1

AN OLD, DERELICT DORM stood quietly in a corner of the famed arcane academy Night Raven College. Surrounded by trees and set apart from the other buildings on campus, the structure was sunk in shadow on even the sunniest of days. A stagnant air hung over it.

Broken down and falling apart, the dorm had clearly been neglected for quite some time. The exterior paint was faded and peeling, and holes dotted the rotting roof. Weeds had overtaken the yard, while the floors inside were so warped it was impossible to walk in a straight line across any of them. Most students and teachers steered well clear of it.

“Yu!” a voice rang out in the cheerless garden, as if pushing back against the gloom. “Hurry it up, wouldja! My arms are gonna give out on me!”

“Hang on a sec. I’ve almost got it,” Yu replied in a quiet voice. “You gotta hold it steadier, Grim.”

“Whoa! You think you can order me around, hench-human?!” crowed Grim.

The dorm’s current residents—the monster Grim and the human Yuya Kuroki—were Night Raven College’s newest students and a bit of an oddity at the university. Yuya had been suddenly and mysteriously whisked away from his home world to this magic-filled place known as Twisted Wonderland. Yuya was an utterly average human with no magical abilities, and no one could understand why he was here—or how to send him back home.

Grim, meanwhile, was a furry gray creature with a round face and a round body. He vaguely resembled a weasel or a cat standing on two legs. He had magical abilities and the ambition to become one of the greatest mages who ever lived, though his impulsiveness often got him into trouble.

Despite Yuya’s lack of magic and Grim’s volatile temperament, the two had managed to prove their mettle, and the school’s headmage, Dire Crowley, had allowed them to matriculate into the student body as one joint student, meaning that Yuya was supposed to keep Grim in line while Grim performed the magical tasks Yuya could not.

The two were hard at work repairing the storm shutters. Sweat beaded on their foreheads in the pleasant October breeze as Grim stood on a ladder holding the shutter in place while Yuya fastened the hinges.

However, given that neither of them had ever fixed a storm shutter before, the work wasn’t progressing smoothly. Over and over, the shutter slipped down, and over and over, they hoisted it back up until they finally managed to secure it in place just as three ghosts materialized through the wall and hovered before them.

“Oh ho? Hmm? Little crooked, ain’t it?” needled one ghost.

The three phantoms laughed as they cast critical eyes on the shutter Yuya had just fastened.

The ghosts had made Ramshackle Dorm, as it was called, their home since before living memory. They were Yuya and Grim’s upperclassmen, as it were. While they weren’t scary ghosts, they were quite mischievous and showed up to tease Yuya and Grim in this fashion on a daily basis.

“Is it?” Yuya asked, cocking his head and tapping the wooden shutter. “Well, it’ll close at any rate. I think it’s fine.”

“Hopeless,” said one of the ghosts as he shook his head sadly. “The kids these days don’t even learn woodworking?”

“If you don’t like it, go ahead and fix it yourselves,” Grim growled as he tossed aside a paper carton containing the screws, his hackles fully raised. “Grim the Mighty is done.”

The monster was not exactly known for his patience. Yuya was surprised at how long he’d lasted and at the real effort he had made to fix the shutters. With a wry smile, Yuya picked up the paper carton. Though it was afternoon, the weeds running rampant in the yard were still dewy, and he felt a chill in his fingertips as they brushed against the weeds. It was always cold at Ramshackle Dorm, as it was perpetually in shadow.

As Yuya stared blandly at his dorm, he heard the sound of footsteps on wet grass behind him. He turned to find his classmates Ace Trappola and Deuce Spade walking toward them.

“Grim! Quit slacking off!” Ace yelled as he handed Yuya a bunch of screws. Yuya had asked Ace and Deuce to take care of repairs on the south side, and they had apparently finished the task. “Geez, Yu,” Ace said. “You can’t let Grim off so easy. Makes me look like an idiot. I mean, I gave up my precious weekend to come help and all.”

“S-sorry,” Yuya stammered in apology. “He was actually helping until a minute ago.”

“Just ignore him,” Deuce told Yuya, as he jabbed Ace with his elbow. “Like you’re one to talk. All you did was watch. I did pretty much all the work back there.” He looked at the shutter Yuya and Grim had attached to the building out of the corner of his eye—probably bothered by the crookedness the ghosts had noticed.

“You think it’ll be okay like that?” Yuya asked, and Deuce reached out to open and close the shutter a few times before retightening the screws on the hinges. He moved quickly, like the work was familiar. Once he was done, Yuya thought the shutter looked much closer to level. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “You’re good at this, Deuce.”

“I might not be able to build a whole house, but I can handle this much at least!” Deuce said as he patted his own chest proudly. “I used to do this kind of thing all the time at home. Just say the word if you run into trouble again.”

“Okay, thanks,” Yuya said, smiling.

“Uhhh?” Ace raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Only Deuce gets a thank-you? Hello? I helped, too, you know!”

“Of course, I’m grateful to you, too, Ace,” Yuya said. Ramshackle Dorm still needed a lot of work, but he figured their efforts today helped bring it up to the bare minimum required to be livable.

As Yuya thanked Ace and Deuce again, Grim stood neatly next to him and crossed his arms.

“You guys did good,” Grim said with a satisfied nod. “Now the wind won’t be so loud and hyoo hyoo. I’m finally gonna sleep like a log tonight.”

Yuya stared at him in disbelief. “Grim, you slept like a log last night. And the night before. And every night, basically.”

How often had he looked enviously at Grim snoring away happily beside him? Whenever a strong wind blew, it pushed in through the gaps around the windows of Ramshackle Dorm and made shrill whistling noises that sounded exactly like a person screaming. The nights were scary, and every so often the dangling storm shutters abruptly slammed against the windows like they’d just remembered they were there. Each time, Yuya jumped in terror, very nearly hitting the ceiling.

“Hmm?” The ghosts hummed as they frowned. “But the screaming wind is what makes the place so tasteful and refined.”

“Look, it’s not supposed to be a haunted house,” Ace said, exasperated. “A normal person’d run screaming in the other direction if they had to live with that.”

There was another major issue besides the noise. As autumn stretched on, Yuya had really started to feel the chill coming through the windows at night, and he worried that they’d freeze to death when the serious cold weather arrived.

“Gotta get it sorted before winter comes,” Yuya had muttered at lunch one day. Overhearing this, Ace and Deuce had taken pity on him and offered to help, and at last, the storm shutter repair was finished.

“Sorry, guys,” Yuya said as he noticed the deepening angle of the sun. “It’s finally the weekend, and I roped you into wasting your whole day on repairs.”

“It’s only natural for an honor student to help out a classmate in need, right?” Deuce replied casually. Yuya couldn’t help but think this was a very Deuce thing to say, given that he’d set his sights on becoming an honor student. He also knew that Deuce’s main motivation for helping him lay elsewhere, which made Yuya smile.

Sure enough, Deuce met Ace’s eyes. He grinned and said, “And we’re not working for free here, yeah?”

“Zactly!” Ace said triumphantly. “Don’t think we forgot you promised to treat us at the bakery tomorrow!”

“Oh! Is tomorrow the day the bakery sets up shop here?” one ghost asked. All three of the plump ghosts cried out in delight. “Ooh, yeah, they got the good stuff!”

Can ghosts eat? Yuya asked himself. The chef at the cafeteria was a ghost, and Yuya always wondered how he tasted what he was cooking. He’d once asked Ace and Deuce but hadn’t understood the answer.

“Yup,” Deuce said with a smile. “The bakery from town comes up once a month, and the upperclassmen said all their food is supergood. I was wanting to try it, so I thought, ah, perfect timing.”

“Ooh! I’m gonna chow down, too!” Grim shouted excitedly.

“You’re the one doing the buying, man!” Ace said as he plucked Grim up off the ground. The flailing monster kicked Deuce, and as Deuce yelled angrily, the ghosts laughed their unusual staccato laughter.

The mood was lively and the place was full of an energy that didn’t match the “ramshackle” dorm’s nickname. The thought had occurred to Yuya before, but looking at the building now, he felt like the dorm gained more spirit with every passing day. With its new residents, it was almost like the structure itself was breathing with renewed life. He felt like the dorm was even welcoming him and Grim.

Nonetheless, despite everyone’s good cheer, Yuya didn’t laugh as readily as his friends. He stood absently as the smallest of the ghosts came up to him.

“What’s up?” the small ghost asked. “You look kind of blue.”

“Oh… Yeah, I’m fine. It’s nothing,” Yuya said, his hesitant words trailing off into a sigh. “I was just thinking how tomorrow’s the start of another week.”

When Ace saw the look on Yuya’s face, he nodded as if he understood. “Ohhh, okay, I get it,” Ace said. “You don’t wanna go back to school, so you’re already getting bummed about it, huh?”

“More or less.” Yuya sighed again.

“I hear that, dang,” Grim said and shook his know-it-all head. “I ain’t too in love with those stupid classes, neither.”

“It’s not class, though, yeah?” Ace said. “It’s ʼcause a bunch of dudes you don’t even know are gonna go after you again.”

Yuya nodded listlessly.

It had been a month since Yuya and Grim were admitted to Night Raven College, the prestigious arcane academy located in the world known as Twisted Wonderland. He’d expected to settle into his new life with the passage of time, as things quieted down, but because of the recent episode with Riddle, his life had instead grown more chaotic. Was there a soul at Night Raven College who hadn’t heard the rumors about Yuya? It seemed like everyone was still talking about what had happened.

Up to then, Heartslabyul Housewarden Riddle Rosehearts had ruled Heartslabyul Dorm with an iron fist and strict rules. Everyone assumed his tyranny would continue until he moved off campus during his fourth year, but then Riddle had grossly misused his magic while deranged and overblotted.

Blot accumulates as the price for using magic, and when blot overflows, a phenomenon known as “overblot” occurs, which can endanger the sorcerer’s life. Riddle had become so enraged when the Heartslabyul Dorm students had pushed back against his authority, his overuse of magic coupled with his poor mental state had resulted in his overblotting, causing an enormous destructive monster to materialize, which then started wreaking havoc on the Heartslabyul garden.

It is rare, however, for enough of this sediment to build up in the body to reach the level of “overblotting.” Even in the magic-filled world of Twisted Wonderland, the phenomenon was almost unheard of. That it had occurred at a legendary arcane academy was unprecedented. Riddle had survived the event but was now forced to face hard truths about his actions as housewarden.

This incident had largely involved Heartslabyul Dorm students, yet another dorm had also been caught up in it—the newly created Ramshackle Dorm. Its members numbered only two: Yuya Kuroki, a human from another world who couldn’t use magic, and the magical creature Grim. They were both first-year students who had been admitted to the academy by Headmage Dire Crowley himself. Though Yuya had not had a major part in directly confronting Riddle, his presence at the battle and the unusual circumstances of his admittance to the college had ignited a flurry of rumors presuming Yuya was an exceptional and potentially powerful first-year the other students needed to watch out for.

Yuya started to feel dizzy. “I mean, I was hardly a part of the whole incident with Riddle,” he said anxiously. “I was only there tagging along with you guys, Ace. I’m not a special first-year student.”

“The point is that it’s partly true,” Deuce said, looking troubled.

“I get asked about you all the time, too, man.” Ace said, grinning. “And it’s like, I can’t say they got it all wrong. Or flat-out deny it, y’know?”

“But you can deny it!” Yuya protested. “Lately, people have even been coming to our classroom to check me out. At first, I thought I was just imagining it. But I think it’s probably because of the rumors.”

“Well, I guess you hear a story like that, and you’re gonna be all like, how amazing is this first-year anyway, yeah?” Ace responded, shaking his head.

“Now that you mention it, I did see you talking with some guy from another class on Friday,” Deuce mused. He blinked rapidly, as though he had just remembered. “I thought he was a friend of yours, but was he actually just a random student?”

Yuya nodded slowly. “Yeah,” he said. “If you hadn’t come along, Deuce, I probably would have keeled over on the spot.”

“Okay, now you’re being dramatic—actually, you’re not, are you?” Deuce sighed. “You would pass out.”

Yuya considered himself utterly average, but even he had one thing that set him apart from most other people: He loathed fighting. He could hardly look at two people arguing about a trivial dispute without becoming nervous. He would do pretty much anything to avoid a fight.

Unfortunately, despite this, a significant number of the students at Night Raven College now viewed him as a potential new rival. The arcane academy’s students were very proud, and rumors of a “special” first-year student stirred their fighting spirit. This had resulted in a never-ending line of hostile people approaching Yuya. Each time a voice called out, “You, Yu?” Yu mumbled some response before running away.

“So what?” Grim said, wrinkling his little black nose. “You got these guys comin’ ’round wanting to get all up in it? Well, I ain’t letting anyone look down their nose at Ramshackle Dorm. Gimme their names. I’ll knock ’em into next week!”

“Do not do that,” Yuya commanded.

“Well, you can’t take it too seriously,” Ace said, bursting out laughing as if the image of Grim knocking anyone into next week was incredibly hilarious. He slapped Yuya on the back. “People will stop talking before you know it. You just gotta tough it out until they do!”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Yuya murmured.

Ace had a more significant part in facing down Riddle while he was caught in the berserker rage of overblot and had battled him directly, but the rumors about Yuya had taken on a life of their own and drawn everyone’s attention. Ace wasn’t getting the same kind of negative attention, and he didn’t have to deal with any of the hassles that Yu’s infamy had drummed up.

Perhaps Ace felt somewhat indebted to Yuya for this. “You are actually fitting in a lot more in class,” he said consolingly.

“Am I?” Yuya asked. “I feel like nothing’s really changed.”

“No, the guys in class are definitely opening up to you more,” Deuce chimed in. “Anyway, it’s not good to dwell on things, okay?”

Yuya knew Deuce was trying to cheer him up, but he couldn’t shake the oppressive weight on his heart. Ace and Deuce looked at Yuya and his long face, then at each other and shrugged.

That night, Yu’s sleep was light and he rolled over at a quiet murmuring of the wind like the sound of water flowing.

2

A LOUD ROAR yanked Yuya out of sleep and into wakefulness. Upon opening his eyes, he realized he was looking at the patched floor of Ramshackle Dorm.

“Myaaah! Meeeooow! Myah myaaah…” Grim murmured to himself.

Yuya looked to his side and found Grim cozily asleep in the middle of the bed, having pushed Yuya to the edge. Grim’s rounded stomach was facing up toward the ceiling, and Yuya realized the monster had just been talking in his sleep.

Yuya had awakened from yet another strange dream, one of the extremely vivid visions he’d had occasionally since arriving in Twisted Wonderland. He pressed a hand to his pounding heart and slowly exhaled.

He almost couldn’t believe it had only been a dream; the vision was so intense and realistic. It had felt like he had really been in a grassland, sunlight shining through a gap in the clouds, with the chirping and chattering of animals all around him. He could even feel the force of the wind blowing past his ears.

Still dazed, he shook his head and checked the time.

“Grim, wake up,” he said, shaking the monster’s shoulders.

Perhaps the morning sun pouring in through the curtains was simply too bright for him, but Grim rolled over with a displeased fwanh and was soon talking in his sleep again.

As Yuya watched him, he was overcome with the desire to go back to sleep as well. But he resisted the urge with a mental pep talk and wrapped his hands around Grim. He shifted the creature’s limp, warm body to the floor to get him moving, and then he got out of bed himself.

It was Monday morning. Another week was starting.

Night Raven College had five first-year classes. The students were sorted into the seven primary dorms—not including the newly formed Ramshackle Dorm—based on the nature of the soul they possessed, but they were shuffled into classes essentially at random so that each class had roughly an equivalent number of students from each dorm.

Though Yuya’s first-year Class A had an equal distribution of students from every dorm, socialization outside dorm boundaries rarely went beyond superficial interactions. Strong interdorm rivalries existed due to the school’s competitive culture, and it seemed like Yuya witnessed a fight of some kind every day, so he was pretty much always holding his breath.

Yuya and Grim walked together toward their usual desks at the back of the classroom. Students were free to take whatever seat they wanted, and Yuya had settled into this spot since starting school.

Ace and Deuce greeted them as they approached. “Morning, Yu. And Grim,” Ace said.

“Good morning. Here’s to another week of hard work,” Deuce said.

Ace and Deuce had chosen the seats in front of Yu and Grim as their regular seats. Yuya said good morning as his eyes drifted toward another Heartslabyul student who had arrived with his friends.

“Morning, Yu,” the boy said with a smile.

“Oh. Um. Morning,” Yuya replied awkwardly. He nodded slightly before settling into his seat near the window.

Ace turned around and set his elbows on Yuya’s desk. “How long before you stop jumping like a scared rabbit anytime anyone says hi to you?”

“I’m not jumping,” Yuya protested. “I just don’t know how to act.” Ever since the overblot incident with Riddle, Heartslabyul students talked to Yuya from time to time, like this boy. While students from other dorms felt hostile to him, Yuya knew the Heartslabyul students were saying hi to be nice. That didn’t mean he knew how he was supposed to act in return.

“Oh, come on!” Ace said, laughing at the bewildered Yuya. “You’re not actually going to play like you’re a meek little guy now, are you? It won’t work, man! I mean, our entire dorm saw you yelling at the housewarden to stop fighting.”

“I didn’t, though,” Yuya said weakly.

“That’s right! Yu here wasn’t getting all yell-y,” Grim proclaimed as he puffed his chest out proudly. “Grim the Mighty was the one giving that little tyrant what for!”

“Maybe don’t go calling our warden a tyrant,” Deuce said with a frown.

“Dude,” Ace said, shaking his head. “I hate to say it since, y’know, it’s our dorm. But you can’t deny that he is.”

The classroom was buzzing with the chatter of students when their homeroom teacher, Professor Crewel, walked in, holding his teacher’s pointer in his red leather–gloved hand. “Puppies!” he called. “Sit down and quit your pointless howling.” The class instantly fell silent, and Crewel narrowed his eyes, seemingly satisfied. “Good boys.”

Homeroom hadn’t always begun so smoothly. Most new students at the academy were quite rebellious at first, and they made a big commotion at the start of class, even after the professor arrived. But over the past month, the first-year students had learned firsthand not to disobey Crewel. Now not a single student so much as dreamed of pushing back.

Crewel went over the students’ duty shifts, changes in class locations, and other basic information for the week. There were also messages from other teachers. “I got word from Professor Trein that some of you fell asleep in his Animal Linguistics class last week,” he said. “For the students in question, you know who you are, yes? I needn’t spell it out?”

The number of students who subsequently hung their heads could have been counted on the fingers of both hands. Next to Yuya, Grim averted his eyes. So did Ace.

The diligent Deuce looked at the pair in exasperation, asking, “Why did you even come to Night Raven College if all you’re gonna do is fall asleep in class?”

“It’s just that class is sooo boring,” Grim shot back.

Yuya was inclined to agree. Trein’s lectures were so long-winded and monotonous, they practically hypnotized students into falling asleep. Nonetheless, the class was something of a blessing for Yuya, since all he had to do for now was sit and listen—which was precisely why this class was less popular with other students. When the class eventually moved on to practical applications, however, magic would be required, so Yuya wanted to make sure to study hard now so that later he could help his partner, Grim.

“It is quite the bother to have Professor Trein turn his attention toward our class. He is a stubborn man and does not understand jokes,” Crewel continued. He noticed some students giggling and cleared his throat. “Thus, from now on, you will sit up straight and pay attention. Do not bring shame on me by being poorly behaved little puppies. Understood?” He glared at the class.

“Understood!” the students chorused.

“Finally,” Crewel continued, “we have a message from Professor Vargas. Practice for the Spelldrive tournament begins today, so use of the sports field for club practices will be limited. Those of you who normally use the field, be warned. Professor Vargas will be contacting each dorm with the detailed schedule.”

The classroom immediately exploded in excited chatter.

“It’s finally time for the Spelldrive tournament, huh!” Deuce said as he slapped Ace on the shoulder. “I figured it’d be coming up pretty quick here.”

Ace grinned in response. “I can’t wait, man,” he said. “I’d be even more psyched if I got picked for the team, though.”

“You?” Deuce arched a skeptical eyebrow. “Forget it. You obviously don’t stand a chance.”

“You don’t know that!” Ace protested. “I mean, it doesn’t matter what year you’re in. All that counts is how good you are. And dude, come on. I know you’re secretly hoping you get picked, too.”

As the two argued back and forth, Yuya whispered to Grim, “Hey? What’s Spelldrive?”

Grim shrugged, a blank look on his face, and said, “I got no idea neither.”

Their voices grew a bit too loud, and the entire class looked at Yuya and Grim in shock.

“Dude, Yu,” Ace said tentatively. “You’ve never heard of Spelldrive?!”

“Umm,” Yuya hummed with a frown. “So is it a game?”

“It’s a world-famous sport,” Deuce replied, also surprised. “There’s even a pro league and a world championship tournament. You’ve really never heard of it?”

Yuya racked his brain, but he really had no idea what they were talking about. However, with “spell” in the name, he guessed the sport used magic and only existed in Twisted Wonderland. He could’ve explained his lack of knowledge, but when he realized that the whole class was staring at him, he shrank back and his voice grew quieter.

“No, never,” he said, hanging his head and setting off a whole new commotion among his classmates.

Grim—perhaps feeling that he was a target of mockery, too—stood up on his chair and proclaimed, “Ya can’t know what ya don’t know! Geez! You got a problem with that?!” Yuya supposed Grim had been so focused on trying to gain entry into Night Raven College in the first place that he had never paid any mind to the sport.

“No one’s saying it’s a problem,” said the Heartslabyul student who had greeted Yuya earlier.

The other students from different dorms snorted with laughter.

“Yeah. We’re just surprised is all. Right?” one called out.

“Yup. It’s like, were you living under a rock or something? I mean, everybody knows Spelldrive,” another shouted.

“So you are making fun!” Grim snarled.

“Be quiet! Grim, down!” Crewel roared. “Apologies. It appears I was not sufficiently considerate of our newest students.” He directed his pointer at the chalk resting on the ledge of the blackboard. It floated up into the air and began to sketch lines on the blackboard of a rectangular court with a large circle in the center of each of the short ends, which appeared to be goals.

“Someone. Tell us the rules of Spelldrive. Briefly,” Crewel demanded. Everyone looked at everyone else. “Well then, Trappola.” The teacher called out Ace by name, perhaps because he was sitting near Yuya.

“Me?” Ace said with a frown. Then he explained quickly: “Spelldrive is a sport played by competing teams of seven. Basically, players battle for control of a disc and earn points by drivin’ it into the enemy team’s goal. The team with the most points wins!”

“Good,” Crewel said.

Yuya repeated Ace’s explanation to himself as he looked at the board once more. He didn’t know the game’s details, but it seemed similar to soccer or American football in his home world. When he was in high school, his parents had suggested he join either sport. They were concerned he wasn’t being social enough when he didn’t join any clubs in high school. He’d refused because soccer and football, though games, still felt like a form of fighting to him, and he was definitely not interested in that. His parents had laughed, half in exasperation, saying they guessed he might say that.

However, when Yuya offered up his comparison of Spelldrive to the sports he knew, Crewel put a ponderous hand to his chin.

“Apologies,” Crewel said. “I’ve not heard of a sport called American football. And Spelldrive is quite different from soccer.”

“Wait. What is soccer?!” Grim looked back and forth between Yuya and Crewel. Yuya suddenly understood how his classmates felt when he revealed his ignorance of Spelldrive.

“We’ll never be done at this rate.” Crewel pinched the space between his eyebrows with a sigh. “Grim, have Yu explain soccer to you later. At the moment, we’re discussing the major characteristics of Spelldrive. Deuce, continue.”

Deuce looked at Yuya and Grim before continuing, saying, “Magic is the basis for Spelldrive. Not only do you move the disc with magic, but you use it to attack and defend, too.”

“Huh!” Grim grunted and his eyes shone. “So it’s all magic? Sounds pretty cool.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” Yuya said with a slow nod. “That’s why it’s called Spelldrive.”

“Exactly,” Crewel agreed. “Our academy is known throughout the world as a leader in the sport. Some of my classmates even went on to become professional players.” Yuya remembered that Crewel had also graduated from Night Raven College.

“What? Who?” demanded a chorus of voices from the students at the front of the classroom. As Crewel named his former classmates, the other students got even more excited, though none of the players meant anything to Yu, who was beginning to understand how popular Spelldrive was.

“And so our graduates are actively making their marks even in the arena of professional sport,” Crewel said. “And why is that? Because, as Deuce noted, Spelldrive pits magical ability against magical ability.”

The chalk drew a disc on the board with two stick figures on either side.

Crewel continued, “It is strictly against the rules to physically touch the disc, and thus, players use magic to hold it aloft. But because the disc is constructed so that it absorbs magic, sophisticated techniques are required to keep it in the air. Controlling it becomes even more difficult when attempting to pass or score, meaning foolish puppies can scarcely manage to catch or release it.”

The chalk figures on the board began to move, and the sight of the chalk figures coming to life in class never failed to surprise Yuya no matter how many times he saw it.

One stick person threw the disc from the end of the field toward the goal at the opposite end. The disc moved quickly at first but gradually lost speed until it was snatched out of the air by the another stick person’s magic and started moving in a different direction. Yuya supposed this meant the disc had gotten too far from the thrower and their magic no longer reached it, or the disc had absorbed all the magic the thrower had used, which allowed someone from the other team to steal it.

If this was a sport where magic was everything, then it made sense that a famed arcane academy would have a strong team. But this was apparently not the only reason why Spelldrive was so popular at Night Raven College.

The chalk slid across the blackboard thanks to Crewel’s magic, spelling out a Japanese character that read as “magic” to Yuya, even though the chalk’s movement didn’t follow the strokes for that character. It reminded Yuya that he was a stranger in this land. For him, some unexplained magic was automatically translating this world’s language into his native language, Japanese. He remembered the moment when he had first arrived in Twisted Wonderland and had realized that his ears were hearing Japanese, but his mouth was forming different shapes and syllables than what he was expecting, apparently speaking this world’s language.

Crewel turned his pointer toward the classroom. “However, magic is not the only requirement for Spelldrive,” he continued. “Physical fitness is obviously critical to outpace a speedy opponent or beat another player to the disc. Naturally, it goes without saying that one must have the brains to strategize a game plan. A leader who is unable to communicate orders accurately to a group of puppies unable to understand commands to begin with… Well, that would be an unspeakably awful sight.” The words “body” and “mind” were written on the board. “Spelldrive is a sport that requires a balance of intelligence, physical stamina, and magic. Do you understand?”

Yuya and Grim both answered yes, and Crewel nodded, satisfied. It seemed like a difficult game, but it was the sort of challenge the students at Night Raven College clearly enjoyed.

Ace happily told Yuya all about how proud they were of being a leading school in Spelldrive. “The interdorm tournament at Night Raven College is, like, a sight to behold, okay?” he gushed. “You got these famous magical folks and pro league recruiters and special guests all showing up. And there’s these kiosks crammed together selling all kinds of stuff, so it’s all busy and bumping like a festival. I know because they show it on TV, and it’s broadcast all over the whole world.”

“Oh yeah, the Spelldrive special,” Deuce said, just as passionately as Ace. “I used to watch that at home. Spelldrive at other schools doesn’t even begin to compare.”

“So a school event is even broadcast on TV?” Yuya asked, stunned. “Wow.”

“What?!” Grim was even more impressed. He had been thoroughly uninterested and casually swinging his legs the whole time Crewel was explaining the rules, but the moment Ace and Deuce started talking about TV and special guests, his tail shot up. “It’s broadcast all over the world?! So you’re sayin’ that if I were to play in this tournament, the whole world would see it?!”

“Huh? Well, yeah, I guess they would. I mean, if you were out there making great plays,” Ace said. From the way he and Deuce were talking, Grim thought it sounded like a lot of people tuned in for the tournament broadcast, and a player who really shone on the field would no doubt quickly become famous.

Grim put his paws on the desk and jumped up and down with glee. “Yessss!” Grim cried. “It’s settled, then! I’m gonna train around the clock and become a legend!”

The class was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Then everyone burst out laughing, some laughing so hard that tears were rolling down their faces.

“Like anyone’d let you on the field, Grim!” laughed a student.

“Wh-what the what?!” the monster demanded.

The student exploded in laughter again. “Think about it for maybe two seconds, ya dodo.” The other students were gasping for breath after laughing so hard.

“Seriously, man,” another student panted. “Did you not hear the ‘interdorm’ part of that?”

“A team’s got to have seven people,” another boy said. “But Ramshackle Dorm’s only got you and Yu, and he can’t even use magic. Cry all you want, but facts are facts.”

“Yeah,” said someone else. “Your dorm doesn’t have enough players, you’re out. It’s as simple as that. Doesn’t matter if your plays are good or not.”

“You dare?” Grim snarled. “Listen, bub! I am a student at Night Raven College. I can be in the Spelldrive tourney if I want, yeah? Yeah!” He looked to Crewel for help, but the teacher shook his head.

“The numbers are what they are,” Crewel said. “I understand how you must be feeling, but we can’t change the rules for one student. You’ll simply have to give up on Spelldrive this year and hope that more students in next year’s incoming class join your dorm.”

“No faaaaair!” Grim was in full temper-tantrum mode, Crewel’s stern expression making clear this really was the end of the line. “I wanna be on TV! I want everyone in the world fawning over me! ‘Squeee! Grim is sooooo cool!’ ‘Did you see that play Grim made?’ You get what I’m sayin’?” He kicked and flailed on top of the linked desks so violently it startled Yuya.

“Grim, calm down,” Yuya said, attempting to stop his partner, but the monster ignored him.

Ace and Deuce looked at Grim in exasperation. “Your delusions are oddly specific, dude,” Ace remarked. “Kick and scream all you want, it won’t change anything. And, like, it’s actually wild you just assume you’d be the star if you did get on the field. Classic Grim right there, huh?”

“Yeah,” Deuce agreed. “After all, he didn’t even know the rules five seconds ago. Grim, did you not get that Spelldrive’s seriously hard? I thought Professor Crewel made that pretty clear.”

They were exactly right, and there was no doubt the rest of the class thought the same thing. Yuya could hear sneers and laughter from every corner. Grim let out a quiet groan, and Yuya immediately clamped a hand over Grim’s mouth. The last thing they needed was the monster spewing fire all over the classroom. He had his doubts about whether Ramshackle Dorm was considered equal to the other seven dorms, but when it came to an official tournament like this, they didn’t have much choice but to give up.

“Grim. I can’t play a game that uses magic, anyway,” he said, trying to placate the monster. “And even you would have a hard time being a team of one.”

“Hnnngh. But! But! This was my chance to leap onto the world stage…” Grim slumped over like he was melting onto the desk.

The shoulders of a student from Savanaclaw Dorm shook with laughter. “That Ramshackle Dorm of yours is nowhere close to being in the same league as our dorm. As if you ever had a hope of playing in the tournament! No way we’re letting you drag us down with your idiocy when we finally get our big moment in the sun.”

“Ha! Get a load of Savanaclaw,” someone muttered. “That’s some big talk from a dorm that keeps losing.”

The mood in the classroom changed instantly. The Savanaclaw student stood up, face stern, his dorm armband clearly visible as his dormmates quickly turned with him. “Hey!” he demanded. “What’d you say?”

“Aah, sorry. You heard that? I didn’t mean to tell the truth there,” the other student said with a laugh. He had a yellowish-green-and-black Diasomnia armband, as did the boys sitting in the seats around him. He looked at the Savanaclaw student and rather deliberately cocked his head to one side. “I’m just concerned, y’know? Acting like you’re all that when it’s obvious we in Diasomnia are gonna crush you again this year. You’re gonna be so embarrassed later. Diasomnia for the win.”

“The upperclassmen are worried, too, y’know,” another Diasomnia student chimed in. “I mean, you lost your first match two years in a row. You’re a pale shadow of the team you used to be. I heard you might actually start losing dorm members over it.”

“Come over here and say that!” growled the Savanaclaw student as he lunged at the Diasomnia group.

“How about we square off right here, right now? We’ll see who’s the best!” shouted another Diasomnia student.

“Diasomnia for the win? Don’t make me laugh! Your dorm only wins because of Malleus Draconia and his power, that monster. The rest of y’all don’t even do anything.”

In the face of the brawny Savanaclaw students shouting and threatening them, the Diasomnia students had been the picture of calm. However, at this statement, the looks on their faces changed.

“Monster? Why, you—” a Diasomnia student replied, icily. “You don’t even have the guts to go and say that to our housewarden’s face.”

The students glared at each other, both sides growing angrier by the second. Somehow, Grim’s selfish grumbling had initiated a full-fledged fight. Yuya shrank into himself nervously, while the other students sat back and watched, amused. Ace and Deuce also looked uninclined to step up and stop them, rolling their eyes as if to say, Here they go again.

“Be quiet!” Professor Crewel’s bellow cut through the unrest in the classroom. “Quit your pointless howling over such petty nonsense. You are less than puppies!”

The teacher’s rage shocked the room into silence, and the students winced, bracing themselves for a harsh lecture. Luckily, the bell for first period rang at that moment.

“Hmph. That’s all for homeroom,” Crewel huffed.

The entire class heaved a sigh of relief as a grumpy Crewel left the room, and they hurried to get ready for class. Yuya felt the tension slide out of his shoulders. “Saved by the bell,” he whispered, grateful that the unbearable fighting was over.

Grim continued sulking as they walked to their first class and through all their morning classes. He just could not accept that he wouldn’t be allowed to play in the Spelldrive tournament.

“Hey, come on. Cheer up already,” Yuya said as they headed toward the cafeteria. He could see only the top of Grim’s head because the monster’s dejected ears were drooping and hiding his face. “We get to have bread from that bakery for lunch today. You know, like we promised Ace and Deuce? They said it’s supergood.”

“Unnnh,” Grim groaned, head hanging. “Guess I’ll just hafta drown my sorrows in food. I’m gonna eat every last bit of bread they have!”

When they arrived at the cafeteria, a crowd of people was already gathered around a table on the far side of the room.

“Today is a special day!” a ghost flying high above the crowd shouted. “That famous bakery from town is serving up their goods. It only happens once a month! Their stock sells out fast, so you’d better hurry!”

Ace and Deuce pulled up behind them, equally surprised at all the commotion.

“Whoa! Dang!” Ace cried. “The whole world’s here already!”

“They’re going to sell out in no time,” Deuce said. “We gotta get in there!”

“Egg sandwiches are now sold out!” one ghost announced.

“Only one of our famous deluxe ham and cheese sandwiches left!” another ghost called.

An angry cry rang out as a student shouted, “Hey! I had that sandwich first!”

“After you cut the line! Keep it to yourself, jerkface!” another student retorted.

Yuya was not interested in joining the battle for sandwiches and pastries, so he handed the promised lunch money to Ace and Deuce, and then he lined up alone for his regular lunch. That line was much shorter than usual, and he placed his order in no time. Today’s special was salmon cream stew.

Yuya got seats for everyone and settled in to wait, his lunch steaming before him, but Grim soon came bouncing along on excited feet. The monster was using both hands to carry several items wrapped in paper. He set them down on the table and picked up the one that was the largest.

“Myah ha!” he cackled. “Check it out, Yu! Guess who scored the last deluxe ham and cheese sandwich? This guy. Grim the Great!”

“Huh? Wow!” Yuya was impressed. “I heard people saying that’s the most popular sandwich. I can’t believe you got one.”

Ace and Deuce walked up behind Grim, looking tired.

“Grim jumped in and snatched it out of the hands of one of the upperclassmen,” Deuce told Yuya.

Hearing this, Yuya was silently relieved he hadn’t gone with them.

“This loser here was in and out like a lightning strike,” Ace said, glaring down at the triumphant Grim. “So the guy thought I did it, even though I was just standing there! For a sec, I thought he was gonna murder me.”

“He tried to steal a bunch of other stuff, too.” Deuce sighed. “It was a real piece of work to hold him back.”

“You okay?” Yuya asked. “Did you manage to get something for yourselves?”

Ace and Deuce smiled as they placed white paper packages on the table. Through the gaps in the paper, Yuya saw thick slices of roast beef and vivid green lettuce. There were also buns with cream spilling out of them and a baguette baked with cheese on top—they had come back with quite the haul. Even with all that, though, they still had change to give back to Yuya, meaning the bakery was probably priced for students. He understood why the booth was so popular.

“Time for grub!” Ace plopped himself down across from Yuya, and Deuce took the seat next to Ace.

“Thanks for lunch, Yu,” Deuce said.

“No, thank you for helping fix up Ramshackle Dorm,” Yuya replied, as the pair cheerfully unwrapped their sandwiches.

As for Grim, he was vibrating with happiness as he stared lovingly at the large prey he had taken down. He would normally have leaped onto it without a moment’s hesitation, so he must have really been pleased with himself.

The sandwich indeed deserved the title “deluxe.” It was significantly larger than Ace’s sandwich and wrapped in thin waxed paper instead of the white paper package covering Ace’s sandwich, perhaps because it didn’t fit. The transparent paper revealed two slices of perfectly toasted bread and generous slices of ham and cheese. The sandwich looked positively delicious.

“This deluxe ham and cheese sandwich is gonna be a party in my mouth!” Grim declared.

“Deluxe ham and cheese sandwich?” someone repeated from behind Yuya. Deuce’s face grew pale.

Curious, Yuya peered over his shoulder to find a skinny boy with large animal ears poking out of biscuit-colored hair. The boy regarded the surprised Yuya and the bewildered Deuce and tilted his ears forward.

“Oh hey, whoa,” the boy said. “You’re those reckless first-years from that incident, right? And the roly-poly kitty cat’s here, too. We meet again, huh?”

“Huh? Who’s this?” Ace whispered. “Is he from Savanaclaw?”

“No clue,” Grim said, grinning at his sandwich without a glance at the boy. “How’m I s’posed to remember every stupid little thing that happens?”

“You really don’t pull punches, hmm? I’m Ruggie Bucchi. Savanaclaw second-year.” As the boy grinned at Ace, sharp teeth glinted in the light.

Startled, Yuya managed a polite bow. “How have you been?” he asked.

Ruggie was the Savanaclaw student Yuya and Deuce had met when they went to Mister S’s Mystery Shop to get ingredients for a chestnut tart a few weeks ago. Ruggie and the Savanaclaw Dorm’s housewarden, Leona Kingscholar, had intervened when Deuce had started fighting with some Savanaclaw students, and had kept the encounter from escalating to dangerous levels.

“You know him, too, Yu?” Ace asked.

Yuya grunted a noncommittal response. He figured Deuce wouldn’t want this story told, since he was trying to hide his out-of-control side.

Ruggie peered at the sandwich in front of Grim. “That really is a deluxe ham and cheese sandwich! I can’t believe you were able to get your hands on one,” he said admiringly. “The thing is, I really, really need to buy one of these sandwiches today. There’s a fairly frightening fellow who’s going to be very mad at me if I don’t. But my class ran long, and so I arrived at the lunch war too late.”

“Huh, sucks to be you. I got one, though!” Grim said, flaunting his sandwich.

“Grim!” Yu chided.

Ruggie waved a hand back and forth, narrowing his blue-gray eyes. “No, no, it’s all right.”

“Looks good, huh?” Grim teased. “Betcha wish you had one! Go ahead and be as jealous as you want! Myah ha ha!”

“Yeah, I sure do. And I have a proposition for you.” Ruggie pulled something out of his uniform pocket. It was smaller than Yuya’s fist, about a quarter of the size of the deluxe ham and cheese sandwich. “You mind trading that sandwich for this mini anpan bun?”

“Anpan?” Grim looked at the other boy dubiously. Ace and Deuce also cocked their heads.

Now that Yuya thought about it, he couldn’t remember seeing any Japanese food or snacks since arriving in Twisted Wonderland. All the snacks in the cafeteria and shop were like the American and British snacks he’d heard about.

Yuya immediately became overcome with homesickness for those familiar flavors. The fact that Ruggie was holding an anpan at least meant that the item existed somewhere in this world. He heaved a sigh of relief.

“It’s like a sweet roll,” Yuya explained. “It’s got this red bean paste inside, kinda like a jelly donut.”

“Huh.” Grim’s nose twitched, his curiosity piqued. Then he quickly hugged his sandwich with both hands. “Whatever that thing is, ain’t no way I’m trading for a teensy-tiny bun!”

“I figured you’d say that,” Ace laughed. Deuce and Yuya laughed, too. Pigs would fly before the gluttonous Grim traded a large sandwich for a small bun.

“Oh, come now. Let’s not be like that. Here, I insist,” Ruggie said, holding out the anpan, and the unthinkable happened.

Grim held out his deluxe ham and cheese sandwich for Ruggie.

“Whaaat?!” Yuya, Ace, and Deuce shouted in unison.

“Might be a storm coming tomorrow,” Deuce muttered, and Yuya bobbed his head in agreement.

Grim looked even more surprised than his friends. His eyes flew open, and he stared at his own paws in disbelief.

“Myah?!” he yelped. “What in the name of tuna…? My paws are movin’ on their own!”

“Sounds like we have ourselves a deal. Shyeheehee!” Ruggie plucked the sandwich from Grim’s hands and set the anpan down in its place. “What luck I found a kind soul willing to trade. You enjoy that anpan. It’s so delicious, you’ll find you won’t be dissatisfied even if it’s small.”

Grim lunged forward to try to take his sandwich back, but the smiling Ruggie stepped nimbly aside to dodge the monster. Grim tumbled from his chair onto the floor.

“My deluxe ham and cheese sandwich!” he shrieked. “Give it back!”

“It’s mine now. Toodles!” Ruggie said as he sauntered off.

“Stop!!” Grim tried to give chase, but Deuce was quick to restrain him as he glanced around.

“Look,” Deuce commanded in a hushed tone. “We’re surrounded by Savanaclaw guys.”

Yuya looked up at the people gathered around and realized that every single one of them wore a yellow armband.

“Dude. What d’you want with Savanaclaw?” said one student.

“How ’bout we hear what you got to say, huh?” said another.

Big, muscular students stood in front of them like a wall.

“Nah, man. It’s nothing. We’re all good!” Ace stated and flashed a smile. “We were just messing around. Just doing our own thing. Right?!”

Yuya nodded vigorously.

“So long as you get it,” one of the Savanaclaw students said. By the time their group had dispersed, Ruggie was long gone.

“That jerk!” Grim snarled. “Where’d he go?!”

“Give it up, man,” Ace said and shook his head. “You can’t take on that many Savanaclaw students all by yourself. You don’t stand a chance against them.”

The dorms of Night Raven College each had their own particular personality. Savanaclaw’s was sporty, and the majority of its students were jocks. Ace had once told Yuya that the dorm was a gathering place for students who were fleet of foot, strong with stamina. The boys who had just confronted them were so huge and muscular that Yuya could hardly believe they were all about his age.

Grim’s chances against a group like that were vanishingly small. The monster wasn’t even half their size, and the use of magic in personal fights was forbidden at Night Raven.

“My… my magnificent deluxe ham and cheese for this teensy…” Grim clambered onto his chair and stared at the small anpan bun in a daze. He had squeezed it in his fall, causing the sweet bean paste in the middle to shoot out the sides.

“If you’re so miserable about it, you shouldn’t have traded in the first place,” Yuya told him.

“I bet you were trying to come off all cool, and it backfired on ya,” Ace said.

“I didn’t! I wasn’t!” Grim shouted and slammed a paw down on the table. “I didn’t wanna trade. It’s like, when he put out his hand, my paw just shot out—like it was copyin’ his!”

“So you did just get carried away,” Deuce sighed, exasperated. “You can’t go whining after the fact.”

“I’m not… Hnnnngh.” Unable to explain his own actions, Grim lost his temper and hammered his paws against the table in frustrated protest.

“Simmer down, man,” Ace said. “With that whole sitch the way it was, if you hadn’t handed that sandwich over, he obviously woulda taken it by force.”

Yuya shuddered and asked, “Where did those guys even come from?”

“Maybe they just overheard the quarrel with Bucchi,” Deuce said, his brow furrowed. “Or maybe they were in on it from the start.”

“They got into position so fast, like they were used to fighting,” Yuya remarked. “I guess it’s probably best to assume that wasn’t a coincidence.”

“I told you, you don’t wanna tangle with Savanaclaw,” Ace said, lowering his voice. “Some of those guys are beastfolk, yeah? Plus, did you check the fangs on Ruggie?! We might be the same size, but he gives off real dangerous carnivore vibes. A couple of dunces like Deuce and Grim go jumping him, they’ll hunt you like small prey, and it’ll be game over in no time flat.”

“Don’t lump me in with Grim,” Deuce said huffily, but Grim couldn’t hear him over the sound of his own whining.

“You mean they’re good at teamwork?” Yuya asked, remembering something Ace had told him before. “You said there are a lot of beastfolk in Savanaclaw—is that why?”

“Yeah,” Ace said, nodding. “Although there are humans like us in Savanaclaw, too. I think the biggest reason is basically the dorm’s style. They’re way sportier than the other dorms, which is why they’re skilled at Spelldrive, too.”

“Oh, right.” Yuya nodded slowly. “They were talking about that in class this morning.”

Savanaclaw was a dorm based on the indomitable will of the King of Beasts, one of the Great Seven—mages who were so powerful, Night Raven College had dedicated a dorm to each of them. The students were often physically strong to go with that mindset and took a great deal of pride in their dorm.

“Oh yeah,” Ace said. “They’re regular tourney champs. A lot of their crew’s been scouted at the tournament and gone pro afterward.”

“Yeah,” Deuce said, “but the winning dorm the last two years was—”

“Yup,” Ace said. “Diasomnia. That’s what the fighting was about this morning. Diasomnia’s been the champion for the last two years.”

“Ohhh,” Yuya said. “No wonder they were fighting in homeroom.”

“Right?” Ace said. “So the Savanaclaw guys are all on edge as it gets time for the Spelldrive tournament. Best thing to do is stay away from them right now.”

Diasomnia had become a force in Spelldrive in recent years, and Savanaclaw now viewed them as their enemies. Yuya vowed to stay away from both dorms until the tournament was over.

“The Spelldrive tournament…” Grim gasped. When he heard those words, all his fury melted away, and he fell prone onto the table. “First, I don’t get to be in the Spelldrive tournament, and now the deluxe ham and cheese sandwich I sweated blood for turned into this teensy-tiny bun… This is the worst day of my pathetic life!”

Grim’s furry paws were damp with tears and snot. Yuya actually felt sorry for him, so he collected the remaining buns and pastries and set them in front of Grim.

“You’ve got all these other buns, though,” he said, patting the monster’s rounded back. “They look tasty. You can get another deluxe sandwich next time. Let it go for today.”

“Hnnnngh. This sucks,” Grim said, and scarfed down a bagel from the pile in three bites before casting his eyes around the table. “I’m never gonna fill my stomach with this… Hey, Yu! I’m takin’ that stew off your hands!”

“Hey, no, don’t,” Yuya protested as he hurriedly yanked his plate up. Grim changed tactics and went after Deuce’s sandwich.

“Not a chance!” Deuce cried. “Leave me out of this!”

“Yikes! Better knock this back before Grim inhales it!” Ace shouted as he shoved his sandwich into his mouth, hardly chewing, not sparing a moment to savor this special treat.

Before they knew it, in the blink of an eye, their lunch break was over.

3

RUGGIE HEADED FOR the Botanical Garden holding the deluxe ham and cheese sandwich. He’d succeeded in his quest, so for once he didn’t need to drag his feet on the way back in order to think up an excuse. He simply slipped through the gates.

The Botanical Garden was next to the Alchemy Workshop and mostly grew magical plants to be used in experiments. No matter how cold it was outside, the interior of the massive glass dome remained the same fixed temperature thanks to magestone-powered climate control. Greenery and flowers of all kinds filled the space, and waterways were home to aquatic plants that could be observed from small bridges around the garden.

Ruggie had never seen such a large greenhouse before he started classes at Night Raven. He recalled seeing the hobby gardens of the wealthy during his years spent hustling to earn enough money to keep himself alive, but this greenhouse put them all to shame. He’d also never seen such carefully tended plants anywhere in his hometown. To him, nature wasn’t something you went out of your way to nurture. Instead, it was an untouched wild threat that was a constant presence everywhere.

Ruggie had no idea what any of these plants were called, and he crushed them underfoot as he moved deeper into the garden. He pushed green fragrant leaves aside until he found a tall boy lying beneath a tree. It was Leona Kingscholar, third-year student and housewarden of Savanaclaw Dorm.

“Leooona! Lunch is served, my friend!” Ruggie called out. Then he called again. And again.

Finally, a crease appeared between the tall boy’s eyebrows, and he opened his eyes. They were a green reminiscent of a midsummer plant bright with self-confidence. But the large scar that ran from his left eyebrow down to his cheek muted the force of those eyes to give him an overall look of ennui.

“Is it noon already?” Leona said with a wide yawn.

Ruggie let out an exasperated sigh. “Don’t tell me you’ve been asleep all morning! You’re going to fail more of your core classes.”

“Whatever. Anyway, did you get what I wanted?”

Ruggie didn’t bother to respond. Leona’s ancestors were lions; there was no way he had failed to pick up the scent of his prey.

“Huh.” Leona looked up at Ruggie. “Looks like you actually pulled it off today.”

“Barely! Must you always request the most popular item on bakery day?” Ruggie asked as he handed over the deluxe ham and cheese sandwich. He also gave him an iced tea, which he’d picked up on the way, figuring Leona would want a drink with his lunch. He knew only too well that this level of obsequiousness was essential in order to prove himself as an excellent gofer.

Leona accepted them without a word and grinned almost mockingly. “Are ya brain dead? The fact that it’s hard to get is exactly what makes me want it so bad.”

“Mm-hmm, is that it? Me, I’ll eat anything, so long as it isn’t moldy.”

Getting into Night Raven College had seriously changed Ruggie’s life. He doubted any other student at the school could even imagine life in a slum, wondering where their next meal would come from. Leona in particular had almost certainly never experienced pangs of hunger so painful that death seemed preferable or had put rotten food into his mouth when he could no longer stand those painful pangs.

“But as a prince,” Ruggie said, “I doubt you could relate, Your Highness.”

“Hmph,” Leona sniffed indignantly. “It ain’t like I’m first in line for succession. I’m the second-born prince, so I probably won’t ever be king. I’m practically a commoner, really.”

“You are not!” Ruggie protested. “You once saw a picture of my family’s home and mistook it for a doghouse, remember?”

“Did I really?” Leona said evenly as he polished off the sandwich in big bites. He seemed ravenous, but the way he ate was nevertheless somehow refined.

Ruggie was impressed. I guess the way you’re raised shows up in small things like this, huh? he thought.

Like Leona, Ruggie was from Sunset Savanna. But Ruggie grew up in a garden-variety slum, a member of the hyena family, which was looked down on out of tired tradition. Leona was one of the country’s two princes.

Ruggie had been surprised when he arrived at Night Raven College and learned that a prince from his own land was an upperclassman in his dorm, and he’d quickly decided to cozy up to this prince. Strong. Smart. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth. If he could hitch his wagon to this prince, he would never go hungry again.

“The royal life stinks, honestly,” Leona told him. “All that matters is the order of your birth. Hard work and talent basically mean nothin’.”

“I guess I could see that being a drag.”

“It is. In the end, there’s the king and that’s it.” Leona rolled his eyes. “All those other folks who aren’t born to be king are stuck living their lives trying to curry favor. Nothing free about that.”

If Leona knew how Ruggie had lived in Sunset Savanna, his words certainly didn’t acknowledge it or show any consideration. But Ruggie knew he couldn’t get angry at Leona’s arrogance. That would end what he had been working toward. Ruggie could poke and jab in a lighthearted way, but if he reacted seriously, Leona would cut him loose in a heartbeat. Leona hated any kind of hassle.

As if I’d set it all on fire like that, Ruggie chuckled to himself. Only a fool would get carried away by emotion and trash a hard-won advantage.

Leona almost certainly knew Ruggie was strategic like this. He was a good boss but lazy, which also made him sloppy with money. And while he was occasionally rough with people, he was always generous with those who served him. Once again today, he asked no questions about his change from lunch, allowing it to stay tucked into Ruggie’s pocket. Just as Ruggie had anticipated, Leona clearly understood that a little reward went a long way.

Above all else, Leona had ambition. That golden ambition is what mesmerized Ruggie.

“Oh! By the way, there’s the housewarden meeting after school today about the Spelldrive tournament. Please try to actually show up,” Ruggie said, and Leona nodded perfunctorily.

“Ugh, what a headache,” Leona grumbled as he lay back down under the tree. “I’m having another snooze. Wake me after lunch break is over.”

