Malicorne, has Thomas been brought back yet?" Louise asked as she woke up for the seventh time since being captured by the monsters. She and Montmorency were still in the same cell, still naked, and she expected the same of Malicorne and Thomas. She didn't know though, because the last few times the monsters had come for them for whatever their purpose was, they had taken the boys out of the cell block through a different door, making it impossible to see them and impossible to tell how they were doing.

The only bonus was the boys could not see their naked forms. Not that either of them looked like much. They had food, and the cells were warm, but despite having eaten, neither of them had to use the lavatory, not that the cell had one, and the constant repeated acts of being dragged away and toyed with was taking its toll. They did not feel unhealthy or sick, but their skin was marred with oil and dirt in many places, and they looked no better than a street urchin or beggars.

"No, but it hasn't been that long," Malicorne answered with a sigh. "At least, I don't think it has?"

"It's hard to tell how long it has been," Montmorency said as she sat against the wall and looked at the barrier doorway. Since having her breakdown she had become slightly more energetic and less despair filled, but it was only slightly, and what little pep and hope she had was slowly dwindling with each time the monster took her out of the cell for whatever it was they were doing with them. "there's nothing to do but eat and sleep, but I think we've been here for a few days by now."

"The Headmaster and the other teachers are probably just getting ready,"Malicorne stated hopefully, though his voice trembled as he spoke. "They will get us out of this."

"I wish I had your optimism," Louise said with a shake of her head as she sat against the wall across from Montmorency. Things were slightly awkward between them since Montmorency had had her breakdown and begged Louise to not give up.

"What you need is some skill, not optimism,"

Louise should have been used to such comments, used to be verbally abused and made fun of, used to people commenting on her lack of magical ability. Yet for some reason Malicorne's words cut deep and filled her with anger. It was probably the situation they were in, but she couldn't hold back and snapped back on reflex. "And what would you know of skill? You're the fat son of a merchant who can only use wind magic, and can barely pass a single theoretical class while you spend all your time hanging around Guiche of all people like it will somehow make you important. You are nothing but a bootlicker!"

"You take that back, Zero!" Malicorne yelled from his cell. "Don't you insult Guiche like that! At least both of us can use magic, unlike you!"

"I'm insulting you, not Guiche," Louise said with a sigh. "What do you see in that two timer traitor anyway?" she then asked, seeing Montmorency twitch at the mention of the word traitor.

"He's no traitor! He's a proper noble, he's noble, and friendly and handsome and everything anyone could strive to be as a noble! He's a good friend who always has my back and-"

"He threw me away to save his own skin," Montmorency spoke up, cutting Malicorne off.

"Wh-what? No, Guiche wouldn't-"

"He grabbed my arm and tore it off his arm nearly throwing me up towards this damn thing and looked relieved as he watched me get pulled up toward it away from him!"

"But, but that's-"

"You heard the rumors about him right Malicorne?" Montmorency spoke as she stood up and walked to the cell doorway, pressing her hands against it as tears slipped down her face. "Where they true Malicorne? Was he seeing other girls aside from me?!"

"No of course not he would never-"

"Do not lie to me Malicorne, not now! Answer me!"

Malicorne was silent before heavily sighing. "He . . . .was."

"How many?" Montmorency asked, her voice turning from rage, to sorrow.

" . . . Two. He was seeing a first year girl, and had been seeing a third year girl last year when we were in our first year," Malicorne admitted, sounding upset.

"And you, knew?"

"Yes. He, he said it was fine, that it was normal for Nobles from families like his so I-"

"So you simply nodded and went along with it," Louise said from where she sat, shaking her head. "Is that the same reason you always joined in on belittling me? Because Guiche was?"

"Of course not! Anyone would mock someone who can't even use magic but is supposed to be a Noble!" Malicorne exclaimed.

For a moment Louise wanted to scream, but instead she simply let out a sigh. "And what did it ever get you? You, Guiche, all of our classmates, even students in other classes and years. I've been the butt of every joke since entering the academy and failing my first spell. Every time I failed, I was mocked, and every time I failed, I tried harder, because I couldn't do anything else, but did any of you get anything out of mocking me aside from some sick satisfaction?"

"I, why does it matter?" Malicorne answered in a stuttering tone.

"It doesn't," Louise said with anther resigned sigh. " I just want to know if you gained anything from it. Did some other nobles pay you, or was it just sick satisfaction of being better than someone?"

"N-no, it was, just, everyone was doing it, not joining in would have made them pick on me instead!"Malicorned admitted awkwardly. "It felt nice not being the one being picked on, having friends like Guiche, being part of a group. Being the son of a merchant I'm expected to set up connection with peple after all!"

Louise opened her mouth to snap back at Malicorne, but stopper herself and sighed. "No, arguing wont get us anywhere."

"We can't go anywhere anyway," Montmorency said with a scowl as she walked to the back of the cell and sat down. "We are stuck here, and no one is coming to save jus, and we have no idea what those monsters even want with us!"

"I wish we could talk to them but if they can't talk they cant be that intelligent," Malicorne said with a sigh. "If we had our wands we could just blast them with magic."

Louise simply rolled her eyes. The idea that these monsters were unintelligent was absurd. They had whatever they were in, and were clearly intelligent, they just were not human and couldn't be likely understood by them. It was like a human trying to understand an elf or goblin.

After a few more moments of silence the lights brightened in the prison block, and as Malicorne spoke and muttered, Louise noticed the block like food thing come out of the floor near her.

Only it only had two pieces of gray bread in it.

"Those monsters are trying to starve us now, aren't they?" Montmorency said with a defeated sigh as she came over and picked up one of the breads and bit into it.

"Maybe they think we will be morel likely to obey them if we are hungry," Louise suggested as she too took the piece of bread and began eating it, the lights in the room dimming as she did. " I wonder what they grabbed Malicorne for this time?

When Montmorency did not answer Louise looked over to find her laying on the ground asleep. But before she could move over to her she felt woozy, and found her eyelids getting heavy.

Sleep came mere seconds later.