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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 1 day

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thinking about book 6 battle simulations

I was thinking a lot about book 6 lately! (Not for any particular reason, I was just ruminating, haha...)

During the examination segment, Riddle, Azul, and Vil were put into one group and Jamil and Leona were put in the other group. Idia then put them into VR simulations in which (simulated) Trey, Jade, Rook, Kalim, and Ruggie approached the subjects to upset them. This is for the purposes of STYX to gauge their combative capabilities and blot accumulation. What I noticed on another read of these parts was that Idia makes sure to inform all the subjects they are about to enter a VR simulation BEFORE they dive in... and yet despite this, group 1 (Riddle, Azul, Vil) was still caught off-guard when Trey, Jade, and Rook attacked them. Meanwhile, Jamil in group 2 automatically defers to Kalim but Leona is the one who notices something is fishy about the situation. Now, now... this is interesting 👁️ Why might this be, I wonder~ (You bet I'm going to analyze the heck out of these small details!)

***Main story spoilers up to book 6!!***

First thing to consider: it's possible that perhaps the characters don't fully understand what "VR simulation" is, as most of them did take a while to come to their senses. Of the 5 subjects, Riddle is the most likely to fall into this category. He seems to be slightly confused by the concept of a "virtual space" when Idia explains the examination to them (which likely conflicts with Riddle's very traditional understanding of "tests"). Furthermore, Riddle has expressed in Endless Halloween Night that his mother did not allow him to play video games or to watch TV so he'd usually do crosswords or solve other puzzles for fun. He's not completely technologically inept (like Malleus), but Riddle does have a somewhat limited scope of how items and procedures are to be used, especially if it lies beyond its normal means. It's likely that he has not thought of VR simulation being used in the scenario in which he finds himself in now.

The other 4 subjects, however, most likely understand what VR is and shouldn't be confused by the simulation. Azul is very savvy and keeps up with trends, which can factor into his business(es). He even brings up streaming as a potential source of revenue in book 6; man has his fingers on the pulse of pop culture to know what will sell. Vil, being a celebrity and the leader of the Film Research Club, must have an understanding of various technologies used to achieve certain effects (especially as director of his own projects). Jamil constantly deals with Kalim's requests and, being in Kalim's social bubble, must get exposure to all kinds of crazy technologies. Leona, being a knowledgeable prince, surely must understand the concept of VR simulation.

Okay, so... why did they (mostly) still get "tricked" by the simulation anyway? The key words today would be "trust" and "dependence".

Thinking about it, there's one thing that separates group 1 from 2: the boys in group 1 have a tendency to rely on others for support and validation whereas the boys in group 2 are consistently shown to be more independent than their peers (even if they, too, seek validation). Let's go through them one by one!

GROUP 1

Riddle

Riddle is presented as a tyrant that rules with an iron fist, particularly in book 1 where he stars as the main antagonist. However, it's also pretty blatant that Riddle has become increasingly aggressive due in part to others enabling him. Ace specifically calls out Trey for this, saying that his failure to intervene or to quell Riddle's temper has resulted in Heartslabyul students suffering for it. Cater is also complacent, as he and/or Trey often follow Riddle's orders and remove Adeuce from the dorm multiple times in book 1. Riddle relies on these upperclassmen to listen to him and carry out his bidding, and he feels validated when they do. It's a lesson he has learned from his mother. He is the most powerful, and therefore he should be the most correct. Notice how Riddle is quick to anger when others refuse to obey him and how often he demands for them to conform. He becomes enraged when the Heartslabyul mobs rebel and chuck an egg at him. But what hurts him most of all is, perhaps, Trey turning too. Riddle was mad about the mobs acting up, yes, but he still did not overblot. Not yet, at least. No, Riddle overblots only AFTER he tries to attack Ace with the rose trees... and Trey steps in with his UM to overwrite Riddle's collar, turning it into cards. Trey's relationship with Riddle cannot be understated here. In this very moment, Trey, Riddle's childhood friend (one of his first friends), vice dorm leader, silent yes man, his most trusted confidant, has betrayed him. He is proving Riddle wrong, that the most powerful mage is not the most correct. "Are YOU going to tell me that I'm wrong too? After all I've done to protect the rule of law?! [...] I... I refuse to believe this!"

