"Hm... Now, that's a problem..." Lotus sighed in disappointment after hearing everyone's response, "I've already promised to bring the raven over for the next trial..."
The club advisor sighed and shook his head before he responded, "How about this? During the cultural festival, you can present the raven and recreate the poison apple?"
"Eh? But, the poison apple is preserved by the poison of the ice salamander." Lotus raised a brow in bewilderment, "It should last for another month at least..."
"What the-?!" The club advisor sighed and shook his head in dismay, "Is this the improvement that you put on it?"
"The purpose of a poison apple is to poison a victim. Letting it rot from poison would be a problem, wouldn't it?" Lotus sighed, "That's why I added these characteristics. After a month, it will rot instantly into mush unless the piece was consumed in the body of its victim. Besides, you said that you want to put it up in the cultural festival. Having two around will be more work to watch out for than just one. One piece is enough to put a victim into eternal slumber. Why would a make more and display it before the public together? I'm not going to make a second one... Unless they want a taste of the antidote? Hehe..."
Hearing this, the club advisor shook his head and sighed, "All right. I got it. One. You don't have to make another one. Just... bring the raven and the apple."
Suddenly, Gabriel and Raaji popped out from the sides of the crowd and began to push Lotus away from the table that had already been cleared away as Raaji responded hurriedly, "Okay! Okay! Thank you very much, Club advisor! C-Come on! Let's go! He already said you can bring the bird right?"
"All right. You don't have to push me..."
Watching her leave with her companions, Vil sighed in dismay, "Seriously... I never thought that I would be a witness to such a scene..."
"As I thought..." Trey sighed in disappointment, "I really am the only normal guy in this club..."
"However..." Vil frowned in confusion, "By doing this, isn't he making it known that he is smarter than his dorm leader?"
"What do you mean?" Trey looked at him in confusion.
"There's been rumors amongst the dorm leaders." Rook responded with a frown, "That Monsieur Snowfox should be the supervisor and dorm leader instead of Trickster Yuu..."
"There's such a thing?!" Trey's eyes widen in bewilderment, "I haven't heard about it from Riddle yet... Then, won't Ramshackle dorm be in a tight spot?"
"Fear not." Rook responded with a chuckle, "Look at his lab coat."
"Hm?" They looked to the corner where the other students found it more difficult to see unless they were in the back like the four of them.
It was then that Vil noticed a familiar-looking person in the distance walking over to Lotus as the club advisor hurried over with Crewel nearly covering their view. However, they could see it as clear as day as she took off her lab coat and handed it to that student. Vil narrowed his eyes and frowned, "That student... He belongs to our dorm, doesn't he?"
"Ah!" Epel eyes widen upon realization as he watched her take off her mask, "You mean, he was using Pomefiore dorm's reputation to take part in this event?!"
"Oui." Vil nodded, "A wise decision, indeed. Our dorm is known for our knowledge of poison and even our competition for the position of dorm leader is selected by competition of who can make the strongest poison. If he does this, they wouldn't suspect him of being from Trickster Yuu's dorm. Beautiful!"
"Hm?" Trey raised a brow in confusion, "Rook, can you see what that student is handing him now?"
As Rook watched, Rook raised a brow in bewilderment and chuckled, "He is Monsieur Snowfox, after all. That student gave him the armband belonging to Octavinelle and a magic pen for that dorm."
"So, that's it..." Vil hummed with a frown, "He's well connected... And well thought out. With this, he can return to Ramshackle dorm without worry of being spotted."
"He's really amazing..." Epel muttered in bewilderment and sighed in awe, "To think that he made something that was deemed impossible- Ah!"
His eyes widen upon realization and quickly responded, "Don't tell me... I see now... I'll have to work harder, then. P-pardon me! I'll be going back first!"
With that, he hurriedly left the greenhouse in a dash as Rook chuckled, "Everything has just become more and more interesting now."
"Whatever," Vil shook his head and sighed, "Go with Epel, so he doesn't get himself into more trouble."
