When she returned she found Yuu and the others return with a new change in their appearance. Her eyes widen in bewilderment, "Oh no..."
She frowned as she watched them in bewilderment. She frowned and turned to Yuu when she saw Grim and Deuce in the same red and black collar as Ace!
"What happened?" She questioned solemnly.
Ace looked about ready to shout at her, but Deuce quickly held him back as Yuu explained, "We brought the tart to Riddle, but he wasn't satisfied with the expression Ace had when he presented the tart and, so, Riddle tossed it to the ground. When we tried to help support Ace, he placed the collars on Grim and Deuce too. Then, we were kicked out of the party."
"A strange guy showed up and told us to chat with Trey because they were childhood friends or something." Grim added with a frown.
Realizing that she had just missed something very big and her group suffered, anger began to build in her heart as she wanted to just torture the guy further for the next few days more! She shook her head with a sigh as she recalled how the little tyrant had saved her before and responded, "I'll go with you this time. First, let's wait till after the party is over and let Clover-senpai take a break."
"A break?" Ace raised a brow when his eyes widen, "Ah, the cook book he borrowed..."
Lotus nodded, "Follow me."
As they left the room, Lotus guided the four back to the dorm where she took out the remainder of the chestnut cakes and preserved egg porridge she had made in her ring shortly after returning to the dorm with them. She already had them rest in the lounge before bringing the food out and said with a sigh, "Just eat breakfast so we can have the energy to talk."
"Woah!" Grim stared at her in bewilderment as she placed a canned tuna next to Grim's bowl who stared at it with sparkling eyes, "Thanks for the food! Nom! Yummm!"
Deuce, who began eating, looked to her in bewilderment, "How did you find the time to..."
"Are you going to eat or not?" Lotus said with a sigh, "I've worked my butt off for this to celebrate when Ace if out of the collar, but you can just have it to motivate yourself. Don't waste it."
Deuce hesitated but nodded quietly and ate quietly.
"So, you said a break." Grim called out in bewilderment, "What do you mean by that?"
Yuu looked to her in confusion as well when Deuce spoke up, "Do you remember when we went to find the dorm leader in the first place, Cater was the one who kicked us out and not him? My guess is that you're saying that, not just the students, but Cater-senpai and Clover-senpai are also getting tired as well."
"Now that you mention it." Ace looked up in bewilderment, "I do remember hearing Cater stating something about trouble last night and that they needed more manpower."
Yuu frowned, "There was a few more students with the collar today too..."
Lotus nodded, "If he's going to the library, he'll probably rest up a bit as well. However, because Trey and Riddle are childhood friends, he wouldn't leave Riddle's side very easily, because he cares that much for his friends, especially with Riddle for some reason. We can go see him when he arrives at the library."
"That little tyrant keeps ordering us around..." Ace grumbled with his spoon in his hand.
Lotus sighed and shook her head, "I believe that Riddle has the potential to be lenient."
"What?!"
The four of them stared at her in bewilderment. Ace cried out, "Don't tell me you're taking his side too?!"
"If I was, would you have something to eat right now?" She reminded him with a glare before she folded her arms back and scowled, "There are many rules in the dorm. He is indeed very strict to follow every one of them. But, even if Trey is friends with him, why is Cater and the other dorm members not banding against him? He has had this position shortly after entering the school and nobody has gone against him or reported to the headmaster. I feel it's because he could be lenient if he could, but something is making him stand firm instead of letting that lenient character show. Perhaps Trey would have the answer to that."
After what she had witnessed the last night, how could she say that he was completely ruthless?
A leader should have such a character, but Riddle is still a child in this world. Children like them should still be hanging around their parents. So, why is he still acting all childish?
She frowned as she thought about last night. Why did he do this?
Lotus was angry at the fact that he did this when they went ahead to make what he wanted. Sure, he can do what he wanted with it but tossing it away before the people who made it?
Just what does he want?
Lotus was confused and uncertain that the thought of the young child's actions. She have never taken care of a child before in both lives, and this child is over sixteen years old. Just what does he want that could make it even?
She was very confused when she thought about this. She thought for a bit before she noticed Grim licking the bowl to which she scowled and smacked his head lightly with the end tip of her spoon, "Don't do that in public. It's bad table manners, unless you want to continue being called a raccoon or cat."
"Seriously?!" He growled at her with a glare, "It was just that good, though."
"Then, I'll get you seconds." She sighed, "Just don't do that again."
She said this and took the bowl over to the counter table.
"Pst... Hey, hey... Yuu..."
Yuu raised a brow and leaned over the table as Ace continued, "Don't you think Lotus is a little too strict, like a mother?"
Yuu wore a small smile, "Well, he's always like this with us, though."
Ace's eyes widen in bewilderment, "Seriously?! Well, I suppose it's still better than our place..."
"At least, he's taking watching over Grim more seriously than I thought." Deuce noted curiously, "We thought he didn't really care of him since he lets us chase him down when he runs."
"Yeah, but he is very stern around the dinner table." Yuu noted nervously, "He doesn't say anything when you guys stay around till today though."
Lotus smirked as she pretended to have heard nothing and returned to hand the cat his meal. Perhaps a dish of spicy Mapo tofu should be on the next list tomorrow? There shouldn't be much to do in athletics in the next two days, anyway.
That afternoon, they went out to the library filled with floating books being transported back to their original positions and the wonky looking columns and staircases. It wasn't long before they spot their target walking in that Deuce called out to a concentrating upperclassman, "Clover-senpai."
