The Redo of a Novel's Villain: Moira - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Amidst a thick, lush forest, two horse-drawn carriages travelled. Each cart was decorated with silver embellishment and engraved with fancy motifs. Sunlight trickled through the surrounding foliage and into the open window of the second carriage.
Huey leaned against the window, feeling the occasional breeze ruffle through his hair. The early chirps of birds, the clacking of hooves, and the carriage wheels were accompanied by the sound of pen on paper. Huey sketched made-up characters, vague designs from his memory, and random doodles of whatever came to mind. Yet, despite the spring scenery, the cool freshness of the early morning, and his multiple drawings, Huey was undeniably bored.
He snapped his notebook shut and slumped to the side. Reading on a carriage gave him migraines; he had art block, and unlike on earth, there was no technology to pass the time. Huey begrudgingly pushed himself back up and stared outside. The singing of birds was a tell-tale sign of wildlife––wildlife he couldn't even see amongst the trees. Sighing, he stuck his head out the window.
"How long until we arrive?"
"Approximately half an hour, young master." The coachman driving his carriage replied.
Well, he surmised that wasn't too bad and sat back down. Because of the Winter Showcase incident, outraged citizens targeted the academy and even the royal family. Riots occurred, reputation dropped, and any remotely authoritative person was swarmed by people the moment they stepped outside. One of the family members of the few unfortunately deceased even tried to murder an academy staff! In broad daylight!
Naturally, the academy "temporarily closed down" and dismissed the students. Now, three months later, Glory Academy officially reopens its doors. However, Huey doubted the number of returning students in outstanding accounts. After all, unless it were a second or third year, no loving parent would want to send their kids back to where they nearly died. Celine's family was one such loving parents, heavily against her returning. So what if she was a commoner who managed to get into the (previously) most prestigious school in Ecrelyn? Clearly, it's not that prestigious if an all-out demonic attack happened.
Huey wryly speculated the number of students left at the end of the year if the demonic attacks (likely) increase.
Half an hour later, bits of Glory Academy's buildings could be seen over the trees. The academy came into full view as the greenery gave way to an open road. Pristine white buildings reminiscent of palaces formed a beautiful example of Ecrelyn's architecture. The large gate surrounding the campus has been reinforced, and Huey pleasantly noted how the main building (the one that had a hole blasted in it) has been fully restored. Ruby eyes peer further up into the clear blue sky. It was as if a giant pearl thinly enshrouded the entire campus. An iridescent shine was faintly visible under the sunlight, softly refracting rainbow light.
It was a high-scale and powerful ward likely designed to act as a barrier, but Huey wouldn't put it past the academy for including offensive spells into the design. This kind of structured magic is nearly at the peak of defensive spells for mankind and costs much money, mana, and skill. With how much ground the ward covers, it likely took a dozen capable mages and at least two-thirds of their mana reserves. It just goes to show how the kingdom is determined to make sure something like the Winter Showcase never happens again.
Huey hopes it works longer than he thinks.
Eventually, the two carriages stopped in front of the academy entrance. There was a long queue of students, each presenting their student ID to security and a magical device before being allowed in. Once your identity has been proven, the students' belongings are then brought to the dorms by either valets or other attendants. Huey and his cousins quickly disembarked the carriages and got in line. Despite the fact they came early, the line still extended further down the road; Huey could only imagine what it'd be like past noon.
"Huey." Someone called behind him.
Surprisingly, the boy turned around to see Lein (with the absence of Neil to boot). The older boy didn't outright provoke him as much as his brother, but he was pretty involved, too. Nowadays, it's mainly Neil hurling petty insults at Huey and Huey talking back. So why on Evendale would Lein be talking to him?
"What?"
"You have a leaf in your hair." His cousin pointed at his head.
"Oh," Must've flown in when his window was open. Huey plucked the leaf from his hair and let it fall to the ground. "Thanks."
'He's probably gonna rant about me tarnishing the Astaseul reputation.' The boy grumbled in his mind.
Instead, when he looked up, Lein was gone. A quick sweep of the area let him spot the twins already back together, attached to the hip like always.
Since when was he this fast?
Huey set his cousin's irregularity out of his mind and looked around for anybody he knew. Fortunately, he spotted Mathew and Vincent. This was going to be a long queue, after all.
(Author's note: I've replaced Mayson with Mathew bc it was too similar to Kayson.)
—*:･ﾟ*✧ —
He was bidding farewell to Mathew and Vincent before walking further into campus. The staff hadn't moved his belongings to his dorm yet, and he couldn't find Kayson or Nicholas. The boy decided to walk around to pass the time––it was spring; the campus was big, perfect for a stroll!
