Chapter 3: A Dance of Blades and Lies

---

The air between them crackled with unspoken words.

Lucian kept his expression calm, his noble poise unwavering. Across from him, Annalise Vermillion, his fiancée, sat in silence, her emerald eyes locked onto him like a predator sizing up its prey.

She remembered. Everything.

He could see it in the way she clenched the fabric of her dress, the way she remained composed but too still, too watchful.

And why wouldn't she?

In the past timeline, Lucian Valcrest—corrupted by a devil's power—had killed her with his own hands.

---

A Dangerous Proposal

Lucian set down his glass of wine and leaned forward.

"Annalise," he said smoothly, his voice warm and charming—the voice of the noble gentleman he was meant to be.

She stiffened at his tone. It was too familiar, too pleasant.

"You seem tense." He smiled, watching her closely. "Is something troubling you?"

Annalise's nails dug into her palm.

'This bastard…'

She had spent years training to kill him in her past life. She had watched him fall into madness, saw the moment his humanity was stripped away by the devil's power. She had fought him—bled because of him.

And yet, here he sat.

Composed. Polite. As if none of it had ever happened.

Her heart pounded, but she did not let the emotion show.

"I was simply… lost in thought."

Lucian tilted his head. "Oh? About what?"

Annalise lifted her gaze, meeting his crimson eyes with unwavering intensity.

"About the future."

Lucian smiled. A perfect answer.

'She is testing me.'

Annalise was not a fool. She wouldn't outright accuse him of anything, not yet. She was waiting for him to slip, for any sign that he was still the monster she remembered.

He would give her nothing.

---

A Duel of Shadows

Annalise placed her glass down gently, then smiled—a chilling, almost cruel expression.

"I've been thinking," she said. "It's been some time since we last trained together, hasn't it?"

Lucian's fingers tapped against the wooden table.

He knew where this was going.

Annalise was a master of the sword, raised in the Vermillion family, known for producing the empire's greatest warriors.

If this were the previous Lucian, he would have laughed off the suggestion or refused outright.

But he was not the old Lucian.

He smirked. "Are you inviting me to a duel, my dear fiancée?"

Annalise's green eyes gleamed with challenge. "Unless, of course, you're afraid?"

Lucian chuckled. Afraid?

He had fought through ruthless corporate wars in his past life, and now, he had the Villain System.

How could he refuse?

---

The Duel Begins

The training grounds of the Valcrest Estate were vast, built for both cultivation practice and traditional swordsmanship.

Lucian stood in the center of the arena, a finely crafted black rapier in his hand. Across from him, Annalise held a crimson-bladed longsword, the signature weapon of House Vermillion.

She exuded killing intent.

Lucian sighed internally.

'She really does want to kill me.'

A duel was supposed to be friendly practice between nobles.

But Annalise was not treating this as practice.

She was treating it as a test. A chance to see if he was still the monster she remembered.

Lucian smiled. "Shall we begin?"

The instructor raised his hand.

"Begin!"

Annalise exploded forward.

Her blade flashed, faster than the human eye could track. She wasn't holding back.

Lucian reacted instantly, his Villain System activating.

[New Passive Ability Acquired: Foresight – Briefly sense an opponent's intent before they strike.]

Everything slowed.

Lucian saw it—the exact trajectory of her blade, the precise angle of her attack.

He dodged. Effortlessly.

A flicker of shock crossed Annalise's face. This wasn't the Lucian she remembered.

He wasn't just blocking—he was predicting her every move.

Lucian countered, his rapier moving like a whisper through the air. A precise strike aimed at her shoulder—not to injure, but to prove a point.

She barely deflected in time, skidding back.

For the first time since their meeting, her expression cracked.

"You've improved," she murmured.

Lucian smiled, twirling his blade. "I had a good teacher."

Annalise's grip on her sword tightened.

That was a lie.

Lucian Valcrest had never trained seriously in the past timeline. He had relied on overwhelming strength, never skill.

And yet, here he was.

Who the hell was he?

---

A Hidden Storm

The duel continued, steel clashing in rapid succession. The crowd of servants and knights watching from the sides held their breath.

To them, this was merely a contest between the empire's most esteemed couple.

But for Lucian and Annalise, this was a battle of truth and deception.

Lucian kept his movements precise.

Annalise kept searching for weakness.

But she found none.

Lucian was not the same man who had killed her in the past.

The match ended with a draw, their blades locked in a final clash.

Lucian stepped back, lowering his weapon. "You fight beautifully, Annalise."

She did not reply immediately, her mind spinning.

The man before her was different.

But how?

Had he truly changed?

Or was he simply… hiding it better?

She would find out.

---

Aftermath

That night, as Lucian sat in his chambers, the Villain System chimed.

[Objective Complete: Maintain a flawless facade against the regressor.]

[Rewards Acquired: Swordsmanship Talent Boost, Influence in House Vermillion.]

Lucian chuckled. Good.

This was only the beginning.

He leaned back, looking at the flickering candlelight.

If Annalise wanted to test him, he would play along.

He would let her believe she still had the upper hand.

Because in the end…

The villain always controlled the board.

---