Hallow Throne

Leo shook his head, "You make it sound easy."

Aoi sighed, "Just knowing how is enough to make a person faint or even commit suicide. The other four who knew... they're gone now."

Leo, thoughtful, added, "I've met Captain Lucifer a few times, and he seems so cold. Yet there's something about him that makes me let my guard down."

Faiz agreed, "He seems like that, but he's kind. I don't know why, but he always seems busy, constantly working."

Aoi continued, "He changed after the Battle of Galahad, right before graduation. We all did, to some extent. We decided to suppress our emotions for the sake of strength. But Lucifer... he completely let go of all emotions, even his humanity."

Faiz leaned forward, intrigued. "Oh, the famous Battle of Galahad. That's the same battle where he earned his title, right?"

Aoi nodded, "Yeah, that's right."

Leo chimed in, "Didn't Captain Licht also earn his title from that battle?"

Aoi replied, "Yeah, kinda."

Riruru, her eyes wide, said, "Captain Licht was my hero when I was a kid... until I met Lucifer and decided to join ExistForger. The famous Harbinger of Light, Captain Licht Al Vaude."

Aoi burst into laughter, "Oh yeah, that's his official title, but back in the day, we used to call him 'The Sleeping Booty.'"

Leo blinked, confused, "What? Why 'The Sleeping Booty'?"

Aoi grinned, "Well, he loved sleeping. We would've called him 'Sleeping Beauty,' but since we never saw his face when he was sleeping, we decided against it. 'Sleeping Booty' was our compromise."

Riruru gasped in disbelief, "Did you seriously call Captain Licht 'The Sleeping Booty'?"

Aoi chuckled, "Actually, Lucifer was the one who gave him that nickname."

Both Faiz and Riruru exclaimed together, "WHAT?!"

Faiz asked incredulously, "Are you sure?"

Aoi nodded, smiling wistfully, "Yeah, Lucifer was different back then. He wasn't serious at all. He was the kind of guy who could turn friends into family. But now… let's not talk about him. I know he wouldn't like it, and I can't even blame him for the change."

Riruru nodded, understanding the shift in the mood. "Okay, then... what about you, ma'am? What was your life like before becoming a knight?"

Leo jumped in before Aoi could answer, "Well, I was a workout freak. I just wanted to become a knight, but I wasn't selected for the academy. So, I trained and worked out constantly."

Faiz smiled slightly, "A bunch of half-dead idiots with nowhere to belong and no one to trust."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, the weight of their shared experiences lingering in the air.