Reborn As Papa Silva

Chapter 75: Their Story (25): The Dance

I know many of you aren't happy with the Dream Arc—how long it's been going and how long it will continue to go—hoping I'll end it. But I'll just say this bluntly: I won't.

When I first started this story, I never expected it to get this popular or generate as much traffic as it has. At first, that thrilled me. But then critics, like Ted on Web Novel, made me feel depressed. I couldn't understand how people could be so angry over a fanfic not going the way they wanted—especially since it didn't even cost them a cent to read.

Like, maybe just don't read it or something.

But then I realized that mindset was immature of me. Just because something is free and available doesn't mean people can't get invested or care about it, even if it's just a fanfic. If that weren't true, I think people would've bailed on me from day one—because of the AI.

So, I tried to write better. During that ten-day break, I took the time to plan out the story, at least for the rest of V1. The first few Chapters after my return were major hits with everyone. But once we hit the Dream Arc, many bailed on me again, treating it like some irrelevant side story. That didn't make sense to me at all, but hey, do as you please.

Here's the thing, though: just as you're free to read or not read whenever you like, I'm free to write or not write as I like. So please stop asking me to drop the Dream Arc or how many Chapters it'll take to finish. I understand it wasn't introduced in the best way, but I'm rather fond of it. I'm going to see it through, even if it costs me all my readers.

Because as much as I never expected people to get so invested in my story, I never expected to become so invested in writing it.

I can't please everyone, so I'll focus on doing what makes me happy. Fanfiction is my hobby to make dull days a little brighter. I'll see this Dream Arc through—and any potential future flashback arcs too.

Thank you. I hope you enjoy the Chapter. And if you don't, that's your right too.

—

Acier was bloody tired. She was battered, bruised, and dizzy, her exhaustion clawing at the edges of her consciousness. She had lost count of how many lives she'd taken today—was it a hundred? Maybe two? She wasn't sure anymore.

Her body was a map of cuts, scars, and bruises—evidence of her so-called "luck." The only reason she was still alive was that the Diamond Kingdom wanted her captured, not killed. They planned to use her as a bargaining chip, a pawn in their strategy.

With their mounting losses, the Diamond forces knew even if they captured it they couldn't hold onto Kiten for long, not with the Crimson Lions or Silver Eagles poised to reclaim it any second. But with a princess of House Silva as their hostage? They could force Clover to surrender Kiten and more—or threaten the pride of her family and Clover royalty with a fate worse than death.

That decision was the only thing keeping Acier alive after her mana blessing had run dry. Her vast reserves, once seemingly endless, were now a parched riverbed. Her consciousness teetered, threatening to slip away entirely. The only thing grounding her in the chaos was the sound—the cacophony of battle.

The dying screams of her comrades echoed in her ears, a grim reminder of those who hadn't been "fortunate" enough to be marked for capture. Acier forced herself to stay focused, her eyes drawn to the heart of the battlefield.

There, she could see it: a swirling tornado of spikes and bursts of flame accompanied by a cackling laugh that sent shivers down many spines. But no frost. No mud. She hadn't seen those elements in what felt like an eternity.

Capturing Acier was costing the Diamond forces dearly, and they couldn't afford to waste resources capturing others. Clover soldiers, knowing the odds, fought like suicide bombers, throwing themselves into the fray to take as many enemies down with them as possible.

There's nothing more dangerous than someone with nothing to lose.

So Diamond took no chances with the rest, killing before they could be killed.

The only ones still standing besides Acier on Clover's side were the strongest, the elite—those who could endure this hell. Nearly wobbling, Acier leaned heavily on her spear, using it to steady herself as she surveyed her immediate surroundings.

A squad of about fifteen Diamond soldiers approached from multiple angles, their expressions a mix of solemn determination, fury, and fear. The mountain of Diamond corpses surrounding her was reason enough for their hesitation.

Many of those dead had fallen because Diamond forces couldn't afford to kill her, while Acier had no such restraint. As one of the strongest warriors on the battlefield, she had made them pay dearly for their attempts.

