PHASE 37 - TIARA THE VALENTINE’S RIDDLE GENIUS! SERIOUSLY!

“Give back my chocolate!” I cried.

Rikkun and I bolted outside the classroom, through the corridors. But when we happened to gain sight of the burglar, we were baffled! There’s actually six of those ninjas, and they scattered! One went down the stairs, three went up, one proceeded in the center, and one even jumped out of the windows! Why are they so well planned in stealing my chocolate!?

Rikkun’s cross-sigil on his irises glowed, indicating that he just activated his . That would help me a lot to figure out who’s the thief who stole my chocolate, but before he was able to give me a lead, this happens!

PSSSSSSK!!!

“Aaaaargh! My eyes!” Rikkun fell down on the floor as he held his aching eyes.

“Chihue!” I exclaimed. The culprit to Rikkun’s temporary blindness is my co-member in the Idol Club, Chihue! She directly sprayed perfume to Rikkun’s eyes! “Why did you do that!?”

“Teehee, my fingers slipped.” Chihue stuck out her tongue. Even if I’m an idiot, I know she did it on purpose!

This is bad! Rikkun is incapacitated and my chocolate is at risk! I will have to choose between staying or chasing!

“Go get your chocolate, Tiara!” Chihue shouted.

“R-Right!” I pumped my fist as I bolted forward, leaving the two on the scene. My chocolate is a top priority! If it gets consumed, my Valentines confession will be over!

...It’s not like Rikkun will die anyway, so I’ll leave him here.

“Tiara! Don’t just leave me here! Argh!” Rikkun tried to blink fast, but he’s still blinded! “Damn you, chihuahua!”

“My name is Chihue! Not chihuahua!” The Idol immediately made a strong lariat that put Rikkun down to the floor once again.

<>

I don’t know why I chased the ninja who went to the music room. I only trusted my guts and maybe I chose the nearest one in my position. I can squeeze information where the real one is anyway, so who cares. Just give me back my chocolate!

When I opened the door, I was shocked when the ninja unmasked himself… or herself. It was my co-Idol Meirin!

“Welcome, Tiara!” Meirin said. “I’m sorry but the princess is in another castle...errr... I mean, the chocolate is held by another ninja.”

“M-Meirin!? W-Why are you guys doing this?”

“It’s a secret!” Meirin adorably waved her index finger at me. “I will tell you where your chocolate is if you answer my riddle!”

“B-Bring it on!” I pumped my fist as I tighten my resolve.

…

There was a ten-second silence. Meirin is just staring at the ceiling, and it seems that she hadn’t prepared her riddle at all. She’s bad at impromptu.

…

“Meirin!” I cried. “I’m in a hurry!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Meirin forced a smile as she bumped her head with her fist. “I can’t seem to think of a riddle that even an airhead clutz like you could solve…”

I can’t believe even my club members also think of me as a moron…

“Hmmm… I really can’t think of a riddle.” Meirin caressed her imaginary beard, and after three seconds, her lightbulb went on. “We’ll do the basic grade school question then… What is the basic unit for power?”

“What?” I tilted my head as I gave a troubled look. How is that supposed to be a riddle!?

“That’s right! It’s watt!” Meirin jollily pointed her finger at me. “You passed the first test! Now go on and challenge the second test! Go to the rooftop!”

“T-There’s still a second test!?” I exclaimed.

“Now go before Miss Awane eats your chocolate!”

“W-Whaaaat!?”

<>

I’m finally at the rooftops, and there, another ninja is waiting for me. As I thought, it’s my fellow Idol Club member Airi. But there is this problem that Airi is the biggest bully in the group (Next to Miss Awane) and she somehow hates me for the reason that she was rejected by Rikkun months ago.

“Ha! Tiara Hikari! You will fail, I’m telling you!”

“M-Miss Airi! I-I’m sorry, but with determination, I will never give up on Rikkun! The same goes for my chocolate!”

“This is the hardest riddle of all, so pay attention!” Airi held her waist and her chin up high. “What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich need it, and if you eat it, you die!?”

“A triple stack hamburger with bacon-flavored fries and barbecue sauce!?” My mouth suddenly blurted.

“Wrong!” Airi had this disappointed look. “How the heck did you get that answer…”

“...Auuu…” I cried like a puppy.

I can’t think of an answer, and I’m panicking right now. If I don’t get the chocolate, then my confession plan will fail!

“I’m sorry, I know nothing, so please give me back my chocolate!” I begged.

“...That’s right. The answer is nothing.” Airi commented with a smile. “You really are smart when it comes to love. Now go to Miss Awane in the amphitheater, and retrieve your treasure!”

“E-Eh!?”

<>

There’s no time for me to think about how I won in those riddles, but I’m glad that I’m finally here in the school amphitheater. Sun is about to sink, and I’m just happy that I can see my red pouch of chocolate at the center of the podium, at the stage.

I was about to run for it but then somebody made an entrance at the very stage. A silhouette of a girl revealed himself in a school uniform while swinging around a bat coated with barbed wire.

“Well well well, what do we have here? A young girl who just wants her chocolate back.”

“M-Miss Awane!” I cried. “P-Please give my chocolates back!”

“No can do, my cute Tiara.” Miss Awane smirked with evil intention. “You’re planning to confess your love for Alaric, don’t you? It’s too late for that. You’re no longer worthy of his heart. You rejected him, remember!?”

“T-That’s not true!” I cried. “When he confessed at me, I was so lovestruck! I didn’t know what to do, and I freaked out! I rejected him by accident!”

“You won’t be able to convince us with that.” Miss Awane said as she approached the pouch of chocolates, ready to smash it with her bat. “Just say the magic word. I’ll count to three.”

“W-What magic word?” I asked.

“One.”

“E-Eeeeek!” I cried as I groveled to the ground. “Please Miss Awane! Give me back my chocolates.”

“You can breathe. You can beg. You can cry. Hell, you’re all going to do that.” Miss Awane raised her bat! “Two!”

“STOOOOP!!! PLEASE GIVE IT BACK TO ME!!! I STILL HAVE TO CONFESS MY LOVE TO RIKKUN!!!” I cried. "I LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING, SO PLEASE GIVE MY CHOCOLATES BACK!!!"

“Three.”

Revealing my Gate Guardian powers won't do any good. I'm too far away from my chocolates, and even with the help of , I won't be able to snatch it from her. I just closed my eyes, not wanting to see what is bound to happen.

Bam!