Chapter Text
Woods Behind the Campus
The woods behind the campus were quiet.
Too quiet for a place sitting only a short distance from Night Raven College.
The four figures crouched beneath the trees, hidden from the campus lights.
All four wore dark clothing that covered them from head to toe. Hoods concealed their heads, gloves covered their hands, and masks hid their faces.
A cat.
A rabbit.
A fox.
And a bear.
The cat-masked figure checked the small watch on their wrist.
“Ten minutes.”
The rabbit immediately groaned. “Ten?”
“You've been complaining since we got here.”
“Because we've been sitting here for forty minutes.”
“We've been waiting for the right opportunity.”
“We could've found one already.”
The fox glanced at the rabbit.
“You would've gotten us caught already.”
“I wouldn't.”
“You would.”
“I wouldn't.”
“You absolutely would.”
The rabbit turned toward the bear.
“Tell him.”
The bear looked between them.
“This is literally my first mission with you guys. What do you want me to say?”
The rabbit stared. “I don’t know.”
The bear looked back toward the school. “Is it always like this?”
The fox smiled. “Unfortunately.”
The cat sighed.
“Can we focus?”
The rabbit raised a hand.
“I am focused.”
“No, you're bored.”
“I'm capable of being both.”
The cat ignored him and looked toward the campus.
From their position in the woods, they had a clear view of one of the quieter paths leading away from the main buildings.
Students were still moving around despite the late hour.
The four weren't interested in all of them.
The cat slowly raised a hand.
“Remember the rules.”
The rabbit's expression became more serious.
“Non-humans only.”
“Correct.”
“No going around the school doing side quests.”
“Correct.”
“No teachers.”
“Obviously.”
The fox added.
“And absolutely no one who looks like they could turn us into decorative furniture.”
The rabbit stared at the fox. “That one's mostly for you.”
The fox looked at him.
“Why me?”
“Because you always target the strong ones.”
“I do not. I–”
“You almost lost an arm in the last mission trying to restrain a hyena beastman.”
The cat cut in.
“And no Malleus Draconia.”
The bear looked toward them.
“That's the fae prince?”
The rabbit nodded.
“That's the fae prince.”
The bear looked back at the school.
“Why?”
“Because we like living.”
The answer came from the rabbit so quickly that the bear actually paused.
The fox chuckled. “The boss was very specific about him.”
“How specific?”
“Do not approach him.”
The cat continued.
“Do not speak to him.”
The fox added,
“Do not take anything from him.”
The rabbit raised a finger.
“And if he notices you?”
“Run.”
The bear stared at the three of them.
“Seriously?”
“Very serious.”
The rabbit leaned closer.
“You're new, so here's some advice.”
The bear looked at him.
“What?”
“If you see the horns, you didn't see anything.”
The fox nodded solemnly.
“An excellent survival strategy.”
The bear looked unconvinced.
“Is he really that dangerous?”
The rabbit gave a short laugh.
“You've never seen him angry, have you?”
“No.”
“Keep it that way.”
The bear fell quiet.
The cat checked the time again.
“Five minutes.”
The rabbit immediately perked up.
“Finally.”
The bear glanced at him.
“You're way too excited.”
“There's money involved.”
“That doesn't explain anything.”
“It explains everything.”
The fox looked toward the bear.
“You're surprisingly calm for your first operation.”
The bear shrugged.
“I don't see why I should be nervous.”
The rabbit snorted.
“That's because you haven't messed up yet.”
The bear looked at him.
“You think I'm going to?”
“No.”
A pause.
“Probably.”
The bear's eyes narrowed behind the mask.
The fox laughed.
“Don't take him seriously.”
“I wasn't.”
The rabbit pointed at the bear.
“See? I like them already.”
The cat shook their head.
“The bear is with us tonight because the boss thinks they're useful.”
The bear looked toward the cat.
“Useful?”
“You're stronger than the rest of us.”
The rabbit looked offended.
“Speak for yourself.”
“You tried lifting a crate yesterday and dropped it on your foot.”
“That crate was heavier than it looked.”
The fox nodded.
“It was empty.”
The rabbit went silent.
The bear laughed.
The rabbit pointed at them.
“Don't encourage him.”
The cat continued.
“The targets may resist. Your job is to keep them from escaping.”
The bear nodded.
“Understood.”
“You don't chase anyone alone.”
“Understood.”
“You don't improvise.”
The bear hesitated.
“I can handle myself.”
“That's not what I said.”
The bear looked away.
The cat's voice hardened.
“If something goes wrong, you follow the plan.”
