Twisted Wonderland | Mickey's Print

42. Point of No Return

As if they had entered an actual underwater grotto, the seconds while they followed the dorm leader down that hallway felt eternal until they found the big, elegant door that led to the VIP Room.

Azul opened it wide and revealed a place very different from what they had seen in the school: a clean office with marine details that matched Octavinelle's aesthetic and mauve walls with shelves full of tall, thick books. In the center of the room were two long navy blue sofas parallel to each other with a low rectangular table between them. What caught the eye most was Azul's desk in the back and, behind it, an enormous metal door of a safe. Yuu assumed that they would keep the restaurant's profits there.

"What place is this...? Are we still in school?" Jack asked, stunned by the unexpected appearance of the VIP room. "And look at that safe... This looks like a bank."

"Don't just stand there in the door. Take a seat, please," Azul offered them as he sat on the couch to the right.

Jack and Yuu sat on the other couch, facing him directly. At that moment, Yuu realized how relieved he felt having Jack by his side. He felt safer, almost like having a bodyguard protecting him from a possible attack.

Just then, the Leech twins returned and entered the room. "Sorry for the wait. Tea is ready," Jade announced while holding a tray with three cups and a teapot. Once it was served, both brothers stood behind their dorm leader.

"And well?" Azul asked as he crossed one leg over the other and directed his attention to Yuu. "What did you want to discuss with me?"

He didn't take a second to get to the point, so Yuu took a deep breath and looked at him as seriously as possible, trying to show confidence and courage. "I want you to free the students," he said straight to the point, too. "I want you to remove their anemones and stop them from working for you."

Jack was a little surprised to hear him speak coldly. However, Azul stared at him for a few seconds before laughing softly.

"Ha ha ha. My, this is quite a sudden demand. If I may ask you, why would you want that?"

He knew that it would look pretty lame if he said that the headmaster told him so, so Yuu clenched his fists and decided to confront him with his thoughts on the situation: "They may have decided to sign the contract, but that doesn't take away from the fact that you set them up," he replied. "And I can't stand to see them being forced to work in these conditions. I just want this to stop!"

In response, Azul intertwined his fingers melodramatically. "Oh, so your heart aches for others. What a generous and loyal person!" He exclaimed with a sweet voice full of sarcasm before returning to his initial smile, making it clear that it would not be that easy. "Do you really want me to release the 225 students I've already made contracts with?"

That number petrified both first-year students. They knew the number of students exceeded a hundred, but not that much! "225!? You've made that many!?" Jack asked.

"Jade and Floyd did an excellent job this year. I was able to close deals with so many clients thanks to them." Azul nodded proudly and pointed one hand at the twins, who smiled evilly. "Now then, Yuu, you say you want to free all those students, however..." He used his magic to create a copy of the golden contracts that he made them sign and held it out. "I may control them and they are under my command, but I am not forcing them to work in a way that goes against labor standards. And, as you just mentioned, they agreed to my terms before signing the contract. "Contracts are not something easily nullified just because someone feels sorry." He made the contract disappear and made a rejection gesture with his hand. "In a few words, you're already too late."

Yuu gulped. He knew that it would not be easy. Azul was the only one who could free them if he wanted to, but he was not going to accept his request just because.