I need to act.
After I ate, I quickly returned home, quickly changed, and headed to the dungeon. Dreaming of how Ais would end up in my bed, my mood immediately rose to the maximum.
Act.
Act.
Ac…
— Hi.
Before I had gone far from my shelter, on my way, I met Ais. In her usual everyday clothes, which suited her perfectly, but her sword, hanging at her belt, clearly said that she intended to use it. Meeting her, my plans immediately changed.
— Hi, Ais.
— Were you heading to the dungeon?
Looking me over from head to toe, she said in a neutral voice.
— No. I just wanted to train.
Whoosh.
Bang.
Closing the distance between us in a matter of seconds, aiming for her head, but, of course, she easily dodged and sent me flying.
«As strong as always,» — I thought, already getting up and preparing to attack her again. But before I could even take a step, she instantly closed the distance between us and kicked me, sending me into the air again.
— You could go a little easier, you know?
Getting up, I said, preparing to block her next attacks. But she just stood in place, holding in her left hand a sword that she did not even draw from its sheath. But, as, in principle, always. But today, I intended to make her draw it from the sheath. Whatever it cost me.
— Monsters won't be merciful, — she said, looking at me expectantly.
I did not wait long and immediately rushed into battle.
Clang.
Bang.
Whoosh.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
However fast I struck, aiming for the most vulnerable spots, it was all useless. Every attack of mine was blocked. But I could not block her attacks — they were too fast and strong at the same time.
I had imagined this battle many times. Every day, when she was about to come, I thought about this battle. Going over all my mistakes and her mistakes, of which there were none. And the best tactic I had devised was — surprise.
The rat's tactic. Which I had already used once, which had allowed me to win over an adventurer who was one level above me.
Clang.
— Don't get distracted.
— Kh… Kh… Kh…
Saying that, she drove her foot into my stomach, which made me cough. But at least I did not fly back — thanks for that.
— Bleh…
But the blow turned out too strong, so everything I had eaten ended up outside.
— Oops.
I heard her starting to approach me with unhurried steps. A small smile spread on my lips.
«Here it is,» — I thought, preparing for a surprise attack. If I could not make her draw her sword, then at least I would land a blow on her. At least once.
And when she came closer, I instantly dealt a swift attack, gathering all my strength into my arms.
Clang.
As expected, she blocked this attack. There was not a drop of surprise on her face, as if she had known from the very beginning that it would happen.
«She reads me like an open book!»
Her eyes penetrated deep into my soul. A gaze that told me I was weak. Telling me that however hard I tried, I would never get through this wall. Of course, I understood that she definitely did not think of me that way.
But instead of disappointment, I felt uncontrollable joy. Joy from the fact that when I shattered this wall to pieces and walked over its debris, looking only forward.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
I began rapidly dealing attacks, putting all my strength into these blows. But, of course, she blocked them without trouble. I would not be surprised if my blows were like mosquito bites to her, but even so, it was very thrilling.
Clang.
Bang.
I was so engrossed in the battle that I completely forgot about everything that surrounded me — only me and her. Only our swords existed in this world. But, at least, that was how it was for me.
For her, it was a child's game, nothing more — I was sure of it. But that was not so important; at this moment, I needed to fully focus on this battle. To give all of myself, to prove to myself and to Kopii that I was the better version of him.
— Kopii, you think too much.
Blow.
Before I could even raise a block, her foot flew into my face. Once again proving that I was in the palm of her hand and she could do anything she wanted with me.
— … Black eyes…
Saying that, she stared at me with a slightly different gaze, harder than before. And I felt with all my senses that the atmosphere had changed, and, of course, not for the better; the tension was so strong that my body began to tremble continuously.
But I was already ready for this. I had thought through this situation a thousand times. After I understood that she could realize that this was not Kopii, but someone else, because in the last months, she had spent the most time with us. It was good that I had realized this before meeting her.
Bang.
Kh… Kh… Kh…
But before I could say the prepared text or even a word, she flew into me like a bull at a red cloth. Her blow was so strong that I broke through the wall.
I was in shock — she had done what I could not have foreseen. Without a second's hesitation, she did not even let me answer, and attacked me without holding back at all.
But my shock vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Trying to get up, I was immediately pinned to the ground again.
«I didn't even feel her,» — I thought, resuming my attempts to get up, but I could not even move a centimeter. Her grip was too strong for me; for the current me, it was too strong.
Feeling my attempts to get up, her grip grew stronger. So she sat on my back in silence.
— Ah… You…
But the silence did not last long; she exhaled and spoke.
— Too… you've changed too much since our last meeting, Kopii… too much. – She whispered in my ear, so close that her hot breath burned my ear.
My body unconsciously tensed even more, but I tried to hide it, although I knew it would not escape her gaze.
— … And especially the rumors… Is it true?
After these words, the tension in the air rose, so thick it could be cut with a knife.
— Of course not! It's all lies!
I quickly objected, sinking deeper into confusion; he did not understand anything; had she attacked him not because of the black eyes? What rumors?
My whole plan, which I had devised, was too flawed. Too worthless.
«But where was my miscalculation?»
Flashed through my head, before her grip tightened.
— Really?
— Yes!
— You want to say that all these rumors are fake?
— Of course they're fake!
— …
— …
Feeling her lean down even more, now fully pressing against me, and her breath tickling my ear, an uncontrollable shiver ran through my body.
— Rumors don't just appear, Kopii; we both know that.
She whispered in my ear. But before I could answer, she continued.
– You're deceiving me. You've always deceived me… Kopii.
— No…
The last thing I managed to say, before I lost consciousness from her blow to the head.
POV Ais
First person
After returning, I wanted to visit Kopii right away. So I immediately headed to his house.
«Somehow empty,» — looking over his house for furniture, these thoughts flashed through my mind. I clearly remembered everything that had been in this house.
Had he decided to throw out the strange furniture? Because his furniture was not the newest, but it was not in such bad condition. Well, whatever.
I waited for him for several hours, but he never came. So, disappointed, I went back home.
Walking along the busy Weapon Street, my thoughts would not leave Kopii. It had been like this every day since those words, since I first saw him; I had begun to be drawn to him. And especially the words about my mother… Where could he have learned them? The words, how he had exactly described my mother, were too alarming and at the same time terribly interesting. How did he find out? Who was he? Could he help me, or the opposite? All these questions spun in my head.
But every time I saw his face, I felt peace, calm.