On the other hand, when Lucavion and Valeria left, the battles continued in the arena.
The place buzzed with the energy of the crowd, a sea of faces blurring together, all waiting to witness the next spectacle.
The young boy stood in the ring, his small frame cloaked in a dark hood, shadows concealing his face from those who watched. Around him, the dusty ground was marked by the footprints of countless warriors who had already fought—and fallen.
Across from him, his opponent, a towering man clad in chainmail and wielding a jagged sword, sneered down at him, lips curling in contempt.
“Heh…..I smell a beast kin here. How dare a likes you show your face here, after all the things you have done?”
The boy’s shoulders stiffened at the man’s words. His hood had slipped just enough for his ears to peek through—small, furred, with a slight taper that marked him unmistakably as one of the beast kin. A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd, the familiar rumble of resentment and disgust bubbling up as they recognized what he was.
The man sneered, his eyes narrowing with contempt. “A filthy beast kin here, of all places,” he spat, his voice thick with disdain. “You creatures crawl through the dirt, and yet you think you can stand here? Among humans?”
The boy’s hands clenched at his sides, but he remained silent, his eyes darkening as he fought to keep his emotions hidden. Beneath the quiet obedience, though, his thoughts seethed.
All the things we’ve done?
He thought bitterly, his jaw tightening.
It is you, humans, who turned our homes to ash, who forced us to fight to survive.
But his lips remained sealed. His orders were clear: do as he was told, follow the plan, and make it through each round. He could feel the weight of those orders, as heavy as chains, binding him to silence. All he could do now was fight.
The man laughed, his voice carrying over the murmuring crowd. “Look at you, too scared to even answer. But I’ll make sure you never show your face here again.” He raised his jagged sword, the blade glinting menacingly in the arena’s light. “After all, no one will miss a beast kin.”
The boy’s face remained blank, betraying none of the anger he felt. He inhaled slowly, centering himself as he had been taught, pushing down his rage and letting only focus remain. This was not a battle of pride. He was here because he had to be, not because he wanted to prove himself to any of them. His master’s voice echoed in his mind, reminding him of what awaited if he failed.
With a slow, measured movement, he lowered into a stance, his small frame deceptively still, his balance poised and unwavering. The man, his towering figure blocking out part of the crowd’s view, scoffed at the sight, mistaking stillness for fear.
“Ready yourself, beast,” the man sneered, charging forward.
The boy’s eyes sharpened. He knew he could not afford a mistake. Not now, not with everything at stake.
He waited for the man’s approach, every step vibrating in the ground beneath his feet, every sound amplifying his senses.
As the man swung his sword down, powerful but unrestrained, the boy moved. He sidestepped swiftly, evading the blow as the blade struck empty ground. He pivoted, closing the distance, and delivered a precise kick to the man’s knee, forcing him to stumble.
The crowd gasped, surprised by the boy’s speed, but the boy didn’t react. He was locked in his own focus, his silent determination driving him forward, his thoughts a steady, unyielding rhythm.
I can’t lose,
he reminded himself.
For them, I have to win.
*******
As Valeria and Lucavion strolled along Andelheim’s lively streets, a rare quiet lingered between them.
Some spectators chattering about the tournament, and musicians striking cheerful chords filled the space around them, yet neither seemed compelled to break the silence.
Valeria’s thoughts flitted back to her recent duel, her opponent’s unexpected respect evident in his parting words. She hadn’t anticipated her identity being discovered so quickly, and his respectful surrender had been a surprise.
Was she that obvious?
Or was there something more subtle that betrayed her, some mark of nobility she couldn’t conceal? Her gaze drifted to the people thronging around them, unaware of the inner questions that shadowed her thoughts.
Beside her, Lucavion maintained his usual calm, but his silence hinted at an uncharacteristic restraint. He seemed content to let her mind wander, with no prodding remarks or playful comments to interrupt. It was odd—and, truthfully, Valeria wasn’t certain how she felt about it.
His usual banter often forced her to defend herself or reevaluate her perspective, something she had begrudgingly begun to value.
