Shyra had already engulfed Lily in her fur, turning what was usually obsidian-like and hard into something impossibly silky and soft. Even Miho was dragged into it as Shyra settled down and began purring quietly, her massive body rising and falling in a slow, content rhythm. To everyone else, it merely looked like the large beast had walked off the arena and sat down on its own—neither wanting to fight nor listening to its master. After all, none of them could see Lily hidden within the dense fur.

"Shyra! I want to see Leo's fight! Come on, let me out!" Lily's voice came out suppressed and muffled from beneath the thick coat.

At her protest, Shyra shifted slightly, turning her body just enough to allow Lily to poke her head out and catch a glimpse of the ongoing match. Miho, however, was completely lost somewhere inside Shyra's fur enclosure and didn't dare move an inch, let alone disturb the beast.

Zolton was still trembling on the ground, his breath uneven. But when he noticed that the summoned beast wasn't responding to Leo, hope flared once more in his chest. His eyes lit up as he hurriedly pushed himself to his feet.

"H-haah! So disgraceful!" Zolton scoffed, his voice cracking at first before steadying.

"Was this beast also given to you by your backing? Don't you know doing something like that makes a beast disobedient?" He sneered, confidence slowly creeping back into his posture.

"Oh yes! I forgot—you're a pathetic commoner, a common soul-rank trash!"

He took a step forward, pointing accusingly.

"Jumping from one place to another—first crawling to me, and now to someone stronger once you found them. Let me show you where you truly stand!"

As he spoke, Zolton raised his hand. Heat distorted the air around his palm as a mass of fire condensed, crackling violently.

"Let me do you a favour," he continued, grinning cruelly. "Before your own beast kills you, I'll do it myself!"

With that, he launched the fireball straight at Leo.

But before it reached him, Leo suddenly clutched his head.

"Argh!" he groaned.

A sharp, piercing pain assaulted his skull, as if countless needles were stabbing him from the inside. It was the same kind of pain he had felt when he first arrived in this world—when he had gained his memories.

Somehow, through sheer instinct, he twisted his body and barely dodged Zolton's attack. The fireball exploded behind him, scorching the ground. Leo broke into a run, circling the arena as the beasts followed close behind, barking angrily.

"Fuck! Why now?!" he cursed under his breath.

He realised it instantly—the pain had been triggered the moment Zolton mentioned him coming to others for backing.

Then it happened.

A blocked fragment of memory burst open, as if a seal had shattered with a soft pop inside his head. A flood of memories rushed in, overwhelming and vivid, and Leo's expression went blank for a split second.

"This…" he muttered as realisation dawned.

"Such scum," Leo snarled as anger surged through him. "He was even more filth than Zolton!"

This was the sealed memory from after Lily's parents had died—and now it was painfully clear. So clear that he could even feel the emotions from any specific moments in that past. His curses weren't aimed at anyone else.

They were aimed at himself.

Or rather, at the previous owner of this body.

As he continued running around the arena, reliving the memories, he realised something vile—the previous owner had hated Lily.

It all began when he learned the truth: he was adopted not out of love or any belonging, but out of responsibility. His dead parents had once helped the uncle who took him in.

Knowing that, he could never truly love them, no matter how kind they were. And Lily? Her kindness wasn't seen as genuine or pure. To him, it felt like mockery—a reminder of the miserable life he'd lived before being adopted. He saw her affection as clinginess, as interference. She never gave him space, always intruding into his daily and personal life.

And her love?

In his eyes, it was nothing but mocking sympathy—something he despised.

Yet he never expressed it. The parents were still providing him with a good life, after all. But once they died, everything fell apart. Their living standards plummeted, and his gambling addiction worsened. He kept losing money that he earned and borrowed from Lily under the pretext of buying house materials.

He couldn't even vent his frustration on other girls, because Lily always drove them away. That only pushed him further into madness.

One day, while out searching for work, he noticed Zolton. After observing him for a while, he realised Zolton frequently toyed with many girls. More importantly, his preferences matched Lily's type disturbingly well—and Lily would easily rank among the top of his interests.

Carefully, Leo approached him. He offered to reveal the location of a girl Zolton would undoubtedly like, on the condition that Zolton arrange permanent work for him.

Intrigued, Zolton agreed—and even handed him an advance payment. Finding a measly, low-paying permanent job for someone was trivial for him. With money finally in hand, Leo grew excited and deliberately led Zolton toward areas where she was also searching for work.

Zolton noticed her immediately. He was infatuated at first sight and began pursuing her relentlessly.

Yet Lily always managed to slip away.

As Zolton kept failing, his relationship with Leo grew closer. Leo would receive small payments in exchange for revealing Lily's location again and again. But every time, the money vanished into gambling, making him even more desperate.

Eventually, Lily secured a job at Sera's Culinary.

Zolton also noticed something strange—Lily was unusually attached to the very man who kept revealing her location. One day, he planned to eliminate Leo. But that same day, he witnessed Lily single-handedly dealing with a group of goons, finally understanding why she always escaped.

Instead of deterring him, it only made him want her more.

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