?As the match ended, Zaek rose from the sidelines, his knuckles white as he gripped the railing.

  ?His hands trembled; his breath hitched in his throat. He stood there, frozen, unable to look away from the spot where the duel had concluded.

  ?A single, intrusive thought was eating him alive.

  ?If the kid hadn’t jumped in at the exact right second…

  ?It wasn't hard to imagine the alternative. The image seared itself into his mind: a jagged spike of frozen mana. Lysric's magic would undoubtedly have pierced through her.

  ?He felt the blood drain from his face.

  ?“...”

  ?Slowly, he shifted his gaze, fixing his eyes on one single man across the field.

  ?Sylas.

  ?Before he could dwell on the anger, the crowd erupted. The silence of the duel shattered as knights, attendants, and onlookers roared in excitement at the spectacle they had just witnessed.

  ?Zaek, dragged forcibly out of his inner world, finally registered the voices washing over him.

  ?“Did you see that?”

  ?“She took him down so easily!”

  ?“Lady Aelira is amazing!”

  ?Hearing the praise, the tension in his shoulders finally broke. His heart involuntarily softened as he looked toward his student. He felt a complicated swell of pride—yet he couldn't bring himself to smile, knowing how close she had come to death.

  ?High in the stands, Wilkram leapt from his seat, punching the air. “Yes! That’s it! Finish him off!”

  ?Instantly sensing the heavy, judgmental stares boring into his back, he collapsed back into his chair. “Ahem—I mean metaphorically! Metaphorically finish him off. Ehe…”

  ?Vivianne, ignoring her husband’s outburst, shifted her gaze toward Aelira. She studied her daughter with a smirk of cool triumph. Satisfied, her eyes drifted to the losing side—to her brother.

  ?Celdric sat with his head bowed, palms pressed white against his knees.

  ?It was her victory.

  ?Beside her, Cassian’s expression was unreadable, his green eyes narrowing slightly. She won? After everything...?

  ?He clenched his jaw. Where did she even find this determination? I planted the seeds of doubt myself.

  ?He glanced sideways, catching Vivianne throwing a confident smile toward the arena. The sight made his stomach turn.

  ?This isn't the end, he told himself, clutching his knees. As long as she isn't crowned the Hero, the game continues.

  ?Unable to bear the atmosphere a second longer, he shoved his chair back and stormed away. Noticing his departure, Lucien followed him quietly.

  ?Down in the arena, Lysric stared blankly at the result.

  ?He had lost.

  ?He tossed aside the blade that had been held at his throat. Rising slowly, he turned toward the exit, his legs heavy and uncooperative.

  ?Aelira watched her opponent walk away, his silhouette crushed under the weight of defeat. She waited for the rush of joy, but it never came.

  ?While she was lost in the complexity of her emotions, a sudden roar from the stands startled her.

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  ?“Eh?”

  ?The entire crowd was chanting her name. It washed over her like a physical wave. She looked around, blinking, like a lost child who had suddenly realized her mother had vanished in a marketplace.

  ?“Aelira! Aelira! Aelira!”

  ?“I-I…”

  ?She just stood there, nervously scuffing the sand with her toes, looking small in the vast arena.

  ?“As we can all see,” the elder Sylas began, his voice cutting through the noise.

  ?At once, silence spread like a ripple. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

  ?“The winner of the tournament is clear. Aelira Viremont shall be named the heir to the Hero of Viremont. That is all.”

  ?With the finality of Sylas's words, the crowd exploded once more.

  ?“Vivianne.”

  ?“Y-yes, Father.” She waited, slightly nervous, her head bowed in respect.

  ?“Well done.”

  ?She blinked, startled by the praise.

  ?“You gambled on your blood, Vivianne. And you won. I see now that you thought of the family's future more than anyone else. I will remember this.”

  ?“Thank you, Father.”

  ?With a satisfied grunt, Sylas turned and calmly left the VIP box.

  ?The crowd, no longer held back by the solemnity of the duel, surged forward to descend upon the winner.

  ?Zaek watched the mass of people and chuckled. “They’re getting carried away, huh? People really do love a spectacle.”

  ?Slipping swiftly through the gaps in the mob, he reached Aelira before the wave crashed over her.

  ?“Alright, that’s enough for today.”

