Villain's Path System-Chapter 46: Justice, Purchased

That night, past midnight, Lucian pushed open his dorm room door... and immediately wanted to collapse on the bed.

His entire body felt like it had been wrung out and left to dry. Not physically — but mentally? Emotionally? He was running on fumes.

He kicked the door shut behind him, dropped his bag on the floor, and fell face-first onto his bed without bothering to take off his boots.

Fuck today.

The confrontation with Marcus had been the easy part. Quick. Controlled. Surgical.

Everything that came after?

That had been the real nightmare.

The faculty office had been a bureaucratic hell.

Hours. Hours of sitting in uncomfortable chairs while professors and administrators asked the same questions in seventeen different ways.

"Walk us through the timeline again, Mister Valemont."

"How did you discover Miss Marsh’s involvement?"

"What evidence do you have linking Thornwell to the intermediary?"

Elena had been called in. The poor girl looked like she was one wrong word away from having a complete breakdown. she’d testified. Quietly. Shakily. And she’d done it.

The blackmail boy had been dragged in too. He’d tried to deny everything at first, but once Professor Kael mentioned truth spells and expulsion, he’d cracked like an egg.

Marcus Thornwell had orchestrated the entire thing. Paid the intermediary. Threatened Elena’s family. All to destroy Lucian’s reputation because his pride couldn’t handle being embarrassed on day one.

The evidence was damning. Incontrovertible.

So naturally, Marcus got a slap on the wrist.

One week suspension.

Only. One. Fucking. Week.

Because his family was wealthy and Thornwells had "significant financial ties to the academy." Expelling a noble’s son would cause "unfortunate political complications."

The administrators had dressed it up in official language, but the message was clear: rules were different when you had money.

Lucian’s name was cleared, at least. Officially exonerated. All accusations formally withdrawn and stricken from his record.

But Marcus? He’d be back in a week. Angry. Humiliated. Probably plotting revenge.

Great. Just great.

Lucian stared at the ceiling, letting the exhaustion wash over him.

One week. I have one week before that bastard comes back with a grudge with daddy’s money backing him up.

One more problem for the pile.

A soft chime echoed in his mind.

He groaned into his pillow.

Not now, system. I’m dead.

[MISSION COMPLETE: Uncover the Conspiracy]

Oh. Right.

He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling as the translucent notification materialized in his vision.

[Rewards:]

+100 Fate Points

+400 Fate Points (Reputation Restored - Major Event)

Title Updated: "The Strategist"

New Skill Available: Silver Tongue (Advanced)

[Current Fate Points: 1,286 FP]

Lucian blinked at the number.

1,286 Fate Points.

That was... actually a lot.

More than he’d had at any point since arriving at this godforsaken academy.

He pulled up his full status window, scrolling through the information with tired eyes.