Kill The Empress (Reincarnated as the villainess)

Part Seventeen

It was absurd. Rhyse had never left the classroom that day, yet they took her as a credible source? Why is everyone so set on tearing me down? Is this all an elaborate way of mocking me or do they truly not remember her whereabouts?

"Well, Miss Rhyse, upon asking the rest of the students that attended the same class," The dean shuffled papers as he spoke, "It appears you are telling the truth about stepping out."

"No...." I muttered upon hearing his words. How? How am I the only one that recalls all of this correctly. "What was that, Miss Edith?" The dean turned to me, a new sense of spite glinted in his eyes. I knew there was no chance for me now, as I could see his fair behavior towards me fading away.

"That isn't true," I spoke loudly, "It can't be. Lady Rhyse never left her seat. I am sure of it--"

"Yet, every single one of your fellow classmates says she did. Tell me, is it because of your status that you expect me to believe you over everyone else?"

"What? No...When did I ever say--"

"Miss Edith," He cut me off, standing up from his chair. "You're expelled."

My heart sank in my chest and I dropped from my chair to the floor. "N-no," I pleaded. "P-please sir, please reconsider!" My voice quivered as I spoke. "Please, I-I would never--I didn't! I didn't lay a hand on her..." I then turned my head to the side. I looked Rhyse right in her eyes, but she turned away from me again, clenching her fists, pretending I wasn't even there. "Rhyse! Please! Tell them! Tell them you made it up! Tell them the truth!"

The dean sighed and rubbed his temple. "Escort her out, won't you?" He waved his hand to the two men that stood near the door. They approached me, lifted me off of the ground, and began to pull me out of the room. I twisted my head backwards to see everyone in the room, still begging, and yet still no answer.

"I thought we were friends!" I yelled at Rhyse, her face still not facing mine. "Oh, you can't hear me?" I scoffed. "Because I have no voice at all, right?" I shot the entire room a painful smile as the door shut behind me.

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There was no way for me to be picked up, so I walked home, taking a route through the woods. Sure, there was a high chance I would get lost, but I didn't care about that. If anything, I preferred it that way, but then again, what would Heinry and Mikhail do without me?

I arrived home late--later than I ever had. I really didn't feel like I had walked for eight hours, but, then again, I was so out of it that I hadn't even realized I was home until a maid spoke to me.

"Duchess Edith," I slowly turned my head to her, still in a drunken state. "Duke Thornwood wishes to see you."

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Heinry was surprised to hear that his father requested an audience with him. That tyrannical man never spared him a glance. He rarely even spoke to him. Instead, he would send an attendant to Heinry whenever he had something to tell him. So, Heinry was very curious, but at the same time, he was in a rush after hearing of Edith's expulsion. He had run all over to find her during school, but she was already gone. He had gone all the way to her manor, but after some careful investigating(Climbing up her balcony and staring into her windows), he discovered that she hadn't returned home yet.

So, he went back to school and got to the carriage just in time to be taken home. He decided he would go to see Edith when it had gotten dark since she was sure to be home by then. He knew she was safe, he knew it, but he couldn't help but worry. Maybe something happened to her while she was out, he wondered, but, just as his anxiety grew, his father cut off his thought process.