"I can't let that happen! Headmaster, please help him!" Ortho begging for Crowley to save Idia.

"Why, of course." Crowley said, "I'm sure, everyone here would be gracious enough to band together to help their classmate in danger..." He gazed at his students.

"No, not happening." They said in unison.

"Superb harmony," Lucas said.

"It's only now that they're in sync," Felix added.

"Why not? Help me out!" Ortho said to them.

"Normally he avoids people at all costs but now that he's in trouble you come asking for help. You're utterly selfish." Vil said.

"It's your brother's problem so figure it out yourself," Leona said.

'Honestly, these two suddenly just become such mean.' Y/n thought to herself with an angry mark on her head.

"...Fine. I'll do just that. I'll handle this myself." Ortho said, turning serious.

"Whoa whoa, you can't handle all of that alone..." Kalim told Ortho.

"Running simulation for the rescue of Idia Shroud. Condition: Prioritize escape time. Simulation completed successfully. Now commencing operations." Ortho said. Absorbing magical energy. targeting the main building of Night Raven College."

"W-what is he doing?" Felix asked, feeling uneasy.

"Firing magical beam in 5, 4... 3... 3... " Before Ortho launched his magical beam, Crowley and Y/n stopped.

"STOP THIS INSTAAAAAANT!" Crowley shouted; Y/n placed her hand on Ortho's shoulder making the magic slowly vanish. "Do you plan to reduce our great school to dust? Magical beams are off the table!"

"Nobody will help me so what do you expect me to do?" Ortho sighed in defeat.

"Could you all refrain from refusing him so quickly?" Crowley said to everyone.

"I'm willing to help you. Ortho" Y/n said, raising her left hand.

"You will?" Crowley and Ortho inquired.

"Of course, why not. Since no one is willing to do it." Y/n said, do a side eye on the other students.

"Big Sis." Ortho's eyes sparkled. He hugged her, "I know, I could always count on you."

"Since the mistress is going to help then I will too," Felix said.

"Same." Lucas nod.

"Thank you, Felix and Lucas." Ortho smiled.

"Anyone else?" Crowley asked, but the boys stayed silent. "If you continue to ignore Mr. Shroud's plight..."

"What? They came after all of us, and we stood no chance..." Ace sighed.

" 'Ah! There's one! A student from Night Raven College!' " Crowley said, sounding like a reporter.

"Wh-what's gotten into you..." Ace asked, stuttered.

" 'I'm from TBC News! You're from Night Raven College, yes?' " Crowley inquired.

"Huh? W-well, yeah I guess... Wha-whoa! Headmaster, why are you so close?" Ace asked as he leaned back away from Crowley.

" 'Is it true that your school was taken over by a ghost? Please answer our questions!' " Crowley said, while the others watched Crowley confused. " 'Oh, I'd also like a photo for the article going up tomorrow. Snap, snap!"

"Oh, great seven. Please save me from this crazy man." Felix mumbling.

"Well, it's official the headmaster's brain has gone mad," Lucas muttered.

"Wah, that flash is blinding?" Ace said, feeling his eyes get hurt from bright flashes.

" 'Wasn't there a student abducted? And you ignored that!' " Crowley said.

"That guy is in a different dorm! It's got nothing to do with me!" Ace answered.

" 'So, you're saying you did nothing because you weren't close? You're heartless!' Crowley shrieks out. " 'This has to go in the article... 'Shocking! Despair Behind The Scenes At A Prestigious Academy!' " Crowley keeps on flashing bright his cameras at Ace.

"Hey, knock it off! Stop pointing your camera at me." Ace yelped.

" 'Snap snap snap, click! Click! Snap!" Crowley makes the sound of the camera.

"STOOOOOOP!!!" Ace shouted. Y/n steals the camera from Crowley by using her gravity magic.

"Ms. Kambe!" Crowley exclaims. Ace sighed in relief.

"Thank you..." Ace was quickly cut off.

"Huh. Why are you thanking me for?" Y/n said, sounding in rage. This made Ace flinch and back away. "You know, what. Let's get something straight."

The way Y/n speaks isn't like, her usual way. Her voice turned deep, and bitter the same goes with her eyes. "Y-y/n." Ortho stuttered.

"All of you are disgraced to call yourself a student at Night Raven College," Y/n stated.

