We Meet Once More -- Sucrose x Albedo

Chapter 25

At night...

While nearly the entire city fell asleep, (some drunkards walking around the streets) Sucrose was up and going in her alchemy workshop, working on a new potion. It was around 1:12 am at that time. As much as it was unhealthy for her, she was determined to finish the massive project she had in store. Countless test subjects of some vines she got from her garden either stayed the same, overgrown, turned yellow, or shriveled and died.

Why was she doing this, you ask? Ever since she discovered what was in the locked room, the room that she was never allowed to enter at a young age, the beauty of mother nature that partly took the ballroom dazzled in Sucrose's eyes. Though she did admit, she wanted to clean it at least up a bit. But months after her discovery, she and Xingqiu visited the ballroom to take another look, and to their surprise — it was clean and neat with no greenery whatsoever. Though it did look nice, it still felt... naked. Boring and pale. That was why Sucrose was making a potion to grow more greenery. Unfortunately, all the so-called working potions she created weren't working at all due to the results she gathered after testing every potion she made.

She sighed in exhaustion, rubbing her eyes as she set down the items she was holding in her hand then slumped on the couch. She breathed out once more a heavy sigh, sluggishly attempting to open her heavy eyelids.

None of them seem to be working. What's wrong with the mixture? What could be the problem?? Argh! Think, Sucrose! Think!

Sucrose hummed in thought, pressing her head with her fingers, leaning further from her seat.

"Ugh! I can't think of anything!"

"Maybe it's because you're up at this hour."
Said a familiar and soft voice, entering the room.

Sucrose jolted in surprise, her hand on her chest and her body all laid on the couch due to shock by the sudden voice. She breathed heavily until her breathing pattern calmed down, realizing who it was that entered the room. She sighed a huge breath of relief upon seeing the person who entered, closing the door in the process.

"Albedo! You scared the living soul out of me!"

"Haha! Figuratively?"

"Literally!"
Shouted Sucrose.

"Quiet now. The entire castle has fallen asleep."
He shushed her with a finger placed on his mouth.

"Even the literal castle?"
Deadpanned Sucrose.

"No, no!"
He giggled, making Sucrose blush at how cute his giggle was.
"Anyway. What are you doing up this late?"

"I should ask you the same thing."
Sucrose said, crossing her legs and arms as soon as she sat up straight.

"I woke up just to get a glass of water then decided to check around the castle if there was anyone until I saw the light in your alchemy workshop."

"Oh. That seems... reasonable."

"Now. It's your turn to tell me what you're doing up and about."
He pointed at her.

"It's... uhm, kind of complicated."
She nervously laughed, scratching her head.

"Looking at what's happening on the table, I don't think it is. You're working on an experiment."

"Yes. I plan to add some greenery inside the ballroom since the serv—"

"Wait, hold it. Ballroom?"
He interrupted as he held out his hand before leaning further.

"Um, yes... oh! Remember that locked room I showed you before? Xingqiu and I discovered that the locked room I wasn't allowed to go in was a ballroom."