From these examples, we can clearly see that Riddle is someone who is reliant on others--not that he isn't a capable mage, but rather he is reliant on others for his own sense of self-worth. Indeed, even in his post-OB flashback, he indicates feeling proud and excited when his mother praises him for good grades or successfully performing a spell. This is reiterated many times over in book 1, in which Riddle feels satisfied and even smug when his students fall in line, and spirals into uncontrollable rage when they don't. There are a select few whom Riddle has chosen to place his faith in, and Trey is one of them. Trey, who gave him his first slice of strawberry tart and has been supporting him as his vice for over a year now (since Riddle became dorm leader in his first week as a first-year student; now is the start of Riddle's second year). That's why he feels so hurt when Trey is suddenly chastising him, telling him that he's behaving irrationally.

If we reexamine Riddle's post-OB flashback, you'll notice that Riddle says he is lonely without every outright stating the word "lonely". The phrasing makes it sound as though Riddle does not understand his own loneliness, like he doens't even know the word or want to acknowledge it as reality. He is awkward and unsure around Trey and Chenya, who invite him out to play. He follows his mother's rules because he believes that is what will bring him happiness. He wonders why, in spite of following all those rules, he still feels hollow inside. Then, once Riddle has awoken, he confesses that he always wanted to play more with Trey, and that he wants to talk with everyone after a meal. Riddle. at his core, craves companionship rather than dominating his peers. Trey was one of the few friends he ever had, and so Riddle puts a lot of stock into his support. This may be why he was quick to believe the fake Trey in the simulation, and why he looked so shocked when Trey started attacking him. Here is a boy who has already been betrayed once, experiencing that same betrayal again at the hands of his childhood friend. How scared must he be of losing his oldest friend, of Trey turning his back on him or seeing him as a monster? 😭

Azul

Due to the bullying he experienced in his childhood, Azul works very hard to maintain a new image of someone who is cool, confident, and composed. Part of that is passing himself off as someone who is large and in charge, while posing Jade and Floyd as his lackies who do whatever he tells them to. The reality of the matter is that the twins are very much... there to do their own thing, and they just kind of go along with Azul's schemes because they seem to be a lot of fun. When you stop to consider it though, Azul definitely puts a lot of trust into the Leech brothers even though they're both shady and can be flippant at times. It's the twins going around and advertising Azul's services to the student population. It's the twins who help him expand his business and acquire new items (as all three's Dorm Uniform vignettes are about the Octatrio conspiring to acquire the rights to and/or advertise their new drinks). It's the twins who are asked to run the Mostro Lounge whenever Azul is absent. Time and time again, Azul falls back on Jade and Floyd. They've been with him since middle school.

In book 4, both Azul and Floyd insist that they aren't really "childhood friends", but they do consider each other "equals". As Azul describes it, "I strongly doubt Jade or Floyd have any binding allegiance to me. This is all and elaborate game of pretend to them. [...] If I made a poor choice as leader--or even simply a boring one... They would turn on me instantly and seize the dorm leader seat for themselves." Floyd follows with, "We ain't got any plans to challenge him, either... for now, anyway. Aha ha! [...] We stick with [Azul] now 'cause it's fun. If it stops bein' fun, we drop him like a bad habit. Easy." The twins and Azul are both very aware that their relationship is a temporary and transactional one. Azul himself has even fully considered the possibility that Jade and Floyd may one day turn on him. This is all true--however, I also believe it's possible that the Octatrio are not being entirely truthful to themselves and do actually care for one another beyond the confines of their business ties or "having fun". In book 3, Jade and Floyd sense that something is wrong, and their immediate thought is to go check on Azul because of this gut feeling. Jade warns Azul of the consequences of misusing his UM. They are also the first to check on Azul after his OB and insist that he rest and find it within them to gently tease him over the situation. Even the way they address each other is "special". Jade and Azul have a tendency to be polite and use the honorific "-san" after everyone's name... except for each other and Floyd. Floyd, meanwhile, tends to give everyone a nickname... except for Jade and Azul. They drop these naming conventions within their group because that's how much they know and trust each other. Further proof of this is that when Floyd first meets Azul in the post-OB flashback of book 3, he calls Azul "Octopus-chan". Azul used to have a nickname, but no longer has one. This implies that a lack of a nickname actually indicates that Floyd is more intimate with someone than if he had nicknamed them. The same goes with Jade and Azul, who are usually so formal and polite.

