Author's Note: Just like the event of the same name in the original game, this special chapter is not directly connected to the main story timeline, so moments that have not yet happened in "Mickey's Print" may be mentioned. You'll also be able to see the relationships and interactions Yuu and Yukiko have with other characters they haven't met or interacted with yet.

Without further ado, let's get started with the chapter!

😼❄️

That beautiful Saturday night was gifted with clear weather and a starry sky. And precisely in this scenario, an unusual moment was happening at the entrance of the main building of Night Raven College, in which five young students dressed in elegant and brand new suits of different colors were apparently proposing to someone.

"Please marry me!" Epel exclaimed with a tender determination that could melt the heart of anyone that heard him.

"Don't pay attention to other guys, marry me!" Ace said afterward with a big smile that conveyed sincerity and confidence.

"Would you... grant me the honor of becoming your husband?" Riddle's proposal was much calmer than the previous ones, but that didn't stop him from expressing the love his proposal manifested.

"My beautiful treasure, allow me to be your 'servant of love' now and forever," Rook said with a charming tone that matched that poetic statement.

And finally...

"Let's be together forever, let's get married!" Yuu exclaimed with courage and willingness to spend the rest of his life with the person he loved.

How had these well-suited young men come to express such a serious and important promise like this? It all went back to that morning, a calm and sunny one in which many students at the school were taking their time doing their homework, working out, having fun with their hobbies, or going out with their friends or, as it was the case with Yuu and Grim in Ramshackle dorm, cleaning up.

"No, I don't wanna. I don't want to wipe the floor..." Grim complained as Yuu handed him an old rag to clean up and rested his free hand on his hip.

"Come on, don't be like that," Yuu replied with a raised eyebrow. "We decided that whoever loses to rock-paper-scissors would take care of this aisle, so it's your turn."

"One more time, let's do it again! I ain't losing this time!"

"That's cheating, Grim. Now that we have the dorm in good condition, we have to work hard to keep it like that. Come on, the sooner you start, the sooner you'll finish."

Before the monster could even have a chance to think how to get his way, they were interrupted by a loud scream that alarmed them: "HEY, YOU TWO!!"

"Fgnaa?!"

They followed the direction of that deep voice and found a trio of ghosts dressed in elegant white uniforms similar to Royal Sword Academy's school uniform, but an old-looking and threadbare version, along with a hat whose style could be related to a royal guard. For some reason, the three of them seemed furious at the presence of Yuu and Grim there.

"What do you think you are doing, you dirty rats!?" One of them asked.

"Ah, if it's you three..." Grim muttered, mistaking them for Ramshackle's ghosts, until he got a better look at them and began to worry. "Wait a minute, you ain't! You look very different."

But the ghosts ignored his comment. "This place is the princess's guest house. Outsiders are not allowed!" The same as before exclaimed. He looked like the boss of that group.

"What...?" Yuu muttered, having no idea what they could be talking about.

"Princess? Guest House?" Grim repeated, confused, before folding his paws firmly. "Stop talking nonsense! This is MY dorm, yanno? The outsiders here are YOU!"

"That's ridiculous, this place belonged to our nation LONG before you youngsters were born!" The leader replied, just before a dozen more ghosts in the same costume materialized out of nowhere. "If you refuse to get out, we'll drive you away by force!"

Yuu didn't know what this hostility was about, they had never seen those ghosts before, and the headmaster had made it clear that the dorm belonged to the school. But seeing that they weren't willing to settle the situation with a calm conversation, it was time to do things with the school's style. On the one hand he was relieved that Yukiko had just left to do the groceries and was safe, but he couldn't help but wish she was there to help in the fight, using her magic or not. The trio of Ramshackle ghosts weren't there either, since they would be out all day trading the mandrake roots they got from the botanical garden.

"No way, you'll be the ones to leave! Fgnaaa...!"

Right after saying that, Grim spat out a blast of blue fire that hit one of the ghosts, who vanished with uncomfortable shrieks after a few seconds, only to be replaced by reinforcements that far outnumbered the duo.

"As if that would leave us out of the game," a guard snorted as he materialized a spear and aimed it at them.

Sadly for the two Ramshackle students, the battle did not last long. No matter how much Grim counterattacked with the help of the prefect's instructions, the ghosts wouldn't stop appearing one after another. In the end, both ended up being seized by the invaders and dragged to the exit, Grim grabbed by the neck and Yuu, by one arm.

"And you better stay out!" The ghost seemed to be in charge before shoving them carelessly outside.

"Fgnaa!" Grim yelled in fright as he fell to the ground before the doors slammed shut on them. "They took our dorm... What the hell's goin' on!?

"Not even Jade and Floyd were so harsh with the contract..." Yuu nervously muttered as he got up.

Regaining his composure, Grim got to his feet and dusted himself off irritably. "Hey, Yuu! Let's complain to the headmaster and have him throw them away!!" He exclaimed and began to run on all fours of him.

"Right now," Yuu nodded and followed him. "We must warn Yuki. She can't come here."

On the way to the main building, they met Yukiko coming out of the shop and told her about what had just happened in Ramshackle dorm. "What!?" She exclaimed before leaving the shopping bag on the floor and taking the white choker out of her pocket. "I'll make them regret this!"

"No! Don't go, it's dangerous," Yuu stopped her. "There's so many of them, you would only get hurt. We're fine now, and we're going to see the headmaster. "Ask Sam to keep the groceries for you, but stay safe, okay?"

After thinking about it, Yukiko reluctantly gave in and put the accessory back in her pocket. "Fine, I'm going to look for Leona too. He may have heard something about this," she informed. "Grim, be careful and take care of Yuu for me, okay?"

"Of course!"

They parted ways inside the school, and Yuu and Grim went to the headmaster's office, Yuu and Grim told him what happened, and he listened carefully.

"Your dorm was stolen by a horde of ghosts with white hats they kicked you out?" Crowley summarized, sitting in front of his desk.

"That's right!" Grim exclaimed.

"Yeah, it didn't look like they knew the dorm ghosts either. I don't know who they are," Yuu added.

