Respect my posting time. I have a life outside of internet and I also have to deal with my depression so I might take my time writing requests.
I'm allowed to not take requests. Self explanatory.
No being rude. I can accept insults or rude stuff but only as a joking manner. But if it's to hurt either me or other people is something I will not tolerate.
Criticism is allowed. Criticism will allow me to improve future writings or drawings, however, I ask for the criticism to be respectful.
No reposting my work. My work is 100% created by me and translations or reposts on another platforms is not allowed. Even if you credit me.
No AI training. I don't allow my work to be used for AI training in any way. Not my writings or my art.
Both SFW and NSFW requests are allowed!!
For specifics: Fluff, angst, suggestive and smut
Please specify what you want it to be: headcanons, one-shot or a drabble.
Also specify the gender of the reader, if you don't, reader will be gender neutral. And for NSFW, it will be AFAB/Fem!Reader.
Characters x OCs and OCs x my OCs are completely allowed! Just describe to me your OC so I can know what I'm working with.
Yandere requests are allowed ;)
Requests for reader with a mental disorder (Autism, ADHD, etc...) is allowed!
I WILL NOT WRITE REAL PEOPLE. ONLY FITIONAL / ANIMATED CHARACTERS.
I will NOT accept requests with:
- P!ss and p00p kink. Just... No thank you ;-;
- Incest. Please, just... No.
- Underage smut. Just... Block me if you like this. Disgusting.
Everything else is ok, but if you're not 100% sure, feel free to ask through an ask or a DM โค
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
โ Live Streamingโ Interactive Chatโ Private Showsโ HD Qualityโ Free Actions
Free to watch โข No registration required โข HD streaming
The Moment They Knew || Various!Genshin Men x GN!Reader
What the various men of Genshin Impact thought as they realized their feelings for you (Including some illustrations I did)
.
.
Characters Featured: Aether, Alhaitham, Ayato, Childe, Cyno, Diluc, Gorou, Kazuha, Lyney, and Neuvillette
"Even after such a long journey... you've never left my side..."
"Never a dull moment with you... huh."
"Such a strange stirring in my heart... surely they're not responsible?"
"...I love them... don't I? Heh. Of course it's them... who else?"
"My heart rate is increasing again... it's them, isn't it?"
"To think... of all the things you make me feel... I've never had such a burning feeling in my chest..."
"Is it so strange that I want nothing more than to stay by them always? Surely not..."
"They're like a comforting breeze... one I wish will never disapate."
"They're wonderful... how could I possibly let go?"
"No matter how hard I try... thoughts of you are... forever with me."
.
.
.
Thanks for reading! And Part 2 may be coming soon idk
Warning: Yes, this is still a yandere thing. You have been warned. Gender-neutral reader.
Summary: (Continuation, after thisย and short series which started here)ย Upon realizing their mistakes and the result of their cruel acts and rash decisions, the main cast are heartbroken and devastated.ย
Note: Here it is, the reactions people have been asking for over a year already. Well, kinda. The is the post to set up the story to it, and as the previous parts, Iโll be splitting them.ย
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
โ Live Streamingโ Interactive Chatโ Private Showsโ HD Qualityโ Free Actions
Free to watch โข No registration required โข HD streaming
~ ๐๐ธ fighting in the kitchen while making dinner
๐ธ: โWhy did you bring an entire entourage with you?!โ
๐: โI thought you were lonely and wanted a pajama party! I was even supposed to bring Lilia if he did not say he was busy!โ
๐ธ: โWhich part of my messages even remotely hinted at me wanting a pajama party?!โ
๐: โYou said โa bit of funโ. I thought you meant something along the lines of playing board games and watching films. How in the world would I know that meantโฆ lovemaking?โ
๐ธ: โThatโs literally what that phrase means.โ
๐: โI am notโฆ Gen Z. Or whatever they call this current generation. You could have simply told me you wish to have seโโ
๐ธ: โWhat kind of lady would be so direct?! Itโs embarrassing just speaking in euphemisms!โ
๐: โโฆ I am going to send them back to Diasomnia.โ
๐ธ: โYou canโt do that to guests.โ
๐: โWell, they need to show me their invitations.โ
๐ธ: โYou literally invited them.โ
๐: โFine! Then tomorrow they will go home and we WILL continue.โ
๐ธ: โGrimโs gonna be back tomorrow.โ
๐: โI will ensure he does not come back home.โ
Could you do hc's for the bros where Mc is "killed" by Belphie, but like. The moment they're in Mammon's hands they're like "holy shit I did not think that'd actually work" and like basically, Mc did an opossum and only pretended to die
MC PLAYS DEAD
Belphegor had his grip around your neck, and was laughing in your face. All your pathetic humans hands could do was claw uselessly at his.
Slowly, but surely, you were suffocating. A bit longer and you would die. The only logical thing that seemed to occur was to play dead. Hold your breath and stop your clawing. Otherwise you would die.
Although it was hard to suppress the urge to take in a big gulp of air, but if you didn't, you would die, surely.
So you let your hands fall to your sides as you closed your eyes, and went still.
Belphegor laughed.
Oh, how you wanted to punch him. He released his hold on your neck and let you fall to the floor with a thump. Any harder, and you might have suffered from a concussion.
Dragging your body with his tail, Belphegor went down the stairs. And gave you one final push as you rolled down. Pretending was hard, you wanted to clutch your head in pain and at the same time take a shoe and hit Belphegor with it.
Mammon's screams were the first thing you heard when you rolled to the bottom. You could feel approaching footsteps, and registered gentle hands around your head as he put you on his lap. That felt...nice.
" MC, oh no, please wake up. P-please." Mammon begged you to open you eyes and you wanted to sit up and grab him in a hug. The rest of the brothers could be heard running along, with Lucifer screaming at Belphegor, who was cackling like a madman.
Okay, if you don't open your eyes now they're going to bury you alive thinking you're dead.
So, with a grunt, you sit up straight.
All eyes are on you.
" ..MC-C ?" Mammon shakes his head while whispering these words at you.
" I did not think that would work, but holy shit, that worked."
LUCIFER
He was angry, fuming at Belphegor, for what he had done. Killed MC. His MC. But when he saw them sit up straight he froze.
He ran towards them to make sure they were okay. So they played dead. Clever thinking, MC. He really wants to hug them right now but the situation doesn't allow him.
But Belphegor must pay for what he tried to do...
MAMMON
What?.... H-how? Their body had rolled down the stairs..
He immediately grabs MC in a tight hug as he weeps into their neck. They almost died...and he, h-he wasn't there...
Mammon is glad MC is alive. He keeps hugging them close, refusing to let go.
LEVIATHAN
MC was dead..how?
Leviathan has gone still, unable to do anything as he watched Mammon cradling their body. But then they sat up straight...
Questions later, hugs first. He might connect it later to an anime trope he saw, after the mood is light.
SATAN
They should have died by now due to the lack of oxygen...but they sat up straight...played dead..
Part of him wants to tear into Belphegor and the other wants to hug MC...
If Satan had checked their vitals he would have immediately found out they were playing dead.
ASMODEUS
He saw them in Mammon's arms as he cried, and Asmodeus wanted to cry too..
But then they sat up straight..move aside Mammon, I want to hug them too...
He's glad they're alive...and also angry at Belphegor for what he did...
BEELZEBUB
He felt sick to his stomach on seeing MC's body..and anger and sadness at what Belphegor had done...
But then they sat up straight....he doesn't know whether to hug them or tear into Belphegor...
He's glad you're alive, and wants to hug them too right now...
BELPHEGOR
How in the seven layers...?!
He assumed they were dead, as they didn't make a sound or even flinch as he dragged them down the stairs...
He jumps at them again, he'll kill them again, and make sure they stay dead this time, but are stopped by Lucifer and Beelzebub.
SUMMARY: you were just trying to get some food when you are suddenly faced with a child who is freezing the cafeteria. but the most surprising thing was that he called you mother and has an undeniable resemblance to both yourself and malleus.
PAIRING: malleus draconia x reader
WARNINGS: biological children are implied and the usage of mother
It was time you put your foot down and stop your food from being stolen. Well, you didn't really put your foot down. You just told your friends that you would eat later in the cafeteria when they all went. It was a drastic measure, but you couldn't continue living like that.
Every time you, Deuce, Ace, and Grim ate together, you never got nearly enough food in your stomach, because Ace and Grim seemed to believe that your food was also their food.
So now you were on your way to have lunch on your own. Hopefully, someone you knew is also still there. Otherwise, it will be super awkward to sit at a table with a bunch of strangers. It will make you self-conscious of how you eat...
But it seems you didn't need to worry about eating right now.
A group of students came frantically running from the cafeteria, nearly knocking you over in the process. You barely got out of the way in time by stepping between two statues in the hallway.
One of your fellow students seemed to have the same idea, because he squeezed himself beside you, so he could catch his breath for a moment.
"What is going on? Why is everyone running?" you asked him, seizing the opportunity to get answers without needing to possibly get involved in the chaos.
The unknown student took a few heavy breaths before answering. "An attack! Someone is freezing the cafeteria. I think some students even got frozen."
"What?" You were in disbelief that it was really that bad. "Are you sure it's not just a prank from a few mischievousย students or ghosts?"
"I know what I saw. That definitely wasn't a prank!" the student said, clearly offended youโd even suggest it.
You turned to the entrance of the cafeteria when you felt the temperature in the hallway drop. You couldn't see anything from your place. But you could feel the pressure of magic in the air. It felt powerful. So it must be true what the student said. But there were only a handful of things that could charge the air with this amount of magic.
"Was it an Overblot?" you asked the student, now sharing his panic.
"I don't know. Do you think I stayed long enough to check?" he snapped at you, before his voice returned to a more civilized tone. "I don't think I saw blot ink or a phantom anywhere... But does it even matter? We should get outta here and let someone else deal with whatever is in the cafeteria."
The student didn't wait for you and instead sprinted off. You wanted to follow, but stopped when you suddenly heard what sounded like the hysterical cry of a child.
Your breath hitched as the temperature dipped again, cold nipping at your cheeks and frosting the edges of the hallway tiles. The crack of ice spreading echoed faintly from the cafeteria doors. And then that cry came again.
Who would bring a child to Night Raven College? And why would they be alone?
The impulse to run warred with your instincts. But something about the sound rooted you in place. A chill that had nothing to do with ice crept up your spine.
So once again, throwing any sense of self-preservation out the window, you decided to investigate the cafeteria.
As you approached the entrance, a thin layer of ice curled and crept across the floor beneath your feet. The temperature was dropping as if the air itself recoiled with sadness.
And then you saw it.
The cafeteria doors were open, hanging slightly ajar, frost spiderwebbing from their hinges. The cafeteria was a frozen winter scene. Tables were rimmed with rime. Plates of forgotten lunches sat frozen mid-bite. Students who hadnโt escaped in time were partially encased in thick magical ice. Thankfully, it didn't seem like they were injured. They are just trapped.
And in the center of it all, curled up and trembling within a growing circle of frost, was a boy.
He couldnโt have been older than five or six. His hands covered his face as sobs wracked his tiny frame. You were struck by the sight of such a young child in this place. A child who seemed so out of place amidst the suffering he unintentionally caused.
The ice creeped outward with each of his hiccupping sobs, the magic surging with raw, unchecked emotion. His hair shared the same color as yours. Small horns peeked out from beneath the tousled locks. They were curved, and unmistakably draconic.
Your breath hitched.
Horns.
The resemblance to Malleus was impossible to ignore. Not just the horns, but also the gentle curve of the boyโs brow, and the elegant bone structure of his tear-stained face. But there was something in his eyes, when he finally looked up at you. They were wide, watery, and impossibly green. But lacking the sharp edge Malleus would have had. The boy's eyes were softer and his nose cute. That hit deeper.
Not like Malleus. Like... you.
You looked at the boy in silence for a few moments, not sure what to say. "Eh... Are you hurt?" you asked eventually your tone of voice awkward, as you tried to smile reassuringly at him.
The boy's big, round eyes were staring at you. He blinked a few times. "M-mother...?"
Huh?
Before you could ask or clarify anything, the boy ran toward you and launched himself into your arms. His tiny frame seemed to hide an impossible strength, because you felt like he would actually snap your spine if he hugged you any tighter. "Mother!!"
You were as frozen in place as the unfortunate students, who didn't get away in time. You didn't know how to handle this situation. You were pretty sure you didn't spawn a child in your time in Twisted Wonderland. The only thing coming close to a child you took care of was your ever-hungry cat-weasel companion. Certainly not a real breathing kid.
Despite your inexperience with children, you could tell that explaining to this traumatized, and very much powerful little boy, that you can't be his mother, wasn't a smart idea. So you just told yourself that he just called every woman 'mother'. That's something children do, right?
You patted the boys back in hopes his crushing grip on you would loosen at least a little. "There, there. Everything is fine."
Well, actually, nothing was fine, but you also needed the reassurance of your own words.
You gently pried his arms away enough to kneel down in front of him. "Can you tell me what happened here?"
"Everything was different and strange. Not like home. I was here, and there were so many people and-" His words were interrupted by a wrenching sob. "I was scared, and I didnโt mean to! I just wanted you, but-b-but you werenโt there, and then everyone started running and they yelled at me, and, and-"
As the coldness in the air heightens again, you rub the boy's shoulders gently, despite feeling slightly panicked that he might freeze the entire school. "It's fine. It's fine. You were just scared. No one will get angry with you," you smiled at him. "Do you maybe know a way to fix this?"
He shook his head. "No. Father always does."
"Well, it's not that important anyway. The Headmage will figure something out... Probably," you say when you saw his face twisting with guilt. Although you could feel the stare of a frozen student nearby, who definitely does not agree with you.
The boy nodded at your words.
You paused. You didnโt even know his name. Just calling him 'boy' is certainly weird. "Say, do you remember your name?"
He looked at you in silence before suddenly beginning to cry again, leaving you very confused. "Why are you acting like you donโt know me? I donโt like this game!"
Someone seemed to be sensitive. While you had no experiments with children, Grim certainly taught you how to deal with sudden mood swings and tantrums. Although using tuna as a distraction probably won't work.
"But how can I be sure you are the real you and not a spy, if you won't tell me the right answer?" you replied playfully, poking his stomach. "So? What's your name?"
He giggled when you poked him and stopped crying. "You are being silly, Mother," he said. "My name is Maledor, of course!"
You nodded, as if you knew that as well. Hoping that he didn't turn the tables on you to test you, and said the wrong name. But certainly a child wouldn't do that, right?
"Aha! Maledor. Thatโs a perfectly real name. Youโre clear. No spy here."
You think about what you should do next. Seeing that no help or rescue had come in all this time, you could assume that none of the students who got away actually told the staff. You shouldnโt be surprised by that. After all, this was a school full of self-centered and mischievousย students.
You couldnโt leave Maledor alone. And you had little faith that going to Crowley for help would do anything. He would end up dumping the work on you anyway, so you might as well search for a solution on your own, before Ramshackle gets a new member.ย
By Maledor's pointy ears and little horns, it wasnโt hard to tell that he must be a fae. So, going to Diasomnia is probably the best course of action. Maybe someone there knew who this little boy belonged to. And maybe Malleus or Lilia can defreeze the cafeteria.ย
You took Maledor by the hand as you led him to the Diasomnia Dorm. Every so often, his grip would tighten, like he was making sure you wouldnโt suddenly disappear. As soon as you went through the mirror and arrived on the bridge that led to the castle, which was the dorm, you could feel Maledor visibly relaxing.
"This is better! I like it here. It looks like home," he said with a cheerful voice. Seemed like you did good by bringing him here.ย
Right when you were about to enter the dorm, Sebek suddenly crossed your path. His sharp eyes fell upon Maledor. "Human! Why do you have a fae child with you?!" he demanded. Then somehow jumped to: "Have you kidnapped him?! Hand over the child at once!"
"When do you think I kidnapped a magical fae child, from its magical parents?" you shot back. "Do you think I walked to Briar Valley and back in an afternoon?"
Sebek didnโt listen to your words to hung up on the idea that you kidnapped a child. Like that wasnโt something faes usually did to humans, right?
"I said hand over the child!" he shouted, before trying to grab Maledor.
You didnโt know why, but a sudden protective streak came over you, and you stepped in front of Maledor, blocking Sebeks' hand. "Donโt just grab a child!"
Sebek recoiled, shock flickering across his face at your boldness. "Are you impeding one of Lord Malleus' loyal knights, human?"
Sebek tried to grab Maledor again, not listening to you. Maledor, on the other hand, obviously did not want to be grabbed by Sebek and was hiding further behind you, grabbing your jacket. "Mother, I donโt want to goโฆ!"
When Maledor said that, Sebek paused. "M-Mother..?" he repeated, shocked. For a second, you think Sebek might actually let you explain the situation, but he immediately began shouting again. "How dare you steal away a fae child and then confuse it so much?! What wicked human trickery have you used?!"
You grit your teeth, trying hard not to let Sebek's ear-splitting accusations break your patience or your eardrums. "I didnโtย doย anything to him! And can you not yell? Youโre scaring him."ย You glance at Maledor, who is now peeking nervously from behind your leg, clutching your jacket tightly.ย
Sebek falters only a split-second before putting himself between you and the entryway. This standoff would be comical if it werenโt so tense. "I will not allow a potential kidnapper entrance to Prince Malleusโs domain!"
"Look, I didnโt kidnap anyone," you said. "He appeared in the cafeteria, scared, and accidentally froze half the room. I thought someone in Diasomnia might recognize him or help fix the mess."
Sebekโs eyes darted from you to Maledor and back. "You expect me to take the word of a human? Of Night Ravenโs resident troublemaker?"
Sebek's next rant was kept short when suddenly Lilia appeared swinging between the two of you. You screamed. Then Sebek screamed. And Maledor giggled.ย
Lilia landed lightly between you and Sebek, his eyes glinting mischievously as always, although there was a subtle alertness there. "My, my. Such excitement at the gates! Am I crashing a secret meeting?" he laughed.
You tried to catch your breath. How did Lilia always manage to appear exactly when you least expected it? "Lilia! Donโt sneak up like that," you gasped, half-laughing but mostly frazzled.
Sebek, who was embarrassed for also screaming, now tried to act as if he didnโt. "L-Lilia! The Prefect has procured a fae child and refuses to answer for it!"
"Oh? My, what an adorable little visitor we haveโฆ" Lilia said, studying Maledorโs face with recognition. He seemed to be delighted by Maledor.ย
"Uncle Lilia!" Maledor said, before coming out from behind you.ย
"Uncle?" you repeated, flabbergasted as you watched Maledor and Lilia interact as if they were long-lost family. "Do you know Maledor, Lilia?"
Liliaโs smile widened, a spark of mischief glittering in his eyes as he knelt down to Maledorโs level. "Of course I know this one," he said. "Itโs been some time since weโve had such a precious visitor from, shall we say, afar."
Maledorโs worry seemed to melt under Liliaโs reassurance. "Uncle Lilia, whereโs Father?" he sniffled, rubbing at his eyes. "Everythingโs scary and cold."
You blinked, looking between the two of them, feeling very much like youโd accidentally walked into someone elseโs family reunion in the middle of things. "Wait, you really do know him?" you asked Lilia, carefully keeping your voice level.ย
Meanwhile, Sebek had gone uncharacteristically quiet, torn between his usual outrage and a suspicion that something much bigger than an abduction was happening.
Lilia stood up. His gaze softened as he addressed Maledor. "Donโt worry, Maledor. Your father is very busy today, as are all great kings-in-training. Why donโt you stay with your-" Liliaโs eyes danced over to you, and the corners of his mouth twitched as if privately amused by some secret. "beloved caretaker for now? Iโm sure theyโll keep you safe."
Sebek straightened, suspicion not quite dispelled. "Are you certain, Sir, that the Prefect has not enchanted this child into believing-"
"Sebek," Lilia interjected. "Surely you would not accuse our dear Prefect of such underhanded magic?"
Sebekโs mouth opened and closed, before he replied. "IโฆI would never dare suggest you are incapable of seeing through such tricks, Sir! But this situation is most unusual. We must consider the safety of Prince Malleus. And yet the Prefect is still refusing to offer a proper explanation!"
Sebek puffed out his chest but glanced uneasily at Maledor, who peeked from behind you, still clutching your jacket. Despite his horns and emerald eyes, Maledor looked anything but menacing. Nevertheless, Sebek clung to the role of vigilant sentinel.
You took a deep breath, trying not to get annoyed. "I already told you that I found Maledor in the cafeteria, scared and alone. I donโt know anything else. And anyway, if he were out to get Malleus, freezing the cafeteria wouldnโt exactly be subtle, right? And who would send a child in the first place?"
Sebek seemed ready to continue his barrage of suspicions, but Lilia only chuckled. He bent down, gently patting Maledorโs shoulder while casting a reassuring glance your way. "I think what we all need right now is some warmth and a calm mind. The hallway is no place for important discussions or guests. Why not bring our little visitor and the prefect inside? Come, letโs have tea. We can sort out facts and fancies over something sweet, hm?"
Maledorโs eyes brightened at the mention of sweets. He nodded, tugging lightly at your sleeve as if afraid youโd vanish again.ย
All of you headed inside. When Lilia offered to brew the tea and bring some sweets, you immediately volunteered to do it instead. After all, the first rule to surviving a visit to Diasomnia was: Never eat or drink something Lilia made.ย
"Iโll handle the tea," you say quickly before Liliaโs hand can get anywhere near the kettle. Your voice is a bit brighter than usual, and you offer a smile to Lilia thatโs ninety percent nerves and ten percent sincere gratitude.
"Oh, are you sure? I was hoping to try a new blendโฆ" Lilia said.
"I insist," you reply, perhaps more quickly than you mean to. "Itโs the least I can do after all the chaos."
After returning to the lounge room with the tea and sweets, you all sit down. Maledor is quick to take a seat beside you, while Lilia has to urge Sebek to sit down as well instead of standing guard by the windows.ย
Steam rose from the cups you carefully poured. Maledor watched you, swinging his little feet under the chair, his misery momentarily forgotten in anticipation of sweets.
As you sit down as well, Maledor asked. "Can I take a cookie, Mother?"
The repeated use of the title 'mother' still caught you off guard every time, as did Maledor asking you if he was allowed to eat a cookie. You nodded eventually. "Yeah, sure."
Maledorโs face lit up as you granted him permission. He snatched a cookie with both hands and promptly stuffed half of it into his mouth, crumbs dotting his cheeks as he beamed triumphantly.
"Say, Maledor," Lilia began, tone filled with curiosity. "it must have been quite an adventure to find yourself here, hm? Do you remember anything? Anything at all about how you arrived at the cafeteria, or where you were before?"