One lieutenant, clutching a bleeding shoulder and kneeling from exhaustion, glared at her. "Surrender now, Princess Acier, and you won't have to feel any more pain—"

He never finished. Acier hurled her spear like a javelin, the weapon piercing through his skull with brutal precision.

For a moment, the Diamond soldiers froze, stunned by the sudden death of their leader.

"This bitch!" one lanky soldier bellowed, his face twisting with fury. He extended his arms, a rocky axe materializing in his grasp as he charged forward, screaming, "Die—!"

He didn't get far. Muddy hands erupted from the earth, wrapping around his waist and holding him in place.

"Let me go!" he snarled, thrashing against the restraints.

A comrade silenced him with a finger sparking with lightning, jabbing it against his head. The lanky soldier screamed as his brain felt like it was frying, but the lightning mage pinned him down with no mercy.

"Stand down! We need her alive!" the lightning mage snapped.

"I don't give a damn! She just killed my brother!"

The lightning mage's expression hardened, his voice dropping into a cold, sharp tone. "General Yagos' orders. If you don't want to be executed, behave."

The lanky soldier bit his lip, seething but silent.

The lightning mage snorted and released him.

Acier used the momentary distraction to strike again, driving her blade through the mud mage who had restrained the lanky soldier. Another life taken.

The remaining Diamond troops turned their hate-filled gazes toward her, their fury palpable. They encircled her, their expressions promising pain.

We can't kill you, but we can make you wish we could.

General Yagos' orders were clear: she was to be brought in alive—but no one said she had to be intact.

Acier spit out a mouthful of blood, her lips curling into a grim line. Her hands trembled as silver gauntlets materialized around them, rough and unsteady, like they could crack at any moment, so unlike her.

She charged forward, more than happy to put the already hand tied Diamond on the defensive.

While she did none of them noticed the faint pink glow emanating from the satchel at her side.

—

Kaiser, Owen, and the unconscious Chloe lay on the back of Sebastian's water eagle as it soared through the sky. Sebastian urged his spell to move at maximum speed, pushing them toward Kiten with relentless determination.

As they entered the final stretch of their journey, Sebastian suddenly stiffened. A sensation—sharp and insistent—pulled at his side. Without hesitation, he reached for the satchel at his waist, feeling a resonance that churned uneasily in his stomach.

His fingers closed around the source of the sensation, and he brought it before his face. His breath caught in his throat.

The Lover's card in his hand, his half of the pair, was glowing blue.

Sebastian hadn't infused any mana into it, which meant only one thing. He remembered Alden's words about the card's connection, and his stomach sank as the realization hit him.

Clutching the card tightly, Sebastian felt the distant echo of a call—a plea for help that reached across the battlefield. It was faint, but unmistakable. He knew that mana signature better than anyone else's.

Acier.

Her mana had always been steady, bright, radiant—like a beacon cutting through the darkness. It was strong, noble, and all-encompassing. But now, it felt feeble, flickering like a dying ember.

The churn of panic in Sebastian's chest surged, but he shoved it down, his mind turning cold and pragmatic.

"Hold on, Acier," he muttered under his breath.

Without a word of explanation, he commanded the water eagle to descend sharply. The abrupt maneuver startled Kaiser and Owen, who scrambled to steady Chloe and keep her from falling.

The eagle landed with a heavy thud, its impact sending up a spray of dirt and debris. Sebastian immediately turned to face the duo, his expression unreadable and impassive.

"I need to go back. Now," he said firmly. "Get off."

Kaiser and Owen exchanged a brief, worried glance before nodding in silent understanding. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

—

Acier had managed to whittle her attackers down to just two. Despite being outnumbered, outgunned, and barely conscious, she had held her ground.

But there was no victory to be found here.

She was dying.

Suspended in the air, a rocky arm impaled clean through her gut, Acier stared down at her attacker—the lanky man responsible. His devilish grin radiated sadistic satisfaction, but she met it with emotionless calm. She vaguely recalled something about killing his brother.

Behind him, his lone comrade yelled, pleading for him to stop, to spare her. But the lanky man ignored him. He wanted Acier to bleed. He wanted her to die.

