Fate To Fake: Loved by the Fallen; Fated to Kill the Divine

Training: Day-3

"Huff… Huff… I-I cannot… J-Just give me a rest," Ophis gasped, her voice trembling, legs burning and heavy as stone. Her lower half felt numb... she could barely lift her feet anymore, every muscle screaming in protest as she pushed herself through yet another endless lap.

Essa shrugged with an indifferent tone, arms crossed beneath her hood, eyes glinting. "Oh, please. This isn't even the real test. I thought Ophis Dracula would demolish this with ease—aren't you supposed to be a legend? Or are you just a pampered brat with a famous name?"

Ophis' fists clenched, "How dare you look down on me… Of course, this is nothing to me, bitch!" she spat, rage driving her as she forced herself into a sprint, feet pounding on the enchanted treadmill, sweat flying.

Essa, lips curling into a wicked grin, turned the glowing knob as the speed of the treadmill surged.

The boost jolted Ophis forward. Gritting her teeth, she pushed on, refusing to falter.

Through the haze, she glimpsed the others still training relentlessly.

Azrael, fierce and focused, hurled stones with sharp, precise flicks, aiming at the delicate leaves high on the branch.

Thuck!

"Arrh! Just one more, damn it!!" Azrael cursed, face scrunched with frustration. Only a single, trembling leaf clung to the branch. If she could just hit that, she'd finish her challenge… but she'd struck the whole branch instead.

Meanwhile, Raphael and Leo fought their own battle—

"Come on, it's just two minutes! Only two!" Raphael shouted, sweat-soaked hair sticking to her brow. She gripped her wooden sword and hammered blow after blow against Leo's faltering guard.

He staggered under her assault, eyes glazed and watering, his lips and nose were sealed.

Each heartbeat roared in his ears... he could barely think through the suffocating fog.

"Hyyaa!!" Raphael shouted, lunging at him with all her strength. Leo barely managed to duck, her sword whistling past his chest… and then his legs gave out.

He hit the mat with a thud and went limp, consciousness slipping away.

Snap!

Essa snapped her fingers. The seal vanished from Leo's mouth and nose in a burst of silver light—

"HHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Air rushed into his lungs; his chest expanded wildly as life surged back.

Raphael lunged to help him up, worry etched on her face, but Essa caught her by the wrist, "I told you... When he stops fighting, you know what to do."

Raphael's lips twisted in annoyance. She cast one last lingering look at Leo, then turned away. She joined Azrael again, scooping up a handful of smooth stones, ready to keep aiming for the stubborn branch.

That was her role... after Leo collapsed, the training did not stop.

"She is annoying," Raphael muttered under her breath as she walked past.

Azrael didn't hesitate, nodding in solidarity, "Yeah, she's a total BDSM bitch!" She flicked another stone, her tone half-teasing, half-exasperated.

"Huh?" Essa arched an eyebrow, hearing the words.

"N-Nothing!" Raphael and Azrael chorused, flinching in unison before refocusing on the relentless training.

Essa looked at Leo one last time, checking the timer. "2:23… I think he won't reach the point my Master imagined," she muttered with a small shrug.

"Haha… I can do it… hahaha… Look, bitch, I'm doing it!!" Ophis's voice suddenly echoed from the other side, making Essa glance her way.

Ophis had finally unfurled her small wings, using them to propel herself faster across the treadmill.

Essa's eyes narrowed in satisfaction, "Hmm… good," she said, as if she'd been waiting for this moment all along.

Ophis frowned, catching the odd approval. She knew she was cheating, relying on her wings, but this woman seemed almost pleased.

Was this some twisted test?

"Don't tell me you—"

"Yes, I had been waiting for you to finally open your freaking wings," Essa cut in with a sly smirk beneath her hoodie. Without warning, she spun the enchanted knob to the maximum.

SSSNNNGGGGG!!!

"KKYYYAAA!!!!"

THUD!

The sound of Ophis hitting the wall reverberated through the house. But there was no pause—the relentless pace continued.

Hours blurred, and even as evening fell, the group was sent to the firing area. Azrael had booked the entire underground range for their private training, ensuring no distractions, only hard focus.

Inside, Essa herded them towards the firing line, her tone strict. "Now, centre your aim. Fire at the exact point I marked. If you miss, you repeat."

Ophis looked at the cold metal in her trembling hands, "Why do I have to use a gun?" she almost whimpered.

Essa shrugged, "Nothing wrong with learning how to wield every tool, right?"

Ophis gritted her teeth. She fired, shot after shot, not thinking about her father.

Meanwhile, Azrael took to the task with wild flair. She spun and shot, drawing and holstering like a seasoned gunslinger, her movements sharp and showy, leaving a trail of silver flashes in the air.

"Yahy~!" Azrael cheered, throwing up a victory pose as she nailed the centre.

Raphael, arms crossed, watched with narrowed eyes. She knew exactly who Azrael was trying to impress... and she would not let her win Leo's attention so easily.

"Hurry up. We have more training after this," Essa commanded.

