Shortly after entering the school store and explaining the new plan to Sam, he provided the boys with fancy outfits, and offered them the storage room as a private place to change quickly.

Meanwhile, Yukiko, Ortho, and Grim sat on the floor to wait and read a manga projected on the young android's holographic screens. That also helped Ortho stay calm and not think that time was slipping through their fingers.

Grim raised his paws in bewilderment right after he reached the end of the chapter they were reading. That plot twist had left him speechless. "What!? The prince was the bad guy all this time!?"

"That's right," Ortho said, having already read it before. "If you notice, he always was. Remember that at the beginning he said he was the last in line to the throne of his kingdom? And he seemed to agree with everything the princess said as if he wanted to win her over as soon as possible to marry her and become king. And now that it won't be possible because she has fallen in love with the male lead, he's revealing his true colors."

"I knew he looked suspicious!" Yukiko commented, also surprised. "That Eliza is determined to find her perfect prince, I don't want to imagine if she found someone like this."

From the counter, Sam commented with a big smile: "As the saying goes: you have to kiss lots of frogs to find a prince. And speaking of love: do you want to make the person you love happy? Do you want your marriage proposal to be successful? Well then... IN STOCK NOW! We have everything you need to steal their heart! ...And to think that you would purchase everything on sale, headmaster. Thank you very much."

"Boohoo... There goes my money," Crowley whined at the large sum he had to pay for those elegant and high-quality suits. Even if he could afford them, one alone cost a fortune and he had had to acquire five to carry out the mission.

Yukiko laughed nervously while Ortho sighed. "Thank you very much for putting in the effort to save my brother, headmaster. We will compensate you well," the android murmured.

"But the higher the price, the more guaranteed the effect will be. And these suits are the perfect products to win the ghost's heart," Sam cheerfully said, trying to console the headmaster. "We just have to wait for these little demons to finish changing."

Oblivious to the conversation outside, the five young boys were finalizing the details of their appearance.

"Where should I put this brooch?" Epel's voice sounded doubtful on the other side of the curtain.

"That goes on your lapel. Hand it there, I'll put it on you... There." Riddle replied softly as he helped him.

Ace, who never used to dress up so much, didn't sound very comfortable putting on the suit. "I don't know anything either," he complained. "This has a bunch of accessories. Am I wearing them right?"

"No need to worry. Your albert chain and rosette are in place," Rook assured him. That had to be true if the detail-oriented and meticulous vice-dorm leader of Pomefiore said so.

"How's my hair? Do I have the clips in place?" Yuu asked.

"Wait, you have them a little crooked. Let me fix that in a second," Rook insisted and went silent. "Done! It looks much better this way."

Considering the time that had passed and they seemed to be finishing, Ortho undid the holographic screen and stood up. "Alright, everyone, come out if you've finished changing," he urged.

The boys opened the curtain separating the warehouse from the shop and came out individually. Yukiko, with Grim in her arms, also approached the counter, curiously anticipating the appearance

The first to come out was Riddle, dressed in an impeccable suit of black pants and a long crimson silk jacket. He also wore a yellow tie and a dark vest with gold embroidery adorned with a chain that displayed symbols from the French playing cards. The white gloves contrasted with the rest of his outfit and had tucked a few strands of hair behind his left ear, revealing part of his face.

"Sorry for the wait," he said calmly while making sure his tie was perfectly adjusted.

Next to come out was Rook, who could see Riddle's outfit in all its glory. "Roi du Roses, you look so dignified. Truly beauté!" He exclaimed in admiration.

"He's right, it suits you very well," Yukiko agreed. "I love the red color of the jacket."

Riddle smiled slightly at the compliments. "Thank you very much. As expected of a third-year student, your appearance is also classic and solemn, Rook."

"True. The color and cut of the suit suit you very well, too," Yukiko added.

"Merci," Rook thanked with a smile, pleased by the compliments.

Pomefiore's vice-dorm leader took off his trademark hunter hat for the occasion and changed into a purple tuxedo with a striped vest and a red bow tie that contrasted against the white shirt. On the left lapel were two small brooches, one with the famous poison apple and the other with a bow and arrow, symbols that represented him perfectly. Like Riddle, he wore white gloves.

Ace and Epel then showed up. The former tugged at his jacket uncomfortably. "Well, I think Rook and the dorm leader look good, but... this is nothing like I usually wear. It's cool, but I feel stiff..."

She couldn't tell if it was because of how detailed it was or because she wasn't used to seeing it like this (maybe both), but Ace's suit was the one that seemed most striking to Yukiko: it was a vibrant red with black tartan checks, complemented by a black vest and a matching bow tie. He wasn't wearing any gloves, but a chain with a heart-shaped pendant hung from one of the buttons on his vest, and on the left lapel was the rosette of blue and gold ribbons that Rook had mentioned. Another rather curious detail was that he had pinned his bangs back with hairpins, leaving his forehead exposed and making him look even more different than usual.

Yukiko was speechless as soon as she saw Epel. Her friend from Pomefiore, who was not a big fan of dressing up, was wearing an outfit with black pants and a white jacket with dark lapels, the left one having a small brooch of white roses that Riddle had helped him put on. His lilac vest had a checkered design similar to Ace's suit, and on the collar of the dark shirt was a yellow bow tie, adorned with a chain held together with two brooches of the famous poison apple.

Although his outfit was a bit more simple than the previous ones, she couldn't help but stare at him in admiration. "Wow..."

"What's wrong? Do I... look weird?" Epel questioned, looking away with some embarrassment at not hearing an immediate opinion.

Yukiko hurried to return to reality. "No, no! It... looks... great on you," she assured, not realizing she had blushed slightly. Even Ortho noticed that her temperature had risen a little.

"Don't worry, all of your attractiveness and youth are being brought wonderfully. You both look stunning," Rook praised Ace and Epel.

"I don't know if I can take your compliments seriously, Rook..." Ace murmured, aware that the dorm leader tended to find beauty in everything he laid eyes on, warts and all. "What do you think, Yuki? Do I look like a perfect prince?"

"Yeah, you do," she nodded and looked at the details of his suit carefully. "I've never imagined you in something like this before, but I have to say that it looks great on you."

"Well, if you say so, I guess it's true. Hey, Yuu! Are you coming or what?"

Yuu was the last one and was taking his time leaving the storage. "Just a second! I'm tying my shoes better. Alright, I'm coming out."

The prefect joined the group dressed in a neat black suit with matching tie. The left lapel featured a pretty white rose, an elegant touch contrasting with the dark color. A small part of the left side of his hair and bangs had been held back with a pair of white hairpins that Rook, always attentive to details, had helped him put in place.

Yukiko approached with Grim still in her arms, to get a better look at him. "Wow, look at you!" She exclaimed, delighted. "How long has it been since you dressed this well? You look like you're actually getting married and everything!"

"I agree, this kind of outfit suits you," Riddle praised.

"You always dress simply, almost like Deuce, but you don't look half bad like this," Ace added, giving him a friendly nudge.

"And you look cool in dark colors like this. They suit you," Epel said.

Yuu felt happy about the praise and smiled. "You think so? Thanks, guys! You look great, too."