"They suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started sayin' that Ramshackle dorm belonged to them!" Grim said indignantly. "And they also spouted some hoity-toity gobbledygook about a princess. It didn't make sense, yanno?"

"A princess? Ah, now I see!" Crowley replied, understanding the situation, and sighed. "That building was still unoccupied last year, so I completely forgot about this matter, but... It looks like that time of the year again."

He finished his confused musing with a smile, even though a fight had just been described to him, which caught their attention.

"What do you mean, 'again'? Do you know something about this, headmaster?" Yuu inquired.

"Yes, the ghosts that kicked you out are the Ghost Bride's retainers," Crowley explained calmly.

That curious name made Grim frown with a combination of disbelief and bewilderment. "Ghost Bride? What kind of title is that? I can't tell if it's something we should admire or be afraid of."

"The thing is that she's the princess of a kingdom that fell long ago," the headmaster began to explain. "She always dreamt of marrying her ideal prince." He sighed sadly. "Unfortunately, before she could fulfill that dream, she perished tragically... And now, as a ghost, she is still looking for her ideal prince... During this time of the year, she visits Twisted Wonderland with her servants to find the perfect groom."

"So there are stories of ghost brides here too," Yuu commented, feeling a bit sad for the one he just heard.

"And when she does, she and her retainers use Ramshackle as their base of operations," Crowley continued before smiling suddenly. "Out of all decrepit, abandoned buildings in this world, her royal highness picked ours! It's really quite the honor!"

"WHAT!?" Yuu exclaimed, unable to believe the headmaster would say something like that.

"We got kicked outta our own home and you're BRAGGIN' about it!? This ain't the time to feel proud!" Grim exclaimed in the same way. "You have to take these ghosts out!"

"It would be a trouble if we drove them away..." He muttered, but after feeling the coldness of Yuu's gaze, he cleared his throat nervously. "Ahem! What I mean is, even if I understand how you feel, it's better that we leave them alone. After all, this poor princess is looking for a groom who doesn't even exist."

Curious about that revelation, Yuu and Grim exchanged a look.

"A groom that doesn't even exist? What do you mean?" The monster asked.

"What that princess is looking for in that ideal prince is..." Crowley said, before taking a deep breath and preparing for a long description, "Someone above 180cm tall! He must be slim and not have any fat on his body! Smooth and beautiful skin! Lidded eyes! A big and charming smile! A bright, shimmering hair! And lips you wouldn't resist kissing!" He panted to catch his breath. "These are the terms and conditions she seeks for her... super handsome gentleman!!!"

The monster and the young boy had to cover their ears to protect themselves from that spirited scream, which for Yuu had been less shocking than the long list the headmaster had just enumerated. "That princess looks for all that in a boy?" He questioned. "That's the most unrealistic thing I've ever heard in my life..."

He fully understood having a type of person to date, but he himself knew from experience that you couldn't have such high standards to the point of making them hard to find. Especially if those were only physical traits.

"Exactly, there's no way such a boy could exist," the headmaster agreed, trying not to laugh. "Even if she searched the entire world for him, she would never find her ideal prince. Ha ha ha!"

In the end, he didn't know whether to feel sorry for that princess or irritated by that ridiculous demand.

"These ghosts take over Ramshackle dorm every year," Crowley continued. "Wait for a few days, they'll eventually give up and go back to their own world."

"What!? But..." Yuu tried to say something, but couldn't think of anything.

"It won't do any good to resist. I advise you to settle down with your friends for just two or three days," Crowley insisted. "Don't forget to tell this to Yuki, make sure there are no dangerous boys around... I mean, talk about it and make a decision together."

Before anyone could say anything else and Yuu tried to think how to spend those days, someone threw the office doors wide open, startling the three present.

"HEADMASTER!!!!!!" Ortho yelled with an expression filled with fear and dismay as he swiftly approached the desk.

"Oh, but if it isn't the young Ortho Shroud from Ignyhide," the man commented, surprised. "What's all this fuss about?"

"Something horrible happened!" The young android exclaimed , no less calm. "It's about my brother."

"Your brother? What has happened to young Idia Shroud?" The headmaster questioned.

"My brother... WAS KIDNAPPED BY GHOSTS!!!!!"

Yuu flinched, Grim raised his paws in fright, and Crowley scrambled to his feet.

"WHAT?!?" They shouted in unison at those terrible news.

"Kidnapped!?" Yuu exclaimed with concern. Even if he didn't know Idia very much, that didn't sound good.

"That's right," Ortho said before activating the video projector he had installed in the palm of his hand. "Watch this video! It's the security camera footage from last night."

"Wait a second! Stop hacking into the campus security system!" Crowley scolded him angrily.

"Hush now! I'm going to play the video," Ortho said, indifferent to the scolding, and extended the projector toward the wall.

The footage began with a buzz before showing the school's main street in the middle of the night. In it, Ignihyde's dormitory leader could be seen walking discreetly among the statues of the Great Seven. He was talking to himself and seemed anxious about something.

"I preordered the latest volume of my favorite manga online, but it didn't come on time! And it's the special edition with the autographed card! I can't believe it didn't arrive on the same day it was released! Idia spluttered in his characteristic, fast, hasty way of speaking. "What a disgrace for an otaku like me! I guess there's no other way, I'll have to buy it at the school store. I'd better hurry..."

"...found it..." A weak, gloomy female voice suddenly reverberated.

"Huh?" Idia asked, puzzled, and turned to look for the source of that voice, but there was no one anywhere. "Who's there?"

"Finally... I found him..." The female voice sounded again, this time clearer.

And before Idia could even react, a pale, translucent, legless figure in a white wedding dress appeared in front of him with a wide smile.

"MY PRINCE!!!!!!!"

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Idia screamed, paralyzed with horror, as the ghost girl flung herself at him with outstretched arms and disappeared with her.

Thus ended the footage, now replaced by a black screen and white sound, giving a feeling of emptiness and fear that closely resembled that of the spectators. Yuu compared what he had just watched to a scene straight out of a horror movie, but this time it was a real recording in which Idia had been the victim...

