Chapter 42
*Slytherin Dorm – Garden*
“So Lilia told you about the VDC of this year ?” Roxana asked while cutting her steak.
“Yes.” Malleus responded before taking a bite of his food. “Will you join ?”
“Hmm, I do not know.” She responded. “I have some … thoughts.”
Malleus smiled as he gave her a bite of his food which Roxana ate with gusto.
“I would love to see you perform.” He said.
Roxana blushed. “Oh…”
*Night Raven College – Crowley’s Office*
“Come again ?” Crowley blinked.
Roxana rolled her eyes. “I want to perform solo representing my own dorm alone from Night Raven College, I promised Malleus that I would do it.”
“I understand everything…but what I don’t get is what does Malleus have anything to do with you performing ?” Crowley asked.
“He wants to see me perform, and I will fulfil his wish.” Roxana said, a small not so noticeable blush on her face.
Which Crowley noticed cause hello ? He’s a bird ! He blinked many times to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
Normally he would refuse but…
But if it’s for Malleus… I should accept. He thought. And also because I don’t want to die.
“……Sure you do you.”
“Good, because I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.”
Crowley gulped. “Uuuuhh right ! But I also hope you can do something for me, I promise it’s not something you won’t like … I hope.”
“Spill it.”
“Well … we have four weeks until the Vocal & Dance Championship kicks off, and I would be ever so appreciative if you could share Slytherin Dorm as the site for training camp for those who got accepted by Vil Schoenheit !” Crowley said.
“Hmmm. Fair deal but—”
Crowley sighed. Aiya…
“Since they will be under my coil—”
Crowley looked confused. “Don’t you mean ‘wing’ ?”
Roxana deadpanned. “Am a snake not a bird, anyways like I said since they will be under my coil, any kind of punishment I give them when breaking a rule should not be questioned, clear ?”
“Like crystal !”
“Good.”
*Night Raven College – Hallway*
“Where were you ? We searched for you everywhere !” Ace asked.
“I was with Crowley, anyways what’s new ?” Roxana asked.
“Well, we tried to audience for VDC.” Deuce said.
“And were you accepted ?”
“Well…we don’t know ! The results will come tomorrow ! Or so that’s what Vil-senpai said.” Deuce said.
“And ya know what ?! The reward for winning is fifty thousand thaumarks !” Ace said.
Roxana scoffed. “Not bad.”
Ace deadpanned. “Really ?”
Grim shrugged too. “Told you she won’t react ! She’s bathed in gold am telling ya !”
“Oh right I remember that Grim said you have a treasury of sort ! When can we see it ?” Ace nearly jumped in his place.
“Never.”
“So mean…”
*Next Day*
*Night Raven College– Hallway*
“*Huff* Trein caught me napping in Magic History. Now I’ve got extra homework!” Ace complained.
“He’s using a sleep spell on us so he can load us up with more work. I just know it!” Grim growled.
“I put rubber band on my wrist to keep myself awake. Any time I start to get sleepy, I pull it back and snap it.” Deuce said.
“I can sleep with my eyes open.” Roxana said.
All three of them looked at her like she lost her marbles.
“I don’t even know how…I don’t want to know ! On another note... Isn’t today the day they’re announcing who passed the VDC auditions?” Ace said.
Grim nodded. “It’s almost lunch break, and we ain’t got any news.”
“If we haven’t gotten anything yet, do you think we’re out?” Deuce said clear disappointment in his voice.
Roxana frowned when she heard a whistle, she grabbed the arrow midair.
“WOAH !!!!” Deuce jumped away.
Ace looked impressed. “How did you do that !!”
“It has a letter, read it.” Roxana said ignoring the question.
“{Thank you for taking part in the Song & Dance Championship auditions. The following two students have passed our rigorous screening process... Ace Trappola and Deuce Spade. Please report to the Pomefiore ballroom after school today.} ...Wait, what?” Ace blinked.
Deuce was equally shocked. “...We passed?”
“WHAAAAAAA?!”
“Th-that means we got selected for the ensemble, right?” Deuce said while pointing at the letter.
Roxana rolled her eyes. “Honestly how uncouth what happened to giving the letter in hand or sending an owl ? Or a pigeon at least.”
“What else would it mean? Sweet! Now we don’t have to help the housewarden!” Ace cheered.
Grim jumped. “Mrooow! What about me?! My performance was top-tier!”
Ace noticed something at the bottom. “Ah, hold up. There’s more. {P.S.: To Roxana of Slytherin Dorm you are welcome to come to Pomefiore.}...That’s it.”
