Journey to Become the Zenith

Flames Beneath the Blade

Clara said, "One day your arrogance will kill you."

Victor answered calmly, almost lazily,

"One day perhaps."

Then his voice dropped, quieter, heavier.

"But not before I change this world."

The words did not come like a boast.

They came like a vow.

And that was what shook Clara.

Her purple eyes widened just slightly, but Victor caught it.

He caught everything.

The corridor seemed to grow still around them. The torches along the stone wall hissed softly, shadows swaying across Clara’s face as though even the fire reacted to that sentence.

Change this world.

What kind of man said such things so naturally?

What kind of man believed them?

Clara stared at him, unsettled in a way battle had never unsettled her.

Because she knew Victor was not a person who moved without reason.

Every smile hid calculation.

Every provocation concealed intent.

Even his madness seemed structured.

Still... she wanted to know why.

Why he did all this.

Why gather the underworld.

Why bind Eon.

Why move pieces in shadows.

Victor watched her fall into thought.

Her gaze had drifted somewhere beyond him, somewhere into questions she herself had not fully formed.

His lips curved faintly.

"What are you thinking, Clara?"

She blinked, pulled back from her thoughts.

Then narrowed her eyes.

"If you know what I’m thinking..." she said slowly, "why not tell me?"

Victor chuckled.

"Because hearing you struggle with suspicion is entertaining."

She glared.

Then looked away.

Toward the open sky visible through a cracked stone arch.

Her voice lowered.

"Still... I am someone of this kingdom.

I need to protect my homeland from those who wish to harm it."

There was conviction there.

But uncertainty too.

Victor saw both.

He went silent.

For once not playful.

He took a slow breath.

Then another.

As though choosing how much truth to reveal.

When he finally spoke, it was measured.

Vague enough to conceal.

Honest enough to wound.

"Look here, Clara... you make it sound like I’m not from Skyfall Kingdom."

He stepped closer.

"Aren’t I a citizen of the kingdom as well?"

"Also a subject of the royal family?"

His golden eyes sharpened.

"What did the royal family ever do for you?"

Clara stiffened.

Victor did not stop.

"Are you really saying you would fight for the royal family?"

"The same royal family that made the stupid rule only males could inherit noble titles?"

"The same royal family whose laws nearly pushed your family into slavery?"

A silence cut through the hallway.

Victor’s voice softened.

"Well if that is so... then you really are a loyal person."

Then came the blade.

"But what makes you think what I am about to do is bad for the kingdom?"

"Being bad for the royal family..."

"...and being bad for Skyfall Kingdom are two different things."

The words struck harder than steel.

Because they were true.

And Clara knew it.

The moment she heard what Victor had to say, confusion assaulted her in waves.

What had the royal family ever done for her?

Hadn’t their faction struggles helped cause her father’s death?

Hadn’t noble politics nearly sold her family into chains?

Wasn’t her mother still suffering from wounds born of those same systems?

Her fingers loosened from her sword.

Thought warred against loyalty.

Victor watched her turmoil quietly.

Almost tenderly.

Then Clara looked back at him.

More composed.

More resolute.

"Then tell me, Victor, what is it you wish to achieve?"

Her voice steadied.

"Making the guild master turn your adventurer rank to B... hiding your true abilities... conquering Fantom City’s underworld... making a supposed member of the royal family into your subordinate by blood pact..."

She stepped closer too.

"Not only that—I’m sure you made Lane do a lot in the shadows."

Her eyes locked on his.

"So in the end what is it you wish to achieve?"

Victor listened.

Then... chuckled.

A low dark laugh.

Seeing her changing expressions, her evolving resolve, genuinely amused him.

And after hearing what she asked...

that vicious smile appeared.

The one that always made danger feel close.

"Well..." he said.

"I guess the simple answer is..."

"I want to conquer the whole underworld organizations of Skyfall Kingdom."

"I want to become its sole big boss of sorts."

He shrugged lightly.

"The reason I want that is because I want to help my love Videl achieve her dream... and at the same time save her from that damn heroic destiny."

At Videl’s name his tone softened almost imperceptibly.

Then hardened again.

"Still..."

"That’s not what you want to hear, is it?"

"What you want to hear... is what I truly desire."

Clara nodded.

Slowly.

"Heh."

Victor leaned in.

Then said with shameless calm,

"That’s something I can only tell you... if you decide to become my woman."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Clara froze.

Her brain stopped.

Then—

"Huh?"

Her voice cracked.

"What did you say?"

Victor looked perfectly serious.

"I said if you want to learn what I truly desire..."

"the prerequisite is that you become my woman."

There was a heartbeat.

Two.

Then Clara’s face transformed.

Bewilderment.

Embarrassment.

Scarlet.

Then explosive rage.

"W-w-w-w-w-what?! Become WHAT?! Your woman?! Who, me?!"

Her whole body nearly shook.

"What the hell are you saying you b*stard!"

Steel screamed.

Her sword flashed sideways.

Fast enough to kill ordinary men.

Victor caught it between thumb and index finger.

Casually.

As if catching falling leaves.

The blade trembled against his grip.

Clara stared in disbelief.

Victor sighed.

"You really should do something about that quirk of yours."

"Attacking someone because of embarrassment..."

"If it was someone else aside from me, I’m sure their head would have been detached from their body."

Clara could not answer.

Because her face was burning.

Because part of her realized...

she had attacked because she was flustered.

Not because she was threatened.

Which made it worse.

Victor tilted his head.

Then, because he was incapable of mercy, added,

"You know..."

"I may have fallen in love when you pointed a sword at me."

Her eyes widened.

"What?!"

He nodded thoughtfully.

"Very fierce.

Very charming.

Good hips too."

"VICTOR!"

She yanked the sword back so hard sparks kissed the wall.

Victor only grinned.

Then leaned close enough his breath touched her ear.

"If you keep blushing like this... Lane and Videl may think I’ve stolen your heart already."

That did it.

Clara looked as though her soul nearly escaped.

Even her ears turned red.

Unable to endure another word, she sheathed her sword with shaking hands.

Then spun.

And stormed toward the chamber.

Though "stormed" barely hid that she was fleeing.

Victor watched her go.

Amused beyond reason.

The hallway echoed with her retreating steps.

When she burst into the room where Videl, Lane, Brinda, and Eon waited—

all eyes turned.

Videl blinked.

Lane narrowed her eyes instantly.

Brinda smiled like a predator scenting scandal.

And Eon looked confused.

Clara stood there flushed and furious.

Brinda was first to speak.

"My my... did Sir Victor make the Valkyrie melt?"