The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella-Chapter 107

Cesare had bought himself ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) a week.

His status as the crown prince and the reputation he had built up over the years had granted him that much time.

But.

‘Did you really think you were the only one who got a week?’

Cesare stared blankly at the entry permit that had flown straight into his hands.

The sound of his mind racing was practically audible.

‘Go ahead, keep thinking as hard as you can.’

Elodie had already heard everything.

Six days ago.

She, along with Karon and Geno, had been watching from the moment Cesare and Rose attempted to meet in secret.

"But... do you really think people will believe that? The truth will eventually—"

"I just need to fool them until I graduate. Once I have my diploma, it doesn’t matter if the truth comes out. A graduation record is nearly impossible to erase."

Unless it was a crime worthy of exile from the Empire.

Cesare whispered to Rose in that smooth, honeyed voice of his.

"Right now, I may just be a student here, but when I return to Silveria, I will be the sole heir to the throne. Do you think they’ll summon me back just to reveal some trivial cheating scandal?"

"But won’t it eventually come out that I abused my stepsister? The entire social scene will know—"

"It doesn’t matter. That’s not even a stain on the reputation of a future princess consort."

"Princess... consort..."

"Rose, you only have one job. Push Seraphina to her mental limits until she finally asks to see my answer sheet."

"Understood? I’m counting on you."

Cesare smiled sweetly.

The same smile he had once used to whisper love to Sera—now being used to orchestrate her downfall.

"You are the only one who knows the truth, Rose. And the only one who can save me."

"......"

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"I just... I just wanted my father to acknowledge me, no matter what. He always favored my brother over me..."

Elodie understood exactly what he was doing.

Telling someone that they alone had the power to save him—he knew that would lure Rose in.

And, of course, none of it was his fault.

Everything was his father’s fault. His brother’s fault.

If only they had acknowledged him sooner, none of this would have been necessary.

‘In my past life, I wasn’t sure. But now, I can see right through you.’

Elodie had heard their entire plan and had sprinted straight to the border administration.

They thought they had an extra week to prepare?

Well, she had a week to secure her entry permit first.

And now, in the present.

"My name is Gracia Ratson, the next High Priest of Animallia."

Elodie stepped forward, speaking like a detective who had arrived to solve the case.

‘A beastfolk.’

‘She has animal ears.’

‘And a tail, too.’

‘She’s tiny. Seven years old?’

The students, having somewhat calmed down, looked at her with curious eyes.

After all, the High Priest of Animallia was always chosen by bloodline, and the Ratson family was known to be a lineage of harvest mice.

As all eyes focused on her, Elodie took on a solemn, dignified, and serious expression.

"There is only one truth."

She dramatically paused before continuing.

"But I have heard that, in this case, an unknown force has muddied the truth, making it difficult to discern."

That is why I am here.

Elodie played up the theatrics as she spoke.

"Bring me all the answer sheets His Highness has submitted thus far. I will take them to the Holy Temple and determine the nature of the power that was used on them. And I will uncover exactly who used that power."

At that moment, the nobles aligned with Cesare, who had been anxiously watching his every move, jumped in.

"But, Lady Ratson, you seem to be quite close to Lady Bluewood, don’t you?"

"Can someone this young truly remain impartial and testify with absolute fairness?"

Again? Again with the distractions?

Before their tongues could weave any more nonsense, Elodie cut in sharply.

"Are you suggesting that a servant of God would commit perjury in His name simply because of personal relationships?"

She had just declared that she would take the matter to the Holy Temple to reveal the truth.

That alone was a promise—an oath that she would not bear false witness.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"Are you insulting me right now?"

Are you really doubting a divine representative?

"I-I didn’t mean it that way..."

Watching them immediately backtrack, Elodie scoffed internally.

Hah. Useless cowards.

She then turned her gaze toward the headmaster of the academy, Duke Dvorak.

The duke remained silent for a moment before giving a quiet instruction to the youngest professor.

"Go to the storage room and retrieve the answer sheets."

"Headmaster!"

Cesare’s face turned as white as a sheet.

As if he had just realized—

There was nowhere left to hide. No one left to speak on his behalf.

Desperate, he shouted.

"Lady Ratson may be of the Ratson bloodline, but she is still just a child! Can someone that small truly possess the capability to communicate with God?"