Maledor looked down, chewing his cookie with squirrel-like intensity. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he swung his legs and frowned in concentration. "Iโฆ I was in the castle. Not this oneโฆ my home. Father was teaching me magic because I wanted to be big! Like him. And thenโฆThere was this bright green light, all swirly. It was so pretty, but it got really loud and windy. I called for you." he looked up at you. "But I couldnโt find you or Father, and then I was here. It was scary. I didnโt like it. I just wanted to go home."
You picked up a napkin when you saw that Maledor had finished eating. You cleaned his chocolate-covered fingers and mouth. To which Maledor reacted with a 'Thank you, mother,' after you were done.ย
Sebek, in the meantime, asked. "Who is your father? Can you say his name?"
Maledor brightened, as if relieved to be asked something simple. "My Father is Malleus! Malleus Draconia."
You barely had time to process Maledorโs answer before the tea caught in your throat, a cough sputtering out of you in disbelief. You blinked hard, as if somehow the world would flicker and correct itself. Instead, the bright-eyed boy just looked up at you, awaiting your response with absolute trust.
Liliaโs eyes sparkled with a private, knowing delight, a sly grin playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched the chaos unfold with all the satisfaction of someone who had seen the punchline coming a mile away.
Sebek, on the other hand, was completely stunned. The rigid guard posture dissolved into total shock. His mouth dropped open, then snapped shut in a series of fishlike gasps. He gripped his teacup so tightly it threatened to snap in half. He blinked, then searched Maledorโs face. His gaze darted between the delicate, unmistakable horns and those deep, green eyes. For a second, you wondered if Sebek was about to faint. "Malleusโฆ Draconia?" he finally choked out. "Impossible! The Young Master has no offspring! There must be a mistake. Someโฆ imposter trickery!"
"Wait, wait," you managed, gesturing rapidly between Maledor and Sebek. "Hold on, Maledor. You said your father is Malleus Draconia. You mean, the Malleus? Diasomniaโs Malleus? Tall, horns, kind of brooding, makes storms when heโs in a mood: Malleus?"
Maledor blinked up at you. His head cocked with innocent confusion, as if he couldnโt comprehend why you were asking something so obvious. "Of course, Father is Malleus Draconia!" he said, the words sounding so simple, so certain, as if youโd just asked him whether he liked cookies. "You know that, Motherโฆ Why are you pretending?"
You sat, frozen in your seat, Maledorโs certainty striking through you more powerfully than any ice he could have summoned. Your brain scrambled wildly for any logical explanation. Was this a trick? A dream? Did the world flip upside down when you werenโt looking?
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Sebek barked, jumping up so quickly his chair almost fell. "You must be mistaken! The Young Master does not have, could not have, a child without telling his loyal knights!" He pointed a finger at you. "And you, Prefect! What have you done to this child?!"
"I swear, Iโm not lying!" you answered, finally finding your voice. "I didnโt do anything to Maledor. He called me mother from the start. Before I even knew his name!"
Sebek, torn between devotion and confusion, snapped. "This cannot be! The Young Master would never keep such secrets. Andโฆ" His mind worked frantically. "The time makes no sense! My Liege and the Prefectโฆ youโฆ are not even married!"
You flushed, mortified and indignant. "Excuse you! Weโre not anything." You glanced at Maledor, lowering your voice. "Not like that. Just friends, really."
Lilia clapped his hands softly, his voice clear and sure in the commotion. "No need for dramatics. You know, Sebek, sometimes the wind brings secrets from times yet to come. Briar Valley holds many old mysteries, does it not?"
Sebek bristled, trying to regain composure. "Sir Lilia, with all respect, how can we trust-"
Lilia cut him off with a gentle but authoritative voice. "Sebek, look at the child." Lilia turned to Maledor. "You were frightened, werenโt you? Do you remember any enchantments or trickery? Did anyone put strange ideas in your head?"
Maledor shook his head. "No. I just wanted Mother. And Father." He glanced sidewise at you, hope flickering in his green eyes. "Iโm not lying. I promise."
Lilia patted his shoulder. "Of course youโre not. Sometimes things happen that even us grown-ups do not immediately understand. Time, magic, fate. I think our little prince here is simplyโฆ lost between stories."
"But what does that mean, Lilia?" you asked for clarification, not being able to wrap your head around this situation. "Is Maledor truly Malleus... And myโฆ" You didn't finish your sentence with 'child'. It just sounded too weird.ย
"Sometimes, the river of time chooses curious eddies," Lilia mused with a gentle smile. "A leaf from tomorrow might find itself drifting among the branches of today. If itโs not a trick, not a spell, and not a childโs tale, perhaps we must accept that sometimes, the world permits a riddle to live before its answer."
You stared, mouth poised between laughter and a plea for sanity. "Are you sayingโฆ heโs from the future?" The words felt ridiculous as they left your lips.
Lilia shrugged lightly. "Magic has never cared much for clocks or calendars. Wouldnโt be the first time something important arrived a little ahead of schedule."
While you were still trying to wrap your head around this, Sebek seemed to accept Lilias' words in a split second.ย "My Liegesโฆ" Sebekโs voice faltered, then swelled with fervor. "My Liege's heir! Of course! There can be no other explanation befitting Prince Malleusโs unparalleled greatness! Only Prince Malleus, scion of the glorious Draconia line, could sire such a prodigy! Such strength, such majesty, even at such a young age. Freezing the entire cafeteria! Behold, the testament of our great lordโs power!"
"You are the proof of Prince Malleusโs supremacy. Even time itself cannot contain his legacy!" he gushed. "A scion born of unmatched power and noble heritage! To think, I am in the presence of my Liege's heir -his magnificent progeny!"
"Forgive me, young prince!" He dropped to one knee before Maledor, completely ignoring you now, and offered a bow so deep it was a miracle he didnโt hit his head on the floor. "Forgive me for doubting your identity for even a second. I, Sebek Zigvolt, am at your service, just like I am at your glorious father's service!"
Sebekโs 180-degree turn gave you mental whiplash. Two minutes ago, he was about to lock you up for kidnapping a child. And now he was praising Maledor as if he was the second coming of Jesus. And anyway, where was your praise? After all, if Maledor was yours and Malleus's child, you had also contributed half to this cute little boy.
No, on a second thought, you'd rather not be the subject of Sebekโs loud and lavish praise. You were still in denial about all of this. Honestly, you were just surprised by Sebekโs sudden turn. Like, wasnโt he super concerned that Malleus and you werenโt even married a second ago? As if Sebek thinks children could only be conceived if their parents really love each other and wish for one. He was so innocent.ย
"This must be announced at once! The other knights deserve to weep at this glory. Everyone in Diasomnia needs to know. No, the entire College must know. Briar Valley must be informed. And the Young Master!"
Sebekโs words left you even more mortified than the entire situation already did. You are vaguely wishing the frosted cafeteria had swallowed you whole. You couldnโt face Malleus right now. What were you supposed to say? You rather die than face that embarrassment.ย
"No! We canโt tell anyone! Especially not Malleus," you interrupted in a voice that could rival Sebeks, before clearing your throat and continuing in a normal voice. "What I mean is, how are we going to explain this? Like, no one is going to believe that a child just showed up from the future, right? They will think Malleus had a secret love child or something."
"I canโt keep the Young Master in the dark about his own flesh and blood. It is my knightly duty to inform him about everything that is happening in his absence!"
Sebek, as always, did not listen, and Lilia was just enjoying the drama for now. In a burst of desperation, you grabbed a cupcake and threw it across the table at Sebek. He stood there, utterly stunned. A thick glob of icing clung to his cheek and crumbs slided down his jacket. He blinked, still processing your audacious cupcake attack. Meanwhile, Maledor, not understanding anything, laughed at that.
"Seems like you canโt go to Malleus now. You wouldnโt stand before your Liege covered in icing, right?" you said, trying to buy time.
"H-How dare you assault one of Prince Malleusโs loyal knights with pastries, human!" he barked.ย
The feeling that you brought the situation under control immediately vanished when the door opened. There, calmly and tall, stood the regal figure of Malleus, as if the universe liked seeing your misery. Those sharp green eyes found you immediately and lingered for a breath before shifting to Maledor.
"Father!" Maledorโs cry rang bright and clear. His little legs scrambed down from the chair. He rushed to Malleus with unerring speed, arms stretched wide open.
Malleus knelt smoothly. His regal composure melting enough to open his arms and receive the child -his child- into a gentle embrace. "So it was you I sensed. A presence so like my own, yet unlike any I have felt before."
Heat flooded your face as the initial shock passed. Your first instinct was to bolt from sheer embarrassment. Somehow, you managed to find your voice. "Youโre not surprised, Malleus?"
"Surprised?" he repeated "No, not at all. I recognized the resonance of my own magic the moment Maledor appeared." He regarded you calmly. "You seem greatly unsettled. Is it so shocking to you?"
"I mean, yeah! Everyone would be shocked," you replied honestly.
"You truly cannot feel it?" Malleus asekd. "Even now, the air shimmers with our blood intertwined. A melody only you and I could create."
You thought about his words for a moment. Putting it like that, you suppose you did feel something. Although definitely not as clear as Malleus did. "Still, shouldnโt we be more concerned?"
"Concern is natural. But you underestimate the strength of the Draconia blood. And your own as well. Our child would never be so easily lost to time without reason. He will return," Malleus said, voice absolute. "The magic that called him here is already unraveling."
"So the problem will fix itself?" you question. That sounded like better circumstances than most problems you have run into in Twisted Wonderland. "Everything will go back to normal soon?"
Malleus nodded. "Yes. This visit, while precious, is unintended. The magic that summoned him here is unstable and will not last much longer. The world has its ways of correcting itself."
Some of the tension in your chest loosened at his certainty.
Lilia, barely restraining a wide grin, chimed in. "It seems time itself favors your union, hmm?"
Your face went hot again, just as your flustered heart was about to calm down a little. "Y-You canโt just say something like that out of nowhereโฆ!" you stuttered. Your voice sounded more like a nervous squeak.ย
"But it's a wonderful thing, isn't it?" Lilia replied. Beneath his light tone, you could sense the sincerity in his eyes. Like a guardian who is relieved to see his forsterling in good hands.ย
Malleus regarded Lilia for a moment, then turned back to you, his emerald gaze gentle but searching. "Does it trouble you?" he asked. "If such a future would come to pass would it be so unwelcome?"
Despite your flustered state it didnโt take long for you to shook your head. "Noโฆ It wouldn't be unwelcome."
Maledor, oblivious to the tension and simply happy to be near both his parents, studied your face. He shuffled over from Malleusโs embrace and returned to your side, hugging you tightly enough to drive the air from your lungs. "Your face is all red, Mother! When Sebek gets red he gets loud. When Mother gets red she gets quiet," he commented, which made you only more flustered. "I think ice cream makes everything better. Can we eat ice cream?"
You softly pinch Maledor's cheek. "I think someone already had enough sugar for a day with all the cookies and cupcakes."
Maledorโs smile faltered for half a second, his wide eyes shimmering with a betrayed kind of innocence that only a child could muster. Then, with all the cunning of someone whoโd clearly inherited far too much of Malleusโs intelligence and dramatic tendencies, he turned slowly toward his father.
Malleus tilted his head. His expression was calm and unreadable. Maledorโs lip trembled just enough to be convincing. "Father..." he began, voice so heart-wrenchingly sweet it couldโve earned him ten free sundaes anywhere in Twisted Wonderland. "Mother said no to ice cream."
The underlying message was clear: Mother rejected me. Only you can right this cruel injustice, Father.
"A most tragic betrayal," Malleus said solemnly. "To be denied joy by oneโs own mother. This is indeed a grievous matter."
"Are you siding with him?" you asked, eyes darting from dragon fae to dragon fae. "Heโs a little sugar gremlin who just weaponized his cuteness!"
"I am merely acknowledging his diplomatic tact," Malleus replied with a perfectly neutral expression, though the slight twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement. He patted Maledorโs hair, then gently guided him back to your side. "A future prince must know how to plead his case with grace and strategic flair."
"Donโt encourage him," you grumbled, though your lips tugged up in spite of yourself. This entire situation defied logic and physics, maybe even sanity, but somehow... it wasn't as terrifying as it first seemed, not with the way Malleus stood beside you like an unwavering anchor in a storm, and how Maledor leaned against you like he had always belonged there.
"He encourages me," Maledor beamed up at his father.
"I do," Malleus agreed without hesitation.
"I manipulate Mother."
"You do," Malleus affirmed with serene approval.
"You are literally both saying the scheme out loud while Iโm right here!" you pointed out. "Youโre not supposed to straight-up say itโs manipulation!"
"Donโt worry, Father. Mother always forgives you when you hug her from behind. You do that a lot in the future," Maledor said to comfort Malleus after seeing your grumpy reaction.
Your soul nearly left your body.
Malleus blinked. Then turned to look at you intensely.
You snapped your head toward the child in horror. "Maledor!"
"What?" he asked, blinking up at you with wide, guileless eyes. "Itโs true. When you get all โgrumpy-grumblyโ and tell Father to leave you alone, Father just hugs you from behind, really slow and gentle, and you get all red and mutter something like, 'You know I canโt stay mad at you.'"
"Slow and gentle, you say," Malleus repeated. His expression was thoughtful, as if he was memorizing every word Maledor said. "Hmm. So gentle physical affection dissolves your irritation. I will need to remember that approach."
"That is not the takeaway here!" you interrupted.
"I am merely collecting useful knowledge of what pleases my future consort," Malleus responded smoothly. With almost academic intrigue. "Maledorโs insights are quite enlightening."
Sebekโs complexion was caught somewhere between ghostly pale and tomato red. "Y-Young Prince! This is hardly appropriate information to share in a public setting!"
Maledor blinked at Sebek, completely unbothered. "But Sebek, you said itโs a knightโs duty to speak the truth and uphold honor. Iโm just being helpful."
"Yes, but there are degrees of helpfulness...! Some truths are best kept private, especially when discussing the... the subtle... the-" Sebek finally broke eye contact and wheezed, "hugging techniques."
"I agree! We should just stop talking about this," you agreed, hoping the embarrassment would be over now, but then something came to your mind. "No, wait. It is only fair if you also share embarrassing things about Malle- Eh, your Father, Maledor."
Sebek, still recovering from the previous exchange, audibly gasped. "Y-young prince! The Young Master is above embarrassment!"
"No, heโs not," you said flatly.
"Well, Mother says itโs fair," Maledor chirped. "So. When youโre not around, Father gets really weird."
"Weird?" Malleus repeated. His tone remained level, but one graceful brow arched inquisitively.
"Mhmm. Sometimes he just stands in the hallway. Just... standing. Staring out a window. All dramatic and sad," Maledor said before adding brightly. "Oh, and when you come back, even if itโs just from the bathroom, he teleports to your side and says 'Ah, as I suspected, the world only feels whole in your presence again.'"
Malleus remained unshaken, which somehow made it worse. "There is no shame in expressing adoration," he said. "Is it so strange, to long for the presence of the one who stirs your soul?"
Somehow, your idea backfired on you. Not only was Malleus not the least bothered by Maledor's revelations, you are even more flustered now. You didnโt even know what to say, but thankfully Maledor filled the silence again.ย
"And one time. Mother kissed Fatherโs cheek right before a council meeting, and he smiled the whole time. The old scary ministers freaked out and thought Father was about to declare war because he never smiles like that during council."
"Alright, that's enough glimpses into the future!" you interrupted hastily, cutting off any further soul-exposing anecdotes. "Didnโt you say you wanted ice cream, Maledor?"
"Yes, ice cream!" Maledor shouted excitedly.ย
"If it pleases the young prince, I shall fetch the finest ice cream the college kitchens offer," Sebek declared utterly serious, though his face was still visibly red from the "inappropriate" things Maledor revealed.ย
Lilia, who looked like he was thriving in this chaos, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. "This might be the most entertaining thing Iโve seen in a hundred years. And I fought a manticore while wearing a tutu once."
"...Why?" you couldnโt help asking.
"There was a wager. Long story." He winked.
You just accepted what Lilia said without further questions. In a room together with your future child, that just appeared out of thin air, Lilia might still be the biggest enigma.ย
You all find your seats at the table again. It didnโt take long for Sebek to arrive with the ice cream. Maledorโs eyes sparkled as he eyed the huge bowl full of brightly-colored ice cream that you placed in front of him. Despite his eagerness, he still waited quietly until you gave him permission to begin eating. Seated beside him, Malleus also seemed to enjoy his bowl of ice cream with quiet contentment. You had the suspicion that he also wanted one from the beginning.ย
As you also began eating your ice cream, you began to really process what was happening. Does this encounter mean that your future was now predestined? Does this mean you will stay in Twisted Wonderland and never find a way back home to your world? Will you become the consort of one of the most powerful mages in the whole world, reigning beside him? They were all worthy, existential questions, but one in particular rose above the rest in your mind.ย
"Wait. Isnโt it a thing that dragon faes hatch from eggs? Soโฆ does that mean I'm going to lay an egg someday? Or is this a seahorse type of situation, and Malleus will lay the egg?"
The room was silent for a moment, but before anyone could answer that very crucial question, Sebek raised his voice. "Seahorse? How dare you compare the Great Malleus Draconia with an unremarkable creature such as a seahorse?!"
While a new round of chaos broke out on the table, Silver probably just woke up wondering why Sebek never came to wake him up for his guard duty.ย And the frozen students are till waiting for help.
summary: the obey me datables & luke react to mc coming back to life!
tags: obey me datables (simeon, solomon, diavolo, barbatos) x gn!reader, luke & gn!reader, hurt/comfort, implied character death, mentions of violence in solomon's parts, solomon goes a little crazy teehee
i. simeon
he sees you there, in the celestial realm. he had known your soul was pure from the very beginning, but seeing you among the angels was like a knife to his gut, a reminder of his failures to protect you.ย
you werenโt supposed to be here, not now, at least. it was far too early for you to die. simeon canโt help but feel bitterness well up within him as you turn from michael to look for someone in the crowd (he knew it was him. he hoped it was him).
your features light up โ simeon feels his heart skip a beat. even now you were just as he last remembered you, he had always taken the time to visit you in the devildom, even after his internship was over. you more beautiful than any angel he had ever seen.ย
you embrace him tight, and the tighter you squeeze the more he feels like he canโt breathe, the combating feelings waging a war in his mind. he shouldโve been watching over you; what kind of guardian angel was he to let his human die like this?
โiโm sorry,โ he doesnโt know why his voice cracks when he says it. simeon? losing his composure? he had garnered many millennia of years of experience working to keep it up. โiโm sorry i didnโt protect you.โ
โitโs okay simeon,โ he feels your hands squeeze the back of his cloak. a wicked thought crosses his mind; maybe if you dug your nails in harder he would have some penance for his failures. if you cut through the bone and marrow and reached his heart then maybe his father would forgive him โ maybe you would forgive him for his short-comings. โiโm here now.โ
โright,โ he breathes you in as if to convince himself. simeon feels the strength of his bond with you overwhelm him, he can feel how much you care for him and he feels his chest fill with warmth, chasing away his guilt, if for the moment. โyouโre here forever. with me. nothing can hurt you here, i promise.โ
ii. luke
luke had always told you to be mindful of demons, that they were evil creatures who would take any opportunity to kill you. it had seemed that his warning had proved true in the worst way. if only he hadnโt been a cherub; if uriel had promoted him to be your guardian angel like he had asked, maybe this couldโve been avoided.
but he was overwhelmed with how happy he was at the fact that you would be spending time with him forever in the celestial realm. he had wanted nothing more ever since you had become friends in the devildom. you were the one light for him in the exchange program.
โyouโre here!โ luke chirps, sprinting down the golden bricks of the road to the archangelsโ house. โyouโre reallyโ!โ youโre suddenly enveloped in a hug as luke wraps himself around your waist.ย
โhello luke!โ you smile from ear to ear, ruffling up his neat hair. usually, heโd make a comment about you not treating him like a child, but for now it seems heโs too busy nuzzling into you. โitโs good to see you again.โ
โyes! iโm happy to see you,โ he pulls away, cheeks visibly flushed. โiโm sorry that i wasnโt there to protect you from those mean old demons butโฆ everything will be fine now that youโre here!โ
โwould you like to give them a tour of the celestial realm?โ michael chimes in with a smile, the younger angelโs eyes lighting up like a christmas tree.
luke nods excitedly, taking your hand in his, already tugging you out of the estate: โwe have so much to do! we canโt waste any time!โ
iii. solomon
solomon spirals hard.
there was a reason solomon pushed everyone away, why most people in his life were kept an arms length apart. he got too attached to things; to power, to magic, to anything that gave him that needed adrenaline rushโฆ why would you be any different? you, the only person he has ever loved had been snatched out of his hands.
and worst of all, he had been powerless to save you.ย
all the magic and demon pacts and connections in the world couldnโt stop you from bleeding out in his arms. humans like you were much too fragile for his liking; he had worked tirelessly his whole life to be anything but.
if he couldnโt get what he wanted from the damned, he would have to turn his eyes to the celestial realm. if he had to tear down the heavens and bring you crashing back down to earth, heโs sure he would.ย
making bonds with angels was much more difficult than that of demons, but he found after nights of endless research that plucking a few of their feathers would get them to sing.ย
heโs covered in golden ichor when he manages to bring you back โ a life for a life. he finally was able to do it, not only to bring a human back to life, but to bring you back. solomon rises, shakily, as you feel your body materialize out of the magic sigil etched into the floor. he smiles gently, looking at you as if you were the only thing that mattered.
so why do you look back at him with such horror?
iv. diavolo
he had bargained with the archangels before, but never for a life.
in all accounts, a human choosing to leave the celestial realm and go to the devildom was unheard of. being cast out of heaven was notoriously the worst punishment anyone could receive.
but you do, you would always choose him over all the luxuries and beauty of the heavens every single time. it was true that love made people do stupid things.
michael sends you back to the devildom months after diavoloโs terms were set, a gift with the price of owing the ruler of the celestial realm a favor. michael was known for his kindness, but diavolo knew that there was more to him than that. he was smart enough to know that michael would never jeopardize the devildom, but angels never forgot debts owed. it was a risk, but one diavolo had no choice but to take.ย
above all the benevolence and good-will he draped himself in, at his core, he was a selfish demon; perhaps moreso than anyone else in the devildom.ย
he holds you against his chest the whole night. in the morning, heโd have duties and meetings to go to. but for now, you were his.ย
โlittle one,โ he mumbles into your hair, hands tight around your waist, โmake a pact with me. that you may be at my side forevermore.โ
v. barbatos
in so many other timelines he sees you, shining, alive. he starts to resent the other versions of himself for being happy with you (or even worse, happy with any of the others). barbatos could pull you out as easily as he could breathe; he had a mastery over his powers that other lower demons could only imagine.ย
but it wouldnโt be the same, he reminds himself, it wouldnโt be his version of you.ย
he knew the way to get you back, itโd be to break his own rule: do not interact with the past. diavolo had given him permission to bring you back, it would be a stain on the exchange student program if one of the humans came back dead after the second semester. but he wasnโt so sure, what if the you he brought back wasnโt the you he remembered?ย
barbatos does it anyways, knowing he canโt refuse an order from his lord. the you in the celestial realm will be erased from existence replaced with the you of the past, the one who doesnโt know what itโs like to die. the two can only hope it doesnโt cause drama in the celestial realm.