I've already established that Azul acts in ways which indicate that he is close to the twins, as much as he tries to deny it and come off as tough. He drops the honorifics for them and he trusts them to do his bidding. What I find most telling, however, is when Jade and Floyd check up on him right as he's about to OB. "Jade! Floyd! Ahhh, you've finally come back to me," Azul says (if you listen to his voice, he sounds SO relieved). "Would you believe that thanks to these FOOLS, I've lost all of my contracts? Which is why I'm going to need your powers now. Come on, give them to me!" This is notable because, prior to this, he was forcibly ripping powers out of mob students. But now with the twins--Azul makes a CONSCIOUS decision to ask Jade and Floyd for them to willingly give up their powers to him. Azul is emotional and acting without tact here, but he STILL stops to ask the twins for them to surrender their magic. He cares about getting their consent specifically. When the brothers deny him and Floyd says Azul has become lame, that's when Azul snaps. His loyal henchmen are refusing his request and he's lost all his accumulated wealth. He's going to become the weak, friendless crybaby he once way all over again.

Knowing all of this, it makes sense why Azul was as startled as Riddle was when the simulated Jade attacked him. Azul claims that he anticipates this day--but he still seems to disturbed when it actually happens. It's true that perhaps this surprise comes in part from Azul having no indication that the twins were getting bored of him, so this is coming out of left field in his perspective. But... it could also be that he's hurt by the sudden shift, even if he and the twins have been telling themselves all along that they'd toss each other out without a second thought once they lose interest. This calls back to Azul's concerns right before he overblots: that his "business partners" (whom he refuses to call his friends) have lost interest in him and will now leave him alone and with nothing. He relies on the brothers not only for labor, but as his company and his confidants. When that's taken away from him... what does Azul have left that's worth anything?

Vil

Vil is another person who typically passes as very independent. He looks after himself quite well and is often the one nagging others to do the same. The thing with him is... he's still a celebrity at the end of the day, and a celebrity like him is always aware of his public image and the eyes on him. That's Vil's Achille's heel: as a celebrity, he is constantly concerned with how others perceive him. This is a lesson he learns in book 5--that he shouldn't let other people's judgment of him or a silly popularity contest determine his self-worth. Ah, but let's remember... book 6 begins like a mere DAY after book 5. Sure, Vil's character arc may be over, but that does not mean that he has suddenly completely changed. Up until yesterday, he was aggressively training to overcome his rival and to show the whole world his true beauty. Vil still, to some degree, finds value in how he looks and how others see him, as it strongly ties into his career. To this end, he sees Rook as a valuable individual.