Now that everyone was ready, Sam, who had been watching the scene with a pleased smile, began to place on the counter some decorated boxes he had on the floor. "This outfit is called a 'courtship tuxedo.' They're infused with some ancient magic," he began to explain. "Anyone who wears these will be seen as attractive by the ghosts. And since you've all gotten your hands on one, here's this special gift. I present to you: the "consolation bouquet."

The boys approached the counter and Sam handed each of them a box. After opening them, they found a beautiful bouquet of roses, each tied with a thin silk ribbon tied into a bow.

"Oh! It's so colorful and lovely!" Rook exclaimed in wonder as he carefully pulled out a bouquet of purple roses that matched his suit and ran his fingertips over the delicate petals, admiring their beauty.

All of the bouquets had been selected to match their new bearers: Riddle's roses were a deep red as his hair and the silk of his jacket; Epel's, white with some with a slight blue tint, were accompanied by lilies that added an ethereal touch; Ace's were a pretty pink that stood out against the dark tone of his suit and Yuu's were a navy blue that matched his eyes.

"Woah, look at them so beautiful! I want one too!" Yukiko wished out loud like the rose lover she was.

"Sorry, young Yuki, it seems they are only included with the suits," Crowley replied, having had enough after buying five magical suits that cost an arm and a leg.

The shop owner continued to explain: "These are special bouquets that bloom when exposed to negative energies, so they'll absorb anything that gives ghosts strength: sadness, hatred, all that. You can give it to them as a gift or hit them with it, it's a two-for-one special, little devils!" He finished with a mischievous smile.

Satisfied with the description of his new tool, Ace squeezed his bouquet as if it were his magical pen. "That bride's going to lose her mind when she sees us with all these suits and flowers!" He said enthusiastically.

"Now I really feel like I can pull off a marriage proposal...!" Epel exclaimed, feeling more confident himself. For a moment, he couldn't help but glance at Yukiko out of the corner of his eye for a second, although he soon returned his focus to the mission.

"Swag, swag, swag! But don't forget, little demons: the only thing that can send the Ghost Bride to the Afterlife is the Ring of Severance I gave you at the beginning," Sam reminded them and placed five small black velvet boxes on the counter, each one containing the ring in question. "Make sure you get that ring on her finger, no matter what."

Crowley watched the young suitors put their rings in an inside pocket of their jackets and then checked the time on the clock on the wall of the shop, it's ticking resonating.

"With the wedding getting closer, the ghost guards must be more alert than ever. If you fail to put on your best princely act, they will not even let you enter the ceremony hall to see the princess," Crowley warned, clinging to the hope of that last desperate opportunity to save Idia Shroud.

All the young boys fell silent again as reality hit them again, being aware that the outcome depended on them.

"No problem," Riddle replied, breaking the silence. "I'll use the time left to learn how to act like the ideal prince... I'll prove that I'm the most suitable to be the groom!"

Rook raised his bouquet high. "I'll do everything in my power to prove my love! I'm sure my words will touch her heart if I express my feelings sincerely" He assured, his voice full of emotion.

Epel ignores the sentimentality of his vice-dorm leader, feeling for once the same determination as him. "I'll make her fall for me, I'm sure!" He exclaimed with conviction.

"That's my line! I'll be the one to make this marriage proposal a success!" Ace said, making clear that he wouldn't let himself be left behind.

"We'll win over the princess and save Idia, I'm sure we will," Yuu said and gave Ortho a reassuring look.

Yukiko watched the boys express their determination and set Grim down. "Good luck, boys," she wished them.

Even Grim was confident that they would succeed. "It's time for Operation Proposal, yanno!" He exclaimed as he raised his right paw above his head while jumping.

Thus, everyone got going and the students went outside the tent to work on a strategy and avoid the same fate as the previous suitors.

"Very well, we are supposed to become the 'ideal prince' the Ghost Bride yearns for to ask her hand in marriage," Riddle announced. "Just as the headmaster said, this is our last chance to save Idia. It falls on us to present ourselves as ideal husbands."

"So... The five of us are the only ones left to get to the cafeteria, huh..." Epel commented, realizing how lonely the place looked without Vil and the others.

"Everyone who tried failed spectacularly like complete losers," Riddle snorted, disappointed.

"Hey, don't be so hard on them," Yukiko chided him. "Screw Sebek, but it's not their fault that this princess is such a spoiled girl with so many standards that can't be easily found in just one person."

"Ouch, those were harsh words, yanno?" Grim whispered. He wondered where the twins had gotten such sharp tongues from. "You're right, though."

" But I don't have the slightest idea of how to be a prince or a "groom," Ace intervened.

"Me neither..." Epel confessed. He could only think of examples from what he had seen on TV and from the tedious etiquette lessons that Vil imposed on him, and he didn't feel exactly comfortable with the idea of ​​applying them.

Despite how determined he had been inside the tent, Ace began to regret letting himself be persuaded by his dorm leader's taunts for the rescue plan. "Jeez... Why did I have to join such a complicated mission? It's not like Idia's popular either. He has a harder time talking to Yuki even than Deuce!"

Seeing where the first-year student was going with this, Ortho frowned in offense.

"Every person has their appeal and their own moment to shine," Rook objected, and Ortho nodded in approval for a moment. "In the case of Roi de Ta Chambre, he shines brighter when he talks about his passions and focuses on his interests instead of forging friendships with lots of people."

"In short: he's a shut-in," Riddle summed up, wearily remembering the futile attempts to make him assist at the entrance ceremony with the other dorm leaders.

"Oui! Exactly."

Ortho eventually lost his patience and refused to tolerate any more negative comments about his brother. "Can we focus on the mission and stop criticizing my brother's lifestyle? You have to think about how to present yourselves as worthy suitors."

Yuu mentally reviewed the failed attempts of his friends and classmates and stared at his bouquets. "Besides wanting a prince, that princess also loves romantic details, maybe we can start there," he suggested.

Approving the idea, Ace nodded and pointed at the vice-dorm leader with his thumb. "In that case, Rook could easily conquer the Ghost Bride." He suddenly sketched a sly smile. "Speaking of which, how are you planning to impress her?"

Knowing one of the most cunning and deceitful students in his dorm well, Riddle easily deduced that something was afoot. "Ace, I'm sure you're not planning on stealing Rook's idea for the proposal, are you?" He questioned in a warning tone.

"Of course not! I was just thinking of using it as a reference for mine," he insisted, stuttering.

Far from hating the thought of ​​someone using a way to propose similar to his, Rook had no problem sharing his idea: "I'm going to compose a poem full of praise and recite it for her."

"A poem, huh? I guess that would appeal to a fantasy-prone princess, right?" Ace questioned, not rejecting the idea completely and finding it similar to the songs the bride was expecting. However, he didn't fully accept it either. "But... I don't read poems outside of class, and I can't imagine doing it even if I wanted to."

"Likewise. I'm good at memorizing other people's poems, but I've never written one myself," Riddle admitted.

"Me neither, I like prose better," Yuu commented.

"However, I'm curious about your original works, Rook. What manner of poetry do you have in mind to offer the Ghost Bride?" Riddle continued, interested, deciding to take Ace's word for it for once and get references from an expert.

"Let's see..." Choosing some work from his repertoire that could suit the occasion, Rook remained silent until one occurred to him. "Oh! This should do, tell me what you think. I'll start."

He cleared his throat and began to recite:

Teaching you love - June flowers.

Hiding your tears - June showers.

In July, you faded away.