And she understood that.

If someone had hurt Aurelia, she would've done the same. The law be damned.

That didn't mean she had any sympathy for him. This was war—a war Diamond had started. How many Clover lives had they stolen, both directly and indirectly?

In war, it was kill or be killed. His brother had died because he was weak. And now, she would face the same fate for her own weakness.

Acier had accepted that truth the moment she arrived in Kiten. She had come to terms with dying here. But still, a bitter regret gnawed at her. Not for being here, but for failing to keep a promise to the person she loved most.

Sorry, Sebby... I always let you down.

Her vision blurred, her lavender eyes fading into a dull, lifeless gray. Her ears filled with silence, the world around her dimming. She felt herself slipping, her senses shutting down one by one.

But then, a soft blue glow pierced the haze.

Her eyes fluttered open, her fading awareness jolted back to life. She saw the lanky man falter, his expression twisting into one of horror. Before he could react, a massive water serpent slammed into him, its jaws snapping his head clean off.

Blood sprayed upward like a geyser, the man's body crumpling to the ground.

Acier blinked, a faint grin tugging at her lips. Maybe snakes aren't so bad after all.

The rocky arm impaling her dissolved into motes of light, and she felt herself falling. But instead of hitting the ground, she landed on something soft and bouncy—a jelly-like cushion of water.

The strange construct stabilized her, its cool touch calming the fire in her wounds. It quickly turned red as blood poured from the gaping hole in her gut.

The water-jelly morphed, closing the wound and sealing her smaller cuts and bruises. It stemmed the blood loss, its soothing presence keeping her conscious.

Reclining in her makeshift seat, Acier's vision cleared slightly. A familiar figure came into focus—a lean, silver-haired man standing protectively in front of her. His typically neat hair was disheveled, falling loosely behind him. In his right hand, he wielded a thin, elegant rapier of water.

Sebastian.

Tears welled in Acier's eyes.

—

Sebastian was crimson from head to toe, his face a chaotic blend of unbridled fury and raw fear. The fury was directed at the Diamond scum who dared to lay a hand on her—no, who had the audacity to try and kill her.

The fear, however, was more complex. Part of it stemmed from the Diamond soldier standing in front of him, seemingly unscathed. Sebastian didn't need a second glance to know he had no chance of defeating this man, even if the latter were gravely injured. But that fear wasn't for himself. It was for Acier.

He was terrified he couldn't protect her. And worse, the sight of her injuries—the gruesome, gaping wound in her gut—unleashed a crushing sense of helplessness.

The wound was hauntingly familiar. It reminded him of the Blue Rose knight he'd failed to save on day one of the mission. The knight he hadn't even tried to save. Her chest had been torn open in a grotesque display that mirrored Acier's injury now, almost mockingly so.

Sebastian couldn't save her back then.

And he had no confidence in working miracles now. This was beyond him.

His teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached, his thoughts racing as the Diamond soldier advanced slowly, his fists crackling with electricity.

The soldier glanced at Sebastian's hair, then let out a sigh of relief, his lips curling into a thin smile.

"Maybe if I bring you back with me, the General won't punish me for losing her—"

He cut himself off abruptly, his words faltering as he caught the sudden change in Sebastian's expression.

Sebastian's face lit up with an alarming mix of joy and desperation. Without hesitation, he raised his arm, waving furiously behind him.

"Over here! Help us!" he shouted.

The soldier's body tensed, his heart leaping into overdrive. His grimoire shot out in front of him as he spun around, scanning the blood-soaked battlefield for reinforcements or an ambush.

But all he saw behind him were corpses. Nothing else.

His pupils dilated in realization, but it was too late. A thin blade shot through the back of his head, piercing cleanly through his skull and exiting the front without resistance.

A neat, round hole marred his forehead as blood began to drip from the fatal wound. The soldier crumpled forward, his grimoire disintegrating into motes of dust as his life faded away.

Sebastian didn't spare him a glance. The water rapier dissolved into nothing as he whirled around and sprinted to Acier's side, dropping to one knee beside her.