Grim swallowed before breaking the silence. "That ghost was..." He murmured with fear, already expecting the answer.

"I'm afraid so..." Crowley confirmed. "How is this possible...? The Ghost Bride has finally found her perfect groom!"

"What!?" Yuu exclaimed.

"Perfect groom..." Grim repeated thoughtfully before realizing what that meant and looking at him, incredulous. "Idia!? But he doesn't even look like a prince! He's slouchy and skinny, he has pale skin like paper 'cause he never leaves his room. And his eyes are scary, but not as much as that weird smile..." He stopped when he realized saying that out loud sounded familiar. "Wait a second..."

Understanding the same thing, Crowley closed his eyes to review Idia's appearance: "Tall, slim, skin that's never exposed to UV rays, lidded eyes, charming smile... Well, I wouldn't exactly describe it as 'charming'. Brilliant, shimmery hair... Or rather literally aflame, and curious blue color of lips." He enumerated. "If we compare that with the ghost's standards, he does look like her ideal prince."

"I agree, my brother is very handsome no matter how you look at him," Ortho agreed, but he hated that his dear older brother was kidnapped for that and clenched his fists. "Curse that ghost and her good taste!"

"I don't know if I agree with that..." Grim muttered skeptically.

"Well, if you look closely and think about it, Idia looks very good," Yuu opined before placing a hand on Ortho's shoulder in support. "Although it hasn't helped him at all this time."

"Anyway, this is a serious problem," Crowley announced sternly, indicating that it had to be concerning if even he behaved like this. "The Ghost Bride has chosen someone to be her groom, which means..."

"We've got trouble!!!!!" A shout from the hallway and a growing uproar interrupted the headmaster.

"What's all that ruckus outside?" Crowley wondered aloud before looking for his cane and opening his office doors. The origin of the tumult came from students rushing through the corridors as if they were running away from something, it was impossible to distinguish what they were saying. "What's going on here!?" He demanded to know.

As soon as they got out, Ace and Deuce pushed through the students and approached them with uneasy expressions.

"Headmaster...! Ah, Yuu and Grim are here too! We have problems!"

"Some ghosts we've never seen appeared out of nowhere!" Deuce continued. "They kicked us out of the cafeteria, saying something about turning it into the 'wedding venue'. We tried to fight back, of course, but they always reappeared when we defeated them."

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" A tall ghost exclaimed furiously, accompanied by two others as they chased after Sebek and Lilia, running towards the office entrance.

"These ghosts got mad at me for teasing them a little, how narrow-minded," Lilia commented with a smirk as he ran.

"Seriously!? Why did you Diasomnia guys lead them here!?" Ace yelled, terrified to have more ghosts nearby.

But Sebek ignored him and brandished his magical pen to deal with the ghosts. "How DARE you use such aggressiveness with Lord Lilia!?" He yelled furiously. "I'm going to teach you a lesson!"

A set of dark magic spheres originated from his gem and he threw them toward the ghosts, who disappeared when they hit them. "Ha! Is that all you got?" He boasted victoriously while Lilia smiled proudly.

"This isn't the time to celebrate! More ghosts are coming!" Ace recriminated, pointing to the approaching reinforcements.

"There is no end to this battle," Crowley exclaimed as he circled Yuu's back protectively and pointed to the opposite side of the hall with his cane. "Everyone get out of my office, now!"

The headmaster and the students ran and, avoiding ghost guards and taking shortcuts, managed to reach the outside and sought refuge in the school's sports field, where more familiar people stood.

"I don't think the ghosts are going to follow this far out," Crowley said as he looked around, and the exhausted students gasped heavily to catch their breath.

"Haa... Haa... My legs are killing me..." Ace muttered before falling to his knees with a pained expression. So did Deuce, Grim, and Yuu.

"Yuu! Guys!!" Yukiko's voice was heard from afar as she ran towards them, accompanied by a group of students consisting of Cater, Rook, Epel, and the dorm leaders except for Malleus and, of course, Idia.

"Ah, Ace and Deuce," Riddle identified them. "Have you been forced to flee to the sports field as well?"

"Greetings to you as well, Yuu. I'm glad to see you safe and sound," Azul said with a relieved smile.

"Same here," Yukiko said as she helped him to stand up. "Are you all okay?"

"Now we are..." Yuu assured and looked at the others. "What happened?"

Thus, everyone gradually explained their version of events. "Azul, Riddle, and I were in the auditorium when some ghosts came out of nowhere and chased us out," Kalim began to explain and sighed. "And the three of us were in the middle of studying together, too!"

The other two dorm leaders looked at him as if he had made a big mistake in that statement. "You mean we were helping YOU study, Kalim," Azul clarified with a raised eyebrow.

"He was so close to figuring out the question too..." Riddle sighed, frustrated that his efforts were in vain due to the interruption.

It was Vil's turn to tell his part of the story, stating that he was giving Rook and Epel makeup lessons when the ghosts barged in. "We were in a classroom when a bunch of unknown ghosts kicked us out, saying that the place would be the bridal dressing chamber."

"More's the pity, I wanted to continue listening to Vil's valuable lesson," Rook lamented.

"And no matter how many times we beat them, more kept showing up..." Epel added, still frustrated at losing that fight.

"Yeah, they told me to stay away from the 'family waiting room' when they kicked me out of the laboratory," Cater sighed.

"You think that's bad? They chased me for just walking down the hall," Leona said. "Yuki was looking for me to warn me of something similar, I ran into her, and we left there."

Although his relationship with Leona was still complicated, it relieved Yuu to hear that Yukiko had been safe with him during the raid.

"Looks like this is everyone who got booted from the main building," Grim muttered, frightened.

"Yeah, it looks like those white-uniformed ghosts have taken over that place completely," Deuce reiterated.

"What the hell is going on, headmaster!?" Ace demanded to know.

"Let me explain it to you," Ortho murmured, his spirits sinking. "It all started last night, and my brother..."

