Chapter 97 - Bunny-Rabbits

Chapter 97: Chapter 97 - Bunny-Rabbits

SHEEN!

Summoning light ignited in the center of the mansion’s lounge, settling Vincent and Eugene squarely onto the carpet to their knees mid-panic.

"SHE WAS A GIRL THE WHOLE TIME?! HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT COMING?! I MEAN, LOOK AT HIS– HER FACE! HER FORCED MASULINE VOICE! EVERYTHING!"

"AND THOSE MELONS, BLUEY! THE SIZE OF THEM! I THOUGHT ROOSEVELT WAS JUST SOME SMUG PLAYBOY TRYING TO STEAL YOUR GIRL, BUT SHE WAS HIDING MOUNTAINS UNDER THAT UNIFORM!"

Standing near the full body mirror at the end of the room, was Maelle.

She was dressed in an elegant formal gown of deep black and shimmering crimson, her silver hair styled in delicate, flowing waves over her bare shoulders.

She looked down at the two flustered, screaming idiots rolling on the carpet with her trademark cool, unbothered expression, crossing her arms.

"Can you two hurry up and finish throwing your tantrums?"

Vincent snapped back to reality. His jaw dropped as he took in the full sight of her in that dress. For a second, the shock of Roosevelt’s identity vanished from his mind.

"Maelle... You... You look incredible."

A subtle flush dusted Maelle’s cheeks, though she maintained her composure, smoothing down the front of her skirt. "Thank you."

He stood up and dusted off his knees as he looked around the room. "Where’s Ava and Roxa? I thought they’d be here."

"Roxa returned to the Silver Leaf Sanctuary the day after I dismissed you."

"Oh... she left already?"

When Maelle noticed his disappointment, a small, uncharacteristic flicker of jealousy touched her voice as she asked softly, "Were you really that happy to see her?"

"Huh? Maelle?"

Realizing how unlike herself she sounded, Maelle quickly looked away and calmed down. She then abruptly changed the topic. "She will be back. I offered her a permanent position as my assistant alongside Gwen, and she accepted."

Vincent’s mood lightened at knowing she’ll be back, and a smug smirk broke across his lips at her subtle jealousy.

"Gwen," Maelle called out.

Gwen stepped into the room, carrying a box holding three Masquerade masks.

Vincent’s brow furrowed as he took a look at them. "This is for the party, right? But a masquerade party? I thought this wasn’t one of those."

"It isn’t," Maelle replied, picking up a silver lace mask. "However, these are not ordinary decorative masks. They are woven with elven illusion magic."

She slipped the mask over her eyes. In an instant, a soft ripple of magic washed over her face – her silver-white hair shifted into a rich, dark auburn, and her violet eyes turned a striking hazel.

"A disguise?"

"Precisely. The conspirator we’re looking for must not know we are alive until we corner them. We will wear these until we locate our target."

"Can’t people still see the mask itself, though? Won’t we stand out since it’s not a masquerade party?"

"The venue will be packed with hundreds of students, faculty, and high officials, many wearing many different kinds of ornamental pieces," Gwen reassured him while handing him a sleek, midnight-gold half-mask. "Simple masks will not draw suspicion."

Vincent slipped the mask over his eye. The illusion spell covered his blue hair, shifting to a raven-black hue, and his eyes turned a cool violet.

Gwen put on her own simple mask, her hair shifting to a warm brunette and her eyes turning a soft deep brown.

"What about Ava?" Vincent asked, looking around. "Where’s she?"

"Since Ava is a demon, she cannot come with," Maelle explained. "She went with Roxa first to the sanctuary, and then to secure hiding positions around the outer perimeter of the venue in case an emergency backup is required.

"Remember, our anonymous contact is hiding somewhere inside the ballroom. Once we breach the doors, we will split up and search. They will only respond to one specific, absurd verbal code phrase... Bunny-rabbit."

"Ah yes... the bunny rabbit."

With a couple of hours remaining before they had to leave, Maelle looked at her reflection in the mirror and fidgeted slightly with her arm sleeves. She turned her head toward Vincent when a hesitant, shy look touched her expression.

"Vincent... Do you know how to dance properly?"

"Dancing? You mean formal partner dancing? High-society waltzing? Zero experience. Breakdancing, sure. I can bust out some spin moves on the floor, but I doubt the teachers and noble students will appreciate that type of art. The normies maybe."

Having zero clue what "breakdancing" meant, Maelle just ignored his rambling and asked, "... Do you want to practice now? Just the basics."

"Sure. I have a feeling if we’re gonna be together from now on, I at least need to know how to hold you."

Her cheeks flushed a vivid pink at his phrasing.

"Wait! That’s not what I meant–! I mean... it is, but—gah!"

Coming to the rescue, Gwen picked up a violin and played music. A gentle, ambient string melody filled the quiet lounge.

Stepping past his awkward stammering, Maelle walked forward and gently placed her hand in his. Vincent took it, his other hand finding her waist while she rested her other on his shoulder.

At first, he struggled – stepping and knocking lightly on her toes. But Maelle patiently guided him with each step, whispering rhythmic counts under her breath.

Within minutes, Vincent found his balance. The music swirled around them as they glided smoothly across the carpet, swaying in each other’s arms. The playful banter died down, replaced by an intimate warmth that filled the room as their eyes met under their masks.

......

Two hours later, the trio stood before the grand, towering entrance of the Gala Venue.

Eugene was tucked securely inside the inner pocket of Vincent’s black coat, poking only his tiny golden horns out.

At the top of the marble steps, a stern bouncer checked the guest registry. Gwen stepped forward as planned and subtly slipped a heavy leather pouch of gold coins directly into the bouncer’s gauntlet.

The bouncer weighed the pouch, offered a quick nod, and let them through the doors without asking for their identities.