Must be about the camp thing. Roxana thought.
*Pomefiore Dorm*
Ace looked at Roxana. “Why are you dressed like that …?”
“I came at my best.” Roxana said. “And this is what I normally wear when am alone in Slytherin.”
“So fancy…”
“I guess there’s going to be more dancing and singing training for the selected ensemble members.” Deuce said while looking at the dorm in front of them.
Ace looked away from Roxana and focused on what Deuce said before he shrugged. “Well, yeah.”
Grim pouted. “Grrr... I’m still sour that I lost to you two.”
Kalim walked up to them. “Hey, guys!”
“Oh, hey. It’s Kalim and Jamil. What are you guys doin’ here?” Grim asked.
“We passed the audition screening.” Jamil said. “Did you pass as well?”
Ace grinned. “We sure did!”
Kalim smiled at him. “So you performed well at audition! That’s great!”
“They totally left ME out, though! This really yank my tail...” Grim kicked a random pebble.
Jamil raised an eyebrow at the cat. “I think even Vil would be hard-pressed to fit YOU on the team.”
“Cheer up, Grim. Want a cracker?” Kalim said while taking a cracker from god knows where.
Grim dodged his hand. “Urgh, not this again! Somebody tell this guy that cracker aren’t the answer to everything.”
A Pomefiore Student approached them. “You there – the group of five with a cat. Halt!”
Deuce pointed at himself. “Are you talking to us?”
“I see of you passed the VDC ensemble audition.” The student ignored Deuce.
Kalim nodded. “Yup! Vil asked to see us. Would you mind taking us to him?”
The Pomefiore Student scoffed. “Heh... Not so fast. Nobody simply waltzes into our dorm!”
“Huh?” Ace, Kalim, and Grim were taking aback by that.
“The gates of Pomefiore are open only to those who exhibit both beauty and strength! The gauntlet is thrown. Pick it up!” Another Pomefiore student said as he threw his gauntlet on the floor.
“Wait, I’m confused. Why did he just throw a literal glove at us?” Kalim said as he took a step back.
Jamil pushed him away. “Stay sharp, Kalim! Incoming!”
“Out of my way you’re being a nuisance.” Roxana said coldly before she threw a body bind spell at the two students.
“WOAH !!!” Both students fall planted on the floor.
And just for her own little sadistic joy she walked over their body before entering the dorm.
The two students now had shoe marks on the back of their uniform, and both were groaning in pain.
Roxana was wearing heals.
“Every day she shock me something.” Ace said.
When they entered after Roxana they found two other students in the same state as the other two outside.
“I shall pray for you !” Deuce said to the poor Pomefiore students before he followed his friends to the ballroom.
Two other students were also in the same condition as the last four.
Ace cringed. “Yeesh.”
Roxana glared at them. “You’re late.”
Kalim opened the door and they found Vil inside.
“Why did the students of Pomefiore tried to attack us ?” Ace asked.
“Why, because you've become ensemble members, of course.” Vil said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
*Twinkle*
Grim closed his eyes. “Myah! That's blinding!”
“I see none of you have dropped out. You pass, for now.” Vil said.
Kalim looked at the blond. “Vil, what is going on here?”
“What else? A simple warm-up exercise. You got a full-body workout, did you not? Now we can get rehearsals underway immediately. Listen well: we are Night Raven College's selected representatives. We will be aiming for the top spot in the world, on the battlefield that is the Song & Dance Championship.” Vil said. “I have no use for performers incapable of overcoming a little adversity. The battle for the figurative crown has already begun. As of this moment, there will be no more fun and games. I'll be whipping you all into presentable shape!”
Kalim blinked. “U-uh... I'm still confused, but whatever you say!”
“Is it just me, or is Vil giving off the same vibe as our housewarden?” Ace whispered to Deuce.
“Heartslabyul and Pomefiore are both based on the spirits of queens. Maybe they just gravitate to that...?” Deuce responded.
Suddenly Rook appeared from out of nowhere ! Followed by Epel who unlike Rook entered from the door.
“My ! My, Roi du Poison. I see you're taking off at full tilt right out of the gate. You're so bright and dazzling that everyone else is stunned into inaction. Heheheh.”
Epel stayed quiet.
“Attention, ensemble members: first, allow me to congratulate you on passing. Bravo!” Rook clapped. “Ace. Deuce. Kalim. Jamil. Epel. And finally, myself and Vil. The seven of us shall be a tribe from this day forth. I look forward to working with you all up through the VDC. Now go on, Monsieur Crabapple a word of introduction, if you would.”