"......"

"We can't possibly involve a beastfolk from another continent. The academy will undoubtedly be put in a difficult position. Instead, why not—yes, even now, we could ask Terranolia’s next High Priest—"

Sigh...

The headmaster let out a long breath, cutting off the prince mid-sentence.

"Do you really think that my colleagues and I granted you this grace period out of some sincere hope that you were wrongly accused?"

What could one week possibly prove?

If they had truly believed Cesare’s excuses, they would have given him more time and actively supported him in clearing up the misunderstanding.

"Of course, we wanted it to be a false accusation."

That way, the academy wouldn’t have to bear any disgrace.

If Cesare had managed to bring forth another culprit, that would have been the ideal outcome.

But no professor was naive enough to believe that was a real possibility.

"Cheating is an explicit reason for expulsion. However, Your Highness, for eight years, you have never once been absent or late. Not once. At least, outwardly, you have never caused any disturbances."

"......"

"It must have been quite a shock, considering you were so close to graduation. We thought you might need time to prepare yourself, and that is why we gave you a week."

The headmaster finished his explanation.

Cesare, who had been standing there in a daze, suddenly let out a dry laugh.

‘Utter nonsense.’

Their attitude had changed.

Back in the headmaster’s office, they had seemed uncertain due to the lack of concrete evidence.

Sure, they had leaned toward suspecting him, but if he played his cards right, he could have gotten away with it.

But now their stance had shifted.

‘With the Crown Prince, Valkyrisen, and Ratson all getting involved, they must have decided that siding against me would be the best move for the academy’s reputation.’

And now, the headmaster was making it clear—he wanted nothing to do with Cesare.

Was this really the end?

No. It couldn’t be.

If he was expelled now, it would mean he had achieved nothing in his entire life.

That could not happen.

"Our academy has always wished to preserve Your Highness’s dignity. As you know, it is an unspoken rule among nobles that, even when suspicion arises, one does not dig too deeply."

The headmaster openly referred to the noble practice of turning a blind eye to inconvenient truths.

And as he flipped through the answer sheets brought by the junior professor, he spoke in an almost leisurely tone.

"But if Your Highness is truly determined to settle this dispute to the very end, there is always the option of a retake."

"......"

"Since some time has passed since the exam period ended, we will make appropriate adjustments in scoring. Given that you have never failed to rank first, I’m sure you will still achieve a high score."

"......"

"It is an undignified solution, but we have no choice. Do you accept?"

It was over.

No matter what Cesare chose, he would be expelled.

Elodie took the prince’s exam papers as they were handed to her, her expression indifferent.

Goodbye.

I won’t be seeing you off.

***

The one who had caused all the commotion was forcibly dragged out of the banquet hall.

And without their leader, the nobles who had aligned themselves with Cesare scattered like leaves in the wind.

Now, all attention was on Elodie.

Curious stares.

Glances from all directions.

For many of them, this was their first time seeing a beastfolk—they peered at her as if she were an endangered creature.

The first to break the silence was Crown Prince Julian.

"You have four ears. Is that okay?"

"Ugh, these are just decorative, you know."

Four ears? That’s a monster!

Elodie shot back with an annoyed expression.

The animal ears on her head were just for show—her actual hearing came from her human ears.

"And besides, I’m just not very good at hiding them yet. When I get older, I’ll be able to conceal them more easily."

Beastfolk from Valkyrisen never bothered to hide their ears, which was why they always walked around openly.

"......Can I touch them?"

"Are you insane?"

Sera pulled Elodie toward her protectively, looking at Julian as if he were a criminal.

"But you just said they were decorative?"

"Don't even let the hem of your clothes touch my kid."

That’s too much.

I am the future emperor, you know...

As Julian pouted in defeat, Elodie cleared her throat.

There was one more thing she needed to clear up.

"Now that everything has been settled," she announced.

This was the perfect moment—everyone’s attention was still focused on her.

Elodie slung her arm around Sera’s neck and spoke casually.

"It seems like Sera has been caught up in yet another ridiculous rumor, but I’d like to clarify something—"

She grinned.

"I am actually the one those rumors were about."

"......What?"

This kid...

Is she saying she’s Seraphina Bluewood’s fiancé?