Chapter Text
The days leading up to the entrance ceremony bustled through like a bullet train rapidly speeding towards its destination. During that time, the rest of the staff returned to their respective posts and were set to work immediately. The gardeners from the Botanical Gardens pruned and trimmed the foliage and the trees throughout the campus, but with most of their efforts focused on the courtyard and the land closest to the main campus building. Other support staff, like the stablemen and the miller went about their daily business as if it was just another day for them.
Meanwhile, teachers made their classrooms into their second homes, setting up their desks with all the materials needed to teach their classes. Because Key was often assigned to the evening shift, she wasn’t always available to see them on their rounds, but she did catch a glimpse of Professor Trein giving his new intern a rundown of what her tasks would be for the semester.
Furthermore, there were a few other interns shadowing their respective mentors. Most of them she hadn’t had the privilege of formal introductions, but she could immediately pick them out from the crowd based on the way they acted—wide eyed and curious—and how young they were compared to the staff. There were at least three interns shadowing the educational staff and two more who were interning at the infirmary. There were probably more—Key wasn’t too sure and it was certainly not any of her business, but the curiosity still lingered.
Word on the street was that there was going to be orientation for the interns before the entrance ceremony for the first years. Apparently, the Headmage was going to go around campus leading them around like a mother hen with her chicks. Ha!
Aside from the goings on with the interns and the regular work delivered by the rest of the staff, Key found that her focus was mostly on the project that had taken up her and the rest of the maintenance team’s spare time. Finally, after a month of work that involved a lot of elbow grease and magic, the dilapidated dorm situated on the main campus grounds was fixed and ready for habitation! While the grass and gate still needed some work, both the inside and the outside of the dorm did not look so ramshackle and disgusting as it did before.
True, the furniture and the décor had remained largely unchanged, but all the dust and cobwebs had been done away with. All that had been rotting had been replaced with new wood, the holes had been patched, and the wiring and circuitry had been redone. Just that morning, Key and Emilio had checked on the dorm to see if all the lights were working and if there were any other tasks that had yet to be taken care of.
All in all, it seemed that the entire team had transformed the lowly property into a building that appeared worthy of Night Raven College’s fame and prestige. All the dorm needed now was a student to maintain the upkeep…
“Querida, I don’t see how anyone is going to live here.” Emilio turned off the last of the lights as he nodded at one of the ghosts who were seeing them out. On this morning right before the entrance ceremony, Emilio had taken Key aside so that they could sweep and dust down the entire building. Despite the both of them being magicless, they managed to get the job done in under an hour.
It seemed that the ghosts had kept their word to Key: they had taken some measures to make sure that the building hadn’t become too dusty or neglected in the custodians’ absence. While spending too much effort could severely impact their ghostly nature, all three of them admitted to dividing the housework. It was just the basics like sweeping and dusting, but it felt like the chores were more than halved with the help from the ghosts. All Emilio and Key did was test out if everything worked and retouch areas of the house that the ghosts didn’t have the energy to clean.
Key shrugged, but sent an appreciative smile at the abandoned dorm. “You never know, Mr. Emilio! With the way it’s been shaping up, I think the new school year will hold a lot of surprises and maybe one of them includes this little dorm!”
The older custodian shook his head, a rueful but fond smile fighting to emerge on his tanned features. “This is your first year here. Where’d you get the idea that there’ll be surprises? I think that getting permission to clean up this dump is a miracle already. What more do you think will happen?”
She thought for a moment, her gaze catching on the wrought iron gate as they prepared to leave the grounds. “Well, I’m here. Isn’t that a good omen?” There had to be a reason why she was here, but if she was being realistic, it was because the bird-brained mage made a mistake while reciting whatever incantation was in his head that fateful day. Wrong place, wrong time, and probably, wrong person.
Key had thought that she sounded casual—nothing out of the normal—but Emilio must have heard something. No sooner had she asked that question—inobtrusive and soft enough to be disregarded—did she feel one of his large hands settle on top of her hair. So surprised she was at the sudden gesture, she froze. The familiarity of it—that warmth and the slight tugging of his nails against the sensitive skin of her scalp—was shocking in the end of summer air.
It wasn’t the first time Emilio had expressed physical affection towards her. In fact, she had come to expect his closeness be it through physical contact or the silly nicknames he gave her. Maybe it was something about the situation itself that caused such a reaction in her? And, if that was the case, what was the catalyst?
