“Aediva! I’m bored with all of this!” and here comes Cath’s usual complaint trains. The monster’s caretaker, as usual, ignored the bipedal being until he was bored of her being dismissive to him. Aediva scratched the back of her head - peering into the bag of ingredients she brought with her that day to continue where they left off last night with the potion-making and immediately, a long heavy sigh escaped her lips when thinking of Zielle being forcefully dragged away by a livid Zayen when they were both on their way to the potions lab.

“... That damn loudmouth took my one important assistant. I should’ve punched him in the face this morning” she growled, slouching as she trudged unmotivated to her destinations. Until she remembered the ingredients were only enough for about three more trials.

She straightened up and ruffled her hair. After yesterday’s pretty long run for ingredient hunting, she really feels like her patience is running out. She knocked her head to the wall just beside her, enough to cause her a bit of head concussion that wakes her up from her addled mind-state.

“Arthur and Eden are going to really pay if all these kill me. Agh, all the damn work… And dilemmas… I want to punch someone so bad” Aediva muttered to herself, rubbing at her forehead that for sure would leave a mark.

“Among these stupid control of magic, lost memories, vestigium memories… Ah… Stop thinking too much, Aediva. You know it’s not good for you to let your emotions overwhelm you” she talked to herself. In the rather empty open hallway, suddenly Aediva froze as her instinct took control.

The familiar taps of shoes and the voices from the corner right in front of her…

By the time she noticed the ones coming her way, she was already up on the ceiling after a speedy parkour up the nearby locker uneven bricks. Not to her surprise, it was the familiar two pair from Efren Dorm that she has been actively avoiding - despite her uncertainty that they wanted her help anymore. Hanzel and Fay, the two high-committee members of the Efren Dorm.

And look at her, they were definitely looking much worse than the last time she saw them. They looked more tired than her, their faces and behaviour lacked vigor. Their way of talking was fatigued. Aediva lowered her head nearer to the sturdy piece of wood that is part of the many structure that supports the architecture - noticing the new pair of men who are walking down the hallway and as expected stopped right before the two Efren students who immediately looked pale at the sight of both Krow and the guy earlier with the expensive car.

“Ah, what a nice coincidence. Mr. Beryls. Ms. Drewe. We were expecting to see you around” Krow was the first to greet the two students who looked taken aback.

“Principal Krow! And uh…” Fay greeted back, her voice somewhat cracking from the nervous feeling.

“Cypher Lleurutte Luzeheart. So you’re the two important students of the dorm? You look tired. Have you both been resting well?” the mystery man asked, earning a raised eyebrow from the spying girl up above.

Hearing what Cypher said to them, Fay let out a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of her head.

“Heheh… Thank you for the concern Mr. Luzeheart. We are a bit tired. Orbelesia Grace s around the corner after all. Everyone are trying their best to make the event the best!” Fay said, although for Aediva, the little energetic pumped hands were a little forced. Cypher merely stared, it seems.

“I see. So all the preparations are proceeding swimmingly” the enigmatic figure said. The two students didn’t really say anything in return until Cypher parted his lips to speak again.

“I have to say the decorations are tacky. Are you sure, you won’t be needing any donations? I heard you’ve been rejecting every single donation for the event. Oh well, if that Rachel Meyusine said it’s all fine then I have no other choice to believe her words as is” Cypher said with a relatively impassive business smile - that only looked friendly but his mannerism certainly isn’t. He was nothing short of being suspicious and outright smug even if no one could see behind those dark sunglasses.

It really pisses Aediva off for some reason. She had this urge to rip those sunglasses off for some reason but she kept silent - her silver peepers trained on Hanzel and Fay who were clearly being nervous if anything. Even with Hanzel casually talking about the event’s progress with the principal and the mystery guy, he never once denies nor confirms anything except for mundane information about the event.

Parades, performance, stalls.

Aediva silently clicked her tongue. She hid up in the rafters since she thought she might get some more information she doesn’t know yet. Plus, is it just her or is it weird that Krow hardly says anything about the students’ condition. Again, she knew it was not only her who had seen how beaten up the students of the dormitories were. Deep in her eavesdropping session, Aediva suddenly flinched when she felt a sudden unease set into her chest.

