The banquet was an event that overtook the world, its grandeur and significance spreading across social media, especially in the Western continent.
The press had gathered in droves, flashing cameras capturing every angle as I stood at the heart of it all, being officially announced as the new Rank 1 of humanity. The moment marked the beginning of my journey toward a title even greater—the Paragon of humanity.
After the formalities, the night was mine. I danced with Rachel, Cecilia, Seraphina, and Rin, sharing fleeting moments of levity and warmth amidst the weight of all that had come before. The music, the laughter, the clinking of glasses—it was all nostalgic. It had been more than two years since I had attended a banquet, and for the most part, I allowed myself to enjoy it.
But there was one moment that soured it.
"Surprise~"
A voice rang out, light and playful, yet it froze the room.
Alyssara Velcroix had arrived.
The sheer gall of this woman was beyond comprehension.
Seven Radiant-rankers were in this hall. I, Arthur Nightingale, stood at the center, surrounded by dozens of powerful Immortal-rankers.
And yet—she ignored them all.
The Crimson Dancer.
The Cult Leader of the Red Chalice.
Alyssara entered as if the gathering were hers to command, her crimson dress trailing behind her, jade-green eyes gleaming with something both playful and unfathomable.
"Surprised?" she asked, tilting her head, amusement curling her lips.
The moment she stepped into the room, every combatant reacted instantly. Hands went to weapons, mana flared, spells were prepared—but then, they stopped.
Because the Radiant-rankers raised their hands.
They had sensed it clearer than anyone else.
Fighting would only lead to death.
Even now, after everything—after I had defeated Vorgath Ironmaw, after I had temporarily stepped into quasi Radiant-rank, after seven other Radiant-rankers stood in this hall—Alyssara Velcroix was still untouchable.
Not just in mana rank, but in absolute power.
I had fought a being who momentarily reached the realm of a demigod, yet even standing before Alyssara now, I knew—she was something else entirely.
Equal to a Demon Archduke, at the very least.
She was completely ridiculous as a being.
I stepped forward, my gaze locking onto hers. "Alyssara."
She smiled as if I were an old friend, rather than someone who had tried to kill her followers multiple times.
Pink hair cascading over her shoulders. Jade-green eyes glinting with mischief. Red lips curved into a perfect, knowing smirk. A crimson dress that clung to her like it had been woven from blood itself.
She was every bit the Crimson Dancer her title proclaimed her to be.
"Hello, Arthur~" she cooed, lifting a hand in a playful wave. "Are you going to thank me?"
I frowned. "Thank you?"
"Of course," she purred. "After all, I kept my end of the bargain~"
I narrowed my eyes. "What bargain?"
She giggled, tilting her head. "Oh, Arthur~ You wound me! I even helped you against Vorgath, didn't I?"
"That was your own decision," I countered flatly.
"Don't be so mean~" she whined, pouting.
I shivered.
Something about this childish act—this mockery of innocence—felt more unsettling than when she had crushed entire armies with a flick of her fingers.
'What the hell is she doing?' I thought, feeling goosebumps crawl up my arms.
"Anyway~" she said, twirling a strand of pink hair around her finger. "I'm also here to absorb the Savage Communion into the Red Chalice since, well, you pretty much destroyed them."
Quinn Slatemark, the Emperor of the Slatemark Empire, finally spoke. "And you're just… telling us this?"
"Yep," she said, flashing a bright smile. "Because none of you can do anything about it, can you?"
Silence.
Because she was right.
Quinn's lips pressed together, his hands clenching slightly.
Alyssara turned back to me, her jade eyes gleaming. "All of them are relying on you, Arthur Nightingale. Pathetic."
She let the insult linger in the air, savoring the tension, before shifting tones as though she had never spoken it.
"Anyway~ I'm not really here for that," she hummed. "I'm here to congratulate you!"
Then, in a voice filled with exaggerated delight:
"Congratulations, Arthur Nightingale!"
She lifted her arms theatrically, as though making a royal proclamation.
"Congrats on becoming Rank 1 of humanity!"
"Congrats on defeating a Calamity!"
"Congrats on reaching quasi Radiant-rank!"
"Congratulations!"
BOOM!
I moved on instinct.
Astral energy surged into my fist as I punched toward her, the air cracking under the sheer force of my strike.
And yet—it never reached her.