“I’m not your alarm clock, Leona,” Ruggie muttered, but Leona didn’t open his eyes.

Riddle Rosehearts hurried toward the Mirror Chamber, the large multipurpose room that housed the Dark Mirror that chose which dorm students would join, for the housewarden meeting. When he entered the ornate room, the other housewardens pointedly averted their eyes, just as they had ever since that fateful day when he overblotted.

“Well, if it isn’t the angry little baby from Heartslabyul,” the seated Leona taunted as he crossed his legs. “You all better now? You coulda stayed in bed like a good little boy surrounded by all your fanboys.”

“I appreciate your concern,” Riddle said, firmly rebuffing Leona’s sneer. “But I am quite capable of managing my own health.”

The truth was, however, Riddle had been hard-pressed to even stand up for a period of time afterward. His entire body was leaden and sore, so that he wondered if he’d burned up all his stamina and vitality along with his magic. On top of that, wherever he went, he felt the eyes of other people on him, gazes full of fear, curiosity, and contempt.

He was the mage who had lost himself to anger and overblotted. The tyrant who had been rejected by his dormmates. The former honors student who caused an unprecedented scandal at the famed arcane academy. Every whispered word was like a knife in Riddle’s pride. The whispers tormented him every single day, especially because they were all true.

He knew he must accept this punishment. What he had done was serious, and he was honestly grateful he hadn’t been expelled for the incident. He wasn’t yet able to process exactly how his mother had convinced the academy not to end his enrollment.

“Well, then,” Headmage Dire Crowley said. “I call to order this meeting of housewardens. Our agenda today concerns the interdorm Spelldrive tournament to take place at the end of this month.” The housewardens gathered in the Mirror Chamber nodded. “Let us begin with the report from the head of the tournament planning committee, Mr. Azul Ashengrotto of Octavinelle Dorm.”

Standing in the center of the room was the Octavinelle Dorm housewarden. “Greetings,” he said. “I am Azul, and it is my honor to lead the planning committee. I’m here with my report.”

Azul was a third-year like Riddle and had become housewarden that year. Smiling brightly, he seemed diligent and kind, the very picture of an honors student. A person meeting him for the first time would have been hard-pressed not to like him. But the other housewardens knew him to be an extremely calculating and guarded boy.

Wearing his perfect smile, Azul gave his report on the state of preparations for the tournament. A large number of guests had been invited, as always, and it promised to be a spectacular event.

“That’s all from me. Does anyone have any questions?” Azul said, glancing around at the other housewardens. No one spoke up, and so Azul, assuming no one had any concerns, sat back down.

The headmage stood once more. Crowley cut an imposing figure in his top hat, long coat, and conspicuous black mask, which had a sharp-pointed nose and covered his face from his forehead to below his golden eyes. “Now then, we need to discuss the tournament matchups. I have an idea I’d like to propose,” he said, then he cleared his throat and pursed his lips. “It concerns the Diasomnia housewarden. I think we should induct Malleus Draconia into the hall of fame to keep him off the field entirely.”

Murmurs rippled through the Mirror Chamber.

“The hall of fame?” Riddle asked. “There’s no precedent for that.”

Azul shrugged. As the leader of the planning committee, he hadn’t heard anything about this from the headmage beforehand, and it appeared to be news to the others as well.

“What are you on about?” Leona demanded, his expression stern.

“Ever since Mr. Draconia enrolled here, no dorm has scored even a single point against Diasomnia,” the headmage said briskly. “Diasomnia regularly scores one hundred points per game, with 90 percent of them being from Mr. Draconia himself.”

“Yeah, exactly. The dude totally breaks the game. It’s like he’s got cheat codes enabled,” said the disembodied voice of Idia Shroud, the Ignihyde housewarden. His voice was coming from a tablet that was set out in his place; he was quite antisocial and rarely appeared in person at these meetings. Instead, Idia remained in his room using the tablet to listen and mutter somewhat incomprehensible comments. As usual, Riddle failed to understand the better part of what he said, but he could tell that the Ignihyde housewarden was scornful of Draconia, to say the least.

“The game?” the headmage asked, a harsh look on his face. “No, listen! Amusement is not the only goal of this tournament. Our hope is that spectators the world over will discover talented new mages.”

His serious tone made Riddle realize the true intention behind this proposal. The Spelldrive tournament determined the students’ future career options. Those who performed well were scouted for the pro league and made their professional debuts soon after graduating. This was the dream and goal of more than a few students. There were probably even some who had come to Night Raven College specifically as a way to become a professional player.

“Recent matches have ended without anyone, save Mr. Draconia, casting even a single spell. And that includes his own teammates! That is a less-than-optimal state of affairs,” the headmage continued.

Riddle remembered exactly what that state of affairs had been like last year. Just as the headmage noted, it had been quite the unusual scene. The Spelldrive tournament was supposedly a competition of knowledge, stamina, and magic, but Malleus, the world’s leading mage, had bent it to his will with his overwhelming magical strength. The other Diasomnia players and the opposing teams hadn’t managed to get in a single play; they’d simply been trampled underfoot. Such a show could hardly be called a tournament or even a sporting event.

Still in a daze, Riddle heard his vice housewarden, Trey Clover, sigh, further surprising him. “This was how it went last year, too,” his vice housewarden noted.

“Last year was a bit of bad luck for Savanaclaw Dorm in particular,” Crowley said as he lowered his voice, looking concerned. “For the second year in a row, they were paired against Diasomnia for their first match in the tournament and eliminated in the first round.”

Everyone in the Mirror Chamber looked at Leona, the Savanaclaw housewarden.

Savanaclaw had been a frequent champion ever since the academy began holding the Spelldrive tournament, and they’d never placed lower than third. In fact, Savanaclaw had such a strong team that Riddle had assumed they would latch onto Malleus and really dig their teeth into him right up until the end.

Undoubtedly, the fact that they were a proven force on the field made it all the more frustrating that a single player could change the game so thoroughly. Riddle would never forget Leona’s angry roar when he heard they had been shut out. It had been a rare display of rage from the generally stoic lion boy.

“That’s certainly not impressing any recruiters,” the headmage continued. “Thus, this matter of disproportionate performance directly affects the futures of the students of Savanaclaw, many of whom have their sights set on careers as professionals.”

“And you’re sayin’ you expect us to make fools of ourselves on the field again this year?” Leona demanded, a menacing edge in his voice that reminded Riddle of his roar last year. While he wasn’t quite yelling, his anger was barely contained.

“No.” The headmage shook his head. “That is not what I’m saying.”

“How is it different?” Leona pressed. “Our great and wise headmage believes we’ll face crushing defeat again this year. And so you’re kindly removing Malleus from play by inducting him into the hall of fame, and takin’ pity on our poor, wretched souls.”

“Well, it certainly brings me no pleasure to suggest it.” The headmage averted his eyes, which was the equivalent of admitting Leona was correct. Leona fell silent, and the headmage spoke again, his tone deliberately cheery. “Come now, it’s not such a bad deal, is it? Regardless, I have already gained Draconia’s informal consent on the matter. All we need now is this committee’s approval.”

Riddle and the other housewardens—except for Leona— looked at each other, bewildered.

Hall of fame? Malleus Draconia? The measure was indeed extraordinary, but it would prevent the spectacular defeats they saw last year. Not only that, it might give Riddle the opportunity to unveil some clever bit of magic and show off his superior skills as a mage to the students of his own dorm—and perhaps to the world. He wanted this win so badly he could taste it. Here was his chance to regain his status. His rational mind insisted that he couldn’t let this opportunity to remove Malleus from the playing field get away from him, but would his personal pride in his own abilities really allow him to take the easy way out?

A groan jolted him out of his thoughts.

“So you’re sayin’ we need a handicap,” Leona said, standing up. “Listen and listen well, Teach. Ain’t nothin’ I hate more in the whole world than someone tellin’ me ‘you can’t win’ before I even have a chance to fight.”

Riddle couldn’t see Leona’s expression, nor could he make out the headmage’s expression under his mask, but an intimidating air radiated from the housewarden’s back.

Then Leona turned around, a smile on his face, in stark contrast with his tone.

“This doesn’t bug you guys?” he asked, his quiet voice carrying to every corner of the Mirror Chamber. “Remember how things went down last year and the year before? How it felt to be nothin’ more than a stage for the great Malleus Draconia to strut around on, flauntin’ his abilities? You sure you wanna let him walk away with that win? We do this hall-of-fame thing, and we’ll be forever branded as the herbivores who scurried off in fear of Malleus.”

Leona’s appeal entered their ears and shook their hearts. That unbearable humiliation flared to life in each of them.

Malleus hadn’t looked particularly happy when the TV cameras pointed at him after he’d won. He’d simply cocked his head as if to say, Is that all? Riddle and the others had stared with disgust and a hint of fear.

With this monster on the field, their talents were useless; they didn’t even have the chance to show them off. The sight of the young mages lying prostrate on the ground after having been completely blown away by Malleus’s storm of magic no doubt still lingered in memories around the world. Riddle couldn’t even count the number of times he’d come across people sneering and whispering that “the students of the supposedly acclaimed Night Raven College can’t compete against someone with innate talent.” The thought made him grit his teeth.

Of course this bothered them. How could it not? Naturally, every boy in that room shared the burning desire to prove themselves on the world’s stage. But what would Leona have them do about this tempest they were up against?

Noticing the confusion on the faces around him, Leona turned his face upward. “Aah,” he sighed, shrugging rather deliberately before spreading his hands out. “Sure, in a battle of brute force, no one’s beatin’ him. That’s a fact. But in a battle of wits—that’s a different story.” Leona raised his voice. “Spelldrive ain’t a game about power. It’s about what’s up here, in your head! You all should be rackin’ your brains, trying to come up with a way to drag Malleus down!”

“Drag Malleus down?” Riddle muttered. Leona looked over and nodded.

“Yeah,” he said. “What’s givin’ up gonna do when you still got a chance? Natch, it won’t be easy. That’s exactly why whichever team figures it out is gonna be sittin’ real pretty on the world stage.” His voice grew more animated, as though he was enjoying himself. “After their wins these last couple of years, Diasomnia’s gonna get sloppy. Now’s our time. Sure, it’s risky, but that only makes the reward even sweeter.”

His clear confidence chipped away at the lingering anxiety in the room. Beating Malleus would be difficult; everyone understood that painfully well. Defeating the world’s leading mage would be no easy task, but Leona’s words stirred their fighting spirit, made them want to stand up to Malleus. They began to imagine a brighter outcome.

“Malleus has been lording himself over us all this time, and us ‘little people’ takin’ him down’d be the ultimate humiliation for him. So? Don’t you wanna see that self-important, stuck-up jerk’s crestfallen face get broadcast to the whole world? And don’t you wanna be the one to put that look on his face? Doesn’t the thought of it make you wanna roar?” Leona declared.

The housewardens glanced at each other. They nodded.

“For once, Leona is making perfect sense,” murmured Vil Schoenheit, Pomefiore’s housewarden, as he smiled daringly. Vil was particularly proud of his own beauty and wouldn’t stand to look ugly before others. “I agree—Crowley’s plan is utter nonsense.”

“I’m also in agreement!” declared Kalim Al-Asim, the housewarden of Scarabia Dorm. He threw his hand up into the air with an insouciant smile. “It’s not nice to leave only Malleus out of the group. We should all have fun together at a tournament like this.”

“Yes. I think Leona’s proposal is quite marvelous,” Azul said. He clasped his hands together in front of his chest, as though deeply moved, but there was a shrewd light in his eyes. “Malleus’s loss would certainly boost the ratings! It would be the instant talk of the town. Who knows what kind of impact it would have in the end?”

“I do think a hall-of-fame induction would also be fine, though,” Idia said, his disinterested voice emanating through the tablet’s speaker. Ignihyde didn’t really participate in sporting events, so Idia was neither assenting to nor rejecting either idea. He didn’t care one way or the other.

As the rest of the undecided housewardens each agreed with Leona, Riddle was left as the only one who hadn’t yet responded. The other boys turned to him curiously.

He met their eyes squarely and responded, “I, too, am in agreement. As one of the foremost mages here, the last thing I want to do is give up without a fight.”

“It’s settled, then,” Leona said. His satisfied grin seemed to praise Riddle, to say, Way to push back, pal.

However, Riddle wasn’t particularly comfortable with Leona’s tactics. Leona didn’t care a whit about rules. They were both housewardens, yet Leona did not seem to concern himself with the job at all. His nature and attitude toward life weren’t anything the rule-following Riddle respected. How could such an unserious slacker be a housewarden?

At times, Riddle had even gotten angry at the lion boy and censured him directly. He found Leona’s laziness, elusiveness, and penchant for sarcasm infuriating. Moreover, the hardest thing for him to accept was the fact that Leona was adored by the students of Savanaclaw.

Why would anyone respect someone who continually ignored the rules? A person who didn’t maintain order had no value. Riddle was of the mind that such a person should not be permitted to exist.

Yet Riddle could now understand people’s reactions to him. Leona excelled at reading people. He poked at the anxieties and complexes of others and offered just the right words to prod and encourage them. Riddle couldn’t deny the joy and hope that had welled up inside him, kindled by Leona’s words. Until now, he’d had no idea that exhortations and pep talks could pierce people’s hearts in this way.

“I think we have our answer,” Leona said proudly. “The hall-of-fame idea is officially shut down.”

“Fine, fine. I understand,” Crowley conceded, shaking his head. “But I expect everyone to live up to all the boasting you’ve done today.”

“We’ll put in the work, don’t you worry,” Leona said leisurely, undaunted by the headmage’s warning.

Leona’s confidence came off as arrogance at times, but right then, it dazzled Riddle. If Riddle could read people and manipulate them the way Leona did, his situation might be very different. There was no use in crying over spilled milk—that was exactly why he wanted to make his mark on the tournament and regain the approval of his dorm.

4

PRACTICE FOR THE SPELLDRIVE TOURNAMENT began on the sports field. Each dorm brought out their most powerful players and set to work training enthusiastically during their allotted time. The whole of Night Raven College was caught up in Spelldrive fever, with students passionately arguing about who would make it onto the Spelldrive teams and which dorm would be victorious. The knockout structure of the tournament only fanned the flames.

Ace and Deuce were not immune to the excitement and spent happy days absorbed in Spelldrive. They told Yuya that the better Heartslabyul players—Riddle first among them—were doing strength training. Even though Ace grumbled that the dorm was still cleaning up the Heartslabyul garden that had been destroyed during the overblot incident, and he needed the extra work from training for Spelldrive like an extra hole in his head, he, too, was in high spirits at the change in their everyday routine.

The only place where leisure reigned, it seemed, was Yuya’s own Ramshackle Dorm.

“I don’t wanna do anything,” Grim grumbled from the sofa. He was lying face down, sulking, and his voice was muffled by the cushions. Yuya brought his ear closer as Grim muttered a string of complaints.

“It’s no fair, everyone else is having the time of their lives,” the monster moaned. “I mean, I… I…”

“You’re still not over that?” Yuya sighed. “It’s been three days. And it’s not like we can do anything. Give it up already.”

Yuya sat down beside Grim, and the trio of house ghosts came flying in.

“Ol’ Grimmy’s been real quiet lately,” one said, sadly shaking his head. “No fun scaring a guy that down in the dumps.”

“Something got him feelin’ blue?” another asked.

“Oh, that’s right,” Yuya said to the spectral trio. “I guess we haven’t actually told you yet. The Spelldrive tournament’s coming up.”

“Oooh!” the ghosts chorused excitedly.

“Spelldrive, huh!” The largest ghost danced around gleefully in the air. “Already that time o’ year, then. That’s the main event for sorcerers!”

“I heard it gets pretty busy,” Yuya agreed. “Do you all watch every year?”

“You bet we do! And we’re not just regular fans.” The ghost shook his head. “Nope. We were actually in the tournament ninety years ago. We really set the place on fire.”

Yuya didn’t know much about the ghosts, so he was fascinated by the revelation that they had once been students at Night Raven ninety years ago. Even back then Spelldrive had been a popular sport.

“No fair!” Grim whined as his tail thwacked the sofa. “I wanna make all the people scream and yell, too!”

Yuya shrugged at the ghosts. “There’s only the two of us at Ramshackle Dorm, so we can’t play in the tournament. Grim’s taking it pretty hard,” he said.

“So that’s what’s going on,” a ghost replied. “Too bad. We’d have whipped you right into shape if you were allowed to play.”

As the ghosts reminisced about the good old days and their many exciting adventures on the Spelldrive field, the front doorbell rang. Yuya glanced out the window and saw the sun was setting.

“Who would be here at this hour?” he wondered aloud.

“Ain’t it gonna be those Heartslabyul kids?” a ghost asked, referring to Ace and Deuce, who sometimes hung out at Ramshackle Dorm.

“But they said they had an unbirthday party today,” Yuya mused, thinking of the Heartslabyul Dorm’s traditional formal high tea parties that were held on a day that wasn’t anyone’s birthday. The Heartslaybul housewarden could throw one of these parties whenever he chose to. Yuya trotted to the front door and found a man wrapped in a cloak blacker than night. It was Headmage Dire Crowley.

“Headmage Crowley! Good evening,” Yuya said, and bowed hurriedly. Facing the headmage in his tall top hat, Yuya, who was already shorter than Crowley, felt shrunk to the size of a small child.

“Good evening, Yu.” The headmage smiled. “May I?”

“Of course. Please, come in.” Yuya’s heart beat faster as he led the headmage to the lounge and invited him to take a seat on the sofa.

Crowley rarely visited Ramshackle Dorm, so his appearance at that hour meant he must have something important to discuss. Yuya wondered if maybe he had learned some new information about his home world. What if Crowley had found a way for Yuya to go home? Yuya’s hopes climbed higher with each passing second.

The headmage looked at Grim flopped over on the sofa and exclaimed, “How curious!” Crowley arched a skeptical eyebrow. “To think that Grim could be this quiet! Is he sleeping?”

“No.” Yuya shook his head. “He’s sulking because he can’t play in the Spelldrive tournament.”

“Oh, is that the issue? The Spelldrive tournament.” The headmage nodded. “This is perfect timing, then, as that is exactly what I wish to speak with you both about.”

“The tournament?” Grim yelped. He yanked his head up, and the ghosts hanging in the air faded and then reappeared. “You came to say I can play?!”

“Goodness, you really snapped at that one,” the headmage said, amused. “However, that is not what I came to discuss.”

“Sheesh. I don’t give a hoot why you’re here, then!” Grim exclaimed. Dejected, he fell onto his back.

“Please don’t pay him any mind,” Yuya said.

“The truth is,” Crowley murmured, “it’s only a matter of time before word reaches your ears, since rumors have been circulating among the student body. There has been a rash of students injured in suspicious incidents on campus lately.”

Yuya frowned. “Injured?”

“Yes. Falling down stairs, receiving burns from boiling water, and so forth. The specifics of the incidents differ, but the last few days, the nurse’s office has had a spike in injuries needing treatment. Just before I came, a student was brought in after falling and twisting his ankle.”

“That’s not great,” the ghosts said.

“I get it, though,” one ghost remarked. “With the Spelldrive tourney coming up, they’re getting all carried away. And clumsier.”

“No, no, that is not the issue,” the headmage insisted, leaning forward and holding up a gloved finger covered in elaborate metal rings. “There’s something suspicious about this matter. All the injured students are major tournament contenders who are expected to perform well this year.”

“Oh wow,” Yuya gasped, and then asked timidly, “So you don’t think these are accidents, then?”

“No. I think we can safely assume they are not,” the headmage replied.

Yuya was at a loss for words. Statistically speaking, it was impossible that only the top Spelldrive players would become injured one after another. Students who were serious about competing in Spelldrive knew they needed to be in top condition for the tournament. And they’d be extra careful to avoid injuries. So if these “accidents” were being caused deliberately, it meant there was a culprit, someone whose motive seemed obvious.

The ghosts were unusually silent as they watched the conversation.

“We have no evidence of foul play,” Headmage Crowley continued. “All the accidents have happened in public spaces, and witnesses say they seem the result of nothing but the carelessness of the person injured.”

“So maybe it is just a string of bad luck,” Yuya suggested hopefully.

“I really can’t say for certain at this point.” The headmage shook his head grimly and leaned forward. “It does make one ask questions, however, does it not? To scratch one’s head? Yu, I would like you and Grim to undertake an investigation.”

“What? Me? Us?” Yuya blinked in surprise. “I’m not sure how I can help.”

“You are mistaken, I assure you.” Crowley shook his head. “After all, did you not neatly resolve the matter with Rosehearts?”

“I wasn’t the one who resolved it.” Yuya slumped back into the sofa.

Yuya wondered if the headmage might be the origin of the rumors about his exceptional abilities that had spread through the school. With everyone focused on the Spelldrive tournament, Yuya felt like the unwanted attention directed his way was finally dying down. Now more trouble had come knocking on his door, and it was no minor thing—someone might be hurting students on purpose.

Yuya didn’t know how to say no as the headmage smiled at him overbearingly. “Think of it as a thank-you for providing you with clothing, food, and lodging. Is it not a small price to pay?” the headmage suggested.

“Well…” Yuya frowned. “I guess that’s true. But, um—”

“Isn’t it?” Crowley said. “It is true! Ah, how marvelously generous I am!”

The headmage had made a place for Yuya in Twisted Wonderland, which meant he held Yuya’s life in his hands. Only Crowley’s mercy had allowed him to be accepted as a Night Raven College student. Without that benevolence, Yuya would have had nowhere to go, lost in a foreign world with no way home. Faced with Crowley sitting confidently before him, Yuya could only nod and accept the headmage’s request.

Grim turned his face away, perhaps forgetting that he also owed his status at the college to Crowley, who had allowed Yuya and Grim to matriculate as one student. Grim would perform any tasks that required magic and Yuya would keep Grim’s ferocious personality in line. Or perhaps Grim just didn’t care. “Not interested!” Grim huffed. “So some dolts tripped over their own two feet. Serves ’em right.”

“Come on, Grim,” one of the ghosts said, his tone kindly. “I mean, ’member how much you wanna play in the Spelldrive tournament? Those poor kids gotta be so upset right about now. I feel bad for ’em.”

Grim sneered and crossed his arms. “Why should I care? I don’t get to play in the tournament, nobody gets to play in it! Mya ha ha!”

“That’s so mean,” Yuya said with a sigh, upset at Grim’s lack of sportsmanship. The ghosts were likewise exasperated.

The headmage said nothing, deep in thought, which made Yuya anxious. “In that case, shall I arrange for a special reward?” the headmage said, grinning. “What if I allowed you to compete in the Spelldrive tournament?”

“Pardonnez-moi?!” Grim shouted as he leaped to his feet. “What’d you say?!” His large, round eyes glittered with hope, and he suddenly transformed into a different creature from the ill-tempered monster of a moment ago.

Pleased with the effect of his proposal, the headmage gleefully rubbed his hands together. “Should you solve the case, as thanks, I shall generously permit your Ramshackle Dorm to enter the hallowed Night Raven College’s Spelldrive tournament. Ah, my magnanimity knows no bounds!”

“We don’t have enough players, though,” Yuya said hesitantly. “That’s what Professor Crewel told us.”

“As school headmage, I will simply perform a magical miracle to fill out your team.”

Crowley’s compromise came so quickly and addressed Yuya’s concern so neatly that it made Yuya wonder if the school couldn’t have just let them be in the tournament right from the start. He raised a dubious eyebrow, but Grim appeared not to have noticed. In his great delight, he was jumping up and down on the sofa, causing clouds of dust to puff up, dirtying the room they had just cleaned.

“Awright! Yeah!” Grim cried. “I’m gonna make a big splash in the Spelldrive tournament!”

“You haven’t won your place yet,” the headmage warned pointedly, looking severe. “Your participation is contingent on solving the case. Please investigate with Yu. Is that understood?”

“You betcha!” Grim crossed his arms with a smug look. “Now that I’m on the case, your little problem’ll be solved in no time flat!”

Would it really be that easy? Yuya wasn’t sure; he had no idea how or where to even start. Not only didn’t they know very much about Spelldrive, but they barely knew anything about the school itself. Grim’s innocent delight made Yuya even more anxious. If Grim’s hopes were dashed again, he would probably go on a magical rampage the likes of which Yuya couldn’t imagine, followed by days of miserable moping. Calming an angry Grim was a lot of work. Yuya felt sorry for the little monster, who’d been seriously dejected the last few days.

Not sensing Yuya’s thoughts, Grim patted his shoulder cheerfully. “This is great, huh, hench-human?” he said. “Ramshackle Dorm’s gonna be in the Spelldrive tournament!”

“Yeah. I guess so.” Yuya nodded slowly. “I’ll be the best detective I can to make sure we get to play.”

Yuya resolved to start digging for information first thing tomorrow and gently patted Grim’s head in return.

Ace was doing a perfect imitation of Riddle’s voice. “‘Listen, you all,’ he says. ‘This year, we cannot allow Diasomnia to beat us at the Spelldrive tournament.’ ” Ace pursed his lips, annoyed, before saying in his own voice, “As if scoring on Malleus Draconia was as easy as that.”

Yuya gave a pained smile. He’d only barely arrived in class that morning when he was treated to an earnest and detailed retelling from Ace of the previous day’s unbirthday party.

“Don’t be rude,” Deuce said with a frown, already in his seat. “I thought it was a pretty passionate speech. I could feel how much he wants for all of us to win.”

“I’m tellin’ ya, it was annoying,” Ace snapped. “That wasn’t an unbirthday party, it was a pep rally. You’re about the only person I know who’d be in the mood to party after a toast like that.” They were bickering as usual—not genuinely angry but like they were making a game of it.

Grim, who’d been quiet ever since arriving in class, snickered. “You two sure keep showing up every day, even though you don’t got a chance of actually playin’ in the big game,” he teased, a knowing smile on his face, his attitude completely transformed from the day before.

Ace and Deuce looked at him curiously.

“No whining about how jealous you are today?” Deuce asked.

Grim stood up as if he’d been waiting for this very question. “I ain’t jealous no more. I’m gonna be in the Spelldrive tournament!”

“What?! How’d that happen?!” Ace demanded.

“That’s not for sure yet,” Yuya said, and then he told his friends about the headmage’s visit. Ace and Deuce looked shocked, their eyes as wide as saucers. Neither of them had heard about the accidents.

“People are getting hurt?” Deuce furrowed his brow. “Actually, I think the guys sitting in front of me were talking about that the other day. Pretty sure they were from Pomefiore Dorm.”

“Well, this is a total news flash for me. Can’t believe we’re looking at ‘suspicious incidents’ here,” Ace said, looking around and lowering his voice. “Any whispers at our dorm?”

Deuce shook his head. “Not that I know of. No one said anything about this yesterday.”

They seemed to be the only ones in class talking about the string of injuries, but word would spread soon enough. Yuya sighed, knowing how quickly things could escalate out of control when that happened.

Grim threw his head back triumphantly and crowed, “I’ll sniff out whoever’s doin’ this before you can say boo!”

“But we don’t even know if there is someone doing it,” Yuya said. That was just Crowley’s speculation. “We did promise the headmage we’d look into it, so we’re going to start investigating after school.”

“That’s easy enough to say,” Deuce remarked. “But what exactly are you going to do?”

“I was thinking we could go talk to the people who got hurt,” Yuya said.

“Makes sense.” Deuce nodded, but then his face clouded. “I wish I could give you a hand, if only for the sake of peace on campus. But I’ve got track practice after school today. Sorry. I only just joined the team, so it wouldn’t be a good look to go ditching right now. As an honor student, I mean.”

Every student at Night Raven College had to join a team or club of some kind, and Deuce had joined track and field. He loved a vehicle called a “blastcycle” and the sense of speed it gave him, and track and field was the only club that focused on speed in the same way. Yuya didn’t know what a blastcycle was, but assumed it was like a motorcycle. He felt track and field was a good fit for Deuce, who liked to work out and challenge himself.

“It’s okay,” Yuya told him. “And thanks. Based on what you said, I’ve got a lead to check into at Pomefiore now.”

“What about you, Ace?” Deuce asked, turning to his friend. “Your club doesn’t have practice today, right?”

“Why are you volunteering me?” Ace said with a scowl. “No thanks, not interested. I don’t need to help Grim become even more full of himself.”

Ace was in the basketball club, which he’d joined for two simple reasons: It looked cool, so girls would be impressed. Yuya thought that sounded like Ace.

“Oh well. Thanks anyway.” Yuya sighed, slumping in his chair. He’d been hoping for their help.

Deuce glared, and Ace propped his chin in his hands.

“What? Why the face?” Ace said, amicably. “I finally get a day off. Let me have it. Basketball’s grinding me to dust, okay?”

“That’s what you get for picking a team for such a stupid reason,” Deuce told him. “Didn’t you at least check the practice schedule before you joined?”

“Nah, didn’t really bother. I just checked which cool senior guys were on the team.” Ace jerked his chin toward Yuya and Grim. “If we’re talking about lazy, Yu and Grim are way worse than me.”

“I guess we actually are…” Yuya sighed.

When it had been time for Yuya and Grim to pick clubs, the headmage had sent them a message that they had to choose the same club. That made sense, given that they’d been accepted into the academy as if they were one student, and if Yuya was to keep an eye on the monster, they had to do everything together.

However, Grim was entirely uninterested in pretty much all the clubs—except those that involved food, such as the science club, where they cooked as part of their experiments, and the pop music club, where they served sweets on breaks. Yet Grim’s belly and selfishness worked against him. He couldn’t control himself around food, and they’d been rejected by every club they tried to join.

With the application deadline looming, Professor Crewel informed them that, though the process was complicated, it was possible for students to start their own clubs. So Yuya and Grim did just that and created the Gastronomy Club. Naturally, this was Grim’s idea.

“What’s worse about us?” Grim asked, baffled. “It’s the best club of ’em all! Eat all the tasty treats you want.”

Yuya sighed. “It’d be great if we could actually get any tasty treats.”

Their wallets were so empty, moths flew out of them, so they couldn’t afford to buy any gourmet food. Grim had suggested taste-testing weeds, but Yuya convinced him to make a project out of identifying which trees on campus produced the best apples. When Yuya had told Ace and Deuce their club was ranking the campus apple trees, they’d burst out laughing.

“Don’t you gotta do your little club job today?” Ace teased, and then lowered his voice. “Well, we can’t help you, mkay? Do what you gotta do to keep this from blowing up.”

“Of course.” Yuya nodded in response to Ace’s warning. “Don’t worry. Grim and I are just going to ask people what happened to them.”

Ace shrugged.

“That’s actually the iffiest option,” Deuce said. Yuya nodded, not knowing what else to say.

At the end of the school day, despite Yuya’s anxiety, Grim turned out to be far more cooperative than Yuya expected. Grim didn’t approach their investigation—talking to people and hearing what they had to say—like a dull annoyance. Instead, he pulled Yuya by the hand toward the Hall of Mirrors, a small building that housed seven mirrors that transported students to each of the seven primary dorms. Ramshackle Dorm was located within the school’s grounds, unlike the other dorms, and thus had no mirror in the hall.

“Hurry, let’s go already!” Grim said impatiently.

“You’re all fired up, huh?” Yuya asked, surprised.

Grim grinned so broadly Yuya could see all the teeth in his large mouth. “It’s just, getting to be in the tournament feels like we’ll finally be real students at Night Raven College.”

Grim practically skipped down the hallway. Watching him, Yuya felt the weight on his heart grow lighter as determination welled up inside him.

They reached the Hall of Mirrors and stood in front of the mirror that led to Pomefiore Dorm, their first destination thanks to the tip from Deuce.

The elegant mirror was adorned with a large peacock carved into the mirror’s frame, its gorgeous feathers encircling the mirror. Yu and Grim stepped between the feathers and through the mirror, and the pair found themselves standing outside an equally elegant dorm building. The detailed exterior had a different kind of beauty from the sweetness of the verdant rose garden that surrounded Heartslabyul’s dorm building. It was a sharper beauty, a bit reminiscent of the main school building. Yuya faltered at the sight of the structure, partly because of its sheer magnificence and partly because they didn’t know anyone in this dorm.

Yuya steeled himself and approached a student near the gates. He told the student they wanted to talk to the student who’d been in the accident the other day, and the student brought them to the dorm lounge. Yuya and Grim settled onto the sofa to wait, and before long, a group of students came to meet them. The tallest one looked familiar.

“So you’re the guests here to see our injured friend,” the tall student said.

“Whoa. This guy’s a human glitter bomb. He’s all sparkly,” Grim said. He blinked repeatedly, dazzled by the vision before them.

A slight crease marred the boy’s brow, as if to say, Don’t you know who I am? But even this look of near-displeasure was lovely. His beauty was breathtaking, searing itself into one’s brain. Yuya had seen this effect before at the orientation ceremony he had attended when he had first mysteriously awoken in Twisted Wonderland.

“I’m the Pomefiore housewarden, Vil Schoenheit,” he said gracefully. “And this is Vice Housewarden Rook Hunt.”

Rook swept a hat with a large feather from his head and brought it to his chest as he bowed, saying, “The pleasure is mine.”

Yuya had only come to see the injured student; he hadn’t dreamed the housewarden and vice housewarden would deign to make an appearance. He hurried to return Rook’s bow. Yuya still got nervous talking with Night Raven students, but he was no longer quite so painfully shy thanks to his many conversations with Ace and Deuce. Nevertheless, Yuya shrank in the face of such glamorous upperclassmen.

“Hello. I’m Yu. First-year, Class A…” Yuya wasn’t exactly sure of how to describe his status, so he simply blurted, “I’m a student at Ramshackle Dorm.”

“We know that, obviously,” Vil said, and snorted with laughter. “You made quite the splash at the entrance ceremony. Then there was that whole situation.”

“It’s a real honor to meet the famed trickster!” Rook exclaimed as he bent forward to shake Yuya’s hand. “And you must be Grim? I’m truly overwhelmed at my good fortune to speak with you as well. It is a pleasure to meet you both.”

“Myah ha ha! So I’m that famous, huh? Feels pretty good, not gonna lie,” Grim said, preening. While Yuya wasn’t happy with the rumors about them, Grim seemed more than pleased.

Rook smiled brightly. The dorm was giving Yuya and Grim quite the warm welcome despite the unexpectedness of their visit. “You came to see our accident victim, yes? This is him,” Rook said, beckoning a second-year student forward.

They exchanged hellos, then Rook turned to look at the ceiling. “Aah,” he moaned. “What a terrible tragédie. One would never dream anyone would grab onto a cauldron of simmering medicinal herbs with his bare hands!”

“Huh?” Grim said, baffled. “So you actually grabbed a scorching hot cauldron all on your own?” The injured student nodded, a strange look on his face. The monster erupted in laughter. “Oh, wow! Whoa! So you’re just a regular klutz then.”

“I am not!” the student cried out and covered his eyes with bandaged hands. Yuya winced at the sight of them. “I was being very careful.”

“Of course, we believe you,” Rook said, gently patting the student’s shoulder. “You are not to blame for this horrible misfortune. The whole thing simply breaks my heart. You were so devoted to Spelldrive practice, and now… It’s truly unbearable.”

“Vice Housewarden Rook, I’m not giving up,” the second-year student said. “It’s true that I’m no longer in top form, not with these hands. But I will be on the field! I will make our dorm proud come tournament time!”

“Mon dieu!” Rook said. “This fighting spirit in the face of such adversity is true beauté!”

Rook and the second-year student spoke with such passion, an astonished Yuya expected them to embrace. Their gestures were so theatrical that the whole scene seemed like something out of a play.

“Would you mind doing that later?” Vil told them, his gaze cool, and turned back to Yuya. “You wish to hear about what happened when he got hurt, yes?”

Yuya nodded, and Vil jerked his chin up. A student short enough to be hidden completely by Rook stepped forward.

Yuya and Grim gaped. The boy was surprisingly adorable, with lavender hair. Every feature on his face was painfully delicate, like a sugar confection that would crumble at the slightest touch. While he was just as lovely as Vil, his beauty felt ephemeral, like a fleeting vision.

“Epel, you were there when he got hurt,” Vil said. “Tell us what you saw.”

Epel nodded firmly. “I was doing my Potionology assignment after school,” he said, his voice as small and cute as his appearance. “This upperclassman was also there, reviewing some classwork. He was handling all kinds of potions on the laboratory bench next to me. Then he suddenly grabbed the cauldron!” He gasped as though realizing something and hurriedly shook his head. “I… I guess I was very surprised?”

“Whaaaat. So he really wasn’t even paying attention, yeah?” Grim said. With an exaggerated gesture, the injured student made his disagreement clear.

As the others talked, Vil moved next to Yuya. “I assume your presence here today means this was no mere accident,” he said, his voice quiet.

“Huh?” Yuya’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Did you think we wouldn’t catch on?” Vil crossed his arms. “You do realize how extremely odd it is to come asking after this accident, don’t you? From what I’m told, our injured friend is not even an acquaintance of yours. It’s only natural that we would assume something bigger is at play here.”

“Ummm. Uh. Yes, there is actually a situation,” Yuya said, then described their conversation with the headmage. Vil’s expression turned hard.

“The headmage…” Vil’s anger made him look more striking than ever, giving him an intensity beyond anything an average person possessed. “The proper thing for him to do would have been to inform us housewardens of the situation before assigning this little potato to investigate.”

“I’m sorry,” Yuya apologized, but Vil only looked more annoyed.

“Why are you apologizing? I was speaking of the headmage.” Vil sighed in exasperation and turned away. “We have nothing further to discuss with you. I will protect my dorm. You do what you must for yourselves.”

Clearly, this was all Yuya and Grim were going to get from the students at Pomefiore.

“Thank you so much,” Yuya said, and he and Grim returned to the Hall of Mirrors.

“Hmm. Those guys weren’t too useful,” Grim said, giving a big stretch.

From the testimony they had gotten, it sounded like the accident had been sheer carelessness on the part of the victim.

“Maybe it really was just an accident,” Yuya speculated.

“So then case closed!” Grim said, happily. “We just gotta report to the headmage and get him to work his magic so we can play in the Spelldrive tournament.”

They were about to leave the Hall of Mirrors when someone charged inside and slammed into them.

“Hey! Watch it, man!” Grim said, looking up angrily. Then his eyes flew open. “Wait. What? Ace? Deuce? What’re you guys doing here?”

The panicked pair cried out when they saw Yuya and Grim.

“Guys, perfect timing!” Ace said. “So, like, I guess we got trouble.”

“Clover fell down the stairs. He’s hurt,” Deuce added.

“What?!” Yuya gasped. “Trey?! How?!”

“We don’t know,” Deuce said. He explained that he’d heard the news from another Heartslabyul student, and then he told Ace. “I guess Trey is resting in his room now,” he continued. “We were just going to go and check on him. You guys wanna come?”

Yuya and Grim nodded eagerly, and all four slipped through the mirror to Heartslabyul.

When the students knocked on the black door leading to Trey’s room, he immediately called, “Come in.”

“Don’t mind if I do!” Ace stepped in, looking concerned.

Deuce followed. “How are you feeling, Clover?”

“Two for the price of one!” Trey remarked, sitting up in his bed. “Did you come to pay me a sick visit?”

Then Yuya and Grim trailed in, and Trey cried out in surprise.

“Oh! Yu and Grim even!” He flashed a smile. “Thanks for taking the time.”

“Of course,” Yuya said. “We were worried. We heard you fell down the stairs.”

“We came all this way to see your sorry face,” Grim told him. “It’s cool. Don’t get up.”

“Hey!” Yuya chided the monster, but Trey paid him no mind.

“Well, thanks.” Trey laughed.

The cast on his right leg concerned Yuya, but otherwise, Trey looked the same as always. His injuries weren’t life-threatening, and Yuya sighed in relief.

“Fancy meeting you here!” said Cater, a third-year like Trey. He was sitting in the chair next to the bed. “I just pulled in a minute ago myself.”

Yuya noticed a small paper bag from the shop on the bedside table. It was tied in a bright orange ribbon, and Yuya guessed it was a get-well present from Cater—since it was the only thing in Trey’s room that wasn’t put neatly in place. Even Trey’s desk was tidy and organized. Dark green trinkets were set here and there around the room, nicely accenting the Heartslabyul dorm room’s signature notes of red and black.

Yuya complimented Trey on his large, lovely room and asked Ace and Deuce, “Are your rooms singles, too?”

“Of course not!” they chorused in unison.

They explained to Yuya how dorm rooms were allocated: First-years got four-person rooms, second-years got two-person rooms, and third-years got their own rooms; that was their final year before they left the campus for their fourth-year offsite fieldwork. The exception to this rule was housewardens, who got a private room regardless of what year they were in.

Ace indicated Deuce with his chin and said, “Me and Deuce here, we’re not only in the same class, we even got the same room. So I gotta see this guy’s ugly mug in the dorm, in the classroom, in the everywhere, and it’s like, give me a break already. I’m gonna ask the housewarden to make sure we get different rooms next year.”

“Not if I ask him first,” Deuce snapped. “You constantly bug me when I’m studying. I wish we could change rooms right now.”

“Ah ha ha! First-year blues!” Cater winked at Trey. “I bet you’re feeling better already with all this hot traffic. I mean, on top of Hunting Season here, you got ol’ Yuey and Grimmy! All these cutie-pies worshipping you, you’re winning some kinda jackpot, hmm, Treyyy? ”

“Wait. I’m lost,” Ace said, looking unhappy. “Whaddaya mean by ‘Hunting Season’?”

“I mean, it’s you guys!” Cater exclaimed. “You’re in the same class, same room, you’re Ace, he’s Deuce. And that’s what you call an ace and a deuce in poker! What d’you think? Rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?”

“Please don’t lump me in with this guy!” Deuce groaned indignantly, pointing at Ace.

“But like,” Ace said, glancing down at Trey’s leg, “how’d you get hurt, Trey? Looks pretty bad.”

“Mm, yeah.” Trey sighed and scratched his head awkwardly. “I didn’t quite manage to fall right, so I guess I messed up my leg pretty spectacularly. I’ll be on crutches for a while, anyway.”

“What?!” Ace cried out. Deuce also looked surprised. Yuya and Grim turned to each other and frowned.

“Looks really painful,” Yuya said slowly.

“It’s okay. Don’t look so worried.” Trey sighed and shrugged. “Other than my leg, I’m totally fine. It’s just the timing, you know? I hate it, but it looks like I’ll be warming the bench at the Spelldrive tournament this year.”

“Ugh, hashtag fail,” Cater said dejectedly, his shoulders slumping. “Now that we’ve lost a power player, who knows what our team roster is going to look like.”

“You’re a power player?” Yuya asked. “I guess you must be really good at sports then, huh, Trey?”

“No, not really,” Trey said, averting his eyes, embarrassed. “I’m just average. Our dorm’s never been that great at Spelldrive.”

“Ouch! Hits me where I live,” Cater said with a laugh. “Still, you always make the perfect assists for the guys on the team, y’know, Trey? We’re gonna have a huge you-shaped hole in this tourney, baby.”

“You’re too kind,” Trey demurred. “I mean, I wouldn’t get picked for the team anyway, even if I was in peak condition.”

“Okay, come on now!” Cater told Trey. “You totes would.”

Trey didn’t seem attached to being on the team and accepted his fate. He smiled mischievously. “Come on, Cater,” he said teasingly. “This means your chances of making the team just went up. After all, you’re better at flight than me. If you get a position where you can use your broom, you’re basically all set. You want me to give the guys a nudge in your direction?”

“What? No, don’t you dare!” Cater exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around himself and shuddered. “Your boy Cay-Cay would wither and die in that grueling practice regime.”

Though Cater believed the team was going to be stuck without Trey, he played it up and fooled around so that it didn’t seem like he was blaming the victim for hurting himself.

“It’s not great, but I’m glad it’s not more serious,” Yuya said quietly to Ace and Deuce, but they weren’t listening. Both looked shocked.

“The team roster,” Ace murmured.

Yuya asked his friends what they meant, but just then there was a knock on the door, and the question was left unanswered.

“It’s me,” called a clear, distinct voice.

“Come in,” Trey replied.

The door opened, and Riddle stepped in, wearing his dorm uniform.

“Why are there so many people in here?” Riddle demanded. “Trey is supposed to be resting!”

“I’m sorry,” Yuya apologized reflexively, bowing his head. “We stopped by to see how he was doing.”

“Myah!” Grim cried. “It’s ragin’ Riddle!”

Riddle glared at Grim, a sharp retort on the tip of his tongue, but he quickly turned away. “We have better things to do here.” He looked at the injured student. “How are you doing, Trey? Can I bring you anything to eat or drink? Don’t hesitate to say the word.”

Trey rolled his eyes before responding. “You asked me the same thing earlier. I’m good. You don’t need to fuss over me like this.”

“You’re good? With that leg?” Riddle’s tone was harsh, but his mouth was twisted into a sad frown. Ignoring Trey’s complaint, Riddle kept suggesting things he could do or get for him. He was so persistent, and so concerned, that Trey was forced to smile.

“You’re kinda killing it with the whole nice thing here, aren’t you, Housewarden?” Ace asked curiously. Like Ace, Yuya wondered why Riddle was being so unusually kind. It was very much like Ace to come right out and ask Riddle what was going on. “I mean, I was pretty nervous you’d barge in here and start yelling at him, all like, you have to take care of yourself!”

“First Grim, now you, Ace? I wouldn’t get angry over something like this,” Riddle said, sounding upset, his eyes lowered. “And how could I find fault with him here? I’m the reason Trey got hurt.”

“You’re the reason, Housewarden Rosehearts?” Deuce asked. “What do you mean?”

Riddle exchanged a glance with Trey before he quietly explained, “I needed to talk to him about the Spelldrive tournament, so we were walking down the hallway at lunch. Then I nearly fell down the stairs. Trey reached out to stop me, and…” Riddle described how Trey had grabbed his arm and yanked him back up to the landing, but Trey’s momentum caused him to fall down the stairs himself. Riddle had carried Trey hurriedly to the nurse’s office.

“I’m usually so careful.” Riddle screwed up his face in frustration. “Why did I nearly fall down the stairs? I’m really sorry, Trey.”

“Knowing you,” Trey said, “even if you had fallen down the stairs, you probably would have broken your fall with magic or dealt with it some other way. All I did was get in your way. It was stupid of me to intervene. You don’t owe me anything.” Despite being injured, Trey was mature enough to smile and avoid making Riddle feel even worse.

But Riddle looked even more pained. “All I do lately is cause you trouble. It’s honestly unforgivable.”

“Now, now,” Cater said. “Trey says it’s all good, so put on a happy face, my guy. It’s not gonna do anyone any good to have you harshing the vibe here.”

Riddle offered up an awkward smile. “I wanted to do something to make it up to you, so I researched foods that are good for muscles and bones,” he said, pulling a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. “Trey, make sure you eat the things on this list every day so you get better faster.”

“Fine, yes, okay,” Trey said as he took the paper. “I’ll eat these foods.”

The group filed out of Trey’s room to let the patient have a bit of a rest. Once the door was closed, Ace and Deuce both opened their mouths.

“Hey, so listening to the housewarden there got me thinking,” Ace began.

“Doesn’t it seem like this is part of what Yu was talking about this morning?” Deuce asked.

“Yeah. I had the same thought,” Yuya said as he nodded and looked at Grim. “So this is actually—”

“And what was little Yuey talking about then?” Cater interjected from behind.

Yuya whirled around with a gasp. Cater and Riddle were looking at him curiously. He didn’t want to get everyone worked up, but Riddle was already a part of the situation, and Yuya realized it might be helpful to have Riddle and Trey’s good friend Cater on the case with them. He decided to share what the headmage had said.

“It’s kind of a long story,” Yuya said.

“Understood.” Riddle nodded. “In that case, we’ll go to the lounge. It sounds like the matter might be complicated. I’ll get the other students there to step out.”

The group quickly moved to the Heartslabyul Dorm lounge. The space was about the same size as the Ramshackle Dorm lounge, but it was so lavish it didn’t even begin to compare: large fireplace, red damask-patterned wallpaper, a leather crimson-dyed sofa. The impression could have been old-fashioned, except half the lounge was floor-to-ceiling windows, making the space feel more like a large sunroom.

Yuya sat on the sofa, which faced the windows, giving a good view of the garden’s rose bushes. The sun had set, so the space was dark, but he thought it must be very pleasant at midday, when the brilliant sun poured in through the generous windows.

Grim reached out for the tea they were served, while Yuya told the group about their investigation thus far. By the time he finished, his own tea had cooled, and Grim’s cup was empty.

“Mm, I see,” Riddle said after a long silence. He and Cater both had the same hard look. “I’ve heard from other housewardens about injured students in their houses, and I also find the number of injuries strange. I never imagined it was so serious, though.”

“Only top players are getting in these ‘accidents’?” Cater asked. “Nothing natural about that. Plus, you of all people, Riddle, don’t fall down stairs. Which means…”

Silence reigned once again. Cater didn’t have to finish his sentence. Everyone knew this string of injuries was no accident. Someone was targeting players. It was exactly what Yuya had feared.

“Oy, Yu. You okay?” Ace asked. Yuya started. Apparently he looked so upset his friends were worried.

“I’m fine,” he said, shaking his head to ward off his faintheartedness. He looked at Riddle sitting across from him. He wanted to ask more about the incident on the stairs. He needed all the details to have any hope of finding out what was really going on. But Yuya hadn’t spoken with Riddle like this since the overblot incident. They’d spoken briefly when Yuya had attended an unbirthday party held in celebration of Riddle’s recovery. Riddle seemed completely back to his old self now—Cater described Riddle’s “vibe” as much “chiller”—but he still seemed pretty stiff to Yuya.

“Umm,” Yuya said finally. “Would you mind telling us what happened when you almost fell down the stairs?”

“Not at all,” Riddle replied. “To be clear, it wasn’t as if I had been pushed, or that I had tripped. But I did feel a peculiar sensation, like…my body was moving of its own volition.”

“The other victims said basically the same thing,” Grim said, pulling a sour face. “So you don’t know how come you almost got hurt, yeah? I wanna know who did it. This nothing story’s not getting me nowhere!”

“It’s true I can’t identify the culprit,” Riddle said, “and I don’t know the means used to cause me to fall down the stairs. But given that potential Spelldrive tournament players are being targeted, the motivation behind the attacks is quite clear.” Riddle sipped his tea and returned his cup soundlessly to its saucer. “Whoever is doing this is trying to remove would-be rivals from the tournament. After all, the whole world will be watching. It’s no surprise that someone might resort to underhanded methods to even the odds.”

“But couldn’t it also be the work of someone who’s got a bone to pick with the Spelldrive tournament?” Deuce asked, his voice low. “Maybe they hate the tournament so much, they’re trying to ruin it for everybody.”

“If that were the case, they would select different targets.” Riddle smiled, coolly. “You would target the planning committee, the sponsors, or the headmage if you wanted to destroy the tournament itself. Or any of the many, many hopeful players if ability is not your main concern. Whether this would be possible or not is a different story.”

“Oh yeah, makes sense,” Deuce agreed.

“So if the person is after guys who could be rivals in the tournament…” Ace frowned thoughtfully, then slapped his knee. “Oh! All we gotta do is find the dorm where no one’s gotten hurt?”

“Looks like our little mastermind already thought of that,” Cater said. He looked up from his smartphone, where he’d been scrolling through the college’s social media app, Magicam. “Just did a quick scroll through Magicam, and every dorm’s had at least one ‘accident.’ Probably a bit of cloak-and-dagger to keep anyone from catching on.”

Riddle’s expression remained hard as he said, “To start with, potential rivals aren’t necessarily only members of other dorms. I think it’s low on the scale of possibility, given that the prestige of the dorm is also at stake, but…it could be that this dastardly culprit is also going after players from his own dorm in order to secure a spot in the Spelldrive tournament himself.”

“Ooh, Riddle! No horror stories, puh-lease!” Cater joked, but his eyes weren’t laughing. No one wanted to believe that their own dormmate, someone who was supposed to be on their side, would do something like this.

The more they talked, the longer their list of suspects grew. They considered a variety of factors, but they couldn’t narrow the list of potential culprits down to a single person. Until they knew how the perpetrator was accomplishing their attacks, there were simply too many possibilities.

Yuya was at wit’s end when Riddle pronounced, “To apprehend this culprit, we need to stay a step ahead of him.”

“A step ahead?” Grim asked and cocked his head. “We’re gonna do that how, exactly?”

“By predicting which student will be targeted next and covertly following him,” Riddle replied promptly. “That way, we can find out the culprit’s methods, and we just might encounter this villain at the scene of the crime.” They’d learn a lot about what was going on if they could get the jump on the perpetrator, and if they were lucky, they might be able to prevent someone from getting injured.

