Location: Faculty Dorms – Zephyr’s Room, 6:00 AM
Zephyr Arclight stared at the ceiling.
He had not slept.
There were several reasons for this.
One:
Princess Lyssette
had mailed him forty-seven enchanted letters overnight. Each one exploded into glitter hearts.
Two:
Rosalia
had blessed his mop again, causing it to float and hum Gregorian chants at 3:00 AM.
Three:
Drakynia
had challenged him to an “intimate training duel” that somehow involved oil, two swords, and zero context.
Four:
Arwen
had asked him to help alphabetize every magic tome in the academy library. At 2:12 AM. She called it a “stress-relief exercise.”
Five:
Selena
installed a magical biometric tracker under his pillow “for safety reasons.”
And finally…
Six: There was currently a
minotaur in his shower.
“Mooooo.”
Zephyr blinked. "I don't even know how we got minotaurs on campus."
From behind the door, a gruff voice called, “Sorry! Council reassignment! Shower’s warm though!”
Zephyr exhaled through his nose.
Location: Student Council Tower – Briefing Room
Selena Frostveil stood before a whiteboard filled with diagrams, flow charts, and a single post-it note that read: “Zephyr = ???”
“This,” she said crisply, “is a crisis.”
Mirelle, sipping tea: “Because he looks too good in a tuxedo?”
“No. Because Princess Lyssette is deploying Phase Two.”
“…Matcha?”
Selena froze. “Exactly.”
Everyone in the room gasped.
Location: Courtyard Garden – Later
Zephyr sat on the bench again.
He was sipping black coffee. Silently.
Selena approached, sat beside him, and handed him a file.
“What’s this?”
“Official incident report. Ballroom Incident 47-B. Also includes emotional hazard projections and psychological proximity charts.”
He blinked. “There are charts now?”
“Yes,” she said, without smiling. “And you’re the epicenter.”
He glanced at her. “Selena.”
“…Yes?”
“I found a minotaur in my shower this morning.”
She nodded, as if that was somehow completely expected. “Council reassignment. We’ll fix it.”
“…You knew?”
Selena took a sip of her own black coffee. “I run this school, Zephyr. Of course I knew.”
Location: Girls’ Dorm Hallway – That Evening
Drakynia, Arwen, Rosalia, and Selena stood in a circle.
Lyssette had just mailed Zephyr a
custom enchanted pillow
that whispered “you’re amazing” every ten seconds.
Drakynia: “She’s escalating.”
Arwen: “We need a countermeasure.”
Rosalia: “Sacred counter-fluffing spell?”
Selena: “…We’re taking him on a non-optional vacation."
The others blinked.
“A weekend retreat,” she clarified. “To a remote training island. No royals. No minotaurs. No… pillows.”
There was a collective pause.
Drakynia grinned. “I’m in.”
Arwen sighed. “If he ends up shirtless, I blame you.”
Rosalia sparkled. “I’ve already packed snacks!”
Selena’s glasses glinted. “It’s time… for a strategic emotional reset.”
End of Chapter 28