Crimson threads materialized midair, weaving together like a spider's web, effortlessly catching my attack.
Alyssara pouted, tilting her head. "You're going to hit a pretty lady?"
Then, before I could react—
She moved.
No—distance itself ceased to exist.
She was suddenly beside me.
Close enough that I could feel her breath against my skin.
Her lips curled into a smirk, her voice dipping into something lower, more intimate as she whispered into my ear.
"Anyway~ unless you use that destructive Unity, you can't even touch me."
Her jade eyes gleamed.
"Not like you could even if you used it though~"
She winked.
And for the first time since the banquet began, I felt something cold slither down my spine.
Because I knew she was telling the truth.
"Anyway, come with me, Arthur~" Alyssara's fingers laced through mine, her grip light yet absolute.
I instinctively pulled back, but before I could react, space itself warped.
"Where are you going?" Alastor's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding as the gathered Kings stepped forward. Their auras surged, the combined presence of seven Radiant-rankers filling the hall with immense weight.
Alyssara didn't even glance at them. She only smiled.
"I'm kidnapping your Rank 1," she announced with a grin, her jade eyes glinting with mischief. "Just try to stop me."
Then—the world shifted.
Space twisted, stretched, and collapsed in on itself.
The banquet hall disappeared in an instant, and suddenly, we were elsewhere.
I landed lightly, my body already adjusting, my mind working fast to process what had just happened.
'How is she doing this?'
It wasn't just high-level space magic.
It was complete mastery of space itself.
Even Radiant-rankers needed effort to move like that, but for Alyssara, it had been as easy as taking a breath.
I looked around. A tower. High above, the moonlight streamed through the wide, open windows, illuminating the circular stone walls with a soft, silver glow. A faint breeze drifted in, carrying the distant echoes of the celebration still taking place below.
"They would never guess we're still in the Ashbluff estate," Alyssara giggled, spinning slightly on her heel as if reveling in her own cleverness.
"Why are you acting like this, Alyssara?" I exhaled, steadying myself. "Playing these games…"
She turned, her jade eyes gleaming in the dim light. "You asked me to help you, didn't you, Arthur?"
I stiffened.
"You wanted to take advantage of me," she continued, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "I don't mind if you take advantage of me in other ways, you know."
I scowled. "I did. But I didn't want you to save me like a hero."
"Yet, you needed me," she shrugged. "Vorgath Ironmaw was beyond you, even now."
I clenched my fists. "I agree. But so what?" My voice was steady, my resolve unshaken. "As long as I reach Radiant-rank, my strength will be complete."
Alyssara blinked at my words, the playful glow in her eyes dimming slightly.
Then, she laughed.
A soft, almost melancholic sound.
A single tear formed at the corner of her eye as she looked at me, her expression unreadable.
"Oh, foolish, foolish Arthur Nightingale," she murmured. "You don't understand, do you?"
I frowned. "What do I not understand?"
Her fingers brushed against my lips, her touch cold despite the warmth in her gaze.
"I can't tell you the answer for free~" she hummed. "But I'll give you a hint. You will face a big Wall, not soon, but not too far from now."
I narrowed my eyes. "The Wall to Radiant-rank?" My mind raced, analyzing every possible meaning behind her words.
She shook her head. "When you're facing the Wall, don't focus on scaling it fast, okay?"
Then, just as abruptly, her mood shifted again.
"Anyway, you were so mean to me," she pouted, stepping closer.
Before I could react, she hugged me.
I immediately tried to summon my astral energy, tried to push her away, but—
Nothing happened.
My Sword Heart didn't respond.
'What?'
"Don't be a meanie~" Alyssara murmured, pressing closer, her lips grazing the shell of my ear.
Then, I felt it.
A pulse of something foreign. Something invasive.
A sensation that made my skin crawl.
"What did you do?" My voice was sharper than intended, a flicker of unease creeping into my tone.
"Secret~" she giggled, stepping back.
But before I could question her further, she suddenly pushed me down onto the velvet chaise behind me, straddling me in one fluid motion.
The Crimson Dancer—the most dangerous woman on Earth—was sitting on top of me, her face flushed, her breaths slightly uneven.
She cupped my face in her hands, her touch both delicate and unshakably firm.
"Arthur," Alyssara whispered.
Her jade eyes locked onto mine, holding me in place with something deeper than power.
Something real.
"I truly love you."