It didn't take long for them to get interrupted. As soon as the moment has started, it was over; laughter and voices came down from above them, shattering the delicate silence of the garden.

Everyone…?

Ais turned her head towards the source of the voice, her eyes widening as she recognized the familiar faces watching them.

Oh… wait…

She blinked as a solid beat passed before realization hit her.

So they…

She felt her face flare up as she remembered Bell's hands around her waist.

They… saw…

Opening her mouth to let out a slight gasp, she broke away from Bell and took a step to the side. She hung her head, failing to meet their stares, her face growing redder and redder by the second.

"W-Wait! It's not what…uh…!"

Next to her, Bell had also taken a hasty step away as he desperately tried to come up with words to defuse the situation.

"Mhhhmmmmm? Please, Bell, continue - I can't wait to hear your explanation on why you're stealing Aiz from me you little brat!"

Loki had all but thrown herself at the poor boy, her arms outstretched as she leapt down the stairs like a feral beast.

"L-Loki wait!"

Ais had side stepped the goddess' vengeful dive, but wound up right in the arms of Tione and Tiona who pulled her into a tight grip.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere!"

"We got some questions for you!"

Oh no…

And so, the moment was over. The once quiet garden was now filled with the voices of the Familia, with the occasional screams of pain from Bell as the senior members interrogated the poor boy.

By the time Loki was done chewing him out, the dance was all but over. Inside, the music had slowed, and the couples on the floor had halted their swaying movements.

Where did she go…?

He scanned the ballroom with his weary eyes, failing to find a single thread of her sparkling golden hair in sight. The last time he had seen her was when their eyes briefly met before she disappeared, being dragged away by the Twins. Loki had forced him back inside to give him a stern talking-to, making him apologize until his throat was sore.

Is she —

"Outside."

A arm crossed his path, stopping him in his tracks.

"She's outside."

"Oh… thank you, Bete…"

The man scoffed as he refused to meet his eyes, instead focusing on some far off detail to the side.

"I'm only warning you just this once… so listen up and don't make me repeat myself."

He turned his ice cold eyes to look at him, his ever present scowl still over his face.

"I personally don't give two shits about who you train with…"

Oh… do they all…?

"…but people like her, they do."

He jerked his thumb out in the direction of the garden.

"They care a whole lot about your dumb ass, so little things like secrets… they don't go over very well with them."

Bell could've sworn his heart let out a sigh as a dark foreboding feeling washed over him.

This night… is about to take a turn for the worse, isn't it…

He nodded slowly before moving away.

"Thanks… Bete…"

"Don't thank me for telling you something you're just too stupid to know."

He smiled weakly anyways before excusing himself and moving back towards the garden.

"That's a surprise, the Bete Loga taking an interest in someone besides himself?! Whaaaatt?"

"Shut it, ironing board."

"Wha-! You wanna fight?! Bring it! Right here, right now you stupid werewolf! Don't think this dress will hold me back!"

Annoying as usual…

Tiona and Tione had stepped up next to him after happening to overhear their conversation. They wore matching dresses suiting their status as twins. Tiona had on quite the colorful dress, with layered frills with shades of orange decorated by pinned on roses of the same color. Her sister had on something more like a gown, with a crimson red dress decorated with multiple frills and ruffles that gave off the appearance of the petals to a red rose.

"Tiona, please, isn't there enough going on without adding you two destroying the banquet?"

"Ugh fine, as long as he keeps his rude comments to himself."

Dumbass…

Bete cursed in his head. But he kept his mouth shut.

"So what was all that about?"

"What was what all about."

Tiona lifted her head, motioning to the young boy currently walking back out into the garden.

"What do you think."

Bete simply shrugged and dug his hands into his pockets, leaning back against a white marble pillar, giving off the best 'I don't give a fuck' stance he could assume.

"Tomato brat has got a pair on him, what else do you want me to say?"

"Usually you just say something along the lines of "aargh trash is trash, weaklings should screw off" or something."

She twisted her face into a mock scowl and deepened her voice as she pulled off her best impression of the irritated werewolf.

"Tch, I say let him do whatever the hell he wants. If he's tryna get stronger, I say go for it."

The twins stared at him with matching stunned expressions on their faces.

"Wow… did you just… say something suppor-"

"'Cause, as always, watching him come home looking worse than a sack of shit only to get his ass kicked by Ais for hours on end is always entertaining."

He snickered with a cruel smile on his face as if he were speaking of a fond memory.

"There it is."

"Aww why don't you just admit he's caught your interest since he's trying so hard to get stronger, huh?"

"What - shut up, idiot, don't talk like you know shit."

"There he is! Everyone's favorite tsundere wolf!"

"I'll kill you."

