Radiant Dawn's Daughter

🌹 CHAPTER 5

The strings of explanation from Cater weren't helping, Riddle was aware there was nothing funny nor suspicious done by them. He only caught them halfway conversing and his mood didn't reach the good part of the meter, on the contrary it worsened.

His stormy gray eyes narrowed while his gaze remained on Mary then with an exhale, Riddle gestured for Cater to stop. "Enough, Cater, you do not need to tell me everything in lengths. I am not slow" He frowned. "Resume the tasks I asked you to do"

Cater and Mary exchanged subtle looks albeit it didn't go unnoticed to the Heartslabyul Dorm Leader, the unspoken question was if Mary would also return with Cater outside without changing out of her uniform.

Riddle deadpanned and spoke again to break that assumption in their minds. "She stays"

Blinking multiple times, Cater asked. "Really? Are you for certain, Riddle-chan?" This must be jesting, Mary hadn't been officially introduced to Riddle and for some reason, it wasn't agreeable to Cater to leave the redhead with the other redhead.

The strings of tension in the air was like frozen and awaiting how it would be plucked, that and weaved with awkwardness, the room became stuffy for Cater and Mary. The supposed chill and nice chat over dressing up turned to this.

Riddle sensed his aggravation spiked up again. What the heck were they doing standing stiffly here for? Didn't they hear him? He breathed deeply, tightly holding the reins of control to anchor his temper. "Must I repeat myself? Was I not coherent?"

No doubt there was no room to counter nor change Riddle's mind, casting a worried glance over Mary, Cater left internally hoping nothing swerved to the wrong direction between them. Most roses were already coated red by the time she got back outside, they noticed the lack of their female companion and his uneasiness.

Deuce mildly furrowed his eyebrows, "Senpai, where is Mary?"

"Is she not done changing yet?" Grim followed.

In an effort to cover his growing uneasiness, Cater attempted a playful smile but only came out as constipated. No one was buying it. "Heehee, you see—Riddle-chan found us, I was sure he wouldn't be leaving his office anytime soon but I was wrong" His tone sounded defeated.

That incited a loud exclaim from Ace, "Why didn't you say so?! Let's go! You promised us an audience with him after we helped you!" He was dying to get this annoying heavy metal clamped around his neck out of the way and he missed his magic.

Before they could marched back inside, Cater stood in front of their way. "No can do, Ace, sorry. This is not the right time for you to speak with him, if you really are sorry about the tarts, apologizing is not enough." He explained, sounding grave. "You need to replace those tarts you stole."

Grim deadpanned, he really got themselves in a huge mess, huh? But not his. He glared at the back of Ace's head. "Great, more stressful chores"

"You mean we have to bake tarts? Oh for the love of--" Ace gaped in disbelief, so their labor to paint the roses red wasn't the end of it?

Deuce however had other concerns in mind, "What of Mary? Why is she left with Dorm Leader? Will she be alright?"

"Riddle asked her to stay, surely she'll be fine." Cater was wishing really hard she would be okay too.

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The dress was just the right fit and Mary liked how modest yet detailed it was. For a fleeting seconds it slipped her mind that she was not with a familiar face inside the room and there were a pair of steely gray eyes with pronounced gaze directed her way. There was a tall mirror inside the huge open walk-in closet and Mary was standing in front of it after she changed. She only stopped what she was doing and sprang back to present after catching Riddle's gaze from behind through the mirror.