His chest constricted painfully at the sight of her. The vibrant, enchanting lavender of her eyes had faded to a dull, almost lifeless gray. She looked up at him weakly, her breaths shallow and strained.

For a brief, heart-stopping moment, Sebastian thought she might already be gone.

Sebastian gritted his teeth, his glowing blue hands trembling as he pressed them over her core, just above the gaping wound in her gut. He poured every ounce of his mana into the water-jel patch sealing the injury, flooding her system with water magic imbued with healing properties. It was enough to give her body a fleeting boost—like a rush of adrenaline to keep her focused—but it wasn't enough to stop her from dying.

His eyes stung as he glanced at her grimoire, lying discarded on the ground, its edges flickering and crumbling away into motes of light.

Hands of Salvation, indeed. They could grant perseverance and save those who could be saved, but they couldn't work miracles.

And Sebastian couldn't afford to count on miracles. Not now.

Biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, he leaned close to her face and shouted in her ear, desperation breaking his voice. "Hold on, Acier! I'll save you! You hear me? Just hold on!"

She didn't respond, and his voice cracked further. "Acier? Acier! I promised your parents—I promised your sister—I wouldn't let you die! Don't make me a liar! Everyone's waiting for you back home. Your family, your servants, the Vermillions—they're all waiting! You haven't even become a Magic Knight yet, let alone the Wizard King! You have so much to live for!"

Tears streamed down his face as he channeled more mana into her, his voice breaking into sobs. "Please, Acier! You're the strongest person I know. You've been through worse. You can get through this too! You're Acier Silva—this is nothing!"

Her flickering lavender eyes, tinged with something unreadable, stared weakly up at him, but she remained silent.

Sebastian's tears mixed with the blood dripping from his bitten lip as he cried harder. "Please! Don't die! Please! I'm begging you! You're all I have! If you die, I'll kill myself! You hear me?! So stay alive, for me!"

Still no reaction.

His hands shook violently, his mana reserves dangerously low, his faith in any blessing from Alden long gone. No luck was coming their way. And even if Sebastian had been in peak condition, he knew he wouldn't have had the skill to treat her injuries.

Goddammit, I should've brought Owen! He berated himself, his body trembling harder. What the fuck was I thinking? You idiot, Sebastian!

Rage, despair, and helplessness clawed at him as he looked skyward and roared, his voice hoarse. "Please! Please! You've never given me anything! You've taken everything from me—don't take this too! I'll do anything! Whatever the price is, I'll pay it! Just please!"

The heavens were silent.

He turned back to Acier, his vision blurring, his breath hitching. Her faint, bloody smile twisted the knife in his heart even deeper. She raised her frail, trembling arm and placed her hand lightly on his chin.

His chest felt like it was splitting open as he lowered his head, letting her touch him.

Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, weak and uncharacteristically fragile, she spoke.

"I... really wanted you to stay away..." Her breath hitched as she smiled faintly. "But having you here... with me... in my final moments... it makes everything less scary."

Sebastian shook like a child, pressing into her hand as though he could anchor her to this world. To him, even on the brink of death, she looked like an angel.

"S-Sebby," she stammered, her voice cracking. "P-please... get out of here... i-it's not safe... I l-love you... y-you gotta live... for both of us..."

Her hand slipped from his cheek. But before it could fall, Sebastian's hand shot out, gripping her wrist tightly. He wouldn't let her go. He couldn't.

Her gaze began to dim, her eyelids drooping as if she were about to slip away for good.

Sebastian refused to let that happen.

His other hand moved to the top of her head, sending a controlled burst of water magic through her skin to stimulate her brain. Then he shifted his palm to her chest, jolting her heart. He kept the rhythm going, forcing her two most vital organs to keep functioning. If she slipped now, it would be for eternity.

As he worked, he gently guided her trembling hand toward his satchel, earning a faint look of confusion from her. Wrapping her fingers around a small, square box inside, he helped her pull it out.