"Ah." He turned around in surprise and found that it was the five of them, "It's you guys..."
"We figured you'd come to the library to return the cookbook for the mont blanc and camped out here." Deuce responded.
"We really can't agree with the way Riddle is doing things." Ace spoke up.
Trey shook his head in exasperation as he rubbed his temple above his the arm of his glasses before speaking hesitatingly, "I bet..."
"What do you really think about him?" Ace questioned curiously, "Since you were kids have you always been so subservient to him?"
Hearing this, Trey looked up in bewilderment before narrowing his eyes in suspicions, "Who did you hear that from?"
"From a guy named Che'nya." Deuce responded.
"Che'nya..." Trey's eyes widen in surprise before a look of rare annoyance came upon his face, "Ah, that guy."
"Are you also older than Riddle?" Grim pointed out in confusion, "Just get angry at him."
"Though that was very blunt." Lotus responded with a sigh hoping to mediate the harshness of his words but didn't pull any beating either, "Have you not scolded him before about things such as this? This time, it seems he's starting to cross a line."
"I'd do it if I felt it necessary, but" Trey responded helplessly with hesitation, "I can't bring myself to scold him."
"Why?!" Deuce questioned in bewilderment.
"Could it have anything related to the rules the dorm places on their students?" Lotus brought up with a frown.
"Everything Riddle is was 'made' by following strict rules." Trey explained with a nod.
"Huh?" Deuce and her looked to him in confusion.
"In his hometown, there isn't a single person who hasn't heard of his parents, as healers they're that famous." Trey explained, "His mother is especially exceptional and she wanted Riddle to be exceptional as well. So from dawn till dusk, his every move was decided for him, down to the smallest thing, as part of his study program."
"Down..." Grim shuddered, "To the smallest thing?"
"From what he ate, what he wore, what he consumed, to his friends, everything was decided for him." Trey clarified, "Nevertheless, Riddle never said a word and strived to meet those expectations and completed his unique magic at age 10."
"On top of that," He folded his arms and continued, "he has maintained his spot at the top since elementary school. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult that must have been."
Obsession? Lotus thought for a bit before releasing that thought. She wasn't the mother and can't decide things just based on what she heard, however, this didn't feel very different from some people in her world. In fact, no matter how strict the parents were, others would see it as caring. However, what about this?
She could feel as though Riddle wouldn't be too opposed to the Mont Blanc that Trey had helped make. Being childhood friends, he must also have been familiar with the craftsmanship of Trey's pastries. So, why would he still do that?
"That's terrible..." Yuu noted with a frown, "Then the reason he's like this is his parents' fault?"
Trey shook his head with a sigh of confusion, "Riddle thinks being bound by strict rules is for one's own benefit. He was bound by harsh rules and still became a leader so he believes it works for anyone. Anyone can become like him. And that means breaking the rules is utterly unacceptable. I mean..."
Looking to Ace nervously, Ace frowned unsatisfied with the answer, "If he gives rule violation any sort of positive reason, it means going against the way he was made... You mean?"
Seeing the guy was unwilling to back off, Trey hesitated before continuing, "...I understand why you think he's a tyrant. And that his way of doing things is incorrect. But, for me... I just can't bring myself to scold him."
"Fnaaa."
Deuce folded his arms and shook his head in pity as well before petting Grim's head, "Riddle has a past like that..."
However, Lotus and Ace wasn't swayed as easily by his words.
"So, that's it..." Lotus responded with a frown and watched Trey carefully while holding back the urge to scold the guy.
What could she do yelling at him when things are already like this? There's no point in doing so. What matters now is that Riddle can still be brought back around from her perspective. She just hoped Ace didn't overlook this.
"Huh..." Ace nodded with a frown and solemn expression as he placed his hands on his waist, "After hearing all this, I finally understand. The way Riddle is now, is your fault."
"Eh?" The other four looked to him in surprise.
Lotus smiled and set back watching the scene.
However, her movement didn't go unnoticed by Ace or Trey either as Ace continued, "Riddle had no say in who his parents were. But, you've at least thought that they were wrong for a while, right?"
"That's..." Trey hesitated.
"If you think Riddle is making the same mistakes his parents did, say so. Put him on the right track." Ace pointed out, "What have you accomplished by feeling sorry for poor Riddle and indulging him? You're just going to watch while he becomes hated and isolated from everyone?"
Trey glared at him with a scowl and had glanced over to Lotus as well, but she didn't back away and returned the glare back without challenge, but in rebuke. Finally seeing this, Deuce stammered out nervously, "H-Hey... Ace! Lotus!"
"Or what?" Ace added aloud, "Are you keeping quiet 'cause you're afraid of losing your head?"
Ace sneered, "So lame!! You're not childhood friends. You can't even call yourself his friend!"
Ace was ready to start a fight with him when a shout called out from aside, "Hey!!! You all! Be quiet in the library!!!"
"You're the loudest one here." Grim pointed out bluntly with dismay as Crowley suddenly appeared right around the corner.
"Oops, apologies." Crowley apologies with wide eyes when he realized this and cleared his throat in a quieter manner, "My goodness, the library is for quiet study or reading."
"Glad you made it, headmaster." Lotus said with a happy smile, "Apologies for the shouting we made."
Yuu was surprised to hear her say this, so he quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry."
"I'm glad you understand." Crowley responded bluntly, "By the way, what are you all doing here with such grim faces?"
"About that..." Deuce frowned and began to explain the situation.