A day passed since everyone's departure and the temperature at NRC had significantly dropped during the night. Y/n was lucky that Professor Crewel had provided her with some winter clothes.

"Wow, look at all that snow! It's a winter wonderland!" Grim says with awe as he ran around the snow a bit,"The temperature did drop rather quickly last night. I'm a bit worried about the fireplace." y/n says, watching her breath become visible before her.

"Those fire fae are probably starting to feel like a little chilly, too. We should get them some firewood." Grim suggests and y/n nods in agreement,"And we can see if there's anything to eat in the kitchen while we're there! La lala~" Grim adds, singing as he walks before y/n, who playfully rolls her eyes at him before following after.

Luckily there are logs already provided next to the fireplace and all she had to do is add it to the pile,"It's freezing out there. I thought my paws were gonna turn to ice!" Grim shivers as y/n places him on a nearby table after carrying him all the way to the cafeteria.

"It does feel that way, huh?" she huffs a smile as she flexes her chilled fingers, trying to warm them up a bit,"Get that wood into the fireplace!" Grim immediately demands and y/n was quick to grab some logs and carefully add them to the pile.

She jumps when some fire faeries appear out of the flames,"Oh, hello there." y/n greets softly as she allows the fae to hover above her hand. Grim sighs at the warmth surrounding his being,"So you guys are the fire fae that live here. Just being next to you warms me to the core, y'know." he says with delight.

The fae responds with various crackles pops, just like hearing a fire,"I've never seen a fae before." y/n admits and the fae flies up to her face and pats her nose,"Hehe, that tickles." y/n giggles and the fae let's out her own form of laughter before returning to the flames.

That's when the duo hears chopping coming from the kitchen along with the sound of cooking,"Hm? What's this?" Grim hums as his ears twitches at the heavenly sound.

"I hear a sound like a knife on a cutting board and juicy frying meat mixed in with the crackle of the fire!?" he sniffs the air,"Then there's the smell of spices from a far off land adding that 'certain something'!" he describes in detail, impressing y/n even more with his sense of smell.

"It's coming from the kitchen. Let's check it out!" he says with eagerness and they both approach and enter the kitchen. They were quite surprised to see the kitchen bustling with life as students were running around with various dishes or cooking something at a station.

"After the vegetables have finished cooking add in the meat from the fridge and bring it to a boil. Don't forget to add the nuts once the oil has heated up." Jamil directs the students, catching y/n's attention immediately,[Hey, it's him again.] she thought with raised brows.

"Got it!" Scarabia A nods,"Vice Dorm Head, about the amount of spice, is one tablespoon enough?" Scarabia B asks and Jamil peers down at the dish the boy is preparing,"The Dorm Head prefers something with a bit more heat. Another tablespoon should be fine." Jamil says and the boy nods.

"What the? Why are there so many students here even though it's winter vacation?" Grim questions,"I'm sure they have their reasons for staying." y/n tells him before approaching Jamil,"Hey there!" she chirps.

"Hm? And you are..." Jamil trails off,"We net during the whole Magift Tournament incident. I'm y/n." y/n reminds him and Jamil feels a bit stupid for not remembering the only girl in his school.

"That's right, you came to talk to me when I was injured before the Magift Tournament." he smiles,"You were... The Prefect and Grim from Ramshackle Dorm?" he says and y/n nods in confirmation.

"You've got a good memory! Your name is...umm..." Grim trails off, having forgotten the boy's name,"His name is Jamil, Buddy." y/n reminds him with a sigh and Jamil nods at his before shaking her hand,"Jamil. Jamil Viper. I'm the vice dorm head of Scarabia." he reintroduces himself properly as he let's the girl's hand go.

"I've always been good with names and faces, but your entrance ceremony left an impression." he comments, making y/n blush with embarrassment,"Yeah..." she mumbles,"I don't think there is anyone who doesn't know your name at this point." Jamil remarks, making y/n want to hide in a hole somewhere.

"Huh, r-really? Nyahaha! We've made a big name for ourselves!!" Grim laughs boastfully,"Well at least you're happy." y/n mumbles,"By the way... Why are you all here during vacation?" Jamil asks with curiosity.