The bear nodded. “Fine.”
The fox tilted his head.
“They don't seem particularly fond of orders.”
The bear looked toward him.
“And you seem particularly fond of talking.”
“I am.”
“At least you're honest.”
“I pride myself on it.”
The rabbit laughed.
“That's not something you should be proud of.”
The fox smiled.
“I'll take what I can get.”
The cat checked their watch.
“One more minute. Then we get to see how generous the boss really is.”
Heartslabyul dorm
Rose maze
—
Riddle walked through the rose maze, carefully inspecting each bush as he went.
The roses had been painted red earlier that morning, but with so many students passing through the maze every day, it was important to make sure none had been missed.
He stopped beside one of the bushes.
“Hmm.”
One of the roses near the back had begun to lose its color, the red fading into a dull pink.
Riddle frowned.
He lifted his hand and flicked his fingers toward it.
A brief flash of magic passed over the petals, restoring them to their proper crimson.
“There.”
He continued down the path.
Then he stopped.
Fog.
A thick layer of white fog had begun creeping through the maze.
Riddle stared at it.
“What?”
It wasn't supposed to be foggy.
Riddle knew that much.
The elemental fairies maintained the entirety of Night Raven College's grounds, carefully controlling the environment around the campus.
Weather conditions were kept stable, and anything unusual was normally corrected before it could become a problem.
Fog simply appearing in the rose maze was practically impossible.
Yet there it was.
Thick white fog rolled between the rose bushes, quickly swallowing the paths ahead.
Riddle frowned.
“The elemental fairies wouldn't allow this.”
Something was wrong.
He raised his staff and cast a gust of wind through the maze.
The air rushed past him, sending leaves and petals fluttering through the fog.
But the fog itself didn't move.
Riddle's expression hardened.
He tried again, this time with considerably more force.
Nothing.
The fog remained completely still.
“What kind of magic...?”
Riddle tightened his grip on his staff.
He could barely see more than a few feet ahead now.
Then he heard something.
Footsteps.
Several pairs.
Riddle immediately relaxed slightly.
Perhaps it was simply some students from Heartslabyul who had gotten caught in the fog.
He moved toward the sound.
“Is someone there?”
No answer.
The footsteps continued.
Riddle walked faster.
“Hello?”
Still nothing.
He pushed through the fog.
And stopped.
Four figures were moving through the maze.
They weren't students.
Their bodies were almost completely black, their forms difficult to make out through the fog. They moved with an unnatural steadiness as they carried several unconscious students between them.
Beastmen.
Riddle's eyes widened as he realized that every unconscious student being carried away was a beastman.
None of them were restrained. Their bodies simply hung limp in the figures' arms, completely unaware of what was happening around them.
Riddle's expression immediately changed.
“What...?”
One of the shadow figures turned its head toward him.
Riddle stepped forward.
“What are you doing?”
No response.
The figure continued walking.
Riddle raised his staff.
“Put them down.”
The shadows stopped.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then one of them slowly turned toward Riddle.
“No.”
Riddle's eyes narrowed.
“You will release them immediately.”
Another shadow shifted.
“No.”
Riddle's grip tightened around his staff.
“You're on Heartslabyul grounds. I don't care who sent you here. You will put those students down.”
The nearest figure stared at him.
Its head tilted slightly.
Then it spoke.
“No.”
Riddle's temper flared.
“That is not an acceptable answer.”
He raised his staff.
“Off with your heads!”
It did nothing.
Riddle's eyes narrowed.
He had cast the spell perfectly. There had been no hesitation, no mistake in the incantation.
Yet the shadow simply stood there.
The spell struck it.
And did nothing.
No flash of magic. No recoil. Not even a reaction.
“What?”
Riddle stared at the figure.
That was impossible.
He tried it with a different spell, this time with considerably more force.
The spell hit the shadow head-on.
Nothing.
The magic seemed to disappear into its body without causing the slightest effect.
Riddle's grip tightened around his staff as the shadows began moving again.
He stepped directly into their path.
“Stop.”
The figures continued forward.
“You will put those students down immediately.”
One of the shadows reached for him.
Riddle moved aside before it could grab him.
“Don't make me repeat myself.”
The shadow turned toward him.
Riddle raised his staff.
“I'm giving you one final warning. Leave those students and get out of this school.”
The figure lunged.
Riddle swung his staff, striking it across the side.
The shadow staggered.
Riddle's eyes widened.
So physical attacks worked.
He barely had time to react before another shadow seized his arm.
“Let go.”
He pulled against its grip, but the figure's strength was far greater than he expected.
