"We can't let this go unpunished, ma'am. That thing threatened the director of the Imperial Institute and attacked her spirit."
Felícia said, sharing the anger Emerald felt toward Worm, after Rosencrown recounted the visit from the previous night.
"Unfortunately, he only defended himself, Felícia."
She was trying to convince herself more than Felícia.
"That doesn't change the fact that he threatened her. Are we really going to let a spirit with a loose leash roam freely through the institute?"
"We are," the director said, now calmer after reassessing Worm's words. "That's exactly what we're going to do."
The woman rested her arms on the armrests of the same chair Worm had sat in the night before.
"It wasn't a reckless attack, Felícia. It was a clear demonstration of power. A veiled warning that he can strike us whenever he wants, and no one else would even notice. And after seeing those shadows, I believe him."
The two women looked at each other in search of answers, while Emerald frowned beside her mistress. Felícia's spiritual beast lay comfortably on the carpet at the center of the office.
"Shadow manipulation? I've seen some spirits—"
"No. He wasn't manipulating them. It was something different. They seemed to have a life of their own, as if they even thought about ways to please their master. I've never seen anything like that. And the ease with which they immobilized Emerald…" the dryad looked extremely displeased.
"He didn't need to move a single muscle. Even when he turned to look at the window, I didn't feel any opening at all. Not even powerful mages I fought in the past ever made me feel so helpless."
Rosencrown clenched her hand into a fist and watched her for a moment. She seemed to be trying to understand whether she was truly weak or whether something far too great had been placed in front of her.
"Either way," she said, resting her hands on her legs, "there's nothing we can do. Our only hope is to trust the Lady of the Forest. She has defeated him once. Let's hope she does it again."
She fell silent after that, even though she had her own doubts.
---
In the dormitory, things had already started chaotically, just like the previous morning. Worm insisted on helping Seraphine put on her uniform socks after the girl finished bathing. Seraphine categorically refused to allow Worm to touch her socks.
"Pervert. Foot fetishist."
Seraphine was only interrupted by Ruby's delighted laughter. Watching the two of them in their morning quarrel seemed very entertaining to her. Deep down, she envied the relationship Seraphine had with Worm and wished Crimson Death were the same—or at least showed some interest in her.
But she herself doubted that would happen anytime soon. After all, even after being forced to sleep on the bedroom rug, Crimson Death still showed no interest in anything inside the room, instead enjoying the first rays of sunlight while lying comfortably on the open window.
Worm also showed no interest in telling Seraphine about the visit he had made to the director the night before. She didn't suspect anything either. When she woke up, the first thing she saw was Worm sitting beside her, staring fixedly at her. She was grateful she no longer slept in bunk beds like she did as a freshman—otherwise she would certainly have hit her head on the top bunk from the shock.
The two of them made plans. Today would be free of classes, the only such day of the week. Even though they couldn't leave the institute during the school term, they preferred spending the day outside rather than locked in the room. Ruby suggested taking Seraphine flying on Crimson Death's back, but she feared the dragon would refuse to follow an order to carry anyone other than her.
She didn't even want to think about ordering him to carry Worm. Although the two spirits didn't commit open hostilities toward each other, they clearly weren't friends.
"Can spirits be friends with each other?" she asked Seraphine.
"Who would want to be friends with that thing?" Seraphine replied with another question, pointing at Worm, who received the insult as if it were the greatest compliment he had ever received.
"See? A complete pervert."
Ruby forced a laugh. Her eyes looked a little sad as she gazed at her dragon. But suddenly, her sad look was replaced by eyes burning with fury and determination. She had decided. Crimson Death was her dragon, her spirit. She would follow Seraphine's example. She would take control.
"To hell with your damn draconic pride," she said out loud, making Seraphine startle as she put on her socks and tried to avoid any help from Worm.
"Hey, you oversized lizard," Crimson Death looked shocked at being treated so disrespectfully, "I don't care if this hurts your damn pride or whatever. I didn't ask you to answer my summoning, but since you did, you're going to obey me as your mistress. Sera and I are going to fly on your back today, whether you like it or not."
