“Let’s Sparta kick Azul’s office and interrogate him!” You confidently said, pumping your fist in the air.

“Spa- what?” Grim tilted his head, blinking rapidly.

“Oh, in my world, Spartans were a group of civilization. There was a movie made on their king, and…you know what, never mind. Let’s just kick his door down and interrogate him,” You laughed nervously. The thought of having to explain history and the movie scene to Grim made your head spin. He would ask too many questions…way too many questions.

The air in Octavinelle was filled with the scent of various foods wafting from Mostro Lounge. Grim shivered when a draft of cold air smacked his body. “Every time we set foot in this place, I feel like my wallet is getting lighter just by breathing.”

You didn’t respond or even slow down. Two towering figures loomed near the entrance to the inner sanctum. Jade stood with his usual poise, hands folded neatly, while Floyd leaned against the bar counter.

“A marvelous evening to you, (y/n),” Jade began in a smooth voice, but he was already searching your eyes to learn of your intention.

“Ooh, Shrimpy’s here,” Floyd exclaimed, a crooked, wide-eyed grin tugging across his face.

You didn’t look at them, nor did you offer a greeting. You marched past them so closely that the wind of your movement ruffled Jade’s bangs. Jade’s mismatched eyes widened as his practiced smile faltered for a moment, and Floyd blinked, his head tilting with interest.

“Oh,” Floyd leaned closer to whisper to his twin. “This looks like it’ll be fun.”

Grim puffed out his chest, sensing the shift in your energy. “Ready on your signal.”

You didn’t give a signal and kicked. BOOM. The wood slammed against the interior wall with a crack that echoed like a gunshot through the silent lounge. Azul jolted so violently that he nearly knocked over his inkwell, but a stack of contracts slid across his desk at his sudden movements. He stared at you with wide eyes behind his frames, his usual composure flushed down the drain by your unexpected appearance.

“Explain,” you commanded, storming into the room before he could gather himself. “Explain exactly what you did to Riddle.”

Azul’s composure struggled to stitch itself back together, but managed to stutter out a response. “I…I beg your pardon? This is a private office, not a-”

“Yeah! What kind of poison did you slip him?” Grim marched forward, hopping onto the edge of the mahogany desk. “Don’t play the ‘innocent merchant’ act with us. Give us the antidote!”

“Poison?” Azul repeated, but went rigid. His voice was steady, but his fingers drifted toward a drawer in his desk. He immediately tried to mask his movements by adjusting his glasses. “That is…a remarkably bold, and legally actionable, accusation.”

“You spread rumors to undermine him,” you said, leaning over his desk. “You were paid to destroy his reputation.”

Azul’s gaze flickered to the doorway at the twins lingering near the doorway. Jade’s expression was unreadable, but Floyd looked like he was watching an entertaining circus act.

Azul folded his hands to suppress the urge to dig his nails into his palms. ”Rumors are the currency of this school. I merely observe the exchange rate.”

“And what does that exchange rate have to do with Riddle collapsing?” Grim demanded, pointing a claw at his face. “You wanted him out of the way!”

“That is absurd!” Azul’s voice jumped an octave. He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping the floor. “I am a businessman, not an assassin. Sabotaging a Housewarden, especially one as volatile as Riddle, would be a logistical nightmare with zero return on investment!”

He paused, his eyes darting to a ledger on his desk, but he looked cornered. Azul didn’t look guilty, but certainly like a man with a skeleton in his closet that was currently rattling its bones.

“Then explain why he was heading here,” you pressed. “Rook saw him. He was coming for you.”

For a second, his customer-service mask slipped, revealing a flash of genuine anxiety. “Why not ask Riddle yourself?”

“He’s unconscious, you octo-jerk!” Grim yelled.

Silence. Azul looked at you, then at the twins, then back at his desk. He looked like a man trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing, or a man wondering which of his gambles had finally caught up to him.

“Enough,” Azul coldly said. “You have barged into my office, leveled unfounded slanders against my character, and interrupted my work. I have nothing more to say to you.”

“You still haven’t denied the rumor contract,” you noted.

Azul’s expression soured. “I do not discuss the particulars of my clients. Now, leave. I find your presence…taxing. Jade. Floyd. Escort our guests to the exit. Immediately.”

“Finally. I was getting bored just watching.” Floyd’s grin returned, wider than before.

“This way, Prefect,” Jade said in a perfectly polite tone as he gestured you out.

Jade closed the office door behind you with a soft click. As you walked back through the dimly lit lounge, Floyd let out a laugh. “Shrimpy, that was amazing! You actually kicked the door! I thought Azul was gonna ink himself.”

“He’s hiding something. I can smell the ink and the guilt,” Grim grumbled.

“Crowley’s little investigators are diligent,” Floyd teased, leaning down closer to your face. “Does the Headmage give you a gold star every time you find a clue, or is he just treating you like his personal little monkey?”

“We’re not monkeys!” Grim snapped, his tail flicking behind him in irritation.

“Right, right,” Floyd chuckled. “You just run around doing all his dirty work while he’s off having tea. It’s cute.”

A vein throbbed in your temple as your patience, already frayed by the encounter with Azul, was thinning.

Jade hummed thoughtfully, ignoring his brother’s antics. “Azul did look quite rattled, didn’t he? It’s almost a pity. He’s worked so hard on his image.

Though if you are looking for evidence of…misconduct, you might find that Azul’s ledgers are far more interesting than his words. Not that I’m suggesting he’s guilty, of course. I would never dream of betraying my Housewarden’s confidence.”

The way Jade said it, with a sharp, knowing glint in his eye, made it sound like he was handing you the matches to start a fire.

“You’re just trying to get him in trouble!” Grim accused.

Jade placed a hand over his heart, looking wounded. “I am merely an observer of the truth, Grim.”

“Whatever,” you sighed. The salt air was making your head spin, and the constant riddles were exhausting. “I’m done for tonight.”

Grim blinked. “Wait, we’re stopping? But we’re so close to making him crack!”

“My brain is fried, Grim,” you said, rubbing your eyes. “Between the burnt roses, the tea rules, and the Leech twins’ word games, I can’t think straight. We’re taking a break.”

Floyd laughed, stretching his long arms over his head. “Aww, Shrimpy rage quit! How adorable.”

“Rest well,” Jade said with a shallow bow. “The waters of Octavinelle are always here to…drown out your worries.”

You gave a slight nod and turned to the portal. You had more questions than when you started. Azul was hiding something, Jade was playing both sides, and Riddle was still out cold. But as you stepped back into the cool night air of the main campus, your mind protested to stop thinking. Your eyes flickered to the Diasomnia portal.

“Are we going to Diasomnia?” Grim whispered, standing close to your legs as if trying to comfort you.

“Yeah,” you sighed and started walking to the portal. “They usually stay out of the school campus drama…usually…so we can take a break there.”