"AH!!" The boys yelled and took a step back.

"One of the most famous schools in Twisted Wonderland, with powerful, and remarkable students. Yet, every single one of them is cowardly, selfish, and lazy. Now..." Y/n looks at them with her eyes changed into purple dragon eyes. "What would you think if the people outside the school, will see in you? If this is gotten in the news."

"A-ah, that... Well." Ace stuttered.

"Oh, Shut your excuses. The way Headmaster is acting, that is how the media will attack you if Idia Shroud doesn't return safely." Y/n said. "Your name and title as a wizard will be burned to the ground because you couldn't save one life from a ghost."

"She is right. I couldn't bear to see my precious student be the target of such behavior. For I am gracious." Crowley added.

"If you're not going to help me then I'll hack into a TV station and plaster your faces around for everyone to see." Ortho threatened the other boys. "The caption will read 'The students who averted their eyes'!"

"Actually, that's not a bad name." Y/n smiling but not a friendly one. "Since I'm one of the people trying to save Idia, this won't affect my title as the Princess of Andalasia."

"Knowing the older brother, I'm not surprised the younger is like this," Azul mumbled.

"However, I think the headmaster, being also in charge of campus security, would be the most inconvenienced..." Riddle said.

"That would be bad. If my mom saw the news like that she'd cry." Deuce sighed.

"Gossip like that would tarnish my image as a celebrity so I'd very much like to avoid that." Vil crossed his arms.

"Sounds like our only option is to lend a hand." Lilia said, "Malleus... If it got out that the next King of the Valley of Thorns couldn't help one child of man, it would ruin his reputation."

"Hmph. We can't let that happen Master Lilia!!" Sebek said it in a loud voice.

"Then let's all work together to save Mr. Shroud from the Ghost Bride!" Crowley told everyone. "Aaaaahh~~ I'm elated to know that so many kind students attend this school~~"

"You're smiling totally forced, y'know" Grim huffed.

"Sure, we do," Y/n said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes, as it changed to normal.

'Ah! She is still mad.' The boys thought to themselves.

"Let's come up with a way to save my brother," Ortho said.

"How about we start by talking with them? We can have a party!" Kalim suggested. "I bet they'd totally let Idia go if we just explained the situation."

"A truly splendid idea. Roi d'or." Rook complimented Kalim. "Though, do you think you'll be able to persuade a bride who has been searching for a groom for so long? If I was in her place, I'd never let my beloved go."

"So, our only option is to just beat them into submission," Leona said. The girl palms her face.

"Have you forgotten that we ran all the way out here because we couldn't do just that?" Vil told him.

"No matter what we did, we couldn't defeat all those ghosts. They are truly an infuriating opponent to take on. We should avoid a confrontation as much as possible." Crowley sighed.

"Ghosts, huh... Hmhmm." Lilia giggled.

"You have an idea, Lilia-senpai?" Y/n inquired.

"Lord Sam is well versed in the ways of ghosts and things of a spiritual nature," Lilia said, "Shall we go see what he has to say on the matter?"

"Lord Sam... Do you mean Sam from the student store?" Deuce asked.

"Umu. I was acquainted with his great, great grandfather." Lilia chuckled.

"I still can't tell when you're joking or when you're being serious... Lilia." Cater said, with a sweat drop on his cheek.

"Then we must make haste to the student store!" Crowley said as everyone rushed towards the shop.

•◈──────◈✧✦✧◈──────◈•

After a few minutes, everyone arrived at Sam's shop. When they entered Sam was there giving them a greeting.

"Yo, Headmaster and little demons. What could you be looking for that brought you all here?" Sam asked the group. "Kidding. I know you're looking for something to deal with that ghost bride, right?"

"This speeds things up but it sounds like you knew that we would end up here." Riddle said.

"Nihehe. My friends on the other side bring me all kinds of info." Sam answered.

"But things are getting really dicey. Ghost is tried to this world by a really powerful 'lingering attachment'. Even if you take them out with magic it's only a matter of time before that attachment brings them back." Sam explained, "And as long as it remains, they'll never pass over to the other side."

"Ah. So that's why the Ramshackle ghost keeps on comin' back!" Grim yelped.

"Aye! Precisely. That's why ghosts are so hard to handle." Sam said, grinning.

"Then how do we save my brother?" Ortho asked him. "There's no way there's just some item that can take care of this for..."