A fleeting image of him leaning against the arena pillar drifted into her mind—relaxed, entirely unfazed by the intensity of her duel. She couldn’t help but recall the knowing glint in his eye as if he’d already known how the fight would end.
That infuriating confidence of his, so reckless yet unshakable, somehow worked in his favor more often than it should.
Just ahead, the warm scent of spices and roasting meats wafted from a food stall, interrupting her reflections.
She caught Lucavion glancing in the same direction, his casual demeanor not entirely hiding his interest in the food.
But it was a little different.
He was glaring—not at anyone in particular, but at the food itself, as though it had personally offended him. She blinked, studying him more closely. It was strange to see him this way; he was usually so relaxed, his smirk ever-present, his eyes light with mischief. But now, there was nothing of the usual playfulness in his face. His eyes had narrowed with an edge that almost startled her.
‘Hmm?’
Following his gaze, Valeria looked toward the stall to see what had so fully captured his attention. Her eyes landed on a tray of steaming, delicately spiced dumplings, served with a side of tangy sauce.
Lirith Dumplings
—a rare delicacy from the Loria Empire.
It was a dish known for its tender meat filling, aromatic with spices native to Loria. And even though some people would make it in the Arcanis Empire, it was not a cultural thing to do.
But the main point was, that it wasn’t exactly the kind of thing that would normally evoke such a reaction. She frowned slightly, her curiosity deepening. free𝑤ebnovel.com
“Is there… something wrong with the dumplings?” she asked, attempting a casual tone as she observed his unusually intense glare.
“Ah….” And then, Lucavion seemed to come into his senses once again, as he looked into her eyes.
His gaze softened slightly, and he scoffed, though it felt like a cover. “Nothing wrong,” he replied lightly, but his eyes lingered on the food a moment longer before he turned back to her, his familiar grin resurfacing as if nothing had happened.
“Really?” She tilted her head, not quite believing him.
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“Yep. Just remembered something, that’s all.”
Valeria held his gaze for a moment, scrutinizing him with the same sharpness she might have reserved for a sparring partner. She doubted his nonchalant reply; the intense reaction had been far too visceral to be dismissed so easily. But, as always, Lucavion met her glare with unbothered ease, a faint smile playing at his lips as if daring her to press further.
Finally, she let out a small, resigned sigh and stepped forward, intending to join the queue. If he didn’t want to talk about it, fine. But the dumplings had clearly triggered something, even if he was loath to admit it.
Just as she took her first step, his hand closed firmly around her arm.
“Don’t,” he murmured, his tone low but steady.
She raised an eyebrow, glancing down at his hand on her arm. “Hmm?”
Lucavion released her with a quick nod, and she noticed a flicker of something unguarded in his expression, gone almost as soon as it appeared. “Let’s go and see Miss Iron Matron,” he said, his voice regaining its usual casual lilt. “Suddenly, I feel like eating some real meat.”
Valeria narrowed her eyes, processing his abrupt change in direction. He hadn’t spoken of the innkeeper since they’d visited days ago, but now, it seemed he had decided on her tavern as their next stop.
With a slight huff, she relented. “Lead the way then. But we’re not leaving before you tell me what all that was about.”
Lucavion chuckled softly, brushing her off with his usual ease. “Ahaha… it really is nothing to worry about,” he replied, the lightness in his tone betraying none of the sharp intensity she’d just witnessed.
Valeria scoffed, crossing her arms as they walked. “Nothing to worry about? Then why did you react like that—as if you’d seen a ghost?”
He shot her a sidelong glance, an almost mischievous gleam returning to his eyes. “And what if I had seen a ghost?” he asked, his tone teasing yet with an undercurrent of something more enigmatic. “Then what, my Lady Valeria?”
She took a subtle step to widen the distance between them, giving him a wary look. “Then I’ll start worrying about your mental health,” she replied with a faint smile, her voice edged with mock concern.
Lucavion’s lips quirked into a smile, his eyes narrowing playfully. “Maybe you should,” he replied with a shrug, his tone both dismissive and oddly sincere.
Valeria raised an eyebrow, searching his expression. His usual banter felt different today—layered, evasive. She matched his casual stride, keeping her suspicion tempered for now, though her curiosity simmered beneath the surface.