[In Y/n dreamworld]

Y/n has woken up to the sound of familiar laughter.

"Oh Zadkiel, no need to fret, after all, it's my duty," a cheery feminine male voice says.

"I know, but just what do you think she'll feel about it? She despises you, just as much as my sister" the one name Zadkiel told the person.

Y/n turned towards the voices, "Aunty? And....."

There was a long pause.

"You?! What is HE doing here?!" Y/n asked, angrily. She didn't know why she was so angry..especially since the one she is angry at was one of her favorite characters from Genshin..

"Barbatos...!" Y/n screamed in anger, as the water underneath them froze. Barbatos, also known as Venti frown sadly. "I asked Zadkiel if I could help you with the problem in that dorm"

"Despite knowing how I feel towards you?!" Y/n shouts, walking towards Venti with a glare.

"Ehe...I promise I won't do anything to anger you, my Cecelia, Please let me help you.." Venti begged while she turns towards Zadkiel.

"You have my word, Y/n. After all, he can't ignore the constant calls for Freedom" Zadkiel tried to reason with Y/n, who only sighed. "Fine...but if you dare do anything...I'll freeze over Monsdstat once I get back to Permafrost" Y/n warned the Anemo Archon, who only nodded furiously.

"So... you're leading me the holy lyre to help?" Y/n questioned, eyeing the holy lyre in her hands. "Yep! You can use it to protect your new friends" Venti explained. "You can sing a lovely tune with the holy lyre to calm that red-hair boy. Haha, he reminds me of Diluc!" he laughed a bit but flinched under the cold gaze of Y/n.

"Alright...if it gets damaged, don't me"

"Alright! Also, here is this" Venti went through his pocket and out a white queen chess piece, made from glass. "This is.."

"Indeed. This chess piece contains magic power from the White Queen of Wonderland. If things take a bad turn, I want you to activate it saying '' this will help you turn your rose soulmate towards the Light," Zadkiel explained too Y/n about the functions.

"I see..."

"It seems our times up. Barbatos will lean you his power once you activate the white queen chess piece" Zadkiel says as she let out her hand, her pam glowing a light blue. "Now, Stop Ira from devouring his soul...and put the scales in balance once again in the boy" she ordered, as the water below her began to crack underneath, causing her to fall into a void. "I won't fail!"

Y/n let out a shocked gasp, waking up. She felt something poke her waist, causing her to grab whatever was poking her. It was the White Queen's chess piece.

'If I remember correctly, The queen of hearts was known as the red queen as well...and she had a younger sister, who was the white queen...'

Ace then stormed into her room, without walking, scaring the girl. "Such disrespect! Learn to know when entering a queen's room!" she scolded the heart boy.

"Oh, whatever. Today is the big day! Come on, let's go!" he said, before exiting her room to wake up the others.

Y/n got ready into her Amaryllis housewarden uniform and placed the chess piece into her pocket. "I will bring you back to the light" she mumbled with determination.

There were a lot of students from Heartslabyul, chatting. "Did you hear? Someone challenged our housewarden to a duel"

"It's his very first contender since being elected!"

"That housewarden? I give five seconds before decapitation"

"It's been forever so I'm stoked."

"Ugh. Way to be reckless. Hope this won't spell more trouble for us." Cater whispered towards Trey and Y/n who were standing on the other side. "Believe me, I tried to stop them.."

"Mochi warned them as well...tch" Y/n mumbled as well. She was completely nervous, after all, today is the day Riddle overblots, she could hear Ira's voice loud a clear..

""

Riddle nodded as the crowd began to gather around the rose garden maze. Riddle, along with Ace and Deuce walked face-to-face, getting ready for the rule.

Yuuna was standing behind the idiots along with Grim, having fierce looks on their faces.

The fight for freedom can commence!

"In any event, a historic duel for the right to be housewarden is about to commence." Crowley started off. "As per the rules, please remove the anti-magic collar that's imposing a penalty on our challenger" he ordered, as with a flick of a wrist, Riddle removed the collars off of Deuce and Ace, making them sigh in relief.

"Phew! I'm finally free! My shoulders are mad stiff after sleeping with that on. It was rough, man" Ace says, cracking and snapping his shoulders, due to our stiff they were.