"IN STOCK NOW!" Sam proclaims.

"Seriously?" Leona was taken aback.

"You have a truly wonderful selection in stock," Azul said, facing Sam.

"Brides are especially quick to meet tragedy so they turn into ghosts all the time." Sam said, "Which means there have been plenty of people who've had to deal with them. So, they made an item to take care of it all. To get rid of ghost brides you need the 'ring of severance'. "

"Ring of severance?" Y/n mumbled; her eyes widened.

Sam pulls out a small box and inside of it. A silver ring with a little blue stone in the middle, "Slide this ring onto the ghost's left ring while saying 'I shall love you till death do us part' and it will sever her connection to the attachment to forcibly send her to the other side!"

"I get it. It means 'What happens in the afterlife has nothing to do with me.' " Lilia said, then chuckles.

"Such a cruel item," Y/n murmured.

"Yes, that's right! It's just what the doctor ordered." Sam said.

"But, just how exactly to plan to get the ring on her finger?" Vil asked.

"Couldn't we just it as a gift? Make it a heartfelt present." Rook said.

"I'd be terrified if some random guy I'd never seen before was suddenly giving me a ring," Vil added, Y/n nodded as she agreed with him. "On top of that the left ring finger?"

"There is not a woman dead or alive who'd be alright with that," Y/n said.

"Her lover, Idia, could probably pull it off but he's already tied up," Cater said.

"Then we have to make ourselves into worthy suitors." Azul imply.

"Worthy suitors?" Deuce questioned.

"Pardon, what?" Y/n inquired, as her mind loaded for a moment.

"We have to become her fiancé," Azul stated, everyone turned their head at him. "A fiancé places a ring on their partner's left ring finger when they propose, right?"

"Yes, that's right." Y/n nodded.

"But didn't she already make up her mind to marry Idia?" Ace yelped. "If we want her to switch fiancés..."

"So, trying to steal her love!" Lilia said, "Kufufu. It'll be fun to watch the drama unfold by stealing someone's bride."

"Propose to the Ghost bride and give her a ring to bring Mr. Shroud back to safety..." Crowley muttered. "We'll call it... 'Operation Propose!' This will be your mission."

'A mission. It has been a while since I received a mission.' Y/n thought to herself.

"To make sure it goes smoothly... Yes! Y/n, please bring the students I'm about to list off here." Crowley said, writing down the student's name on a piece of paper and holding it over to Y/n.

"Leave it to me." She responds. 

•◈──────◈✧✦✧◈──────◈•

"Is everyone here?" Crowley asked as he and other students were standing outside the Mystery Shop of Sam. Crowley starts to call their name for attendance."Mr. Trey Clover. Mr. Jack Howl. Mr. Jade Leech. Mr. Floyd Leech. Also, Kingscholar. Mr. Schoenheit. Mr. Zigvolt."

"Seems everyone is here," Lucas said, glancing through the list of students on the paper and the one is there.

"Those ghosts sure put up a fight, so I guess everyone evacuated out here," Trey said.

"It is a boom that we were able to all meet up," Jade said.

"...Headmaster. What did you all want us here for?" Vil asked.

"You all will be the party suitors for the ghost bride!" Crowley said, with a smile.

"Suitors...!? I-I'm not sure I get what's going on!" Jack stuttered.

"Hold on there for a moment." Riddle said, rotating his head to the headmaster. "As dorm head, I can't just stand idly by and allow my vice dorm head to get wrapped up in all this. I shall accompany them!"

"Mr. Roseheats, that's simply won't do," Crowley told Riddle.

"EH?"

"There is a specific reason for bringing the seven of here. That is because..." Crowley paused then Felix continued it for him.

"They are all over 180 centimeters tall!!!" He said at loud.

"So you're saying..." An angry mark appeared on Riddle's forehead, "That I am... Too short for this...!?" 

"Hm, yeah. You are." Felix didn't hesitate to say it. Lucas slapped his forehead and sighed.

"Felix, please shut up."

"What? I'm just the trust, he is-" Before Felix could even another word, Lucas put a tape around his mouth.

"Ahah! Goldfish, that's too bad, you don't meet the height requirement~" Floyd teased Riddle. "Want some from my tail fin?"

