"Sigma, anything to report?" Cid asked, laying on his sickbed sideways as he took glances at the older, more mature woman.

"I'm glad you asked, Master Cid." She fixed herself on the spot, eager to speak up. "Based on what Miss Beta told me, two of the Garden's numbers rose up to the ranks until they became named numbers."

"So who are they?"

"They are both Nu and Mu, the recently named numbers. They will be present along with me in this school as double agents for Shadow Garden."

That was the right answer to Cid since he felt like it is. Though he could get up right now and leave the room to do some more mundane Mob stuff, he doesn't feel like going.

He wants to stay here, in the right comfort zone where there is only him and a school nurse who claimed to be of Shadow Garden.

Doubts were still present in Cid's mind, yet he just played along as if it was quite natural.

'Sigma, I don't know what you really want, but... Isn't doting over people younger than you considered... Strange?'

"I want to meet one or two of the Seven Shades again..."

A gentle mutter left his lips, looking at the window right at his side, thoughts slowly enveloping his very being.

The nurse glanced at him silently. She thought that, due to a long time without meeting, it would make him feel doubtful about the organization, and...

'I get why Miss Alpha wanted to save as many of us as possible, but...'

'... Isn't she doing things her own way too frequently, without considering Master Cid's own feelings? Perhaps I should ask her to arrange a meeting with him soon.'

Preparing tea for the master is necessary to quell some of his sadness, she felt it so.

Therefore she acted in her own way, glancing at times towards Cid, wondering if she could have a child like him.

Such wistful thinking is unnecessary for a subordinate like her, but she was still successful in preparing tea with the right amount of temperature.

"Master Cid, I have prepared tea for you."

"Thanks."

Cid sat up to drink it almost mindlessly, but suddenly, a small thought came to him.

'Considering the events that led to this moment, isn't it almost pulling me out of my background character role? Seriously, am I? I don't really think so, at least for now. Hoh~ I wonder what sort of mystery I wanted to solve? Is it about Shadow Garden, or the made up Cult of Diabolos?'

The door to the infirmary opened, and the redhead, Iris had arrived to check up on him.

Upon her arrival, Sigma had decided to do a short curtsy towards the princess.

"Ah, good afternoon Princess. You're here to check up on your fiancee again?" Sigma asked, and our mob looked at her questioningly.

'Sigma! Oh well... Guess I'm getting pulled to a supporting character role... Not that I hate it.'

Once he glanced towards Iris' way, he slowly returned his gaze towards the windows outside, noticing a certain someone while the princess' thoughts were on different topics altogether.

Her worries increased, and once she sat down on a chair beside Cid, she took the initiative to grab his hand.

"Cid, is something wrong?"

Although she knows that a certain group might have done something, she wants Cid to provide proof that they did.

"... Nothing."

With a reply after a short pause, still looking outside with interest in his eyes, he was obviously misunderstood.

With a tight grope of his hand, Iris thought about what is inside his mind. She felt like her chest was going to ache at this pitiful sight, and she didn't like it at all.

'This is enough, I don't want him to look as sad as Alexia. He shows no emotion outside but he is definitely crying inside.'

She didn't want someone that would become precious to her to devolve further into sadness, that was her silent promise to her little sister.

Now...

"Cid, it's okay not to tell me about your problems. I already know how to deal with this." She spoke, then Cid looked at her. "After this, I suppose I'll take you out for a date tomorrow Saturday."

"Umu."

A light hum was all that she needed to hear, before leaving to deal with the problem before it becomes worse.

Now out of his sight, Cid sighed.

"Oh well. It looks like she and sister will eventually become love rivals." He admitted, scratching his hair.

Sieghild poured warm tea on his cup, allowing him to further enjoy the tea.

'I think I'm starting to like her tea even more. How did she even make it? She probably is a natural herbalist to be making such high quality tea... Huh...'

