Framing

“Young Miss, today’s lunch is cocoa pudding!”

“Really? I can’t wait! Hurry up and let it be noon!”

I had thought it would be just another ordinary day, no different from usual.

That illusion shattered the moment we stepped into the classroom.

Dozens of eyes turned toward us in perfect unison.

Cold, indifferent eyes that carried a pressure entirely different from facing demons.

“…?”

Faced with this scene, the young lady looked puzzled yet instantly on guard.

“Hm? You still dare show your face in class?”

A boy strode forward, glaring furiously at the young lady.

…Yep, another one of the male leads who always hovered around “Sophia.”

Conrad Karen, the eldest son of a nouveau-riche family—basically the stereotypical dumb landlord’s kid.

Because his family had bought their title, he was looked down upon by the other noble children… Perhaps because of that shared experience, he felt a kinship with the heroine and fell for her extremely easily. The easiest capture target of them all.

Normally he hid behind arrogance to protect himself, so whenever the heroine clashed with the villainess, he and Adam were usually the ones adding fuel to the fire.

…Speaking of which, where was Adam? He was always the first to charge in.

I glanced around and spotted him standing protectively beside “Sophia.” He was frowning at us, but for once he wasn’t hurling insults.

“Uuu…”

The “Sophia” he shielded was draped in an oversized coat and sobbing quietly.

Adam himself wasn’t wearing a coat—just a white shirt… Clearly, the coat on “Sophia” was his.

…What is going on here?

“So? Why can’t I come to class? Am I not a student?”

While I was still observing the room, the young lady fired back.

“You’ve got some nerve! Look at what you did!”

Conrad pointed dramatically at “Sophia’s” desk.

On it lay a girls’ uniform blouse torn to shreds, and the desktop was carved with vile, obscene words.

…Classic bullying scene.

“I accidentally left my uniform in the classroom yesterday…

When I came this morning, it was like this…”

“Sophia” sniffled as she explained.

At this point, their accusation was crystal clear.

The young lady merely folded her arms and countered.

“Oh? So you’re saying I did this?”

“Who else but you!”

Conrad’s voice rose several decibels as he spread his arms wide, sweeping his gaze across the entire class.

“Who here doesn’t know how rotten your personality is and how you keep targeting Sophia!?

Who else would stoop to these underhanded tactics to hurt her!?”

The surrounding students said nothing, but their eyes spoke volumes.

“Hmph…”

Even in this overwhelmingly hostile atmosphere, the young lady showed no sign of backing down.

Instead, she stepped forward confidently and continued facing Conrad head-on.

“I’ll admit I dislike her, but I would never use sneaky methods like this.

If I’m going to do something, I do it openly and honorably!”

I had to admit—her dignified stance actually made some of the onlookers waver.

“Who’d believe that crap!”

Of course, it wasn’t enough to shake Conrad.

“Stop pretending! I know exactly how you high-and-mighty nobles are—all pretty on the outside, rotten on the inside!

You’re definitely the same!”

I couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped forward to defend her.

“The young lady was on a request all day yesterday. She had no time for something like this…

The culprit is absolutely not her.”

As proof, I held up yesterday’s request form.

Yet Conrad only gave me a pitying look before glaring again.

“And now you’re forcing your own maid to lie for you! You really are rotten to the core!”

Wha…?

“As expected, you’re completely evil! You even fabricated evidence!”

Just how thoroughly had “Sophia” brainwashed this guy!?

So facts don’t matter anymore!?

I wanted to argue further… but the pitying looks around me told me it would be pointless.

…We were hopelessly outnumbered. The scales were tipping heavily against us.

Did I have no choice but to reveal “Sophia’s” true identity in front of everyone?

That might be my only way to turn this around…

N-no… I… I can prove it! Lady Duke really was on my request yesterday!

Just as I was agonizing, a soft, timid voice completely out of place in the tense atmosphere cut in.

I looked over—it was the little squirrel, half her body hidden behind the door.

She clearly knew what we were arguing about… How long had she been listening?

Eek…!

Startled by all the eyes suddenly on her, the squirrel ducked back behind the door.

About thirty seconds later, she peeked out again and stammered.

“Y-yesterday… Lady Duke really was helping me with my request…

She spent the whole day with me collecting overdue books from borrowers!

“Yeah, they came to our dorm yesterday too. My roommate was the one who hadn’t returned her book and got scolded by Lady Duke.”

“Right, right, I saw it too…”

Thanks to the librarian’s support, the mood in the room shifted instantly.

And the decisive reversal came from someone we never expected…

“…I also don’t think she’s the type to do something sneaky like that.”

The tall man actually spoke up for us.

The still-sobbing “Sophia” looked utterly shocked the moment she heard his voice…

“I had an overdue book too. They came to my room yesterday…

From our conversation, I could tell she’s straightforward and owns up to her mistakes.”

Though clearly reluctant, Adam still voiced his thoughts.

“So I don’t think she’s the culprit.”

“What…? Adam, why are you defending her too? Are you the culprit!?”

“Of course not…! I just don’t think it’s right to accuse an innocent person!”

“You… whatever!”

Pushing up his glasses, Conrad refused to back down.

“Even if that’s true, that was during the day! After you all split up at night, she still had time to do it, didn’t she?”

“What what? Did I miss some good drama?”

Before we could respond, a carefree voice rang out in the classroom.

It was Beglit.

“Ohhh, I see, I see~”

With just one glance around the room, Beglit grasped the situation and immediately backed us up.

“She couldn’t possibly have done it~ Because she was back in the dorm by around 7:30, right?

As her roommate, I can guarantee it~”

The squirrel nodded vigorously in agreement.

“Y-yesterday we were collecting books until night…

After getting the last book from Lord Hodhua, we parted ways…

That was around seven o’clock…”

“Yeah, I can vouch for that too.”

“What…?”

Now it was Conrad’s turn to be speechless.

The tide had completely turned.

And then the squirrel dropped an even bigger bombshell.

“Actually… after parting with Lady Duke and the others, I came back to the classroom once…”

Miss Rome’s gaze drifted toward the pink-haired girl who had stayed silent the whole time.

“I saw… Sophia-san in the classroom doing something!”