Chapter 17
The wind, once calm, now turned into a sharp whisper, slicing between strands of hair and the long cloth that fluttered aimlessly.
Alldraya stood tall, her body like a shadow carved from stone—unshaken, yet not truly alive.
Before her, Erietta stood with a smile too delicate to be called gentle, a smile carrying the scent of threat, like a rotten flower drenched in expensive perfume.
Between them, the air became an invisible battlefield, twisting between two wills that both believed themselves righteous.
Aldraya's eyes—cold as the reflection of steel at the bottom of a dead lake—met Erietta's gaze that burned with a fire veiled in mist.
No words were spoken, no movement made, except for the faint change in each of their breaths.
At least, for now.
Yet within that silence, a tension was born—one deeper than wars that spill blood.
Theo Vkytor, standing a few steps behind, watched it all unfold within a silence louder than thunder.
He knew that neither of them would yield without shedding something that could never be returned.
'Pride, dignity, or perhaps the belief that they were fighting on the right side.'
Theo's thoughts wavered between those two poles.
There was something behind all these glances—something that refused to be called fate, yet was too tightly woven to be coincidence.
He was not part of their duel, yet every passing second pulled his soul closer to the same whirlpool.
Every small movement, every subtle shift in expression, touched something within him that he himself had yet to understand.
He realized that truth—and falsehood—were no longer opposing sides, but two fingers on the same hand, slapping the face of anyone who dared define them.
Truth, he thought, was merely a shadow that changed its shape depending on who stood beneath the light.
"It's fascinating to hear you speak in such a serious tone, Aldraya.
You talk about honesty and order with such nobility, yet your life itself isn't built entirely upon divine honor.
I often wonder, where do you get the conviction to speak as though you were born in a crystal tower?"
"Conviction in speech isn't an exclusive right of the blue-blooded, Erietta.
Those who have fought from the lowest layers understand better the difference between sincerity and pretense."
"So now you're comparing dirt to stars?
Of course, to you, everything seems black and white—those used to living below are experts at equalizing everything.
Unfortunately, the world isn't that simple."
"You're right.
The world isn't that simple.
That's why some people learn to survive without betraying anyone.
Unlike those who easily trade integrity for a shortcut."
"Shortcut? Perhaps because not everyone has the luxury to wait for fate's mercy, Aldraya.
There comes a time when one must fight in their own way, even if it means trampling over the boundaries you call sacred."
"Crossing the line isn't a sign of strength, Erietta.
It's a reflection of fragility hidden behind a proud smile.
And in the end, anything built on fragile ground will collapse—sooner or later."
"Maybe. But at least I don't hide behind holy tales and use them to judge others.
You can preach about truth all you want, but your words sound like the flicker of a candle about to die out."
"And maybe that's why you fear the light, Erietta—because in the light, every mask is revealed."
'I must stop this.'
Fuuuush!
'But maybe… not yet.I want to see how far their limits stretch before the fire truly erupts.'
And yes, from there, everything rolled like a snowball tumbling down from the peak of a curse.
The first insult slipped from lips that barely trembled, yet carried a meaning sharp enough to crack stone.
Followed by the second, the third, and more—each word clashing like blades in the air, striking sparks unseen yet burning on the skin.
The air between Aldraya and Erietta grew taut like a bowstring drawn with no intent to release.
Meanwhile, Theo stood at the edge of the vortex, holding his breath amid the scent of conflict—no longer a duel of ideals, but a delicate dance of smiling hatred.
The light around them seemed to be drawn into the game as well.
Each reflection in Aldraya's eyes became a sharp line that cut through space, while Erietta's gaze curved smoothly, like a current seeking gaps to pull everything under.
No one shouted, no one lowered their tone, yet every line they spoke made the air grow hotter.
Theo began to feel the pulse at his temples, a rhythm that mirrored two souls colliding on a field that needed no weapons.
He could have stepped forward, ended it all.
But something held him back—something faint between fear and the desire to witness how it would all explode.
In his mind, Theo saw how their conversation had lost its form.
He no longer heard words, but the sound of metal dragging against metal, the hiss of embers doused by rain.
Truth and falsehood, once raised as banners, no longer had shape.
All that remained were two wills competing for recognition, two desires to be the only light deemed right by the universe.
In his vision, Theo knew how easily this could end in ruin—yet at the same time, there was a strange beauty in that destruction itself.
So he chose silence, waiting, letting the sparks become flames.
"So this is how you prove the truth, Aldraya?
By hiding your arrogance behind sweet words? You speak as though everything can be redeemed by principle, yet you yourself don't know the meaning of loyalty to your own belief."
"Your loyalty? To what? To ambitions built upon lies?
Don't point at others just because your own mirror is cracked, Erietta."
"You don't know anything about me.
You hide behind the image of a perfect student, but inside, you're as fragile as everyone you look down upon."
"If that's so, prove it.
Show me what makes you worthy to speak of pride."
"With pleasure."
'I thought this was just a war of words. But dear gods, this has gone too far!'
"Sto—"
Boom!
Theo's plan had been simple, measured—at least in his mind.
He would wait for the perfect moment, when both their egos cracked, and slip in a piece of logic to end the conflict without blood.
But that hope vanished when their breaths turned into weapons.In an instant, the two who had traded words now became two stars on the verge of explosion.
Erietta's blade rose high, aimed at Aldraya's left ear, while Aldraya's sword pressed beneath Erietta's chin—mere inches away from spilling the red that would destroy the fragile balance of that place.
The world seemed to hold its breath, letting that tense silence become the final moment before lightning struck.
Theo took a step forward.
One step he thought would be enough to alter fate's direction.
But something unseen struck him from the front, a nameless wave rejecting interference.
His body was flung backward, soaring through the air before his back crashed against the ground.
Dust danced wildly, swirling around, forming small whirlwinds that veiled the world behind curtains of chaos.
To be continued…