During the pursuit of Mina and Keena. They realized Dalius was taking a lot of unnecessary detours, going to the washroom, attending the memorial, sauntering around the well-tended garden, and even bird-watching.
Now they posed before this vast garden, with aerial bird-like creatures soaring through the sky, flourishing bushes aligned before these smooth limestone paved pathways, and a statue in the middle of the garden while on top of a functioning fountain, dispersing water from its body's holes that sculptured like a monstrous creature's mouth.
The fountain was encircled by lush green bushes, with four pathways leading in different directions: North, East, South, and West. Different paths also lead to different facilities, where Mina and Keena just sneak in from the South-part of the entrance, stalking Dalius in the bushes.
A whisper then manifested,
"Mina begins to worry that potty-mouth boy could just be another kindred." Mina perturbed.
"Kindred? So you're implying that Dalius might not know where the house room is as well?" Keena's concern was invoked,
"Well... that potty mouth boy had already strolled around the campus longer than Mina anticipated."
"I think you're indeed on to something, Mina. That fella certainly spent so much time on those dispensable tasks..." Keena agreed in a distressed tone, who also continued,
"Looks like we really relied on someone we had best not..."
She appended with a sigh of disappointment.
After a more extended observation later, Keena finally gave up and said,
"Mina, does that witty brain of yours could ransack more of a similar solution to overcome this one... I'm kinda worried about your statement being truthful..."
"Well, Mina... does not have any... at the moment..." Mina was stumped, as she was exhausted from any of her new shenanigans.
Now they finally hit rock bottom, and both helplessly sat in the bushes, defeatedly growled, struggling to devise a new solution.
This lamenting scene actually pushed Keena to resort to her Trump.
So, she rose up from the bushes, stomped over Dalius, and confronted him.
Keena's out-of-blue move stunned Mina tremendously. As Mina then cried at Keena, wanting to cease her from her doing but in a faint tone, namely not to alert that unpleasant being from his reverie.
"No Keena, wait!" was her response, but it was nowhere audible.
Meanwhile, Keena just stuck in her mind as she marched toward Dalius,
*Mina really should stop with her unhealthy hatred of Dalius.*
She then subtly turned her gaze against that princess, checking over her position, and sighed.
*Well... I guess someone has to be mature.*
*Since both of us are running out of steam and have seen no other options. I guess we have no choice but to convince him to help us unless we are stuck here forever. If the worst-case scenario came beforehand, and he was just another kindred, as Mina stated, I guess we might then need to ferret another way out from this dreadful situation...*
While Keena shuffled her thoughts upon the approaching. She then found herself posing before the eyesore himself, Dalius, seemingly captivated by a monumental statue forged in the middle of the garden.
As she ceased her footsteps and landed before that pretentious boy, a delicate wave of wind skimmed through Dalius's legs, provoking him with the arrival of an uninviting force.
Dalius was piqued through his senses and lowered his gaze in response. Just to find himself with an unanticipated figure manifested before him and scared him with all its might.
Resulting in him being shouted at in sheer trepidation,
"WOAH! You unsightly peasantry!"
These fierce words just came in like usual.
Provoking Keena in the meantime, instilling nothing but sheer bitterness in her tongue.
"Is this really necessary..." she replied.
***
***
***
A moment of Dalius drying up his pants later, Dalius asserted,
"*Cough* What do you want...?"
Keena picked up the slack from that handful princess, plainly asking,
"Hi Dalius, do you, by chance, know where the house room is?"
"Uh... who you might be... and what house are you from?" Dalius failed to remember Keena as his focus mostly paste on that princess, resulting in Keena being displeased, reciting in her thoughts,
*Did my presence really that insignificant that you completely forgot about me?!*
However, Keena insisted and continued in a polite manner, stating,
"I think we might have met aforehand..."
"Hmmmmmm... can't remember. You're probably just another peasant who leeches over my éclat."
His cavalier comment infuriated Keena by a thousandfold. And so Keena retorted out of aggravation,
"You see... you coulda just say you don't remember-" but interrupted,
"Well, you see, peasant. Your mere appearance is already a disgrace to my opulent display. Unless you're another preeminent individual, then I might consider designating that labeling of yours. Instead, you should be honored for me to even exhaust my saliva against your insignificant presence." the words emitted out of Dalius were nothing but sheer cockiness. But at this moment, his piercing words eventually wounded Keena devastatingly.
