"Whew…" Marinette let out a long sigh of relief, patting her small chest, which was still heaving from the thrilling "escape" she had just experienced, with a hint of lingering fear.
The sour, uneasy feeling that had been hanging in the air ever since she saw that "shocking" photo in the cafeteria finally settled, bringing a sense of relief.
Although… she still harbored an indescribably complex emotion towards the black-haired young man who was currently alone in the hospital, accompanying another girl—an emotion called "jealousy."
But… at least, she now knew the truth. That was enough.
"…Honestly," Alya, watching her silly, relieved expression as if she had just survived a disaster, poked her smooth, full forehead with her finger, exasperated, "Look at you, so pathetic!"
"Ouch!" Marinette cried out in pain, covering her forehead with a wronged expression.
"I'm telling you, Marinette…" Alya suddenly leaned in, her light brown eyes, usually shimmering with the keen and cunning glint of a cheetah, now sparkled with a dangerous light, full of "demonic temptation," "How about… next time, you pretend to be sick too, and see what happens?"
"Eh?!" Marinette blinked her beautiful, pure sapphire-like eyes in confusion, "W-why would I pretend to be sick?"
"You idiot!" Alya was almost driven to death by her best friend, who was as emotionally dense as a block of uncarved wood!
She practically gritted her teeth as she whispered into her ear, describing the "many benefits of being sick" that were full of deadly, sweet temptation!
"Think about it! As long as you're sick!
That damned, hopelessly gentle 'central air conditioner' of his!
Won't he rush to your side first, just like he treated Rose today?!"
"He'll personally take you to the hospital!"
"He'll gaze at you silently with eyes so gentle they could melt all the ice and snow on the Alps!"
"He'll run errands for you! Bring you tea and water! Peel apples for you! Tell you jokes!"
"He'll dedicate all his damned gentleness, without reservation, to you alone!"
Alya's seductive whispers, like the beautiful serpent in the Garden of Eden tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, seemed to possess some indescribable magical power!
In an instant, it opened a door for Marinette to a new world of "fantasy" filled with pink dream bubbles!
A beautiful scene, one that almost made her melt with happiness on the spot, involuntarily appeared before her eyes:
In the scene, she lay weakly on a soft, sun-kissed white bed, while the black-haired young man she yearned for sat by the bed, his face filled with worry.
With his warm hand, he carefully wiped away the fine beads of sweat that had appeared on her forehead from the "high fever"… His eyes were filled with a deep tenderness and pity that could drown the entire world, and he softly said in a comforting, doting tone, "…Little fool, you must take good care of yourself from now on…"
"Cough! Cough, cough!" A cold, realistic cough, like the sharpest, most merciless pair of scissors, "snip" and cut off Marinette's beautiful fantasy of pink bubbles!
She snapped back to reality, only to see Alya silently looking at her with an exasperated expression that said, "You're hopeless."
"…Alright, alright," Alya weakly held her forehead, "This plan hasn't even been sketched out yet! And you're already daydreaming…"
"But don't rush. This 'plan' has to be implemented a few days later, otherwise, it'll be too obvious."
"…O-okay…" Marinette reluctantly broke free from her sweet fantasy, nodding obediently like a pecking chick.
Just then! "Buzz—!" "Buzz—!" Both their phones vibrated violently almost at the same time! They exchanged a puzzled glance, then simultaneously pulled out their phones. On the screen was an emergency news broadcast just pushed by Paris TV, with a glaring blood-red exclamation Marc!
"…We interrupt this program for an urgent news report… Just now, near the city center hospital, two new Akumatized Persons have appeared…" Nathalie, in a business suit, reported to the camera with her usual calm and professional tone, "…Their codenames are 'Prince of flowers' and 'Princess Fragrance'… They possess the terrifying ability to conjure countless flowers and emit a confusing fragrance… It has now been confirmed that all citizens infected by that fragrance have turned into 'puppets' who have lost their self-awareness and can only express themselves by singing loudly… Therefore, all citizens are urged to immediately take precautions! Please stay at home as much as possible and do not go out! To avoid inhaling those dangerous, deadly gases!"
