That night, Hoshi cleaned up one of the rooms with Grim and prepared to go to bed with the spare pajamas the headmaster was kind enough to provide for her. Despite being different gender, she was able to fit into the appropriate size. Through out the entire night, Grim complained about the room and damages but was soon reassured by her that their current situation was at least better than sleeping outside in the rain. She had noticed that the remaining glass windows were boarded up and that the majority of them were left undamaged which was a miracle already. After spending their first night cleaning out the room, she and Grim decided to settle down for the night with Grim having already hogged the pillow before she could make a decision. Seeing the sleeping cat, Hoshi shook her head and sighed before giving a small smile, "Heh... When he's like this, he's, actually, really cute. And to think I always wanted a cat too... Eh?"
She paused in surprise upon hearing her own words. She had always wanted a cat? Since when was it that she ever thought that? Her own likes and dislikes... She didn't even knew them when she first came to this place. Yet, here she was blurting it out as though it was second nature...
"I... always wanted a cat?" She muttered in disbelief, "Always? Since when?"
When did she wanted a cat before?
"Do you still remember anything else?"
Startled, she looked up to find a strange boy with some medium long black and purple hair hanging upside down in the room with startling purple eyes and pale skin. She stepped back in surprise before recalling the brilliant purple eyes back in the orientation room.
"You're... the boy back in the orientation...." She muttered in surprise. However, despite saying this, she felt as though something is not correct... Something was off.
"What's your name?" Lilia questioned curiously as he vanished and reappeared upright before her on ground level.
"H-Hoshi..." She replied hesitantly.
"Well, Hoshi, what else do you remember?" The boy questioned her curiously.
Can't she first ask what he was doing in her room first? It was rude to just suddenly pop into a girl's room. Ah, no. She was supposed to pretend she not a girl but a guy…
Hiding her displeasure, she shook her head with a frown, "Not much, I'm afraid... I didn't even remember my own name and needed the magic mirror to tell me. I seem to be adept with cleaning though and just now, I only realized that I seem to be fond of cats..."
"What about those words?"
"Words?" She looked to him in confusion.
"Back at the orientation." He responded with a frown.
"Back at the orientation..." She muttered in deep thoughts, "Mell... Malleus? No, wait. that's not right... I do recall the word Reven..."
Hearing this, he looked to her in confusion, "Reven... Do you remember where you've heard that name before?"
Hoshi thought carefully before shaking her head, "No... When I think of the past, my mind becomes very fuzzy. Does this have something to do with this Briar place the other students talked about?"
He examined her carefully with a frown before shaking his head, "We're not sure yet. It will take a while before we get any response. For now, just stay here. Don't you dare try to runaway."
She looked to him in confusion as he said this and then he just vanished. After some thought, she turned around and went back to the creaky old bed.
.....
The breeze was cold as the fresh scent of the ocean hit her. The ocean?
"Why... Why do they look at me like that?"
A child-like voice strikes her mind in confusion as her own voice opened as well, "Is it about those people again?"
"They always look at me and then start yelling at my retainer." The voice sulked, "Almost as if I was not there. I wanted to help him, but he told me not to worry about it."
"Did he now?" She hummed with a rather amused and saddened tone.
"Can't I do anything?"
After some silence, she opened her mouth, "You are a kind child. However, the world is still too wide and unknown to you. You still have time. With time and experience, you will gain knowledge and that is also your strength. Don't rush and do what you can do now."
"But, I want to make them stop now..."
"You are eager to help others you love. However, you can't do this on your own and not when you don't have enough experience."
"Huh?"
"You know, I was told that my mom was kidnapped by a very bad person when my mom and dad were kids. They were only ten years old which is about a couple of decades older than you are now in fae age. He was also separated from his best friend during all the commotion. My father was then thrown into an unknown land he had never seen before in his entire life. Everyone were all separated in an unknown land. It had taken my father and his best friend over ten years to save and protect my mother from harm."
"Then, where are they now?"
"... I don't know. However, I can feel that even now, they are still protecting me in their own way, just as your family are."
"But, granny is always talking with those old fogies and always isn't around when they start yelling."
"Why not talk with her?"
"Huh?"
"Try to find a time to talk with her when she is free. Even if we are not the same species, we are still those who walk under the same skies. I'm sure there are things she would like to talk with you about... when those 'old fogies' aren't around her."
"Is that true?"
"And the older you become, the more she would be willing to share with you, because she loves you more than you know."
"... I'll give it a try. But, what if she doesn't want to tell me something I wanted to know about?"
"Then, it's because she wants to protect you from something you would not understand yet. Hehe. You're not afraid of talking with your grandma, are you?"
