Deuce’s strict use of honorifics (he is the only character to refer to all older students as “last-name-senpai, more here ▶︎) may imply that he has a respect for hierarchy, also seen in his Book 7 dream: “If someone doesn’t honor the hierarchy, you gotta teach ’em to respect it.”
As early as the beginning of Book 1 Deuce is telling Grim not to disrespect Riddle.
While EN’s localization shuffles Deuce’s name for Riddle, in the original game Deuce has never referred to him as anything but “Housewarden”, “Housewarden Rosehearts” or “boss,” using a word that is likely a holdover from his pre-NRC days as an aspiring yankee. More here ▶︎
Canonically Deuce has never referred to Riddle by his first name, with or without the “Housewarden” title.
Deuce’s dorm vignette begins with him confronting three upperclassmen for speaking disrespectfully of Riddle (he is saved from a three-on-one fight by Ace).
Later in the vignette Heartslabyul’s flamingos are let loose on campus and Deuce tries to wrangle them on his own, saying, “It would be a disgrace to the housewarden to let the party be cancelled.” Impressed by his loyalty to Riddle, Rook volunteers to help.
The culprits are revealed to be the same upperclassmen who had been insulting Riddle at the start of the vignette (“I wanted to see the tears in Rosehearts’ eyes”) and Deuce declares, “I mighta let this slide if it was just a harmless prank, but you just HAD to drag the animals into it. There’s some lines you don’t ever cross!”
Deuce defends himself with a counter-grapple when an upperclassmen tries to hit him, saying, “I follow the boss—uh, the housewarden’s rules.”
Selected as a Halloween management committee member, Deuce says he is going to make sure NRC’s Halloween traditions are proudly represented: “Housewarden Rosehearts told me he expected the best from me.”
When Ace tries to find other students to look out for his tsum during Tsumsted Deuce refuses to be complicit, saying that he will be informing Riddle, who instructed them to do the job themselves.
When Ace invites Deuce to skip school in favor of visiting Playfulland, Deuce invites Riddle to join them: “it wouldn’t be right for us to have all the fun and leave our boss out of it…”
When Riddle is less than pleased Deuce decides, “If our housewarden feels that strongly about it, I guess I’d better fall in line…”
Deuce is not amused when Floyd insinuates that he could overthrow Riddle for the position of Housewarden, saying, “I suggest you give our boss more credit.”
In an effort to compliment Riddle on his Glorious Masquerade outfit Deuce says, “You’ve got this whole boss vibe going, yourself. Way to nail the look!” (Riddle: “I question what ‘vibe’ that would even be, but l’ll accept your sentiments.”)
When Riddle refuses to eat in the library during the Lantern event Deuce decides that he will abstain as well. Jack says, “Just ‘cuz Riddle says he doesn’t want any, doesn’t mean you gotta follow his lead” and he doesn’t want the others making mistakes from being too hungry to act. Deuce responds, “Don’t be rude to Housewarden Riddle.”
When the Riddle of his own dream in Book 7 assumes that the Heartslabyul housewarden must be “as joyless and unpleasant as they come” for his love of rules Deuce tries to defend Riddle (“But that’s not right! Even if this is a dream, it’s like he’s invalidating himself”), but Ace holds him back.
It is the Ace-darkness-doppleganger’s lack of respect for Riddle that betrays its ruse to Deuce: when the dream-Ace starts telling Leona that he is “way smarter and more levelheaded” than Riddle and “could easily beat him in a fight” Deuce takes offense, saying that Ace would never believe their “boss” would go down easily to the housewarden of another dorm.
It is Deuce who wakes Riddle up from his dream of Book 7. With his happy ending compromised Riddle is dragged into an abyss, but Deuce and Ace refuse to let him go.
In a vignette we see Deuce struggling with math, and when Riddle appears (saying “that’s as basic as basic gets”) Deuce begins to panic, saying that he is trying his best and begging not to be collared by Riddle’s unique magic.
Instead Riddle gifts him with a reference book and even reviews it with him, leading to Deuce deciding that, one day, he will be an honor student just like Riddle.
While talking to a school-hating Riddle in Book 7 Deuce explains that he, too, used to hate studying and school, but it was only because he cut so much class that he couldn’t understand the material, so he found it all “boring and stifling.”
Deuce explains that, since enrolling at NRC, Riddle has been tutoring him and now he is slowly understanding the material, enjoys school and has come to believe that studying is “really worthwhile.”
Ortho says he has often seen Riddle tutoring Deuce in the library, and Deuce says that Riddle gifted him with a book of crossword puzzles (he says he has solved six out of 50).
Deuce saves Riddle from elimination twice during Beanfest (Azul: “What a touching display of loyalty for one’s housewarden!”), sacrificing himself the second time.
When he sees Riddle with multiple books in the library Deuce volunteers to carry them for him, and when Riddle volunteers to serve as bait for firelotuses during Glorious Masquerade Deuce insists on staying behind with him.
Riddle refuses to allow this, saying, “The last thing I need is an inexperienced, easily-distracted flier slowing me down. Your ‘help’ isn’t wanted. I expect you to do honor to Heartslabyul in a place more befitting your talents. Is that clear?,” and Deuce concedes. (Jamil: “I’m guessing it’s a Heartslabyul thing. Must be Riddle’s idea of a pep talk.” – Idia: “Yikes… Heartslabyul must be a horror show…”)
Deuce is the only Heartslabyul student to ally against Riddle with Ace in Book 1, and joins Ace in challenging Riddle for the position of housewarden, though he at first intends to use physical assault rather than magical.
Post overblot Riddle begins to cry and when Ace declares he still won’t be forgiving him Deuce tells him to give Riddle a break.
Deuce will occasionally reference being afraid of Riddle, saying during Halloween that he isn’t scared of ghosts compared to having to deal with Riddle when he’s angry.
Deuce seems to enjoy it when Riddle compliments him, telling Sebek a story about a time he chased down a student trying to escape Riddle’s judgement: “get this—after Housewarden Riddle finished dressing down the rulebreaker, he complimented me!”
Deuce also seems pleased when Riddle compliments his Glorious Masquerade outfit (“hearing you say that makes me feel a lot more comfortable”), and after hearing of Deuce’s exploits from Rook Riddle praises him for his courage, offering to hold a tea party in his honor at Heartslabyul.
(Deuce: “I’m flattered… But if Ace finds out I got riled up and said all that stuff, he’ll make fun of me for days.”)
When Riddle refers to Deuce as “an exceptional card soldier” during the lantern event Deuce responds, “I’m honored by the compliment, Housewarden!”
Riddle says, “Deuce is a serious and exemplary student, but I do wish he’d be more prudent.”
After trying to surf for the first time Riddle says he wants to invite the rest of Heartslabyul to the beach sometime, as Cater and Deuce would especially enjoy it.
Twisted Wonderland Reference Note 