───────

     "FRIED POTATO, MUST you slouch like a sloth when walking normally? Strut with some confidence why don't you", Vil criticized.

"How am I supposed to strut with confidence if I don't have any to begin with?? It's not like I look like the fairest person ever, like you!", Juliet exasperated.

"What was that?"

     "I said, how am I supposed to—"

     "No, after that", Vil sternly requested.

     "U-Umm...the fairest person ever...which is you??"

     The House-warden of Pomefiore strolled closer towards the human girl, who froze in place, as she was extremely intimidated by the male's entracing beauty.

     "You think I'm the fairest?", he questioned.

     "Well yea—"

     "What about him then?", Vil asked, taking out his phone and swiping to MagiCam so quickly that Juliet thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.

     A pale boy with skin as white as snow and lips...almost as red as roses appeared on Vil's screen. Not only did he have short ebony hair like Snow White, but he even wore a sweater with squirrels and snowflakes patterned on it.

     "He looks..."

     Vil's lavender eyes bore into Juliet's soul, trying to make out the girl's expression to the best of his abilities against the intruding mask.

     "...bland".

     Vil's eyes widened, as he sensed no deception behind Juliet's sincere eyes, which shone like the sun that he very much enjoyed greeting when doing yoga in the morning.

     "Bland?", the light-blonde male repeated.

     "Yeah", the eighteen year-old girl confirmed.

     "I mean, he's cute. But you're more elegant and handsome. It's kind of like comparing a puppy to a wolf, if that makes sense".

     "Are you referring me to an apex predator?", Vil teased.

     "I—"

"No need to look so tense", Vil softly laughed, to which Juliet had looked away in embarrassment.

Oh she was so jealous; jealous that the sun's rays had penetrated through the glass window at the perfect moment to illuminate the flawless skin of Vil Schoenheit; jealous that the man before her always made it seem so simple to appear so refined; jealous that his hands looked as fragile as a glass apple, yet as stern as the fruit's core.

Juliet was enchanted by Vil's beauty, who had noticed the sudden silence from the usually rowdy girl.

"A diamond for your thought, Potato", Vil stated, having to have upgraded Juliet's nickname.

As least she was healthier, and not fried anymore.

"I want to look like you", she blurted out.

"Hm? Many people do", Vil confidently responded.

Juliet bit the corner of her lip, as she continued to shamelessly marvel in Vil's sophistication. She desperately wanted to learn to do her makeup as well as the male, for she was always more of a tomboy than the girly-girl that she wished to be.

Vil quietly sighed, as he brought his thumb up to Juliet's chin.

"I suppose you can come to my room early morning, after you retrieve the magestone", Vil caved in, "And stop bitting your lip. It's a terrible habit".

His thumb grazed the girl's bottom lip, as Juliet's teeth swiftly released the poor wrinkled skin.

"Now, we should get started with our lesson. We've wasted enough time already".

♛

     The day of the Fairy Gala event made Juliet thirst over the boys even more so than she usually did.

The theme was apparently white (maybe beige) and gold, which meant that the four boys were dressed in special clothing tailored to them for the party.

"It's so easy to see stains on pure white clothes. I wouldn't be able to eat in this outfit", Ruggie groaned.

     "Me too, brother! I feel your pain", Juliet sighed, even though she was not in the special clothing that was given to the rest by Crewel.

     "I love the color white. I always wind up picking out white fabric when I'm getting outfits tailored!", Kalim exclaimed.

     "Kalim's loaded. If I cozy up to him, maybe I can score some hand-me-downs. Shyeheehee!"

     Juliet raised a brow at the hyena-looking boy, as she nodded in agreement.

     "Understandable. Have a nice day".

     "This should be suitably eye-catching attire...", Jamil suddenly said, as he exited the changing room, causing the eighteen year-old girl to obnoxiously gasp.

     "JAMIL!!", she brightly smiled, "You look so handsome!!"

     "Ahaha...you think so? I'm so used to seeing Kalim's fancy attire, I've never tried it myself...", the boy replied, smoothing out the fabric as a way to ease his uncomfortableness.

     "You look so good! Aww, how I wish I could document this", Juliet pouted.

     "Even your hair ornaments changed", the girl mused, grazing her fingertips over the golden dream-catcher-like hair clip that had pale bluebells dangling from the side of it.

     "I feel a little better hearing you say this looks good on me. I changed in and out of countless other things before we settled in this", the Vice House-warden of Scarabia admitted.

     "You don't just look good; you look handsome as hell!"

     Jamil secretly enjoyed the attention, whilst Kalim had observed from a few feet away, wondering when the two had become so close.

     "This's making my ear itch. Do all these weeds in my hair have a point?", Leona scoffed, arriving in a beige-ish outfit with many gold linings similar to Kalim's.

     Juliet didn't want to admit it, but Leona looked hella good as well.

