[The next day: Jormungandr dorm]

Caelum was standing alongside Declan, Lunar, and Geneve in the living room whilst Vaelen had presumably gone upstairs to get some sleep. The atmosphere was filled with a hearty scent of chicken broth simmering with vegetables and herbs. It originated from the kitchen, where Kasey was enthusiastically cooking up their dinner.

However, despite the warm encapsulating aura, a bubble of anticipation formed around the four.

“What is it, Caelum?” Declan asked, crossing his arms. He, alongside Lunar and Geneve stood somewhat encircled around Caelum, like a crescent moon shape. They all looked at him as if they were preparing for the worst.

It was a natural presumption, especially given Caelum’s tumultuous time the day before. The three decided to keep things placated, and hope nothing awry would brew within their circle in relation to what happened to Caelum.

With a hushed tone, Caelum spoke to them, hanging his head low.

“I needed to speak to the three of you for a second. I know it might be a little random, but just bear with me here.”

“Of course, Caelum,” Lunar answered gently. Several moments of silence then followed, punctured slightly by the muffled clatter of utensils lightly tapping against pots and pans. As if having finished in preparing his mind, Caelum took the word once more.

“Does Vaelen know about what happened?”

“No,” Geneve responded. “We decided not to tell him after Lunar brought you back inside.”

She then wore a thoughtful expression, gazing into Caelum’s eyes.

“If you wish to reflect on what happened, I have a question regarding that matter, if you don’t mind.”

Caelum remained silent in response, non-verbally allowing her to speak further. Lunar and Declan cautiously turned their pupils towards her, who was standing in the middle, eagerly hoping for Caelum to give them an answer.

“What happened between you and Emory? Why were you attacked?”

Caelum let out a deep sigh before answering.

“It’s quite simple if you look at it from the surface. I am certain that Emory’s group, and potentially, the other group questioned the nature of my Hexery. They must still suspect that I’m in possession of two separate Grimoires.”

“That is what I thought as well,” Lunar responded, thoughtfully perching his chin between his fingers. “Therefore, you’re assuming this was the motif for the orchestrated attack?”

“Well, yes. But it might sound strange to someone if they heard about this case; ‘A random person decided to attack another random person upon meeting them for the first time, just because they had ‘assumptions’.

It doesn’t make much sense, but to me, it did.”

A rebellious smile tugged at the corners of Caelum’s lips, as he stared at his opened palm covered in bandages.

“That Emory guy… he is just like me.”

Declan recoiled his head in disdain and answered.

“Just like you? What do you mean by that?”

Right as he said this, Geneve crossed her arms and smiled, too.

“No, Declan, he may be right. I could feel a very familiar aura surrounding that guy ever since I met him. Jokingly, I would think of him as a more ‘developed’ Caelum. Good thing I’m not the only one in this train of thought.”

“But, why would he attack you so suddenly?” Declan asked with an aggressive tone. “Yes, it sounds super weird! He must have known you for a longer time in that case, right?”

“That was my first time meeting him, but Declan, don’t worry,” Caelum said composedly, patting his shoulder. “All I am asking from you three is to keep your mouths shut and not intervene with our dilemma. I learned an important lesson that could only be taught after being met with the harsh, true reality of this world.”

He then lowered his head once more, staring into the wooden ground with a bittersweet gaze.

“He was the one who showed me this reality I was seemingly unaware of. And now that I’ve realized that things are the way they are, I’m able to stand up for myself.”

He slowly raised his head to meet their eyes.

“He gave me an invitation; One that would allow me to become a much better version of myself. Even if this was never his intention, I could never thank him enough for hurting me.”

Lunar planted his palm against his head and began chuckling.

“I will keep Declan in place for you, Caelum.”

Declan could only stare at Caelum with a neutral, but bittersweet expression in silence.

“Thank you, Lunar,” Caelum said. “Regarding Vaelen… I will tell him about this once I feel ready.”

“Caelum, promise me one thing…” Declan muttered, firmly planting his hand on his shoulder.

