The two men circled each other in the arena, neither making the first move.
A duel between two masters, where a single strike could be fatal?
No—this wasn't that kind of fight. It was nothing more than a staged performance, carefully put on by Wriothesley and Leo for Furina's amusement.
Why put on such an act before her?
That was obvious. If Leo failed to keep Furina entertained, how could he slip away later to assist Wriothesley with reinforcing the seal?
Certainly not.
But they couldn't just keep circling forever, so the two began to exchange blows in a symbolic manner. Their duel was more performance than combat, brimming with flair and artistic flourish.
At least in Furina's eyes, it was thoroughly entertaining—she clapped and laughed, delighted by every exaggerated strike.
Stab, feint, lift, sweep, parry, slash, and spin.
After a smooth flurry of exchanges, Leo retreated two steps, leaving space for Wriothesley to take the spotlight. After all, it was only a performance; taking it too seriously would ruin the mood.
And so, the two of them continued their choreographed fight, trading blows for what looked like hundreds of rounds without suffering even a scratch. Their hair was still perfectly in place, their movements growing sharper and more flamboyant with each pass.
While slipping his stance low, Wriothesley glanced toward Furina. She was still cheering gleefully from the stands.
How long was this performance supposed to drag on? That was all the Duke could think about. He hadn't even finished the tea he brewed earlier!
Finally, deciding to bring this farce to an end without spoiling Furina's fun, Wriothesley drew deeply on his Cryo vision. With an upward strike, frost spread across the ground in jagged shards.
Why? Because Leo had just spun dramatically on one leg, making him an easy target.
The result was immediate—Leo stumbled and fell flat onto the arena floor, blinking up at Wriothesley with a look of betrayal.
What? We agreed it was just an act! Why are you trying to trip me for real?
Facing away from Furina and the prisoners, Wriothesley kept his expression neutral, his eyes darting around as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Furina burst into laughter, her voice carrying across the stands like a bell.
"Leo, you're such a fool! You can even trip over yourself—hahaha!"
Leo's face burned with embarrassment. He was certain Furina would mock him over this for at least a month. Or maybe longer—she had a knack for dragging up such moments at the most inconvenient times.
But when he stole a glance at her again, he found her winking encouragingly, her gaze urging him to keep going.
Strength surged back into his limbs.
A performance? Forget that. Time to show something real!
Holding his sword horizontally before him, its dark blade flared with light-blue Cryo energy.
Wriothesley froze for a moment, inwardly cursing.
What are you doing, brat? We agreed this was for show—now you want to make it serious?
In response, his gauntlets lit up as well, glowing with the same frosty aura.
The next exchange was nothing like before.
Every swing of Leo's sword carried deadly intent, leaving pale streaks of Cryo light in its wake. Shards of ice erupted wherever the blade struck. Wriothesley's fists moved faster and faster, colliding with the sword in bursts of freezing energy. The shrill bite of Cryo filled the entire arena.
Both men bore Cryo Visions, and though their fighting styles were different, their strength was nearly equal. The clash dragged on, each blow rattling the stands, yet neither could gain the upper hand.
If it continued like this, the outcome would be decided by stamina alone.
And between the two of them, the one to collapse first would almost certainly be Leo. Against Wriothesley's towering frame and honed physique, Leo's lean build looked fragile.
Just as exhaustion began to set in, Leo suddenly felt a faint surge of Hydro energy flow into him.
Wriothesley sensed it too, but by the time he realized, it was already too late.
A flash of watery light spread across the arena floor. In the next instant, Wriothesley was frozen solid, trapped in a crystalline sheath of ice.
Blinking in disbelief, Leo turned toward the stands—where Furina sat, smirking and fluttering her eyes at him.
There was no question. The Hydro Archon herself had intervened.
My Archon… you're amazing.
Before the prisoners could even cheer, the Duke shattered his icy prison, shards scattering across the floor. He dusted the frost from his shoulders, first casting a sharp look at Leo, then turning toward Furina, who was cheering with both arms raised.
Speechless, Wriothesley clenched his jaw.
So this is how it is? The Hydro Archon brings her little consort here just to bully me?
Fine. If nothing else, this was a good excuse to leave her behind.
With a grim expression, he fixed Leo with one last fierce glare before jumping down from the stage and striding away.
The crowd of prisoners erupted in celebration, chanting Leo's name.
Scratching his head awkwardly, Leo walked up to Furina and whispered, "Lady Furina… why did you do something so cruel?"
"Cruel? Hmph! You call this cruelty?" Furina crossed her arms with mock indignation. "Leo, you are mine. How could I let you lose to anyone else? If you dare say you lost, then I'll be angry. Very angry!"
She turned away dramatically, but the satisfied smile tugging at her lips betrayed her mood.
Just wait for him to coax me. Once he does, I'll have the perfect chance to make more demands.
Already she was planning where to drag Leo next—days of diversion, trips she would never have risked in the past.
As expected, Leo hurried after her, apologizing again and again, his tone growing humbler each time.
That was what mattered to her—not his words, but his submission, his presence.
And when his voice softened to little more than a desperate murmur, Furina knew the time was ripe.
"It's fine. I'm not angry anymore."
"Really? Lady Furina, you're truly the best Archon!"
She turned her head then, lips curled in a sly smile.
Seeing it, Leo's stomach dropped. He knew that look all too well. It meant he was about to be trapped.
"Of course I'm the best Archon," she purred. "And you're the best guard. Which is why—you'll promise me something."
Leo's shoulders slumped. He nodded miserably. If he didn't agree, he'd never escape her clutches.
"Good! Tomorrow we'll leave the Fortress of Meropide and spend a few days enjoying Fontaine. And don't you dare refuse!"
Leo blinked.
"Wait… going out to play? Really?"
"That's right!"
His mood flipped instantly. "All right, all right, Lady Furina! Let's go out and enjoy ourselves!"
For a moment, Furina faltered. His enthusiasm was a little too strong—almost as if he wanted to escape the Fortress.
Of course, he did. Who in their right mind would choose to stay in a prison? He had only lingered because Wriothesley had extended such a polite invitation.
But with Furina's blessing, there was no reason to refuse.
Laughing to himself, Leo dashed off toward the Duke's office.
"Lady Furina! I'll go tell Wriothesley—we'll head out tonight!"
Furina stood frozen in place, her brows furrowed.
This… was not the reaction she had expected.
***
Sorry for the Late Update 🫡