Back at Ramshackle dorm, Yuu paced the floor, anxiously muttering half-formed plans in Spanish, laughing every so often in a very desperate attempt to dispel her anxieties.
Jack, whose ears were pinned against his head and tail wagging anxiously as he watched Yuu pace, took it upon himself to stand up and lead her to the sofa.
"I think it's safe to say that everybody with an anemone stuck on their head..." He muttered, giving Yuu a glass of water. "...gambled on Azul's contract and lost."
Yuu gave a nod, thankful to Jack as she sipped the water.
"The terms of said contract were apparently to place in the top 50." Jack stated. "But with the sheer number of students signin' on most of them never stood a chance of getting in at all. That was Azul's game from the start."
Yuu gave a nod of agreement. "So the overall grade average is skewed right with those in the top 50 being perfect scores..." She gives a sigh of annoyance. "What a mess..."
Jack nodded, annoyed. "I mean, c'mon! If you're gettin' good grades off someone else's work, what does that even prove?"
Yuu gave a nod. "I get that, but study guides are helpful when practicing the necessary skills for a test. The way these were used for a scam, however..."
Jack grumbled. "You're throwin' away a perfectly good opportunity to show others what you're capable of. Frankly, you're cheating yourself."
"If the rest of the student body here were as principled and tedious... I mean, as serious as you, it would spare me such grief!" A voice startled the two students, the 19 year old pregnant woman yelping loudly as she turned to face her surprise visitor.
"Headmage?! You startled me!" Jack gasped, his ears perked.
Yuu took a quiet breath. "Sir, you've got to stop doing that... My heart can't take these scares."
"So transpires another year of me being unable to clamp down on Ashengrotto's little 'side business.'" Crowley caws dramatically, setting a bag of food onto the table.
"Hold up..." Yuu stood, leaving her baggy school jacket on the sofa. "You know about this?"
"Azul Ashengrotto: Sophomore. Housewarden of Octavinelle Dorm." The birdman stated, clearing his throat. "Much like Rosehearts, he is a highly capable student already running a dorm as a sophomore, but... He's a bit-no, I daresay QUITE a bit troublesome."
"... Troublesome in what way?" Yuu muttered.
Jack looked at the Headmage. "Are you talking about him swindling people? Seems to me like one word from the headmage could put a stop to this whole thing." The wolf man grumbled.
Crowley sighed, sitting beside Yuu on the sofa preparing a cup of tea for her. "Ah, but it is precisely BECAUSE I am in a teaching position that I cannot prohibit his actions."
Jack's eyes widened, sitting on the wooden rocking chair as he tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Why not?"
Crowley exhaled through his nose, pouring the tea into the cup. "Here's the thing about those study guides that Ashengrotto handed out to the students. There was no illegitimate activity involved in their production. Nobody snuck a look at test questions or answers beforehand." Crowley turned to Yuu.
"Would you like any sugar, Miss Yuu?"
"Yes please, but nothing too sweet. And a bit of milk would be fine, sir." Yuu responded as Crowley smiled at her before turning back to look at Jack.
"Regardless, it was crafted exhaustively by hand, after researching the past century's worth of Night Raven College exam questions and their patterns. In other words, it's an entirely legitimate study guide."
Yuu's eyes widened. "A 'Century'?
Jack smirked, clearly impressed. "Huh. Well, I'll be. If he did that all by hand, the guy's got chops." He paused for a moment, considering the previous reveal. "Wait... So the problem is that there IS no problem with it?"
Crowley nodded solemnly. "You strike right to the heart of the matter, Howl..." He took a long sip of his tea. "As a teacher, I can hardly prohibit a student from crafting an exam study guide via honest work. Nor can I prohibit a student from 'kindly' sharing their notes with friends."
"Well, that explains some parts as to why Azul was so confident in his contracts..." Yuu muttered, keeping her hands on her stomach.
Jack grumbled in annoyance. "If you did, you'd basically be tellin' students, 'no studying' AND 'no helping your buds.' Talk about a seriously briny pickle"
"That most certainly is..." Crowley nodded, although his glowing golden eyes remained trained on Yuu, mainly, her stomach. Yuu gave the bird man a quick nod, making him brighten up slightly as he reached out and placed a hand on her stomach. No movement would be felt yet, but Crowley looked too excited to see the small bump again.
Jack pretended to ignore the quiet cooing that came from the headmage "And earlier, you said 'another year,' yeah? Did the same thing happen last term?"
"Indeed it did. Of course, last year his study guides didn't have quite the reputation they carry this year. So the commotion was much more contained, relatively speaking." Crowley admitted begrudgingly.
"Really?" Yuu questioned, suddenly understanding why many of the boys seemed to lack common sense.
"Indeed." The Headmage nodded. "This year, on the other hand, the rumors abounded throughout campus that if one wished to score well on a test, they should visit the Mostro Lounge."
