After supper, Yuu and Grim found a small banquet laid out for them. The ghosts looked happy. A small note handwritten in elegant calligraphy expressed it was from the headmaster, as a way to establish a bridge between the previous fight.

Yuu understood it was Dire Crowley's way to patch things up after the boy had his explosion in the infirmary the morning after Grim attacked him. Yuu kept reading it and found out the headmaster also wished them a good reunion while reminding the boy and Grim (with emphasis on the last one) that it was important to treat their guests properly.

So, he knew about Malleus' coming to Ramshackle dormitory, didn't he?

Lilia's face appeared in the boy's mind.

The rumors about the prince.

Malleus' excentric behavior.

The way he seemed to be out of touch with reality…

It wouldn't be surprising to have the headmaster trying to help a student who struggled socializing with people. Yuu then drank saliva.

In some aspects, his situation wasn't different from Malleus's. The boy also lacked awareness and knowledge in pop culture that made him stand out in the middle of the natives of Twisted Wonderland. Yuu got better in time with the help of Ace and Deuce, but he knew very little of Malleus's situation.

Grim got excited the moment he saw the banquet, and Yuu had to stop him from moving. Physically.

They had to wait for their guest.

But he never appeared.

Or rather, he showed up too late.

The ghosts had grown disinterested with the pass of time. And Grim had passed out on the couch, deeply asleep.

Yuu should have expected it.

Malleus appeared at the stadium for the VD Championship more than an hour early. He also liked to intrude at Yuu's dorm by night hours.

The boy realized something was seriously wrong with the way he managed his time. But at least, the fairy reached the dormitory past midnight.

He was received by a dimly lighted living room and a deeply asleep Grim. Malleus confusedly asked what happened, and Yuu explained that they expected him to show up early.

Grim woke up thanks to the noises and gave Malleus an energetic welcome. He then proceeded to heat the food again, and the ghosts showed up to welcome their guest.

Yuu felt a chill run down his spine when they commented on how nice it was to finally see Malleus enter the dormitory as a regular visitor would. They had watched how he knocked on the door, and the boy opened it for him.

So, he had entered it when no one lived there, huh? And he probably still went inside while Grim and Yuu were asleep, didn't he?

Grim seemed almost indignant.

''Tsunotarou, why would you do that? Don't you know how impolite it is to go to another person's place without permission?''

''I don't want to be educated by the likes of you''

Yuu stopped the quarrell by making him sit down on the couch. Grim asked of them to enjoy the wonderful dinner he had previously heated with his ''wonderful blue flames''. Malleus answered that green was better, but Grim didn't fall for it. He instead stared at Malleus but didn't say a word. The cat-like monster just moved to sit next to Yuu and started to eat his second supper. The ghosts also waited for their turns, and they all spent the night chatting and changing stories. It was the small, fat one who introduced the subject of storytelling. In past times, people would share anecdotes and tales to entertain themselves during reunions.

The ghosts started*. The middle-sized one told them a story about a knight who fought in a past war and died. The thin one told them a bone-chilling tale about a bride who sought vengeance after being left on the altar by her groom, who chose her best friend at the last minute. The fat one told them a tale about a warrior who woke up a sleeping valkyrie with a kiss.

Yuu recalled that one. They had a similar story in his world. Sigurd was the warrior and Brynhildr the valkirie. Malleus also seemed interested. But his expression showed seriousness rather than pleasant surprise. The Horned Guy only told them that they also had a similar story in the Valley of Thornes, but that one was about a beautiful princess who was cursed to die when he turned sixteen.

His smile was sinister. Even Grim seemed uncomfortable.

Yuu told them to pass on to the next story. Grim wanted to be the next: he then proceeded to narrate the way he had made a 'wondrous discovery' at the Ramshackle Dormitory and theatrically showed them the pair of obsidian dragons. He also greatly exaggerated his actions during the discovery, to no one's surprise. Malleus was the only one who seemed amazed.

''I haven't seen one of these in ages'' He muttered.

''And what are these, exactly?'' Grim pondered.

''These'' Malleus said, as he grabbed one from the table ''are communication devices imbued with strong magic. We have a few at the castle back home, never expected to see one here''

Yuu, Grim, and the ghosts asked the obvious question: how did they work?

And Malleus showed them with his actions.

He suspired against the tiny head of the dragon, and its stone eyes shone a purple light. Malleus raised the other for all to see and asked how they were. The green-eyed dragon repeated the question in the prince's voice. Malleus then explained to them how they could be used to store memories, send messages, and even perform dream magic. He then commented on how Ramshackle dormitory hide surprises not even he could expect.

''As always, so full of yourself'' Yuu commented.

He was completely ignored.

Grim stood up on its hind legs and walked towards Tsunotaro. He looked serious but then smiled.