Now, there's a lot of contention about whether or not Rook is a good influence on Vil or not, as some interpret his commentary as derogatory or unnecessarily critical. I'm not going to get into that; here, I am going to speak plainly about how Vil himself views Rook's feedback. In Vil's Labwear vignettes, he confides in Trey that he relies on Rook's keen observational skills to reflect the truth back to him. A celebrity must look at his best, and he can count on Rook to not mince his words and point out even the most minute of changes at a quick glance. (Vil himself is also extremely strict with himself, but lacks the superhuman abilities that his vice dorm leader does.) Rook has been doing this since long before he even transferred to Pomefiore, critiquing Vil's performances and such, not just his looks alone. This led into long discussions and debates between the two, which demonstrates how much Vil values Rook's perspective. Even back then, Rook was one of Vil's greatest supporters, but not exactly a totally blind "yes man". He is offering the kind of feedback that Vil seeks, not empty, sugar-coated niceties. This is why, in spite of his betrayal at the end of book 5, Vil eventually accepts it, as he trusts Rook's keen eye and judgment. What's interesting about book 6's examinations is that Vil seemingly takes charge of his group. When approached by the simulated classmates, Vil steps up and, after a moment of silence, says, "No... It's nothing. Let's go." (Vil is known as a skilled actor and can easily sniff out an act himself. Was the silence hesitation as he, Azul, and Riddle reevaluate the scene? Hard to say, but I'm assuming that STYX's state-of-the-art tech was able to perfectly simulate Rook, and thus confused Vil and co. for a while.) Rook strikes him with a spell, and that invokes a great emotional reaction from Vil, who seems to be the most aghast of the group. The fake Rook then declares that he's going to claim the dorm leader seat from Vil, which shocks him. "As you know, I appreciate beautiful things. Hence... I can hardly allow someone who's acted as ugly as you to occupy the Fairest Queen's throne!" The scene then cuts away to a battle. Now, while we don't get any extra dialogue from Vil to show his reaction, one interpretation could be that he was stunned into silence. Why is this a believable occurrence? Because the fake Rook called Vil out for "ugly" behavior. This is significant because back when Vil was overblotting, he was desperately shouting for people to "not look at him" because he's "so ugly". Here, ugliness does not mean literal ugliness or something that is visually unappealing. The "ugliness" being spoken of refers to being morally rotten, as Vil was speaking on his guilt after resorting to dirty tactics to try and take out his rival (when he had previously sworn to win on his own merits alone). The simulated Rook might be referring to this, which induces great shame in Vil, who is aware of the weight of his sins. Heck, book 6 even starts with Vil taking accountability and sincerely apologizing to the whole NRC Tribe for causing them trouble. Vil blames himself for their team losing, as it was his OB that forced them to fight and physically wore them out before their big performance. "What does it matter who forgives me?! I can't... I can't forgive myself!" He may still have lingering guilt regarding this incident, hence why he's the one predominantly reacting when the vice dorm leaders betray group 1. His mirror and huntsman, who speaks only the truth to him, now tells him of his ugliness. What else can that be, if not the truth reflected back at him?

GROUP 2

Jamil

To be clear, Jamil did not automatically go after the simulated Kalim. He automatically defers and tries to go along with his dorm leader (and only starts fighting once Leona declares the simulation for the sham it really is). Why? Surely Jamil is sharper witted than that. To this, I say... of course, it's just that Jamil's so used to being a servant that he reverts back to submissiveness as soon as he's put in a circumstance where there's a power dynamic. He’s not the one relying on Kalim—Kalim is often the one relying on him. You need proof of Jamil's servile mindset? He was intentionally talking down his own skills ever since book 4 and, according to Azul, has been purposefully maintaining painfully average grades (which, in of itself, takes a lot of effort). Admittedly though, those are conscious choices, not unconscious ones. But how about back in book 5, when Vil announces him as one of the lead vocalists and Jamil's immediate reaction is not to accept it, but to humble himself and insist that Kalim would be better suited for it (when Kalim actually isn't)? Jamil has to stop himself, back up, and accept the nomination, which he has earned for himself, rather than relinquish it to someone less deserving. Years and years of serving someone else, forced to play the part of the inferior servant, will beat that attitude into his mind, regardless of how much he resents the position.

