CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 78: NOT OVER

The maids moved quickly, cleaning the mess as best they could, wiping jam off the furniture, picking up broken pastries and fallen tablecloths, while the young nobles brushed their clothes and fixed their hair, pretending nothing had happened.

Axelius quietly walked away from the group, holding his arms behind his back, and looked up at the sky. The sun had started to lower, turning the clouds orange and pink. It felt peaceful now, though his clothes were still stained with cream and fruit. He took a deep breath and sat back under the same tree he hid beneath earlier, his arms crossed and his eyes staring ahead.

"I’m really in trouble, huh," he muttered to himself.

Owen, the small slime, bounced beside him, his clear body still a little sticky. "Not really. I think you made Ellory happy. That means you did something good, right?"

Axelius looked at him sideways. "I didn’t do it for her."

"You kind of did," Owen replied with a small squishy shrug.

Axelius clicked his tongue and looked away again. "Tch. Whatever. I just wanted to throw cake at those annoying brats. Especially that green-eyed guy and Cyruz. Thinking they can bully anyone they want..."

Owen bounced up onto Axelius’s knee. "But you didn’t just throw cake. You started a war."

"A food war," Axelius corrected with a smirk, leaning back against the tree. "Still, I guess it was kind of fun."

Axelius moved carefully down the hallway, his steps light and quiet, his small form helping him blend into the shadows as he sneaked past the open doors. The large manor was mostly silent now, lit only by a few lamps still burning dimly in the corridors. He paused, listening closely, then whispered to himself.

"I heard that green-eyed brat’s family will be sleeping here," he muttered, peeking around the corner. "Huh. Me? Tied to his family? No way."

He made a sharp turn and walked straight toward the guest rooms. Once in front of the door, he turned the knob slowly, the wood creaking slightly. He stepped inside, closing it behind him with a soft click.

"So your revenge is not over yet?" Owen asked quietly, sliding from the sleeve of Axelius’s robe and bouncing onto the floor.

Axelius grinned, a mischievous spark in his eyes. "Nope. Who said it’s over? I’m just starting."

He reached into his pocket and took out a small glass jar. Inside, a few long-legged centipedes crawled over each other, their black and red bodies twisting in eerie movements. Owen recoiled a bit.

"Centipedes? Where did you even find those?" the slime asked.

Axelius knelt by the bed and chuckled. "It’s unusual to see normal Earth insects here. But I saw these under a log in the garden. Guess it’s their unlucky day."

He opened the jar and carefully tipped it over, letting two crawl under the bedsheets and another slide beneath the bed.

"There," he whispered. "A noble nightmare waiting to happen."

And without another word, he hurried back to his own room, slipping in and closing the door behind him. He sighed in satisfaction and threw himself on the bed with a big grin.

"Mission complete," he said with pride.

Owen rolled across the floor toward the bed and sighed. "That’s probably going to be traumatic."

***The Next Morning

Sunlight poured gently through the high windows of the room, lighting the walls in a soft golden hue. Birds could be heard chirping outside as the peaceful sounds of morning filled the air.

Axelius stretched wide on his bed, arms over his head and a smug look on his face. He rolled lazily to one side, as if listening.

"He’s still not awake, is he?" he said out loud.

From the wooden floor, Owen gave a bouncy reply. "Nope. I looked over last night—he fell asleep as soon as he lay down. I bet today’s going to be interesting."

Axelius grinned, the same smug expression still glued to his face. He sat up just as the door gently creaked open.

"Good morning, young master," Millie said, stepping in with a polite bow. She wore her usual uniform and carried a towel over one arm.

"Morning, Millie!" Axelius greeted brightly, hopping off the bed. "It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?"

"It is," she replied with a warm smile. "Shall I prepare your bath?"

"Yes, please."

A short while later, Axelius returned from the bathroom, a little red from the heat, but feeling fresh. Millie helped him sit by the mirror and began combing his hair gently.

While she worked, Axelius looked at her reflection and asked, "Millie, what happened after I left yesterday? You know... after the party chaos."

Millie gave a small, polite laugh as she carefully fixed his hair. "Ah, young master, quite a lot happened. After you disappeared, the guests were instructed to return to their rooms early. The duke gave a long speech to calm the noble parents, but many were amused rather than angry. Some even said it was the liveliest party they’ve attended."

Axelius blinked. "Really?"

"Yes," Millie nodded. "Though... Lord Cyruz and the green-eyed boy—Master Vellan—were both sent to bed early after being scolded. I heard loud voices from the west wing during the night. Rumors say they had trouble sleeping. I wonder why..." she added with a knowing smile.

Axelius chuckled behind his hand. "Serves them right."

Owen bounced into view. "You really enjoyed that, huh?"

Axelius smirked. "More than you can imagine, But not yet."

Suddenly, a loud scream echoed through the halls of the manor.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

Axelius, who was still sitting by the mirror with Millie brushing the last part of his hair, paused with a smirk slowly spreading across his face. He slid off the chair with a stretch and dusted his sleeves.

"Well, well," he said, already grinning. "Let’s go take a look, Millie. I wonder what is going on?"

Millie blinked, already sensing trouble. "Young master, please tell me this has nothing to do with—"

But Axelius had already opened the door and stepped into the hallway, following the sound.

More people had woken up now, nobles and servants alike. Everyone was rushing down the corridor, following the noise that had clearly come from one of the guest rooms. Axelius kept his calm, strolling with his hands behind his back, his small smile never leaving his face.

He entered the room last, standing near the back, but with a perfect view.

There, lying on the floor, was the green-eyed boy—his name was Vellan—screaming and thrashing around. His face and arms were covered in red spots and strange swellings. It looked exactly like someone who got chased and bitten by angry bees. Axelius immediately raised his hand to cover his mouth, shaking slightly—not from fear, but from trying not to laugh.

"He looks like a puffed potato," he whispered to Owen.

"He looks like a nightmare," Owen whispered back.

Vellan kept screaming, pointing a shaking hand at the bed, shouting, "T-the bed! L-look at the bed! It’s cursed! Help me! Do something!"