Celestina squinted at Azriel through the narrow gaps in the walls of ice.
Standing motionless behind them, Azriel gazed back at her with eyes that seemed hollow, emotionless.
Pressing her lips into a thin line, Celestina finally broke the silence.
“…I didn’t think you’d stoop this low for a mere duel.”
“A mere duel?”
Azriel repeated her words, a faint frown tugging at his lips.
“A mere duel you initiated, despite knowing you can’t stand a chance against me. And yet, even knowing that, you hold back. I find that insulting. The fact that I haven’t done anything serious yet… that alone should earn me your gratitude.”
At Azriel’s cold words, Iryndra and Amaya glanced nervously between the two, their eyes flickering with unease.
Celestina, however, didn’t waver. She regarded him steadily, then suddenly offered him a pale smile.
“Perhaps you’re right,” she said softly, her voice tinged with mockery. “I should be grateful that you’ve decided not to go all out on poor little me. But unless you’ve suddenly decided to reveal this vicious side of yours for no reason, I can’t help but wonder what it is you’re really trying to accomplish here.”
Her smile widened slightly as Azriel’s intense gaze remained fixed on her.
“To turn my desire for revenge against me… truly, you’ve struck at the heart of things. My poor, bleeding heart. But it’s all so sudden, don’t you think? Or maybe… maybe I am a fool, and you really are this heartless. Perhaps you’re not trying to frustrate me, to provoke me into anger for some hidden purpose. Maybe this is simply who you are.”
“….”
“….”
Both held each other’s sharp, penetrating gaze, refusing to look away, as if locked in a silent staring contest.
An uncomfortable silence filled the sparring room, the tension palpable as their eyes remained fixed on one another.
Then…
Azriel suddenly shut his eyes, his shoulders sagging as a disappointed sigh escaped his lips.
“Ah, well,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. A lopsided smile appeared on his face as he looked at Celestina.
“I suppose I need to work on insulting people more properly next time.”
His tone was light, but there was an edge of truth to his words. Waving his hand, he dismissed the ice walls, which slowly melted away until none remained.
Azriel glanced at her briefly before turning his head and scratching his nose, a hint of awkwardness in the gesture.
“I think it was about nine years ago. A rumor spread through the lesser clans, even reaching the great clans. Something about Celestina Frost using her [unique skill] in public… and Ragnar Frost himself stepping in to erase everyone’s memories of the event.”
Celestina blinked at his words, repeatedly, her expression slowly shifting to one of shock. Her eyes widened.
“You… heard about that.”
She wasn’t sure what surprised her more: that Azriel had remembered something no one else could or that, of all people, he had paid attention to the happenings within and outside the four great clans.
Snapping out of her daze, Celestina shook her head and shifted uncomfortably.
“You tried to make me mad, hoping I’d use my [unique skill]. That’s why you also didn’t attack me physically—you were afraid I wouldn’t have the mana left, weren’t you?”
Azriel didn’t respond immediately. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his silence was enough of an answer for her.
Looking down, Celestina pinched her chin, lost in thought. After a few moments, she lifted her head, meeting his gaze with hesitation.
“…If I were to show you,” she said slowly, “would you agree to join my faction?”
Azriel’s eyes widened, genuine surprise flashing across his face. He knew what her [unique skill] meant to her, how fiercely she guarded its secret. He’d planned to push her further, maybe even use force if necessary, though he would’ve drawn the line… probably.
The idea that she’d offer so willingly left him momentarily speechless.
“You’d really show me your [unique skill]?”
Celestina nodded, her expression serious.
“If you join my faction, yes. And of course, you’ll keep it between us. You’ve heard the rumors, so you must know what… assumptions people had made about it. I don’t want anyone else to know. Not yet, at least.”
“…You really want me to join your faction, don’t you?”
Celestina nodded without a moment’s hesitation.
“Of course. Besides, if not me, others will come and try to bait you into joining theirs.”
‘If she is so willing to reveal her [unique skill], everything will be much easier.’