Prince of flowers?! Princess Fragrance?! Marinette and Alya were both stunned!
And just then! "…Attention, students! Attention, students!"
The principal's authoritative voice echoed through the school broadcast, "…Due to an emergency situation in the city of Paris!
The school has decided to dismiss classes early! All students, please pack your belongings immediately and evacuate the school in an orderly fashion! Stay safe!"
"Oh—!!!" After a brief one-second silence, the entire campus instantly erupted in a joyous cheer loud enough to blow the roof off!
"Long live Hawk Moth—!!!" Someone even frantically shouted the name that should have been synonymous with evil and darkness in the crowd!
"…That's great!" Alya looked at the chaotic and ecstatic scene on campus, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes, "I can go home early today!
Perfect! I can use this time to meticulously prepare a detailed and perfect 'contingency plan' for our 'genius' plan!"
After she finished speaking, she pulled Marinette, who was still in a state of extreme shock, and rushed back to the classroom.
The two hastily packed their schoolbags, then parted ways at the entrance of the teaching building… Marinette didn't go home immediately. She found a deserted, hidden corner and quietly opened her pink crossbody bag.
"…Tikki?" She called out softly in a worried, small voice.
"…I…I'm here…Marinette…" The adorable little Kwami weakly poked its small, pale head out of the crossbody bag.
"…Can you still hold on?"
"Mm."
Marinette looked at its heartbreakingly tired appearance, her heart filled with an indescribable self-reproach and pity.
Without Tikki, she couldn't transform, couldn't fight the terrifying Akumatized Person raging outside, couldn't save the innocent citizens suffering, and even more, couldn't save the young man she yearned for, who might currently be trapped in a dangerous, sweet sea of flowers!
She had to cure it immediately!
"…Tikki," she took a deep breath, and said with an unprecedentedly firm tone, "…Now, take me to the place that can cure you!"
…In the massage parlor, Master Fu sat cross-legged on the ancient, weathered meditation cushion.
A small gong was placed in front of him, and he held a small gong mallet in his hand.
And in front of him, the adorable little Kwami lay weakly on the ground.
Master Fu closed his eyes and chanted, gently tapping the gong with the mallet!
"Clang—!" A crisp, melodious, mysterious gong sound, as if from ancient times, echoed in the quiet, sandalwood-scented room!
A visible golden, warm sound wave rippled from the gong, slowly infusing the weak little Kwami's body! It wasn't a treatment, but rather a kind of conditioning, a special "spell" to regulate these ancient energy aggregates from the dawn of the universe… And at the Agreste mansion, Adrien, escorted by his loyal and silent Bodyguard, also returned early to his huge, empty, showroom-like room.
He had, of course, also seen the news full of ominous danger, but… what could he do?
He could only obediently stay in this safe, luxurious little "world" personally created by his cold and authoritative father.
He was completely unaware that in the oppressive, cold, and design-heavy office downstairs, his father and his cold, capable assistant were plotting a terrible conspiracy that could overturn all of Paris.
"…Sigh…"
He sighed helplessly, then, facing the empty, huge room, whispered with the passionate, chuunibyou tone of a teenager: "…Plagg! Attack!"
"Ah—! My Camembert cheese—!!!"
Accompanied by a painful wail as the cheese was snatched away, a green light of destruction instantly enveloped his body!
…And on the colorful street, which had been completely stained with the romantic scent of death, Jaden and the short, pink-purple-haired "princess" he gently held by the hand, were slowly strolling through the flower sea filled with sweet, deadly fragrance, like a pair of elegant king and queen leisurely inspecting their territory.
The fervent, operatic praises of the controlled "puppets" echoed in their ears, and they enjoyed the tranquility of the moment.
Just then, a black, luxurious, obviously expensive high-end car slowly drove into this "realm of gods" where mortals should not tread—it was Chloé's car.