Yuya thought it was a good idea, but he wasn’t sure he could help. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t really know anyone at school. I have no idea who might be next.”

“You just leave that to Cay-Cay!” Cater waggled his smartphone. “I’ve got my finger on the pulse of every dorm when it comes to top players. I’ll keep you up to date on who’s likely to get a beatdown.”

“Cater knows everything about everyone,” Riddle added. “He’s well-informed about other dorms and even classes.”

Yuya figured if Riddle said so, then Cater probably did know everyone.

“Oh, you flatter me!” Cater laughed, flashing a toothy smile.

“Woh-kay,” Grim said, looking at Yuya. “So then all we gotta do is keep an eye on whoever this guy tells us to!”

“Right, I guess so,” Yuya agreed and nodded at the monster, then he bowed to Riddle and Cater. “Thank you both. We’ll keep a close eye on these people and see if we can’t find some connection to the culprit.”

“Hmm? That’s a surprise. So you’re not freaked out?” Ace asked, raising a dubious eyebrow. “I mean, this is you we’re talking about here, Yu. I figured you’d be all, Leaveme out of this, no fightiiiing.”

“I am scared,” Yuya admitted. “But I promised the headmage. And when I think about how Trey maybe wouldn’t have been hurt if I’d figured this out already…”

“It wasn’t your fault, Yu,” Riddle said. “The blame’s squarely on my shoulders.”

Yuya shook his head with firm resolve. “No. It’s awful that people are getting hurt at all. I need to solve this case as soon as possible.”

Even the normally apathetic Grim was eager to investigate. As his partner, Yuya couldn’t turn away as if this wasn’t his problem. Plus, he couldn’t stand the thought of constant fighting before the Spelldrive tournament. The idea haunted him. He wanted to resolve the situation immediately.

“Is that it?” Riddle asked, rolling his eyes. Then he smiled and shrugged. “Whatever the reason, I can see you’re determined. Yu. Grim. I will assist in the search for the culprit.”

“Riddle, baby, we are so in sync!” Cater exclaimed. “I was about to say the same thing! ”

“Really?!” Yuya exclaimed and rose up in his seat at these declarations from Riddle and Cater.

Cater glanced at Riddle before winking less than excitedly at Yuya. “Well, it’s not like we can sit back and watch when our own housemates are being picked off. We’re one hundo-percent here for you!”

Yuya thanked them repeatedly. It was extremely reassuring to have the upperclassmen join their team.

Ace abruptly raised a hand, declaring, “Okaaaay. I’ll help ya, too.”

“What?!” Yuya cried out, even more shocked.

“I’ll lend a hand, too,” Deuce chimed in. “We gotta settle the score for Clover.”

“You, too, Deuce…” Yuya stared hard at his friends. He couldn’t believe this was the same Ace who had told him that very morning that he didn’t want to help. And Deuce looked way more eager to get involved than before. It was more than simply a matter of getting revenge.

“Smells reeeeal fishy in here.” Grim also eyed the pair dubiously.

“Nah,” Ace said, shrugging nonchalantly. “It’s like, a friend in need and all that, yeah?”

“Aaah, I get it.” Cater grinned. “You’re gunning for that open spot on our team, aren’t you? So you’re trying to show off to the housewarden?”

“Heh! Was it that obvious?” Ace readily admitted his ulterior motives, while Deuce shook his head vigorously back and forth.

“N-no! That has nothing to do with it. I just want to avenge our housemate!” he cried, but his panic was tantamount to a confession.

“Honestly.” Riddle shook his head in exasperation. “To think I was impressed for a moment there. Well, fine. I suppose I could take your performance during the investigation into account.”

“Yesss!” Ace and Deuce cried out, raising clenched fists.

Yuya gave them a wry smile. Whatever their reasons, he was glad for their help.

“Woh-kay!” Grim threw his paws up in the air. “Starting tomorrow, it’s stakeout time!”

“Right. We’ll scout out the top players after school,” Riddle said. Everyone nodded their agreement. “That said, it’s too dangerous to go alone. Whoever is behind this is a fiend capable of skillfully disguising his methods, and he’s already hurt several students. Since there is the possibility of encountering this scoundrel, we’ll work in pairs.”

Yuya admired how straightforward Riddle was. Since arriving in the lounge, everything he’d said had been persuasive and logical. Yuya took a sip of freshly poured tea, feeling grateful for his assistance.

“Yu, you’re with me,” Riddle said. Yuya felt his heart drop through his stomach.

“Huh? ‘Yu with me’?” Yuya repeated Riddle’s words in shock. “Do you mean you and I will investigate together?”

“I do.” Riddle nodded. “It’s the best combination.”

“Huh? No, but, um… I can’t use magic. I’ll only be in your way.”

“That’s exactly why you’ll team up with me. I have the greatest understanding of magic and the school, so the optimal strategy is for me to work with you and supplement your knowledge.”

“But I think I’d be just as okay with someone else,” Yuya suggested.

“Cater will pair with Grim.” Riddle raised one finger after another as he explained dispassionately. “Cater works well with essentially everyone, and he’s more than capable of smoothing over any instability in Grim’s behavior. Ace and Deuce have work to do in the dorm, so they can do that and investigate at the same time. Upperclassmen are busy preparing for the Spelldrive tournament, so our first-year students necessarily have an increased workload.”

Riddle was making sense, and he spoke with unyielding assurance. Yuya felt the urge to cradle his head in his hands. He and Riddle had barely spoken recently, and the conversations they’d had before weren’t exactly friendly. Now he was going to be alone with him? How was he supposed to act? He couldn’t chat casually with him the way he did with Ace and Deuce, nor did he imagine Riddle acting friendly with him the way Trey and Cater were.

“Do you have some objection?” Riddle looked at him curiously, seemingly unaware that Yuya might be feeling uncomfortable.

In fact, Yuya was afraid of Riddle. He always had been. But this was different from when they’d first met and everyone simply called Riddle a tyrant. Yuya had seen Riddle in the middle of overblot. He’d had no idea a human being could hold within themselves such anger and sadness that it would manifest in such a huge, destructive monster that had practically leveled the Heartslabyul garden. Yuya devoted himself to avoiding conflict and pursuing peace, and Riddle was too fierce for him to understand.

On the other hand, Yuya figured Riddle probably didn’t think much of anything about him. It seemed that only Yuya felt awkward at the thought of being alone with Riddle. He looked to Ace and Deuce for help, but they simply shrugged.

Sorry, man, Ace mouthed silently.

Deuce’s expression said, He seems set.

Panicked, Yuya turned to Grim, beside him on the sofa. The monster was happily stuffing his face with cookies, which had been set out with the tea, blissfully ignorant of everyone else.

Cater gave him a pained smile. “Mmm, well, this is a whole thing, huh?” Cater mused, then turned to Riddle. “But, you know, if this is how you wanna cut the cake…?”

Riddle nodded firmly, and Cater’s smile became more pained. He looked at Yu and winked as if to say there was nothing else to do. “Prob’ly the best combo, after all,” he said. “I mean, we gotta keep you safe, Yuey! Plus, the whole operation’ll run smoother this way. You leave Grimmy to me.”

“Excellent,” Riddle said, clapping his hands. “So there are no objections?”

“Welp, here we go, then,” Grim said. “Grim the Great’ll just have to keep Cater in line.”

“Alright! Roger that,” Ace agreed enthusiastically. He had no doubt been smirking the whole time, entertained by the idea of Yuya and Riddle teaming up.

“Then it’s time to be on our way,” Riddle declared. “All of you make sure to rest up in preparation for tomorrow.”

They decided on a time and place to meet the following day, and the strategy meeting came to an end. Things were moving in a positive direction, but the flustered Yuya nonetheless left Heartslabyul with a heavy heart.

5

“THERE YOU ARE, YU!” Riddle called when they met in the courtyard, his voice as loud and brisk as ever. “Right on time.”

“Thanks for meeting me,” Yuya replied nervously, overwhelmed by Riddle’s greeting.

“Well, then, let’s get right to work.” Riddle pulled out his phone and they looked at it together.

Cater had sent a list of several names. At the top were two students: Jade & Floyd Leech, brothers. Octavinelle Dorm, second-years. Word is they work so well together on the field, other teams don’t know how to counter them.

Riddle scowled, and Yuya’s heart skipped a beat. A deep crease was etched into Riddle’s brow.

“Is something the matter?” Yuya asked timidly.

“These two are trouble,” Riddle replied, his annoyance clear. “Jade Leech and Floyd Leech. Twins in their second year. Jade is the vice housewarden of Octavinelle and in the same class as I am. He is the picture of superficial politeness and very cunning. Floyd is, well… you’ll see.”

According to Cater’s intel, the pair would be at the sports field right around then. Each dorm was given a set practice time on the field, and this was Octavinelle’s turn.

Yuya and Riddle set out. The main school building was a bit of a walk from the sports field, which was located off Main Street near the front gate and next to the gymnasium. The field’s lush grass spread so far in all directions that you had to squint to see the far end. The facilities included a stable for the Equestrian Club.

“Let me say one thing before we get to the field,” Riddle said abruptly as the gymnasium came into view. “Don’t call out to Jade and Floyd once we spot them. We’ll just watch. All right? If you want to get through this quietly, don’t even let them see you accidentally.”

Yuya wondered if staying hidden was meant to keep word of the situation from spreading. It was also probably to keep people on the list from thinking someone might be trying to hurt them, to keep from frightening them. This caution was conscientious, and Yuya nodded and hid with Riddle behind the gymnasium.

“See over there? The two boys who are taller than everyone else?” Riddle pointed toward the field. Yuya picked out two students in PE uniforms who were a head taller than any other player. They were standing close together in quiet discussion.

“The one on the right is Jade, the one on the left is Floyd,” Riddle told him.

“I know you said they were twins, but they really do look the same,” Yuya replied, slightly awed. “I can’t tell them apart from here.”

“It’s hard to tell them apart even up close,” Riddle said.

One was holding a broom, while the other waved something small that glinted in the sunlight. Yuya guessed it was a magical pen being used to propel a disc through the air with magic.

“Hmm. I can’t see anyone suspicious at the moment. No unusual activity with the targets,” Riddle said. He dropped his eyes to his phone. “We came because they’re on the list, but I doubt these two really need our protection.”

“Do you mean it’s unlikely they’ll end up playing in the tournament?” Yuya asked.

“No, Cater’s intel is correct. It just seems to me that there aren’t too many people who would dare lay a hand on either of them.”

As Yuya considered what this meant, one of the twins turned their way. They immediately shrank back behind the building, but they were a second too late.

“Oh ho!” came a loud voice from the grounds. “Goldfish? Is that you?”

“Ugh. He spotted us.” Riddle looked thoroughly unimpressed.

The boy strode briskly toward them on long legs, calling, “What brings you out here? Playing hide-and-seek? You gotta learn to hide better if you’re gonna play that game. You got a face that really sticks out.”

The boy was standing before them in the blink of an eye. Up close, he was so tall Yuya’s eyes nearly popped out of his head; his slender build only made him seem taller. He had turquoise hair with one long, black segment. His right eye, peeking out from behind his hair, sparkled a golden color, while his left eye was a pale olive green that looked almost transparent in the sunlight. Both eyes squinted sleepily at Yuya. “Hmm?” A smile spread across the boy’s lips. “Who’s this?”

“H-hello,” Yuya stammered, a cold sweat trickling down his back just from being looked at. He felt like the boy’s gaze was swallowing him up. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Yu. I’m a first-year.”

“Yu? Oh! The kid from Ramshackle Dorm that Crabby was talking about?” The boy’s intimidating aura vanished. “Huh. After all the rumors, I wondered what you were like. You seem kinda regular. Disappointing.”

“Crabby…?” Yuya asked.

“Yup. Crabby.” The boy nodded lazily. “He’s in basketball with me.”

Yuya didn’t understand who the other boy was talking about, and the boy didn’t seem interested in explaining. Yuya looked to Riddle for help.

“Floyd here is probably talking about Ace,” the Heartslabyul housewarden said, sighing heavily. “Ace has mentioned having some trouble during basketball club meetings, and Floyd has the bad habit of giving people strange nicknames.”

“But you’re small and red, so you’re Goldfish,” Floyd explained. “And Crabby’s orange hair sticks out to the sides, so he’s Crabby. Perfect, yeah?”

Yu couldn’t count the number of times Ace had complained about a moody, irrational, very scary upperclassman on the basketball club with him. Was Floyd the upperclassman Ace was talking about?

While Riddle and Floyd talked, the other twin, who must be Jade, ambled toward them.

“Why, if it isn’t Riddle and the new student from Ramshackle Dorm!” This boy had hair that grew longer over his left side, and his eyes were a mirror of Floyd’s: with a golden left eye and a pale olive green right eye. The twin’s faces were perfectly bilaterally symmetrical. “It is my great pleasure to meet you. My name is Jade Leech.”

“Oh!” Yu exclaimed and smiled. “Nice to meet you. I’m—”

“Yu, right? Word spread a while ago. It’s an honor to meet the new student who’s the talk of the school. Let’s not be strangers.” Jade put a hand to his chest and bowed at the waist. His greeting was extremely polite, and his demeanor calm, as opposed to Floyd’s sharpness.

Yuya heaved a sigh of relief, and Jade grinned at him.

“To what do we owe the pleasure, Riddle? Yu? You do know that details of dorm Spelldrive practices are top-secret, confidential information.” Jade put a hand to his chin and raised curious eyebrows, feigning bafflement, then his smile grew deeper and wider, nearly splitting his face in half. “Are you perhaps acting as spies? Quite troubling. Such innocent faces, yet such dangerous actions.”

“No, of course not!” Yuya exclaimed. He shook his head vigorously.

Jade leaned in closer, the expression on his face unchanged. “Well then, may I inquire as to the reason you find yourselves here?” His tone remained the height of politeness, but his eyes were no longer smiling.

“I can’t really go into that,” Yuya said. “But we’re not spying.”

“Goodness!” Jade’s eyes grew wide. “The fact that you can’t say why you’re here makes this all the more suspicious, doesn’t it? I might have to report this to the housewarden immediately.”

“What?” Floyd arched an eyebrow. “These guys up to no good? In that case, I could give ’em a good squeeze?”

“Squ-squeeze?” Yuya shuddered, and Floyd grinned broadly.

“Yeah,” he said. “Squeeze. If I just squeezed real hard… Well, you’d wanna start talking about why you’re hiding, I bet?”

The boys stooped over alongside each other to look down at Yuya and Riddle. Yuya knew they were twins, but he still shivered at how terrifyingly identical they were. It wasn’t just their physical appearance; they even had the same air of danger. Floyd and Jade were cold in a way that was frightening precisely because they weren’t obviously violent or hurling abuse.

“I knew it!” Riddle shouted angrily, glaring up at the twins and standing between them and Yuya. “I highly doubt that anyone would lay a hand on two people as devious as you. Because your revenge would be too entirely unpredictable!”

“What revenge?” Floyd asked, happily twisting the piercing in his right ear. “And like, you’re making me blush here, my dude. That’s some compliment.”

“That was not a compliment!” Riddle roared, and Yuya very much understood the sour face Riddle had been pulling since they set out that afternoon. Hardheaded Riddle and impulsive Floyd were obviously incompatible.

Riddle was working himself into a one-sided fight, much to the amusement of Floyd—who looked like his only goal in life was to annoy Riddle.

“Don’t you ever get tired of huffing and puffing so angrily, Goldfish?” Floyd asked languidly.

“I’m angry because of a certain someone!” Riddle glared at him. “It seems I’m going to have to teach you a thing or two about manners.”

“Ha ha! You’re all talk,” Floyd sneered. “Besides, it wouldn’t be any fun to have a go at you now, not when you’re weak as a little kitty cat.”

“Did you just call me weak?” Riddle’s face was growing redder. “Is that how I look to you? Well, why don’t I show you why you need glasses!”

“Riddle! Please, don’t!” Yuya cried. He was about to step between the two boys when Jade blocked his way.

“Now, now,” the other twin said. He also appeared highly amused by the bickering. “How about we let them be? They do seem to be enjoying themselves, after all.”

Yuya clenched his hands, feeling like a scuffle was about to break out any second. Hoping to derail the escalating argument, Yuya mustered his courage to shout, “I’m sorry! You’re totally misunderstanding everything!”

“Uh? What everything?” Floyd asked, staring at Yuya dubiously.

Yuya smiled ingratiatingly and bowed several times to both Floyd and Jade, who looked at him with obvious delight. Yuya grabbed Riddle’s sleeve and yanked him away from the twins.

“Let’s go, Riddle,” he whispered. “We don’t have time for this.”

Riddle was silent for a long moment, then nodded. “Right. It’s a waste of time to remain here.”

They scurried off the sports field on quick feet, Yuya’s heart pounding the whole time. What if Floyd and Jade tried to stop them? But the twins didn’t chase after them. Instead of heavy footsteps behind them, all Yuya heard was unsettling laughter.

“Aaaw. Leaving so soon? You’re no fun.” Jade laughed.

“Heh heh! That was a refreshing break,” Floyd sneered.

For some reason, their voices sounded much closer than they should have, but Yuya could not bring himself to look back. He finally let out a sigh of relief when they came out onto Main Street, the wide road lined with large stone statues of the Great Seven, located in the center of campus.

“Looks like we managed to get out of there okay,” Yuya said.

“Thanks for intervening. I didn’t mean to get so carried away.” Riddle sighed, pushing his hair back grumpily. “Those two have been unfathomable to me since first year. Every time I have to deal with them, it’s a disaster.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Yuya nodded, but he couldn’t help being anxious about what Riddle might do next.

Cater had said that Riddle was much nicer after experiencing overblot. And Trey had happily agreed. Clearly, Riddle had changed. But if the Riddle who had just been arguing with Floyd was a softer, gentler Riddle, then how stormy had he been before the overblot? Yuya couldn’t begin to picture it.

“That’s the end of the investigation into Jade and Floyd,” Riddle said, pulling out his phone. “Let’s move on to our next target.”

Despite his fear of the slender boy before him, Yuya forged ahead and read about the next student on the list.

Silver, second-year, Diasomnia. His star is shooting into the stratosphere thanks to power plays at odds with his dashing Prince Charming looks!

“So next is Diasomnia, then,” Riddle muttered. “Their players are stuck in Malleus’s long shadow, unfortunately, but Silver really does have both power and stamina. I can easily see him being selected to play in the tournament.”

“Do you know him, too?” Yuya asked.

“Silver’s in the Equestrian Club with me,” Riddle said. “He’s very diligent about practice, a hardworking student. He could make an even bigger splash, however, if he didn’t have a habit of napping.”

While Riddle didn’t neglect to tack on a complaint to his assessment, his feelings were nevertheless warm—the exact opposite of his reaction to the Leech twins. Yuya felt Silver must be quite a serious person.

Apparently, Silver worked out daily after school. Riddle said his routine varied, but Silver was most often in the woods behind the school.

After they arrived at the woods, Yuya spotted a figure on the other side of some large apple trees. Riddle looked smugly triumphant.

“Exactly as I anticipated,” he said quietly. “That’s Silver.”

Yuya looked toward a boy with silver hair who was swinging a sword with single-minded focus. The blade was black and lacked a pointed tip, so it was a practice sword. Yuya heard small birds twittering in the nearby trees.

“He comes all the way out here to train by himself?” Yuya asked.

“The first-year Sebek Zigvolt often comes with him,” Riddle responded. “But it looks like he’s not here today. Silver and Sebek are in the same dorm and from the same place, and they’re also in the same club. They quite frequently spend time with the third-year Lilia. They’re all from Briar Valley, a land north of here, the same as Malleus.”

“What’re you doing down there?” an unfamiliar voice said right by Yuya’s ear.

Yuya whirled around and leaped back with a shriek. “Gaaah!”

“Hee hee hee! Love that reaction,” said a small boy, who had approached from behind on silent feet. Shocking pink streaks stood out in his neatly cut bangs. Even Riddle appeared surprised; he pressed a hand to his chest.

“Lilia,” Riddle gasped. “Please don’t appear out of nowhere like that!”

“Sorry, my bad. I was just curious about what you guys were doing,” said Lilia, smiling playfully. Yuya felt like he’d seen him somewhere before. Then Yuya remembered: He’d seen the boy at orientation, when he’d also seemingly popped out of thin air and nearly given the headmage a heart attack. Yuya was pretty sure he was the vice housewarden of Diasomnia.

“So you’re the presence I was feeling, Riddle,” Lilia said, still smiling. “What are you doing all the way out here?”

Silver came wandering over, having overheard Yuya’s scream.

Yuya wondered if they should tell them the truth. Or would being honest only cause needless anxiety? Before Yuya spoke, Riddle signaled him with his eyes.

“No real reason,” Riddle said, gesturing with his open palm for Yuya to step forward. “We were merely passing by. Yu wanted to know more about the history of Night Raven College, so he came to me, you see? I was showing him around the woods.”

“Yeah? I’m impressed,” Silver replied, looking serious, as he suddenly fell into shadow. Yuya looked up to see a flock of little birds clutching a towel in their beaks. Silver accepted the towel and thanked the birds as if it was the most natural thing in the world, then he wiped away the sweat on his face. The birds chirped together in response.

Was this some kind of magic? Yuya stared, enthralled by the birds and the towel, while Riddle explained how Yuya came to be a Night Raven College student.

“Huh,” Silver said. He turned to Yuya. “Rough to be in an unfamiliar place. I’ll help. Tell me if you need anything.”

Silver used few words, but his voice was warm and assured. Just from his interaction with the birds, Yuya could tell he was a kind person.

“Thank you so much,” Yuya said, offering heartfelt thanks, and Silver nodded deeply.

“That reminds me,” Riddle said, attempting to be casual. “Anything new around here recently? I must warn Yu if there’s anything he needs to be careful about.”

“New? No, nothing,” Silver replied.

They turned to Lilia. “Hmm, right,” Lilia said, but he clearly couldn’t think of anything. Then he flashed them a grin. “If I had to say, the only thing new is that Malleus is still cranky y’all forgot to invite him to the housewarden meeting the other day.”

“That was…extremely unfortunate,” Riddle said, looking uncomfortable. “We will be more careful next time.”

“Please do,” Lilia said. “He might not look it, but he really feels the sting of these things.”

“Malleus? I find that hard to believe.” Riddle snorted. “I do apologize for having forgotten the invitation, but I highly doubt he is particularly concerned about any other sorcerer. I’m sure he has not so much as thought about us once.”

As Yuya listened, his image of Malleus Draconia expanded in his mind. The more he heard about him, the more he understood he was not some run-of-the-mill guy. He wasn’t a mere human, he was a descendant of fae and the next king of the fairies. The world’s leading mage. The lone star and master of the Spelldrive tournament. Both Ace and Deuce had been quick to warn Yu to avoid Malleus, and this message was so important, they still took every opportunity to remind him.

What kind of person would be so feared at Night Raven College, a school of sorcerers? Yuya had yet to meet him, and he wondered what terrifying form the boy actually embodied.

“Not true,” Silver argued, shaking his head. “Lord Malleus is very sensitive. You’d know that if you ever talked with him.”

“Mm. Silver’s right,” Lilia said. “Ol’ Malleus is a comrade from back in the days when we were still living in Briar Valley. I’ve known him since when he was ’bout this high.” Lilia motioned like he was popping a pea out of a pod. “You gotta believe.” He was clearly attempting a joke, since he and Malleus were about the same age. They were both third-years. Lilia was a cheerful, pleasant person, and Yuya smiled at his larger-than-life demeanor, which contrasted with his very small stature.

“All of you at Diasomnia really are close, huh?” Yuya asked.

“Thank you,” Silver said, smiling faintly. “But ‘close’ would be overstating it. I have the utmost respect for Lord Malleus. It’s an honor to be with him outside Briar Valley.”

Lilia nodded in agreement, as if this was obvious. He gazed at Yuya and Riddle, his expression turning serious. “When you think about it, student life is not so easy—people of all sorts of different tribes and classes come together in one hall to live. The reason we manage it so happily is thanks to our housewarden, Malleus. He’s a great leader. If you knew him like we do in Diasomnia, you’d also see he’s not the boy people whisper about.”

Lilia spoke calmly, with a maturity beyond his years, making it hard for Yuya to believe he was only two years older than him. His thoughts were quite philosophical and persuasive.

Yuya didn’t know if the rumors about Malleus were true, but Lilia, at least, regarded Malleus as a good housewarden and a good prince. Based on how Lilia and Silver spoke, Malleus seemed to have a lot of charisma. They definitely weren’t afraid of him. Yuya felt almost chastised for his negative assumptions and prejudices, and he bowed apologetically.

Lilia spun around, smiling, his mouth wide with laughter. “But the fact is, he’s still not used to human culture, which leads to unexpected trouble from time to time. This is one of his charms, though—please do forgive him!” He slapped Yuya on the back several times.

Yuya’s head rocked back and forth. The force of Lilia’s small hand was greater than expected. “Okay,” Yuya acknowledged.

“Should we get going, then?” Riddle asked.

Riddle had retreated slightly, and Yuya looked back, mouthing silently, Are you sure?

“Mm. Silver will be all right,” Riddle whispered. Then he bowed and spoke to the other two boys. “Sorry to have disturbed you.”

Yuya copied him and lowered his head. Lilia and Silver both waved goodbye.

“Come again anytime,” Silver said.

“You’re also welcome at Diasomnia!” Lilia declared.

Yuya offered another bashful goodbye before turning and chasing after Riddle.

Yuya kept glancing back as they slipped through the forest of apple trees to return to the open fields.

“You worried about Silver?” Riddle asked. When Yuya nodded, Riddle said calmly, “I wouldn’t. There’s no need. Silver is basically always with Sebek, Lilia, and Malleus. As long as the four of them are together, I doubt anyone would be able to easily lay a hand on them when they’re together. I think the possibility of him being a target is extremely low.”

“Oh,” Yuya said. “I guess if they’re always together, yeah.”

“Yes. We don’t have a lot of time left. Let’s go check in on our next candidate.” Riddle pulled his phone out of his pocket and muttered, “One of these days, I’d like to ask Malleus what exactly he thinks a good housewarden is.”

“Huh?!” Yuya exclaimed.

“What’s that look for?” Riddle looked shocked by Yuya’s surprise. “Ah, listen. I’m not saying Malleus is a good housewarden. He never comes to our important meetings, and he can be rather lax about time.”

Reflexively, as they crossed the field, Yuya looked around to check that they were alone. Riddle was the only person he could imagine openly voicing his displeasure with Malleus when there was even the potential for another person to overhear. To Yuya, this perfectly demonstrated Riddle’s self-confidence. Everyone else Yuya knew was too afraid. Even Ace, who generally was brutally honest, was on guard when it came to Malleus.

“But his vice housewarden, Lilia, speaks so highly of him,” Riddle continued, “and it’s clear they have a strong, trusting relationship. Silver also respects Malleus. So, with the way I am now, I think there are areas where I could learn from him.”

Yuya didn’t know what to say. He was shocked to hear Riddle be so introspective and self-critical.

“Aah, apologies, Yu,” Riddle said, waving a dismissive hand. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s got nothing to do with you. I’m mostly talking to myself.”

“Oh, I mean, I…” Yuya stuttered, letting his words fade into quiet. In public, the Heartslabyul housewarden was hard on others and brimmed with self-confidence, yet here he was being just as hard on himself, expressing doubts, and admitting to admiring someone else as he tried to become a better version of himself. Which was the real Riddle? Yuya felt like he understood Riddle even less now. He remained silent, afraid he’d make Riddle mad if he said the wrong thing.

Riddle looked again at his phone, but before he could read out the name of the next candidate, his phone vibrated briefly. “Hmm?” he hummed, peering at the notification. “Oh, it’s a message from Cater.”

Cater had apparently gotten hold of some key bit of information, and he wanted everyone to rendezvous at the Hall of Mirrors and then go together to Savanaclaw Dorm.

“Savanaclaw?” Riddle murmured.

“What’s the matter?” Yuya said.

“I was planning to stay on campus for our investigation today,” Riddle explained. “Savanaclaw Dorm is quite large. If we go now, we might not get home until rather late.”

They needed to use the Hall of Mirrors to travel to Savanaclaw, and visiting that dorm might indeed mean he’d have to return late to Heartslabyul. “Do you have plans later?” Yuya asked.

“Yes.” A deep crease wrinkled Riddle’s brow again. “I must make sure no one is violating Queen of Hearts’ Rule 346, ‘Croquet must not be played after five in the afternoon.’ ”

“Oh…a rule, huh?” Yuya’s cheeks tightened. For Riddle, the Queen of Hearts’ rules were regulations to be strictly enforced, even though his dorm members opposed them fiercely.

Seeing the look on Yuya’s face, Riddle said, “Naturally, I intend to be more lenient about enforcing the rules. Unlike before. Even if I do find someone in violation, I will merely give them a verbal warning. Unless the violation is quite serious, of course. But I will no longer take anyone’s head off straight away.” He puffed his chest out in a way that was meant to be reassuring. Apparently, promising not to use his signature spell, Off with Your Head, was an improvement.

Yuya nodded awkwardly.

To others, Riddle might still appear like the same stubborn housewarden as always. Yuya couldn’t really blame anyone for feeling upset with him or criticizing him for not taking more time to atone for the overblot incident. But now Yuya had seen another side to Riddle as he struggled to be better.

“All right, I messaged Cater,” Riddle said. “We’re all going to meet up in the Hall of Mirrors.” Riddle whirled around, head held high, and Yuya followed.

6

WHEN THEY ARRIVED at the Hall of Mirrors, the other two teams—Cater and Grim, and Ace and Deuce—were already there, and the space instantly exploded in chatter.

“Took ya long enough, Yu!” Grim snarled.

“Yeah. Sorry,” Yuya apologized, feeling almost relieved to be yelled at by Grim.

“Well, then, I must leave the rest of today’s investigation to you,” Riddle said abruptly as he stepped through the mirror to return to Heartslabyul Dorm.

After Riddle left, Ace and Deuce surrounded Yuya and Ace peppered Yuya with questions.

“So? How was it? You and the housewarden do okay together?” Ace asked, grinning and elbowing Yuya in the side. “You maybe get a little taste of how we’re pretty much always holding our breath?”

“It wasn’t that I was holding my breath, but…” Yuya sighed. “Okay, to be honest, I was pretty on edge.”

Deuce nodded, looking serious, and said, “I get that. He can be fairly intimidating.”

“So long as you understand,” Ace said, strangely satisfied, “I can basically picture how it went with you guys. But what happened with you two, Grim and Cater? Make any headway on the investigation?”

“Natch! Cater did zactly like I ordered him to, so the whole thing was a piece of cake!” Grim crowed as he put his hands on his hips and tossed his head back.

Clearly, Cater had masterfully kept Grim under control, just as Riddle anticipated. They’d probably had a great time checking into their potential targets in the Pomefiore dorm. Yuya, Ace, and Deuce rolled their eyes at Grim.

“Look, we all appreciate Riddle’s diligence, ’kay, babes?” Cater said, laughing. “So Hunting Season, my mans, where’d you get up to?” Cater invoked his new nickname for Ace and Deuce.

“Absolutely nowhere,” Ace replied, annoyed. “And please stop with the Hunting Season thing. We went to see that Rook guy from Pomefiore who was on the list. But he totally didn’t seem like a contender at all.”

“No?” Cater shrugged. “You’d be surprised. He’s more than just a pretty face. But, well, maybe he’s not remarkable enough to be on someone’s hit list.”

Yuya had met Rook at Pomefiore the day before, and he could see how his gentle demeanor might not make him seem like a top competitor. Ace and Deuce had also checked in on several other players, but they had found nothing out of the ordinary with any of them.

Yuya reported that his investigation had come up similarly empty.

“Huh.” Cater frowned. But he didn’t seem particularly deterred. “Me and Grimmy came home without any party favors, either. But I did hear some truly hot goss while we were on the case.” He winked playfully. “Word has it we got ourselves a new king on the scene! Savanaclaw first-year Jack Howl. He’s new, but he’s a big brute of a guy. People are excited about what he can do on the field. I was checking the deets of past Spelldrive tournaments, but of course he wasn’t at any of them, so I didn’t pin him when I was making my list. But I guess this kid is so good, he’s off the charts.”

“Jack?” Deuce muttered, as if the name rang a bell.

“You know him, Deuce?” Yuya asked.

“Know him?” Deuce frowned. “I mean, I’ve barely spoken to him. But we are in track together.” Deuce explained that since most track events are individual competitions, team members don’t interact that much. Conversation is minimal. “I could totally see him being picked for their Spelldrive team, though. He’s a wolf beastman and an amazing athlete. I guess other sports clubs have tried to recruit him, but I heard he hates playing with a team, so he joined track and field.”

“Supertough guy who hates teamwork?” Grim rolled his eyes. “Sounds like a real party.”

“Well, you know, we can’t know until we meet him. So it’s time for takeoff !” Cater said and leaped into the mirror that led to Savanaclaw.

The frame around Savanaclaw’s mirror was filled with carvings of bones and rocks, making it look intimidating, but Grim stepped into it without the slightest hesitation, so Yuya followed suit.

On the other side, Yuya was confronted with a large plain. Yuya knew each dorm building was located off-campus, but he was surprised by how much land surrounded the Savanaclaw Dorm. Sparse vegetation dotted sandy soil that stretched out so far, he almost couldn’t see the end of it. Though it looked like a desert, the air was curiously clear and not particularly dry. A gentle breeze carried the invigorating scent of grasslands, like a distant childhood memory. Yuya squinted and saw a river in the distance. Ground he’d thought was nothing but sand was actually covered in golden grass. Cool shadows rippled beneath trees with wide branches reaching toward the horizon.

“Whoa!” Ace cried. “They got a Spelldrive field as part of their dorm!” He pointed to a hill, and Yuya spotted a circular goal and the roof of spectator seating. Savanaclaw had their own stadium, which fit their status as a top Spelldrive dorm.

“There’s like some kinda scraggy rock building over there,” Grim said, extending a paw in one direction.

Yuya narrowed his eyes at the dazzling sunlight. The sky was almost cloudless.

Cater shaded his eyes with a hand. “That’s the Savanaclaw Dorm. Wild, right? You can really feel the feral style.”

“Couldn’t be less like Heartslabyul,” Ace muttered, his jaw hanging open. The bones of some massive creature surrounded the dorm’s entrance, including two large, curving tusks that extended outward, greeting visitors.

Maybe they were from an elephant, or perhaps some even larger creature. Whatever they were, they were too intensely powerful to be replicas. Yuya could feel the unmatched valor and pride of Savanaclaw in them, as if they said unserious people were not welcome. Starting from the front door, the design was on an entirely different level from Heartslabyul or Pomefiore.

“Now, then,” Cater said, glancing around. “Wonder where ol’ Jackie boy’s at.”

“I’ve heard he’s always training, even at home in the dorm,” Deuce replied, looking around curiously. This was his first time to Savanaclaw, too.

“Training? Oh ho!” Cater clapped his hands together. “Quite the worker bee, just as rumor would have it.”

“I hope a worker bee is all he is,” Deuce said, shaking his head. “He’s probably on the Spelldrive field. We couldn’t use the sports field today for track and field, so he might be doing some runs there to make up for that.”

“Okay!” Cater grinned at them. “How ’bout we go take a sneak peek?”

They climbed the long staircase and headed for the Spelldrive field. Every little thing at Savanaclaw was large, and the stairs were so wide that Yuya and his friends could easily stand alongside each other as they climbed. Yuya was running out of breath when the field finally opened up before him.

“Myaaah!” Grim cried. “Look at all them muscle heads!”

The vast grounds were dotted with Savanaclaw students in PE uniforms dripping with sweat, more than Yuya could count. A disc flew back and forth in a group of brawny students separated by several meters as they practiced catching and throwing. They were entirely engrossed in their training and didn’t notice Yuya and his friends.

“Deucey, is Jack here?” Cater asked, his voice hushed.

“Umm.” Deuce was about to answer when a small shadow slipped past him.

“Deluxe ham and cheese sandwich!!” the shadow roared.

“Huh? Grim, don’t!” Yuya shouted. He quickly tried to stop the monster, but Grim was as quick as a cat hearing a can opener, and neither Yuya nor anyone else could catch him. Why was he charging onto the field shouting the name of a sandwich?

“Ow! What the—?!” a slim beastman cried as Grim slammed into him. It was Ruggie, the student who’d traded Grim the anpan bun in the cafeteria.

“Huh?! Why, if it isn’t the monster from Ramshackle Dorm!” Ruggie rubbed his leg as he cocked his head. “What are you doing here?”

“My deluxe ham and cheese sandwich!” Grim howled. “You really pulled a fast one on me.”

“Of all things… You’re still holding a grudge about that? You’re pretty stubborn, huh?” Ruggie snorted with laughter. “This world’s about survival of the fittest. Not my fault you can’t defend your own food. If you’re gonna hate someone, hate your own foolish self for letting your lunch be snatched away.”

“What did you say?!” Grim lashed out, not one to learn a lesson. “Oh, you’re in for it now, buddy! Coming at me like that!”

“Ah, ah,” Ace sighed, rolling his eyes. “Did that idiot forget we’re not here about a stupid food grudge?”

Having seen the audacious lunch theft, Yuya understood Grim’s anger, but this was not helping their investigation. The other Savanaclaw students, hearing the commotion, began to cluster around them.

“What’s with this small fry?” one asked as he reached down to grab Grim by the scruff of the neck. The little monster fled behind Yuya’s legs.

“Hands off!” Grim snarled.

“Wait. Are you the ones from Ramshackle Dorm everyone’s talking about?” a tall student asked, shifting his gaze from Grim to Yuya. “This guy’s the one who stopped the overblot.”

“And it looks like a couple of ’em are from Heartslabyul, huh?” another student chimed in. “How come guys from other dorms are on our Spelldrive field?”

The students surrounding Yuya and his friends were a mix of human and beastfolk, but all of them were built like brick walls, their muscles bulging under T-shirts that were dark yellow, their dorm color. Yuya was average size, and every part of them was twice the size of every part of him.

A beastman laughed savagely, revealing sharp fangs, and crossed his tree-trunk arms. “You got some nerve marching onto Savanaclaw’s field. You think you can just barge onto our turf and walk away without payin’ the price?”

“We’re sorry! We didn’t mean to intrude,” Yuya said, and bowed over and over again.

Ruggie shook his head mercilessly. “Nope, nuh-uh. You crashed our gates; too late for apologies. We’re gonna need you to settle up for slamming into me there.” Ruggie rubbed the leg that Grim had hit and approached them deliberately. Deuce frantically gripped Grim with both hands, clenching them into fists to keep him from lunging forward. The air crackled with tension as a fight brewed.

“We gotta find a way out of here,” Yuya said, his voice trembling.

“Totally,” Ace said, nodding firmly.

“Yuppers,” Cater agreed. “Deucey and Grimmy look like they’re ready to scrap, but our chances of winning this one are, like, less than zero.” He looked around, seeking a way out of this jam, as the Savanaclaw Dorm students grumbled.

Then Yuya heard a familiar voice. “What’s all the fuss for?”

The crowd parted to reveal a boy with small animal ears and tanned skin. It was the Savanaclaw housewarden, the lion beastman Leona. Leona had a track jacket tied loosely around his waist. His long hair was carelessly tied back, with a few loose strands plastered with sweat to his sharp cheekbones.

Yuya and Deuce knew Leona from their first encounter with him and Ruggie earlier this month when they were on their way back from Mister S’s Mystery Shop. Ruggie and Leona had kept Deuce from getting into a fight with other Savanaclaw students. But Ace and Grim had never met Leona, and upon seeing him, they gasped. Their reaction was about more than his sharply angled face and masculine beauty; Leona had a commanding, even menacing air. Although he was dressed the same as the other Savanaclaw students, all eyes were immediately drawn to him. He had an intimidating presence that took control of a space just by standing there.

“I see y’all got time for messing around,” Leona half-growled at his fellow Savanaclaws. “You’d do well to remember you ain’t getting picked for the team if you’re not gonna practice for real.” The sharp light in his eyes caused the dorm students to instantly fall silent.

Ruggie alone grinned and trotted over to him. “Leona, it’s not what it looks like,” Ruggie purred. “No one’s skipping practice here. We just had a small issue come up.” He indicated Yuya and his friends with both hands. “You see these guys? They barged in out of nowhere and started picking a fight with us.” His gesture was reverent, as if offering up prey, but Leona had no interest in the offering.

Leona looked at them indifferently and arched his left eyebrow, part of which was missing due to an old scar. “That you, Cater? What’re you doing here?”

“Hey-o, Leona!” Cater grinned and waved. “No big thing, really, just wanted to give you a ping.”

Perhaps they knew each other because they were third-years, Yuya speculated.

Leona sniffed and smiled coolly. “A ping, huh? Wish I had time for that. I don’t have a second to spare, what with practicing for the tournament. Guess you got all the free time in the world, though.”

Cater snickered at this obvious sarcasm. Seizing the moment, the Savanaclaw students began to argue for fighting.

“Housewarden, these guys totally came to spy on our dorm,” one student exclaimed.

“They came and trashed our turf. We can’t just let ’em walk away!” another shouted.

“How about we teach these outsiders the true terror of Savanaclaw?” a third threatened.

Blue veins throbbed on students’ foreheads.

“Honestly,” Leona said with a sigh. “Bunch of hotheads. Stop yappin’ like a pack of wild dogs.”

Leona alone remained calm and collected as his dormmates grew more heated. He exuded a strange quiet; even the air around him felt thick, almost stewed.

Leona was so cool that a wild hope leaped in Yuya’s heart. Maybe he would let them leave unharmed. Then Yuya looked at Cater, whose face was unexpectedly hard, despite his playful banter.

“Is something wrong?” Yuya murmured.

“Hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Cater replied, without a glance back at Yuya and the others. “Now that Leona’s stepped onto the scene, we’re not going anywhere.”

“Ah. There we go, I knew you were a smart cookie. Makes this easier.” Leona bent forward and peered at Cater. Then he looked at Deuce, Ace, Yuya, and Grim in turn before breaking into a smile. “What I’m hearing is y’all went and got these fellows all worked up. It ain’t like I got anything against you, but it’s important to make this clear, don’t you think? Gotta draw a line in the sand.”

Disinterest and tolerance were two different things. Leona had helped out Yuya and Deuce once before, but Yuya realized now that it hadn’t been out of kindness.

“I’d hate for anyone to think of me as a numbskull who lets a weak little mousie tickle my nose and run off,” Leona said. Maybe he had no interest in Yuya and his friends, but that didn’t mean he would overlook a perceived slight.

“B-but I mean, we don’t have to fight,” Yuya said, his voice trembling. “If the teachers find out, we could all be disqualified from the Spelldrive tournament. I know the tournament’s important to you. Can’t we stop?”

“Fight?” Leona’s ears stood up, his shoulders shook, and he looked shocked. “Whoa, hey now. Watch your mouth, kid. I was just thinking we could resolve this with a friendly game of Spelldrive.”

“Spelldrive?” Yuya said. He and his friends frowned in confusion as the Savanaclaw students snickered, their giggles growing louder like lapping waves.

“Shyeheehee!” Ruggie’s laughter was a singular sound, enough to cause the air to flee from Yuya’s body. “Leona, you’re so mean. I doubt these weaklings could endure a single game.”

“Hold up,” Grim interjected. “I’m not taking that lying down. Grim the Great’ll knock the lot of ya into next week!”

“Grim, you’re pretty full of yourself,” Deuce said cautiously. “But have you ever played Spelldrive?”

“Not a once,” the monster replied cheerily.

Deuce’s shoulders dropped, and he grabbed hold of Grim’s head and squeezed. “So don’t go talking like you’re some kind of pro.”

“I never played, but those old ghost dudes gave me the rundown. It’s all good. We’re totally gonna kill it!” Grim threw his head back smugly, pleased to get to play Spelldrive at last. Listening to Ace and Deuce talk about practicing, his jealousy had grown out of control, so that all he did now was brag about how he would score in ways they couldn’t imagine.

With a sour look, Ace shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “Okay, this got pretty fight club fast, Spelldrive-style. Why do I have to be dragged into this?”

“Well, it’s true, it is sudden,” Yuya replied, smiling at Ace. “I’m just glad we don’t have to actually fight.”

Savanaclaw were regular Spelldrive winners. While the championship had slipped through their fingers the last couple of years, they were still hard to beat.

“Well, yeah, I guess there’s that.” Ace shrugged. “I definitely don’t wanna go toe-to-toe with Savanaclaw in a real fight.”

Deuce was about to respond when he and Ace were abruptly enveloped in particles of light, and the school uniforms they’d been wearing changed into their PE uniforms. Yuya had seen this before, and he realized it was Cater’s magic. In fact, Cater had also changed into his own PE uniform and had materialized a broom as well. The red Heartslabyul T-shirt looked good on him.

“Good luck, Cater,” Yuya said, and Cater frowned.

“Mm. Luck, yeah. Could use some of that,” Cater said and flashed Yuya a troubled smile that got Yuya’s heart racing.

“Cater?” he asked, but the older boy shook his head.

“We’re here now, so no way out but through,” he said. “Yuey, go watch from a safe spot.”

Since Yuya had no magic, he couldn’t play. That left only four players on the Heartslabyul side—Cater, Ace, Deuce, and Grim—so Savanaclaw agreed to use only four players, rather than the usual seven players per team. The Savanaclaw team comprised Leona, Ruggie, and the two students who’d first spoken to Yuya and his friends. The teams also agreed to use modified Spelldrive rules to account for the smaller teams.

To start the game, Team Cater was given the first offensive. Deuce waved his left arm toward Ace. His magical pen, complete with a magestone, was tucked into the pocket on the left side of his PE uniform, so it was easier for him to use magic by waving this arm.

The disc swerved to the right, arcing up far past Ace. Deuce’s magic control was, as always, not great. Yuya covered his eyes as Ace yelled at Deuce, “Are you trying to throw it to the moon? Spaghetti arm!”

“I—I can’t help it!” Deuce protested. “The disc is hard to control!”

The disc was almost snatched by a Savanaclaw student when Cater swooped in and caught it with his magic. “Good hustle, Deucey!” Cater called.

As the only one of their team riding a broom, Cater quickly ascended and kept the captured disc safely above his head. Thinking fast, he tossed the disc hard.

Ace was standing on the other end and caught the pass, deftly evading the student guarding him. He was good at teamwork, which Yuya guessed must be thanks to basketball.

“Oh!” Ruggie laughed as he ran toward Ace. “You set yourself up in a nice spot, first-year!”

“It’s Ace!” Ace shouted back, an edge in his voice. Ruggie made Spelldrive look so easy. Using the momentum of the catch, Ace charged toward the goal and pointed his fingers to send the disc flying in that direction.

“Look at you!” Ruggie exclaimed. “How bold to go for the goal from so far away!”

Ruggie was right. The disc was decelerating, and its trajectory wobbled into a weak parabola as Ace’s magic was absorbed by the disc the farther it got from him. It was happening just like Professor Crewel had described in class.

A Savanaclaw student got in position to catch the dropping disc.

“Not on my watch!” Deuce shouted. He stepped out in front of the player. At the same time, Deuce’s opponent leaped to take the disc just as Deuce took to the air, blocking the Savanaclaw student.

Flying above the ground, Cater managed to get control of the disc again.

Deuce fell down, knocked off his feet from checking the other player, but he quickly jumped back up. Yuya breathed a sigh of relief.

The Ramshackle Dorm ghosts had said that rough contact was against the rules in Spelldrive, but it seemed that some contact while struggling for control of the disc was accepted, just like in basketball or soccer. This blocking method worked for Deuce, who was physically strong.

Cater lowered his broom and tried to pass to Ace again. But just before he did, the disc hovering over the end of his broom vanished.

“I got serious moves, too, human!” Grim shouted. He’d snatched the disc from his teammate, set it hovering above his head, and raced off.

“What?!” Cater cried out in surprise. The opposing team was equally confused. Caught off guard, the Savanaclaw team chased after the monster, but they were flummoxed as he nimbly darted from side to side.

Cater grinned wryly at Grim’s surprisingly good offensive. As befitting a third-year, Cater’s movements were more efficient, and he was especially adept at flight. His technique helped him outmaneuver a Savanaclaw student in the same aerial position. He shot across the field to provide backup for Grim.

“Yes!” Ace shouted. The monster was about ten meters away from the opposing goal. “Go, Grim! Score!”

“Stop!” Cater cried, but too late.

It wasn’t a wall of defense that Grim faced. Only Leona.

“Seriously? You looking down your nose at me?” Leona asked. He turned the palm of his hand upward and closed it into a tight fist. The saucer shooting toward the goal froze, captured by Leona’s magic.

“M-my ultra-hot killer play…” Grim groaned in disbelief.

“You actually thought you could score? Gotta respect your optimism,” Leona said. He waved a finger at the frozen disc, which cut through the air so fast it was practically invisible. It kicked up a whirlwind as it shot past Grim, Cater, Deuce, and lastly Ace.

“Ow!” Cater yelped and pressed a hand to his ear. Yuya narrowed his eyes. Something red was on Cater’s hand. The disc had apparently grazed his ear. Yuya let out a squeak, while Ruggie easily caught the disc Leona had launched.

“Shyeheehee!” he laughed. “Another perfect Leona pass!”

Ruggie shot the disc past the goalposts, and a cheer rose from the watching Savanaclaw students.

Yuya barely noticed as all the blood drained from his body.

“Listen, Leona, sweetheart,” Cater said with a pained grin. “Maybe you should take it a little easy?”

“Why, that’d be a waste of practice,” Leona replied, his tone sickly sweet. “This is where we really get going. Let’s all have fun out here.”

Yuya was afraid to open his eyes to watch the rest of the match, which soon resumed.

“Fwoo-ee! We’re hooped here,” Grim snapped at one point. He’d reached for the disc but missed it and tumbled across the ground.

From inside the cloud of dust, Yuya could hear wheezing and the snuffling and sniffing of snot. “Haah, haah… I’m cooked,” the monster panted hoarsely, arms and legs splayed. He was covered in sweat and dirt, battered and bruised.

His teammates were in the same state. Deuce was on his knees on the field, huge beads of sweat rolling down his forehead as he pounded on the ground in frustration, shouting, “What even was that formation?! There’s not a single weak link in their defensive line! Flying or running, they catch up to us in no time flat. We can’t even touch the disc!”

“Haven’t gotten a single goal,” Ace heaved. He was lying on the ground next to Deuce, trying hard like Grim to catch his breath. “We don’t stand a chance against them. They really were going easy on us at the start.”

Cater got off his broom, pressed his hands to his knees, and bent over, trying to catch his breath. His back heaved up and down. He looked ready to drop to the ground, but he finally, painfully hauled himself back up and casually wiped the sweat from his face.

“Truly on top of your game, Leona,” Cater said. “No wonder people call you a genius commander. We can’t get so much as a hit in against you with this lineup.”

Team Savanaclaw, led by Leona, was a powerfully unified force. The Heartslabyul team had been thrown together on the fly, and they couldn’t even nip their opponents’ heels. The inexperienced first-years in particular hardly had a chance.

Grim and the others had exhausted themselves chasing after the disc, which was always just above their heads. And as each of them weakened, they were skillfully lured away from the rest of their team. As each player was isolated, cut off from their allies, they were toyed with, cat-and-mouse style, by the Savanaclaw team. Leona and his teammates played Spelldrive like a hunt. There were no wasted movements; their plays were elegant and merciless. The Savanaclaw players laughed as they surrounded their prey.

Still, the teams kept playing, even as the sun descended and long shadows brought the tragic scene into harsh relief. Once again, Grim came into contact with an opposing player, and the monster’s small form tumbled across the ground like a bit of fluff blown by the wind.

“Grim!” Yuya shouted. “Hey! You okay?!”

“O’ course I’m not okay!” Grim shouted back. He still had his fighting spirit, but his overweening pregame confidence was gone.

“I am the mighty Grim,” he panted. “Yu, tag me out.”

“Hey!” Ace shouted and staggered to his feet. “You were the one who was so gung-ho for this!”

“Watch out!” Yuya exclaimed and extended a hand to help Grim up, but as he was about to step onto the field, Ruggie shoved in front of him.

“Now, now!” the hyena boy admonished him. “No outside interference. You’ll have to keep those hands to yourself.”

“But everyone’s already on their knees, can’t we—” Yuya protested, but Ruggie cut him off.

“And?” Ruggie cocked his head to one side. “Obviously, you’re gonna get tired when you give the game your all. Sports and injuries go hand in hand.”

