That Victor who would call her "princess," whose eyes were filled with undisguised love and care, seemed to have vanished along with the end of the potion's effects.
Seeing her dejected look, Victor suddenly took a step forward, naturally and elegantly taking her hand and bowing his head to press a gentle kiss onto the back of it.
When he looked up again, deep within the usual manic light in his eyes, there was clearly a trace of that same gentleness from yesterday.
"My lovely princess," he gazed at her, his voice tender, "I still belong to you. I never left."
"What?" Enid's eyes widened in surprise, almost thinking she had misheard.
"But... hasn't the potion worn off? Haven't Serum and Riot both..."
"Oh, Enid~" Victor smiled, his fingertips gently stroking the back of her hand.
"The potion and the symbiote didn't create or change my emotions out of thin air. Serum only amplified the love and tenderness already in my heart, and Riot amplified my possessiveness and protective desire."
"The potion's effects have ended, but those emotions that were amplified and allowed me to perceive them clearly won't disappear. They've made me understand more clearly exactly what you and Wednesday mean to me."
His tone gradually became serious, even carrying a hint of that amplified, unquestionable paranoia and madness from yesterday.
"It made me realize that if my world lost either of you, I would go completely insane."
In those eyes that usually danced with playful or chaotic light, two distinct but equally scorching flames were clearly burning now—
One was an almost devout, gentle love, and the other was an aggressive, absolute possessiveness.
Madness and love blended perfectly in his eyes, making him more dangerous and possessing a more fatal attraction than any single version of himself from yesterday.
Perhaps the remnants of the potion were still influencing him, or perhaps not.
But at this moment, Victor Black was more lucidly insane than ever before.
Enid's eyes instantly turned red, and then she broke into an incredibly bright, tearful smile.
"That's... an absolutely terrible way to confess."
She punched his shoulder while laughing and crying at the same time.
"But... fine, as long as it's you, anything is fine."
She took a deep breath and suddenly turned her head to look at Wednesday, who had been standing silently in the room, seemingly detached yet taking everything in.
The familiar light of challenge reignited on her face.
"But Wednesday!"
Enid declared, her tone firm.
"Even so, the war between us isn't over yet! I will never give him up to you easily!"
Hearing this, Wednesday slowly turned her head.
On her face, which was always cold and expressionless, a rare, almost imperceptible glimmer of interest passed through, as if she were attracted by an extremely appealing puzzle.
Her gaze swept over the undisguised greed and love in Victor's eyes before finally meeting Enid's challenging look.
"That is obvious."
Wednesday's voice remained steady, yet it carried a cold, determined sharpness.
"Although Mr. Victor's sudden honesty and... astonishing greed slightly exceeded my initial expectations."
She raised her chin slightly, as if declaring sovereignty over a rare collectible.
"But for this unique 'trophy,' I will certainly be the first, and the final one to complete the appraisal."
The air in the dormitory seemed to freeze.
The fire of refusal to lose burned in Enid's eyes, while in Wednesday's pupils was a field of absolute determination.
The smoke of war spread silently.
Caught in the middle, the corners of Victor's mouth slowly curled into a smile so bright it was almost manic.
He reached out his arms and very naturally pulled the two distinct, graceful girls toward him.
"Arguing is meaningless, my dear ladies."
His voice was light, yet it carried an unquestionable certainty, as if announcing a universal truth.
"The order of tasting never affects the ownership of the feast."
"Because from beginning to end, this feast—"
He lowered his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Enid's lips, slightly parted in surprise, and Wednesday's cold face that didn't push him away, his smile becoming increasingly bold.
"—and I, who am hosting the feast, will only, and only ever want to, belong to you."
Venom poked his head out from his collar, his large white eyes rolling as he let out a dull mumble.
"Here we go again... these lines are so cheesy they make me want to throw up chocolate..."
But he didn't shrink back; instead, he seemed to be... silently giving a thumbs up?
Enid's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, Wednesday's eyelashes trembled ever so slightly, and her tightly pursed lips seemed to loosen by a millimeter.
The war was far from over.
But at this moment, in his unique, mad, and sincere way, Victor had temporarily won... perhaps not peace, but a more complex "Ceasefire Agreement."
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