Even now, Jamil feels like he usually has to follow someone else's lead. Leona, the upperclassman and dorm leader, provides that lead for him in the VR simulation. This leadership + independence is something they would butt heads over later in book 6, as Jamil begins to act overprotective of his current charge (Leona) as he does with Kalim. While Jamil has played the part of Kalim's attendant and childhood friend, the reality is that Jamil cannot stand those roles. He desires to stand out and to be recognized--something which is evident in book 4. Before he brainwashes the Scarabia students, he's always framing himself in a positive and helpful light to them and speaks humbly about his abilities. After he brainwashes the Scarabia students, he has them heap him with praise that he had never gotten in his childhood. In the post-OB flashback, we see Jamil's parents scolding him for outperforming Kalim, even in something as simple as a game. The headmaster of a great arcane academy overlooks him in favor of someone far less capable.

Jamil knows he can be great, but he's intentionally being told to not reach those heights. He feels stifled and trapped, and no one understands his plight that he cannot escape from. This results in Jamil distancing himself from others and coming to rely on himself and himself alone to make his wishes come true. He can't rely on his family, who are beholden to their legacy of being servants to the Asims. He can't confide in friends because none of them are quite like him, and Kalim would ignorantly brush it off. He can't tell third parties because, as Crowley as demonstrated, they dismiss him outright. Jamil, as he acts throughout book 6, is doing so in an effort to find his own strength and to be able to act on it with the freedom he seeks. To play support not because he has to, but because he, the individual, wants to. As Jamil states before overblotting, he wants to "be free" from these precarious circumstances where a wrong move could doom him and his family... but he only has so many liberties to work with. This leaves him in a strange limbo situation where he still isn't fully independent but desperately wishes to be. We see him fighting against the restraints, and to varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the context and his state of mind within that context.

Leona

From a young age, Leona seems to have worked tirelessly to obtain recognition. Like Jamil, Leona was in such a position (second-born prince) that, despite his efforts, he kept being rejected and beaten down again and again. As we see in his post-OB flashback, this is what eventually broke Leona’s spirit and made him develop a pessimistic outlook on his prospects for the future. The thing is, even though Leona does not really have hope for himself, he still manages to inspire hope in other people, from underclassmen to the students of his dorm. Book 2 is entirely about Savanaclaw looking to Leona to save their own futures, and him trying to do so for their sakes. His club mates extol how he can so quickly hone in on their best skills and advise them on how to sharpen those skills. Jack admires Leona’s plays, so much so that he wished to one day play alongside Leona. He’s even able to get beastmen of different species to get along and live peacefully under his rule when this has historically been difficult for his older brother to manage. All in all, Leona has all the makings of a leader. He stands out from the crowd, knows when to leverage his power and intelligence (playing smarter, not harder), and commands with ease.

… That being said, Leona’s presence can be so powerful at times that it’s also isolating. This was the case for his childhood, which is depicted to us as many palace servants being fearful of Leona’s devastatingly strong magic. He also uses this strong magic against his dorm mates when their intentions clash in book 2–and he comes close to killing someone in the process. He’s also just notorious in general for being grumpy or unfriendly toward others, including one instance in book 5 when he seems upset that you’ve showed up in his classroom. Leona drives people away from him, whether because of his strength or because of his prickly attitude.

At the same time, i would also describe Leona as a tactician that keeps some degree of distance from those he commands. He makes it clear he's willing to use others to achieve his own goals and does so many times over. Book 2, when he tries to take out Malleus to help his dorm leaders while also trying to prove to himself that he's capable. Book 3, when he helps Yuu and co. dissolve the contracts including one of his own he made with Azul, etc. Leona knows how to best use his own abilities, as well as those of others. That's what makes him so formidable--he can read others and judge the situation extremely well, and he knows when it is smart to fight and when to tactically retreat (such as in book 6, when he immediately surrenders to STYX agents rather than make a scene). Leona is a self-sufficient man.

