The autumn wind carried the scent of rain as Aso San stepped through the school gates, his bag slung over his shoulder. The air felt different that morning—charged, as though the world itself anticipated change. He tried to shake the feeling, but unease lingered.
Inside Class 2-B, students whispered excitedly. Aso caught fragments of conversation: "Transfer student… prestigious family… apparently a genius…" His stomach tightened. Another heir? He had barely started handling the weight of his own family's legacy, and now someone else was stepping into the spotlight.
The teacher entered with a tall boy at her side. He had striking silver hair that shimmered under the fluorescent lights and eyes sharp as blades. His uniform fit perfectly, his posture radiating confidence.
"This is Renji Kael," the teacher announced. "He comes from Kael House, one of the most distinguished families of the northern territories. Please treat him kindly."
The room buzzed. Whispers turned into admiration. Aso tried not to frown, but he felt invisible again.
Renji's gaze swept across the class, calculated and cool. Then it stopped—on Kaori Valein. His lips curved in the faintest smile, and in that instant, Aso's chest tightened.
Kaori, however, remained composed. Her expression was neutral, almost indifferent, though her eyes flickered briefly toward Aso, as if to reassure him. But the gesture only deepened his unease.
Renji took the empty seat beside Kaori. Aso's hand curled into a fist under the desk. Of all places, it had to be there.
Lunch break arrived, and the courtyard brimmed with chatter. Aso sat under a tree with his lunchbox, trying to ignore the distant laughter where Renji and a group of girls had gathered.
"Do you mind if I join you?"
The voice was calm, cutting through the noise. Aso looked up to find Kaori standing there, holding her bento. For a heartbeat, he froze. Kaori Valein, the untouchable girl of their generation.
The classroom air buzzed with whispers long before the first bell rang. Aso San walked in, instantly aware that something was different. Conversations hushed when he passed; eyes followed him in a way that made his skin crawl.
He slid into his seat, pretending not to notice, but fragments of words reached his ears anyway.
"…Kaori and Renji…"
"…perfect match…"
"…both from prestigious families…"
His hand froze on his pencil. Kaori… and Renji?
He forced himself to focus on the chalkboard, but every giggle and hushed tone seemed to pierce through him. When Renji Kael entered moments later, striding with effortless grace, the whispers swelled. He greeted a few students, then moved toward Kaori's desk.
"Good morning, Valein," he said smoothly, as though they had known each other for years.
Kaori barely glanced up. "Morning."
Renji smirked faintly, then took his seat beside her. Aso's stomach tightened. The room seemed smaller, suffocating.
At lunch, Aso escaped to the quiet rooftop, hoping for silence. The autumn breeze was sharp, carrying the faint scent of burning leaves. He leaned against the railing, gripping it until his knuckles whitened.
"Perfect match, huh…" he muttered bitterly.
He hated himself for how much it stung. Kaori Valein—Valestra Kairon—had been his guide, his partner. But what if it was only because of obligation? What if, in the eyes of their families, Renji truly was the better match? Stronger, more confident, undeniably skilled.
The door creaked open. Aso turned, startled, to find Kaori stepping onto the rooftop, her bento in hand.
"There you are," she said softly.
He tried to mask his expression. "Just wanted some air."
Kaori studied him for a moment before crossing the rooftop. She stopped beside him, the wind tugging at her hair. "You've heard them, haven't you? The rumors."
Aso swallowed. "…They're not exactly quiet."
Her gaze hardened. "Let them talk. They don't matter."
He laughed bitterly. "Easy for you to say. Renji's… well, he's everything I'm not. Strong, skilled, respected—"
Her hand shot out, gripping his wrist firmly. He blinked, startled, as her voice dropped low and sharp.
"Don't compare yourself to him. You're not him, and you never will be. And that's exactly why I—" She stopped abruptly, releasing his wrist as if realizing she'd said too much.
"You what?" he asked softly, heart racing.
Kaori turned her face away, eyes fixed on the horizon. "Nothing. Just… don't let them shake you. Understand?"