And in July, I stand dismayed.

You are a bird, soaring free.

Soft wings beat without mercy.

I am but a foolish tree,

branches quiv'ring without thee.

Keep the sun hidden, I plead!

So this bird may rest with me!

"Fin," he finished with a slight smile that poem he had recited with feeling and emotion, especially in the last verses.

Before he wanted to realize it, Epel and Ace showed expressions of absolute horror and dismay.

"Nope, I'm not doing that..." Ace declared with some embarrassment.

Rook did not seem to feel offended or hurt by the rejection. "Oh, you didn't like it? I guess it still needs some improvement. But no problem, I'll think of something even finer for the main event!"

"That's not what I meant! It's just that I would never write a poem comparing my partner to a bird," Ace replied energetically.

"Seriously. I get embarrassed just thinking about saying stuff like that, I think," Epel admitted with a sigh.

"Right? Um... Sorry, Rook. We asked you to recite one, but I don't think we're ready for poetry," Ace finished.

"Non, non! It's not about being ready or not. Poetry is based on expressing feelings; it's a gift everyone can find in their hearts. I believe the most important thing is to say what's inside you. Were we to remain silent, we would never be able to express sentiments like "Très Bien" or "Je t'aime" to the other person and they will never know."

Epel glanced at Yukiko again, being careful not to let anyone notice. "I agree that it's important to express your feelings, but... I'm too easily embarrassed, it's impossible for me," he confessed shyly, and closed his eyes.

"Yeah, I remember that it was kinda difficult for me to confess to my first girlfriend," Yuu, also thinking about the boy he had only lasted a month with because of how uncomfortable he felt expressing affection.

"I understand. In that case, allow me to try another begginer-friendly poem!" Rook exclaimed and quickly thought of a poem that he considered simpler. "Ehem..."

And so, he recited again:

If it weren't for your presence, I wouldn't be here.

If it weren't for your presence, my dreams would be unclear.

If it weren't for your presence, who would be my sage?

The others liked that poem better, even Riddle nodded in approval.

"Hey, this one doesn't have any awkward metaphors. And it's much easier to say!" Ace interrupted, glad to have an example that would help him make one himself without much trouble.

Overjoyed by the positive reception, Rook continued to recite:

How grateful I am to see you here,

my dear headmaster!

"Fin."

The positive consensus of the group immediately turned to disbelief and stupefaction, and every member shuddered, including Riddle, who only lost his composure when getting angry or Floyd did one of his antics.

"Wait...! THAT WAS FOR THE HEADMASTER?!" Ace shrieked.

"Wasn't it supposed to be for the Ghost Bride!?" Epel asked out loud. Not even he had thought that the day would come when the extravagance of his vice-dormitory leader would reach such an outlandish level.

Not taking the reaction of his underclassmen the wrong way, Rook explained his poem with a calm smile: "I thought it would be easier for you to understand if you dedicated it to someone you were familiar with."

Somehow understanding that peculiar form of inspiration that didn't quite convince him, Riddle sighed: "I'm not sure I follow that logic. Of course it's important to respect the headmaster, but..."

He wondered if his opinion on the idea would be an insult to the third-year student, but Ace guessed what his dorm leader was going to say. "Just like Epel said, you'll compliment anyone, Rook," he finished, being blunt. "But then, isn't it all a bit hollow? Compliments aren't that flattering when a person's tossing 'em out left and right... I wouldn't be able to believe it."

This time affected by the comment, Rook put a hand to his chest. "It's disheartening to hear that you doubt me! I would never do anything other than express my true feelings!" He said exaggeratedly before smiling serenely again. "The world is filled with beautiful things, I simply love each and every one of them equally."

That way of thinking of Rook had a romantic character and was a good philosophy for life. But the subject reminded Ortho that the Ghost Bride would get angry if she was flattered too much: "Let's keep in mind that the Ghost Bride must take it seriously. Mr. Azul Ashengrotto did everything required to the letter and she quickly realized that it was false," he pointed out. "You need to act romantic, but be careful not to beat around the bush to the point of sounding suspicious."

Everybody kept that in mind.

"If you ask me, I'd leave the poems to you, Rook. I think you are the only one right now who can master it," Yuu advised, who also did not see himself capable of creating a romantic poem in such a short time.

"I agree, it would also look staged if we all had the same way of proposing. But I appreciate that you showed us your works, it might inspire us to create new ideas from them," Riddle said, agreeing that Rook would execute the idea better than anyone else.

He felt relieved about not needing to go overboard with such romantic peculiarities in his proposal, but Epel still felt nervous about following so many guidelines to look like the prince the princess wished for in her life and continued to do so after her death. Maybe it was because of the time limit, but not even Vil's teachings made him as nervous as that idealized image. "An ideal prince, huh?" He murmured out loud.

Noticing his discouragement, Ace looked him up and down. "I'd say you're a good candidate for one, Epel," he said, surprisingly without malice.

"What!?" Epel exclaimed, stunned, wondering if he was making fun of him.

"Height aside, you fit all the classic prince boxes. And with that suit, you're good to go," Ace assured. "I know! Just pull on some platform shoes and you'll be better off!"

"I am not doing that..." Epel laughed nervously.

Not feeling too pleased with the mention of being short as a disadvantage to finding a partner, Riddle made eye contact with Ace. "On the other hand, Ace, I think our biggest problem here is your rude language; you're far from looking like a prince."

Ace sketched another sly smile. "You think? Then couldn't you say the same for Leona?"

"Yes, and I remind you that he was rejected. If you're going to pretend to be a prince, you could at least TRY to behave like one. Even a minimal effort would suffice."

"Yes, dorm leader," Ace answered quickly, afraid of angering him if he failed and ended up like Leona.

"Well, considering our assignment, we still have much to prepare. I suggest that we split up for the moment," Rook proposed.

"Why?" Yukiko asked.

"So we rehearse our roles separately, we have to learn our lines!"

"Ah, gotcha."

"Alright," the other suitors nodded and all except Yuu left in different directions, still holding their new bouquets.

"I'll go back inside with the headmaster. It's been a while since we've seen how things are at school and I want to check the cameras with him." Ortho decided, hoping that nothing unexpected happened to his brother. "Good luck, and do your best."

"Thanks, take care," Yuu said goodbye before the android entered the building again.

Grim and the twins stayed outside, listening to the calm of the night.

"So... What do ya have in mind for proposing to the Ghost Bride, Yuu?" Grim asked.

Even if it was a fake proposal he had volunteered for and had no regrets, Yuu got nervous at the thought of proposing to a ghost who had hurt his friends, kidnapped Idia to marry him despite his constant opposition, and intended to kill him within a few hours. "To be honest, I'm not really sure," he admitted. "I'm thinking about getting down on one knee and showing her the ring. But of course, I have to profess 'my love' to her, first."

"Take out anything we've seen in movies," Yukiko suggested bluntly, and suddenly an idea occurred to her. "Wait, even better. Remember that group of idol boys we used to listen to at home? They had a couple of songs about weddings and proposals that they released in June. What do you think?"

Yuu seemed to consider it. "Sounds good, those songs were lovely, and they had many others about love. But I don't know, it may sound fake if I learn the lyrics by heart and it comes out like some stage play."

"You don't need to learn them, just make something inspired by them. It's not like you're composing a poem like Rook."