There’s the question of Ruggie, of course. Leona is often depicted as lazy and relies on Ruggie to do many daily things for him, such as laundry or fetching food. This obviously throws a wrench into the claim that Leona is more "independent" than those in group 1, doesn't it? He doesn't even come close to Jamil, who actually does all of these tasks himself. Well, not exactly. I don't think "independence" here really comes down to that alone. Riddle, Azul, and Vil all relied on Trey, the twins, and/or Rook to some significant degree to inform their own senses of self. Jamil had this belief of deferring to his "betters" (the Asims) instilled in him, regardless of his personal feelings on the matter. And Leona? Leona does not significantly rely on Ruggie for his self-worth (dude was 100% going to sand him in book 2). Yes, Leona was likely looking to help his dorm members in part to prove to himself he is capable of leading a pack, but he gives up when he realizes it was a fruitless effort. He doesn't become reinvigorated to keep it up or to try again, even when his dorm members (Ruggie included) plead to him. Leona is acting selfishly, and he refuses to acknowledge their perspectives--he's set in his own ways and is driven by his own thoughts, not those of the people around him. Perhaps this is what allows him to discern truth from lies with such clarity, as it is Leona who rouses Jamil to his senses and leads the charge against the VR simulation Kalim and Ruggie.

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bitethedustfools · 3 days

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New World, New scars (pt 3)

The exam month had come. Yuu was in the living room with books and papers scattered on the table.

His injured hands, which were finally healed by a healing potion, held a pen in a strange manner, slowly dragging it across the paper, stopping for a few seconds before continuing. The hands noticeably became shakier and stiffer.

It seems that the healing potions don't heal everything. The crooked fingers are proof of that.

Still, Grim watched how Yuu struggled before the boy sighed and decided to abandon it to read the notes instead. In Grim's opinion, the writings were pleasing to his eyes, and he could understand them in one glance in comparison to the scrawling from before.

It goes without a doubt that Yuu was very smart and also hardworking. Even that two-toned haired teacher praised Yuu, occasionally giving him candies.

Grim looked at Yuu's hands and decided that he didn't want Yuu to ruin their first exam, so Grim would take the lead. They both are, after all, two-in-one student. It would be awful if Yuu didn't manage to score anything with those hands.

Grim noticed Yuu roaming around the room where he was at like a ghost haunting the place. Yuu usually doesn't stay in the same room, and if he does, he usually tries to erase his presence.

So therefore, him hovering around and gazing at him from a certain distance became annoying.

"What are you movin around for? You're botherin me," Grim huffed, looking away from the notes he obtained from a certain someone.

Yuu kept looking at him nervously, his sweat dripping and fidgeting with his fingers lightly.

"Are you sure you're going to do the exam instead of me...? I can do it," Yuu said softly, almost carefully.

"No! I can do it. I'm not that dumb! If anythin, you're goin to make us fail with those hands of yours."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

Grim saw Yuu glanced at his hands for a short moment before hiding them behind his back, expression down as though he's shameful.

"So sit down! I'm gonna ace this exam all by myself!" Grim huffed once more after he said those words as if it would calm Yuu down.

Despite not doing anything troublesome like the exam, Yuu grew even more nerve-wracking just watching by the sidelines, fearing that Grim would mess it up, to which Grim assured confidently and exasperatedly that he won't.

His confidence only soared higher when he received high scores and he shoved it to Yuu, who flinched at the sudden action.

Grim dismissed it. After all, he did a very good job of it, so Yuu will definitely be impressed by it, so he held it up with pride.

"85...?" Yuu's voice trembled, and his eyes widened with horror. Grim heard Yuu mumbling from underneath his breath how the teacher won't accept this and will be angry.

Yuu began to shed tears when he saw Ace's and Deuce's marks but not from happiness as he expected. His expression looked frightened and alarmed.

"Hey, it's closer to 100. That's fine, isn't it?" said Ace, trying to comfort Yuu, who is not participating in the exam yet was unusually upset at their marks. "That's not a terrible mark at all!"

"Yes, it is... Master Crewel is going to get angry..." said Yuu with certainty and fear.

Grim thought that the three of them definitely have the same idea in mind at that time, but none spoke them out loud.

