"No, this can’t be… Leon, why?!"

Tears blurred Valen’s vision instantly. Though he vaguely grasped the truth, he kept murmuring.

Staring blankly at the azure sky, his raised hand finally dropped limply to the ground. Only an unchanging sigh remained: "Why? Because… you’re… the young master I respect most!"

In his daze, Leon’s hazy mind replayed that winter day—the little boy who’d warmed him with care; the time he’d been homeless and fleeing, only for that same youth to appear before him…

A knight’s virtues were just self-deceiving faith. But my loyalty to you? Etched into my very bones.

Young master, you’re too kind. As the city lord’s son, do you know how many greedily eye you? Clinging to such naive dreams, you’ll be eliminated soon enough…

"No, don’t die… Wake up! Without my permission, who allowed you to close your eyes?!"

Valen shook the chilling body fiercely, glaring at that bittersweet, unrepentant smile. His trembling frame roared without pause.

Memories surfaced silently: that back shielding him countless times; that stern face drilling swordsmanship into him; that elder always easing his burdens…

The person was gone. His heart felt hollow.

Frustrated, Lily ruffled her hair. Faced with this sudden turn, the voice behind her crackled with unusual anger:

"Ahhh, this detestable ending… Maybe I should say I hate human nature—it’s always so unpredictable!"

Hearing the contradictory words, sensing murderous intent surging behind her, Lily’s fingers crept toward her sword hilt. "What… are you planning?"

"What to do? It’s obvious—anything beyond my control shouldn’t exist!"

Seemingly oblivious to her move, the figure just snarled.

"Clang!" Seizing that split-second lapse, Lily drew her sword, spun, and slashed.

No flashy moves—just a honed horizontal strike, fast, precise, ruthless.

Yet even this stunning ambush left the opponent unscathed.

How could an ordinary human girl harm a mad monster anyway?

Before her stood a youth of similar build and age.

Ash-gray hair hung messy; his eerie aura set nerves on edge. Most striking was the mask on his face—

Left side black, like a weeping face; right side white, like a grinning one. If forced to name it: a mad clown.

Gripping the sword tip with one hand, head tilted, he hissed chillingly:

"I meant to keep you longer… but since you crave death, don’t blame me for mercy’s end!"

"Bad!"

"Boom!" A deafening blast shattered the lake’s silence. Through the dust cloud, Lily’s body flew backward, crashing where the fight had just ended.

Still lost in grief, Valen stared in confusion at the girl slammed to the ground.

"What… is happening now?"

"Run… this guy… wants you dead!" Lily gasped, half-kneeling, blood spilling from her lips. Every bone felt shattered.