‎Location: Academy Laundry Chambers – Sublevel 2

‎‎Zephyr Arclight did not expect laundry duty to require a gas mask.

‎‎And yet, here he was—goggles on, apron donned, and surrounded by clouds of suspiciously pink steam.

‎‎BOOM.

‎A washing machine exploded with a soft pop, releasing heart-shaped bubbles into the air.

‎‎From behind a large pile of steaming towels, Selena Frostveil emerged—hair frizzed, lab coat slightly singed, and a clipboard somehow still intact.

‎‎"This is bad," she muttered.

‎‎"No kidding," Zephyr replied, deflecting an airborne sock with a mop.

‎‎Selena adjusted her glasses. “Someone replaced the standard detergent with an experimental affection amplifier.”

‎‎Zephyr blinked. “...That’s a love potion.”

‎‎“Yes. In soap form.”

‎‎“And now it’s airborne?”

‎‎“Highly contagious in steam form. Side effects include excessive flirting, love confessions, daydreaming, and spontaneous poetry.”

‎‎Just then—

‎‎“ZEPHYR, YOU ABSOLUTE DREAM OF A MAN—!”

‎‎Rosalia de Glorieux burst into the room wielding a bouquet of enchanted roses, her eyes sparkling unnaturally.

‎‎“I just folded three hundred napkins in your name!”

‎‎“Rosalia,” Zephyr warned, holding up his mop like a crucifix, “you’ve been exposed.”

‎‎“I’ve been enlightened!”

‎Elsewhere in the Academy: Chaos.

‎‎Drakynia Flameheart was threatening to duel anyone who looked at Zephyr “with impure detergent-driven intentions.”

‎‎Arwen Galehart was curled up in the library, writing a 50-page research essay on “The Magical Ethics of Soap-Based Emotional Manipulation (And Why He Smells Nice).”

‎‎Professor Figgs had fallen in love with his tea kettle.

‎Back in the Laundry Room

‎‎Selena slammed the emergency shutdown rune.

‎‎The magical washer-dryers sputtered, fizzled, and finally… wheezed into silence.

‎Zephyr caught Rosalia mid-lunge with one arm. She sighed dramatically and passed out into a pile of towels.

‎‎Selena rubbed her temples. “Who would even make a love soap?”

‎‎Zephyr thought for a moment.

‎Then his eyes narrowed. “I know someone who sells forbidden scented candles and emotionally manipulative bath bombs.”

‎‎Selena looked up. “You don’t mean…”

‎‎“Maribelle Moonshimmer.”

‎Former alchemy student. Current rogue bubble witch.

‎Later That Evening – Dorm Rooftop

‎‎Zephyr leaned against the railing, watching stars blink overhead.

‎Selena stood beside him, quiet for a while.

‎Then, softly: “You weren’t affected.”

‎‎“Mm?”

‎‎“The soap. The potion. You never… reacted.”

‎‎Zephyr looked at her and gave a small, unreadable smile.

‎“Maybe I’m already under a different kind of spell.”

‎‎Selena froze. The tips of her ears turned pink.

‎‎He stood up. “Goodnight, President.”

‎‎And he left her there, flustered and staring at the moon.

‎End of Chapter 34

‎Next up?

‎Chapter 35: The Bubble Witch’s Return – Zephyr vs. the Lovebomb Conspiracy

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