Asmodeus couldn't make sense of it. Aeris didn't need money. There was no one in this tournament strong enough to impress her. And if she wanted, she would have dueled him directly. Yet he wasn't sure he could draw his sword against her in a real match.
Then he understood why.
Damn it.
The day before
He was having dinner with Aeris when a girl approached.
Her blonde hair practically shone.
Her beauty impressed even Asmodeus.
"Hi."
Asmodeus replied.
"Hi." (smiling)
"There's a seat for me at this table too, apparently."
Aeris shook her head.
"Never."
Deep down, Asmodeus knew who she loved, but Aeris still hadn't confessed that she was a girl. That sparked a plan in his mind.
"I think it's fine if she sits."
Without saying a word, Aeris stood up from the table and hadn't been seen since.
Asmodeus deeply regretted what he had done.
Now Aeris was stepping into the semifinal match.
The arena was silent.
The stands were full, but no one spoke.
Aeris stood at the center of the arena.
She held an ordinary sword.
Her breathing was steady, but her shoulders were tense.
Her opponent was no ordinary fighter.
Valcryn.
The favorite of the semifinals.
One of the fiercest swordsmen raised by the Sacred Academy.
His armor was white, stained with blood.
The referee's voice echoed.
"Begin!"
Valcryn made the first move.
FAST.
Aeris retreated, but the strike grazed her sword.
A shock-like vibration spread through her hands.
"This strength…" she thought.
"It's not normal."
Valcryn spoke.
"You're watching me, but you're not seeing."
In an instant—
HE SWITCHED POSITIONS.
Aeris turned on reflex, but she was too late.
STEEL CLASHED.
She was thrown back.
Aeris dropped to her knees.
The crowd roared.
Valcryn didn't pull back.
HE ATTACKED RELENTLESSLY.
Aeris blocked.
One.
Two.
The third strike—
TORE THROUGH HER ARMOR.
Blood flowed from her shoulder.
Asmodeus was starting to panic. He was ready to intervene at any moment, but that would be disrespectful to Aeris.
Aeris clenched her teeth.
"It's not over."
She stood up.
Her violet eyes glowed.
Mana flowed into her sword.
The blade trembled.
Aeris attacked.
This time—
SHE WAS FAST.
Valcryn took a step back for the first time.
"Interesting," he said.
The swords danced.
Each clash shook the arena.
But—
Valcryn's technique was flawless.
He found an opening.
STRUCK WITH HIS ELBOW.
Aeris lost her breath.
Then a knee.
Then—
A CUT.
Her leg split open.
Aeris staggered.
The referee moved but didn't stop it.
Valcryn pressed his sword to her throat.
"Yield."
Asmodeus had drawn his sword. Just as he was about to intervene, he saw Aeris's expression.
Aeris smiled.
FORCED.
"No."
Suddenly—
She let go of her sword.
Valcryn was stunned.
In that moment—
Aeris stepped forward.
THREW A PUNCH.
Into the armor.
But it was filled with mana.
THE ARMOR CRACKED.
Valcryn was blasted backward.
Aeris caught her sword midair.
ATTACKED ONE LAST TIME.
Violet mana exploded.
The blade shattered Valcryn's defense.
And—
THE GROUND SPLIT OPEN.
When the dust settled—
Valcryn was on his knees.
His sword had fallen.
Silence.
The referee shouted:
"THE WINNER, THE VIOLET SWORD—AERIS!"
Aeris turned her back and headed inside.
At that moment, Valcryn couldn't swallow his pride.
He grabbed his sword and attacked Aeris.
Aeris couldn't react. The spectators were in shock.
Her life flashed before her eyes.
Until a blue mana blade shattered Valcryn's sword.
It was Asmodeus.
Aeris fell to the ground in shock but quickly recovered.
Valcryn was immediately arrested.
"This isn't over, you violet-eyed bastard!"
Aeris ignored him.
She was still angry.
Without speaking to Asmodeus, she walked inside.
Asmodeus had fully realized his mistake. No matter how much Aeris pretended to be a man, she was still a girl—and emotional.
And Asmodeus began to hate himself.
