𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒲ℴ𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹： 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓌 ℴ𝒻 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℱ𝓇ℴ𝓏ℯ𝓃 ℋℯ𝒶𝓇𝓉

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑅𝑜𝑠𝑒－𝑅𝑒𝑑 𝑇𝑦𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡： 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 24

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"Flames will burn (Feel the void flowing from the world)"

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Heartslabyul Dorm - Tea Garden

Drip...

"Off! With! Your! Heads!"

"Bwaaaaaaaaah!" Grim and Deuce screamed as the glowing collars of Riddle's Signature Spell locked around their necks with a flash, yanking them back, causing Ace to look back in shock. Even Vanitas was collared.

"No! Not the collar again!" Grim whined, desperately trying to get it off.

"Gah! I can't get it off!" Deuce grunted, tugging desperately.

Then came the sound that shattered Vanitas's focus.

Y/n collapsed to her knees.

She gasped sharply, a soft cry escaping her lips as she clutched her chest. The pain was different this time. Deeper. Sharper. Her body trembled as a vision bled into her mind—ink dripping once more, staining a glowing crimson gem that pulsed like a heartbeat.

"Y/n?!" Ace cried, spinning around and dropping beside her instantly.

"What's happening to her?!" Deuce shouted, his hands hovering helplessly as he looked between Y/n and Vanitas while Trey and Cater stood there in shock, not knowing what to go in this situation.

Vanitas's expression crumbled into horror.

That whimper last night. The faint tremble in her limbs. She had lied. Told him it was just a headache. But now... this?

"How would I know?! Perhaps we should get her to Isfrid?" Ace suggested.

"That's the only rational solution," Vanitas agreed, eyes locked on Y/n as he moved to lift her.

But Riddle saw red. The way Vanitas reached for her. The way Ace and Deuce surrounded her like knights.

"Trey!! Cater!! I want them thrown off the premises this instant!" he demanded.

"See what they've done..."

"...Yes sir, Housewarden," Trey and Cater nodded with remorseful expressions before they turned to Vanitas, Ace and Deuce. They harshly grabbed the boys, dragging them away from Y/n as Riddle walked closer.

"Hey! Let go of me!" Vanitas barked, struggling against Trey's firm grip.

"Y-you're supposed to be our 'mentors'!" Deuce stuttered in shock.

Y/n whimpered on the ground, unaware of the chaos erupting around her. Her fingers clawed into the dirt, trying to focus—trying to breathe. The pain surged through her like a tide of thorns.

Riddle approached her slowly. His staff slammed into the earth in front of her, a cold barrier between her and the others.

Y/n wasn't aware of what was going on, too occupied with trying to ease her pain, clenching her fist in agony. Riddle kneeled down gently toward her, caressing her back as he casted some ice magic to aid while whispering in her ear. Vanitas was obviously not happy about that.