Acier's eyes widened as she held the small box in her trembling hands. Sebastian forced a shaky smile, using the hand steadying her left arm to flip the box open. Inside was a silver ring, its top shaped like a heart, adorned with an amethyst jewel that glinted faintly in the dim light.

Her breath hitched, shallow and uneven, as Sebastian removed the ring and gently grasped her hand. He ran his thumb over the plain brass ring that already adorned her finger.

"This ring was proof of our friendship," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "But over time, it's come to mean so much more. That's fine and all, but..." He swallowed hard, tears brimming in his eyes. "After being indecisive for so long, I wanted to give you a clear sign."

Her wide eyes searched his face as he continued, his words as much an anchor for her as the mana he poured into her failing body.

"The reason I've always held back, the reason I didn't do all those things you wanted to do, is because I felt I wasn't worthy of you."

Her breath caught, her fading grimoire flickering erratically, but Sebastian pressed on, fighting against her slipping consciousness.

"I wanted to wait," he admitted, his voice trembling. "I wanted to become a doctor, a noble, something more—so no one could ever look down on you for being with someone like me. I know you don't care about that, but I do. I hated feeling like I was taking advantage of you. I wanted to be someone worthy of standing by your side!" His voice cracked. "And I still do! Because I love you, Acier. I love you, and I want to be everything you deserve and more!"

Her body trembled as he guided the silver ring onto her finger, pushing the brass band up to make room.

"This is the best I can do for you right now," he said, his voice raw with desperation. "It's a promise. A promise that I won't back down or shy away from my feelings anymore. And it's a vow—to better myself, to become someone who deserves to pursue you, not just as a friend but as a suitor."

His hands shook as he gripped hers tightly, his tear-streaked face inches from hers. "So live, Acier Silva. Live until the day I've achieved all of that and more. I swear, when I turn twenty-one, I won't make you wait a moment longer. If you'll have me, I'll even marry you that very day."

His voice grew louder, more impassioned. "So live! Live for me, for yourself, for us! For the family we'll build together!"

Her pupils dilated, her lips trembling as Sebastian's voice broke into a shout. "If it's with you, I can see myself being a father. I can see myself doing anything and everything with you and for you! So please, Acier—please live! Let me make good on this promise, and I swear I'll never ask for anything else from you again!"

Tears spilled from her eyes as she choked out a broken response. "S-so... s-sorry, Sebby... b-but I g-got... n-nothing left..."

Her voice faltered, trailing off into silence as her eyes lost all color. Her arm went limp, falling lifelessly to her side, and her grimoire began to fade again, its edges disintegrating into motes of light.

Sebastian froze, staring down at her as the truth clawed at his chest. Then, as if something inside him snapped, he turned his gaze to the water-jel patch covering her wound.

His expression darkened, his eyes hollow and cold. Without hesitation, he yanked the patch off like a bandage, heedless of the blood that poured from her gut. The move aggravated her internal injuries further, speeding the fading of her grimoire.

Acier coughed up a mouthful of pale, nearly colorless blood. Her wound leaked with the same lifeless fluid as Sebastian looked down at her, his face grim and unyielding.

Without a word, he plunged his glowing hands directly into her gut.

"Did I give you permission to die?"

Sebastian's voice was cold, cutting through the still air. Acier's eyes remained shut, unresponsive. He didn't care. His tone grew sharper. "If I tell you to live, you live. I'm not asking. I'm demanding."

"You want to die? You feel like giving up? You think you got nothing left?" His lip curled into a snarl. "Well, fuck that. If I tell you to live, you live."

He tilted his head back, spitting furiously at the sky. "And fuck you, too. No one gets to take her from me—not an enemy, not herself, and especially not you."

Lowering his gaze, he spoke with a grim determination. "I'm a doctor. I've only got one job: to save lives. Fate? Logic? They can both go to hell."

"They say you can only save someone who wants to be saved, someone who believes they can be saved." His laugh was derisive. "Well, fuck that too."

Sebastian's hands remained buried in Acier's gut, his fingers glowing with magic as he worked against the clock. His voice dropped, filled with icy resolve. "I don't need anyone. At times like this, I do what I've always done—I rely on myself. What others want, what others say—it means nothing to me. The only thing that matters is what I want. And I want you to live."