"No thanks." Riddle calms himself down and looks away from Floyd. "All you need is to be tall to get chosen? Then even guys like Floyd who only screw around are fine? Then she must be out of her mind!" He was still irritated about this, yet still handling his rage.

"Now, now, Riddle. A person's height is part of their identity." Trey reassuringly.

"Even I understand that much," Riddle told his vice dorm head.

"Yeah, yeah. Goldfishis is fine just the way he... Huh?" Floyd stopped and started to tease him by moving his head to find Riddle even though he knew. Riddle stands in front of him. "Goldfishie, where'd ya go? You disappeared!"

"What? I'm right here-" Riddle gets cut off by Floyd.

"...Ah, there you are. You're so small I lost track of you." Floyd laughed.

"RRGGIIIIIIIIIII!!!!" Riddle was going to use his unique magic on Floyd when...

A loud sound of a one-finger snap was heard; the ground below Riddle and Floyd shook as roots rose from it and separated the two from each other. "Children's if you don't behave yourself. I will get you a painful punishment." Y/n said, sounds like a mother.

"Ok~ay, little shrimp!" Floyd said.

"Ri-Riddle! Calm down!" Trey calmed Riddle down. 

"The ghost bride has been looking for her ideal match for an unbelievably long time and she is not the type to make compromises," Crowley told to the Seven suitors. "From physical appearance to personality, her conditions cover every manner of feature... But by definition, they are also rather vague. The only one very clearly stated is that her ideal prince is "over 180 centimeters tall." Mr. Rosehearts, your initiative is admirable, but we must make this plan succeed. Therefore, I have to ask you to stand down."

"If it's the height we're after, what about Malleus? He's tall but I don't see him around." Vil inquired.

"True, Malleus is also actually a prince. His proposal would also likely be accepted." Lilia said, "Nevertheless, we can't allow the crown prince of the Valley of Thorns to be a suitor to some ghost, even if it's fake. Just the idea of him being a suitor would be a political nightmare so Sebek will go in his place. Leave it at that."

"It is a great honor to shoulder this burden in the young master's place!" Sebel said, loudly.

"So loud," Y/n mumbled, covering her ears.

"Hmph. Big talk but there's no guarantee that Malleus would seal the deal." Leona said.

"Hmm. Prince Malleus is a fine specimen of a man. There's no doubt he would be selected as the groom!" Sebek said, loudly again. "None of you even hold a candle to his greatness!!!!!!!!"

"Huh. You like to run your mouth." 

"Don't make me laugh. Pick all the rotten pumpkins you want." Vil added to the statement of Leona.

"We can do this without Malleus. Not a problem." Leona said to everyone.

"It might be impossible for others, but I will succeed," Vil said, with a smirk.

" "Operation Propose" will succeed!!" Vil and Leona said, at the same with rage and confidence.

"Hmmhmm hmmhmm. It seems two dorm heads are ready to go." Crowley mumbled as he smiled delightfully.

"We will watch our progress through the security cameras here in the monitor," Ortho said, a holographic screen soon appeared.

"Vil definitely be chosen! You'll never find another more beautiful groom in all the land." Rook said, smiling. "Don't you agree, Epel?"

"Eh! Ye-yeah, I guess..." Epel stuttered. "Proposing means lovey-dovey mushy junk, just that thought gives me the chills... Vil, you can do it!"

"Epel, I heard all of that," Vil said, looking at Epel.

"Vil! We are all waiting to be captured by your beauty." Rook said, and then with that, they left.

"Hey, N/n. Since you are also a girl and a princess, who would you think will be capable of winning the ghost bride's love?" Ace asked in a whisper.

"Hmm." Y/n gazed at the group seven students before turning away. "None." She gives her answer then puts on her headphones and lays her back at the wall of the store next to the window.

"None?" Ace questioned himself, leaving him confused. He looks at the others preparing themselves, "What does she mean by none?"

•◈──────◈✧✦✧◈──────◈•

── At the time, The wedding party──

"Ufufu... Ufufufu. My oh my, what a wonderful day." The ghost Bride giggled happily. "I haven't felt this good since I was alive. Because, finally, finally... I finally found my Ideal Prince!"

"SOMEBODY SAVE ME!!!!" Idea shrieks out loudly.

•╭────────────────────
•╰─► 𝑻𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅
➤ 𝑼𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅: 11/30/2023