Riddle twisted sharply and managed to break free, stumbling backward.
His eyes flicked toward his staff.
He had no time to hesitate.
The fog had grown thicker, curling around the roses and swallowing the paths behind him.
The shadows moved past.
Riddle turned and rushed after them.
“Stop!”
One of the figures suddenly turned.
Riddle raised his staff, but the shadow struck first.
Something hard slammed into the back of his head.
His vision flashed white. His body went rigid for a fraction of a second before all strength vanished. The staff slipped from his hand, and Riddle hit the ground like a felled tree.
Instantly, everything went black.
Botanic Gardens
Leona was hungry.
That was the first thing he noticed.
His stomach growled loudly enough to annoy him out of his nap.
He opened one eye.
“...Tch.”
Ruggie was taking too long.
Leona had sent him to get food ages ago. How hard could it possibly be to find something edible?
He shifted against the tree and closed his eyes again.
Another growl came from his stomach.
“Seriously...”
He reluctantly opened his eyes.
Something was wrong.
The garden was covered in fog.
Not the usual morning mist, either. It was thick enough that the trees a short distance away had almost disappeared behind it.
Leona frowned.
He sat up.
The movement immediately made his head feel heavy.
“...What?”
He blinked several times.
His limbs felt strangely sluggish, as though he'd barely gotten any sleep at all.
That was impossible.
He'd been sleeping perfectly fine.
Leona pushed himself to his feet.
For a moment, the world tilted.
He caught himself against the tree and waited for the dizziness to pass.
“...What the hell?”
He rubbed his face.
His eyes felt heavy.
Far too heavy.
He'd only just woken up.
Something smelled strange.
Not strong enough to immediately identify, but there was something faint in the air.
Leona's ears twitched.
The fog.
The smell.
The sudden exhaustion.
His expression hardened. “...Sleeping gas?”
That would explain it.
But it shouldn't be affecting him this much.
Whatever had been released into the garden had clearly been designed to work on non-humans.
Leona clicked his tongue as he pushed away from the tree and started walking.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
He tried to clear his head, but his thoughts kept slipping away before he could hold onto them.
Ruggie.
He needed to find Ruggie.
Then he needed to get out of here.
The garden seemed strangely quiet.
No birds.
No insects.
No voices from the students who had been wandering around earlier.
Just his own footsteps against the path.
Leona's ears twitched again.
He stopped.
A faint sound had come from somewhere ahead.
A scrape.
Then another.
Like something being dragged across the ground.
His eyes narrowed.
He stared into the fog.
At first, there was nothing.
Then a silhouette emerged.
Leona froze.
Another figure appeared behind it.
Then another.
Shadowy shapes moving through the fog.
He recognized them.
The same figures he'd noticed earlier.
His instincts finally kicked in.
Something was very wrong.
Leona's hand moved toward his magic pen.
But his fingers felt slow.
Too slow.
The figures were carrying something.
No.
Someone.
A student was being dragged through the fog.
Another figure followed, carrying another unconscious student.
Leona's eyes widened slightly.
His mind finally put everything together.
“...You’ve got to be kidding me.”
He tried to raise his magic pen.
One of the figures turned toward him.
Leona's muscles tensed.
He should attack.
Maybe run.
He should do something.
But the sleeping gas had already done its work.
His vision swayed.
The figures blurred together.
Leona took one step forward.
Then another.
His knees suddenly gave way.
He caught himself against a nearby tree, claws digging into the bark.
One of the shadowy figures had stopped.
It was looking directly at him.
Leona's instincts screamed at him to move.
He tried to summon his magic.
Nothing happened.
His body simply refused to cooperate.
The figure started walking toward him.
Leona tried to push himself back up, but his arms gave out beneath him.
“...Tch.”
His vision blurred.
The figure reached him just as he slumped against the tree.
A hand caught him before he could hit the ground.
Leona barely registered the movement.
He tried to struggle, but he couldn't even lift his head properly anymore.
The last thing he saw was the fog swallowing the garden around him as the figure hauled him away.
Outside of Sam’s shop
Azul stepped out of Sam's shop with a small paper bag tucked securely under one arm.
Jade followed behind him, carrying considerably more.
Several boxes were stacked in his arms, along with a few smaller bags hanging from his fingers.
Azul glanced back.
“Are you certain you can carry all of that?”
Jade looked down at the pile in his arms.
“Of course.”
“You said that last time.”
“And I was correct last time.”
“You nearly dropped the entire box of tea.”
“I caught it.”
“After it fell.”
Jade smiled.