He told them the same thing they had discussed in the headmaster's office, from Idia's kidnapping to the motives behind it.

"I see," Riddle said when Ortho finished his story. "Idia turned out to be the perfect prince that the Ghost Bride has been searching for all this time. That's the general idea, yes?"

Ortho nodded, and silence fell among all those present. After a few seconds, Yuu realized that most of them had started to smile...

"...Pfft!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

...just before bursting into a loud general laugh.

"What...?" Yuu murmured, confused by that reaction after clearly hearing that a person had got kidnapped.

"I feel sorry for Idia and all, but he wouldn't have been my first choice for a prince," Yukiko confessed with a nervous smile, but at least she didn't laugh.

"Idia, the perfect prince? BWAH, HA HA HA HA! You're kidding, right?" Ace mocked.

"That little bride sure knows how to pick 'em!" Cater exclaimed with gleeful sarcasm as he wiped away his tears of laughter.

"Of all the times Idia decides to leave his room," Azul commented as one of those who had the most contact with the victim. "Hilario- I mean, how unfortunate for him."

Outraged by the lack of seriousness of his students, including the dorm leaders, Crowley firmly tapped his cane on the floor. "This is not laughing matter!" He scolded them severely. "Do you have any idea of what happens if you are chosen as the Ghost Bride's groom?"

"What's wrong, headmaster?" Deuce asked, another of the few who hadn't laughed at the idea. "That's quite the scowl you got there."

"To marry a ghost means that you bind yourself to someone who's already dead," Crowley explained. "That means that if young Shroud marries her... HIS SOUL WILL LEAVE HIS BODY AND FOLLOW THE GIRL TO THE OTHER SIDE!!"

"WHAT!?" Everyone yelled in unison, now with no reason to laugh. The matter was much more serious than they expected.

"I let my guard down, I never thought that someone would meet the princess' unrealistic standards and didn't give it any importance, but I was completely wrong," Crowley muttered regretfully.

If he was already alarmed by what was happening to his brother, now Ortho was terrified by the idea of losing him completely. "My, my brother... will turn into a ghost!?" He asked, his eyes widening. "We can't let that happen! Please, headmaster, you have to save my brother!"

"But of course," The headmaster said, to the surprise of many.

Even if she barely knew Idia, no one deserved a fate like that, and Yukiko couldn't bear to see her little friend so distraught over losing someone important to him. "Count with me too!" She exclaimed decisively. "I'm not letting your brother get killed, Ortho."

"I'll help too," Yuu decided. "There must be a way to save him."

"What are you two saying now!?" Grim exclaimed, stunned by their aspiration for courage, especially on the boy's part.

"You both mean that!?" Ortho exclaimed, regaining some hope to save his brother, and grabbed the girl's hands. "Thank you very much, Yuu and Yukiko Oshiro!"

"Wonderful, we already have two brave volunteers!" Crowley exclaimed with pride and jubilation at the delivery of his wards. "I'm sure that these other kind souls will also be more than glad to lend their aid..."

But the general response from the others who dared to say anything was a unanimous combination of "I refuse" and "Nah" announced without hesitation.

"What!?" Yukiko exclaimed with an expression that mimicked Ortho's reaction.

Of course, one of the common aspects of Night Raven College was that its students did not usually want to help someone unless they got along very well with them or had a good reason for it. "Only at times like this, they'll be in sync..." Yuu murmured as he put a hand to his head in disapproval.

"But why? Please, I need your help!" Ortho exclaimed.

"I understand that Yuu is just fulfilling his duty as a prefect and Yuki wants to help you because you two are good friends," Vil expressed listlessly. "But Idia always avoids and rejects the company of others, and now he wants our help because he's in trouble? I see no reason to indulge such selfish behavior."

"This is your brother's problem, not ours," Leona said with no mercy as he stretched out his arms. "Do it yourself."

Even if they weren't exactly close to Idia, seeing so much lack of empathy or decisiveness among the classmates he knew soured Ortho's mood. "Okay, fine! I can handle it, for sure," he growled before turning his back on them and looking at the school.

"Hey, wait!" Kalim tried to stop him as another of the few who didn't seem to refuse to help. "What could you do by your-?"

The Scarabia dorm leader's question was interrupted when Ortho closed his eyes and began to speak in an automated voice: "Running simulation of Idia Shroud rescue mission. Priority: shortest time to achieve objective. He opened his eyes again, this time without any expression. "Simulation completed successfully. Commencing operation." He placed his hands parallel in front of his chest and started to gather a large amount of magical energy. Charging magical energy. Target: Night Raven College. Main Building." Everyone finally realized that the boy was preparing one of his powerful and not famous magical beams and had no hesitation in destroying the school. "Countdown to release the beam in five seconds. 4...3...2..."

"STOOOP!!!!!" Crowley angrily yelled as he stepped between the small but deadly android and his school. "Were you truly planning to reduce our historic school to dust!? I forbid you from firing that magical beam!"

Obeying the headmaster, Ortho sighed in resignation and deactivated his deadly shot. "But I have no other options!" He exclaimed, defeated, in his normal voice. "No one else wants to help, and we won't get much with just the Oshiro twins. No offense, I really appreciate it, you guys."

"Don't worry..." Yuu assured on behalf of both of them, still nervous from having been about to witness the destruction of the school.

Seeing that the school was physically safe, Crowley sighed in relief and turned to the students. "Listen here, everyone: are you completely sure of your initial answer?" He asked calmly while adjusting his tie. "Because if that's the case and you want to abandon young Shroud to his luck..."

Knowing the headmaster, Ace immediately suspected that he would blackmail them in some way to force them to collaborate on the matter and swallowed hard. "What will you do?" He dared to ask, but without ceasing to be nervous. "Don't bother threatenin' us, because you won't-"

"Oh, look! There's a Night Raven College student now!" Crowley exclaimed in a falsetto voice, drawing everyone's attention.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Ace asked, confused.

"Good morning, I'm a reporter with TBC News," Crowley continued, using his cane as if it were a microphone. "You study at Night Raven College, right?"

