To The Auditorium

"Is… he… awake?" 

A voice asked distortedly, their face twisting and bending like variants of colors as they watched carefully if he was truly awake.

"You have to get up now, master. All the students have been summoned to the auditorium. The registration for dungeon adventurers starts today, remember?"

"Um…" Ace mumbled, rolling towards the other side of the bed, away from the one disturbing his sleep.

"Let him be." Nyx's voice cut through bluntly.

Six frowned, turning around to cast a meanful gaze at Nyx, her arms folded against her chest.

"What?" Nyx continued, noticing the sulky gaze swimming in Six's eyes. She shifted a little from where she had been standing, her giant head brushing slightly against the chandelier that illuminated the room.

"The humans of this world need to adapt to Master's timing and dare not bother him with their hopeless businesses."

Six shook her head ignorantly, not ready for a banter with Nyx that fine morning.

"What do you know?" She mumbled under her breath.

"Master, I prepared a bath for you and it is running cold!" 

For what seemed like an eternity, Ace finally slipped out of bed, knocking his right door against a table as he scratched off some dead skin.

"You both are so noisy." He yawned lazily, walking his way towards the bathroom to clean himself up.

"Nice compliment you got for yourself." Nyx chided, retreating back into her soul space once Ace had shut the door on them.

"Umph!" Six huffed, a puff of smoke of annoyance popping out of her head.

***

"Nyx will definitely get you into trouble at this academy." Six said, kicking a stone out of her way as they walked towards the auditorium.

Upper year students were also flocking towards the auditorium and Ace was probably the only new year casually walking towards the hall like he owned the world.

His eyes were heavy as if he hadn't had enough sleep while his hair fell effortlessly over his eyes, hiding its grogginess and tired form.

"Imagine letting you sleep extra two hours after the banner for the auditorium call was raised. She—" She suddenly pulled herself to a stop, forcing Ace to wonder if she had caught him not listening to her rants or not.

All he wanted was more sleeping hours and probably to stay away from sunlight as well.

"Isn't that the academy's most beautiful girl waving at us?" 

Like a tired sloth, Ace managed to peer over his shoulder to take a look. Walking towards them was Dawn, looking all vibrant than any other day he had known her for.

Six plopped her hands on Ace's shoulders like a curious cat, peering at the glistening goddess approaching them, her soft expression adding an ethereal feel to her elegant walk of honor.

"I know how this story ends," Six said, whispering into his ears like a rat despite his uninterested demeanor. "For you, Dawn is pretty much the femal—"

"Go back to sleep." 

"No, wait— Master!!!!" Six screamed as she switched back into her soul space.

"Thought I would be the one to make the final grand entry at the auditorium." Dawn said, her expression softening with each word she spoke.

All Ace did was give a nod as a response and he began dragging his weary legs away towards the auditorium.

Dawn was a little taken aback by his nonchalant expression, but she quickly brushed the feeling off, tagging towards him hurriedly to match his walk steps correctly and stopping briefly when she missed the rhythm by a single step.

Finally, they arrived at the hallway that connected straight towards the auditorium's entrance and Ace was greeted with a sharp call from afar.

It was Kaito.

"Who is he?" Dawn asked Ace as soon as Kaito closed in on them.

"Oh! Kaito, meet Dawn, the governor's daughter—" He paused, signaling Kaito he shouldn't attempt anything stupid. "Dawn, this is Kaito, a third year student or final… whichever you call it."

A dense, awkward feeling swirled into the circle, forcing Ace to straighten up as the tension continued to rise, clouding his inner vision to an extent.

"I have never seen you around here and you are not new according to his description and for a reason, you sound a little familiar for someone I am just meeting for the first time." Dawn said.

"Ah-" Kaito stuttered. "I've always been on the field; less appearance in the academy." He added with a dry chuckle.

Dawn paused, raising an eyebrow of suspicion.

"Unmask yourself."

"What?"

"It's a royal order." She continued, the soft glints in her eyes arousing a royal aura as she let her tensed shoulders relax, her chin held up with pride and a warning to dare not defile.

Kaito chuckled dryly again, "I'm sorry, but my mask is a monument to conceal my facial defect which—"

"Repeating myself again means death for you." She said, cutting through his words like a sharp blade.

Immediately she said those words, undercover guards who were never seen on the surface emerged out of nowhere and everywhere at once. Their weapons glistened enough for their shine to strike one dead.

"Dawn…" Ace called, hoping to put things to a stop.

As the guards slowly closed the distance on the soon-to-be traitor— Kaito, the world seemed to grow silent.

Dawn was in no mood to back down, so was Kaito standing defiantly like he was up to challenge the royal order.