โbarbatos?โ you question as you walk in the gardens with him, completely oblivious to it all. if he hadnโt been so happy that you had returned, he would feel guilty for not telling you of your death. sometimes, ignorance was bliss. โare you okay? you seem more quiet than usual.โ
โdo i?โ he muses, forcing a soft smile for you. โiโm afraid iโm simply just a bit tired. sleep evaded me last night.โ the last part wasnโt a lie.
โsorry to hear that,โ you pout, โif you want to go nap, you should!
โdo you not wish to spend time with me?โ
โitโs not thatโฆโ you kick at the ground, arms crossed behind your back. โitโs just we have all the time in the world though, right? i want you to be rested when weโre together.โ
he feels as if youโve struck him with an arrow to his chest. barbatos sees your lifeless body in his mind, did you know and were trying to taunt him? or were you simply just this sweet?
โi suppose youโre right.โ he nods his head, โbut youโre coming with me.โ
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
โ Live Streamingโ Interactive Chatโ Private Showsโ HD Qualityโ Free Actions
Free to watch โข No registration required โข HD streaming
You guys ever feel like you're having a fling with some franchise? Or exes trope for that matter. Like you used to be fully engaged in the fandom before they no longer your hyperfixation but when you coincidentally came across the posts about it and hit nostalgia lane, you then stop by for a second to relish the remnants and memories. You started to engaged with it back before bouncing again.
Well, here we are! After my head cannons about giving them a rock, and it might be some way to propose to fae, Iโm here to deliver!
Request rules and Masterlists
Accidentally proposing by giving him a rock (Malleus)
Being friends with fae is confusing sometimes. Of course, theyโre great! But their culture is new to you, and youโre trying to learn. Of course thereโs bound to be misunderstandings and mistakes every so often! Itโs part of the learning process.
Well, this is probably the biggest misunderstanding that couldโve possibly happened.
Youโd simply wanted to give Malleus a gift to help express how much you care about him. So when you found this nice smooth black rock with specks of gray and green, you thought it was perfect for him. Who doesnโt love rocks anyway? From what youโve learned about fae, theyโre very in tune and connected to nature. So surely Malleus would appreciate the rock!
So when you see him next, you told him had a gift for him. But when you held the rock out to him, he wasโฆstunned to say the least. The ever so calm Malleus Draconia had wide eyes when he saw it, and heโd gone completely stiff and silent. In hindsight, that definitely shouldโve told you something was wrong. But at the time, you naively thought he was just stunned you gave him a gift. You were well aware he hasnโt gotten to experience friendships like the average person first most of his life. So it made sense why heโd be surprised when you gave him a gift. Heโs not used to receiving gifts.
โChild of manโฆdo you truly mean this?โ
Youโd smiled at him, and nodded, โOf course. I wanted to give you something to show I care and how much I appreciate you. This rock reminded me of you with the spots of green on the black.โ
Just like that, the biggest smile grew on his face. One of his hands moved and gently held onto the bottom of your own hand that held out the rock, and the other carefully picked it up. He held the stone close to his chest, and looked down at you with such softness.
โWords cannot properly express how grateful I am to receive such a gift from you. I am delighted to accept this treasure. Rest assured, I will keep it safe and make the proper preparations for everything.โ
It was hard to question what he meant when he said heโd make preparations when he looked so happy and held onto the rock like itโs sacred. He probably meant that heโd set something up to protect the rock, like a place for it to sit on display or something. Yeah, that seems like something heโd do.
You thought it was odd when Sebek was at the door to Ramshackle the next morning. He seemed rather upset, and he woke Grim up with his shouting, but he insisted that it was his duty to stick around. In your freshly woken up state, you didnโt quite process everything heโd said. Something about the audacity of humans, how Malleus is so humble and kind, and that regardless he would fulfill his duty to Malleus at all costs. But all that was pretty normal talk for Sebek.
It was a lot easier to let Sebek just escort you to your first class than to try and argue about being able to get there on your own. It was a lot quieter after he left to go to his own classes. Grim actually fell asleep during class, claiming that he woke up too early from Sebekโs yelling.
Around lunch time, Lilia had stopped by your table (Scaring Ace in the process). Heโd greeted you with a big smile, and arms outstretched.
โCongratulations! Young people sure do move fast. But Iโm glad to see Malleus so happy. He told us all about it when he came back to Diasomnia yesterday. It seems Briar Valleyโs future is looking rather interesting, and more accepting of humans.โ
Okay, now you were very confused, and so was everyone else. Unfortunately, when Ace asked what was going on, Lilia just laughed.
โAh, it is hard to keep up with younger folks sometimes. Anyway, I will be off. Much to do, things to help arrange.โ
He disappeared before anyone could get another word in.
Itโs safe to say you were now thoroughly confused. All you did was give Malleus a rock, and now you have Sebek acting like he had to escort you places, and Lilia congratulating you? Was the rock some magical item? It wouldnโt be the first time you accidentally came across something magical. Maybe it was Malleus just being protective? He did have a habit of going over the top a bit to protect those he cares about.
Either way, the only way to know what was really going on would be to ask Malleus himself. So after classes were over, you and Grim made your way over to Diasomnia to find Malleus.
Youโd never seen Diasomnia soโฆscattered. Several students were moving around quickly, some even avoiding eye contact or going still as you walked past them. And sitting in the lounge was the dragon prince himself, Malleus, with a big smile on his face as he spoke with Lilia.
As soon as Malleus saw you approaching, his smile grew again, and he looked at you with such joy and affection.
โAh, Child of man, how lovely it is for you to visit. Everything is going smoothly.โ
You blinked up at him in confusion, โWhatโs going smoothly?โ
At that, he seemed surprised for a moment before answering, โThe preparations for our marriage of course.โ
โฆ
What.
Grim practically squeaked beside you at the revelation and began shouting, โMarriage?! Who said you could marry my hench-human? You didnโt even ask for permission to propose to my minion!โ
Malleus laughed softly, โThere was no need for me to seek your approval. Child of man proposed to me themself. It was quite the honor.โ
The small direbeast looked quickly between you and Malleus in shock, and slight offense that you didnโt tell him. Malleus wasnโt a mage he wanted to provoke, but you were his hench-human! How could you propose to him without even consulting or telling him first?!
In the pause, Malleus continued, โI have taken great lengths to ensure the precious stone is safe. It is a symbol of our engagement, and will be a fine piece at our ceremony. Grandmother has already received word, and will be welcoming you to Briar Valley by my side.โ
Oh great seven. The Queen of Briar Valley knows you somehow proposed to the Prince by giving himโฆa rock?? This must be some part of fae culture youโd yet to learn about. Courtship wasnโt exactly a priority when learning about their culture, so you hadnโt gotten there yet.
Snapping out of your shocked daze, you had to ask, โWeโreโฆengaged??โ
Malleus nodded, โOf course. Was that not the purpose of your gift of stone?โ
Part of you wanted to clarify that proposing was very much not the intention, but he looked so happy and Lilia was giving you a look beside him. Malleus even told his grandma, made Sebek escort you this morning, and now all of Diasomnia is treating you like some sort of royalty. He was so excited about it. How could you tell him that you werenโt proposing when he was so excited? That might break his heart.
Unsure of what to say, you stayed silent for a moment. Lilia, ever the protector of Malleusโ feelings, laughed lightly, โAh young love. Proposing and yet being so flustered about it. Itโs relieving to see the future rulers of Briar Valley being oh so in love. Humans and fae coming together after so long.โ
Malleus smiled again, and stepped by your side, โI am honored to be your chosen partner. Now, we must set up a time for you to meet Grandmother before the wedding.โ
A/N: I had this idea and I wanted to write it for all the Dorm Leaders! I tried to pour a lot of love into these, so I hope that comes across properly! Here we go~ Please enjoy!
Editโadditional pieces: ver i (this), ver ii (deuce, leech twins, silver),ver iii (jamil), ver iv (ruggie, rook, lilia), ver v (trey), ver vi (ace, jack, epel, sebek)
โ
It was during another one of Heartslabyulโs Unbirthday Parties. You were sat right next toย Riddle, as you stirred a teaspoon in your tea. You giggled at the way Ace and Grimm messed around, while Deuce tried to stop themโonly to be pulled into it. Cater laughed happily, the way he held his phone could only mean he probably filmed everything. Trey sat across you, a familiar smirk crawling up his lips as everyone enjoyed themselves.ย
First at all, I like do much your writing and I hope you are doing well. Second, I was wondering what would happen if the MC (Fem!s/o I guess) decided to not go back to her world, like she decide stay with her villain? Can you do make headcanons of this for the dorm leaders? Thank you very much.
โ from Anonymous
A/N:ย Hi Anon! Sorry for taking so long! Thank you so much for liking my work and for sending in this request! Since this was submitted before I opened my headcanons request, Iโll assume you wanted a scenario! It reminded me of a particular Japanese middle school/high school traditionโฆ I donโt want to spoil it, but I do hope you enjoy it!
edit- additional pieces: ver i (this), ver ii (???), ver iii (rook & lilia)
โ
โHey, did you know?โย
You looked up from your meal to see a grinning Ace.ย
โWellโฆ you havenโt told me what this is about Ace.โ you finally said in a dry tone.ย โSo, noโI wouldnโt.โ Beside you, Epelโs lips curled up in amusement.ย
โAre you sassing me?โ Ace squinted at you.
โWho could say.โ you shrugged your shoulders.ย โAnyways, what is it?โ Ace studied you for a couple more seconds before he too seemed toย โshrugโ it off and continue.
โThereโs actually a tradition in Twisted Wonderland during graduation season.โ Aceโs smile turned wicked, as he raised his hand and tugged at a button on his shirt.
โPlease donโt strip. Nobody needs to see that.โ you saidโDeuce promptly choked on his food and Grim snickered beside you. On his other side, Jack sighed as he patted the man on his back.ย
โItโs not that!โ Ace scowled.ย โSweet Queen, if you keep going on like that, I swearโโ
โSorry, sorry.โ you raised your handsโpalms up.ย โSo, what is it?โย
โThis button.โ he pointed at the second button from the top.ย โWell, for NRC, they go with the fifth buttonโbut either wayโฆโย Sebek leaned forward in interest.
โIs this the button tradition?โ his eyes sparkled,ย โyou see, I was thinking of givingโโย
โIt doesnโt work like that Sebek.โ Ace saidโat which the Diasomnia student immediately deflated in response.ย
"People give this out at graduation.โ Ace continued.ย โItโs like the last chance to confessโbefore you leave the school life behind.โย ย
โLast chance huhโฆโย you thought, as you remembered Crowleyโs words from the other day.
โIn my generosity, I have found a way to bring you back homeโฆ butโฆโ the Headmaster peered at you with glowing eyes. โSomething tells me you donโt want that anymore.โ
โAnd because Iโm so generousโฆ I will let you decide what you wish to do.โ his eyes brightened behind his mask. โI hope to hear from you soonโฆโ
"Why not the first button?โ you couldnโt help but ask. Ace, who had just finished recounting how many buttons he had given out in his last graduation was startled by your question.ย
โErrโฆโ Ace scratched the back of his head.ย โI dunno?โย
โItโs the second button, because on the regular school uniformโฆ itโs closest to the heart. Because graduations at NRC are in the summoning robesโthat means the fifth button.โ Jack finally spoke up,ย โwhat normally happens isโฆ someone confesses, and the other party decides whether or not to give the button. When the other party gives their buttonโit means they return the love of the person who confessed.โ Grimโs face twisted at that.ย
โIn conclusionโฆ disgusting.โ Epel shrugged his shoulders, before he shot Jack a look.ย โIโm surprisedย you, of all people know that.โ Jackโs whole body twitched, and his tail bristled in response.ย
โSo. you were being a little shit.โ Deuce told Ace.
โYeah Ace, youโre an asshole.โ Grim huffed.
โNot true, all of the people who wanted my heart, got it~โ Deuce grimaced in disgust at his roommateโs response. On his other side, Sebek shifted upright.
โI donโt care what you all say, Iโm givingโโย
โSebek, no.โย
As your friends erupted into chaos your hands fell on top of your second button and you fiddled with it thoughtfully.
โ
โAlright, what is up with you two?โ Riddle turned around to glare fiercely at the squabbling Ace and Deuce. At his movement, the long cloak of the summoning robes shifted around his legs.
Is it just me, or is the idea of a completely oblivious reader hilarious? Obviously, they're not just a fool, they're competent in their own right and extremely intelligent, but with social cues? That intelligence flies out the window.
Like, then not being able to tell when someone hates them. A student being oddly condescending, oddly judgemental... But why? Must be some conversational rule!
Or, even... Oblivious to someone liking them. In a special way.
Azul would have it the worst, in my opinion. He's always trying to keep up airs, to act formal, and yet your obliviousness to his roundabout flirtations is on the brink of pushing him over the edge. Oh, he wants to repay a debt? That's nice! He thinks you'd be a good taste-tester? How lovely! He doesn't have any foolish attachment to you? Good to know.
Ace would also struggle. He wants to deny that he enjoys your company so bad, and yet, he knows you'll believe him and stay away. Oh, you're being lame and he totally doesn't like you? That's a shame, you'll avoid bothering him from now on. But why does he not want you to?
Same goes for Sebek. Oh, wow, h-he couldn't possibly like a mere human like you? That's a shame. Why did he stutter? And it's really nice of him to bring you gifts even if he dislikes you! He has to outright admit it, and it's so mortifying.
Jade, too. Oh, you're amusing? That's it? He doesn't care for you any deeper? Oh, well. If only he did. You thought he was pretty cool! His mind games don't work on you at all, simply because you never even notice them, and he doesn't know how to feel about it.
Funnily enough, Floyd also struggles with your obliviousness. It seems odd, but he is the type to deny his attachments to othersโcase in point, the way he claims he and Azul are nothing more than business partnersโso of course he denies getting attached to you. But then you believe him, and he can't take that.
On the other hand, Malleus would actually do very well with someone oblivious to social cues such as yourself. He relates, and prefers directness himself. So your own directness is actually quite the relief.
Riddle would actually think similarly... At first. Although he appreciates directness, when it comes to affection for others, he himself struggles with being direct. It feels oddly mortifying.
Similarly, it could go either way with Jamil. On one hand, he dislikes mind-games when they're inefficient, on the other... Well, he's not the best at processing his own emotions. Having to state his affection for you outright might just prove to be quite the pain.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
โ Live Streamingโ Interactive Chatโ Private Showsโ HD Qualityโ Free Actions
Free to watch โข No registration required โข HD streaming
Masquerade! hide your face so the world'll never found you
SUMMARY:ย You're always supposed to travel with the delegation, whether you want to or not. This time, you did want to attend the festivalโbut Crowley decided your name wasn't on the official list.
Naturally, you ignored him. With Grim at your side and a plan held together by stubbornness alone, you slipped into Fleur City and its dazzling masqueradeโthe most colorful, musical night the city had to offer.
The only problem? You hadnโt planned on running into the seven dorm leaders of NRCโฆor on being personally escorted by them straight to the gates of Noble Bell College.
TAGS:ย crack, humor, drama, flirting without knowing.
WORD COUNT:ย 23k
COMMENTS:ย this is hella long, so buckle up!! I took some narrative liberties, maybe not entirely event canon but oh well, there's full chaos.
Soundtrack recommendation: God help the outcast - Topsy Turvy - The Bell Tower - Paris Burning - Make a Wish - Masquerade - Bells of Notre Dame
What does one have to do to get a little peace in the middle of a haunted dormitory thatโs almost crumbling down to its foundations, with a cat shooting fire left and right?
That was what you were thinking when a letter showed up carried along by a cascade of black feathers. It was as if peace and order didnโt exist in the vocabulary of this magic-filled school.
One moment Ramshackle was quiet, or as quiet as it could get with Grim arguing with one of the ghosts, who had stolen a can of tuna just to mess with him, and the next, a whirl of glossy black feathers burst in through the broken window and spiraled dramatically down onto the first steps of the lounge staircase.
โHEY! Weโre under attack!โ Grim growled, jumping back when the envelope landed with an unnecessarily theatrical thump on the coffee table. โProtect me, Henchman!โ
You sighed, keeping Grim upright as he climbed up your arm until he settled on your shoulder. You picked up the letter and looked it over; burgundy-colored, with a wax seal faintly gleaming in gold.
A letter that screamed official and important no matter how you looked at it.
It definitely wasnโt a bill or some annoying request from the administration. Crowley never handed those out in person, much less with a flock of black feathers; which meant the bird-brained headmaster was nearby.
And with that, the front door swung wide open on its own with a creak.
โWell, well, my most honorable and dependable residents!โ he said in a voice far too cheerful and far too polished, stepping into the dorm as if it belonged to him and not like he had dumped it on you in terrible condition. โWhat fortune to find both of you at home! Truly, the stars themselves align for the diligent!โ
Grim shot him a flat look and narrowed his eyes. โWhen you talk like that it means nothing goodโ
Crowley brushed off the comment with professional skill. โMy dear prefect,โ he continued, turning toward you with a wide smile, his cape swishing as if he had practiced the move in the mirror about ten times. โI require your presence in my office immediately. It concerns a matter of prestige, honor, and, naturally, inter-academic relationsโ
In other wordsโฆ trouble.
You glanced sideways at Grim; the cat met your look, and you murmured to him when you saw Crowley turn to head out of the lounge without even checking whether you were following or not. โYeah, nothing good ever comes from himโ
The office gleamed and buzzed more than usual, once again showing off dear Headmaster Crowleyโs vanity.
The dorm leaders were gathered around the table, composed, radiating different levels of authority, boredom, or barely-contained chaos. Kalim was practically vibrating with happiness, just like Idiaโฆ although he was probably vibrating because he wanted to go back and lock himself inside his room; the fact that he was here, surrounded by people, was already an achievement.
Yes, obviously something was about to go down.
There were expectant looks from the othersโexcept Leona, obviously. He was one step away from turning around and heading off to sleep in his usual spot in the botanical garden. The atmosphere had that specific tense shine that meant the announcement about to drop was going to be, indeed, catastrophic.
You took your place beside Kalim, who bumped your hip in greeting and grinned from ear to ear. You returned the gesture, lightly bumping his hip back, and let Grim settle himself on top of your head.
Crowley cleared his throat, which was always the beginning of one of his boring, overly theatrical, and unbearable monologues.
โMy dear dorm leaders,โ his eyes gleamed at the sight of the seven young men waiting in front of him. Grim coughed, and Crowleyโs expression tightened slightly. โAnd prefect,โ he continued. โToday we have received an extraordinary honorโ
With a flourish, he raised seven invitations, seven burgundy letters with shining golden seals.
โNoble Bell College has kindly sent official invitations requesting the presence of representatives from Night Raven College at their upcoming cultural festivalโ
Your eyes widened. An event outside NRC, allowing you to explore more of this world and see another school; considering they barely let you leave for the nearby town on the Island of Sages, and RSA was still out of the questionโ that school was still a mystery to you.
So Noble Bell College would be your next magical stop.
Grim looked excited too, gripping your hair tightly and whispering to himself all the things he was already plotting in his small and chaotic head about what he was going to do: eat lots of tasty things, maybe sweets or bread, or tuna made in some way he had never tried before; the possibilities were endless for your little cat.
โAnd to enhance the experience, the school will treat this event as a masquerade. Isnโt that fascinating?โ
Okay, the pinnacle of dramaticsโvery Twisted Wonderland and very Crowleyโฆ you like it.
Crowley was smiling like a man who definitely intended to send teenagers straight into imminent student chaos. He opened one of the invitations and read the contents in his characteristic dramatic voice.
โThe event celebrates unity, refinement, and the highest traditions of academia. Naturally, they have requested ourโฆ most distinguished students. And of course this dear and most generous headmasterโ
And that was where the seven invitations came into play. Seven letters addressed to each of the seven dorm leadersโฆ and to no one else. He didnโt mention the vice leadersโ names, nor your name, nor Grimโs.
Crowley lowered the letter with a satisfied nod. โAnd with that, the official delegation is concludedโ
On your end, silence. A small, polite silence, while the others were already straightening their postures, ready to hear when they would depart and how they should present themselves.
Then Crowleyโs head tilted, looking forward, not directly at you, nor at Grim, as if remembering something slightly inconvenient. His eyes were fixed firmly on the office door.
โAh! But of courseโฆ our reliable prefect!โ he turned toward you with a bright, performative smile. โAs the head of Ramshackle dorm, it would be inappropriate not to include you in this announcement. Transparency is the hallmark of this benevolent administration, after all.โ
You heard Leona snort loudly, as if the words โbenevolent administrationโ were completely accurate. If you werenโt harboring a bad feeling right then and there, you would have snorted along with him.
Grim puffed out his chest when he saw that the headmaster was now addressing his beloved henchman. โI knew it! Weโre going toโโ
โHoweverโฆโ Crowley cut him off, and you felt Grimโs tail deflate against the back of your head. The bird-brain laced his fingers together in front of him. โThe invitation, unfortunately, extends specifically to recognized magical students who participate in the official exchange. As you do not possess any measurable magical abilityโฆโ
Grim opened his mouth to argue back, ready to launch a fireball that would leave him flat on his back after such humiliation.
โMaster Grim, you and the prefect are essentially one student,โ he cut him off again. โAnd given that Ramshackle is, shall we say, administrativelyโฆ uniqueโฆโ he made a vague motion with his hand, annoyed at having to find the word that best fit the situation without making it more tense than it already was.
Reading between the lines: youโre not invited, and neither is the cat. Itโs not negotiable. Not even by accident.
Crowley gave a sympathetic nod, his eyes showing a very well-acted sadness. โHow unfortunate! Truly unfortunate. Perhaps next timeโ
Next timeโฆ like being told there was no more of the cake you liked in the cafeteria and youโd have to wait until tomorrow to eat it. Or like being told you had to try a little harder on the next assignment.