"Eh, yeah I guess..." Ace replied, trying to play along, and the headmaster got very close to him, invading his personal space. "Hey, hey wait! You're too close, headmaster!"

"Is it true that your school got invaded by ghosts? Please answer honestly!" Crowley pestered him, and it occurred to him to take out his mobile phone. "Oh, by the way, this story will be in tomorrow's issue, let us take some pictures, please!"

He activated the phone's camera and took several shots inches from Ace's face, without bothering to turn off the flash. "Ack! This flash is too bright!" Ace exclaimed awkwardly as he tried to shield his eyes, but it was difficult with the headmaster practically above him.

"We heard that a student was kidnapped, right? Is it true that you abandoned him when he needed you most?" Crowley kept going, showing that he wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"Look, I'm not even part of his dorm! I know nothing!" Ace exclaimed, exhausted.

"So you deserted him just because you weren't close? How utterly ruthless!" Crowley continued, far from giving up on proving his point. "We have to do a special report on this... Breaking News! The sad reality behind a prestigious school!"

"Dude, cut it out! Stop pointin' the camera at me!" Ace yelled, trying to get away, but Crowley wouldn't stop taking photos violently to torture him with the camera's flash until the young boy couldn't take any more. "I SAID STOP!"

Achieving the result he intended, Crowley stopped his impromptu performance and put away his phone before turning to the stunned and confused audience of students. "That's what will happen if we don't save young Shroud: you'll be hounded by the media and harassed with interviews from day to overnight for information," he explained. "And I don't want any of my students to go through so much anxiety, since I'm very kind."

On the other hand, Ortho was less willing to hide his hostility to request assistance in rescuing Idia. "If you refuse to help, I will hack the TV station and remove any censoring from your faces on TV!" He exclaimed, showing that he was serious. "And I'll make sure to add the heading: "Students who betrayed their classmate."

With the threat of harassment and media backlash, if they didn't take action to save Idia from certain death, the students who refused to help no longer seemed so safe.

"You can tell they're family, the little brother is just as petty as his older brother," Azul murmured.

"If something scandalous happened at the school, the headmaster would be held responsible," Riddle whispered, assuming that as the reason for his persistence. "Of all of us, he has the most to lose."

"But it would be bad for us too. My mom would cry if she saw me on the news for that," Deuce replied ruefully.

As they thought it about, the students realized the seriousness of the situation, and some of them had a reputation to uphold.

"My image as a celebrity would go down with news like that," Vil said gravely. "That's unacceptable on all levels."

As Malleus's legal guardian, Lilia knew that this outcome wouldn't look good for Diasomnia's dorm leader either. "We have no choice but to help him," he sighed. "Malleus is the crown prince of Briar Valley, I won't stand for any allegations against him for not saving a young child of man."

Sebek released a loud gasp at hearing his mentor. Rumors about his young master!? Over his dead body! "Exactly! You are absolutely right, Lord Lilia!!" He exclaimed aloud, making some cover their ears and others grunt bitterly, including Yukiko.

"Then it is settled! We will work together to rescue the poor young Shroud from the Ghost Bride's clutches!" Crowley announced, relieved that they all agreed in the end. "Ah, how lucky I am to have such a kindhearted student body!"

That caused the students to make gestures like rolling their eyes, looking away, or sighing in exasperation. "That's the fakest smile I've ever seen!" Grim muttered, and he had seen plenty of them at school before. "He's doin' all this on purpose!"

"And they're only doing this to save face, not Idia..." Yuu whispered dejectedly.

"It's not like Idia is everyone's friend either, so I can somehow understand that," Yukiko said in response. "But it concerns me they're so calm about the danger."

"It's a shame, but we have no choice but to blackmail them if we want to get help," Ortho reminded them quietly before turning to the others. "Alright, let's brainstorm how to save my brother!"

"What if we try to talk things out with the princess? I'll organize a banquet and everything!" Kalim proposed, inspired by the peaceful and diplomatic nature he had learned from his father. "Maybe she'll let Idia go if we explain our situation."

"That's a lovely idea, Roi D'Oro!" Rook praised, but as good as it sounded, he didn't feel it would succeed. "But would a bride who's spent so long seeking her groom be willing to relinquish him?" His eyes narrowed with a devilish glint. "Were it myself, I wouldn't let my dear beloved go."

"Then we'll have to resort to violence," Leona said nonchalantly.

"We can't do that, have you already forgotten?" Vil snorted. "That's exactly what we tried to do, and it only led us to seek refuge here."

"That's right, we can't defeat these ghosts in a physical fight," Crowley pointed out. "It'll get even more troublesome if we anger them on their territory, so we should keep combat as a last resort."

"Ghosts, hmm..." Lilia murmured thoughtfully and came up with something. "That young Sam is very detailed in these kinds of spiritual and creepy stuff. What if we sought his expertise?"

"'That young Sam'? Do you mean Sam, the guy running the school store?" Deuce questioned.

"Exactly, I'm acquaintanced with his great-great-grandfather," Lilia stated.

Being aware of the famous longevity of fairies like Lilia that he hardly bothered to hide, Yuu chuckled quietly, but the others looked at him doubtfully.

"Typical of you, Lilia, you always tell weird things. And with no hint if you're being for real or not," Cater sighed awkwardly, and Diasomnia's vice-leader only shrugged.

Whether that fact was true or false, Sam was indeed the only person they knew who would have an anti-ghost idea. "Then let's go to the school store," Crowley said.

There, Sam received them cordially. "Oh, but if it isn't the headmaster and so many little imps. What brings you all to my humble shop? Are you here to get your groceries back, Yuki? ...I'm kidding, I know why you're here. It's about the Ghost Bride, right?"

"I see you already knew about it," Riddle commented, surprised. "It's like you already knew we were coming here."

"Heh heh, my friends from the other side keep me well-informed," Sam replied with a shady laugh that reflected his pride before suddenly turning serious. "And this is quite a troublesome matter, ghosts are beings who are trapped in our world due to strong regret, unfinished business, or lingering attachments that prevent them from moving on. We can use magic to poof them out for a moment, but they will always come back. There's no way for them to return to the hereafter as long as their attachment remains unsolved."