"Those poems were so weird that they made me want to laugh a lot!" Grim admitted. "But I was afraid that Riddle would get angry and collar me, yanno..."

"Because laughing at other people's work is wrong, Grim," Yuu scolded him gently. "I could work with that, it'll be easy. Well, I want to think it is..."

Yukiko noticed her brother's nervousness by his expression and the way he squeezed the bouquet: "What's wrong? Do you think the princess will reject you? I mean, you're not going to end up worse than Idia, and you deserve someone better than that crazy girl, you already had enough with one," she said intending to cheer him up and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. "If she still has a minimum of brains and good taste, she'll see how perfect you are as a partner. Well, it's not like you know her, but seeing as she doesn't care 'bout that, she could as well listen to what you want to say! And you look so handsome in that suit!"

Yuu smiled shyly and blushed at all those good things his sister had said about him (even if she treated the ghost in a condescending way). Now he felt much more confident to continue with the proposal. "Thanks, Yuki."

"Don't even mention it. Do you want me to lend you a hand with the proposal? It must be hard being in your shoes and proposing to a kidnapper."

"No need, thanks. I think I've got it under control," Yuu assured. "I'm not thrilled with the idea of proposing to her, of course, but it's not like I'm alone in this either. In fact, why don't you go and check on the others? They might need help, too."

Yukiko remembered that Ortho had asked her to keep an eye on the boys so they wouldn't cause trouble, and she already had confidence in Yuu and Rook, who should be working on his poetry, but she was worried that Riddle's rigidity and Epel's shyness would make it difficult for them to make their proposals. And she was already having a hard time imagining Ace getting himself a girlfriend, so she accepted the idea and got going.

"You sure? Well, sounds good to me. Good luck with the proposal, I'll be right back," she said goodbye. "Grim, use your great magician powers and protect Yuu from evil ghosts. Burn them asses if necessary!"

Grim boasted and slapped his chest. "Don't even mention it, it's my responsibility to protect my henchman with all my might, yanno!"

Yukiko giggled at how adorable he was before running towards the main street of the school, right down the path she had seen Epel heading.

It didn't take long for her to find him amongst the statues of the Great Seven. Epel looked up from his bouquet upon hearing footsteps and turned around to see who it was. "Huh? Oh, it's you, Yuki. What are you doing here?" He asked, with a hint of surprise.

"I just helped Yuu with his proposal, so I'm checking how the others are doing. So, how about you? You look uncomfortable..."

Epel readjusted his bow tie a little. "Part of it is this suit; I'm not used to wearing tight clothes like this, and it's hard to move around... Although meemaw, I mean, my grandmother would love to see me in this. When this is all over, could you take a picture of me?"

"Of course! I'm sure she'll love it."

"Thanks, I'm sure she'll wonder if we're dressing up as grooms for a school event," Epel replied with a laugh, but then closed his eyes and sighed dejectedly. "But I'm still trying to think of how to propose like a perfect prince. I'm often told that I'm not a good actor, so I'm worried about that... And considering that even Vil and Leona have failed, I don't know how to imitate what the princess is looking for."

"And I don't blame you at all, but don't think too much about it. Vil's a pro actor and the most perfectionist guy I know, and he still couldn't reach the standards... Maybe I can help you. Is there anythin' you can think of?"

Epel thought about it and smiled slightly as he looked again at his bouquet of white flowers. "Well, I'm sure an ideal prince would declare his love in a cool, smooth proposal. You know, like in a book or a movie, when he gets down on one knee before the princess and hands her a rose..."

With that, he knelt on the ground in front of Yukiko, surprising her, and presented the bouquet to her with an elegant gesture: "And says something like 'Might I have the honor of your hand in marriage?' Or something like that...

Although she knew her friend was only emulating to describe the idea, Yukiko couldn't help but widen her eyes and blush slightly. Epel looked so charming... And seeing him in that dazzling suit didn't help her to control that feeling in her chest as if she had been struck by an arrow.

However, after realizing what he was doing, Epel paled and quickly stood up. "No, no, no, no! I can't do this!" He squealed, backing away hastily. "That's the kind of highfalutin thing Rook would do. But just thinking about it makes me cringe!" He noticed Yukiko's bewildered reaction and felt even worse. "Gosh, I'm so sorry, Yuki! I got carried away and..."

"No, no! Don't worry, it's okay," she assured with a hurried gesture, feeling a little sorry it hadn't lasted longer. "I'm sure the princess would like to see something like that, but you feel it's too awkward, right?"

Epel nodded, relieved to see that at least she hadn't felt uncomfortable about his embarrassing action. The problem now was that he couldn't think of many more ideas to propose marriage without wishing the earth would swallow him up. "Sure ain't easy being a perfect prince..." He muttered with a sigh.

They had to think of alternatives, which might take time. It was then that a sound of firm footsteps approached them. "I hope I'm not interrupting, do you have a moment?" A serious, calm voice asked.

Both classmates turned around and quickly recognized the silver-haired Diasomnia student. "Ah, Silver," Yukiko greeted him, surprised to see him there. Wasn't he standing guard in his dorm?

"Good night, Yuki. I hope you succeeded in finding volunteers to carry out the rescue operation."

"Don't worry, we've succeeded. Let's just say we're preparing before we set off."

Silver's expression barely changed, but his countenance softened a bit. "That's good to hear, I wish you luck."

"I remember you, Vil put you in his movie that one time," Epel recognized him. He only knew him by sight and vaguely for his interpretation of a headless horseman to collaborate - at the request of the Pomefiore dorm leader - in the Film Study Club. He would never have known it was him if he hadn't heard about it.

"That's right," Silver answered, now addressing him. "You're from his dorm, uh..."

Silver didn't know him much either, but he felt a bit embarrassed about not remembering his name despite Lilia having mentioned it on a couple of occasions.

"Epel," the Pomefiore student answered, introducing himself.

"Ah, yes. Epel. Sorry to bother you two, but I'm looking for Lord Malleus. Have you seen him?" He asked, explaining the reason for his presence outside the dorm.

"Malleus? No, I haven't seen him since we went to Diasomnia to ask for help," Yukiko replied, shaking her head.

"I haven't seen him either, sorry. Did something happen?" Epel asked.

The second-year student put a hand to his head and sighed, embarrassed. "I took my eyes away from him for a second, and he left the dorm. I can't find him anywhere," he explained. "Knowing him, I'm sure he's not in any danger, but I can't be too cautious. Changing the subject, I did notice you two were frowning quite a bit. Is everything okay?"

Epel gently held the bouquet again. "We're fine. It's just that... Well, I have to pretend to be this prince," he muttered, looking away at the floor.

"Ah, I understand. You're going to propose to the Ghost Bride to save Idia and the others, correct?" I guess Yukiko was here trying to help you."

"Yes..."

"We're trying to think of 'princely things' the princess would like, but it's harder than it seems," Yukiko explained.

Since he couldn't participate in the rescue due to his duty, Silver joined the conversation to offer help, even if it was just a little: "A prince, right? If I had to think of any examples, the first one that comes to mind is Lord Malleus."

"From what I understand, the bride cares more about the image she has in her head than less about actual lineages or titles," Epel pointed out.

Silver nodded, understanding that more specificity was needed for what they had ahead. "Hmm... I did hear something about that. It's quite a challenge. But you know, when I was a child, my father told me there were several requisites to being a perfect prince."