The larger man, either oblivious to her inner conflicts or wise enough to allow her space to think, patted her head three more times as if to reassure her before slowly withdrawing. However, that same hand migrated down the smooth slope of her shoulder.
“Of course! How could I forget that little birds such as yourself are considered good luck!” He chuckled when he saw that Key’s troubled expression had scrunched up in favor of pure, unadulterated aggravation. “And speaking of little birds… Don’t go flying too far tonight, okay? In case Al doesn’t catch you, we need to be present at the Mirror Chamber to clean and lock up after the first years’ initiation… So meet us at the dorm approximately an hour or so before we end up going to the Mirror Chamber.”
“…ah. Is this what you guys have been whispering about these past days? Why keep it a secret?” Truly, sometimes Key couldn’t understand her fellow custodians. “I know you guys are going to be hosting a little get together as a last day of ‘freedom’ before the work starts piling up.”
Honestly, Key had a great sense of hearing, all things considering. She may not have the strong sense of hearing that could rival Horace or Zaria, but among humans? She had a big advantage.
So, it didn’t come so much as a surprise when she heard a few of the custodians gathered together one day, huddled as if they were penguins seeking warmth. Apparently, it was a yearly thing: the last night celebration before the first day of school. In fact, Key was also aware that other departments did almost the same thing. The educational staff, for one, were performing group exercises to get the team back into the thick of things while simultaneously welcoming the interns.
What came as a dull shock to Key was that Emilio seemed surprised one second and full of mischief the next.
“Ay!” He laughed a little to himself. “Exactamente! Pretend that you’re surprised when you come, okay? We worked really hard to prepare since you’re the only new face this time around.”
“Hmm…” Something felt off about Emilio at that moment, but the young custodian chose not to comment on it. The bluster seemed performative, but… “Okay then! But you shouldn’t take credit for Miss Dolly’s and Mr. Alastor’s contributions, Mr. Emilio!”
“Birdie!” He clutched his chest. “The slander!”
After parting ways with her senior, Key meandered towards the town below the mountain. Unlike some of her precious excursions, she opted to take the long way down instead of using one of the mirrors available. It would take a long time, averaging around thirty minutes to at least an hour depending on how fast she went, but Key needed to expel the nervous energy that had been building up for the past few days.
A part of her dreaded the start of the new school year while another part rejoiced at the new changes. The dread came from the fact that she would be expected to accommodate a lot of responsibilities under her belt: making sure that all of the Housewardens were up to date on school events (Mr. Draconia had yet to be contacted so Key had to make do with the Vice Housewarden’s email); organize the old crow’s files whenever he called for her (alongside whatever other tasks he wanted her to complete at his whim); and since there was the influx of new students, it was to be expected that quite a few of them were scholarship students who had to work to earn their keep, so training and supervision was a high possibility.
Thankfully, Key kept her graveyard shift and she didn’t expect the Headmage to keep her too busy during the day (in fact, she was under the impression that he wouldn’t request her assistance all too often).
However, most of the negativity stemmed from the fact that she had yet to receive any news about her eventual return home.
Even when Key broached the topic, the Headmage merely espoused that magic of this nature was intricate and could take extended periods of time in which research was paramount. (If that was the case, Key had to wonder then why did he have to mess with such magic in the first place?) And then, the Headmage had congratulated her on a job well done, citing that a few of the Housewardens thought that a new face like hers would be a welcome addition that would keep them all on track. (How much of his claim was true, Key couldn’t discern). The only evidence that confirmed Key had done her job well was that she had received an email from Asim—a welcoming affair that was littered with a plethora of exclamation marks and emojis—and a few more formal thank you’s from Rosehearts, Ashengrotto, and Schoenheit. At the very least, Key thought, she hadn’t got the sense that she had done anything wrong. Yet.
(She would have to work on projecting her voice and being more assertive, as per Schoenheit’s advice, but those were minor details. Key was thankful for the tips at any rate, it would help in the future).
But what really worried Key was that the Headmage had yet to confirm if the cat beast would be allowed to attend the entrance ceremony. Despite her attempts to talk about the matter, the old crow had either deflected or steered her away from the conversation entirely. How he managed to continue evading, the young custodian was not sure, but she assessed it was because he refused to speak in plain, simple terms. His overly verbose manner of speech obfuscated his true intent at best and completely flummoxed her at worst.
Was that a characteristic of the fae? Or had Key managed to end up with one who was this difficult on principle?