“A minor technicality.”
Azul sighed and adjusted the bag under his arm.
Most of what they had purchased was for the Mostro Lounge. Tea leaves, syrups, ingredients, replacement glassware, and a few other supplies that Azul had decided were necessary.
There were also a handful of things Jade had insisted on buying.
Azul still wasn't entirely sure what some of them were for.
“I still don't understand why you needed three different kinds of mushrooms.”
“They're interesting.”
“That isn't an explanation.”
“It is to me.”
Azul gave him a flat look.
Jade simply smiled.
They continued down the path.
For a while, their conversation was nothing more than casual chatter about the lounge and the supplies they had bought.
Then Azul glanced toward the clock tower in the distance.
“I hope Floyd hasn't closed the lounge out of boredom.”
Jade's smile twitched.
“I hope not.”
“He promised me he wouldn't.”
“Floyd has promised many things.”
“Don't remind me.”
Jade gave a quiet laugh.
“Perhaps he has finally found something interesting enough to keep him occupied.”
“That is exactly what I'm afraid of.”
Azul sighed.
“If he starts rearranging the lounge again, I'm going to—”
He stopped.
Jade stopped as well.
Something white was creeping across the path ahead.
Fog.
Azul stared. “...What?”
The fog rolled toward them, spreading rapidly across the grounds.
Jade's expression became more serious.
“That wasn't there a moment ago.”
Azul looked around.
The area had been perfectly clear only seconds earlier.
The fog thickened around their feet.
Azul's ears twitched.
Something smelled strange.
Faint.
Sweet.
Almost floral.
He took a breath before realizing his mistake.
His eyes widened.
“Wait.”
Jade looked toward him.
“Azul?”
Azul quickly covered his mouth and nose with one hand.
“Jade, drop those.”
Jade immediately dropped the bags and boxes onto the path before covering his own mouth and nose.
“What's wrong?”
Azul took a step back, keeping his face covered.
“Don't breathe any more than you have to.”
Jade's expression sharpened.
“Gas?”
“Yes.”
Azul's voice was already beginning to weaken.
His thoughts were becoming sluggish.
He knew that smell.
Not the exact substance, but the method.
A gas designed to affect non-humans.
His grip tightened around the bag.
“Sleeping gas”
Jade's expression hardened.
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
Azul tried to step backward.
His legs felt strangely weak.
Before he knew it, his knees buckled.
Jade reached for him, but his own movements had already begun to slow.
The fog surrounded them completely.
Azul's vision blurred.
Through the white haze, he thought he saw several figures standing farther down the path.
Watching them.
His breathing became shallow.
“...Traffickers...”
The word barely left his mouth.
Azul's eyes closed.
Jade's hand caught his shoulder, but the strength was already leaving his body as well.
Neither of them had enough strength left to fight.
The bags and boxes lay scattered across the path where Jade had dropped them.
A moment later, both of them collapsed into the fog.
Scarabia Dorm
Kitchen
—
Jamil was preparing Kalim's meal.
The ingredients had already been measured, and everything he needed was laid out neatly across the counter. He hadn't actually started cooking yet.
He reached for one of the ingredients when he noticed something strange through the kitchen window.
Fog.
It was rolling across the grounds outside.
Jamil frowned at the sight.
Within moments, the fog had reached the building.
It seeped through the open doors and windows, spreading through the corridors and rooms until the kitchen was almost completely obscured.
Jamil stepped away from the counter.
“Kalim?”
No answer.
His expression tightened.
Kalim had been somewhere nearby only a few minutes ago.
Jamil left the kitchen and entered the fog.
He could barely see his own hand in front of his face.
“Kalim?”
Nothing.
He continued forward, feeling his way along the wall.
He turned down what he thought was a corridor.
Then another.
After several minutes, he pushed through a doorway.
He stopped.
The kitchen.
Jamil stared at the familiar counters.
He looked behind himself.
The corridor was completely hidden by the fog.
“...How?”
He had been certain he was walking away from the kitchen.
He tried again.
Jamil picked a direction and continued through the fog, counting his steps as he went.
Left.
Straight.
Right.
Then left again.
Another doorway appeared.
He stepped through it.
The kitchen.
Jamil's eye twitched.
“This makes no sense.”
He turned around and tried a different route.
It happened again.
No matter which direction he took, he somehow ended up back in the kitchen.
The fog was too thick to see properly, and the corridors all looked identical through the white haze.
Jamil stopped trying to navigate.
Something was clearly wrong with the area.
“Kalim!”
A faint voice answered from somewhere in the fog.
“Jamil?”
