Aria looked confused at that question. "I thought you would only tell me if I won?"
"Hmm," Celine thought. "Nah, I was just joking. I just wanted to look good in front of you by winning. I know the only way to gain some of your respect is through power so that's why I sparred. Anyways, let's walk together to your room and I'll tell you."
Aria's face twitched at how Celine casually wanted to waltz into her room. "Whatever, let's go then," she harrumphed. Aria held respect for Celine's power but her annoying, slightly arrogant, and nonchalant attitude was far too persistent.
The duo left the training hall and moved towards the upper floors where Aria lived. Celine closed her eyes and put both hands behind her head while nonchalantly walking around. "So, why did you arrive here on a new continent and abandon humanity immediately," Aria started.
Celine gave a slight smile and put her hands down from behind her head. "To put it simply, I want to claim your heart. That is what I talked to your father about and he agreed under certain conditions."
Aria immediately became confused. "You want to kill me? And my father agreed?"Aria couldn't believe her father would ever do such a thing. She looked Celine incredulously without being able to discern what she was thinking.
Celine couldn't even hold her laughter in. "Hahaha!" She gave a hearty laugh. "I meant something else," she trembled with a slight blush. Right now, she was conveying her feelings completely and she so desperately wanted to keep the nonchalant act but the blush couldn't be stopped. No other time in her life had Celine so deeply wanted to run and hide in embarrassment.
Seeing that blush, Aria stammered in disbelief. "You!" She had daggers for eyes but she herself also had a blush. This wasn't the first confession Aria had heard but it was the most awkward one. The worst part was, Aria could feel genuine love come from the girl, unlike the many offers she received from others who wanted her power or status. "What were the conditions my father had you agree to," she mumbled quietly after calming down. "I assume they were pretty harsh conditions."
"Good thing she doesn't want to kill me for confessing. I've seen her hate people in the past before for the same reason." Celine sighed in relief.
"There wasn't that many difficult conditions," Celine started. "Firstly, he wanted me to abandon humanity and become a Valerian soldier. I easily accepted that. Secondly, he said that if I ever lied to you he would skin me alive. A pretty good deterrent for me. Thirdly, He wanted me to decide if I really loved you or liked you as a friend. I think you can find out what I decided. Lastly, he told me to let go of the past and create new memories with you. Instead of trying to relive something that can never happen again, he told me to live and treasure every current moment."
Aria couldn't be more surprised because conditions her father imposed were far more harsh than she thought but Celine thought of them as nothing. Aria thought about how she abandoned her race and any companions she may have had as though it wasn't even difficult for her. Even then, Celine also had a truly loving look in her eyes that couldn't just be love at first sight. No, the way Celine had looked at her made Aria understand that Celine didn't have a simple love. It looked like a deep yearning and need that Celine couldn't live without.
Aria took a big breath and calmly spoke. "Why me?" She asked. "And whoever said I was going to agree?" She unapologetically remarked. After all, she didn't feel anything towards this random woman.
"Well," Celine scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "This isn't my first time meeting you so I am sure that we will at least be friends." Aria, being to confused for the day, only raised her eyebrows and allowed Celine to explain.
A long explanation of Godhood and what was beyond the tenth trial of True God's Tower. Celine hadn't initially planned to reveal everything on her first meeting but was forced to by Arthur so she made sure to be thorough. However, Celine didn't talk about the intricacies of her life that she had lived as a human before attaining Godhood. Those memories were precious to Celine but irrelevant to Aria and Celine didn't want to force her past onto Aria.
The room went quiet at the revelation that this world is in a constant time loop. "So," Aria mumbled. "What was the tenth trial like. How did I die in that place?"
A faint nostalgic look crept upon Celine's face, following a deep look of despair. She had won, but had lost everything she'd ever gained in the pursuit of power. How lucky she was to have the chance to build all that she lost back up again.
Little did Celine know that she had already began thinking and telling her story to the elegant woman who had blueish-black hair.