“B-but that slam into Grim before,” Yuya said, mustering the courage to speak, “it looked like it was on purpose.”

“What?” Ruggie pressed a hand to his chest in faux outrage. “Are you saying it’s our fault he fell? Maybe you shouldn’t be making false accusations.”

The player who sent Grim flying also laughed out loud. “Yeah, totally! I’m not trying to hurt anybody. I’m helping train the little dude. He oughta be grateful.”

“Curse them! They’re laughing at us,” Deuce muttered. He spat onto the ground, then he wiped the red-tinged spit from his mouth and formed his hand into a fist.

Cater grabbed his arm, admonishing, “Listen, my dude, you are playing right into their hands with that. We stick together. Safety first—stay close instead of going after the disc.”

“That’s a good strategy. If you can do it, that is,” Leona chuckled, looking down on the frustrated challengers. “Come on, herbivores. Lying on the ground’s not gonna help you win.”

There was still a fair bit of time left in the game and Yuya had a hard time believing that Cater and the others would be able to keep going until the end. They were already battered beyond submission. This game wasn’t just one-sided; it was straight-up bullying.

Yuya turned toward the field’s staircase, shouting, “I’m gonna go get someone! Just hang on!”

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?!” a nearby Savanaclaw student shouted and clamped a hand onto his shoulder, causing Yuya to shriek in terror.

Surprisingly, however, Leona stopped them. “Doesn’t matter,” he said, his voice gentle as he looked at Yuya. “Get whoever you want. I’d love to see who’d actually come.” Leona counted on his fingers. “Trusted teacher? Beloved friend from class? Or maybe that ignorant tyrant Heartslabyul is so proud of?”

The look on Cater’s face instantly changed. Yuya understood that Leona was talking about Riddle.

“I don’t care who it is. Go ahead, bring them,” Leona continued. “I’m more than happy to explain that we’re just having a friendly game. But you know, who can say how heated our little game might get while you’re off calling whoever?”

Yuya had no response for Leona’s obvious threat. No name, no plan, nothing came to mind. He screwed up his face in frustration, then saw he wasn’t alone; his friends looked equally aggrieved.

Leona was right. Savanaclaw were so incredibly powerful they were running away with the game. Yuya’s teammates were beat up, but there was no way to prove that Savanaclaw was doing anything malicious. Playing hard was part of the game, and Leona knew that.

They shouldn’t have challenged Savanaclaw so lightly. The white field shone so brightly the shadows threatened to burn themselves into Yuya’s retinas. A powerful wave of helplessness washed over him. He couldn’t use magic, so he couldn’t take anyone’s place on the field, and he had no authority to stop the game. But he couldn’t sit back and watch his friends continue to be mocked and pushed around—engaging in what felt like a fistfight without fists. He took a deep breath and made up his mind. He had to get someone who could stop this before someone got really hurt.

Yuya shook off the hand on his shoulder and started to walk away. The Savanaclaw who had grabbed him immediately blocked his way. Again? Yuya thought, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation of being grabbed again. But nothing happened.

“Out of the way,” a low voice said.

A student emerged from the crowd and pushed the other student aside so he could stand in front of Yuya. The beastman was so tall Yuya had to tilt his head back to see his face. His shoulders and chest were broad, his build was larger than any of the other Savanaclaws, and he had a long, silver tail that swung side to side proudly.

“Ah! Jack!” Deuce cried out.

Apparently, this muscular student, a beastman with large ears standing at attention, was the same Jack Howl that Yuya and his friends had been looking for. He must have just come to the field; Yuya would have noticed someone so tall much earlier.

“What’s goin’ on here?” Jack asked, crossing his arms. He was the very picture of a jock and taller than Leona, Ruggie, and all the other Savanaclaws. His confident air made him even more intense and overpowering.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Leona asked, smiling leisurely. “We’re playin’ a little Spelldrive with these trespassers.”

“These guys are total newbs.” Jack scowled in disgust. “What’s fun about tormenting amateurs?”

“Shyeheehee!” Ruggie laughed mockingly. “Look at you, Jack, our little rising star! Heroically standing up for the downtrodden! How woefully admirable. I could never be like that.”

“I’m saying this is a disgusting spectacle. I don’t wanna see it.” Jack wasn’t looking at Cater or the others visitors. He simply glared at Leona. “I’m not gonna keep my mouth shut about this totally gross behavior. I got principles, man.”

Jeers from his fellow Savanaclaws rained down on him.

“You got some nerve for a freshman! Who do you think you are?! Get outta here!” the Savanaclaw students shouted.

“You looking to get punched in the face or something?!” another student taunted.

Even as his dormmates piled on, Jack remained cool and collected, locked in a staring contest with the silent Leona. The lion boy’s gaze was so cold it made Yuya flinch, but Jack didn’t look away. He was solid as a rock as he met Leona’s glare.

Finally, Leona sighed and shook his head slowly, exasperated. “Way to ruin our fun. Don’t you know how to mind your own business?”

Jack merely scowled.

Leona shrugged. “All right, fine,” he said. “We’ll call it quits with the herbivores.”

“What? Are you sure, Leona?” Ruggie asked, then he whispered something.

Leona waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever. Runnin’ up the score against these chumps ain’t accomplishin’ a thing. I was only thinkin’ it might be a good way for our guys to blow off some steam.”

Ruggie and the rest of the Savanaclaw students begrudgingly obeyed their housewarden’s orders and moved off the field.

“Now go back to your cute little house before I change my mind,” Leona told Cater and walked off to join Ruggie and the others.

Yuya raced over to Cater and his friends as they came off the field. They had cuts and scrapes, but their feet were firm under them. Yuya looked up and saw that Jack was still looming close by.

“Thank you very much,” Yuya said with a bow.

“Save it.” Jack clicked his tongue with a hard look in his eyes. “You guys dug your own graves there. I mean, you got no right to complain if you get smacked down when you come waltzin’ in here when we’re all under pressure like this. Learn your lesson. No more sniffing around Savanaclaw.”

At Jack’s harsh words, Grim leaped up in anger and shouted, “Shaddap! This is all your fault! I’ll have you know, some bad dude might be after you, so we dragged ourselves over here to protect you!”

“Protect me?” The scowl on Jack’s face softened. “What?”

Yuya and his friends looked at each other and nodded. There was no point in hiding the truth. Their mission had already blown up spectacularly.

“The truth is,” Deuce said, “a lot of Spelldrive hopefuls have been hurt in suspicious ‘accidents’ on campus lately.”

“And we’re trying to figure out who’s behind it,” Ace said. He pointed at Jack. “You’re up for the team, right? We thought the guy might show, so we wanted to keep a watch on you.”

“Accidents…” Jack mumbled. He shifted his gaze abruptly.

“Pretty freaky, huh?” Cater said, raising his eyebrows. “We wanna set up a perimeter for a bit to make sure you don’t get hurt, Jacky. What d’you say? Will you give us a hand in catching this guy?”

After a short pause, he said, “No.”

“Huh?” Ace cried out. “Hold up, man. Were you listening? We’re just trying to help.”

“I don’t need your protection,” Jack growled. “Get out of here already.”

“But being alone right now could be dangerous,” Yuya said. He explained that they wouldn’t get in his way, but Jack was firm.

“I told you, I don’t need protection. Sick of herbivores herding every time they get scared.” He turned and started to walk away, muttering, “ ’Sides, I’m not gonna be a target. Prob’ly.”

“Huh?” Yuya cocked his head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jack headed for the field without responding.

Yuya looked at the Savanaclaw students in the distance. They were all huddled around Leona, discussing something. Maybe they were strategizing for the tournament. Whatever it was, Yuya had no interest in finding out, not after what his friends had been through.

“Aah, turned us down flat.” Cater smiled weakly. “Maybe that was too much of a straight shot.”

Grim looked angry as he grumbled, “He sure is a rude jerk. Bad vibes.”

“He’s always like that,” Deuce said and gave them a pained smile. “Even when the upperclassmen talk to him, all he does is nod. He hardly talks at all. But I didn’t realize he was that unfriendly.”

“The strong, silent type? Seems pretty pig-headed. Snooze and snore,” Ace said with a snort of laughter. Then he looked down at himself and slumped forward dejectedly. “I’m covered in mud here. How about we just go back to the dorm for today?”

“Yeah. It’s getting dark and all. We’ll call it a day here,” Cater agreed. The exhausted group trudged down the long stairs as they made their way to the Savanaclaw entrance to the Hall of Mirrors.

“That reminds me, Cater. Are you okay?” Yuya asked. Cater’s ear had stopped bleeding, but Yuya knew it must hurt. He had been shocked at the level of violence during the Spelldrive match. “Maybe you should go to the nurse’s room before going back to the dorm? The rest of you should, too.”

“Yuey, you gotta simmer down, my man. This is just a little scratch.” Cater laughed. He said that cuts and bruises were par for the course in Spelldrive, but this was no comfort to Yuya. All it did was exacerbate his fear of this terrifying game.

“I’m really sorry,” Yuya said. “In the end, all I did was watch.”

“No, no, that was the right call,” Cater told him. “Even if you had brought back a teacher or whoever, Leona would have wriggled out of it with some choice excuse. In fact, he might have made it seem like it was all our fault.”

“Yeah,” Deuce agreed. “It wasn’t your fault, Yu. I’m frustrated with myself for not being able to do anything. Those plays were borderline illegal… I’ll definitely have to thank them for that.”

“Give it up!” Ace punched Deuce in the shoulder.

“Ow!” Deuce glared at him. “What was that for?”

“How come you and Grim are always itching to throw hands?” Ace demanded. “You both have such one-track minds. Think for five seconds before you go picking a fight with some scary dude.”

“Don’t lump me in with Grim!” Deuce protested.

“That right there,” Grim chimed in. “Don’t put me in the same box as this Deuce loser. The Mighty Grim is way cooler.”

“Neither of you realize you’re the same?” Ace asked incredulously. “Check the epic eye-rolling Yu’s doing.”

“Can’t believe you still have it in you to mess around,” Cater said, flashing an exhausted smile. “You freshmen really are fresh, huh?”

For once, though, Yuya was relieved by everyone bickering like normal.

Once they got to the Hall of Mirrors, they made a promise to meet again the next day, then they said their goodbyes.

“How about we head back to Ramshackle Dorm?” Yuya said, looking down at Grim.

“Sure,” the monster replied, but with none of his usual spirit. Once they arrived outside their dorm, Yuya asked Grim if he was sore from the game, but Grim shook his head.

“Ahh,” he sighed as he walked ahead of Yuya along the lonely path to Ramshackle Dorm. “I figured I’d make so many cool plays. Spelldrive’s not half as fun as I thought it’d be.” His shoulders were slumped in the gloom as he sulked.

The path had few lights, so they were forced to rely on the fading light of the evening sky as they returned home. Yuya patted Grim on the head. “I’m pretty sure that game was an exception. I bet you’ll have way more fun if you get to play in the actual tournament.”

“Ya think?” Grim craned his neck upward. “Okay, I’ll bite. I’m gonna practice with them old ghosts till I get so as I can beat those jerks.”

Yuya saw a faint glow through the gaps in the thick trees—it was the clouded glass gate lamps showing the way to Ramshackle Dorm. The weathered light was dazzlingly beautiful, and seeing it, Yuya felt deep relief in his heart.

The sun had set, the outsiders were gone, and the Savanaclaw team practice was over, even though bright lights still illuminated the field. Jack Howl got ready to leave, scowling, simmering with an unpleasant irritation.

He considered himself an honest person. He still had plenty to learn, in life and sport, but he always worked hard to earn his accomplishments. He played fair and never did anything cowardly.

Which was why those students from the other dorms stuck in his heart like a small thorn. They were genuinely worried he might be attacked. And while he hadn’t lied to them, he couldn’t say he’d been completely honest, or that he had nothing to be ashamed of.

Leona and Ruggie were nearby, discussing something. Feeling Jack’s gaze, Leona abruptly turned, narrowed his eyes, and demanded, “What’s that look for?”

Upon hearing Leona’s voice, Ruggie and the rest of the Savanaclaw students turned to glare at Jack, too. They were an obedient pack, moving like a single creature. They were vigilant, ready to defend or attack the moment their leader gave the order.

Leona scowled. “Don’t care much for that attitude, kid. I’m an upperclassman. Before, I let that cheeky mouth of yours slide, since you’re just a baby. It’d be a real shame if you didn’t appreciate how nice I’m bein’.”

The lion’s gaze was almost painful, and Jack realized that he was at odds with his own pack—because their leader didn’t seem to share his principles.

“I want to know why,” Jack said through clenched teeth, pushing back his emotions. “Why are you doin’ this?”

Leona shrugged. “Haven’t got a clue what you’re talkin’ about.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about!” Jack howled, and the beastfolk around him started growling, one after another. Jack was exceptionally strong, but he didn’t stand a chance of beating the entire pack.

“By ‘this,’ do you mean our enthusiastic preparation for the tournament?” Leona asked, affecting a bored tone. Jack was silent, and Leona continued without expression: “The answer is simple. For two years in a row, we have gone up against Malleus’s Diasomnia team in round one of the tournament. And we were eliminated both times. People said we were the next champs, but Malleus ran circles around us like we were still in diapers. What d’ya think happened because of that?”

The upperclassmen scowled at the memory. Jack understood how humiliating those defeats were. He didn’t need it explained.

“The pro league recruiters and major corporations scouted exactly zero Savanaclaw students,” Leona said. “Graduates with the whole world at their feet had the door slammed shut on them.”

“I mean, that was…” Jack stammered. “We weren’t good enough then.”

“You’re right about that,” Leona agreed. He smiled at Jack like he’d given the correct answer. “So you get it. It’s just like you say. Last year, and the year before, we didn’t give the tournament our all. We didn’t pull out all the stops.” Then he spat out, “Only a total moron woulda thought we could take on a monster like Malleus fair and square.”

Jack hated this attitude of Leona’s, that he would give up on playing fair and resort to cheating. Jack shouted emphatically, “You’re wrong! If you got serious about playing, we could be a threat to Diasomnia. I saw the way you played when you were a first-year. I’ll never forget it!”

When Jack was younger, he’d been utterly captivated watching Night Raven College’s Spelldrive tournament on TV. Savanaclaw had crushed every other house with their impressive teamwork, and one player in particular held Jack’s attention.

Judgment, speed, technique—that player had excelled in every way, and Jack had understood that the team had coalesced with him at their core. That had been Leona Kingscholar, a first-year at the college.

So this is the kind of player Night Raven College gets? young Jack thought to himself.

Jack had recorded the tournament and watched it over and over and over again. How would he have taken on Leona if he’d been on the opposing team? How would he have fought by Leona’s side if he’d been on the same team? It was thrilling to think about.

The following year, a talented individual by the name of Malleus Draconia came to the college. He’d gotten a lot of attention before the tournament had even started, and just as expected, he had shut everyone else down.

Jack watched as the Savanaclaw team was mercilessly tromped, but that didn’t lower his regard for Savanaclaw. In fact, he felt his passion for them grow even stronger. He was deeply moved by the way Savanaclaw fought with all their might even facing such tremendous competition.

True, afterward, all anyone talked about was Malleus. No other player came close to making the same impression. Even so, Jack saw the dignity and magnificence of Savanaclaw as they stood up against such a powerful opponent and expended every effort to win. From the perspective of teamwork, Savanaclaw with Leona as their leader had been superior. Jack had felt overwhelming pride well up inside at the sight of Leona howling in frustration over losing.

He wanted to fight alongside such a strong player.

“The way you played was totally amazing,” Jack cried. “That’s why I—!”

“What do you know about anything, frosh?!” Leona roared, cutting him off. A shiver of tension raced through everyone present.

Every creature shrank at the lion’s roar. Even Ruggie, Leona’s right-hand man, gasped.

“You want me to get serious about playin’? Ha!” The lion boy snorted in laughter. “Now you’re the one who’s naïve. Wouldn’t change a thing.”

Leona’s anger was intense, and Jack found it painful to bear the brunt of it. Leona was eternally cynical, deflecting almost everything with sarcasm, and this sudden fierceness made sweat trickle down Jack’s back. “Getting serious isn’t what’s important,” Leona snarled. “Results are. Results are everything.”

Jack nearly retreated, but he steeled himself and held his ground. Staring at Leona, he shook his head slowly and said, “No. Doing something as cowardly as that is just plain wrong.”

When he’d been accepted to Night Raven College, Jack felt like it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. He figured he wouldn’t have the chance to play in the interdorm tournament with Leona because of their age difference, but it turned out that Leona had been held back a year, so Jack would be able to play with his idol. He’d be able to fight alongside him. This was the reason Jack had trained so intently to make the team ever since he started at Night Raven College—no, since even before then.

And yet what was Leona now?

“ ‘Wrong’?” Leona said, his voice hard. “I’m doing this for you and your dormmates!”

Jack could hear Leona fall back into his usual sardonic tone. He actually preferred it when the lion was angry. This Leona didn’t even face his own anger anymore. He was lazy and cowardly, clinging to a need for security. Jack couldn’t help but grit his teeth.

“If you’re really thinking about us, then let us get in there and play for real,” he demanded. “I mean, I can fight. We could maybe even beat Diasomnia this year!”

“Doesn’t matter if we’re good enough to go pro,” Leona told him. “The second Malleus steps onto the field, no one else gets the chance to even show off their skills. That’s why we had zero scouts come knocking on Savanaclaw’s door last year. Is moral superiority gonna crush a guy like that? You wanna go and ruin the futures of everyone in this dorm?”

“So then…” Jack bit his lip.

So then, Jack thought, they should throw everything they had into the fight against Malleus. Jack realized they were going in circles. He wasn’t going to convince Leona. After all, this guy did nothing but think up excuses.

“I’m not the kind of useless king who’d let his pack starve,” Leona said finally.

Jack felt knocked to the floor. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t understand how Leona could be so hungry for a win and yet give up on everything else at the same time. His desires were contradictory, polar opposites. It didn’t make any sense, but Leona didn’t want to examine his feelings. Or maybe he didn’t even realize there was anything wrong.

It was funny. Jack felt like he’d been thrust into the real world. He’d pinned all his hopes and desires on what turned out to be an illusion. Jack would never accept this spineless wimp as his leader.

With a mix of sadness and anger, Jack clenched his fists and silently returned to the dorm. He wasn’t going to be disappointed by any more dreams.

Stupid frosh, running his mouth off, Ruggie cursed bitterly in his heart. Leona was in a very bad mood now, and all because of a know-nothing first-year and his cheap sense of justice.

The lion’s anger was an almost palpable threat, and the other Savanaclaw students very quietly stepped back so that his displeasure wasn’t turned on them. Jack had simply walked off, leaving a storm behind.

“That boy could be a problem,” Ruggie said, plastering a bright smile onto his face and rubbing his hands. “You want me to take care of him?”

“No. Don’t.” Leona waved a perfunctory hand. “He ain’t got a shred of proof. He can go and blab all he wants, but it won’t get him anywhere. Besides, that’d be a terrible waste of talent. Just make sure you keep an eye on him.”

Had Ruggie played his cards wrong? Leona’s tone was cold and unreadable. Was he disgusted with Ruggie, like he didn’t know what he was doing?

Big payoffs demanded big risks, though. Ruggie was prepared to court a certain amount of danger.

“That makes sense,” Ruggie said, making his voice cheery and nodding agreeably. “Of course you’d have a handle on it, Leona. We’ll put the cheeky first-year aside for the moment. I’ll go take care of another piece of business tonight.”

“Yeah,” the lion replied slowly. “Always there when I need ya, Ruggie.”

Ruggie was flooded with relief. “Oh, it’s a pleasure to be of service to you, Leona!”

“You always say that, don’t you?” Leona said with a glance. “Even though you’re really doing this for yourself.”

Ruggie froze, unsure what to say. This unexpected shot was too on target to deny.

Had Ruggie sucked up to Leona too much and too obviously? Leona’s eyes were as icy as ever. Ruggie felt his palms grow clammy with cold sweat.

“Perish the thought!” Ruggie said, choosing his words carefully. “Like everyone else in the dorm, I want to turn this world upside down and destroy all the people who dare to look down their noses at Savanaclaw.”

“Hmph. That’s more like it.” Leona clicked his tongue in irritation, and the dorm students visibly flinched.

Behind his smile, Ruggie thought this behavior was unusual for Leona. However he acted and spoke, Leona was relatively easygoing for the most part. He bordered on apathetic, in fact. It was very unlike him to waste his energy stewing in anger.

“That stupid frosh. Sounds like my idiot older brother,” Leona grumbled.

Hearing this, Ruggie decided it was time to be somewhere else. Immediately. He knew better than to say anything that might deliberately step on the lion’s tail.

Something was moving in the gloom—animals. A lot of them. Marching in step with one another, no hesitation as they advanced eagerly, eyes focused on a single point ahead.

7

YUYA AWAKENED WHEN the night was at its deepest, his muscles screaming in pain. The simple act of rolling over had set his arms and legs on fire. He’d definitely overdone it practicing Spelldrive with Grim after they got back to Ramshackle Dorm.

He heard a muffled voice and saw Grim wrapped up in all the blankets, talking in his sleep.

“Mmmm… Didja see that… Totally wrecked ’em with my power shot…”

He had to be dreaming about the game they’d played with the ghosts before going to bed.

“Ee hee hee! You gotta have control! You can’t just toss it willy-nilly!”

“Once you got the disc, everyone on the field’s gonna come after ya with magic. So you gotta keep an eye out.”

The ghosts had offered one tip after another until Grim was hard-pressed to keep up. When Yuya told him that he was actually getting better bit by bit, the monster had grinned and said, “That’s’cause Grim the Great’s got real talent!”

In the end, even the ghosts had to admit that Grim was doing pretty good for a beginner, which seemed to satisfy him. Now, thanks to all that work and praise, he was fast asleep and drooling happily. His terrible first impression of Spelldrive seemed to be completely forgotten.

Right. Spelldrive. A fresh terror rose up within Yuya. He squeezed his eyes shut to make it go away. Tomorrow would arrive soon, and to be ready, he really needed to get back to sleep. But no matter how long he lay in bed, sleep would not come. Quite the opposite, in fact—his increasing panic about Spelldrive was making him feel more and more alert.

Realizing that his fidgeting and squirming would probably wake up Grim, Yuya sat up. Some outside air might calm his nerves. He got out of bed, pulled on a thin cardigan over his pajamas, and took slow, careful steps to avoid making the floor creak.

Passing down the hallway, he noticed that the ghosts weren’t in the lounge. They were probably somewhere else on campus enjoying the night with the other ghosts, like always. He quietly opened the front door.

The light of the moon bleeding through the thin clouds made him gasp, and the breeze carried the melancholy scent of autumnal plants fading into decay and of earthy creatures preparing for winter.

He nearly tripped. Even though the moon was out, he could barely see his feet. The shadow of the dorm building deepened the gloom of night. Slipping through the darkness on quick feet to reach a more visible part of the path, he sighed and looked up at the massive, imposing Ramshackle Dorm, its newly replaced storm shutters glinting in the moonlight.

Yuya felt a complicated mix of emotions. He’d had such fun and been so happy when repairing the shutters with his friends. Ramshackle Dorm was more livable than ever. But for some reason, this felt like a sign that he would never leave Twisted Wonderland.

Every time he saw Headmage Crowley, Yuya eager anticipated news that he’d at last found a way for Yuya to return to his home world. Each time he was painfully disappointed when Crowley said, “I don’t have any new information.” When would there be some progress? What would he do if he was stuck here forever? Lately, he’d stopped asking about home. Thinking about the future only made him anxious, especially at times like this when he was alone with his thoughts.

Yuya closed his eyes, replaying the events at Savanaclaw earlier that day. Leona’s cruel voice echoed in his ears. In certain ways, he’d changed. The old Yuya—before meeting Grim, Ace, and Deuce, before arriving in Twisted Wonderland—would never have been able to watch that fight or found the courage to try to stop it.

“I gotta stop this,” Yuya muttered. He sat down on the steps that led to the gate and curled into himself. When he was alone, he couldn’t keep his mind from turning obsessively to every single scary thing that had or might happen. Life was filled with so many terrifying possibilities.

Trying to think of anything else, he looked up at the night sky. As the clouds rolled by, one particularly thick cloud obscured the moon.

“Who’s that over there?” came a voice from the darkness.

“Aaah!” Yuya shrieked. He leapt to his feet and immediately fell onto his backside. He scowled and rubbed his tailbone. “Ow.”

“You do not sound like a ghost,” the voice said. “A child of man, are you?”

Yuya sought out the speaker, but it was too dark to see. The voice sounded close, perhaps near the gate at the bottom of the stairs.

“What are you doing here?” the voice asked. The darkness itself seemed to be speaking. The tone was low and rich, handsomely masculine. Though not exactly gentle, the voice had a strangely calming effect.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Yuya admitted. “So I stepped out for a minute.”

After a short pause, the voice asked, “Out? Do you live here? I was under the impression that this dorm was abandoned. I quite enjoy coming here. It’s a place where I can revel in the peace of solitude. But now I see…people live here.”

The voice sounded sad. Yuya was pretty sure the darkness hid both of them, but he bowed anyway.

“Yes,” he said. “I moved into this dorm. My name is Yuya Kuroki.”

“Yuya…” The voice seemed to mull this over. “Oh! Are you the one they call Yu?”

“You’ve heard of me?” Yuya asked, surprised. Then he remembered that it was hard to find anyone at the school who hadn’t heard of Yuya and Grim by now. “Who are you?” Yuya asked. “A student? Or are you a teacher?”

Yuya felt uneasy when the person did not immediately respond. Yuya still couldn’t see who was talking in the pitch black. Had he asked something rude?

“I’m sorry,” Yuya said apologetically. “It’s dark, so I can’t really see…”

The squeal of metal tickled his eardrums as the rusty gate opened. Then the tak tak of feet on the short stairs stopped a few paces in front of him. Yuya narrowed his eyes and squinted hard just as the moon partially emerged from the clouds and the area grew a little brighter.

Standing halfway up the stairs was a boy in a Night Raven College uniform. So he was a student. Yuya had expected as much. The long black of his cloak was richer and inkier than the night. Descending from his collar, it had stood out even in the gloom. Then Yuya noticed the boy had two black horns on his head, which extended out of his hair.

Yuya couldn’t help staring. The horns curved gently backward over the boy’s finely shaped head. They were big enough to give him pause.

Yuya lowered his gaze to find the boy staring back at him. Yuya quickly turned aside and looked away. The boy no doubt didn’t enjoy people staring unabashedly at what was probably an ordinary, if prominent, feature on his body. Yuya had probably insulted him by mistake.

Was this boy a member of some beast tribe? To Yuya, his horns looked like they belonged on a mountain goat. Having horns might not have been unusual in Twisted Wonderland, but Yuya was still shocked whenever he saw something that was impossible in his world.

He said to the boy with the friendliest voice he could muster, “Umm, it’s nice to meet you. Are you an upperclassman?”

The boy’s eyes opened wide as if caught off guard. “Could it be that you don’t know who I am?” he asked.

“Nope.” Yuya shook his head.

“Well, well… This is unusual.” The boy looked amazed, and the corners of his mouth slid up into a smile. With another gasp, Yuya noticed that his pale lips were bloodless, colorless; his skin was waxy and pale; and he had shining lime-green eyes. Yuya wondered if even the boy’s blood was an unusual color.

The boy’s smile lingered, then he sighed as though satisfied. “There are some pleasures in this world. My name is—” He cut himself off. “No, never mind. Out of respect for your unworldliness, I will permit you to call me by a name of your choosing.”

Yuya was flummoxed by this unexpected offer. He definitely wasn’t comfortable bestowing a nickname on a person he’d only just met.

“Um, I’d hate to be accidentally rude,” he said. “So if you could tell me—”

“I am saying you are welcome to do so. Did you not hear me?”

A sudden sharp chill hit Yuya’s skin. The darkness of the night, until that moment soft and gentle, now squeezed around him, thorny and tense. He couldn’t so much as move a fingertip. His heart pounded. He was overcome with such terror he nearly forgot himself.

An instinctive alarm held him fast, body and soul. He could not—must not disobey this person.

Then the night seemed to ease, become thinner somehow. Yuya took a deep breath and nodded his head over and over and over. He had apparently forgotten to breathe. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest.

The boy grew cheerier and smiled elegantly once more. Why? Because Yuya hadn’t resisted him? The boy looked toward Ramshackle Dorm. “It is unfortunate,” he said slowly. “If you have taken up residence here, then this abandoned dorm is no longer abandoned.”

“I…guess not,” Yuya stammered.

“I shall have to find some other ruin for my nocturnal constitutionals. Farewell.” The boy vanished without waiting for a response. Perhaps he used magic; his form simply melted into thin air.

Yuya could see tiny particles of light where the boy had been, but when he blinked, these too disappeared. All that remained was the night.

“I didn’t sleep a wink after that. I guess I was just too freaked out.”

The next morning, as he got ready for school, Yuya told Grim about what had happened the night before, and the monster snorted a laugh.

“Heh! Yer always jumpin’ at shadows, Yu.” Sitting on the bed, Grim yawned, his mouth opening wide enough to swallow Yuya’s head. Unlike Yuya, he didn’t have to wash his face and had no need to change clothes, so he was always ready for the day. “I mean, so what? You met some weirdo in the middle of the night. What’s so scary about that? The ghosts’re way scarier.”

“Yeah, I mean, I know,” Yuya agreed. They left the bedroom and headed downstairs. “But, like, I’ve never seen anyone with horns before. I was surprised.”

Grim turned and looked up at Yuya. “Did this dude have a name?”

“He wouldn’t tell me,” Yuya replied with a shrug. “He said I should call him what I want. Judging from his armband colors, I’m guessing he’s from Diasomnia, though.”

The yellowish-green band with the black line matched the Diasomnia Dorm colors that Lilia and Silver wore. Yuya thought it made sense that a student that intense would be a member of the dorm ruled by the infamous Malleus Draconia.

“So we have no idea who he is. Too bad. I wanna see a guy with a horns, too,” Grim asked. “Anything else about him stick out?”

Yuya was stumped. He couldn’t find the right words to describe the boy he’d met.

He wasn’t obviously handsome like Leona or Vil, but his features were otherworldly—his almond-shaped eyes were burned into Yuya’s brain. It was more that he had a singular aura, a distinct and unique vibe.

Full of impatience as Yuya struggled to speak, Grim said, “Well, whatevs. If you don’t know his name, we’ll just call the guy ‘Hornton.’ ”

Yuya’s eyes widened. “Hornton? That sounds like some kind of random name! I’m pretty sure he’d hate being called Hornton.”

“He said you could call him what you want, yeah? So who cares? He’s got no right to complain!”

“Well, yeah, I guess…” Yuya frowned dubiously.

“You lemme know the next time you see Hornton,” Grim said dismissively, as if he was suddenly bored and didn’t care. “I’ll make sure he gets the message that Ramshackle Dorm ain’t no ruins.”

“You only say that because you’ve never met Hornton.” Yuya slumped, the encounter still troubling him, but he smiled to realize that the nickname “Hornton” had slipped from his mouth. Talking to Grim had actually calmed his nerves a little.

Unlike Grim, though, Yuya didn’t want to see the boy again, and he was pretty sure that he wouldn’t. The school was big, and he had no time for anyone or anything beyond his classes, his classmates, and their Spelldrive investigation. So long as “Hornton” didn’t come looking for him, they’d never meet and he wouldn’t have a chance to call him by that rude nickname Grim had given him.

“Come on! We gotta get to class!” Grim urged, then he and Yuya left Ramshackle Dorm at a trot.

“Yu! Grim! Morning!” said Ace.

“Mornin’!” Deuce echoed.

“Hey, guys,” Yuya replied.

Deuce and Ace were in their seats in front of Yuya, but they both seemed kind of low energy. Maybe they were still tired from the day before.

“Did you talk to Riddle after we left you yesterday?” Yuya asked. He wanted to know what Riddle said when his friends reported back to their housewarden about the results of their investigation.

“Yeah.” Ace scowled, propping his chin in his hands. “We told him about what happened with Jack Howl. This jerk blabbed everything.” He jabbed at an apologetic-looking Deuce. “And the second Riddle heard we got our butts kicked by Savanaclaw, he was furious. Making his dorm look bad, et cetera, et cetera. Face went beet red again.”

“I didn’t think he’d be that angry,” Deuce said, rubbing his arm. “He was all, how dare they lay a hand on my dorm students! He looked about ready to roll up on Savanaclaw right that second.”

“Oh, wow.” Yuya furrowed his brow. “He didn’t do it, did he?”

“Cater stopped him. Of course,” Deuce said.

“Yep, business as usual.” Ace shrugged. “Go home exhausted, deal with another blowup. And Cater just laughed it off. I mean, come on!”

“All that grump does is flip his lid,” Grim said, rolling his eyes, but Yuya didn’t agree. He remembered what Riddle had said after they had talked to Lilia and Silver from Diasomnia the day before, about how he had things to learn from Malleus about being a better housewarden.

“I think he was worried about the three of you,” Yuya said.

Ace raised his eyebrows dramatically and waved a dismissive hand in front of his face, while Deuce offered a pained smile.

“The housewarden? No way!” Deuce said. “If he was, he’d have at least asked if we were okay before he got mad at us.”

What made a good housewarden? Yuya wondered. Ace and Deuce seemed to think Riddle had gotten angry for the sake of his pride. But Yuya didn’t think he would put his pride above the welfare of his dormmates, given what he’d said before.

Yuya fell silent, and Ace frowned.

“Hey,” Ace said. “We’re gonna strategize at lunch today, so make sure you and Grim don’t run off anywhere. You gotta come, okay? I know Riddle can hold a grudge, but even he can’t stay angry this long. You don’t need to be freaked out.”

“The Great Grim’s not freaked out by that shrimp!” the monster interjected.

Yuya opened his mouth to explain to Ace and Deuce what Riddle had said to him the day before, but immediately abandoned the idea. No matter how Yuya worded it, Riddle might not want him sharing what he’d said to him in private.

“Yeah, we’ll be there,” Yuya agreed.

“Great. So then we’ll meet in the cafeteria at lunch,” Deuce said with a smile. Then he turned around and got ready for first period. After homeroom, they had History of Magic, and preclass prep was a must. Professor Trein was strict and his lectures difficult, no matter what subject he was teaching.

“Whoa!” Ace snorted at Deuce’s diligence. “Look at you, getting the jump on us. For all the good it seems to do you.”

“Shut up,” Deuce said mildly. “If you feel like I’m getting the jump on you, you could prep, too, Ace.”

“Nah. I hate memorizing stuff.”

“Yeah, totally,” Grim said, nodding. He leaned back in his seat, not even thinking about opening his textbook. “Same, same.”

A nearby Heartslabyul student looked at him and said, “Hey Grim, didn’t Trein say you were presenting today?”

Grim gasped and stared at the boy in disbelief.

“You get Trein mad again today, you’re done for, man,” the boy warned. Yuya nodded in total agreement. Yuya thanked the boy and got a troubled smile in return. “Stay strong, Yu,” the boy said.

“C’mon, you have to study for real,” Yuya told Grim. “Today might actually be the day he makes you stay for detention.”

“Whaaaaat,” Grim groaned. “This sucks.”

After forcing the reluctant Grim to study, Yuya opened his own book, a thick reference volume on Twisted Wonderland itself, including its history and geography. Yuya had only a few more pages to get through. He hadn’t memorized everything so far, since there was so much information, but he clearly remembered the shock he’d felt the first time he saw the world map of Twisted Wonderland, which was so different from Earth. He’d learned the names of the major countries, plus details about the places his friends were from.

Night Raven College was on Sage’s Island, which was off the coast of the Land of Dawning. This small island held both Night Raven College and its rival, the Royal Sword Academy.

Ace and Deuce, along with Trein and Riddle, were from the Queendom of Roses. This was an archipelago to the east of Sage’s Island. Cater was from the Shaftlands, the largest landmass in Twisted Wonderland, located to the far west of Sage’s Island. Cater had moved frequently because of his parents’ work, and Yuya had learned the names of several towns and cities from him.

The section in the book Yuya was reading now was about Sunset Savanna. That was where Leona was from, as a member of the royal family of Sunset Savanna. When he checked the book before him, he saw that Sunset Savanna was located to the south of Sage’s Island. The book said, “The country contains vast lands and natural vistas” and that “rare wild animals thrive there.” Pictures featured blue skies, grasslands, and wildlife.

The book noted that Sunset Savanna had once been a lawless land, but the region’s cities were now well-functioning and fully modern. The majority of citizens were beastpeople, and the society’s respect for the natural world prevented reckless development of the land, so that wildlife and nature were preserved.

As Yuya stared at the map, Grim glared at the scope of the day’s lesson and groaned. “I can’t get my head around this stuff at all.”

But for Yuya, the preclass review paid off—he made it through the morning’s lessons without any serious issues. Then, just as Ace had insisted, they headed for the cafeteria.

As usual, the large space was packed with people. Yuya got his lunch and looked around for a table when a hand shot up into the air, catching his eye.

“Guys, over here,” Riddle called.

Behind Yuya, Ace burst out laughing. Riddle raising his hand like he was in class was simply too incongruous for the cafeteria.

“Hey, don’t laugh,” Deuce chided him, even though he was giggling, too.

“You’re early! How was class?” Cater said. He was sitting next to Riddle.

“Class was good,” Deuce said, settling down next to him. “Clover isn’t with you?”

“It’s a bit of a trek to the cafeteria,” Cater said. “So I brought him some lunch I picked up at the shop. That way, he can eat in the classroom and rest his poor leg.” He winked at Yuya, Grim, and Ace across from him. “On my man Riddle’s orders, of course! ”

“Naturally. If he overexerts himself, it will take even longer for his injury to heal.” Riddle cleared his throat and picked up his spoon. He urged Yuya and the others to dig in. “You can listen while you eat. I want to ask everyone again about yesterday’s events, but before that, we have some important new information.”

“New info?” Grim asked as he blew on his piping hot macaroni and cheese in a trance-like state. “What what? You maybe find our guy already or somethin’?”

“No.” Riddle shook his head. “It’s not good news. There was another incident last night.”

“What? Someone else got hurt?” Yuya’s eyes widened.

Ace and Deuce also looked at Riddle in surprise.

Cater, who’d first learned of what happened, lowered his voice as he described the story he’d been told by one of the moving portraits decorating Night Raven College.

“According to the portrait,” he said, glancing at each of them in turn, “the victim was a second-year from Scarabia Dorm. The vice housewarden, Jamil Viper. I guess he had an accident in the cafeteria’s kitchen.”

“What? Jamil? Really?” Ace cried out.

Yuya asked if Ace knew him.

“He’s in the basketball club,” Ace replied. “He’s pretty good, I think, but… He maybe argues more with Floyd than he actually plays.”

“Hmm.” Deuce fell into thought. “The vice housewarden of Scarabia? I’m sure I must’ve seen him, but I can’t picture him at all.”

“Jamil doesn’t particularly stand out,” Riddle said. “I suppose his distinguishing feature is his long black hair. He wears it in braids. He’s usually with the housewarden, Kalim Al-Asim. Kalim has white hair and wears a bandana. Both wear Scarabia armbands in dark red and yellow.”

“Oh!” Ace looked off as he took a bite of pastry. “Hey, over there. Isn’t that Jamil?”

Yuya turned to look. Three tables away, a student with black hair was sitting with a student in a bandana. Both wore Scarabia armbands.

“You’re right,” Riddle said, surprised. “That is Jamil and Kalim. Speak of the devil.”

“Those two never slum it with us regular folks in the cafeteria,” Cater said, smiling. “It’s our lucky day!”

“Yesss! Let’s go get the scoop right now!” Grim said, spooning up some of his macaroni. “After I eat this, o’ course.”

They all hurried to finish their lunches and then headed toward Jamil and Kalim’s table.

“Hello, Jamil. Kalim,” Riddle said. “I never imagined I’d see you in the cafeteria.”

“Oh!” A broad smile popped up on the face of the white-haired student, Kalim. His teeth shone brightly. “If it isn’t Riddle! And Cater and…first-years! Wow! You’re all so cute.”

Up close, Kalim’s hair wasn’t white—it was bright gray and shone like a pearl.

“Ah!” Kalim said, looking at Yuya and Grim. “Are you the two from Ramshackle Dorm?”

“Yup! I’m the Great Grim.” Grim threw his head back and his chest out. “This is my minion, Yu.”

“Wow! I’m Kalim, the housewarden of Scarabia. This is my vice housewarden, Jamil. Let’s be friends!” Kalim’s whole face grinned, golden earrings swinging. He was the definition of innocence and very friendly. He held out a hand. As Yuya timidly clasped it, Kalim pumped it vigorously up and down. “Nice to meet you!”

This was the most pleasantly enthusiastic greeting Yuya had received since he came to Night Raven College. He couldn’t help but smile. It was clear that Kalim’s words came directly from his heart.

However, Ace and Deuce were confused by Kalim’s immediate intimacy.

Beside Kalim, Jamil watched this greeting in careful silence, finished his soup, and set his spoon down quietly.

“So?” he asked. “What did you want?”

In stark contrast with the cheery Kalim, Jamil was reserved. He gazed hard at Yuya and his friends with a sharpness that dug into Yuya’s soul, making him afraid.

As Yuya shrank back, Ace, the conversational wizard, smiled brightly and raised a hand.

“Hey, Jamil,” he said. “Good to see ya! I heard you got hurt. You okay?”

Jamil raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Did you come over here to ask about that, Ace?”

“Yup!” Ace grinned. “I was just so worried. Wringing my hands and everything!”

“We barely know each other.”

Ace was playing the good little freshman, the type upperclassmen felt almost compelled to baby and watch out for, but Jamil wasn’t buying it for a second. He didn’t seem angry, though. He simply offered a faint smile as Ace told him to get better soon.

“I gotta say, word travels fast,” Jamil remarked.

“We just happened to hear about the accident,” Riddle said. “Would you mind telling us what happened?”

Jamil narrowed his eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

Ace had tried to appear relaxed and friendly, but Jamil remained on guard.

Smiling affably, Cater stood beside Riddle and tried to smooth things over. “It’s just, the headmage, he asked us to check it out. You know how Heartslabyul uses the cafeteria kitchen sometimes for tea parties? Crowley was, like, Goonand get the lowdown on that sitch. So you think you could tell us the deets? How you got hurt in there?”

“Well, I guess.” Jamil didn’t seem to buy this, but he decided to tell them anyway. “It was about eight o’clock. I was in the kitchen frying up some lamb rolls Kalim asked for. The smell really fills the dorm when I fry food, so I came to the cafeteria to cook ’em.”

“What?” Grim said, drooling. “You cook up feasts like that?!”

“Oh man!” Kalim said and leaned forward. “You have no idea how amazing Jamil’s lamb rolls are! You gotta try ’em one day!”

“You mean it?!” Grim’s eyes lit up.

“Hey, Grim! We are not doing that now,” Deuce said, rebuking the monster, and Jamil sighed.

“It was night and all,” Jamil continued, “and the ghosts weren’t even in the cafeteria. I was chopping ingredients by myself, and I cut my hand. It wasn’t so bad I needed stitches, but it wasn’t just a scratch either. The nurse said I shouldn’t move it too much until it heals properly.”

He lifted his bandaged hand to display the wide strip of gauze wrapped around the area between his thumb and index finger.

“Youch!” Ace winced.

“So normally you’re quite skilled in the kitchen, but you got careless,” Riddle said, staring at the injury. “Were you tired from preparing for the Spelldrive tournament?”

“No,” Jamil said, rejecting the idea firmly. “I wasn’t so tired I’d lose control of my hands.”

“Yeah!” Kalim said, looking proudly at Jamil. “Even the head chef will tell you how legendary Jamil is with a knife. The lamb rolls and everything else he makes are amazingly good. I love them all! I always get excited for his lunches, y’know?”

“Ohhh! That’s why you’re having lunch in the cafeteria today,” Riddle observed. It would have been hard for Jamil to cook with an injured hand.

“Uh-huh.” Kalim lowered his eyebrows sadly. “Jamil said the cut’s not that big a deal. But I was worried. I want it to heal as fast as it can.”

Jamil listened impassively. Compared to the intensely expressive Kalim, he seemed settled and mature. He waited for a break in the conversation before speaking again.

“I wasn’t particularly tired,” he told them. “But at one point while I was cooking, I did feel kind of light-headed.”

“Did you get dizzy?” Yuya asked.

“No.” Jamil shook his head. “Other guys might think that, but…I know. That was someone’s signature spell.”

“A signature spell?” everyone chorused at once.

A signature spell was a unique spell particular to a single mage, like Riddle’s Off with Your Head, which locked away another person’s magic, or Cater’s Split Card, which created avatars of himself. If it was a signature spell, that meant someone had deliberately tried to hurt Jamil with magic.

Riddle’s face grew hard, and Cater gently applied the brakes to the mounting tension.

“It’s not that we don’t believe you, Jamil,” Cater said with a smile. “But how could you know that? You must have a reason for being so sure?”

Yuya was also curious why Jamil was so certain. None of the other victims had mentioned a signature spell.

“Ah ha ha!” Kalim laughed, opening his mouth wide. “Well, Jamil of all people would know!”

Why would Kalim say that? Yuya wondered.

Jamil grabbed Kalim by the shoulder. “We’re not talking about me here,” Jamil said, firmly putting a stop to that topic. This was a serious departure from Jamil’s generally calm manner.

Still gripping Kalim’s shoulder, Jamil said to Cater, “At any rate, I’m sure the culprit used a spell that allows him to control the movements of other people. It doesn’t matter to me if you believe me or not.”

“Uh-huh. Of course I believe!” Cater grinned. “Sorry. I was just curious, is all. Thanks for talking to us.”

“No, it was nothing.” Jamil stood up and started to walk away. “Come on, Kalim.”

“Ah! Wait for me, Jamil!” Kalim scrambled to his feet as he gave Yuya and his friends a wave and a smile. “Let’s talk again soon.”

He chased after Jamil, who didn’t even glance back.

Once Jamil’s head of black hair was out of sight, Cater said in a low voice, “Interesting. A signature spell that controls people’s movements, huh?”

“Huh?” Grim raised a dubious eyebrow. “You sure we should swallow the line he’s feeding us?”

Cater nodded readily. “Whatever makes him certain it’s a signature spell, he’s got no reason to lie about it. And everything the injured students have said makes sense if magic’s involved. That’s why everyone else assumed our guys were being careless.”

“Controlling magic, hmm?” Riddle asked, crossing his arms. “When I nearly fell down the stairs, I never felt as though I was being controlled against my own will. But it was only a quick moment. Perhaps it wasn’t enough time for me or anyone, besides Jamil, to tell if we were being controlled.”

Ace furrowed his brow. “So then we got no way of finding this guy, do we?”

Yuya was at a loss, too. Just when they seemed to be making some progress, they hit another wall. He thought back to the magnificent magic of Riddle, Trey, and Cater. Discovering what this new signature spell was, and who was using it, wouldn’t be easy without any leads.

“Is it even possible to have a signature spell that handy?” Yuya asked. “I mean, controlling other people?”

“It’s not all that surprising,” Riddle told him. “For instance… Oh, I know. This is a little far-fetched, but if you cast two spells, one to put someone to sleep for an instant and a spell that makes that person move physically, you might be able to have that person do exactly what you wished.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Ace said, scowling. “That’s like, magic on hard mode. I mean, tackling more than one spell at a time?”

“Well, naturally, it wouldn’t be easy.” Riddle laughed like this was the most obvious thing in the world. “Not just anyone could do it. But signature spells take as their foundations basic spells, the sort of ordinary magic you see all the time. Should the need arise, a mage can combine and refine them into something new.”

“Do you mean it takes a lot of study and practice to create a signature spell?” Yuya asked. Riddle looked uncertain, like he wasn’t sure how to answer.

“I can’t speak for others in general, but that’s how it was for me,” he said. “There are also cases where the spell manifests due to the sorcerer’s particular nature. Some signature spells might also be the result of a flash of inspiration, I suppose.”

Riddle looked out at the cafeteria. Even though the peak of the lunch rush had passed, plenty of students were still hanging around. Yuya wondered if Riddle was thinking about the signature spells of the people gathered there.

“Whatever the route a mage takes to his spell, it almost never happens that another person will use the same one,” Riddle said with a slight smile. “It’s a gift that comes from the person’s own nature and skill. That’s why they’re signature spells.”

“Haaah,” Grim sighed, entranced. “Nice. That’s the dream. I want a cool signature spell, too!”

“I completely get that,” Deuce said, clenching his fist. “I mean, every mage dreams of having his own signature spell.”

“Well, then, you have to study the basics,” Riddle said gently. He seemed to feel that it was cute for a first-year to talk about developing his signature spell.

He himself had learned his Off with Your Head spell at the tender age of ten. Trey told them it had been the result of Riddle’s many hours of diligent study under the watchful eyes of his strict mother. But, Yuya wondered, what had actually led him to develop this signature spell, which allowed him to stop other people from using magic? Yuya didn’t know how he’d started, the process, the amount of work, nothing. There was no way he could know, given that he himself couldn’t use magic. But he imagined that it wasn’t all fun and games.

Yet Riddle’s expression as he talked about spells was softer than usual. He looked almost happy. Maybe he hadn’t been strong-armed into it by an overbearing mother. He really liked magic.

Ace sighed dreamily. “A spell to control other people, huh? That’d be handy. If I had a signature spell like that, I’d control the teachers and make every day free study.”

“What would be the point of that?” Yuya laughed. “If you’re going to go that far, why not make the school close?”

“Oh!” Ace’s eyes lit up. “That could work, too. We’d just be hanging out all day, every day!”

The pair grinned at each other and then gasped as they felt Riddle’s hard eyes on them. His expression was completely changed, his gentle smile gone. A deep crease divided his eyebrows. The serious housewarden clearly disapproved of such heresy.

Not noticing, Deuce said, “If I had that spell, homework would—” Then Deuce stopped as he noticed Riddle glaring and hurriedly waved his hands. “Oh! It’s nothing, actually! That wasn’t very honors student of me. Just forget it.”

“These first-years really are such little babes, huh?” Cater said with a smile. “Total cuties. You think so, too, right, Riddle?”

“I do not think so at all,” Riddle snapped. “I would like them to apply themselves to their studies in a more dignified way, diligently.”

Grim ignored this and grinned as his dreams swelled. “If I had that spell, I’d make all the guys at school give me food every day.”

“Ha ha!” Cater laughed. “That’s very you, Grimmy!”

“Yeah,” Grim agreed, enjoying himself. “And then I’d take all the lunch and snacks and pastries at the shop all for me! And I’d eat all the deluxe ham… and cheese… sandwiches?” Grim cocked his head. “Aaah!”

His sudden loud cry echoed throughout the cafeteria. Every student turned to stare. Yuya clamped a hand over Grim’s mouth and bowed apologetically to the room.

“What is the screaming for?” Yuya demanded.

Grim peeled Yuya’s hand away, his face serious. “I know!! I got it!!” Grim said. “The guy usin’ that signature spell! It’s Ruggie! That jerk of a thief is our guy!”

“What? Ruggie?” Yuya stared at him blankly.

“Yeah!” Grim nodded firmly. “You know, the one who made me trade my deluxe ham and cheese sandwich for that eensy anpan! I totally didn’t wanna trade, but my body moved all on its own, like someone else was controllin’ it. It’s gotta be Ruggie.”

It was true, Yuya thought. That sandwich trade was very out of character for Grim.

“Huh?” Ace stared at him, stunned. “You really didn’t do that ‘cause you wanted to?”

“We were right there with you, though,” Deuce remarked. “There was totally nothing going on that we could see.”

“Riddle, Cater,” Yuya said, turning to the two older boys. “What do you think?”

“Cay-Cay thinks Ruggie’s looking pretty good for it,” Cater said with a wink.

“Right.” Riddle nodded. “This is testimony we can’t turn a blind eye to. We’ll apprehend Ruggie and hear what he has to say.”

“You think he’ll actually talk to us?” Ace asked, propping his chin in one hand. “What with his whole vibe yesterday, I got the feeling he’s pretty crafty.”

“Yes. Just as you say, Ruggie’s quite crafty, and ordinary means won’t cut it,” Riddle agreed. “But collecting evidence is going to take some time. Which is exactly why we should knock him off balance now and see what he does. Find his weak spot, reap the results. And if he maintains his innocence, insists he knows nothing, well, that’s no harm to us.” A bold smile spread across his face. “There are any number of ways to approach him. If, say, we threaten him or lock his magic away, even Ruggie would no doubt reveal his true nature.”

