"In another life, one that was kinder and more forgiving...perhaps we could be friends. You and me."
-Rosanna Castus to ???; Secret Route
***
"Signed, Isabella Kolm," Rosanna read out, "Lucy Albin, and Olivia Salus. Wow." She leaned back in her seat, feeling like the whole world was, once again, yanked from her feet. It was everything she wanted to hear and more. Excessive, sure, but…
"It sounds like those three were held at knifepoint," The Headmaster commented.
His expression was deadpan.
Rosanna shook her head, pretending to wipe a tear from her eye. "It sounds sincere, Sir. I have never been so moved by an apology letter in my entire life."
Silence.
The Headmaster narrowed his eyes at her. "Did you force them to write this?"
"What? No!"
The Headmaster leaned forward. "Don't lie to me, Rosanna. Blackmailing is a serious offense, more so than what you just pulled over those girls. This will complicate things if people found out. It didn't matter if they deserved it — the fact is, justice won't favor you if ever you're put under investigation."
All of a sudden, Rosanna remembered the disciplinary officer's words: 'You seem to be confident that justice is on your side, Miss Castus. It makes one wonder if justice has a name.'
"Wow," Rosanna crossed her arms, meeting the Headmaster head-on. "Is this school so corrupt that a simple apology letter seems so inconceivable to you? They said it themselves, they were in the wrong." She held up the latter, emphasizing her point.
"But—"
"Also, I can't believe that Headmaster himself will allow an innocent student to be framed for bullying. You know I'm the victim, sir. It shouldn't matter how powerful their families were, you're supposed to stand for your students."
The Headmaster laughed at that. "That's the funniest joke I've heard all day, Miss Castus. May I remind you how exactly you've gotten in here in the first place?"
The Headmaster fixed the pile of papers on his desk, stacking them and filing them back as if they were never brought out in the first place. "I'm glad to see you've fully immersed yourself in being a student, kid, that's not what I sent you here for."
He spoke airily as if they were simply discussing how well was Rosanna adjusting to school. "Remember, if you can't get any information, then all of this is useless. You understand what that means, don't you?"
Rosanna nodded. She didn't understand a thing at all.
"You need to stop gathering so much attention, we don't want people making unnecessary connections." The Headmaster went ahead and poured himself a shot of what appears (and smells like) whiskey. At eight in the fucking morning. Incredible. "The fact that you already have the Crown Prince's royal guard tailing you is a bad sign. It means they're onto us. You should try reaching out to the Verdes in the meantime. I'm sure they know something."
Before Rosanna could even begin processing his words, the Headmaster had downed his shot in one go and began to pour himself another.
"T-the Verdes?" Rosanna squeaked out. There was only one person in the Black Rose that last time.
"I'll also have to give you detention." He sighed, purposely turning a deaf ear to that last part. "I still don't know how that apology letter came to be, but for fairness' sake, you'll all be in detention for the whole week. Consider it as a time for reflection."
Rosanna watched him, the apology letter all but forgotten, as the reality of her situation sunk into her:
Sebastian Verde was also here. The same boy who stabbed Leo confined Rosanna and was ultimately responsible for the darkest route the Black Rose had to offer.
The Headmaster noticed the change in Rosanna's expression and made a disgusting sound. "Why do you look so happy? What's wrong with you?"
She put her hand over her face. "W-what do you mean happy?"
The Headmaster propped his feet up the table, completely undignified compared to the pristine, take-no-shit image he projected towards the entire student body. He scoffed. "You're the only one in this goddamned Academy who'd be elated at the prospects of detention."
"It's not about that!" Rosanna complained, standing up from her seat. "I-I'm just—"
"What, thinking of new ways to harass those girls? Don't even bother. I won't condone a next time. I don't care what's for, or even if they say something that you dislike —remember that our agreement takes precedence over everything."
Rosanna should probably leave it at that, but she couldn't help the nagging feeling that continued to tug at her, like a word that couldn't get out. If her guess was right and the original Rosanna Castus had struck a deal with the Headmaster from the very beginning—what sort of agreement was it, then, that made Rosanna withstand the cruelty of the Academy for so many years?
"Sir Headmaster."
"That's Sir Pryor to you," he corrected.
"Sir Pryor," Rosanna repeated. "You keep mentioning this agreement, but I'll admit I have hazy memories from that night when they found me in the snow. Can you, um, tell me what was I supposed to do again?"
The Headmaster was silent for a moment.
"Get out."
"What?! Why? You haven't even—"
"I've had enough of your games, child. There's only so much I can tolerate in one sitting," The Headmaster gritted out, dark eyes flashing. "As if you'd forget. You're the one who proposed all of this in the first place."
Rosanna's eyes widened but didn't speak any further. It was as vital information as any because, with this, she could now confirm that the Headmaster meeting her that day was no accident. The original Rosanna Castus had probably contacted him to come, died, and now Rosanna—no, Amelia Sola— is stuck on carrying out the original's will without having the slightest idea of what it was.
