𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒲ℴ𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹： 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓌 ℴ𝒻 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℱ𝓇ℴ𝓏ℯ𝓃 ℋℯ𝒶𝓇𝓉

𝓖𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓭𝓮: 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. "I'll be the bait. All of you run for the tower while I use flight magic to draw the firelotuses away." he says.

"HUH?!" Deuce exclaimed with Epel and Silver widening their eyes in surprise.

"Fr? K, thx!" Idia oh-so happily accepted.

"You accepted way too fast!" Epel angrily exclaimed.

"At least make a TOKEN protest!" Sebek added.

Y/n pressed her icy lips together, narrowing her eyes in worry. "Why do you volunteer, Rosehearts?" Malleus asked in confusion, being more worried about his future wife than his love rival. "You never struck me as someone who would automatically step up to sacrifice themselves."

"It's simple, really." Riddle bluntly stated. "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." he explained. "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 my Rose's fated lovers."

Azul frowned at this, slightly jealous by the fact he couldn't do anything to impressed his beloved Angelfish. At least not yet. "...Are you sure about this?" the octopus asked.

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

"Heh." Malleus smiled. "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 in mana?" Y/n asked.

"Of course, my Rose." Riddle smiled brightly.

"I guess if we're going by pure magic reserves, Riddle's the optimal choice." Idia stated. "Go get 'em, Tiny Titan!" he cheered Riddle on.

"You just made up that justification so you wouldn't have to be the bait, didn't you?" Jamil questioned with a dumbfounded expression.

"No..." Deuce frowned. "I can't just march on while my boss is steppin' up and takin' one for the team. If my housewarden's staying, then so am I!" he yelled.

"Out of the question." Riddle sternly denied.

"What? Why? I can at least act as bait!" Deuce protested.

"Oho. Really now?" Riddle teasingly smirked. "Deuce, do you think I don't know about your recent flight exam?"

"Grk! Look, uh..." Deuce flinched in surprise.

"What's this about his flight exam?" Malleus curiously asked.

"You started goofing off with Ace during the exam, which led to you both falling off your brooms and accidently dragged my Rose off her broom." Riddle happily reminded with a devious smirk. "Not only did you get a 2 hour long scolding from Isfrid, you also had to take a remedial test, I'm told."