“Huh? Threaten him?” Yuya said, worried. The winds were blowing in a dangerous direction. “We’re not going to just talk to him?”

“Well, of course, we’ll do that,” Riddle said. “If he cooperates, that is. I was also thinking I would really love to thank him for yesterday. I have a few questions of my own for him.” His gray eyes burned with fighting spirit. Deuce and Ace had been telling the truth when they said Riddle had been furious about the game the previous day.

“So right off the bat, you want to use violence to make him talk?” Ace asked, rolling his eyes in exasperation. “What was all that talk just now about being more dignified?”

Yuya leaned toward Ace, grabbed his arm, and pleaded in a quiet voice, “This is going to turn into a huge fight! Ace, you have to stop Riddle.”

“Whoa, nuh-uh! I can’t!” Ace refused, shrugging in resignation. “Look. He’s all revved up and ready to go. And if you’d seen how angry he got yesterday, you’d know there’s no stopping him.” He patted Yuya on the shoulder. “Give up.”

Deuce, meanwhile, was grinning and slamming a fist into the palm of his other hand. “All right! How about we go pay a visit to Ruggie!”

“Yes,” Riddle said. “After school, we’ll meet at Ruggie’s classroom. Is that understood?”

“Yeah!” Grim threw his arms up. Maybe he wanted revenge for the violent Spelldrive game or for being cheated out of his deluxe ham and cheese sandwich—or both—but he was champing at the bit.

Yuya watched Cater sigh and shake his head.

Yuya hoped that the afternoon classes would drag on longer somehow, but, of course, they finished on time for once.

“All right!” Grim cried. “Here we go!”

With a heavy heart, Yuya followed his friends to the designated classroom—second-year Class B. Riddle and Cater were already standing outside the room when they arrived. After Riddle confirmed they were all there, he opened the door.

“Tell me!” Grim said, leaping inside first. “Where’s Ruggie Bucchi?!”

The classroom immediately erupted in excited chatter.

“Whoa! It’s the monster from Ramshackle Dorm. And that dicey first-year everyone’s talking about!”

“Isn’t that Riddle Rosehearts behind them? The guy from the tea party and the overblot thing?!”

Yuya felt an almost physical pain at being the focus of that many eyes, but neither Grim nor Riddle so much as flinched.

“You guys again?” a figure said and stood up slowly from his desk. Ruggie. He moved leisurely to face Grim. While the monster had his hackles all the way up, Ruggie looked bored.

“So what do you want from me now?” Ruggie turned to Ace and Deuce, smiling the way he always did. “You even brought Riddle today? You trying to get your mommy to finish your fights for you? Force me to say sorry for yesterday?”

“We’ll get to that. We have other business to attend to first,” Riddle announced. His voice was a low growl; he was just barely holding back his anger. “Ruggie Bucchi, we need to ask you some questions about the injuries to students trying out for the Spelldrive tournament.”

“Oh ho! What’s that about?” Ruggie shivered and rubbed his arms. “That sounds like some serious business.”

“Don’t try to fake us out!” Grim snarled. “We know you’re doing it!”

Cater pushed aside Grim with one hand. “How about we move to the hall and keep this in the figurative DMs, if you catch my drift?”

“Hmm. Well, fine,” Ruggie agreed readily enough. “Whatever.”

The group left the classroom. No one said a word as they walked down the hallway, everyone anticipating what might happen next.

They went down the stairs and came out into the courtyard. The area was loud with people coming and going, everyone scattering to make the most of their precious time after school. No one so much as glanced at Yuya and his party.

Yuya brushed away the fallen leaves on a bench under a large apple tree and sat down. He urged Ruggie to sit, but the boy refused. “Nah, I’m good,” he said.

“Let’s get right to it,” Cater began. “Lemme ask you point blank: Do you know anything about these injuries, Ruggie?”

“Nope. Not a thing.” Head held high, he didn’t look the least bit shaken. He came across as someone telling the truth.

Ace and Deuce frowned, suddenly unsure.

“I’ll ask again,” Riddle said, crossing his arms. “Do you really not know anything about the spate of injuries that have befallen prospective Spelldrive players?”

“How many times are you going to make me tell you?” Ruggie replied, annoyed. “I don’t know anything. I did hear that a lot of people were getting hurt lately, but that’s probably on them for being careless.”

“I see.” Riddle pursed his lips tightly. “So you intend to feign innocence.”

“Oh my! You don’t actually suspect me, do you?” A challenging smile spread across Ruggie’s face. “Can you even be sure I did it? Any evidence? Do you have a witness who saw me casting spells? Did anyone snap a pic? You don’t have anything like that, do you? If you had any proof, you’d simply nab me without any questions.”

“That’s true,” Riddle agreed. “We don’t have any proof.”

“See!” Ruggie cried triumphantly. “Anyway, I’ve got nothing to do with it.”

“You don’t?” Riddle asked quietly. “In that case, you won’t mind if I seal your magic, will you?”

“Uh?” Ruggie froze, showing fear for the first time. Then he raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes theatrically before turning a glare on the Heartslabyul housewarden. “Yeah, no thanks to that. It’s a bit much to go and make it so I can’t use magic for no reason at all.”

“You’re exactly right,” Riddle agreed. “So how about we join you, spend some time together? We can confirm that you’re not the perpetrator by being with you when the next incident happens.”

A look of relief flashed across Ruggie’s face—perhaps this had been Riddle’s plan all along.

“No thanks,” Ruggie replied, clearly and very coldly, his smile returning. “I don’t get anything out of that deal.”

“You don’t get anything from it, but it doesn’t hurt you, either,” Riddle insisted. “You can clear your name just by being with us.”

“That’s a hard pass from me. I don’t think I’d be able to breathe with you all around.”

“Come on,” Riddle insisted. “A couple of days is more than plenty. You can do whatever you want during that time—study, practice Spelldrive, anything. I’m sure you’re not pleased that people suspect you of doing something so terrible?”

“Unlike you little princelings,” Ruggie sneered, “I’m used to being eyed suspiciously.”

“You are surprisingly stubborn.” Riddle sighed. “Why exactly would this arrangement be inconvenient for you?”

The danger in the air grew palpable. Yuya felt it prickle and stab at his skin with every word.

Ruggie obviously hated the idea of Riddle and the others watching his movements, even if it cleared their suspicions. Yuya wondered if that meant Ruggie was up to something. But saying no to their proposal was, of course, not a crime.

The two boys continued poking at each other with needle-like precision—Riddle clever, Ruggie cautious—with neither one giving in or giving up.

Riddle cast a furtive glance at Yuya and the others. “I have no choice,” he said finally.

Given that they didn’t know the true nature of Ruggie’s signature spell, they would have to make the first move. It was simply too risky to let the sly Ruggie get the jump on them. As they’d discussed in the cafeteria, Riddle intended to use his own signature spell to prevent Ruggie from using magic.

The only proof Riddle had was Grim’s testimony, and Yuya wondered if that was really enough to justify using magic on another person. If Ruggie turned out to be innocent, they didn’t have the right to do so. It was also a violation of school rules, the part of the plan that Riddle hated the most.

In the cafeteria earlier, right before the group left to go to their afternoon classes, Yuya had asked Riddle about the ethical dilemmas his plan had raised.

“Not an issue,” Riddle had said immediately. “You also thought Grim was acting strangely that day, did you not?”

“Huh? Me?” Yuya asked, confused. “Yes. I mean, Grim’s obsessed with food, so it was like no way… I can’t be a hundred percent sure, though.”

“It’s enough,” Riddle had said. “I have faith in you and Grim.”

After that, Riddle had left to go to his classroom, and Ace had said to Yuya, “That was a surprise. When’d you get so chummy with the housewarden?”

Yuya had cast his eyes downward. “Oh. I don’t think we got ‘chummy’ or anything.”

Yuya figured that was probably just how Riddle was. Stubborn and inflexible, but straightforward by nature. He was surprisingly simple in a way. He took people at their word. Riddle expected a lot from others, and for better or worse, Yuya was pretty sure not too many people had ever betrayed those expectations.

Here in the courtyard, as the Heartslabyul housewarden opened his mouth, Yuya could see in Riddle’s eyes a powerful will that would not tolerate any injustice: “Off with Y—mmph!”

Ruggie slapped a hand over Riddle’s mouth, muffling the rest of his words. He looked down at Riddle and the corners of his mouth turned up into a grin. “Calm yourself, man. Are you sure you should be casting such a powerful spell without your magical pen?”

“Huh?” Riddle pushed Ruggie’s hand away and looked down at his own chest. His eyes widened in surprise. “It’s gone… My magical pen is gone!”

The glimmer had disappeared from his uniform breast pocket, the place where he always kept his magical pen. It and the crimson magestone embedded in it were not there.

“What? No way! How come?” Cater asked, flustered.

“Ah!” Grim cried out, staring at them both. “Hey, Cater! Your pen’s gone, too!”

“What?” Cater patted his chest, a stunned look on his face. “You’re kidding me! How?!”

“Shyeheehee!” Ruggie’s high-pitched laugh pierced their ears. “Children of privilege, every one of you. So unprepared, so complacent. Like taking candy from a baby!” While still doubled over in uncontrollable laughter, Ruggie raised his right hand, which held four magical pens with rich red Heartslabyul magestones.

With a gasp, Yuya whirled his head around to look at Ace and Deuce’s chest pockets and saw that their magical pens were also missing. “Your pens!” he cried, pointing, and the two boys reeled.

“Wait. What?!” Ace gaped in astonishment. “My magical pen?!”

“And like, one of those is mine?” Deuce stared hard at Ruggie. “When did you—?!”

“Absurd,” Riddle muttered, dazed. “There was no sign of him using magic, though.”

“Puh-lease.” Ruggie clacked the pens in his hand against each other. “As if I’d need magic to do this! I just happen to be quite good with my hands is all.”

Had he really slipped in close to them and taken their pens? He had plenty of chances for close contact in the hallway or in the courtyard. How had none of them noticed? Yuya felt like Ruggie was mocking them with this astonishing sleight of hand.

Face red with anger, Riddle opened his mouth wide, ready to start yelling.

“Hold up a sec, Riddle!” Cater shouted, quickly stopping him. “You were about to use your signature spell, yeah?” The answer was clear on Riddle’s face. “You finally just got all that awful blot out of you. Don’t be a hero, man!”

A magestone wasn’t required for casting spells, but it made it easier to release the magic without also bearing the burden of the blot that was generated as a result of using magic. Occasionally casting a small spell without a magestone wasn’t a serious issue, but casting a powerful signature spell without one was reckless. It had the potential to wreak havoc on the caster. In particular, Riddle had only recently recovered from overblotting, and he couldn’t know what effect even a hint of blot would have on his health right now.

Ruggie said, “Having a collar slapped onto my neck’s not on my agenda today, so I’ll be on my way.” He gave them a casual salute with two fingers and turned to go.

Grim quickly leaped out to block his way. His magestone was tied to a ribbon that hung around his neck. “It’s Grim’s turn to shine! Take this! Hi-yaaah!”

Grim opened his mouth and spat out three white-hot fireballs, one after another. The large flames shot toward Ruggie.

Ace clench a fist and shouted, “Yesss!”

But Ruggie twisted his body and easily dodged the fireballs. After missing their target, the flames disappeared with a sad sizzle.

“What?!” Grim gasped, shocked.

“You’re so slow, I’m falling asleep over here.” Ruggie laughed and skipped away. “All bark and no bite, huh?”

“All of you! Apprehend Ruggie Bucchi immediately!” Riddle snapped in a thorny voice.

They chased after Ruggie’s slender back. Ace, Deuce, and Cater also let spells fly, but nothing even grazed the hyena boy. Without their magical pens, they had less control over their magic, but Ruggie was also too quick. He moved acrobatically over, under, and around objects, avoiding a straight line. Yuya put everything he had into trying to catch him on foot, but he couldn’t get the slightest bit closer.

“What is with this dude?” Ace half-shrieked, half-panted. “He’s wild fast!”

Deuce lunged at Ruggie, but the boy slipped right through his arms, causing Deuce to nearly trip and fall flat on his face. After missing Ruggie with his outstretched arms yet again, Deuce cried, “How can he slip away like a greased monkey?”

“Compared to the backstreets of Sunset Savanna, this is a cakewalk.” Ruggie leaped over a bench and tripped up Riddle and Cater.

Cater leaned forward and cast a wind spell, but Ruggie did a quick backflip and slipped behind a tree to escape it. He then used the crowd of onlookers, who had been lured in by the chaos, as a smokescreen and left Grim and the others eating his dust.

Light on his feet, Ruggie deftly turned both obstacles and the terrain into allies as he eluded his pursuers. He never hesitated, seeing the perfect path forward at all times.

“Gaaah! I’m gonna explode!” Grim said, gasping for air. Yuya grabbed hold of him tightly.

“You can’t hit him!” Yuya cried. “He’s too quick and will jump out of the way. You’ll never get him.” As he held back the flailing Grim, he saw Riddle and the others panting for breath. “You guys, too. Without your magical pens…”

Yuya didn’t want to hurt anyone’s pride, but all they were doing was exhausting themselves. This was just like the Spelldrive game with Savanaclaw, and Yuya didn’t want them to repeat that experience.

Realizing they were defeated, Riddle screwed up his face in frustration.

“That’s right,” Ruggie said, grinning and shrugging. “Hothouse flowers like you little princes never had a hope of catching me in the first place.” Ruggie’s uniform was too big for him, and he rolled up the billowing sleeves of his jacket. “Honestly, I could have done without the workout. Look, fellas. I hate wasting my time and energy. So the next time you wanna come after me, do me a favor and gather some proof first. Oh! And you really must make sure you have your magical pens all ready to go next time!”

He made a show of holding up the magical pens with the Heartslabyul magestones, then laughed and threw them far away into some bushes.

“You oughta thank me for not keepin’ ’em,” Ruggie taunted.

“You coward!” Riddle shouted furiously. “Don’t you realize how important the Spelldrive tournament is?!”

“Coward, hmm?” Ruggie’s voice turned cold. He tilted his slender, sinewy neck to one side. “What would you all know? I don’t need any righteous lectures from precious little boys raised in the lap of luxury.”

Ruggie glared at them, his icy eyes almost too large for his face. His body was nothing but skin and bones. Without blinking, he twisted his lips up in what might have been a smile, but which his sharp fangs turned into a threat.

“Do you get a prize for being good?” Ruggie demanded. “Do you get a little reward for doing the right thing? You can make all the pretty speeches you want, but don’t go shoving your morality on me.” For the first time since they had confronted him in his classroom, Ruggie dropped his easy smile, displaying anger and annoyance. This surprised them all, and the Heartslabyul housewarden’s eyes grew wide in shock.

Ruggie clicked his tongue as he surveyed the astonished Yuya and his friends. Maybe even he felt like his words were out of character for him.

“Toodles!” he said, disappearing almost before the word was out of his mouth.

8

“OKAY, THAT’S THAT, THEN. Ruggie’s our guy,” Ace said. “We got Jamil saying it was definitely a signature spell, the sandwich attack on Grim, and the fact that he’s in Savanaclaw Dorm gives him motive. They wanna win the Spelldrive tournament more than anything. Plus, he was acting real sus when Riddle questioned him. Felt like he was snapping back at us so he wouldn’t give the game away.”

Grim bobbed his head in agreement, but Deuce didn’t respond at all. Yuya leaned forward to peer into his face.

Since Ace, Deuce, and Yuya were filling up the bench in the courtyard, Grim jumped onto the skinny armrest—not wanting to miss a detail—turned toward the boys, and plopped his feet onto Yuya’s lap.

“Is something bothering you?” Yuya asked Deuce.

“Yeah,” Deuce said, clearly unconvinced. “I mean, I know it seems like he did it. But I feel like it’s too soon to jump to conclusions?”

“Huh?” Ace said, surprised. “How come you’re talkin’ like a goody two-shoes all of a sudden? You were chasin’ Ruggie around here, too. You chickening out on us?”

“No. And don’t get the wrong idea here. I’m not trying to defend him.” Deuce frowned. “I agree, Bucchi’s our prime suspect. But we don’t have any proof.”

“No, yeah,” Ace agreed. “That’s why Riddle and Cater are half-killing themselves looking for some.”

After Ruggie had waltzed away, the enraged Riddle had declared, “I will prove Ruggie is the culprit!” Then he and Cater had left to dig up the necessary evidence. Riddle had insisted that Ace, Deuce, Yuya, and Grim sit tight in the courtyard and wait before doing anything else.

“I’m worried about Cater, too,” Yuya said. “Are you sure you guys are really okay? I mean, you were using magic without your magical pens.”

“Will you stop asking that already? For real, man, we’re fine,” Ace said, breaking into a quiet smile. “Think for a second. Grim was using magic without a magestone before he was a student, right?”

“Yeah,” Deuce chimed in, patting the magical pen in his chest pocket. “The kinds of spells we were using were honestly no big deal. You don’t need to worry so much.”

“I don’t?” Yuya turned to Grim.

“I am a genius,” the monster said smugly. “This don’t even faze me.”

Yuya laughed and relaxed a bit. He’d been terrified when Riddle overblotted. The situation was so serious that someone could have died. A shiver raced through Yuya every time he thought about that day. He never wanted anything like that to happen again, and was especially glad that Cater had stopped Riddle from using his signature spell against Ruggie.

At that moment, Riddle and Cater were no doubt questioning students, teachers, and even ghosts and portraits across campus. If they came up empty-handed, they would dissect the scene of each and every “accident.” Riddle was so angry he wouldn’t stop until they’d solved the mystery.

“I wonder if they’ll find anything,” Yuya murmured.

“Prob’ly not,” Ace replied glumly.

Yuya feared he was right. The only way to prove someone had used magic was to catch them in the act. But Ruggie was careful. He sounded very confident no one would find any evidence of his crimes.

“I thought we were this close to closing the case,” Yuya said. He sighed.

Knowing that Spelldrive tournament candidates were being deliberately attacked with a signature spell didn’t solve anything if they had no proof of who it was, even though Ruggie was a likely suspect.

“So what do we do now?” Ace groaned. Deuce also looked like he was at a loss.

“I hate this! He’s whipping our butts!” Grim whined. He gritted his teeth and kicked and flailed his short legs, whacking Yuya repeatedly. His claws snagged on Yuya’s uniform pants.

“That hurts, you know,” Yuya said, pushing Grim away. Then he noticed someone walking toward them. His silhouette was distinctive even from a distance. Silver ears, big tail—it was Savanaclaw’s Jack Howl.

“So you guys haven’t learned your lesson yet?” Jack asked and crossed his arms, glaring. “You’re still on the hunt?”

“What?” Ace snapped. “Sounds like you saw that whole thing. But now you wanna talk? After everything’s settled? You come to have a good laugh at us or what?”

“I’m not here to laugh,” Jack said.

“Go, then. Get out of here,” Grim snorted indignantly. Neither he nor Ace thought too highly of Jack after he refused to help them the day before. Deuce also looked like he had a few choice words for Jack, although he held his tongue.

“We’re makin’ a plan, and it don’t include you.” Grim growled and waved a paw to shoo Jack away. “So go. We’re busy.”

Jack scowled, making Yuya’s heart skip a beat, but the wolf boy didn’t snap back. Arms still crossed, he looked at them searchingly. “Why’re you going through all this trouble for the sake of total strangers?” he asked.

Yuya and his friends looked at each other.

“I mean, I’d get it if one of your pals was taken down,” Jack added. “You’d want rev—”

“Whoa! One of our pals?” Ace interrupted. “No one said anything about getting revenge. We’re not doing this for anyone else.” His mocking laugh stunned Jack.

Deuce nodded in agreement. “We’re not going to all this trouble for anyone’s sake. It’s just a chance for us to score some kudos by catching the culprit.”

“Yeah, that.” Ace bobbed his head up and down. “We got a chance to be on the roster for the Spelldrive tournament ’cause of this, y’know? So it’s like, whoo-hoo, we win.”

Grim grinned broadly and announced, “I wanna catch the guy so I can get my glorious mug on TV!”

Jack looked at Yuya. The question What are they even talking about? was written all over his face.

“Ummm,” Yuya said. “The headmage promised to let Ramshackle Dorm play in the tournament with a special roster if we figure out who’s been injuring students. And Riddle said that if Ace and Deuce help look for the culprit, he might give them the spot on the team left empty because Trey Clover, a Heartslabyul player, got hurt.”

“So what about you, then?” asked Jack. His yellow eyes, shining bright golden like a midnight moon, stared straight at Yuya, who suddenly felt like he was being interrogated, as if Jack would see right through him if he tried to hide anything.

“The truth is,” Yuya admitted, “the headmage sort of told me to help in exchange for being allowed to live at the academy…” Yuya’s voice trailed off. He felt guilty. They all had ulterior motives. As Jack stared silently, Yuya wanted to leap and run away.

Wanting to stand out. Wanting to be on the team. Wanting not to have to pay for food and lodging. These were all selfish reasons. Not one of them was doing this solely for their fellow students, for their school. People were getting seriously injured, and all of them, including Yuya, were mainly looking out for themselves.

Yuya sighed. At least Riddle and Cater were more mature than the rest of them.

“Hah!” Jack cried. “You guys’re total scum.” His shoulders shook. It took Yuya a second to register that he was laughing.

This unexpected reaction surprised Yuya. Ace and the others assumed Jack was mocking them.

“Oh, word?” Ace snarled. “If we’re scum, then you’re less than scum. Because you’ve known all along, haven’t you? You know Ruggie is the culprit.”

“Huh?” Deuce exclaimed. His eyes widened in surprise. “Oh! So is that why you said yesterday he wasn’t going to come for you?”

The smile slid off Jack’s face. He stared silently with those eyes like the moon. Yuya couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Did he not know how to answer? Was he deciding whether he could trust Yuya and his friends?

Ace stood and stepped forward. “You know this guy in your own dorm is up to no good, and you still keep your lips zipped. You’re as much of a coward as Ruggie is.”

“Huh? What did you say?” Jack growled, his face hard. The two boys glared at each other, invisible sparks flying. Yuya felt worried for Ace, who was so much smaller.

Jack towered over them like a threatening immovable boulder. A blue vein throbbed on his forehead. Yuya could hardly believe that such a powerful, brawny boy was his same age.

But Ace didn’t flinch. His face furrowed into a mean scowl as he glared at Jack. Yuya knew that Ace wasn’t the type to let things slide or back down.

“Ace is right,” Deuce chimed in. “Plus, you stood and watched when he stole our magical pens just now. You’re practically Ruggie’s accomplice, Jack.”

“Yeah! That! What he said!” Grim shouted. “And we don’t got no time for talkin’ to cowards.” Grim stuck out his tongue and turned to Yuya. “You think so, too, right, Yu?”

“Huh? Me?” Yuya stammered, heart in his mouth. He jumped as the conversation turned his way and Jack growled quietly. “I, um…”

Jack looked so grim he seemed ready to start swinging his fists any second. Yuya shrank back and glanced at Ace and Deuce. Maybe he couldn’t stand up defiantly the way they were doing, but he could do something else.

“If you think what Ruggie is doing is bad,” he said nervously to Jack, “then help us stop him. We need your help.”

This sincere plea caused a hint of doubt to cloud Jack’s eyes.

An uncomfortable silence ensued as Jack regarded them, looking angry, his lips pinched together into a firm line. He could’ve lashed out or become violent, but he didn’t. Eventually he came to a decision.

“Fine,” Jack said quietly. “I’ll tell you everything I know.”

“What?” Yuya cried. “Really?”

“I got one condition, though.” Jack raised his palm, putting a check on Yuya’s delight. Then his hand clenched into an enormous fist. “Fight me.”

“Huh? Fight you?” Ace asked, staring in disbelief. “What? Where’d that come from?”

“If I’m gonna open up and come clean, you’ve gotta earn it. I gotta know I can trust you,” Jack explained. “I’ll size you up with my fists, make sure you’re not just talk.”

Yuya was stunned. Jack’s reasoning baffled him into speechlessness.

“What does fighting have to do with that?” Yuya asked shrilly. “Size us up with your fists? I feel like there are a whole lot of other ways to prove you can trust us.”

“Hard same,” Ace agreed, nodding firmly. “You’re talking like some delinquent from a hundred years ago. Totally pointless and stupid. Plus, I hate getting all sweaty.”

Ace was always poking fun at Deuce’s idealism, and he competed ruthlessly at times, so Yuya was grateful for his cool attitude now.

“Now you’re talkin’ my language,” Deuce said, his voice low.

Yuya gasped and whirled to look at Deuce.

A bold smile on his face, Deuce was slamming a fist into his other palm, causing a dry thwap from the black leather gloves he always wore. The would-be honors student was gone.

“Sounds like fun,” Deuce continued with a wry smile. “Let’s cut the smack talk and throw down!”

“Hmm,” Jack grunted, also smiling. “Deuce. I figured about the only thing you had going for ya was how serious y’are. Surprisingly, we’re on the same wavelength about this.”

Glimpses of Deuce’s old hooligan self revealed themselves whenever he got fired up. That self was bold, principled, and deeply moral.

“Hold up a second,” Yuya said.

“It’s okay, Yu,” Deuce replied, giving him a thumbs-up, though Yuya wasn’t reassured at all. “This isn’t that kind of fight. It’s a contest with our pride on the line.”

“Yeah, no,” Ace said, sounding exhausted by the machismo. “That’s basically the same.”

Signaling each other with their eyes, Jack and Deuce quickly came to a decision.

“It’s rude to drag things out,” Jack said. “We’ll settle this right here with the weight of our fists.”

“Right here, right now,” Deuce readily assented.

“This don’t make sense,” Grim said, craning his neck. “What even is the weight of your fists? How’re you gonna check that?”

“I have no idea,” Yuya muttered.

Jack and Deuce stepped away from the bench and faced each other under the apple trees. Knuckles were cracked and shoulders were loosened as the combatants fixed their eyes on each other, measuring up their opponent. Yuya wanted to ask what they were going to do, but they ignored him and kept staring at each other, mouths pinched shut. The time for talk was over.

The tension became unbearable, and Yuya was about to shout Stop! when there was a sharp howl of wind and, in the next instant, a sickening, loud crunch that made Yuya cringe.

“Huh?” he exclaimed, swallowing hard, unsure what he’d just seen.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. In the same instant, Jack’s fist had flown into Deuce’s cheek, and Deuce’s fist had connected with Jack’s chin, and both boys dropped to their knees. Had Yuya hallucinated the whole thing? No, the groans from the ground were very real.

Yuya was so shocked he couldn’t speak—and he wasn’t alone. Ace and Grim were equally astonished. Staggering, Deuce was the first to stand. He planted his right foot firmly on the ground and used it to push himself all the way to his feet.

Lifting his face a second later, Jack pressed a hand to his mouth and muttered incoherently. His brow was furrowed, perhaps in pain, but when he spoke, he somehow sounded happy. “You really bring out the big guns,” he said, rubbing his jaw. “Never thought you’d go straight for a shot to the chin. My eyeballs are wobbling.”

“You, too,” Deuce said. He wiped his mouth and smiled, pushing at his cheek, which was growing redder by the second. “You sure can fight. Honestly, you’re better than I imagined. Glad those muscles aren’t some empty threat.”

Against Jack, Deuce was at a disadvantage in all kinds of ways—physique, height, human versus beastman—and yet they seemed to have inflicted equal damage. The match seemed to be a draw, except that Deuce had got back to his feet first, meaning that it could almost have been called in his favor.

“He’s a monster,” Ace said, looking skeptical. He seemed to think the contest was as strange as Yuya did.

“Well, you know,” Deuce began. He grinned bashfully as everyone regarded him. He didn’t seem to be the same steely competitor who had punched Jack a moment earlier. “There’s a trick to it. Different from a sports thing.”

“A trick?” Ace muttered. “Yikes, what is he even on about?”

Yuya didn’t understand, either. Maybe Deuce’s trick was going straight for the jaw. He was quite sure of himself in a simple, magic-free fight. Shaking free of his shock, Yuya gasped, “Are you guys all right?!”

Jack faltered as he got to his feet. Yuya immediately reached out to help, but Jack shook his head as if he was in-sulted by the offer of assistance.

Once Jack was on his feet, he moved his jaw from side to side, making sure it still worked. He flinched and scowled. It clearly hurt a lot, and Yuya couldn’t watch. Deuce put a hand to his cheek as if it felt off somehow, and it was hard for him to talk. Both boys would have dark bruises the next day.

“I get it now,” Jack said. He held a hand out to Deuce. “You’re solid. You follow through on your word. And your pals are all right with me, too. A promise is a promise.”

“Yeah.” Deuce shook the offered hand tightly. “That punch told me you’re the kind of guy who keeps his promises.”

They exchanged a firm handshake, so steeped in mutual admiration they didn’t even notice everyone else’s bewildered looks. Yuya forced them to sit on the bench, though. They were still unsteady on their feet.

“So?” Ace asked. He clapped his hands together. “If you’re all right with us now, then give us the lowdown on the sitch at your dorm.”

“I will,” Jack said, lowering his voice. “It’s just like y’all figured. The one hurting all them guys is Ruggie.”

Yuya and his friends exchanged a glance. They’d suspected Ruggie was their culprit, but they didn’t know what to say now that their suspicions were confirmed.

“Then he’s doing it using his signature spell?” Deuce asked.

“Yup.” Jack looked around to make sure they weren’t being overheard, but everyone else had left the darkening courtyard. Jack explained further, looking serious. “His signature spell makes its target copy his movements. He hurts guys while he’s got them under his control and makes it look like they’ve had some kind of careless accident.”

“Haaah, so that’s it,” Ace groaned. “That’s how he was able to get Grim to trade without getting caught. He put out his hand, and Grim put out his.”

“That lousy, rotten…! Aaaargh! Now I’m angry again!” Grim yowled and stamped his paws in frustration.

Yuya considered this. A spell that makes a person move however the user wants—in order to hurt them or to get them to do anything—was indeed some serious magic. There was one thing he wondered, though.

“With a signature spell, could Ruggie control someone from super, super far away?” Yuya asked.

“Nah, I seriously doubt it,” Ace replied. “I mean, I can’t say for sure. But you’d need a whole lot of magic for a spell that handy and that amazing. Ruggie shouldn’t be able to use it too often, or as much as he has been. From the number of victims we got, I figure he’s also gotta be right up close to cast the spell.”

“When he took Grim’s sandwich, Ruggie was standing there talking to him,” Yuya noted. “That’s pretty different from when Riddle almost fell down the stairs with Trey.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Ace said, a slow realization dawning. “Riddle and Trey would’ve for sure noticed some guy nearby making the same movement, as if he was falling down the stairs.”

It wasn’t only Riddle and Trey, Yuya thought. None of the other students they’d talked to, even Jamil, who’d confirmed that a signature spell was being used, had mentioned Ruggie being anywhere near them. There were no witnesses, either. Was that even possible? They all turned to Jack.

“Ruggie’s not acting alone,” he said ruefully, casting his eyes down. “Pretty much all the guys in Savanaclaw are in on it. I think they’re faking people out, like making a wall or creating a distraction so people don’t notice Ruggie.”

“You mean, your whole dorm’s full of conspirators?” Deuce said, his eyes widening in surprise. “That’d mean that the culprit is actually everyone in Savanaclaw?”

“Whoa, Jack,” Grim said. “Your dorm’s gettin’ their hands real dirty!”

“It’s probably not everyone in the dorm,” Yuya said hurriedly. “I mean, Jack’s here right now trying to put a stop to this.”

Jack shook his head dejectedly, his shoulders slumping. “Nah, they’re right. It’s totally pathetic.” He was so troubled by his house’s involvement that Yuya felt sorry for him.

“But, like, you know,” Ace said casually. He clasped his hands behind his head. “For guys who got their sights set on going pro, how well they do at the Spelldrive tournament could make or break their careers. It isn’t hard to get where they’re comin’ from, that feeling of doing whatever it takes.”

“What’d you just say?” Jack growled. “You get where they’re comin’ from?” Jack’s menacing growl and sharp, bared fangs sent Ace scrambling.

“Dude! Don’t get so mad! I was just joking!” Ace declared, stepping back.

“Don’t even joke about it. These cowardly cheap tricks make me sick!” Jack roared and pounded a fist against his thigh. “What’s the point in winning like this? Pretending you’re better than you are, getting everyone talking about you. But there’s no way you can build a future on lies. I don’t care how strong the other guy is. Winning only means something when you fight with your own actual strength.” He slammed his fist into his thigh again.

Yuya was overwhelmed by Jack’s intense burning passion.

“I’ve been training so hard for this tournament for so long,” Jack said, looking straight ahead. “I wanna really go the distance. Climb to the top on the back of my own strength and skill! I can’t stand the thought of them wreckin’ all that for me.”

As Jack grew more heated, Ace rolled his eyes and said, “Ugh, I preferred talking to your fists. I thought you were just a dud, but you’re actually one of those annoying, super self-aware hothead types.”

“Nah, I get it,” Deuce murmured, shaking his head and deeply moved. He took a pure-hearted delight in his like-minded new friend. “I know exactly what he means! Jack, you’re not wrong here!”

“Yup, there we go,” Ace groaned. “Got another dud over here.”

“They need to simmer all the way down,” Grim agreed.

“I don’t need you to get it,” Jack said, brushing Deuce away. But his cheeks reddened, making his deep scowl look sweet. Jack might look scary, but he seemed easily embarrassed.

Yuya had been afraid of Jack at first, but getting to know him even briefly, he could tell he was a thoughtful person with a strong sense of duty. For instance, he could have ignored their fight with Ruggie in the courtyard and washed his hands of the whole thing. Instead, he approached them in order to help—though he had to confirm they were trustworthy first by challenging them. He’d probably been wrestling with Ruggie’s crimes for a while. His honest nature was obvious.

He was a little like Deuce. Yuya was amused as he regarded them sitting on the bench together. Jack spoke roughly, and his expression could be cold, but he shared Deuce’s seriousness and passionate intensity. Yuya doubted everyone in the track and field club was like these two, but the fact that they had both chosen that club seemed to indicate a shared nature.

“Anyway,” Jack said, clearing his throat. “These cowards in my dorm make me spitting mad. I especially can’t stand our housewarden, Leona Kingscholar.”

Grim’s nostrils flared as he growled, “You mean that stupid jerk’s a part of this, too?”

“Yeah. More than a part of it, actually,” Jack confirmed. “He’s the boss at Savanaclaw and all. I think he’s moving Ruggie Bucchi and the other guys like pawns.” Jack crossed his arms and lowered his voice. “You gotta watch out. All the stuff up to now’s been nothing but practice. Leona and his gang are hunting bigger prey.”

“Bigger prey?” Yuya parroted.

Jack nodded. “Yup. Their number-one enemy’s the Diasomnia housewarden, Malleus Draconia. For two years running, he’s trounced ’em in the first Spelldrive match. They couldn’t even score. Huge embarrassment. So the older guys are trying to erase that humiliation. But the way they’re doing it is despicable.”

“Despicable?” Deuce said. “What are they planning to do?”

Jack admitted he’d only overheard his roommates whispering. “I don’t know the details,” he said. “But I think they’re gonna spring something on Malleus and Team Diasomnia the day of the tournament. And I’m gonna stop ’em.”

“Hold up,” Ace said. “You don’t know the deets? Does that mean you got no proof that Leona and them are up to no good?”

When Jack nodded, Ace sighed. “Then we’re at a dead end. I mean, Ruggie was totally giving us the runaround back there, going on about how we got no proof. And I seriously doubt Leona’ll give himself up just ’cause we come askin’ questions again.”

Ace was exactly right. Ruggie was very cautious, but Leona was the ringleader, and he would be even more prudent and clever. Vague witness reports weren’t going to scare him into confessing.

“That’s the problem,” Jack agreed, scowling. “He’s pretty sly. And he might find a way to turn the whole thing around and come after us.”

“Arrrgh!” Grim cried, gritting his teeth. “How come everyone’s so good at making excuses?! It’s no fair! I hate it!”

Glancing at the monster, Jack said, “Leona Kingscholar always has this attitude like he’s looking down on the whole world. He’s got this incredible talent, but he refuses to use it.”

“Uh? He was using it plenty at the Spelldrive game yesterday,” Ace replied, frowning. “That team would crush even a better team than us. You gotta be kidding me saying he wasn’t serious there.”

“That’s half of what he could do if he really put his mind to it!” Clenching his fist, Jack leaped to his feet. “He’s way better than that at Spelldrive. But he lets his talent rot. All he does is sleep or get up to no good… I despise guys like him!”

“Simmer, dude,” Ace said, wincing at Jack’s passion.

Jack shook his head, not calming down at all. “The way he played when I saw him three years ago, it blew my mind. He outwitted every opponent, always advancing on the goal with the disc. And it wasn’t just his technique. He was so strong. He kicked the other team to the side when they came straight for him! He’s such an amazing sorcerer. And people couldn’t stop talking about what a genius commander he was!”

“Y-yeah, sure,” Deuce said, flinching at Jack’s intensity.

Grim hid behind Yuya’s legs.

Jack furrowed his brow, looking out to the setting sun. He clenched his fists in front of his chest and gritted his teeth, deeply aggravated.

“I thought if I came to this school, got picked for Savanaclaw Dorm, he and I could tear up the Spelldrive field together,” he said, trembling with emotion. “I wanted to train hard and get him to see how good I am. And then he goes and does this…”

“Yo, Yu,” Ace whispered in Yuya’s ear. “He’s pretty harsh when he talks about his housewarden, but I think he’s actually complimenting him?”

Yuya nodded. It sounded like Jack was criticizing Leona, but he was mostly talking about how great Leona was. Jack was simply mad that his hero was trying to cheat his way to victory, rather than fight for it.

As far as Yuya could tell, Jack had twice the will of the average person, and he expected much more from Leona. That made his disappointment in his housewarden all the more intense.

“He really admires him, huh?” Yuya said to Ace.

Ace agreed. “It kinda makes me jealous how he could respect his housewarden that much.”

“Respect?! Ha!” Jack roared. “The housewarden’s totally chickened out! He’s a loser running off with his tail between his legs!” Jack’s frustration made his voice crack, and he continued venomously, letting his feelings out. “Don’t be jealous. That guy’s only thinkin’ about himself. He doesn’t give a hoot about anyone else. That’s why he’s hatched this lily-livered plan. This garbage has really turned me sour on the whole dorm.”

“Aaah, I get it now. He let you down, so you’re sulking, is that it?” Ace said.

Jack glared at Ace. “Say what you want, but y’all are in the same boat.”

“Huh? Us?” Ace frowned. “How so?”

“I’ve heard the rumors,” Jack said. “Your own housewarden’s a real piece of work. Total tyrant.”

Ah, thought Yuya, the rumors about Riddle. Students from the other dorms had been grilling Heartslabyul students about him ever since the overblot incident. Yuya had seen Ace and Deuce questioned about Riddle numerous times. How could he have overblotted? What happened? How did he look? Was the Heartslabyul housewarden really a cruel mage?

Ace had deftly sidestepped questions about Riddle before, but facing Jack, it was clear he felt conflicted. “Tyrant, he says,” he muttered, and then stopped, at a loss for words.

Jack smiled as if to say, I told you so. “You guys really think that housewarden of yours is the kind of boss worth following?” he asked. “I’d rather strike out on my own than be stuck in a pack led by a useless idiot.” Yuya believed Jack meant it; he was the sort of person who could strike out on his own and succeed.

“He’s right, y’know,” Grim said, jumping in to press the point home. “Riddle’s a real grump.”

“Hey! Excuse you!” Deuce said, rebuking Grim. “Have you forgotten that just yesterday he threw himself into this investigation after Clover got hurt? For our sakes?”

“Naah, but I mean…” Ace said, frowning. “It’s like, him doing it to save face would actually be more believable.”

“Quit it, Ace. How does it help if even you’re talking like this?” Deuce demanded. But Deuce also seemed uncertain, his features clouded with uneasiness. Yuya could tell that both of them had serious doubts about Riddle.

“Ah!” Deuce cried out, turning to Yuya. “You were with Housewarden Rosehearts yesterday, right, Yu? What do you think? Is he the kind of person Jack says he is?”

Yesterday. The first thing that came to Yuya’s mind was Riddle’s angry face as he glared at the twins, Floyd and Jade Leech. Yuya had been almost beside himself with fear that a fight might break out. Then Yuya recalled Riddle’s serious tone during the investigation. He had proceeded briskly, confident and unfaltering, invested in the outcome and not in Yuya trailing after him. Last, Yuya remembered Riddle’s sad voice as he expressed his desire to learn from Malleus about how to be an inspirational housewarden.

“I…don’t really know,” Yuya said finally. Deuce’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“That’s not much of an answer.” Grim laughed in exasperation. “Why you gotta be so Yu all the time?”

Yuya didn’t know how to respond to that. It was all he could do to process his feelings. How could he describe the look on Riddle’s face as he listened to Lilia? It wasn’t quite jealousy, but it wasn’t regret, either. “I…” Yuya began. “You know me. I’ve never been better than anyone at anything ever. So I can’t even begin to imagine how the housewarden thinks. I mean, he’s in such an amazing position, at the top of his dorm… I was there yesterday, watching him work, but I honestly had no idea what was going on in his mind.”

He didn’t know, he couldn’t know. It was nothing more nor less than that.

Yu’s answer was clumsy, but Deuce understood and nodded. “Yeah. I get that, Yu. I mean, being the boss is the dream, but I still haven’t actually led a group of people like Rosehearts. I’ve never even been part of a group before…” He faltered, then smiled brightly. “Anyway, we shouldn’t project our own ideas onto something we know nothing about and go thinking the worst.”

Deuce’s smile was so bright and wide his cheeks pushed up and started to turn purple. Yuya felt like Deuce had perfectly captured his feelings and nodded vigorously. This was exactly what he’d wanted to say.

“Okay, true,” Ace agreed. His hard look softened as he regained his usual cheer. “I guess there’s no point going on and on and getting in our heads when the man in question isn’t even here. We got no way of knowing.”

Yuya smiled in relief as he saw the doubt in Ace and Deuce melt away.

“All we gotta do is ask, you know?” Ace said. “If we wanna know what’s going on in Riddle’s head. If it turns out he’s the same old tyrant as before, we can just pop him right in the kisser again.”

“Again?” Jack stared incredulously at Ace. “You guys actually punched Riddle in the face?!”

“You bet we did.” Ace grinned. “Might want to try it yourself if you don’t like how your housewarden’s runnin’ the show. Anyway, we gotta tell Riddle what Jack said. How about we go meet up with him now?”

Ace pulled out his phone to message Cater, who responded quickly. They decided to meet in an empty lecture hall on the second floor of the main building. Jack agreed to come along to explain the situation to Riddle and Cater.

There were a handful of students on their way out of the building as the group walked down the hallway, but the lecture hall was deserted. The rooms in this part of the school weren’t used by any clubs, and there was almost no one around at this hour. Once again, Yuya realized how expansive Night Raven College was.

They sat down and chatted amiably until Riddle flung open the door, and he and Cater charged into the room, out of breath.

“You found out what Ruggie Bucchi’s signature spell is?” Riddle asked. Then he saw Jack and exclaimed, “Oh!”

“Hello,” Jack said, not smiling. “I’m Jack Howl. Savanaclaw, first-year.”

“Mm,” Riddle said to Jack. “You’re the first-year Cater told me about, then. I heard you were very helpful to members of my dorm yesterday. I’m grateful.” Then he jumped to the heart of the matter. “So? Will you tell me everything?”

Jack agreed, and by the time he finished his detailed explanation, Riddle was shaking with anger—as usual.

“How dare they try to sully such a legendary, cherished event with their personal grudge!” Riddle fumed.

“So what’s the plan, Riddle?” Cater asked, a serious look on his face. He placed a hand gently on Riddle’s shoulder to pacify him. “Looks like Savanaclaw’s seriously gunning for Malleus, way harder than we thought. Who knows what they’ll pull on the day of the tournament?”

“It does look like that, hmm?” Riddle mused, calm once more. “But as Deuce noted, there’s little we can do without any proof of their misdeeds.”

“Nkay. So then what? Where do we go now?” Ace asked.

“We’ve only got one hope of beating that cunning Leona and his dormmates,” Riddle replied. “We’ll have to lock down the sole location where we know a crime will occur.”

“Wait. So then…” Deuce fell into thought before looking up abruptly. “Right. The day of the Spelldrive tournament itself, yeah?”

“Yes.” Riddle nodded. “And I have a suggestion. First—”

“Stop,” Jack commanded, thrusting his palm out. “I’m not joinin’ your merry band.”

Riddle glared at being interrupted.

“Oh, gimme a break!” Grim cried, deeply annoyed. “You’re gonna take their side?”

“No.” Jack shook his head firmly. “Savanaclaw’s my dorm, and I’m gonna be the one to settle this. That’s all. I don’t need help from any outsiders.”

“You say that now?” Deuce scowled, indignant. “I overestimated you, Jack. You’ve come with us this far, but now you get cold feet? Unbelievable.”

“I never said we were gonna be pals,” Jack replied coldly. He looked at Cater and Riddle. “I figured you deserved an explanation, plus an apology for yesterday. We’re square now, and I’m not interested in getting any chummier.”

“You really are such a huge downer,” Ace groused. He’d moved beyond exasperation and into anger. “You shoot down every little idea we have, and for what? Is settling things yourself that important? Being square that big of a deal? Maybe cool your jets and be rational for once.”

“My jets are cool,” Jack snapped. “And I am being rational when I tell you I don’t need your help.”

“Oh, is that all?” Ace glared at him. “Well, we don’t want your stupid help, either!”

“Acey, Jacky, babes, don’t do this,” Cater said. “We got bigger fish to fry right now.” But Cater’s intervention didn’t clear the stormy mood. Deuce stepped up to support Ace, Jack kept arguing, and Grim began to growl.

Yuya turned to Riddle. This seemed like the perfect moment for him to show some leadership, but Jack’s attitude was clearly rubbing him the wrong way. Riddle hated rudeness. “Your attitude toward upperclassmen is very inappropriate,” Riddle noted icily.

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, Yuya raised his voice.

“I know you say you want to solve this without us, but do you really think you can accomplish anything by yourself, Jack?” he asked.

Jack’s eyes widened, then narrowed sharply. “What’d you just say? I can’t do anything on my own?”

“I—I’m sorry. That came out wrong,” Yuya apologized. He stepped backward and licked his lips. “It’s just, you haven’t been able to stop this on your own so far, so I was thinking, like, Why keep doing things the same way? Until Riddle and everyone came along to help us, me and Grim were really stuck. We didn’t know what to do. So I can kind of get how you’re feeling.”

Jack swallowed hard as he digested this. He must have understood on some level that no matter how talented and capable a person is, there is a limit to what anyone can accomplish alone. Jack’s stubborn expression cracked.

“Pfffft! Look!” Grim snickered as he elbowed Yuya. “Shot right through the heart, huh?”

Deuce and Ace also laughed.

“Yu’s right,” Deuce said. “Going it alone hasn’t worked out for you so far. And you’re planning to keep at it like a fool?”

“Yes, that.” Ace nodded vigorously. “If you really wanna settle things with your dorm, you gotta do whatever has the best chance of stopping Leona and all of them. All this talk of ‘we’re square’ sounds more like ego than anything else.”

“Okay, I didn’t say that, but…” Yuya objected, his voice trailing off as a look of anguish crossed Jack’s face. “If being friends is the sticking point for you, then why don’t you think of it as a cooperative relationship?”

“Cooperative relationship?” Jack raised a curious eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Yuya said. “Like an alliance. Or a union. Think of it like collaborating toward a shared objective. Could you get on board then?”

Jack was silent and didn’t flinch as everyone turned to him with questioning eyes. He carefully considered the issue and wrestled with his answer before clicking his tongue loudly and scratching his head. With a sigh, he replied, “All right, fine. I’ll hear you out.”

Yuya, who’d been holding his breath, let it out with a happy exhale. They weren’t going to fight after all.

“But I ain’t committing to anything,” Jack warned. “If I don’t like the sound of your scheme, I’m out.”

“Not a problem!” Cater said. “No worries, babe. Our man Riddle’s an upright dude. No way he’d lead us astray! Right?” Cater winked at Riddle.

“I’ll explain my plan,” Riddle said. “We don’t have much time.”

“Oh man, yeah,” Ace responded. “With all the hub and bub, it’s gotten pretty late.”

Yuya looked up at the classroom clock. It was already seven. If Jack didn’t get back to his dorm soon, people were going to be suspicious.

“Yes. I’ll be brief,” Riddle continued, his expression unchanging. “After all, we still have the inquiry after this.”

“The inquiry?” everyone chorused in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” Cater asked.

Riddle glared at both Deuce and Jack in turn. Then he said in a harsh tone, “Deuce Spade. Jack Howl. I intend to hear the reason for the bruises on your faces after we are done here. I highly doubt you would be so disobedient as to have been fighting on school grounds.”

The two boys were rooted to the spot under Riddle’s piercing gaze. They stood frozen, ramrod straight, every muscle tense, fearing Riddle’s wrath should they dare to even blink.

“If the bruises are due to some foolishness…” Riddle warned, the corners of his mouth slowly sliding up, but his smile stopped short of his eyes. “Well, you understand, yes?”

“Yes, Housewarden…” Deuce stammered.

“Uh-huh,” Jack grunted.

There was no way the strict, rule-bound housewarden would forgive a personal fight at school. Deuce realized that his dream of being an honors student was waning, and he slumped in disappointment.

“Nkay, mm-hmm. Let’s play nice,” Cater said placatingly.

Jack turned toward Yuya and Ace and said under his breath, “Man, I thought he looked like a wuss, but your housewarden is one scary dude. He’s, like, strict. Or maybe, like, gives it to you straight. Anyway, different from his rep.”

“You ain’t wrong,” Ace agreed, holding back a laugh. “Mistake him for a friendly hedgehog and you’ll quickly learn he’s actually a furious porcupine.”

“You have a good reason, though,” Yuya said to Deuce. “He’ll understand once you explain.”

Riddle cleared his throat. “Now, then,” he said, and the strategy meeting began.

That evening, Ruggie was walking by the Savanaclaw Dorm lounge when Leona called out to him. He poked his head in the room and saw the housewarden with a group of dorm students.

“Ruggie,” Leona said with a scowl. “What’s this I hear about you gettin’ chased around by the Heartslabyul kids at lunch?”

“Oh. Uh. Well…” Ruggie stammered.

“You idiot. I told you a thousand times to make sure you didn’t leave any evidence behind!”

So he knows already, huh? Ruggie clicked his tongue silently. He had been planning to spin the day’s events somehow, but word traveled too fast. He hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “You don’t need to worry, Boss,” he said with a grin. “They’ve got no evidence whatsoever!”

“Ha! I wouldn’t be so sure,” Leona warned, but he sounded bored. “I’ve just been prayin’ you idiots don’t get caught by the tail before tournament day at least.” His tone was sharp, and those with him flinched. It sounded like he was angry. Ruggie looked around and realized that the other students present were part of the team that had helped take out the Spelldrive players. Leona had probably heard the story from them.

Leona flicked his long tail back and forth. “I gave that Octavinelle creep a serious payoff to do that job for us. You know what’ll happen to you if you mess this up and make me waste all that cash, right, Ruggie?”

“Yes. Of course.” Ruggie nodded slowly. Payoff. Waste. He hated these words. He resolved once more to not let this chance slip away.

“You botch things on tournament day, I am gonna fry you all up and eat you myself,” Leona snarled. “Remember that.”

“Yes, sir!” the dorm students shouted in response, and Leona’s anger seemed to dissipate at last.

“So long as you get it,” he said more gently.

Relieved, the boys resumed talking, each scrambling to be heard.

“You just leave it to us. All we gotta do now is settle in for the tournament,” said one student.

Another declared, “We’re totally gonna have those Diasomnia hacks pleading for mercy on tournament day!”

“I can see them crying on the field already,” a third proclaimed.

They looked happy, grateful to be forgiven by their boss, having forgotten the angry roaring of moments ago.

Leona held the emotions of his dorm students in the palm of his hand, and Ruggie was impressed, as always. Abrupt mood swings like this kept people on their toes, a cunning trick used by pack leaders. Ruggie was confident in his ability to get by in this world, but he knew this kind of power was forever out of his reach. He automatically smiled at Leona’s arrogance, and the housewarden raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“What?” Leona demanded.

“Shyeheehee!” Ruggie laughed. “I can hardly wait for the moment when a battered Malleus Draconia kneels before you, Leona.” Ruggie was sure that if anyone could do it, Leona could. After all, Leona was a king among kings. “How the world will praise us when we defeat him!”

