Chapter 10
His presence at Star Academy was not out of free will, but rather the result of cunning tricks he used to break through the walls of familial oppression.
More than that, Erietta's constant reminder of surveillance made Theo realize that every interaction with this girl must be handled with extreme caution.
He knew that she would not hesitate to punish anyone who violated the trust that had just been granted.
Every movement, every word, even the slightest expression would be noted and analyzed by her.
Theo drew a long breath, realizing that behind her flat face and faint smile, Erietta was not just a mere supporter of Ilux, but a small ruler of secrets capable of shaking the entire course of the story.
'At first glance, Aldraya and Erietta seemed similar.
Both appeared rigid, as if their entire beings were bound by unbreakable rules.
From the way they spoke, the expressions on their faces, to the way their eyes viewed the world—it all seemed programmed not to reveal their true feelings.
They were not emotionless humans, but people accustomed to hiding their emotions, until the world believed they were made only of coldness and logic.'
Fuuuuh!
'But there's one thing I could never mistake—Aldraya's hair.
White.
Not ordinary white, but pure enough that even dust refused to cling.
Smooth, clean, soft, almost resembling liquid silver.
It reached past her hips, and with every step, her hair moved like waves of moonlight.
That was the first thing that came to mind when her name was mentioned—Aldraya Kansh Que.
A woman with white hair capable of stopping time for a brief moment as she passed.
And perhaps, that's why I could always distinguish her from Erietta, even though both didn't quite understand how to show that they were still alive.'
Wussssh!
'Gone already, huh?'
Among all the characters Theo had ever observed in the world of Flo Viva Mythology, Aldraya always appeared as a shadow almost identical to Erietta.
Rigid, expressionless, and her movements seemed calculated by machinery—Aldraya resembled an artificial being encased in a woman's form.
Her white hair, nearly silver, cascaded down her back, reaching beyond her hips—an image forever engraved in Theo's memory.
Each time he closed his eyes or sighed after writing too long, Aldraya's figure would appear in his mind, like a dark reflection of Erietta's cold yet living seriousness.
In reflection, Theo realized that this world—though bound by the same rules—held a different nuance within every individual.
And every difference served as a crucial clue for an observer like him.
Returning to the warmer memory—after that brief interaction with Theo—Erietta slowly moved away.
Her steps were calm and steady, as if every motion was programmed to minimize noise and disturbance.
She approached Ilux, who was cleansing his wounds, inspecting every cut with the same precision she used when observing opponents in battle.
No words were spoken, only actions that conveyed meaning—movements that expressed coordination without the need for speech.
That afternoon was blazing, sunlight sweeping across the edges of the academy with warmth yet harshness, creating long shadows from their bodies as they walked away from the battlefield.
Theo could only watch from afar, storing every detail in his mind.
He knew that this moment—Erietta approaching Ilux, and both of them walking away—was one of the key points he must not disturb, even as his instinct as an old player and observer urged him to interfere.
And with those steps, the afternoon slowly turned to dusk, leaving Theo in solitude amidst the bustle of a world now merged with reality.
'Hahaha, how precise.
That woman truly excels at making agreements seem important.
Even her way of offering bribes is so structured—not excessive, but enough to make people hesitate to refuse.'
Wuuuuhh!
'Bribe money, huh? How amusing.
Usually, I'm the one doing the bribing, not the one being bribed.
But this time, I understand her intention.
It's not about the amount, but a warning—so that I keep my mouth shut about a dark secret, a past recorded completely in the game's data.'
Huuuuuhh!
'Your threats still echo in my head, Erietta.
The way you remind me to "watch my words" makes the atmosphere turn cold.
Strangely, when I think of it, what I feel instead is pity—both for you, and for Ilux.'
Tsuuuuuhh!
'Ilux, forced to be strong in every episode, bearing the sins of others upon his hands.
And you, Erietta—the girl with lush green hair, soft as the silhouette of leaves under moonlight.
It's hard to imagine someone so beautiful would eventually die at the hands of the one she trusted most.
This time, I can't even laugh.
You, Erietta, are not a mere side character.
You are the main boss—the final enemy of the first arc, this twelfth episode.
And here, all your suffering reaches its peak, and I know how that fate was written.
Ilux will end you, your body will freeze, then be erased from the game's data as if you never existed.'
While tossing and catching the small bags of bribe money from Erietta, Theo still remembered her words vividly.
'The secret must not leak. Not even the slightest chance to speak.'
He restrained himself, remaining silent in place, staring at the small bags in his hands with a heaviness that defied explanation.
There was a bitter feeling creeping through Theo's heart—a realization that what was happening was merely a small fragment of the tragic chain awaiting ahead.
Especially for Erietta Bathee, whose existence would suffer the cruelest fate within this story's scheme—madly experimented on by Ilux Rediona, her once-perfect body destroyed until nothing remained, even her hair strands turned into nourishment for the hero.
Theo lowered his head briefly, imagining the scenario he had once known from the gameplay he used to follow.
Erietta was not just a supporting character.
She was the main boss that appeared at the end of the first arc—precisely in episode twelve—the final obstacle before the story moved to the second arc.
Every movement she made, every decision taken, was deeply engraved in Theo's memory, because he knew how this game forced players to face both tragedy and strategy.
Even though Erietta appeared cold and untouchable on the surface, Theo understood that her strength went far beyond combat skill.
She was the symbol of the final trial for anyone who dared to call themselves a winner.
Furthermore, Erietta was among the ten most important women who served as antagonists in Flo Viva Mythology.
From the very beginning, this world had prepared them as barriers to Ilux's progress—each possessing unique powers and personalities designed to test the limits of human capability and Human Change.
Theo knew that even though Erietta now seemed calm and obedient to their small agreement, nothing could predict the madness that was to come.
Every interaction, every meeting, was but a shadow of the merciless future that would trap these characters in an unbreakable loop of fate.
'My task is only to ensure everything unfolds as it should.
No more, no less.'
Turning away from Erietta's fading silhouette as it blended into the crowd of the evening, Theo shook his head slowly.
Within his heart, he whispered words only he could hear—a silent mantra of an observer trapped between reality and the script.
Every action he took, every intervention he dared, was not for his own gain, but to ensure the story's flow remained aligned with the scenario.
To be continued…