Amethyst crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at the pale-skinned girl in front of them.
"What's your relationship with our little Theodore?" he asked bluntly.
Mikaela leaned in, her expression equally suspicious. "Yeah… what exactly is going on here?"
Lucien Vespera tilted her head with a faint smile. "Nothing you should be worried about. We just met this morning." She glanced toward Theodore, who looked slightly embarrassed. "Some random street rats thought they could bully him. But he couldn't defend himself, so I stepped in. That's all."
Her tone was calm but confident, as if she didn't care for rumors or assumptions.
Amethyst and Mikaela exchanged glances, both realizing the truth.
"Oh…" Mikaela muttered.
"…So we just misunderstood everything," Amethyst admitted with a small sigh.
Lucien smirked knowingly before walking away, leaving them with a mix of relief and mild embarrassment.
---
Meanwhile, in the Dark Continent…
The Demon Lord sat upon his obsidian throne, his eyes burning like molten coals. Reports of angelic forces mobilizing had reached his ears, and it twisted his mood into a storm of fury.
"So… the angels are suspicious of me," he growled. "They think they can threaten me with their petty movements."
He considered his options—negotiation, deception… or blood. His lips curled into a dark smile.
"No… I'll crush them before they even draw their blades."
The first sparks of war were beginning to glow.
---
Elsewhere – Aizen and Lyra
In the tranquil gardens of their estate, Aizen leaned back against a tree, his arm lazily draped over Lyra's shoulder. She smiled faintly, brushing her fingers through his hair.
"You always look so serious," she teased softly.
"Only because the world won't let me relax," Aizen replied, smirking. "But… when I'm with you, it's different."
Lyra's cheeks warmed. She playfully poked his chest. "You're still the same troublemaker."
He caught her hand before she could pull away, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "And you're still the only one who makes me forget about war."
The moment was brief, but it was theirs—an island of peace before the storm.
---
In the Divine Realm…
The Dragon King's golden eyes snapped open. He had sensed her—(???), the mysterious figure who had once helped Aizen awaken his powers.
"You…" he began, but she lifted a hand.
"Do not interfere," she said firmly. "What's coming must happen, even if my old friend, the Blood Queen, fights in a war started by a weak high elf."
Her words echoed in the vast halls of the Divine Realm.
Far below, fate's gears continued to turn toward the Great War—the first world-shaking conflict in an age.
End of Chapter 47
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