Inside the car, Chloé leaned unhappily against the soft leather seat, her proud face, adorned with exquisite makeup, filled with intense jealousy that could sour all of Paris!
"…This is too much! That guy! I knew him first! And what happened?!
He actually skipped class for a sickly little girl!
…He's simply heartless! Incompetent! Irresponsible!" Her words were full of bitter resentment, as if she were accusing an irresponsible "faithless man."
Sabrina, beside her, could only softly comfort the "queen" on the verge of rage with a fawning, humble tone: "…Chloé, don't be angry… Um… Weren't you going to take me home to do chemistry homework…"
"Screech—!!!" Suddenly, an extremely sharp sound of tires screeching to a halt rang out! Chloé's delicate body was violently thrown forward by the huge inertia!
"What the hell is going on?!" She regained her balance awkwardly, and angrily shouted at the driver in the front seat, "Are we home?! You just…"
"…Chloé," Sabrina's trembling voice, full of terror, interrupted her, "…Outside…outside something's not right…"
Chloé's black luxury car was like a lost luxury cruise ship that had stumbled into the Bermuda Triangle. Around it was a colorful sea of flowers filled with the romantic scent of death, and the air was permeated with a domineeringly sweet, deadly fragrance.
Further away, the "puppets" were loudly "singing" fervent hymns in an exaggerated, operatic manner:
"…Praise… Prince of flowers…"
"…Praise… Princess Fragrance…"
The moment the eerie singing penetrated the thick soundproof car windows and drifted into the car, Chloé's jealousy and displeasure instantly solidified!
She and Sabrina, who was already pale with fear from the surreal and eerie scene outside the window, simultaneously realized an extremely terrifying fact—they had entered the Akumatized Person's territory!
"Bang!" The driver's side door was suddenly pushed open from the inside!
The silent driver, dressed in a crisp black suit, now walked out of the car like a soulless puppet, turned around, and slowly spread his arms towards the sea of flowers, loudly chanting in a rich tenor voice, full of passion and artistic flair he had never displayed before: "…Praise…"
Chloé watched as her most reliable Bodyguard became so strange and terrifying, and a cold emotion called "fear" finally welled up in her blue eyes, which always sparkled with arrogance and disdain!
"Click."
A slight mechanical sound, like the cold declaration of death, as the rear door was slowly opened from the outside.
Two figures bathed in the sweet, deadly fragrance—like a king and queen from the darkest, most opulent fairy tale—slowly appeared before them.
Chloé instinctively pulled the trembling Sabrina tightly behind her, straightened her slender but inherently proud spine, and stared intently with wary and hostile eyes at the young man with a faint, gentle smile—the one she both loved, hated, and envied!
"…Miss Chloé," the magnificent "prince" corrupted by darkness spoke with an easy, elegant tone, as if greeting them, "…And, Sabrina… We meet again."
His voice was so gentle, yet to Chloé's ears, it was more chilling than the coldest demonic whisper from the deepest abyss!
"W-what do you want?!"
Chloé's voice carried a slight tremor that even she didn't notice!
"…What do I want?" Jaden's smile grew even more "gentle." He didn't answer, but simply slowly extended his hand and lightly snapped his fingers at the luxurious car.
"Snap." The crisp sound seemed to possess magical power. The next second! The huge black car, made of hard steel, actually slowly disintegrated like a fragile sand sculpture instantly eroded by green vines, under their gaze of extreme terror!
Countless vibrant, colorful flowers burst forth from the cold car body, growing wildly!
Within a few short seconds, the luxury car, a symbol of the Bourgeois family's wealth and status, had completely transformed into a beautiful flower tomb filled with the romantic scent of death!
"…" Chloé and Sabrina were completely petrified. They stared dumbfounded at this magical scene that defied all laws of physics, their minds instantly going blank!
"... I just feel," Jaden's gentle, smiling voice sounded again, "...it's truly impolite to keep two beautiful ladies in such a cramped and cold space."
