?Aelira looked up at the old man and the crowd was still lingering around her.

  ?“Can I go now?” she asked, her voice weak and pleading.

  ?The old man, Asoth, leaned forward, eyes sparkling with unchecked curiosity. “Not yet! Tell them again—how did you predict his second strike? It was brilliant!”

  ?“I already explained it… three times…” she muttered, slumping.

  ?“Hahaha! A true genius! She does it by instinct, not even thinking about it!”

  ?The knights around them nodded vigorously.

  ?“Exactly!”

  ?“That’s our future Hero for you.”

  ?“Natural talent, indeed.”

  ?How did this even happen? Aelira wondered, feeling smaller by the second.

  ?She remembered escaping the suffocating crowd in the arena, only to bump into this old man in the corridor. Before she knew it, she was dragged into an impromptu lecture about her own victory.

  ?Her head drooped. Gravity was winning the battle against her eyelids. Half the words buzzing around her didn't even register anymore.

  ?Finally, noticing her swaying on her feet, the old man raised a hand.

  ?“Alright, alright! Give the girl some space. That’s enough for today. We’ll have plenty of time to hear her war stories later.”

  ?The crowd dispersed reluctantly, grumbling about wanting to hear more about the Prince or Isengrim.

  ?Asoth waved them off until the corridor was empty. “There. Gone.”

  ?Aelira’s eyes were spinning. “T-Thank you…”

  ?“Ahaha, don’t mention it! I’m the one who dragged you into this mess, after all. But you know, the winner is expected to join the after-party. It’s tradition!”

  ?“Can’t I… do that after I sleep for a week?”

  ?He blinked, genuinely shocked. “Hmm? Of course not! That would be an insult to the spirit of the North!”

  ?Right… traditions.

  ?She sighed. In Isen, celebrations were treated with the same seriousness as battles.

  ?But then, she paused. She looked at the man with skeptical eyes.

  ?Wait... this doesn't feel right.

  ?The man spoke too freely, laughed too easily. He lacked the frozen stiffness, the grim formality of a true northerner.

  ?“You aren't from Isen, are you?” she asked bluntly. “You don't act like one.”

  ?“Oops! Caught me.” He winked. “Guilty as charged. I’m actually from the Zephyr region in the south.”

  ?Zephyr. The lands under the Evarard family.

  ?“So, the same as Sensei then.”

  ?Wait a minute…

  ?People from Zephyr were famous for their festivals, their wine, and their dangerously easygoing nature. Something she knew very well.

  ?She turned her dull, lifeless gaze on him, stabbing him with her eyes.

  ?He didn't care about tradition. He just wanted an excuse to party.

  ?“Okay, okay, my fault!” he admitted, raising his hands in surrender as he chuckled. “I just couldn’t help myself when I saw you, you know? I have a daughter back home who loves hero tales just like yours.”

  ?That caught her attention. Her eyes widened slightly.

  “?A daughter?”

  ?“She’s about your age,” he added, stroking his beard fondly. “Dreams of being a knight, too. So I thought… if I could tell her I met the real deal…”

  ?Clenching her hands in excitement, Aelira blurted out, “C-can I meet her?”

  Stolen story; please report.

  ?Asoth let out a mock gasp. “Before asking for my daughter, shouldn't you properly introduce yourself, young lady?”

  ?Realizing her rudeness, she blushed crimson. “Ah—I’m sorry!”

  ?“It’s fine. My name’s Asoth. Vice-Captain of the Viremont Knight Order.”

  ?“I’m Aelira. Nice to meet you, Sir Asoth.”

  ?“Nice to meet you too. As for Abigail… She's a handful. Always running around, breaking things, pranking me the moment I walk through the door.”

  ?“She sounds… fun.” Aelira wanted to ask about the pranks but held back. “Can you bring her… here one day?”

  ?He looked genuinely surprised at her request. “You want to be friends with her?” He studied her eager expression for a moment, then his smile faltered slightly.

  ?“I wish I could. But… It's complicated. Her mother… let’s just say we had just a little disagreement.”

  ?Aelira sulked but nodded understandingly. “I see. It can’t be helped.”

  ?“It really is unfortunate. I’m sure you two would’ve been thick as thieves. Still… I’m glad you asked.”

  ?Just then, a figure appeared at the end of the hall, moving as if dragging an invisible corpse.

  ?“So… you were here…”

  ?“Oh? Looks like your savior has arrived,” Asoth said with a grin.

  ?“Sensei?” Aelira blinked.

  ?Breathing heavily, Zaek staggered closer, clutching his lower back. “What northern folks call a ‘celebration’… is just organized chaos.” He let himself collapse onto the stone floor beside her.

  ?“Are you alright, Sensei?”

  ?“No. Not at all. I’m retiring. No more drinking. No more shouting.”

  ?“Is that so?”

  ?Asoth chuckled. “Seems the savior needs saving.”

  ?“Shut it.” Zaek lifted his head, squinting at the man. “And who are you again?”

  ?“I’m Asoth! Vice-Captain.”