The silence that followed was heavy, but Aso felt something shift. Her words had carried more weight than she intended.
That night, the mercenary world summoned them again. The Outland stretched wide, its sky bruised purple with gathering storms. Their mission was clear: infiltrate a corrupted fortress crawling with shadow beasts.
To Aso's dismay, Renji was there too, sword gleaming, aura sharp as steel.
"Looks like fate won't let us part ways so soon," Renji said, smirking. "Try not to slow us down, San."
Aso's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Valestra appeared. Her presence, radiant and commanding, silenced even Renji for a heartbeat.
"Enough," she said coolly. "We have a mission. Save your petty rivalry for another time."
Renji's eyes gleamed. "As you wish, Valein heiress."
Aso felt the jab like a knife, but Valestra's glance toward him softened the blow. She knows I'm struggling, he thought. She's keeping me steady.
Inside the fortress, shadows writhed and screeched. Aso fought hard, his blade cutting through the darkness, but every strike felt heavier than the last. Renji moved ahead effortlessly, dispatching monsters with calculated grace.
"You're leaving gaps," Renji called back mockingly. "Do you want her to keep covering for you forever?"
Aso faltered, teeth clenched. But before he could respond, Valestra's voice cracked like a whip.
"Enough, Kael. Don't mistake arrogance for strength."
Renji turned slightly, brows raised. "Defending him again? One might think you're protecting more than just a comrade."
The air grew tense, charged with unspoken meaning. Aso's chest tightened. But Valestra's eyes burned cold, unwavering.
"He's my partner," she said firmly. "And I trust him more than I'll ever trust you."
For the first time, Renji's smirk faltered. His gaze sharpened, but he said nothing, turning back to the fight.
Aso's heart pounded, adrenaline mixing with something far more dangerous. She trusts me… more than him. The words echoed in his mind, anchoring him as the battle raged on.
By the time the fortress was cleansed, Aso's arms ached, sweat dripping into his eyes. But he was still standing. Valestra stood beside him, unshaken, her spear dripping with shadow's remnants.
Renji sheathed his sword with an easy motion, but his eyes lingered on them both. "Interesting. Very interesting."
Then, without another word, he vanished into the darkness.
Aso exhaled shakily, turning to Valestra. "Why… why do you defend me like that?"
She regarded him quietly for a moment, then stepped closer. Her silver hair caught the eerie moonlight, framing her face like a halo.
"Because you're worth defending," she said simply. "Even if you don't see it yet."
Before he could answer, she turned away, her voice quieter. "And I don't care what anyone says—rumors mean nothing. Remember that, Aso."
His throat tightened, words failing him. But inside, something bloomed—small, fragile, yet undeniable.
In that moment, whispers of betrayal no longer mattered. Because in her eyes, he was more than enough.
The cityscape of the Outland fortress glowed faintly under a fractured moon, its ruins a haunting reminder of battles long past. Tonight, the air trembled with danger—corrupted beasts prowled in the streets, their claws scraping stone. Aso San stood at Valestra's side, blade trembling in his grip.
Kaori's transformation into Valestra always startled him, even now. The aloof girl from his class became a radiant force, her spear glowing like the spine of a fallen star. Yet tonight, for the first time, Aso noticed her shoulders tense, her breath shorter than usual.
"Are you alright?" he whispered, careful not to draw Renji's attention.
Valestra's eyes flicked to him—silver fire dimmed by exhaustion. "Fine," she said, though her voice lacked its usual edge.
They pressed on. Shadows lunged, jaws wide, but Aso's sword intercepted. Steel rang against bone, sparks flying. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to keep pace. Renji darted through the battlefield like a phantom, carving beasts apart with precise strikes, barely sparing them a glance.
"You're lagging again, San," Renji taunted, his voice echoing.
Aso's chest burned, but before he could retort, Valestra spoke sharply. "Focus on the enemy, Kael. Or is your pride more important than survival?"
Renji's smirk faltered.