Due to the sudden shock she felt, she failed to realize her hand was slipping and it was enough to make her fall from the rather tall height, right in between where Krow and the mystery guy were standing.

“What the hell Aediva?!” Cath screamed, absolutely fuming when their eavesdropping was unceremoniously uncovered with her undignified yelp as she fell. Aediva quickly shuts Cath’s mouth and booked it - ignoring Fay shouting for her. She needs to get Zielle right that moment.

One of the boys’ charms broke!

Ignoring everything about rules of jumping over those railings and whatnot, she went straight down from the third floor of the school building straight towards the tree nearby with Cath screaming in panic at her ears.

Meanwhile for the four individuals who had been rather dumbfounded at first with Aediva’s sudden appearance from right above them. Fay snapped out of it the fastest being the one who called out to Aediva with rather excitement and hints of desperation in her voice as she chased after the girl who unfortunately proved way faster than Hanzel’s little assistant. Hanzel fixed his glasses with a silent sigh. While Krow was actually shouting at the girl who only glanced back at him before running away with her speedy legs.

Cypher on the other hand, only lights up his cigar with the flicker of faint silver flame from his fingers. He walked away, leaving Krow behind as Hanzel bowed to him as a sign of common courtesy to the elderly.

“Ah! Wait, Mr. Luzeheart!”

When the two left, Fay returned to Hanzel’s side with tired panting.

“She’s-- She’s still too fast,” Fay said.

“... Hanzel… Should we try to persuade her one last time? We could really use the manpower…” Fay asked but Hanzel clamped his mouth shut when seeing a familiar female figure walking towards them.

“... Ms. Rachel…” Hanzel said weakly , averting his eyes from the purple-haired woman.

Fortunately, she found the twins and actually, she found Aerelle too. With an albino with them. Wait, does she know that albino?

Never mind that she has other much more important things to settle.

“Zielle! Forget the potions. We can do that later. We need to go. Now!” Aediva said, fast-walking towards her accomplice and casually dragging her away from the group with Zayen gaping his maw in shock at Aediva’s nonchalant actions.

“Aediva???” Zielle called.

“No time to waste. We need to get into that place as fast as we can. Your broom is still in my dorm right?” Aediva asked.

“Uh… Yes?” Zielle answered, being dragged along by Aediva’s powerful physical strength. Zielle was practically a rag doll in Aediva’s hand - swayed like a little toy from how fast she was walking away from the Kazbelius seniors Zielle and Zayen were talking with.

“OI! RETURN ZIELLE BACK!” Zayen’s voice was loud as he shouted for her but it fell to deaf ears. Aerelle and Marith only looked at Aediva’s ever shrinking figure running off to the distance.

“Wait! I thought we’re going to Efren after we make the potions? What happened to being prepared before entering enemy’s territory?” Zielle asked as Aediva merely let out a disgruntled huff.

“No time for that. One of the protective charms I placed on them was broken” Aediva said, barging into the dorm immediately and throwing one of her hoodies to Zielle.

“Now?” Zielle asked again, still quite dumbfounded.

“Yes, Zielle. Now” Aediva said, flinching when Zielle grabbed her by the wrist abruptly - shocking the frantic young woman.

“Calm down. You’re shaking. Nothing good will happen if you yourself is panicking” Zielle said, snapping Aediva back to her senses despite the lingering unfamiliar feeling in her system. With Zielle’s firm hand around the wrist, Aediva breathed in and out. After a while, she broke the silence that had set in between them. The young woman with platinum blonde hair looked away, suddenly feeling embarrassed for her panicking the moment she had felt the charms broken. Immediately her face turned pale yet again as she cups her mouth and chin like she was about to puke. Probably rightfully so, when she was reminded that the charm she placed on her two friends.

“No” Aediva said, making Zielle looked at her with confusion sets in her face. She listens as Aediva let out a sharp sigh.

“... Avroth’s charm is broken…” Aediva fessed up and in the span of three seconds, Zielle’s face also pales.

“Wait, Avroth? You mean life-protection charm??!”