"'Cause we don't have a place to go home to." Grim reveals, this surprising Jamil quite a bit,"That and the Headmaster left the crucial task of taking care of the fires here at school, y'know." Grim adds.

"Thanks to how serious and reliable we are it makes total sense that the Headmaster would rely on us for such an important task!" he boasts pridefully,"Oh... Is that so? The Headmaster did..." Jamil hums at this before turning away,"...These guys might be useful." he whispers with a devious smile.

"Hm? You say something?" Grim asks, totally oblivious to the boy's words,"Just that you guys must be pretty great for the Headmaster to recognize you." Jamil praises,"I wouldn't call it 'recognizing', more of dumping his chores on us." y/n comments to herself.

"Pardon the interruption, vice dorm head, but we've finished preparing the vegetables..." Scarabia C informs Jamil,"I'll be right there." Jamil nods at him just as Grim jumps onto the table to peer at the pit full of soup.

"This soup looks super tasty, but the smell is a new one for me." he remarks as y/n inhaled the pleasant scent,"But it's definitely not unwelcomed." she smiles,"That's a pretty traditional dish from the Scalding Sands..." Jamil tells them before a light bulb goes off in his head.

"...Oh, I know. If must have been faith that brought you here. Would you like to try some?" he offers with a friendly smile,"What!? Really!?" Grim jumps with excitement,"Are you sure? We don't wanna intrude." y/n says softly.

"But of course. The food will be done soon, you guys can help." Jamil ushers her behind the station,"Oh, I'm not the best in the kitchen." y/n immediately says with worry, but Jamil grabs her hands,"Don't worry, I'll guide you through every steps." he reassures her and y/n feels her shoulders relax a little.

"Okay. Let's get started then!" she chirps before grabbing a laddle,"All of these spices smell amazing~" Grim drools as he sniffs the spices,"They're all from the Scalding Sands. You mix them together to create a blend for each dish." Jamil explains to him.

"I'll show you how, so just follow my lead." he says and y/n does as told, carefully following his actions,"Alright, we got this!" Grim cheers as y/n stirs the soup a bit so the spices are mixed in well,"Then in counting on you." Jamil smiles before handing y/n another type of spice.

"Is it time to add this brown powder?" Grim asks as he holds the measuring cup full of brown spice,"Not yet. Garam masala goes in right before you take it off the heat or it ruins the flavor." Jamil tells him,"I never knew cooking was so hard. There's so much to take into consideration when making a dish." y/n admits with a smile.

"Oooohhh! You sure know your stuff." Grim compliments the boy,"I'd better since I cook everyday." Jamil states,"We're almost done so don't lose focus just yet." he encourages them,"Right!" y/n chirps before chopping up some carrots to add to the soup.

Soon, after an hour, they were done,"Wahoo! We did it!" the Ramshackle Duo cheer as they double high five each other,"The spices really add dephts to the flavor, I'm already drooling." Grim says with a bit of drool.

"Let's see..." Jamil studies the content of the soup and is impressed that they both did well,"You guys did pretty well. You've been a great help, thanks." he says with gratitude,"It wasn't a problem." y/n smiles up at him.

"We'll eat back at the dorm so you should come with." Jamil offers,"Oh hell yeah! We're so going, I'm starving!" Grim immediately accepts without y/n having to say anything.

"We're done for now. Let's get this all back to the dorm!" Jamil announces with a wave of his hand,"Yes sir!" all the Scarabia residents salutes before grabbing a dish or two,"By the way, why are you guys stuck here over vacation?" Grim asks and they're met with nervous and uncomfortable expressions.

"...We have..." Jamil struggles to say the words as he shares a glance with a fellow classmate,"That's a hit of a long story." he finally says,"Why do I get the feeling that this is a bad story..." y/n mutters with crossed arms.

"All of Scarabia was ordered by our Dorm Head..." Scarabia A reveals,"We couldn't leave even if we wanted..." Scarabia B tells her with scared eyes,"Shush. Will you knock it off? Any more and we'll be the ones to suffer." Jamil warns them before smiling.

"The food's getting cold. It's time to get back to Scarabia." he says and everyone leaves as Jamil turns to y/n,"It's always summer in Scarabia. It'll be like taking a vacation to a southern country." he tells them.

