𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒲ℴ𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹： 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓌 ℴ𝒻 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℱ𝓇ℴ𝓏ℯ𝓃 ℋℯ𝒶𝓇𝓉

𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑅𝑖𝑛𝑔： 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 19

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"It is the gypsy girl, the witch who sent this flame (Mea Maxima culpa)"

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Noble Bell College

"Wait." A voice interjected.

It was Riddle, who stepped forward with determination. "I'll be the bait. All of you run for the tower while I use flight magic to draw the firelotuses away."

"HUH?!" Deuce exclaimed, Epel and Silver's eyes widening in shock.

"Fr? K, thx!" Idia oh-so-happily accepted, already calculating how this could save him effort.

"Thank you!" Vanitas said with a beaming smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You two accepted way too fast!" Epel angrily snapped.

"At least make a TOKEN protest!" Sebek added, glaring at Vanitas.

"Why should I?" Vanitas grinned, dark amusement curling in his voice. "If he wants to sacrifice himself to protect Mon Chérie, why would I stop him? You'd do the same thing for your precious liege, wouldn't you, Sebek?"

Sebek flinched, caught off guard by the statement, while Malleus's jaw tightened ever so slightly at Vanitas's casual claim over Y/n.

Y/n pressed her icy lips together, narrowing her eyes in worry as Vanitas gently cupped her face, one hand covering her nose and mouth to shield her from the thick fumes of the crimson lotuses.

"Why do you volunteer, Rosehearts?"  Malleus asked, his deep voice edged with tension. His concern was more for Y/n than his love rival, though his stare toward Riddle was hard to read. "You never struck me as someone who would automatically step up to sacrifice themselves."

"It's simple." Riddle replied bluntly "It's a long way to the bell tower from here. The bait must be capable of dragging out the battle until someone else rings the bell. For that, one would need considerable magical proficiency and reserves," His gaze was firm, unwavering. "They say that even the Queen of Hearts took the field in battle to punish a major rulebreaker. I am the housewarden of Heartslabyul. It's only natural that I would follow Her Majesty's example, AND as one of Rose's fated lovers."

Vanitas's eye twitched at the words. 'I hate this world's twisted "fate." Mon Chérie belongs to me—only me.'

Azul's lips curved downward, his mind swirling with the same possessive jealousy as the others. He hated how easily Riddle claimed her in front of them all. Idia's fingers twitched near his tablet, his hair sparking faintly with static as he glared silently at Riddle.

"...Are you sure about this?" Azul finally asked, voice calm but underlined with quiet frustration.

"Yes." Riddle straightened his back. "Someone suitably powerful must be the vanguard. Surely you must know which of us best fits the bill."

"Heh." Malleus smiled faintly, though his eyes glimmered with the same unspoken rivalry as the others. "You knew it would be a formidable fight, yet you volunteered anyway? You must be very confident in your abilities."

"I trust that you won't take any unnecessary risks, despite your abundance of mana?" Y/n asked, her voice soft yet sharp with concern.