Jamil immediately turned.
“Kalim!”
He followed the voice.
A few moments later, he finally found Kalim standing near one of the corridors.
“There you are.”
Kalim looked relieved.
“I've been looking everywhere for you!”
“So have I.”
“Do you know what's going on?”
“No.”
Jamil glanced back toward the fog.
“Every route I take leads back to the kitchen.”
Kalim blinked.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“That’s weird.”
“That is an understatement.”
They tried one more time to find a way out.
It led them back to the same place.
Jamil eventually stopped.
“We're not getting anywhere.”
“So what do we do?”
“We wait.”
Kalim looked surprised.
“Wait?”
“Until the fog clears.”
Jamil didn't like the idea, but there was little else they could do. They couldn't navigate through the fog, and whatever was causing it had already prevented them from leaving the area.
They moved into one of the nearby rooms and closed the door behind them.
There were dozens of doors throughout Scarabia Dorm, most leading to storage rooms, spare rooms, or unused areas.
They had barely settled inside when Jamil heard something.
Footsteps.
He immediately raised a hand.
“Quiet.”
Kalim froze.
The footsteps were slow.
Heavy.
They moved through the corridor outside.
Jamil listened carefully.
They didn't sound like students.
Normally, a student trapped in this fog would be calling out.
They would be shouting for help.
These footsteps were different.
Whoever was outside wasn't confused.
They knew exactly where they were going.
Kalim leaned closer to the door.
“Maybe we should ask if they need—”
Jamil covered his mouth before he could finish.
“Don't.”
Kalim stared at him.
Jamil shook his head and whispered.
“Students would be calling for help.”
The footsteps stopped outside their door.
Neither of them moved.
Jamil held his breath.
A shadow passed beneath the gap at the bottom of the door.
Kalim's eyes widened.
Jamil slowly reached for his magic pen.
The footsteps started again.
They moved farther down the corridor.
Only after the sound had completely faded did Jamil lower his hand.
Neither of them spoke.
They stayed hidden inside the room, waiting for the fog to disappear.
Pomefiore Dorm
Vil had stepped outside for some fresh air.
The evening had been unusually quiet, and he figured a short walk around the dorm grounds would do him some good.
He had barely made it past the gardens when fog began creeping across the ground.
Vil stopped.
The fog thickened rapidly, spreading between the trees and across the paths.
“That's strange.”
He looked around.
He could barely make out the dorm behind him now.
Vil turned back toward the entrance.
Then he heard footsteps.
He stopped.
Someone was moving through the fog.
Vil narrowed his eyes and waited.
Two figures emerged from the mist.
Their bodies were almost completely black, their forms difficult to distinguish through the fog.
Vil's expression hardened.
Then he noticed what they were carrying.
One of his dormmates.
A beastman student hung limp between the two figures, completely unconscious.
Vil's eyes narrowed. “Put him down.”
The figures stopped.
Neither responded.
Vil stepped forward.
“I said, put him down.”
One of the figures turned toward him.
Vil raised his magic pen and casted a spell.
It struck the figure, but nothing happened.
Vil's expression changed slightly.
He immediately followed with another spell.
Again, nothing.
The shadow didn't even stagger.
“...So that's how it is.”
The figure dropped the unconscious student.
Vil's eyes flicked toward his dormmate.
Then back to the shadows.
He had no intention of letting them take another student.
The first figure lunged.
Vil sidestepped it.
He swung his leg into its side.
The impact sent the shadow stumbling backward.
Vil's eyes sharpened.
Physical attacks.
So magic wasn't the answer.
“Interesting.”
The second figure moved toward him.
Vil stepped back, keeping both of them in his sight.
They were strong.
But they weren't expecting him to fight without magic.
That was their mistake.
One of the shadows lunged again.
Vil ducked beneath its arm and drove his elbow into its side.
The shadow staggered.
He immediately followed with a sharp strike to its leg, forcing it off balance.
Before it could recover, Vil grabbed its arm, twisted, and sent it crashing into the ground.
The shadow's body flickered.
Vil didn't hesitate.
He struck again.
The figure dissolved into the fog.
The second shadow turned toward him.
Vil was already moving.
It swung at him.
He stepped aside and caught its wrist.
A quick twist.
A strike.
The shadow staggered.
Vil drove it backward, keeping the pressure on until it lost its footing.
He delivered one final blow.
The shadow broke apart into the fog.
Vil stood still for a moment, breathing steadily.
Then he looked toward the unconscious student lying nearby.
His expression softened slightly.
“...You poor thing.”
