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——I asked around the party, trying to find Trey. Everyone said he had left some time ago and looked to be heading toward the library. So that's where I ended up.
"—Come clean with us. What's your take on Riddle? Is it true you've been pandering to him since the two of you were kids?" Ah, everyone else it here as well. I suppose I'll just have to eavesdrop then. I'll avoid conflict this way.
I hid myself behind the corner of a nearby bookshelf. "What?! Who told you that?" Trey shrieked. "A guy who called himself Chenya." Oh? They met him as well? "Chenya... Huh. That explains it." Trey sighed.
"What I don't get is, aren't you older than Riddle? Why haven't ya told him off already?" Grim asked. Ah, so that's where he ended up. "I do when I need to. I don't think the situation calls for it." Trey said, crossing his arms.
"Why not?" Ace asked, raising a brow. "These sorts of strict rules... They're what created Riddle." Trey started, a solemn tone in his voice. "Huh?" Deuce hummed.
"His parents were famous magical healers. Everyone where we're from knew their names. His mom was especially talented, and she really wanted Riddle to live up to her legacy." Uh oh, that doesn't sound like a good start.
"So, from the moment Riddle woke up to when his head hit the pillow at the end of the night... Every aspect of his life was planned, down to the minute, by the education program she made for him." Trey explained with a frown. That's taking helicopter mom to a whole 'nother level.
"Sounds pretty lame." Grim commented. "What he ate, what he wore, what soap he used, who his friends were—every last detail had been predetermined for him." Yeesh, how far did his mom plan ahead? 20 years?
"And to please his parents, Riddle obediently completed every task they'd laid out for him. He mastered his signature spell by age ten. He's been the top student in all of his classes. I can't even imagine how hard he must have had it." Trey sighed. Okay, so Riddle was suffering, Trey was aware of that, and did nothing?
"Riddle sees the enforcement of strict rules as a service to his dorm members. In his eyes, being bound by rigid guidelines—by fear—is a fast-track to personal growth. Because that's how it worked for him. And on the flip side, he sees the violation of those rules as an inexcusable offense." Trey explained further. "I guess that makes sense, since rules made him who he is." Ace sighed, crossing his arms.
"Look, I totally get why you see Riddle as a tyrant, and why you disapprove of his methods. But for me... I can't hold that against him, you know?" Trey said, a saddened look in his eyes. "Myah..." Grim muttered. "So that's why he's like that." Deuce commented.
"...All right, now I get it. It's YOUR fault Riddle's like this." Ace started. Damn, why did he have to be the first to understand? "What?!" They shrieked, surprised by the statement.
