❝DÉVOUEMENT❞ ; twst.

✦ chapter seventy.

ೃ༄ "you never cease to amuse me."
✧──────✧

a day later, f/n heard that silver was attending masterchef classes after school. the first year was kind enough to take over his place in accompanying sebek to guard malleus until his masterchef course ends.

so here they were, sitting on the lounge with sebek and malleus. the former was silently sitting in place, while the latter was reading a book. f/n felt like dozing off due to the mundane silence taking over the atmosphere.

"are you bored, dearest?" asked malleus. f/n's lidded eyes gazed at the dorm head as they groggily replied, "no..." sebek turned his head to look at the fellow first year and said, "N/N!!! you're taking over silver's duties for a week, but that doesn't mean you're going to act like him!"

f/n's eyes shot wide open at sebek's booming voice as they replied, "...thanks for yelling, seb. that woke me up. apologies, i was just getting bored... is this what you and silver usually do?" sebek nodded as he responded, "yes! we must accompany young master at all times."

"...right," mumbled f/n. malleus chuckled as he said, "how about we play a game of hide and seek? to wake you up." f/n blinked and rose a brow as they replied, "...hide and seek? we're not children, love."

"if young master wishes to do so, then we shall!!!" exclaimed sebek, causing f/n to sigh at his eagerness. "very well, i'll hide and you both will have to seek for me. i will hide in places you never thought i'd step in," replied malleus.

"yes, young master!"

"i want to stroll around the campus alone for a while, darling..." f/n's eyes widened at the familiar voice ringing inside her head as she looked at malleus, "...i'm using telepathy, don't look at me like that. good luck finding me."

malleus disappeared from his seat, as he presumably teleported somewhere far from the dorm. "let's go, n/n!" exclaimed sebek as he held f/n's hand and ran out of the lounge.

"s-sebek, slow down!!!"

...

the two roamed around the dormitory to search for malleus. it was evident that one is taking the entire game seriously, searching for the dorm head at every nook and cranny of the dark dorm. meanwhile, the other was casually walking behind their companion, gazing at some of the thorn bushes in the area.

"he's not here... let's look at the main campus!"

f/n nodded but stayed silent as they trailed behind the sprightly sebek.

the two walked around the courtyard and still saw no sign of malleus. sebek sighed and said, "young master is good at hiding..." f/n chuckled and replied, "right... are you tired? i have a water bottle with me."

"ah... um... yes, i could use a drink..." responded sebek. f/n handed a water bottle to the first year and continued speaking as they gazed up at the starry sky, "...seb?" the said student hummed in response as f/n continued, "...what can you say about your experience in night raven?"

sebek blinked at the odd topic that was brought up, but still conversed with the first year nonetheless. "it was great... i get to be closer to malleus-sama, and... i get to see you more often now," replied sebek as he gazed at the first year busy staring at the stars.

"me? but... we meet from time to time back home," remarked f/n. "rarely..." mumbled sebek, his gaze still on the first year. "fufu... if you say so... then, i'm glad we're together this year. you're amusing," responded f/n.

"amusing...? how?" asked sebek. "...you're very obedient, so you tend to follow every single order coming from me, mal, or lil. fufu, even if it's a weird one... just like the meal that lilia told you about," replied f/n.

"kuh...! p-please forget about that! i mean, you should've told me it wasn't true!" argued sebek. "wha— how is it my fault now?" questioned f/n. "i'm not pinning the blame on you, but...! you could've told me!" replied sebek.

"i couldn't~ you were so cute, haha! i can't bring myself to ruin your spirits right after lilia told you about that abomination of a meal," spoke f/n as they laughed. sebek crossed his arms as he huffed, "hmph... you're such a bully!"

"am not~"

"are so!"

f/n giggled before lightly pinching sebek's cheeks, causing the latter to whine. "you really never cease to amuse me," spoke the first year. sebek glanced back at them and smiled lightly, "...that means i make you happy, right?" f/n nodded as sebek beamed, "i... i made mistress f/n happy! it's such an honor!"

f/n raised a brow at his response and said, "...huh? i told you not to call me with such formal titles, seb... we're friends, are we not?"

"yes, of course! however, i am very dedicated to serving you and malleus-sama, n/n!" responded sebek.

"and why is that? do you like me?" asked f/n. "yes," replied sebek. f/n was taken aback by his direct response and said, "c-come again?" sebek blinked twice before realizing his words and stumbled over his words, "ah! i mean—! no! yes! ah... p-please forget what i said..."

"kufufu~ you really are adorable~" cooed f/n before laughing.

...

"hi, sil. how was masterchef?"

hours later, f/n and sebek retreated back to the dormitory after they discovered malleus standing by the well. f/n was seated beside malleus as they greeted the newcomer.

silver's aurora silver eyes landed on f/n as a tired but relieved smile curved up his lips, "ah... greetings, malleus-sama, sebek, n/n... it was great... we'll be cooking up dishes for the whole week and they'll choose random students to taste test our meals."

"great... you're with riddle, right?" asked f/n. silver nodded in response before yawning. f/n smiled as they stood up and patted his shoulder as they spoke, "take a rest. you've done your best today. i'll take over your duties for a week."

"n-n/n... really, you shouldn't have..." replied silver before thinking to himself, 'it makes me fall deeper in love with you...'

"hush now, go..." responded f/n as they ushered the second year to clean himself up and head to bed. silver nodded and waved at them before heading upstairs to his dormitory room.

f/n sat beside malleus once again as they glanced at the two, '...come to think of it... i haven't seen lilia since yesterday...'

"hey, mal?"

"yes, dear?"

"have you seen lilia today?" asked f/n. malleus glanced at the first year and replied, "yes... he was with me earlier before he retired for the night." f/n nodded slowly and said, "i see... alright."

'...is he avoiding me?' thought f/n as they frowned. the first year cleared their throat and spoke, "it's getting late... we should head to bed."

sebek nodded as he stood up and planted a kiss on f/n's hand, "good night, n/n!" f/n nodded and replied, "good night, seb. sweet dreams." sebek then bid goodnight to malleus before running off back to his room, leaving f/n and malleus alone.

"sweet dreams, mal..." spoke f/n. malleus glanced at the first year and nodded before he replied, "sweet dreams, n/n. i'll see you tomorrow."