❝DÉVOUEMENT❞ ; twst.

✦ chapter twenty three.

ೃ༄ "i don't hate you."
✧──────✧

f/n swam inside the memorial museum together with the first years. azul had invited them to tour around the area while he returns the stolen picture. however, f/n was quite curious on why azul invited her as well. he did not even spare a glance at her yesterday nor did he say a word to her, but who can blame him? he was in a difficult situation yesterday.

ace and the rest looked around as they observed the museum with twinkling eyes. it felt so much better to tour around the underwater museum by legal means, unlike yesterday. f/n landed her eyes on king triton's statue, looking up at the familiar man that she has seen in textbooks. "this king looks pretty ripped!" it seems jack was also looking at the same statue as he complimented it with a smile on his face.

"welcome to the atlantica memorial museum, everyone."

the first years turned to look at the speaker. there stood octavinelle's dorm head with his usual suave composure, speaking in a formal and gentle tone with a small smile on his face. "today is mostro lounge's educational tour... well, i used that as an excuse to reserve the museum for today, so please enjoy yourselves to the fullest." grim looked at him up and down as he realized azul was not in his original cecealia form, "eh?! are you gonna stay in your human form?"

azul nodded as he pushed up his glasses, "yes, an octopus mermaid like me is quite unusual around this area, after all. i wouldn't want to attract unwanted attention after i secretly put back the picture in its case." jade and floyd swam next to him as jade replied, "you don't have to be so worried. no one will recognize you as the octopus in the picture, surely." floyd smiled as he nodded, "we're back here after a long time, so you should swim in your real form, y'know~?" azul shook his head as he stubbornly replied, "please leave me to my own devices. i will go and place the picture back, so please enjoy your sight-seeing."

the group nodded as they slowly swam away, except for yuu and f/n. jade turned to look at the diasomnia first year before winking and nodding at her. the first year looked at the retreating eel with confusion and thought, 'why did he wink at me? is something happening? oh, was he wishing me luck? so, he remembered what i said yesterday...' f/n's train of thoughts disappeared as soon as azul turned to look at them and the ramshackle prefect, "are you not going with them?"

f/n looked at azul as yuu replied, "i was a little worried about you." azul sighed with a small smile on his face, "you have such little faith in me. worry not, i will put it back properly." azul stood in front of the small gallery by the entrance, looking at the blank spot where the stolen picture should be hanging. he placed the picture back as he said, "i thought that if all of my old pictures were gone, it would help erase my past of being such a helpless and dumb little octopus. the sea witch was recognized by the people after overturning and hiding her villanous past. i said i wanted to be like her, and yet... in the end, i couldn't accept who i was and kept rejecting myself."