''Tsunotarou, I want you to keep the green-eyed one. It looks like you''

Malleus looked surprised.

''Really?''

''Yes! That way, Yuu and I can talk with you when we want to. Are you okay with that?''

His voice was slow and calm. Grim was being sincere.

Inwardly, Yuu had to admit his companion was genuinely maturing. And the boy felt his chest swell with pride.

His monster companion was genuine when he wanted to. Malleus stared at Grim with serious surprise but then smiled. He moved his hand and his eyes were closed, with small rugs around them.

That wasn't a smile Yuu saw often. Malleus had his charms, too. Women would find him attractive.

''Then, I shall accept your gift to me. It's nice to make acquaintances with new people'' he let out a small chuckle ''You both also seem to know no fear, wanting to keep contact with someone like me''

''Oh, it's fine'' answered Grim ''considering the weird amount of things that happen to us every day, you are just strange but nice. I wanted to meet you since Yuu told me about you roaming around our dorm at night. Whoever Yuu meets is also my friend''

''The betterment of one's behavior is something that can only happen with the pass of time'' Yuu thought, feeling the sarcasm tickling him.

The ghosts then looked alternatively between the fairy and the boy, wondering who would be the next to tell a story. Yuu took the initiative: he Grim were the hosts, after all.

The boy then realized he didn't have any story prepared. Everything was so improvised that he didn't question it too much before his turn. Yuu had spent many months immersed in the world of Twisted Wonderland, to the point he recognized he just wasn't thinking too much about the media of his world. The things he liked.

''Yuu…''

The shows he enjoyed (and hated). The book sagas he liked to read. His videogames…

''Hey, Yuu!''

''Child of man, are you there?''

Yuu stood like a startled deer in front of the apparition of the sudden security lights of a house.

''Yuu, you look pale'' said the medium-sized ghost.

''Boy, is that you don't know any stories?''

''I can't remember them right now''

''Yuu'' said Grim ''but I want to hear stories about your world''

''I know, that's what I intended…''

''If you want it, I can start'' said Malleus ''While Yuu thinks about a story of his homeworld''

He stood up from the couch and Yuu silently sat down. His mind was disconnected from his world. Pieces of nerd lore and legends floated to his mind, but he couldn't form a full picture in his head.

It felt old, like opening a drawer that no one had used in a long time and remembering its forgotten contents. His mind was prickly, but it wasn't due to nostalgia: it was a practical feature, just seeing old stuff again and slowly connecting the dots and recollecting what the things were and their associated memories.

''I'll tell you how Wotan reached his wisdom'' said Malleus ''Lore that originated before the Time of Man, when the Gods and the fairies roamed freely around the world''

His voice was naturally grave. He almost didn't make expressions, there was something neutral and serious about the way he talked, and yet, still managed to keep their eyes and ears glued on him as he told them his stories.

It was at that point that Yuu realized Malleus truly was royalty. It wasn't because of the performance he showed with his powers when he fixed the stage after the disaster that Vil Schoenheit's Overblot left. Neither it was for the way he spoke about himself: Yuu had known pompous people like that, both in Twisted Wonderland and his original world.

It was because of how he told the story. The way he displayed the knowledge. How Malleus showed that subtle control and understanding about the events he told about, even if the legend was old and when asked how did Wotan truly gain control over the runes by Grim, Malleus answered no one was sure.

And the tales he told were of sinister nature. Very sinister.

One was about how Wotan gained control over thunder and the runes: he hanged himself by the branches of the Yggdrasil tree, wounded with his spear, during nine days and nights. The wind shook his body as it wanted, and he was tortured by thunder and lightning too. By the end of the experience, he had gained power over the runes: Wotan screamed as he fell from the location of his sacrifice to himself.

It was because of a question made by Yuu that Malleus agreed to tell them another tale, saying that Yuu now owed him a favor. The boy thought it was a simple comment and let it pass, as he did with the other egocentric comments of Malleus.

Malleus then told them** about how Wotan traveled to the place where Yggdrasil's roots lay, and how it was the entrance to the Jötunheimr, where the giants (jötnar) lived. There, was a well looked after the giant Mímir, from which he drank mead every morning. It was said that the liquid granted wisdom to all who drank it and Wotan wanted to gain it. But Mímir, the well's guardian, only agreed to let him drink in exchange for one of the god's eyes. And so, Wotan took one of his eyeballs out himself, threw it by the magical spring below the well, and was allowed to drink. And that was how he gained control over the runes.

''Isn't it creepy'' asked one of the ghosts ''how the access to knowledge involves a sacrifice in each story?''

''Sometimes, people are not the same after acquiring lore'' Malleus answered ''One doesn't return to being the same after that''

For a few seconds, his reptilian green eyes stared at Yuu.

