An Earl in Night Raven College (Book three)

The Merchant of the Deep Sea: Part 21

*Ciel's POV*

The next day, me, Jack and Grim went to our classes after some more morning practice and breakfast since we still needed to attend them. After all, they were allowed to have yesterday off from class just as long as they completed their assignments. Though they did promise to attend for classes today as to not fall behind. Once classes was over, the three met up with Ace and Deuce, who got back from working from the lounge. The three informs the two of the advice Leona gave them last night, they both looked determined but also unsure.

"Finding a way to tear up an unbreakable contract? Sweet! It's def underhanded, but hey." Ace stated, unsure.

"That approach does seem like it would have a far better prospect of working. I have to agree with Ace here, though." Deuce said as Grim growls at the two.

"Aw, shaddup! If we stick to our morals, we'll be stuck with morays!"

"Grim has a point, as much as I hate using dirty tactics it's the only shot we have." I stated in a serious tone.


"That, and Azul's group cast the first stone. They told us to get a photo from under the sea, fully intending to thwart us at every turn. Leona may play dirty, but he's a brilliant playmaker. I think his idea's worth a shot." Jack explained to them

"Can we maybe not say the same thing over and over?" Deuce states with a sigh.

"Brrr. Just remembering those twins chasin' us around in the water gives me the shivers!" Grim said as he shivers at the memory.

"Rgh. If only blastcycles worked underwater. Then they would've been eating my dust!" Deuce states in frustration.

"Blastcycles?" I questioned, Deuce motions that he'll tell me later.


"Uh-huh. Suuure, Loosey-Deucey. So... Mermen, huh. The Leech brothers are morays; I get that part. Is Azul like them when he's under the sea?" Ace questions

"I remember Leona referring to him as a 'cephalo-punk,' for what that's worth." Jack states as I looked confused.

"Cephalo-punk?"

"As in, cephalopod? So is he, like, an octo-merman?" Deuce questions

"Myah! If he got a bunch of legs in the water, he'd be even more dangerous than the morays!" Grim exclaims in shock.

"You know what an octo-merman looks like?" I questioned as I didn't know what one looks like

"No kiddin'. Which is why we're trying to brainstorm an approach that doesn't involve fighting them on their own turf." Jack explains.

"Our first job is locating the contract scroll. So, where does Azul keep the contract scrolls?" I inquire as the others began to think about it.

"That vault in the VIP room did stand out like a sore thumb..." Jack states, remembering the vault from before.

"Great! There's our angle. Let's sneak into Octavinelle right now!" Grim announces

"Nobody should be there on lunch break before the lounge opens. Let's go." Deuce informs us.
We quickly make our way to lounge so we can get to the vault and test out that advice Leona gave us, even though he could've not done so. But I was glad that he did, even if it's for his own reasons. Was were were making our way over there, I felt something was watching us as were were running. I smirked a bit as it helped prove something that was on my mind, but I chose to remain quiet about this fact as we were in the lounge. We stood in front of the VIP door, Grim took a peak inside to see if anyone was inside.

"The coast is clear. Okay, boys, follow me!" Grim ordered as we enter the room.

"Looks like you were right. There's not a soul in sight." Jack stated

"Still... We need to be careful. Who knows when Azul and the twins will be back." I inform the four.

The four nods as we walk up towards the vault where the scrolls were being held in, Deuce offered to see if we can open it. While he did so, me and the others kept watch of the door, just incase someone was coming. Deuce began to inspect the vault and testing a few things to see if it'll open. After a couple of minutes, Deuce walks up to us with a sigh and a disappointed look on his face. This informed me that we have run into a problem with the vault as we look at him.

"The vault's double-locked. It needs a passcode and a key." Deuce informs us

"Both of which we don't have..." I stated in disappointment.

Then we heard some footsteps coming towards the room as we quickly looked at the door with wide eyes. I backed away from the door as I recognized who those footsteps belong to thanks to the humming noise that was getting louder. The others began to panic as they began to look around. I proceed to facepalm as this was the worse timing possible even though I knew why this was happening. But the others didn't know that so they just continue to panic and look around.

'Bloody hell...' I thought to myself with a groan.

"Shoot! Someone's coming!" Jack exclaims with wide eyes

"Ah, crud. Quick, hide!" Ace shouts in horror.

We continued to look around before we hid behind the desk, luckily it was big enough for all of us to fit but barely. Wasting no time, each of us enters the box with Jack getting in first then followed by Ace, Deuce. I enter last with Grim in my arms since I decided to keep a look out until the individual coming leaves so we can get out. Though it was pretty cramped but thanks to me being one of the smaller students, I had more room to move around. I felt bad for the other three as they were being squished together.

"So...cramped... Jack, why you gotta be so big?!" Ace complains as he moved a bit

"Wanna say that again?" Jack growls a bit.

"Hey, don't move!" Ace exclaims in annoyance

"All of you be quiet!" I whisper to them in annoyance.

They quickly become quiet as the sound of a doorknob was heard with a creaking sound being heard after. I kept myself hidden avoid being spotted by the individual since we don't know what he'll do to us if we're spotted. Then, I took a tiny peek without making a sound as the individual closed the door behind him. After looking around real quick, had to hid behind the desk again, he makes his way to the vault with a smile on his face which made me glare a bit. Once he was in front of the vault he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key as he spoke.

"Now, then..."