Vil crouched beside him and checked that he was still breathing.
He was.
Vil looked back toward the fog.
The strange mist was still covering the grounds.
He wanted to investigate.
There was clearly something wrong with the grounds, and those creatures couldn't have appeared here without a reason. If there were more of them, he needed to know.
But his dormmate came first.
“Come on, get up. This isn't the time for a nap,” Vil muttered. He extended a gloved hand and lightly tapped the boy's cheek.
Nothing.
Vil frowned, a faint line forming between his perfect brows.
He tried again, his fingers pressing a little more firmly against the beastman.
Still nothing.
The student was breathing normally, but remained completely unconscious.
Vil's gaze lingered on him.
As much as he wanted to search the grounds and find out what was happening, leaving an unconscious student alone in the middle of all this was out of the question.
Vil carefully moved the student into a more comfortable position, and kept him away from the path.
For now, this student’s safety was top priority.
Ignihyde Dorm
Idia was exactly where he preferred to be.
In front of his computer.
Several monitors surrounded him, each displaying something different. One showed a game, another had a stream running in the background, and the rest were filled with various programs and windows that only Idia understood.
Ortho floated nearby, sorting through a collection of data on his own screen.
“Nii-san, would you like me to organize your files?”
“Later.”
“You have approximately three thousand unsorted files.”
“Exactly. They're organized by my system.”
“Your system appears to be ‘put everything somewhere and remember where you put it.’”
“It's a highly advanced system.”
Ortho tilted his head.
“I see.”
Idia leaned back in his chair.
For once, nothing particularly interesting was happening.
Ortho stared at Idia’s screen.
“Nii-san.”
“Hmm?”
“Have you noticed anything unusual?”
Idia glanced over.
“Unusual how?”
“There appears to be a significant change occurring throughout the campus.”
Idia stared at him.
“...And?”
Ortho turned toward him.
“Shouldn't we investigate?”
“No.”
Idia immediately returned his attention to the screen.
“Whatever's happening is the normie’s problem.”
“But it appears to be affecting a large portion of the campus.”
“Even better. More people can deal with it.”
Ortho was silent for a moment.
“Nii-san.”
“What?”
“This is highly unusual.”
Idia sighed.
He already knew where this was going.
“Define unusual.”
“I've detected a sudden environmental anomaly across most of Night Raven College.”
Idia's fingers stopped moving.
“...Environmental?”
“Yes. Visibility has dropped significantly in several areas, and there are inconsistencies in the data being transmitted from the campus monitoring systems.”
Idia slowly turned toward Ortho.
“Wait.”
He pulled up the school's security network.
One camera after another appeared on the screen.
Most of the feeds were completely obscured.
White.
Nothing but thick fog.
Idia's eyes widened.
“That's not normal.”
“No.”
Everywhere outside Ignihyde seemed to have been swallowed by the same unnatural mist.
Idia frowned.
“Why can't I see anything?”
“The cameras are functioning normally.”
“Then what's blocking them?”
Ortho processed the feeds.
“I cannot determine the cause.”
Idia switched to another camera.
Nothing.
Another.
Still fog.
He checked Ignihyde's exterior cameras.
Clear.
Completely clear.
Idia stared at the screen.
“...Why isn't it here?”
Ortho looked at the footage.
“Ignihyde appears to be completely unaffected.”
Idia's expression slowly changed.
His usual annoyance gave way to genuine concern.
“So the fog is covering the rest of the campus...”
He looked at the dozens of blocked camera feeds.
“...but not us.”
Ortho nodded.
“That appears to be the case.”
Idia leaned closer to the monitor.
Something was happening.
And for some reason, Ignihyde had been left untouched.
Ramshackle Dorm
Yuu and Malleus were spending a quiet afternoon together in the lounge of Ramshackle Dorm.
There was nothing particularly unusual about it.
Malleus sat comfortably on one of the old couches, a book resting open in his hands.
Yuu sat nearby, occasionally glancing over at him while working on their own things.
The dorm was unusually peaceful.
Grim was sprawled across the other side of the room, happily eating from a small bowl of tuna.
“Man, this is the good stuff,” Grim muttered between bites. “You two should get me this more often.”
Yuu looked over.
“You said that about the last three meals.”
“Because the last three meals were also the good stuff.”
“That doesn't make any sense.”
“Sure it does.”
Malleus quietly turned a page.
Yuu glanced at him.
“Don't encourage him.”
“I have said nothing.”
“Exactly. Keep it that way.”
Malleus looked up from his book.
“You seem rather talkative today.”
Yuu paused.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe I'm just comfortable.”
