Azellia
"I'll kill you. Follow me."
At Azellia's cold declaration, I let a sneer curl my lips.
"Kill me, huh... Interesting."
The moment I rose alongside her—
Boom!!!
A massive explosion rocked the conference room.
Azellia and I whipped our gazes toward it in unison.
Balderic had smashed her fist down on the table, splitting it clean in half.
Her expression was frozen cold, and the glare she leveled at us carried a blatant warning.
"Sit."
Just two words.
But the overwhelming pressure in them crushed the air in the room like a vice.
"But Balderic, this bastard—"
Azellia tried to protest, but Balderic cut her off sharply.
"I said sit."
Her voice was low and dangerous.
Azellia's face flushed red then pale, but in the end, even she couldn't defy Balderic's command.
"I understand personal grudges."
Balderic continued, staring down at the shattered table.
"But settle them after the Tian Yi Hui. As per Haven's rules, killing is forbidden."
"...Fine, Balderic."
Azellia answered grudgingly.
Balderic's gaze shifted to me.
"Astra."
"Understood."
My reply was short and clear.
"Hoo..."
Balderic sighed and readjusted her posture.
"Alright. Let's continue the Tian Yi Hui. In conclusion, I'm in favor of advancing the Continental Conference."
"Ho, what's your reasoning?"
Ryujin asked in his usual laid-back tone.
"It'll be more advantageous for us."
"Hm..."
Ryujin stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment before making a suggestion.
"In that case, how about this old man tags along? Heh heh, it's been ages... I'd like to see my brother's face."
"No."
Balderic's refusal was firm.
"No need to worry. I have no intention of causing trouble there."
Ryujin waved it off leisurely, but Balderic shook her head.
"It's not about that. I plan to take Astra with me."
At those words, Ryujin's eyes lingered on me briefly.
It was a sharp, probing look. He turned back to Balderic and asked,
"You don't need to bring him just because your brother wants to see you, do you?"
"Astra made a promise to me."
"I see..."
Right then—
"A moment, please."
Valléfor interjected smoothly.
"Lord Balderic, before Azellia and Astra were about to fight. The reason the Lunaria Empire's emperor is seeking Jin Gang Regiment's leader is important, but..."
He paused, scanning the room.
"Isn't there a more fundamental question? Why was Astra in Imperial Prison 3 to begin with? Until that's resolved, I oppose taking him there."
He slowly eyed the other captains as he continued.
"Don't you agree, everyone?"
No one spoke.
But that silence was one of agreement.
The seed of doubt had been planted, and it was already taking root.
The room's atmosphere grew heavier, all eyes gradually turning to me.
Valléfor's hidden smile deepened.
Hah, seriously...
What excuse was I supposed to give?
I couldn't exactly say I'd woken up possessed into the game world right there.
If I tried to settle it with a silent fight like before, that seed of doubt would only grow. That must be what Valléfor was aiming for.
"I wanted to die."
A ripple of shock spread through the conference room.
Surprise flashed across the captains' faces, their gazes sharpening on me.
Even Azellia blinked wide in disbelief.
"Hm..."
Valléfor paused in thought, then looked at me.
"Lord Astra, if I may ask... could you explain why?"
I steadied my breath before answering.
"Until Kain appeared and led me to Haven... I saw no value in living in this world. So I put myself in there on purpose."
"Hm, that's odd."
Valléfor tilted his head.
His eyes gleamed like a predator toying with prey.
"There must have been plenty of ways to die. Why go specifically to Lunaria Empire's prison?"
I smiled coldly.
"Simply dying and dying slowly in agony are different. That place was the cruellest hell I knew. Tortured daily, experimented on, treated worse than livestock. I thought... in that kind of pain, I could erase my very existence."
As Astra's words ended, the conference room fell into heavy silence.
No one could easily speak.
Complex emotions flickered across the captains' faces.
Shock, confusion, and an inexplicable discomfort mingled together.
What despair, what wounds could drive someone to such an extreme choice?
To throw themselves into hell willingly because life was that agonizing?
Even Valléfor seemed momentarily speechless at the unexpected answer.
He hadn't wanted a seed of doubt—he hadn't anticipated this heavy confession.
"Hm..."
Valléfor finally spoke.
"I don't know the details, but I think that's answer enough."
His voice still held a meaningful undertone, but he was stepping back for now.