What did I think I was doing?
A game?
A provocation?
Forcing the truth out faster?
No.
He remembered Aeris's face.
Not angry.
Not shouting.
Just standing up and leaving.
That was the worst part.
Watching Aeris fight in the arena, he hadn't understood.
Today she was weaker.
Today she was careless.
Today… she wasn't defending herself.
Even when Valcryn's sword was at her throat, there was no fear in her eyes.
There was something else.
Hurt.
And now he understood.
Aeris hadn't entered the tournament to win.
Nor to lose.
She entered it to take revenge for that day—
and to make sure I saw her.
And I—
by seating someone else beside me,
had unknowingly told her this:
You can be replaced.
Asmodeus's hand clenched into a fist.
"What an idiot," he whispered to himself.
"What a complete idiot…"
Aeris wasn't angry because a girl had come.
She wasn't angry because she was jealous.
She was angry because,
for a moment,
she felt disposable.
And I was the one who made her feel that way.
That's why she didn't look at me.
That's why she didn't speak.
That's why she turned her back and walked away.
And only now—
when it was too late—
Asmodeus couldn't forgive himself and started running after Aeris.
When he entered the corridor—
The corridor was cold.
The stone walls swallowed the noise of the arena, leaving only footsteps behind.
Aeris was walking ahead.
Her steps were steady, but not fast.
Asmodeus followed behind.
He didn't close the distance.
He didn't shout.
"—Aeris."
Even the echo of his voice was weak.
Aeris didn't stop.
She walked a little more.
Then slowed unintentionally.
But she didn't turn around.
Asmodeus noticed.
He moved closer.
"We need to talk," he said.
His voice lacked its usual confidence.
Aeris's shoulders tensed slightly.
But she still didn't look back.
"You're injured. You should rest—"
"Don't tell me what to do."
Her voice was calm.
But sharp.
Asmodeus fell silent.
That was worse.
"About yesterday—" he said again.
His throat tightened as he chose his words.
"You misunderstood."
Aeris stopped.
Completely.
What she couldn't say out of anger—
she had truly been jealous.
She had wanted to kill that girl.
But if she did, there would be no explanation.
It was a curse given by her family—
she couldn't even reveal her true identity to the one she loved.
The corridor fell into silence.
Asmodeus took another step.
Only a few breaths separated them.
"I—" he said.
But nothing followed.
He knew what he wanted to say.
He just didn't know how.
Aeris slowly turned around.
Her violet eyes locked onto Asmodeus's face.
But there was no anger in them.
That was heavier.
"I think it's fine if she sits," Aeris said.
Same tone.
Same calmness.
Asmodeus's chest tightened.
"I'm sorry…"
He took a step.
But not to approach—
to pass.
Asmodeus instinctively reached out.
He didn't grab her.
His hand remained in the air.
"It wasn't like that," he said quickly.
"I never meant to—"
Aeris stopped.
She slightly turned her head.
"I know," she said.
"That's exactly the problem."
Asmodeus had nothing left to say.
Aeris headed toward the door.
"If you make it to the final, you'll be just anyone to me.
This time, I'll draw my sword to defeat you."
Inside, Aeris wondered if it was too harsh.
Asmodeus lowered his head.
Those words hurt more than any blade.
"Okay," he said.
Quietly.
Aeris opened the door.
Light hit her face.
Before leaving, she spoke one last time:
"Don't come near me until this tournament is over."
The door closed.
Asmodeus was left alone in the dark corridor.
And for the first time, he understood:
Some wounds
can't be healed with a sword,
not even with time—
they must simply be
carried
in silence.
Aeris collapsed where she closed the door.
Not from the pain in her shoulder,
but because she didn't know how she could raise her sword against Asmodeus.
Could she do it?
The thoughts clouded her mind.
"Was I too harsh…?" she whispered to herself.
Then she closed her eyes.
But one image kept repeating in her mind:
Asmodeus's face at that moment.
Cold.
But broken.
Aeris lifted her head.
She looked into the dark corridor.
"If you make it to the final…"
she murmured, almost a whisper.
"…this time, I won't forgive."