Epel gasped. "Really!? Then please, tell us what they are!" He asked, relieved at the prospect of getting more ideas to work with.

Yukiko's eyes lit up. Of course! Lilia was a fairy who had lived for centuries and Malleus' tutor, he must know a lot about the prince archetype Eliza desired more than anything.

Silver put a hand to his chin, searching through his memory for requirements that might work: "I believe one of them was... 'Whenever a princess starts singing, the prince must join her and harmonize perfectly.'"

Yukiko went from excited to gaping, and Epel didn't like the idea either:

"What? I have to sing a DUET!? Even at karaoke, being dragged into singing with someone burns mah biscuit- Ah, I mean, it puts me in a bad mood..."

"And some already tried to sing along with her and it didn't help much," Yukiko added, "so I hope the bride doesn't take to singing this time."

Silver continued to think. "Another requirement for a prince was... "His teeth must be so pearly white that they sparkle in the sunlight."

The two first-year students shuddered at the very thought. "Is there a person with teeth like that!?" Epel shrieked, alarmed.

"I can't think of anyone at all, and I think you need to go to a dentist to get them THAT white," Yukiko said.

Silver didn't blame them much for disapproving of such an extravagant characteristic. "I found it strange too. I'm sure things differ by time period and culture as well."

"That, or Lilia was just joking," Yukiko thought to herself. If Lilia had said any more or less normal-sounding requirements for an ideal prince, it didn't seem like Silver remembered much else.

She noticed Epel staring blankly at the school building, where the wedding was about to begin. "Hey, are you okay?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, I feel a little better after talking to Silver," he replied, whispering sadly. "At least it made it clear that being a prince isn't my thing."

Seeing him so downhearted broke Yukiko's heart; it reminded her of those times Vil scolded him after making him do something he didn't like.

"Epel, don't say that..."

Oblivious to the first-year students' dialogue, Silver thought a little more and something occurred to him: "Oh right, I just remembered one more thing about how to be a perfect prince. This one is extremely crucial."

Having a good feeling, Epel opened his eyes and turned to Silver again. "What is it about...?"

"I had almost forgotten the most important requirement: ' A prince always shows up riding a white horse'."

Epel considered that idea and regained some confidence to go ahead with the proposal. "A horse... There was a ranch near my home growing up, so I have some experience riding here and there. But does it have to be white?"

Silver nodded firmly. "Absolutely. It has to be white. I don't know the reason behind it though."

"I bet it's because a white horse is more eye-catching. And also because they idealize them a lot for looking 'pure', 'brilliant', 'classic', 'dreamy'," Yukiko answered, making comically exaggerated gestures for each adjective. "Or at least we saw something like that in literature class, I'm sure the princess thinks something similar."

Epel found it funny that she stopped so abruptly after imitating behavior from Rook and some other Pomefiore students. It helped him feel calmer. "It makes sense... Oh, wait! You're in the Equestrian Club, right, Silver? Do you have any white horses in the stables?"

Silver's supposedly imperturbable expression turned slightly uncomfortable. "We have one..."

"Really? Could you show me?" Epel asked, with a new spark of hope in his eyes. "I'm sure a white horse will help me look more like a prince!"

Silver didn't seem very sure for some reason, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to show it to him. "Well... Alright, I'll take you to see him. But I recommend that only you come with me. I know you have a good hand with animals, Yuki, but this particular horse is quite unsociable, and it's better if fewer people get close to him so he doesn't get nervous."

"Really? Okay then, I'll let you help Epel from here, "she replied before turning to her friend: "You'll have everything under control?"

"I'm sure of it," Epel replied, feeling much more enthusiastic. "Thanks for your help, you should go and see how the others are doing, I think."

Yukiko shrugged in a gesture of modesty. "Well, I don't think I've done much here either. It was Silver who gave you the idea."

"No, believe me. You've helped me a lot just by being here," Epel assured with a shy smile. "I'll take care of everything from here, see ya later."

She saw him follow Silver down the path towards the school stables. But before he could get too far away, Yukiko ran back towards them. "Wait, Epel! One more thing."

The two young boys turned around again. Silver didn't move and waited for Epel, assuming she had forgotten to say something else to her classmate.

"What's wrong?" Epel asked her, surprised.

Yukiko hesitated, but she didn't want to regret not telling him what she intended before. "I just wanted to tell you that..." She gulped. "It doesn't matter whether people think you look like a prince or not, to me you're still perfect just the way you are. And if no one else can see it, they're either blind or don't know what they're missing! This proposal is going to work out great for you, I'm sure of it."

Epel stared at her with wide eyes, making her freeze. Uh-oh! That came out too blunt! She only said what she really believed, but what if he thought it was too cheesy and made him uncomfortable? Should she have thought twice before saying anything?

To her surprise and great relief, Epel's cheeks reddened and he laughed softly. "Do you really think that of me?" He asked with a tender voice.

Yukiko took a deep breath, internally thanking he took it well. "Yes... And that's why I know you'll do it great," she repeated.

"You can't imagine how happy makes me hear that. Thank you so much, Yuki...! Oh, I know!" He examined his bouquet once more and, very carefully, he took out a small white rose and handed it to her. "I know you like red roses better, but I want to give you this one. So you won't be the only one not having any flowers."

Yukiko gasped softly, but she wasn't sure if keeping the flower would be right. "Are you sure? You'll need it to propose to the Ghost Bride."

"Don't worry, I have more than enough," he insisted. "And my bouquet won't be ruined by giving you just one, no one will tell."

Not wanting to reject the present, Yukiko smiled and gently held the stem with both hands. The leaves and thorns were already removed to make the bouquet.

"Thank you so much, I'll take good care of it. Well, I shouldn't keep you any longer! Go get that horse and, as Leona would say, be prepared!"

"Ha ha! Of course. See you later."

Epel returned to Silver's side and both finally headed towards their new objective. Silver was aware that the relationship between the two first-year students did not go beyond friendship, but if he didn't know anything else, he would have sworn that the moment he had witnessed had given the feeling there was something else there...

Before she also left, Yukiko stared at the school building and inhaled the sweet scent of the rose. "Princess Eliza, I know you have your own type - I have mine too," she said out loud. "But if you dare to reject Epel with one of your slaps, I will return it to you with even more force," she warned.

She doubted she could lay her hands on an intangible being, but she could always count on the regulated use of her magic thanks to her white choker, which she planned to take with her for the proposal just in case. She could have also used the irritating alarm keychain the headmaster gave her time ago if it weren't for the fact that she had left it in Ramshackle dorm before the invasion...

But using physical force was not among the options, so she put those ideas aside and quickly returned to Sam's store. Ace and Rook were also back, the former was talking to Yuu, and the latter was reading something in a small notebook.

"What's up, guys?"

"Hi, Yuki," Ace greeted her back, "Yuu and Grim told me you were going to help us with the proposals. Where were you?"

"I was with Epel. He already figured everything out, so he'll be back soon. How about you two?"

"I've just finished composing my poems for the proposal," Rook announced. "These are brand new, so I bought this notebook from the store to write them down and give it to the Ghost Bride as a present along with the ring."

"Good thinking. Wait, did you say 'poems'?"