The other captains nodded silently in agreement, lost in their own thoughts.
Only Azellia kept staring at Astra.
Her red eyes swirled with complex, unreadable emotions.
Did I... just poke at a wound I shouldn't have?
Azellia knew better than anyone.
Memories you never wanted to voice or recall. Wounds buried deep in the heart, left to fester in the dark.
She carried her own darkness, so now she understood Astra's sharp reaction.
That cold fury and prickly attitude weren't mere anger.
It was the defensive edge of someone forced to bare their deepest pain.
She could too well imagine the agony of those inexpressible traces of suffering being dragged out against their will.
He must want to kill me.
She knew bone-deep how casually tossed words from strangers could cut like blades.
That's why she'd hated and despised such people.
...And now I've gone and done the same.
Bitter taste flooded her mouth.
The realization that she'd become the very thing she loathed crushed her.
The meeting dragged on after that, but Azellia couldn't focus anymore.
Balderic's voice echoed distantly, the other captains' opinions flew back and forth, but her gaze stayed fixed on Astra.
She stared at his emotionless face, his icy eyes, his utterly still posture.
Like a statue carved from stone, perfectly masking his feelings—it only screamed how much he was suppressing.
What the hell happened to you...
Even Balderic's declaration that the meeting was over sounded muffled. She barely registered the captains rising one by one.
That was when—
"Azellia."
Astra called as he stood.
"Follow me."
"...Huh?"
Azellia blinked in confusion.
His sudden summons snapped her back to reality from her guilt-ridden haze.
"You didn't forget our fight from earlier, did you?"
She shot to her feet. Her chair scraped loudly across the floor.
"I-I mean, about that..."
She stammered, trying to explain, but Astra was already heading for the door.
There was no hesitation in his stride.
Hah... this is not what I wanted.
Azellia sighed inwardly.
She wasn't in the mood to fight. More precisely, she questioned if she even had the right to strike at him now.
But she had no choice.
It was a promise, and above all, he'd called her—she couldn't refuse.
In the end, she hurried after Astra.
Watching Astra and Azellia stride ahead, the trailing captains tossed out comments.
"Kuhaha! As hot-blooded as ever!"
Kaiser boomed with laughter, clenching his fist.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation for the showdown.
"Grrr... He's got no manners."
Sirka growled low.
"My, why say it like that?"
Baekseol lightly scolded, elegantly covering her mouth with her hand.
Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief.
Sirka shot Baekseol an irritated glare.
"By the way, I heard you came with that guy. What's your deal with him?"
"It might be a bit too steamy for someone as young as you, Sirka."
Baekseol tilted her head with a meaningful smile.
Sirka's face flushed crimson in an instant at the elegant provocation.
"Y-You... what the hell are you saying?!"
Even her fox ears burned red.
"Hee hee, just teasing. You get so cute when flustered."
Baekseol let out a silvery laugh, lightly lifting her skirt hem as she glided forward gracefully.
Sirka stood speechless, mouth agape, while Kaiser beside them clutched his belly in roaring laughter.
"Puhahaha! Sirka, look at your face! Like a damn tomato!!!"
Sirka's blush deepened at Kaiser's teasing.
"Shut up! I was just... curious, that's all!"
"Oh yeah? Then I'll tell ya. Baekseol and Astra are..."
Kaiser dragged it out, savoring Sirka's reaction.
"What?! You know? Spill it!"
"Nah~ I'm curious too!"
"You bastard!"
As Sirka lunged at Kaiser with a growl, Balderic's calm voice cut in.
"Enough. Follow them. Not watching?"
The captains exchanged glances and snickered.
Then Ellis piped up.
"Will big brother win, or sister?"
"Hm, I think Astra takes it."
Kaiser rubbed his chin, analyzing seriously.
Sirka shot back immediately.
"You've never even seen him fight! Azellia's got it, obviously."
"Heh heh, I reckon Astra wins. His aura's no joke."
Ryujin chimed in quietly.
"Fight with aura? Skill matters!"
Sirka snorted.
"And old man, you're a human supremacist anyway."
"How about a bet then? On the winner."
Valléfor suggested with a smile, having listened quietly.
"Deal! I'm on Azellia!"
Sirka jumped in.
"Mm, then Ellis on big brother."
Ellis murmured softly.
As the captains bantered and picked sides boisterously, one fact escaped them all.
The two weren't heading to the training grounds.