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The utter gall the supposed guests had to show off their magic in a festival meant for the magicless(not that he ever told them of that fact, so he mustn’t blame their ignorance in the slightest)—it was enough to make his blood boil even in the midst of being the center of attention. But at the reminder of where his efforts lie in the end, he ends up bringing the handkerchief to his face instead.
His role begins in this play as their guide in the duration of the festival; he had waited so long for this moment, he cannot crush his chances now in the very last moment. It all had to fit in place for the final blow.
The final blow being the downfall of the very magic he’s witnessing right now. He can’t wait to see it. All that wretched weeks of planning, researching, and observing through the sidelines lead to this moment here, to see one of the top mages actually stepping in his territory. He can taste his victory soon enough.
Rollo Flamme never spared any room for err in this plan. That was the case, until even he himself fell into temptation. For if even the ones blessed—or rather, cursed—with magic can err, then what more if the magicless were to encounter the same? He should have known his fate was sealed the moment his eyes met with the wonderous orbs of the glassy gaze from the Night Raven College’s prefect.
The magicless human who’s put an end to six overblots, the prefect who’s survived this far without the need or use for magic, the student who has thrived—he assumes, as the prefect appears neat enough: no scars, no battle wounds, and no malice in the eyes—in a world full of magic despite not having any. The perfectly blooming flower in the enchanted garden, and Rollo understood what it meant when they say that it is always the most beautiful flower that gets picked from the field.
Yuu’s eyes gazed up at him curiously, and the innocence of such an act was enough to make his own gaze soften. There was no evil aura on this being, and their actions towards him and everyone else told him that the temptation they gave him was by no means intentional. This prefect was being good to all without wanting anything in return.
He arrived to that conclusion after conversing with them alone, away from the magically cursed ruffians, and much too far for them to even attempt to cast some spell on this poor soul. Even that flame-eared cat companion was a being of magic, so it cannot be trusted. Luckily for him, the animal enjoyed the start of the festival so much it was left wanting for more, not paying attention to its friend being snatched away from the crowd. Good. Rollo didn’t want to have to deal with much fuss.
Holding the prefect’s bare hand with his own, however, made the blood rush towards his face and he was glad that their shock drew their attention to their joined hands instead of his face therefore not needing a handkerchief to hide it; he wasn’t in the presence of magic for now, there was no need to reach for the colored cloth he would always rely on when in those unfortunate situations.
Thankfully, the walk away from the crowd was enough to settle him down—at least, from the looks of it, it seems so—thus when he let go of their hand and turned to finally face them, he was now in a battle again between his ever judgmental eyes and their soft unknowing ones.
Over a decision to converse through a snack, he buys them a croissant. Yuu is easy to please, he realizes, and he feels his heart spread warmth again over such a small action not even directed at him. The world is not as kind as this person with him right now, and he is reminded once again that if he does not push through with his plans, even this sweet soul will meet an untimely demise.
“How are you faring in a world filled with magic?” He begins. To test the waters, to see if there was still hope that perhaps he was not the only wanting a world free of the worst sin imaginable. This was his chance, this could be the moment he’d finally have someone to r—
“Truthfully, I’m much too used to it now.” Yuu replies, smiling up at him after swallowing their bitten bread. “Of course, to live in a world of magic when you didn’t belong in one is to try to belong, yes?” His silence kept them going on explaining their answer, but his eyes showed his shock clearly. “It is difficult to belong, don’t get me wrong. But if this is my life for the time being, I can’t just live in negativity for too long.”
“Don’t you think it’s burdensome? Magic, the arcane, things much beyond your understanding. Isn’t it too much, an understatement for you being used to it as you say?”
“You must have it rough, being surrounded by such troublesome magicians every hour of every day. Wouldn’t it be better should the world be rid of this magic we rely on too much for our liking?” Rollo continues, only for the prefect beside him to shake their head and deny his assumptions.
“I don’t think it’s a burden. The magicians I am blessed to be friends with have their way around mastery of magic, so I think I need not worry about it that much.”
He is silent once again. He cannot believe it. This one, too, is tainted with the curiosity and, dare he say it, possibly wanting to leave him for the darkness that magic beholds. This soul was supposed to resist it, to remain true to their human nature, to cling to what makes them human, but instead they too could be ensnared by the supposed wonders of the magical world. It makes his heart burn.
And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to argue. This was normal, he realizes. Of course in a realm of magicians using their tactics to deceive everyone around them, it is the norm for those that don’t have magic to want to have it, too. It’s the only explanation. It’s the only logical reason as to why Yuu would be infected with the same way of thinking, given their surroundings. Finishing up with their snacks after the long silence and Yuu thinking it ended there, they stand up to bid him a good day to walk back to their friends.
Watching the prefect’s figure distancing from him, he mutters to himself that there is no need to worry. After all, with the way things are now, everything will come to an end eventually. He promises that on his goal to save all from this wretched sin.
--
Thunder cracks through the heavens but he knows better than to think it is a sign of the gods. No, as always it is the sign from his mortal enemies that they have finally pieced his plan together. The invitation, the festival, the tour, it was all a lie. A farce that he needed in order to pull his enemies closer, and in his territory too, so that he would be in a spot he knows best.