“…Punch the living hell out of that douchebag.”

“I surely will, Declan!” he smiled. Geneve chuckled and stepped forward.

“We were a little worried whether or not you would remain highly spirited over the course of the Inquisition, since your current abilities are lacking slightly. But it seems that we were wrong. Something like this could never dare to push you down the gutter.”

“Of course,” Caelum chuckled. “I get it. I may not have been as lucky as Vaelen when it comes to raw power, but… it’s not impossible. I know that with hard wo-”

“Caelum.”

A fifth voice pierced through their bubble.

Lunar began to smile gracefully. Not because he was startled, but because he was the first and only one to notice Vaelen standing just a few steps away from them for a little while now. Dressed in a loose white blouse and dark brown wide pants, Vaelen stepped towards his younger brother with a beautiful smile.

Caelum slowly turned around, as tears started to well up in his face. Yes, he had been preparing to fill in an entire cork board in his mind on how exactly he would approach Vaelen about the attack. However, his unexpected appearance seemed like a sand castle torn away by the sea.

Except, the destruction of the castle did not cause Caelum to feel angered, or crestfallen.

As soon as Vaelen stood right before him, he gently patted Caelum’s head. He could utter the simplest word, and it would cause Caelum to break down in tears. That is how fragile he was at that moment.

“Go and get him for me. I believe in you.”

Those words were indeed simple. And it effectively broke the mask Caelum had put on himself. Just like a little brother being relieved to be embraced by his older brother, Caelum began to tear up. The other three then surrounded him, and Declan patted his back.

“Right! I’ll say it again, Caelum! Punch him real good, and make him feel a pain he has never felt before! If Vaelen acknowledges it, then I will do so too!”

“…Thanks guys…” Caelum answered between sniffs. “I won’t let you down.”

***

[Meanwhile: The Flock of Veils dorm]

Standing outside the dorm, at the threshold of the large bridge, were August and Albert. They were both still dressed in their black windbreaker robes that seamlessly blended with the hushed atmosphere. It was quiet and tranquil; the faint sounds of rustling trees and leaves as breeze passed through accentuating the subdued ambience.

Albert rested his back against one of the stone pillars connected with the bridge and crossed his arms with furrowed eyebrows. August, his hands folded behind his back, was silently embellishing his gaze with the beautiful evening sky.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up getting expelled from the Inquisition,” Albert began. “He really seems to underestimate the gravity of our circumstances, doesn’t he?”

“He won’t get expelled,” August responded, still looking at the sky. “Not as long as I am around.”

Stolen novel; please report.

“Emory is a ticking time bomb, brother. Even you won’t be able to suppress him for long enough. He hadn’t even gotten past the initial stage of learning more about that other fellow.”

“I was planning on holding another meeting,” August responded composedly. “It seems that we will have to change the course of our plans.”

“As in?”

He took a deep sigh through his nose before responding.

“Have you considered the Pale Fangs yet? Qlint, Bartholomew, Petronella, Grace and Jessamine. They too have heard about Caelum Jinton’s situation…

…They have a strong sense of justice. Even something as vague as this is enough for them to instil rightful virtue within the Inquisition.”

He then lowered his head, gazing at the stone ground in contemplation.

“Well, perhaps given the Creed’s Crest, which, in essence, grants a person a higher chance of becoming a Creed member, maybe their true motive for wanting to keep everything fair and square.”

“That makes sense,” Albert sighed, closing his eyes. “Given the orthodox nature of the Haemour family, it’s reasonable for them to believe the words of the Ritual Master over a mere student’s. Even I fail to see the possibility of the RM having lied about Jinton’s second Grimoire summoning.”

“Because of that, they see him as a bad omen and will seek to get rid of him at their own discretion. They have started on something similar to our plan; Use their members to get familiar with the boy. Qlint and Bartholomew in their case; Two individuals who have already gotten somewhat close with the Jormungandrs in order to manipulate them to their downfall.”