Azriel studied her for a few more seconds, his expression unreadable. Then, with a soft sigh, a faint smile crept onto his face.
“Very well. You have yourself a deal. I’ll join your faction.”
At his words, relief washed over Celestina’s face. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, dropping her wooden sword as her shoulders finally relaxed.
Rubbing his neck, Azriel turned his head toward Iryndra and Amaya, addressing them calmly.
“Apologies, but I’ll need the sparring room alone with Celestina to continue our duel. You two can head back to my dorm. I’ll see you once I’m done here.”
Both of them hesitated, a reluctant look crossing their faces. Amaya met Azriel’s gaze, and after seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she let out a quiet sigh. Taking Iryndra’s hand, she gently guided her toward the exit without a word.
Iryndra, however, kept glancing back at Celestina and Azriel, her expression disappointed at being denied the chance to see what would happen next.
Just as they reached the door, Amaya stopped abruptly, turning her head to narrow her eyes at the two.
“Don’t destroy the sparring room, and… just don’t take things too far.”
Azriel and Celestina simultaneously tilted their heads to the side, their expressions mirroring each other’s confusion as they looked at Amaya.
She sighed again before turning away, dragging a reluctant Iryndra out of the room with her.
Hearing the door close with a click, Azriel turned back to Celestina, who was watching him with a serious expression.
“It’s just the two of us now. No prying eyes. You can start when you’re ready.”
Azriel’s sharp smile lingered as he spoke, while Celestina tucked a strand of her silver hair behind her ear and gave a small nod.
“So, how does your [unique skill] work?”
Azriel’s curiosity was genuine.
The book had revealed fragments of information, teasing her ability in moments, but it never went into detail. He didn’t even know the name of it.
Then, unexpectedly, Celestina’s lips curved into a wicked smile that made Azriel blink, caught off guard.
“I never said I’d explain my [unique skill] to you… only that I’d show you.”
Before he could respond, the wound on her cheek began to glow faintly white. In an instant, it vanished, the cut healing completely.
“…!”
Azriel’s eyes widened as the air shifted.
Looking down at his arm, he saw the hairs standing on end. His instincts screamed at him.
Azriel snapped his gaze back to where Celestina had been—
Except she wasn’t there anymore.
The space where she’d stood was empty.
Then, the lights in the sparring room began to flicker, buzzing ominously as shadows danced across the walls.
Reacting on instinct, Azriel pivoted to his left, raising his wooden sword into a defensive position.
“Huh?”
Nothing. There was nothing there.
Before he could fully process it, a sharp, powerful force struck him from behind, sending him hurtling forward.
“Uhk..!”
Quickly, Azriel twisted his body, rolling to the ground and creating an ice wall to catch himself.
“….”
“…Well, that was certainly surprising.”
Azriel chuckled, getting to his feet and dusting himself off before looking ahead.
The lights continued to buzz, flickering on and off, but despite the chaos, Azriel could clearly see what lay ahead of him.
…His heart skipped a beat.
No, it was more than just a beat.
Frozen in place, Azriel dropped his wooden sword without realizing it, his mouth falling open as he stared at Celestina.
For a brief moment, the world around him seemed to freeze.
Those grey eyes in the dark sparring room had transformed, now glowing like silver diamonds, piercing through the darkness. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire
Her silver hair seemed to shine brighter than ever, reflecting the very moonlight that wasn’t even there.
Her white skin grew even more pale, almost translucent, like polished porcelain or untouched snow—devoid of blood, like a perfectly crafted doll.
Her mouth was slightly open, revealing canine teeth that had sharpened into small, pointed fangs.
It was as though she had become something else.
She no longer seemed human.
…And she wasn’t.
What stood before Azriel was no human.
Definitely not, with two sets of triangular ears perched atop her head, twitching with silver fur that matched her hair.
Then, something moved behind Celestina.
Three long, plush silver tails swayed behind her, hypnotic in their movement. They looked impossibly soft, as if dipped in starlight.
Azriel exhaled, a shuddering breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
A single thought screamed in his mind:
‘A… a fox girl…!’