“Hello. My name is Epel. It's a pleasure to meet you...” Epel said in a quiet voice.
“Hey, hold up! You left me and Roxana outta that whole speech. Why'd you call us over when we already flunked out?” Grim said.
Crowley appeared at that moment. “In my infinite generosity, I shall field that question!”
“Must you be so dramatic ?” Roxana raised an eyebrow.
Crowley looked at her. “My dear ! Normal is the enemy of a magician, nice dress by the day !”
“Thank you.”
“Anyways ! You see my dears ! Allow me to explain why you were summoned here with the ensemble members. Starting this weekend, we will have four weeks until the Vocal & Dance Championship kicks off. And Roxana here accepted to host all of you in the Slytherin Dorm and for it to be a training camp of sort !”
“TRAINING CAMP ?!”
Jamil frowned. “Headmage, why would we need to stay together at a training camp when it's already on campus? We all have our own dorms.”
“It's a team-building exercise.” Crowley smiled. “You come from different dorms, different class years, different birthplaces, different cultures... It is my hope that living together will help you foster a greater sense of camaraderie.”
“It's true that first-rate music groups eat at the same table and sleep under the same roof to build rapport.” Vil added his comment.
“I considered Pomefiore as an option, but I feared that would make some members feel more out of their element than others.” Crowley said. “At Slytherin Dorm, however, everyone would be starting from the same baseline. Since it’s a more neutral territory !
“YES BY DOOMING EVERYONE TO BE STUCK IN A DORM WITH A GIANT SNAKE !!!” Ace and Deuce screamed.
“Wait what ?” Jamil looked at them.
“I think a mixed dorm training camp sounds like a blast!” Kalim said. “My only question is, would it be okay for both me and Jamil to be absent from Scarabia for a whole month?”
Crowley waved his hand dismissively at that. “Worry not, my boy. I will be exercising my authority as headmage to support you all in whatever capacity you need. Oh, what a kindly soul I am! It is in Night Raven College's best interest to take other schools down a peg and win the title of "the world's greatest" for ourselves.”
“Hold your horses, Crowley. If we ain't in the ensemble, why should we contribute to this at all? I don't want anything to do with it!” Grim said.
“But that’s were you’re wrong my dear cat !”
“AM NOT A CAT !!”
“Roxana will participate solo.” Crowley said.
“MYAH ??”
“You will ?” Deuce and Ace asked.
“WHY ?!” Grim screamed.
“I promised someone.” Roxana said without looking at them.
Vil glared at Roxana for a moment before he turned to the other. “Should our team win first place, Rook and I will donate our shares between us.”
“IF you win.” Roxana said.
“What do you mean by that.” Vil frowned.
“If I win, you will be my slave and will have to do everything I tell you to do.” Roxana said.
Vil scoffed. “Alright then, same goes if I win.”
“We have a deal then !” Roxana smiled.
Feeling the awkward atmosphere between the two Crowley decided to save the day.
“Then I suppose I had best get arrangements for the training camp in order. Good luck honing your performance to a razor edge, entrants!”
“The training camp became a done deal before we could get a word in edgewise...” Deuce said.
“No kidding. But I guess a change of pace won't hurt us.” Ace shrugged. “For one thing, staying at a training camp means no off-with-our-heads if we breach any of the Queen of Hearts' rules. We can take it easier than usual, even tho Slytherin is a death trap in itself…”
Deuce shivered remembering the snake, and that time he fell down the moving stairs.
It wasn’t fun !
“First Scarabia has a training camp with Octavinelle, and now we're doing one with Heartslabyul and Pomefiore?” Kalim smiled. “This is going to be a rip-roaring time!”
Jamil sighed. “If that's your call as housewarden, so be it. I'm not going to oppose you and make myself look bad in the process.”
“Then our meeting is adjourned.” Vil said. “It's time to get the rehearsal started!”
“Wait, I thought we weren't rehearsing until training camp starts.” Ace said.
“Think again, Potato One. You're all rank amateurs at singing and dancing. We don't have a moment to waste.” Vil said.
“Wonderful! Let's play a song to kick off the NRC Tribe's shared journey.” Rook said with enthusiasm.
Again Epel stayed silent.
Vil clapped his hands to put get the attention of everyone. “Start the music: "Piece of My World"!”
Roxana sat at the table in the corner and enjoyed her black tea.