His eyes darted to his floating grimoire, its pages flickering as though resisting his will. His expression twisted with disgust. "If you can't make yourself useful now, I have no need for you in the future. You know what I want. Make it happen."

Almost as if obeying his command, the grimoire flipped open to the eleventh page. New writing appeared, glowing faintly.

Sebastian sneered. "Heh."

In the next instant, Acier was encased in a shimmering water cocoon. Streams of water mana flowed into her body through every pore and wound, accelerating her innate healing factor and treating her injuries with precision. Yet, miraculously, neither she nor Sebastian's hands became wet.

Water Recovery Magic: Blessed Bath of Heavenly Healing.

Sebastian's eyes narrowed, locking onto Acier's grimoire. Though the fading process slowed to a crawl, it hadn't stopped. She was still dying.

This treatment takes too long. Hours. She doesn't have that kind of time, and neither do I.

His jaw clenched as his face darkened. His eyes turned pitch black, void of emotion, his mind slipping into a cold, calculating state focused only on survival.

I've heard that burning life force can grant a surge of power. If I lose everything to save her, so be it. A few years of my life are a small price to pay.

Sebastian closed his eyes, feeling his ocean-blue mana darken, shifting into a deep navy hue. His internal energy surged, his body protesting violently. The cocoon's water droplets seemed to siphon more than just mana from him. They carried something vital, an essence of his very being.

He ignored the searing pain, the draining sensation as his essence flowed into Acier. Slowly, the gaping wound in her chest began to close, and her grimoire flickered back to life, its fading edges restoring themselves.

Before the wound could fully seal, Sebastian pulled his hands from her chest, his face still blank and emotionless.

Motes of light flickered off the edges of his grimoire—barely perceptible to anyone else but painfully clear to him. He noted the loss with detached indifference.

His glowing hands hovered over Acier's now-closed chest, methodically tending to the smaller injuries that remained. He healed cuts, erased bruises, and smoothed scars, his movements precise and efficient.

The dark navy aura engulfing him faded gradually, shifting back to ocean blue, then to a pale, transparent shade, before finally settling into its original color.

The cocoon surrounding Acier dissolved.

Sebastian glanced at her fully restored grimoire, then ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. When he pulled the strands free, they tingled against his palm. He stared at them coldly, noticing a few were silver-gray—not the bright silver-white like the rest, like they're supposed to be.

Without a word, he let the strands drift from his fingers, watching them fall to the ground. His gaze swept across the battlefield, nearly silent now from Clover's side. The occasional bursts of wind and vines shooting into enemy lines were all that remained of the chaos.

The last thing Sebastian saw was a reddish-blonde blur rushing toward him before his vision went black. His body gave out, and he collapsed unconscious on top of Acier.

—

Acier's eyes snapped open, the hazy remnants of sleep fading as she stared up at the starry night sky.

Her head tilted downward, taking in the familiar towering walls and the shattered remnants of the ghostly, abandoned town. Kiten.

Something soft rubbed against her back. Frowning, she sat up, glancing down to find hay beneath her. She'd been sleeping on a pile of hay. Confused, she turned to her left and realized she was in a horse cart. Her brow furrowed in bewilderment, but when she turned to her right, she froze.

Leaning casually against the side of the cart, standing and gazing down at her with an unreadable expression, was Sebastian.

"I see you're up," he said impassively.

Acier's eyes watered as she parted her lips incredulously. "Couldn't you say something more romantic?"

Sebastian's face didn't change. "I tried romance a while ago. You didn't care."

Acier winced at the reminder, lowering her gaze. Her hand brushed against her unmarked stomach, and she felt her grimoire resting at her side.

"How...?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sebastian shrugged indifferently. "I learned a new spell. All thanks to the trauma you put me through. So... thanks for that."

Acier hung her head in shame before glancing back up. "You brought me back here."

Sebastian shook his head. "No. She brought us both back."

He tilted his head toward the side, prompting Acier to turn around. She froze at the sight.

