He was smirking like a lunatic when he straightened up, brushing nonexistent dust from his tunic. "Gotcha, Cassius," he announced triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear.
I rubbed my temple, sighing inwardly. These two were friends? I didn't know that.
'If we were, then surely he wouldn't mind if I retaliated a little... right?'
A sly grin crept onto my face. I leaned in close and whispered, "Run."
He didn't even wait for me to finish the word. He jerked in surprise, spun around on his heel, and darted into the crowd like a startled hare.
And I? I chased after him like a rabid dog let loose.
Tables were leaped over. Guests shoved aside. The banquet turned into a chaos-filled chase, the laughter of startled nobles ringing behind me. For a moment, the grand elegance of the hall melted away, replaced by the reckless thrill of the hunt.
Eventually, the blonde bastard ran himself into a dead end—an arched hallway that tapered off into a solid wall of polished obsidian marble.
I skidded to a stop, chest heaving but grinning like a madman. "Now, you can't run anymore!" I shouted dramatically, voice echoing off the walls.
He turned to face me, still grinning, chest rising and falling with quick breaths. "There's no way I'd let you catch me."
Then, with a shout, he activated a spell. "[Blitz Speed]!"
Golden lightning crackled around his form and in a flash, he shot past me, zipping by like a bolt of divine mischief, even sticking his tongue out as he passed.
My eye twitched. This little—
I didn't waste another second.
"[Flash Speed]," I whispered, and a surge of pale blue energy surged through my limbs.
I vanished from sight, reappearing just ahead of him.
My fist collided squarely with his gut.
He went flying backward like a ragdoll, slamming into the wall he was just trying to escape. The impact formed a spiderweb crack, dust falling from the ceiling as he groaned and slid down like a cartoon character.
He looked up at me, dazed but smiling. "Hey… since when did you stop being a pacifist?"
I tilted my head, my smirk returning. "Not long ago. Just today."
He pushed himself up like nothing had happened—despite the wall clearly disagreeing—and dusted off his clothes with dramatic flair. "Damn, and you hit like a troll too."
I blinked at him. Then, grabbing the collar of his shirt, I yanked him back and forth like a ragdoll. "Are you saying this handsome guy is like a troll?"
He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Handsome? Bro, did you hit your head during that duel or are you just delusional now?"
He clicked his tongue and shook his head, as if truly disappointed in me. "I hope you stay delusional, though. As your good friend, I'll support your lies."
Then he placed his hand on my shoulder, giving me the most exaggerated pitying look imaginable. "Yeah, yeah. You're handsome."
To top it off, he wiped fake tears from the corners of his eyes with a sniffle.
I stared at him, deadpan.' Yep, he's definitely Cassius's friend.'
I let out a groan and rubbed my temples again. "Okay but seriously—why the hell did you kick me in the back earlier?"
He waved his hands through the air with a flourish. "Theatrics!"
His sincerity nearly caught me off guard. He looked so genuine I almost believed him.
Almost.
Bonk!
I brought my fist down on his head, not hard enough to hurt, but definitely hard enough to get my point across.
"You kicked me for that?!" I shouted.
He stumbled back, rubbing his head with a wounded expression. "Okay, okay! Truce, truce! Peace, what do you say?"
He stuck his hand out, a peace offering in the form of a handshake.
I eyed him suspiciously but smirked anyway, accepting it.
Then, of course, he tried to yank me toward him.
Keyword: tried.
I didn't budge.
He backed away, laughing nervously. "Okay, fine. You were prepared. Better luck next time, huh?"
I raised a clenched fist in mock threat.
He immediately took a step back, hands raised in surrender. "Okay, chill! Chill, my guy! Let's go brighten that gloomy mood of yours."
He nudged me with his elbow and gave me a knowing smirk. "By introducing you to your fiancée."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Who?"
His expression froze. He looked at me like I'd just declared I didn't know what bread was. Then he facepalmed.
"The same little girl who used to follow us around like a puppy during our childhood? Ring any bells?" He tapped his temple with a finger.
I froze for a second, blinking.
'So they were all childhood friends…?'
This hadn't been in the game. No lore, no mention. Not even a footnote.
Growing more annoyed with his constant nudging, I finally muttered, "Yeah, yeah… Amelia Everhart."
He looked suspicious but accepted it with a shrug. Then he leaned in, narrowing his eyes.
"Wait… Did you forget everyone?" His tone dropped slightly. "Lilith? Freya? Celeste? Zyon?"
My face stayed neutral, but my heart sank.
'Those are the heroines and the antagonist… All of them were childhood friends?'
I forced a casual shrug. "I remembered. I just… forgot Amelia was my fiancée, that's all."
He squinted at me, clearly not convinced but letting it go for now. "If you say so…"
With a sudden spin, he turned on his heel and pointed down the hallway. "This way, soldier! Time for a grand childhood friends reunion!"
He was way too enthusiastic, practically skipping away. I followed, but every step was weighed down by the whirlwind in my head.
'Half of the heroines… even the future antagonist… were childhood friends of Cassius?'
'Why was this never mentioned in the game?'