Twisted Wonderland | Mickey's Print

49. End of Octavinelle

How satisfying it was to return to Ramshackle Dorm, take a nice shower, and put away everything they had needed in Savanaclaw!

After escorting Yukiko to the infirmary, Yuu, Grim, Jack, Ace, and Deuce went to the headmaster's office to report that the anemone issue had been successfully resolved and the freed students had regained their stolen magic.

Crowley congratulated them and thanked the prefect for undertaking such a difficult task. However, his smile faded when he learned that the dorm leader had fallen into an Overblot state after an emotional breakdown that made him attack students.

He thanked them once again for saving him before it was too late and expressed his relief that they were all right after what must have been a dangerous battle. But seeing how far things had come, he announced that a change would have to happen and that he would have a serious talk with young Ashengrotto when he regained his strength.

At the same time, he was delighted with the good news that young Oshiro's white choker was finally showing its first golden flecks as a symbol of progress; he announced that he would stop by the dorm to congratulate her in person.

The ghosts had also welcomed them back with open arms. Although Yukiko had been lucky enough to still be with them, they had deeply missed the prefect and the little monster. And after seeing the spots on the choker, the trio celebrated by wrapping her in a tight hug.

"See? You'll eventually achieve everything step by step!" The big ghost had told her.

They also told about how they had expressed their complaints and disagreement with the expulsion of students from their own dormitory to transform it into a second restaurant. They even warned the Leech twins that if they succeeded, they would spend day and night scaring away anyone who entered the building.

However, they had been scared off with a look and a few harsh words from the twins; it had been decades since they'd met such intimidating people!

"Even ghosts are terrified of those two..." Grim had muttered.

"But hey, we knew you'd make it in the end! And you're back!" the little ghost had celebrated.

"Just be careful next time when you sign a contract. I don't mean to point fingers, but I'm saying this for you, little Gri," the thin ghost warned, not knowing whether to laugh or glare at him.

It had already fallen into the night by the time things calmed down, so Yuu decided to clear his head by taking a walk through the dormitory gardens after the headmaster's visit.

He walked to the entrance gate and observed the building from a distance: it may have been an old and dilapidated building, but it was still his home in this world that never ceased to amaze him.

At that moment, small green lights appeared in the air, and firm footsteps sounded behind him. "...Oh, I see you're back," a deep voice he knew well said with a hint of surprise.

Yuu gasped happily and passed through the outer gate to greet the mysterious Diasomnia student who used to wander around the dormitory.

"Tsunotaro!" he called him by the nickname he'd accepted. "Yes, we finally fulfilled the contract and got the dorm back; now we can go back without any problem."

Tsunotaro gave a sly smile. "I didn't expect you to be able to win a bet with Ashengrotto," he admitted. "As innocent as you may seem, it turns out you're quite the schemer."

Yuu laughed softly in response. "It was all thanks to you and your advice, Tsunotaro," he said with all the gratitude in the world. "What you said about the gargoyles was the clue I needed."