After the entrance fiasco, the group made their way to the dorm's lounge, where Kalim luckily was, who smiled at the group once they made their appearance,"Hey, Azul. What're you doing here?" he greets as he approached the group. Y/n immediately notes that he was in a good mood.

"Hello and how you doing today, Kalim?" Azul smiles at the boy before studying the room they're in,"Wooow~ Scarabia is as splendid as ever. Although outside is a winter wonderland you see not a trace of that in the summer heat of Scarabia." he marvels with awe.

"This would make a wonderful location for a resort and I'm sure there would be no shortage of guests." he compliments and y/n secretly gives him an unimpressed look,"Oooh? I don't really follow, but thanks for the compliments!" Kalim grins at him and y/n really needed sunglasses for his beaming smile.

"I caught your magic carpet so I wanted to return it to you." Azul gestures to carpet, who then flew to Kalim's side,"What? Did it manage to get out again? Thanks for that." Kalim says as his hands hover near the magic carpet while y/n sighs quietly of relief,[Good, he doesn't know we snuck out then.] she thought.

"No problem. By the way..." Azul sweeps his eyes across the room,"I didn't know all of Scarabia was to spend their holidays in the dorm." he points out,"Yup. You guys too?" Kalim smiles as he crosses his arms,"That's right! What a wonderful coincidence." Azul smiles brightly at him.

"Then should we not take this opportunity to deepen the bonds of Octavinelle and Scarabia through a joint training camp?" he suggests humbly and Jamil is not pleased by this at all as he jolts in his spot.

"I'd very much like to see the style Scarabia has adopted for their betterment during winter..." Azul states his reasoning,"Sounds great! I'd love for the dorm head of Octavinelle to come stay with us." Kalim perks up like an excited puppy, but Jamil places a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm against it Kalim..." he immediately says as he pulls away and cross his arms,"What? Why?" Kalim asks with confused eyes,"We're giving up our vacation to study in order to catch up to the other dorms. But you want to invite the enemy into our dorm and reveal all our tricks to them?" Jamil reminds and scolds Kalim at the same time, his eyes stern and full of disapproval.

"'Enemy' is a little much. Besides, weren't you the one who invited Ramshackle Dorm over?" Kalim retorts with a raised brow,"That is... true, I guess." Jamil sweats at that, before shaking his head before turning to flare at Azul,"I'm saying this is for you as well, Azul."

"Thank you very much for your input. We are all rivals in terms of grades after all." Azul says, though he frowns in disappointment while Floyd places the pizza down on a nearby table,"Unfortunately we should make our way back. Do your best with the training." Azul says before he and the twins turn to walk away.

He sighs loudly,"It looks like it's just the three of us in the bitter cold again... I guess we have no choice..." he says sadly,"After we worked so hard to capture the magic carpet..." Jade sighs lightly with exhaustion,"And Mostro Lounge is a complete mess..." Floyd adds with a frown.

They all sigh in unison,"...So sad." they says woefully and y/n sweatdrops at their acting,[Seriously? Who would fall for that?] she thought with a twitch of her brow,"That is most certainly a 'let us stay' kinda sigh, y'know!" Grim whispers to y/n with a sweatdrop. Y/n can only sigh and shake her head at them.

"Stop right there!" Kalim shouts out and y/n gives him a ridiculous look,[No way! Wait... Why am I surprised that he fell for it? It's Kalim for Seven sake!] she thought with a conflicted look as Jamil sighs loudly and drags a hand down his face.

"Azul is a top level wizard even at this school. Having him stay here is sure to benefit Scarabia as well! Turning away a guest that came all the way here at the door would dirty the Asim name." Kalim reasons with Kalim,"Aaah... Kalim! You are truly a kind and warm-hearted person!" Azul praises with admiration before grabbing both of Kalim's hands.

"I would love to. Allow me to teach you whatever I can!" he offers as he shook both of the boy's hands,"The two of us will be happy to assist with any cooking or cleaning that needs to be done." Jade gestures between himself and Floyd,"Yeah, yeah. We're old pros from working in the lounge." Floyd smiles with a tilt of his head as Azul releases Kalim's hands.

"That'd be a big help! Then Jamil will have less work." Kalim says with a carefree grin,"Don't worry about me...! Ugh, you're not listening at all." Jamil frowns at Kalim when said boy places a hand on Azul's shoulder,"Well then, I know you just got here, but why don't we get this practice started!"

"Leave your things there and head into the courtyard." he instructs,"Roger. I hope you all won't go too hard on us. Fufufu..." Azul chuckles with mischievous eyes while y/n mentally prepares herself for another harsh training session.

Hours of training and studying went by, and everyone was exhausted. So after a good meal and a warm, relaxing bath, the entire Scarabia residents went to bed and the Octavinelle Trio were given their own rooms.

Though they had snuck out to y/n's room to discuss today's event,"Today we had a happy Kalim." Grim says with a relieved smile while y/n messages her feet gently,"Yes, that was the Kalim that I know." Azul nods as he sat on the only available wooden stool in the room. Jade stood beside him while Floyd leaned again the bed's wooden frame.