"Oui! Inspiration was flowing like a waterfall of crystal-clear waters, so I ended up writing two more. This time I'm going to wait for the proposal to recite them out loud. I want you to experience hearing them for the first time along with the Ghost Bride."

Grim rolled his eyes and the three first-year students let out a weak laugh. "It's good to see that you did your best," Yuu commented to say at least something.

"And how about you, Ace?" Yukiko asked him, returning to the subject. "Do you need help with anything?

"Thanks, but I'm fine. I was just talking about it with Yuu and Grim, but I think I know how to propose."

"Great then! How is it?"

"I won't go on too long, I'll tell her something about how we'll have a good time together, and that even if we go through fights or bad times, our love will be strong enough to overcome it. Something a little more realistic, but still romantic. That way she'll feel confident when I put the ring on her."

"I don't think that Ghost Bride is a big fan of realism, but I'm sure it'll work," Yukiko judged approvingly. "Then that would only leave Riddle left, where's he?"

It was precisely the Heartslabyul dorm leader who worried her the most. Surely he had a good idea of ​​how a prince should behave and how one would propose, but his strict and inflexible character risked sounding cold and only receiving a slap in return.

"Oh right, I haven't seen him for a while, yanno," Grim commented, raising his ears.

"After we parted, I noticed that Roi des Roses was heading to the Hall of Mirrors," Rook revealed. "I'm sure he's in Heartslabyul dorm."

"I suppose he might concentrate better there to rehearse," Yuu commented.

Not feeling so convinced of that, Ace facepalmed. He knew his dorm leader all too well. "That, or he decided to follow one of those weird rules at the worst possible time," he muttered. "You should go get him, Yuki. He's not careless enough to forget about the mission, but I can expect anythin' from him. When you see him, tell him we'll meet at the school entrance, okay? The three of us are ready to go."

"Got it, see ya there!"

"Wait, what's that you have there?" Grim stopped her, noticing the white rose she was holding.

"Isn't that one of the roses from Monsieur Crabbaple's bouquet?" Rook recognized, his eyes widening. "Did he give it to you? How lovely of him! In the language of flowers, white roses symbolize purity and innocence."

Yukiko smiled and showed them the flower. "Ah, yes. He gave it to me so I wouldn't be the only one without roses. I think it was also to thank me for helping him. But oh well, I better go."

She ran off in the direction of the building that housed the entrances to the school's dorm. Ace raised an eyebrow as he watched her go. "Am I the only one who doesn't think Epel gave her that rose just to say thanks?" He asked with a mischievous smile.

Understanding what he meant, Yuu laughed softly. He had noticed in Epel the typical signs of a boy starting to develop feelings for someone. "Well, Epel and Yukiko are just friends - it doesn't have to mean anything else," he said, trying to leave the conversation there.

"Come on, you've spent time with Epel, and Yuki's your sister. Surely you've noticed something between them! Or didn't you notice how nervous she got when she saw him in the suit!"

"Ya think so? But I haven't seen 'em act very differently from usual, yanno. Are you sure it's not exaggeratin' to say they like each other that way?" Grim commented, not feeling very convinced.

Amused, Rook put a finger to his lips and winked. "Patience, guys. Sometimes, romantic feelings are like a small flower bud: they need time and dedication so they grow and bloom with full splendor."

"Aw...!" Yuu exclaimed at that adorable comparison.

On the other hand, Ace and Grim made a disgusted face. "Did you have to say something THAT CORNY?!" The monster shrieked.

"Jeez, and I still have to propose like a prince. Why did I say anything?!" Ace exclaimed, regretting choosing the worst possible moment to mess with Yukiko behind her back.

Yuu couldn't bear it any longer and laughed loudly at his friends' reactions.

Unaware that they were debating her possible feelings, Yukiko arrived at the Hall of Mirrors and quickly passed through the one that would take her to Heartslabyul.

She gasped for breath after that run while surveying the place. It was the first time in a long time that she visited this place she liked so much at night, and the place was lit up by the street lamps and the lights of the building, indicating that there were still people awake.

She wanted to enter the building to look for Riddle or ask for him until she heard a repetitive metallic noise in the garden maze, right behind her.

"It sounds like scissors... What are they doing here at this hour?" She thought before entering between the green walls full of leaves.

She followed the sound to a wide area, assuming it was some student - if that was the case, she could ask him about Riddle's whereabouts. When she peeked over the wall, she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"What the- RIDDLE!?"

Startled by the sudden shout, Riddle closed the pruning shears shut. "For the Queen's sake! Don't scare me like that, Yuki," he exclaimed while putting a hand on his chest to calm down his heartbeat. "What are you doing here? And don't you raise your voice while I'm pruning the rose bushes, what if I had cut something I shouldn't!?"

He was pruning a nice heart-shaped rose bush in the middle of the night, wearing the elegant suit he had just put on. Judging by all the branches, leaves, and flowers in a half-empty garbage bag and the ones still scattered around a different rose bush, he must have been at it for a while now. If it was related to the dorm's rules, Ace was right on the money.

"Fine, I'm sorry. I didn't know. But why are you doing that now? Shouldn't you be working on your proposal? We don't have much time left..."

"I'm aware of that, and I already finished it a moment ago," Riddle answered before frowning again and pointing around with the scissors. "But according to the rules of the Queen of Hearts, I'm supposed to finish pruning these roses before tomorrow. But because of all this Ghost Bride nonsense, I'm nowhere near done!" He returned to his task and climbed up the stairs to prune the top of the rose bush in a bad mood. "I'm busy enough as it is. Why must I prune roses on top of everything else!?"

He unleashed his frustration by cutting off some branches that were slightly protruding in one fell swoop.

"Then don't do it!" Yukiko exclaimed, trying to reason with him. "You're the dorm leader, right? Ask any other of your students, you don't have to do this yourself. You'll ruin your new suit!"

"Don't worry about the suit, I have experience pruning without making a mess. But you're wrong about something, Yuki. As the dorm leader, I have to take responsibility for my dorm, and I don't have time to look for students who haven't gone to sleep yet." His cuts became more violent and the metal of the scissors became louder. "Trey and Cater shouldn't have gotten captured so easily. As soon as they're back, it's off with their heads!"

He ended those threatening words with a loud cut and a red rose fell to the ground, accentuating his meaning and making Yukiko bring her free hand to her neck, nervous. The dorm leader always losing his temper was one of the reasons why she was glad to be placed in Savanaclaw instead of Heartslabyul at the end.

"Those words were really disturbing," a calm voice sounded with interest.

Yukiko was startled by the unexpected presence of Diasomnia's dorm leader, who was approaching with a calm step. "Oh! Hello, Malleus," she greeted him. "So you've decided to come here, Silver was looking for you a while ago."

"Good night, child of man. Silver? It was just a matter of time - I left the dorm without saying anything. I reckon he's worried."

"A little, but he knows you'll be fine. It would be another thing if it were Sebek," she answered, holding back the urge to use one of the insulting variants of "stupid crocodile" she used to refer to him.

"Of course, his voice calling my name would echo constantly if the circumstances were different. Although I didn't expect to find you here at this hour, and even less to hear you scream Rosehearts' name almost as much as he would."

"I came here to see if Riddle needed help with his proposal, but I just found him here like this."