As if you hadnโt literally fought overblots throughout the school year, monsters, ghosts, and whatever the hell lives in the schoolโs ventilation ducts.
Life isnโt fair, right?
The other leaders didnโt react strongly, but they didnโt give you the reactions you expected either. A couple of shrugs, Kalim looking at you with genuine sadness at not being able to enjoy the evening by your side.
Crowley broke the silence, and the damn spell, with a clap. โVery well then! Preparations begin immediately!โ
The meeting dissolved into excited chatter from the headmaster and completely formal, rather critically thought-out discussion from the leaders. Malleus, in particular, looked especially fascinated by the idea of having been invited.
Grimโs tail flicked over your shoulder. โโฆtheyโre really not taking usโ
The office suddenly felt a little louderโฆ and a little farther away while the two of you watched the others discuss travel plans, formal attire provided by the school, speculation about the festival, music, foreign food.
โMake sure to keep the dorm in order while weโre away, prefect! Such an important responsibility!โ Crowley waved a hand at you, signaling you were already dismissed from the meeting.
Grimโs ears flattened against his small head as you headed for the exit.
โโฆthis is bullshit.โ
โYeah,โ you huffed. โYeah, it really is.โ
The murmuring followed you out of the office like static.
Crowley was talking louder than usual, Vil was already arguing about the weight of the luggage and the makeup heโd have to do for everyone, yes, even Leona, whom you heard growl when Vil so much as mentioned it. Azul was bringing up the odds of expanding NRCโs prestige to other cities and colleges.
None of it helped.
Grim walked beside you on two legs, stomping down the hallway, his tail bristling, the claws of his hind paws visible and tapping against the stone.
โThis is a total scam!โ he shouted, his voice echoing through the stone corridor. โWe beat ghosts, monsters, more overblots than I can countโโ
โโand we still arenโt โofficialโ enough for a school trip,โ you finished with the same level of offense.
โEXACTLY!โ Grim threw his paws into the air.
You shoved the castle doors open harder than necessary, grumbling under your breath. That damn bird-brain was really getting under your skin; any moment now youโd kick him in the rear so hard youโd send him flyingโฆ if it werenโt for the small amount of money the school administration paid you.
The cool afternoon air hit your face, but it didnโt loosen the tight knot in your chest. The voices continued behind you, just as enthusiastic; a glance over your shoulder was enough to make you blow out a breath and start walking down the steps.
โEven Idiaโs going,โ you muttered.
Maybe bringing up the most antisocial and anxious guy in the school wasnโt the fairest or most honorable move right now, but you were really angry. Not at him, obviously, you were angry at the damn headmaster.
โRIGHT?!โ Grim went down the steps jumping two at a time, ears pointed up and seconds away from shouting all the injustices he had suffered thanks to our beloved headmaster. โThat guy considers opening his bedroom door a major life event!โ
You flinched. โOkay, that was too much, Grim,โ you said, your voice a little sharp, staring at the steps because you knew that the moment you took your eyes off the stone it was statistically likely youโd trip, considering the anger leaking out of every pore.
โHey! You started itโ He raised a paw and pointed at you.
โYeah, wellโฆโ you continued, โI didnโt mean it to put him down. Idia comes from a prestigious family and has plenty of money...of course he got an invitation.โ You crossed your arms as you reached the last steps. โWhatโs surprising is that heโs physically goingโ
Grim kicked a pebble down the steps and jumped the last stretch again.
โHeโs physically going and weโre stuck here doingโฆ what. Guarding our dorm from the ghosts we already live with?โ
You crossed your arms tighter and rolled your eyes. โI canโt even step off campus without paperwork, supervision, or a miracle,โ your voice came out laced with venom, and with every second you were losing what little patience you had left. Spiraling with a grumpy cat wasnโt helping the situation. โBut sure, letโs send the entire walking disaster of NRC abroadโ
โI should be famous,โ he growled. โHero Grim saves the day again! Whereโs my cultural exchange, huh?โ
You snorted a laugh despite everything. โApparently saving the school multiple times doesnโt count as an extracurricular activityโ
You crossed the courtyard, the fountain, the last stretch of stone that led toward the castleโs back doors and the path back to Ramshackle. The words kept coming outโhalf complaints, half that tired bitterness that shows up when something unfair hits a little too close.
When you reached the door, the bridge visible connecting the next stretch of poorly kept land, you stopped. Grim kept walking, now on four paws, and lifted his tail when he realized you had stopped and he was crossing the bridge alone.
You looked at the horizon, spotting the haunted house in the distance and the perfect midday sun over the skyline.
The idea began to take shape slowly, putting down roots little by little, but decisively. The solution to both your frustrations was right there; simple, obvious, both stupid and perfect.
โWhy did you stop?โ Grim asked, walking back toward you.
You didnโt answer right away. You let the idea keep forming in your mind, running through all the chances of it going right and the ones where it wouldnโt, mapping out everything needed for it to actually work.
Your fingers tapped against your arm. โโฆitโs a masqueradeโ
Grim tilted his head. โโฆyeah?โ
Your eyes met his, now wide as he looked at you in a way he hadnโt all year. Your face carried an expression that meant trouble; the kind of trouble that historically ended in explosions, rule violations, accidental heroics, and at least three disciplinary reports from Crewel.
โA masquerade ball,โ you repeated slowly, tilting your head toward him, silently urging him to catch on quickly. โEveryone wears masksโ
Grimโs ears twitched.
โNo oneโs supposed to stand out,โ you crouched down so you were closer to him. โNo oneโs supposed to know whoโs whoโ
You let the words settle in his mind, letting the silence guide the realization. One second passed, two, threeโuntil Grimโs eyes flew open wide, pupils dilating and his tail shooting upright as your words finally clicked.
โOhโฆ youโre kiddingโ
Your lips curled into a dangerous smile, the kind that promised a thousand reprimands if you got caught, but that would be worth every damn second.
โIf no one knows whoโs who,โ you said quietly, making sure the conversation stayed between the two of you, โthen no one knows who wasnโt invited eitherโ
Grim gasped like someone had just handed him the keys to a kingdom made entirely of cans and cans of fresh tuna.
โPrefectโฆ who wouldโve thought you could be so deviousโ
โWe definitely shouldnโt do this,โ you said, staring at him.
โโฆbut weโre going to do it anyway,โ he shot back.
A second of silence passed. Then another. And a third.
โYeah.โ
โHEIST MODE!โ Grim threw his paws in the air, jumping with excitement.
You shut the castle door, not a trace of frustration left on your face. No, that had disappeared, replaced by determination. Who wouldโve thought your mind could be just as troublesome as Aceโs?
Your steps were decisive, and you didnโt head toward Ramshackle. If you were going to sneak into a cultural event where formality and proper attire were the currency, nothing in that dusty shack would do. No; there werenโt any clothes formal enough or well-made enough there without getting you exposed the moment you set foot, or paw, into the cultural event.
โWe need supplies,โ you said, veering off the path to the right, following the dirt road.
โSupplies to commit a crime?โ
โSupplies to attend formally without prior authorizationโ
โโฆcrime then,โ Grim confirmed, running after you.
The path to Samโs shop felt like walking deeper and deeper into a very bad idea; and at the same time, a very promising one. The campus stretched around you, wrapped in that late-afternoon haze where the stone towers glowed gold and the buzz of excitement over the news drifted through the cool air.
โOkay, but... I canโt just put on a mask and call it a day. Iโm a talking, flame-shooting, very handsome catโ
โYes, thatโs the main problemโ Samโs shack was already in sightโjust a few more yards and youโd step into territory both familiar and unknown, ready to show off its haunted wonders.
โMy ears! My tail! My flames! My incredible natural charisma, nya!โ
โMostly the flamesโ you gave him a look.
Grim deflated a little. โโฆyeah, okay, the flamesโ
A few more steps and you were already standing in front of the shack. That mystical atmosphere around it always made the hairs on your arms stand on end.
You pushed open the crooked wooden door and a small bell chimed. The air inside the shop wrapped around you like warm smoke, carrying a faint scent of cinnamon, something that made the place feel both comforting and creepy. The shelves were stacked to the top with all kinds of things: enchanted fabrics, suspiciously labeled bottles, and objects that definitely moved when you werenโt looking straight at them. You could swear a pearl necklace you had seen on a shelf near the door was now resting on a display in the main window.
โWell, well,โ Samโs smooth, enchanted voice echoed through the shop from behind the counter. When he had gotten there, you had no ideaโfive seconds ago the counter had been completely empty. โIf it isnโt my favorite prefectโฆ and judging by the look on your face and on your cute and definitely not troublesome catโฆโ he leaned forward, โโฆyouโre not here for anything legal.โ
Grim puffed out his chest, slightly offended by the comment, but he was still the first to speak, or rather, yell.
โWe need stealth!โ
Youโre never going to get that by shouting
Samโs smile widened, as dangerous as someone could look while being the entrepreneur running one of the most useful and necessary shops on a school campus. โSay no moreโ
With a snap of his fingers, the counter suddenly looked like the backstage of a theatrical crime, or a theater dressing room, which worked better for carrying out the plan.
Masks, capes, gloves, fabric samples, a monocle that Grim definitely tried on and that you definitely didnโt let him keep; with the way he walked heโd break it any second.
Sam tapped the counter thoughtfully with one finger.
โSo,โ his voice sounded as soft as velvet, but you knew underneath it hid the layer of a hardened entrepreneur who always kept an enchanted clause up his sleeve, โyou need formal masquerade outfits convincing enoughโฆ while hiding the presence of a highly combustible felineโ
Grim bristled. โHMNYA! Iโm not combustibleโ!โ
โHow did you know we needed masquerade outfits?โ you cut in. Your eyes narrowed at Sam suspiciously.
โMy Queenโฆ nothing happens in this school without me hearing about it.โ It was a vague answer, but also a very unsettling one. But this wasnโt the moment to stop and argue, so for now you let it slide.
โHeโs the real problem. I can blend in with a dressโโ
โAnd masking your scent.โ You still werenโt used to the way Sam interrupted conversations to drop information as if you were already supposed to know what it meant.
โExcuse me?โ
โIf my informants havenโt failed me,โ Sam drummed his fingers on the counter and gave you a sly look, โa certain lion and a high fae will be attending the event, meaning they would be the first to spot both of you just by catching your scent.โ
Damn it. He was right.
โโฆokay, point takenโ You sighed, resigning yourself to the fact that youโd have to pay for more than just fancy clothes. โWith something to mask my scent, a dress, and a mask, I can blend in. But himโฆโ you pointed at Grim without looking at him, โhe needs to lookโฆ like a normal familiar.โ
Sam hummed and gave Grim a full look from head to toeโand if it had been biologically possible, he wouldโve circled him with his eyes.
โNot normal,โ he corrected at last. โExpectedโ
โโฆexpected?โ you repeated, frowning.
Sam opened a drawer and pulled out a violet velvet cloak with a hood; deep, formal, the kind that screamed ceremonial elegance. Another of the great mysteries of Samโs shop: who knows why the entrepreneur had a cloak exactly Grimโs size waiting inside a drawer.
โCultural events in magical academies bring familiars all the time,โ Sam commented as he adjusted the hood over Grimโs ears. โMagical creatures, bound spirits, enchanted companions. Half the time nobody even knows what species they areโ
The cloak, now arranged over Grimโs small body, wrapped around him completely, barely showing his shape. The fall of the fabric looked heavy and dramatic; the flames of his ears illuminated the inside in a way that felt very theatrical and very on-theme. Then Sam added a carved masquerade mask, elongated, elegant, slightly decorated with claw-like details but still stylized enough to look ceremonial rather than suspicious.
Only Grimโs bright eyes were visible beneath the shadow of the hood and mask. Sam stepped back, admiring his work.
โWith the hood down, the mask set properly forward, and strict instructions not to shoutโฆโ
Grim shifted his posture. Now almost none of his face showed and his tail was hidden neatly beneath the cloak. Suddenly he looked less like โchaotic campus threatโ and more like โarcane familiar belonging to someone extremely important.โ
โโฆwow,โ Grim whispered when he saw his cloaked figure reflected in the glass of the counter.
โPretty convincing,โ you added.
Samโs smile widened as he leaned over the counter, both hands holding up his head. โExactlyโ
โI look expensiveโ Grim spun in a small circle to admire himself, the heavy cloak barely making a dramatic swirl and giving no hint that he might be exposed when he moved.
โYou are expensive,โ you shot back. โYou eat like youโve got a black hole in your stomachโ
Grim decided to ignore you and kept spinning around admiring himself. Sam, meanwhile, straightened and clapped his hands once, making your attention snap back to him.
โNow for you, prefectโ
Another snap of his fingers and a dress slid onto the counterโdark, outrageously expensive fabric, black brocade with elegant lace details and a red overlay that made the black stand out even more. Off-shoulder, low-cut, with a skirt that would obviously require a crinoline.
Elegant wasnโt the right word, it was more than that. It was refined, breathing opulence and formality. Semi-transparent sleeves, ruffles and lace layered over more lace.
โA mask that hides, not dazzlesโ Sam placed a light black fabric mask on the counter, decorated with brocade and gothic embroidery, soft to the touch and perfect for covering half your face. โThe best disguise isnโt the loudest oneโฆโ
He set the last pieces down on the counter: a choker of black pearls with a rose in the center, the strands long enough that when worn they would drape over the shoulders; a pair of short black lace gloves; and a very gothic-style hat, pompous, with a fall of fabric that resembled a veil.
A very gothic setโฆ perfect for a masquerade.
โโฆbut the one no one remembersโ
You lifted the dress carefully with both hands, making sure not to snag the lace on anything, not even the buttons of your uniform.
โโฆhow much is this going to hurt?โ you asked cautiously. You knew a dress this extravagant wasnโt cheap.
Sam leaned on the counter again. โOh, donโt worryโ He paused dramatically, clearly fascinated by how your whole body tensed as you worried internally. โThis goes on creditโ
โOhโฆ thatโs worse,โ Grim whispered in horror.
Sam burst out laughing and straightened again, quite satisfied with himself at the sight of the desperate, horrified expressions on both your faces.
โRelax. Consider itโฆ an investment in the chaos the two of you are about to unleash at an international diplomatic eventโ
Fleur City shone as if it had stepped straight out of a Renaissance painting.
The warm glow of lanterns spilled across the white stone streets, reflecting in long ribbons of gold and amber. Garlands of flowers hung from the balconies, woven so densely that the scent of wildflowers lingered in the air, sweet and heavy. From somewhere along the cobblestone corners came music: violins, laughter, the slow rhythmic pulse of festival trumpets.
Around you there were people, so many people. It was barely possible to walk peacefully through the streets. Carnival decorations and food and trinket stalls made both you and Grim stop every five steps.
And everywhereโฆ masks. White porcelain, golden filigree, feathers, silks, velvet. Cloaks gliding over the stone and polished shoes gleaming in the lanternlight. There were no faces, no questions, no names.
You adjusted the delicate fabric mask slightly as you moved with the crowd, letting the flow of festival guests carry you naturally along the wide avenue leading to the central plaza. In the daylight the dress blended in exactly as Sam had promised: elegant and formal, perfectly matching the spirit of the festivalโjust another face in the tide.
Beside you, a small hooded figure walked with a rather exaggerated air of importance, little paws tapping lightly against the stone as he took one step, then another. Grim walked as if he were leading his own theatrical march toward the main stage.
โThis is the best thing weโve ever done in our livesโ Even though his steps were determined, and fairly amusing to watch from your taller perspective, Grimโs words came out in a whisper; for once he had understood he needed to keep his voice down.
โYou also said that when you stole extra pudding from the cafeteriaโ You gathered your skirt with one hand, adjusting it so you wouldnโt end up face-first on the ground. The dress was beautiful, yes, but the crinoline made walking a bit difficult.
โTHAT WAS HISTORIC TOO!โ Apparently his lesson in stealth hadnโt lasted long. You hid a smile behind the back of your hand.
Grim looked around at the glowing towers, the decorated bridges, the endless swirl of masked students and nobles. Your gaze drifted to the pink and violet decorations hanging between the rustic, colorful houses. One more step and you nearly collided with the long leg of someone obviously walking on stilts. You managed to turn in time and grabbed Grim so he wouldnโt get crushed under the wooden stilts.
โWoowโ Grim settled into your arms and lifted his head to watch the person gracefully walking toward the end of the avenue. โThis place is insaneโ
He wasnโt wrong.
Farther ahead there were people dressed in multicolored outfitsโdiamonds and pompoms, ribbons and exaggerated patterns showing off immense amounts of fabric in sleeves and trousers. Orange and red jesters, violet and burgundy ones too, with painted faces and five-pointed hats tipped with bells. The lantern lights flickered along the walls of the houses and the stone structures, turning the shop windows into vivid, deep colors. In the main plaza, dancers spunโskirts and cloaks flashing in carefully choreographed circles.
Everything around you looked mundanely normal, peaceful within the limits of what a carnival could call โpeaceful.โ No fire, no chaos, no problems to solve.
โWith this many people, itโll be impossible for them to find us,โ Grim said as he jumped back down to the ground to keep walking.
โIf you say it out loud, youโll jinx itโ
โRight. Silence. Stealth modeโ
You moved deeper into the plaza, letting the enormous scale of the festival unfold around you. Masked performers breathed streams of colored fire, puppeteers staged small dramatic and amusing shows for the children, and the food stalls now had floating lanterns illuminating them in orange and ochre tones, making the shine of the food look even more appetizing.
Grim sniffed as he stopped in front of one of the stalls.
โโฆis that roasted meat?โ
You sighed and grabbed him by the sides, lifting him until he was level with the food on the stall.
โOne stall. And eat quietlyโ
โBEST HENCHMAN IN HISTORY!โ
He jumped toward the vendor, still trying to look dignified in the ceremonial cloakโand failing completely the moment food entered the equation.
You shook your head, but you couldnโt stop the slow, dangerous smile spreading across your face as you watched him try to cram two roasted meat skewers into his mouth in one bite.
For the first time since the invitation announcement, the pressure in your chest eased. You hadnโt been left behind. You hadnโt been left out. This might not be entirely legalโand if you got caught the punishment would probably be worse than anything Ace and Deuce had ever gottenโbut seeing Grim enjoy himself was worth every second you spent outside Ramshackle.
Youโd do it again a thousand times. To hell with Crowley and his official invitations. You had the right to enjoy an event without worrying about running errands for the headmaster.
โTarget locatedโ Grim sniffed the air again after finishing the meat. โHoney buns with a light sugar glaze, ten steps aheadโ
What a remarkable nose
โGrim, slow down,โ you said, walking after him at a reasonably quick pace.
โYouโre the slow oneโ Unfortunately, he had a point about the damn crinoline. You were starting to hate it a little more with every step.
You lifted the skirt with both hands, mentally calculating how much more you could afford to spend at the festival. Considering how much this cat ate, and how little you had managed to eat thanks to the nerves from traveling through the mirror, youโd have to find some way to stop Grim from devouring everything in sight.
โI said one stall!โ You barely raised your voice, but Grim ignored you, as always when he didnโt want to hear that you were right.
As you followed him, out of the corner of your eye you spotted a pair of figures you absolutely did not want to spot heading your way.
On the other side of the plaza, near the staircase leading to the main road toward the cathedral, a very specific formation of figures held a perfect alignment: Crowley at the front, with seven leaders behind him, each displaying different levels of diplomacy, excitement, or boredom.
Riddle walked with a rigid posture even in this festive setting, though he wasnโt oblivious to the fun happening around him. Leona was slouched, visibly bored at being dragged into an official event. Azul carried himself with a calculating air, probably already visualizing his next clients. Kalim was the most energetic of them all, practically glowing even while standing still. Vil was sculpted perfection, every step immaculate. Idia was trying to occupy the smallest possible amount of physical and emotional space. And Malleus simply followed the flow of people, hands behind his back, looking around with complete fascination.
Crowley, meanwhile, walked with an annoyingly radiant and pompous stride while speaking with another figure: tall, composed, with a firm and controlled posture. If you had to guess, that person wrapped in an air of ceremonial authority must have been someone important from Noble Bell College.
Your throat let out a tiny squeak and your shoulders curled inward. You were in danger mode.
You stepped sideways, avoiding turning your back on them all, but also not walking backward so obviously that it would make it clear your focus was on those figures who werenโt threatening at first glanceโbut were extremely inconvenient for your enjoyment. You reached Grim just as he was about to buy a small honey bun and crouched to whisper in his ear.
โDonโt even think about movingโ
Grimโs small body went completely rigid. โWhatโs going on?โ
โIf you turn two degrees to the left,โ you continued, the dorm leaders getting closer and closer, โyouโll be in their direct line of sightโ
Grim, completely ignoring your instruction, slowly followed your gaze, barely turning his body to get a good look. Then he inhaled so sharply he nearly vacuumed the honey bun straight into his mouth.
You clamped a hand over his mouth and grabbed his cloak, dragging him behind the stall and hiding behind the side canvas. The vendor shot you both an irritated look but said nothing, another customer was already asking for an entire bag of buns.
โOkay, new planโ You let go of Grimโs mouth but still signaled for silence. Now he had to act like a normal familiar. โWe walk calmly in the opposite direction, and youโฆ quietโ
Grim nodded with the intensity of someone trying very hard to be stealthy and stay out of trouble, still holding the sweet in one paw. You adjusted him on your arm and stepped away from the stall.
One step. Then another. And a third.
Someone in the crowd suddenly turned toward your direction. You bumped their shoulder, jolting back in surprise.
โโSorry!โ you blurted automatically, trying to step backward.
Exactly the wrong move.
Because stepping back made you collide with someone else in the crowd. Your shoe stepped on an expensive, heavy cloak, and as you lifted your foot to avoid ruining it further, your heel caught on the uneven stone. You felt your balance tip backward.
For one horrible second, the world tilted; the lantern light, the masks, the people, the realization of oh yes, this is how we dieโฆ physically or from embarrassment, falling face-first in front of a crowd.
But the fall never came.
A gloved hand shot forward and caught your wrist just in time, stopping you a few inches before disaster.
โโฆplease be careful,โ a smooth, composed voice said. โThese festival streets can be treacherous if one isnโt paying attentionโ
You turned your head toward the voice and saw Azul looking at you with concern...but without the slightest hint of recognition. Your disguise was working perfectly, even in a situation as dangerous as the one you were currently in.
You straightened carefully, pulse hammering, but posture controlled. Out of nervous reflex you adjusted Grimโs hood so his face was completely hidden, forcing his body to hunch so heโd look like an ordinary cat.