Lily lay completely bandaged from head to toe, snoring softly in Chloe's lap. Tears streamed down Chloe's face as she ran a trembling hand through her elder twin's hair.

Acier choked up, her voice a whisper. "How long have I been out?"

"An hour, apparently," Sebastian replied. "I only woke up shortly after Lily carried the two of us back here. So... about ten minutes ago."

Before Acier could respond, he continued, "Anyway, I'm out of mana, so I can't cast my eagle spell, and we don't have any brooms here. We'll have to leave on foot."

He gestured toward Owen in the distance, unconscious and slumped over Kaiser's back. "The problem is, Owen's knocked out from using the last of his mana to patch Lily up. That's why we waited for you to wake up. Two of us will carry Owen, and the other two will carry Lily."

Sebastian's voice turned grim. "The war's lost. You're not going to say something stupid about fighting to the end, are you?"

Acier followed his gaze, noticing Kaiser trudging toward them with Owen on his back. She hesitated before turning back to Sebastian.

Before she could answer, a resounding voice echoed across the battlefield.

"Princess Acier! We know you're in there! And a few other Clover stragglers as well! If you surrender peacefully now, we'll spare them! I know your lover is among you. Don't try anything stupid, or I'll make you watch as he's beaten to death!"

The group froze.

The voice came again, sly and venomous. "Your captains, your Wizard King, all your comrades are dead. No help is coming. We've jammed all communication tools and magic—you're trapped. Come out and surrender. I'm not in a very good mood, and killing some brats might fix that. So don't tempt me!"

Sebastian grabbed Acier's wrist and yanked her off the cart. "Let's go! We need to get out of here—"

The voice cut in again, mocking. "If you broomless brats think you can outrun us, you've lost your damn minds! This is your final warning: surrender now. Choose wisely, Princess!"

Sebastian trembled but gritted his teeth, turning to Kaiser. "Do you have any mana left?"

Kaiser nodded curtly.

Sebastian bit his lip. "I'll get Owen home. Please hold them off so I can do that."

Kaiser didn't flinch at the implication—he would be a shield, and that was his duty. He nodded again, resolute.

Sebastian reached out to take Owen from him, but Acier grabbed his arm.

"Wait, Sebby."

"Now's not the time for this, Acier!" Sebastian hissed, his frustration boiling over. Kaiser's expression agreed.

Chloe bit her lip, glancing between Acier and Lily. She needed Acier's help to carry her sister home gently. Aggravating Lily's injuries any further could kill her.

Acier ignored them all, a serene smile spreading across her face. "You don't need to worry. I'll handle it."

Sebastian leaned in, his voice sharp and furious. "I've had just about enough of you and what you want. We're doing things my way from now on. If I say we run, we run—"

"Sebby." Acier raised her left hand, the promise ring glinting faintly in the moonlight. She pressed a gentle kiss to it, her smile blooming like a flower.

"Right now, I feel so free. So happy. I have an entire future with you to look forward to, and I'm not going to give that up. So, for the last time... can you trust me?"

Sebastian faltered, his mouth half-open as though ready to argue. Before he could respond, the booming voice returned, cutting through the silence.

"If I don't see you Clover scum out here in the next minute, I'll take it as a refusal to comply!"

Acier let go of Sebastian's arm and darted toward the stairs leading to the front gate walls.

"Wait, Acier—" Sebastian called, snapping out of his shock and chasing after her. But it was useless. Her mana-enforced feet carried her across the distance in seconds, and before he could close the gap, she had leaped onto the wall.

Acier looked down, her gaze zeroing in on the middle-aged man at the lead. His curly hair obscured most of his face, but his posture and presence were unmistakable.

That must be Yagos.

Her eyes swept the army behind him. About a hundred men, most scarred and battered. Her lips quirked upward.

Just as Sebastian climbed the wall and was within reach of her, Yagos opened his mouth to speak, a cunning smile playing across his face.

And then Acier jumped.

She leapt from the fifty-foot wall.

Sebastian's pupils dilated in horror. Yagos' jaw went slack in disbelief.

"Acier—!"