Instead, displaying her furious spectacle, she sullenly smiled and murmured,
"I wonder whether those arrogant teeth of yours gonna fall like the every of us..."
"What-" Before Dalius could respond to Keena's threatening assertion, numbness was instilled all over his face, with a strong sensation stroking all over his body, and a powerful force hurling him across the paved road aligned on the garden flung him into flourished bushes that attentively aligned at the side.
There he realized an unfamiliar woman or accorded to his disremembering thoughts, just struck him, who menacingly posed before him with a curved edge at her lips like her anger never stemmed. He was flabbergasted by the strike, as he in his life got hit by anyone or everyone, let alone a girl wasn't something he was accustomed to.
As a result, he dumbly slanted onto the bushes, not knowing how to respond. However, that 'bystander', Mina, who witnessed everything, just stood up and applauded.
Meanwhile, Keena was petrified by her impulsiveness, rooted to the spot, speechless like Dalius but in a different predisposition.
She turned slightly to Mina, prying for her rescue.
Instead, the princess remained clueless, praised, and celebrated over the fracas she committed.
Since Mina also detested Dalius to the core, so Keena's action only brought nothing but bliss to her.
Without a clue of what to do, Keena rushed to Mina, stuttering in fright, shivering in dread,
"Wha- what- what- should I do now! I hit him! I HIT HIM, MINA! I had done what I personally don't! WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW, MINA!"
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Despite Keena's coolness being dispersed all over the place, Mina was just happy to be there,
"Mina likes the stunt you did there, Keena. Mina is wholeheartedly happy for you." said Mina.
"It's not what I meant, Mina! I'm gonna get expelled for this!"
Keena explained in an agitated tone, concerned to the core about the consequence of her deed, flooding herself with a tide of dismay.
Meanwhile, Mina silently stared at her, wasn't tingled by bits.
Her unconcerned reaction only tensed Keena twice as much since she wished Mina would share her distress, accommodating the situation but no.
So to persuade that unmindful princess, she later added,
"And when I do, you have to face Dalius all alone! Since I can no longer be with you and all the trouble of mingling with him is now in your sole hand." threatened the princess with the subject she despised the most, and now Mina is worried. Her worriedness didn't conclude with her expulsion but the news of bearing with Dalius alone.
Now Mina got tensed, anxious over the outcome Keena speculated, suggested in an anxious, unease tone,
"Mina believes we have to dispose of the evidence!"
"What do you mean to dispose of the evidence? He's not even deceased yet! And not because I wanted him to die also!" Keena retorted.
During this tense circumstance, they circled the spot perpetually, grumbling and pondering what to do.
Up until a familiar voice interloped their encirclement of agitation.
It was a boy with a swollen left cheek, wrinkled all over his uniform, and messed up hair with the residue of bushes resting on it. No further explanation was needed. It was Dalius who got smacked by Keena.
Now staggering in pain, he gradually approached them with his left hand coating his left cheek, concealing the mark left by Keena being exposed.
As he approached them, a bellow with sheer spleen and resolute was unleashed,
"So it is you, princess! Hiring a henchman now, I see! I never suspected you would commit such wretched tricks, princess! Tainted others' hand over your own satisfaction!"
Mina expeditiously pointed her finger at Keena, denied her involvement,
"Not really, it was all Keena's idea..."
Over Mina's inconsiderate remarks, Keena gnashed her teeth, resented Mina for her unconcerned reply, snarkily whispered,
"Thanks, Mina. You're really helpful in this situation..."
Who later on turned to Dalius, cast with a persuasive, victimized tone,
"I'm so sorry, Dalius. It wasn't really intentional. I just got lousy for today, and my temper got over me, so it caused me to lash out at you. It wasn't really intentional, I promised!"
To repay Keena's scornful echo, Mina also snarkily whispered,
"Even Mina gonna fall for your play, Keena. Mina wonders, did Keena ever consider the stageplay?"
"Just shut up, Mina!" Keena whispery retorted.
