Bang—!!
The door shook as if it were about to break.
I nodded in satisfaction.
'Good.'
'One more time.'
Just as I was about to raise my leg again—
"Do you really think it'll break like that?"
A chilly voice came from behind me.
"...Huh?"
I slowly turned my head.
The first thing that caught my eye was a black boot.
Above it was a straight, powerful leg.
A sword strapped at his waist.
The higher my gaze went, the more naturally a sigh escaped me.
Dante Blackwood.
He was looking down at me with his arms crossed.
A few snowflakes were still resting in his hair, and a faint sheen of sweat glistened over the thin shirt clinging to his skin.
He must have just returned from his morning training.
"...Haha."
I smiled awkwardly.
"Good morning, Grand Duke."
"I, unlike some people,"
Dante said expressionlessly,
"don't sleep in."
"I was finishing my dawn training."
Ah...
This man.
Right. He was the type to exercise first thing in the morning.
"Move."
He gave my shoulder a light shove with his scabbard.
I was pushed aside without any resistance.
Click.
The door opened.
Dante stepped inside.
And then—
Bang.
The door shut.
I stared at the door.
'No way.'
'Is that it?'
No, it couldn't be.
The lesson hadn't even started yet.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the doorknob.
The door flew open.
"Grand Duke!"
The moment I marched inside with determination—
The room was silent.
Dante had just taken off his shirt.
Broad shoulders.
Clearly defined abs.
A body honed through years of training.
He held his shirt in one hand and stared at me.
"...Get out."
"I'm fine."
"I'm not."
"Let's start with the lesson—"
"Now."
His low, icy voice filled the room.
"Get out."
Ah...
He was a little scary.
But this was an imperial decree.
I grinned.
"No."
In that instant—
Dante sighed.
"...Hah."
He slowly approached me.
'Oh.'
'He's not getting angry?'
'Has he gotten a little nicer?'
That thought lasted only a moment.
His hand grabbed the back of my neck again.
"...Eek!"
And just like that—
whoosh.
I was smoothly dragged outside the room.
"Wait!"
Click.
The door shut again.
I stared blankly at the closed door.
This was...
He'd thrown me out, hadn't he?
I clenched both fists.
"Grand Duke!!"
Bang, bang, bang!!
"Training!"
Bang!
"Lesson!"
Bang!
"Imperial decree!!"
The maids cleaning at the end of the hall flinched in unison.
One of the knights squeezed his eyes shut.
"It's started again..."
Hugo quietly pressed a hand to his forehead.
"I wonder if the door will survive this time."
At that moment—
The door flew open!
I was still throwing punches at it.
And then—
Thud.
"...Huh?"
My fist had struck something incredibly solid.
I slowly raised my eyes.
Dante's bare chest.
I froze.
Dante was silent, too.
The entire hallway fell quiet.
The maids all turned their heads at once.
The knights covered their mouths.
Hugo looked up at the heavens.
"...Good heavens."
I slowly pulled back my hand and smiled.
"...An accident?"
Dante asked without a hint of a smile.
"Was it an accident?"
'I'm screwed.'
I instinctively took one step back.
Dante took one step, too.
I took two steps.
Dante took two steps, too.
'Run.'
An alarm rang in my head.
I condensed divine power in my hand.
"I'm sorry!!"
Thud!
I lightly shoved him in the abdomen.
Dante's body wavered ever so slightly.
There was no way I would miss that opening.
"Grand Duke!"
I shouted as I turned and ran.
"From this moment on, find me!"
"If you catch me, I'll give you your lesson!"
"If you can't catch me, today's challenge is a failure!"
A brief silence.
And then—
"Ella."
His low, icy voice reached me.
"Yes!"
"Today."
"If I catch you."
"I'll make you cry."
"...Run."
I ran with all my strength.
I raced across the hall.
I leaped down the stairs two at a time.
"Please move!"
The startled maids jumped aside to clear the way.
The knights hurriedly flattened themselves against the walls.
"She's at it again!"
"The Grand Duke is running!"
"Everyone, get out of the way!"
A moment later—
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Heavy footsteps began to thunder behind me.
"...Gasp."
He really was chasing me.
I made it out through the castle gate.
"Catch me if you can!"
I shouted without looking back.
Instead of an answer, the snowfield exploded.
Boom!!
"...He's insane!"
I ran straight toward the village.
"...Wow."
I caught my breath as I reached the market district.
It was a completely different world from inside the castle.
The warm scent of fresh bread.
Children's laughter.
The lively calls of merchants.
"Cheap apples!"
"Freshly caught fish!"
"Come get some hot soup!"
I looked around with shining eyes.
'I love it.'
'I really love this kind of atmosphere.'
The villagers stared at me curiously before greeting me first.
"Hello."
"Hello!"
I smiled brightly and waved.
My white hair fluttered in the breeze.
My ruby-red eyes sparkled in the sunlight.
A child tugged on his mother's hand.
"Mom."
"Yes?"
"Is she an angel?"
I held back a laugh.
An angel?
That felt kind of nice.
Then it happened.
Grrrrr...
A low, unpleasant growl rang out.
The market district fell silent.
Everyone looked up at the sky at once.
A gigantic shadow covered the village.
"...A monster."
My smile vanished.
My hand naturally moved to my thigh.
I lifted my skirt.
My thigh-sheathed dagger fell into my hand.
Shing.
A soft glow spread across the blade.
"...The North."
I gripped the dagger tightly.
"So it was already beginning."
The future was slowly becoming reality.
The monster roared and charged at the people.
"Run!!"
Screams erupted.
I didn't hesitate.
I poured divine power into the dagger.
Pure white light wrapped around the blade.
And then—
I hurled myself at the monster.
'This time.'
'Absolutely.'
'I won't create the same future.'
At that moment—
A black shadow flashed past me.
Bang—!!
The monster's head was slammed straight into the ground.
Amid the swirling snow stood Dante Blackwood.
His red eyes slowly turned toward me.
"...You again."
I flashed him a grin.
"Perfect timing, Grand Duke."
And then—
Black dark energy began to seep from his body.
Watching it, I quietly raised my hand.
"This time..."
"...I'll stop it."