(✔︎) ❝𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐑❞

72 | Third Phase

*I'll explain why the unknown sender is hot in the last chapters of the Octavinelle arc

- Headmistress's Office -

Busy night for the demoness once again, she's used to it either way. The daily routine of signing some approval papers for the upcoming events in this school and complaints from the students...

     "Headmistress, I have news!" The painting of the Sea Witch yelled, dying to tell (Name) the news she have. "I have eavesdropped on Ashengrotto's chat with the Leech Twins. They said about observing the dorm leader of Ramshackle and Savanaclaw."

     The demoness looked at the painting, "I have a hunch he didn't expect that, didn't he?" She asked the painting, who nodded. "I just hope Leona-san and Azul-san won't confront each other. It'll ruin my plan for the last day," she muttered and continued working.

*Beep* "Ask the painting of the King of Beasts about Leona-san and Ruggie-san's conversation," the unknown sender told her. The demoness went near the painting of the King of Beasts, smiling at him. Everyone looked at the King of Beast's painting, while he was trying to avoid their gazes...

     "It's wise to tell me what conversation they have," the Headmistress told the painting. He grumbled, "Fine. They wanted to use the foolish first years to know Ashengrotto's weakness, but he doesn't seem to hope they'll help him figure it out. Also, get the original Headmaster as soon as possible, I prefer him more than you," he told the demoness.

     "She's more responsible than Crowley, I like her," the Queen of Hearts stated, chuckling under her fan. The demoness looked at her paper, smiling in satisfaction, 'Everything's going accordingly under my plan. Then that means for the Third Phase to commence,' she told herself.

She sat on her chair, waiting for the sun to rise, and introduce herself the second day before the party. She already told Yuu about the weakness of Floyd's magic, so he can have a punching bag if they're gonna fight again. She couldn't wait to get the Headmaster. How exciting, isn't it?

- (Next Day) Hallway -

The first years were chatting about the conversation they have last night. Yuu told Ace and Deuce about the unique magic Azul had, including the possible weakness they talked about. Then a way to remove the anemones on their head by destroying the contract...

     "Finding a way to destroy the contract?" Ace repeated, laughing. "I like that~! But isn't that cheating?" He asked.

     "That gives us a chance, but it's still cheating..." Deuce nodded, not wanting to do it. Yuu twitched his eyebrow, "I don't care if it's cheating anymore. Don't mind the rules you have in your dorm because we're gonna do it dirty," he said.

     Grim whistled, "Yuu's being a badass," he told them. Jack nodded, "They're the first to cheat anyway, sending the Leech Twins to be a hindrance in getting the picture. Leona-senpai might be someone who uses cheating, but I'm sure he's just saying it to help us," he said.

     "I feel like we've said cheating a couple of times now," Deuce muttered. "Just thinking of the twins' eel form gives me a chill down my spine! I don't wanna remember how we got chased by their fast fins!" Grim exclaimed, hugging his body.

     "If we're talking about speed, I'll try to find a magic wheeler for us to be faster than those twins!" Deuce exclaimed. Ace pushed his fellow dorm mate's face away from him, "Yeah, yeah, we get that, Deuce. Didn't they say they're mermaids? If the twins are eels, then what's Azul's form?" Ace asked.

     "I've heard Leona-san say that he's an octopus bastard a couple of times," Jack told them. "Then he's an octopus?! Damn, he'll be twice the size of the twins if that happens! Imagine those tentacles and his hands! I don't want to fight him!" Grim panicked, hiding behind Yuu's leg.

Yuu just sighed and said that they'll figure out how to fight them underwater, but they need to find the contracts first. Jack told them that the safe, located in the VIP Room, is suspicious—maybe the contracts are inside it...

- Octavinelle Dorm, VIP Room -

Monstro Lounge is vacant at the moment since classes are still ongoing at the moment. They all checked their surroundings, watching if someone was inside. Jack assured them that the VIP Room is empty, earning relieved sighs from everyone...

     Jack tried to open the safe, "Damn, it's locked. There must be a key somewhere," he said. All of them started searching, from the cabinets to the carpets, "Man, there's nothing here! Maybe Azul took it," Ace complained.

     "Keep searching!" Yuu hissed, continuing to search for the key somewhere. They're in the middle of opening the cabinets when Jack's ear twitched and his nose sniffed someone approaching the room, "Everyone, hide! Under the table, quick!" He hissed.

     Once they managed to squeeze under the table, a few complaints here and there, then they kept quiet when the one entering the room opened the safe, "So he did have the key..." Ace whispered, looking at Azul opening the safe. "One, two, three... Soon enough Ramshackle Dorm will be mine, too..." Azul whispered.

     "That guy is grinning ear to ear, yanno!" Grim angrily hissed, glaring at Azul. "What a boring hobby..." Jack whispered.

Azul smirked in satisfaction, closed the safe, and left the room afterward. They all cheered silently once they got to the table. Jack noticed a contract lying on the table, calling everyone to look at it. Grim and Ace threw a few insults before touching it...

*Zap* *zap* *zap* *zap* Everyone tensed when they touched the contract as if it electrified them. Grim almost fainted from the shock while Jack's fur stood up, especially on his tail that went straight. Yuu was laughing like an idiot, trying to ease the electrocute that happened. Deuce and Ace are currently going insane...

     "Oh, my. You're shaking as if you got struck by lightning, gentleman," Azul entered the dorm with Floyd laughing and a chuckling Jade behind him. Jack glared at the dorm leader, "You bastards knew we were here?" He asked, trying to act tough.

     Azul smirked, "Your fluffy tail is visible under the table and it looks like you're trying to steal the contracts. However, if someone touched the contracts other than me, they'll be electrocuted," he replied. Ace grunted, "Man, you can do that too?!" He gasped.

     "I have said this many times, my contracts are absolute," the dorm leader of Octavinelle uttered, smirking at their state. Floyd laughed, "These guys are so dumb~! Y'all wasted your time coming here even tho you know what's gonna happen~!" He mocked.

     "Oh, Floyd, no need to laugh at them. They tried their best after all," Jade told his brother. "They look pitiable and foolish... How naive of them," he added and chuckled with his brother. "Bad boys need to get punished for trying to steal something that isn't theirs~!" Azul hummed, raising his staff to attack them.

     Jade nodded, "We must discipline them thoroughly to make sure they won't do it again," he smiled. Floyd looked at the first years with mischievous hiding within his gaze, "I'll squeeze you one by one okay~? Starting with little shrimp~!" He giggled.

     "Get ready!"

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

(バルバトス)