Chapter 62: Someone Has Come to Challenge the Dojo
Once the storm of her emotional outburst had passed, Raiden Mei's mind began to clear. She sat beside him, her shoulders slumped and her head bowed, looking as fragile as a wilting flower. The fierce tempest had receded, leaving behind a quiet vulnerability. Yet, beneath the shyness, a current of deep concern for Rovel gave her the strength to break the silence.
"Ro… Mr. Rovel, where have you been these past few days?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"I caught a lead on your father, Mr. Ryoma, so I went to follow up on it," Rovel explained, his tone calm and reassuring. "There was a… minor complication along the way, but it was worth it. I managed to acquire this."
He handed a manila folder to her.
"News about Father?!" Her head snapped up, the fragile peace in her violet eyes shattering instantly.
Her hands, trembling slightly, fumbled with the clasp of the folder. Inside, a stack of official-looking papers detailed the complex 'ME Corp Economic Fraud Case'. As her eyes scanned the cold, bureaucratic print, her expression shifted from anxious hope to dawning horror, and finally, to a simmering rage.
The report confirmed it: Raiden Ryoma had indeed bypassed board approval and diverted a colossal sum of ME Corp's funds. But the next section made her breath catch in her throat—it wasn't for personal enrichment. The money was earmarked for the development of a highly specialized weapon, and a corresponding deposit from an external source was scheduled to replenish the accounts within three working days.
It was a violation of procedure, a risky maneuver, but it was not embezzlement.
But then, the documents detailed the conspiracy. Someone had pounced on that three-day window of vulnerability. They had frozen the incoming funds, leaked the initial transaction, and twisted a temporary procedural breach into a full-blown financial fraud scandal. Forged evidence, paid-off media outlets painting him as a corporate villain—it was a masterclass in character assassination.
Under the laws of the Far East, so long as the funds were replenished within the stipulated time, the act would constitute a 'Breach of Trust' at worst. Prosecution was unlikely, and even if it went to trial, it would almost certainly end in a suspended sentence. It should never have escalated to this.
Now, her father was not only in prison but had been convicted of a serious economic crime, bearing a burden he was never meant to carry. The move, while technically illegal, was the sort of thing judicial authorities would typically choose not to pursue.
Crucially, the file remained silent on one key detail: where the 3.4 billion US dollars meant to cover the shortfall had vanished to after her father was imprisoned.
"Just as I suspected…" The paper crumpled in her grip, her knuckles turning white. "Someone framed him. They really framed Father!" Her voice was a choked whisper, thick with a mix of vindication and fury.
"Mei, breathe," Rovel said, his tone gentle but firm. "This is a start, but it's not enough to clear his name. Not yet. The people who orchestrated this are powerful. We can't afford to be reckless."
She forced herself to take a few shuddering breaths, trying to rein in the tempest raging inside her. When she looked up at Rovel, her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, but also with a deep gratitude that went beyond words. "I know," she managed, her voice steadier. "Thank you, Mr. Rovel…"
She understood, without him having to say it, that obtaining these documents must have involved considerable risk.
"Don't mention it. I gave you my word, didn't I?" Rovel offered a soft smile. "We'll see this through together. I have no doubt that one day, the truth will come out and your father will be a free man."
"Yes," she whispered, her gaze unwavering. "He will be."
A notification chimed in Rovel's mind.
[B-Rank Mission: Find the truth behind Raiden Ryoma's imprisonment — Completed.]
He glanced at the indicator floating discreetly above Raiden Mei's head. Before the game's update, her affection level had been a mere 30%. At some point, it had risen to a solid 50%. Now, as the system notification faded, the number flickered and jumped again, settling at a staggering 70%.
The change was evident. The way she looked at him was different now—softer, warmer, a current of deep affection flowing in the depths of her gaze.
"Mr. Rovel," she began, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, "could you… could you come to my home after school today? I have something for you, a gift, to thank you properly. You have to accept it! I won't be able to rest easy otherwise."
"Of course," Rovel agreed with a simple nod.
'The gift,' he mused internally, 'that must be the mission reward. The Prototype Pulse Katana.' A private grin touched his lips. 'Finally, a decent weapon.'
The tension from moments before melted away, replaced by a comfortable intimacy. It felt as though they hadn't seen each other in ages, and a quiet stream of conversation began to flow between them. Even as the fearsome 'Thunder Queen,' Mei reverted to the gentle, caring girl Rovel knew her to be in his presence.
But the tranquil atmosphere was not destined to last. A sharp voice from the dojo entrance shattered the peace.
Someone had come looking for a fight.
'Seriously?' Rovel thought. 'After I dismantled six clubs by myself, and Mei reclaimed her title by force, the Kendo Club's reputation should be untouchable. Who in their right mind would come looking for trouble now?'
His question was answered a moment later. As the challenger stepped into the light, Rovel's train of thought derailed completely. A familiar system panel popped into his vision, but the information it displayed only deepened his confusion.
[Name:???]
[Level:???]
[Danger Level: Low]
'Her level is hidden?' That was a first.
"Kiana, that's her! That's Raiden Mei, the one who beat us up for no reason!" a girl beside the newcomer whined, pointing an accusatory finger. "And that's him, Rovel Suou! He's the one who used an 'exchange' as an excuse to humiliate all of us!"
Rovel recognized the speaker—the president of the Aikido Club. 'But… why is Kiana with her?'
"It's you?" Kiana's blue eyes widened in recognition.
"You're… the one who gave a statement for me, right?" Rovel asked, playing dumb. "You saw what happened last night?"
The Aikido Club president looked back and forth between them, utterly bewildered. They knew each other? Raiden Mei also tilted her head, equally confused by the sudden turn of events.
"Yeah," Kiana confirmed with a nod. "The police came by the academy this morning asking about that girl. I saw the whole thing, so I just told them what happened. Looks like you're in the clear."
"Thank you," Rovel said, his voice laced with genuine gratitude. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be stuck in a holding cell."
"Hey, no problem!" Kiana puffed out her chest, placing her hands on her hips in a proud stance. "It's what anyone from the Kaslana family would do! We don't let people get framed for things they didn't do!"
Seeing the two of them getting along, the Aikido Club president started to panic. She tugged on Kiana's sleeve, whispering urgently, "Kiana-san, don't forget why we're here…"
"Oh, right!" Kiana scratched the back of her head, a sheepish look on her face. "I almost forgot…"
The reminder seemed to flip a switch. She cleared her throat, and her easygoing expression sharpened into one of serious intent.
"Business is business," Kiana declared, her gaze locking onto Mei. "She says you bullied the Aikido Club. Is that true?"
"They had it coming," Mei's reply was ice.
A dangerous glint sparked in her violet eyes. In her mind, the equation was simple: they had targeted Rovel. That made them the enemy. He was her line in the sand, and they had crossed it.
With a fluid motion, Mei picked up her shinai, the wooden sword feeling like a natural extension of her arm. She leveled the tip directly at Kiana.
"And what about you? Are you here to be their champion?"
The air in the dojo crackled, thick with sudden hostility.
For some inexplicable reason, as Rovel watched the scene unfold, he found that he had absolutely no desire to intervene. A strange, almost wicked sense of amusement bubbled up inside him.
'This,' he thought, 'is going to be interesting.'
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