โThank you,โ you said in a neutral voice, though anyone paying attention might have noticed the nervous edge and the faint grinding of teeth as you forced yourself not to scream.
Azul released your wrist slowly, waiting for you to fix your dress before stepping back to a polite distance, still close enough while observing you with that sharp, polite curiosity so characteristic of someone whose entire life ran on information.
Behind him, the others had already turned, abandoning whatever conversation they had been having. Six new pairs of eyes locked onto youโthe young lady unlucky enough to collide with the octopus entrepreneur.
Grim made a small strangled noise inside his hood, and you felt a tiny vibration against your arm. It was obvious he wanted to bolt as fast as his four paws could carry him, and if you were honest with yourselfโฆ you wanted to do the same.
You didnโt look at anyone in particular; certainly not at Crowley, nor at the tall, composed figure representing Noble Bell College in this diplomatic procession. You made the smallest formal bow of your head, the kind appropriate for slipping by unnoticed even after such a collision. You even tilted your hat slightly lower to cover more of your face.
โApologies for the collision. The crowd isโฆ lively tonightโ
Vilโs gaze traveled over you from head to toe. Knowing him, he was evaluating the outfit the way an art critic would analyze a gallery piece; or in this case, the way Vil always did, searching for wrinkles, imperfections, or cracks.
That crack was about to split wide open if he didnโt stop looking at you so intently.
โFinally someone who knows how to dress appropriately,โ he murmured loud enough that everyone else heard.
โHey! Weโre all dressed for the occasion,โ Kalim huffed, though he didnโt sound offended.
โYes, because we were dressedโ Vil replied.
If that was the case, then point to Vil.
โWatch where youโre stepping next timeโ Leona exhaled through his nose.
โThat is no way to address a young lady!โ Vil snapped back, shooting him the most venomous look imaginable without losing an ounce of grace or letting a single wrinkle touch his face.
Leona simply crossed his arms and held Vilโs stare. The tension between rivals was thick enough to feel.
Azul took the opportunity to cut through that tension and prevent an international incident. He inclined his head toward you again, adjusting his glove.
โWell then,โ he said, extending his hand toward you, palm open and facing up, โplease be careful, missโโ
Your entire body went rigid in a single heartbeat. On your arm, Grim was seconds away from combusting from the stress this situation was causing him.
You returned the slight bow of your head, just formal enough not to raise suspicion despite your heart pounding at a thousand beats per minute.
โIsnโt the whole point of tonight that we donโt ask those kinds of questions?โ
There was a pause long enough for you to offer a sideways smile, hoping you hadnโt sounded rude.
Vilโs lips curled upward slightly, approving, almost amused, mentally acknowledging that at least someone knew the rules of the evening.
Azulโs smile changed immediately, shifting from his usual interrogation-ready expression to one suited for social performance.
โAh,โ he murmured. โQuite right. My mistake. A masquerade loses its charm when identities come to lightโ
Okay. The plan was working beautifullyโfar better than you had expected. You made a mental note to thank Sam for that potion masking your essence, since neither Leona nor Malleus seemed suspicious of anything.
โIf it helps,โ you said, testing the waters a little more to confirm your theory, โIโve never seen figures quite soโฆ uniqueโ Your gaze drifted across each of them. โSo your identities would remain a mysteryโwith or without masksโ
Riddle gave a small nod at your comment. โIndeed. The evening discourages such personal revelations unless they are formally necessaryโ
Thank the Seven that Riddle bought it. And luckily for you, it seemed Idia had too, he was muttering in the background nonstop.
โThank the godsโฆ minimal social interaction with anonymity settings enabledโฆโ
You let out a quiet breath through your nose, trying to keep it as subtle as possible despite the pressure tightening in your chest during such a surreal interaction. You bowed your head again, ready to give your farewell and move along, taking your first steps toward the plaza.
That should have been the end of it.
โAlthoughโฆโ
Damn it, Azul.
His voice rose again, smooth and composed, turning just enough to place himself at your side as you began to walk.
โIt would be negligence on my part not to ensure the safety of the young lady I nearly caused to fallโ
Vil moved at the same time, with a grace so natural it was almost insulting; suddenly you had two impeccably dressed elites flanking you like the most elegant bodyguards in the world.
โCobblestone streets tend to be unevenโespecially in heels,โ Vil commented, evaluating your posture. Of course he would notice that beneath all those meters of expensive fabric you were wearing heels. Not very high, but high enough to alter your height. โAnd the crowd is quite enthusiastic, as you mentioned earlier. You shouldnโt be wandering aloneโ
Azul nodded slightly, adjusting his glasses. โParticularly when a certain tendency toward accidents has already been demonstratedโ
The arm holding Grim tightened slightly, drawing a faint squeak from him that only you heard. You looked from side to side, first at Azul, then at Vil, and your gaze dropped straight to the cobblestones.
Oh no. This is very bad.
Behind you, Leonaโs voice sounded rough.
โHey. Donโt crowd herโ
All three of you turned to look at him. Leona was dragging a hand down his face, visibly irritated by the situation.
Vil arched a brow, stopping with runway elegance.
โI beg you pardon?โ
Azul did the same, forcing you to stop as well and remain right between them. The height difference, privately, was a little funny, if you hadnโt been the center of attention for a very irritated lion.
โCourtesyโฆโ Leona scoffed. โThatโs what they call it now?โ
You heard Kalim whisper, โAre they flirting?โ
And Riddle respond, sounding slightly tired of his classmates, โKnowing themโฆ yes. They are flirtingโ
You wanted the ground to swallow you whole.
Leona shoved both hands into his pockets, leaning back slightly as he approached, glancing sideways at your two escorts.
โThe girl almost fell. You caught her. End of story. You donโt need to start an escort mission for every stranger you run intoโ
Vil crossed his arms and offered him a sharp smile. โAnd since when do you care about social manners?โ
โSince watching you two circle her like peacocks in heat started giving me a headache,โ Leona shot back.
You let out a quiet snort, covering your mouth with your free hand. Grim seemed to snort too, barely holding back laughter, the vibration against your chest made it obvious.
Azul released a soft sigh and pressed his fingers to his temple. โHonestly, is it necessary to reduce every refined interaction to such vulgar interpretations?โ
โYes,โ he replied without hesitation, flashing them a half-smile, fangs included. โItโs funny and irritating at the same time watching you act so confident about something that isnโt one of your contractsโ
The situation would have been comedic if you werenโt still stuck in the middle of itโand if you werenโt one wrong sentence away from catastrophic exposure.
Unfortunately, you locked eyes with Malleus.
He looked taller than the last time youโd seen him. A glance down confirmed itโhe was wearing heeled shoes. This fae added a few extra inches whenever he felt like it, and in the process made you look even smaller.
From his height, Malleus observed you in silence. One arm rested over the other, a finger beneath his chin, studying you. As if he were chasing an echo, something about your voice, your posture, the way you held your shoulders like someone used to dealing with chaos every day.
Your heart thumped harder in your chest.
You looked away and gave another small nod, taking a step back, hoping this time you could finally continue your evening.
โI appreciate the concern, gentlemen,โ you said, keeping your voice calm and neutral even though internally you were screaming. โBut I assure you I would hate to delay such distinguished guests during their eveningโ
Both Azul and Vil inclined their heads, accepting the farewell with grace. Leona simply clicked his tongue and turned back toward the othersโhe had been ready to leave five minutes ago.
With elegance you werenโt even sure where you pulled from, you stepped toward the crowd, letting the skirt spin slightly as the crinoline gave the movement the air of something taken straight from a royal etiquette manual.
โAhโฆโ
Just that single word was enough to cut off your second escape attempt and push your frustration even higher.
The same notable figure Crowley had been speaking with earlier approached the group. The Noble Bell College uniform was immaculate. Perfect posture, perfect alignment, an expression composed, though clearly carefully practiced to appear so.
โGentlemen,โ he said calmly, โif you would be so kind as to proceed. The welcoming is prepared at the academy, and the festival program isโฆ quite structuredโ
Crowley, who five minutes ago hadnโt been remotely in sight, reacted immediately, suddenly appearing from behind you and making you jump.
โAh! Of course, of course! We wouldnโt wish to delay such a beautiful evening!โ
Then the studentโs eyes shifted toward you, finally registering why the seven leaders had stopped or drifted away from their intended path instead of following him.
And in that precise moment, his gaze changed to recognition.
Recognition that didnโt look good.
Not good for you, anyway.
โI must apologize,โ he said, stepping toward you and placing a hand over his chest. โIt seems I have committed an unforgivable lapse in courtesyโ
The student bowed in a formal, precise, respectful greeting.
โI have spoken with these distinguished guests,โ he continued, voice calm and controlled, โand yet I have neglected to acknowledge the presence of a lady among us. Such negligence falls below the standards of Noble Bell Collegeโฆ and my own.โ
He straightened with the same refinement with which he had bowed and extended his hand toward you. In your stunned state, you noticed Grim become so perfectly still he could have won a gargoyle contest.
โI am Rollo Flamme,โ he said. Now you could finally put a name to the face. โPresident of the Student Council and host of tonightโs ceremonyโ
Of all the people you could have drawn attention from at this event, it had to be the highest authority in the entire academy. The host himself. The worst possible person.
โAnd regardless of the anonymity permitted at this celebration,โ Rollo continued, โit remains my responsibility to ensure that every guest within our city is treated with dignity and appropriate protectionโ
With his palm still extended, he took your hand and bowed again slightly, pressing a kiss against your gloved knuckles. His eyes remained locked onto yours, sharp, observant enough to make you swallow hard.
โWelcome to the festivalโ
Rollo straightened again and folded his hands in front of him.
โYou have indicated that you do not wish to delay these gentlemen,โ he continued solemnly. โA considerate sentimentโ
There was a pauseโand it felt heavy, considering this man still hadnโt taken his eyes off you. If you ran now he would notice. Obviously he would notice your nerves and terrible manners, and youโd look incredibly suspicious.
โBut allowing a lady to wander the festival without escort amid such a crowd would be an equivalent lapse in decorumโ
Vil offered him an approving smile, and judging by the look Leona was giving the blond from behind, your escape plan was now miles away from happening.
โYouโve got to be kidding,โ Leona muttered.
Rollo turned halfway toward the dorm leaders and Crowley. โI trust one of you would be willing to provide a brief escort to guarantee her safe passage before rejoining us at the academyโ
Kalim, being the sweet, trusting, hyper-energetic Kalim, immediately raised his hand.
โOh! I canโโ
โAbsolutely not,โ whispered Idia in a panic. โYouโll get lost in these weird streets and probably end up buying the entire festivalโ
Kalim pouted but didnโt argue.
Azul stepped forward, trying to appear smooth but looking a little too eager to close this contract. โAs it happens, Iโm already somewhat familiar with the young ladyโโ
Vil moved at the same time and cut him off. โAnd I, naturally, would never allow someone dressed so exquisitely to be abandoned to the chaos of the central plazaโ
Why do I always have to deal with the chaos? Why?
The plan had been simple: jump through the mirror without the academic staff noticing, lose yourself in the cobblestone streets, avoid eight walking disasters of charisma and complications, eat festival food, take a couple of pictures with Grim, and go home.
The universe really hates me
Crowley, watching the scene half-delighted and half-offended that he wasnโt the center of attention, fanned himself dramatically. โAh, such gallantry among my students! How my heart swells! You seven are the pride of Night Raven College!โ
Rollo folded his hands behind his back, perfectly composed.
โThere you have it,โ he said calmly. โA simple solutionโ
And with that, Crowley and Rollo continued on their way toward who knows whereโleaving you with seven distinguished students and one problematic cat who was internally seconds away from exploding or fainting.
The procession moved forward...there really was no other word for it.
The dorm leaders walked in immaculate formation along the lantern-lit avenues, and in the middle of that flock you were trying with all your strength not to implode from stress. Grim shifted into both your arms, leaning against you; it was safer that way in case he wanted to whisper something instead of accidentally yelling something incriminating. Now he sat like a very tense, very judgmental decorative accessory beneath his velvet hood.
Kalim bounced closer first. โSo! Youโre from another school?โ he asked cheerfully.
Alright. Time for liesโand the greatest skill for stealth missions: improvising without hesitation.
โIโm not part of the official exchange,โ you said calmly, which was technically true. โI came with my familyโ
Which wasnโt entirely trueโฆ though if you counted Grim and the seven people around you who apparently didnโt know the definition of personal space, then maybe it was aโฆ creative reinterpretation.
Azul also approached, much closer than necessary. โI see. Attending an event of this scale independently suggests either excellent connectionsโฆ or excellent planningโ
Vil added lightly, adjusting his sleeve where a button had come undone. The small imperfection clearly offended him. โOr excellent tasteโ
The button snapped back into place and his gaze returned forward, specifically toward you. โNo one assembles such an outfit without understanding the magnitude of the eveningโ
You turned slightly and offered a half-smile. โI had help.โ
Extremely true. Sam deserved several medals, and probably hazard pay.
Grim shifted in your arms, trying to lean closer to whisper something, but halfway through his cloak snagged on your sleeve and you had to adjust him quickly before the hood slipped and exposed him.
Of course Azul noticed the movement beneath the cloak. โAnd that little companion?โ
Dangerous question.
โThis?โ you tightened your grip slightly. โHeโs my brotherโs familiar. Iโm taking care of him while heโs away at Night Raven Collegeโ
Malleus finally joined the conversation. One step brought him only inches behind you. โA creature temporarily bound under your supervisionโ
His voice was so deep you almost felt it rather than heard it. A chill ran down your spine. โThat explains such an elaborate cloak. A responsible choice on your part. You understand how to present the creature with the dignity it deservesโ
Grim puffed up slightly beneath the fabric.
โHe appears loyal,โ Malleus added, his voice calm and serene now, still close, but with the strange sense of omniscience that came from his towering height.
At the comment, Grim let out a small emotional squeak and fought very hard not to respond. You rested a hand over his back through the hood. โHe is,โ you nodded.
Also extremely trueโฆ sometimesโฆ when it suited himโฆ especially when food was involved.
โWhat kind of creature is the familiar?โ Kalim asked, leaning closer again, dangerously close to stepping on your skirt.
You grabbed the fabric with one hand while adjusting Grim onto your shoulder. โHeโs a cat. A bit grumpy, especially in the mornings.โ
No lie there. Grim tried to object, maybe by digging his claws slightly into your shoulder, but before he could you bounced him upward a little. He made a tiny complaint and stayed still.
โSo cute!โ Kalim said excitedly. โHey! Does he need something to eat?โ
โNo! No!โ you answered quickly. โHeโs fine, he already ate a lot a few minutes ago.โ
The last thing you needed was for this ray of sunshine to feed him the way he had with cookies back in Scarabia.
โYour familiar eats human food?โ Riddle asked, clearly puzzled.
โโฆsometimesโ
You wobbled slightly as if thinking, though really you were scrambling for the right words to fix the mistake youโd just made. โNot muchโmostly fish. But there was a familiar food stall a few blocks from the central plaza, so I bought him a little treatโ
You patted him gently to demonstrate how well-behaved he was.
โAww, what a shame,โ Kalim deflated. โI wouldโve liked to feed the little guyโ
The little guy shifted slightly, probably remembering the same thing: the time Kalim had stuffed him with endless cookies. Grim shrank into your shoulder and whispered barely audibly.
โPrefectโฆ when weโre done, I want another snackโ
That sounded so Grim you had to pinch him to keep the humiliation of staying quiet from going to his head.
โDonโt be discouraged,โ Azul said, stepping beside Kalim. โWe were allowed to enjoy the festival, so we may indulge a little in the culinary arts of this cityโ
โYouโre right!โ Kalim brightened instantly. โWe can try the รฉclairs! Or croissants! Baguettes! The honey buns from that stall behind us!โ
What a combination of flour and carbohydrates. But it sounded so good...and sooo necessary.
All day Grim hadnโt let you eat in peace except for breakfast, the little gremlin had devoured snack after snack. You, on the other handโฆyou were actually starving.
Maybe the discomfort showed on your face, or maybe your stomach growled beneath all those layers of fabric. Either way, Vil noticed.
โPerhaps we could offer our escorted young lady something sweet?โ His hands folded behind his back as he leaned slightly toward you.
โThat seems appropriate, althoughโฆโ Riddle added thoughtfully, โyoung lady, would you actually like us to treat you to something?โ
In theory, yes. In practiceโฆ was it sensible to let them buy you something? You really did want to eat, and you hadnโt brought much money. Well...Grim had already spent more than half of it on everything heโd devoured, plus a small trinket he bought from a craft stall.
โI wouldnโt want to trouble you with such a triviality,โ you began calmly. โIt would be imprudentโโ
โNonsense!โ Kalim cut you off. โWe can buy you anything you want!โ
Before you could even think of a counterargument, he had already rushed to a nearby stall and paid for five different types of sweets. The others stopped to wait for him, and you took the moment to adjust your skirt and Grim on your shoulder. Standing still, Grim quietly stretched himself across both shoulders like a scarf and settled there, balanced enough for when you started walking again.
โCan I eat some of what he brings?โ he whispered.
โNo,โ you whispered back, barely moving your lips.
When Kalim returned, he carried two paper bags in both hands.
In one bag he had bought eight different flavors of macaronsโsome common ones like chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. Others were bizarre flavor combinations you would have preferred to donate to the ghosts of Ramshackle.
In the other bag were two chocolate รฉclairs, two pains au chocolat, two crescent pastries with a bright glaze, and two honey-cinnamon puff pastries.
A direct trip to diabetes.
The bag with the assorted sweets he handed to Riddle with such enthusiasm that the redhead actually leaned back a little from the force. Riddle blinked once, twice, then opened the bag and tilted his head to inspect the contents. He passed an รฉclair to Idia, who took it with a trembling hand and immediately retreated to eat it where no one could see him.
With the other bag still in hand, Kalim offered you a strawberry macaron. โHere! Take it! My treat!โ he said with the brightest, warmest smile you had ever seen at NRC.
You hesitated for a second, but the sweet was so perfectly made, round and glossy, that refusing it would have felt like a crime. You took it delicately with your fingers and gave it a small bite instead of shoving the whole thing into your mouth out of habit. You might have been hungry, but manners and appearances mattered right now.
โHow is it? Is it good?โ Kalim was already handing out the other macarons to the rest, even to Leona, who took one between two fingers and inspected it with mild disinterest.
โItโs delicious. Thank you for such a generous gestureโ You took another bite and the macaron was gone. You brushed your hands together and were about to wipe your mouth with the back of your hand, but stopped yourself, licking your lip to catch any crumbs.
Riddle pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and offered it to you. โHereโ
You took it with slight embarrassment and wiped the corners of your mouth. When you tried to return it, he shook his head. โDonโt worry. You can keep itโ
You looked down at the handkerchief, delicate, red with black embroidered details. His initial stitched neatly in one corner. It had the look of something personal, perhaps a gift from his mother or something he had commissioned himself.
โAre you sure?โ you asked, uneasy about keeping something so personal.
โIโm sure. Itโs a handkerchief, it doesnโt carry emotional weightโ He accepted the bag of sweets back from Kalim as the other boy handed him a macaron.
You looked at the handkerchief again and folded it neatly in four. The only problem now was where to put it. A mischievous idea crossed your mind for less than a second: tuck it between your breasts the way people used to do to tease admirers.
But no. You absolutely could not do that...though it would have been hilarious.
Instead, you slipped it into the folds of your skirt, improvising a small pocket. After adjusting the dress and crinoline again, you waited for the group to resume walking. The sun was beginning to dip, the first orange rays of evening spreading across the sky.
This time Leona resumed walking beside you.
His stride was heavy, hands in his pockets, his expression carrying such profound boredom it could qualify as an art form. You had no idea what he had done with the macaron; whether he ate it or casually discarded it somewhere with stealth so refined that no one noticed.
All the while he had been watching you fuss with your skirt, holding it with one hand so it wouldnโt tangle around your feet.
Then, with the faintest sigh, as if remembering he shouldnโt be too obvious about observing others, he stepped a little closer.
โWatch your step,โ he murmured low enough that only you could hear. โThese streets are unevenโ
It sounded suspiciously like Azulโs earlier warning, but filtered through Leonaโs flavor of bluntness.
Before you could answer or adjust your pace properly, he extended his arm, wiith no ceremony, as if it meant absolutely nothing to him.
But the gesture itself was pure etiquette.
โIf you trip again,โ he added in a flat tone without even looking at you, โthat birdโs going to make us repeat this whole escort nonsense. Iโm not dealing with that againโ
In simple terms: take Leonaโs arm so this ends faster.
Your eyes drifted to his face, half-hidden behind a mask, his hair tied in a simple ponytail. His lazy aura was still there, but layered beneath it.
Even if he showed little interest in events like this, the fact that he was wearing a mask at all was already significant. To youโthe mysterious, nameless young ladyโhe was simply another stranger. You had no reason to recognize the second prince of Sunset Savanna.
And that gave him the advantage. If he wanted to act with the princely manners he had unfortunately been taught, he would use them, especially if it earned him a few points in front of the others. If everyone else was interacting with you, he wasnโt about to sit out.
To the passing crowd, it simply looked like a stranger offering steady support to a young woman in a crowded foreign city whose shoes were poorly suited for cobblestones.
You gently hooked your hand around his arm. โThank youโ
Leona said nothing, just clicked his tongue and gave the faintest nod.
The streets narrowed as you moved toward the academy district. The lanternlight softened. The crowd thinned just enough that conversation no longer sounded like shouting over the festival and began to feelโฆ almost private.
Which unfortunately meant questions; Polite ones, curious ones, persistent ones.
Kalim, as usual, took it upon himself to begin. โSo how did you arrange this visit?โ he asked. โYou said you didnโt come with the official delegationsโ
โThatโs right,โ you repliedโtruthfully. โMy family organized the trip. Iโm mostlyโฆ exploring while they attend to their obligations.โ
Which, technically, was also true.
Azul slipped smoothly into the conversation. โExploring an unfamiliar city suggests remarkable confidence,โ he said, adjusting his glasses and smiling the way he did just before landing a new client. โOr considerable experienceโ
โA bit of bothโ
โHave you attended events of this scale before?โ Riddle asked next, his tone measured but curious rather than strict. โThe protocol at gatherings like this can beโฆ overwhelmingโ
โNot exactly like this,โ you admitted. โBut Iโve dealt with large gatherings. Andโฆ unpredictable situationsโ
Behind everyone, you heard Idia mutter quietly: โโฆthat sounds like nightmare difficulty in social interactionsโฆโ
Frankly, the poor guy already looked like he was about to log out of the event if they didnโt reach their destination soon.
