[ A lot of questions honestly] I pondered as everything comes with a price. So to ensure fairness I proposed calmly
"It would be unjust if only thou answered my questions. Let us make it an answer for an answer, and both of us must respond truthfully. Dost thou agree?"
"And how will you know if I'm telling the truth?" Alex questioned.
""Is thy question an acceptance of my proposal? If so, I shall answer ." I responded.
Alex seemed to think deeply before nodding slowly.
"The answer is simple, mine eyes. Since as long as I can remember, I have possessed the power to see through lies and deception. Moreover, by gazing into a person's soul through their eyes, I can discern their emotions, though not their thoughts. This ability is restricted, for it requires direct eye contact with one eye to see their soul. Yet, perceiving deceptions needs not such contact. Therefore, avoiding mine gaze, as thou dost now, is futile."
Alex appeared a bit horrified, whispering to himself, "Did he look at my soul?"
Seizing the opportunity, I replied "yes, I did before our duel, which is why I am curious about certain matters. Thou must now answer two questions." I raised two fingers, inhaling from my kiseru.
"Let's say you can do that. How can I be sure you won't lie if I ask you any questions?" he countered.
"I shall answer this question freely. There is naught I can do to wholly gain thy trust, unless we were to make a contract, though that need not be the case."I said, controlling my mana."Upon my soul and honor as one of the ancients, should I lie when questioned, Alex Lionheart, who stands before me, shall have the right to take my life."
As I finished, my mana began to ripple violently, transforming into chains that bound my body.
One of the pieces of knowledge I gained from the crown was how to make pacts. If contracts are made under the watchful eyes of gods and broken, the violator receives divine punishment. However, in this case, pacts are made by mana and the will of the user. If I break this pact, I will lose my life regardless of whether Alex kills me.
Alex seemed genuinely surprised by my willingness to take such a risk, so I continued speaking calmly, "I once dwelt in a world brimming with deceit, yet this forest a sanctuary, untouched by lies. I was glad to find that thou and the other guests who arrived here were true to thyselves. Some spoke truth out of their virtuous nature, one did so due to his playful character, and another out of pride, as if lies were beneath him. But thou, Alex, why dost thou not lie?"
Alex took his time thinking, a smile forming on his face as he met my gaze and began to speak, "You know, no one is equal in this world, and that includes me. I was born blessed, a member of the high-ranking nobles of the kingdom. As the son of a duke, everything I wanted was handed to me on a golden platter. In the kingdom, I was hailed as a prodigy and expected to become the next spear saint. Not even my younger brother could match my talent, and he was despised by the very people who praised me, deemed inferior in their eyes."
His voice softened as he continued, "But my brother never resented me for his mistreatment. In a world where weakness is a sin, he had a gentle heart. He was a good person, unlike me. That's why I always strove to become a better person, to be the one he always looked up to. From my childhood until now, there have only been two people who loved me for who I am, not for being Alex Lionheart, the son of a duke."
Alex's smile grew brighter as he spoke with more passion, "You asked me why I don't lie, and it's simple. Since joining the Inquisitors, I've been surrounded by such amazing people—the ones you mentioned. Naturally, I was influenced by them. I envy them because I know I'm not as great as they are, and I resent myself for that. But I will always work to become a better person so that envy might disappear one day."
He blushed slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper, "And there's someone I love here, someone I must protect."
"Interesting," I murmured with a soft smile, seeing no lies in his words. It seemed Sarah wasn't the only one feeling that way. However, Alex's expression grew serious, as if something had been bothering him.
"When I lost the duel, why didn't you kill me?" he asked.
I looked at him, still smiling gently "Alex Lionheart—no, Alex, thou art blessed. Blessed by those who would weep should thou die. I had no wish to cause a girl who loves thee to shed tears."
[Unlike him, no one would cry if I died.]
Alex's gaze dropped to the ground as if a revelation struck him. When he looked back at me, I nodded to confirm his thoughts.
Suddenly, he stood up and made his way over to me, wrapping me in a tight hug and spinning me around. "Are you serious? Does Sarah truly love me?" he kept asking over and over.
Unsure how to respond to his enthusiasm, I replied helplessly, "Only a fool such as thee would fail to perceive her affections. And wilt thou set me down now? 'Tis truly annoying."
Hearing my words, Alex set me back down on my chair and collapsed to the ground, looking up happily.
The silence that followed was awkward. Alex closed his eyes and lay quietly on the ground while I continued smoking peacefully, gazing into the fire.
Suddenly, Alex spoke, breaking the tension. "Gracefell—no, I will start calling you bro from now on." He turned to face me. "I'm thankful to you. If there's any question you want to ask, don't hesitate."
and just like that, I asked Alex a question, and he answered by reciting a tale from the past