Whatever the case, Key knew that she had to break the news to the furball soon. Although, she had the feeling that even if she did so, he would find some way to sneak inside. After all, he still managed to find himself on Night Raven College grounds despite the fact that he had been kicked out. Repeatedly.
(There was also the matter concerning the proposal from Dr. Park, but she didn’t want to think about that too hard).
That’s why Key had decided to visit the town. Not only did she want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the preparations, but also because she knew that the cat beast had a high chance of seeking her out. For some odd reason, he liked to tail her…
The town did not seem to share the same frantic energy that Key had observed at the college. Back on the campus grounds, Key had to quickly learn that she had to escape or risk being ran underfoot. The kitchen ghosts were preparing for the first full week of meals and everyone else was gearing up for the upcoming school year. Yes, the town was probably aware that the students were arriving, but it was relatively calm in comparison. Hmmm… Key wondered if Royal Sword Academy was also celebrating the end of summer…
Without any furry presences in sight, Key decided to avoid the main town altogether and head for the children’s playground. It took an extra five minutes, but to Key, it was well worth it. The playground was mostly bereft of both parents and children, but there were a few patrons milling about the main part of the playground.
Familiarity overtook Key as she took a seat upon one of the swings. While the bright red and yellow of the playground set was dissimilar to the color scheme of green and brown from her childhood, the jungle gym, swing set, and sandbox reminded her of simpler times. While climbing trees would always hold a special place in her heart, she couldn’t deny that she had just as many delightful memories connected to playgrounds like this.
Hadn’t someone pushed her on the swings?
Raced her to the slides?
Yelled at her from the ground whenever she hung from the monkey bars?
It didn’t take long for Key to start swinging. As the wind ran through her hair, the ground fell away as she rose higher and higher, closer to the clouds. Higher and higher she rose, reaching the apex of her arc. At that point, there were only two options: either she continued swinging at this height until she tired or… she could just…
Oh, why not?
Without preamble, Key pumped her legs one last time. Within moments, she reached the apex of her arc and then, she leaped off the swing. For a few delightful nanoseconds, she soared through the air. However, as much as she would like to lose herself in the sensation of falling through the air, she had to quickly calculate just how hard she was going to hit the ground and how to best absorb the shock from impact. Thankfully, the ground was covered in softened earth to help ease her fall, which meant that there wasn’t too much pain racing up and down the balls of her feet and legs.
There was pain, yes, but Key immediately started walking it off.
And that’s when she noticed that she had an audience.
There was a circle of trees surrounding the playground, likely planted to provide shade to the adults or children. Beneath the trees, there were picnic tables to seat the aforementioned adults and children, but that’s not what caught Key’s eye. Rather, it was the stranger who sat beneath the inviting shade.
Lounging on top of the table, his legs daintily crossed at his ankles, was a young man who looked just about the same age as one of the typical Night Raven College students. His hair was naturally raven black, but there were streaks of hot pink that glowed brightly in all their unholy neon glory. He wore what appeared to be a rock band t-shirt and artfully ripped jeans. If Key studied his nails, she could see that the colors alternated between hot pink and black.
And, most importantly, his ears were pointed rather than rounded like a normal human’s ears.
Noticing that Key was giving him her full, undivided attention, the young man waved at her, his freshly polished nails wiggling with unrestrained delight. “A good show! Back in my day, I would have dared to go higher, but alas, my joints would no longer be able to withstand the force of impact.”
Despite the strangeness of the situation, Key decided to entertain him. It was still broad daylight, with both parents and small children playing nearby, so she should be fine. Still, she made sure not to step too close after trotting away from the swings.
“Thank you, I don’t normally come by often to the town, but when I do, I like to do unusual things to pass the time.” Key awkwardly chuckled to herself as she scratched the back of her neck. Although the bruise on her forehead had long since faded, the memories of the boardwalk were still crystal clear in her memory. (Or whatever bits she remembered most in between blacking out remained clear). “And you? You don’t like to jump off the swings?”
Her awkward nature gave way for the curiosity that had been brimming towards the surface ever since she took note of the stranger’s presence. At her question, the young man grinned—a rather peculiar one at that—which revealed two cute little fangs that jutted out of his mouth.
“A rebellious adventurer,” he crowed in delight. “It appears that we have that in common, at least. I am getting a little too old for that, unfortunately, but it’s good to know that the youth of today never changes from when I used to be quite the spitfire. Jumping off swings is outside of my wheelhouse. I much prefer flying.”
