After Azul shouted the broken contract at Jonah, Epel quickly ran out of the underwater café once he saw the bubbles coming out of Jonah's mouth. He knew that there was nothing they could do there. They had to fall back. Jack had already disobeyed the order and jumped straight into battle, and while Epel wanted to join in and punch some senior's faces, he knew it would be useless. If Jack, the strongest person Epel knew couldn't defeat them, what differences would it make if he jumped in?

Luckily he was the first one to jump through the Octavinelle Mirror, quickly hiding behind a pillar so nobody could notice him. He waited for a few seconds before taking a peek again, just when the mirror rippled.

Jack (already dried out) and one of the twins walked out. The twin was still holding his magical pen, still sparking and threatening to strike someone down. Jack was growling, glaring at the older boy, but the tealnette didn't feel threatened.

The next one to come out was the other twin who was dragging an unconscious Jonah by the arm. Without warning the twin threw Jonah's limp body to Jack's arm, which Jack caught him. That seemed did the trick for Jonah suddenly gagged, falling to his knees as he coughed brutally, a lungful of water trickled steadily from his mouth.

"It was nice knowing you, Baby Seal," one of the twins cheerfully said, but there was a serious tone in between. "But we can't let you get near Azul again. You'll end up drowning again if you get near us, even on land."

As if on cue, when Jonah suck a breath, bubbles came out again from his mouth, and once again his hands flew to his neck and clenched it as if that way the air would stay in. Jack fell to his knees, his hands on Jonah but he clearly didn't know what to do.

"Savanaclaw's Jack Howl," the other twins said and Jack looked up to him, still glaring at the smiling senior. "You are welcome to visit the Lounge as guests next time. We will graciously welcome you."

He bowed while the other waved his hand. Both of them jumped back through the mirror and once they were gone, Epel came out from his hiding place and immediately knelt beside Jonah. "Jonah, you have to breathe!" he shouted, patting Jonah's back to force the water out of his lung.

The captain gagged and cough, water flowed out from his mouth. It wasn't as bad as previously but still, the fact that Jonah somehow was cursed to resemblance drowning even on land was horrifying. Eventually the gaging stopped and Jonah was able to suck in another labored breath. Epel inched closer, rubbing a hand firmly against his friend's back to help clear his lungs.

Jonah pressed his trembling hand onto his forehead, trying to calm himself down. "I-I'm fine..." he wheezed.

"No you're not," Jack growled. "We need to take you to the infirmary. We need to keep you breathing." Jack was about to touch him, but Jonah slapped his hand away.

"I said I'm fine." His voice was way steadier now. He tried to get up, only to tumble again, nearly colliding the floor if Jack hadn't caught him.

"I need..." he coughed. "I need to see the headmaster."

Jack and Epel exchanged a glance. "No," said Jack. "We're taking you to the infirmary."

"I said-"

"You can talk to the headmaster there," Epel quickly said. "I'll call him."

Jonah was silent for a bit. And then, he let out a sigh. "Fine. Whatever."

Jack and Epel nodded. The purplenette helped Jonah so he was set on Jack's back. Jack stood up slowly, arms circling Jonah's thigh, giving him a piggyback ride. Jonah clutched to Jack's shoulders, pressing his forehead onto the wolf-boy's neck. By the time Jack and Epel had started walking, the tiredness had finally caught up to him. He was asleep throughout the whole walk.

-----

"How many times are you trying to kill yourself? Isn't losing your hand enough?" Argentum didn't really answer anything. He just lay down silently. He wasn't looking at the complaining Shalom, but instead his gaze aimed toward the window.

Felmier was the one who opened the door and Crowley followed in, gaining the attention of Howl and Shalom. The Pomefiore child came to his office saying that he needed to see Argentum in the infirmary, mentioning something about drowning, and Crowley just knew that the boy had gotten himself in trouble again.

"Finally," Shalom sighed as his necklace stopped glowing. "Crowley, please tell you kid here not to always put himself in danger."

Crowley walked toward the bed as Argentum tried to sit up with help from Howl. "Mister Argen-"

"Do you know about this?"

The boy looked up toward him with an unusual stare. It wasn't that determined glint Crowley had seen on rare occasion or his usual happy brightness. No. He looked destroyed. He didn't know whether he was trying to be angry or sad. Sure, there was a burning flame of anger in his eyes, but at the same time, that flame was dim as if it didn't want to come out, leaving a blank empty stare or sadness.

He just looks and sounds tired.

"About what?" Crowley tried to ask.

"Ashengrotto and his dirty dealings."

Ah... Something must've happened between them. "Can you at least explain yourself why did I hear you nearly drown? In Octavinelle Dorm nonetheless?"

While Jonah didn't look up for once, Crowley noticed he averted his gaze to the side. "It's related."

