You dodge out of the way as a ghost rushes towards you. Ace fires spell after spell but when one falls down, one always takes another's place.
"I keep beating 'em, but they're just coming back for more." Ace glowers at them. "Lousy ghosts."
Nana gestures with her hands. "Princess, quickly! The kiss!"
Eliza leans in for a kiss but Idia moves his head to the side, seemingly only able to move his head.
Eliza shakes her head. "Idia, darling, must you keep evading me with this silly display of stubbornness?"
"Well, you see, uh..." Idia glances to you and blushes, nervously laughing. "I just think a first kiss should be special!"
"Look at Idia over there." Ace gestures. "See how he's bobbing his head, trying to avoid her? Let's be real here. Your princess is clearly wrong, and you all know it!"
The ghosts all pause and look to Eliza sadly. Nana floats forward. "Everything we do is for Her Highness's benefit. We've watched over her since she was a little girl. She was so kindhearted and hopeful. All in the land looked forward to seeing what her future would be like. But..."
Grampy looks to the ground. "Our neighbor attacked us without warning, and all was lost in a single night. Yet still she smiles. She never once blamed us for failing to protect her when she needed it most. 'It's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm okay. Surely one day.' That's all she ever says."
Eliza stops trying to kiss Idia, looking to the ghosts sadly.
"She may say those things, but she's clearly not fine!" Nana continues. "She dreamed of meeting her prince for five hundred years, yet she never did. She must've lost hope somewhere along the way."
Grampy nods. "We, her retainers, want but to help the princess get the one thing she desires. Our beloved, tragic princess..."
You step forward, drawing everyone's attention to you. You meet Eliza's gaze. "You may not have had such a happy beginning, but that doesn't make all of this okay."
Eliza was taken aback. "What?"
Ace stands next to you. "Y/N's right, you know. No backstory, no matter how tragic, justifies makin' this much trouble. For one thing, that perfect prince? Doesn't exist. Never has, never will."
"What do you mean he doesn't exist?" Eliza brings her hands to her chest.
"No partner's gonna meet your every ideal!" Ace explains. "That's just common sense."
The ghosts glare at you and Ace.
"How dare you speak to Her Highness that way!"
"Princess, do not listen to him. You have your perfect prince right here."
Ace only puts his hands in his hips. "And she's stuck on this nonexistent Mr. Right because YOU keep getting her hopes up!" Ace points at the ghosts. "This isn't my first rodeo with this stuff, so lemme break it down for you. You might feel sorry for her, but treating the princess with kid gloves isn't doing her any favors!" Ace folds his arms. "Looks to me like you're a buncha enablers who'd rather take the easy way out than have a tough conversation!"
"Feels like being called out all over again." Trey says.
Cater nervously laughs.
"Tell your princess the truth." Ace continues. "Looks aren't everything when it comes to picking a husband."
"Well, how else should I choose a prince then?" Eliza asks.
Ace rolls his eyes. "You're STILL missing the point. You gotta drop the whole prince requirement. As for the perfect PARTNER..." Ace shyly gives you a sideways glance. "How about someone you can laugh and cry with? Someone who'll stick with you through all the hard times? That's the kind of person you should be looking for."
You feel stunned. You've never heard Ace this sincere before.
Ace scoffs. "Geez, you know how embarrassing it is to have to spell it out for you? How is it that none of you ever taught your princess something so basic? You've spent five hundred YEARS with her, and in all that time, you haven't done anything that actually benefits her!"
The whole room goes silent. The ghosts look to their princes, realization flashing in their eyes.
The door bursts open and Riddle, Rook and Epel walk in. Their close tattered and ripped in multiple places.
"Ace is right."
"Housewarden Riddle!" Ace says in surprise.
Grim hops to your shoulder. "Oh hey, Rook and Epel are back too!"
Vil glowers at his dormates. "Do you two have any idea how late you are?"
Rook bows to Vil. "My apologies, Vil. I found myself lost so often without you to light my way."
"What?" Epel look to Rook. "I thought you were busting up ghosts with giddy abandon."
Deuce smiles broadly. "Housewarden, you've come to save us! I can't thank you en-"
Riddle whirls to the frozen boys at the table. "Cater! What time is it?"
Cater's eyes widen. "Uhh... 11:35, according to the clock."
"We have less than half an hour before the date changes. Let's dispatch these ghosts posthaste!"
"Wait, why are you asking? What's going on?" Cater asks.
Ace grins. "All right! Team Tux is reunited and back in action! You ghosts might as well pack it in now. It's way past time you released Idia."
The ghosts hesitate. "But..."
"You can still start over." Rook adds. "After all, you wouldn't want your dear mademoiselle to become an evil ghost who kills people, would you?"
"Excuse me?" Eliza glares. "Are you calling me an evil ghost? I... I'm not trying to be evil! I just-"
Puffy narrows his eyes, standing in front of Eliza. "Don't listen to anything they say, Your Highness. You've done nothing wrong."
Eliza puts a hand to her chest. "Puffy..."
Ace waves his arms. "Dude, did you hear that I said about enabling?"
"Can't you see you're doing something wrong?" Epel says to the ghost.
Idia nods vigorously. "Yeah! What they said."
Puffy shakes his head. "I don't care if it's wrong. I want Her Highness to be happy. I'd take on the whole world to make that happen. That's MY lingering attachment! MY wish!"
With each word, Puffy grows bigger and bigger until he's ten times his original size. Almost reaching the cafeteria's high ceiling. Took stands in front of you protectively.
Grim cowers behind your hair. "What in the world? He's gettin' even bigger!"
Riddle watches with wide eyes. "He's manifesting five centuries' worth of attachment at once!"
"I sense a power within him that dwarfs all the other ghosts." Rooks says. "We can't stay here. Everyone, get behind us!"
Vil rolls his eyes. "Did you miss the part where none of us can move?"
Rook clears his throat. "Ah, yes, quite. In that case... Epel. Y/N. Move these glorified logs to a corner of the cafeteria!"
Epel nods. "Understood."
"We'll keep the ghost busy." Riddle says. "Evacuate the rest. We can't let anyone get hurt!"
You nod, running with Epel to the paralyzed boys at the table.
Leona growls. "Hey! Who're you callin' a log?"
"Insolent human!" Sebek glares as you approach. "I am a retainer to the great and powerful Malleus! Nobody rolls me around!"
You give the boys an apologetic look. "Sorry guys, please just bear with us."
With Epel's help, you manage to move all the paralyzed boys to a safe corner. You and Epel make your way back to Ace and the others.
Riddle glances over his shoulder at you. "Has everyone been moved to safety?"
Epel nods. "Yes, we're good to go!"
Ace looks to Puffy. "You're really set on causin' trouble, huh? Let's get this fight banged out," Ace grins. "and by that, I mean clobber this guy!"
Puffy glares down at your group. "I will protect the princess... to the very last!"