''Whatever'' said Grim ''If I were to gain knowledge, why would I sacrifice myself? Isn't the point of learning how to become a magician here to precisely gain information to avoid messes?''

''You are now speaking with common sense'' said Malleus.

But Grim ignored him. He simply asked Yuu to tell his story.

The boy stood up as Malleus went to sit down.

It took him a while, but the boy finally decided on which story to tell. The truth was that Yuu had to choose something that wouldn't make him have to explain a necessary background to his audience.

And he eventually settled down to tell them the tale of the Knight of the Laughing Tree, taken from the A Song of Ice and Fire books. Disappointed by the outcome of the Game of Thrones series, Yuu had decided to read the books himself in order the fill the void left behind. In the meanwhile, the Coronavirus pandemic had broken and he was kidnapped into Twisted Wonderland. But since the tale of the Knight of the Laughing Tree's characters were rather easy to grasp, Yuu decided it would be good to talk about it. So, he told them the name of the tale and, as with many times when he spoke about the things of his world (HBO's Game of Thrones), all people just stared at him.

Yuu proceeded on to awkwardly talk about jousting knights, a Mad Dragon King and a Good Dragon Prince, Three Wolf Siblings, and about a Traveler. By the end of the tale, everybody understood the story but no one was truly impressed. And Yuu couldn't blame them. The spotlight had never been his place. To that, add the fact he was retelling a story from his memories. A story he had read lots of months ago.

The ghosts claimed to feel bored and prepared to leave, but then Malleus showed them a crystal bottle. Yuu knew it was an alcoholic beverage the moment he saw it.

''Lilia told me it would be polite to bring something when you are visiting someone's place'' He said as an explanation.

''Tsunotaro'' said Yuu ''We can't drink alcohol inside the school. It's forbidden''

''What the teacher's body doesn't know, can't hurt them'' he said.

His reptilian eyes sparkled with mischief.

''We are up to it'' said the ghosts.

''So I am'' said Grim ''I never tasted alcohol before''

The little monster turned on his heels to get for the glasses (Vil had found a pretty set of crystal glasses while he lived with them), but Malleus stopped him with a gesture from his hand. Then, amidst green sparkles, he summoned six glasses with ornamental gothic patterns carved on them. The prince poured the liquid on four glasses and then summoned another bottle for Yuu and Grim.

A suspicion grew inside Yuu when he saw the bottle was different than the one he has previously shown them. And the boy then realized he never saw the bottles when Malleus entered Ramshackle's dormitory.

Malleus poured the amber liquid on two glasses. Grim and the ghosts had their attentions turned to their glasses and no one paid mind to Yuu. The boy suddenly realized how impolite he must have sounded: when you are on a social occasion, you are supposed to try what others do, don't you?

Just a tiny sip wouldn't hurt.

He thanked Malleus and took a sip. It was bittersweet and tasted of honey. It was too strong for him.

The ghosts left their full glasses on the table. Yuu understood undead entities could taste food and drink, even if they weren't able to eat and drink. Malleus also watched them with curiosity. The ghosts wished them a good night and levitated upstairs. Grim asked for permission to drink a bit more and both Yuu and Malleus agreed.

Wait.

Did Malleus agree too?

But nothing happened to Grim, except that he stayed awake a few minutes, listening to Yuu and Malleus' conversation before falling asleep on the couch.

Malleus eventually thanked Yuu for the night and left Ramshackle. The boy, too tired to go upstairs and carry his companion with him, just took a few blankets that Jamil left for them after Kalim and he returned to Scarabia's dorm, passed one over Grim, another for him, and fell asleep next to his partner.

The truth was that Yuu didn't start suspecting anything until the next afternoon when he a Grim returned from class towards their dorm.

They saw Leona Kingscholar laying on a bench, like a vagabond.

Grim greeted him and only received a lazy hand gesture as an answer. He then looked at Yuu, his dark green eyes staring at the boy.

Leona stood up, claiming his nap was interrupted because of the noise.

''But Leona, wouldn't you prefer to sleep in a warm place?''

Yuu asked.

''Sometimes, it's just quieter here''

He gave another look at Yuu, this time, with something the boy couldn't understand.

''You both reek of lizard, herbivore'' were his words ''Be careful of shady idiots''

He then walked away without looking back at them.

*Man, why can't Disney give individual names to the ghosts? After living months in Ramshackle, one would expect Yuu Grim to learn more about their undead roommates.

**The story about Odin hanging himself from a tree and being tortured comes from the Hávamál, and the one about Odin sacrificing his eye comes from both the Prose and Poetic Eddas.

You can hear the one Faun made here: watch?v=SWXEFMyTh-0 and here: watch?v=3R7B6kj6Fd8