Almost no one in the slums, buried under the weight of poverty, could use magic because a talented sorcerer had no need to stay in a place like that. People like Ruggie, those who had some minor magical talent but no major power, were basically heroes there. When Ruggie had been accepted to Night Raven College, everyone in the neighborhood had celebrated.

But what if Ruggie—a poor, weak boy—defeated the Malleus alongside Prince Leona of the royal family? How would the people who’d sneered at him back then react? Just thinking about it made Ruggie’s heart soar.

He said, “Defeating Malleus, winning the Spelldrive tournament—maybe some top corporate recruiters will even take an interest in a little ol’ hyena like me with that kind of shining record.”

Hyena beastpeople were social outcasts. Even in recent years when the old prejudices were frowned upon, the chattering masses still looked down on hyenas as thieves who happily feasted on rotten meat. Ruggie had to make the most of this famed arcane academy, the greatest chance he’d ever have to win himself wealth and glory. When he’d gotten into Night Raven College, his grandmother had told him, almost in tears, “You bring pride to us all.”

Since the day he was born, Ruggie’s world had been nothing but seedy, sooty shabbiness. His family, his friends—they all struggled with poverty. But things were different now. Ruggie had a bright future ahead of him.

“Ha! Look at all o’ you—celebratin’ when you’ve only just sunk your claws into your prey.” Leona laughed, bringing Ruggie back to himself with a start.

Ruggie smiled to hide his embarrassment. He prided himself on being realistic. Yet with Leona, he started to dream, just like all the others. This was the enormity of Leona’s power. No one could resist the lure of the scraps he was sure to leave behind.

The other students happily sang the praises of their boss.

“Once we win the Spelldrive tournament, you’re gonna be the most famous of all, Housewarden Leona!” one student shouted.

“Everyone in Sunset Savanna’s gonna have some second thoughts about who should be the next king!” a second declared.

Plenty of things in Sunset Savanna couldn’t be changed—customs, traditions, values. These might seem trivial, yet they remained irritating, entrenched parts of society. Just as Ruggie wanted to bring pride to his hyena family, Leona, the second-born prince, wanted to transform aspects of his order.

“Succession ain’t got nothin’ to do with ability,” Leona muttered.

“Huh?” Ruggie stared at him blankly. These words shouldn’t be coming out of Leona’s mouth. He shouldn’t say something like that. Otherwise, what was all the work they were doing for?

“Nothin’,” Leona replied, sounding the same as always. Cold, proud. Not looking like he’d said what Ruggie thought he’d heard. Ruggie decided he must have been mistaken rather than doubt Leona.

“I’m headin’ to bed,” Leona said. He stood up to leave the lounge. “As if conquerin’ this school’s gonna—”

Ruggie couldn’t quite catch what Leona said as he departed. Leona obviously didn’t intend to make himself heard, so Ruggie decided to go back to his own room, too. He’d worked hard that day, and his reward for that hard work would come soon. Ruggie felt sure he would sleep well tonight.

The howls of the beasts reverberated in the damp cave as the skinny hyenas were chased away by a lion with a black mane. It was dark outside, and the abundant green of before was gone. There was no longer any sign anywhere of the animals that had filled the plains, running, flying, joyous.

The lion who boasted that he was king seemed to be annoyed at being compared with someone else, but instead of going out to hunt on behalf of the starving animals or at least sympathizing with them, he simply roared his displeasure.

The atmosphere was so stale and sluggish that Yuya only just now realized that this was maybe the Great Seven’s King of Beasts. He’d seen that scar over the left eye twisted up in a yawn before. But the King of Beasts was supposed to be a lion with an indomitable will, one who spared no effort to bring equality to his country. The figure before Yuya’s eyes was the very opposite of the legend, apathetic and callous.

The lion had gotten his long-sought throne, so why didn’t he do anything for the animals around him? As Yuya watched this lion lazing about somewhere off in the distance, the scene gradually faded to white.

9

“HEY. I SAID, WAKE UP,” a rumbling voice insisted.

Yuya opened his eyes with a gasp.

The first thing he saw was the too-bright light on the ceiling. He closed his eyes again, but the light passed right through his eyelids. Groaning, he covered his face with a hand. “That voice… Jack?” he groaned.

“Unnnh. What are you doin’ in my dorm?” Grim said, stretching as he, too, was just waking up.

For some reason, Jack from Savanaclaw was standing in the doorway to their room in his PE uniform. The ghosts slipped past him to manifest in front of Yuya and Grim.

“He was standing out front of Ramshackle Dorm, so we asked him in,” one ghost said. “He’s your new friend, yeah?”

“So you got another tough pal,” a second remarked. “We were just sayin’ we could all have breakfast together!”

The ghosts floated and snickered till Jack shooed them away.

“We’re not friends,” Jack said, stern as ever. “Today’s the Spelldrive tournament. I want to make sure you don’t mess everything up by oversleeping.”

“Oh, yeah! That’s today!” Grim leaped out of bed. “Awright! We gotta catch the bad guys so they’ll squeeze Ramshackle Dorm into the tournament as a reward!”

“You think that’ll really happen?” Yuya gave Grim a pained smile as he got out of bed. Could they actually put a new team on the roster the very day of the tournament? The headmage would have to pull a lot of strings.

“He promised, so obviously yeah. We’re so in!” Grim cried as he groomed himself. He patted down the fur standing up on his head and made himself ready for his TV debut.

Yuya bowed to Jack and said, “Thank you for coming all this way to wake us up.”

“I didn’t make a special trip or anything,” Jack replied. “I was just out for my morning run and stopped by.”

Yuya was suddenly embarrassed to still be in his pajamas. “So you’re an early bird, huh?” he asked.

Jack scowled. “Okay, I’m going. Professor Vargas gets real loud if you’re late, so make sure you’re there on time.”

“We will be, I promise,” Yuya told him.

Jack was already leaving. He waved briefly before closing the door and heading down the stairs. Yuya could hear the ghosts urging him to sit down, stay a minute, as Jack grumbled to leave him alone.

“Let’s do this,” Yuya said.

“Yeah! We’re gonna rock it!” Grim exclaimed.

Yuya and Grim nodded at each other, and Yuya got ready to go.

“Excellent. So we’re all here?” said Professor Vargas, the gym teacher. His booming voice reached each and every corner of the lecture hall. The gathered students rolled their eyes, annoyed at being shouted at so early in the morning.

“Vargas killin’ me as usual,” Grim groaned, pressing his paws over his large ears.

“Shh!” Yuya chided. “The teachers will hear you.”

Yuya and Grim had joined the rest of the student body in the lecture hall. Vargas wanted to review the entire program for the Spelldrive tournament with everyone before the guests and spectators arrived at the school.

Sitting on long benches, the students were grouped by dorm, while the planning committee members stood at the front of the hall. All the students wore their dorm uniforms in a show of force and solidarity. Later, for the games themselves, the students competing in the tournament would change into their PE uniforms.

As the only members of Ramshackle Dorm, Yuya sat with Grim in the back corner of the lecture hall. Yuya, who had no dorm-issued outfit, wore a plain tracksuit and a blank white T-shirt. The seven main dorms each had uniforms featuring their dorm’s distinctive design, and it made Yuya uncomfortable not to have one, too. He glanced around, looking for his friends, but there were so many people that he couldn’t find anyone, not Ace, Deuce, Riddle, Cater or any of the other students he’d met during their investigation of the injured students.

Standing at the podium, Professor Vargas was in his element and more fired up than usual. Holding the tournament program, he briskly explained how the day would go. “As you’ve been told many times,” he called out, “this year the players will enter the coliseum in a procession.”

Haaah. Sighs of envy filled the lecture hall.

This was the first time the school was having a parade of competitors. Clad in their splendid uniforms, the players from the famed arcane academy would file into the venue in formation, which would undoubtedly be a grand sight.

“The parade starts right here at the main school building. Then we continue onto Main Street past the statues of the Great Seven before turning onto Side Street toward the coliseum. That means the player mustering point is different from last year’s, so make sure you remember where to go,” Professor Vargas continued.

Main Street was the road that led from the main gate to the school’s main building and was lined with statues of the Great Seven. Side Street was a narrower but long street that led directly to the colisuem. It had splendid stone paving and would afford an excellent view of the parade for spectators.

The parade itself had been proposed by Azul Ashengrotto, the Octavinelle housewarden, who was also the head of the Spelldrive tournament planning committee. Initially, some students had grumbled about the extra work the parade involved, but most students liked the idea and were simply jealous they couldn’t be in it because they didn’t make their dorm’s team. Grinning broadly and nodding in satisfaction, Azul stood behind Vargas as he talked. Vargas, the tournament’s teacher-adviser, loved the parade.

“Now listen up, players. You’ve trained your bodies for this day. Go out there and show ’em what you’re made of. Just like me!” Vargas twisted around, grabbed his own wrist, and flexed his chest muscles. “We gotta let ’em know that Night Raven College’s got the best muscles out there!”

Everyone in the lecture hall sighed in exasperation. The muscular Vargas expected students to copy his impressive physique and physical beauty, and the majority of them were fed up with his constant posing. Eventually, Professor Trein cleared his throat loudly to get Vargas to stop.

“Woulda been great if we could have broadcast the parade, too,” Vargas said, picking up where he’d left off. “But it was decided on at pretty much the last minute, so there wasn’t time to get it all set up. That means the start of the TV broadcast will be the opening ceremony after the players enter the coliseum. And once that starts, players and nonplayers alike, you need to zip those lips.”

The teachers standing behind Vargas nodded, looking serious. The drawing to set the tournament matches was held during the opening ceremony. In previous years, students had booed angrily at the results, and the teachers had despaired at their students’ ill manners.

“Understood?” Vargas growled, hammering the point home, before going over with what would happen after the ceremony. “The gates are gonna open here pretty quick. Be nice to the guests. Don’t do anything stupid. Remember, you’re Night Raven College students. You have to set an example.”

“Yes sir,” the students chorused, and Vargas showed them his pearly white teeth.

“Great. We’ll take a quick break here. Double-check your mustering time, make sure you’re there! Players especially, don’t be late for the parade.”

Instantly, the lecture hall erupted in chatter. The students suddenly felt the gravity of the long-awaited tournament, knowing that it was about to start at last.

Yuya heard a student tell another, “We gotta hurry to the coliseum so we can get good seats.”

“Let’s check out the kiosks along Side Street before the opening ceremony,” came the reply.

Excited students jammed the lecture hall exits, so Yuya waited for the crowd to thin out. He heard someone calling his name and saw Ace and Deuce coming toward him, waving happily. He’d never before seen them in their dorm uniforms—they looked sharp. “Morning, guys,” Yuya said.

“Morning to you. The day’s finally here, huh?” Deuce said, clenching his fist to show enthusiasm. The bruise he’d gotten in his fistfight with Jack had already started to fade.

“Looking good,” Yuya said, indicating Deuce’s injury.

“Thanks,” Deuce said happily. He glanced at Ace. “Ace went and told the guys in the dorm this tall tale about what happened, so I’m glad it’s finally gone.”

Ace smiled mischievously and said, “Well, you didn’t want everyone to know you got into a fight with another student, did you? Not when you’re trying to be all honors student. So I very kindly thought up another reason for that mess on your face.”

“What did you tell them?” Yuya asked.

“Hmm? Oh, you know.” Ace shrugged. “Like, he slipped on a banana peel and fell. Stuff like that.”

Grim guffawed and pointed at the sulking Deuce. “Man, that totally sounds like something you’d do! I bet those guys ate it up,” he howled.

“I am not that much of a loser!” Deuce protested.

When the doorways finally cleared, the friends exited the lecture hall. The weather was clear and brisk, and the sea breeze caressed their faces. For a moment, they watched the flood of students pouring down the stairs in the pale morning sunlight, everyone heading for Main Street and then Side Street, where they’d shop the kiosks and cheer on the player parade, before continuing to the coliseum for the opening ceremony and the Spelldrive tournament.

As the group joined the other students walking toward Main Street, Ace looked out at the coliseum and sighed. “Man, after all that, I can’t believe I didn’t make the team.”

Ace and Deuce had not been selected for Heartslabyul’s team. Riddle and Cater had, and Cater was expected to use his flying abilities to make some fine plays.

“It’s too bad,” Yuya sympathized. “But there’s always next year.”

“Yeah, I mean, sure, that’s true,” Ace said. “But like, what was the point in working our butts off?”

Deuce said, “Okay, you say that now, but we both agreed with the decision.” Deuce smiled at Yuya and the others. “The housewarden told us why he couldn’t put us on the team.”

“He did?” Yuya asked. That seemed like something Riddle would do. “What did he tell you?”

“Given that we haven’t caught the culprit yet, we can’t ensure the safety of any of the players,” Deuce said. “So he didn’t want to expose first-year students to any danger, not when we’ve barely learned any defensive magic.”

Before Yuya could respond, Ace objected.

“Yeah, but you’re just saving face!” he cried. “Riddle came right out and said the biggest reason is that we suck at Spelldrive! Even factoring in our help with the investigation, he said there were still tons of guys way better than us.”

“That guy scares the daylights outta me,” Grim said, stunned.

Yuya thought this was very much like the logical Riddle.

Deuce shrugged with a smile. “Well, him saying that made it pretty clear we had no hope.”

“Yeah, I mean, when he puts it like that, you know,” Ace said. “Aah, that reminds me. We also asked the housewarden how come he was helping with your investigation.”

“Huh? You really came out and asked him?” Yuya asked, surprised. Ace had asked Riddle if he was really doing it for the sake of his dorm students. That boldness might have been in character for Ace, but Yuya still admired his daring. “What did Riddle say?” he asked.

“He said it was his duty as housewarden to defend the pride and traditions of the academy. So I said, ‘Duty? Does that mean it’s not about Trey at all?’ And he said, ‘Trey is one of the valuable dorm students that I am to protect, is he not?’ I don’t really get it, though.” Ace scratched his head, puzzled. “Does that mean he was doing it for Trey, too? Why wouldn’t he just say that, then? I mean, people are saying all kinds of stuff because Trey got hurt protecting him.”

“All kinds of stuff?” Yuya asked. “Like what?”

“Like, ‘Stop messing with the vice housewarden,’ ” Ace responded.

Yuya could imagine Riddle being criticized, but it startled him and he wondered why. Riddle was genuinely worried about Trey and deeply regretted that he had been hurt because of him. Yuya could see that at a glance. The fact that the people closest to him, his dormmates, couldn’t see that must have been really hard for Riddle.

Ace shook his head and continued, “The older guys still can’t get over the old days of tyranny, y’know? Plenty of ’em keep talkin’ about how the housewarden’s annoying or scary or whatevs. And man, I am right there with them.” He snorted in laughter, remembering some incident he couldn’t stomach.

Ace continued earnestly, “But, like, some of them are just mad he got mad at them when they skipped out on their dorm chores. So their grudges are really unjustified. When you really check out who’s saying what, the housewarden’s saved more than one person from getting yelled at by a teacher by giving them those warnings.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Yuya said, nodding. It was hard to tell if Ace was criticizing Riddle or defending him.

“What?” Grim cried out. “But the way he speaks is all wrong. It’s way harsh. If people hate him, then y’know, reap what you sow, buddy.”

“Exactly. You get it, Grim.” Ace patted the monster’s head with a laugh. “So he either doesn’t think about how he says things, or he freaks out on you when something you say hits home. Different sides of the same coin, if you ask me.”

“Okay, but you don’t need to be a baby about it,” Deuce said, exasperated. He turned to Yuya. “Yu, remember when Housewarden Rosehearts said no one’s been held back or dropped out since he became housewarden?”

“Umm… I think so. Vaguely.” Thinking back, Yuya seemed to remember Riddle saying something like that once, maybe at the first Heartslabyul unbirthday party Yuya had attended. However, if he was honest, he remembered harsher responses more clearly, like how he’d snapped that the students had only done the work they were expected to do and so their achievements were nothing for the housewarden to praise.

“Apparently, it’s because the housewarden tutored the guys who were falling behind,” Deuce explained with a smile. “Ace and I only found out because the upperclassmen were telling us about how he helped them, but I guess he was a ruthless tutor.”

Yuya felt his eyes suddenly open wider.

Riddle’s unwavering confidence. His firm words. His strong beliefs. This intensity came naturally to him, even though to most people he came across as kind of fanatical. He was so overweeningly proud—not because he was conceited, but because he made sure his actions were always aligned with his principles. The problem was that he pushed his values on everyone else. Yes, he had made mistakes, but that didn’t make it okay for people to judge him harshly. He always worked harder than anyone else.

“So then it’s like, well, just say that! Don’t you think?” Ace said. “How’s anyone supposed to know if he only ever stews in anger?”

Yuya felt ashamed for ever thinking that Riddle was arrogant. He wondered if Ace regretted some of the unkind things he’d said about Riddle. Ace sounded merciless, but he looked unsure to Yuya. Ace walked ahead, while Deuce matched Yuya’s pace to walk alongside him.

“Thanks, man,” Deuce said.

“Huh? You’re thanking me?” Yuya asked, and Deuce nodded. Yuya shook his head. “How come? I didn’t do anything.”

“Ah.” Deuce shrugged. “It’s like, people used to misunderstand me, too, because of how I looked. They’d blame me for all kinds of stuff I never did. So, I dunno, you giving the housewarden the benefit of the doubt… It makes me happy.”

Yuya’s eyes widened in surprise. Was this why Deuce had been reluctant to pin the “accidents” on Ruggie without solid proof? Yuya knew that Deuce had a wild past and was troubled that he couldn’t quite shake free of his bad reputation. Maybe it was precisely because Deuce had struggled with this that he was careful to not judge others based on rumors or other people’s impressions.

Every time Deuce mentioned his delinquent middle school days, Yuya thought that, if they’d met then, they probably would never have spoken. Yuya couldn’t help wondering how Deuce must have felt back then when people like Yuya kept their distance from him.

“What?” Deuce demanded. “Don’t look at me like that. I just shouldn’t have done all that stuff in middle school.”

Yuya had been frowning, his brow creased, and he shook his head to apologize, trying to push aside his complicated emotions. It was the same with Riddle. Unless he spoke, Yuya couldn’t know what he was thinking. Yuya was often surprised when Ace and Deuce freely shared their doubts and feelings, but it was so helpful, and Yuya was grateful they did.

Deuce looked away, like he was embarrassed, and then gasped. “Oh, dang. Ace and Grim are way ahead of us! We gotta pick up the pace, Yu!”

Yuya followed his gaze and found Ace and Grim yelling at them to hurry up. He and Deuce ran to catch up.

When they reached Main Street, they found it entirely changed. Purple and green garlands sketched lines in the air and undulated leisurely like living creatures. The statues of the Great Seven were freshly polished and shone brightly in the sunlight.

As they passed before the beautiful statues, Yuya naturally came to a stop in front of the lion. He lingered over the words carved into the pedestal.

Through grit and determination,

this king of beasts overcame

his lesser claim of succession

to rule over a vast savanna.

He sought equality for all creatures—

even those once banished from the realm.

The King of Beasts, standing tall and proud. He was not beaten down by the circumstances of his unfortunate birth. Instead, he succeeded through sheer wits to become a king beloved by the hyenas, who at the time were feared and hated. Each of the Great Seven had made their marks in history and earned the respect of everyone at Night Raven College. Yuya couldn’t imagine what people would think if he mentioned the disrespectful dream he’d had that morning.

“Hey! Yu!” Grim said, tugging on his coat. “Get your head outta the clouds. We gotta get to Side Street already!”

“Oh!” Yuya exclaimed. “Sorry, sorry. I’m coming.”

The promise of the Side Street kiosks drew Grim and made him pester Yuya to hurry. The kiosks were run by the school and outside businesses, but Yuya wasn’t sure what they offered or if Grim would find what he wanted.

“Do any of the kiosks sell food?” Yuya asked.

“You bet! Gotta have snacks when you’re watchin’ Spelldrive,” Ace said, grinning happily. “Lots of places sell Sage’s Island merch and school memento–type stuff, but just as many sell food. My brother once sent me a photo of the kiosks, and when I saw it, I knew for the first time that Night Raven College was for real amazing.”

“As the president of the Gastronomy Club, I gotta seize the day!” Grim declared. “Let’s hustle, Yu!”

As Yuya trailed after the monster, the cheers of students and the voices of the adults selling their wares grew louder and livelier. Side Street was an entirely different place today. The kiosks lined either side of the street, with food and multicolored trinkets laid out beneath white canvas tents.

“Wow! It really is like a festival,” Yuya cried out in admiration. The smell of cooking food was mouthwatering.

Most of the food could be packaged to take to the coliseum, making it easy to eat while watching Spelldrive. Yuya recognized many items that existed in his home world—like juice, candy apples, popcorn, and hot dogs—but lots of treats were unfamiliar. There was ice cream that puffed out clouds of orange smoke and candies that played music.

Yuya noticed a tent selling strange goods. The sign read “Mister S’s Mystery Shop.” Yuya had been to the actual shop before—when Ruggie and Leona’s intervention had stopped Deuce from losing control—and met the shop owner, Sam, a mysterious person who always somehow guessed what his customers wanted before they asked for it. Whatever he was selling today, it would probably be wildly popular.

“Mm-mmmm!” Grim said ecstatically, twitching his nose. Following his lead, Yuya took a deep breath. The sweet scent of deep-fried foods got his stomach rumbling even though he’d only just had breakfast. “They got churros, and funnel cakes, and… Oh! Is that jerky?” Whirling around to take it all in, Grim held his tail straight up and shuddered. “Whoaaaa! I wanna eat it all! I’m gonna clean out every booth!”

“Hey, you really got time for foolin’ around?” someone called out.

Yuya and his friends turned around to find Jack Howl staring at them, an exasperated look on his face. He was clad in the Savanaclaw dorm uniform, which was casual compared with other dorms’ outfits. It consisted of a black leather biker vest that shone softly and a deep yellow bandana tied around his waist. These were the Savanaclaw Dorm colors, which embodied the sun. Jack also wore jeans and black engineer boots. A dorm full of physical fitness buffs devoted to their physiques could pull off a look like this, but not the average person—like Yuya.

“Hello,” Deuce said, cocking his head. “Huh? Wait. What are you doing here, Jack?”

“I’m not allowed to be here?” Jack asked, glaring.

“No, of course you’re allowed to be here,” Yuya said, exchanging a look with Deuce. “But weren’t you picked for the Savanaclaw team?”

Jack was the talk of Night Raven College. It had sent a shock rippling through the school when he’d been chosen as a member of Savanaclaw’s famed powerhouse team under the command of Leona Kingscholar; very few first-years ever won a spot on a Spelldrive team. Yet Leona had demonstrated his aptitude immediately after arriving at the arcane academy, displaying an impressive intellect, powerful magic, and extreme stamina.

For Jack, this should have been cause for celebration, but he had very mixed emotions. When Ace and Deuce teased him and mentioned Leona, Jack grumbled, “No way I could be glad playing with a coward like that.”

“But you decided to play anyway,” Yuya said.

“Of course.” Jack scowled. “I never run away. I stand up and fight proud.”

“Okay, but this is weird.” Ace pointed in the direction of the coliseum. “The parade starts at the school. But you’re here. Why are you making a second trip? “

“Second trip’s no big deal,” Jack replied. “I was going for a run to warm up before the tournament. Then I just happened to spot you guys—”

“A run?” Grim interrupted. “You said you went for a run this morning.”

Jack froze.

“That’s way too much runnin’ right before the big game,” Grim continued, rolling his eyes. “You’re all hopped up after making the team, I bet. Can’t believe you’re not sick of running yet.”

Yuya and the others frowned at Jack curiously. All the other teams were gathering together at the school and preparing for the parade.

Ace grinned. “Wild that you happened to see us in this huge crowd. You sure it was just a coincidence?”

“And like, going for a run in your dorm uniform?” Deuce asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow. “Come on, man.”

Jack flinched. “Don’t get the wrong idea!” he cried roughly. “I definitely didn’t come to check on you ’cause I was worried that you were nervous. I just happened to spot you! Chance, is all!”

“What’s the matter, dear Jacky?” Ace said, teasing. “Getting all worked up like that! Be honest, my dude. Just say you came ’cause you were worried.”

Deuce laughed. “Uh, you’re hardly one to talk about being honest, Ace.”

When Jack came to Ramshackle Dorm that morning to wake them up, Yuya had thought it was a very caring thing to do. Jack had a strong sense of responsibility, and he took action without any hesitation or calculation. His normally stoic, calm demeanor was quite reassuring. Even though Jack said he hated getting involved with people, he still had gotten involved with Yuya and his friends. Yuya could imagine Jack’s classmates turning to him for help. Of course, he didn’t always like attention, such as when he’d chased off the ghosts that morning, yelling at them to get away. Yuya laughed at the memory.

“Hey!” Jack barked, face red. “Don’t you go laughin’, too!”

“Oh! Sorry,” Yuya apologized reflexively. His voice came out louder than expected, probably because he was so flustered.

“Chill,” Jack said, “I’m not that angry.” He was trying to be reassuring, but Yuya still felt he needed to apologize again. Jack’s white ears twitched. “Also, quit being so stiff when you talk to me,” he said. “I hate it. Makes it sound like I’m picking on you, and then I feel bad.”

“I don’t mean it that way,” Yuya said, his frown deepening the crease in his forehead. “But okay. Sorry.”

Yuya realized he did tend to be more formal with Jack, perhaps because he could be so intimidating. But Yuya didn’t talk to other first-years that way. He was much more casual with Ace and Deuce, for instance. And certainly with Grim.

“So long as you get it,” Jack said. While his gaze was sharp, his tone had softened.

“Heh,” Ace said and elbowed Jack. “Slowly startin’ to figure you out, my dude.”

“What?” Jack glared at him. “You makin’ fun of me?”

“No one’s making fun of you,” Deuce replied. “We just think it’s funny.”

“Shut up!” Jack snarled, but Ace and Deuce weren’t scared. They were getting used to Jack’s intensity.

Yuya chuckled. Jack’s seriousness was funny so long as it didn’t scare you.

“Oh ho!” said a voice from the crowd. “Why, if it isn’t Savanaclaw’s Jack Howl standing before me!”

A student in a black tuxedo and fedora and carrying a black walking stick approached them. He was wearing the Octavinelle Dorm uniform, and as his eyes narrowed into a smile behind his glasses. Yuya recognized him as the Octavinelle housewarden and head of the tournament planning committee, Azul Ashengrotto. Unlike the other Octavinelle students, he wore a gray overcoat over his tuxedo.

“Jack,” Azul said as he raised his arm and looked at the watch that peeked out from his sleeve. “I believe you were selected for your team, yes? The main gates will be opening soon to the public. It would be best if you returned to the school before the crowds arrive.”

“Ah, sorry,” Jack responded meekly. “I’m on my way now.”

Azul chuckled. “I’m looking forward to watching you play today. Good luck out there, hmm?”

“Thank you. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.” Jack bowed deeply and glanced at Yuya and his friends. “Okay, guys. See ya later.”

Yuya, Grim, and the others nodded solemnly. They knew their duty was to help stop Leona. They couldn’t afford to fail, since who knew what might happen or who might get hurt if they did.

“Yeah. Good luck, man,” Ace said. He held up an encouraging fist, and relief softened Jack’s eyes.

For the first time, Yuya realized that Jack was nervous, too. However strong and dependable he was, Jack was still a first-year, as new to the school as they were. Knowing what Jack was going through, Yuya imagined how discouraged and hopeless he must have felt at times, especially because he couldn’t seek help from his housewarden or his dormmates. Yet he remained true to himself and his principles. It was a testament to how amazing Jack was. Yuya was once again impressed by Jack’s mental fortitude to endure these challenges by himself.

“We’ll be cheering for you. Let’s meet up afterward, okay?” Yuya said. He waved and watched Jack go, glad they’d gotten to talk before the tournament. Before anything happened.

“Hello!” Azul turned to Yuya suddenly with a bright smile. “You’re Yu of Ramshackle Dorm, yes? And this is your partner, Grim.”

“What? Where’d you get that?” Grim glared up at Azul. “I ain’t his partner. I’m the boss!”

“Oh goodness! I beg your pardon,” Azul said and corrected himself. “Boss Grim, then. Now that I see you up close, you do indeed radiate an extraordinary presence. As one would expect of such a boss as yourself.”

“Huh?” Grim became all smiles. “Heh heh! Yeah? Well, so long as you get it.”

Azul winked at Yuya. He seemed like an elegant, playful person who knew just how to handle Grim’s boasting.

“My name is Azul Ashengrotto,” he said. “While I am certainly not worthy of such an honor, I am employed as the housewarden of House Octavinelle. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Yuya replied. Azul doffed his hat, tucked his walking stick under one arm, and removed his white glove before extending his bare right hand. With some trepidation, Yuya shook it.

The handshake was much stronger than Yuya expected, and Azul’s gaze was even more powerful.

“I’ve in fact been hoping I would get the chance to speak with you,” he said, still smiling.

Yuya was surprised that the Octavinelle housewarden would want to talk to him, but perhaps it was to confirm all the rumors that swirled around Yuya.

How he and a monster had come to reside alone in Ramshackle Dorm. How he came from a different world no one had heard of. The mystery of Riddle’s overblot. Even in a place as marvelous as Night Raven College, these were strange occurrences that had become the topics of endless speculation. Many people, and not just students, were very curious to learn who he was and what he was doing in Twisted Wonderland.

“It must be difficult living in what to you is a foreign world,” Azul continued. “If I can be of service to you in any way, I would be personally delighted. I do hope we will have the opportunity to speak at length soon.”

Azul didn’t speak to Yuya like other unfamiliar students had. He was polite and respectful, and he seemed interested in getting to know Yuya himself. His concern for Yuya came through loud and clear. But Azul’s powerful gaze also pierced Yuya’s heart and made him the tiniest bit uncomfortable.

“Aah, I must be moving along to check how the kiosks are doing,” Azul said. He released Yuya’s hand and slipped his glove back on. “I want to make sure everyone at school and all our guests can enjoy this tournament. I must do everything I can as the head of the planning committee, you see?”

Azul grinned reassuringly at Yuya, perhaps sensing his bafflement, and Yuya smiled back, relieved. Azul was quite the sensitive person.

“I guess so,” Yuya replied.

“Well then. I hope to see you again soon.” With a dip of his head, Azul slipped away into the crowd. Yuya watched him greet one of the kiosk staff and start a friendly conversation. He was impressed with how Azul easily held court with adults.

“Have you ever spoken with the Octavinelle housewarden before, Yu?” Deuce asked, a curious look on his face.

“No, that was the first time,” Yuya told him, but he dismissed the attention as probably due to rumors about Ramshackle Dorm.

“Huh,” Ace said. “He looks like he’s seriously got his act together. He seems supersmart.”

“He noticed my mighty aura,” Grim said smugly. “Guy’s got good eyes in his head.”

A bell rang, signaling that it was time for the main gates to open and for the public to enter. The area immediately grew frenetic with excitement and the loud voices of eager students.

Grim noticed Yuya’s nervousness and wagged his tail, slapping the top of Yuya’s feet.

“Sheesh, relax!” Grim said. “We’ll be fine so long as you leave everythin’ to me. I’m gonna stop Leona and strut my stuff in the Spelldrive tournament.”

The monster had no reason to feel so bold and cocky, but Yuya nodded at him anyway.

“Welcome, one and all, to the Night Raven College interdorm Spelldrive tournament. The parade of players to the stadium will now begin. As they leave the main school building, the players will proceed along Main Street before turning onto Side Street as they advance toward the coliseum. We ask that all attendees kindly stay to the sidewalks…”

The parade announcement played along the entire route, but Yuya and his friends stayed where they were, on Side Street, a narrow road that led directly to the coliseum. This was the best place to see the players up close, and many people who had come to watch the tournament felt the same way. Spectators were packed together like sardines on either side of the road.

Ruggie grinned as he peered out from behind a booth and waited for the parade to reach Side Street. When it did, another announcement blared over the crowd.

“And now, as the player parade reaches Side Street, we present the seven teams in the Night Raven College interdorm Spelldrive tournament!”

There was the sound of fanfare along the street. Ruggie gritted his teeth and resisted pressing his hands over his ears. He squeezed the item in the palm of his hand tightly.

The announcer continued: “First up is last year’s champion. Will lightning strike thrice? The Reigning Light…Diasomnia!”

As the Diasomnia team entered Side Street, the crowd erupted in loud cheers that electrified the air.

“You got this, Malleus Draconia! Knock the other teams out! We’re going for the win again this year!” someone shouted.

“I came to see you guys destroy them! Give us that shutout!” another person yelled.

“He’ll beat the other teams with one hand tied behind his back. It’s kinda boring when you already know how this is gonna play out,” someone grumbled near Ruggie.

Ruggie listened to the people cheering and jeering, saying whatever came to their minds. To Ruggie, it sounded like these spectators didn’t understand that the players were human beings with feelings. People sneered at the defeated teams as “pathetic losers” and “fallen kings” no matter how hard the teams fought, no matter how much they sweated on the field. Their defeats were mere entertainment.

And that was fine, Ruggie thought. People wanted results and things—should want things. He accepted that. But if people thought that they were safe living in their little bubbles, they were sorely mistaken.

Ruggie regarded the brown bottle that fit snugly in the palm of his hand. Inside was a potion for amplifying magic that Leona had gotten in a deal with Azul. He shook it slightly, sloshing the potion from side to side.

“Ugh,” he grimaced. “That color is seriously unappetizing.”

Normally, Ruggie didn’t care too much that he had less magic than other students. He had enough to keep himself alive, and the tiniest scraps could be stretched a long way if used right. At times, magic was almost too powerful, and there was always going to be someone better than him.

But for this plan to work, Ruggie needed some serious magic. To make this potion, Leona had exhausted every avenue he could to avoid dealing with Azul, but in the end, he’d been forced to turn to him for help. If even the knowledgeable Leona couldn’t make it, Ruggie was certain it required some extremely rare ingredients. He felt a little shiver of fear at the depths of Azul’s talents.

Ruggie twisted off the tightly closed cap and brought the bottle to his lips. The smell was atrocious, but he willed himself to swallow as he tilted the bottle back.

Just as he’d feared, it tasted like old stew simmered in a gym sock, but he drank it all down without pause. Instantly, he felt power racing like the wind from his tongue to his throat, to his stomach, and through his entire body, filling him so that even his skin prickled.

“Okay, here we go. My signature spell!” he murmured. “The king, the hyenas, all are my friends! Laugh with Me!”

The amplification potion wouldn’t last long, about thirty seconds. That was plenty of time to destroy everything.

“Ruggie’s not in the player parade.”

Yuya read the message from Riddle and Cater and immediately shared it with his friends.

Riddle and Cater were marching in the parade with the Heartslabyul team while Yuya, Grim, Deuce, and Ace were on Side Street. The plan was for everyone to keep an eye on the movements of Savanaclaw, but now Ruggie had disappeared. Riddle wrote that he’d grilled Leona, but, of course, the king had denied knowing anything. Splitting into two groups, Yuya and Grim went one way, and Ace and Deuce another, as they all went looking for the missing boy.

The parade was filling Side Street, and the crowd along the street surged forward to see the teams as they arrived, making it almost impossible to move or see anything.

Yuya whirled his head to scope out the area when a passer-by bumped into Grim.

“Ow!” Grim yowled. “Watch where yer walkin’!”

“Grim! Don’t!” Yuya hurriedly bowed to the man and shooed the monster away.

The short-statured Grim couldn’t make any headway through the crowd. It was so packed even Yuya had a rough time moving forward. Finding Ruggie seemed impossible, if he was even there. Yuya told Grim they needed to get away from the congested area near the booths.

“Pwaah!” Grim exhaled loudly in irritation. “We’re never gonna find that jerk Ruggie with all these people in the way!”

“Yeah,” Yuya agreed. “Maybe we should go somewhere with a better view.”

“Hmm?” Grim abruptly lifted his face. He flapped his ears and became extremely focused. “You feel that? Like the ground shakin’?”

“What?” Yuya said, looking around. “Shaking? I don’t feel anything.”

Then he heard shrill cries like animals shrieking. At first, he thought he was imagining it, but the sound gradually grew louder and closer. A bolt of ice shot through him as he realized what it was—the sound of people screaming.

“Please help me!” came one voice.

“Get out of the way!” another commanded.

“We’ll be crushed!” someone screamed.

Yuya looked in the direction of the voices and saw a haze of brown smoke rising up. Dust. Within the cloud were people, and not just one or two but ten, twenty—no, dozens of people running in a herd. They kicked at the ground and surged forward like a wave, closing in on Side Street—as well as Yuya and Grim. Moving like a single creature, the herd’s footsteps thundered against the earth and shuddered the air.

A voice pleaded over the speaker system: “Everyone, calm down! Please stop running! Follow the instructions of personnel!” The people in the herd didn’t listen or stop. Eyes filled with panic, they charged forward even harder, as if all they could think of was to flee for their lives.

The spectators enjoying the kiosks now screamed, too, and scattered in all directions. Yuya yanked Grim off the ground and held him up. The monster would be helplessly mowed down if he got caught up in this avalanche of people. The crush of people was trampling anyone and anything in its path.

“Yu! We gotta get outta here!” Grim shouted. Yuya started running, Grim in his arms. Grim pointed at a nearby tree, and Yuya glued himself to it as the wave of people flowed past.

The chaotic stampede was made up of spectators who had come to watch the Spelldrive tournament, and their pale faces were shadowed in fear.

Yuya could hear voices shouting from within the herd as it rumbled by: “Someone, help me! My body’s moving on its own! I can’t stop! I can’t control my legs!”

Panting and out of breath, people kept barreling forward, unable to stop their own bodies. Then Yuya realized with a powerful shock: This was Ruggie’s signature spell. The spell he’d used to trade for the sandwich. The same one that had injured all the Spelldrive players. Now it was the cause of this terrifying chaos.

“Whoa! Check it out!” Grim shouted, pointing a paw at the stampede. “The players are right there. That can’t be good?!”

The herd was charging toward a single point—the team at the head of the player parade, Diasomnia. They were trapped, blocked by fleeing spectators.

“Protect Lord Malleus!” a voice urged from the group of players.

“This way, Lord Malleus!” shouted another student.

Yuya saw someone reach a hand out.

“Hngh! It’s no use. We’re too late!” came a desperate voice.

“Lord Malleus!”

Thd thd thd thd thd!

The Diasomnia squad was swallowed up by the wave of people and crushed by their rhythmic steps. Their cries of pain rose sharply and then died out abruptly.

Then, within the herd, Yuya saw a pair of familiar sandy-brown ears. Even over all the terror and panic, Yuya could hear that distinctive laugh.

10

RELEASING HIS SIGNATURE SPELL, Ruggie kept running toward the end of Side Street and the coliseum, then he veered toward a tower at the edge of the sports field where the Practical Magic class held practice. A group of shadows were clustered behind the isolated building.

“Leona! I did it!” Ruggie shouted.

Leona clutched a staff with a carved lion on top that held Leona’s yellow magestone in its mouth. The other Savanaclaw players were also there, having taken advantage of the confusion to slip away from the parade. “You’re sure you crushed that little lizard?” Leona asked.

“Yeah. You all saw it, too, didn’t you? How his little hangers-on were crying all pathetically, ‘Lord Malleus’!” Ruggie said, laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking. His face was pale because of the burden of the magic he’d used, but his expression was clear and bright. “The great prince of the fairies, Lord Malleus, couldn’t go using magic on regular people, after all. Right about now, he’s a pancake after being trampled by that herd.”

“Nice,” the students sneered.

“Great work!” Leona cheered, his face relaxing into a rare smile. “Even wildebeests can kill a lion if they stampede. I bet that smug fairy king never thought he’d end up crushed by mere humans with no magic.”

“Shyeheehee!” Ruggie laughed. “All we have to do now is head for the coliseum with sad looks on our faces. Be my alibi, please and thank you!”

“Yeah, uh-huh. You got it,” Leona responded gleefully. “I bet Crowley and them are losin’ their minds right about now. Don’t none of y’all go sayin’ nothing. I’ll take care of it. Zip your lips, do what I say, and I’ll reward ya plenty.” He half-sung, half-murmured, “So long, Malleus. This year, the throne is mine.”

“Sha ha ha! Long live the king!”

“Yeah! Long live the king! Long live the king!”

The students clustered and cheered around Leona. Intoxicated by certain victory, they sang to the heavens their pride as part of King Leona’s pack.

A sharp voice cut through this sweet delight, commanding, “That’s enough!”

At the sight of Riddle, Ruggie scowled and clicked his tongue. Behind Riddle stood Ace, Deuce, Yuya, and Grim.

“Y’all really never give up.” Ruggie sighed.

“I will have you explain this,” Riddle said. “You’ve really made quite a mess of things.”

“Well, well,” Leona said and gave an exaggerated bow. “The Heartslabyul housewarden and his herbivores. With the monster from somewhere or other and the magicless one. Quite the amusing lineup.”

Then a faint smile played on Leona’s lips. Behind the group was someone else.

Leona sneered, “And is that one of our very own first-years?”

Jack stood silently behind Yuya and Grim, not saying a word.

“You transfer to Heartslabyul?” Leona asked, arching an eyebrow. “I took such good care of you, and you can’t even say goodbye, huh? Breakin’ my heart over here.”

With a heavy heart, Jack said, “I just don’t want to stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of y’all.”

The faces of the Savanaclaw students grew hard. They squared off as a pack, ready to eliminate Jack as an intruder. People he’d once considered friends glared at him hatefully, but Jack didn’t flinch.

“You use these dirty tricks,” he growled. “You hurt people who got nothing to do with any of this, all so you can win, and who cares how good you actually are at the game… Well, a coward like you’s no boss of me!”

“Shut up, you filthy traitor!” Leona spat. He thrust the staff in his hands toward the end of Jack’s nose. “You’re nothing but a snot-nosed cub. Enough with your fancy little speeches.” His icy voice sent shivers up everyone’s spine. He usually kept his hatred and anger buried in sarcasm and irony, but now they surged to the surface and bared their teeth.

Savanaclaw Dorm was a meritocracy. It was bound by the idea that its strongest member led the pack, so as their leader, Leona could not abide this betrayal by Jack. He glared with hard eyes at the wolf boy.

“Why… Why can’t you get it?” Jack asked, looking pained and standing stock still.

Riddle placed a hand on Jack’s back and said, “Jack, you made the right choice.” Then he stepped in front of the group, ready to protect Yuya and the others from Leona’s overwhelming rage. Riddle addressed Leona: “Your illegitimate actions are a betrayal of the spirit of our legendary Spelldrive tournament.” Riddle’s voice was clear and strong, lifting the heavy, oppressive atmosphere. “As housewarden of Heartslabyul, a dorm that prizes rules and order, I cannot overlook this!”

“Save it, grass eater,” Leona snarled. “You think you can do anything now? The whole lot of you workin’ together couldn’t even find a scrap of proof. Bunch of idiots shootin’ your mouths off.”

“Hnnngh, this guy!” Grim growled. Ace and Deuce bit their lips in frustration.

“Who’s he callin’ an idiot?” Ace grumbled, narrowing his eyes at the lion boy.

Yuya knew exactly how his friends felt. They had worked so hard, been so vigilant, and they still hadn’t been able to stop Ruggie. All Yuya had managed to do was grab Grim and save themselves.

“If I had just been able to find Ruggie sooner…” Yuya said ruefully.

“It’s not your fault,” Jack told him, but like Yuya, he couldn’t help being filled with regret at not preventing the stampede.

“Shyeheehee! Too bad, huh?” Ruggie said, smiling smugly. “Leona’s right. You’re too late. Those Diasomnia guys are pancakes by now.”

“Oh? That’s quite the interesting claim,” said a low voice from somewhere above them.

Ruggie’s ears twitched. As he looked up, his eyes widened in surprise. “That voice… Where…”

“Right here!” Lilia exclaimed, popping into existence in midair. Wearing his dorm uniform, he was floating upside down and peering at Ruggie.

“L-Lilia…Vanrouge…” Ruggie stammered. “What? How…”

“I’m not alone,” Lilia said as he did a flip and planted his feet on the ground. He raised a hand in a beckoning gesture and several Diasomnia students, including Silver, appeared from behind the tower. Cater joined them.

“Ruggie, how could you do something so awful?” Silver said sadly. He knew Ruggie, a fellow second-year, which made him so pained at his terrible deeds. “Apologize and atone for this crime. For your own sake.”

Yuya could tell that Ruggie wasn’t the least bit chagrined; he merely looked surprised, as if he couldn’t accept that Lilia, Silver, and the other Diasomnia students were alive. “How?” Ruggie demanded in disbelief. “I mean, I saw you get swallowed up by that stampede.”

“As you can see, not a single one of Diasomnia’s players was injured,” Silver told him.

Perplexed, Ruggie demanded, “Th-then what did I see?”

“Me!” said Cater, stepping forward with a bright grin. “The players that got swallowed up were actually me in disguise !”

“What?” Ruggie exclaimed as his jaw dropped.

Leona glared menacingly and growled, “Cater! You little…!”

“Looks like my boy Leona gets it.” Cater took out his magical pen. “Yup! All the Diasomnia players in the parade were total dupes! I used my signature spell Split Card to make a bunch of me’s, and then they all got dressed up in Diasomnia uniforms. Costume party!” To demonstrate, he magicked three avatars into existence.

“Run, Lord Malleus!” one avatar cried.

“We’ll be crushed… Well, you get it, yeah?” another smirked. “So? Who wore it better—me or me?”

“Ah ha ha! You were all perfect, obvs!” Cater chortled and waved his magical pen to make the laughing avatars disappear. “Turns out I got some pretty decent magic myself. We’re a ‘bunch of idiots,’ was it? Guess all I have to say is we’re rubber, you’re glue. We totally pulled the wool over your eyes, thank you very much.” A hard, sarcastic smile crossed Cater’s lips.

“Hey,” Deuce whispered to Yuya. “Is Cater kinda scary right now?”

“Yeah,” Yuya replied nervously. “He’s maybe a little…angry?”

Ace laughed. “Even mild-mannered Cater’s gonna flip his lid after taking a pounding like that in Spelldrive. I, too, am enjoying the sweet, sweet taste of revenge.”

Lilia smiled very much like Cater as the color drained out of Ruggie’s face. “Heh heh heh,” Lilia chuckled. “Riddle told us you were after us. So we had him put on that little show.”

“I must admit, I’m impressed with how careful you all were,” Riddle said. “You had so many co-conspirators, and yet we couldn’t get hold of any evidence. But we had one advantage. We knew who you had in your crosshairs. Although we weren’t able to actually stop you, we nonetheless could safeguard them and help them get away. We’ve been playing catch-up until now, but this time we managed to beat you to the punch.”

“S-so then, Malleus…?” Ruggie asked tentatively.

“He’s in tip-top shape, of course!” a first-year Diasomnia student called loudly. Standing straight, he cried out even more excitedly, “He’s been clearing up the chaos, using his magic to guide all the people safely back to the coliseum. You can thank him later.”

“Now, what will you do?” Riddle thrust his staff forward. “Are you going to see the light and confess to your wrongdoing?”

“Leona!” Ruggie said, looking at his housewarden. “What d’we do?!”

The lion boy was silent. Arms crossed, eyes not even blinking, he seemed to be thinking long and hard, turning the question over in his mind.

Frustrated by his silence, his dormmates raised ragged voices.

“Let’s keep these guys from tellin’ anyone!” a Savanaclaw student suggested.

“Yeah! We just gotta make ’em shut up. And once the Spelldrive tournament starts, the championship’s ours!” another growled.

“Housewarden! Let’s take them to town!”

Riddle tightened his grip on his staff, while Cater, Ace, and Deuce hefted their magical pens, all of them ready for whatever came next.

“Aaah…” Leona sighed and turned his face to the sky. “Whatever.”

“What?” Ruggie gasped in disbelief. Riddle, Jack, and Lilia had the same look on their faces. What had Leona just said?

“I’m done,” the Savanaclaw housewarden told them, sounding tired. “It’s over. Enough.”

“Boss? What are you saying?” Ruggie asked. He and his dormmates were confused. Was this some kind of strategy?

Yuya could tell the Savanaclaw team still had faith in Leona as their leader—but he was carelessly tossing away that trust. Leona said, “Y’all stupid or somethin’? If Malleus steps onto the field as fit as ever, then we got no chance of winning.” He sighed heavily, as if resigned to defeat. “I don’t need to get out there with him. I can see it clear as day. The second we didn’t crush Malleus was the moment we lost. I’m out.”

Leona started to march off, and Ruggie grabbed hold of his uniform. He was holding on tightly—his slender wrist was shaking. “What?” Ruggie demanded. “How can you just walk away? We can’t stop now.”

“Yeah,” a Savanaclaw student pleaded. “Without you on the field, Housewarden Leona, we don’t have a shot at the top three.”

“Malleus might still be in the game,” Ruggie said, forcing a smile, “but we took out all the other dorms’ best players, didn’t we? We still have a chance. So long as we got our king, as long as we got you out there fighting with us, Boss—”

“We got zero chance. Not one in a million,” Leona said curtly. “I ain’t stupid enough to cling to the board when the game’s over. Don’t go having stupid thoughts in your stupid head.”

“But…but then…what about our dreams?” Ruggie sounded completely lost. His plea was so helpless. He had no one else to turn to, nowhere else to go. Yuya felt a seed of sympathy sprout in his heart, despite all the terrible things Ruggie had done. The tips of Ruggie’s fingers were white as he gripped Leona’s jacket. “We were going to defeat Malleus and get back at everyone who looked down on us,” he pleaded. “We were going to turn the world upside down!”

“Sheesh, would you shut up already?” Leona said. “All right, fine. I’ll put it so even you can understand.” Leona brushed Ruggie’s hand away in annoyance and looked down at him with cold eyes. A flippant smile spread across his lips. The expression was too calculated for his remarks to be offhand, making them all the more cruel. “You’re a hyena who grew up in a slum, and I’m a second-born prince who won’t ever be king. And there is no turning that around!”

Ruggie gaped at Leona, stunned, unable to process what Leona was saying. His eyes were wide and his hand hung in the air.

“You got a lot of nerve, y’know,” Jack growled. “These guys believed in you. That’s why they’re here. And now you’re gonna walk away from your pack? How far do you have to fall before you’re finally satisfied?!” Jack wasn’t standing up for Ruggie, and he didn’t feel sympathy or pity. His own moral compass simply couldn’t stand betrayal.

“You sure get mad about the weirdest stuff,” Leona said with a shrug. “All these wide-eyed tenderfoots talkin’ about their dreams… Pfft. The whole thing amused me, so I threw them a bone. That’s all this was. And it’s over now.” He lowered his eyes. “For all the talk about the world watching, this is still just schoolkids playin’ a game. Never meant anything right from the start. Time y’all accepted this was nothing but a pretty dream.”

Cater and Lilia frowned, unable to hide their confusion. Leona was talking as though he was blithely rejecting his dormmates and his own convictions. Yet past the confusion and contempt this inspired, Yuya and the others also felt uneasy.

How could Leona turn away from hope in the face of life’s hardships? Could anyone really give up on the future so calmly, without fighting against despair? What held Leona up, emotionally, mentally? Someone with nothing to support them seemed unstable and frightening.

“Oh, come on,” growled a low voice.

At first, Yuya didn’t know who had spoken, but then he realized it was Ruggie.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Ruggie yelled, eyes shining darkly, mouth open wide, making his sharp fangs glint in the light. “What is this?! You can’t just quit after we’ve come this far… If you’re gonna be a poor loser, at least wait until we’ve actually lost!”

“Yeah. You can’t do this to us, Boss!” another Savanaclaw student shouted. “You’re gonna play, even if we gotta drag you out there kicking and screaming!” The Savanaclaw students rose up against Leona, some even casting spells.

With a wave of his arm, Leona sent all the students flying. But they kept coming, reaching out desperately to grab him.

“Leona!” they cried.

Leona took a step backward. It was the first time Yuya had ever seen him frightened. A hand red with sunburn from days spent practicing clung to Leona, begging him to help. Resentment. Anticipation. Yearning. It was no surprise that Leona could no longer withstand this crushing pressure, and he seemed suddenly afraid of his own pack.

The hands kept coming no matter how many times he brushed them away. Hopeful eyes locked onto him. Voices called out, “Housewarden. Boss.”

Leona grimaced and shouted, “Ah, this is stupid. You’re all so stupid!” He brandished his staff. “I’m so sick of this nonsense. Shut up, you nobodies!”

At the tip of his staff, his yellow magestone shone like gold.

