"L-Luluie-sama..."

"Hahaha... it's all a misunderstanding! I never meant to take the Ancient Star's scales—I was just cleaning up the battlefield for you..."

"I won't tell a soul about tonight. I swear..."

"And I'll never reveal even a hint of your true strength..."

"Luluie-sama... I can be useful to you... I’ll be of great use..."

"I won’t stand in your way..."

"I can help you... I can... I can..."

"Luluie-sama! Please don’t kill me!!!"

Drawn by the scent of blood, Luyi stepped toward Louise.

Having just witnessed Luyi obliterate the Star Beast with a single claw strike, Louise was utterly terrified.

She scrambled backward on hands and knees until her back hit the wall—nowhere left to run.

*How strange...*

Facing the Star Beast, she’d felt no fear. She’d stood firm against its judgment.

But before Luyi? Not even a flicker of resistance stirred within her.

Was it some lingering effect from their freshman duel?

Louise had no time to ponder. She could only watch in panic as Luyi closed in, step by step.

Her clothes were already torn from battle. Trembling violently, her shoulder slipped free of shredded fabric, runs spreading through her stockings, exposing pale skin.

She pressed her thighs together, fingers clawing at the wall behind her, tears welling in wide eyes.

Pitiful. Helpless. Small.

Normally, discovering a villain’s true power meant death.

If she did nothing, Luluie would likely end her right here.

"Luluie-sama, take me as your servant! Please!"

"I’ll never act arrogant in front of you again! Never play dirty..."

"Spare me! I’ll do anything!"

Luyi now stood before her. Louise squeezed her eyes shut, bowing low in desperate plea.

"......"

But the killing blow never came.

Instead, Louise felt her long silver hair gently lifted.

Peeking through slitted eyes, she saw the taller girl studying the blood-streaked strands, deep in thought.

*Eh?!*

This was beyond her comprehension.

Was Luluie-sama... admiring her spoils of war?

Shame burned through her—being so weak before a fellow freshman, handled like this.

Yet traitorously...

Her cheeks flushed crimson.

"This truly feels like that special blood..." Luyi murmured, too soft for anyone else to hear.

This blood was extraordinary.

Though its owner’s current strength was mediocre, it carried an exceptionally pure imperial aura—the kind only the royal bloodline possessed.

And beneath that... something far older.

If fully awakened and refined, its power would likely surpass even the Star Beast’s soulblood.

"Your identity is highly suspicious..." Luyi stated, looming over the trembling Louise.

*You’re the suspicious one!* Louise screamed inwardly. *Using techniques resembling the Star Devouring Demon Emperor’s?! Who’s really the problem here?!*

"You said you’d do anything, correct?" Luyi pressed.

To Louise, it sounded like a threat.

The unspoken words hung heavy: *Louise... you wouldn’t want... certain things... to get out, would you?*

"...Yes." Louise nodded weakly.

*What does Luluie-sama want from me?*

"I require your blood."

*Blood?*

*What blood?*

*What use is my blood?*

*Wait—!*

*Could she mean... my maiden blood?!*

The thought froze her mind completely.

Seconds later, her face burned scarlet, eyes darting wildly, a faint wisp of steam rising from her forehead.

"L-Luluie-sama! Doing... *that*... right here isn’t proper!!!"

"And there’s still the Star Beast nearby!"

"Though... she *is* female..."

Her voice dwindled to a whisper as she lowered her head.

Her heartbeat thundered; her skin grew feverish.

But this feeling...

"No." Luyi’s reply snapped her back to reality. "I want your *soulblood*."

*Eh?*

*So it wasn’t... that?*

The thrilling tension bled away, replaced by an odd pang of disappointment.

*Disappointed?!* she scolded herself. *Shouldn’t I be relieved my pure maidenhood is safe?!*

But... *soulblood*...

"Luluie-sama, you see my state," Louise said, forcing a bitter smile.

Her shattered soulbound weapon had wounded her deeply.

Until repaired, she’d remain critically injured—able to offer only weak, impure soulblood.

Repairing it would take months.

Crafted by the empire’s finest royal artisans, its restoration demanded exacting flames and materials.

Even with her own skills, half a year was the minimum.

"......"

Luyi assessed Louise’s life force and instantly understood.

"Show me your weapon."

After a tense pause, Louise gritted her teeth and pulled the broken short sword from her spatial ring.

"Luluie-dono, this is my—"

*Vvvvvvvv—*

Pitch-black flames erupted before Luyi.

Blessed by the Constellation Dragon’s elemental affinity, she commanded fire effortlessly.

Infused with Star Power and the Source of Magic, the blaze shimmered with stardust-like sparks—a heat that seemed to melt space itself.

Before Louise could react, her broken sword and the Ancient Star’s scales were hurled into the inferno.

"WAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

Realization struck. Louise lunged toward the black flames with a wail.

*What have you done, you monster?! That’s my SOULBOUND WEAPON!*

*Messing with it could ruin everything!*

"You—you—"

Louise whirled to rage—then froze.

She could *feel* it...

Her shattered weapon wasn’t disintegrating. It was *reforming*.

Even the backlash from its destruction was already fading after mere seconds!

Peering into the flames, she saw the scales melting, their essence flowing into the sword’s fractures like liquid starlight.

Within minutes, a fully restored short sword emerged from the blaze.

Its surface was whole, though inner flaws remained—repairs only Louise herself could finish.

"Ahh... ah..."

Louise stared at her sword, too stunned to grasp it.

*What kind of fire melts rare metals and scales instantly?*

*What insane forging skill rebuilds a weapon so casually?!*

The royal artisans suddenly seemed like children playing with clay.

"Not satisfied?" Luyi asked mildly.

"No! No! It’s perfect! Thank you endlessly, Luluie-sama!!!"

Under Luyi’s calm gaze, Louise snatched the sword, bowed deeply despite the pain, and clutched it like a lifeline.

"Consider this your down payment."

The flames died.

Luyi turned toward the exit, done with this place.

"I’ll need your soulblood once you’re fully healed. Don’t disappoint me."

"Farewell, Luluie-dono!"

The Star Beast bowed reverently, gratitude radiating from its voice after learning Luyi’s name from Louise.

"......"

Louise watched Luyi’s retreating back, lost in thought.

*So cool...*

Again powerless before her, yet Louise found herself sinking deeper into this feeling.

*If only she’d be harsher with me... stand closer...*