Chapter 54

## Chapter Guide

**"Rivals"** (好 (こう) 敵 (てき) 手 (しゅ) たち, *Kōtekishu-tachi*?) is the fifty-fourth chapter of the Shadows House manga series.

## Summary

At 5 am, Rosemary's team goes up to the attic to find a chair to replace a broken one with. Finishing the errand, they run into the team leaders, the Belle twins, who are favoured by Susie for their flattery. Emilico decides to study |Scorches with Rosemary for some company, who accidentally falls asleep on her. At 9 am, Kate and Emilico head out and discuss with Maryrose and Louise then head to the soot training room. The pair runs into the Shadow masters of the Belles, Mirabelle and Isabelle, who use their power to get Emilico on her hands and knees to bark like a dog which angers Kate and uses her power to cause the twins to trip, embarrassing them back. As the next Rejoicing Party begins, Rosemary comes in late, hoarsely groaning.

## Plot

At 5 am, Rosemary's team goes up to a dusty attic although Rosemary herself turns up late. Emilico notes that Star Bearers have access to certain areas such as the soot processing facility and the team carries down a chair to replace a broken one. Leaving to their rooms, the team meets the Belle twins, identical twin leaders who flatter the Star Bearers to look good despite treating their teammates poorly. Rosemary and Emilico study together but Rosemary falls asleep on the latter. Emilico cleans Kate's room at 6 am and helps her master get ready at 8 am, explaining that Scorches' strengths depend on their density, and water is not normally used to clean soot as it would ruin its ability to turn into soot coal. New Star Bearers can only be recommended by the previous and they are the only children that can enter the Lord Grandfather's Wing other than invited individuals.

Kate has Emilico take a nap before heading out at 8:30 am and practice dance with Maryrose at 9 am. The senior explains the previous leader of the Star Bearers was invited and that the children are forbidden from speaking his name, especially if they wish to also become a Star Bearer. On their way to the training room, they meet Louise on the way who uses her soot power to make Lou change expressions quickly. In the training room, Kate meets the Belle twins' Shadows, Mirabelle and Isabelle who use their soot power to make Emilico bark like a dog on her hands and knees. Kate causes the twins to trip by making soot cuffs on their legs, breaking their control, and leaving. Emilico thanks her master for standing up for her.

The next morning, Susie and Olly bring the coffee to start the Rejoicing Party as Barbie is tending to Barbara who suffered a seizure. In the crowd, Emilico feels that she has the best chance of bringing Rosemary and Mia to her side but notices her leader is absent. Mia tells her that she left to throw out some trash. At the back, Rosemary enters the room with a wobbly gait, groaning.

## Characters

1. Rosemary
2. Emilico
3. Mia
4. Lou
5. Ricky (Fantasy)
6. Belle Twins
7. Rum (Flashback)
8. Maggie (Background)
9. Lulu (Background)
10. Kate
11. Sarah (Flashback)
12. Robert (Flashback)
13. Nicholas (Flashback)
14. Oliver (Background)
15. Susanna (Background)
16. Benjamin (Background)
17. Barbara (Background)
18. Maryrose
19. Louise
20. Isabelle (Debut)
21. Mirabelle (Debut)
22. Laurence (Background)
23. Peter (Background)
24. Douglas (Background)
25. James (Background)
26. Susie
27. Olly
28. Billy (Background)
29. Loretta's Face (Background)