But the tide turned quickly. A colossal beast—a chimera of wolf and serpent—emerged from the ruins, eyes glowing like molten gold. The air vibrated with its growl, and even Renji paused.
Valestra charged first, spear flashing arcs of lightning. But midway, her body faltered. The spear dipped, her strike off-balance.
"Valestra!" Aso's heart clenched. Without thinking, he sprinted forward, intercepting the beast's massive claw. Pain tore through his arm as steel met force, but he held.
"Move!" he shouted, straining against the weight.
Valestra regained her footing, eyes wide with something Aso had never seen in her—fear. She thrust her spear, piercing the beast's chest, and the chimera collapsed in a thunder of dust.
Silence hung heavy. Renji approached, gaze sharp. "She slipped. You covered her."
Valestra turned, voice low. "Don't. Say. A word."
Renji's smirk returned, but his eyes lingered on Aso with new calculation.
Later, when the battlefield stilled and shadows retreated, Valestra removed her helm. For once, she didn't look invincible. Sweat dampened her hair, her eyes softer than moonlight.
"You… saved me," she admitted quietly.
Aso's throat tightened. "Anyone would have—"
"No." She stepped closer, so near he felt the warmth of her presence. "Not anyone. You."
Her words stripped him bare. For the first time, her mask shattered, revealing the fragile girl beneath the warrior.
And in that moment, Aso San realized something terrifying and beautiful—Valestra Kairon, the invincible legend, trusted him to hold her when she faltered.
Autumn leaves drifted across the school courtyard the next day, but Aso San hardly noticed. His arm ached from last night's battle, yet the memory of Kaori's—no, Valestra's—words burned brighter than the pain.
Across the courtyard, Kaori Valein laughed lightly at something a friend said. To everyone else, she was untouchable, the picture of poise. But Aso now carried the memory of her trembling, her whispered confession. It made her feel painfully close, and impossibly far.
Renji's presence was unavoidable. Girls swooned around him, boys whispered of his skill. Yet his eyes often slid toward Aso, unreadable. There was no open hostility, but Aso felt the weight of being measured.
The night air was cool, the moon silver against drifting clouds. Aso San leaned against the academy's rooftop railing, exhaustion tugging at him. The battles were growing fiercer, the pressure heavier. Yet his thoughts kept circling back to one truth—Kaori Valein and Valestra Kairon were the same girl, and she was slipping past every wall he had built.
The door creaked open behind him. He didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"You're avoiding me," Kaori's voice was soft, yet certain.
He exhaled. "Not avoiding. Just… thinking."
She walked over, her footsteps quiet. "About last night?"
He nodded. The memory of their duel, of her closeness, still lingered. "It's dangerous," he murmured. "How we… fit together. I don't know if I can handle it."
Kaori leaned on the railing beside him, her shoulder brushing his. "You don't have to handle it alone."
The silence stretched, filled with the hum of cicadas. Aso turned, finally meeting her eyes—not the cold silver of Valestra, but the warm, steady brown of Kaori.
"You're… different here," he said. "Softer."
Her lips curved faintly. "And you're stronger there. Maybe we balance each other out."
He chuckled, the sound brittle. "Renji doesn't think so."
Her expression darkened. "Forget Renji. This isn't about him. It's about us."
The words startled him more than any battle. Us.
Before he could respond, Kaori reached up, brushing her fingers against his cheek. The touch was fleeting, almost hesitant. "You saved me once. I won't forget that. And… I don't want you to forget me, no matter what comes."
Aso's heart pounded. He wanted to ask what she meant, but the look in her eyes silenced him—a mixture of determination and something dangerously close to longing.
The rooftop felt too small, the night too heavy with unspoken truths. And beneath the moon's veil, Aso San realized the path before them was no longer about legacy or rivalry—it was about a bond that might burn brighter than the legends they were meant to inherit.
And perhaps, for the first time, Kaori Valein let herself hope that Aso San would choose her, not because of their families, not because of duty—but because their hearts demanded it.