Emilia was completely taken aback by Ace's sudden embrace, the tightness of his trembling arms, leaving her mind confused for a moment.
"You're apologizing? Now? After all this time?" Emilia's questions hit painfully. "I won't forgive you. Not now, not ever."
"That's… that's okay," Ace's voice came out completely subdued and humble, his expression had calmed and his body steadied. "I won't ask for your forgiveness. So I'm sorry."
"What good will apologizing now even do?" her arms grabbed onto the back of Ace's shirt, her head burying itself against his shoulder. "I don't want your apology."
"I know…" No other words came out of Ace's mouth. "Nothing I say or do now will change anything. Especially what I did to you."
Ace's eyes were dark and pained.
'I just… When I saw her crying… I just…'
"Oh my~ Am I interrupting?" a sultry, seductive voice echoed a few steps away from her.
Ace, with a dark, murderous gaze, simply glanced at Lilith whose face was grazed with a bleeding wound and left hand dripped down with droplets of blood.
"Seems like this body has reached its limits faster due to your intervention, my dear Emilia~"
Emilia's fingers, still clutching onto Ace's back, twitched momentarily.
"Eh?"
Her eyes were wide with dumbfounded shock as she ripped herself apart from Ace's embrace.
"Emi?" Ace's let her go easily feeling a sudden change in Emilia.
But for the girl herself, something about the way Lilith had just said "My dear Emilia" had just rubbed her the wrong way.
And then, when she caught sight of her crimson-red eyes, the air around Emilia grew colder and colder, the temperature dropping so rapidly that everything beneath her feet started freezing.
"You…"
"Hehe~ Though I was in the body of a man when we met all those years ago, it is such a pleasure to see you once again, Emilia~"
A burst of cold magical energy surged from Emilia's furious form, Ace and Lilith leaping away from her immediately.
"It's you… It's really you…" Emilia spoke with seething rage, the painful and horrific memories of her past resurfacing as well as the person who was the origin of it all.
Emilia's transformed back into her blue-haired form before immediately launching multiple magic circles behind her which each unleashed a wave of ice spears onto Lilith.
"YOU'LL PAY!!!" Emilia screamed out in mind-consuming rage.
"Wait! Emi—!" Ace's voice fell on deaf ears as Emilia simply continued to launch attack upon attack relentlessly without restraint or consideration.
Lilith evaded most of the onslaught with graceful agility, though some of the did graze and injure her superficially.
but beyond just the incredible number and speed of the incoming attacks, Emilia had dashed forward with a rapier made of ice.
"My, how feisty you are."
Lilith immediately flicked her arm sideways, releasing a wave of black flames straight at Emilia who had come too close to evade.
Luckily for her—
"You idiot!"
—In a split second, Ace grabbed Emilia and extended his hand towards the incoming fiery wave.
'It's not perfect, but…!'
The wave of flames consumed them both before finally settling down, leaving the burnt smoke cloud of the molten ground in its quake.
But beyond the immediate attack, the black flames had created a ring of fire encircling their surroundings.
"So you survived, eh~?" Lilith tilted her head in amusement.
The smoke cloud dispersed, revealing an unharmed Ace and Emilia.
Emilia was huffing for air as her transformation dissipated and she fell to her knees, exhaustion catching up to her.
"Your prowess is impressive, but it is quite clear that you still haven't obtained full mastery of your abilities. What a disappointment. And here I had such high expectations, Emilia dear~"
"You—!"
Lilith's condescending and teasing voice hit a nerve in Emilia's already restless state.
But before it escalated from the taunt, Ace leaned down on one knee and pressed his lips on Emilia's, the shock from the kiss leaving her wide-eyed as her eyes locked onto his.
"Calm down," Ace said pulling back, hand still palming Emilia's face while the latter remained lightly stunned from the unexpected contact.
"Don't let your emotions get the better of you," he then rested his hand on her head before rising up from the ground and confronting Lilith.
"Quite the smooth boy you are," Lilith comment, a greatly amused smile spreading on her face as she giggled. "I've never been so entertained."
"But alas…"
Blood sprayed in an instant.
Lilith had pierced her own chest and heart with her blazing hand.
"What…?" Emilia was left speechless.
"…It is time for me to retreat for today~" Lilith said with a smile, blood flowing out her mouth.
"You think I'd let you?!" Ace leaped towards Lilith, sword in hand, ready to swing.
"Huhuhu~"
As the blade neared Lilith's neck, the red tint in her eyes slowly shifted back to its original purple color.
"I'll be impatiently waiting the next time we meet, my dear Ace and Emilia."
"Tch!" Ace's blade cut off Lilith's head right after the words left her mouth. 'I was one step too short.'
The falling head hit the ground with a thud, rolling slightly before finally coming to a stop.
Ace stood there motionlessly as he released a sigh.
'In the end… that really is the only way, huh?'
"Ace…?" Emilia's voice called out.
"Hm?" Ace turned towards her, the expression on his face regretful.
"I'm sorry, Emi. Now I'm really out of options," he walked towards her and then knelt in front of her, taking her into his embrace.
"I'll just say this once so please listen, okay?"
"Huh? What are you…? Don't tell me?!"
"No. It's nothing like what you just imagine. I know it's selfish of me, but can you stay with me? Even after everything? I don't think I have the courage to do this alone. Help me. Please help me… Emi."
His words, his voice, his tone, his warmth, his presence, something in Ace as he currently was had destroyed the last barriers in Emilia's heart.
Amidst the confusion of what could have forced him to say such things that were so uncharacteristic of him.
"Wh-what do you mean?" Emilia's voice finally came out.
"I'll do whatever you want. I'll remain by your side for as long as you want. That will be the revenge I offer to you. My body, my heart and my soul. I'll give it all to you. This is my only request."
Emilia absorbed Ace's words, and at the same time, she felt her entire being grow more relaxed.
"It's not fair. You're so unfair, Ace…"
She hugged him back. He thoughts racing as she considered Ace words against their shared history.
'That day, I never thought my life would change so drastically after meeting him.'
Memories flashed in her mind.
Memories too painful to bear.
Memories too precious to ever forget.
'Yes. Maybe it was fate, or just a simple coincidence. One thing is certain…'
Ace pulled back, hands on her shoulders as his eyes locked onto hers. His gaze was clear and sincere and she couldn't help it.
As much as she had never confronted it, these feelings that had festered within her alongside the hurt he had caused existed still. And she couldn't deny them any longer.
'By that point, I had already made my choice. And with it, there was no turning back.'
She then cupped his face and kissed him, Ace also leaning into it as the only response she gave him came from a simply heartfelt…
"Mm-hmm."