Contrary to Yuu's words, Professor Crewel does not punish them, but he does look at them all suspiciously.

And now, it's their turn to be scared. Grim didn't expect that all of them actually made a deal with Azul, that scammer!

Upon learning of this fact, Yuu's expression turned to be even more horrified. He hugged himself, and he began to bite the flesh between the thumb and the wrist, almost piercing through them and drawing blood.

Yuu seemed to be in his own world that his words became incoherent, but some managed to understand a few of what he's saying.

"Cheating, lies, not allowed, punished, beaten, angry, apologize..."

A story formed in their head in an instant, but Grim doesn't understand why they would get beaten for that alone?

His question remained unanswered because everyone who managed to strike a deal with Azul sprouted an anemone on top of their head and began to march to the Octavinelle dorm.

Yuu, despite trembling like a shaky leaf, remained still amongst the moving crowd, looking hesitant, as though he will end up in a terrible situation if he followed them.

Grim, Ace, and Deuce didn't see Yuu that much after they started working in the Mostro Lounge. Grim did meet Yuu at the dorm, but he hardly gave any attention and just dropped on the spot and snooze.

He had never worked so hard in his entire life, and that made Grim think that it's not worth making a deal with the devil.

But then he thought of the reason why he accepted, and he can only grumble loudly as his tiny paws washed yet another dirty dish.

Surely... this isn't as hard as...

He yowled as the water splashed on his face.

They met again during lunch after who knows how long, but Grim is exhausted that time seemed to blend together. The same thing goes for Ace and Deuce as they all dragged their feet to find their table, resisting the urge to sleep.

Yuu, who is somehow accompanied by a very decent Savanaclaw student by the name of Jack, easily spotted them and carefully sat right next to them. His eyes flitted across all three expressions as though he's looking for something, only to slacken the tension in his shoulders.

It did not last long when the Leeches twins invited themselves in, but Grim no longer took notice of this the moment the twins suggested that there is a way for them to be free.

Yuu needed to make a deal with Azul.

It did not last a minute; Yuu buckled instantly under their pleadings to save them. They all cheered, ignoring Jack scolding them.

"You know, for the first time, I think I'm ready to recognize you as our prefect," said Grim, feeling elated at Yuu for the first time.

The smile on Yuu's face immediately went strained, and his gaze was lowered. Grim saw his still injured fingers clenched tightly on his pants as though it wasn't hurt days ago.

"I'm... glad I'm useful," Yuu said.

Maybe Grim should have shut his mouth.

Grim still stayed on the bed, and Yuu on the floor.

Grim slept to the scent of salt and the quiet sobbings accompanying the cold night.

Grim sneaked out of the kitchen to the VIP room on the day Yuu came to make a deal, a trail of wet spots formed on the carpet as he made his way over there.

He heard voices, and he, who at first wanted to recklessly barge in, suddenly out of character, stopped to lean on the door so he could listen in.

"...You see, prefect, my understanding is that you have no innate magical power." Came Azul's voice.

"You're not gifted with a beautiful voice, nor are you heir to any kingdom. You also do not possess any outstanding and useful skills. You're an utterly run-of-the-mill human in every possible way. Considering the big ask you're making of me, I would need considerable collateral."

It was insults, no matter how many different angles and how many times he tried to listen. If it was Grim whom Azul had told that face to face, he would no doubt be blown up with rage and yell back.

However, Yuu only replied with two words, spoken softly and without stuttering as though he had known that a long time ago and had long accepted it.

"I know."

Since Yuu had put the ramshackle dorm as collateral, they both were kicked out of their only shelter into the cold night.

Ace, Deuce, and even Jack offered to help them. The Adeuce insisted Yuu go with them instead of Jack; after all, Jack is from Savanaclaw, and Yuu and that dorm don't mix well together.

Except that didn't happen.

Yuu followed Jack, and he let Grim follow Ace and Deuce.

