Piece 19 (part 2)

"Roy...? What's going on??" I turned to Roy, and the boy began to step away from me.

As he took his steps backwards, I only stared at him blankly. The people at the stairs are already arriving behind the door, but Roy is still silent. He finally stopped moving back after a five meters distance had formed between me and him, and he is now standing right in front of the wall.

"Last week, an offer came to me when I was recovering at the infirmary." Roy said to me after he stopped walking backwards, and I recalled that he indeed went to the infirmary precisely one week ago.

The people at the door began to enter, and I noticed who they were. The person at the very front is the highest ranking knight in this place, the Division Commander knight, Sir Marvel Horus. Behind them are the knights of this fort, and I recognized them because I've travelled to many parts of the fort to see them.

"It was a really intriguing offer that I can't reject. You've seen how empty my fashion store was, and the offer was something that can save my family from bankruptcy." Roy explained his situation better, and I realized he was talking about saving his family. But, I just don't understand where all of this is related to me.

That's when my answer came into the room. Four students who I recognized, and they seem to be the only ones unarmed amongst the newly arrived group. Moss, Licht, and Artin, who are the three bullies of the school that I know very well.

And finally, their leader. Jeremy Horus. His presence here gave me all the answers I needed.

They have… sniffed my identity. Or have they really? 

"I see what's going on." I said coldly to Roy, and he only leaned his back onto the wall behind him.

My attention was fully turned towards the knights that had flooded into the room, and I began to ponder about what I needed to do. My mind is still really jumbled from the sudden change of the atmosphere, and I can't exactly consider my current state to be the best I'm at.

And here I thought I might get confessed to… I could've had my first ever boyfriend right here. How naïve of me.

"Vermillis Melons. That is your name, correct?" The old knight at the very front asked me, and I realized he is indeed the head of this whole operation.

I began to worry that I would have to fight them, but then an idea popped into my head. I realized that it might be the best way for me to get out of this situation, so I decided to try it once and for all.

"U-Uhm… Y-Yes? W-What's going on??" I asked with such a cowardly voice, acting really scared towards the knights.

The knights are all adults above the age of thirty, or even above forty. All of them didn't quite understand that they were dealing with a twelve year old child, and they began to realize that.

"We'd like to ask you some questions. We have a certain suspicion that you might be a threat to Cytus, so I'm hoping that you can answer them truthfully." The division commander asked me with his stern gaze, and I had no choice but to nod very quickly at him.

The old knight then turned his gaze to the four young boys at the very back of the group, and Jeremy nodded firmly to him. Seeing the signal, the old man nodded back and turned his stern gaze back to me.

"A few years ago, you had a fallout with young master Jeremy at the school. Is this true?" The old knight asked such a question, and I became curious why he even bothered mentioning something that happened so long ago.

I turned to Jeremy who seemed really calm about the situation, and I had no idea he was holding a grudge for so long.

"Y-Yes… Jeremy was mocking my deceased parents. As any child would, I started throwing hands." I explained myself to the old knight, and he turned widely confused.

"That's…" The old man then turned around again towards Jeremy, as if asking for answers. Jeremy only lowered his face out of shame, and he seemed to have forgotten all about that.

"While… it is true that the young master has done such a… ruthless act, it still doesn't change that you had a fight with him. I'll take 'Yes' as an answer, then.

Now, to my follow up question. Three students came and defended young master Jeremy. They are Jeremy's closest friends. And from what I heard, you defeated them."

The old knight turned to me again with a cold stern gaze, and I realized that they were suspecting me for being too skilled for a young girl. I began to wonder how to respond to such a situation, but I realized that the best way to go around this is to just be blatant.

"I did. And those three are just so weak." I said again with my spicy tongue, and Jeremy's three idiots cannot look more pissed.

"Unfortunately, I must refute that. Artin, Licht, and Moss were children who were trained directly under a very experienced knight within the Horus Dukedom Knights Corporation. They are, by no means, a bunch of chumps." The old knight explained his perspective, and I was quite surprised that it was the case.

I knew the three of them were skilled. When I fought them, it did not feel like I'm fighting second year elementary students. It's like I was fighting three young and skilled bandits, similar to the ones I've fought during my training trip with Uncle Althorn.

"C-Can I ask who their teacher is…? Have I angered their teacher by beating them?" I asked politely, as if not wanting to annoy anyone. Hearing my polite question, the old knight let out a really tired sigh.

"… Me. I am their teacher."

Oh.

Haha.

Aahhahaha!!!! Holy shit, they are a bunch of losers. They got beat up by one girl, and they went to the adults to report me. Just a reminder, there's three of them, and only one me. How embarrassing.

I genuinely wanted to laugh right now. But I realized that I'd be in big trouble if I laugh. I decided to swallow these emotions and put on a really apologetic face.

"T-Then, I'm very sorry. In my defense, I had to make a move." I tried reasoning, and I lifted my hand to point a finger towards Roy.

"That day, I remember very clearly that the four of them were picking on Roy." I said while pointing my finger to Roy, and all the attention has turned to the boy leaning his back to the wall.

The old knight once again turned really surprised, and he turned to Roy as well.

"I was only defending him, because he was so battered up and was left under the rain."

"Is that true, boy?" The old knight asked with a genuinely concerned face, but Roy only turned his sorrowful face to me. 

His face made me realize something that I seem to have missed, and I realized my mistake right away.

'I'm sorry.'

… Roy?

"There was nothing like that. I wasn't beaten by anyone." Roy replied with such a saddened tone, and I opened my eyes widely.

The old knight turned his gaze back to me, but I still had my eyes locked onto Roy. Roy definitely realized that I am staring at him, but he isn't looking at me at all. 

"In any case, we're not here to throw blame about what happened between children many years ago. We're investigating a potential threat to Cytus city, and we'd like you to answer honestly regarding that." The old knight decided to continue, and I turned my gaze away from Roy.

"Artin, Licht, and Moss were my students, and they are by no means untalented nor untrained. Even three years ago, they were still a very great candidate which can place very high within the ranks of the Horus Dukedom knighthood.

Their capabilities were proven. They have shown talent that not many have revealed, even for potential knights who are way older than them. As such, I'm very much curious as to what kind of individual is capable of handling all three of them at once."

I kept my confused gaze at the old knight as he broke the news to me very slowly, but I already had a suspicion what this investigation was all about. It's definitely a lot more than it looks, and I can tell that Jeremy is the mastermind behind everything.

That little bastard… I left you alone for so many years, and now you're acting?

"We're investigating a potential demonic reincarnation of you, young miss. I hope you're willing to comply."