โYet you donโt seem intimidated,โ Malleus said, speaking over Idiaโs murmuring.
โI learned that most disasters start the same way,โ you replied, pausing to choose your words carefully. โIf nothing is exploding yet and no one is screamingโฆ things are usually going wellโ
That comment earned you seven pairs of eyes.
Because what you had just said perfectly summarized life at a certain academy where mornings often began with students yelling, magic spiraling out of control despite professors supposedly teaching discipline, and overblots happening far too often.
Leona glanced sideways at you and huffed thoughtfully. Azul simply folded his arms and seemed to consider your answer.
โAn interesting philosophy,โ he said, tapping his fingers against his arm. โQuite pragmaticโฆ and resilientโ
Grim shifted slightly on your shoulders, practically vibrating with the effort not to shout HNYA, weโve fought literal overblots every month, you have no idea!
You scratched his head lightly over the hood as a warning, and the trembling stopped. Riddle stepped forward slightly and inclined his head toward the gesture, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
โYour brother must trust you greatly if he left his familiar with youโ
โHe does,โ you nodded.
Riddle responded with a thoughtful hum. โResponsibility reflects well on both of youโ
You glanced at him from the corner of your eye and smiled.
If he knew how responsible you really wereโsneaking into a festival and academic event without authorization, in a country far from the island, in a world you barely understoodโwellโฆ that comment would collapse like a badly built card tower.
But as you watched him, you also noticed something else.
The way Riddle politely guided passersby out of your path. Azul adjusting his pace so you wouldnโt have to walk faster. Vil subtly steering the group away from the rougher patches of cobblestone without saying a word. Even Idia hovered closer than usual, like some socially terrified wizard who had nonetheless decided he was the partyโs defensive mage in a DnD campaign.
Leona kept his stride steady beside you, perfectly matching your pace. And Malleus remained watchful, hands ready to guide a passerby aside or catch you if you stumbled.
The shift was obvious, they werenโt escorting a random girl anymore...They were engaging with her.
โItโs unusual to meet someone at this sort of event who speaks as directly as you do,โ Azul said, almost as if the conversation he wanted was simplyโฆ a conversation.
Vil nodded from the front of the group. โMost attendees here are desperately trying to impress,โ he said, turning his head toward you. โWhereas you, my lady, manage to impress simply by walkingโ
โAnd youโre easy to talk to too! Itโs really nice!โ Kalim added brightly.
From behind you, Idia muttered: โโฆlow-pressure NPC with unexpectedly high dialogue qualityโฆโ
Oh. My. Sevens.
Theyโre flirting.
They are actually flirting.
And they have absolutely no idea that the person theyโre flirting with is youโthe extremely human, magicless prefect who attracts catastrophic overblot-level disasters like seasonal colds. All you needed was a mask, an expensive dress, and no identity.
Suddenly the seven of them were treating you like royalty.
Your cheeks flushed faintly pink. Part of you wonderedโjust for a secondโif you could take advantage of this a little longer. It wasnโt every day these well-trained disasters behaved like gentlemen.
Another part of you was on the verge of imploding because the same seven who usually competed in ego wars (Kalim excluded) now seemed oddly invested in your company.
Please do not let this night end with all seven of them having a crush on me.
You would never survive looking them in the eye tomorrow. One or two you could handle.
Seven? That would end in a battlefield.
Ahead of you, the academy gates came into view. Tall. Ornate. Illuminated by elegant lanterns while guests streamed inside.
The perfect place for this illusion to end, before their gazes got any more intense. Your steps slowed slightly, and the others adjusted automatically.
Beyond the gates, upper balconies glowed with light and stained-glass windows scattered multicolored shards across the courtyard.
Vil glanced toward them. โA beautiful aesthetic, exactly what one would expect from the student council president,โ he commented, violet eyes bright with approval. โFleur City always delivers the finest spectaclesโ
Leona exhaled softly beside you. โTch. If this thing runs longer than it should, Iโm leavingโ
Your lips curled faintly upward. That was such a Leona comment.
And then Idia, apparently unusually chatty tonight, talked loud enough for everyone to hear. โโฆpretty sure this ends with a final boss spawning in the middle of the hall at biblical difficultyโฆโ
You couldnโt stop the laugh.
You tried to make it sound like a small huffโbut the laugh slipped out naturally. Bright, familiar, too familiar.
The sound hung in the air like a memory someone had just pulled out of a locked drawer. Leonaโs arm stiffened under your hand; Azulโs eyes sharpened; Vil tilted his head; Kalim blinked; Riddle froze; Idia looked like someone who had just connected two impossible dots; And Malleusโs gaze deepened.
Your pulse skyrocketed, you closed your eyes for half a second and pressed your lips together.
Idiot.
You cleared your throat quickly and stepped back. โI'm sorry,โ you said lightly, smoothing your tone. โJustโฆ the momentโ
You released Leonaโs arm. Another step back gave them space as the academy gates loomed only a short distance away.
โI believe this is where our paths separate,โ you said with an elegant bow. โYou have fulfilled your duty admirablyโ
Azul recovered first. โWell,โ he said, though his eyes were still attentive, โthis has beenโฆ unexpectedly pleasant.โ
Kalim waved energetically. โI hope you enjoy the rest of the festival!โ
Leona looked at your hand, then folded his arms again. โWatch where you step.โ
Malleus returned your bow with one hand over his chest. โIf fate allows it, I would welcome another conversation.โ
You straightened. โThen perhaps fate will be kind.โ
You picked Grim up in both arms, because you needed something to do with your hands, and turned toward the academy entrance.
One step...then another. Trying to look composed, just another guest entering the celebration.
Internally? You were about three seconds away from completely losing your nerve.
The moment the academy doors swallowed you, you didnโt stop, nor you didnโt slow down; in fact, you sped up.
You didnโt admire the architecture, the vaulted stone corridors, the candlelit banners, the elegant streams of guests drifting toward the grand hall.
You took a side corridor, then another, then passed through an open arch into a quieter cloister, with tall windows and ivy climbing the walls. Only when the distant noise of the courtyard softened into a manageable murmur did you finally exhale.
โโฆOkay,โ Grim whispered from your arms. โโฆweโre still alive.โ
โBarely.โ Your lips tightened, the pressure in your chest still fighting to break free.
โThat laugh almost killed us.โ
โI know, Grim.โ You leaned against the cold stone column and adjusted his hood so you could see his face.
โโฆthose idiots seemed to like you, huh?โ His eyes bulged slightly, and judging by his posture he was as close to a stress-induced meltdown as you were.
You shut your eyes at the memory. โDonโt remind meโฆ thatโs a problemโ
โIโm glad to see my earlier concern wasnโt unfoundedโ
The lantern light flickered softly across the cloister floor. Somewhere deeper inside the academy, the music began again, more structured now, more ceremonial.
Why? Why canโt I have one moment of peace?
Your spine stiffened instantly, you turned.
At the entrance of the cloister stood Rollo with a posture so perfect it could belong to a movie villain. Hands clasped behind his back, expression calm and attentive. The lanternlight traced a warm outline around himโฆ almost like flames.
โI trust the escort provided by Night Raven College proved sufficient,โ he said calmly. Grim froze again like a gargoyleโafter ducking his head and burrowing into your chest.
You inclined your head politely. โMore than sufficient, President Flamme. Your hospitality isโฆ thoroughโ
โIt is my responsibility,โ he replied. โA host must ensure that no guest experiences discomfort within our cityโ
He stepped closer, not intruding, simply shortening the conversational distance with careful etiquette. โI must admit,โ he continued, thoughtful rather than stern, โit is rare to encounter attendees whose affiliation is not immediately apparentโ
Another step forward. You stayed exactly where you were, clutching Grim like a plush toy.
โMay I askโฆโ he said, choosing his words carefully, as if trying to avoid creating a scene, โwhether you come from another academy?โ
You didnโt allow yourself to hesitate. โMy family travels frequently. I accompany them this seasonโ The answer came out quickly, too quickly to sound completely natural.
Which, technicallyโฆ wasnโt entirely false.
If one ignored the circumstances of that accompaniment.
โAnd do you personally practice magic?โ
A simple question. Simpleโand judging by the atmosphere this man radiated, a dangerous one. You didnโt know why, but the way Rollo always remained composed and asked such direct questions made something in your instincts prickle.
Your gaze dropped briefly to Grim as you scratched his head, forcing a small smile like you were remembering a relative who didnโt actually exist.
โMy brother is the gifted one in the familyโ You looked back at him. โHeโs the one formally enrolled at Night Raven Collegeโ
Rolloโs eyes sharpened slightly. โI seeโ His gaze lowered toward Grimโs hood. โAnd that bundle is a familiar, I assume?โ
โCorrect,โ you replied, adjusting Grim again; your arms were starting to ache. The cat was definitely getting fat. โHe belongs to my brother, I care for him while heโs occupied.โ
His eyes studied you for a moment, like someone inspecting the symmetry of a cathedral window. If he was looking for something suspicious, he didnโt say it aloud.
But he made you sweat. A cold drop slid down your spine, you were getting tired of this much stress.
โHow fortunate,โ he said at last, allowing you to breathe again. โTo have family capable of assuming such responsibilityโ
He and Riddle would probably get along, you thought. Both had that particular pride in responsibility and decorum. Which made it odd that Rollo wasnโt currently with the NRC delegation discussing formalities with Riddle.
Why wasnโt he there with them?
โIn my experience,โ Rollo continued quietly, walking past you to look toward the garden beyond the cloister, โthose born without magic often developโฆ a clearer perspective on consequencesโ
You frowned slightly, unsure where that comment was going. โPerhaps,โ you replied neutrally.
His gaze returned to you. Now he stood directly in front of you, but his posture wasnโt interrogative, although something about the moment felt like the beginning of a tense conversation.
Great. Add another person to the list of people you had to be careful speaking around. As if dealing with every student at NRC wasnโt already exhausting enough.
โAt Noble Bell, we place great value on the upbringing of our guests,โ he said. His voice remained firm and formal. โOften, that reveals more than titles or affiliationsโ
A polite way of saying tell me about your background.
And what a background that was.
โWhat does your family do, if I may ask?โ
Your eyes widened slightly. You remembered questions like this from your own world...a little classist, a little creepy, if you were being honest.
Your mind started spinning. Whatever you said now would have consequencesโand could unravel your lie instantly.
Rich merchants? Too easy to verify.
Minor nobility? Far too risky.
Foreign lineage? Absolutely not.
You needed something visible, difficult to check, socially plausibleโฆ and open to interpretation.
โโฆperformance,โ you said finally, tilting your head with a small smile.
Rollo narrowed his eyes slightly, mirroring the tilt of your head. โPerformanceโ
โMy family works within musical circles.โ You stepped toward the cloister columns, letting your eyes drift toward the small garden to buy yourself a breath of space from his scrutiny. โCeremonial events, private patronage, festivals like thisโฆ occasionally.โ
Technicallyโฆnot entirely false.
If one counted the endless chaos-filled performances NRC dragged you into cleaning up afterward.
โAnd you?โ he asked, moving to stand beside you.
โMeโฆ what?โ You had been staring at a flower you thought was an orange lily-of-the-valley and hadnโt processed the question. Your body turned slightly toward him, hip angled casually.
โWhat do you practice?โ
โAhโฆโ Your expression faltered for half a second in embarrassment. You hadnโt prepared that answer.
โVocal training.โ Your eyes returned to the garden. โBeginnerโ
If yelling at Grim every morning so he wouldnโt make you late for class counted as vocal training. Or shouting at Ace and Deuce when their clown-level stupidity dragged you into disasters. Enough practice to develop excellent lungs.
โSinging,โ you finished.
For one terrible second you thought you had overplayed it. But Rollo didnโt react, he simply nodded.
โA disciplined art,โ he said. His brows lifted slightly, careful not to appear judgmental. โMusic, when practiced with devotion, reflects order.โ
He extended his hands in front of him, left hand outward. โStructureโ Right hand outward. โHarmonyโ His palms opened, fingers long and precise. โThe sacred ceremonies of this city rely greatly on vocal precision.โ His head turned toward the distant sound of a choir rising from the main hall. โA poorly trained chorus can ruin an entire liturgical sequenceโ
You followed his gaze toward the archway leading to the side corridor and listened to the choir for a few seconds. โI prefer small audiences.โ
โA wise preference,โ Rollo nodded, exhaling softly in time with the rising harmony of the chorus. โTrue refinement rarely requires spectacleโ
You leaned slightly to study his faceโpure curiosity. His expression softened for a moment under the layered voices of the choir, as if the music were something sacred to him.
The moment lasted only a few seconds. Then he composed himself again, hands folded neatly before him, his attention returning to you. You straightened as well.
โYou speak with unusual composure for someone outside the academic delegations,โ he said, stepping closer. โMost visitors tonight are eager to attract attentionโ
You pressed your lips together in a small thoughtful pout, tilting your head toward the music as if weighing the idea. Thinking, and thinking.
โItโs easier to listen firstโฆโ You gave him a crooked smile. โAttention can be exhausting sometimesโ
Rollo exhaled againโsubtle, but visible. โYesโฆโ His eyes lingered on yours. โโฆit certainly can beโ
Then, like a dramatic punctuation mark in a poorly timed story, a massive bell rang out. The sound cracked through the academy like thunder; deep, heavy and close. The vibration rolled through the stone around you.
โIt seems the ceremony is about to begin.โ
You turned toward the corridor as the footsteps of guests echoed more strongly through the halls, a tide moving toward the grand hall.
Rollo adjusted his attire, the robe, even the large hat, then extended his hand to you exactly as he had earlier in the plaza, the other hand behind his back.
โIt would be improper to allow a guest unfamiliar with the academy to navigate the inner corridors alone during a formal assemblyโ
Ahโฆ damn
โI will escort you personally.โ There was no room for debate. Decision made. End of discussion.
Refusing now would be far more suspicious than accepting.
โYou are very thorough, President Flamme,โ you said with a bow that nearly reached the floor, holding Grim with one arm and your hat with the other so it wouldnโt slip.
โThoroughness prevents disorder,โ he replied calmly.
He waited patiently for your hand. When you placed it in his, his fingers closed gently around yours. The cold edge of his ring brushed your skin even through the glove. โThis wayโ
The academy corridors unfolded ahead of you. Candles lined the walls in strict rows, the stained glass windows were fading under the last rays of sunset. Immaculate white columns framed the space while the ceremonial atmosphere gathered like a curtain before a stage performance.
โFor someone outside the formal delegations,โ Rollo commented as you approached the reading hall entrance, โyou carry yourself with remarkable composureโ
โIโve learned to adapt quickly,โ you said, tilting your head slightly. That, at least, was the most honest thing you had said all day.
โA valuable skill.โ
Grimโs small claws pressed into your sleeve, his silent signal that things were going very wrong.
Ahead, the corridor opened. Golden light from enormous chandeliers flooded the hall, marble floors gleamed beneath towering stained-glass pillars, the ceremonial music swelled as hundreds of voices gathered at the center.
Rollo slowed his pace as you approached and gently guided you closer so the entire hall opened before your view.
โThe seating is organized by delegation,โ he explained, gesturing upward with his free hand. โHowever, independent guests may observe from the upper galleriesโ
Translation: He was personally installing you in the best observation point in the building.
Most likely surrounded by staff, highly visible, no escape routes.
Wonderful.
He pointed toward a marble staircase rising along the hall wall. โFrom there you will have a perfect viewโ
You lifted your gaze toward the upper gallery, marble and stone just as ornate as the rest of the hall, and quite spacious.
โIf you require anything, attendants will be nearbyโ Then he released your hand.
Standing straight as a ceremonial statue, he bowed once moreโlegs aligned perfectly like a prince finishing a formal greeting. โI trust the presentation will justify your attendanceโ
And with that, he left.
Once again, you were alone with Grim.
โโฆheyโฆ henchmanโฆโ a small whisper came from inside the cloak.
โโฆyeah?โ You still hadnโt taken your eyes off Rolloโs retreating figure down the corridor.
โWe have VIP seatsโ
โโฆyeahโ
Grim sighed. You felt his tail go limp across your shoulder. โโฆthis night is going spectacularlyโ
One moment the reading hall was perfectly synchronized with the ceremony, waiting for the famous magical bell artifact to soundโฆ and the next moment fire.
Not the warm glow of decorative candles lining the hall. Not a ceremonial brazier. Not a controlled magical flame meant to add theatrical flair.
These were real flames, hungry ones, full of magicโand disturbingly selective.
They burst upward along the cathedral columns in violent ribbons of orange while the massive bell roared like a living thing. Heat tore through the hall, guests screamed, the polished order of the ceremony collapsed instantly into panic.
โMy magicโ!โ
โItโs not activating!โ
โWhatโs happening?!โ
The sound spread in waves, confusion becoming fear, fear becoming absolute chaos.
From the upper gallery, smoke already curling over the carved railing, you clutched Grim tightly to your chest.
โThis has officially turned into a disaster!โ you inhaled as deeply as you could, staring down at the inferno rising below.
โHNYA!! FOO! FOO!โ Grim tried blowing at the approaching flames. โPREFECT, THE FIREโS GETTING CLOSER!โ
โI CAN SEE THAT!โ
Guests surged toward exits in disorganized waves, assistants shouted directions nobody followed, sparks rained down as part of the decorative canopy collapsed in a burst of embers.
You backed against the stone wall, keeping distance from the fire. The flames were climbing quickly now, you could feel them licking the hem of your skirt. You yanked the fabric away and moved sideways along the wall toward the corridor exit.
โIf this dress burns,โ you said with deadly seriousness, even as the smoke made your breathing ragged, โI swear by the Seven, Grim, I will make you work overtime to pay off our debt to Samโ
โTHATโS YOUR PRIORITY RIGHT NOW!?โ
โDO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THIS FABRIC COSTS?!โ
A small explosion cracked beside you and you hurried your steps. You pulled off your hat and held it over your nose, shielding both you and Grim from the smoke.
The bell thundered again. But now it wasnโt announcing a ceremony, or the hour, or the arrival of magic into a new era.
It was weaponized.
โโฆOkay,โ you muttered, forcing yourself to stay calm and conserving oxygen as best you could. Your eyes scanned the gallery exits, fallen chandeliers, and the storm of wildflower petals drifting through the hall. โTime to save their assesโฆ again.โ
The bell roared, the metallic blast split the air so violently the stained-glass windows trembled, and with that resonance, more petals erupted into the burning air.
At first it looked almost beautiful, orange petals floating down toward the flames, dozens, then hundreds. A storm of glowing flowers falling from the bell tower like drifting embers.
One brushed the sleeve of a fleeing mage, the flower ignited bright red on contact, its petals burned from within. Smoke rose as the studentโs spell collapsed instantly, magic ripped out of the air like someone unplugging reality itself.
โMy magicโ! Itโs gone!โ
Another flower fell, another flare, another failed spell. Understanding spread faster than the fire.
โTheyโre draining itโ!โ
โDonโt let them touch you!โ
More petals rained down, brushing cloaks, masks, bare hands, triggering bursts of flame wherever they landed, leaving scorched fabric and a dead silence where magic should have answered.
The grand hallโseconds ago filled with the most skilled magical students from several academiesโwas now packed with people who couldnโt conjure a single spark.
Grim twisted in your arms. โPREFECT THIS IS BADโREALLY BADโโ
You saw one flower drifting toward you and flattened yourself against the wall. The corridor behind you was already engulfed in flames, the staircase was starting to burn. You couldnโt stop the petal gliding over the gallery railing straight toward your sleeve.
It touched the fabricโฆNothing happened. No flame, no burn, no magic drain. Because there was nothing to drain, the petal simply slid off your sleeve and landed harmlessly on the floor.
You lifted your arm, no damage. You squeezed Grim tighter against your chest and turned toward the stairs.
โIt only drains magic!โ you shouted over the roar of the fire.
โThat meansโโ
โThat means,โ you snapped, voice sharp with the absolutely terrible decision you were about to make, โwhile everyone else is getting drainedโโ
You took the stairs two at a time, dodging small flames licking across the marble. โโsomeone without magic is the most useful person in the entire building!โ
Grimโs eyes went wide, he realized it instantly. The only one who could move freely through this chaosโฆwas you.
Without thinking twice you leapt the final stretch of stairs, landing inelegantly on the main floor. Before the flames could reach the hem of your dress you yanked the fabric aside and bolted across the hall.
โHot! Hot! Hot!โ Yes, talking while running through a smoke-filled hall was stupid, but it was the only way to vent the stress as you sprinted through the wide arches.
And at the center of the inferno...the seven dorm leaders stood in formation, imposing order on chaos the only way they knew how; loudly, stubbornly.
โClear evacuation routes!โ shouted Riddle. โWe need civilians outโnow!โ
Idia was shouting too, panic turning his brain into a rapid-fire analysis machine. โThe flowers are linked to the bell! Itโs a distributed power source!โ
Kalim and Azul were already dousing nearby flames with water magic. Even Malleus, with his power weakened, had air swirling around him like a contained cyclone, deflecting falling petals.
All seven were staring upward toward the tower. Where the bell still rang, where more flowers kept falling, and where one man stood watching the chaos below with chilling superiority.
Rollo.
โThis world has suffered too long under the rule of magic!โ he shouted, completely unhinged. His staff swung wildly, sending waves of burning flowers across the hall. โPower brings only arrogance! Destruction! Chaos!โ
Another bell strike, more petals, the last scraps of magic began to fail.
โI will end this suffering!โ His voice cracked into something almost like a sob. โEven if the flames must purify this city!โ
Grim buried his face deeper in the cloak against your shoulder. โโฆyeah okayโฆ heโs lost itโ
The leaders moved before you could blink. All seven redirected the remaining magic they could muster, pushing the falling flowers away in bursts of windโthough the currents also fed the fire.
โWatch the flames!โ shouted Vil, already extinguishing a decorative banner that had caught fire.
Leona had launched himself toward a pillar, dodging both the flames and the falling flowers with the kind of speed he only used during Magift. With Kingโs Roar, he turned every piece of furniture already on fire into sand.
Tiny grains scattered through the air as more flowers fell from the bell tower, only to dissolve the moment they touched the drifting sand.
โNO!โ shouted Rollo, staggering slightly. โMagic must disappear! Even if I must burn this city to its foundation, I will finish what I started!โ
The flames burst upward again, bathing the entire reading hall in violent orange and red light, smoke was already swallowing the last breathable air.
You ducked as a piece of the structure collapsed, crushing a bench beneath it, splinters of wood scattered everywhere.