Malleus smiled faintly. “I see.”
Yuu leaned back against the couch.
“Well, it's not like there's anyone else here.”
“Is that a complaint?”
“No. It's nice.”
Malleus closed his book.
“I agree.”
For a while, the three of them remained like that.
Then something changed.
Yuu noticed it first.
A thin layer of white mist was beginning to creep past the windows.
They frowned.
“...Tsunotarou?”
Malleus immediately turned toward the window.
The fog was spreading across the grounds.
It moved slowly at first, slipping between the trees and surrounding the dorm. Within moments, the mist had thickened considerably.
Malleus stood.
“That is strange.”
Yuu got up as well.
“Is it normal?”
“No.”
Malleus walked toward the nearest window and looked outside.
The fog had already covered most of the grounds surrounding Ramshackle.
Yuu approached the glass.
“Can you see anything?”
“Very little.”
Malleus opened one of the windows.
A wave of cold air entered the room.
He raised his hand.
A faint green glow gathered around his fingers.
Yuu looked at him.
“You're going to blow it away?”
“I shall try.”
Malleus extended his hand toward the fog.
A powerful gust swept across the grounds.
The trees shook.
Leaves scattered across the yard.
The old curtains inside Ramshackle fluttered violently.
But the fog barely moved.
Yuu blinked.
“...That didn't work.”
“No.”
Malleus lowered his hand.
He looked slightly more serious now.
“The fog itself is strange.”
“Can you blow harder?”
“I could.”
Yuu looked at the windows.
“Would that be a good idea?”
Malleus considered it.
“Probably not.”
“Because?”
“If I increased the force enough to disperse the fog, I would likely send Ramshackle along with it.”
Yuu stared at him. “Okay. Let's not do that.”
“That was my conclusion as well.”
Grim finally looked up from his tuna.
“What's going on?”
“There's fog outside,” Yuu said.
Grim glanced toward the window.
“That's it?”
“It wasn't there a few minutes ago.”
Grim shrugged. “So?”
Yuu looked back at the fog.
“I don't think it's normal.”
Malleus nodded.
“I agree.”
The two of them continued watching the grounds.
Something about the fog felt wrong.
It was too thick.
Too still.
Even the sounds of the surrounding campus seemed muted.
Yuu narrowed their eyes.
“Do you think it's connected to the weather?”
“No.”
Malleus looked toward the sky.
“There are elemental fairies responsible for regulating the weather around Night Raven College. This fog does not appear to be natural.”
“That's reassuring.”
“I did not mean for it to be.”
“I know.”
A few minutes passed.
Neither of them spoke.
Then Yuu noticed something moving beyond the window.
“Wait.”
Malleus immediately turned.
“What is it?”
“I saw something.”
They both moved closer to the window.
At first, there was nothing.
Only fog.
Then a silhouette emerged from the white haze.
Yuu's eyes narrowed.
“Someone's there.”
Malleus stared into the distance.
A second figure appeared.
Then another.
Three dark shapes stood among the fog.
They were difficult to make out.
Their forms seemed almost swallowed by the mist.
Yuu's expression changed.
“Those aren't students.”
Malleus remained silent.
The figures stood there for several seconds.
They didn't call out.
They didn't move toward Ramshackle.
They simply remained in the fog.
Watching.
Yuu lowered their voice. “Tsunotarou...”
“I see them.”
One of the figures shifted.
Yuu instinctively took a step back.
“Should we go check?”
Malleus didn't answer immediately.
His gaze remained fixed on the figures.
“I would like to know what they are.”
“So would I.”
Yuu glanced toward the door.
Then back at the fog.
“But something tells me walking outside right now would be a terrible idea.”
Malleus looked at them.
“That is an unusually cautious conclusion.”
“I'm capable of making good decisions sometimes.”
“I never doubted it.”
Yuu gave him a look.
“You absolutely did.”
Malleus smiled. “Perhaps a little.”
Yuu folded their arms.
“We could wait here and see what they do.”
“That may be wiser.”
Neither of them moved toward the door.
The figures remained in the distance.
Then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, they disappeared into the fog.
Yuu blinked.
“They're gone.”
Malleus looked toward where they had been standing.
“Yes.”
“Did they leave?”
“I cannot tell.”
Yuu stared at the fog for another few seconds.
“That's creepy.”
“It is.”
For the moment, they decided not to investigate.
Whatever was happening outside could wait.
They had no idea what the fog was, who those figures were, or whether there were more of them somewhere on campus.
Going outside without knowing any of that seemed unnecessarily reckless.