  ?Zaek let his head drop back down with a groan. “Zaek Evarard… Hero… and currently a corpse.” He muttered the introduction, then forced himself upright. “Alright. I think the room stopped spinning.”

  ?“As expected of a hero—you survived the toast,” Asoth praised.

  ?“Survived? You call this surviving?”

  ?Zaek ignored Asoth’s laughter and turned to Aelira. “I’m sure you’re tired. Let’s head back.”

  ?The words felt like a divine blessing. “Yes!”

  ?Asoth watched them leave, then shrugged and turned back toward the noise of the party. “Hey! Save some ale for me!”

  ?As they walked side by side, Aelira glanced up at Zaek’s face. The exhaustion was there, yes, but beneath it lay a shadow of anger she rarely saw.

  ?“Sensei?”

  ?“Hm?”

  ?“Are you… mad?”

  ?“Mad? No. Just tired, kid. Just tired.”

  ?“Is that so…”

  ?Up ahead, Aisha stepped out from the shadows of a corner.

  ?“Aisha? What are you doing here?” Aelira asked.

  ?“Lady Aelira. I’ve been waiting for you.”

  ?“For all this time? Where did you go earlier?”

  ?“The crowd was unmanageable. It was a hopeless tactical situation, so I did the only logical thing… I retreated.” She admitted it calmly, without a hint of shame.

  ?She just… admits she ran away?

  While examining her blunt confession ?Aelira let out a small yawn.

  ?“You look exhausted,” Aisha noted. “We should get you to bed.”

  ?But Aelira didn’t move. Instead, she turned to Zaek, looking up at him expectantly.

  ?“Lady Aelira?” Aisha asked softly.

  ?“...” Zaek blinked, then his eyes softened in realization.

  ?He reached out and ruffled her hair, messing up her bangs.

  ?“You did good today, kid. You outsmarted him. You used everything I taught you. I’m proud of you.”

  ?Aelira’s face lit up brighter than the chandelier above. She beamed, nodded, and then followed Aisha, a skip in her step.

  ?Once they turned the corner, the smile dropped from Zaek’s face instantly. The exhaustion vanished, replaced by cold, sharp fury.

  ?“Now… let’s pay a visit to that old pig.”

  ***

  ?Sylas sat at his desk, reviewing documents, when a commotion outside broke his concentration.

  ?“Master Zaek! Lord Sylas does not wish for—”

  ?THUD!

  ?The heavy oak doors flew open, slamming against the walls. Zaek stepped inside.

  ?Behind him, the maid stood trembling, hands covering her mouth in shock.

  ?Sylas gave her a curt signal to leave. She fled instantly.

  ?He fixed his gaze on Zaek.

  ?“What do you think you’re doing?” Sylas asked, his voice calm but icy.

  ?“You see, I’ve had a long day. And I realized I didn’t have the patience to wait for an invitation.”

  ?“That’s no excuse for barging in. Do you think I’ll just let this pass?”

  ?“I don’t know about you, but I’m barely holding myself back from rearranging your face.”

  ?Closing the distance in two strides, Zaek slammed both hands onto the desk. The wood groaned under the impact, and the ink in the well rippled violently. The air in the room grew thin, heavy with the suffocating weight of a Hero's rage.

  ?“Do you realize what almost happened out there?” Zaek’s voice dropped to a terrifying whisper. “That wasn't a duel. It was an execution waiting to happen.”

  ?Sylas glanced at Zaek’s hands, then slowly looked up, unimpressed.

  ?“But it didn’t happen. They survived. The weak are weeded out, the strong remain. That is the way of this house.”

  ?“You threw two children into a pit and waited to see which one would crawl out,” Zaek snarled, disgust dripping from every word. “Is that your legacy, Sylas? Dead grandchildren?”

  ?Sylas’s eyes narrowed slightly. “It’s over. Your disciple won. She is the heir. What more do you want?”

  ?“Over? My ass. We both know this is just the beginning.”

  ?“Hmph. I didn’t know you had a taste for family politics.”

  ?“I don’t. But I’ve caught the scent of rot in this house. And it’s getting harder to ignore.”

  ?“Father? What’s going on?”

  ?Celdric stood in the doorway, staring at the broken lock. “What happened?”

  ?“It’s nothing,” Sylas said, leaning back in his chair. “This old man just got himself worked up over nothing. I was about to cool him off.”

  ?He shot Zaek with a warning glare. “And I’ve told you before—don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

  ?Zaek pushed off the desk and turned his back on Sylas.

  ?“Well, my nose smells something rotten here. And I intend to follow it.”

  ?He walked past Celdric without a word.

  ?Once he was gone, Sylas let out a long, troubled sigh, rubbing his temples.

  ?“It wasn’t a good idea to keep stalling that idiot. It only makes him sharper.”

  ?Celdric tilted his head, confused. “Father?”

  ?“It’s nothing,” Sylas waved him off. “Just find someone to fix that damn door.”

  ?“O-okay… right away.”

  ?After Celdric left, Sylas turned his chair toward the window, gazing out at the darkening sky.

  ?“Should I send him away?” he muttered to the empty room.

  ?A long silence followed. Then, under his breath, he answered his own question.

  ?“No… she still needs him.”