"N-No! I feel comfortable talking with her all the time!"
"Then why the stammering?"
"I'm not!"
Laughter echoed in her mind as she opened them and saw that she was no longer surrounded by the ocean. She looked around in confusion and realized that all around her was darkness as she took a step forward, she realized there was nothing and she was simply floating downward into the darkness. Fear of the unknown gripped her but she was also confused as something told her that there should be something for her to land on. Just as she thought this, she felt something beneath her feet as she took her first step and suddenly white birds gathered below her feet. They merged together and morphing into what looked to by one giant mosaic. The beauty of it was mesmerizing, but she could feel her heart tremble with fear yet longing. She wants to take a step forward atop this giant mosaic, but a part of her is also telling her not to! That she won't be able to back out if she did...
Realizing this, she hesitated greatly. However, she still took her first step with great hesitation. It was then that she noticed some unusual tiny black jester-like shadow emerging from the ground around her and started to lunge towards her!
"Wha-?!"
Surprised, she spun around and tried to run, but she remembered that this was the only piece of land there was for her! Horrified, she was left stranded as the beings inched closer to her. In a moment of terror, she noticed a bright shine of light as a large key appeared and flew in mid air knocking back all the monsters that came at her! Finally, the key appeared before her. It was then that she realized that the key was actually massive in size and was probably the length of a sword! Yet, the handle of the key was no different to a hilt.
Confused, she reached out to touch it. Just as it did, the sword revealed a bright light.
.....
Outside, the rain had only just stopped as Lilia reappeared before a motionless Crowley who had been standing just outside the old gates of the rundown dorm. In the cold air, Crowley turned to Lilia who was leaning against the doorframe outside, "I hope the visit was productive?"
In thought, Lilia frowned, "It's too early to say for certain at the current stage. Although I've said I would contact the queen, it would actually be rather difficult to bring up this talk with her."
"I can imagine. Aside from being part of royalty, you said that Reven was the very same Reven back in the textbooks, then I can only imagine Mel would be referring to the former princess and late daughter of the current queen. With her son enrolling in this school, it would be difficult to say if there are no conspiracies waiting to hatch."
"Conspiracies?" Lilia sneered and sighed, "Normally, those things wouldn't be a trouble, but the prince did not know much of the late princess or his father. If she were to spout those words carelessly, she could get the queen's attention..."
"If you will not report to the queen..." Crowley nodded, "Then, I will withhold from reporting as well. For now, we can just say that she suddenly remembered those words at another time."
"Ah. That would be greatly appreciated at this time. I'll adjust my report and send it out in a week time. To keep this from the queen for too long and the queen will definitely kick up a fuss." Lilia nodded as he muttered to himself quietly, "Malleus is still just a kid right now too. It's too early for him to learn of the details surrounding his hatching... Is that girl a threat or an ally, I wonder...?"
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past them as Lilia could hear the sound of creaking as he looked back and paused, "I've heard that this dorm is inhabited by ghosts. Is it really safe for a human girl to live here?"
"I was hesitant at first too." Crowley replied immediately despite definitely not having been as he said he was, "However, when I returned, I saw that the weasel had somehow snuck itself back in and is tamed by her now. Although it wasn't perfect, she is now able to get the beast to cooperate with her willingly."
"Really?" Lilia noted in surprise as he heard this, "A tamer... I haven't seen one in a very long time myself. Is she really a tamer? Hm... Since it's been a while... It may be better to at least make the foundation stable enough for her to inhabit this place until then. Ah, but it would be a problem if construction disrupt the ghost staffs."
"I've made her a handiman of the school until she can find her way through this world. She does not seem to be against it and accepted the outcome rather calmly. Why not I provide her the allowance for her to feed herself and help clean up the dorm? She may consider it as her paycheck each week."
"A handiman?" Lilia looked to the building again in surprise, "With that frail body? Well... She's definitely not as powerful as the women of the dragon clan, but she should be able to cover something as simple as cleaning..."
"Will you come by and check on her as well?" Crowley questioned curiously.
"Perhaps. My main task at hand is to protect the sole heir of Briar Valley. Being a student here helped me stay by his side. However, everything else would have to come after. Something like this is a rather delicate topic." Lilia shook his head and sigh, "Never mind. It's starting to get chilly and I need to go back to the dorm."
"I do find it surprising that you managed to find the time to come out and see the girl for yourself." Crowley looked to him in confusion.
"Well, I just asked Silver to step in for me after I got them to their rooms. Now I just need to make sure that those boys go to sleep. Well, that's all for me here. See you later then."
With that, Lilia teleported away as Crowley remained before the dorm on his own and looked to the rickey old dorm with a look of hesitation, "Is he really not concerned?"