chapter 20

Principal Rosaline sighed heavily as she addressed Evangeline and Mana. "I hope you will continue to grow in my school and become powerful wizards. You may now go home, except for Evangeline Suzuki and Mana Asami. I want to see you in my office immediately."

Yuriko, a member of Evangeline's team, turned to her with a mix of curiosity and concern. "What have you done now, Evangeline?"

Evangeline scratched her head in embarrassment, trying to find the right words. "It's about my fight with Mana. She didn't appreciate us trying to kill each other."

Soon-mi chimed in, offering her support. "We wish you good luck with her, Evangeline. See you later."

Lily tried to reassure Evangeline, but the worry remained. "Don't worry, Evangeline. I'm sure it's nothing serious."

Evangeline appreciated Lily's attempt, finding it sweet. Her team wished her good luck and left, leaving her to face the consequences alone.

"Can we grab something to eat before heading to the Principal's office, Evangeline?" Seiko, her wolf companion, asked with a rumble in her stomach.

"I'm sorry, but we can't afford to delay. If we don't go right away, she might increase my punishment," Evangeline replied, a touch of regret in her voice.

Seiko let out a sigh and resigned herself to the situation. Evangeline took the lead, guiding them to the Principal's office. As they approached, Evangeline raised her hand to knock on the door, but it swung open before she had the chance. Principal Rosaline stood there, wearing a displeased expression.

"Finally, Evangeline. I wondered when you would arrive. Come in," the Principal commanded.

Evangeline entered the office, noticing that Mana was already present. She took a seat beside her, and Mana shot her a cold, disdainful look. Principal Rosaline settled in front of them, her gaze filled with a mix of sternness and concern.

"Both of you will have to live together for a month. If I recall correctly, Mana, you are currently residing alone in the dormitory," the Principal announced.

Mana's frustration was evident as she responded, "Yes, but there must be some other form of punishment. I can't bear this situation right now, let alone for an entire month."

Evangeline, feeling a similar sentiment, spoke up confidently. "She's right. Besides, my moms would never agree to me staying at a stranger's house."

The Principal's next words shattered their hopes. "Don't worry about it, Evangeline. I've already informed your mothers, and they are perfectly fine with it. They've already packed your belongings."

With a snap of her fingers, a blue suitcase materialized before them. Evangeline's spirits sank, and she could see the disappointment mirrored in Mana's eyes. The idea that her mothers had agreed to this arrangement was difficult to comprehend.

Seiko attempted to make her escape. "I don't have anything in the suitcase, so I can leave, right?"

"I'm sorry, little wolf, but Evangeline's moms insist that you stay with her for a month," the Principal replied firmly.

The weight of their shared predicament settled upon them, and the three of them fell into a state of despondency. There was nothing they could do but accept their fate.

"You may leave now. I hope your relationship with each other will improve soon," the Principal concluded, her tone conveying a mixture of hope and expectation.

Silently, they obeyed the Principal's command. Evangeline picked up the suitcase, and Mana followed her out of the office, leaving Principal Rosaline alone with her thoughts.

From the perspective of Principal Rosaline:

"I never expected these two to harbor such animosity towards each other. It's hard to believe that they were deeply in love in their past lives before their untimely demise. It's a shame that their love was cut short after just a few months. Now, I'm presenting them with this opportunity, and I hope they won't squander it."

Principal Rosaline retrieved a photo from a drawer, depicting a younger version of herself with Evangeline, Mana, and the trio beaming with joy.

"This time, I won't allow anyone to interfere in their lives. I've waited far too long for this. I didn't bring them back through reincarnation for this," she muttered impatiently.

"I've waited so long to see them marry, become aunties, and play with their children. This time, I hope I succeed."

Suddenly, the crystal on her staff began to vibrate, and the image of a man in his twenties appeared. He possessed jet-black hair and yellow eyes akin to those of a dragon, dressed in a simple suit.

"The plan is in motion, Rosaline," he declared, a smile spreading across his face.

"Of course, Midori. I've arranged for them to share a dormitory for a month. I believe our chance will come soon," Rosaline responded.

"I hope you're right. They truly deserve happiness; after all, they are soulmates. It surprises me that Evangeline hasn't recognized you," Midori remarked.

"Understandable, considering my altered appearance. I wouldn't want her to recognize me right away."

Rosaline snapped her fingers, transforming from a woman in her fifties to one in her twenties.

"It's still incredible to me how easily you can change your appearance. What's our next move? Our initial plan didn't go as smoothly as we hoped," Midori pondered.

"You're right, Midori. It wasn't wise to have their first meeting occur while Mana was bathing," Rosaline admitted, scratching her head.

"I never expected Evangeline to stumble and accidentally touch Mana's breast. It was quite the unexpected and amusing moment," Midori chuckled, reminiscing about the incident.

"Yes, I was taken aback, but I'm confident that we'll have better chances in the future."

"Agreed, Rosaline. I'll leave you to it and inform the others that our plan is progressing."

Back to Evangeline's perspective:

Evangeline and Mana arrived at the dormitory where Mana resided. It was a reasonably comfortable space, and Mana showed Evangeline to their shared room, equipped with two bunk beds and a simple desk—a rather ordinary dormitory room.

"You will sleep downstairs, Evangeline. I hope you don't snore," Mana's sarcastic remark echoed through the room. "Now, don't talk to me, and if you need anything, I won't help you."

Evangeline couldn't help but feel the sting of her new roommate's cold reception. "What a warm welcome from my new roommate," she thought to herself, suppressing a sigh. "I couldn't have done it better myself."

Mana left without uttering another word, as if Evangeline were nothing more than a mere ghost haunting the dormitory. Evangeline was left alone with Seiko, her wolf companion and only solace in this situation.

Seiko chuckled, his laughter breaking the silence. "Wow, Evangeline, how does it feel to be ignored? It can't hurt too much."

"Don't laugh at me," Evangeline retorted, her frustration seeping into her voice. "I'm just pointing out that we're both in the same predicament."

Seiko continued to laugh, seemingly unaffected by the tense atmosphere. "Don't even mention it. No one here is going to provide me with food. Besides, you still haven't fed me anything."

"Sorry, Seiko," Evangeline apologized, realizing her oversight. "With everything that's happened, I completely forgot to feed you."

In an instant, Evangeline conjured up some food on the desk, using her magic. "You can go eat now. I'm going to unpack my things."

Seiko hopped off Evangeline's head and eagerly made his way to the desk, where the food awaited him. Meanwhile, Evangeline opened her suitcase and discovered a letter tucked inside. She picked it up, unfolded it, and began to read.

"Evangeline, we hope that the punishment given to you by the Principal will serve as a valuable lesson. We understand that this is the first time you've slept so far away from us. Don't be afraid, even though we're physically distant, we're always watching over you. We hope you won't encounter any problems. In any case, expect us to visit you. If a boy or girl expresses interest in you, refuse their advances. You're still too young for love. Concentrate on your studies. If you want to talk to us, there's a crystal in your suitcase. We love you very much. See you soon."

"Bunch of traitors," Evangeline muttered, a mix of hurt and annoyance in her voice. "I'm sure you just wanted to spend time together without me."

Quickly rummaging through the suitcase, Evangeline located the crystal her mothers had mentioned. She infused a bit of her magic into it, and within seconds, an image of her two mothers materialized before her.

Azumi spoke first, concern etched on her face. "Is there a problem, my little demon?"

"Yes, how could you accept that I sleep in a place with strangers?" Evangeline questioned, her voice filled with disbelief.

Misaki chimed in, her tone gentle yet firm. "It's the punishment that the Principal bestowed upon you, so we couldn't go against her decision. Besides, it's an opportunity for you to become more independent."

"You're joking, I hope," Evangeline responded, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I'm sure you're lying. Tell me the truth. Why did you accept it so easily?"

Azumi sighed, her voice carrying a touch of sadness. "You're right, Evangeline. The Principal mentioned that if we agreed, she would cover the costs of everything you and Seiko destroyed. And remember, it's only for a month. Everything should be fine."

"So you love your money more than me," Evangeline retorted, her hurt turning into frustration.

Misaki's voice grew stern. "That's not true, Evangeline. We love you very much, but we can't pass up this opportunity."

"If that's the case," Evangeline countered, her resolve hardening, "then I'll find a girlfriend and introduce her to you in a month."

Misaki's expression turned into a mix of shock and concern. "No, you're too young to fall in love. Don't you dare do that."

Evangeline couldn't help but chuckle at her mother's reaction. "Too late now, Misaki. I'm going to find a girlfriend, and you can't do anything about it. Bye."

Misaki was about to say something, but Evangeline abruptly ended the call, imagining the priceless expression on her mother's face. She couldn't help but laugh at the thought.

"Evangeline, are you really going to go out with someone?" Seiko inquired, breaking the silence.

Evangeline turned to face Seiko, a mischievous smile on her lips. "No, I'm just kidding. I'm not really going out with anyone. Besides, if I were, you would be the first to know."

She reached out and gently caressed Seiko's head. "After all, we're best friends."

Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over Evangeline, as if someone were watching her. She scanned her surroundings, searching for the source, but found nothing.

"Evangeline, there's a problem," Seiko alerted her, his voice laced with concern.

"It's nothing," Evangeline reassured him, a hint of unease still present. "It must be just my imagination."

"If you say so," Seiko replied, his worry subsiding. "Hurry up and unpack your things. I want to go for a walk."

Evangeline nodded, trying to shake off the lingering sense of unease. As they exited the dormitory, little did they know that the Principal was hiding behind a nearby window, observing their every move. Hovering on her staff, she seemed to be spying on someone.

"Don't worry, Evangeline," the Principal muttered to herself, her voice laced with determination. "What you've said will soon become a reality, and your parents will be forced to accept it."

A sinister laughter escaped her lips, reverberating through the air, but her moment of triumph was abruptly interrupted when a bird swooped down towards her. Caught off guard, she collided with the bird, losing her balance and tumbling to the ground.

"Cursed bird! Prepare to become my next meal!" she shouted, anger coloring her words as she stood up. Unfazed, the bird fluttered away, leaving the Principal to dust herself off.

Soon-mi, one of the school staff, appeared, witnessing the peculiar scene. "Madam Principal, what are you doing here, and who were you showing the middle finger to?"

The Principal quickly composed herself, attempting to mask her true intentions. "I was just conducting a routine inspection of the premises. But now, I'm finished. I'll take my leave."

With remarkable speed, the Principal dashed away, disappearing from sight within seconds.

"That was really strange," Soon-mi mumbled, her confusion evident