nodded his head with a smile.

"Who said that? I'm sure Rebecca will win, after all she's the prettiest princess." Bernhardt tried to salvage his blunder as he turned around and saw Amelia and Rebecca standing there. Amelia with her teasing smile and Rebecca with her cold glaring look.

"But I just heard someone say Becca will have tough competition, and what not?" Amelia teased.

"What.. No. That's_ that's what Rio said. Not me." Bernhardt said, pushing the blame onto Rio who just raised his hands in surrender clearly stating "Don't drag me there. It's your mess."

Bernhardt turned to look at Becca and smiled embarrassingly, thinking how to just slip away, but before he could cook up a good enough excuse, Rebecca gave him a cold smile and spoke up "Well, I haven't talked with aunt Beliana for a while now. Maybe I'll call her tonight."

"Wh_ what? No, that's not necessary. She's fine. She's busy so there's no need to trouble her, right, hehehe, I'll_ just go." Bernhardt said in a nervous tone and hurried away in a rush.

"Idiot" ×3

All three of them said with different thoughts in their mind and shook their heads.

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