While they both growling at each other, Dalius voluntarily interjected,
"So, you admit the princess wasn't involved in the incident. Is it?"
"Yes, I'm so sorry for the ruckus I caused. I promise there will be no next time to this occurrence!"
"You know, you're pathetic. Just like a hound to its owner, acted like nothing but a sheer licker to its owner's boots. You dis...gusted me, who- who- whoever you are!"
His proclamation boiled Keena to the next degree, as Keena snarled at him,
"It's Keena, you oblivious rascal!"
"What-" Before Dalius absorbed Keena's demeaning remarks, Keena quickly hijacked the conversation and revamped so that she could pull herself away from the messes,
"No... I mean... it's Keena, my fellow housemate!" was her quick response.
"It doesn't matter what your appellation is! Your presence depicted nothing but disgruntlement. I want no linkage with you any further. Begone, Kana!"
"It's Keena, you-!"
Dalius's unreasonable pummel incited Keena's irritation to the peak. Trembled over her sanity, ceased her tongue before one could conclude her words, and grunted as she departed from Dalius.
Mina worriedly chased after that infuriated embodiment of Keena but was detained by Dalius's holler right before she left.
"You better keep your puppy on a leash, princess! That girl is a wild animal, and only for this time, I pardon her for her recklessness! And next time, mercy will be forbidden!"
"Yeah, yeah, Mina wants nothing from the potty-mouth boy,"
Mina hurriedly responded and pursued Keena. But stopped at her last exit, abruptly appended,
"And, by the way, Dalius. Don't you ever dare speak foul to Keena again. And only for this time, Mina pardons you for your recklessness. And next time, Mina's mercy will not rule her decision!" and ran off.
The energy from her last statement imposed a frantic shiver in Dalius, but he forcefully resisted and murmured,
"Can't wait, princess... can't wait..."
***
***
***
Moment Mina left Dalius, she found Keena was transformed into a statue, standing there without fazing, murmuring,
"Mi- Mi- Mina, w- we- we- haven't yet known our house room location, right...?" she awkwardly curved her lips as she veered to Mina, realizing they once again missed the opportunity to learn their house room whereabouts, dooming themselves from attending the house room at the time.
Upon their concession to the inevitable,
A random call-out suddenly appeared before their ears, and it was a male voice, but not the obnoxious one.
It was Konnaugh, another boy they met during the orientation, who casually walked up to them, mused by their enigmatic image, and asked in an unsettling tone,
"What're you guys doing here... And what's with the atmosphere...? It felt like you guys have gone through wars or something."
"Mina, as a veteran, wants to say we wasted too much time on the trivia matters, and now Mina and Keena are stuck here, foreshadowing the worst to come..." Mina replied,
"What Mina tries to say is that we just met that condescending Xorros guy, Dalius, the one we met during orientation. And we kinda got ourselves into an eensy-weensy argument. So, we were supposed to ask him the directions to our house room, but instead, it got backfired." Keena continued by deciphering Mina's parlance.
"Oh... right! You both got missing during the tour, right?!" Konnaugh recalled, while Keena stiffly agreed,
"Yeah..."
"No worries, I can bring you guys to our house room. I mean, we are housemates, after all. It's no big deal."
"Thank you so much, Konnaugh! You really appeared at the most righteous time!" Keena merrily lauded Konnaugh for his honorableness while Mina spoke in a most unusual way,
"Mina ponders over Konnaugh's presence, whether he is the savior sent by the higher ends or the chosen one to bring peace among us."
"What Mina tries to say is thank you." and so Keena once again translated for Konnaugh.
And so they departed from their resting zone and ventured to their house room. The journey for Mina and Keena to locate their house room might be arduous. At least they had prevailed over the juncture and obtained a new companion.
However, far from their point, a shadow was discreetly following them, peaking over their merry conversation.
***
***
***
During the journey, they had their fair share of conversation, strengthening their bonds to a greater extent. In contrast to Dalius, Konnaugh is a friendly and outgoing Demonkins who is great at leading the conversation and adjusting the environment to a more amiable fixture. They have their portion of laughter and banter throughout the way.
