A/N: Back to the present.
Inside of Floraire Castle, there was a magnificent room. The room was decorated with tens of paintings; paintings of rivers of mountains of royalty.
In the center of the empty room stood a magnificent throne. On the throne sat a woman. Her jet-black hair hung behind the throne as if trying to hide it. She gazed longingly at one particular painting: the one she was in— the only person in it.
A scream sounded in the distance, faintly but her roots managed to pick up the vibrations. She gasped. Her fingers touched her parted lips before a wide grin grew on her face. She hopped off the throne, her skin turning from white to pure black, her body shrinking until she vanished completely.
Back at the academy, at the Flora-binding room, Hajime was at a loss for words. The screams of his victims were stuck in his head. The room was filled with three statues; the frozen statue of a maid, a student, and an assistant; all staring at him. He wanted to only kill Blake but his anger effected everyone in the room.
"Why?" Aveline screamed.
Her knees weakened and she collapsed.
"Am I cursed?"
Hajime started walking toward her, his hands trembling, guilt eating away at his soul.
"Stop."
He froze, his feet glued to the ground.
"I don't want to hurt you." she sobbed.
"Aveli-"
"I deserve to suffer."
"Av-"
"Leave Hajime."
"Aveline please-''
"LEAVE!"
"No."
He walked up to her and pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her, ignoring the- cold, ignoring the system's notifications, ignoring the guilt. He caressed her back. Her sobs died down.
"I'm here for you."
"Y-you are."
She pushed Hajime away. She looked him up and down, examining his wounds, comparing him to the statues before looking into his mismatched eyes.
"How?"
Hajime gulped. He didn't see a way out.
"It can't be. It can't be. You did this? You killed them? Even Julian?"
Her eyes widened before tears formed.
"Liste-"
"You let me believe I killed Julian? You let me believe I was a murderer—that I was cursed."
Hajime stared at the frozen wooden floor.
"Hajime. Tell me everything!"
He sighed dejectedly. He made up his mind: he was going to tell her.
"Aveline I-"
The frozen door burst open, cutting him off. A gust of wind entered the room and a vine flew past him, almost hitting him.
A woman strode into the Florabinding room. Her footsteps were silent, her hair black as the abyss, her white iris scanning the room, her gaze landing on the statue of Blake, a frown turning her beautiful face upside down. Empress Tella Floraire had arrived.
Hajime couldn't take his eyes off her. She was beautiful; she was powerful; she was dangerous. Back at the trust falls, Hajime had asked the System if he could scan the empress and the System said no, but, now he was afraid to ask the System to scan her. The feeling he got from her eyes was terrifying as if nothing could be hidden from her as if he was Hajime Hanamori, standing naked in front of a goddess. His instincts were proven right; the System hid itself deep within Hajime; not answering his questions.
"What happened here?" Empress Tella asked, her eyes locking onto the Aveline.
Aveline bit her lips and averted her gaze. She was about to answer when Hajime spoke up, "I messed up the ritual."
Empress Tella crossed her arms as a slow smile built up.
"And how does one mess up a ritual?" she asked, "Especially an unbinding ritual."
Hajime regretted his choice of words. He should've just said they didn't know but he felt that she'd see through it.
"I chanted the wrong incantation."
"Is that so? And why would you chant the wrong incantation."
"Slip of the tongue Your Majesty."
Empress Tella giggled.
"Slip of the tongue huh? So a duke's son died because of a slip of the tongue."
Hajime's heart threatened to leave his chest.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Empress Tella approached the statues, examining Blake.
"He's thoroughly frozen just like that boy, Julian. What a coincidence."
"I'll take full responsibility."
Empress Tella tapped her finger against Blake's frozen nose, a crack echoing through the dimly lit room, and turned around.
"Responsibility hmm? The rules clearly state that only three people are allowed in a flora-binding room. Only a princess could convince one of the assistants to break the rule. So tell me Aveline why would a princess break the rule?"
Aveline looked at Hajime before returning her gaze to the Empress
"Your Majesty, I acted foolishly. I wanted to hurt Hajime for hurting me so I involved Blake."
Empress Tella tilted her head to the side, "How did he hurt you?"
Hajime bit his lip.
Aveline hesitated, "He chose Your Majesty's daughter over me."
"Oh, you're interested in Calantha."
Empress Tella placed her index finger against her cheek before smiling.
"Interesting, interesting. I'd love to make this matter just disappear but this is the second time a high-ranking nobleman, from the Dominalis Empire, died in my Empire.
Hajime could smell the impending disaster.
"Petalhaven is supposed to be a hub that connects to the other three Empires but these recent incidents might harm our relationship with the Dominalis Empire."
Empress Tella turned to Hajime, "Luckily for you, Hajime Starfall, Aurora is an important asset to my Empire, so I'm inclined to just break the statues and pretend nothing happened. However, you'll owe me two favors Hajime: One for hiding this mess, one for keeping Aveline out of this."
"What are you doing Tella." a voice echoed in the cold room.
Hajime recognized that icy tone. His mentor, Octavia, entered the Florabinding room.
"Octavia." the Empress greeted, "Why are you here?"
Octavia scoffed, "Same reason as you."
Empress Tella didn't respond.
"Were you trying to take advantage of my disciple?"
"Disciple? Interesting, I'd love to learn more Octavia. Perhaps we could discuss it over a cup of tea."
"Cut the bullshit Tella, just break the statues."
"Or what? Are you threatening me Octavia?"
Hajime and Aveline shivered; the temperature had dropped.
"I'm not Nyssa or that Ice Bitch. I'll happily destroy your precious Empire. I've lived too long anyway."
Empress Tella narrowed her eyes, "Careful Octavia, you're playing with fire."
"Nah, Nyssa isn't here."
Empress Tella chuckled.
"Okay, Octavia. Hajime won't owe me a favor. But Hajime and Aveline broke a law, so punishment is needed."
Octavia and the Empress glared at each other before the Empress left the Florabinding room.
"Hajime." Aveline said.
He flinched and faced her.
"Never mind," she said before she left the room.
"Yo Hajime, come with me," Octavia said.
He followed her into another Flora-binding room, sighing heavily. Octavia locked the door behind them and stared at Hajime. Suddenly, pushing him against the wall, her face inches away from his, their warm breaths mixing together, her hands pinning his shoulders, Octavia kissed him.
"I knew it."