Inside, the view was nothing short of breathtaking.

The grand ballroom was vast, bathed in the light of floating crystal chandeliers. Hundreds of human students, dressed in lavish formalwear, were celebrating alongside their newly bound Familiars.

Vincent watched in awe as a three-tailed Frost Lynx glided beside a noble boy, leaving trails of blue ice that dissolved whenever its paws touched the marble floor. Above them, a floating, bioluminescent jellyfish hovered over a girl’s head, casting gentle, shifting pastel hues over her silk gown.

After taking in the sights, Maelle instructed, "It’s time. Vincent, take the main floor. Gwen, patrol the outer perimeter. I will search the second floor balcony. Disperse."

""Got it.""

Straightening his coat, Vincent walked onto the crowded main floor, scanning the attendees. He spotted a burly, scarred middle-aged man grumbling to himself near the punch bowl, eyeing the celebrating students with annoyance.

He approached him smoothly, leaning in with a serious, secretive tone. "Excuse me, sir... What’s that drink you have called? Bunny-rabbit, perhaps?"

"The hell?" He stared at Vincent as if he had two heads, slowly backing away while clutching his glass. "Get away from me, you weirdo... God, why did I have to agree to come here."

Inside his pocket, Eugene snickered. "Pfft! ’What’s that drink called? Bunny-rabbit, perhaps?’ Hahaha! You look like an idiot, Bluey!"

"Shut up, lizard," Vincent hissed under his breath with embarrassment and moved to his next target.

He interrupted a group of young women swooning over an arrogant noble showcasing his fiery hawk Familiar.

Vincent stepped in, asking deadpan, "Pardon me. That’s a cool Familiar. Do you happen to possess a bunny-rabbit?"

"... Pfft–hehehe..."

The noble took immediate offense. "Are you mocking me, commoner?!"

The girls, however, gushed over Vincent’s mysterious raven hair and midnight-gold mask, completely ignoring him. The noble boy huffed, walking away thoroughly defeated that his game had been stolen.

’Not him either.’

He bowed politely to the girls before slipping away into the crowd.

Meanwhile, near the perimeter doors, Gwen tested the code word on several servants and guards.

One nervous servant frantically handed her a silver tray of carrot tartlets, assuming it was an urgent dietary request and the guards just ignored her.

She tried another middle-aged official, who immediately held his hands up in panic, declaring, "I have a wife, lady! Stop hitting on me!"

Beneath her mask, Gwen’s brow twisted in offense as he walked away. "You’re not even remotely my type, sir..." She let out a long sigh, continuing her search.

Up on the second floor, Maelle glided past a cluster of students who were loudly gossiping about Lucianne’s disappearance, all while hurling bitter insults at Maelle’s name.

When Maelle tested the code word on them, they simply stared at her funny and turned their backs.

’Haaa... This is going to take forever. None of these people are the contact.’

BANG!

Suddenly, the doors at the front of the ballroom swung wide open.

A hush fell over the entire venue. The classical music died down, the quiet chatter vanished, and every eye in the room – students, faculty, scouts, and high officials – instantly locked onto the entrance.

Quinton Solara stepped into the ballroom, dressed in his full, pristine red-and-gold Solarian royal uniform.

Whispers immediately began circulating among the crowd.

"... Is he here to give news about Lucianne Elsa?"

"... She’s been missing for two weeks..."

"... Why was her father, one of the "Four Pillars", arrested yesterday?"

"... Does this have something to do with Princess Maelle’s sudden attack?"

He walked with solemn purpose down the central red carpet, making his way straight toward the elevated central stage. He raised his hand, calling for the echoing whispers to become silent.

He let the silence stretch for five second before finally speaking.

"Greetings, students, faculty, and esteemed guests of the Imperial City. I am Quinton Solara, Crown Prince of the Solarian Kingdom.

"I am well aware of the questions some of you may have. I stand before you all to finally answer them... For the past two weeks, whispers have plagued the academy halls. Whispers of a missing heiress. Whispers of a fallen Duke. Whispers of a dark shadow looming over the prestigious reputation of the Imperial City."

He placed both hands firmly onto the edges of the podium and leaned forward. His expression was utterly devoid of its former delicate softness, replaced by the grim weight of delivering judgment.

"Lucianne Elsa and Duke Tullias Elsa have been arrested for treason. Many of you may believe her to be innocent. Many of you believed her father’s sudden arrest to be a political farce. Today... as Crown Prince of Solara and co-signatory of the Imperial Alliance... I stand before you to shatter those illusions."

Quinton drew his breath, his voice swelling into a thunderous, undeniable roar that echoed to the highest rafters of the ballroom:

"Through the joint authority of the Solarian Crown and Principal Brenda, I formally announce the immediate, permanent EXPULSION and criminal arrest of Lucianne Elsa as well as her father!"

A collective gasp tore through the room.

"Hear me well! We have found sufficient evidence! She did not simply vanish during the time she was missing! She was brought to heel! Charged with high treason, illicit black-market trade, and the cowardly, pre-meditated attempted assassination of royal blood – specifically, Fourth Princess Maelle Ebony!"

Pandemonium erupted across the floor. Nobles stumbled back in horror, her core groups of friends covered their mouths in disbelief, and faculty members stood frozen in shock.

"The investigation is still ongoing... However, what we found in the meantime has proved just how far Lucianne has fallen. She forged my seal, hired slaves, and kidnapped a princess of a foreign country. Let it be known that I do not condone any of this and will be cutting all ties with the Elsa’s, no matter the outcome of this investigation. Thank you for your attention..."

High above the second floor balcony, Maelle looked down through her onyx mask. Her hazel-dyed eyes were cold and unwavering as Quinton stepped down from the stage, leaving the ballroom in complete and absolute chaos.