"Savior this short-lived freedom while it lasts. Why you'll be wearing it again soon enough" Riddle spoke to the pair, feeling amused.

"Yeah, we'll see about that" Ace spoke, facing Riddle.

"Are you sure you want this?" Riddle raised an eyebrow toward the two. "With zero doubts."

"We wouldn't challenge you as a prank or anything"

"speaking of pranks..." Riddle close his eyes in frustration and glared at Deuce. "Deuce! Care to explain that ridiculous gettup you're wearing?! I was expecting you to where the heartslabyul entire!"

"This is supposed to be an item of clothing from Inazuma for duels. It's my defense boost" Deuce explained.

"Defense? The potential for magic tools..." Riddle was cut off by Y/n. "I gave it to him. After all, he's such a shy mortal" Y/n said, covering her mouth with her fan like one of those arrogant noble ladies from comics.

"After all, it's protection gear so mortals won't get severely injured during a sword duel"

"hmph. Do as you like" Riddle scoffed. He was a little jealous of Deuce receiving something he considered precious from Y/n. And he didn't know why...

"Riddle. It's almost tea time. What's the plan?" Cater asked, holding his phone up.

"We'll proceed as scheduled. The rules state we're to have it at exactly 4 pm every day. As you can see, we're short on time. Both of you come at me at once." Riddle turned to the two, holding up his staff, having a sly smile plastered on his face, like a cunning kitsune..

"Get 'em dorm leader!"

"Put them in their place!"

"Now, I'm tricked!" Grim shouts in rage at the students cheering for Riddle.

"You've got this!" Yuuna shouts.

"Very well. We'll start once this mirror his the ground and shatters." Crowley says, reaching towards a mirror and lifting it up in the air.

"Ready..."

Crash!! Crowley dropped the mirror.

"Off with your head!!" Riddle shouts, causing a shockwave of magic to fly in the air, causing Ace and Deuce to tremble back on the floor. They were beheaded once again.

"Ace! Deuce! Are you guys okay?!" Yuuna shouts, amazed on how quick Riddle was. "Hmph. They only lasted less than five seconds." Riddle huffed.

It took a second for Ace's and Deuce's brains to catch off, but they gritted their teeth in pain and anger of losing and being back in the collar.

"And, Match! Victory goes to the current housewarden, Riddle Rosehearts!!"

Everyone cheered, as Y/n looked at her friends pitifully. Trey sweatdropped at the sight.

"Dammit! We couldn't even attack!" Ace shouts angerily, smashing his fist on the ground. "He casted that spell so fast.." Yuuna mumbled.

"The force of one's magic depends on their conceptualization" Crowley says, making a small flame above his finger. "The more one focuses on the effects, their magic can produce, the more precise and powerful it will become." Crowley says.

"After all, didn't Mochi say you were too weak? Riddle here is way far from your league. He's refined his magic a great deal." Y/n facepalms, as Riddle looked down on Ace and Deuce, who were recovering him shock.

"And you thought to challenge me, at your level, even though Y/n familiar warned you? Aren't you ashamed?" Riddle asked, having a heartless smile that sent chills up Ace and Deuce's spine, as it Y/n was glaring at them herself.

Their eyes widden at the sight of a male figure, standing next to Riddle, having a crazy smile plastered on his face. No one else was able to see it, since it was a illusion. "All this proves is that rulebreakers are never justified! Just as mother said." it seemed the male figure's mouth was moving along with Riddle's, before fading away.

"B-but enforcing absurd rules just makes you a tyrant!" Yuuna yelled.

"Rules should be followed, but this is insane!" Deuce shouted as well.

"Tch. I'm simply enforcing the rules as they were decided upon! Those who don't follow shall be beheaded!"

"You can't just use rules to do whatever you please!" Ace argued.

"If there were no penalties, no one would follow the rules." said Riddle. "But that's not right!" Yuuna says, defending Ace.

"I am the one who decided what is wrong and right! Tch. What sort of education did you receive if you can't comprehend something so simple? Surely you were born to parents who can hardly use magic in order to have been so uncultivated before enrolling here." Riddle spoke with venom in his voice, as Ace and Deuce were shocked to him insulting Yuuna. "A pitiful bunch indeed."

"But...I never had parents..." Yuuna mumbled, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Something snapped inside of Ace and Deuce. "...why, you..."