"…Give me a break!!!" Ophis screamed, tossing the gun aside.

Training: Day-4

Early morning...

Ophis slept sprawled across the bed, soft snores rising and falling. Drool dripped from the corner of her parted lips, legs splayed wide as if she owned every inch of the mattress, utterly lost in deep, oblivious slumber.

On the second floor, Raphael lay on her side, barely moving an inch since midnight. Even in sleep, her muscles were so overworked she couldn't find the will to shift position.

On the same floor, in a corner of the room, Azrael slept atop a thin mat, snoring loudly. A goofy smile curled on her lips as she drooled, her hand idly scratching her stomach—her shirt riding up dangerously, almost revealing her underwear.

"Hehe… No, prince… not… not that place~" she murmured.

Unlike the others, she seemed to be having the time of her life—even in sleep.

Meanwhile, the only person missing was Leo…

In the training room inside the house,

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Leo was punching the heavy bag, each blow faster and sharper than the last. His breaths came slow and even, sweat rolling down his neck. His face stayed focused and calm, but every punch echoed a silent intensity, his knuckles hammering into the dense fabric.

Ring~

Leo paused, fist held mid-air, and glanced at the timer glowing softly on the wall. He let out a long, tired sigh. "Still not enough…" he muttered.

He drew in a deep breath, then sat down heavily, grabbing a water bottle from the floor. Tilting his head back, he drank deeply, the cold rush running down his throat and filling his chest with a brief, cleansing chill.

As he finished, Leo lowered the bottle, letting his head hang for a moment. That's when he noticed... Essa was standing against the far wall, arms crossed.

"Can't sleep?" Essa asked quietly, her voice softer than usual.

Leo wiped the remaining water from his lips, "I slept very well," he replied matter-of-factly.

It was true. He'd slept hard, but he'd also woken before dawn... because he knew he couldn't just lie in bed, waiting for miracles to save anyone.

Essa gave a small hum of acknowledgement, then walked over and sat down across from him, "If you want something to say… I'm all ears now."

Leo blinked, caught off guard by the offer. He hesitated, "Am I really that easy to read?"

Essa shrugged, a tiny smirk playing at her lips. "No. I just know you."

Leo blinked again, a wry smile tugging at his mouth.

He drew another breath, "I… I'm still not sure about Raphael and Azrael getting involved in all this.

They're only here because of me.

Otherwise, they would've left... escaped the danger. I can't just… let them risk everything for my sake. It's insane. They have lives to live. I… I'm confused.

Even Ophis, she's doing it for me too, isn't she? If she really wanted, she would've run the moment she got freedom. But everyone's so focused on saving me, not themselves.

I'm afraid something will happen—something I don't want, something I can't fix if it goes wrong."

Essa watched him for a long moment,

"That's what I call blatant disrespect to them," she finally said.

Leo jerked, "Huh?"

"What else could it be? You just said it yourself—they're doing it for you," Essa's tone was serious, no softness now. "No offence, but if they heard those words, they'd feel more insulted than touched by your selfless worries."

Leo stared, startled by her bluntness. "W-What?"

"Yes, they're putting their blood and soul into this! Look at them, Leo. No matter how much they're tortured through this training… they still stand up, push their bodies further.

Even when it breaks them, even when it hurts, sure—they whine here and there, but that's just for show… You haven't seen what I've seen in them, Leo. They're fighting. Not just against the others, but against themselves!"

She leaned forward,

"So next time, don't ever hurt anyone by thinking you're doing them a favour!"

Her words pierced through his heart, and Leo realised how much of an idiot he'd been… He'd only been seeing things from his own side, never theirs.

They were doing exactly what they should... fighting for him, because that's what families do, right?

They were doing everything they could for him.

Essa added, voice gentler, "Tell me, if the roles were switched… would you leave any one of them behind?"

Leo bit his lip, the answer clear. He shook his head, shame filling his eyes. "…I'm sorry," he muttered, the words honest, as if his heart was splitting.

He remembered their training... seeing their bodies exhausted, blood and sweat pouring down, yet none of them giving up.

How could he claim to protect them when they'd proven they'd do anything for him?

How could he keep thinking it was only his duty to shield them?

Sure, at first they were terrified, desperate for his help when they were kidnapped, but now… look at them.

Burning with resolve, blazing like fire!!

Leo managed a weak smile. "I guess… I'm just being overprotective."

Essa grinned under her hoodie, eyes softening. "They're old enough to protect themselves."

Leo nodded, then looked up and asked quietly, "Your Master…"

"Yes?" Essa replied, tilting her head.

"Was he… trying to make me owe him, or something?"

Essa blinked, shaking her head. "I don't think so. My Master does things because they feel right… never for any gain. Especially not from you."

"Especially me? I wonder why…" he murmured, curiosity flickering in his tone.

He still had so many questions about Essa's mysterious Master, but for now… he would focus on what mattered in this moment.

Just then, Essa, who was sitting before him, suddenly disappeared and appeared on his back and… Essa hugged him?