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Cecil stood up in shock, her finger trembling as she pointed to the stage.

Wh-wh-why is Kai the opponent?

Wh-wh-wh-what is happening?

"Oh, it's Kai and Xue!" Hana exclaimed happily.

The crowd was noisy, their eyes particularly fixated upon two people among them.

Cecil Lan and Hana Katae.

"A lover's spat?"

"A love square!"

"Or a love triangle?"

Cecil recalled the day where Xue unexpectedly tried to absorb Kai's soul. She immediately paled, lifting up her robes as she dashed down the steps. Hana followed her without a second thought.

"Begi--"

"Hold on for a moment!" Cecil exclaimed, panicking, her haughty mien completely gone.

The announcer paused, stepping aside and Cecil neared Kai, panting slightly.

"Why...why are you here?" Cecil questioned, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Hi Kai!" Hana chirped.

"Hi Hana!" Kai grinned, before turning to Cecil with a sheepish look scratching the back of his head. "Well, I uh...tried to get what you wanted, and my master found out."

Cecil widened her eyes. "Why did you...I didn't ask you to do it immediately..." she pressed her palm against her forehead. "This is all my fault, I am so sorry, Kai."

"No, no no no! I was careless!" Kai shook his head vigorously. "It wasn't your fault, Cecil."

"I shouldn't have mentioned that favour."

"What favour?" Xue asked suddenly, and the both of them jerked back in alarm.

Hana fiddled with her shawl, growing bored when she realised she couldn't understand the conversation. Thus, she perked up when Xue approached them.

"Hi Xue!" Hana chirped yet again.

"Hi Hana." Xue smiled tenderly at her, switching back to his indifferent expression as he turned to the other two. "What favour? Spit it out."

Cecil hesitated and Xue lowered his voice, narrowing his eyes at her. "A vision?"

His words were only for him and Cecil to hear.

Cecil immediately shook her head, and decided to speak honestly. "I asked Kai to take something from his master..."

"And I failed, so my master said he'll let me go if I fought you in this tournament..."

"To see who is stronger!" Hana stepped in, smiling innocently.

Kai shrugged. "Yeah, that's it."

"Begin the match!" Someone from above shouted impatiently.

Kai winced, knowing that voice.

Cecil was frantically glancing between Kai and Xue as she and Hana were guided away by the announcer. Xue began to leap back to this original position, before noticing Cecil's expression and he paused.

"Cecil."

She recognised Xue's voice calling for her, and it surprised her.

"I won't do it now."

She visibly relaxed upon hearing his words. Hana looked back and forth between the two of them, and Kai only frowned.

"Begin!" the announcer finally exclaimed after guiding the two women away to a safe area.

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