  ?“Sensei?” Aelira tilted her head, unable to hide her surprise at his sudden appearance.

  ?“Yo. Unless you want to become a bouncing ball, it’s better to get out of here.” He planted his feet, bracing himself against several eager men pressing forward.

  ?“B-bouncing ball?”

  ?“Yep. They’ll toss you into the air and catch you back. Repeatedly.”

  ?“Ehh?”

  ?Of course, Aelira had completely forgotten about the northern duel traditions. She glanced at the wall of people; Zaek's intervention was barely holding them back.

  ?While Aelira panicked, a voice cut through the din from the side.

  ?“Lady Aelira, this way!” Aisha pointed to a narrow gap in the crowd.

  ?In that second, to Aelira's eyes, the maid looked like a savior sent from the heavens. Aelira darted toward the opening, squeezing through bodies and limbs, and finally escaped.

  ***

  ?Lysric kept moving despite the pain in his body and the ache in his chest. He neither staggered nor stopped until he finally reached the sanctuary of his room.

  ?The moment he stepped inside, he collapsed onto the bed. For several minutes, he lay there, face buried in the pillow, before finally rolling onto his back to stare up at the wooden ceiling.

  ?The scene replayed in his mind—the moment she leapt, anticipating his second attack.

  ?She completely saw through my trap…

  ?His eyes began to water.

  ?Thud. Thud.

  ?“Can I come in?” A weak, low voice drifted from behind the door.

  ?Quickly wiping away his tears, Lysric tried to compose himself.

  ?“Father?” he muttered, curling in on himself instinctively. With a faint voice, he replied, “Yes… you can.”

  ?The door creaked open, and Celdric stepped inside. Lysric averted his gaze.

  ?“Father, I-I—”

  ?Before he could finish his apology, Celdric crossed the room and wrapped his arms around him.

  ??

  ?Lysric’s eyes widened; his breath caught in his throat.

  ?“I’m sorry, son… I pushed you too hard. Even though I failed you.” His father’s grip tightened.

  ?“Father…?”

  ?Slowly pulling back, Celdric set his hands firmly on Lysric’s shoulders, forcing the boy to look at him. “She didn’t just give her daughter the best teacher possible—she also gave her a reason to fight. But me… all I gave you was pressure you couldn’t handle. And today… I almost lost you.”

  ?“Don’t blame yourself, Father—it’s my fault! I’m the one who failed you! I-I don’t want to lose you. I’ll work harder, so—”

  ?“It’s fine, Lysric. Truly, it’s fine.” Celdric embraced him again, cutting off the frantic plea.

  ?But Lysric pushed back this time, desperation in his eyes. “But I heard… if I can’t become the Hero, then Aunt will take your place—and she’ll have you executed!”

  ?Celdric froze. The silence in the room grew heavy. He studied his son’s face, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “…You overheard me speaking with Cassian, didn’t you?”

  ?Lysric’s silence gave him away.

  ?“It isn’t good to eavesdrop at doors, Lysric.”

  ?“It’s not like I meant to… I just heard it.”

  ?“What you heard was only a possibility. Even if you failed, I won’t lose my place—and she wouldn't be able to do such a thing.” His expression hardened, not with anger, but with a steely determination.

  ?“But how can you be so sure? For Grandfather, the Hero is everything. He won’t allow his heir to come from the other side. Even I know that!” Lysric threw his hands in the air, his voice cracking.

  ?“Lysric… I didn’t push you to become the Hero because I was worried about my position.”

  ?“…What? Then why?”

  ?“I pushed you because I wanted to protect you. Who knows what Father might do to you otherwise?”

  ?Tears welled in Lysric’s eyes again. “Then… does that mean you’ll be safe?”

  ?“As I said, I won’t lose to Vivianne so easily. She may be a formidable opponent… but she hasn't won the war yet.” His face softened into a gentle smile Lysric had rarely seen.

  ?Celdric rose, patting his son’s head. “Take a shower. Don’t dwell on the duel.”

  ?Then he turned and left.

  ?Lysric sat frozen on the bed, confused—but deep inside, something warm began to stir.

  ?Outside, Celdric closed the door behind him. The gentle smile vanished instantly.

  ?I am the only one who can save this family. No matter what, I cannot give up my position. For the sake of our name… and for my son.

  ?He straightened his clothes and walked away with renewed, cold resolve.