As the fog of war died down due to our majimonsters being soundly trounced into the ground, all of our eyes were drawn to the source of the voice.
"It's the headmaster"!
"Wait what? She looks way too young. I thought she was supposed to be-".
"Don't finish that statement if you value your life".
[Well she's clearly using something magical].
The voice in question belonged to a matronly looking middle aged woman that reminded me of an owl...well her hair anyways. It was cut short and had a tuft of white hair in the front while the sides were brown. Her skin looked looked impossibly pale and smooth, matched with features that said wisdom and beauty were one in the same. She wore flowing purple robes embroidered with golden thread and ornaments. Completing her ensemble was a cape made of black and white feathers done in a mixed manner, held in place by a golden medal with an owl design and three gems studded in it.
"It was no trouble at all milady. Just some troublesome youths", the Bosstrich known as Archimedes said as it preened itself before bowing towards the woman.
"Oh raise your head old friend", she said affectionately as she walked towards the Bosstrich and pet his head, "now do you wish to rest or do you mind helping me a little longer"?
"For you milady? Anything".
"Good good. Now then...", she said as she shifted from affectionate look to a hard gaze that reminded me of my mother but worst.
"Would anyone mind telling me why there was an unsanctioned showdown in the academy's courtyard on registration day?", she asked the eight of us with an authorative tone. Her gaze swept between us and I couldn't help but feel like she already knew what happened, but was just waiting for us to confess.
"Headmistress", Diamonda suddenly said as she took knee and bowed her head towards the woman, "This ruffian assaulted one of my friends and I challenged her to a duel. About half way through her friends joined in to gang up on me-"
"Oh that's a load of-"!
"Silence!", the headmistress yelled , "Continue".
"...her friends decided to interfere and gang up on me. My friends came to my aid in order to even the odds. We apologize for causing such a commotion on hallow ground", Diamonda said in the most sycophantic way possible. My cousin is not only a bully but also a massive suck up....great.
"Hmmm. Believable and based on the premise that the person asking only just discovered the situation...not bad", I heard the headmistress mumble to herself.
"Now then, you, hunter girl", the headmaster said as she pointed a finger at me, "what is your side of this story"?
"Headma-"!
"Silence noble girl. A proper investigation involves knowing all sides of an event, not just from the person who piped up first. Now then, hunter girl, talk", she said while gazing sharply at Diamonda and then at me.
"Uhh...okay, headmaster. I saw these bullies harassing a kid and trying to take his majimonster away from him, so I intervened on his behalf to get it back. This c-ountess wannabe threw the proverbial dueling glove at me and we had a go. However, my majimonster detected the presence of two antagonistic monsters and I called her out on her cheating. It then snowballed into a full-on brawl as her goons tried to gang up on me before my friends came in to even the odds", I explained as eloquently blunt as possible to her. Evidently, the look of shock on Diamonda's face as used vocabulary not normally used by "peasants" was hilarious to me.
[Thank you mother and father, thank you Voxea].
[You're welcome].
"Hmmm. A similar recollection of events but not an unnecessary twist and even owned up to aggressive actions. Surprising...", I heard her mutter again.
"Do you have any proof to back your claim?", she asked aloud.
"Proof"?
"Yes, proof. Evidence. Something or someone to back your claim as to defend your position. This may not be court, but proof is important to back up any claim".
"Uhh...", I went as I stared at my friends, who also looked a bit clueless at what to do.
"Yes! Me! I'm her- I'm their proof!"