n

n

n

"It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. First of all, her alarm clock broke and she almost overslept because of that. Right?

"

nThe green-haired Surou shrugged his shoulders and pointed out.

n

"Wait, that's your reason? A broken alarm clock?

"

nThe blue-haired second prince scoffed rolling his eyes.

n

"My prince, you do know that the magic crystal alarm clocks should technically be faultless, right?

"

nReo shook his head at Surou's weak reaction.

n

"What? But they break all the time! I had at least four of them that have simply broken out of nowhere!

"

nSurou waved his hands dismissively, completely unconvinced.

n

"No, no, no, my prince.

"

nReo wagged his finger at him.

n

"You or one of your servants have broken all of them, by accident of course.

"

nHe declared with a cunning smile.

n

"Huh?

"

nSurou frowned and leaned back, furrowing his brows in confusion.

n

"You see the magic crystal alarm clocks have a common issue, as the appliances that are meant for the use in the households and not in the battlefields - they break when there is an offensively charged mana within four feet radius.

"

nReo straightened his back and revealed with a big old smile on his face.

n

"Huh...? So they break if someone uses an attack spell near them?

"

nSurou asked, looking for a confirmation.

n

"Or enchantment that raises strength. Yes.

"

n...and a confirmation he received...

nBut with that information is thrown into the mix, one thing became clear.

nBurushiitto's alarm clock shouldn't break, ever. Period. As a variant magician with the healing attribute, she didn't have any offensive spells. And the one-meter radius thing...

n

"But that means that someone would have to either enter her room...|

nSurou's expression darkened at the thought...

n

"Or someone would have to use the attack spell right by the outside wall of the dormitory!

"

nThe blue-haired boy raised his brows and nodded to himself, coming to the same conclusion as Zoemi standing outside the room.

n

"You get it now? I learned that info by accident and used that trick when I was a freshman to break the alarm clocks of Xeonith and Arisu – and, like one-fourth of the students in my year. Good times... I was caught though because I was walking wobbly from the mana depletion.

"

nReo nodded with a satisfied smile and giggled at the apparently good memory he had.

n

"Alright, then let's assume that the alarm clock breaking on Buru was a diversion - what about the rest?

"

nSurou didn't allow for the subject-changing trip down the memory lane.

n

"Messing up the laundry is a classic. I have done it myself at least seven or eight times and no one even knew it was me.

"

nReo waved his hand dismissively.

n

"But it is possible to pinpoint whose laundry is it?

"

nThe blue-haired second prince inquired, raising his brow.

n

"And do you think that every girl in the school has exactly the same set of underwear? Or that everything is washed together without actually separating the clothes of every single person? The staff at the academy isn't clairvoyant, they do not magically remember every single shirt or pair of pants and know whose are whose.

"

nThe green-haired Reo scoffed, shaking his head over the second prince.

n

"...Forget that I asked...

"

nSurou blushed a little, thinking about Buru**to's underwear.

n

"And for the tripping part - before you say anything else - yes, it is actually easy to foresee that someone will cut through the lawn if they're late. Literally, everyone does that, hell, I once saw the principal beelining it right across the grass without any shame!

"

nThe green-haired prankster declared decisively in a confident voice.

n

"So, who could be responsible for messing with my Buru... in your opinion?

"

nSurou's question caused a pause in Reo's rant.

n

"...hmm...

"

nThe green-haired sophomore covered his mouth with one hand deep in thoughts.

n

"Honestly? It could be anyone. Even fire magicians could pull off tripping someone without actually burning them as long as they had enough control over their spells. But most likely it was an earth magician or someone trying to pose as an earth magician.

"

nIn the end, the green-haired boy looked up at Surou and answered.

n

"Their physical augmentation enchants are both strong and stealthy enough to not get anyone's attention while they are standing by the wall of the dormitory – with the only indicator of them doing something being the light of the enchantment and nothing else. Throwing mud on the laundry couldn't be easier if you literally control earth with yours spells. And the easiest way of tripping someone is making a pebble suddenly get in their way causing their fall. Yeah, earth magician for sure.

"

nReo explained, counting down on his fingers while looking the blue-haired second prince in the eyes.

n

"...

"

n

"...?

"

n...an increasingly visibly furious blue-haired second prince...

n

"I knew that Xeonith was looking strangely at my Buru! That transcended bastad!

"

nSuddenly, Surou shouted and smashed his fist against the desk!

n

"What...? Where did you get Xeonith into the mix? I mean, I told you that he's been a major stick in the mud recently – but that something that speaks in his favor... You know that he is, like, super upright, right? He cares for his opinion way too much.

"

nReo was taken aback by the second prince's behavior, and hurriedly waved both of his arms in denial

n

"No you don't get it - that's exactly the reason! He can't stand that I'm together with a commoner girl so he bullies her! Or he is jealous that she isn't interested in him!

"

nThe blue-haired second prince declared with an angry scowl.

n

"...Seriously, Surou...?

"

nReo just looked at him with his brows raised in confusion and muttered.

n

"Then, if it's not him - it must be that darkness attribute brat! The darkness magicians are all perverts anyway - he might be bullying my poor Buru just to get off to her suffering! Or maybe it's his master's idea! That Miriette is just like my brother, selfish and...!

"

n

"Alright, that's enough!

"

nSurou was getting heated up but Reo suddenly stepped in and cut him off.

n

"This is my room and in my room, we don't insult or slander the pride and idol of every freaking wind magician in the kingdom! Nor her trusted attendant who is a very nice guy who helped me out when I was in trouble – which cannot be said about you! My prince, it's been a pleasure, but it's already late and I don't want to waste your precious time! Goodnight!

"

nThe green-thread boy got actually angry and was chasing the second prince away...!

n

"The hell do you mean!?

"

nSurou was flabbergasted at Reo's sudden outburst.

n

"I mean for you to leave my room because I want to go to sleep, my prince!

"

n

"...

"

nZoemi used that moment to retract his shadow connect and get away from the room as fast as he could.

n|The second prince is already head over heels for the heroine and I need to watch out for him... still, it doesn't actually look like he knows about the events and the storyline, but he might be just playing around, he might be a problem anyway...|

nThe black-haired boy thought to himself while turning the corner.

n|Sitll, surprisingly, Reo might turn out to be an ally!|

nZoemi thought with delight - from the game, he knew that the green-haired capture target respected the dark-haired villainess – because the transcended magicians were treated like celebrities amongst the mages of the same attribute - but in his case, it seemed almost like a revere.

n|A pride and idol, huh... And he called me a good guy too... I knew he was the best boy all along!|

nThe black-haired attendant thought to himself and chuckled.

nThankfully, the overheard conversation wasn't consisting of bad news only.

n