Episode 8: Duel gone wrong
Mumbles and whispers filled the rose maze as students were talking about the people who wanted to duel their housewarden.
"Did you hear? They say someone's challenged housewarden Rosehearts to a duel!"
"Riddle Rosehearts? Seriously?! Whoever it is has gotta be outta his mind. Riddle will have his head off in five seconds flat."
"Still, it's the first challenge since housewarden Rosehearts took power. I'm pumped!"
"You're saying Ace and Deuce are challenging Riddle for the housewarden's seat?! Please tell me you're kidding." Cater exclaimed with worry written all over his face.
Mirana came up to the two seniors with a confused look. "Greetings Trey-senpai and Cater-senpai, it's quite lively here today. Did something happen?" She asked with genuine curiosity.
"Mira-chan! Can you believe it?! Ace and Deuce challenged Riddle to a duel!" Upon hearing this, the girl's eyes grew wide. She turned to look at Trey for an explanation or why he didn't stop them.
"I tried to stop 'em." He sighed as he crossed his arms.
"Of all the stupid ideas... I just hope this doesn't make everything worse." Cater mentally facepalmed.
"We can only hope for the best now...." Mirana said before she spotted Ace, Deuce and Riddle walking infront. Crowley walked infront of everyone and started announcing the upcoming duel.
"We are about to commence two challenges for the housewarden position at Heartslabyul dorm.
The first challenger is Ace Trappola. The second challenger is Deuce Spade. The current housewarden they have challenged is Riddle Rosehearts. Now, in accordance with the duel rules, please remove the magic-sealing collars as they would provide an unfair disadvantage."
He gestured Riddle to take the collars off. He did as told and freed both Ace and Deuce. The orange-haired boy touched his neck and was very relieved that the collar was no longer there. "Ah! FINALLY, the dumb collar is off!" He exclaimed happily.
"Enjoy your moment of freedom. The collar will be back on soon enough. I could hardly believe it when I heard you two intended to duel me. Is this a joke?" He asked with crossed arms and a raised brow.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Ace questioned with an angry expression.
"I'd never propose a duel as a joke." Deuce reorted with determination.
"Hmph. Have it your way. Let us get this over with."
Cater checked his phone before walking up to Riddle. "Uh, Riddle, what do you want to do about today's afternoon tea?"
"A foolish question. You know that the rules stipulate I take my tea every day at 4 pm sharp." He replied.
"It's just that it's already past 3:30..."
"And you fear that I will be late? All the more reason to end this faster. It appears I have little time to waste. Rather than facing my opponents in succession, I will take on both at once." He stated to both males.
"You can do it, Housewarden! Knock 'em dead, sir!" The students started cheering Riddle on, making the two more pissed.
"Cowards." Deuce said to them.
"Myah. I got a bad feelin' about this." Grim stated.
"You're not the only one..." Enma added.
"Hey, at least we got a plan!" Ace yelled.
"Headmaster, please give us the signal." Riddle glanced at Crowley before turning back to Ace and Deuce.
The headmaster cleared his throat before giving the signal. "When the mirror I've thrown shatters upon the ground, that is your signal to begin. Ready... Go!"
"Off With Your Heads!"
Riddle casted his unique magic on both students before they could even land a blow on him. "Bwaaaaah!" They both yelled in surprise.
"Urrrgh... Not again. I didn't even have time to finish my spell!" The orange-haired boy exclaimed angrily.
"He shut us down like it was nothing..."
"That was fast! It was all a blur!" Enma said as he too was shocked at how fast the duel had ended. Mirana on the other hand had expected this, after all, Riddle had been practicing nonstop to perfect his magic since he was still a child.
"Visualization is key to spell casting. The better you are at accurately visualizing your magic's effects, the stronger and more precise it will be. It would appear Mr. Rosehearts has finely honed his magic well." Crowley stated.
"Myah... They didn't stand a chance."
"Hmph. You didn't even last five seconds. That was all you had, and still you thought to challenge me? You must be utterly humiliated. I guess my mother was right. A person who cannot follow rules is someone who cannot achieve anything."
"That's not true..." The girl thought to herself as she faced the ground.
"Tch... We agree that rules should be followed. But forcing others to follow nonsensical rules like the ones you've enacted is tyranny!" Deuce retorted angrily.
"Then you agree that breaking rules is wrong. And in this dorm, I AM the rules. Therefore, those who cannot abide by my decisions deserve not the heads they use to complain!" Riddle remarked.
"But that's not right!" Enma yelled worriedly.
"I am the one who decides what is wrong and right! What sort of pitiful education have you received, that you cannot follow such simple rules?"
"You can't just use rules to do whatever you please!"