"Oui! As you wish!" Rook responded with a wide smile on his face and made his way out the door after them.
Vil expected Trey to go help clean up the mess, but he was surprised to find him looking for Lotus in that same direction from earlier.
"What is it?" Vil responded with a frown.
"Ah, no. It's just..." Trey shook his head and sighed, "No, I'll go check with the teacher. It's nothing to worry about."
Vil raised a brow before he recalled something and responded with a heavy sigh, "You go finish doing your dorm duties. I'll go look for Lotus and bring him back to Ramshackle dorm."
"Eh?"
"It's about his condition to the cold, isn't it?" Vil clarified with a frown of dismay, "That he had a relapse in your dorm. Fresh-potato two told us all about it."
"He did?" Trey's eyes widen in surprise before he frowned, "He really shouldn't be telling other's private matters away like that..."
"It was a good thing he did." Vil huffed in dismay, "To teach our potato, he had to pull a risk in the cold early morning the other day. Enough. I'll go bring him back. You can go focus on your other matters."
"Something like that happened?" Trey frowned before he nodded, "Then, please make sure that he returns home without any incidents. It would be better for Riddle not to hear of any mishaps with him. It's been a long time since I've last seen him this close to anyone else."
"Huh, Heartslabyul's dorm leader?" Vil hummed in deep thoughts before he nodded, "I'll take my leave then."
With that, he left the greenhouse and began to make his way to Ramshackle dorm as quickly as he could. It didn't take long for him to find that familiar tall figure with the red scarf and mitts amongst the fluttering of the snow. Seeing his slim figure, it was somewhat similar to that of a female if not for her shoulders and chest. Perhaps if his chin was a little slimmer and less broad, then he could have the chance to become a potential candidate as well.
As he thought this, he was caught off guard when Lotus suddenly missed his footing and hurried over with a frown.
"Hey!"
By the time he got there, he could hardly believe his eyes as he watched her slowly come to a halt and began to titter a little. Before she could crumble, Vil managed to grab a hold of her hand and hoisted her up.
"... Who?" Lotus struggled to shake away and look up. However, she was too weak to break free from his tight grip on her wrist.
"It's me." Vil responded with a huff, "Come on. Let's go back to the dorm..."
Hearing this, Lotus heaved a wide yawn and muttered, "I..."
Lotus struggled to stand as she could feel her heavy eyelids began to droop. Seeing this, Vil panicked, "Hey! Snap out of it!"
"Get back... to the dorm... S-so sleepy..."
"Eh? Wait-!" Vil looked to her in bewilderment before noticing her breathing starting to grow shallower.
Having looked around, he thought for a bit before heaving a heavy sigh and, with a bit more effort, pulled her onto his back then carried her the rest way back to the dorm. At first, he was shocked to find her freezing body so cold against his back. He didn't think that she would have been this cold despite all that. He could feel her shallow breathing against his neck and grimaced uncomfortably against the sensation as he grumbled with a sigh of defeat, "Just a little more... Geez, just what in the world do you have against me? Is it still about that incident? Is it really something to have a grudge over? ...Ugh, nevermind. I've never talked this much with an unconscious person before... Hmph!"
As he reached closer and closer to the dorm, he was greeted by Rook who did not question him and quickly took off her armband as he whispered, "Yuu noticed her absence and seems very concerned. According to him, Lotus told him that he would be back before nine."
"If he continued walking, then he would've made it." Vil calculated with a frown.
"It would be best not to let him see Monsieur Snowfox's current state." Rook nodded with a frown.
"It's that unusual?" Vil raised a brow, "He must've known about his condition for a long time."
"Oui." Rook nodded again, "Epel has already gone to bed. I'll carry Monsieur Snowfox inside."
"Then, I'll talk with the supervisor." Vil said with a frown, "He should calm down if I tell him that I had a long talk with Lotus back at the Greenhouse. It's too late to cause a commotion right now."