So they stayed inside.
Grim, meanwhile, had returned to his tuna.
“Hey, Henchman.”
“What?”
“You think there's more tuna in the kitchen?”
Yuu stared at him. “You were just eating.”
“So?”
“You ate the entire bowl.”
“Exactly. I need another one.”
Malleus glanced toward Grim.
“You have quite the appetite.”
“I've gotta keep my strength up!”
“For what?”
Grim pointed dramatically toward the fog.
“For investigating!”
Yuu raised an eyebrow.
“You were just asking for more tuna.”
“Those two things aren't mutually exclusive!”
Yuu sighed. “Stay here.”
“But—”
“Grim.”
“I can handle myself!”
“That's exactly what I'm worried about.”
Grim huffed.
He looked toward the window.
The fog had not cleared.
If anything, it had become thicker.
Then Grim's ears perked up.
He looked toward the front door.
“Hey.”
Yuu turned. “What?”
“I wanna go outside.”
Yuu stared at him. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because there's weird fog everywhere and we just saw strange figures walking around.”
“That's exactly why I wanna go!”
“That is the opposite of a reason.”
Grim puffed out his chest.
“I'm a great mage! I can investigate what's going on!”
Malleus looked amused.
“You seem rather determined.”
“Of course I am!”
Grim jumped down from his seat.
“I'll find out what's going on and come back before you even notice I'm gone!”
Yuu immediately stood.
“Grim, wait.”
Grim was already heading toward the door.
Yuu caught him by the scruff of his collar.
“Put me down!”
“No.”
“Henchman!”
“No.”
“I can do it!”
“You are not going outside alone.”
Grim struggled for a moment before crossing his arms.
“Hmph! I don't need anyone babysitting me!”
Yuu held onto him firmly.
“You're going to walk straight into the fog without thinking.”
“I'll think while I'm walking!”
“That is not reassuring.”
Malleus watched the exchange with a faintly amused expression.
“I must agree with Yuu.”
Grim looked at him.
“Hornton!”
“It would be unwise to go outside alone.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?!”
Malleus glanced toward the fog-covered grounds.
“We do not know what caused this fog, nor do we know who those figures were. Until we understand the situation, wandering outside by yourself would be reckless.”
Grim puffed up his cheeks.
“But nothing happened!”
“Nothing happened because they did not approach us.”
Malleus's expression became more serious.
“That does not mean they are harmless.”
Yuu nodded. “Exactly.”
Grim looked between the two of them.
“You're both being way too cautious.”
“Someone has to be.”
Yuu finally set Grim back onto the floor.
Grim immediately straightened himself and brushed off his fur.
“I still think we should investigate.”
“We can investigate later,” Yuu said. “We're not going out there now.”
Grim's ears twitched.
“You literally got a bat so you can go outside!”
“No. I got a bat because I might need to defend myself.”
Grim stared at them.
“Then why aren't we investigating?!”
“Because having something to defend myself with doesn't mean I want to walk into mysterious fog.”
Grim opened his mouth.
Yuu raised a hand.
“No.”
“But—”
“No.”
“I didn't even say anything!”
“I know what you're going to say.”
Grim huffed.
“Hmph! You're being stubborn!”
“Yes.”
Yuu turned toward the window again.
The fog had completely covered the grounds surrounding Ramshackle. The strange figures were nowhere to be seen.
“We don't know what's out there,” Yuu said. “Those figures didn't approach us, and we don't know what the fog does. I'm not taking the chance.”
Malleus nodded. “That is a sensible decision.”
Grim looked at him.
“Hornton, you're supposed to help me!”
“I am helping you.”
“How?!”
“By agreeing with Child of man.”
Grim's ears flattened.
“Traitor.”
Malleus merely smiled.
Yuu rested the bat against their shoulder.
“We stay inside.”
Grim crossed his arms.
“For how long?”
“Until the fog clears.”
“But what if something happens?”
“Then we'll deal with it when it happens.”
Grim grumbled under his breath.
“This is boring.”
“Being bored is better than getting into trouble.”
Grim glanced at the bat.
“You're really serious about this, aren't you?”
“Yes.”
“How stubborn are you?”
Yuu looked at him. “Very.”
Grim sighed dramatically.
“Fine.”
He trudged back toward the couch.
Yuu followed close behind.
Malleus returned to his seat as well, his attention occasionally shifting toward the windows.
The three settled back into the dorm.
Outside, the fog continued to surround Ramshackle.
Whatever was happening beyond it could remain a mystery for now.
Yuu had made their decision.
They were staying inside.