"Ooh! So that's why the ghosts in Ramshackle dorm kept coming back anytime we defeated them," Grim realized.

"Exactly! It's hard to deal with ghosts, isn't it?"

"Then what could we do to save my brother?" Ortho asked. "I don't think there's a convenient item that will magically solve our-."

"IN STOCK NOW!" Sam exclaimed, interrupting him with his famous catchphrase to announce that he conveniently had the hoped item for sale.

"Wait, you actually have something?" Leona asked. Even he was taken by surprise.

"Your selection of products never ceases to amaze me, Sam," Azul said, pleased, like the businessman he was.

"Brides who die tragically have existed in large numbers for eons, they develop lingering attachments and remain stuck in this world," Sam continued, reminding the twins of those kinds of legends and ghost stories they had heard in their old world. "And with that, there are lots of people with the same problem as you, so there ate a lot of anti-ghost bride items in the world. Like the one I have right here."

Bending down to reach for something stored on the counter, he pulled out a small velvety box and set it open on the surface, revealing a pretty silver wedding band encrusted with two tiny dark pearls. "Here's your ticket to expelling the Ghost Bride: the Ring of Severance," the vendor introduced. "Put this ring on the ghost's left ring finger after saying this incantation: 'I vow to love you for as long as you live'. Then the ring will sever lingering attachments and send her to the Afterlife."

"Ah, I see. The trick of that promise is an escape clause: 'No promises once you're dead,'" Lilia laughed.

"Forcing her to forget her sorrows? That sounds a bit cruel..." Yuu criticized and Yukiko nodded in agreement. It was basically the same as telling someone suffering to get over it.

"Hey, I'm just the supplier," Sam replied malevolently. "It is you who make the demand, little demons."

"I guess there's no other choice," Yukiko sighed, for she couldn't think of a better idea either.

"Now this begs the question of how we're going to put the ring on that ghost," Vil said.

"How about we give it to her as a gift?" Rook suggested. "As a token of our deep appreciation."

But his dorm leader quickly objected. "She will be frightened if a man she doesn't know suddenly appears and gives her a ring. Not to mention trying to put it precisely on the left ring finger. No woman alive or dead would like that."

"Then how about I give it to her?" Yukiko offered herself as the only girl in the group. "I'll tell her it will give her good luck or something."

"That would be a good idea. But considering how possessive she seems to be, we can't risk the ghosts accusing you of wanting to steal her groom and kicking you out before even trying," Lilia objected.

"I bet her soon-to-be hubby Idia would be the perfect person to give it to her, but he's already being held captive," Cater lamented.

"Then we'll have to become worthy candidates for bestowing a ring upon her," Azul smiled conspiratorially.

The headmaster and students looked at him expectantly, wondering what he might be referring to. "Worthy?" Deuce repeated, curious.

"To simply put it, by becoming her fiancé," Azul thought without hesitation as he adjusted his glasses. "After all, only the fiancé can put the ring on his bride's finger."

"Oh, good idea!" Yukiko exclaimed.

"But she's already chosen Idia, I doubt she'll keep looking for suitors," Ace reminded.

On the other hand, Lilia quickly understood. "Ah! You're suggesting someone steal her affections!" He exclaimed and chuckled. "Hehehe. Stealing the bride in the middle of the wedding does sound dramatic and intriguing."

Yuu wondered whether Lilia had heard similar stories throughout his life or he just had watched a lot of TV dramas and rom-coms to say that.

Before deciding to go with it, Crowley went over the details of the dorm leader's plan. "Ask for the princess's hand, put the ring on her finger, and retrieve young Shroud..." He smiled, satisfied with it. "We should name this plan: Operation Proposal! We have established our mission. Now the question is who could ensure its success... Ah, I know." He gestured for Yuu to come closer. "Young Yuu, I ask that you gather the following students..."

"Huh? Yes, sir."

Moments later, they all gathered outside the shop along with the group of people the prefect had found in their respective dorms, thus keeping them safe from the ghostly invasion, and briefly explained the situation to them.

"Is everyone here already?" Crowley asked, before counting the newcomers he had chosen along with three others already in the group: "Trey Clover, Jack Howl, Jade Leech, Floyd Leech, and the already present Kingscholar, Schoenheit, and Zigvolt."

"So the ghosts kicked you out of school, and you took shelter out here," Trey summed up, relieved to see that Riddle and his dormmates were safe.

"I'm glad we can meet here," Jade commented quietly.

Even though they were there because of the headmaster's request, no one was clear about his intentions with that group of seven people and Yuu had not given any explanations either. "...Headmaster, what do you intend to do with the seven of us?" Vil asked on behalf of everyone.

"I want you to ask for the Ghost Bride's hand in marriage," the headmaster revealed nonchalantly with a big smile that did not reflect in the least the horrifying reaction of the newcomers and some other students.

"Excuse me!? What are you talking about!?" Jack demanded to know.

Before the uproar could escalate into something more chaotic, one of the dorm leaders stepped forward with a steady stride. "Wait a minute," Riddle interrupted calmly. "As a dorm leader, I can't accept having my vice-leader sent on this mission while I sit on the sidelines." He placed a determined hand on his chest. "Let me go with them, headmaster!"

Despite the Heartslabyul dorm leader's resolute offer, Crowley immediately shook his head. "You can't, young Rosehearts."

"What?"

"These seven students have one thing in common, and that is..." Crowley continued, eyes closed, before taking a breath to yell: "THAT THEY ARE OVER 180 CM TALL!!!!"

Riddle needed a moment of silence to process this information, and his pupils dilated. "...Are... Are you calling me SHORT!?" He exclaimed furiously, startling most of them.

The only one who fully enjoyed that reaction dared to approach the young boy in that state. "Ha ha! Too bad you can't reach the 'You must be this tall' sign, Goldfishy," Floyd said between laughs. "Do you want me to lend you my dorsal fin? Maybe it'll help you."