Ah, Key could feel herself deflate at that. It was more than obvious that since he was one of the fair folk that he would have magic, but still. How could jumping off a swing set ever hope to measure up against the act of flying? She hadn’t entered the conversation with the intention of… well, she wouldn’t call it bragging or showing off, but jumping was clearly a paltry affair compared to the hijinks that he must get up to as a mage.
If he were a child, maybe she would have gotten away with her mediocrity, but he was older than an easily impressed toddler. Much older.
And speaking of the young man being much older, why did he speak as if he were a middle-aged man lamenting his glory days? Was he playing a bit? Then again, Key had to consider that from what little information she could gather from the library about the fae, it seemed that many of their kind aged at different rates, but most would agree that their lifespans superseded that of the other races in Twisted Wonderland. For all she knew, the man was old enough to be her great-great-great-great-great grandfather!
“Is everything all right, my dear?”
Just as Key was about to reassure the stranger that her head was up in the clouds, she realized that he was no longer seated atop the picnic table. No! Instead, Key found herself eye to eye with the stranger while he floated upside down in front of her.
What was most interesting about the stranger—other than the sudden close proximity—was that his eyes were a deep red. Ruby? No, that was a bit too deep now that Key was looking at the intensity of the hue. Perhaps magenta? It was a nice color to compliment the hot pink streaks in his hair… Had he willingly chosen to dye his hair to compliment his eyes?
“My dear?” His tone of voice may have been defined as concerned, though the impish lilt to his lips and the mischief in his eyes was more than enough evidence that he found the situation amusing. Had he done this to startle her out of her contemplation? Well, he had done a good job at it!
A fae! And he was flying!
“Floating is a better way to describe it, but I have flown in the past.”
Shoot, had she said that out loud? Quick, divert the topic!
“That’s so cool! Can all fae do that?” Key practically bounded on the balls of her feet, looking more and more like a child opening up presents on Christmas Day. (Did Christmas even exist in this universe?)
Seemingly taken aback by the interest, the young man blinked owlishly down at her before he chuckled, the tone of which was low and soothing. It was very… warm. Comfortable. Maybe even fatherly? It was such a stark contrast to how Key had initially perceived him that she was almost shocked out of her curiosity.
The fae lazily righted himself, but still remained a foot off the ground. Even when Key was surrounded by the wonders of the magical world, the young custodian couldn’t help but be in awe of such mundane magnificence. Sometimes, it shocked her that there were people in this world—some of whom she knew personally—who could take all of this for granted or not even bat an eye at all that Twisted Wonderland had to offer.
There was an interested glint in the fae’s magenta eyes as he said, “You’re very inquisitive, maybe a little sheltered?” Key only smiled brightly, not willing to open up that can of worms for a stranger. “Unfortunately, not a lot of fae can float like this—there are many subtypes with their own specialties—but flying can be taught. In fact, I am a student of Night Raven College.”
And that was the information Key had been waiting for. She had an inkling that he must have been a student of either school on the island because she would have recognized him had he been one of the townsfolk—he stood out from a population that mostly boasted humans and a handful of beastfolk.
“You are?” Key studied the young man closer, as if trying to commit all of his visible characteristics to memory. “Which year? Dorm?” An afterthought. “Oh, and name as well?”
This time, when the young man laughed, Key didn’t feel awkward hearing that joyous sound. It was almost as if he found her funny. Endearing, even.
“You are also quite lively!” He slowly floated down until the soles of his boots kissed the ground. Much to Key’s dismay, the young man still had at least two or so inches on her. At the very least, he wasn’t towering over her like the majority of students she happened to meet.
He bowed low at the waist, his right hand pressed against his heart as he continued to peer up at Key. Throughout it all there was an air of mischief, but when he spoke, there was a certain gravitas that Key found herself humbled by.
“Lilia Vanrouge. At your service.”
Eyes wide, Key’s mouth gasped open. This was the student whom she had contacted after her failure to reach the Diasomnia Housewarden? This was the Vice Housewarden? Now she knew how the dorm leaders must have felt when she revealed that she was a member of the staff.
One could only hope that she hadn’t made a hilarious face like the expression Ashengrotto had made after that announcement. Cam had gotten a kick out of it when she had emailed him just a day or so ago. He had lamented that Key couldn’t obtain photographic evidence. He still thanked her for the update, though, and had given her a few anecdotes regarding his hometown and his family and friends.
“M-Mr. Vanrouge!” Key did an awkward half bow-half curtsy before blurting out, “You can call me Key! Erm… from the emails if you remember…?”
