In all honesty, Trey had a complex feelings toward Jonah and Idia. He didn't talk much to the Ignihyde Prefect despite being a fellow third year with them being in a different class and Idia's shut-in nature. Jonah meanwhile, yes, Trey is forever grateful when he helped Riddle at the beginning of the year and would definitely support and respect any relationship between them (whether romantic or platonic), Trey knew there was something about the boy. The captain is almost like Cater; someone who is holding back the truth. The difference is Trey had known Cater for almost three years so he knew when to respect Cater's boundaries. Jonah meanwhile is a newcomer who had only been here for one semester and Trey barely know anything about him to know the limit.

So, now, looking at Vil and Leona, frozen for allegedly eighty-five years, Trey wondered if this rescue mission is even worth it for someone he doesn't know well.

And yet, his mind would remind himself for who he was willing to do this.

In the end, everything comes back to Riddle. Because Riddle wants to save Jonah, so Trey would do that for him.

"I've never heard of a ghost that's able to completely prevent a human from moving just by slapping them," Jade, who stood beside him mused at Eliza's declaration, "not only is she extremely passionate and determined, but she's proving to be an opponent of outstanding power."

"So, if we fail, we'll be frozen for eighty-five years?!" Sebek shouted, loud and in shock.

Jack let out a sigh. "We're down two dorm leaders now," he said glancing at the stiff yet fuming Vil and Leona. He clenched his fist. "It's up to us that's left to try!"

One of the handmaidens offered a kerchief to the princess. Eliza smiled at her and tapped her wet cheeks. "I hope none of you are like these," she said, returning the kerchief back to her handmaiden. "Who is next?"

She waved her hand and the guards carried Vil and Leona to the cafeteria chairs that were facing the party without any protest (mostly because they couldn't). The princess floated toward the group again, looking at them one by one, humming in thought. "You." She pointed to Jack. "The burly gentleman with the big white ears."

One of Jack's ears twitched. The wolfboy took a deep breath before stepping forward. "I'm Jack Howl," he introduced with a single nod and no bowing was needed.

Eliza shrugged, possibly forgiving the missing gesture. "How good are you at magic?" she asked. "What's the biggest monster you've defeated? I suppose you have on your person a legendary ancestral sword?"

"A sword?" Jack blinked before shaking his head. "I don't need anything like that. I can take monsters down with just my fists..."

"REJECTED!"

SMACK!

Jack froze, eyes widened before his mouth let out a howl of, "OW!"

"What kind of prince doesn't have a legendary sword to rescue the princess?" Eliza shook her head. She eyed them again as the guard carried Jack to sit next to Vil. "Next! The lovely, sharp-eyed gentleman!"

Sebek fixed his jacket as he stepped forward with his chest puffed up. "I'm Sebek Zigvolt!"

Eliza giggled a bit. "Can you play an instrument? The piano? Or perhaps the flute?"

"Instrument?" Sebek thought for a bit before nodding. "Good question, ghost! I shall tell you. The young master's ability with stringed instruments is outstanding! His violin melodies are tragically beautiful." Despite the fact that the corner of Eliza's eye is twitching in annoyance, Sebek paid no heed. "The one time he allowed me to listen to his cello, his playing was so profound the deepest depths of my heart shook. The mysteriousness of the young master is able to--"

"REJECTED!"

SMACK!

"WHAT?!" Sebek shouted yet unable to lift a finger. "What a rude woman. I was still talking!"

"You're the rude one!" she retorted, fuming. "I'm asking about you and yet you're going on and on about some random person."

Sebek looked flabbergasted but Eliza already flew passed him and stopped in front of Trey. "So, who are you, Mister Lovely-Gentleman-in-Glasses?"

Trey took a deep breath before letting out. 'This is for Riddle,' he reminded himself, 'you're doing this for Riddle's sake.' He put a hand on his chest and bowed a little. "My name is Trey Clover. Nice to meet you, my princess."

Eliza closed her eyes and nodded. And suddenly, she sniffled. "This can't go on..." she whispered tearfully, "we should meet no more. Farewell!"

"Huh?" But Eliza flew toward the other side of the room. Trey looked at the others who were also dumbfounded.

"Should..." Trey pointed at Eliza before looking back at the group. "Should I go after her?"

Floyd shrugged. "Probably?"

Trey looked back at Eliza. Maybe if he imagines something else? Instead of Eliza, he saw someone else. Sometimes it was a little red-haired boy with a book in his lap, sometimes it was a ginger-haired teen with a dim-lit phone. Whoever Trey was seeing, he walked toward the figure, crouching next to them.

"Can you look at me?" he asked softly.

Eliza looked up. "Ahh, I already told you we should no longer meet!" she sobbed. "Please, do not try to seduce me again."

Trey clenched and unclenched his fingers before reaching to hold the princess' hand. "Is there a way to make you smile?"

There was a light blush on Eliza's cheeks. Trey gave himself a pat on the back. He was on the right track, but now what?

"Trey," Jade suddenly called. "Try to sing!"

