Rin...
His eyes widened. Beneath his charade of acknowledging the cheering crowd, his gaze locked onto the blacksmith woman who used to be by his side.
"Kain, what's wrong?" A melodic voice made his ears twitch. He looked to his side. A woman sat atop a matching white horse, riding shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
She wore a riding habit similar to his, but tailored with feminine elegance. She was the very picture of high-born grace, immaculate from head to toe. Even her tied black hair seemed to glow under the afternoon sun.
"Nothing. Just a familiar deadweight," Kain said, reaching over to caress the cheek of the beautiful woman beside him.
"Oh, is it your ex?" the woman asked, her eyes darting briefly into the crowd before returning to him. "Ah, the blacksmith girl. Of course."
"Right." They both chuckled.
"So sad. She must have wanted to see you so badly to come all the way to Einjaar," the woman sighed with mock pity.
"You think so?"
"I know so. I mean, who wouldn't be? You're one of the rarest talents in the kingdom, unlocking the Champion job class," the woman smiled, clutching his arm. "Father is so proud of his future son-in-law."
"Hahaha!" They shared a laugh, continuing their arrogant canter down the street.
In the alleyway, Anthierin took a deep, trembling breath and squared her shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut, desperately trying to suppress the memories threatening to spike. She tried to bury the happiness, and the bitter betrayal that followed, but it was impossible.
Every tear streaking across her cheeks carried a core memory.
—
The plains of Bevil Village, years ago. Crickets sang under the pale moonlight.
"It's a promise!" the little boy with black hair cheered.
"A promise," the young girl with chestnut hair echoed, her smile bright and full of hope.
Moons phased into years.
The heavy wooden doors swung open, and Kain strode into the blacksmith shop, a teenager brimming with confidence.
"Ah, Kain! Here to visit your future bride?" the middle-aged blacksmith chuckled from the front desk.
"Dad!" a stern voice called out. Anthierin stepped out from the back room, her face flushed.
"Hahaha, alright, alright, I have to tend the furnace," her father laughed, leaving the two teenagers alone.
"It's good to see you again, Rin," Kain smiled.
"Ah, here's your sword," Anthierin said, pulling a heavy, wrapped blade from under the desk. "It's been refined to the max by Dad... and me."
Kain nodded, gripping the hilt. He brandished the sword, the steel cutting through the air with a deadly, singing hiss. "Magnificent! I will surely win the Battle Royal with this!"
"Oh, stop it, you," Anthierin blushed. "Good luck out there."
"En! I'll make sure you see my dashing side!"
...
"Guha!" The last opponent was violently thrown from the arena ring.
"Ah! He won, Dad, he won!" Anthierin screamed, jumping up from the spectator stands.
"Yes, yes, I'm not blind," her father smiled, crossing his arms. "Though... it's not exactly fair for a Champion Job Class to enter a Battle Royal."
Down in the dirt, Kain sheathed his sword and raised a victorious fist. The audience erupted, chanting his name from every row.
...
Then came the victory banquet.
Anthierin wore a dress that made even the snobby nobles look twice. She was young, graceful, and blooming with maturity. It was a struggle to walk—she rarely wore heels in her workshop—but her smile never faded.
Until she looked for her Champion.
She spotted Kain talking to someone on the balcony. Grinning, she tiptoed over as quietly as possible.
Tada! Here comes the bride of the Champion! That would surely show the other girls.
"Dear Kain, I've heard that you have a fiancée? Is that true?" a lady's voice drifted through the night air. She had immaculate, ear-length black hair and wore an exquisite dress that screamed old money.
Anthierin froze, hiding just behind the grand curtains.
"A fiancée?" Kain chuckled, taking a slow sip of his wine. "Now, where did that come from?"
Anthierin's heart skipped a beat.
"Oh, so it's just a rumor?" the noble lady asked.
"It's completely baseless," Kain said smoothly, swirling the dark liquid in his glass.
Baseless...
