Alright, let's do this.
After eating, I hurried back to my place, quickly changed, and headed to the dungeon. Dreaming of Aiz in my bed, my mood was at its absolute peak.
Act.
Act.
Ac…
"Hello."
I hadn't even left my safe haven when I ran into Aiz. She was in her usual casual clothes, but the sword at her waist made it clear she intended to use it. Seeing her, my plans immediately changed.
"Hi, Aiz."
"Were you going to the dungeon?"
She looked me up and down, speaking in a neutral tone.
"No. I just wanted to practice."
Whoosh.
Bang.
Closing the distance between us in seconds, she aimed for my head, but of course, she easily dodged and sent me flying.
"As strong as ever," I thought, already getting up and preparing to attack again. But before I could even take a step, she covered the distance in the same instant and kicked me, sending me flying again.
"Could you take it easy, you know?"
I continued to get up, preparing to block her next attacks. But she just stood there, holding her sword in her left hand, without even drawing it from the sheath. As usual, basically. But today, he was going to make her draw it. Whatever it took.
"Monsters won't be merciful," she said, looking at me expectantly.
I didn't waste any time and immediately rushed into battle.
Clang.
Bang.
Whoosh.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
No matter how quickly I struck, aiming for the most vulnerable spots, it was all useless. Every attack was blocked. But I couldn't block her attacks at all – they were too fast. But that wasn't so important.
I had imagined this fight many times. Every day that she was due to come, I thought about this fight. Planning out all my mistakes and her mistakes, which never existed. And the best tactic I came up with was surprise.
Rat tactics. Which I had already used once, allowing me to win against an adventurer who was one level above me.
Clang.
"Don't get distracted."
"Kh… Kh… Kh…"
As she said that, she kicked me in the stomach, making me cough. But at least I didn't fly away from it, so thanks for that.
"Blegh…"
But the kick was too strong, and everything I ate came out.
"Oops."
I heard her start walking towards me with unhurried steps. A small smile spread across my lips.
"Here it comes," I thought, preparing for a surprise attack. If I couldn't make her draw her sword, then I'd at least hit her once. Just once.
And when she got closer, I launched a swift attack in the same second, gathering all my strength in my hands.
Clang.
As expected, she blocked the attack. There was not a trace of surprise on her face, as if she knew from the very beginning that this was what would happen.
Her eyes pierced deep into my soul. A look that told me I was weak. Saying that no matter how hard I tried, I would never be able to break through this wall. Of course, I understood that she didn't actually think that way about me.
But instead of disappointment, I felt uncontrollable joy. Joy that when I smashed this wall to pieces and walk across its rubble, looking only forward.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
I began to strike rapidly, putting all my strength into those blows. But of course, she blocked them without any problems. I wouldn't be surprised if my attacks felt like mosquito bites to her, but even so, it was very exciting.
Clang.
Bang.
I was so absorbed in the fight that I completely forgot about everything around me – just her and me. Only our swords existed in this world. At least, that's how it was for me.
For her, it was a child's game, nothing more – I was sure of it. But it wasn't that important; at the moment, I needed to fully focus on this fight. To give it my all, to prove to myself and Kopii, that he – the original - is a better version of himself..
"Kopii, you're thinking too much."
Impact.
Before I could even block, she kicked me in the face. Once again to prove that I am in the palm of her hand and she can do whatever she wants with me.
"… Black eyes…"
Saying that, she stared at me with a slightly different look, harsher than before. And with all my senses, I felt that the atmosphere had changed, and definitely not for the better.
But I was already ready for this. I had imagined this situation a thousand times. After I realized that she could tell it wasn't Kopii, but someone else, after all, she had spent the most time with us in recent months. Good thing I realized this before I met her.
Bang.
Kh… Kh… Kh…
But I didn't even get to say a word before she slammed into me. Her kick was so strong that I broke through a wall.
I was shocked – she did something I couldn't have foreseen. Without a second's hesitation, she didn't even give me a chance to answer before attacking me.
But my shock disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
Trying to get up, I was immediately pressed back to the ground.
"I didn't even feel her," I thought, renewing my attempts to get up, but I couldn't even budge an inch. Her grasp was too strong for me, the current me was too weak to do it.
Feeling my attempts to get up, her grip tightened. And so she sat on my back in silence.
"Ahh… You…"
But the silence didn't last long; as she exhaled, she began to speak.
"… Too… you've changed too much since the last time we met, Kopii… too much."
My body unconsciously tensed even more, but I tried to hide it, although I knew it wouldn't escape her attention.
"… And especially the rumors… Is it true?"
After those words, the tension in the air increased, you could cut it in two with a kinfe.
"Of course not! It's all lies!" I quickly protested, beginning to think about further actions. My entire plan, which I had come up with, was too flawed. Too worthless.
"But where was my flaw?" Flash through my head, before her grip tightened.
"Yes."
"Yes!"
"You meant to say that those rumors are all fake?"
"Of course, they are fake!"
"…"
"…"
Feeling her lean in, feeling her breath tickle my ear, an uncontrollable shiver ran through my body.
"Rumors don't just arise out of the blue, Kopii, we both know that," she whispered in my ear. But before I could answer, she continued. "You're lying to me. You've always lied to me… Kopii."
"No…"
The last thing I managed to say, as I lost consciousness from her blow to the head.
Aiz POV
First-person pov.
After returning, I wanted to visit Kopii right away. So I went straight to his house.
"Kind of empty," I thought, looking around his house for furniture. I remembered exactly everything that was in this house.
Did he decide to throw out the strange furniture? After all, his furniture wasn't the newest, but it wasn't in such bad condition. Oh well.
I waited for him for several hours, but he never came. So, disappointed, I went back home.
Walking along the busy Arms Maker's street, my thoughts couldn't get Kopii out of my head. It was like that every day after those words, after I saw him for the first time, I began to be drawn to him. Especially the words about my mother… How could he know? The words, how he exactly described my mother, were too alarming and at the same time terribly interesting. How did he know? Who is he? Can he help me, or is it the opposite? All these questions swirled in my head.
But every time I saw his face, I felt peace, calmness.