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The principal turned the laptop on his table around so we could see the screen. And displayed there is the damning moment when Shizune pushed me off the stairs. Yup, I knew there’d be at least a few surveillance cameras here and there.

Now then, with this, we have conclusive evidence. Still, while Ayako seems to be flustered, Shizune doesn’t seem to be fazed at all.

「What a well-fabricated video.」
「Hoh? So you say that this is fake? This video hasn’t been edited at all, though.」
「Yes. I have no recollection of ever harming Kisaragi.」

Uwah, that’s so irrational, I’m just speechless. The principal’s burying his head in his hands. There’s material proof that’s doubtlessly unedited, which can be proven if forwarded to specialists.

And despite that, Shizune asserts that it’s been tampered with. As though she thinks that even white will be black if she says so.

「Ahh, then what about this?」

Yeah, the principal can’t be bothered to keep appearances anymore. What he showed was a sheet of paper. Let’s see, it’s a report from a police station. Come to think of it, I entrusted my broken stuff to Teacher Kondou, so this should be related to that.

「We’ve had Kisaragi Kotone’s destroyed belongings examined. It’s been done in a rush but since we’ve received your fingerprints in advance, it finished quickly. Both of your fingerprints have been identified from them.」
「Is that so? Then I’ve been set up, have I?」

Ah, there’s no helping her, she can’t be reasoned with. Rather, this isn’t even a discussion anymore. First of all, Shizune’s words have absolutely no basis. I haven’t gone anywhere near her up until now, so how the heck would I even have her fingerprints?

Besides, I think most places in the academy have surveillance cameras set up. These are likely just for security reasons but I can only hope that there’s none in the girl’s dressing room and stuff.

「Umm, principal. Just to inform, up until I was pushed down the stairs, I have not had any contact with her.」
「Keep to yourself, commoner.」

Don’t say anything unnecessary, huh. Even without me saying it, I don’t think it’ll sway the principal’s judgment though. If he intends to give fair judgment, the principal is, for now, an ally.

「To begin with, what is this “commoner” deal? Kisaragi Kotone is a daughter of the Kisaragi family, isn’t she?」
「Oh? The principal doesn’t know? With her various misdeeds discovered, she was disowned by the Kisaragi family. By all rights, it’s preposterous for her to name herself a Kisaragi.」
「Is that true?」
「I’m a Kisaragi member in the family register.」

Just to be sure, just to be completely sure, the principal asked for my confirmation, so I told him the truth. In most cases, when someone is really disowned by the family, then they’d be removed from the family register as well.

If this was the case, then I’d certainly be no longer related to the Kisaragi family, a genuine commoner. With that said, what Shizune said was completely off the mark.

「I’m surprised you believed that fib. And you, how did you even get beat around by the likes of her?」
「She hid well, you see?」

It’s the truth. If I hadn’t heard her laugh at the stairs, I would’ve never known that it was her doing. That’s just how many enemies Kotone had.

「Wha-, why are you believing her over me!?」
「With this amount of evidence against you, not doubting you would be impossible. And most of all, no matter what status, she’s a student of this academy. I intend this to be an impartial judgment.」
「Are you saying a mere principal won’t believe the words of a member of the Udzuki family?」

The one to panic the most from this was Ayako. Surprisingly, it seems like Ayako knows but, as I thought, Shizune doesn’t know. Although I expected it, I, along with the other two, let out an exhausted sigh.

As Shizune has a puzzled expression, I answer her in place of the other two.

「The one you are belittling right now is that of the Satsuki family. You know that your words will negatively impact the Udzuki family, don’t you?」

The twelve families treat each other as equal in status but it can also be said that they’re mutually keeping each other in check. And making slight of another family can mean directly jeopardizing your family’s position. This is exactly what happens to someone resting on their laurels.

Rather, you’d know who the principal is with just a little searching. You’d know it from the academy’s website, for example.

「Moreover, the fact that you claimed all the evidence that the Satsuki family has is fabricated would likely do so as well. After all, you are questioning the twelve’s mutual respect.」

After seeing Shizune’s face turn paler by the moment, I’m sure that I have a pretty evil look right now. My chest feels a bit lighter now. Besides, this is the principal we’re talking about, so I’m sure he recorded everything we discussed here. If he uses that, he should be able to get an advantageous position over the Udzuki family. As a lady of her house, she will need to take responsibility for her remarks.

「As Kotone said, I’m Satsuki Midou. I’ll be reporting what happened here to the head of the Udzuki family.」
「W-wait, that’s……. Kisaragi, we’re friends aren’t we?」

That’s a pretty quick change of heart. She’s probably thinking that pleading would make me forgive her, but I’m no saint. After all that happened, I can’t just simply say that I can forgive her.

Besides, I’m carrying the Kisaragi name, so I can’t just forgive her so easily. After all, if I forgive her here, the public will think that the Kisaragi family is trying to win the Udzuki family over.

「That certainly is the case if we’re speaking about last year. However, we have mutually cut contact with each other ever since the start of this term. And you still say we’re friends?」
「Still, I’ve given you various advice last year-」
「Do you think that I haven’t noticed that your various advice only worsened my situation?」

Kotone’s personality was certainly bad to begin with. She’s egoistic and she looks down and insults others, However, that’s all that she did. Kotone herself didn’t think of doing anything beyond that. She only wanted a certain someone to get angry at her. It was a twisted emotion, but still.

This all changed after she met Shizune. Her actions escalated and her already unsightly make-up got even worse. She was being taken advantage of. Kotone, choose your friends wisely.