โHenchman!โ Grim coughed. โThis is the part where the villain stops being organized and becomes erratically dangerous!โ
โโฆgood call, Grim.โ He was right. After dealing with multiple overblots, both of you knew the pattern by heart.
And if there was something else youโd learned after months inside a school full of wildly irresponsible magic users, and a few outright fanatics, it was this: You donโt argue with them.
Especially not a fanatic whoโs currently burning down a city.
You placed Grim beneath the archway entrance of the hall, hiding him from the flames under a stretch of marble structure, the doors were already open where civilians had escaped.
Then you ran straight toward the fire, toward the seven idiots fighting inside it. Or maybe you were the idiot for charging into an inferno wearing a highly flammable dress with zero magic.
But heyโadrenaline does wonderful things to a personโs judgment.
โWAITโ!โ you heard Grim squeak over the crackling fire.
You didnโt look back, your eyes were locked on the chaos ahead. You didnโt think rationally eitherโbecause sometimes the optimal solutionโฆis interrupting a villainโs speech with physical violence.
You ran, and ran and ran. You rushed past Riddle, who only caught a glimpse of a swirl of black and red fabric from the corner of his eye, unable to see clearly through the heat distortions.
But when you planted your foot, twisted your body, and raised your armโevery dorm leader became very aware of your presence in the flames.
Crack.
Your fist slammed directly into Rolloโs face. A solid human punch, powered by frustration and adrenaline. His head snapped sideways, the speech he was about to shout died halfway up his throat.
He staggered back a step, hand flying to his cheek, his eyes went wide, pure disbelief flooding his expression. No one in his perfectly ordered life had ever punched him.
The fire flickered, then slowly began to die down. The hall inhaled again, tThe room seemed to exhale with it.
You lowered your hand slowly, breathing hard, then bent forward as the pain finally hit your knuckles.
โโฆowโ
The pain shot up your arm, you shook your hand violently, hopping slightly on your feet.
โShit,โ you muttered, clutching your hand for a moment before shaking it again. โThat hurts...oh hell that hurtsโ
You looked at Rollo, voice rough from the smoke. โCould you maybe not burn down a city over your personal issues for five minutes?!โ
You bent forward again. โDamn! Your bones are hard!โ
Behind youโ
โSHE JUST DEFEATED THE FINAL BOSS WITH A HOOK PUNCH!โ shouted Idia, unable to contain what he had just witnessed.
โโฆokay,โ you groaned through clenched teeth. โThat was one of the worst decisions of my lifeโ Under the glove, your knuckles were already swelling.
โDonโt moveโ The voice of Vil arrived calm, sharp, perfectly controlled now that the end-of-the-world situation had paused.
He gently took your wrist and carefully removed your glove. The skin around your knuckles was red and throbbing, you could barely move your fingers without a stab of pain running all the way to your shoulder.
โThat impact could have fractured something,โ he said, lifting your hand and examining it. He turned it carefully in different directions, moving your fingers slightly, visibly irritated. โHonestly. Barbaricโฆ effective, but barbaricโ
Azul stepped beside him, his tone smooth but edged with concern. โAllow us to help. We can perform basic healing spellsโ
Riddle was already clearing space nearby, dragging charred furniture aside. โGive the young lady air!โ
Kalim rushed over as well, dodging debris and wilted flowers. โAre you okay? Does it hurt a lot?โ he asked, leaning in beside Vil to inspect the damage.
You tried to pull your hand away. โIโm fineโโ
Vil didnโt allow it, tightening his hold slightly, though not painfully. โDo not argue while you are injuredโ
โโฆokayโ
Azul placed his fingers lightly against your knuckles. A faint spell flickered between them, much weaker than his magic normally shone. A soft blue glow wrapped around your hand, cold, like pressing an ice pack against the injury.
The swelling eased slightly, the pain dulling from a sharp stab to a manageable ache.
โThis is only temporary relief,โ Azul said, withdrawing his hand. Vil released your wrist as well. โYou will require proper treatment laterโ
You flexed your fingers carefully, the muscles moved without too much resistance.
โโฆthanksโ You slowly pulled the glove back on. The soft fabric brushed the injury and you winced faintly.
Leona had been watching the entire time with narrowed eyes, arms crossed. โDo you usually run into burning buildings?โ
His tone was flat, not mocking, nor scolding, justโฆ curious. You tilted your head, thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. โSeemed like the fastest way to stop him.โ
โSpeed is not always the most efficient method,โ remarked Malleus as he stepped closer, checking if youโd been injured anywhere besides your hand. โDo you require further assistance, miss?โ
โIโm fine now, really. Thank youโ Malleus inclined his head and didnโt press further.
Instead he stepped back and cast a small spellโsimple for him even in his weakened state, but still effective. The air cleared instantly, smoke and ash were swept away. At last, the reading hall could breathe again, even with the aftermath of the fight still hanging in the air.
Without the smoke, the damage was impossible to ignore. Several pieces of furniture had been reduced to ash, none of the decorative fabrics had escaped the flames, some burned down to their first threads, others halfway through their tapestry. Black scorch marks stained the marble floor, several stained-glass windows were cracked. A few more seconds and the glass would have exploded.
โโฆIโฆโ Behind you, a trembling voice finally broke free from its daze.
Rollo was still standing exactly where the punch had left him, his hand pressed to his cheek, shoulders rising and falling with uneven breaths. His voice was faintโbarely more than a whisper. The fury that had filled it minutes ago had collapsed entirely.
โโฆI only wantedโฆโ His voice cracked. โโฆto stop everything tied to magicโฆ to remove the worldโs painโ
His gaze drifted across the ruined hall, the ashes, the chaos his plan had unleashed. โThisโฆ isโฆโ
His knee buckled and he nearly collapsed to the floor if you hadnโt moved quickly and caught his arm. The others stiffened immediately, stepping forward, ready to protect you from the suddenly fragile fanatic. You raised your hand to stop them.
Then you guided him toward the small central step and let him sit. Silence stretched as you allowed him time to breathe normally again.
On the floor beside you lay a violet handkerchief, scattered with ash. You picked it up, shook off as much dirt as possible, and held it out to him. Rollo stared at your hand, then at your eyes, then at the hand again.
His jaw tightened as he swallowed before finally taking the cloth and pressing it against his cheek, which was already darkening into a bruise.
His shoulders slumped. โโฆI have failed,โ he whispered. โMy obsession endangered thousands of citizensโฆ and my studentsโ
He took a shaky breath and bowed his head where he sat. โโฆI offer my most sincere apologies.โ
The apology wasnโt just meant for you, or the seven standing behind you. It was for every guest, for his city, for his school, for the entire world he had nearly burned to the ground.
โThe evening is ruined,โ he said before trying to stand, you helped him again, slipping your arm under his. โThe ceremony cannot continue under these conditions.โ
He looked genuinely distressed, unable to meet anyoneโs eyes. You kept your grip steady and glanced toward the entrance. Grim was still waiting there, sitting quietlyโbut clearly trying not to vibrate from the tension. The doorway itself was intact, and the area around it too.
Yes, the hall was wreckedโฆbut wasnโt magic also meant to help, not just destroy?
Alsoโฆ where the hell was Crowley when someone actually needed him? Of course. Useless bird.
โโฆis it?โ you said, breaking the thick tension.
Rollo turned toward you, startled, and you gave him a small, almost amused look and shrugged again.
โThe structure is still standing, fortunatelyโ Your gaze swept the damaged hall. โAnd the guests are safeโ
It seemed Malleus shared your thinking, he stepped forward. โA ceremony is not defined by perfection,โ he said, extending his arms slightly toward the hall. โBut by those who gather within itโฆ and choose to remainโ
Rollo blinked, slightly disoriented. Malleus stepped closer, now standing in front of both of you.
โIf the host permits,โ he continued, his eyes sincere and calm, โNight Raven College would be willing to offer a performance in place of the interrupted programโ
Kalimโs eyes lit up instantly as he joined the circle. โOh! We can do that!โ
From further back, Idia fiddled nervously with the sleeves of his very extravagant suit. โโฆare we activating emergency concert modeโฆ?โ His face looked like someone ready to teleport back to his room and lock the door for the next week.
Azul removed his hat and tapped it against his leg, knocking loose a few ash particles clinging to its ocean-themed decorations. โA collaborative performance would calm the guests and stabilize the atmosphereโ
Leona let out a loud grunt. โYou guys are annoyingโ
Clearly uncomfortable with the resolution, he turned and walked down the hall, but not toward the exit. Instead he kicked a fairly intact bench and dropped onto it.
โโฆyouโre not going to help, are you?โ snapped Vil, arms crossed.
โIโm not singing if thatโs what youโre asking, pretty boyโ Leona leaned back, arms behind his head, eyes closing as if savoring what little peace remained before chaos resumed.
You snorted softly and turned your head away, covering your mouth to hide a smile.
โThis night does not have to end in ashes,โ Malleus said again. โNot if you decide otherwise.โ
Rollo studied Malleus carefully, perhaps searching for resentment, disgust, or superiority. But Malleus didnโt look at people like that; you knew that. But that was something only you understoodโฆ and something youโd keep very quiet.
No, Rollo found none of those things. He inhaled slowly and closed his eyes.
When he exhaled, his composure had returned. โโฆvery wellโ
He slipped his arm free from yours and stood straight again. โIf your school truly wishes to offer such generosityโฆ Noble Bell College will be honored.โ
The decision spread through the room like a spark catching dry wood.
Rollo moved toward the doors with renewed purpose, you followed at a slight distance, your good hand lightly touching the knuckles of the injured one through the glove. When you reached the doorway, you crouched and picked Grim up. Rollo was already speaking to the attendants, directing them into motion.
Lanterns were relit, broken furniture beyond repair was carried outside, pieces that could still stand were pushed aside, some attendants used magic to clean the soot-darkened marble. Malleus helped with that as well.
Within minutes the hall had nearly returned to its original state. The musicians who had once prepared the ceremonial music brought out instruments again, students from Noble Bell College hurried to reconstruct something resembling a formalโif now acousticโevening.
Rollo stood at the center of it all, overseeing the work, ensuring nothing was misplaced, watching the Night Raven College delegation help, issuing calm instructions to his students.
His gaze moved across the entire hall, until it returned to you.
โI wish to offer my most sincere apology,โ his voice carrying clearly across the room, the bruise on his cheek was now unmistakable. โI failed my guestsโฆ and those who showed the courage I lacked in that moment.โ
His bow was so deep he nearly folded in half. You tightened your grip around Grim against your chest as you watched him straighten again.
โYou intervened when reason could no longer reach me,โ he continued. โAnd for thatโฆ you have my sincere gratitude. And my apologyโ
How many times had people bowed or inclined themselves before you tonight? Five? Six? Who knew.
It certainly wouldnโt be the last.
โI placed you in danger inside my own academy.โ You held his gaze, but this time you didnโt bow. Your neck was already starting to ache from all the earlier ones.
โIโm just glad the city isnโt on fire.โ
Rollo simply nodded and looked around again. The students of Noble Bell were nearly finished restoring the hall, and the seven dorm leaders had regrouped in their usual cluster of dramatic personalities.
Their attention was now very clearly fixed on you, you could practically feel their eyes drilling into your back. Behind the thin mask you gave yourself a completely deadpan look. They couldn't possibly be more obvious. You huffed quietly and waited while the last details were set in place, a student lit the final candle on a low chandelier.
โEarlier you mentioned that your family works in the field of musical performance,โ Rollo said. You turned your head so quickly your neck nearly cracked.
โAndโฆ that you yourself train your voice.โ
Out of the corner of your eye you saw Kalim elbow Azul so he would stop talking to Idia and pay attention. Vil's eyes sharpened with sudden artistic interest...That was definitely not a good sign.
Rollo clasped his hands together near his chest, almost pleading. โThe choir scheduled for tonight has beenโฆ interruptedโ
He then extended his hands toward you. โIf the young lady who helped save this ceremony would be willingโeven a brief performanceโโ His palms opened upward. โโฆit might help restore calm among our guests.โ
You bit the inside of your cheek to stop a tiny panicked squeak.
Kalim suddenly jumped forward, stopping far too close to your face. โThat sounds fantastic!โ He grabbed both your hands enthusiastically. You flinched slightly at the stab of pain in your knuckles. โOh! Right, sorry!โ
He released the injured one immediately, though his excitement didnโt dim in the slightest. โYou can sing? You didnโt mention that earlier!โ
You tried to respond, anything, but your mouth stayed half-open when Azul stepped closer too, wearing an expression of dangerously genuine curiosity.
โHow convenient,โ he said smoothly. โIt seems the young lady possessed hidden talentsโ His sincere smile somehow made you even more nervous.
At lightning speed your eyes scanned the seven dorm leaders and Rollo, completely unable to form a single word. Every possible response in your head was immediately replaced by another, or interrupted by something someone in front of you said.
โโฆthis is either the best narrative resolution ever or the beginning of a catastrophic post-credits scene,โ Idia whispered to Riddle, he rolled his eyes and ignored the comment.
โWell thenโฆโ Vil crossed his arms, visibly expectant. โCan you?โ
His smile looked like that of a film director who had just discovered his next muse and was about to shoot the best scene of his career.
โHere we go again,โ groaned Leona, pinching the bridge of the nose. โStop crowding her againโ Vil gestured for him to be quiet.
You closed your mouth...Opened it again...Closed it again; then slowly inhaled. Honestlyโฆ it had already been a very long day: You had snuck into an international festival without an official invitation; dodged lethal magic-draining flowers; lied to the host of the entire event and punched him in the face in the middle of a burning hall.
From one of the tall windows of the hall, you had a perfect view of the performance unfolding below.
Malleus stood right at the center of the marble circleโcalm, steady, almost statuesque. When he sang, his voice carried through the entire hall with a strength that everyone could feel. Beside him, Azul and Idia accompanied the song with suspicious precision; you had never seen them rehearse this performance, and you were fairly certain you had never heard this song echoing through the dorm corridors either.
โโฆwow,โ Grim whispered from your arms, barely peeking out to watch. โTheyโre actually killing itโ
โYeahโฆโ You leaned forward a little more.
The other dorm leaders stood off to one side of the hall watching the performance unfold, and just as he had promised, Leona had absolutely no intention of participating.
You leaned a little farther when you noticed something odd about Idiaโs performance in front of the guests. โโฆIs Idia using a voice device?โ
โโฆthat guy really canโt live without technology,โ Grim muttered, crossing his arms. His expression flattened when he spotted the small device Idia was clearly using to sing for him.
And even soโฆThe performance was magnificent.
Malleusโs voice sounded so majestic it was both deep and almost angelic, probably one of the many perks of being a high fae and future prince. Idiaโs voiceโunexpectedly delicate despite being technologicalโand Azulโs tone blended perfectly together.
You rested your arms on the stone window frame and closed your eyes, finally allowing yourself to enjoy the evening the way you had originally planned. Grim climbed onto the window ledge beside you, adjusting his mask so he could see better. Both of you swayed gently with the rhythm of the music, and a smile slowly spread across your face.
โTheyโve got this,โ you murmured quietly, tapping a finger against your arm in time with the music. โBastardsโฆ is there anything they canโt do well?โ
Grim snickered, covering his mouth with his paw to keep the sound down. โTheyโre totally showing off.โ
You laughed quietly along with him. When you opened your eyes again, you found Grim staring at you. โYouโre next.โ
Your smile, which had started out sarcastic, shifted into something more mischievous.
You looked back down toward the hall. The voices still flowed together in harmony, moving around the marble circle with a grace that Vil was probably mentally approving from somewhere nearby. The second chorus was about to begin.
โWellโฆโ you straightened up, adjusting the fall of your skirt and the lace miraculously still intact over the red brocade. โI suppose itโs time to close the night with a golden finishโ
Grim looked up at you, eyes narrowing skeptically, his little paws stretching toward you to be held again.โYou know how to sing?โ
You lifted him and settled him onto your shoulder, both of you looked down toward the stage one last time. Your voice obviously wouldnโt sound as perfect as Malleusโs, but at least it would sound human, warm.
Or so you hoped.
You adjusted your mask and stepped toward the staircase, running your hand along the stone edge of the window and grabbing a small black fan.
โโฆWhere did you get that fan?โ Grim asked.
You opened it, revealing a simple design of floral embroidery and delicate lace. โIt was on one of the benchesโ
โHngโฆ youโre adding more drama.โ
Right then, Malleusโs voice surged through the entire hall structure as he reached the final note. The sound vibrated through the room, leaving behind a faint but powerful echo.
You paused mid-step and glanced upward as if your eyes could follow the note sliding through the air, then you gave Grim a playful look. โCome onโ You turned toward the stairs. โWeโve got to compete with our princeโ
The final chord echoed for a few seconds, applause followed, warm and energized, proof that the performance of those three had worked. The night had been saved.
You set Grim down at the top of the stairs, placing him beside a small decorative window at his height so he could watch the next act. When your heel touched the first step, the lighting along the staircase dimmed slightly, casting a softer contrast around your silhouette.
Fan open, one hand resting lightly on the railing, your heart racing a mile a minute. This would either go spectacularly wellโฆ
or become the most embarrassing moment of your life.
You glanced once more at Grim for support, he lifted one paw in a tiny thumbs-up; that was apparently the feline version of encouragement.
And so you began your descent, slow steps, measured, careful. Falling now would be catastrophic. No one wanted to watch the mysterious masked woman who had saved the evening tumble down twenty marble steps.
โMasquerade
Paper faces on parade
Masquerade
Hide your face, so the world will never find youโฆโ
The applause died instantly, your voice wasn't loud nor powerful like Malleusโs, it didnโt have Azulโs precision, nor Idiaโs delicate tone...But hopefully it was unmistakably human, and familiar. Almostโฆ comforting.
Each step down the marble curved with the melody, the lace of the dress catching the candlelight, the fan tilting slightly, slow movements as if you were stepping into a courtship circle.
Below in the hall, the seven leaders stood still. Malleus, Idia, and Azul had returned to stand with the others and now the entire group once again had their eyes fixed on you.
Both Azul and Riddle tensed in unison, not expecting your voice to emerge so soft. Singing while descending a staircase could be rather complicated if you didnโt have proper vocal control; walking while singing alone could already be tiring and might make your voice tremble.
Kalim, who stood on the opposite side of Riddle, grabbed his sleeve and began shaking it, pointing at you as you continued your descent. His mouth hung open, nearly reaching the floor, forming a small wow while you fanned yourself with each descending step.
โMasquerade
Every face a different shade
Masquerade
Look around, thereโs another mask behind youโ
You continued downward, slow but steady, each step landing precisely with the tempo of the lyrics. Now the fan moved a little faster.
Vil followed your figure with every step, every movement of your dress flowing smoothly over the stairs; your posture perfectly straight, your weight settling properly onto each foot as it should, the heels striking neatly in time with the tempo. He watched how you moved the fan, as if it were a supporting actor that required very little to be perfect.
Idia stood behind Vil, slightly hunched with his mask poorly positioned; it looked like he had removed it for a moment after the performance, or rather, like he had deflated after carrying out such an intense social activity in front of so many people. His head barely leaned past Vilโs shoulder as he watched how you didnโt need much to soundโฆ simple, soothing.
The last curve of the staircase opened beneath your feet. The light framed you warmer there, spilling gold across the newly polished floor. You extended the hand holding the fan slightly to the side as the verse neared its end, and when your foot touched the final stepโฆthe music swelled, the violins accompanying the delicate chimes while a few percussion instruments followed.
โFlash of mauve,
Splash of puce,
Fool and king,
Ghoul and goose,
Green and black,
Queen and priest,
Trace of rouge,
Face of beastโ
You advanced farther into the open hall, guests stepped aside to give you room, as if the song itself were clearing a path for you. The warmth of your voice filled the space the fear had left behind earlier, moving through the hall softer than magic, steadier than the ceremony.
Leona had remained leaning against a pillar, watching without making any visible movement or comment toward the others. His arms rested at his sides, palms against the pillar, his gaze moving up and down your figure as he watched you walk through the crowd. But he wasnโt looking at you the way Vil was.
No. He observed you as if trying to solve a puzzle that had been gnawing at him since the afternoon in the plaza. The mysterious masked girl who had stumbled into the group and carried herself with a natural ease almost humiliating for the seven of them clearly had an ace up her sleeveโฆ an ace that felt strangely familiar, though he couldnโt remember from where.
And Malleusโฆwas doing exactly the same. Watching you; but with a softer gaze, as though he were seeing a nymph within her own spring and he were merely a mortal fortunate enough to stumble upon her, fate too generous to allow him to witness such a spectacle.
Thenโฆmore voices joined, almost by accident. A voice close to you murmured quietly, then a couple near the edge of the circle, just above the violins, then another pair, cautious but slightly more confident.
All of those voices testing whether they were allowed to joinโas though they were forming a chorus to accompany your performance. And you allowed it.
A performance so human was always better when accompanied, wasnโt it?
โFaces
Take your turn, take a ride
On the merry-go-round
In an inhuman raceโฆโ
A pair of masked dancers stepped onto the open floor, slowly and cautiously at first; no choreography, only instinct, their movements catching the rhythm just as the candlelight caught the stained glass.
More joined. It wasnโt a full dance yetโjust a movement here, another there. And gradually, what had begun with only your voice started turning into a complete spectacle.
You moved the fan in flowing motions upward with the rhythm of the lyricsโthe dramatic courtship play Grim had mentioned.
โEye of gold,
Thigh of blue,
True is false,
Who is who?
Curl of lip,
Swirl of gown,
Ace of hearts,
Face of clownโ
The chorus of guests was unmistakable now, harmonizing with yoursโnot raising their voices to compete with you, but filling the space so the performance reverberated just as powerfully as Malleusโs voice alone had earlier.
Dozens of voices intertwined softly beneath yours; it was like watching the masquerade itself sing to close the night. Silk skirts began to spin, cloaks gliding across the floor, candlelight casting soft shadows over every figure and across the marble.
โFaces
Drink it in, drink it up
Till youโve drowned in the light, in the sound
But who can name the face?โ
You turned your head toward a woman dressed exquisitely, wearing an immaculate violet gown, a mask almost identical to yours covered her eyes, she also carried a fan matching her dress.
With a movement that seemed rehearsed, the two of you raised your fans in front of your faces at the same moment. Everyone nearby who held a fan did exactly the same.
And for the third time that eveningโafter an inconvenient encounter, after an infernal chaosโthe event finally felt like a masquerade again.
Right there, at the center of everything, this time a center you had actually sought, you found yourself surrounded by a ballroom that had willingly become part of your song.