"When he switches into scary Kalim his eyes get this look in them like he's looking down on you and his whole manner turns scary." Grim explains while y/n silently groans at the pain in her feet,"Could that be just normal mood swings?" Jade suggests.

"What'd'ya mean?" Floyd asks as he situated himself next to y/n and helps to put ointment on her feet,"Thanks Floyd." y/n says softly as she lies down on her bed to make it easier for Floyd and her joints.

"Kalim doesn't strike me as a guy like Floyd whose moods are up and down like a rollercoaster, but..." Jade taps his chin in thought,"There is probably something else at work here." he says and y/n's interest is peaked at this before whining in mild pain when Floyd wrapped bandages around her feet.

"Jamil was saying that it's because of how Scarabia did in the Magift and finals." Grim informs them as he held y/n's hand in comfort. She did a lot to help him get through some of the harsh training, the least he can do is comfort her through her pain.

"Eh? Does Baby Otter care about that stuff?" Floyd raises a brow as he rests y/n's feet over his lap,"Baby Otter?" the Ramshackle Duo raise a brow at the unusual nickname.

"He's talking about Kalim. Floyd likes to give people nicknames based on sea creatures to show affection. For you, based on your adorable, plump silhouette he calls you 'Seally'." Jade explains,"What is this 'plump' business!?" Grim glares at him before patting his own belly.

"If that's the case, why 'Baby Otter'?" y/n asks with a small smile,"I picked Baby Otter 'cause he's always grinning while he plays drums, just like an otter." Floyd explains and y/n imagines Kalim as a baby white otter smashing a little rock against a tasty clam.

[Oh my gosh, so cute!!!] she thought with a pink blush and flowery aura as she covers her nose and mouth with her hands,"Yes, he really isn't the type to become emotionally unstable due to low grades." Azul snaps her out of her thoughts.

"I think it's very possible there is another reason for it." he adds and y/n sits up a little,"And your solution to finding out this 'reason'?" she asks as she turns on her side,"We need to learn more about Kalim if we are to solve this problem." Azul tells her before turning to Jade.

"Jade. Could you go and have 'a talk' with him?" he requests and Jade places a hand over his heart,"As you wish. Jamil will probably be difficult but, Kalim should have no problem having an honest 'talk' with me." he says with a coy smile.

"The while you're doing that, I'll have Snea Snake hang out with me." Floyd smirks as he plays with y/n's feet, even dragging a finger under her feet to tickle her, only to receive a harmless nudge back.

"That sounds wonderful. May I also take part in that?" Azul smiles mischievously and the trio share an ominous chuckle, causing the Ramshackle Duo to sweatdrop at their sneaky behavior.

"These guys, their smiles don't reach their eyes, y'know..." Grim whispers,"No kidding. They have that mischief glint in their eyes." y/n whispers back before fully sitting up and pulling her feet away from Floyd,"So, what's the plan?" she chirps with a quirked smile.

With Jamil...

Said teen was lied down on his bed with a sigh,"Here Kalim goes again, making decisions on his own." he says with distaste as he crosses one leg over the the other, arms crossed behind his head,"How hard is he going to make me work...? Crap." he frowns heavily.

"At least he's already asleep so there shouldn't be any more problems tonight." he sighs in content as he shuts his eyes for a moment before they snapped open when there was knocking at his door.

"Who's there at this hour...?" he questions as he gets up and opens his door, only to be surprised to find Azul, Floyd and the Ramshackle Duo on the other side with smiles on their faces.

"Good evening, Jamil." Azul greets as he held a familiar board game in his arms,"E~ve~ning~" Floyd greets in a sing-song tone,"We're coming in!" Grim announces as they step into Jamil's room,"Sorry for the late night intrusion, Jamil." y/n says with a sheepish smile.

"...What do you want?" Jamil asks with an expression full of suspicion,"I saw a never before seen board game earlier when Kalim gave us a tour of the treasure vault." Azul showcases the board game in his arms,"Kalim tries explaining the rules, but I just couldn't grasp them." he sighs.

"How do you play this game with a wooden board filled with holes and some gems?" Floyd asks with a smirk,"Aaah, mancala... It's a popular game in the Land of Hot Sands." Jamil explains briefly.

"I have to know about this as a member of the Board Game Club. Would you care to go a few rounds with me?" Azul requests with mild interest,"Me too, me too~ I wanna play with Sea Snake. Ah hah." Floyd cooes with his dangerous smile.

"I, the Great Grim, will never back down form a challenge, y'know!" Grim exclaims and y/n smiles warmly,"I wouldn't mind playing along as well. I'm all in for a fun little game." she chirps as she laces her fingers behind her back.

"... Kalim's asleep so I guess it's fine." Jamil taps his chin before nodding to their request, thinking there's no harm in playing a little game,"Got it. Let's go to the lounge so we all have room." Jamil suggests before leading everyone out of his room and towards the lounge.