"So..." He slowly extended his hand, making an elegant inviting gesture towards the luxurious fashion boutique they were all too familiar with, "...I apologize for the inconvenience, but please accompany us there to rest for a while."
..."Paris's most exclusive and luxurious members-only haute couture boutique, this is Chloé's favorite and most frequent shopping spot. It's his home turf, his kingdom.
Yet today, she was 'brought' here like a prisoner of a defeated nation being paraded through the streets.
The shop assistants, dressed in crisp black uniforms and sporting professional, perfect smiles, had now become 'puppets' who could only express themselves through song.
When they saw the figures of the dark fairy tale King and Queen enter, they sang out in exaltation, like devout believers seeing a supreme deity.
Jaden paid them no mind, simply walking slowly to the Italian-imported velvet sofa in the store and sitting down, like an elegant medieval nobleman.
And the short, pink-purple-haired 'Princess' whose hand he held, showed a fresh and excited smile, as if returning to her magnificent castle, a true Princess!
She let go of Jaden's hand and flitted like a joyful butterfly among the racks laden with the season's latest expensive fashions—silver sequined evening gowns, pure white women's suits, light yellow floral dresses... She tirelessly tried on the beautiful clothes she could only admire in magazines when she was sick!
Whenever she emerged from the luxurious fitting room in a new outfit, the charming 'Prince' lounging on the sofa would look at her with a sincere, gentle gaze enough to make any girl fall, and utter poetic, magnificent words of praise:
"...My Princess, you are like the bright moon born from the deepest, purest night sky..."
"...My Princess, you are like the solitary snow lotus blooming on the snow of the Alps..."
"...My Princess..."
The shop assistants beside them would also sing fervent songs of praise in an exaggerated, operatic manner.
Chloé was forced to sit on another cold, small chair, with Sabrina beside her, too scared to even breathe.
She was forced to watch this absurd, ironic 'fashion show' filled with extreme humiliation!
It was ridiculous! She, Chloé, the daughter of the Mayor of Paris, the sole heir of the Queen of Fashion, was actually sitting here like a lowly beggar, watching an unknown commoner girl wear the magnificent, expensive clothes that should belong to her!
And the young man she adored, who should have been fawning over her, was now looking at someone else with the gentle, doting eyes she had always dreamed of!
Even more humiliating—those haute couture outfits, costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of euros, were being charged to her card?!
She felt her chest was about to be burned through by the cold flames of anger, jealousy, and humiliation! Her knuckles were slightly white from clenching, and her breathing became short and rapid!
Just then, a controlled tuxedo waiter silently approached the 'Prince' with a silver, ornate tray.
On the tray was a plate of colorful, sweet macarons. Jaden elegantly put a macaron into his mouth, then slowly turned his head, his black eyes hidden beneath the silver mask quietly falling on the golden-haired young lady on the verge of fury.
"...Miss Chloé," his voice was gentle and full of kindness, "...do you think my Princess looks good in this?"
This sentence was like a tiny fuse, quietly lit, yet capable of detonating an entire arsenal.
Jaden's voice was so gentle, his tone filled with a refreshing kindness, as if he was truly humbly seeking the professional opinion of a young lady with extremely high fashion taste.
However, to Chloé's ears, every soft syllable was like an invisible branding iron, red-hot and laced with venom, fiercely searing her proud heart, which had already become fragile and vulnerable from extreme anger, jealousy, and humiliation!
"Boom—!!!"
A destructive lava, named 'rage,' capable of burning the entire city of Paris to ashes, erupted violently in her chest!
She almost instinctively wanted to spring from the cold chair and unleash every malicious, cutting, and hurtful word she could think of in her life.
To fiercely humiliate that damned sickly commoner girl wearing her expensive clothes, to fiercely tear apart the hypocritical smiling face of that heartless bastard who looked at another girl with damned gentle, doting eyes!