Also surprised by the visit, Riddle got off the ladder, left the shears on the floor, and readjusted his jacket and hair to receive him. "Well, well. Good night, Malleus," he greeted him with a smile and an eloquent tone that stunned Yukiko. "What brings Diasomnia's dorm leader here? I hope you don't plan to send a frost upon our flowers. The poor roses are cowering in fear."

"Huh!?" Yukiko exclaimed. How could he say such things so calmly?

Malleus looked at him doubtfully. "A frost? Ah, I see. You mean that classic anecdote about the Thorn Fairy." He sketched a calm smile. "You can rest assured, I'm not here for that. I just wished to thank you, Rosehearts."

Yukiko calmed down. She assumed that Riddle just made a bizarre joke that Malleus didn't take the wrong way, but she was just as puzzled as the Heartslabyul dorm leader.

"Thank me? For what, exactly?" He questioned.

For some reason, Yukiko felt she couldn't participate in the relentless conversation between the dorm leaders; she just watched them in tense silence like a tennis match: shifting her gaze from one to the other each time they took their turn.

"You're going to save Shroud and all the others who fell captive, right? My retainers Lilia and Sebek are among them."

Despite maintaining a composed and calm demeanor, his voice and gaze revealed his concern for the state of two people who were really important to him.

"Ah, I understand. There's no need to thank me, though; I'm not going to save Lilia and Sebek for your benefit," Riddle replied solemnly, drawing Malleus' attention. "As Heartslabyul's dorm leader, it's my duty to take initiative in case of an academic emergency. I must do everything in my power to find a solution."

The prince smiled slyly. "Even though you are barely older than a newborn baby, Rosehearts, you are quite dependable and mature," he said, appreciating his responsibility as a leader.

Yukiko laughed to herself and looked away at the ground. Not just Lilia, Malleus had also lived for at least a century or two and Yuu had already told her that apparently the age of sixteen was considered a baby age for fairies.

"Are you familiar with the concept of 'noblesse oblige'?" Riddle asked Malleus, causing him to turn serious.

"Certainly."

Yukiko had never heard that term in her life, but she didn't dare interrupt the intriguing conversation by asking. In fact, for a moment she felt as if her presence had been forgotten.

"It's a prominent school of thought with a long history in the Queendom of Roses," Riddle explained. "'Those with status and power have a duty to aid the weak, in proportion to their station'.I simply honor that precept."

"I see..." Malleus replied, his sly smile returning. "Now I wonder if you judge me. That would mean that, from your point of view, my behavior of staying behind is unacceptable as a dorm leader."

Yukiko shuddered. What was he trying to get at by asking something like that?

"No, I would never think that," Riddle declared without hesitation. "Your position as the prince of your country comes before your position as the dorm leader. Even if you wish to fly to your retainers rescue, you are constrained by circumstance."

Finally, Malleus widened his eyes. He expected the strict dorm leader of Heartslabyul to at least tell him something for failing to fulfill his school responsibility, but he ended up hearing a sympathetic response that knew how to differentiate priorities.

Not having finished speaking, Riddle frowned with a combination of frustration and determination. "Regardless of whether I am a leader or not, I come from an ordinary family. That, plus my small stature might make me less eligible for this princess, but still."

"Yeah, that's the tricky part. It's better that she doesn't know," Yukiko replied, finally participating in the conversation.

Malleus looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, it seems my fears were unfounded," he said, smiling slightly.

Riddle and Yukiko looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?" The second-year student asked.

"I am the heir to the throne of Briar Valley. As you can imagine, I cannot carelessly propose marriage to someone, even under false pretenses. That is why Lilia and Sebek participated in my stead, and we are all aware of how that ended. Although I assume you were not very saddened by Sebek's fate, Yuki."

Yukiko shrugged, not intending to deny it. "But I do feel sorry for Lilia; he and several others were held for absurd reasons."

"That's right. My subordinates ended up imprisoned because of me, and it worries me that there is nothing I can do to free them," Malleus sighed.

Apparently, Riddle did not take Malleus' concerns well. "I see. Then you've come here to offer me assistance as well, since I'm taking part in the rescue operation," his expression turned dispirited and she looked between Malleus and Yukiko. "I seem to have given you both the impression that I seem incompetent."

"What!? I never said that!" Yukiko replied sternly. She was worried about how he would propose, but not that he was incapable of doing it.

On the other hand, Malleus laughed humorously. "Come now, do not take offense. Didn't I just say that I was worried for nothing? I have witnessed firsthand how much you care for your subjects and your determination as their leader," he replied with the calm and noble bearing of the prince he was. "Even though you have not received any royal tutelage, you certainly possess all the knowledge of a king."

Yukiko gave a soft gasp of admiration. A member of the royal family had recognized Riddle's worth!

"Malleus..." Riddle murmured, feeling truly honored.

"However, the external appearance could be improved. You have a bearing full of grace and dignity, but you lack certain... majesty," Malleus said after looking at his wedding suit from head to toe, shocking both Riddle and Yukiko. "If you wish to be acknowledged by the princess at first sight, you should wear something indicative of your station."

"As I said earlier, I'm not royalty nor a noble. I don't have any ornament to show my status," Riddle replied with annoyance.

Yukiko couldn't think of any other way to improve the suit either, it was already lavish and elegant.

Without changing his expression, Malleus looked at the rose on the ground that Riddle just cut. "Rosehearts, would you lend me one of those pruned roses?"

He made the rose levitate in the air until it reached his hands. He had changed the subject just like that.

"I won't mind if you want one, but... What are you going to do with it?"

"This."

With another smile, Malleus approached Riddle and carefully pinned the rose to the left lapel of his jacket.

"Wow...", Yukiko thought as she witnessed the moment.

"Even if it's just a simple rose, wearing it as an ornament will carry more weight than any medal", the prince continued while fixing the green leaf that stuck out from the stem.

Riddle gasped at having Malleus so close - those words made him feel as if he were being truly condecorated. "Malleus..."

Once finished, the leader of the Diasomnia dormitory took a few steps back. "If you are the king of this rose garden, you must carry yourself like this rose: strong and noble", he concluded, more than satisfied with the result.

Yukiko looked at the new accessory with fascination. She realized that Riddle was the only one without an accessory on the lapel of his wedding suit until now; Yuu and the others had brooches.

Riddle examined the red rose that adorned his suit of the same color, it matched perfectly with his red suit. He closed his eyes as he took in the weight that this recognition held. "...Well. If a genuine prince telling me this, now I really can't make a fool of myself," he murmured, and put a hand to his heart, just below the rose. "I swear upon this rose, I shall fulfill my duty and rescue all the captured students," he swore solemnly before sketching a sly smile, similar to when Malleus arrived. "Please, feel free to sit back with a some tea while you wait."

After jumping up and down in excitement, Yukiko carefully picked up the bouquet of red roses Riddle had previously left to work on the rose bushes and handed it to him. "Well, I think it's about time," she said.

"Thank you. Yes, we should meet up with the others now," he nodded as he received the bouquet, and thus saw up close the white rose that the girl had had since her arrival. "By the way, where did you get that white rose? It looks different from the others around this garden, and I doubt there were any left unpainted. Or at least that's what I expect from my students."

"Isn't it from this dorm? I assumed you picked it up from here, Yuki," Malleus commented, now curious.

"This one? No, Epel gave it to me to thank me for helping him earlier."

