Book 4 - Schemer of the Scalding Sands: Chapter 26; Feeling the Heat

The screen turns on as the next chapter title plays "Chapter 26; Feeling the Heat".

The group that had shown up at Jamil's door, plus Jamil himself, were all in the Scarabia dorm lounge and had started to play the previously mentioned game.

Floyd v.s Jamil, Azul v.s Grim, were each playing against the other in the pair, and Yuu was seemingly playing a game against herself despite this not being that kind of game.

Floyd cheered "WOO! I win! That's three for me~" Jamil nods as he comments "You're tough competition when you're focused, Floyd."

Meanwhile with the other actual game.

Grim was whining and complaining "Mrgyah! I lost again! You're relentless, Azul!" Azul shrugged as he simply stated "That brings me up to five to… Zero. I'd be an affront to the Board Game Club with anything less, of course."

Azul then looks over to Floyd and Jamil's game saying "Meanwhile, Jamil's at… two to three, I see." Jamil noticed Azul looking over at him and made a "Hm?" noise in response.

Before he notices what Azul had said, as such he says "Oh, yes. It's been a while since I last played. I suppose I've gotten rusty. Back in the old days, Kalim would spend hours a day making me play with him, insisting on going until he won a game. Despite his middling skill. Imagine that."

Azul pushes up his glasses and nods as he says "Ah, I see." Before mumbling "Mm, yes, that would explain it." But Jamil seems to have heard him and asks "Explain what? You sure do love your cryptic little asides." Azul just smiles tells Jamil "Forget I said anything."

Then after a pause Azul asked "So, you and Kalim essentially grew up together, correct?" Jamil answers "We've been together for as long as I can remember, yes." Before shooting a question of his own to Azul "Speaking of which, you three Octavinelle boys have been friends since childhood, I hear?"

Floyd's the one that answers "Thaaat's what they say!~"

Grim asked in return "What's that s'posed to mean? You're talkin' like you're not even one of 'em." Floyd answers "We've been classmates ever since we started elementary school… But personally, I barely knew Azul existed until just before we started middle school. So I wouldn't exactly call us childhood friends~"

Yuu put a palm to her forehead and shook her head as she stated, rather exasperated despite it not being about her, "You've got a serious case of tunnel vision…"'

Azul also shrugged, not really caring, as he defends Floyd, kinda "I was a rather quiet boy myself. I hardly ever stood out in class." Grim then pointed out "You stood out in other ways, though. Not many guys could claim to be as cute and round as–"

But he was cut off as Azul put a hand over Grim's mouth to get him to stop talking. He then says in a strict and kinda anxious tone "Grim, I believe we've been over this multiple times. You are NOT to dredge up the forbidden lore!!"

Jamil seeing all of this comments "Yet here you are now, presiding over them as housewarden. You have a curious relationship."

Floyd tilts his head as he states "Y'think? I just do what Azul says 'cause it's more fun that way!~" Azul shrugs and shakes his head as he admits to them all "I strongly doubt Jade or Floyd have any binging allegiance to me. This is all an elaborate game of pretend to them."

Jamil shakes his head at that as he states "Your relationship is getting more confusing by the minute."

Azul seems to explain next "If I made a poor choice as leader – or even simply a boring one I might add. They would turn on me instantly and seize the housewarden seat for themselves. Not that I'd lose if they challenged me, of course." Floyd then leans over Azul as he says "We ain't got any plans to challenge him, either… for now, anyways!" before laughing and sitting back up straight.

Jamil's eyes squint at them as he asks "So essentially, the three of you are all equal in each other's eyes." but he says it like a statement rather than a question.

Floyd smiles and tells Jamil "Yeah!~ We stick with him now 'cause it's fun. If it stops bein' fun, we drop him like a bad habit. Easy."(I ended up dissecting this line by accident and it's actually low-key adorable. As it's actually really hard to drop a bad habit. So Floyd was secretly admitting that it would be difficult for him at least to just drop Azul. So cute if you actually look at it closely!)

Floyd then tells Jamil "It ain't like the vice housewarden is the housewarden's servant or nothin'. It's a pretty normal relationship, if you ask me." Jamil seems to think about that for a second before saying "Normal, you say. I suppose that concept is lost on me. I've always been loyal to the Asim house. And that will likely never change."

Azul stares at Jamil in silence for a second as he pushes up his glasses.

Just then people are heard walking up, before Kalim appears and asks them "Oh, hey guys. Are you still gaming?"

Jamil falls back and shouts "GAH!" As he hears Kalim's voice, thinking he had gone to bed.

Kalim then walks closer to take a better look "What's this?" Before recognizing the game and saying "Ooh! Mancala! That takes me back. I used to play it for hours on end with Jamil!" Jamil recollects himself and tells Kalim "I thought you went to bed, Kalim. Why would you…"

He then cleared his throat and lightly scolds Kalim "I've told you not to wander around by yourself. What if someone abducted you?" Kalim waves him off as he tries to reassure Jamil, telling him "You're such a worrywart, Jamil! Chill. Jade's been with me the whole time!"

This makes Jamil pause for a second as he asks "Wait… JADE?!"

Just then Jade pops out from the hallway and says "Yes, hello. I've been keeping Kalim company."

Jamil stutters out "Y-you…!"

Jade folds his hands in front of him as he puts on a polite smile and tells Jamil "Kalim is so generous. He's been teaching me aaall sorts of things…"

Jamil frowns and questions Jade "Answer me. What did you do to Kalim."

Jade puts on a smile that doesn't reach his eyes, as he tells Jamil "What did I…do? I was just having a pleasant conversation with him. Isn't that right, Kalim." Kalim nods and says "Yep. I was just showing him around the storeroom."

Jamil lets out a noise of frustration at that.

Kalim then asks him "Oh yeah, Jamil! You know that silver and blue carpet we brought with us when we came here? Do you know where it is? I couldn't find it for the life of me!"

Jamil then states "We're leaving, Kalim." Kalim asks "Huh? Why?" But Jamil just answers "Back to your room, NOW!" before he starts to essentially drag Kalim away by his arm. Kalim tries to get his arm back as he shouts "Whoa! Okay, Okay! You don't have to pull my arm out of its socket!"

But he ultimately fails and only gets to shout back to the group "Sorry, Jade! I'll get you the carpet some other time!" Jade nods and says "Certainly. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other very soon…" Despite the fact that Kalim and Jamil were already long out of ear-shot. He then gave an evil chuckle.

Yuu gets another one of those visions on the flat, shadowy backgrounds as three drops fall and make the puddle of blackness a bit bigger, also turning the red-orange background darker in the process.

The screen then fades to black as "To be continued" plays before it fully turns off.