★𝕿𝖔𝖐𝖞𝖔 𝕯𝖊𝖇𝖚𝖓𝖐𝖊𝖗𝖘★: 𝔒𝔫𝔢 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰

Mystery of the banquet

At the end of every year, Frostheim held a banquet for all its students; it had now become a ritual, a part of their tradition. The anticipation for the event always grew as the final days of the year approached, and this year was no different. The grand hall was adorned with ice sculptures, shimmering decorations, and tables laden with exquisite dishes prepared by the best chefs in the realm.

"Like every year, this year's Frostheim banquet will proceed as usual." The words rolled off Professor Dante's mouth easily. Despite his usual cold demeanor, evident in his eyes while making this announcement, he didn't seem to be against the idea of the banquet at all. His tone, while indifferent, carried a hint of tradition and expectation that resonated with the students.

Or at least they thought it would proceed as usual.

Dressing up for banquets like these took a long time. Lucas, always the picture of confidence, meticulously pulled on a tuxedo suit. He looked great in it; it matched him perfectly, and the lavender perfume he wore enhanced the outfit. He glanced at his reflection, adjusting his bowtie with a satisfied smile.

On the other hand, even after dressing up for a long while, Kaito didn't do a good job of making himself look presentable. His sleeves were too long, and the suit was overall oversized. He frowned at himself in the mirror, tugging at the fabric and muttering under his breath.

As Kaito whined, "Why? How is this even possible!? Dude, we're both wearing the same thing! How come you look better than me? It's annoying!"

Lucas replied to his whines with a calm, kind tone. "What's wrong, Kaito? Do you need help with your sleeves—"

"Shut up, just shut up! Clearly, you want me to seem stupid. Tch, no way. I'll just button up everything myself!"

"Suit yourself," Lucas shrugged, though his eyes showed a glimmer of amusement.

After their whole dress-up drama, Lucas and Kaito arrived in the ballroom of Frostheim. It was indeed a beautiful place. The ice furniture in front of them glistened under the chandeliers, casting a magical glow around the room. The students mingled, laughter and conversations filling the air as they admired the elegant decor and savored the delicious food.

The ball was about to begin. But just before it did, the banquet was interrupted by a loud clattering noise. What was that? An abrupt interruption during such an important day?

Kaito looked at Lucas, already shivering and screaming loudly, "AHHHHH, THERE'S AN ANOMALY IN DARKWICK!! WE'LL DIE!!"

Lucas shushed Kaito as he was scaring the guests. "Calm down, Kaito. You're making a scene."

Tohma walked up to both of them, his expression serious. Lucas bowed respectfully. "Vice Captain! Where's the Captain? I don't see him around."

Tohma sighed softly as he replied, "I really tried waking him up, but he just wouldn't listen." Tohma paused, scanning the room. "Listen, this can be a really threatening anomaly if it actually managed to get in the academy, we should be cautious."

Lucas nodded as Kaito went and sat on a couch far away from the two of them. "You guys go ahead and check that anomaly out; I'll be... err, watering my dog!"

Lucas and Tohma facepalmed simultaneously. They were already used to Kaito's extremely scaredy-cat behavior. To be honest, they were fed up with it, they went on alone anyway.

Lucas made his way to the anomaly, tiptoeing and being quiet so as not to make a sound. Each step felt like an eternity, the muffled thud of his shoes barely audible over the din of the banquet. The hallway leading to the source of the disturbance was dimly lit, casting long, eerie shadows that danced with every flicker of the torchlight. As Lucas and Tohma approached, the shadow at the end of the hall loomed larger, its form indistinct yet menacing.