Gah, she hoped that he would recognize her from that information alone. At this point, she was still reeling from the sudden reveal that if she were to attempt to explain herself further, she would no doubt trip over her words and make an even bigger fool of herself.
“Key,” he breathed out in wonder. His eyes widened before he granted her a warm smile, all traces of mischief now gone. His expressions had been very telling up until that point, but it was this one that felt the most genuine. “Oh my, you’re the adamant one who’s been wanting to meet Malleus!”
Key nodded in affirmation, her heart at ease now that she didn’t have to explain in detail how she knew him. From his emails—a short paragraph that thanked her for her consideration—he seemed rather courteous and polite. She hadn’t expected him to be somewhat of a lackadaisical jokester, but Key could appreciate that appearances weren’t everything, especially with first impressions.
“That’s me! Do you know when I can meet him? Technically, I don’t need to since you already disseminated the meeting information, but it would be nice to meet with all the Housewardens face to face at least once before the next meeting.”
If Vanrouge hadn’t already landed, he would have surely fallen to the ground. At least, that’s what Key inferred if the way his eyes widened and a low exhalation of breath—a gasp?—meant anything.
“You’re… you’re excited to meet Malleus?” His eyes seemed dark, a mix of curiosity, suspicion, and hope swirling in his strangely colored irises. The emotions that Key had deciphered were strange, but they all disappeared only to be replaced with an elation that nearly kicked Key off her feet.
When was the last time someone looked at Key like that?
But, back to the point: shouldn’t Key be excited to meet the Diasomnia Housewarden? Despite the fact that Key was pretty formal with all of the Housewardens during the meeting, she did truly enjoy getting to know each of them. They were all people with their own hopes and dreams, aspirations and ideals…
Sometimes, their biases and stances were opposed to one another’s. The results ranged from the passive aggressive to the most explosive tempers flaring and raring for a fight. Key was no scientist, but it was like mixing the most volatile chemicals together… Some of the chemicals nullified each other, while some chemical reactions endeavored to create the most toxic and explosive results.
Just how would two royals react to being in the same room?
Was there an undercurrent of respect amongst all of them because they were all Housewardens?
How did the differences in social status dictate how they treated each other? Or did it not matter when it was clear that they all had proficiency in magic and in managing their students?
Key didn’t know all the social dynamics yet, but she hoped that as the year continued, she’d get to know them better.
What she did know, however, was that when she finally brought up the topic of contacting Malleus Draconia, they had all deflected blame. Oh, he was not as approachable as other Housewardens. Oh, he would get the information eventually, no need to worry! Oh, they did this every year so it’s not like he was missing out on any important information!
And on and on like that.
Just how was she supposed to tell the Diasomnia Housewarden about future meetings and events if she couldn’t even contact him? Why did it seem as if everyone was avoiding him? Based on the remarks given on his student profile, it seemed like he was an exemplary student. Out of everyone else in that room, he alone excelled in all subjects, and was cited as a prime role model for Night Raven College students.
There was only the matter of attendance, but that was only a small slight that did little to mar the image of the Crown Prince of Briar Valley.
Key found herself nodding, still somewhat taken aback by Vanrouge’s sudden question. “Yes, why wouldn’t I be?”
The fae merely looked at her with that same impish grin of his that revealed the points of his canines.
“Wait, should I be excited?” Key frowned as she tried to decipher why he was looking at her as if she had unknowingly stepped into a trap. Although, she detected no malice in his mischievous gaze, so it was less of a trap and more like she had jumped head first into a prank intended for her. “Am I missing something?”
Just who was the Diasomnia Housewarden to elicit such evasive reactions from the rest of the Housewardens?
Vanrouge chuckled before falling backwards into a seamless transition that had him floating on his back. It was such a whimsical move that it startled Key out of her concern and entertained her.
“I wouldn’t say that you’re missing anything, only that I think that you will be surprised by your first meeting.” The fae floated closer until he was within distance to tap her on the nose. “Be nice, he can be a bit sensitive.”
Was that a warning?
“Riiight.”
“Please, be gentle with him. It’s not often that dear Malleus has the opportunity to make friends.”
“E-excuse me?”
“You’ll see. Come now, tell me about yourself.”
For the rest of the day, Key found herself hanging onto every word that the fae had to say. Despite his young physique, the low timbre of his voice and the apparel he donned, Key found that he had the wisdom and experience of someone who would look decades older. From the words he spoke to his personal views on life, Key got the distinct feeling that he had lived several lifetimes before Key had breathed her first breath.