When asked where she found the ingredients of the tea, she only replied that it's made from one of the areas in Midgar that Shadow Garden controlled under the shadows.

'Ah, I see. After my event with Iris, I'll be moving out as Shadow. I want to see and talk to them again.'

These were Cid's own words that he kept, just before he stared at what was happening at a location that the window coincidentally let him see.

[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]

In the outside, several upperclassmen were fighting against Claire, who had discovered that one certain group that these upperclassmen belonged to were the ones who injured her brother.

She didn't care if several students were surrounding her, preventing her escape while they observed her in mild disappointment, she wanted a taste at vengeance.

Even that black haired guy who was sitting in the sidelines, observing at her body while she fought his lackeys looked particularly punchable.

Now focusing at the battle happening around her...

One bald student yelled out in pain after being kicked straight on his chest.

Then with a grunt, she blocked a strike from a blonde haired student who was pretty quick.

She was skilled, but in front of several trained men, she could be said to be equal in their combined skill, yet their strength is still far more from her even while using Magical Power.

And now she began to struggle as she tried to block and parry several attacks coming from the Blondie. The assault led her to be pushed back.

Until someone arrived.

That someone was none other than a muscular instructor who immediately decided to put her on a chokehold.

"Alright, that's enough missy! You don't want to make an Earl's son angry, don't you?!" He spoke, trying to stop her, yet anger seeped into her mind, and she decided rashly to hit him with a powerful elbow to his gut, momentarily shaking his grip.

An elbow after another, it seemed like she won't stop at all, and each one is becoming stronger and stronger to the point that the instructor was forced to let go of her.

Gasping for air, she knelt down on the ground.

Though, it also seemed like she would continue to be beat up until somebody else arrived.

"That's enough!"

Iris Midgar is here.

And she looked really mad, plus all the students that were around began to take several steps back.

"Mr. Rätsel, stand up." She began to speak, and in such an angry tone that those who would have heard it will definitely shiver. "I just want to talk to you."

He is the root of many problems in this academy, and she didn't even know it until she decided to take action due to Cid.

"Eh? What is it?"

As if he didn't mind her threatening tone, he stood up, almost towering over her the moment he did.

"Oh, I see. It's about that weakling boy you replaced for your rightful fiancee, me." He realized this, and as confident as he is... He didn't care much.

That was until he was suddenly punched on his gut.

"You and your group are suspended and are temporarily forbidden entry on this academy for three weeks. That is my order."

"Wha- wait, this is wrong. What the hell did... I do!?"

Disbelief crawled down the face of the student, and soon enough, he began to clench his fists before rashly pulling out his sword and slashing it towards her.

With the back of her hand, she caught it, and she wasn't wounded at all.

"Oh? Did you hand slip? Or maybe you are still very delusional, rookie? I honestly have never met someone as annoying and stubborn as you, that's why I'm going to make your family put you on house arrest for two- no, three months!"

Silence.

Iris calmed herself down, and just the sight of the man who claimed he was her one and only suitor, the ultimate headache of headaches that wouldn't give up.

Of course, she personally decided to turn down any and all suitors until this day, but...

"Now leave my sight!"

"Tsk... I'll remember this!"

In fact she never really felt so frustrated in her life.

Silently, the group began to leave, almost ignoring some laughs coming from fellow students.

Iris really didn't have to do anything but that to hopefully remove the root cause of the problem, maybe he would forget about her soon?

But knowing him, he still won't.

Now she decided to turn towards Claire, helping her stand up as the two of them gazed at each other for a moment.

"Are you okay?"

"No. But I still have several questions to ask you about my brother."

All those questions from Claire were all confusing, removing the frustration she felt and somewhat amusing her as she isn't what the raven haired girl perceived as such.

Due to this, Cid's sister became completely dumbfounded while the princess left her alone.

[ ~ TO • BE • CONTINUED ~ ]

Next Chapter: The Real Date

Next Next Chapter: White Haired Princess's Curiosity