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\'A hundred times over… he would choose…\' she began to piece it together slowly, the significance dawning in her thoughts like the first rays of sunlight cresting the horizon.

And then, it hit her.

Her face flushed, the warmth spreading swiftly from her cheeks up to her ears, the shock rooting her to her seat. She couldn\'t hide the crimson spreading across her skin, and her hands instinctively clenched in her lap. But Lucavion\'s eyes held hers with a playful glint, watching as her expression shifted, completely aware of the effect his words were having.

"You…" she managed to stammer, feeling her voice waver against her will. She clenched her fists tighter, as if that might quell the rush of heat in her face, the feeling so foreign, that she hardly knew how to respond. She scowled, but it lacked its usual force, undermined by the lingering blush.

Lucavion\'s smirk returned, subtly triumphant. "Yes?" he drawled, his tone light and maddeningly smug.

Valeria opened her mouth to respond, but no words formed. Her throat tightened as if it refused to let anything out. She clenched her jaw, silently cursing herself for the lack of control. What was happening to her? The feeling inside her was like nothing she had ever encountered—burning yet fleeting, intense yet elusive.

As a knight, she had spent her life training, striving, and carrying the weight of her family\'s honor on her shoulders. She had sparred against the deadly opponents and met the clash of cold steel without flinching. But now, this warmth—so unlike the chill of iron—left her unable to steady herself.

\'This… this can\'t be real,\' she told herself, fighting against the foreign sensation flaring in her chest. \'It\'s not the thrill of battle or the cold discipline of duty.\'

But if it wasn\'t that, then what was it? The warmth wasn\'t just from the fire beside them; it was in her very core, heat rising up and mingling with the maddening thrum of her heartbeat. And, though she wanted to look away from him, her gaze was drawn back to Lucavion, as if he were the source of it all.

\'What is this feeling…?\' she wondered, frustration and confusion clashing. Her heart pounded in her chest, betraying her with every erratic beat.

\'Why can\'t I just answer him now?\' she questioned herself, a gnawing frustration taking root alongside her confusion. She had never hesitated to face anything head-on and had always confronted challenges, no matter how daunting. But now, when the response should\'ve been simple, her voice was gone. Her throat felt constricted, and she could barely breathe through the swirling, heated tension that sat heavily between them.

\'What makes this different?\' she asked herself again, as if repeating the question might yield an answer. But nothing came. The answer was as elusive as the sensation growing in her chest.

Lucavion\'s eyes remained fixed on her, pitch black and unwavering, his gaze carrying an intensity that felt almost… suffocating. It weighed on her in ways she couldn\'t understand, making her pulse quicken and her resolve falter. For reasons she couldn\'t explain, she found herself looking away, her gaze drifting toward the fire rather than meeting those piercing eyes that watched her so closely.

\'Why can\'t I meet his gaze?\' The question spun in her mind, pressing her with the kind of dread she had never felt in battle. She clenched her hands tightly, feeling the tension in her muscles, the vulnerability of being unable to confront him directly. \'Why is it so… hard?\'

But even that question gave no clarity, only compounding the strange, tightening sensation within her chest. A stifling tension she couldn\'t shake.

Just when Valeria felt as though the overwhelming tension might finally push her over the edge, a clatter sounded beside her, and the aroma of freshly prepared food wafted through the air. She turned quickly, relief flooding her at the interruption, grateful for anything that might break the spell of this moment.

But when she looked up to see who had brought their meal, her sense of reprieve vanished almost as quickly as it came. Standing beside their table, towering and formidable, was none other than the Iron Matron herself, her sharp gaze assessing as she set down their plates with an air of calm authority.

Valeria\'s relief faltered. The Iron Matron\'s presence was always charged, and tonight was no different. The woman\'s silent power radiated as she placed the dishes before them, her eyes flicking between the two with a faint hint of amusement as if sensing the invisible tension crackling between them.

"Your meals," the Iron Matron intoned, her voice low and carrying that measured weight that quieted everything around it. She looked pointedly at Valeria, her expression unreadable but distinctly knowing.

"Thank you," Valeria managed, her voice steadier than she felt, though she kept her gaze firmly on the food in front of her rather than risking another glance in Lucavion\'s direction.

The Iron Matron gave a brief, approving nod, then turned her gaze on Lucavion. "I trust this will be to your satisfaction, as well."

"I never doubted your skills."

"I don\'t want to doubt yours too….But, you really seem reckless."

"What can I do? I learned it from my master."

"….."

The Iron Matron\'s gaze sharpened, fixed unwaveringly on Lucavion. Her eyes held a kind of quiet challenge, and Lucavion, unfazed, met it head-on, the edges of his mouth curved in a slight, almost daring smile. They held each other\'s stare, a silent contest of wills unfolding between them.

After a long, heavy pause, the Iron Matron\'s lips curved into a small, approving smile. "If that\'s what you want, then I\'ll uphold my promise," she murmured, a glint of something like respect flickering in her eyes.

Lucavion\'s own smile widened, but this time it was genuine, a rare glimpse of sincerity in the usually mocking expression he wore. "Thank you, Miss Little Bear," he replied smoothly, inclining his head slightly in a gesture that was part respect, part cheek.

The Iron Matron chuckled, crossing her arms as she stood back. "Only you can still use that name."

"I know that."

"Is that so?" she remarked, amusement flashing across her face. Then, with a final approving nod to Valeria, she turned and left them for their meal.

Valeria, still reeling from the strange exchange, glanced down at her plate, hoping the food might ground her from the swirl of emotions that Lucavion had stirred in her.

Just like that, their night went on.

*******

<Tomorrow Morning>

Lucavion stepped into the wide, open corridor leading toward the arena, his footsteps echoing against the stone walls.

The tension was tangible, and the silence between the thick walls seemed almost expectant, as if the stones themselves understood the significance of this stage.

Now that only thirty-two contestants remained, each match was a spectacle, with every pair battling in full view of the crowd and the tournament\'s most esteemed guests. He felt the shift in the air, the weight of hundreds of eyes awaiting him on the other side of the gate.

As he approached, he let out a slow, steady breath, drawing on his focus as he felt the mana hum through him, resonant and ready.

The clash with Zerah from the Cloud Heavens Sect had left a lingering satisfaction, and he knew that every word he\'d thrown back at her had only deepened their interest, and their disdain, in him.

\'Exactly as planned.\'

The door to the arena loomed ahead, sunlight spilling through the cracks, casting his shadow long and dark across the floor. With a faint smirk, he rested his hand on the hilt of his estoc, feeling the familiar weight as he pushed open the gate and stepped into the open.

The noise hit him immediately—a deafening roar of cheers, gasps, and murmurs, the crowd\'s anticipation filling the air like a living thing. Lucavion paid it no mind. His eyes were already on the ring ahead, his senses sharp, his focus unbreakable.

This was his stage, and he would play his part perfectly.

\'You people...This time, I will make sure to crush you thoroughly.\'

----------A/N--------

Happy Halloween. I will post some illustrations for Halloween on Discord if I have free time.

Also, for some reason, formatting keeps getting lost when being pasted from Word, and that is why you may not be able to see the italic and bold characters. Hope it is fixed soon.

My exams are approaching, so some days I may not be able to post more than a chapter every day.

Thank you for supporting me till now. Hope you have a nice time reading.