“I am the one who starves. I am the one who thirsts.” Leona’s voice was so low it almost caressed the earth. “I will take tomorrow from you.”

Something dropped from the sky. And then another. Dead insects fell from above like rain, dried out and so light they hardly made a sound as they hit the ground.

Yuya looked up, his mouth hanging open, and something tickled his ankles. Swirling sand was pecking at his exposed skin. At first, he thought it had been kicked up by the wind, but the rising sandstorm felt like it had a will of its own.

“You have to stop!” Riddle cried, as he realized what was going on. He thrust his own staff into the air, but his spell was blocked by the sand and couldn’t reach Leona.

Leona’s magestone shone in response to his anguish as he completed his spell.

“Bow down! King’s Roar!”

The world around Yuya exploded. The gust that whipped through the air was so powerful that it truly felt like a bomb dropping. Wind and sand beat mercilessly at him and he couldn’t open his eyes.

Covering his face with both arms, he opened his eyelids a crack. The shadow nearby was probably Jack, and Grim was on his hands and knees beside him. Everyone was huddled together trying to ride out the blast. Tears welled up in his eyes, and pebbles flew through the air. Leona was standing alone.

A wasteland spread out from where his long staff with its ornamental feathers touched the ground. The green grass withered, the dry earth cracked, and everything lost its color and grew weathered until only sand remained. Then the raging sandstorm danced around them as if protecting them and curled up quietly at their feet.

“This can’t be…” Riddle gasped.

“Yup. That’s my signature spell,” Leona said, arching an eyebrow. “Ironic, ain’t it? Nothin’ the savanna hates more than a drought. Yet its prince’s magic desiccates everything—turns it all into sand.”

A spell that changed the world to sand. Indeed, the air was so dry, it was hard to breathe. Leona’s spell sucked moisture even from the air itself.

“How can magic like this exist?” Yuya murmured. He started coughing as the dry air entered his mouth and stabbed at his throat.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, either,” Ace replied, his voice hoarse. “I mean, desiccating everything? You can have a signature spell that’s a natural disaster?!”

“That doesn’t seem the whole of it,” Lilia said coolly. “He appears to have total control over the sand he produces.”

“And that doesn’t usually happen,” Cater agreed, looking serious. “That is some power… I guess the Savanaclaw housewarden’s not all talk, then.”

Leona moved his staff, and the sand followed. Spreading out like the palm of his hand, it became a blanket over the heads of the students. While each grain was small, combined they became an incredibly heavy mass that no one could escape.

People tried to run, but the ground turned to quicksand and swept their feet out from under them. They screamed as they were swallowed up, their screams muffled by the sand.

Since Yuya had come to Twisted Wonderland, he’d seen all kinds of magic. He had stared, entranced, every time a spell generated wind, fire, or water out of nothing. How this worked remained a mystery. He’d seen spells change the colors of things or make new outfits in the blink of an eye. Even knowing that using magic carried the terrifying risk of blot, he sometimes felt jealous of those who wielded this power.

Trey, Cater, and Riddle’s signature spells revealed their personalities, which was both alluring and fascinating. Ruggie’s signature spell did, too, even though he’d used it to hurt people. The power of magic was the power of imagination. Magic was intimate and personal. Yuya could feel the heart of the person imagining the spell, which gave magic a sweet charm that made him smile.

The spell Leona was using felt different, like the magic itself was hostile. For the first time since he’d come to this world, Yuya was experiencing a spell so aggressive it was terrifying.

Leona’s signature spell shocked the Heartslabyul and Diasomnia students, but his own dormmates also seemed surprised.

“Leona, what are you thinking?!” Ruggie shouted and leaped in front of Leona. “Why would you use your signature spell here?”

“Why?” Leona cut him off. “To shut all of you whiners up, obviously.” He grabbed Ruggie’s slender neck, wrapping a single hand around it.

“Ruggie!” Yuya cried out in terror. The scene was so frightening, he forgot everything else. People were screaming and gasping for breath. Riddle and Silver shouted at Leona to stop, but a storm of sand attacked anyone who tried to wrest his staff from him.

“How d’you like that, Ruggie?” Leona sneered. “Is your mouth too dry to keep licking my boots? That was your finest talent.”

Ruggie kicked and flailed, crying weakly, as his skin became wrinkled—and not because of Leona’s tight grip on his throat. As Ruggie’s skin tightened, showing the bones beneath, Yuya realized Leona’s hand was leeching the moisture from Ruggie’s body.

“Enough!” Riddle demanded and slammed his tall staff down swiftly. “Off with Your Head!”

Riddle fired his signature spell, which had the power to cut off the magic of its target. The sealing collar became a circle of light and shot toward Leona.

“Stay out of this,” Leona growled.

Skreeenk! The screech of metal hitting metal made Yuya wince as the circle of light scattered and disappeared.

“Just now… Was that…” Grim screamed. “R-Riddle’s collar bounced right off!”

“No way!” Deuce said, stepping backward. “He defeated Housewarden Rosehearts’s magic?!”

Everyone shivered in fear, unable to believe their eyes. Given Riddle’s talent and strength, how could his most powerful spell, the magic everyone was afraid of, be so easily deflected?

Riddle looked the most shocked of all. “Ridiculous,” he whispered, voice trembling, eyes wide like saucers. Riddle’s signature spell had never before failed.

Leona didn’t even glance at him as he taunted, “Maybe you’re some kinda prodigy, kid, but don’t go thinkin’ you’re smarter than your elders. Your little attacks ain’t gonna work on me.” Leona enjoyed humiliating his opponents, and he twisted his lips and laughed.

Then Leona addressed the student dangling by his neck in his hand. “Listen, Ruggie. The thing is, I hate unreasonable people. I thought you figured that out ages ago. After all, ’bout the only thing you’re good at is currying favor and sucking up.”

“I…don’t…” Ruggie flailed at Leona’s black glove, nearly tearing into the leather in his desperation. Leona barely noticed.

“Dreams? Turn the world upside down?” Leona snorted in disdain. “Don’t be so soft. This world’s full of stuff you can’t do nothing about. Don’t matter how strong y’are or how hard you work. You’re here fighting me, kicking and screaming, and you still can’t beat me. Stinks, huh?”

The tears that welled up in Ruggie’s eyes dried and disappeared before they had a chance to fall. Leona turned to the speechless Savanaclaw students, frozen in shock.

“If I say we ain’t doin’ it, then we ain’t doin’ it. Don’t go thinkin’ about what-ifs.” Leona took a deep breath and roared, “Lose your expectations! I spit at your dreams! All you all gotta do is exactly what I tell ya to!”

Leona loosened his grip on Ruggie’s neck, so his toes could reach the ground, but did not release him. “Get it?” Leona asked, his voice suddenly gentle.

Ruggie coughed, able to breathe again. The Savanaclaw students were dumbstruck, each thinking the same thing: Leona was clear that he would forgive them if they simply did what he said. But if they didn’t…

No one spoke, as if the world was holding its breath.

Into this pained silence, Ruggie’s hoarse voice gasped, “No…”

“What?” Leona frowned.

“My…dreams…” Though broken and in pain, Ruggie screwed up his face and spoke, his voice clear. “I am going to…believe…!”

Ruggie’s cry was wrung from his very soul. His voice wasn’t strong, lacking real power. In fact, the slightest of breezes could have carried it off. But Ruggie’s sheer tenacity made Yuya shiver. The ferocious light in Ruggie’s large, blue-gray eyes grew stronger. He appeared ready to lunge toward the lion’s throat, driven by a powerful hunger that would not give up even if it meant death.

Yuya was so stunned he forgot how any of them had gotten there. Even with Leona’s hand still tight around his neck, Ruggie was not giving up. He was a survivor and powerful enough to give even Riddle a run for his money. Yuya doubted there was a person or spell that could make him relent.

Leona could have burst into flames, he was so outraged at Ruggie’s defiance. His voice became so quiet it was almost inaudible, making it even more frightening. “Best think before you speak,” he said. “You that desperate to hold onto your hopeless dreams? Those dreams more important than your life? Never thought you were this bad at figurin’ out which side your bread was buttered on.”

Leona tightened his grip, and creases like cracks raced up Ruggie’s neck to his chin.

“You have to stop! You’re going to kill him!” Yuya shouted. His throat was dry, but the terror that had held him back had broken. He stepped toward Leona, determined to do something to stop him, but his foot was instantly weighed down in sand.

“Stay out of it, nobodies!” Leona shouted and raised his staff with a menacing flourish.

Yuya squeezed his eyes shut, fearing the attack to come.

“That’s enough!” Jack shouted. “Faster, sharper, stronger. Unleash the Beast!”

Yuya sensed a flash of light through his closed eyelids, then he gasped as he dared to look: Jack’s rounded back was shuddering like his spine was trying to break free. His body was transforming, swelling in some places, shrinking in others, from within a cloud of sparkling light. It was over in mere seconds.

The something that was now Jack howled.

It was a giant wolf, with a rippling, glossy silver coat, platinum ears with black-furred tips, and golden eyes shining with a steady light.

In a day filled with shocking events, Yuya thought this might be the most incredible. Apparently, Leona felt the same way. His eyes grew wide, and before he could respond, the wolf that was Jack howled and lunged at him.

Leona whirled to dodge the attack, but like everyone else, he was shaken. No one had seen this spell before.

Sensing an opening, Lilia shouted, “Riddle! Now!”

“Off with Your Head!” Riddle responded immediately, not needing to be told twice. His magestone flashed, and this time the magic-sealing collar snapped shut around Leona’s neck.

Cut off from Leona’s magic, the swirling sand fell heavily to the ground, lifeless once more. Now free from Leona’s grip, Ruggie also crumpled, unable to stand.

Lilia ordered Silver and another Diasomnia student to lift Ruggie and whisk him away, far from the Savanaclaw housewarden. They laid Ruggie’s still form down in a safe place, and Silver held a hand in front of his nose to check his breathing.

“He’s only unconscious,” Silver confirmed.

“I shall watch him,” Lilia said. “You boys go and evacuate those wounded in the stampede while we still can.”

Silver bowed and led the other Diasomnia students to rescue the injured members of Savanaclaw.

Leona writhed and twisted like a caged animal. “How dare you—!” he howled as he tore at his throat to try to remove the collar, but it didn’t budge. The spell, once successfully cast, was too powerful. “Jack!” Leona raged. “Transformation potions are forbidden! Where did you get that?!”

“It’s not a potion. It’s my signature spell.” Even in wolf form, Jack was even and calm. “My Unleash the Beast transforms me into a wolf.”

“So you were hidin’ a power like that from me?” Leona demanded. “And you, Riddle, got a lotta nerve puttin’ a collar on me! I’ll get you for this!” Leona tried to pull the collar off through brute force, struggling against the magic, hair flying. He was clearly humiliated at being caught off guard by a member of his own pack and bested by the magic of a younger student he disdained.

“Leona,” Jack murmured, pleading with the anguished king. “Please, just stop already.”

Even though Jack had come out on top, he sounded anguished.

“I only came to this school because I admired you.” The wolf grimaced and bared his teeth. The sight of Leona seemed unbearable to him. “What happened to the Leona I admired?!”

“Shut up,” Leona snapped. “You’re a dog wagging his tail for Heartslabyul, and now you go and turn into an actual mutt with magic.” Leona glared at Jack angrily through his disheveled hair, his disdain for the boy apparent. “Don’t talk to me from up on high. You must be happy you got one in on me. Jumpin’ on the winning bandwagon, betcha feel pretty good.”

“No.” The wolf shook his head, silver fur rippling. “All I ever wanted was to play Spelldrive with you.”

“Don’t give me that,” Leona snarled. “Like I can trust a word you say, traitor.”

Yuya couldn’t imagine how sad Jack was in that moment. He’d been forced to turn against the person he admired, who now called him a traitor. Though Jack’s expression displayed strength and resolve, his long tail drooped and brushed the ground.

Riddle stood in front of Leona and kicked at the drifts of sand. “Aren’t you going a little overboard? What exactly is it about being adored that makes you so unhappy?”

“Oh, hey, take a look, Jack. Your master’s here,” Leona sneered, glaring at the other housewarden. “So you put this huge collar on me to make me your lapdog, too? You think I’m the joke?”

“I do not think you’re a joke, Leona,” Riddle responded, facing him. “I actually respect you.”

Cater looked at Riddle in surprise, as did Ace and Deuce. Riddle was usually too proud to be so honest and vulnerable. Yuya recalled what Riddle had said about Malleus. How he was a good, respected housewarden who inspired admiration and devotion. Riddle wanted to learn how to do the same, and apparently he regarded Leona that way, too.

“I was jealous of how revered you were,” Riddle said. “I wanted to be a housewarden everyone loves, like you.” Riddle lowered his face, which looked pained. “I made mistakes. I wanted to be like you, Leona.”

Riddle’s voice trembled. Yuya didn’t realize Riddle could be filled with such regret. He hid it from everyone, even friends like Ace, Deuce, and Cater.

“But now… I don’t know,” Riddle continued, his voice growing steadier. “You betrayed your students, took your anger out on them. I feel like I’m watching my old self. When you do this, your students will stop following you. I know that better than anyone.”

Ace and Deuce were staring intently at Riddle. Yuya could see that they felt surprise and shock, but he also recognized faith in and even admiration for their housewarden. Yuya saw in their eyes what Riddle had said he wished to learn from Malleus, and now Leona.

Riddle was expressing his regrets, but he was also trying to improve, to move forward and become a good housewarden. Yes, it had taken a big mistake, the overblot incident, for him to recognize his faults, but he didn’t give up because of it. Riddle was strong enough to acknowledge and learn from his mistakes in order to become a better, kinder person.

“I’m disappointed, Leona Kingscholar,” Riddle said. “You’re so pathetic, it pains me to see you like this. You wanted to defeat Malleus and become king. But to what end? You should take this opportunity to seriously reflect on your actions.”

Leona narrowed his eyes, as though the sight of Riddle was hard to bear. “Oh, sure,” he scoffed. “It’s easy to stand there and act like I’m some substitute for you, like you’re in my head, like you know all about me. But you don’t know the first thing about me! So spare me the sermon from on high. You sound like my brother.”

Lilia burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?!” Leona growled threateningly, causing Lilia to laugh even harder.

“What a farce!” Lilia said. “This is the lion, king of the beasts?! The collar suits you far better than a crown ever could.”

Lilia was different, Yuya thought. His sheer presence was overwhelming, even though he was just laughing. What made him so compelling? Every syllable he spoke felt significant.

Diasomnia’s vice housewarden made even Leona wince.

Lilia narrowed his red eyes at Leona. “You complain that you cannot be king due to being born second, but then you live in sloth because you are not rewarded as you feel you should be. When something you do fails, you direct petty, small-minded anger at others. You are far from a king. All you offer are jealous complaints. It’s unseemly.”

Lilia was so scornful Leona flushed.

“The idea of you ever contending with Malleus is laughable,” Lilia continued. “He is more self-controlled, gentler, and a greater man.”

“Shut up,” Leona growled. “Shut your mouth! Enough!”

“It is you who must be quiet!” Lilia commanded. “Face reality. Even if you could defeat Malleus, you do not seem to understand what Riddle has said. You are not fit to rule!”

All emotion abruptly disappeared from Leona’s face.

“Leona?” Jack snorted. Yuya heard him whimper faintly, like he was afraid.

“Yeah. You’re probably right. No, you’re exactly right,” Leona said, his tone flat, his eyes unfocused, as if he were a stone statue. Though he was handsome and outwardly calm, his unexpected manner made Yuya deeply unsettled. “I’ll never be king. No matter how hard I try…”

Something scratched at Yuya’s leg. He looked down and found Grim clinging to his trousers.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“All my fur’s standin’ on end,” the monster replied with a shudder. “That guy’s not okay.”

Suddenly, Riddle cried out in confusion, “What? The magic power within Leona is surging! It’s no use. I can’t…” Riddle tightened his grip on the golden scepter he was holding.

Leona howled with everything he had inside.

Yuya nearly slapped his hands over his ears to protect against the powerful roar. Fragments of something hit the ground and bounced around his feet. Riddle’s collar. In disbelief, Yuya reached down to pick up a piece, but each one quickly lost its shape and melted away.

“He blew off your antimagic collar?!” Cater shouted, stunned.

“How could he—?!” Riddle gasped. “He shouldn’t have that much power left!”

Leona panted, his shoulders rising up and down, his drooping head swinging from side to side. With visible effort, he lifted his face. “I’ve been loathed since the day I was born. I’ve never had a place, never had a future.” Leona grimaced and ran his hands through his long hair. “How could any of you possibly understand? My disappointment? My pain!”

Leona seemed to be crying, but then Yuya saw that the tear sliding from the scar over Leona’s left eye was a light-absorbing black. Inky, stubbornly staining his skin, not to be rubbed or cut away.

Cater gasped. “Hey, is that…blot?!”

An icy shiver ran up Yuya’s spine.

Realizing what was happening, Jack leaped toward his housewarden, shouting, “We have to stop him!”

The Savanaclaw students rose up and yelled as they joined Jack and charged at Leona, but the group was blown back by a whirlwind of sand. Jack spun around in the air, managing to land on his feet, while the other dorm students slammed into the ground.

Screams. Bodies buried in sand. Hands scrabbling for the sky. The scene was like something out of a nightmare. Terror numbed Yuya’s brain, rooting him to the spot. Lilia cast spells, but they were too late. The sandstorm swallowed up everything and grew wilder by the second.

Blot oozed and dripped from Leona’s scar, dying the area around his eye jet black and creeping down his neck. It crossed the bright red ring left by Riddle’s collar and pooled in the hollow of his collarbone. The pool of black liquid abruptly splashed up, droplets drying and hardening across his shoulders like a lion’s mane.

“Life is not fair. I’ll make all y’all understand that, too,” Leona cursed. Ooze dripped off him and formed a sludgy puddle on the ground that was instantly sucked into the parched earth. Then the stain spread outward as a disturbing foam rose up and grew more and more frothy until eventually the bubbles erupted like an explosion.

Something was born within this burst of blot. Yuya saw a beast’s large paws, complete with sharp claws, then a mane. Ears. Tail. An unhappy roar split the air, and a massive patchwork lion reared up before the astonished, trapped students. The creature’s body was black, and where its face should have been there was a glass bottle filled with blot. Just like the face of the monster unleashed when Riddle overblotted. Affixed to the lid of the bottle was Leona’s magestone—no longer a brilliant gold but now black as coal.

Overblot. The monster’s body didn’t look the same as the last time Yuya had witnessed this phenomenon, but the terror it inspired was identical. Face to face with the ugly monster, Yuya realized his teeth were chattering.

Jack was also shaking, his fur standing on end. “Where’d this monster come from?!” he cried, his wolf ears flat against his head.

“Looks like an incarnation of blot,” Cater replied hoarsely. “A creature showed up when this happened to Riddle, too. Different appearance, though.”

Riddle tossed back his housewarden cape, which snapped the stunned group out of their shock. “Those of you who can move, seek shelter!” he cried. “Ace, Deuce, take the wounded somewhere safe. Lilia, please get help from the faculty!”

“Understood. Stay strong until I return!” Lilia replied, and abruptly vanished.

Yuya was surprised by how quickly Riddle and Lilia assessed the situation and got to work. Maybe it was because they were older, or maybe a reflection of their experiences as housewarden and vice housewarden. Either way, Yuya was grateful for their leadership.

Deuce hesitated to leave, asking, “Housewarden Rosehearts, what will you do?”

“I will stop Leona,” he declared. “As he is now, he’s a threat to everyone on the campus grounds.”

“I’ll stay and help,” Deuce said.

Riddle shook his head.“No. He’s too dangerous for you to go up against. That’s why I need you and Ace to do something you actually can do.”

Deuce protested, but Riddle wouldn’t budge. He was determined to safeguard his first-year students by sending them away from danger. After what he’d been through and how he’d changed, Yuya wasn’t surprised.

“Your response?” Riddle demanded.

“Yes, Housewarden.” Deuce nodded reluctantly. “We’ll take care of the others. Be careful, Housewarden!”

“Less talking, more working,” Riddle replied.

Ace slipped an arm around an injured Savanaclaw student, one of many still flat on their backs and unable to get to their feet after being knocked flying by Leona. As he propped up the much larger boy, he jerked his chin at Yuya.

“C’mon, Yu! Grim!” he called. “Give us a hand over here!”

“Right!” Yuya crouched down and reached for Ruggie, who was still unconscious. Grim grabbed the boy’s slender waist as Yuya gripped his shoulders.

“This guy’s heavier than you’d expect,” Grim groaned. “Can’t we just leave him?”

“No, we cannot just leave him,” Yuya said, glaring at the monster. “On my count!” They hauled Ruggie up, and as Yuya went to follow Ace and Deuce to safety, he met Leona’s eyes.

Leona pointed a finger at him that was dripping with blot, a dark smile on his face. Leona’s leather vest and the shirt melted away as the black liquid replaced his dorm uniform, a second skin enveloping his body. “So y’all are just gonna leave me behind?” Leona asked flatly. “But I’ll be so lonely.”

The sand rippled up and out like a tidal wave, charging at Yuya and his friends.

“Yikes!” Grim shouted. He threw a wind spell at it, saving them from a direct hit.

But above their heads, chunks of the shattered wave transformed back into regular sand and rained down. Yuya, Ruggie, and Grim collapsed under the weight of it and became trapped inside this new dune.

As Yuya kicked and flailed to get himself and Ruggie out, he heard Cater call, “You two okay?!”

“Yeah. More or less…” Yuya said, coughing as he emerged.

Yuya shuddered as a huge crack opened in the ground beneath him. Leona had abandoned reason and restraint, and his magic was literally splitting the earth.

Standing in the center of what had become a broken wasteland, the monster looked even larger. It let out a powerful roar and raised sharp claws.

Cater repelled its incoming attack with a magic wall. Ace and Deuce started to return to help, but Cater shooed them away with a wave of his hand.

“We got this!” he told them. “You two get the students to safety!”

Uncertain they were doing the right thing, Ace and Deuce obeyed and carried a wounded student between them, running off.

“Aah,” Cater sighed quietly, helping Yuya pick Ruggie up again. “Now we’re stuck here. Why does this keep happening to us? You and me, Yuey, this is so not our hashtag brand.”

The monster scratched at the ground angrily. Yuya and Cater frowned. Leona was glaring at them across the parched earth. They didn’t have a chance of escaping now, not with Ruggie’s dead weight between them.

Cater once more created an invisible wall to repel the lion as it charged. This seemed to use a fair bit of magic, though—and Cater gritted his teeth.

Riddle raced over and added his own wall to their defensive blockade. “Cater. If you’re afraid, feel free to run.”

“Trey’d never let me hear the end of it if I ran off and left you here.”

Cater had said they were stuck, but that wasn’t the truth, and Yuya knew it. He was powerless, having no magic to defend himself. Cater could make a break for it and protect himself.

Even so, he didn’t run away. He hadn’t when they’d played Spelldrive at Savanaclaw, either, or when Riddle had overblotted. Yuya knew, at the end of the day, Cater was a very caring person. And even in this dangerous situation, he hadn’t lost his sense of humor, joking that Trey getting mad at him would be scarier than the situation they were in.

“We do this together, Housewarden!” he said with a grin.

“Excellent,” Riddle replied, allowing himself a slight smile. “That is exactly the heart of a Heartslabyul student.”

“The Great Genius Grim is here, too, ya know!” Grim shouted. He had finally dug himself free and was shaking off the sand. “If I catch this guy, I’m definitely gonna get to play in the tournament!”

“Are you still going on about that?” Jack said, exasperated, as he nimbly leaped over the cracks in the earth to reach them. “Well, I guess that’s your big prey.”

“Jack,” Riddle said, looking surprised. “I thought you evacuated with my first-year students.”

“Settle your own dorm stuff yourself,” Jack told Riddle, undaunted. He lifted his black nose in a sniff. “So? How do we get Leona back to normal?”

“The last time, we attacked the monster behind Riddle to free him of it,” Yuya said, looking at the incarnation of blot looming behind Leona.

This monster had robbed Leona of all reason and rationality. It was linked firmly to him by a chain of blot that extended from one of its four legs to one of Leona’s. Leona looked pained dragging this heavy leg encased in blot, like a wounded lion.

“Got it,” Jack said, nodding. “We just gotta do something about the huge lion thing.”

“We attack all at once,” Riddle declared. “Yu, could you take Ruggie somewhere safe?”

“Okay,” Yuya agreed, and he dragged the still-unconscious Savanaclaw student over to the tower.

Riddle brandished his scepter. “All right then. Here we go, everyone. Are you ready?!”

On Riddle’s signal, Jack leaped forward, while Cater and Grim simultaneously cast spells at Leona. Riddle’s wind magic pushed Jack higher into the air, and Jack nimbly kicked at the mass of air, boldly dancing up into the sky. He plummeted down toward the back of the monster lion, but just as his fangs were on the verge of sinking into its spine, a whirlwind of sand knocked him away. His lithe body slid along the ground amid a billowing cloud of dust.

Leona turned hard eyes on Jack, his shining fur now dirtied with sand. Leona displayed no majesty now. He simply radiated an ugly, deep resentment that clung to him like a foul stench.

“You’d bare your teeth at me?” he snarled. “That’s some nerve you got, Jack.”

Jack staggered back up, unsteady legs wobbling beneath him. “Look how strong you are,” he snorted sadly. “Why would you…”

Leona didn’t answer. His frighteningly blank, stagnant eyes simply stared, reflecting neither light nor hope.

As Yuya clenched his hands in frustration, Ruggie twitched awake next to him. His eyes cracked open and he tilted up his head. “Unnnh… Is that… Is that Leona? And he’s got a big dog…”

“Ruggie! You’re awake!” Yuya yelled. He helped Ruggie sit up and quickly filled him in on what had happened—Jack’s signature spell, Leona’s overblot. He asked Ruggie if he could move so they could get to somewhere safer, but he shook his head.

“Nah,” he said. “I have to help them stop Leona…”

“What?! But you can barely stand up.”

“You’re a real soft touch, you are. You just worry about yourself.” Ruggie glared at Yuya and brushed away his help. He was surprisingly strong for someone who’d just been knocked out.

“No, but…” Yuya stammered. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Of course I’m not okay,” Ruggie spat. “But there’s no way I’m taking what he said lying down. I need to pay him back for everything, rather handsomely.” Ruggie laughed and staggered to his feet. He moved next to Cater and took out his magical pen.

Riddle narrowed his eyes in concern but didn’t stop him.

Leona’s face tightened. His low, cracking voice was the sound of hatred itself; it resonated in the bones of everyone listening. “So even the lowly hyena turns against me? Me? A lion? What a total joke… All of you, you’re insects bitin’ at my ankles. And I’ve. Had. Enough!”

Leona created a mountain of sand that lifted his body high above. He looked down on Ruggie, Jack, and the others and howled gutturally, instinctually.

“None of you’ll ever see the light of another day!”

Pillars of sand shot up and charged toward the students, devouring everything in its path. Cater picked up the shrieking Grim and ran. Likewise, Jack wrapped his massive jaws around the scruff of Ruggie’s shirt and leaped up with him in his mouth.

Riddle cast a water spell and materialized a wet wall to defend them. When the sand pillars slammed into this, the wet sand fell to the ground, but Leona’s magic lifted up more sand and directed it at them. Riddle’s crimson magestone flashed again. Water poured down like rain, but the desiccated sand absorbed the moisture. Riddle grimaced. How long could this cycle of magical tit for tat go on?

Because of the limits imposed by blot, no matter how capable the sorcerer, no one had an inexhaustible supply of magic. In a battle of attrition, Riddle had no hope of victory when Leona had gone beyond that limitation.

“If I can’t overthrow the world, I’ll turn it to sand!” Leona said, now sitting on a sand throne. “Hoping for anything is a waste of time. It’s pointless—all of it!”

The monster rubbed its cold bottle of a head against Leona’s legs. Contrary to its fiendish roar, this creature’s gesture was somehow sad—like deep despair had materialized and was cuddling up to Leona. Leona petted the monstrous lion and lowered his eyes. Blot spilled out of him, dripped from his eyelashes, and dropped to the ground.

“Have you always felt this way?” Ruggie asked, his voice hoarse. He bit his lip. “All this time…what was going on in your head when we talked? I mean, you laughed that we were going to take over the world together, didn’t you? You’re not going to tell me that was all a lie!”

Sluggish and arrogant, Leona tilted his head, as if Ruggie’s furious howl annoyed him beyond words. But Leona now repelled all spells and fangs. Whenever they tried to attack the incarnation of blot, they were quickly blocked by the sand Leona controlled.

Within the increasingly violent sandstorm, Yuya couldn’t even see his hands at the ends of his arms.

“Cater! Take defense with me!” Riddle shouted.

“You got it, Housewarden!” Cater replied.

Riddle and Cater put up a defensive membrane, and Grim fired off spells at Leona. The Savanaclaw housewarden blocked the fireballs with sand, not even bothering to step out of their path.

Meanwhile, Jack used this distraction to creep up behind the lion-monster. Once in position, he launched himself at the blot beast to try to strike it down.

“I’ve had just about enough of all y’all!” Leona bent a finger dyed black.

Sand glinted like glass as it shot into Jack’s eyes, and Yuya heard a sudden yelp of pain. Blinded, Jack staggered at the feet of the lion.

“Jack! Run!” Yuya cried.

Jack leaped back just in time to dodge the monster’s enormous claws, which sliced the air where his snout had been. The monster raised its front paw again, casting a dark shadow over Jack. But the wolf still couldn’t see because of the sand.

“Watch out!” Riddle cried.

But before Riddle or Cater could cast another spell, Ruggie shouted, “Laugh with Me!”

Instantly, Jack’s silver body danced up.

“Sorry, Jacky boy. Shyeheehee!” Ruggie laughed. “But you won’t regret this.” In perfect mimicry of Ruggie’s movements, Jack leaped unhesitatingly into the sand. Ruggie was using his signature spell to save Jack.

The wolf gaped in surprise, but quickly flicked his ears forward with a gasp. He didn’t flinch against the sand blowing up over him as he squeezed his eyes shut and charged at the massive lion creature.

With a howl, Jack dug his teeth into the lion’s throat. The creature shrieked, its death cry deafening. Blot jetted from the deep wound, and the incarnation of blot flung itself around, writhing and twisting in an attempt to get away. But Jack held on stubbornly and plunged in his teeth even deeper.

Eventually, the glass head listed forward lifelessly and fell. The blot inside spilled out and rained down on Leona.

“I am…king…” Leona murmured, not shielding himself from the blot that poured down as he collapsed.

11

FROM THE MOMENT I was born, a boulder has sat on top of me that’s too heavy to move. No—this weight has existed since long, long before that.

What do I have to do to be king?

I had foolishly asked this question back when I was still a kid without the sense to know better, and the butler’s face became very troubled. This man had long served the throne, and seeing him baffled, I instantly understood that I was not meant to be king. Because—not to brag—I was a bright, clever child.

But someday, someone would understand me.

I had a chance. Someday, someone would come along and see what I was worth. That’s what I thought, so I worked hard. Until I learned it was all for nothing.

“Come now. We must finish this before Prince Leona returns,” whispered a servant. The people cleaning my room talked about how they “couldn’t bear to be around such a stubborn child.” I listened to them from the other side of the door.

“No doubt he’s causing his tutors endless trouble with his bizarre questions,” said another servant. “Crown Prince Falena is such a bright and cheerful young man. I don’t understand why his younger brother has to be so moody all the time.”

“True, true. Honestly, I have no idea what to do with him. He possesses such a terrifying power! Imagine a member of our own royal family able to turn anything to sand!”

“Both of you, cease this conversation right now! What if someone overhears you?!” a third servant interjected.

No one did anything. I wanted to laugh and tell them. I wonder how they would have looked at me if I had opened that door, stepped inside, and shown them this “terrifying power.”

Of course, I couldn’t actually do that. At first, I let these gossips have it one after the other, but I’ve given up on that now, too. Because I know the gossips will never stop.

When you’re born with a signature spell, it’s got nothing to do with what you actually want. Steeped in superstition, these people didn’t understand something so obvious, plain as day. Or maybe they thought I’d longed for this power and that’s how I got it. Either way, they weren’t worth taking seriously. I hate any kind of hassle. And I despise wasting my time.

Even so, it did actually make me think: What would they say if I were the crown prince? Would they call me a promising sorcerer with powerful magic? Praise me as wise and cool-headed, totally different from my thoughtless older brother?

I knew it was pointless, but I couldn’t stop wondering what-if. I hated myself for that.

The hope I’d been clinging to was finally wiped out with the birth of my older brother’s son.

“Leona! Why weren’t you at today’s ceremony?” my brother asked. He had come to very politely rub my face in the reality of my fate.

“Ceremony? Ah, you mean the self-indulgent party where you show your son off to the people? Yeah, sorry I missed that. I fell asleep.”

“How can you be so lazy… Showing the people the face of their future king is an important affair.”

“Yeah, it’s a happy day, for sure—also known as the day the despised second son loses what little claim he has to the throne forever. I bet the folks in town and the guys at court are breathing a serious sigh of relief.”

Even if Dad died and Falena died, I would still not be king. I despaired of the throne.

My brother had to know this. That I’d dreamed of the crown ever since I was little. And yet he assumed I would celebrate the birth of his son. I couldn’t stand how idiotically good he was.

“Do not frame it in such terms!” my brother said. The scowl on his face made me want to say, “Hey, if it bothers you that much, then let me have the throne. Give me the glory handed to you on a silver platter when you were born first into this world.”

“Must be nice to be the firstborn, huh? You can spend every day singing and napping, and still become king.”

Falena furrowed his brow sadly. “Leona. You may never be king, but you are still wise. There is much you could do for this country.”

For this country. How could he say such cruel, hateful things? “So then what? I should wait upon you eagerly for the sake of the country? You got some nerve saying that with a straight face, like you’re such a good guy!”

“That’s not what I’m saying! You can’t let your gifts go to waste.”

“Well, I got some bad news for you. Maybe if this country selected its kings on the basis of intelligence, I’d be motivated to do something with my ‘gifts.’ ”

I felt like I’d lose my mind if I had to spend another minute with a guy so naïvely peaceful. Right before I left the study, I looked back and smiled at him. “Congratulations, Prince Falena. I sincerely delight at the birth of this new shining sun. The future of the Sunset kingdom is indeed impressively bright.”

Before he could respond, I slammed the door.

No matter how hard I study, no matter how powerful the magic I command, no one will ever acknowledge that I’m better than my brother. I will never be king. Why do I have to suffer because I was born a few years too late? Simply by dint of the order of our birth, I am denied what I would do, what I could do. I will never be given my proper due.

Why did I have to be born second?

Why will I never, ever get to be the best?

Why. Why. Why.

Life truly is unfair.

Tired of thinking, I decided to accept the invitation to Night Raven College, an invitation I’d previously declined because I wasn’t interested. I knew I was running away from hardship, but even so, my heart was immeasurably lighter at school. I didn’t have to fret and stew without my brother around. I could view from a distance that strong sunlight, that fresh green scent, that humid rainy-season breeze. The frustration dulled, and the pain was gently numbed.

But at some point, this changed. A new pack was born, and a new despair was born along with it.

The dorm students came with new demands, new expectations. Help us. If anyone can do anything, it’s you. Please. You’re our housewarden. Our king. A king can’t let his pack starve. I thought so, too, but then the fact was hammered into me—we’d never beat Malleus fair and square.

In which case, I had to come up with a plan to drag him down using whatever means at our disposal to win. I’d do anything to win. Win. I wanted to win. I had to win. Because if I did everything I could and still lost, then what was I supposed to do?

Aaah. Whatever.

I understood the moment I learned the plan to eliminate Malleus had failed. It was all pointless. The throne I hoped for would never be my future.

I didn’t feel nearly as bad as I’d expected to. It was idiotic to long for something I couldn’t have. I just wanted to forget and be at peace.

That’s all I wanted, but then this pack of mine, they came to me with eyes shining, talking about the future. This was scary enough. I wasn’t scared of them bringing their hopes to me. I was scared of myself, how pathetically their words swayed me, still unable to abandon my old hope.

We were going to turn the world upside down!

If you played for real, we could beat Diasomnia. I still remember how you played three years ago!

A flicker of hope still lived somewhere in my heart, the idea that I could actually win.

It was impossibly optimistic, I was so soft, passionate about the gamble, the risk. Ruggie, Jack, and all the rest of those idiots were talking about dreams that could never come true. In the end, though, I was forced to realize that I was just another fool. I wasn’t strong, I wasn’t smart, and I wasn’t loved. Was that really me? I couldn’t accept it. This alone, of all things, I didn’t want to be real.

I was sick of it, fed up with how irrational I was being. Tired of looking for the smallest “what-if.” I understood that hope was a waste of time. I was tired of struggling, suffering for something I could never have. I hated knowing that I was insignificant, a worthless speck of dirt.

People say, “Work hard.” And then what?

I’ve already worn myself to the bone. So was all my effort just work toward giving up? Isn’t that the most painful thing of all?

Aah, life really is unfair.

12

IGNORING YUYA’S PLEAS TO STOP, Grim brought his mouth so close to Leona’s ear they were almost touching, took a deep breath, filled his lungs, and yelled, “Waaaake uuuuuup!”

A small ear twitched, and Leona’s eyes opened a crack. A collective sigh of relief slipped out of everyone.

“I did it!” Grim shouted. “He’s awake! See? I toldja he was fine.”

“Well, yeah,” Jack scowled, “if you shout like that into the ear of a beastman, he’s gonna open his eyes, passed out or not. How’d you like it if someone did that to you?” Jack was back to his usual tall self, having released his signature spell. He crossed his thick, suntanned arms and looked down at the prone Leona.

“What am I…” Leona groaned as he sat up. A crease rose between his brows as he swiveled his eyes around. Just like Riddle when he had overblotted, Leona didn’t seem to know what had happened.

“Mr. Kingscholar,” Headmage Dire Crowley said. “You suffered an overblot episode. Do you not remember?” Crowley had gotten Lilia’s message and arrived on the scene soon after the lion monster vanished and Leona passed out.

Once the headmage arrived, Cater went to check on the people they’d evacuated. Until Leona awakened, the mood had been heavy and tense, but Yuya felt everyone grow a little lighter at last.

“Wait, me?” Leona’s eyes flew open in surprise. He was clearly bewildered. “I overblotted? No way…”

“Your mind must still be hazy,” Riddle said gently. “It’s only natural that you would be confused.”

The desperate Grim, however, cared nothing for Leona’s confusion. “Hey! Now that you’re awake, you gotta tell him how you were behind this whole thing. I don’t get to play in the tournament unless you confess you’re the culprit.”

Leona turned to Yuya for an explanation, and when Yuya was at a loss for words, Jack spoke up.

“These guys’ve been huntin’ y’all so they can play in the Spelldrive tournament.”

“What?” Leona said. Suddenly embarrassed, Yuya was unable to look Leona in the eye. “I thought you herbivores were bein’ weirdly stubborn. That’s why?”

“Yes! So hurry it up! Come on, spill it already!” Grim was ready to shake Leona, but Yuya hurried to stop him and looked quietly at the headmage.

Crowley nodded and crouched down close to Leona. “Mr. Kingscholar,” he said. “I have spoken to Mr. Vanrouge and the other students here. You and the Savanaclaw students were responsible for the series of injuries to Spelldrive players. Is that correct?”

“Yeah. That’s correct,” Leona admitted, no longer trying to deflect or deny what they’d done.

“Aaah,” Ruggie sighed, tilting his head to the sky. The headmage had asked Ruggie the same question while Leona was out, but he had refused to answer. He’d said he wasn’t going to say anything until Leona woke up and then remained stubbornly silent.

Leona glanced at Ruggie without speaking.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Crowley asked.

“No,” Leona responded curtly.

“I see… Very well, then.” The headmage’s expression couldn’t be read through his mask, and Leona was inscrutable: calm, not angry or upset, as if whatever had been disturbing him was gone.

The headmage told them that the school had decided to go forward with the tournament as planned. They wouldn’t cancel it because of what happened. However, Crowley continued, “Savanaclaw Dorm will be disqualified from this year’s tournament. The rest of your punishment will be decided after I talk with your victims. Is that clear?”

Leona nodded and Ruggie bit his lip, as both accepted their punishment. While the mystery of who had been injuring students was solved, the mood was still oppressive. The fighting that Yuya so hated was over, but no one could rejoice.

A great deal of damage had been done—numerous people had been injured, property had been destroyed, and the event had been marred by the parade stampede and Leona’s overblot. Yuya couldn’t help wondering if he and Grim could have done more to prevent this from happening. The headmage had approached them first to investigate and try to solve the problem.

At this point, Jack’s situation bothered Yuya most of all. He’d fought against Leona and his Savanaclaw dormmates, and his help had been essential to stop their underhanded tricks. It didn’t seem like he deserved the same punishment as his dorm—to be expelled from the Spelldrive tournament. In fact, no one had been more excited than him to be in the tournament, and Yuya was sad that Jack couldn’t be part of it, after he had struggled so much and worked so hard to prevent Leona’s cheating.

He glanced at Jack, who looked grim, but Yuya didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound like cheap sympathy.

“Shall we go to the infirmary?” the headmage asked Leona. Crowley tried to help him up, but Leona brushed him away, attempting to stand on his own power. He staggered and propped a hand against the ground, unable to regain his balance.

Jack grimaced like the sight was hard to bear. Then a voice shouted from above, “Hold up, gang!”

“Hmm? Wait,” Grim said. He squinted as he looked up into the bright blue sky. “That’s Cater, yeah?”

Cater was riding a broom toward them with several other people on brooms trailing behind. Cater landed first. Next was Trey Clover, who winced when he hit the ground. His injured leg was clearly not completely healed.

“Cater, Trey,” Riddle called and raced over to them. “What’s going on?”

“Funny thing. I went looking for Acey and Deuce and bumped into my boy Trey,” Cater said cheerily. “I told him what was going down, and he was like, I gotta testify. These other cuties, too !”

Yuya watched as one broom after another descended toward them. Sitting behind a student Yuya didn’t know was Jamil from Scarabia Dorm. Jamil tightly gripped the handle with his noninjured hand to keep from falling off. Yuya also recognized the second-year Pomefiore student he had questioned about burning his hands on the hot cauldron.

“Are these the people who were injured by Savanaclaw?” Riddle asked in disbelief.

“Yup! All of them,” Cater said.

Ruggie was wary—these were the students he had attacked with his signature spell. Leona went pale.

Trey glanced at Ruggie and Leona out of the corner of his eye and took off his dorm uniform hat. “Headmage Crowley,” he said solemnly. “Speaking on behalf of the victims, I have a request for you.”

“A request?” the headmage asked, frowning. “You needn’t worry. Savanaclaw has been disqualified from the tournament. I intend to mete out further punishment following discussion of the matter with all of you.”

“So they did get disqualified,” Trey said, shaking his head slowly. “However, that’s not what we want. Would you please permit Savanaclaw Dorm to play in the tournament as scheduled?”

“Huh? What?!” the headmage blurted.

Jack and Yuya joined the headmage in shock. Yuya wondered if he’d misheard, but the other students bowed as one and said, “Please, sir!”

Did this mean they didn’t want Savanaclaw to be punished? Were they willing to let them play in the Spelldrive tournament despite their crimes? These were the students who had hurt them. What big hearts these victims had, Yuya thought. He regarded Trey with respect. Then he heard the clicking of a tongue beside him.

“Come on,” Jack said sharply. “They get a little slap on the wrist? You can’t actually think being all nice with the forgive-and-forget is gonna do anyone any good.”

Yuya gave an exasperated sigh, even though he couldn’t help but admire Jack, who was as hard on himself as other people. If he kept his mouth shut, Savanaclaw might get to play in the Spelldrive tournament, but he stubbornly insisted that this act of forgiveness was unacceptable.

“This guy’s givin’ me a headache,” Grim grumbled. Yuya wouldn’t go that far, but he thought it was no wonder Jack was often at odds with others given how unyielding he could be.

“What?” Jack crossed his arms, scowling, as everyone looked at him.

“Who said anything about forgiveness?” Trey replied. “Not a chance.” Yuya and the others frowned in confusion, and Trey smiled. “If the culprits who hurt us don’t take the field, we lose our chance to get our hard-won revenge. I was talking with Jamil and the others about what a shame that would be.”

“What—revenge?” Yuya parroted reflexively.

Trey nodded merrily. “Yup. Revenge.”

Yuya’s heart skipped a beat. Trey’s smile had a scheming, conspiratorial quality that made him uneasy.

“I see,” Riddle said. “Fighting with magic is forbidden on campus. In that situation, there isn’t much you can do to get back at the culprits, no matter how much you resent them. But—”

“During Spelldrive, it’s all in the name of sport, right?” Trey said. “It just happens to be a sport where players face off on the field using magic. No matter what you do, you can’t get in trouble for it so long as it’s not against the rules. We want you to let us play a tournament with no holds barred, fair and square, for real.”

“Basically your goal is vengeance?!” Ruggie yelped, stunned.

“Ruggie,” Jamil said with a smile. “I will make sure to thank you in particular quite heartily. I hope you’re ready.”

The cold smile on Jamil’s face didn’t reassure Yuya, but Cater patted his shoulder consolingly.

“I told them not to kick up a big fuss,” he said with a sigh. “But Trey and the others insisted.”

“Seriously?” Trey arched a dubious eyebrow at his dormmate. “I can’t believe you can say that with a straight face. You were practically dancing with glee when I told you.”

“What?” Cater looked affronted. “I don’t recollect that. Anyway, it was ol’ Leona there who tipped me off in the first place that Spelldrive isn’t fighting.” He and Trey began to chat happily about what techniques they would use to exact vengeance on the Savanaclaw players.

Yuya realized they just wanted to fight under the guise of a tournament. He looked to Riddle for help, but Riddle only laughed and said, “It is true that there would be no rules violations in that case.”

“Well, if you’re taking revenge with your own two hands, then that’s a different story,” Jack said, seemingly satisfied.

The injured students chimed in to plead their case with the headmage.

“Headmage Crowley, please let Savanaclaw play,” said a student.

“I wanna beat them to a pulp! Like I’d let them bow out and escape!” shouted a second student.

“Hmm.” The headmage made a show of wrestling with his decision. “I do understand where you all are coming from. However, I do not think the Savanaclaw students are capable of taking to the field. They themselves have been gravely injured.”

“Aah, in that whirlwind?” Jamil said. “That actually works out very nicely for us.”

Jack and Yuya secretly exchanged a look. Apparently, the other students didn’t know Leona had overblotted and caused the sandstorm. After the chaos had ended, Jack and Yuya had heard the announcement that was broadcast in the coliseum and along Main and Side Streets that blamed the stampede on mass hysteria brought on by a sudden whirlwind. The announcement then said the whirlwind had caused a sandstorm that had ravaged the nearby area. What none of the students knew was that this false story was the result of a private discussion among Headmage Crowley, Lilia, and Malleus Draconia. None of the Night Raven teachers had opposed the idea, even knowing what had actually happened. Everyone felt, for the moment, that the lie was preferred to avoid further fear and panic.

Trey seemed to know the truth, and he’d probably heard it from Cater, but the other injured students didn’t. Since the area had indeed been ravaged by a sandstorm, and everyone was covered head to toe in sand, they had no reason to doubt the official story.

“Housewarden Kingscholar in particular is only just barely able to stand, as you can see,” Crowley continued. “Even were I to give permission for him to participate, I doubt he could play in any meaningful way.”

Overblot placed such a burden on the body that Riddle had needed to take time off to recuperate. Just as the headmage noted, Leona was pale, a shadow of his usual powerful self. His shoulders heaved up and down as he panted for breath. He was so unsteady on his feet that the motion of his own shoulders threatened to knock him off balance. He was a battered mess, his hair all over the place, his clothes filthy and covered in sand, as if the sandstorm had swept away his style and dignity.

Ruggie clenched his fists. He wanted to play in the tournament, and the other Savanaclaw players no doubt felt the same way. All they needed was for Leona to say yes. But their leader had already declared there was no value for him in the tournament when they didn’t have a hope of winning. Why would he agree to play now?

Yuya felt torn and anxious. Ruggie obviously wanted to play, but was the headmage right? Was it actually impossible for Leona to play?

“So, Leona? How ’bout it?” Jack asked.

The corners of Leona’s mouth turned up until his smile turned into a laugh that shook his whole body. He wrinkled his nose, scrunched up his face, and became hysterical, as if releasing all the emotions welling up inside him. “Heh heh… Ha ha ha ha ha!”

Leona grimaced like it hurt to laugh, but he didn’t stop. Eventually, he glared at the headmage and declared, “Don’t underestimate me, Crowley. I wouldn’t even need to be awake to handle this sorry pack of wounded herbivores. I’ll beat ’em at their own game.”

“What?” Jamil said angrily.

Leona puffed his chest out, not the least bit guilty or ashamed. He was so tall and proud that Yuya felt almost dazzled.

Ruggie and Jack looked at their housewarden with broad grins on their faces.

“Leona…” Ruggie said.

“You really are something else, huh?” Jack laughed.

They were smiling for different reasons, but both liked Leona’s decision.

With a snort, Leona shot the injured students a bold look. “I’ll tell y’all right now. I got no intention of bowin’ to anyone. You want my apology, come and take it.”

“Yeah?” Trey said. “In that case, we won’t hold back. This is what we want.”

Without further hesitation, the headmage accepted Leona’s decision. He seemed pleased that the biggest event of the school year—which would be broadcast to the world—could take place as planned.

“If all of you agree, then that settles it!” he declared with a bright smile. “Savanaclaw Dorm will be allowed to participate in the tournament.”

“Thank you very much, Headmage Crowley,” Trey said. Then he bowed and put his hat back on.

Yuya was impressed again by Trey and all the injured students. Despite their injuries, they smiled and burned with fiery resolve. Some of them might not be able to take the field because of their injuries, but they knew the players who took their places would fight hard to take down Savanaclaw and not let them off easy, whoever won. Today’s tournament would be fierce, that much was certain.

“Great. I better go tell the guys in Heartslabyul straight away,” Trey said, taking off on his broom to return to the coliseum.

Cater, Jamil, and the other injured students also returned to the coliseum to let their dorms know.

“Shall we also make our way to the grounds?” Headmage Crowley said to Yuya and the others. He whirled his cape around and stopped abruptly. “That reminds me. Did you spot a black stone-like object on the ground somewhere around here?”

“A black stone?” Yuya asked, looking around. “No, I don’t see anything.”

Yuya asked if they should look for it, but Crowley shrugged casually.

“If you haven’t spotted it, that’s fine,” he replied as he walked off. Since he didn’t seem concerned, Yuya figured it wasn’t important, and he hurried after the headmage without giving it another thought.

As they walked back to the coliseum, Yuya peered at Leona trailing behind them, worried that he might actually collapse. Yuya himself was exhausted from being swept up in the sandstorm and thought the coliseum felt impossibly far away, even though he could see it.

Yuya stopped, breathing heavily, and noticed Ruggie walk over to Leona. Jack also noticed and held his breath.

Ruggie glared at Leona. “Don’t think you’ve earned my forgiveness,” he said.

“Right,” Leona replied. “And?”

Ruggie didn’t continue, perhaps waiting for Leona to say something or apologize, and an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Eventually, Ruggie gave up and sighed. “Still, I couldn’t tell you why, but…” He shrugged. “It pains me to see that pathetic look on your face.”

Yuya smiled at this, even though it was no laughing matter. He understood what Ruggie meant. Leona looked lost. Leona sniffed as though put out, but a hint of confusion lingered in his expression.

Yuya thought Leona was being an obstinate child. Leona would feel so much better if he just said sorry. If he apologized sincerely, it might start to repair his tattered reputation. But he simply couldn’t do it. Maybe he didn’t know how to apologize.

“I should’ve known better, too,” Ruggie said quietly, and then he laughed at the sulking Leona. “Shyeheehee! Your usual smug, sneering grin somehow suits you way better. Like this!”

He grabbed his magical pen, and the magestone flashed at the top. “Laugh with Me!” he cried, and he stuck his fingers into the corners of his mouth and yanked his cheeks up.

Leona grinned, mirroring Ruggie’s motions. The two boys stood opposite each other, absurd smiles splitting their faces in half.

Leona was furious. “Hey! Rahhie!” he roared, unable to speak properly with his mouth frozen in place by his own hands pinned to his cheeks. “Hop his haight now!”

“Nah hah! I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to do this!” Ruggie said.

“You don’t stop right now, you’re seriously in for it,” Leona threatened. This was what Yuya guessed they were saying, since he couldn’t really understand either of them too well.

