"Well, well, look who we have here," Lucavion's teasing tone cut through the crowd like a knife. "The great Valeria Olarion, standing in line like the rest of us mere mortals. Never thought I'd see the day."

Valeria stiffened, her jaw tightening in frustration before she slowly turned her head toward the voice. And there he was, that same smug grin on his face, leaning casually against a nearby post as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Valeria's eyes narrowed as she took in his casual posture and that ever-present smug grin. "You," she repeated, her voice laced with growing agitation. "Why are you here? Are you following me?"

Lucavion raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely surprised by the accusation. "Following you?" He shook his head, his smile widening. "Oh no, not this time. I didn't expect to find you here either. It's purely a coincidence, I swear."

Valeria's suspicion didn't waver. She crossed her arms, her gaze hard and untrusting. "Really?" she asked, her voice sharp with doubt.

Lucavion raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin never faltering. "Really. I'm innocent this time, I promise. Just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time… or maybe the wrong place at the right time, depending on how you see it."

Valeria huffed, clearly unconvinced, but before she could retort, Lucavion's gaze flicked to the crowd and then back to her, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Though I couldn't help but notice something," he said, his tone now teasing again. "It seems you decided to leave your knights behind this time."

Her jaw tightened, and she shifted slightly, uncomfortable with how easily he had picked up on that detail. "That's none of your business," she replied curtly, her voice cold.

Lucavion chuckled, his smile turning even more playful. "Touchy, touchy. But you know, it's kind of impressive. Going solo? That's a big step for the heir of the great Olarion family."

Valeria's eyes flashed with annoyance, but she kept her composure. "I don't need anyone's permission to make my own choices. Least of all yours."

"Oh, I'm not saying you do," he said with a shrug. "Just pointing out that it's a bold move. A risky one, too. But you like taking risks, don't you?"

Valeria's patience was wearing thin, and she was about to cut him off when he added with a sly grin, "I respect that, you know. But then again… I wonder what your father would think about this decision."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the mention of her father, but before she could respond, Lucavion raised his hands again, this time with a laugh. "Relax, relax. I'm just making conversation." He glanced at the long line ahead of them. "We'll be here for a while, after all."

Valeria's eyes narrowed in suspicion as a sudden thought crossed her mind. How had Lucavion just casually appeared here, leaning against a post and chatting with her? Shouldn't he be standing in line like everyone else?

"Wait a minute," she said, her tone sharp. "How come you're here, just standing around? Weren't you supposed to be in the line like the rest of us?"

Lucavion's smug grin faltered for the briefest of moments, and a bead of sweat formed on his brow. "Ah, well, funny you should mention that," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I was actually wondering the same thing myself… you know, just… uh, observing the situation first."

Valeria crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing even further. "Observing? Really?"

Lucavion let out a nervous chuckle. "Alright, alright. Look, I just wanted to come ask how you're holding up. Long lines and all, you know?" He gestured vaguely at the crowd. "But, hey, since we're already talking… how about I just stand beside you?"

Valeria's lips pressed into a thin line. "No," she said flatly.

Lucavion blinked, clearly not expecting such a blunt refusal. "No?"

"You're not allowed to cut the line," she said firmly. "If you want to register, you stand at the back like everyone else."

Lucavion's face fell into an exaggerated pleading expression, his voice dipping into a mock-desperate tone. "Come on, please? If I stand at the back, I won't make it in time, and I'll miss the registration. You wouldn't want to be responsible for keeping me out of the tournament, would you?"

Valeria felt the corners of her lips twitch upward despite herself. Seeing him like this—helpless, pleading—was oddly satisfying. For once, the smug, confident Lucavion was at her mercy. It almost felt like justice. She could see the slight panic behind his playful act, and it made her feel like he was finally getting what he deserved after all the teasing.

Her arms remained crossed, and she tilted her head slightly, looking him up and down. "Oh? You're afraid you won't make it in time?" she asked, her tone light but with a hint of amusement.

Lucavion nodded vigorously. "Exactly. It would be a real shame if all my talents went to waste because of a line. Don't you think?"

Valeria raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider his offer, watching as Lucavion's eyes brightened slightly with hope. But then, just as quickly, her expression hardened, and she shook her head firmly. "No. You're still not cutting the line."

The look of sheer disappointment on Lucavion's face was almost comical, and for a brief moment, Valeria felt like laughing. She hadn't smiled this much in a while, and though she had no intention of letting him skip ahead, seeing him squirm was more than enough satisfaction for the day.

Lucavion sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. "Ah, you wound me, Lady Valeria. Truly."

Valeria smirked, her voice teasing now. "Good." She turned her back to him, fully intending to end the conversation, but inwardly, she couldn't deny the small flicker of consideration she had felt earlier. But letting him off the hook? No, he deserved to feel the consequences of his carefree attitude.

Lucavion stood there for a moment longer, clearly trying to come up with another angle. "Well," he said finally, "I suppose I'll go… stand at the back. Like everyone else." His tone was filled with mock tragedy as he slouched away toward the end of the line, throwing one last hopeful glance over his shoulder.

Valeria didn't budge, and when he realized she wasn't going to change her mind, he sighed again, defeated.

After what felt like an eternity, Valeria finally neared the front of the line. The crowd had slowly thinned, and while the anticipation had kept her alert earlier, now the boredom was settling in. She felt strangely more tired than she had expected, the constant noise of the city and the endless waiting weighing on her mind.

'That bastard Lucavion really got under my skin,' she thought, shaking her head in frustration. Even though she had enjoyed turning him down, the entire interaction left her feeling oddly drained. Now, all she wanted was to get the registration over with and focus on preparing for the tournament.

At long last, she reached the front of the line. The clerk, a middle-aged man with tired eyes and a quill in his hand, looked up from his desk and gestured for her to step forward. Valeria handed over her identification and began the process.

"Name?" the clerk asked, his voice monotone.

"Valeria Olarion."

His quill scratched across the parchment as he wrote, his movements swift and practiced. "Affiliation?"

"No formal affiliation," she responded. "Just entering as a participant."

The man nodded absently, continuing to fill out the necessary forms. "Weapons or martial arts style?"

"Sword," Valeria said simply, keeping her responses short. "Knight training."

"Knight training, huh?" the clerk mumbled, though he didn't press for details. After a few more questions and scribbles on the parchment, he handed back her identification card and stamped the entry form with the official seal of the tournament.

"All set. You'll receive further details tomorrow morning about your match. Check your inn or come to the main arena for the updates."

Valeria nodded and took her paperwork, stepping away from the registration desk with a mix of relief and boredom. She was finally done, but the waiting had drained her energy more than she had anticipated. The excitement of entering the tournament was still there, but after hours in the line, it felt more like a distant hum in the back of her mind.

As she walked away, she couldn't help but glance around the crowd, hoping to see where that guy was.

'Heh…..He must be still waiting.'

Valeria glanced up at the sky, the sun nearing its peak. 'Almost noon,' she thought. 'Maybe he really won't make it.'

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she imagined Lucavion still standing at the back of that impossibly long line, growing more and more desperate as the clock ticked down.

But just as she was about to fully indulge in that satisfying mental image, she heard a familiar voice—muffled, but unmistakable.

"Well, that was a good decision!"