Crimson Death then flew outside the window, just before returning to his grand dragon form. The sudden transformation startled the two girls. Worm, however, remained completely focused on the movement of Seraphine's fingers.
Ruby thought the dragon would use his large form to fly away or at least scare the two of them.
But what he did shocked her even more. The dragon closed his eyes and lowered his head, as if bowing to a queen. His head aligned perfectly with the base of the window, so she could mount him right there without any trouble. Ruby looked from the dragon to Seraphine, her mouth hanging open in shock.
"You know, Ruby, I think your spirit is also a pervert who likes receiving orders."
Ruby had flown on Crimson Death's back once before, but this time it was different. She controlled him. He obeyed her—not out of obligation, but by choice. Was this what he meant by draconic pride? Did a master need a noble heart? No indecision? Did they need to face their fears?
Ruby didn't know.
She felt something in her hand.
A new rune had appeared on her mistress circle. Just one. Very different from the complex circle on Seraphine's hand. Still, the girl was happy. She brought her hand to her chest, her eyes slightly wet with tears.
She hoped Seraphine would forgive her.
But this first flight, after Crimson Death had bowed, would be hers.
Hers alone.
All Seraphine saw was Ruby leaving through the window and climbing onto the dragon's head, then seating herself between the wings and the long neck of the immense creature.
The two of them looked completely majestic together. Ruby's long curls had become even redder as the sunlight passed through them, perfectly matching Crimson Death's red scales.
The two flew toward the sky.
Leaving Seraphine behind with her perverted, anything-but-noble-hearted spirit.
"Flying must be incredible. I hope she convinces him to carry me too."
Seraphine said it out loud, forgetting that Worm was a few steps behind her. When she looked at him, he seemed annoyed.
Seraphine tried to make a joke, but was completely caught off guard when Worm quickly scooped her up in his arms and ran toward the window.
She didn't have time to analyze the situation.
Worm had jumped.
The courtyard ground below rushed toward them. Seraphine closed her eyes and let out a loud scream, emptying all the air from her lungs. She braced herself for the painful impact.
"Wait… it doesn't hurt? Did I die from the fall?"
Seraphine thought, afraid to open her eyes.
She felt the breeze move her hair. The sun warmed the underside of her socks. Strong arms still held her body.
She opened her eyes.
Large black wings, similar to Crimson Death's, covered part of the horizon. She looked down and saw the institute's rooftops.
Then, finally, she looked at the one holding her in the air.
His large eyes reflected the sun.
He wasn't smiling. He looked irritated.
Seraphine almost forgot the situation she was in—flying through the sky, just like Ruby and Crimson Death—but it was her perverted spirit carrying her.
"I didn't think you were capable of making any expression other than that creepy smile."
She laughed at his irritated expression.
"Careful, my mistress. I might just lose my balance and let you fall."
His expression returned to his usual malicious grin.
"Wait!" she said, laughing even harder and ignoring Worm's warning. "Did you get jealous because I wanted to fly on Ruby's dragon?"
Seraphine laughed delightedly. It seemed she had hit the mark.
"And you're full of surprises. You can fly now? So what are you, anyway?"
"I'm a flying worm."
Seraphine was satisfied—not with the answer, but with the fact that she had discovered her spirit could have normal conversations if he wanted to.
"That's enough for now, I think. But one day I want to know everything you're hiding from me, you worm."
Seraphine looked toward the horizon. Up there in the sky, she and Worm seemed to be the only beings in the entire world. That was until Crimson Death and Ruby appeared below them.
"Sera! You didn't tell me he could fly!" Ruby shouted from the dragon's back.
"And you think I knew?" Seraphine shouted back.
"Want to race?" Ruby aligned Crimson Death alongside Worm.
"That fat lizard of yours doesn't stand a chance."
Worm's eyes burned with fire when he heard those words from his mistress.
Crimson Death and Worm stared each other down. Neither wanted to lose.
The girls looked at each other, but the regret on their faces was evident.
They had provoked two extremely competitive creatures into proving themselves to their mistresses.