"Wahoo! Sounds like paradise! We're totally going!" Grim declares before running after the other residents,"Wait! Grim!" y/n was about to run after him, but Jamil gently grabs her hand and pulls her towards himself.

"Jamil?" y/n utters his name as Jamil wraps an arm around her waist, causing her to blush at their sudden closeness,"Jamil, are you sure it's okay for us to come? Won't your dorm head be upset with having strangers all of a sudden? Also, you're too close." she squeaks.

Jamil chuckles at her shy nature as he leans back a bit,"I'm sure our dorm head will be happy to have you." he reassures her as he makes full eye contact with her,"You're coming, right?" he says and y/n felt her mind go blank.

"Of course I'll come!" she chirps absent-mindedly, shocking herself at her sudden decision,[Wait! What!? But, I actually wanted to refuse!] she thought as Jamil backs away fully.

"...I'm happy to invite you, Prefect of Ramshackle Dorm." he says gently before taking her hand,"Then, to Scarabia." he announces before leading her to the Hall of Mirrors.

The shape of the Scarabia Dorm mirror is shaped differently from the rest. It was shaped to look like an Arabian house and carved into the mirror's frame is a cobra snake. Two mini towers decorates the side of the mirror as sand also decorates the floor. And finally, two red glass lamps are hung on either side of the small room.

The all then step through the mirror and y/n is immediately hit with intense heat,"Whoa!" she marvels at the sight of a literal palace before her,"This is a dorm!?" she questions as she takes her scarf and jacket off.

"So this is Scarabia? This heat is like a wall, just like the middle of summer, y'know!" Grim says with amazement,"Good for shaking off the cold, right? This way." Jamil motions for them to follow him, but y/n quickly taps his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Jamil, but do you have any spare clothes I could borrow? My outfit isn't exactly summer proof." she says sheepishly as she avoids eye contact. Jamil studies her form briefly before smiling softly,"Of course. Just follow me." he says and leads her in a different direction.

Jamil led her to an empty room before swiftly retrieving some clothes,"Thanks Jamil, and so sorry again." y/n says as she accepts the clothes with gratitude,"No worries. I can't allow an important guest to faint due to heat exhaustion." Jamil tells her before giving her privacy to change.

From all the uniforms y/n wore, this had to be the most comfortable clothing she had ever worn. It was baggy, but breezy as well. Giving her body enough room to breathe.

"Damn, this uniform is super comfy!" she praises as she exits the room,"I'm happy to hear that." Jamil chuckles before moving to take her folded winter clothes,"Oh, don't bother yourself. I can just carry this around with me, okay?" y/n reassures him and Jamil is surprised by this,"Um, okay then." he blinks twice before shaking himself out of his stupor.

He was then quick to lead her towards their lounge, which was very luxurious by the way. He claps his hands to catch everyone's attention,"The guests have arrived! Welcome them with music!" he says and some residents starts to play the instruments present in the room.

"Nyahaha! We've gotten famous enough for a whole welcome party?" Grim smiles widely while y/n crosses her arms,"This really wasn't necessary Jamil." she says gently, but Jamil shakes her head at her,"Nonsense!" he reassures her before leading her over to the table full of food.

The thing is, the table is low and they had to sit on cushions, which was very unique in y/n's opinion since she's experiencing something new,"Eat your fill before it gets cold." Jamil urges them,"Thanks for the food!" both Ramshackle Duo say before digging in.

"D-Delicous!" they says,"All the flavors envelope the palette... Then followed by a kick of spice... The crunchy nuts make a great pair with the veggies and this steamed pork bun thing is awesome!" Grim compliments,"In short, it is very delicious!" y/n shortens it with a beaming smile that made Jamil feel pride.

"We also have the mean and soup to try. There's plenty so don't hesitate to take more." he tells them with a smile and Grim does so without a second thought while y/n took a sip of her water,"If you can eat like this all the time then this really is a paradise!" Grim swoons before stuffing his face more.

"Jamil, you have got to teach me how to cook! I need to sharpen my cooking skills." y/n grins and Jamil couldn't help but smile at her,"I will be glad to help you out." he says before a voice catches their attention.

"...What is all the fuss about?" Kalim asks as he enters the lounge, causing everyone to freeze in their tracks whole Grim and y/n look at the others in confusion,"D-dorm head...!" the residents yelp in fright.