"Try it ya big softy."

Tiona ignored the two idiots fighting as she leaned around the pillar to try and peek out the window. A look of concern flashed past her eyes as she caught a glimpse of Bell's white hair disappearing into the garden.

"…I wonder how that talks gonna go down…"

Her softer-than-usual voice stopped the pair next to her, bringing their attention away from each other to the unusually quiet Amazon beside them.

"You worried about them?"

Tione only shrugged and sighed.

"I know he's been through a lot… but… going off of what Lefiya told me, he's just going to end up hurt as this rate."

"She's not the greatest with people, but if it's him, I have a feeling that somehow it'll turn out fine."

"Why do you even care? It's none of your business either way."

"It is though."

"Is it really?!"

He raised his voice, uncrossing his arms with a glint of challenge in his eyes as he spoke up. Tione met his stare with one just as instigative, along with a smile of dark amusement.

"Ohhh? Wanna go a few rounds huh?"

She pressed her fist into her hand, cracking her knuckles as she stepped forward.

"Knock it off you three."

You three?

Bete turned around to find Tiona smiling innocently, a metal folding chair in her hand.

"Oh you dirty…"

Finn had spoken up from where he stood nearby with Gareth and Riveria, effectively saving him from the bloodbath about to happen.

"Yes Captain!"

Tione dropped her attitude in an instant, clasping her hands together as she ran up to prum dressed in a sharp white suit.

"By the way… have you seen my dress?"

She swayed in her dress, the ruffles fluttering like the petals of a red dahlia.

"Oho Finn, I think you should've just let 'em go to town on Bete."

"What?! Old man!"

"Yeah shut it!"

Gareth held his hands up in surrender as he backed away under the harsh gaze of both Bete and Tione.

"Ais…?"

He stepped quietly through the garden, moving to sit next to her on the stone bench.

"It's… nice… isn't it?"

"What is?"

Bell folded his hands in his lap as he listened to the girl curiously.

"The sky… the stars… it's all so… quiet."

He lifted his head to the night sky above, letting his eyes trace the far away constellations.

"…yeah…"

They sat in silence for a while, neither one of them making a sound nor a single movement. It was just them. Alone, their eyes lost in the vast darkness above.

As he remained seated, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He knew the words that were to come, yet he wished they would be held back - if just for a moment longer as to savor the moment.

But then, he spoke. And it all fell apart.

"…Lefiya told you, didn't she…?"

"Yeah…"

"…Everything…?"

"Yeah."

He stopped, waiting for her to say something.

"Did I fail… to teach you?"

She kept her eyes focused above as she spoke.

"No, not at all…!"

His response was quick, his voice stammering as he fell over himself to apologize.

"You're… amazing. You're strong, stronger than anyone else! You're…. you're perfect…!"

Me…? Perfect…?

She turned her gaze to meet his, her heart aching as he continued to speak.

"But… I'm not you. I'm weak… I'm not strong at all…"

Don't say that…

She wanted to speak out, wanted to reach out and grab his hand. But she didn't.

"My goal has changed… I can't settle for catching up to you anymore…"

Don't…

"I have to be stronger…!"

Please….

"Bell…"

"I have to do whatever it takes…!"

She couldn't break her gaze away from him. As she stared into his burning red eyes, she saw herself. She saw the spread of something dark, something poisonous. In his eyes, she saw his future. She knew it well - for she herself had walked down this path before.

She knew it would only end when his hands were stained red with blood, when his insatiable lust for power finally broke his mind. Then, and only then, when his battered broken soul could take no more, would he collapse at the end of the road. Alone.

I swore…

She closed her eyes.

I would protect you…

How could she stand by knowing that was what awaited him? Knowing how that innocent, pure, expression would be contorted into one of pain, hatred, and bloodlust?

"…Then show me…"

This is it then.

She breathed out, calming her body and finding her words as she moved to her feet.

"…huh?"

"Tomorrow."

One last gambit.

She looked down at him, her blank golden stare empty of all emotion. Gone was Ais Wallenstein, the girl who was once held in his arms. In her place stood the Sword Princess - the warrior, the knight.

"I won't stop you. I don't like it, but I won't stop you."

She stepped closer to him, her delicate body perfectly still and in control.

"All I can ask is that you show me that you've changed. That you've become stronger. Prove to me, that you're right."

The boy before her swallowed nervously as her eyes screamed out her challenge.

"Ais…"

She turned away from him, walking back into the hall without letting him finish his sentence.

"Make sure you rest well tonight. You'll be needing your energy tomorrow."

Even if it hurts now…

As she walked away, she made certain her expression was hidden from view. Her eyes flickered to the windows now in front of her and she watched in the reflection as he hung his head in silence.

I won't let you fall.