     "Say, where's yours and Grim's outfit, Romeo?", Kalim questioned.

     "Grim gets his own little white shawl!", Juliet squealed, picking the cat up, as she proudly showed her friend off.

     "MYAHAHA! Handsome, aren't I?!"

     "The most!", Juliet praised, squishing her cheek against Grim's.

"Anyways, would you all mind stepping out for a moment please? I wish to have a word with Romeo", Crewel requested.

Grim hesitantly flew out of Juliet's arms, as the rest leisurely complied.

"Yes, Professor Crewel?"

"Crowley has informed me of your peculiar situation", the dual-haired professor responded, as he untied the girl's crow mask, letting it fall into the palm of his left hand.

     Juliet froze on the spot, as she suddenly felt so bare, so...exposed.

     "Oh my, where'd all that confidence go, Puppy? Bonjour Professeur Crewel! Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?", the thirty-two year-old instructor teased.

A flushed Juliet awkwardly chuckled, as her eyes darted from the corner of the room to the most interesting window she's ever seen.

"U-Umm...t-that wasn't me!", the eighteen year-old lied, as Crewel just chuckled, pulling out a gold mask that was intricately designed just for Juliet.

"Crowley asked me to get this for you. He said you'd scare the fairies away with your usual crow mask", the science professor explained, tying the mask around Juliet's head, as he then proudly smiled at his student.

"There's also this shawl that matches", Crewel presented, unfolding the elongated fabric that was in a hidden box.

Draping it over Juliet, the girl spun in it before thanking her professor.

"Make us proud, Puppy".

     "Of course, Professor Crewel!!"

♛

     After having a special fairy dust — given by Sam (who owns a magic store on campus) — sprinkled all over them, the group had arrived at the Fairy Gala.

     "Look at my wings, Jamil!!", Juliet squealed, excitedly spinning around, as the Scarabia boy just acknowledged the girl's excitement with a smile.

     "This outfit's making my shoulders all stiff. All these accessories are weighing me down, too. Can I go back to normal clothes yet?", Leona sighed.

     "Bruh, we just got here. Relax~ Have some fun!!", Juliet persuaded, snatching Leona's hands, as she led the lion towards the dance floor.

     Enjoying her wings to the fullest, the human practically swung Leona around, as she laughed at how annoyed the latter looked.

     Jamil was soon swayed into the center, as Kalim had asked for him to join him in breakdancing.

     All the fairies gathered around to watch the group dance like the wind imps.

     "Wow!! I've never seen them before. They must not be from around here", one whispered.

     "How charming! Let's join them in honor of this joyous celebration!", their queen chimed in.

     As everyone was too distracted by the four, Grim was on the lookout, whilst Ruggie had stealthily snatched the crown off the Fairy Queen's head and replaced it with a fake one.

     Rushing off with the tiara, Ruggie had given Grim the signal, who had in turn informed Juliet of their success.

"Sweet! It's a win, Leona", Juliet whispered, bringing her face near the Second Prince of Sunset Savana, who slightly stiffened upon the sudden closeness.

Accidentally taking a waft, Juliet continued sniffing the twenty year-old male, who had squished the girl's cheeks with a hand of his.

"Oi, what're you doing, creep?"

"You smell like flowers", the girl stated.

"It's bad enough that my tail's all constricted under these clothes. Don't make me even more annoyed", Leona warned.

"Since I'm in a good mood, I'm just gonna pretend I didn't hear what you just said", Juliet smiled, grabbing Leona's hands, as she dragged the uninterested House-warden of Savanaclaw across the dance floor once again.

     "The wealthy families of the Scalding Sands are way richer than royalty in other lands. If you wanna butter someone up, Kalim's your best bet, not me", Leona informed in a bored tone.

     "No", Juliet confidently rejected.

     "Hah? What do you mean no?", the lion questioned, raising a brow, as he thought the human would've at least been appreciative for the information.

     "I choose to butter you up", the girl confirmed, closing her eyes, as she enjoyed the upbeat music.

     Twirling herself around, Juliet's head plopped from side to side as Leona just watched, while still having his hands connected to hers.

     For some reason, he liked the feeling of being chosen over Kalim, even if it was for a stupid reason. Perhaps it was his inferiority complex resurfacing.

     "Idiot", Leona muttered with a slight grin on his face.

     "Imma pretend I didn't hear that either", Juliet laughed, as her eyes suddenly snapped open upon feeling one of Leona's arms wrapped securely around her waist.

     "If you're gonna dance, best do it right", the Second Prince haughtily proclaimed.

     AUTHOR'S NOTE: THEIR OUTFITS,, OMG

     LITERALLY I wasn't a big fan of Leona at first, but after this chapter—🫣

     Also,, Ace a lil sus??🤨LMAO JK JK

     So far,, who do y'all ship Juliet with?? I'm trying to make it equal for everyone,, but it's kinda hard when there's so many of them🥲