"No, thank you," Riddle pushed him away, trying to calm himself down as quickly as possible so as not to give him any more reason to be amused, but he still felt irritated. "The princess is choosing her husband based on height? Does that mean she doesn't mind marrying a slippery scoundrel like Floyd as long as he's tall? I find it ridiculous!"

"Ouch," Yuu whispered as a reaction to those harsh words that, on the other hand, hadn't affected the receiver at all.

"Come on, Riddle, everyone has their tastes," Trey said in an attempt to calm him down.

"I already know that," Riddle replied, no less calm as he looked disdainfully at Floyd. "And I see that sometimes those tastes are null."

"That's the spirit!" Floyd exclaimed happily. "Besides, being small also has its charm... Huh?" He suddenly began to pretend that he didn't see Riddle anywhere. "Goldfishy, where are you? Have you suddenly disappeared?"

"What are you up to now, Floyd?" Riddle asked, now confused. "I'm right-!"

"Ah, THERE you are!" Floyd said, acting like he finally found him. "I couldn't see you from up here!"

Yuu and Yukiko tried their best not to laugh at Floyd's prank, but it wasn't too hard after Riddle's face turned completely red from fury, losing what little patience he had left and scaring the others with a screech.

"Riddle, calm down! He's just goading you again," Trey stammered, worried, as he gently held him by the shoulders and pulled him away from Floyd to prevent him from doing anything.

"The Ghost Bride has been looking for her ideal companion for years, so she won't give up that easily," Crowley commented. "Her expectations for her groom are innumerable, from handsome looks to a good figure... But most of those qualities are vague at best. Of all of them, the one that gives me the most security is being tall, above 180 centimeters. While I appreciate your dedication, young Rosehearts, I must turn you down this time for the sake of this operation. I hope you understand."

"If the conditions include height, what about Malleus?" Vil asked, realizing that Diasomnia's dorm leader was not there. "He's tall enough, so why didn't you call him here?"

That's when Lilia started to explain why. "It is true that Malleus is a literal prince in both title and appearance, I'm sure the proposal would be a clear success with him. However, even if it is to save Idia, I cannot allow rumors to spread about the heir to the Valley of Thorns proposing to a ghost bride, especially if it's a lie," he said calmly. "It would set off a diplomatic and international scandal, so Sebek offered his services to take Malleus' place."

"It's a great honor to act on behalf of my young master!" Sebek exclaimed determinedly.

"Hmph. A 'clear success'? You have no idea if she'd choose Malleus," Leona grunted skeptically.

"Ha! Lord Malleus possesses a singular and rare beauty. He's unique in this world," Sebek boasted cynically. "If he were here, he would get chosen as the groom. THE REST OF YOU CAN'T EVEN REACH THE SOLE OF HIS SHOES!!!!!!"

Many needed to cover their ears to protect themselves from that awfully loud voice. And even though Yukiko had to admit that Sebek was right when he said that Malleus was handsome, she found him as unbearable as ever. "I don't know about you guys, but if that princess chooses Sebek, she must have a TERRIBLE taste in boys," she whispered without hiding her disgust.

"Yukiko, he could hear you..." Yuu warned in a low voice, although he couldn't blame her for thinking like that with Sebek's behavior.

"You still don't get along with him, huh?" Epel asked, knowing that his friend and the Diasomnia student had started off on the wrong foot, and he would always reject every opportunity to try to improve things between them.

And she was not the only one, many other boys also showed their disapproval of Sebek's attitude. "Ha. Such a proud talk," Leona growled.

"Please. You're all nothing more than a bunch of unwashed vegetables," Vil mumbled, annoyed.

At least those two dorm leaders seemed more determined to participate in the rescue now. "We don't need Malleus, I'll be the one to make the plan succeed," Leona continued.

"It might be an impossible task for most, but for me?" Vil argued.

And then they looked at each other as if they were rivals in a competition."Operation Proposal is as good as done!" Both exclaimed at the same time.

Crowley gave a satisfied smile. "Marvelous! It's wonderful to see both dorm leaders so eager to step up."

"At least they do look like princes", Yuu thought, although he was speaking more for Vil than Leona, which seemed ironic because the latter was an actual prince, like Malleus.

Ortho materialized some of his holographic rectangles. "I'm going to connect to the security cameras so the rest of us can monitor your progress," he said.

Sure of his precious dorm leader, Rook put a hand to his chest theatrically. "I'm positively certain she'll choose Vil! You couldn't find a fairer groom in the world. Wouldn't you agree, Epel?"

The aforementioned boy did not expect to have his opinion about the matter asked, so he was slightly startled. "Eh? Uh, I guess so," Epel stammered before whispering to Yukiko, trusting that she wouldn't judge him: "If I had to propose to a lady in such an elegant and cheesy way, I would cringe so hard my soul'd leave my body..." He realized that some people heard him anyway and tried to hide it. "I'm sure Vil can do it!"

"I've heard all of that, you know," Vil replied sternly.

"Show everyone your shining beauty, Vil!" Rook encouraged. "We'll make sure to treasure every moment."

"Be careful, guys," Yuu told them. In response, Floyd broke away from the group to approach him.

"Are you worried about us Little Shrimpy? I'm not interested in this princess thing at all, but wish me luck and support me, 'kay?" He said, cheerfully.

Still pissed off by his prank, Riddle frowned at seeing him so close to the prefect, but Yuu flinched slightly and shyly looked away for a second. He knew it was foolish, but if even the proposal was fake and meant absolutely nothing to Floyd, he didn't like the idea of seeing him say words of love to another person, thinking about it made him feel weird. But hearing him say that calmed him down a bit.

"Of course, good luck, Floyd." He answered with a small smile before watching him leave with the others.

For her part, Yukiko chuckled discreetly, she knew her brother well, and it was easy to know how he was feeling at that moment.

"With seven boys visiting her, that princess better find another option as a 'prince'," she commented to hide his enthusiasm, although deep down she felt worried. "I hope we get Idia out of there soon."

"Me too," Epel replied. "I don't know what else we could do if this doesn't work."