The headmaster hummed and glanced toward Howl and Felmier. The purplenette was the first one to answer. "There are many students who made contracts with Senior Azul so that they could get good scores on the final exam and being in the top 50 was the condition. However, there were a lot who made this, so it would be impossible for more than half of them to be in the top 50. Senior Azul knew this and deceived them. Now, they have anemone on their head and have to be his manservant basically."

"Ah," Crowley sighed. "It seemed that I couldn't manage to stop Ashengrotto's 'business' again this year."

Howl raised an eyebrow at this. "Business? Do you mean that little scam of his? Why don't you just order him to stop what he's doing then?"

"That's..." Crowley cleared his throat. "It is because I am a teacher that I cannot prohibit what he's doing."

"What do you mean?"

"It's related to the test notes that Ashengrotto tempts the students with." Crowley sat on the edge of the bed, both hands on this cane. He noticed a shift of movement. Glancing to the side, Argentum pulled his knees close, hugging them close to his chest, resting his chin on them. Crowley looked back to Felmier and Howl. "He does not actually do anything as illegal as stealing any of those answers and solutions from the teachers here. He thoroughly researches all of the past exam questions that Night Raven College has given for the past 100 years and makes notes based on them." The headmaster sighed. "They are basically 'crib notes' that he has refined by himself with thorough research."

"All the exam questions from the past 100 years?!" Felmeir gasped, eyes widened. "That's... That's kinda amazing."

Howl thought for a bit before his ears perked up. "Wait... Is it because it's not actually cheating that makes it troublesome?"

"Precisely, Howl," Crowley said, nodding, earning another gasp from the two students. "From a teacher's standpoint, we cannot exactly prohibit notes that a student has put tremendous amounts of effort in, especially since it's done under legal means. And since he was 'simply being kind' and helping his friends with studying so-"

"So if you ban it, it's basically like telling the students 'don't study' or 'don't ask your friends for help', isn't it?" Howl finished. Crowley nodded and the wolf-boy let out a growl. "This is annoying..."

"Exactly." Crowley turned his head, now focusing solely on the boy on the bed. "So, how is this related to you drowning?"

Argentum bit his inside cheek, already feeling uncomfortable under the headmaster's eyes. "Everything," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "I made a contract to Ashengrotto back then and now I have to pay for it. I fought against him about the notebook contracts and now I'm banned from everything associated with that takoyaki, including the repaired Ramshackle Dorm."

"He had taken it from you?"

"Along with my connection with Ace, Deuce, and Grim." The boy rested his forehead on his knees as if he was trying to make himself into the smallest ball possible. "I can't enter Octavinelle or even talk to the anemones without feeling like I'm drowning. I'm basically homeless and unable to see people."

"Maybe you can stay in another dorm?" Howl spoke out. "If you want, you can stay is Savanaclaw." He averted his eyes, rubbing his back of his neck. "Though, about Senior Leona..."

"But, isn't that a bit too risky?" Epel frowned. "I saw quite a lot of Savanaclaw students with anemones there. If Jonah stays in your dorm, he would have contact with some people trapped in Azul's contract there. It's no difference if he stays in Pomefiore."

"I need to find a way so I can't see any of them," Argentum said, turning his head slightly toward Felmier but never really looking at him. "Maybe a spell? Or a potion?

Felmier hummed, fingers on his chin. "I can ask Vil for that. Hopefully, he will help."

Crowley nodded and he stood up, still looking at Argentum. "And about your dorming situation, I think I have a solution." The boy gave him a small nod and a hum. "However, like what I said earlier, I can't really do anything about Prefect Ashengrotto's situation."

"The teachers don't need to do anything." This time, Argentum did look to him. Shadow over his eye as it shone a dangerous glint and voice sounded like he was about to murder someone.

"Ashengrotto just made this into a personal level. I'm going to destroy him."

-----

"No! Grim! Don't leave!"

"I don't want to do this either!" the cat screamed, dragging his leg which was being held by Lou, Soo, and Barret. Ace and Deuce watched the cat and the ghosts didn't know whether this should be funny or sad. They didn't know how close the Ramshackle Gang is, but from seeing this, they could say they were pretty close.

"It's no fun without you or Jonah here!" Lou screamed, fat tears falling from his eyes. "Don't leave us alone again!"

"Sorry!" Grim pulled his leg again, keeping the tuna cans in his paws from falling. "But, it's Azul order."

Ace held back a growl as he opened the nightstand drawer, looking for something to be but in the box. They had already packed the books, all it left were the clothes and other knick-knacks. Rummaging through the drawer, Ace's hand got a grip on something cold. When he pulled the thing, it was actually a golden metal ball with weird futuristic patterns on it. "Grim, what is this?" Ace asked, lifting the ball for Grim to see.

The cat threw the tuna cans into his box and looked up toward Ace. "Oh, Jonah often hold that. I don't know what it does."