"Felmier from Pomefiore? So he is going to take part in the rescue as well," Malleus commented, and put a hand to his chin. "I suppose you are also in the operation, right, Yuki? You don't look like you're dressed up for the occasion, unlike Rosehearts."

"No, only those who are proposing need the suit. I'm just going to lend them a hand."

"That is a pity indeed, a nice dress or a fancy suit would have fitted you. Nevertheless, just like with Rosehearts, I'm thinking of using your rose to make you look more suited to the occasion, in case you're interested."

Yukiko exchanged a questioning look with Riddle. She wasn't too keen on just giving him the rose she got from Epel but trusted Malleus enough and figured wearing the flower as an accessory would be more comfortable than carrying it all the time. "Alright," she complied and handed it to him. "Are you going to put it on my jacket too?"

"This is something different. Come closer and stand with your back to me. Do you have the hair tie you usually carry with you?"

Surprised, she gave him the hair tie she always had in her pocket to tie her hair up for sports or fighting. "Are you planning to tie the rose to her hair?" Riddle questioned.

Malleus didn't answer immediately and cut the stem of the white rose short with his magic. "Alright, stay still for a moment," he told the girl and placed his open hand just above her head.

Yukiko closed her eyes as she felt some strands of hair on both sides of her head lifted by a force. She also sensed how they braided themselves, without any pullings or sudden movements.

Riddle watched the process, which lasted less than ten seconds, admiring how the world-renowned magician used a small portion of his power.

After finishing, Malleus smiled with satisfaction and materialized a hand mirror to pass it to the girl. "Look at yourself. It is not very elaborate, and I don't usually use my magic for this. Still, I think I've learned something from Lilia. What do you think of the result?"

Reflecting herself in the mirror and moving it at different angles to see the back, Yukiko saw that they had made a simple, but elegant braided half-updo and had inserted the white rose in the center, highlighting the dark color of her hair.

Her gaze lit up immediately. "It's beautiful! Thank you so much, Malleus, I love it," she exclaimed, holding back the urge to wrap her arms around him (even though he was a classmate and she was allowed to behave more or less casually with him, he was still a member of royalty who was not used to physical contact).

"I'm glad you like it, make sure you take care of it until the end of the rescue operation."

"As expected of a third-year student, your results are impeccable, Malleus," Riddle praised. "It's also the first time I've seen you with a hairstyle like this, Yuki. It's perfect for the occasion, and the rose looks nicely on you."

"Thank you," she commented, blushing slightly. Epel's gift had come in handy much better than she had expected.

Seeing that there was nothing else left to do there, Malleus made the mirror disappear. "Very well, then you should get going; it's almost midnight," he urged them. "Could you tell me where you last saw Silver, Yuki? I'll go back to my dorm with him."

"He went to the school stables with Epel, but I don't know if he's still there."

"I see, thank you. If there's nothing else you need assistance with, I will take my leave for now. I wish you luck."

With that, Malleus disappeared in the blink of an eye from where he was standing, leaving a trail of bright sparks that quickly faded away.

"As Ace says, I'll never get used to seeing him do that," Yukiko sighed, looking at the small sparks.

"Malleus is right, we should leave as soon as possible," Riddle commented before noticing the rose bushes, still unpruned. "I guess it won't hurt to break just one rule, we're in an emergency and can still fulfill the rule of serving tea before midnight, we need Cater for it."

"You're right, so let's get him back," Yukiko answered, knowing that he wasn't going to stop his determination to follow the rules to a T. "Let's go, the others will be waiting in front of the school."

They didn't delay any longer and left the Hall of Mirrors.

"By the way, what are Silver and Epel doing in the stables at this hour?" Riddle, another member of the Equestrian Club, decided to ask as they followed the path.

"It's a surprise, but I can tell you it's all part of Epel's proposal," the girl answered cheerfully. "What do you have in mind for yours, Riddle?"

"As dorm leader of Heartslabyul, I will propose to the bride in the most realistic way possible. I plan to be direct and concise, to show that I am not just talking nonsense, and my promise will be about taking care of her and never allowing her to end up hurt."

"Ace has a similar approach, but I'm worried that realism will take away the 'fantasy' for that princess. The prince she's looking for is unrealistic enough..."

"Maybe, but assuming that he fell in love with Idia at first sight, a few words that touch her heart should do," Riddle mused. "Speaking of which, don't you think the bride's requirements for her ideal prince focus too much on appearances? I think that what's most important is what's inside."

"And you're right about that," Yukiko nodded. "I talked about it earlier with Ortho and Grim, I didn't want to imagine that princess meeting an evil prince and wanting to be with him just because he's handsome. I feel sorry for Idia, but at least he's not that kind of person."

And she said that even though she didn't know him very well, apart from the few times she'd met him and from what Ortho told her.

"I fail to understand why the bride wants to marry someone she just met. I guess she's the kind of person who falls in love easily," Riddle mused. "I remember reading that it happened with other princesses in the past, but some of them already knew their prince before. Still, regardless of the era or way of thinking, it's careless to marry someone you barely know."

"Of course. My first boyfriend was attracted to me when he saw me, but didn't ask me out until he got to know me better by hearing from Yuu and other friends (he was too shy to talk to me directly). And we didn't make it official until we went on three dates."

"Oh, that's right. You two have been in relationships before. I guess you have some experience on the subject. I'm sure that will be useful for Yuu and his proposal."

Yukiko shrugged. It wasn't the time to talk about her failed relationship because of an evil mother, which Riddle had already heard about. "Our relationships didn't exactly end well, but yes, you're right. That damn princess should notice at least one of you. I can't believe her!"

Riddle had seen her angrier before, but there was something in her statement that piqued his curiosity. "You've already shown it before, but you seem quite angry about Idia's situation even though you two are not exactly close. I understand that you're angry on behalf of Ortho, though."

"Of course I'm angry! And not only because of Ortho, but those ghosts also kicked us out of our house, they've invaded the school, they've hurt Deuce, Jack, Lilia, and Leona..." She exclaimed and stopped to take a deep breath and calm down. "...And Idia may not be the nicest guy in the world, but he doesn't deserve that either. And you know what pisses me off the most about her? That Idia made it VERY CLEAR that he didn't want to be with her, yet she still doesn't want to listen," she said, trying to contain her rage. "Either she's stupid or she really doesn't care what he says. Would she like it if her dear prince did the same to her!?"

Riddle pondered Yukiko's words as they walked. With all the tumult, he hadn't considered the possible results of such a forced marriage. "Seeing as how the Ghost Bride's royal guard is so protective of her, they surely wouldn't allow the prince to do any harm to her. In Idia's case, however, that would accentuate he's more of a prisoner than a loving partner."

"Right? It scares me just thinking about it..." Yukiko replied, now nervous. They captured Idia, then they would force him to abandon his life and then live with a crazy girl for all eternity. "I didn't like that the ring would force her to forget her sorrows for not being able to marry, but now we must stop her no matter what."

Talking to the dorm leader, the Savanaclaw student hadn't realized they were several meters from the school store. They could see from the distance that the others had already left for the school, leaving the building lights as the only trace of life, where Ortho, Sam, and Crowley were taking refuge.

There was no more time to lose, it would be midnight soon, and it was the last chance to save Idia. Success depended on the proposals and whether they won the Ghost Bride's heart...

[Published on 31/8/2024]

To Be Continued...