"I'm worried too," Ortho murmured as he searched the place Idia was being held. "Hold on a little longer, brother. We'll get you out of there."

Meanwhile, inside the school, the Ghost Bride floated, hummed, and laughed happily and excitedly around the cafeteria, which had been completely transformed into a wedding hall. The walls and stairs were now decorated with fine, antique-looking fabrics, held together with skull-shaped decorations. The tables were covered with immaculate white tablecloths, and the ghosts had set up chandeliers and vases of blue-hued flowers. The benches had been replaced by curious but eerie tombstone-shaped chairs adorned with blue ribbons.If one looked closely, the young woman was constantly accompanied by two small blue flame-like spirits with the same joyous expression as her.

"Tee hee hee! Oh, what a lovely day this is!" The princess exclaimed happily as she looked at the result of the great effort her servants did for her. "I am so happy! I've never felt so alive since... well, when I was alive! Finally, after so long... I have found my perfect prince!"

She said as she approached a traumatized Idia, completely tied with rope to a chair the ghosts had forced him into after the kidnapping and with a terrified expression that made it clear he didn't want to be there.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!!!" He screamed as he jumped in a vain attempt to free himself. "First a bunch of ghosts corner me out of nowhere, they tie me up here, and now they're forcing me into MARRIAGE!? I'm just a student! I don't want to get married!!"

But the princess, who seemed genuinely unaware of Idia's feelings, cheerfully approached him. "Aw, even you are jumping for joy, my dear Idia! I love to see a man full of energy." She exclaimed tenderly, causing him to look at her incredulously.

At that, an elderly-looking ghost approached the "couple".
"Oh, Princess Eliza, I am so glad you have found your soulmate!" She said with glee, thus revealing the Ghost Bride's name. "I know it's been your dream to marry the perfect prince since you were a little girl," then her face twisted into a sad, guilt-ridden expression, and she sniffled. "I'd never thought you'd lose both your dream and life in just one day... Fate is so cruel! If only I had gotten into your room sooner, you'd have made it out alive..."

Seeing the tears begin to fall from the eyes of the old woman, who looked like her lady-in-waiting or a former nanny, Eliza reached out to her and gently held both of her hands. "Oh come on, Nana. Are you still dwelling on the past? Don't let bad memories bring you down!" She said tenderly to lift her mood. "Besides, all my suffering and sorrow have been worth it. I would never have met my dear Idia otherwise!"

"Oh, Your Highness! You are so positive and courageous!" The ghost replied, moved by the words of her princess.

Of course, Idia, still strapped to the chair, was incapable of showing the slightest bit of sympathy at that tender. "Nonononononono! Don't decide on your own!" He exclaimed desperately. "Do I even have the right to refuse!?"

Fed up with his behavior, the puffy-looking ghost-guard standing watch next to him clucked irritably. "Silence, you ungrateful lout! You should feel happy to get chosen as our princess's groom!" He growled.

It was surprising to hear his voice sound very similar to that of a young human, instead of the typical shrieking volume that most ghosts like Nana used to speak with.

"Happy!? You're telling me to be happy when I'm being forced to marry a ghost against my will!?" Idia replied fearfully, hoping that they would listen and understand how little sense the situation made.

However, the ghost relaxed his gaze and looked discreetly at Eliza with a very sad expression. "You don't have the slightest idea... how marvelous it would be to spend eternity with our sweet and innocent princess..." He sighed.

Realizing the ruckus the guard had caused, the princess approached them again. The small spirits that accompanied her frowned in annoyance, imitating her expression. "Hey, are you two fighting? Chubby, don't be mean to my dear Idia!" Eliza scolded gently, before beaming again. "He is my future husband, after all."

Hearing her say that made the guard, now known as Chubby, break into a sad smile. "Of course. My apologies, Your Highness," he replied.

Suddenly, another elderly ghost flung open the cafeteria doors and rushed inside. "Your Highness! We have problems!"

"What's going on, Grampy?" Eliza asked, surprised. "What's the rush?"

"We have a report from the gatekeepers," Grampy said between gasps to catch his breath. "SUITORS ARE SHOWING UP IN DROVES TO ASK FOR YOUR HAND IN MARRIAGE!!"

The princess, her little spirits, and the other two ghosts gasped worriedly. "Suitors!?" Eliza repeated.

"Yes, they're students of Night Raven College, same as Lord Idia."

The deceased beings weren't happy to hear that, but the news that more people were coming filled Idia with hope. "I... I have no idea what's going on, but this could be my chance to be free...!" He murmured before flashing a sly smile. "Uh hi hi! Just so you know, Night Raven College students are highly competitive, and there are plenty of eligible bachelors of all kinds. Rich boys, cheerful boys, cute boys, bossy boys, smart boys... You name it! I'm sure you'll find someone much better than me..."

But Eliza didn't seem to understand that Idia really wanted to get out of there and laughed softly. "No matter what the opponents are like, I will reject every single one of them. So wait here and relax, my dear."

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN LISTEN TO ME!!" Idia exclaimed in exasperation as the princess turned her back on him and went to her closest servants.

"Nana, Grampy. Get my sweet Idia ready while I tend to the suitors."

"Right away, Your Highness!" Both ghosts quickly answered with determination.

Idia tensed again in his ropes. What were they going to do with him now? "Wait, what do you mean by 'ready'? Ready for what!? FOR WHAT!?"

"I'm looking forward to a memorable and wonderful first look!" Eliza exclaimed with a sing-song.

The two ghosts nodded and slowly approached Idia in a sinister way. "You can count on us, Your Highness," they both said in unison as they extended their hands towards him. "We will do our best... We will give you the perfect groom!"

"Eep! Don't come any closer! Get away from me! Ah... AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

While the ghosts took him to another part of the school, the group organized by the headmaster was waiting at the entrance under the observation of Ortho and company through the security cameras.

That plan to propose to the Ghost Bride and put the ring on her really seemed to be the only hope of saving Ignyhide's dorm leader...

[Published on 24/6/2023]

To Be Continued...