“What are y’all do—” Jack said and stopped, letting out a short snicker.

Ruggie released his signature spell, and Leona rubbed his red cheeks. “Enough with the tricks!” he snapped. “We ain’t got time for foolin’ around!” Leona then started hammering out a new strategy for Savanaclaw to win the Spelldrive tournament, and Yuya saw his confident, commander side return.

Ruggie turned to Jack and said, “Don’t act like you’re not in this, Jack. You need to really think about how we can fight back for real in this situation.”

“Huh? Me?” Jack said, startled. Yuya could tell he was surprised to be included on the team. All he’d wanted was to play Spelldrive, but he had also turned traitor and been expelled from the pack. He had no idea where he stood.

“Of course. You’re a big part of our arsenal, Jack.” Ruggie looked at him curiously, like this was obvious. Ruggie wasn’t someone who could understand the sort of conflict Jack was feeling.

Leona understood. “Well, that’s if you’re still wantin’ to play with us,” he said. “You decide if you step onto the field or not.”

Jack didn’t respond for a long time. Yuya stared nervously at Jack. He was sure Jack would pull out of the competition. He was stubborn and uncompromising, and once he made a decision, he didn’t change his mind.

A harsh resolve shone in Jack’s eyes. “I—” he started to say, then Yuya interrupted him.

“Um!” he said nervously. “Jack actually really respects you, Leona.”

Leona and Ruggie turned to look at Yuya. Even though they scared him, he knew he had to speak.

“He told me all about how amazing you are in Spelldrive,” he continued. “He really admires you. You inspired him. I know he actually wants to play in the tournament with you.”

“Hey! Mind your own business!” Jack said, and slapped a hand over Yuya’s mouth. Jack was upset, but Yuya was strangely unafraid.

He wanted Leona to understand Jack. How he was level-headed, confident, strict with himself, and had a strong sense of duty. Ace and Deuce had taught Yuya that actually voicing your thoughts and feelings was essential. Others would never know what was in your head if you didn’t tell them.

Leona looked briefly caught off guard by this, then he smiled softly. “Respect’s all fine and good,” he said. “This cheeky mutt just needs me to whip him into shape.”

“Wait, what… You really haven’t learned any lessons?” Jack looked baffled and scratched his head awkwardly. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

“Fine,” he said finally. “I’ll play with you in the tournament. And if I’m gonna play, I’m gonna give it everything I got!”

“Uh, yeah. You said that before,” Ruggie said, cocking his head and frowning. “Anyway, let’s get to the coliseum already. We need a break before the games start. Leona needs every second he can to pull himself together. And listen up! I don’t care if you’re hurt or upset over what happened before. It’s no excuse for losing!”

“Well, yeah,” Jack said, and then they hurried to catch up with the headmage and the others, who had disappeared onto Side Street.

Before they reached them, though, Yuya heard Grim scream, “Whaaat?! You wretched, backstabbin’ swindler!”

“Huh? What?!” Yuya ran in the direction of Grim’s voice and found the monster on Side Street lunging at the headmage, as Riddle held him back. Grim was so furious he was shooting fire at everyone, including Riddle.

“Grim! Stop!” Yuya cried. He couldn’t handle another problem. He helped Riddle peel Grim off the shrieking headmage.

“What on earth is going on?! Why are you so angry?” Yuya asked, pinning Grim’s arms behind him.

“That crud Crowley!” the monster howled, wrinkling his nose. “He forgot he promised I could be in the tournament!”

“What?!” Yuya looked at the headmage, stunned. “Is that true, sir?”

“Yes.” The headmage straightened his crooked hat. “I thought it was simply impossible, so I put the whole thing out of my mind. And when I made the announcement about the ‘whirlwind’ that disrupted the parade, I also announced the revised tournament matchups.”

“Of course you did…” Yuya sighed. No wonder Grim was angry. He’d worked so hard to solve the mystery in order to play in the tournament.

Grim had been practicing Spelldrive with the ghosts every day. Yuya hadn’t practiced, but he’d watched Grim racing around the dark yard many times. Now that they’d fulfilled the mission Crowley gave them, it was too cruel for him not to live up to his promise.

Riddle looked disappointed and surprised, too. With exasperation, he said, “Headmage Crowley, it’s hard to respect an adult—no, any person–who cannot keep his promises.”

“Please wait just a moment,” the headmage stalled, holding up his palm. “I will think of an alternate plan!”

Grim slipped out of Riddle and Yuya’s grasp, got on all fours, and hissed, “You ain’t foolin’ me again! If I can’t play, then I’m gonna tear up the whole tournament!”

Knowing Grim was serious, all the students glared at the headmage.

“An alternate plan?” Yuya asked earnestly.

Pressed on all sides, the headmage nervously cried out, “I’ve got it! An exhibition match? What do you say to a friendly game held before the tournament itself?” He pressed his hands together. “It would be something special, not seen in previous years. I’m certain the focus of the world would be squarely on you!”

“Really?” Grim said suspiciously.

“B-but of course.” Crowley bobbed his head up and down. “This game would launch the tournament and be a highlight of the TV broadcast.”

Grim’s hackles slowly fell back against his neck. “So long as I’m the center of attention, that’ll do,” he sniffed.

“That’s some corrupt motive,” Jack murmured, eyeing Grim.

Yuya moved to the headmage’s side so that Grim couldn’t hear. “Um, Headmage Crowley?” he asked quietly. “A Spelldrive team has seven people, doesn’t it? Grim needs other people to play with as well as a team to compete against.”

The headmage’s face tightened. He seemed to have truly forgotten about everything.

“This is an issue,” Riddle said, looking thoughtful. “Ramshackle Dorm needs other players.”

Yuya thought of Grim’s practices and remembered the transparent forms flitting around. Ramshackle Dorm did have other Spelldrive players—the dorm’s former occupants, who could fly and loved to play pranks. “What about the ghosts?” Yuya suggested.

“The ghosts?!” the others cried as one.

The headmage looked surprised. “Are you telling me you’d accept ghosts as members of your team?” he asked.

“Yes,” Yuya agreed. “They said they used to be very good players. They are the ones who have been teaching Grim how to play Spelldrive.” Yuya was certain they’d be delighted to play on the dorm’s team. He could practically hear their screeches of laughter.

“Well then,” the headmage said reluctantly. “The three Ramshackle Dorm ghosts will be allowed on the field and added to the team. But we need more players…”

“Me! Meee!” came an enthusiastic shout. A hand shot in front of Yuya’s face. He looked back to see Ace.

Yuya gaped. “When did you…”

Ace grinned. “Sounds like you’re having fun. You gotta call us when good stuff happens, man.”

“You were taking so long,” Deuce said, appearing beside Ace, “we came to check on you.”

Grim looked curiously at Yuya, as Deuce patted his chest in reassurance.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re short players, right? We could help you out.”

“Huh? Help us out?” Yuya repeated, blinking rapidly. “You mean you’d join the Ramshackle Dorm team? Are you sure?!”

“You betcha.” Ace nodded, in high spirits.

“But you’re in Heartslabyul,” he protested. “Are you allowed to play for Ramshackle Dorm?”

Ace shrugged. “Should be no big. There’s no tournament rule that says we can’t play for another dorm’s team.”

“What?” Grim said, grinning with excitement. “Ace and Deuce wanna join the Great Grim’s team?”

“Well, you know,” Ace said. “It’s no fun just cheering. I wanna get out on the field and make some waves!”

“Did you just say it would be ‘no fun’ cheering for Heartslabyul?” Riddle said, glaring. “Do you not realize this tournament is a grand tradition?” As if disgusted with Ace’s lack of dorm pride, Riddle grumbled, “Freshmen this year!”

Deuce waved his hands in protest. “I’m not like him, okay? I just want to help my friends!”

Yuya was glad, whatever their motivations, that Ace and Deuce wanted to help Grim so he could play in the tournament. Yuya knew Ace and Deuce were also dying to play, and he couldn’t think of anything better than all his friends taking to the field together. As Ace and Deuce talked excitedly with Grim, Yuya felt his own spirits lift. A swell of gratitude rose from the bottom of his heart to have such wonderful friends.

“Thanks, guys,” Yuya said to Ace and Deuce. “For real.”

“Myah ha ha!” Grim laughed, beaming. “If you guys insist, I guess I could let you on the team. But don’t go gettin’ in my way!”

“Wonderful!” The headmage clapped his hands together. “That settles it, then. The Ramshackle Dorm team will include the following seven players: Grim, Yuya, the three ghosts, and Mr. Trappola and Mr. Spade!”

“Huh?” Yuya asked. “Wait a minute. Did you just include me on the team?”

Had the headmage misspoken? Yuya wondered. Or had he simply misheard?

“Uh, yeah,” Ace said, not looking surprised. “Of course you’re on the team. I mean, if you got us from Heartslabyul playing with you, we’d feel bad if we didn’t have both of the actual members of Ramshackle Dorm out there with us, y’know?”

“I’d actually be totally fine with that,” Deuce objected, but he was probably teasing.

Not only had Yuya never imagined playing in the Spelldrive tournament, but he didn’t want to play. He was bad at sports and always had been. He hated competition, which was too much like fighting. But besides that, the plan was marred by one fatal flaw.

“What’s that look for?” Ace asked Yuya. “You got a problem teaming up with us?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just—I can’t use magic. You know that,” Yuya told him. Spelldrive required magic, and since he couldn’t use magic, there was no way he could be on a team with actual sorcerers. “I can’t move the disc. I can’t fly, and I’m kind of a weakling…”

“None of that stuff matters,” Grim told him. “Don’t sweat the small stuff, minion. I’ll play so hard, no one’ll even notice you ain’t got any magic. So relax. The key part is we got enough people on the team.” Without seven players, they couldn’t compete, so they needed Yuya even if he lacked magic and didn’t know how to play.

“But Spelldrive’s such a scary sport,” Yuya protested. “I think it’s too much for me.”

“You’ll be fine,” Ace said, throwing an arm around his shoulder. “Once you actually get out there, you just might like it.”

“Exactly!” the headmage agreed enthusiastically. “And what about Grim? You don’t intend to abandon your partner, do you, Yu?”

Yuya wanted to keep pushing back and say no, but facing his friends, he knew he couldn’t disappoint them. They needed him, and so he agreed to be the seventh member of the team.

“So anything’s possible now,” Jack said, laughing. “Well, if this guy is going to play Spelldrive, then Savanaclaw will be out on the field, too. You can play against us.” Jack smiled brightly at Leona and Ruggie. “You don’t got a problem with that, right?”

“What?!” Ruggie exclaimed, stunned. “We’ve already been through the wringer, we’re half-dead on our feet, and you want us to play another game in the tournament? And this one for free to boot! You’re a monster, Jack.”

“Yu and Grim really went out of their way for us,” Jack insisted. “This is just to pay back that debt after all the trouble Savanaclaw caused them.”

“Mmm, I mean, you say that, but…” Ruggie shook his head in exasperation, but he didn’t protest. His fluffy hair was sticking out all over, his fur was hardened with dried blood and sweat, and he was covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises. Nevertheless, he said jokingly to Yuya, “You know it’s something special for me to work for free.”

Yuya frowned. He wasn’t asking them to do this.

“Aaah, this is so annoying.” Leona sighed heavily. “Fine. I don’t care anymore. Give us your best shot, grass eaters. I’ll take on the whole world. You wanna do this, let’s do this.”

Jack looked happy, and Yuya was shocked. He never imagined that Leona would agree. Yuya bowed like a plank knocked over by the wind. “Thank you so much.”

Leona waved a dismissive hand. “Might be an exhibition match, but we ain’t gonna be playin’ footsies here. Don’t come crying to me when we embarrass you on the field.”

Yuya smiled at this Leona-like threat and turned to Jack. “Thanks, Jack. You’re a real lifesaver.”

“I oughta be the one thanking you. Don’t go sayin’ it first.” Jack narrowed his eyes and said curtly, “Thanks.”

Yuya noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and realized that Jack’s long tail was wagging. He couldn’t help stare, stunned. Behind him, Ace and Deuce were trying desperately not to laugh.

Jack cleared his throat, embarrassed that they’d noticed his tail, and turned toward Ace and Deuce. “Listen up,” he said. “We’re enemies starting now. Y’all might have helped out, but I ain’t holdin’ back out there. Savanaclaw’s gonna win!”

“You better not hold back,” Deuce said, proudly throwing out his chest. “Ramshackle Dorm and Heartslabyul are in it to win it! We’ll fight with all our might. Whoever wins, whoever loses, there’ll be no more grudges.”

Riddle nodded, pleased. “Now, let’s get to the field. We’re already late. I’m sure everyone is waiting with bated breath for the tournament to start.”

13

THE WHITE FIELD reflected the dazzling light of the midday sun, and a pleasant breeze cooled the skin. It was the kind of magnificent fall weather that made a person want to break into a run.

“I apologize for the delay in our commencement,” the announcer said over the coliseum speakers. “But we are now ready to begin the eagerly anticipated Night Raven College interdorm Spelldrive tournament. The famed academy has brought us so many passionate matches in years past. What exciting drama will unfold this year?”

Yuya was waiting to take the field with his team, and a nearby monitor allowed them to watch the TV broadcast. Cameras skimmed over the spectator seats, showing the cheering fans. Dorm students in their uniforms were sitting together by dorm, chatting excitedly about the tournament.

“In a new twist,” the announcer continued, “we’ll be treated to an exhibition match this year. What a wonderful surprise event, hmm? I’m extremely excited for this one myself.”

As the crowd cheered, Yuya and his team stepped onto the field through the coliseum’s west gates. Skipping ahead merrily in the lead was Grim. He showed no signs of nervousness as he waved to the crowd. He was followed by Deuce, Ace, the ghosts, and finally Yuya.

A shock wave rippled through the crowd. The school’s students couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

“It’s the Ramshackle Dorm kids! And they’ve got ghosts,” said one.

“Aren’t those guys Heartslabyul first-years? What kind of team is this?” mused another.

“Can they actually play a real game? I mean, the monster and the ghosts are one thing, but I heard that first-year can’t even use magic.”

Yuya shrank under the eyes of the crowd. He said to a skinny ghost next to him, “I know we’ve got the right number of players. But still, maybe we can’t pull this off.”

“We’re fine! All good!” the ghost said, slipping around to peer into Yuya’s face. “You and li’l Grim are our best students. I know you’ll make us proud!”

“We ain’t no slouches, neither,” another ghost chimed in. “Yee hee hee! Been ages since we played for real. I’m itchin’ to do this!”

Whooshing through the air, the three ghosts were like hazy clouds beneath the brilliant blue sky. The navy cloaks they wore flapped like spirit flags.

Moments later, Savanaclaw entered the stadium through the east gate. The venue erupted in cheers again as they spotted Leona in the lead. The crowd couldn’t help but notice that every member of the Savanaclaw team had bandages covering at least one part of their body. They had to be curious about why the team was so battered before the tournament even started.

Then Leona turned to face the crowd, and the students immediately fell silent. Yuya couldn’t see very well, but it seemed like Leona had given them a particularly terrifying glare.

The two teams strode into the middle of the large field and formed two rows, magical pens tucked into sleeves and pants pockets.

Since Leona’s magestone was useless, ruined by blot, the headmage had arranged for him to have a magical pen. The pen’s stone was unblemished, like a perfectly ripe yellow fruit. Leona glanced at it before putting it in his pocket.

Professor Vargas was the referee, and he stood in the center of the field between the Ramshackle and Savanaclaw teams. “Y’all ready?” he said. He held a disc in his hand. “Looking forward to seeing a good game from both teams.”

He paused for a heartbeat and then blew his golden whistle shrilly. Using magic, Vargas sent the disc up into the air. It was a thin black circle engraved with a large crow spreading its wings along with the Night Raven College school crest. Outlined in gold, the crest flickered and danced.

Grim was the first to capture the disc. He jumped several times higher than he was tall, did a somersault in the air, and pulled the disc to him with magic. Keeping the circle afloat over his back, he took off on all fours, crowing, “Heh heh! Grim the Great’s got the goods! Now it’s just a quick dash to the goal!”

“Ah! You dodo! It’s not as easy as that!” Deuce shouted and hurried to chase after Grim.

Just as Deuce feared, Ruggie swooped down on his broom toward the monster’s wide-open back and cast a spell. The disc bounced back and dropped to the ground and Ruggie captured it, shifting possession to Savanaclaw.

“Shyeheehee! Silly cat,” Ruggie cackled. “You gotta be way more sneaky and shrewd in Spelldrive.” He flew higher as he made the disc spin around and around in the air with his magic.

Grim leaped up in frustration, but there was no way he could reach Ruggie. “Nyaaahn!” he cried. “Ghosts! Go get that guy!” The ghosts were filling the flying positions on the Ramshackle Dorm team.

“Sheesh, you’re sure mean to us ghosts!” The flying phantoms laughed as they sailed through the air. They weren’t particularly fast, but their trajectories were erratic enough that Ruggie was having a hard time avoiding their attacks. The players using flight could not advance on the enemy goal while in possession of the disc. This was to prevent the game from being taken over by the air maneuvers.

Whirling his head around, looking for a teammate to pass to, Ruggie abruptly pressed on his right shoulder and groaned. His injuries were clearly causing him pain, and he wobbled on the broom.

“Sorry! You gotta take it from here!” Ruggie barely managed to pass the disc just as a ghost was about to make off with it.

The receiver was a second-year Savanaclaw student. Yuya was nearby, and he threw his arms out and stood in front of the player like he was going to wrap his arms around him. Yuya couldn’t tackle him, but the other player couldn’t push Yuya away, either. Deliberate physical contact was against the rules. Since Yuya couldn’t use magic, his only option was to keep his opponent from getting in position to receive the disc.

“Dang it!” the other player said, unable to get around Yuya.

Yuya squeezed his eyes shut and shouted, “Ace! Hurry!”

Ace raced over to deftly snatch the disc away, almost like he was performing a magic trick. “Good hustle!” he called. “We can do this!”

Ramshackle was back on offense again. Like Ruggie, the other flying Savanaclaw players weren’t doing well on their brooms, and the team appeared mentally sluggish.

Ace passed the disc to Deuce as he ran up the field. Deuce was not as skillful as Ace, but he had stamina and was fast on his feet. He pulled away from Yuya and the others and charged toward the goal.

“This is payback for that game!” Deuce cried, his voice ringing out under the clear sky. He was steadying his aim to throw the disc when he caught sight of Ruggie’s fangs glinting in the sun.

A sudden dread seized Yuya. Leona had barely moved since the start of the game. He was standing in the middle of the field almost as if he knew the disc would come back to him at some point.

Yuya looked back with a gasp. Leona jerked his chin at Ruggie and opened his mouth. He wasn’t making any sound, but Yuya could read his lips: Do it!

Instantly, Ruggie skillfully manipulated his broom to plunge toward the ground, all his earlier shakiness gone. It was clear that he’d only been putting on a show of weakness. He snatched the disc away from Deuce, who was completely caught off guard by this attack.

“Not on my watch!” Deuce cried, and shot toward Ruggie like a bullet.

“Grim!” Yuya cried out at the same time that Ruggie shouted, “Leona!”

Ruggie threw the disc behind him. Grim tried to steal it with magic, but the disc froze in midair.

“Hnngaaah!” Grim grunted. Planting all four paws on the ground, Grim braced with everything he had to make the disc his. But it crept away steadily, almost reluctantly. An even more powerful spell was pulling harder than Grim.

Standing far away, Leona closed his hand into a fist, and the disc flew away like a bird. It cut past the flabbergasted Ace and Deuce, and then Yuya, and in the blink of an eye, it was hovering by Leona’s side.

“Wow!” a ghost cried, patting its body where the disc had passed through it. “Getting the disc from that distance… That fella’s good at magic. And he took up just the right position, too. I had the same thought last year, but that kid’s a heckuva player.”

“Don’t just float there singing his praises!” Grim yowled. “Go get the disc!”

“Oof! Back it up, guys!” Ace shouted and waved his arms, and the whole team headed back to their side of the field.

“Jack!” Leona called out sharply as the ghosts came toward him.

Jack arrived to stand between the ghosts and Leona, blocking the way. He slid his body into the space with the swiftness of a wild animal. “Ain’t happenin’,” he said, grinning, and raised an arm, causing a powerful wind to gust up. The invisible defensive wall expanded outward, and the ghosts wailed as they were knocked flying.

Ace, Deuce, and Grim were also each blocked by a towering, muscular player who countered their every move. Meanwhile, Ruggie was flying in such a tight circle around Yuya, he nearly scraped against him. Unable to use magic, Yuya could do nothing. Savanaclaw’s teamwork was so perfect that Yuya almost sighed in admiration.

“Leona! Take it away!” Jack called, and Leona raised his right arm as if to fix his sights on his target.

“What?!” Yuya’s team cried as one in surprise. Gasps and screams came from the stands as well. Was Leona going to shoot for the goal from that distance?

The farther a disc flew from a player, the weaker the player’s magic became. Not only that, but the goal itself had a barrier to repel weaker magic.

Yuya recalled the ghosts telling Grim during practice: “Distance is the key, see? How close can you get to the disc? How close can you get to the goal? That’s the trick to Spelldrive.”

Leona was now about a quarter of the field away from the goal. This was such a long shot that it would have been laughably reckless for the average player.

To his surprise, Yuya noticed that Leona looked unexpectedly cool or perhaps exhausted. The burning passion that had simmered within Leona the whole game was a shadow of itself. Cater had called Leona a genius commander, and for a second, Yuya forgot he was in the middle of a game and simply watched.

Leona grimaced, one cheek tightening as he clenched his teeth. His brow creased at the extraordinary toll the magic was taking. Then he let out a loud, powerful howl, as if throwing off this burden.

The disc shot forward toward the goal in a straight line—no ups or downs, arcs or parabolas. Supported by magic, it flew as straight as an arrow through the three-ring center of the goal.

A hush fell over the coliseum. The scoreboard hanging in the air flashed with golden light, and the score for Savanaclaw changed from 0 to 3. This was the maximum points possible for passing the disc through the goal’s center.

Earthquake. Downpour. Thunderstorm. More powerful than any of these was the cheering that greeted this goal. The crowd was so loud it threatened to split apart and destroy the coliseum.

“Holy smokes,” Yuya murmured. Even he could tell he had just watched an incredible play.

“I know he’s the bad guy, but bravo!” a ghost said, and all three applauded with transparent hands. Ace and Deuce looked like the only thing they could do was smile.

Grim alone stamped at the ground in frustration, whining, “But I was gonna bring out the big guns and toy with them! And then Leona goes and hogs the spotlight! No fair!”

Leona leaned over, hands on his knees, and Ruggie and Jack raced over to him.

“You did it, Leona!” Ruggie said and slapped him on the back triumphantly.

“Dang,” muttered Jack. “You really are amazing! You definitely showed ’em!”

The rest of Savanaclaw jostled around Leona excitedly. When Leona lifted his head, his face was pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead and dropped to the ground. Staggering, he looked up at the scoreboard proudly. “It’s an exhibition match. Figured I had to pull out a showstopper.” He laughed, carefree. “They talk a big game, but they ain’t even worth talkin’ about.”

“We are definitely getting them back,” Deuce said and slapped a fist into his palm.

Vargas blew his whistle to restart the game. Leona’s movements were slower, no doubt because he’d spent all his energy on that shot. The other six Savanaclaw players moved like his arms and legs to cover for him.

For a while, the Ramshackle team was in a standoff with Savanaclaw. They couldn’t dethrone the lion ruling over the field. Leona still seemed in absolute control, his teammates following every order he gave. Even though they had just witnessed him overblotting, they had apparently not lost faith in Leona. This alone told Yuya just how capable and respected the housewarden normally was.

Then, all of a sudden, things shifted. Ace knocked the feet out from under a Savanaclaw player to steal the disc, and with an assist from Deuce, Grim scored a point. Cries of surprise rose up from the bleachers.

“The monster got a point off Savanaclaw!” someone shouted.

“Yes! Awright!” the monster cheered, dancing gleefully. “Grim is the best!”

“You did it, Grim!” Yuya said, and gave Grim a high five. Ace and Deuce pointed at the camera, and Grim turned toward it, waving proudly.

Ruggie screwed up his face in annoyance. “Leona, what’s our next play?” he asked.

The rest of their team also looked at Leona expectantly, calling him “Boss” and eager for instructions.

Yuya thought he saw Leona narrow his eyes as he looked out over the huddle of players. But the moment passed quickly, and Yuya couldn’t tell if Leona was troubled about something or if he was making up his mind about something.

The game started back up. Savanaclaw scored another point, and the ghosts called for a time-out to regroup.

Exhausted from running, Yuya slumped to the ground at the edge of the field. He looked up at the sky, wheezing deeply as sweat trickled into his eyes. He was worn to the bone.

Passionate cheers rained down on the team. He heard multiple voices shout, “Go, Yu!” He lifted his face to find Riddle, Cater, and Trey calling out to him from the stands.

Sitting in the front row, Riddle cupped a hand to his mouth and shouted, “What are you doing just sitting there?! Defeat Leona and make him cry uncle!” Riddle waved a wild fist in the air. It was a rare sight from the normally genteel housewarden. Cater laughed and secretly took a photo from behind.

“Don’t go too hard!” Trey shouted. “We’ll strike the final blow! You just make sure no one gets hurt!”

“What are you saying, Trey?!” Riddle shouted. “We must have Ace and Deuce show Heartslabyul’s determination!” Riddle’s face was red. Yuya was surprised to see him so completely enthralled by the game.

“Dang, simmer down already,” Ace said with a laugh. “I mean, it’s not like you’re a little kid seeing Spelldrive for the first time—” Ace abruptly clamped his mouth shut.

Yuya exchanged a look with Deuce. Maybe this really was the first time Riddle had ever cheered at a game like this?

Riddle had already been housewarden by this time last year. He would have been in the tournament leading his dorm students. Maybe he’d watched Spelldrive on TV when he was younger, but since coming to Night Raven College, this might have been Riddle’s first live game where he wasn’t playing and could simply sit and cheer.

“All right!” Deuce and Ace yelled together, as they looked up at their friends.

“We can’t sit back and take a break when Housewarden Rosehearts is cheering so hard!” Deuce said.

“You said it! Guess we gotta do this. Let’s show him a few surprises!” Ace shouted.

They felt a strong desire to live up to their housewarden’s expectations. Not everyone in Heartslabyul had come to accept and trust him yet, but they would as they came to understand Riddle’s true nature. When that day arrived, they’d smile at him the way Ace and Deuce were doing now.

The whole Ramshackle team put their heads together to sketch out their next play. They discussed strategy and racked their brains for how they could strike back against an opponent as strong as Savanaclaw.

Yuya thought, Ah, it’s almost too much fun. He was surprised to realize he was enjoying himself, even though the discussion was heated and voices were raised. This time, Yuya was strangely not upset by it. He knew that everyone on both teams cherished playing and were giving everything they had to the competition.

Yuya suddenly realized there was a difference between competing out of a pure desire to win and fighting to make someone lose. This was the difference between brawling to hurt someone and delighting in the challenge, found in sport, to be your best self, and wanting others to be their best selves at the same time. In that kind of contest, everyone could hold their heads high.

Professor Vargas blew the whistle to end the time-out, and the game started back up. This time, Yuya’s mark was Jack. Ace had suggested this, figuring that being up against someone who couldn’t use magic might cause Jack to hesitate.

Jack seemed to see right through this strategy. He growled at Yuya, “You thought wrong. I don’t hold back against no one, not even you.”

“I said you’d probably say that,” Yuya admitted. Then he positioned himself, ready to give his all.

Jack laughed out loud at Yuya’s determination. “Nice,” he said, and gave him a thumbs-up. “I’ll go just as hard as you, then!”

Above their heads, the ghosts cheered. Apparently Team Ramshackle had stolen the disc again. Yuya heard Grim’s voice shout, “I’m gonna land this one! Great Grim Hurricane!”

“Yu!” Jack’s eyes flew open. “Behind you!”

Yuya felt a sudden shock against his head, and the world went dark.

14

YUYA HEARD VOICES and slowly came to his senses. As he raised his heavy eyelids, all he could make out was bright white light.

He heard Ace say, “Listen, man. You were never going to score with that wild shot. I mean, you seriously gave me a heart attack there.”

“Leona did it,” Grim mumbled, “so I figured I could make it, too…”

“You ain’t even got the strength of my baby finger, herbivore,” said a low voice.

Yuya opened his eyes further. He was lying in a bed. Ace and Grim were sitting on one side, and Deuce and Jack were on the opposite side. He thought that last voice was Leona’s, but he couldn’t see the Savanaclaw housewarden.

Deuce smiled at Yuya and said, “Oh, Yu! You’re awake?”

“I… What happened?” Yuya stammered as he sat up. The back of his head throbbed in protest. He nervously put a hand to the spot, which was swollen and tender and covered with a soft bandage. Nearby were shelves full of medications, and on a desk were pieces of gauze and a small roll of surgical tape. The clean scent of antiseptic was his last clue that he was in the infirmary. Outside the large windows, the sky was a deep blue as dusk shaded into night. He cried out in surprise. “Huh?”

“Don’t you remember?” Deuce asked. “Grim threw the disc right into your head and knocked you out cold. The nurse said it’s nothing serious, though.”

“You missed the whole thing,” Ace told him. “Even the closing ceremonies. They’re taking everything apart right now.”

“I don’t remember anything,” Yuya moaned and shook his head, which throbbed with pain.

Grim averted his eyes guiltily, swinging his legs back and forth.

“So which dorm won?” Yuya asked.

“Diasomnia,” a voice said from the other side of a hanging white sheet. It was Leona.

Deuce pulled aside the partition to reveal Leona sitting in bed, scowling. He had large bandages on his forehead and cheek, and a smaller one over the top of his proud nose.

Jack stood up and pulled back the curtain around the other bed to reveal Ruggie. Just like Leona, Ruggie was covered with bruises and bandages. He was propped up on his elbows, his chin in his hands. “Aaah,” he groaned. “Please do not ask for the details, okay? We took a beating from every other dorm on the way to the finals. The tournament this year was miserable.”

“Oh, so that’s what happened,” Yuya said. What else could he say? Ruggie and Leona wanted so badly to win. Yuya didn’t dare ask them where they placed. He could tell from the looks on their faces that anything less than first was a disappointment.

“Actually seeing Diasomnia in action, man, that dorm does not mess around,” said Ace. He crossed his arms and shivered. “If you’d seen ’em, Yu, you would’ve totally freaked and passed out. Like, they were seriously next level.”

“You mean Draconia, right?” Deuce said, a troubled look on his face. “I can’t even imagine going up against that guy. He deflected Housewarden Rosehearts’s magic like it was nothing. Rosehearts got so mad he turned red.”

Malleus Draconia had apparently made his own long-distance goal, one that far surpassed Leona’s effort. And not just once or twice. Malleus’s magic was so vast that no one had been able to get near him, much less touch him, as he took shot after shot. His magic was an order of magnitude beyond everyone else’s. Even the TV commentators were speechless.

“Heh,” Grim said. “If I’d been on the field, I coulda beat him…prob’ly.”

“Not a chance,” Ace replied. “He was a force of nature. Now I get why everyone thinks he’s invincible.”

Team Savanaclaw met Team Diasomnia in the final, but their tightly coordinated teamwork couldn’t dethrone Malleus. Yuya couldn’t imagine how incredibly intense that game must have been, which meant everyone would have completely forgotten Leona’s amazing play from the exhibition match. That seemed unfair.

Jack snorted. “All of y’all are sniveling cowards. It’s a matter of puttin’ in the work to overcome a power gap like that. And if your enemy’s puttin’ in the work, too, then you gotta go even harder than they do. You let ’em beat you before you even face ’em, you’ll never have a shot at the crown.”

“Excuse me?” Ace shot back, insulted by the word cowards. “You can take your ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’ garbage and stuff it. If all it took was work to beat that monster, then we wouldn’t be here crying ourselves to sleep.”

“Then go cry in your corner. I’m not crying,” Jack said. He clenched a fist. “Next year, I’m taking Diasomnia down. And not with any cheats. I’ll win by giving it everything I got.”

Yuya thought this was very Jack. He didn’t balk at working to improve himself. He looked past whatever hardships he faced and the doubts of others. Holding his head high as he shared his dreams was a unique strength only Jack possessed.

“And I’m tellin’ you,” Ace said, “you can’t just talk your way into it!” Ace sounded harsh, but Yuya could hear a smile in his voice.

“The spikehead there’s right.” Leona chuckled. “Those rose-colored glasses of yours are too much, Jack. Doing ‘everything’ also includes cheatin’, y’know.”

“What?!” Jack stared in disbelief. “You still haven’t learned your lesson?”

“Didn’t realize we were in an after-school special here,” Leona responded coolly. “I gave the tournament everything I’ve got. And I’ll give that same everything to make sure Savanaclaw wins next year. Whatever it takes.”

“Shyeheehee!” Ruggie laughed. “There’s the Leona I remember. That’s what we gotta do!”

Yuya realized that even though Leona had gotten so out of control to actually overblot, he apparently wasn’t going to spare a single moment to reflect on the actions that led to it. His co-conspirator, Ruggie, wasn’t either. Not only didn’t he rebuke Leona, but he delighted in his bragging.

Jack slumped as he stared at these upperclassmen. “My head hurts,” he said, knowing they would never see eye to eye.

“But like, Leona and Malleus will both be fourth-years and will be off campus,” Ace said with a grin. “They won’t be in the tournament next year. Lucky us! Glad we don’t have another year with monster players like them.”

Yuya was about to agree when a loud cry echoed through the infirmary, and everyone jumped.

“Unca! I finally found you!”

A reddish-brown hairy ball with small ears bounced into the infirmary and stopped in the doorway. The young boy pointed a finger at Leona, who scowled dramatically.

“Ah, crud,” Leona groaned. “The screech box found me.”

The boy raced over to Leona’s bed and leaped into his arms.

“Ow!” Leona yelped.

“I saw you play, Unca!” the boy cried, beaming sunnily. “You were so cool! Teach me to play Spelldrive next time you come home!”

“Fine, fine.” Leona tried to lean away. “Just stop screamin’ into my ear.”

Yuya and the others were surprised by the sudden visitor, who clearly must have come from Sunset Savanna for the tournament. The child was fearless, apparently, since he didn’t mind throwing himself at Leona despite his terrifying expression.

Leona peeled the elated child off him and tossed him roughly to the floor. The boy squealed as if this were a game.

“Where’re all your attendants?” Leona demanded.

“I couldn’t wait to see you, Unca, so I left them all behind!”

“You little fool. They gotta be tearin’ their hair out lookin’ for you… Aah, I do not need this.” Leona cradled his head in his hands.

“ ‘Unca’?” Ruggie asked, cocking his head. “Who is this noisy brat?”

Leona was silent as a sour look curdled his face. He let out a long sigh. “This furball’s my brother’s son, Cheka. You know…my nephew.”

“Nephew?!” everyone cried as one.

Jack had been tousling Cheka’s hair, but now he yanked his hand back like the little lion was on fire.

Ruggie leaned over the edge of his bed and pointed at Cheka with a trembling hand. “You mean, this brat—er, this young man is the future king of Sunset Savanna?!”

Yuya knew that Leona’s older brother was the first prince of Sunset Savanna. He was someone Leona resented so powerfully that it had triggered his overblot. The first prince would be the next king, but that also meant this adorable little boy was…

Jack stared at Cheka incredulously. “This kid is ahead of Leona in the line for the throne?”

One day, this ball of fur would be king. Cheka looked at Jack with round eyes before trying to wrap his arms around Leona again. “Up up!” Cheka cried.

With his long arms, Leona pushed the small head away.

Cheka didn’t look the least bit dejected. He seemed not to realize that Leona didn’t like him. He simply chattered at his uncle, as if he was ready to explode.

“When are you coming home to see us, Unca? Tomorrow? Next week? The week after that? Oh! Did you read all the letters I sent you?”

“Look, I told you, I’ll be back for the holidays.”

“Okay! I been practicing Spelldrive ’cause I want to play with you, Unca. We’re gonna play so much. I can’t wait!”

“Who is gonna play…” Leona took a deep breath and bit back his anger. “Listen. Just go back to your attendants already. They’ll play with you way more and be a heck of a lot nicer.”

“No! Playing with you’s the funnest, Unca Leona!”

At Yuya’s bedside, Grim grinned and said, “Leona, this kid really loves you to pieces.”

“Shut up, all of you! And stop gawkin’ at us!” Leona kept shooing Cheka away, but Cheka kept racing happily around the bed. He couldn’t have been more than four or five years old. It was an innocent age when nothing in the world seemed scary—not even a grumpy uncle.

Leona bellowed, pleaded, and lamented, but Cheka coiled insistently around him. Eventually, Leona hung his head and wilted into silence, having lost this battle of wills.

“Well, that is rough,” Ruggie said, amused that the Leona could be defeated by a boy. “When the source of your anguish hangs off you so sweetly, I get why you would never want to go home to visit your family, Leona. Aah, this is some sweet intel right here.”

A wicked smile rose on Ruggie’s face, as though he couldn’t wait to share this new information with others. Meanwhile, the rest of the people in the room couldn’t help but smile themselves, watching the stony-faced Leona interacting with the beaming Cheka. They were such polar opposites, and the fact that they resembled each other a bit made it that much funnier.

Cheka looked around curiously. “Why are you laughing? Are you all Unca Leona’s friends?”

“It’s too much!” Ace exploded. Watching this child adoringly call the fearsome Leona, the boss of Savanaclaw, “Unca,” seemed to undo everyone’s fear of him. “Yeah, we sure are! We’re your Unca’s besties. Ain’t that right, Unca Leona?”

“I said, quit it!” Leona snarled fearsomely.

Only Yuya obeyed. No one else could contain the chain reaction of explosive laughter. Ace, Ruggie, Grim, and Deuce howled and clutched their sides, as Jack bit his lip to hold back his laughter.

“Laugh it up. I’m gonna remember this!” Leona roared.

Leona’s angry outburst was so ridiculous—as well as ineffective, since he couldn’t terrorize any of them into stopping—that it made Yuya smile.

“And now you?” Leona said, glaring at Yuya. “You got some nerve.”

Yuya hurriedly wiped the smile from his face. “I wasn’t laughing like that,” he protested weakly, afraid that Leona might yank him up by the front of his shirt.

“Unca Leona… Ha ha ha!” Ruggie exclaimed, laughing so hard he was in pain. “Argh, it hurts so much when I laugh.”

Leona shouted, “I’m gonna make it so none of y’all can ever open your mouths again!”

“Hey, come on,” Jack said, pushing Leona down as the housewarden tried to get up. “You two gotta lie back and rest.”

Eventually, Cheka’s guardians arrived and took him away, and the other visitors left, too. Calm was restored in the infirmary, and Yuya sank back into his bed to relax.

Later, Professor Vargas arrived at the infirmary to take Yuya and Grim back to Ramshackle Dorm on his broom. The school nurse wanted Leona and Ruggie to remain in the infirmary overnight for observation.

After arriving at Ramshackle Dorm, Vargas said, “You both played a great game. You make sure to take it easy and rest those muscles tonight.”

Yuya and Grim were thrilled to be back at Ramshackle Dorm.

“Hey guys, we’re back,” Yuya said.

“The genius Spelldrive player Grim has returned!” Grim announced.

“Oh, welcome home, guys,” one of the ghosts said as all three came to greet them in the brightly lit entryway. They flew around and passed through them any number of times, in part to check on their injuries, as they chattered.

“We was worried, Yu. Thought you were maybe gonna be joinin’ us.”

“A chickadee like you’s still got a lotta life to live before you get to be a ghost, okay?”

Yuya nodded. “Yeah. Sorry to make you worry.”

Yuya expressed his deep appreciation to the ghosts—without them, they wouldn’t have been able to play in the tournament.

“Happy to do it,” the largest ghost said. “We had a blast ourselves. Never dreamed we’d get to be in the Spelldrive tournament again! Thanks!”

Yee hee hee! The high-pitched laughter of the ghosts shook the walls of Ramshackle Dorm. Even after Yuya left to take a shower, he could hear the ghosts chatting with Grim. They really had enjoyed the tournament.

Dragging his heavy body into their bedroom, Yuya spotted a paper bag on the bedside table. It was full of food. The ghosts had gotten them supper from the cafeteria.

Yuya suddenly realized he was starving. He opened one container to find thick slices of roasted ham. There were sandwiches wrapped in foil and a sweet-smelling apple, but he could barely move his fingers to pick it up.

He was almost too tired to eat. He ate one of the cucumber-and-tuna sandwiches wrapped in foil and washed it down with some orange juice. Grim eagerly polished off the other sandwich—tuna was his favorite.

Yuya fell backward into bed. He’d eat the rest of the food tomorrow.

Grim flopped over face down, just as tired as Yuya.

“Did you have fun today?” Yuya asked, looking at the ceiling.

“All the fun!” Grim immediately began recounting the whole day in detail: the moment when he scored a point; when he’d dodged an opponent charging him and how frustrated the opponent had looked; how the spectators had cheered for every play. Grim became eager and excited, the rush of happy memories wiping away his exhaustion and the terror of Leona’s overblot incident.

Grim declared, “Next time, I’m gonna be in the real tournament! Not just some exhibition match!”

“You still haven’t given up on that, huh?” Yuya sighed.

“As if I’d give up on my dreams!” the monster sniffed indignantly. “Didn’t even get to see the end of the tournament, on account of you getting carried off to the infirmary. Next year, we won’t watch the Spelldrive tournament, though, we’ll play.”

“I guess so.” Yuya smiled and then realized something. “Grim. Did you not watch the tournament? Were you waiting in the infirmary for me to wake up?”

“Well, you know.” The monster shrugged. “I didn’t wanna watch all them other guys playing on my field.”

“You could’ve gone and cheered for Heartslabyul,” Yuya protested. “Weren’t you bored?”

“What’re you talking about?! That infirmary was action-packed even before you woke up, Yu! It was a lot!” Grim shouted.

Yuya asked what had happened, and the monster shuddered next to him.

“Leona was kicking and thrashing, real violent, when they brought him to the infirmary. Kept insisting he was fine.”

“Ohhh. Yeah, that would actually be really scary. I’m maybe glad I was unconscious.”

Grim let out a long sigh.

“I mean, he’s all wrapped up in bandages, but he was getting so mad. All, don’t treat me like I’m hurt! But I mean, no matter which way you cut it, he was hurt, y’know? He kept not listening to anyone, so in the end, Vargas and them got real mad and forced him to lie down.”

“Leona was that angry?”

“Yup. He kept roaring, I’m gonna destroy Malleus. He seriously never learns, huh?”

“I guess not,” Yuya said. But he suddenly understood the hazy anxiety he’d been feeling ever since the overblot incident. He’d been afraid of Leona’s quiet.

When Leona was facing Riddle, Cater, and the others, when he realized he was defeated and his plan to get rid of Malleus had been foiled, he had become deadly calm and quiet. Yuya now realized it was resignation, as if he’d given up on anything and everything in life. With his impassive gaze, he looked lonely, and he sounded utterly indifferent.

Yuya hated fighting, but Leona’s silence had felt much more frightening than his rage. So he was relieved to hear that Leona had been scowling and roaring in the infirmary. He didn’t actually mind when Leona growled at Cheka. It showed that Leona cared again, about himself and others. Yuya thought it was strange that he preferred an angry Leona to one who stood listlessly like a painting.

Comforted by this realization, Yuya forgot about the lump on his head, and he groaned as he pressed it accidentally.

“Hey,” Grim said with a frown. “That bump of yours…”

“Yeah.” Yuya rubbed his head. “It’s okay. It still hurts, but the nurse said it’d heal fast enough.”

Grim groaned and pinched his mouth shut. “It was maybe a little my fault,” he said quietly.

“What?” Yuya sat up and looked at Grim.

He was honestly stunned. He assumed that this little dictator was entirely self-absorbed. But Grim did care about him. He had been so worried about Yuya that he had stayed in the infirmary while everyone else played in the tournament. And he’d just taken responsibility for hurting Yuya, even if it wasn’t quite an apology.

This made Yuya very, very happy, and he smiled at Grim as the monster fidgeted restlessly.

“It’s okay,” Yuya said. “You didn’t do it on purpose, right?”

“Zactly! It wasn’t on purpose.” Grim smiled boldly. “Heh. That’s why it wasn’t really my fault. It was your fault for being so slow. Make sure you get outta the way next year.”

Yuya laughed to see Grim return to his usual self. “If there is a next year,” Yuya said, “I think you should put that shot in the discard pile.”

They chatted quietly a little longer until Grim began to snore. It was definitely not quiet, but the fixed rhythm lulled Yuya toward sleep, too. He summoned the last of his strength to get up and turn out the lights, then he stumbled back to bed, his eyelids quickly growing heavy.

As they slid shut, images of Ace and Deuce playing Spelldrive popped into his mind. He smiled. They were probably in the cafeteria right now stuffing supper into their mouths. Their stomachs had been growling while they were in the infirmary and talking about what kind of feast the school would provide for them on this special day. Jack was probably with them, too, and still insisting that he had no intention of being friends.

It was really too bad that Yuya couldn’t take part in the buddy banquet because of his injury. Yuya’s mind buzzed with all the questions he wanted to ask his friends about the tournament. How had Riddle led Heartslabyul? Was Trey able to play in the tournament after all? Because of his leg injury, Trey must have taken a broom position—did that go okay? The considerate Cater had probably been there, backing him up. Now that Yuya had played Spelldrive, he was dying to hear everyone else’s tournament experiences.

And what about Savanaclaw’s tournament games? Even if none of the spectators remembered Leona’s amazing goal in the exhibition match, Jack would no doubt be recounting it in eager detail. When it happened, he’d stood shoulder to shoulder with Leona on the field.

Tomorrow, Yuya was definitely going to have lunch with the three Heartslabyul boys so they could talk endlessly about everything that had happened. For once excited to be at Night Raven College, Yuya gradually sank toward a blissful sleep.

Then, just as he drifted off, Yuya sensed the mirror above the fireplace flash. Or maybe he was already dreaming. Unsure, he let himself relax into pleasant exhaustion.

15

LATER THAT NIGHT, the ghosts’ laughter echoed from elsewhere in the dorm, causing Grim to wake up. His rumbling stomach made sure he didn’t fall back asleep.

The sandwich before hadn’t been enough. He reached for the paper bag, and then he remembered that he had set aside an even better feast for himself downstairs.

Grim quietly slid out of bed but stopped when Yuya rolled over in his sleep. Grim froze in place until he heard Yuya’s deep breathing again. He’d very much been looking forward to this special meal, and he didn’t want to share it with anyone.

On careful paws, Grim went down the hallway, down the stairs, and outside Ramshackle Dorm. He sat down on the stairs leading to the gate and pulled out the black magestone from where he’d hidden it. He rolled the stone over in his paws and brought it up to his nose, taking a long, deep sniff.

“Haaah,” he sighed dreamily. “It smells amazin’!”

The stone was pitch black, almost crystalline, yet no light reflected off its glossy surface. It was mesmerizing to look at and smelled delicious. There was no way Grim could resist it.

He’d found the stone inside a crack in the ground after Leona had passed out from overblotting. When no one was looking, he’d scooped it up, hidden it carefully, and brought it home.

His heart had skipped a beat when the headmage had asked if anyone had seen a black stone. He’d feigned ignorance, and soon enough, Crowley forgot about it.

“Finders keepers, losers weepers,” Grim crowed. “Down the hatch it goes!” He stuffed the stone into his mouth and bit down hard. The black stone shattered. It was surprisingly brittle, like rock candy.

At first it tasted slightly bitter, then a sharp tang thrilled his tongue. The magestone he’d found after Riddle overblotted in the Heartslabyul garden had been sweet, but this was a more mature taste and equally delectable. It also tasted different from the black magestone he had found after their battle with the blot monster in the Enchanted Mine.

No other food had ever brought him this kind of bliss. Even his beloved canned tuna paled in comparison with this black rock.

As he finished swallowing the pulverized rock, his stomach grew comfortably warm. Though the rock was small, his stomach was full. He felt sated and satisfied.

“Mmmmm, dee-lish!”

Despite being satisfied, Grim immediately wanted more. If he could, all he’d ever eat from now on would be these yummy rocks.

As he started hunting around to see if any more might be lying around, a voice out of the darkness nearly made him jump out of his fur.

“Huh?” the voice said. “Hey, look, Jade. There’s this fat little round seal here. Weird that it’s on land.”

“Who’s there?!” Grim cried out. He couldn’t see anyone in the dark, but he could tell it wasn’t Yuya or any of the ghosts.

“Floyd, that is not a seal. That’s the monster from Ramshackle Dorm.”

Two students approached, faintly illuminated by the outside lights. Grim let out a cry of surprise. They were both wearing Octavinelle dorm uniforms, were equally tall, and had identical faces.

“Good evening,” one said. “Might I inquire as to what you’re doing here this late at night?”

“Wh-wh-wh-what are you doing here?!” Grim demanded.

The boy didn’t flinch at Grim’s hostile accusation. Still smiling, he put a hand to his chest. “We are on patrol,” he explained politely. “The head of the tournament planning committee asked us to ensure that no one from outside the school remained on campus after today’s Spelldrive tournament.”

Grim realized the two boys weren’t exactly identical. Their hairstyles were symmetrically opposite, and their eyes were different colors and also symmetrically opposite, with a golden eye on one side and a pale green one on the other.

The boy with the golden eye on the right grinned, revealing sharp teeth. He was smiling lazily, which inspired in Grim a fathomless terror.

“But like, what are you up to?” he asked. “I mean, you got a lotta guts walking by yourself in the middle of the night.”

“Yes. It’s dangerous,” the other said. “There are many perils lurking in the night.”

Snicker, snicker. Their laughter was extremely creepy.

Grim resisted the urge to full-body shudder and shouted, “I’m gonna head back inside my dorm now!”

An autumn breeze blew, rustling the leaves. Grim ran to Ramshackle Dorm and quickly shut the front door behind him, as the cackling laughter of the enigmatic boys hung in the air outside.

Aah, that was scary, he thought.

Grim decided to crawl right back into bed without waking Yuya. He wrapped the presence of Ramshackle Dorm around him like a cozy blanket and fell instantly to sleep.

16

JADE AND FLOYD Leech returned to Octavinelle Dorm and knocked on the housewarden’s door. Azul Ashengrotto acknowledged them and they entered to give their report. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, except for their encounter with the Ramshackle Dorm monster.

“I see.” Azul nodded, smiling softly. Everything was falling into place. He was so pleased he could hardly stand it.

Seeing Azul in such high spirits, Floyd cocked his head. “I don’t get it. Why did we have the parade with the players leading to the coliseum this year? All those people were clustered on the sidewalks like barnacles. I could hardly move. Super annoying.”

“It was a fascinating spectacle,” Azul replied congenially. “And we had a request from a certain personage. I knew the preparation of this potion would take some effort, but I decided to accept anyway. I was actually thinking we should get some new equipment for the cafe, so the payment for it was rather timely.”

Jade put a hand to his chin. The unusual stampede of spectators. The whirlwind out of nowhere. The injured Savanaclaw students. And, in particular, the battered Leona. Connecting the dots, Jade couldn’t stop his lips from curling into a smile.

“Azul,” Jade said. “Did you know what was going to happen today?”

“Whatever could you be referring to?” Azul raised an eyebrow.

“Oh goodness,” Jade said. “You are a bad one.”

Azul shrugged. He set down a slender pen and regarded the grinning twins. “Please don’t concern yourselves with trivialities. Was not this year’s Spelldrive tournament a great success in the end? Sales were up 12 percent over last year. Not a bad haul.”

“But, like, Octavinelle ended up near the bottom of the tournament rankings this year,” Floyd said, sighing. “All those guys were just useless, so annoying. You sure you’re okay with that?”

“Just so long as we weren’t at the very bottom,” Azul declared. “Let’s not forget that Spelldrive is nothing more than a game in which students run around chasing a disc like dogs in a yard. We in Octavinelle must save our energies for something more worthy of our full attention. And that would be upcoming exams.”

Jade and Floyd looked at each other. The day had finally come when they would enact the plan Azul had been looking forward to for so long. It was bound to be a great deal of fun, and their hearts sang in excited anticipation.

“We have an appointment with our client first thing tomorrow,” Jade told Azul.

The housewarden gave him a leisurely nod. Although Azul almost certainly knew what the client wanted, he nevertheless affected an air of curiosity.

“How exciting,” Azul said. “Who knows what they will ask of us?”