Ah. That explains why my idiots fell for it.
Jack leaned forward, his ears perked forward as his golden eyes bore into the Headmage. "And I'm guessin' the nasty little caveat in the contract in the event of a breach stayed hush-hush because of that binding NDA."
"So it would seem..." Crowley lamented. "Thus did Ashengrotto have a steady stream of students lining up to accept his bargain this year. And the test average across all subjects and years has jumped above 90, much to my chagrin."
Yuu raised an eyebrow. "I take it that it means you don't feel comfortable telling him to stop 'cause it benefits the school?"
Crowley sighed. "Of Course. However, I would be even more chagrined if all our subject averages were failing grades. But still!"
"Huh. So you're saying that most of the student body cheated... but didn't at the same time?"
Jack tilted his head to the side the way Yuu had often seen dogs do. "Does that mean that there are guys from last year who lost the bet and still haven't gotten their powers back?"
"Actually, he returned the powers he took from students last year as part of an arrangement he made with me." Crowley revealed with a pleasant smile, sipping the remaining portion of his tea. "In return, I granted him permission to run the Mostro Lounge on school property."
Yuu choked on the tea she'd been sipping as she and Jack stared at the bird man in disbelief. "WHAT?!"
Crowley gave an embarrassed nod as he explained the offer that Azul had given. In exchange for running the Monstro Lounge on campus, Azul would make it so that the school's students would become more fitting for the school's reputation.
"So he basically used a bunch of blackmail to get you to agree."
Yuu asked, disbelieving as Crowley lifted his mask slightly to massage between his eyes.
"That was how he framed it, yes." Crowley heaved a heavy sigh.
"Talk about brazen. I mean, blackmailing the headmage into a deal? No wonder Leona wants nothin' to do with this guy." Jack remarked.
"And when he offered to contribute ten percent of the proceeds to the school... Why, how could I say no to such a mutually beneficial arrangement?"
Yep, there it is.
Jack looked at Crowley, surprised. "Wait so you're actually gettin' something from it?"
"Dear oh dear. I can only wonder what demands he'll make of me this year." Crowley lamented. "Whatever he wants, I will undoubtedly be forced to acquiesce. What else can I do for our idiotic-ah, that is, our poor, unfortunate students?"
Yuu and Jack flashed each other a look before returning their gazes to their oh-so dramatic headmage.
"My immense kindness always gets the better of me." Crowley sighed. "Ashengrotto 'merely' studies diligently, then shares his rightfully earned knowledge with other students out of the kindness of his heart..."
Uh-oh.... I know that tone. I don't like that tone.
"It wouldn't do for a teacher to discourage such earnest behavior. Why must every student in our school arrive with some amount of baggage to sort out?! Oooh, woe is me!"
Yuu gave a sigh. "Yup, there it is..." She muttered before looking at Crowley. "Alright, fine. I'll help."
Crowley instantly sat up with a wide grin on his face. "Oh? I would never ask a lady to do a thing for me... but, since you've kindly offered your services, Would you be so kind as to persuade Ashengrotto to cease this little game of his?"
Yuu blinked. "Okay, wow. Talk about asking the impossible."
Crowley nodded in understanding. "Of course, I understand if you're not willing to do it. I won't force you, but I am not able to go and rescue your friends as I am currently a bit preoccupied with my research in returning you home. I suppose they'll have to retain their indentured servitude for now until I am able to help."
Damn it, he's baiting me. And it's working.
"With teachers like this, no wonder our students are the way they are." Jack rolled his eyes before noticing Yuu deep in thought. "Hold on, you're not seriously considering this, are you?!"
"Unfortunately, my idiots have grown on me like the little brothers I never got..." Yuu gave a long, tired sigh. "Alright... Alright! Fine. I'll do what I can."
"So you'll accept my request, then? Wonderful, Yuu! I knew I saw potential in this prefect!" Crowley grinned brightly as he stood, placing his tophat back on his head and preening the feathers of his cloak.
"Then I'll be going now, as I am a very busy man. I'm counting on you!" Crowley gave a bow before casually strolling out of the Ramshackle dorm's front door.
Jack grumbled something under his breath before releasing a tense breath. "Boy, you never know when the headmage'll pop up. Okay, so what exactly is your plan here?"
"I don't know. Something tells me that just asking politely isn't gonna cut it."
"Yeah... Just going up to Azul and askin' him nicely isn't gonna get you anywhere." Jack muttered.
"Alright, let's try this; A good investigation starts with observing the target."
"True. A successful hunt starts with learnin' all you can about your target. You actually know your stuff." Jack nodded, impressed. "Besides, letting Ace and the others stew in the mess they made might help 'em learn something from this."
Yuu nodded. "Fair enough, I guess. But I feel worse for Grim. How's he gonna survive there? He's like two feet tall."
Jack shrugged. "He dug his own grave, might as well let him lay in it for a while."
"... Fine."