Alfie stood at the edge of the viewing platform, his eyes wide and unblinking. Every swing, every feint, every clash of blades was burned into his mind. He didn't want to miss a single detail of Lucy's duel.
In the arena, Robert's strikes grew sharper and faster, but Lucy's calm expression didn't waver. With a sudden, fluid motion, she mirrored his technique perfectly, her blade darting to his left side. Robert reacted instantly, raising his sword to block.
But in that very moment, his right side was left wide open.
Lucy's lips curled into the faintest smile. Her hands blurred as she activated the Art of Mojito, switching her grip mid-movement. In less than a heartbeat, her sword appeared in her other hand, the edge gliding dangerously close to Robert's neck.
"Checkmate, kid," Lucy said coldly.
The entire arena fell into silence.
Lucy lowered her blade and turned away, walking toward the edge of the arena without a trace of triumph in her expression. But behind her, Robert dropped to one knee, bowing his head low, his voice trembling.
"My sincere apologies, ma'am. I beg for your forgiveness."
Gasps echoed through the crowd. Even Memphis and Riazer froze, their expressions shifting with shock. A Pro Darkside Knight had just bowed… in front of everyone.
Lucy didn't even turn around. "There's no need for apologies, kid. This is a world where power speaks louder than words. That's all there is to it. I only ask for a few months—to settle some things. After that… we're gone."
Her voice was calm, but it carried the weight of absolute authority. With that, she switched directly in front of Riazer, her eyes sharp.
Riazer exhaled slowly, his tone unusually soft. "Hmm… I get that, Miss Lucy. To be honest… I don't want you to leave. With you here, our strength would increase drastically. With you and—"
He stopped himself mid-sentence, shaking his head.
Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious of what he was hiding. But instead of pressing further, she turned and walked toward Alfie, Jackson, and Sasaki.
The three stood silently, though Sasaki's face burned with anger and disappointment.
Lucy sighed, ready to scold him, but Alfie beat her to it. "Okay, okay, okay, okay, Mr. Reaper, stop making that sour face. There's no lime in your mouth, right?"
Sasaki's head snapped toward him. He grabbed Alfie by the head, tugging on his ear with a sharp twist.
"Don't try to piss me off, you brat," Sasaki growled.
"Ouch, ouch! It hurts!" Alfie cried, half in pain, half in laughter.
Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Enough of that. Let's get going." She turned toward the exit without another word.
But before they could leave, Memphis appeared in front of them, blocking the path with a respectful bow.
"I apologize on behalf of all the Pro Darkside Knights who doubted you at first," he said earnestly. "We sincerely regret our disrespect. Please, can you stay in the castle for a few hours before you depart? There are matters that need clarification."
Lucy's eyes sharpened into a glare. Her voice was low, firm, leaving no room for argument. "Move, Memphis. I won't repeat myself."
The tension in the air was suffocating. Memphis felt a chill crawl down his spine. Without hesitation, he stepped aside, bowing once more as Lucy and her students walked past him.
When she was gone, Memphis switched back to where the other Pro Darkside Knights stood with Riazer. His face was grim.
"Come with me to the meeting room. Now," Riazer commanded, already striding toward the castle interior.
---
The chamber was silent. Each of the Pro Darkside Knights sat in their favored chairs, the weight of what they had just witnessed hanging heavy over them. Riazer sat at the head of the room, his expression unreadable.
Finally, Robert broke the silence, his voice sharp. "I don't mean to be disrespectful, Special Darkside Knight, but… what the hell went through your mind back there?"
Another pro darkside knight slammed his hand on the table. "Mind your words, Robert! Don't forget—he's still the Special Darkside Knight."
Robert clenched his fists, but he bit his tongue.
Riazer raised his hand calmly. "Of course, I am. But back there…" He paused, exhaling heavily. "I simply felt like coming clean with her. To enable her to become partners with him."
The room froze at his admission.
Robert bowed deeply. "I beg your forgiveness, my Pro Darkside Knight. I will do everything in my power to fix this."
Riazer's gaze hardened. "Just stay put. And don't do anything stupid. That goes especially for you, Robert."
Robert bowed again in silence.
Memphis leaned back in his chair, his voice steady. "There's no way he'll try anything. It's pointless to compare the two of them—it's still a mystery how wide that gap is. Let's just let it go, and allow her to leave in peace when the time comes."
The other pro darkside knights nodded in agreement, but one raised a new concern. "We still have a bigger problem to deal with while she's here, Special Darkside Knight."
Riazer closed his eyes. "Yes… I know."
"Then increase the Shinra patrols," the pro darkside knight continued. "Post guards at the gates. We can't allow another accident."
"That won't be enough," another interrupted grimly. "The Silent Eliminator won't back down. If they can't strike from the gates, they'll target Shinras from Ashura outside the kingdom for jobs instead. They'll force someone's hand to draw her out. We need a better solution."
The room fell into uneasy silence.
Riazer's jaw tightened. He already knew this truth—he simply didn't want to voice it. Telling Lucy to leave was the only safe option. But…
He opened his eyes, resolve burning within them. "I will think of a better solution. For now, keep the sensory unit on high alert across the border. It will only be for a few months. If this is how I repay her for her good deeds in the past, then so be it. I'll take full responsibility."
The pro darkside knights bowed their heads. "We'll do our best."
"This meeting is dismissed," Riazer declared.
The Pro Darkside Knights rose, leaving the chamber one by one. Even Robert left quietly. Only Memphis remained.
"There's no way I'm letting you carry the responsibility alone," Memphis said firmly. "We were both in her debt. I'll do everything I can to protect the Shinras who go out on jobs."
For the first time that day, Riazer smiled softly. "Don't say such big words, you idiot."
"They're not big words," Memphis chuckled. "That's just what I've got to do."
They both laughed quietly, the tension easing just for a moment.
Memphis's voice softened. "We're really grateful to her. If not for her, we wouldn't be here today—laughing at each other like this,we owe her one."
Riazer's gaze turned distant, almost nostalgic. "You're right. That woman… she was truly extraordinary. In that male form, wielding such pure light Renshi… I've never seen anything like it in my entire life. She's one in a billion. I can't wait for my sons to cross paths with her students."
The room fell quiet again, but this time, it was filled with respect.