But Sebastian cut himself off when he saw her mana flare. She glowed, radiantly, her power spiking to a level that filled him with awe. Around her, the air grew heavy, thick with magic, as her grimoire flipped open at her side. Its pages turned rapidly until they landed on a blank one, which began to fill with glowing script.

The light around Acier faded, revealing her transformed.

She wore a silver dress that clung to her form, running from her neck to her waist, with slits exposing her thighs before continuing from her knees as silver steel boots. Steel-like earmuffs framed the sides of her head, connected by a tiara-like headband. Her hands were encased in steel gloves, her fingers left bare. In her right hand, she carried a spiraling lance-like weapon that gleamed under the moonlight.

And then she flew.

She didn't fall; she soared through the air, looping and twisting at incredible speeds, leaving trails of smoke in her wake. Finally, she floated downward, hovering over the Diamond army.

Sebastian's heart raced as he fixed his eyes on her back. He couldn't see her face, but somehow, he knew she was smiling.

His fears faded.

Leaning over the wall, he watched as Acier, without hesitation or allowing Diamond a chance to speak, charged straight at the enemy—straight at Yagos.

A girl, not even sixteen years old, dared to charge headfirst at a general.

Yagos snorted, raising a finger in annoyance. "I warned you. You didn't appreciate it, so don't blame me for what happens next!"

From his fingertip, a droplet of mucus swirled and shot toward Acier at incredible speed, closing the distance to her forehead in seconds.

But before it could connect, she spun midair, her movements graceful and deliberate, like a ballerina. She twirled around the attack, evading it completely.

In a flicker, she appeared a meter away from Yagos, thrusting her lance forward.

The general's eyes widened in panic as he hastily constructed a multilayered shield of mucus—one strong enough to withstand full-power attacks. But it crumbled before her.

Her lance spun with devastating speed, drilling straight through the shield and slamming into his chest.

Yagos staggered, cold sweat dripping down his face. That weapon pierces through spells—!

The thought died as pain exploded in his chest. Blood sprayed from his mouth as the force of the attack sent him flying.

Quick reflexes saved his life; he'd barely managed to retreat in time to avoid being impaled. But he was out.

"General?!" His soldiers scrambled to catch him, panic spreading as they realized their leader was unconscious.

Their fear turned to horror as they faced Acier, who charged forward.

From his perch on the wall, Sebastian watched as the soldiers unleashed wave after wave of magic at her. But Acier evaded them all.

She danced through the battlefield.

She flew, twisted, and twirled, her movements fluid and inhumanly graceful. She ducked, slid, and ran along the ground, every step and spin deliberate, as though performing an intricate choreography.

Sebastian couldn't look away. Her blooming smile lit up the battlefield as she severed enemies with the elegance of a performer. Blood spilled, but none touched her. Her lance drilled through spells and soldiers alike, yet her rhythm remained unbroken.

She moved with freedom, confidence, and joy.

Acier felt alive. The invisible chains that had bound her to her House shattered, leaving her free to dance, to smile, and to love. For the first time, her two greatest passions—magic and dancing—merged into one.

She culled the Diamond forces with ease, cutting their numbers to half before they finally broke. The survivors fled, dragging their unconscious general with them.

Acier fired shells of steel after them, striking a handful more before soaring into the sky. She inhaled deeply, the fresh air filling her lungs as she floated in the cloudless night. Then, with a radiant smile, she descended, landing in front of Sebastian.

Sebastian's breath caught as he gazed at her, mesmerized.

Acier blushed slightly, a soft smile gracing her lips. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful," Sebastian whispered, without hesitation.

Her smile widened, and her spell faded, returning her to her normal clothes. Landing lightly on her toes, she leapt into Sebastian's arms, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

That night, June 19th, 1601, marked the end of an eleven-month war with Diamond—a war that had cost Clover its Wizard King, three captains, and nearly two entire squads.

But it also bore witness to the birth of the Dancing Princess of the Battlefield.

Author's Notes:

[1] Done the war portion of the dream arc

[2] Feel free to join the Discord! https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar