Van, Beatrice, and Harvey were currently in the Gates' guest hall with Albert.
"Should… we go home?"
Beatrice could not help but adjust her glasses as she looked at her two companions. They were supposed to be having dinner with Victoria's family. But when Paris saw her son, she quickly bawled into tears and hugged him.
Harvey almost couldn't make it to Edward's room as Paris was making it hard for him to move. Edward still had a designated room inside the house, remodeled yearly and cleaned daily despite not knowing when Edward was going to turn back.
Beatrice and the others have been waiting for quite a while now and Albert had told them to start eating without them. But alas, even after they were done, Victoria and the others were still not here.
The moon was already waving hello to their faces as it seeped through the newly fixed window. Van and Harvey didn't seem to mind the awkwardness, though. And so, Beatrice took it upon herself to approach Albert, who was quietly waiting on the side.
"Mr… Albert?", she said.
"Yes, miss Beatrice?", Albert quickly turned his head towards Beatrice.
"I think we should bid our farewell to Victoria now…", Beatrice let out a light sigh, "It is getting late and it feels like we're already intruding"
"No", Albert quickly shook his head, "Nonsense, Miss Victoria. Miss Paris still has not thanked you yet, rooms are also available for the three of you if you wish to sleepover"
"R… rooms?", Beatrice could not help but slightly back away, "But--"
Before Beatrice could finish her words, the sound of the door opening entered her ears.
Victoria was currently pushing someone in a wheelchair, behind her were Charlotte and her mother. Although they cut his hair, the one sitting in the wheelchair could be none other than Edward.
And now that his ridiculously long hair is gone, they could clearly see his face. His eyelashes were eerily long and he had a sharp look on his face. Even with the thick garments that were wrapped around him, his muscles could still be seen clearly.
"Oho", Harvey quickly stood up and approached Edward, "Look who's still alive", he then said as he stretched his hand towards Edward.
Edward looked at Harvey's fist in confusion. No, it wasn't only him. Everyone in the guest hall was confused. But after a few seconds, Edward let out a tiny smile and nodded as he also stretched out his hand.
"Let's have a rematch once you're better", Harvey then let out a burst of laughter as he grabbed Edward's hand and shook it.
The others could not help but be weirded out, when did these two form this kind of camaraderie? They all thought. Paris, however, could not help but once again sniffle as Edward quickly gained a friend.
Edward then turned his head towards Van, "Master… thank you", he uttered.
...Master? Van's eyes could not help but twitch his eyes as he heard what Edward called him.
Edward then quickly looked towards Beatrice.
"Hello the--"
"What gift do you want?"
Before Beatrice could even offer her greetings, Edward suddenly rolled his wheelchair over to her.
"G… gift?", Beatrice could not help but tilt her head in confusion. Van, on the other hand, could not help but widen his eyes as a single sweat started to form on his face.
"Victoria… maybe your brother needs to rest?", Van quickly said.
"No…", Edward, however, quickly shook his head, "I… give gift"
"W… what for?", Beatrice looked at Edward's family for answers, but they could only shrug their shoulders in response.
"Want… to mate… with you"
"!!!"
"E… Edward!", Paris could not help but stutter as she scurried her way to reprimand her son. Charlotte, on the other hand, started giggling uncontrollably.
"Mother, this is not funny!", Paris waved her hand, "Where did you learn this!?", she then yelled.
Edward slowly raised his finger.
Van was shaking his head repeatedly. As soon as Edward mentioned something about giving Beatrice a gift, he already knew what he meant. He was the one who told Edward that if he reverts back to a human, he would be able to do it with Beatrice. He needed to court him first, of course.
He thought that Edward would forget what he said after he woke up...
But alas, Edward's finger found him. The group all looked towards the direction where Edward was pointing, and all they could see was Van, with his eyes vastly empty.
"V… Van?", Beatrice could not help but blink her eyes a couple of times.
"...It was necessary", were the only words that Van replied.
"Van!", Beatrice screamed in frustration as her face was filled with embarrassment.
Harvey furrowed his eyebrows as he looked back and forth, he was confused at first as to what was happening, but as soon as he realized what Van did, he could not help but take the biggest breath of his life.
And then, he let it all out with a burst of laughter, "Why not!? Why not!?", he continued to laugh as he patted Beatrice's shoulders, "Edward is quite the handsome man, don't you think? Or do you think he's too… beast-like for your taste?"
"What… no", Beatrice quickly raised her eyebrows, "It's not… ugh!"
Beatrice could only groan in frustration as she didn't really know what to say anymore.
"Oh, you're grunting already? Learning the language of your furute husband is--"
"No!"
And so, the Gates estate was once again filled with life. The commotion continued until almost midnight with Paris thanking Van over and over again.
In the end, the group chose not to stay and was escorted back to the Academy.
***
Days passed, and Victoria seemed to now be an official member of Van's group. Although she was still a bit distant, at least she was talking a lot more than before and has even visited Van's house once.
"Let's go!"
As soon as the instructor left the room, Harvey quickly leaped from his seat. "What's Andrea cooking this time!?", he hollered as he dashed towards Van.
"...I'm afraid I have to pass this time"
Beatrice, however, waved her hand as she stood up from her desk.
"What… again?", Harvey squinted his eyes as he stared Beatrice straight in the eyes, "What have you been doing lately?"
"Just…", Beatrice let out a sigh, "My parent's need help with the guild so I've been helping them"
"Want us to come?", Victoria said.
"N… no", Beatrice quickly shook her head, "I'll be fine".
"Hmm… Are you sure you're not secretly dating Victoria's brother?", Harvey squinted his eyes even further as he leaned in closer towards Beatrice.
"What!? No!", Beatrice stomped her feet as she grabbed her things, "I'll make it up to you guys tomorrow!", she said before leaving the classroom in a hurry.
Seeing Beatrice suddenly leaving just like that, Harvey could not help but let out a sigh, "I guess it's that time of the month", he breathed as he shook his head.
Van, on the other hand, could not help but furrow his eyebrows. It was faint, but the look on Beatrice's eyes before she left…
...was quite worrying.