"If there were no penalties, no one would follow the rules. I have to wonder what sort of pitiful education left you unable to comprehend so simple a concept. Clearly, you were born to parents with no great magical capability. And as a result... You lack even the basic education necessary to attend a school such as this. It's quite sad." His words made Ace and Deuce's blood boil with pure rage, he not only belittled their parents, but he also called the two stupid.
"You little..."
"YOU SHUT YOUR SPOILED LITTLE MOUTH!" Ace shouted before punching Riddle's cheek harshly to the point he stumbled backwards aswell as drop his crown.
He stared at the two with wide eyes as he placed a hand on his cheek where he felt a stinging pain. "Wh-what?"
The other's watched the scene infront of them unfold with shocked. Mirana placed a hand over her mouth as she was left speechless by Ace's action.
"Riddle?!"
"Mr. Rosehearts?!"
"Whoa! He just punched the housewarden...!" A student exclaimed.
"Bam! Right cross to the face!" Grim said before his mouth was quickly covered by Enma's hand to stop him from talking.
Deuce was also surprised as he stared at Ace with a nervous look. "A-Ace?!"
"That's all I can take. Forget Riddle. Forget the duel. I'm done."
"That hurt! You... p-punched me?!" Riddle asked as he furrowed his brows.
"Kids aren't trophies for their parents to flaunt. And the accomplishments of a child aren't determined by the worth of their parents. It's not your parents' fault you became a tyrant - or anyone else's. You've been here for a year and haven't even made a friend who will tell you you're outta line. And that's on you." The orange-haired boy exclaimed with a furious look.
"What are you even talking about?"
"Yeah, maybe you had some rigid upbringing from a relentless helicopter-mom. Is that all you are? An extension of her? Can't you think for yourself? You call yourself the "red sovereign"? You're just a baby who's good at magic!"
Everyone went silent the moment Ace said those last words. Mirana walked up to Ace and tried to calm him down. "Ace, I think that's enough. Don't push his buttons any further." But he didn't listen and just ignored her statement.
"Baby...? Did you just call me a "baby"?! You don't know anything about me! You don't know anything about anything!" He angrily yelled.
"Nope, sure don't. And I don't need to. Your attitude tells me all I need to know that you're nothing but a spoiled brat!"
"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! My mother was right! And that means I'm right too!"
"She was never right..." Mirana clenched her fists lightly but quickly fixed her composure.
"Riddle, calm down. The duel is already over." Trey said.
"Mr. Clover is correct. The challenger has been disqualified due to physical violence. If you do not cease your conflict now, I'll have you written up for breaking school rules!" Crowley warned him.
"Ace is right though! I've had enough of Riddle!" A student threw an egg at the housewarden. The other's watched as the broken egg dripped down Riddle's hair onto the ground. "Huh?!"
"An egg?"
"Who did that? Who threw that egg?!" Riddle angrily questioned the students, but none of them even dared to answer the housewarden which only made him angrier.
All eyes were on him as he laughed like a maniac. "Heh heh... Ah ha ha ha! You say YOU'RE fed up?! I'M the one who's fed up with all of YOU! No matter how strict I am, no matter how many heads I remove, you keep breaking the rules!
All any of you care about is doing what YOU want to do! If the guilty party won't come forward, then I'll pass judgment on all of you! Clearly, none of you value your heads!"
"Off With Your Heads!"
In an instant, everyone except Trey, Cater and Crowley had collars. Mirana stumbled back a bit, she did not remember it being this heavy.
"Ah ha ha ha! How do you like that, hm? Now no one can do a thing to me! Do you see now? My strict adherence to the rules was clearly the correct path!" The redhead exclaimed.
"Cease this improper behavior now, Mr. Rosehearts. I expect better from you!" Crowley said.
"Trey, if he keeps using his spell... This could get ugly, fast!" Both seniors looked at eachother with worried faces.
"Wow, way to totally prove me wrong here, pal! I call you a baby, and you immediately throw a temper tantrum!" Ace remarked to the angry Riddle.
"Ace! Stop adding more fuel to the fire." Mirana warned the boy who only shook his head in response.
"Retract your comment immediately, or I shall skewer you where you stand!" Riddle ordered.
"No way. I ain't retractin' squat."
"YEEEAAAAARGH!" Riddle shouted as he used his magic to rip the rose trees from the ground and made them float.
"Dude, this is bad! You've G-2-G, now!" Cater gestured for the other's to leave.
"The rose trees! They're floating!" Grim said before hopping onto Mirana's arms for protection.
"This is some serious magic!"
"Mighty roses, tear this brute to pieces!" Riddle pointed his magic pen towards Ace as he ordered the rose trees to attack him.
"Cease and desist at once!" Crowley exclaimed.
"Ace run for your life!" Enma yelled at the boy, but before he could run the rose trees started flying his way.
𝕋𝕠 𝕓𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖𝕕...