Chapter 227: Chapter 226- Appreciation

“Alright, time to wakey-wakey,” Ruby chirped as she yanked the covers off the bed.

A groan followed from the sleepy lump beneath them.

It was already quite late, and since Annabelle hadn’t stayed up late at night without feeling the least bit tired, she definitely didn’t need those extra hours of sleep now.

“Wake up, or I’ll tell your Darling how disobedient you’re being,” Ruby warned, her tone teasing.

Annabelle’s eyes cracked open, narrowing into a glare. “You’re seriously getting on my nerves.”

Ruby giggled, clearly unbothered by the threat—and absolutely not guilty for pulling the same stunt for the umpteenth time.

Messing with her had become a daily joy. And the best part? Unlike before, Annabelle actually got annoyed now.

Annabelle let out another groan as she finally pushed herself up from the bed.

With her legs swinging over the edge, she accepted the cup of warm water Ruby handed her.

She took a sip before squinting at Ruby’s outfit. “Why are you all dressed up?”

Only now did she notice that the redhead was wearing a gown.

“Oh, this? I’m meeting a few old friends,” Ruby replied with a casual shrug.

“A guy?” Annabelle asked, one brow raised and a sly grin on her face.

Ruby rolled her eyes. “You really think I’d dress up for some guy?”

Annabelle gave a lazy shrug. “But you would…for Darling, right?”

Ruby raised a finger, ready to argue—her lips parting, breath drawn—but instead, all that came out was a quiet, “…well, right.”

Annabelle tilted her head. “So? Who is this person?”

Ruby sank into the chair behind her with a sigh. “Just a few research partners. The ones who helped me develop the second thread’s theory. I figured they deserve to know I finally cracked it.”

“You cracked it?” Annabelle raised her brows in surprise.

Ruby exhaled. “I wish I could give him the credit. Really, I do. But you know Adrian. The moment he agreed to teach me, he made one thing clear—do not publicize his name for this.”

Annabelle chuckled. “Well, I expect nothing less from my Darling. He values knowledge over fame.”

Ruby nodded. “Exactly… so yeah, I’m just going to—”

Knock. Knock.

The sudden, hurried knocks cut her off.

Ruby frowned and stood up. Before anything else, she tugged down Annabelle’s shirt to cover the valley she was casually displaying.

“Come in,” she called out.

The door opened almost immediately, and a man stepped in, nearly bursting through in his urgency.

Ruby’s expression darkened. “What is it, Arvolov?”

The soldier stepped forward and handed her a sealed envelope. “It’s urgent, Lady Ruby. Came through the private line.”

Annabelle straightened in surprise. That line was only used for serious emergencies.

The Vermillion family’s private network wasn’t just secret—it was sacred. They used it only when something truly big happened.

Her curiosity piqued, she stood and walked over to Ruby, who was already waving Arvolov away.

Once the door closed behind him, Ruby broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

“What does it say?” Annabelle asked, impatience creeping into her voice.

Ruby read aloud, her voice tightening with every word.

“The Twilight has discovered what the cube is. They’re excavating the entire area, trying to find out what it’s protecting…”

She stopped.

“…Shit. Shit!”

She panicked.

Annabelle blinked, watching as Ruby sprang into action, moving straight toward the closet.

“Wait—what cube? I’m lost.”

Stripping out of her gown and slipping into more mobile clothing, Ruby spoke quickly, “Your Darling left traps. Ancient ones. To keep people away from his home—the place where Adrian got his memories back. The place that mattered to him… and to you.”

Annabelle’s heart skipped a beat.

Her lips parted.

That place.

The one in the wasteland… where she had recently reunited with Adrian.

How could she forget?

The house must still be there. His sanctuary. Their memories.

And now they were going to dig it up. Violate it. Defile the silence and warmth that belonged to her Darling.

Her hands clenched.

They would destroy it.

They would steal it.

They would sadden him.

“No.”

Ruby flinched at the sudden pulse of ether from behind.

“A-Annabelle?” she called, freezing mid-motion with one pant leg half-pulled on. “I can handle this. I promise—they won’t ruin your ho—”

But Annabelle was already gone.

Vanished in a blink.

Ruby ran a hand down her face, groaning.

“This is going to turn messy real fast. Fuck.”

°°°°°°

“Hey, are you fine?” Olivia asked as she approached the boy who was covered in a thin layer of sweat and was holding a dummy sword.

Naturally, he was training until she came and that gave him a reason to stop.

“Yeah. What would happen to me?” He asked as he took the towel Olivia was handing him.

The green-haired looked slightly nervous, mentioning, “You know…with Sylvie…”

Allen sighed, “You don’t need to worry about that. Although it felt bad hearing such words from a friend, in the end those words were meant for my betterment.”

Olivia was relieved that Allen took Sylvie’s suggestion in a positive way.

And, in a corner of her mind, she also agreed to the most thing the Princess said yesterday.

His nature has started to shift so maybe thanks to Sylvie, he would return to where he once was.

Allen turned to look at the girl before asking in a low tone, “Hey…do you think we will win?”

Olivia’s brows went up before a slow warm smile curved her lips.

Holding his hand firmly, she added, “I know you will win. There is no second thought.”

Allen smiled in response before thanking her.

He couldn’t dare to make any mistake now, can he?

…..

“Oh, hey.”

Sylvie hadn’t expected to see Professor Adrian in the garden at this hour.

Bathed in the moon’s silver glow, the garden felt still, quiet—almost sacred. She turned her head toward the voice and found him standing there, his expression calm.

It was her habit to walk here after dinner. The gentle stroll helped her digest and clear her mind. But crossing paths with him tonight… she hadn’t seen that coming.

“Good evening, sir,” she said politely, offering a small bow. “Did you need something from me?”

Adrian shook his head. “No… just walking. Trying to clear my thoughts.”

He sounded sincere.

With the sheer amount of information he’d been absorbing lately—especially regarding the fifth thread—he likely needed these quiet breaks to keep himself centered.

Sylvie’s brows lifted slightly. “Is it tough? Guiding the students for the contest, I mean?”

She wondered if she was being too nosy. The question had slipped out before she could stop it.

But his easy response calmed her nerves.

“The students are capable, and Elana helps out a lot,” he replied. “It’s just… the pressure of trying to bring our school to the top. That weight sits with me.”

For a moment, Sylvie didn’t respond. Then she softly said,

“Even if we don’t get first place, I won’t feel disappointed. I think a lot of us won’t. Because we see how much effort you’re putting in.”

Adrian slowed his steps, visibly surprised.

Sylvie met his gaze. “We know you’ll give it your all, sir. The results don’t matter as much as your dedication.”

A short chuckle escaped his lips. “You’re more mature than you look.”

Sylvie blushed and quickly lowered her gaze. “I-I’m sorry if I said too much.”

He shook his head with a faint smile. “No, it’s alright. You actually helped. Thanks, Sylvie.”

Her neck flushed a deeper red.

He thanked her.

The fact that he was talking to her so kindly already made her heart flutter, but hearing she had helped him—it made her chest ache in the best way.

Then, Adrian asked, “How are you doing lately?”

The question caught her off guard for a second, but then she realized he meant after her brother’s death.

She gave a faint, gentle smile. “No longer crying… and smiling more often.”

Adrian nodded. “That’s good. I’m proud of your courage, Sylvie.”

He reached out and gave her shoulder a soft, reassuring squeeze.

“Alright, then. I’ll be heading back. Don’t stay up too late.”

Sylvie nodded, silently watching as he walked away into the moonlit path.

When she was sure he was gone, she glanced around the garden. Empty. Quiet.

Her cheeks burned.

She couldn’t believe what she was about to do.

But she did.

Quickly, she slipped off her cardigan and pressed the part he had touched against her chest—then slowly, against her face.

She took a deep breath.

The scent of coffee hit her instantly, rich and warm, making her face turn a vivid crimson.

Her heart thudded wildly.

Clutching the fabric like a treasure, she turned and rushed back to the dormitory, her feet light, her emotions a chaotic storm of shy joy.

°°°°°°°

A/N:- How thirsty can you be? Thanks for reading.

And yes, you may find a few typos since I am down with fever. I will edit the Chapter later. Thank you.

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