Meanwhile, in a different part of the dorm...

"I'm so sorry, Kalim. I didn't think you'd already be going to bed." Jade says with furrowed brows and an apologetic smile as he and Kalim walked down a hallway,"We could save this for tomorrow. It was selfish of me to get you up to see the treasure vault again..." he adds with a hand over his heart.

"No worries, no worries. I don't mind at all! What did you wanna see?" Kalim asks with a proud grin and hands on his hips,"I'm very curious about the tapestries and carpets had stored at the back..." Jade tells him as he taps his chin,"We don't really have any textiles quite like those in the ocean. So I'm interested in learning more about the culture of the Land of Hot Sands. A dry world covered is the exact opposite of the bottom of the sea." he explains to the Dorm Head.

"Aah! I think I have a carpet that would suit the colors of Octavinelle. It's going to waste in the storage room. You want it?" Kalim offers kindly,"Would that be alright!?" Jade genuinely asks, surprised that Kalim would give away stuff just like that.

"Of course!" Kalim beams at him before turning to the door that hid all kinds of treasures,"We're here." he announces before they entered the room,"Ahh... It's beautiful. Being able to see it up close like this is wonderful." Jade says with awe, his eyes taking in all the shimmering shines of gold and jewels all around him.

"Kalim, what is this peacock green material? It's striking." he asks as he fiddles with a piece of peacock green fabric between his fingers,"That's woven from silk. A really long time ago the law that only royalty could marry royalty was amended and a certain princess who married a peasant from the slums wore that color."

"That's a color that's really popular with men and women." Kalim explains passionately and with pride,"How wonderful. The little mermaid, captivated by the human world, would be absolutely fascinated by all of this." Jade remarks before his brows furrow with worry as he crosses his arms.

"Security must be difficult to manage." he assumes,"Jamil takes care of that. He even airs out all the carpets and scrolls." Kalim tells him,"What a skilled aide you have, he's even earned Azul's praise." Jade smiles humbly,"Hehheh, I know right? He's so amazing." Kalim smiles fondly.

"He also spends his time helping me with my magic and school. The way he teaches is better than any of my tutors." he praises and anyone can tell by the tone of his voice that he is thankful for Jamil's help.

"Oh yeah, he's a really good dancer too! He doesn't really dance with others around though..." he trails off a bit with a sheepish smile,"...You have such a high opinion of him, so I wonder why he hasn't mentioned anything to you?" Jade raises a brow, his expression being serious and full of suspicion.

"Eh?" Kalim tilts his head at the eel's words,"Forcing your residents to give up their vacation to stay here and endure strict training everyday... That's something I really can't picture you doing." Jade tells him with genuine curiosity.

"Ummm... You know... It's because we need it, I guess...?" Kalim was very unsure about his answer and this peeks Jade's suspicion,"Wasn't it your decision? Why does it sound like a question?" he asks the conflicted boy, who in return sighs with defeat,"Yeah, you're right. That was supposed to be my decision, but..."

Kalim frowns with a guilty expression,"I've been spacing out a lot recently..." he admits,"And why is that?" Jade asks with a raised brow,"Jamil says it's probably exhaustion from being a dorm head as a sophomore." Kalim reveals and Jade let's out a '...Hoh?', encouraging him to continue.

"I've always had a bad habit of falling asleep during hard conversations. My tutors, and Jamil, used to get really pissed when I did that." Kalim explains with a frown,"What was it about?" Jade inquires about the 'hard conversations'.

"About taking responsibility... and figuring out how to come back from our Magift loss and final exam scores..." Kalim tells him and crosses his arms with a sad smile,"There was so much to think about that I just drifted off. Haha... I'm a useless dorm head." he says sadly with guilt filled eyes.

"Was this winter vacation training camp not your idea?" Jade asks, feeling sorry for the boy at that moment,"Yeah it was... I think." Kalim gave him a still unsure answer,"That is not an answer that inspires confidence. Ffhm..." Jade pinches his chin between his fingers.

[Looks like I'll have to use my secret technique after all, even if the chances of success aren't high.] he thought before flinching as he covers his eye in pain,"Aah! Ow!" he yelps, startling Kalim a bit.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Kalim immediately asks with worry,"I'm sorry, but it seems I've gotten something in my eye... Could you please take a look?" Jade requests as he blinks his eye rapidly and Kalim steps closer,"Sure. Bend down for a second..."

Jade bends down enough for Kalim to gently cup his face and look him right in the eyes,"Which eye?" he asks with furrowed brows,"My left." Jade answers and Kalim immediately puts his full attention on that eye.

"Look at my left eye... Yes... 'There's no need to be afraid, I'm here to help you'. Shock the Heart." Jade casts his Unique Magic,"... Eh?" Kalim immediately feels his head going foggy, but yet he still felt like he was in control of his mind and thoughts,"You must answer my next question honestly." Jade stood back up, keeping eye contact with Kalim the entire time,"Do you..."