โMasquerade!
Grinning yellows, spinning reds
Masquerade!
Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you!โ
The dance burst to life.
No longer were there hesitant couples barely swaying, now they spun with confidence to the sound of the violins, gowns and suits tracing wide arcs across the marble floor. You moved among the turns like a master of ceremonies, your skirtโs movement blending with the others, spinning not to dance but to carry your voice to every corner of the hall.
Kalimโs eyes widened as he watched the sea of fabrics spinning and spinningโit was dizzying just to see so much coordination. โOh! People are really joining in!โ
Azul watched keenly. โFascinatingโฆ sheโs stabilizing the entire roomโ
A few steps away, a Noble Bell student, tall, immaculate, his uniform pristine and untouched by ash, walked directly toward you.
Closer, closer still, until he stood only a single step away, moving in rhythm with the crowd, following your steps before bowing and extending his hand.
A formal invitation, a very legitimate one, the kind of official invitation you had hoped for ever since the festival had been announced. All afternoon you had hesitated about where to walk, hesitated about what to say so you wouldnโt be discovered. Nowโฆ
you simply wanted to dance, and you accepted the invitation without stopping your singing.
You snapped the fan closed softly against your hip while allowing him to guide you into the swirling mass of couples turning across the floor. Some dancers even lifted their partners into the air, far too bold a movement for you, so you wisely didnโt attempt it.
Your dance was coordinated and fairly simple compared to the others, whose steps already carried the etiquette of ballroom tradition, yours remained softer, movements that allowed the dress to breathe and form dark circles trimmed with red, and enough stillness that your voice could continue floating above the chorus.
The student spun you once just as the orchestra swelled, your dress opened in a dark flare that caught the golden light like a glowing ember refusing to fade.
Across the floor, the seven dorm leaders watched as the performance had truly become thatโ a performance.
Dance, music, lead voice, chorus. Had you really not planned this from the start?
Vil murmured more to himself than the others, captivated by the way your dress followed every turn. โControl, breath rhythm, audience integration.โ He adjusted both sleeves before adding his final verdict. โShe has stage instinctโ
He walked straight into the crowd and invited the first person he saw waiting near the edge of the dance floor. The others stared in silence for a few seconds before Kalim burst into laughter and strode toward the center as well, inviting a Noble Bell student to dance.
The hall had fully surrendered now, no more uncertain steps or scattered movementsโonly a sea of silk and velvet, feathered hats swaying in the air, lace glimmering beneath the softened lights.
Couples changed hands in coordinated turns, everyone pulsed with the rhythm of the music.
โYou can fool
Any friend who ever knew youโ
The student guiding you spun you once more, then another step, then he released your hand with elegant timing within the flow of the dance, allowing another guest to take it. Then another, and another; You remained on the dance floor as if you had been born to dance until sunrise.
The orchestra never truly stopped after that.
One song melted into the next, the tempo rising and softening in waves while the lantern light grew warmer, as though the night itself had finally remembered what it was meant to be.
And you danced, and danced, and danced. Occasionally glancing upward toward the window where Grim watched from his hiding place, until he grew bored and hurried down the stairs toward a small table where snacks and drinks had been arranged.
And Grim, being Grim, went straight for the snacks. You shook your head, amused, unable to suppress the smile at the irony of it all: Grim worrying only about food, completely forgetting the stealth partโฆwhile you danced with strangers.
At first.
Because in the middle of another turn, Kalim arrived. He practically bounced his way over, bowing with an enthusiastic sincerity that somehow remained perfectly polite.
โMay I?โ he asked, already smiling as though the answer could only be yes.
His dancing was open, slightly less precise than the formal protocol demanded, but relaxed enough that the turns felt light and smooth rather than rigid and ceremonial.
If the music hadnโt dictated the style, Kalim probably would have dragged you into a dozen far more energetic moves across the entire floor.
โBest night ever,โ he laughed softly as you spun together. His laughter was so contagious it made you laugh tooโthough you kept it much more controlled this time.
โIโm really glad you stayedโ He spun you again in a partner exchange.
Next came Riddle. He stepped forward with impeccable posture, offering his hand with textbook ceremonial formality. โI would like to request this dance,โ he said, composed, but unmistakably sincere.
His steps were perfect, structured, exactly as ballroom manuals likely instructed for someone leading a partner. Not stiff, simply preciseโas if every movement had been practiced until he could guide another person with absolute confidence.
โYou handle chaos surprisingly well,โ he admitted quietly during a turn.
Ahโฆif only you knew
Then came Azul. He bowed with a touch of theatrical flair, though still formal, like a merchant about to greet a valuable soul. โIt would be a tragedy not to experience a dance with youโ
He guided you effortlessly, every step deliberate, every movement calculated so that you appeared exquisite, as though you were a rare piece in an impossibly expensive collection. And he remained in the backgroundโฆletting you shine.
Vil arrived afterward as if the night itself had set a timer so he would appear at the exact right moment, balancing the aesthetic of the three who had gone before him.
His hand was firm, confident; the dance elegant without effort, posture impeccable, movement fluidโthe kind of partner who doesnโt just dance but shapes the entire image of the ballroom around him.
โYou understand presentation,โ he murmured near your ear. โPresence. Thatโs rare to findโ He released your hand for an open step, ending with you spinning on yourself and landing briefly in the blondโs arms before he let you go again.
You were surprised when Idia came next. His expression showed he was fighting every ounce of his anxiety and preparing himself like someone about to face a hidden final boss.
โโฆokay.โ He took your hand in his, visibly trembling and a little hesitant. โStatistically speaking Iโm going to regret thisโor dieโif I donโt at least try onceโฆโ
His steps were clumsy, but not enough for you to step on his feet, nor for him to step on yours. Idia had more secrets tucked up his sleeves than he liked to show the world.
One step, then another, and then, surprisingly, he became careful, mentally counting the next movements so you could continue looking radiant in your dress. โItโs easyโฆ being next to you,โ he admitted quietly, placing a hand on your waist. โThatโฆ thatโs not common for me.โ
Leona came next. He didnโt arrive in a spin, handing you off to the next dancer. No; he simply appeared when the music slowed slightly, one brow raised and the corner of his mouth faintly lifted, refusing you the honor of seeing a full smile.
His hand extended with the same casual inevitability he had shown in the plaza. โCome on. You already survived the worst of itโ
His grip was firm, steady, strong enough that dancing with him felt like walking beside someone who had temporarily decided not to bite anyone.
Like with Idia, you were surprised by how careful Leona could be while dancing. Of course, as a prince he had been forced to learn etiquette and ballroom lessons. And now you were witnessing the results of that irritating education.
Very good results, to be honest.
Because when the choreography called for the lead to lift his partner again, Leona didnโt hesitate, nor did he give you a warning, he lifted you by the waist. You let out a small yelp before touching the floor again, Leona steadied you against him so you wouldnโt stumble during the next steps.
โYou donโt show panic,โ he said quietly, leaning closer to whisper near your ear. โDidnโt expect to find someone like that at an event this pompous.โ
And finally...Malleus.
He appeared without hurry, not interrupting the moment you had with Leona until the partners changed naturally. He stepped forward as the music reached the last measures of the slow dance, transitioning toward something deeper and more intimate, an instant carved into midnight itself as the first rhythm came to a close.
โMay I share this dance?โ he asked softly, bowing slightly before taking your hand and guiding you through the final movements of that first rhythm with the other dancers.
His hand was warm around yours, his steps slow, deliberate, impossibly gentle for someone so tall and imposing, as if the music being played had been written specifically for the two of you.
โYou brought light back to this hall tonight,โ he said quietly so only you could hear him, ignoring everyone else around you. โWhether you intended to or notโ
Laughter floated through the air as the first rhythm of the night ended. Seven dances, with seven boys, all stepping away from you carrying the same strange feeling, that they had just spent time with someone importantโฆ and somehow familiar.
And you allowed yourself to keep smiling and dancing. For once, you allowed yourself to have the night Crowley had stolen from you.
One dance became two; two became five.
At some point the evening stopped feeling like something you had infiltrated and barely survived, and became something you were simply living. Living far from the cold walls of Ramshackle, far from the magic-soaked stone of NRC.
In the distance, the spell of the moment broke with a bell chime, small and practical. A bell announcing that it was already very late.
Your eyes shot toward the tall clock mounted against the marble wall. โโฆoh no.โ
You had approached the snack table, where Grim had apparently devoured everything edible and was now curled up beside it waiting for you.
When he heard you mutter, he lifted his head. โMm?โ
โWeโre out of time,โ you said, looking at him in horror.
โHMNYA?!โ he jumped up.
โIf we donโt leave now,โ you whispered in his ear, avoiding attracting attention, the earlier squeak had already made several guests glance toward the table, โwe wonโt get back to campus before they doโ
You scanned the crowd, searching for an escape route. โAnd if Crowley gets there firstโโ
Grim gasped and jumped into your arms. โWeโre deadโ
โExactlyโ
The music swelled again and several people stepped back into the center of the hall for another round, perfect cover. You adjusted Grim in your arms and reopened the fan, hiding him slightly as you began walking quickly.
โOkay, we walk fast,โ you said quietly while heading toward the reading hall doors. โNo running. We blend in with the people leaving and slip out before anyone notices.โ
You pushed your way step by step through the living sea of masks, guests, and students, gliding between couples mid-turn, passing laughing students.
Every movement controlled to avoid suspicion, but urgent.
You were only a few steps away, close enough to feel the cool night air slipping through the carved gap in the wooden door, close enough that one more step would take you out of the lantern light, the music, the masquerade entirely.
And you pushed the enormous door open, stepping straight into the outer corridor.
โThis was probably the most fun disaster Iโve ever attended.โ Kalim had his hands behind his head, still smiling as if the night hadnโt stopped being magical.
The dorm leaders had gathered near one of the marble pillars. The music from the hall drifted faintly just a few meters away.
Riddle adjusted his gloves, nodded, and placed his hands behind his back. โThe structural damage was severe, but the response wasโฆ effective.โ
Azul had picked up a glass from the table, apparently unaware that Grim had already raided the food there. He swirled it in his hand, watching the liquid spiral slightly.
โIndeedโ He took a small sip and looked toward the hall doors. โAlthough there is still one clause unresolvedโ
Vil had followed him and taken a glass of wine, sipping occasionally. He hadnโt even finished half of it. โThe mysterious ladyโ
Idia nodded, by now he had removed his mask. โMysterious young woman, SSR-tier character who punches the main villain with maxed-out stats.โ
Kalim, who had only half been listening, glanced aroundโthe others, the muffled music beyond the door, the outer corridorโhis gaze bounced everywhere for a moment, then he suddenly straightened, exhaling through his nose.
โShe said her brother studies at NRC.โ That made the others turn toward him.
Vil lifted the glass to his lips thoughtfully, his eyes sharp though his mind clearly elsewhere. โYesโฆ that detail is usefulโ
โThe NRC enrollment is not infinite,โ Riddle said with a slight frown. โEstablishing familial connections may take timeโ He sighed. โBut it will not be impossibleโ
Vil set the glass carefully on a stone bench. โA voice like that wonโt remain hidden for long.โ
โYes,โ Malleus added calmly, his eyes drifting toward the hall. โFate rarely introduces someone only onceโ Vil crossed his arms at that remark, giving a small nod before following the direction of Malleusโs gaze.
Leona had remained leaning against the column beside Kalim the entire time, hands in his pockets, head tilted toward the hall doorsโstill listening to the distant music and the crowd dancing, laughing, talking.
โMaybe weโll see her again before the night endsโโ Kalim started.
But Leonaโs ears sharpened, his eyes narrowed toward the distance.
โโฆOiโ That was all he said to make the others pay attention.
On the other side of the outer corridor, the great doors of the hall openedโand there you were, moving quickly. The black and crimson dress was unmistakable even under the dim light of the corridor, the small creature tucked in your arms as you hurried toward the outer doors.
That alone was enough for the seven of them to straighten in unison, watching your figure cross the corridor. Kalim pointed at you and barely raised his voice to say, โThere she goes!โ
Vil stepped forward immediately, then another step, Azul set his own glass beside Vilโs, adjusted his suit, and followed him. The seven of them began to move closer, like a flock of crows closing in on a small prey, or ratherโฆ their little dove.
They were close enough to see you, but not close enough for you to notice them. Your figure passed beside a guest whose decorations stuck out everywhere, especially along the sleeves and shoulders.
And then the most clichรฉ, ridiculous thing that could possibly happen at an event like this happened.
A strand of your hair snagged as you rushed past, and the ribbon of your mask caught on the guestโs decorations.
โAhโsorry!โ the guest said, quickly freeing your hair and the ribbon when your head jerked backward. The tug made you drop Grim, and he jumped to the floor.
โItโs nothing,โ you replied, continuing forward once your hair came loose. The guest went his way while you headed straight for the outer doors.
The ribbon slipped free, the mask fell one step later. You instinctively turned, bringing a hand to the back of your head, startled as the fabric mask dropped to the ground.
One second, one undeniable second was all it took for your face to be completely revealed under the moonlight. The mystery shattered, and before the seven leaders of NRC, the young lady was revealed:
The Prefect of Ramshackle.
Meanwhile you were far too busy picking up the fallen mask, your heart pounding like you had just run a marathon when the realization hit you all at once.
โโฆoh shitโโ You snatched the mask off the floor and bolted toward the door.
โGRIM!โ you shouted, your voice now unmistakably clear in the night air and the quiet city. โMOVE OR YOUโRE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR WITHOUT TUNA FOR A WEEK IF WEโRE LATE!โ
The small hooded creature shrieked in terror. โYES, PREFECTโ!โ
The two of you ran like a princess racing back to her tower before the spell wore off...except you looked more like two idiots sprinting full speed toward the city lights as if your lives, and possibly your financial privileges, depended on it. Within seconds the darkness swallowed you both, disappearing down the outer corridor toward the main gates.
Silence followed, and the ones who had been pursuing you with steady stepsโฆ were left stunned by the revelation.
Kalimโs jaw dropped, not caring how dramatic or over-the-top he looked; Riddleโs eyes widened and a faint blush colored his cheeks; Azul removed his glasses to clean them with trembling hands, an entirely pointless gesture, as he pinched the bridge of his nose; Idia made a strangled sound, like his system had just crashed into a blue screen he couldnโt reboot; Leona and Vil blinked at the same time, shooting each other a sidelong glance; Malleus simply watched as the final piece of the puzzle clicked neatly into place, confirming that lingering sense of familiarity.
A pause followed...A long pause, far too long.
Vil didnโt know what to do with his hands, or with his entire existence. He pressed his lips into a thin line, moved his hands aimlessly for a moment, and was just about to turn away in frustration. โโฆoh for fuckโs sake.โ The fact that he had sworn meant you had played your move perfectly.
Idia crouched down and buried his face in his hands. โI want to dieโ
Azul, still pinching the bridge of his nose, let out a long breath. โWe should have knownโ
And honestly, yes.
They had been idiots not to realize; inside their minds the gears finally started turning: The voice, her composure in danger, that laugh, the ridiculous courage, the familiar, the way she handled chaos without magic.
Leona dragged a hand down his face and let out a deep, irritated growl. โShe masked her scent so we wouldnโt noticeโ
Kalim, whose mouth had still been hanging open, suddenly burst into a small laugh as he looked toward where you had disappeared. โOh! That makes so much sense!โ He laughed freely.
โNo wonder we could flirt with her so naturallyโ
โFLIRT?!โ
โNOBODY HERE FLIRTED WITH ANYONE!โ
โMY CHARISMA STAT IS NOT THAT HIGH!โ
Several voices erupted at once, some embarrassed, some shy, some in complete denial. Malleus, still perfectly composed in the middle of the chaos, simply closed his eyes and allowed his companions to argue, offering the night a small smile.
Leona didnโt even stay to watch the end of the debate over who had flirted more. He simply closed his eyes, shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked back toward the hall, he shouting was already giving him a headache.
โฆ๏ธ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ_๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ totes adorbs!! but kinda bummed u didn't pick me for such a cute pic idea... (ใ โธใ )
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @diamond_mind Oh I'm so sorry!! I got so busy with preparations that it slipped my mind u_u; I'll save you a spot next time, promise!
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ....okay so this MIGHT turn into a series. I pray to the Seven that Leona isn't active on magicam or else I'm migrating (he looks so peaceful tho, doesn't he?!)
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Decided to pay our octobuddy a little visit at the @mostrolounge this afternoon ๐๐นWhat a face! (also, wow where did all of you come from?? Was Leona's sleeping visage that baffling of a prospect? รนแดu,, actually, I'm now realizing that I hadn't even set this account to private...oops.)
๐ฌ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐.๐ฎ.๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ahahah!! oh man look at his face! little shrimpy's got guts~
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ thanks for being the cameraman buddy รนแดu อกออโ 7 replies
โค๏ธ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ_๐ผ๐ณ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ I'm surprised you didn't get ptsd just from walking into that room LMAO
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @ace_ofhearts hm okay how about you join me next time
๐ฌ ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ.๐น๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต. hahah. how swift. perhaps i may join you one day to capture such riveting images. 3 replies
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ ok no I'm actually so invested we can't just move on from the fact that this guy showed up all of a sudden and just KNOWS Leona kingscholar personally?!?? 200 replies
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Another face cradled! And a dear friend hugged! Had a blast at this wonderful get-together in Scarabia dorm โ๏ธ๐ฎ๐ I think I'm ready to sleep for a week though hahaha ^^;
โ๏ธ ๐ธ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐บโช I'm so glad you came! I don't think I've had that much fun with friends in a while! You're always welcome whenever you feel like visiting ๐โจ
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Nothing better than a long evening spent with the beauty queen himself @vilshoenheit. And look, he reciprocated! How sweet~ ๐โจ A wonderful idol, an even better friend.
๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฒ๐ป๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐โช How precious. Do take good care of that manicure.
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฒ๐ป๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ Wait, Grace, is this a private post?
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Seems like I've been graced with this nice little picture from @0r1h0_shr0ud2 during a visit to Idia's dorm! No face hold unfortunately, but it's quite cute!๐ฉต๐ค Very rare, it seems Idia has yet to realize the photo being taken ^o^. Peep the adorable little PreMo gacha figure I got for him...? ๐
๐ฉต ๐ฌ๐ฟ๐ญ๐ต๐ฌ_๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฌ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ I was so happy that you decided to stay and keep my brother company, Grace Alexander-san. Idia doesn't show it, but you really made his day!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @0r1h0_shr0ud2 awww! I'm always happy to spend time with you both! ๐ค 3 replies
๐ ๐ด๐น๐ฌ๐ฌ๐บ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ woah when was this?! you can't just spring such a rare event out of nowhere! delete, delete!!! 5 replies
โฆ๏ธ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ_๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ oh my Seven!! you both look so dope! truly inspiringโ and can we talk about how *adorbs* you look with that biscuit hanging from ur mouth?? (หต โขฬ แด - หต ) โง
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @diamond_mind brothaaaa keep this up and you'll be fighting off rumors for days LOL รนแดu ahuahu
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ Am I tweaking or is that like. *The* Idia Shroud from the family Shroud part of the largest technological pioneers in Twisted Wonderland. Or am I insane.
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ this HAS to be a social experiment atp?? What in the world is this guy's power??? 467 replies
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ it felt almost special, leaving my vest off. Maybe it was the winter breeze. Tsunotaro helped me with his cape, though, despite my insistence. What a sweet personality! ๐๐ We took a long walk through an abandoned woods, found some gorgeous gargoyles. To end my little series, I asked to hold him as well. He doesn't own a magicam account so I can't tag him... But at least he can keep the pictures :) Hurray! It ends! ๐คโจ
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ THERE IS NOOOOO FUCKING WAY I REFUSE NO NO ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THIS IS AN EVIL PRANK WHAT WHAT WHATTTTATSYSYTHJDHJ WHO IS THIS GUYYYYYY 1204 replies
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ OH YES DROP THE BOMB ON US WHY NOT. OKAY. THREE OTHER CELEBS WEREN'T ENOUGH I GUESS. 762 replies
๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ฒ Grace, you must know I have never been so entertained in my long life. Why, Malleus himself sits beside me and stares down at the screen in bafflement!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ ๐ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด.๐๐ถ๐ด๐ฏ๐ผ๐น๐ @yuur_grace YOU ARE ENTIRELY UNCONNIVING. YOU PLACE MALLEUS UNDER INTENSE SCRUTINY FROM THE MASSES AS WELL AS LADY MALEFICIA! YOU SHOULD BE MORE MINDFUL, HUMAN!!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ OH my god.
HEHEHE I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS AS MUCH AS I DID THIS WAS SO EXHAUSTING BUT SO FUN TO MAKE !!! ๐ฉท๐ค๐ฉทโจโจ Also pls don't look too hard at the numbers ik a lot of them are wrong I'm sleep deprived and high on 3 monster cans ๐ค
they certainly weren't too pleased with all the extra attention they were getting for the next 24 hours.... days..... er... weeks. really, grace, did you not consider the rumors? this is the internet for goodness sake! ๐โโ๏ธ
๐ it's hard enough being kalim's bodyguard in real lifeโ having to send out several correspondance to reassure that, no, your highness, the internet isn't planning to abduct kalim nor the prefect on account of that singular image, was not so pleasant.
๐ฆ seven, what does it take for a guy to get some peace and quiet, huh? trying to get away from his family and their incessant invitations to visit home and all that annoying jargon was hard enoughโ now he has to deal with some mob students in savanaclaw eyeing him all the time? ruggie, quit laughing, dammit!
๐ really, he's more exasperated than anything. he's not unused to any level of fame or parasocial insanityโ but you had to have known that a picture like this would spark countless controversy, right? honestly, spudling, you need some media training as well. he just doesn't want grace to deal with any online attackers and any negative attentionโ such a gentleman, no? oh, wait, he's confiscating grace's phone...?
and on the other side of things...
my, maleficia certainly isn't letting that one go. er, how exactly was she able to get her hands on the picture, though....? briar valley isn't exactly know for its technologicalโ oh it was lilia. okay. printed out the post in the form of a scroll. how dashing.
๐ he's only perplexed. a nice photo of him and his friend, he's not sure what exactly could have sparked such outrage. was it because she was a human? he'll smite his opposersโ and hers. ah... one moment, what was that about a 'scandalous kiss mark'...? whatever could she meanโ
oh goodness me, she was correct, as he took a closer look at the image. it seems like that greeting kiss grace had met him with had left a stainโ courtesy of vil's care, most likely. hrmm... it's quite strange. he couldn't bring himself to feel appalledโ in fact he can't stop grinning. strange, indeed.