Ace looked at the ball in his hand, tapping it on a few circular spots of the design. Nothing happened. So, maybe this was just some decoration. But why put it in the drawer though?

"Anemones~" They froze entirely when Floyd's head suddenly popped up at the door. The ghost immediately let go of Grim's leg and sunk into the floor so that the senior didn't see them. "Are you done yet?"

"W-We're working on it," Deuce squeaked, holding Jonah's lab coat jacket a bit too tightly in his hand, crumpling the cloth.

"Be quick~ Or should I charge you up~?" Floyd's eyes darkened despite the sharky-smile on his face, lifting his sparking magical pen as a threat.

The three of them squeaked at the same time. "N-No need!" They moved faster (but messier). Floyd smiled at this and left. The three freshmen left out a sigh of relief and the ghosts appeared again.

"What's with that boy?" Lou hissed. "He's scary."

"Did you see his teeth?" Soo whispered, slightly afraid. "I bet he's a half-shark."

"I wish I'm as tall as him," Barret mumbled. Weirdly, Lou and Soo nodded at this.

Staring at the ghosts a bit too long, Grim's ears perked up and his tail swished. He stood in front of them, paws on his hips. "Okay. You three, I have a job for you."

"Eh?"

"I want you to keep this place save," Grim said, pointing at the three of them. "If anyone tries to change, even if it's just to change the sheet, I want you to spook them to death. Can you do that?"

"Will you come back if we do that?" Barret asked.

Grim ears twitched slightly. Ace and Deuce exchanged a glance, not knowing the answer. But Grim gave the ghosts a grin. "We'll figure this out. Do this for the captain."

The ghosts' eyes widened and they nodded. They flew up the floor, floating in-line from tallest to shortest, and gave Grim a salute. "Aye, aye!"

-----

"This is the last box," Ace said, putting down the last box on the porch. Jonah unsurprisingly didn't have that much stuff, mostly just his clothes, books, and various things. Unfortunately, they weren't allowed to pack the cooking utensils for it was part of the Ramshackle.

Jack nodded at them as Epel picked up one of the boxes. "Thanks."

"You need help to carry them?" Ace asked again.

Jack shook his head, easily grabbed three stacked up boxes in his hands. "No need. We cannot risk you guys triggering Azul's curse."

"Where is he staying now?"

"The headmaster is handling it."

Ace nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. Deuce walked out, carrying one last box filled with Grim's tuna cans and other necessities.

From the window, Lou, Soo, and Barret watched as Jack and Epel walked away with Jonah's stuff. They still couldn't believe it that Jonah and Grim were kicked out from the dorm because of some ridiculous contract. The Ramshackle Dorm suddenly felt too big for the three of them. They were so used to seeing the boy and his cat walking around, watching them cook, or just to have some late-night chats...

Damn. They missed them already.

All they can do now was to carry out Grim's last order.

"Ace, Deuce!" Ace and Deuce looked up, watching Cater ran past the gate, up the hill, and met them on the porch.

"Senior Diamond," Deuce greeted him.

"Where have you been?" Cater asked, looking between both of the first-years. "Ace. It's your turn to feed the hedgehog, right? Riddle is fuming."

"Oh, shit!" Ace's eyes widened in shock and fear. He gripped his hair in frustration. "What am I going to do? Riddle will have my head on top of this anemone!"

"Anemone?" That was when Cater noticed the flower-like-things on their head. That's strange. They didn't have those this morning.

"Ah~ Hello, Snapper~" The three freshmen froze while Cater looked up confusedly when all of the sudden the Leech Twins appeared behind them. "Do you mind us borrowing Little Crab and Mackerel here? We still have a lot of jobs to do at Mostro Lounge."

"Floyd and Jade Leech?" Cater noticed how stiff Ace, Deuce, and Grim had become and his eyes fell to the box in Deuce's hand. "Why are you taking all the stuff?"

"Unfortunately, Jonah Argentum is no longer the prefect of Ramshackle Dorm," Jade said in a calm voice, but there was an underlying threatening tone there.

"What? What do you mean?" Cater asked again.

"Aah~ Too many questions!" Floyd whined. The gem on both of the Leech's twins' magical pens started to glow and the anemones on top of the first-years' head started to wiggle. "Come along now, anemones! We're not done today!"

As Jade and Floyd walked away, the anemones of their head were being pulled again. The first-years were screaming in pain, even Deuce had to drop the box, spilling the contents on the grass. Cater jumped back, staring at them with shock.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" The freshmen legs were shaking, but slowly they started to move, following the Leech twins. Ace suddenly grabbed onto Cater's jacket and spoke between his gritted teeth. "Help the Captain! Save us!"

With that, Ace joined the others walking away from the empty dorm, leaving Cater standing there in confusion. He looked at the wrinkle on his jacket, then to the spilled box on the grass. One thing came up to his mind.

Riddle wouldn't like this at all.