However, just a second before that destructive surge of anger was about to breach the last dam of her reason, she forcefully suppressed that world-destroying rage!
No! She couldn't lose her temper here!
If she lost control now, wouldn't that be exactly what that bastard wanted? He wanted to see her lose composure, to see her throw a tantrum like a hysterical madwoman, to see her embarrassed!
She wouldn't let him have his way!
Chloé bit hard on her lower lip, adorned with expensive rose-colored lipstick. The sharp, tiny pain was like a basin of icy cold water, instantly extinguishing her reason on the verge of losing control.
She used all her strength to forcefully turn her proud head, which was almost burned to ashes by rage, to the other side.
"...Whether she's pretty or not..." Her voice was cold, with a violently suppressed tremor, "...What does it have to do with me?!"
Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between her tightly clenched teeth.
Jaden watched her trembling slightly with anger, yet still desperately trying to maintain the last shred of her young lady's dignity, his lips hidden beneath the ornate silver mask slowly curving into a playful, even malicious, arc.
Then, he turned his 'kind' and 'gentle' gaze to the trembling girl hiding behind Chloé, almost shrinking into a ball.
"...Then, Miss Sabrina..." His voice was soft, filled with a seductive power, "...What do you think?"
The girl, who always followed behind Chloé like a shadow, humble and lacking presence, suddenly froze!
She slowly raised her pale little face, which always bore a timid, fawning expression, and looked at the elegant, charming young man who was gazing at her with gentle kindness. Then, she uncontrollably looked at the girl who was wearing beautiful clothes she wouldn't even dare to dream of, shining and lucky like a Princess—her eyes instantly filled with the bitter, hot emotion called 'envy.'
If... if it were she who was being looked at so gently right now, how wonderful would that be... But just as her heart was about to be drowned by the fatally sweet fantasy, a cold, suppressed low shout, like a cruel lightning bolt, struck her reason: "...Sabrina!"
She snapped back to reality, seeing the terrifying, cold, threatening gaze of the 'Queen' in front of her. Her body, filled with envy, uncontrollably shivered, and then she frantically shook her head at the 'Prince' awaiting an answer—unable to utter a single word, she could only express her fearful refusal in this humble, silent way.
Just then, the beautiful 'Princess Fragrance' who had tried on all the latest and most expensive fashions in the boutique, finally ended her dreamlike, happy 'fashion show' to her heart's content.
She flew back to the elegantly waiting 'Prince' like a joyful butterfly, her voice filled with a little girl's excited, treasure-offering tone: "Prince! I... I also picked out a few for you!"
Having said that, without waiting for Jaden to react, she, like a thoughtful and virtuous wife, proactively helped him put on the clothes she had chosen, full of a young girl's sweet aesthetic.
Jaden looked at her bright, expectant eyes, did not refuse, but merely smiled gently, letting her slender, nimble, cold little hands do as they pleased on him.
Subsequently, a romantic, dreamy, sweet two-person fashion show, exclusively for the two of them, officially began.
Chloé finally couldn't bear it any longer and abruptly closed her eyes, which were almost burned by the dazzling sweet light—she didn't want to see, not a single scene more!
Sabrina beside her stared blankly at this dreamlike, unreal scene with a complex gaze of both envy and jealousy, both longing and fear.
They didn't know that the 'Princess' cherished in the 'Prince's' palm was their classmate who always had a sweet smile. They just assumed it was some lucky girl who, after her Akumatization, happened to fall into the young man's arms, and by chance, underwent Akumatization together... Meanwhile, in that cold, magnificent lair, Hawk Moth did not watch the 'good show' he directed through the mental link of absolute control. Instead, like an ordinary father, he sat with Nathalie in front of a huge, cold screen, watching the real-time footage from hidden surveillance cameras across Paris.
In the footage, the young 'Prince,' also corrupted by darkness, was looking at the 'Princess' nestled beside him with the gentle, doting eyes he knew all too well.