Trey choked, turning to Jade. "Sing?! Now?!"

Jade nodded almost too enthusiastically. "Yes. You must create a romantic mood. A song that can set aflutter a maiden's heart, if you would."

"I-I can't sing!" But Trey made the wrong move when he turned back to Eliza who was looking at him expectably. "Uhh... your... your..."

Eliza nodded. "Your~"

Trey gulped. "Your... Ve-veil is... Like freshly-bleached cloth... and your, uh, eyes are like grapes... So...so youthful~"

Eliza was silent with an unimpressed frown on her face.

Trey sighed. "I blew it, didn't I?"

"REJECTED!"

SMACK!

Trey hissed. "Yeah..." he winched. "I deserved that."

"A bleached veil? My eyes are grapes?" Eliza huffed, rightfully feeling insulted. "Not romantic at all. A prince would never say those things!"

"The metaphors were far too plebian, it seems," Jade commented as Trey was being carried away. "Something fancier, like 'Your eyes are like jewels' would've been better."

"You think a normal high school boy would make a romantic poem at the first meeting?" Trey said back. Honestly, this princess is asking for too much. So far, her standard is almost fairy-tale level. He doubts even Idia or Jonah could fit 100%. In addition to all of them being students of an all-boys school who most probably never has interaction with the opposite gender or is even straight in the first place, wooing a princess would be impossible.

"Next!" Eliza looked between the Leech twins before focusing on Floyd. "You, with the gentle-looking droopy eyes."

Floyd let out a whine. "But you're so annoying since the beginning!" He glanced at Jade. "Can I strangle her instead?"

"OUTRAGEOUS!"

SMACK!

"OUCH!" Floyd whined. "What gives?!"

"Why are you even surprised?" Leona rolled his eyes.

"Senior Jade is the last one," Jack said. "We're counting on him!"

"Last one!" Eliza went back to Jade. "You. The gentleman with the lovely smile."

Jade bowed at her. "My name is Jade Leech. It is a pleasure to meet you."

He suddenly reached behind him and it was at this moment that Trey realized that jade was the only one between them that actually prepared something. "Firstly, as evidence of my affection, would you please allow me to present you with this?" He took out a bouquet of orange flowers, such a contrast to the ghostly blue that are surrounding them.

"Oh my, such beautiful flowers... For me?" Eliza gasped, a hand to her lips.

Jade smiled ever the charm. "Of course. I picked them myself. I believe they'll suit you marvelously."

"Lovely. I'm honored!" Eliza took the bouquet and brought it to her nose, smelling the sweet scent. "I don't know what to do with myself, I'm getting all flustered..."

Floyd let out a groan. "Jade, you're being over the top. Those are just the deadly poisonous flowers you picked from the mountains that you told me about. You're just forcing them on her because they're bothersome and you can't grow them, aren't you?"

Jade chuckled. "Yes. These flowers contain a high degree of poison. If I was to plant them in my terrarium they'd ruin all the other plants. You could get a rash just by touching them with bare hands. But it seems they don't have such an effect on ghosts. I've learned something today."

Eliza gasped, dropping the flowers. "HOW DANGEROUS!"

SMACK!

Jade blinked in too much shock. "That hurt!"

Vil sighed and looked like he wanted to massage his temple. "That would have gone just fine if Floyd hadn't run his mouth."

Floyd stuck out his tongue. "I told you,. I'm the only one here who doesn't care about this whole thing."

Jack's ears dropped. "Ugh. So everyone's been defeated."

"All rude, the lot of you." Eliza pointed at each and one of them. "None of you will ever be fit to be princes!" She sighed. "At least this is a confirmation for me."

"Of what?" Jack asked.

"That a fairy-tale prince, no matter how perfect I dream of him, can never become true." She floated, circling around them. "All those criteria I gave to you? Was based on the one so-called 'ideal prince' I've seen when I was alive. I know that it would be impossible to fulfill twice in a lifetime."

"Then why did you ask us those?" Sebek asked.

"I said I would humor you," she giggled. "And I did. I've only seen that 'ideal prince' once when I was alive. But none of you is able to change my mind."

"You knew that we would fail from the start?" Vil asked, his eyes widened. "You tricked us?"

"Oh, not from the start, dear." Eliza waved her hand nonchalantly. "Honestly it would be great if my prince charming from my teenage dream would come, but..." she sighed dreamily, "but nothing compared to that first soul I love for eighty-five years. And we're finally getting our happily ever after today~"

Then, a chubby ghost floated toward the princess. "The groom is ready, Your Highness!"

Eliza squealed. "Bring him in! I want to see my man!"

The main door to the cafeteria opened and a boy stepped forward, way shorter than the criteria with hair untied to pass his shoulders and a blue rose tucked behind his right ear. His white suit is accented with gold jewelry and a black-and-gold pauldron on his left shoulder, a golden knee guard around his left knee, accompanied by a cape with intricate gold chains and black shoes. As he looked up, everyone could see the dual-colored pair of eyes, and the world collapsed.

"CAPTAIN?!"