"Huh?"
Avendial stood there, watching intently as he witnessed the way the bordy fell like a bow, unexpectedly changing direction in a manner he had not anticipated.
He had thought that maybe she would dodge, prompting him to follow her lead and evade the threat behind her.
However, it became apparent that she had shifted the entire trajectory.
He observed her back as she exhaled deeply before turning toward him, taking measured steps in his direction.
In that moment, Avendial realized that not only was she proficient in Aikido, but she was also incorporating elements of Tai Chi.
Even within the realm of Aikido, one adapts to the attack of the enemy, fluidly responding to the patterns they present.
Yet, it was a different skill altogether to redirect an attack with the same force as the opponent intended.
It was now abundantly clear: she had seamlessly blended Tai Chi with Aikido in her movements.
But wasn't she supposed to be a fragile woman?
It is a simple truth that if a man can fight a bull, he must possess the strength to endure it—not necessarily to defeat it, but at the very least to withstand its might.
Therefore, it was evident that there was far more to Aecilia than met the eye.
Rumble
"Aughh... haaah... Haa... you bitch!!"
Suddenly, Avendial's attention snapped back as he noticed the direction in which the bordy had been hurled.
The rebels had engaged, their focus zeroing in on a bulky man who was slowly recovering from the fall.
His body, barely balanced, trembled as he struggled to stand.
Yet, despite his apparent struggle, he glared defiantly, adopting a staggering gait as he advanced toward Aecilia.
Smoke billowed from his breath, visible in the cold air, while purple vines tangled across his face, suggesting he was under the influence of some sort of chemical.
'This....' Avendial muttered to himself, his gaze narrowing as he scrutinized the scene before him.
He caught sight of a crushed capsule lodged inside the man's mouth, his eyes betraying a clear intent to kill as he locked onto his target.
The moment those purple veins began to creep into the white part of Bordy's eyes, transforming them into a deep amethyst before fading to black, his entire body underwent a grotesque transformation.
Muscles tensed and distorted, taking on a black hue as if his very blood had been replaced by some dark force.
This alarming metamorphosis stirred memories within Avendial, very familiar memories.
Instead of feeling dread, however, he found himself smiling at the unmistakable signs of that person undergoing a life-threatening transformation.
'It's just like before,' Avendial thought, observing the violent changes coursing through Bordy's body.
The transformation was becoming increasingly volatile, yet he felt a sense of confidence.
He remembered why he believed he could handle an Empyreal, despite being in a fragile state himself.
"What happened?" Aecilia asked, her curiosity piqued as she noticed him meticulously collecting something from the toxic-looking remains.
She was left wondering how Marquess had known to expect Bordy's explosion and whether the flesh was poisonous.
Was he attempting to gather samples?
"...Nothing, just something, something," Avendial replied, offering a smile and a playful wink, attempting to ease her concerns.
Despite her doubts, Aecilia couldn't press further; she simply sighed, folding her arms and bearing the pain from her fractures as she turned her attention towards Leo and Billie, whose unconscious figures lay amidst the chaos, a tangible reminder of the mess that had consumed their surroundings.
"Sigh, Aria must be indulging in self-pleasure right now, and here I am..." Aecilia mumbled, loud enough for Avendial to hear as she approached her cousin.
She rummaged through things lying around, finally lifting a phone that had a cracked screen but still functioned well enough for her to call an ambulance.
Her efforts were clearly meant to demonstrate how much work she had put in today, making it unavoidable that she deserved some sort of reward—unlike Aria, who was busy enjoying herself under the influence of an aphrodisiac.
"A year," Avendial replied casually as he moved toward Leo, using his shoes to tap Leo's head.
His demeanor remained nonchalant, and the way he leaned down, his tilted head framed by the bluish hue of his gauge, gave the impression that he was looking down at something insignificant—like a piece of garbage.
"What?" Aecilia, who had just leaned in to give Billie a sharp slap to her face to rouse her from the momentary unconsciousness, froze mid-motion as she caught those words from Avendial.
Curious, she shifted her gaze toward him, her golden pupils narrowing momentarily as she scrutinized him.
"I said, we will do it after a year," Avendial clarified, fully aware of Aecilia's desires.
However, he had no intention of reciprocating her feelings.
He was willing to provide her with temporary pleasure, allowing her to live in her own illusions of his affection.
Still, he weighed the pros and cons of the situation.
He was uncertain whether the luck she had brought him would dissipate once he awakened her true abilities, which remained a mystery.
To avoid any risks, he resolved to keep their interactions within certain boundaries for at least a year, waiting for a time when he could ascertain he wouldn't need luck or any other crutch moving forward.
"Hm..." Aecilia observed him closely, her gaze focused on the way his lowered eyes remained fixed on Leo, his boot deliberately tapping against Leo's forehead.
A sensation welled up inside her, and she felt compelled to express it.
But as her lips parted, the dark lipstick she wore briefly vanished as she pursed her lips, turning back to Billy before delivering a sharp slap.
Smack.
"Uwah! Haah... Haah... fuc-k!" Billie gasped, struggling to maintain her composure.
The sting of pain radiating from her cheek jolted her back to reality.
She glanced forward, momentarily paralyzed, feeling as though her entire body was detached from her mind as blood pooled around her.
Yet, when her eyes finally met Aecilia's, a flicker of understanding passed between them.
Billie narrowed her gaze and looked down, realizing that despite everything, they had managed to conquer that monster.