At that moment, his heart involuntarily felt a slight pang—once upon a time, he had also looked at his golden-haired wife, Emilie, who wore his designs and laughed joyfully in front of him, in the same way.
He looked at the 'Princess Fragrance' in the screen, Akumatization yet radiating an unprecedented happy smile, and recalled Emilie, who always encouraged him to cheer up in his dreams;
Looking at the young man who underwent Akumatization to protect the 'Princess' in his heart, he suddenly felt how similar the other's actions to save the fading girl were to his own obsession with resurrecting his deceased wife!
Nathalie, beside him, looked at the man lost in nostalgic thought, and a complex, gentle emotion quietly flitted across her eyes—once upon a time, when Emilie was still alive, this mansion was also filled with warmth, not the oppressive silence it was now.
Just then! "Beep! Beep beep!" The special tablet computer in Nathalie's hand suddenly emitted an urgent warning sound!
In one of the surveillance screens, a familiar figure in a black tight-fitting combat suit, holding an extendable metal staff, appeared quietly on the edge of the flower sea filled with a romantic aura of death, like an agile, elegant black cat, his face also wearing a high-tech respirator to block the confusing scent!
Nathalie's expression changed slightly, and the fragile tenderness in the man's eyes instantly vanished, replaced by the cold, greedy gaze of a hunter about to capture his prey!
He spoke through the mental link, in Jaden's mind: "...Prince of flowers, the 'target' has appeared.
...However, there's only one person.
...Ladybug might be hiding in the dark.
...You need to be careful."
Jaden's doting actions of admiring the 'Princess' slowly stopped. He looked through the huge floor-to-ceiling glass window towards the edge of the flower sea—even from a distance, he could clearly see the lurking black figure.
"...What's wrong?" The girl beside him keenly noticed his cold, dangerous abnormality and raised her masked little face with concern.
"...Nothing," Jaden lowered his head and gently ruffled her soft, pink-purple long hair, "...You just stay here obediently... Wait for me to go out and get the 'thing' I need.
...Then, you will never feel sad about anything again."
His voice was so gentle, like he was making an eternal, sweet promise.
Rose, of course, knew that the 'thing' referred to the miraculous!
Her eyes sparkled with firm resolve: "I... I'll go with you too!"
"...No," Jaden slowly shook his head, "...Only the 'Prince' needs to face the enemy..."
He gently cupped her small face with his large hand, wearing a dark purple velvet glove, and softly said in a gentle, doting, yet domineering tone: "...'Princess'... just needs to obediently hide behind me, that's all."
Having said that, he didn't give her a chance to retort, turning and walking straight towards the luxurious, cold boutique door.
That elegant, magnificent kingly figure slowly receded under Rose's gaze, filled with blissful, infatuated love.
On the other side, Sabrina watched the 'Prince' finally leave, letting out a long sigh of relief in her heart, and cautiously nudged the 'Queen' who was sulking with her eyes closed: "...Chloé, he... he's gone... What... what do we do now?"
Chloé slowly opened her blue eyes, filled with cold fury, and glared fiercely at her sidekick, who had messed up at a crucial moment, with a look of utter idiocy, her voice full of sarcasm: "...Can't you use that brain of yours, which is smaller than a walnut kernel?!
What to do now? Of course, we wait here!
Are we supposed to go 1v1 with that damned 'Princess Fragrance'?!
Didn't you see the 'servants' around? Didn't you see her physical abilities after her Akumatization? I don't want to be humiliated again!"
She knew her limits and didn't want to rush forward to invite further humiliation after already losing face.
"...Oh..." Sabrina, scolded, dared not look up and silently took out her chemistry homework from her backpack.
Chloé looked at her 'straight-A student' move of still having the mind to do homework in such a critical situation, her brows, full of anger, furrowed tightly: "...What are you doing?!"
"...Doing... doing homework..." Sabrina answered softly, feeling wronged.
Chloé was silent for a moment, then issued an order in an unquestionable tone: "...Then, write mine too, while you're at it."