“You are basically saying that they want to reach the truth first, aren’t you?”

“Exactly,” August nodded. “Which is why we will triumph and gain the recognition and reputation from this Inquisition. Our goal is three-sided: The monetary rewards, as well as the Crest we gain after passing the Inquisition, and the discovery of the truth regarding the boy’s second Grimoire—

—It is the exact same thing as the Pale Fangs’, which is why we will have to join arms with them for a limited time.”

“Oh?” Albert sounded, raising his eyebrows. August then continued.

“To gain the most honour from the Inquisition, one must overthrow all their opponents. If we get rid of the Jormungandrs and find out the truth about Caelum’s second Grimoire, we will be able to issue an adjudication.”

“An adjudication? For what? We’re the first ones to find out about the truth, then why would we need to establish a ruling?”

August then slowly raised his head and turned towards his younger brother with a serious expression.

“Because only one person may consume that Grimoire. You seem to have forgotten, Albert, but consuming another person’s Grimoire is possible, and a much faster way for one to cultivate their Sequencer ranks. The Pale Fangs realized this too, which is why this is going to be our safest method of ensuring that at least one of us will gain the Grimoire after we have learned about the truth.”

“I see…” Albert murmured. “After we join arms and destroy the Jormungandrs, we will be able to compete on equal footing. More or less, since one of us would have already consumed that second Grimoire.”

“Call it luck if you will,” August smiled. “Consuming Potions and Infinite Arcana cards are a lot more daunting and slower than ingesting another person’s Grimoire. The Crest will be ours to take… and I will ensure that this happens—

—However, ultimately, this all boils down to our rivalry with the Haemour family. Our victory will become a testimony of our prowess over them. Which is why we must win.”

***

[One day later: The Gaian Academy (7:40 AM)]

The Jormungandrs, all dressed in either black or dark green windbreaker robes, made their way through one of the many Victorian-styled hallways the academy comprised of. They were assigned alongside the other two groups to take place in one of the large alcoves, where tables and chairs stood.

Upon arriving, they noticed that the other two groups had already arrived before them, each group immersed in their respective conversation bubbles. Caelum surveyed the entire place in search of Emory, but he was not present, it seemed. As the others were taking their seats in the far right corner, Caelum followed their trail… until he saw a figure passing him by in the corner of his eye.

He turned around and noticed it was the same girl who approached both him and Emory two days ago. He threw a quick glance at the others and said with a neutral tone,

“I’ll be right back, friends.”

None of them retaliated, and Caelum proceeded to follow the girl’s trail. This went on until they were both the only ones walking through the hallway, and that was when Caelum finally spoke out to her.

“Hey, you.”

She turned around with a curious expression on her face. Non-verbally asking Caelum what his deal was.

“Aren’t you Emory’s classmate?”

“Yes, I am,” she responded, as a closed smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “I didn’t expect you to approach me this easily.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Caelum responded, stepping towards her. “I’d like to know where he currently is.”

“Emory? I was actually about to pick him up. Wanna tag along?”

“…Yes. Let us go.”

And off they went. The girl, Madeline, led the way towards the backside of the academy. Ever since Emory had discovered the mystical town-like place, he would often go ‘missing’ at random times. Madeline understood that he was most likely appreciating the view once more. She playfully explained this to Caelum, but the only thing he reciprocated was complete and utter silence, causing the atmosphere to turn slightly awkward.

A few moments went by, as they approached the opened gate leading towards their destination. Madeline did not waver and decided to revive the conversation.

“…The name is Madeline, by the way.”

Caelum still did not bother to respond. She looked at him and asked,

“Can I know why you’re looking for him?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not seeking a fight or whatever,” Caelum finally sounded. “I know how strange it is for me to suddenly encounter you as if yesterday had never happened.”

“Emory told me you reminded him of himself,” Madeline responded. “I don’t know what it is exactly, but I can sense the familiarity.”

She then playfully folded her hands behind her back and looked at Caelum like a curious child.