"Kalim..." Jamil utters his name as Kalim approaches him with narrowed eyes,"What's the meaning of this, Jamil? I didn't hear anything about guests being invited!" he says loudly, causing y/n to tense up at his tone of voice.

Even though she doesn't know the boy very well, even she can tell this attitude of his is very uncharacteristic of him. Even through vague interactions.

"Kalim, there's a good reason..." Jamil tries to keep his cool,"What's with this guy...?" Grim whispers nervously,"I don't know..." y/n whispers back, just as nervous.

"I told you to always let me know in advance if we're having guests! Then..." Kalim's stern expression suddenly turns into a sulking one,"We could have put together an even better feast with a concert to go with it~!" he whines, surprising the Ramshackle Duo at his sudden change of personality.

"Eh?" they voiced their dumbfounded selves before Kalim swiftly strolled towards y/n, kneels down and shook her hand,"Hey, you two. Thanks for coming! Sorry about not having a parade to welcome you!" he says with a friendly grin.

"O-Oh no! That's completely fine!" y/n stammers as Kalim releases her hand,"I'm the dorm head of Scarabia, Kalim Al-Asim. It's nice to meet you, right?" he introduces himself,[He doesn't remember me, does he?] y/n sweatdrops.

"Nope, you've met them before. Grim set your butt on fire during the entrance ceremony and you spoke with them before the Magift Tournament." Jamil reminds him and that's when Kalim got a good look at y/n again and blushed a bright pink, but he doesn't shy away.

"Oh? Really? Ah ha ha. My B, my B. I'm not very good with names and faces, I don't mean any offense." he says and y/n waves him off,"Oh, it's quite alright. I sometimes struggle to remember names and faces as well." she reassures him and Kalim smiles even wider.

"Well then, it's nice to see you guys again!" he says cheerfully,"And it's nice to see you again!" y/n greets back, relieved to have met a nicer dorm head at first interaction unlike the previous ones. Even though she's on good terms with them all...

"Wow, everything looks super tasty. Jamil, how'd it all turn out?" Kalim asks as he makes himself comfortable right next to y/n, their knees almost touching,"As well as always. There isn't anything dangerous mixed in so you can eat without worry. The poison testers have already done their job." Jamil tells him with a smirk.

Both Ramshackle Duo's eyes widen at Jamil's words, causing Grim to choke on his food,"Poison tester?" they exclaim with shock and horror,"Kalim is the heir to an extremely wealthy family from the Land of Hot Sands so there are those who may come after his life. Which makes poison testing necessary." Jamil explains to them and y/n is even more shocked to hear this.

"And you decided to use us as Guinea pigs!? How cruel!" y/n spat with a glare and Kalim rubs her back in an attempt to calm her down,"You're always blowing things out of proportion, Jamil. The last time there was an attempted poisoning was..." he thinks for a moment,"Four years ago when I was stuck in a coma for two weeks. Since then there's been no issue." he says with a carefree smile while y/n looks at him in horror.

[How is this boy still so cheerful!?] she thought with disbelief,"Because you've had a poison tester with you for the past four years." Jamil tells him with an unimpressed look,"Any food that has been mixed with poison has been dealt with before it got to you." he explains to him.

"Wait, so that's why you were trying to get me to eat a bunch of stuff!?" Grim shouts in disbelief and betrayal,"I think I'm gonna be sick..." y/n groans with a scrunched up expression.

"Ah ha ha. You've got nothing to worry about since Jamil made the food." Kalim reassures them as he wraps his arm around y/n's waist in a side hug, causing her to turn pink,"Jamil would never try to poison me." he adds with confidence.

"Hmph, no need to state the obvious." Jamil smirks with pride,"I thought these guys might be better than all the others, but they're on the same level, if not worse, y'know." Grim whimpers with droopy ears,"How do you think I feel?" y/n grumbles with crossed arms, boldly leaning her head in Kalim's shoulder, causing him to turn pink.

"Oh yeah, Grim. Did you try the sheep's milk blue cheese yet? It goes great on crackers!" Kalim grins as he smears some blue cheese on a cracker,"Huh? I'm not gonna eat mold... Mmmghmm!" Grim is interrupted by Kalim shoving the cracker into his mouth.