The Headmaster turned his back on her, an obvious sign of dismissal. There were too many pieces about the old Rosanna she has yet to pick up, but at least now Rosanna could lead a more dignified life without having to bow down to anybody.
"Alright," she conceded. "I'll take my leave, Sir." For now.
"And one last thing…"
The glass froze midway to the Headmaster's mouth.
"Please thank Miss Quintus on my behalf." She whispered. "For taking care of my brother."
The door closed behind her. The Headmaster didn't even answer back.
***
Outside, she found Viola Adelais, Leonardo Cassius, and Vincent the royal guard waiting for her.
"Oh? What are you—"
"Rosanna!" A mop of red hair came dashing towards her, so fast that there was no time to react. Rosanna didn't even realize that Viola was hugging her — the dignified, cool, and haughty villainess wrapping her arms around her and burying her face in Rosanna's neck. "We were so worried about you!"
Rosanna remained frozen, unsure of how to react with sudden concern and physical contact. Behind Viola stood Vincent in his glasses, and that butler, Leo, glaring at Rosanna like he wanted to burn a hole through her head.
"I—" she patted Miss Viola's back awkwardly. "I-I can't breathe—"
"My apologies!" Viola immediately let go, but still held Rosanna by the hand. Her green eyes held a softness that made Rosanna forget where she was for a whole second. "I was just so worried about you, Miss Castus. When we heard you were summoned at the Headmaster's office, we came as fast as we could."
'We came as fast as we could.' It was brief, but for a moment Rosanna considered how odd the words sounded when it was being spoken to her. It felt like being drenched in hot chocolate all over again, except this time she could taste the sweetness, feeling the warmth instead of burning heat all over her body.
No one came for her before. Not in life, and certainly not on that fateful night.
"So," a new voice added, dragging Rosanna out of what could've been a longer internal monologue. "How did it go?"
As it turned out, Damian was also with them, pretending to be engrossed with his book. Rosanna thought it was rather amusing. He didn't even know he was reading the book upside down, nor did he know that the image of a scholar didn't suit him.
"I've got detention," Rosanna shrugged, "For a whole week. Those girls will be joining me, but they apologized already anyway—"
For a moment Viola looked like she was about to cry at the word "detention", but her eyes immediately lit up when she heard that last part. "Wait, they apologized?"
Rosanna held up the letter proudly, unable to stop the sweet feeling of victory washing over her. "Yes, they did! And with a written letter, too! I'd honestly have preferred a public apology so that the rest of the school can hear it—"
Somewhere around them, Leo scoffed. Damian took it as a chance to snatch the letter from Rosanna without permission, just to show how much of a snob he was.
"—but I'll take it. It sounded very sincere and I was moved. They can't be forgiven for what they said about Lady Viola, but personally, for the hot chocolate, I forgive them."
'When we saw Miss Viola all alone, without her knight in shining armor to support her, we took advantage of it like the lowlives we were, and decided to bully her." Damian read out loud while Vincent and Viola looked over his shoulder. "We tried to hurt her. In the process, you also got hurt. You were right to pour that mug over our faces. We deserved it.'
"This sounds like something a person would write when held in knifepoint," The Crown Prince deadpanned, handling the letter to Viola.
"I didn't think they'd be so sorry that they'd refer to themselves as lowlives," Viola remarked, passing the letter to Vincent. "It is very accurate, though."
"This letter mentions a knight in shining armor," Vincent remarked, passing the letter to Leo. "I wonder what circumstances they must be in, using that term."
Leo, who had been staying out of the conversation the whole time, had no choice but to grab the paper and hand it back to Rosanna. "Who cares about that? The point is they admitted it. Now we have proof that Rosa—Miss Castus did it for self-defense. Those girls now know better than to mess with my lady."
Rosanna took one long look at the letter, then at Leo. "Ah. You mean me?"
She was only joking, of course, but she did not expect Viola and Damian to burst out laughing at that. Their joined laughter rang across the hallway, clear as a tinkle of bells, making the whole Academy come alive for the very first time.
Vicent had gone silent, still processing the joke. Leo chose to ruin his suave-butler act by exploding on the spot.
He immediately lunged for Rosanna. "What the hell are you saying in front of my lady Viola?" He shrieked, "How dare you—"
Luckily, Damian was quick to grab him by the collar. "Now, now. That's no way for a knight-in-shining-armor to behave."
Leo had been prepared to snap back at the remark, at least, until he realized that he was dealing with royalty. He shrank back like a particularly agitated cat, but not without shooting Rosanna one last glare.
Their little circle burst into laughter. All of them. It was only then that she realized that she was surrounded by people, all laughing with her, instead of at her or at something that she'd done. The apology letter crumpled in her hands.
So far, no one has fallen for the charms of Rosanna Castus. Not the shady butler, not the royal guard, not the villainess…hell, not even the Crown Prince.
Rosanna should be frustrated, but as it turned out, she didn't mind it at all.