“You’re not afraid of approaching people, are you?”

Caelum looked back at her with a closed smile.

“I was thinking about you people a lot yesterday. It was certainly a little odd for Emory to ‘introduce himself’ in such a manner, but, in a sense, it was reasonable.”

Madeline raised her eyebrows, eagerly listening along to his words.

“You’ve also probably heard about my situation. The assumption that I have control over two Grimoires.”

“Right. We have.”

“What do you think?”

She let out a deep sigh and shrugged.

“Well, it certainly did sound a little strange. However, apparently, there hadn’t been concrete proof that suggested you really did summon a second Grimoire, so it’s not really an important matter to our group right now.”

“Right. It doesn’t sound weird if someone would like to know more about me out of pure curiosity,” Caelum responded. “So I never really got that bothered by what Emory did to me.”

Madeline chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Something tells me there’s another reason why you seem so confident today.”

“You said it before, no? That I reminded Emory of himself. That is exactly how I feel towards him, as well.”

He then raised his head and glanced at the sky.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Fighting with each other on our very first day of meeting. No, it hadn’t even been five minutes and it got brutal already. It looks as if we’re rivals at first sight.”

“Rivals at first sight… Perhaps a total opposite of the standard ‘lovers at first sight’,” Madeline muttered. “That’s an interesting perspective.”

“…I wouldn’t have it any better,” Caelum responded, smiling. “It seems that the Inquisition will be a lot more thrilling than I thought, heh? You better not disappoint me, Madeline. It seems you guys want to succeed just as much as we do.”

“You’re very interesting, Caelum. Much more than I initially thought.”

“I’d rather not be in the spotlight,” Caelum jested. “Don’t misunderstand, I enjoy the attention, but I’d rather prove my qualities to you through my actions. Not just because I decided to take a step forward today.”

Madeline couldn’t help but smile in response.

***

Emory, also dressed in a black windbreaker robe, was standing at the usual sporadically-built wooden staircase. With crossed arms, he silently gazed at the beautiful town-like place. He could hear footsteps approaching him from behind. Thinking it must be Madeline coming to pick him up alongside August, he held his gaze forward. Completely oblivious to the person who was now standing right behind him.

“Oi, Emory, wasn’t it?”

“…?”

That voice was unfamiliar. He thought he only heard it a few times so far.

It can’t be? Right…? Surely, it couldn’t possibly be that twink. Impossible!

All it took for him to confirm whether or not it was Caelum standing behind him was to turn around. As Emory slowly turned around…

…he was greeted with a cold-blood smile.

Several moments of a silent staring contest between the befuddled Emory and invigorated Caelum followed until Caelum took the word once more, as Madeline could only watch the significant encounter from a few steps away. Caelum, confined by his enemies, appeared to be the strongest standing.

“I understand it now. You wanted this, didn’t you? Well, now you have it.”

Emory remained silent. Prompting Caelum to take a firm step forward, closing the distance even more.

“That’s right, Emory. I know how you feel towards me.”

Emory closed his eyes and let out a soft chuckle.

“And what may that be?”

“You’re just like me,” Caelum responded firmly. “Let’s throw the bullshit aside. I know that your group seeks to know more about me and my Grimoire. That’s fine, do what you want to do. However…

…the Inquisition will be a battle between us, and us alone. That is my promise.”

Emory planted his hand against his head and left out another soft chuckle that gradually grew into loud, maniacal laughter.

“Amazing! Splendid! You’re not as bad as I thought, little twink!”

He then threw his hand in the air, as if displaying a significant proclamation.

“Very well! This will be the start of something great! You’ve accepted my invitation, so there’s no backing down. Do you understand?!”

“Yes, I fully understand,” Caelum chuckled, his grin reminiscent of Emory’s. You better give it your all, alright? Because before you know it, I will have surpassed you!”

With a wide grin, Emory leaned over, the distance between their faces as thin as a single piece of paper.

“Come at me, Caelum Jinton!”