"It's so much fun to talk to you, Konnaugh. I never know we, at the very least, have a Demonkin like you at our house. Compared to that Xorros fella, it's literally like a paradise and a lava pit." Keena said.
"You're flattering me, Keena. It's you guys the one who accounted on making this conversation more amusing." Konnaugh casually replied,
"So, Mina. How you're holding up?" Keena shifted her attention to Mina, inspecting Mina's state during the conversation. However,
"Mina feels like she doesn't belong to this conversation. Mina feels this conversation is too bland." Mina's quirky nature didn't comply with this astute chatting session.
"Well... what does Mina like then?" Konnaugh turned to Mina, intrigued over her penchant.
"Hmm... Maybe a flying hárses? Mina thinks it will be fun to watch!"
"Then, I presume Mina is fascinated by a summoning spell?" Konnaugh responded,
"What's that? Does such a spell able to reify Mina's boundless ideas?" Mina interested,
"Please, Konnaugh. Don't give Mina the wrong idea. She might cause mayhem across the school ground if we're not careful enough." Keena quickly interjected their conversation before Mina got overzealous over the topic, while Konnaugh chuckled over their unusual and exceedingly strong bonds.
Eventually, the journey was near its end, as Konnaugh casually reminded them,
"Either way, we almost arrived at the doorstep of our house room."
"Finally... we arrived right on the clock. We really appreciate your help, Konnaugh. If not for you, we're done." Keena indebtedly responded.
"Don't mention it." while Konnaugh charitably accepted her gratitude.
"Oh yeah, Mina-" The moment Keena swiveled her attention to Mina, the princess's whole presence and not even her shadow could be sighted within their parameters.
As Keena immediately shattered with sheer apprehension, grumbling,
"MINA!" also concluded in a downcasted tone,
"Not this again..."
In the meantime, Konnaugh also got agitated over her disappearance and persistently cried out for her with Keena.
In the most unexpected yet unwanted period, that obnoxious voice once resurfaced before them, particularly Keena,
"What's with the earsplitting shrieks? I wish both of you realized the decibels of your voices are calamitous."
Just when Dalius appeared before them, that loathsome tone of his habitually flashed. When two of the most head-crawling predicaments collided before Keena, her mood straightway collapsed as she once again murmured in a downcast tone,
"Not you again..."
"If the source of you both rummaging around for is the princess's whereabouts, just pipe down already! She's literally just stationed right over the notice board there." Dalius irritatedly pointed in the direction Mina positioned while poking his ears.
"You coulda just tell us in a less insulting tone-"
Before Keena retaliated at Dalius, Konnaugh interrupted,
"We're really appreciated your help, Dalius."
"You shouldn't be acting polite toward hi-"
Konnaugh interrupted Keena as before and whispered,
"Come on, Keena. We did not have much time left. We have to recoup Mina right away."
"Oh, yeah... you're right... So, sorry for getting too riled up..." Keena also responded in a whispery tone to resonate with Konnaugh,
"It's alright, let's move..." Once Konnaugh finalized his sentence, they then hustled toward Mina. And right before the departure was eventuated, Konnaugh turned and politely bowed to Dalius for his last sign of gratefulness. And there they went...
***
***
***
Meanwhile, Mina was casually scanning through the notice board, probing for something that captivated her excitement. However, it indeed didn't live up to her expectations. It was as dull as dishwater like it was meant to be. In the meanwhile, Mina regrettably huffed, uttered,
"Mina's faith is now crushed by this lame board."
But suddenly, a colorful, peculiar, and yet eye-catching flyer was revealed before Mina. That was pinned on the most obscure corner possible.
The minute Mina shifted her attention to the flyer, the shadowy figure again manifested before Mina, stalking her preeminent presence from afar. However, under its most vulnerable and unforeseen state, Mina declared,
"Mina knows you're watching since the moment she intervened with Konnaugh. Mina wants to say you're good at hiding and picking the corners. But the point is... Mina's superior sniffer always prevails over situations in such a like... So, show yourself... Nathan!"
Mina sharply twirled her hand and pointed at the corner he was hiding. It was really none other than Nathan, who bashfully and slowly surfaced from that corner and stuttered with his greeting,
"H- H- Hi... Mi- Mi- Mina..."