The Girl Who Unknowingly Became Harem Queen! 18 Punishmen

'I don't think I was on the verge of winning.'

"That darn Ice Princess unleashed her Bloodline Magic on Maria, who used her Celestial Summon to protect herself. Maria is innocent and that jerk of a prince is lying!" fumed Mai, who wanted to punch a certain Prince in the face. Stepping forward next, Julian, who was usually quivering behind others, stood firm on his feet.

"Both Mai and myself can testify to Snow-san throwing the first hit and starting the fight that happened between both herself and Maria. It was clearly self-defense, so please do not expel Maria!"

Summon forth his small ounce of courage, Julian stood up for the girl, who not only came to his aid during their first day of school but also welcomed him, a timid and cowardly boy, with open arms and a kind smile. The same girl who back in the forest could have followed through with Mai's words and saved herself but ran back towards them and proudly declared,

'Friends stick together, no matter what!'

'I may not have known you guys long, but just talking with you, I feel as if I've known you for a lifetime and just for that... I want to protect you!'

When Julian heard those words, he felt a deep admiration for Maria, which compared to Mai was very different. Mai was energetic, filled with life, and unyielding. Just her mere presence was bright and blinding, personality both daring and filled with courage. Yet there was a difference when it came to Maria.

Yes, both girls were kind individuals. Julian felt a sense of empathy with Maria, seeing how neither of them was truly brave or possessed much confidence.

That was why Julian was so shocked when, instead of running away, Maria rushed forward towards her friends, knowing deep down that she was just as terrified as him. Maria caused Julian to believe that maybe there was a tiny drop of hope for him as well. That maybe... just maybe he could also change and become brave like them, and this was his starting point!

The man said nothing as he stared at the determined and brave faces of those two first-years who stood before him. He stared at them for a while, before pointing his eyes towards the white curtain that shielded another bed that was placed inside the infirmary.

"Hmm, I have reached my final judgment, and that is, Maria Rosendrey will be punished with one month of after-school cleaning starting today. Though your friends have spoken up for you, more than eight students have testified against you. Accept your punishment, and all of you return back to cla.s.s," coldly ordered the man.

Hearing this, neither Julian nor Mai was happy, and right before they could speak up, Maria got off the bed and stood in front of the man. "Thank you for this punishment. We will now be returning to cla.s.s." Grabbing her two friends' hands, the small group of three exited out the door. Once out the door, a figure walked from behind the curtain and stood beside the man.

"So were they telling truth?" asked a woman that was of average height and build, dark brown hair with bangs that ran down her shoulder blades while the rest of it was pinned back, showing a braid in the shape of a flower pinned to the side of her head. Both of her hands were stuffed inside the pockets of the white doctor's coat she was wearing.

"They are..." the man calmly answered.

"Then why didn't you just say that from the get-go? Why go and scare those adorable children?" she asked the man.

"Entertainment." This reply immediately earned the man a hard slap upside the head from the brown-haired woman.

"You cold s.a.d.i.s.tic b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I'm telling your wife!" fumed the angry nurse as the man paled once he heard those words. If there was one person he feared in this world, it was definitely his energetic and mischievous wife. Releasing a fake cough, he quickly regained his composure from before.

"But I also did that for their sake as well. If the wrong person got word of this, such a small incident would soon turn disastrous," said the man, rising up from out of his seat.

"By that, you mean-"

"Keep it to yourself if you don't want harm to befall you. That woman has eyes and ears everywhere," the man advised the woman, nodding her head, aware of the person he was hinting towards as she watched him leave the room.

Sighing to herself, she took a seat in her chair and thought back to those adorable children from earlier. "I wonder what their reaction would be if they knew the person they just confronted was none other than the Headmaster of this academy?"

To the unawareness of Maria, it didn't take long for rumors of her shamelessly attacking another student to spread all around the elementary division. This caused others to form twisted and mean things about her as the rumor grew farther and farther away from the actual truth.

When a certain crimson haired young heir caught wind of this particular rumor, a bitter feeling rose in him, resisting the urge to shut the mouth of all those who were saying such cruel and mean things about Maria.

"So, do you believe the rumors about sweet Marichan? By this time tomorrow, everyone will have a bad impression of her. Poor girl." Walking beside Richard was Akihito, overhearing the words students in the hall were saying about Maria.

"How cruel~! I can't believe such a girl would shamelessly attack her own cla.s.smate," whispered a girl.

"That girl's got to be some kind of extra stupid to attack another student during a training exercise!" joked a boy this time.

"I have to inform my little sister to stay away from this girl. Who knows when she might attack another student," fearfully said another girl. Richard paused his walking, causing Akihito to stare at him confusedly.

The young Scarlet heir couldn't help but recall the night Maria tackled an a.s.sa.s.sin and risk her own life for his mother's. Maria probably wasn't one who thought much with her brain but her heart was in the right place.

Even after she was attacked, blood trailing down her short, fragile arm, poison seeping into her veins, this small little girl merely reached out her hand and said to his mother, 'Y-You're alive... I managed to do it... I managed... to stop a tragedy. I'm... so happy!' Her actions were without a doubt reckless, having no regard for own life, yet the only thing that was on her mind was the safety of another.

So just how could such a selfless and kind-hearted girl become a cruel ojou-sama who shamelessly attacked her cla.s.smate for no reason? Unless something about the story was left out, something like the truth. "Oi, Ri-kun, you okay? I might not have known Marichan for long, but even I don't believe such ridiculous rumors," said Akihito.

Richard looked out towards his left and spotted a rose bush nearby and said, "Such a girl... could never do the things those rumors are saying. I can feel it in my gut."

Over at the fourth-year hall, a certain older brother was being restrained by Isis, almost punching another boy in the face when he overheard him call his little sister uncalled for names. Luckily Isis caught and dragged him inside an empty cla.s.s that was mostly used for artwork.

"You must calm yourself. Your actions almost made things worse for Maria."

"But the things people are saying about her... How can I not get upset!? Someone has set up my sister and is ruining her reputation. Maria may have a temper but not even she would shamelessly attack another student for no reason!" Michael was livid and deeply worried about his little sister.

"I understand but lashing out will not help. The thing she needs now is your undying support. So keep it together, not for your sake, but for your sister's." Isis placed her hand on his shoulder as he dejectedly nodded his head.

'Seems like my vision is about to come true. Hang in there, Maria.'