Speechless Before Her Beauty
Ludenberg Lavante was at a loss for words at the sight before him. Ashytara Solenute, dressed in a sleek black gown and gazing up at him, was simply too ravishing.
“...How do I look?”
Ashyara's eyes curved slightly as she glanced up at Ludenberg coyly. It was a pose so captivating that anyone ordinary would have fallen for her instantly. And Ludenberg, who was already head over heels for her in every way, stood no chance.
He knew this wasn't reality—just a trial world—but the Ashytara here was modeled after the real one, down to her mannerisms and presence. In other words, this Ashytara was his Ashytara. Naturally, he couldn't help but be utterly entranced.
Ludenberg was used to seeing her in priestess robes, armor, or at most her academy uniform back in the real world, so the black gown felt utterly foreign. The shawl draped over her shoulders revealed her collarbone when slipped aside, making him anxious that guests at the ball might stare too harshly.
“Beautiful.”
The praise slipped out unbidden.
“Thanks. It suits you too.”
Ashyara's cheeks flushed as she looked at him.
“...Does it?”
“Yeah.”
She took his arm, and they headed into the ballroom together.
The glittering scenery captured Ludenberg's eyes. It had an exotic flair, befitting an empire from a thousand years ago. He couldn't close his mouth at the otherworldly spectacle unfolding before him.
He'd grown up surrounded by splendor and attended countless lavish balls, yet... he couldn't help marveling at how much the people of a millennium past adored extravagance.
The so-called 'empire' favored enigmatic black metals in its architecture, but the ballroom amplified this trait. Bathed in radiant light, the dark space exuded a mysterious, almost somber allure. Where was that light coming from?
Curious, Ludenberg scanned the surroundings and spotted the source: metals that glowed on their own. Like Solium, but not quite. Solium only shone under sunlight, after all.
Beneath the luminous glow, the lavishly attired guests caught his eye. He glanced at Ashytara beside him. Her face was flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkling brightly—not just from the lights, but from palpable anticipation. Her joy was infectious, drawing a smile to his lips.
“Why the smile?”
“Nothing... You just look so happy. Like you've been dying for this ball.”
“Heh, yeah. It's been forever since I went to one, honestly.”
“...Has it?”
“Yep. We've been so busy since we got married.”
“True.”
Ludenberg, with no knowledge of their 'past,' nodded along vaguely when the soft strains of music began to fill the air.
As the melody swelled, guests paired off, hands linking as they swayed to the rhythm. The music differed starkly from Solemnute's usual serene tunes—more passionate, fervent. Their dances matched, intense and unrestrained.
Though unfamiliar, Ludenberg—peerless in physical mastery—quickly mimicked the steps and tempo from those around him.
Ashyara smiled throughout, her hand in his, their feet in perfect sync. Their dance unfolded with breathtaking grace, drawing eyes from all around. Murmurs turned to gasps of admiration.
But Ludenberg heard none of it. The sounds and sights blurred, his senses narrowing to Ashytara alone: her breath, her movements, her gaze. She seemed equally absorbed.
When the dance ended, sweat beaded on their skin from the intensity.
“Whew...”
Ashyara exhaled softly.
“Fun?”
“Yeah. You've gotten really good at this.”
“Practiced. Behind your back.”
“Whoa, I'm touched.”
“You love dancing so much—if I was terrible, it'd ruin it for you.”
“Ahaha, fair enough. One more?”
“As many as you want.”
Ignoring the stares, they roamed the ballroom freely, lost in dance after dance. Eventually, they retreated to a secluded terrace with elegant table and chairs, gazing quietly at the moonlight.
“Wow. The moon's already up.”
“...Yeah. It has.”
Ashyara seemed lost in thought as she stared at it.
“I wish every day could be like this.”
“...Yeah?”
“Yeah. But it can't last forever. Joy hits hardest when it's fleeting...”
“Not necessarily.”
“Nah. Constant happiness turns to boredom eventually. Think about it—when you first gripped a sword, that rush...”
“...Yeah.”
An unforgettable memory. Eight years old, his first sword. The thrill eclipsed everything. But now? Swordplay was routine training, a path to self-mastery—no more euphoria.
“You must've loved it. I'm wielding this.”
“Spot on.”
“And now?”
“...Not so thrilling anymore.”
“See? Familiarity dulls us, and joy can't escape that cycle. So I crave days like this, yet dread their endless repetition.”
“I get it.”
“Shall we have a drink?”
“...Liquor?”
“Yeah. We've been too ascetic lately—work kept us from indulging. Wait here.”
“Okay.”
Liquor...? I've never touched the stuff.
Ludenberg stared blankly at the moon, pondering, when Ashytara returned swiftly with wine and two glasses.
“Ta-da.”
Grinning, she set the bottle down.
“Rood. We were just talking about joy, right?”
“We were.”
“Same with booze. We haven't savored it properly, so this counts as joy.”
“Haha.”
“Here.”
He politely held out his glass. Once hers was filled, he reciprocated for hers—mimicking his father Duke Leonard and the family knights, a bit clumsy but passably elegant.
Confirming both glasses full, they clinked them. The clear chime rang out as wine touched their lips.
A rich grape aroma filled his nostrils first. Sipping slowly, letting it spread—the imperial vintage was exquisite, sweet yet potent. One mouthful left his head spinning.
“Whoa, this wine packs a punch...”
Ashyara fanned her face after a sip.
“...Yeah.”
Ludenberg, a first-time drinker, couldn't judge, but...
“Still... it's nice.”
She set her glass down, meeting his eyes intently.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. This spot, the view... unforgettable.”
Her gaze lifted to the star-studded sky.
“Doesn't seem that special.”
“No. Places become meaningful through people. Every moment with you is special to me. Even ordinary spots turn precious with loved ones... Like staring at the sky alone versus with a friend or lover.”
“...Yeah.”
Was it the alcohol? Ludenberg's face heated. He still had no resistance to direct affection—his reply was lame at best.
“Me too.”
But that sufficed for her; a gentle smile bloomed.
“Another toast?”
“Huh? Sure.”
“To our daily lives always being happy. And for little joys to sprinkle through them.”
“That's a long toast.”
“Pfft, it's not that long. Cheers.”
Glasses clinked again.
And at that precise moment—
Kiiiiieeeeek!
A familiar, unforgettable screech pierced their ears.
Ludenberg's face twisted in shock; Ashytara's matched. They bolted up, staring skyward.
Crash!
The wine bottle shattered, spilling crimson across the tablecloth—like blood.
And the sky... was the same. A massive rift tore open, blood-red, just like the spilled wine.
Erosion.
Ludenberg couldn't stifle a sigh at the colossal fissure and the horrors emerging from it.
“Ah...”
In that instant—
“How dare you...”
Ashyara's serene smile twisted into hatred for the erosion beasts ruining their bliss. Ludenberg's shock gave way to dread.
He recalled Liberatus Ahad's tale: In some catastrophe, he'd lost his wife.
The fated tragedy now loomed before Ludenberg.