Or at least, that’s how it should be. Again, it was in human nature to err, much to his dismay. His first error was falling for the sweet gaze of a magicless human who turned out to be tempted by want for magic. Logic would tell him that no, the prefect didn’t say that specifically, but in his far too crazed mind—celebrating the fact that Malleus Draconia had actually fell for the trap he had solely devised for him to even think straight—they practically rejected his offer of salvation.
No matter. Perhaps if all magic were gone from this world only then shall his prefect see the light of actual human nature.
His second error was underestimating how determined Yuu was to save their magician friends, and everyone else who barely knew them now—the townsfolk currently evacuating the city, the students fighting off the flowers unknowing of their magic’s soon demise—enough to rush towards the last magical item in the City of Flowers, the Bell of Salvation.
He hears from his subjects that Malleus had saved Yuu from falling in the trap earlier on that was meant for the draconian fae alone and not the poor human that got dragged into it, but seeing them work together to put an end to his plans makes him green with envy. First this person strays away from his offered hand and now they go aid his nemeses?
Rollo’s anger should have blinded him. If that were the case he could simply wave off his idleness as being overcome with emotion. Technically, he was, but the emotion that surged into his veins when he saw the prefect face to face again in the final battle make an attempt to run for the bell only for it to collapse from pressure and the prefect falling along with it, was nothing but dread.
Seeing the prefect’s face filled with fear for the inevitable was the worst feeling he had ever had in his life. He could save them, but…! To save them would mean to use magic, the very sin he needs to be free of. Because if he was partaking in that sin, then what was the point of all this, then? His eyes shut close, not wanting to see the fleeting love he had for another human end before his very eyes.
The bell crashed down with the loudest sound he’s heard, and Rollo feels his knees give in. He doesn’t realize Malleus is no longer in the tower’s highest floor with him, but now is in the ground where the bell’s collision occurred.
But since that very collision counts as a sounding of the bell, the flowers were overrun with too much magic than it could take, and wilted into particles of dust(or were they ashes? No one can tell.) in front of everyone’s eyes. The boys that lead the townsfolk to safety inspected the area first before returning with the group.
Rollo from the tower still didn’t know what was happening, yet he couldn’t be bothered to take notice of anything. The silence from Yuu as they fell was enough shock, fear, and many other emotions he could only base on observing others around him. One soul he failed to save, and by the looks of it, his enemies have won over his city as well.
--
Of course Malleus would come to the rescue. Like he always would, when it comes to Yuu.
Yuu was his first friend outside of the students of Diasomnia, who he argues that they have little to no choice but to befriend him or at least interact with him anyway. His batchmates also would only approach him whenever they needed to, but not when they wanted to. It was really only Yuu who showed him what it was like to not live in the world alone, when he had felt like that for eons on end.
When Yuu had reached for the already aged bell, it was then he was grateful to all the trainings he had done with Lilia, for it was enough for him to save his only friend from dying in that fall. He cushions them as he sees Rollo’s eyes close, and jumps away from where the bell would hit. Yuu, of course, had no time to process it all, and only sat by his side until the group was complete and accounted for. The prefect took one last look up the bell tower, and Malleus assumes this is where his friend is really the soul with the purest of intentions.
The commute back to Night Raven College, after first checking and helping the townsfolk—much to Azul and Ruggie’s displeasure since they would be getting nothing out of it—was a silent one, and the fae thinks it is because of Yuu’s still shock fizzled brain. He couldn’t truly understand humans, he claims, but right then he did understand that in the almost moment of death that Yuu would still try to comprehend what exactly happened. He figures that since he wasn’t in a near death situation, he isn’t one to talk.
The important thing is that his one and only friend in this world is safe. And to that, he closes his eyes in content as the carriage takes them all back.
--
The flames of the furnace burn brighter than ever. He thinks he knows why.
That prefect was safe and alive, after all. He had worried for nothing. He had grieved for nothing.
That blasted sinner who had him wrapped around their finger…!
His clenched fist hit the wall as it cracks, but it isn’t enough to quell his anger. That absolute temptress, fiddling with his mind all to have his plans fail!
And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to hate his beloved Yuu with all his heart. No, if he was tempted and believed their lies, that must mean…
…That he was now infected too.
A deep chuckle turns into a maniacal laughter from his lips. “I see, so that was their plan. What a smart prefect I’ve fallen for, it seems.”
He clutches the scarf that the prefect abandoned by the bell tower, remembering how its color complemented their eyes well. Pressing it to his face, he is enamored with the way it still smells like them, but at the next moment, his vision turns red and he angrily throws the bothersome cloth into the flames, watching it devour the sinful thing immediately, just like how he had fallen way too quickly into the temptation of his supposed ally, the magicless human.
He hates this hellfire, this burning desire all for a soul that is just as tainted as him after all.
The double doors to the council room quickly open, and the stormy wind blows away the fire, leaving the homogenous ashes of wood and cloth by the fireplace.