Vanrouge spoke with authority, like a teacher, as he recounted tales of adventuring across many different lands. At length, he spoke of how the different cultures spoke to him, of how people differed in their cultural beliefs.
At the mention of new lands, Key had reached into her backpack and pulled out her treasury of fairy tales. Although she had read most of the stories at that point and had started annotating on scraps of sticky notes, the book still looked rather new. At her prodding, the fae had taken it upon himself to look through the book. From his perusal, he revealed that most of the book’s contents were actually well researched and the translations, while not perfect, still conveyed the intent that was present in the original.
There were times when he would talk at length about certain lands that he visited, but then he would pause for a moment, before saying something else. It was like he was telling her as much as he could, but holding back on certain details. Key wasn’t a stranger to censorship—she was an active player in that regarding her own background—so she instantly knew that he was hiding things from her or omitting vital details. She didn’t say anything though: it wasn’t her place anyway.
“Like this one,” Vanrouge pointed out with a well-manicured finger. “The story of the girl who disguised herself to save her father from the horrors of war.” A laugh. “I always found this story to be almost too sentimental, but I know someone who looks up to this heroine. He finds the love she has for her father and the lengths that she would go for him to be noble.”
“And you don’t?”
The fae startled at that question, his eyes flashing with something unknown. When Key realized that he had yet to speak, she began to apologize, mistaking his silence for anger. Fortunately, it seemed like the fae simply needed a moment to collect his thoughts because he raised a placating hand to halt her apology before it could escape the confines of her throat.
“Don’t fret, Miss Key!” The laughter in his voice was emphasized with the way he rested his chin on the fleshy portion of his palm, a cherubic smile upon his features. “I believe that the young woman as mentioned in the story is noble, yes. Yet, I also believe that the father—old and ailing—may have felt…” He canted his head to the side, his gaze looking past Key and up into the air, his mind a million miles away. “Maybe embarrassed? But perhaps that may not be the right word… How should I say this… The father… The father would not want to burden his child with his shortcomings…”
Throughout Vanrouge’s speech, Key listened. Perhaps it was because it was getting a little later in the day and Key was beginning to tire—she hoped that she could get in a short nap before the custodian’s party—but with the way he spoke, it was almost as if he experienced things she could not even fathom. Or it was as if he had a personal stake in the matter. It would make no sense if Vanrouge was any other person, but…
He was a fae.
How many years lay behind the mask of youth?
But Key had only met the mysterious fae that day. As much as she would like to think she could speak at length on this situation, she couldn’t. She didn’t know him outside of the context that he was a fae of unknown age and maturity attending Night Raven College. He was learned and well spoken, with a sort of wisdom that must have come from the many adventures he had described.
But the young custodian had one thing to say… at least just so she could be at ease.
“I think that given the context of the story, I bet that’s why the young woman disguised herself. Not solely as a sacrifice or just to be seen as a pillar of nobility, but because she truly loved her father. Children, one day, will have to take care of their parents when they get older. It’s not an ideal situation—” The burden of responsibility, the loss of autonomy… “—but it’s all out of love. There is no shame in the father no longer being able enough to take care of his daughter.”
A beat of silence wherein both human and fae only shared a glance that seemed almost too long.
And then startled laughter. Loud and boisterous, at odds with how… soft he had seemed over the course of the conversation, his laughter ringing throughout the playground. From the jungle gym to the sandbox, a few children swiveled their heads in the direction of the fae’s laughter.
“My, the youth can be so surprising! Yes,” he nodded to himself, lost in thought, “you are quite fascinating. Malleus will enjoy your insight.”
As much as Key would like to question him more on what he meant by that, Key realized that the sun was no longer as high up in the sky as it had been earlier, and that most of the children had gone. A quick glance at her pocket watch revealed that it was half past four. If she hurried now, she could squeeze in an hour’s worth of a nap before the festivities.
To Vanrouge’s amusement, Key fumbled while shoving her pocket watch back into her pocket. She thought about playing off the bout of clumsiness, but decided to forgo that thought.
“I hate to say this, but it’s getting late… Would you like to come back to NRC with me?”
He smiled at her invitation, but declined in the end. “The start of a new year is always a busy affair, so I find it best that I get as much rest as possible before the excitement catches up to me. These old bones of mine are no longer as spry as they once were!”
“Well, you’re looking pretty good for a geriatric.”