His sleep that night was filled with snores, the rustling of someone moving in their sleep, and a faint smell of roses that was enough not to irritate his nose.

It felt strange that Yuu was not here.

He was awake for hours and he doesn't remember what time it was when he had fallen asleep.

Grim does not know what happened to Yuu that same night. But the next day, he spotted bruises blooming all over Yuu's body that Grim suspected some of his ribs might have broken. There were also a few band-aids here and there, and even the face was not spared.

Grim suddenly went mad over this, yelling at Jack, who followed Yuu guiltily. Even Ace and Deuce joined as well, occasionally scolding Yuu lightly for even choosing the place where most students beat him up.

"I'm sorry... I... didn't want to bother you," Yuu murmured, the injuries making him look even more pathetic.

Their anger didn't last long upon seeing this and told him to come to their dorm instead.

Yuu merely shook his head, "I won... fair and square. I'll do my part well."

Nobody knows what he meant by this.

They cornered Jack when he's alone after their attempted to steal the photograph failed.

"What does Yuu mean?"

"Why is he hurt like that?"

"What did you do?"

Plenty of accusations were thrown at him that Jack's stern expression twisted into something complicated.

What left his mouth only stunned them even more.

In exchange to live there, Yuu had to be a gopher and also fight and win. And win he did, even as his body is blue and black and his form is close to a deathbed.

There's no benefit in living there and winning said fight if being beaten up and being a gopher awaited him there.

Grim was right when he said that Yuu was a coward and an idiot.

A coward because Yuu cannot say no so he does what Leona said and an idiot for not realizing that there's nothing good that will bring to him in that place.

Despite everything, Yuu still went there.

But Grim supposed that there's another reason why he needed to get what Azul wanted to get the ramshackle dorm back.

Yuu came up with a plan on the last day when everyone is starting to lose hope. It was simple. Too simple just like the time he came up with in the Dwarf mine, yet it proved to be effective.

The day they initiated the plan also went smoothly that not even the closed museum could ever obstructed said plan with the help of Ace.

Grim rather liked a smart Yuu rather than an idiot, but it is too bad that this showcase of intelligence is very limited and not available most of the time.

But it was on this very same day that Grim realized just how truly smart Yuu is.

Grim had learned Yuu had done something to Leona for him to join his plan, a second plan that no one in the group knows. Yuu and the rest were simply bait, but who would have thought that both plans succeeded anyway.

Grim wondered why it's only time like this that Yuu started to take the lead when he's usually the one who is following and endured.

Azul overbloated after that; his lower half became that of an octopus and Grim thought that everything can be handled since they've beaten Riddle and Leona before.

This proved to be a bit difficult seeing as Azul had stolen half of their magic and used it against them. Offensive and defensive, he had it all much to Grim's displeasure.

Azul, just like Leona before, reached out to Yuu with one of those octopus legs the moment his eyes laid on him. Eyes dilated with anger and hatred, only to replace with malicious glee when he caught Yuu who stood still like a sacrifice.

Again with that.

Grim thought he imagined it last time but he really did it again.

Yuu cried and gasped for air as Azul choked the life out of him while everyone is screaming for his name.

Grim thought Yuu hated being beaten up, thought he's scared of it.

So why is he smiling?

Grim never got his answer, feeling quite lost and confused with how Yuu acted. The others seemed to know, seemed to understand what Yuu is thinking even if it's just snippets.

But Grim is not as smart as Yuu, so Grim could never understand what goes through Yuu's mind.

The moment the monster got defeated, Grim quickly ate the black magestone the monster left behind to distract himself.

Yuu was currently knocked out cold on the floor, surrounded by his friends who have disheveled appearances. No doubt, they will scold him when he woke up later.

They did scold him when he regained consciousness.

Yuu apologized pathetically and said that he was scared he couldn't move his feet. He shed tears and trembled upon being stared upon.

But that's not what Grim saw earlier. Yet, he kept his mouth shut anyway.

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