The lady laughed softly. "I see. I'm glad, though... I wouldn't want any trouble just for sharing a drink with you."
Kain shook his head. "There will be no trouble. Especially not with the daughter of a Baron."
"You have a bright future ahead of you, Champion. In the next few years, you could become a Hero. You might even hit the Legendary Hero job class," the lady murmured. Her hand slowly hovered over his, resting on his knuckles. "Or should I say... we have a bright future."
She leaned in close. Her lips met his.
Anthierin's pupils shrank. Her chest caved in. As the two broke apart, Kain turned his head. His eyes locked directly onto hers.
Rin?
Anthierin's jaw tightened so hard her teeth ached. She spun around violently, her heel snapping under the sudden force. She stumbled into the crowd, completely blind to the world.
—
"Oof—"
Anthierin tripped over the uneven cobblestones of the Einjaar alleyway, her vision blurred by fresh tears. She braced for the hard ground, but hit something solid instead.
"Hmm?"
"Sorry, I was— Lexel?" Anthierin blinked, the memories shattering as she realized two strong hands were gripping her shoulders. The world had abruptly returned to the present.
"Yes, that's my name," Lexel smirked, looking down at her. "Were you looking for me?"
Anthierin wiped her face, her demeanor shifting instantly from heartbreak to sheer annoyance. "YES, I WAS!"
"Oh, so sweet. I was looking for you too~."
"Stop it! I was just making sure you didn't offend someone and get us arrested," Anthierin sighed heavily.
Lexel's smirk faded slightly. He reached out, his thumb catching a stray tear on her cheek. "Why are you crying again?"
"I..."
"Is it your ex?" Lexel asked, his voice dropping a fraction of an octave. "Did he hurt you?"
"No... just a bitter memory," Anthierin muttered, looking away.
"Hmm. Well, something sweet might help," Lexel said.
Before she could process the words, Lexel scooped her up into his arms, carrying her bridal style.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?! Put me down!" Anthierin shrieked, her face burning red.
"I will. Soon," Lexel promised. His knees bent slightly.
"Lexel?!"
"I found an interesting snack over there!" Lexel declared. With a massive surge of power, he launched them straight up onto the rooftops. He bounded across the clay tiles like a trained assassin, moving with terrifying speed.
Down on the main street, the parade continued. Kain's horse cantered proudly, but a blur of motion above caught his eye.
Is that... Rin? Kain squinted against the sun. And who is carrying her?
From the edge of the roof, Lexel looked down, locked eyes with Kain, and flashed a deeply disrespectful smirk. Then, he blurred away.
The Baron's daughter followed Kain's gaze, her pristine brows furrowing in confusion.
So she found a new man to carry her, Kain thought, his jaw tightening slightly. No matter.
Two streets over, Lexel leapt from the edge of the roof, plummeting toward an empty alleyway below with Anthierin still securely in his arms.
"Uh, Lexel...?!" Anthierin shrieked, looking down at the rapidly approaching cobblestones. "That's an empty alley!"
Lexel's wicked grin only widened. He didn't brace for a normal landing. Instead, his right foot flared with a dense, terrifying aura in mid-air.
[Tiger Stomp]
"Lexel, wait—!"
BOOM!
Lexel slammed into the alleyway floor. The impact shattered the cobblestones beneath his boot, sending a localized shockwave ripping through the earth. The miniature earthquake tore under the city streets, violently rattling the buildings and shaking the ground.
Out on the main street, the sudden tremor sent the parade into absolute chaos. The pristine white horses panicked, rearing up wildly on their hind legs.
With a yelp of very ungraceful terror, the Baron's daughter was thrown from her saddle. Kain scrambled to keep his balance, but the violent bucking sent the 'Champion' tumbling unceremoniously into the street dirt right beside her.
Safely tucked away in the alley, Lexel finally set a completely stunned Anthierin down on her feet. He peeked around the corner, saw the arrogant noble and his new girl covered in dust and scrambling on the ground, and threw his head back and laughed.