Ace dashed towards Riddle, swing his fist into his face, "Shut the hell up!!"

"Riddle?!"

"Rosehearts?!"

"Strawberry! Are you alright?!"

"I can't believe he just punched the housewarden..."

Riddle fell on the floor with a thud, his tiny crowd falling off his head. "huh...?" he was shocked "ow..." his poor cheek was throbbing a bit.

Trey, Cater, and Y/n dashed towards the shocked boy, as Y/n started to use magic to soothe his pain.

"Enough is enough. Being housewarden...the duel...Who the hell cares anymore" Ace spoke, as Deuce went to comfort a crying Yuuna.

"Are are not bringing up people's parents right now," Ace says, as Riddle looked down in shock. "Children aren't their parents' trophies, and their success doesn't determine their parents' worth." Both Y/n and Deuce looked at Ace with a touched expression on their faces.

After all, Y/n endured the same harsh education as Riddle to train her to be queen of Permafrost after the death of her father...and twin sister...

"It ain't your parents' fault you're such an asshole! That fact is crystal clear now. For the last year...you couldn't make a single friend to tell you off! You wouldn't even listen to Y/n when she scolds you! That's your own damn fault!" Trey and Cater looked at Ace in surprise and realization, as Riddle was stunned.

"What...you saying?"

"Trey-snepai told us. About your past, I mean. Growing up under awicked strict mother must have been hell, but...is "mama", "mama!" all you can say?! You are no crimson ruler, think for yourself for once! You're literally just some...baby who's food at magic!"

Ace's words seem to cut through Riddle like a knife. Yuuna seemed to have a shocked expression on her face since she hurt more sounds of ink dripping.

"" Ira screamed in anger.

Riddle chuckled softly, "A baby...you say? Me?" he clenched his fist on the grass. "You don't know anything...You don't know a single thing about me! Not like how my rose does!"

"Nope. I've got no idea. There's no way I would! But I'm not lettin' you off easy for it!" Ace glared at Riddle, making himself remember something.

[Flashback]

"I see...you are just like me, my rose" I said, as Y/n stares at me with a blank look on her face, and then up towards the Moon.

She invited me to Amaryllis on the night before the duel, as we were sitting down on a chair made of ice, but it didn't feel cold, drinking tea, to soothe are minds.

[Flashback end]

Riddle's POV

Y/n had told me me that her education to rule a empire was like how my own mother taught how to be successful and strong.

And it paid off, becoming a successful monarch, ruling the land of Permafrost for 450 years...then why are these rulebreakers going against my orders? Don't they understand that I'm doing this for them?! I'm going to same path as Y/n did...yet...why am I the one who gets rebelled?!

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!" I shouted, getting up angerily. "Mother was right!! That makes me right as well!"

"Riddle...please take a breather. The duel is over" Y/n told me, but I ignore her, glaring daggers towards the Ace.

'Splat'

"Huh...?" someone...threw something at me...

"It's...an egg...?" someone dared...to throw this thing at me...

"That first year's right!" I heard someone shout, I turn to see the students, looking at me...

"There's too many stupid rules!"

"We're sick of it!"

"Just 'cause you're strong doesn't mean you can boss us around!"

Grim: "What the? They're havin' a complete change of heart.."

Crowley: "Is this how you gentlemen truly feel?"

Y/n, Trey, and Cater looked at shocked as I was.

"We ain't obeying you anymore!"

"That's right, that's right!"

"Give us back our freedom!"

Students started throwing stuff at me, as Y/n hugged me in a protective manner as she created a shield around us.

"Let us eat whatever we want!"

"Stop makin' us sing stupid senseless songs to honor Rebirth!"

"We've had enough!!"

"Stop it!" Crowley shouted towards everyone, but they didn't listen.

"Steo back, Tyrant!!"

"Enough!" Y/n shouted, causing everyone to stop. "Shame on all off you! This is just way to cruel!" she then turn to me. "Are you okay, Strawberry?"

Suddenly, I saw a vision off a women, standing in front of me, to protect someone from a angry mob.

It seems that the person she was protecting...was me..

"Stop it, all of you! Mika only wants what's best for this town! He never went out to kill those nobles!" the girl shouted.

Kill?

Mika...

And with that...something inside of Riddle just...snapped..