He only lasted half an hour before returning to the dorm and sat in the communal lounge until his room was ready.
Before long, Kayson arrived at the dorm––with Nicholas conveniently beside him. They ventured outside, bumping into Sorin, Celine, Kade, and Melissa.
"This is so exciting!" Celine squealed joyfully. She was practically vibrating off the air.
"If you stay like that, you'll scare them off." Melissa chastised, but from the faint blush of her cheeks, she felt the same.
No one could blame the girls, as even they were bating their breaths in anticipation. Early in the morning, while Kade was walking around the outskirts of the academy, he stumbled upon a nest of jackalopes! Small rabbit creatures with horns of various kinds protruding from their little heads. Some species even had wings. Imagine a flying, horned bunny!
To top it off, Kade had said there was at least one brood. Celine nearly went crazy when she heard him say that. Everyone knows how much she adores cute things, let alone baby bunnies.
Before long, they had arrived at the spot where Kade saw the jackalopes. The seven of them hiding behind a large bush; from behind, it was pretty comical. Quite a bit passed in bated breaths, eyes sweeping all over for any sign of the animals.
"Ppst, Kade. Where are they?" Kayson whispered-yelled. He hadn't had much interest in the first place, and now the promised "super duper impossibly cute bunnies" were nowhere to be found.
The prince rolled his eyes. "They were here, just be quiet!" Although even he was starting to get restless.
Then, the leaves rustled.
Instantly, they ducked further behind the bush, doing their best to minimize sounds. Huey followed suit, absently wondering how good a jackalope's sense of smell was. He looked past the bush from the side to see two juvenile jackalopes looking directly at them. Their ears faced their direction, and their little nose twitched.
Huey pursed his lips. They were caught, and right as he was about to tell the group, something soft grazed his palm. A small rabbit hopped onto his hand and scampered up. The feeling of little feet running up his body was unbearable... and seeing the horns (albeit buds because of its age) creeping closer to his face, Huey did what any sane man would do.
He screamed bloody murder.
When three seconds passed, and horns never rammed into his face, Huey slowly blinked his eyes open. His tiny assailant was hoisted in the air by none other than Celine. The feral little thing bucked and thrashed, but when Celine brought it into her arms, it calmed down.
The lil shit.
The scene of the blonde petting a small jackalope eagerly snuggling her with the sun and blooming flowers behind her rendered him speechless. Just a moment ago, the thing was out for his blood! Yet now it's acting like a house pet! Huey turned to Kayson in shock to see the boy holding his face down, his shoulders shaking in suppressed laughs. He turned away from the sight for his well-being.
As Sorin helped him up, Huey saw one of the rabbit creatures peering down at him from atop Sorin's head. It was then that he realized jackalopes surrounded them. Fur balls of white, brown, black, pink, and more snuggled Celine, with their unique horns glistening under the sun. Kade had a particularly fat jackalope on his lap, and Melissa had two purple ones on her shoulder. Heck, even Nicholas and Kayson had one.
All except him.
"You have got to be kidding me." Why was he the only one that earned the ire of these things?! So, for the next hour or so, the jackalopes entirely and utterly ignored Huey, save for one (from earlier) who repeatedly attempted to attack him.
✦✧
"Bye Momo, Coco, Popo, Roro!" Celine waved at the jackalopes sadly. The group of juveniles retreated into their burrows when an older jackalope came over.
"Since when did you name them?" Huey asked, was he still salty? Yes, but she was the female lead for a reason. His main annoyance came from how even Kayson had a magical bunny partner.
"Since the moment I saw them." The girl beamed.
Kayson patted Huey's shoulder. "Don't worry, some people just don't attract animals. It's normal!" He snickered. Huey really wanted to punch him.
"I need you to shut up." The boy huffed and walked off first, with the group after him.
Sorin caught up to him first, the Ceylon smiling as though he was apologetic in place of the rabbits. Somehow, it only made it worse––in the first place, he wasn't even that upset.
"I'm sure it's just because you startled them initially, not animals disliking you." Sorin, ever the peacemaker, and Huey hated it, but it was working. "Has this happened before?"
He crossed his arms. "...Not really." There was that bird from last time that liked him, maybe? It didn't attempt to peck out his eyeballs, so that must account for something.
"You see? Don't take Kayson's words to heart."
"Like I'd take him seriously." He snorted and purposely said it loud enough for the boy in question to hear.
On the side, a blue-haired youth quickly added to Sorin: "Say, you think there are jackalopes on the island, too? Who knows, maybe they'll like you––" Kade slapped his mouth, a blanket of cold sweat casting over him.
A hand gripped his shoulder tightly, making Kade freeze up. Nicholas spun the kingdom's prince around and stared him dead in the eye.
"Island?"