Fate To Fake: Loved by the Fallen; Fated to Kill the Divine-Chapter 53: Preparing for the War: Part-1

Soon, Leo was discharged from the hospital. Luckily, he hadn’t sustained any serious injuries—just a few bruises and minor scratches scattered across his skin. Nothing too severe. So the moment he regained consciousness and his vitals stabilized, the doctors approved his release.

He hadn’t even spent a full day in bed.

At the same time, Sakura was forcibly dragged out by Luna, who had stormed in to fetch her. Luna had found out she had escaped from the house without permission, and she wasn’t pleased.

Sakura had literally run away from her home... just to see her beloved Senior.

What a girl... what a dangerously lovely girl!

Anyway,

While Raphael was busy handling discharge documents and signing off medical papers at the reception, Leo found himself walking alone, stopping in front of one particular ICU room. His steps had been slow, like something heavy weighed them down.

Now, standing still, his tired eye stared through the small round mirror set into the ICU door. The sterile glass was slightly fogged, but clear enough to see what lay beyond.

Inside the room, under dim lights, was a figure... lying motionless on the bed. The body was darkened, wrapped in thick white gauze, with barely any skin visible. Most of it was bandaged, swollen, bruised—deformed beyond recognition.

Leo stared at the shape on the bed. He didn’t blink. His eye just fixated on the mangled form.

That... used to be a person. But now... now, it barely resembled one. The body was so warped and damaged that even identifying it as human took effort.

All in all... it looked excruciating. Truly painful.

Machines stood like silent sentinels around the bed, blinking and beeping in steady rhythm. The slow pulses and soft electronic sounds were the only signs that the janitor lying there... was still alive.

Tubes ran from the patient’s mouth, disappearing into machines. More wires snaked from her arms and chest, tapping into every remaining healthy vein they could find.

Leo’s fingers twitched slightly as they rested against the window frame. His face showed nothing. No reaction. Not even a frown.

"Does... the Mage Association not do anything in situations like this? Like... healing magic or something?"

His voice was low, flat, and hollow.

Valra, who stood silently beside him, gave a slow shake of her head.

"Healing mages are rare. And even if one exists... they don’t come cheap. Appointing one takes weeks, even months. Politics, resources, permissions..."

"I see,"

His eyes stayed locked on the broken figure in the bed. His expression remained utterly still. Like it didn’t bother him. As though... he was used to it.

Valra glanced sideways at him, feeling a sudden, sharp weight in her chest. There was no sadness on his face. No anger. No guilt. Just silence. As if everything inside him had shut down.

Pride stood nearby, arms crossed. She wasn’t speaking, but her eyes were locked on Leo, analyzing every micro-expression, every breath. She wasn’t judging... but it was clear she was trying to understand him.

What was going through that blank mask of his?

And then, without a word, Leo turned and began walking down the corridor. His footsteps weren’t fast... but something in the rhythm had changed. They felt heavier now. Tighter.

The hallway, like most in the hospital, was dim and quiet. A few nurses passed by with clipboards in hand. In one room, a family laughed through tears of joy. In another, someone cried alone in silence.

Just another ordinary hospital day.

Life and death playing side by side.

Inside Valra’s head, a familiar voice stirred.

/Come on. Do it.../

It was Envy.

Her body moved before she could overthink. She stepped forward and reached out, catching Leo’s hand just as he was about to move ahead.

Leo stopped. He turned back slowly, his expression unreadable, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eye.

Valra, cheeks burning and her hand trembling just slightly, blurted out,

"D-Don’t beat yourself up... okay?"

Leo stared at her, eyes searching. He didn’t speak immediately. For a second, the world felt quiet again. But then, very gently, he nodded and gave a small, almost invisible smile.

It wasn’t much... but to her, it felt like the sun breaking through dark clouds.

Inside her head, Envy hummed approvingly.

/Good girl. That’s one point for you. Now he knows you’ll be there when he falls... he’ll remember that. Keep it together, Master./

Valra lowered her gaze. Guilt still lingered in her chest... but so did warmth. That smile—directed at her, just for her—it melted something inside.

Even if she didn’t deserve it... it felt good.

Then Leo leaned in, his breath brushing her ear as he whispered,

"Tonight... it’s happening, right?"

Valra froze for a moment, eyes wide. Then she nodded quickly, her voice barely steady.

"Y-Yes. Tonight, the relic will finally reveal its location. That’s where it all starts... the war begins there."

Leo didn’t say anything right away. His face went blank again, eyes distant. He looked as if he was somewhere else entirely.

But then he nodded, firm and certain.

"Well then... I’ll be there."

Valra blinked. Her brows furrowed.

"You’re coming? I thought... I thought you didn’t want to get involved. You said this wasn’t your fight."

Leo’s gaze held hers.

"...I’ve changed my mind. I want to now."

His voice was quiet, but it carried a finality that couldn’t be questioned. There was no hesitation.

Valra stared at him for a long second, then smiled faintly.

"Well then... shall we be allies again?"

Leo’s lips curled into a small smirk.

"Of course. You are my girlfriend, after all."

Those words hit her harder than expected. Her face flushed instantly, her heart pounding. She took a step back and stumbled slightly, her body trembling from the impact of what he’d just said.

"O-Okay..."

Her heart skipped wildly in her chest. That single word—girlfriend—kept ringing in her ears. Like a bell, she had been waiting her entire life to hear. That one line seemed to wash away the doubts, the guilt, the fear... even if it was just for a moment.

She had longed to hear it. And now... she had.

The ache that lived quietly inside her chest finally eased, even if just a little. It was such a small moment, but to her... it was everything.

"If we’re going to be part of this war... can I come with you to your home? A-And, you know... maybe we can leave together? That way, we won’t get lost or... separated again?"

She asked it nervously, unsure if he’d laugh at the suggestion or question it. But to her surprise, Leo nodded once.

A simple yes.

She grinned, though she tried her best to hide it.

With that quiet happiness bubbling inside her, Valra walked beside him. They stepped through the hospital doors into the open air, and just outside the building... was that old, familiar car.

Raphael waved her hand cheerfully from the driver’s seat, calling out to them with a wide grin.

Before they could take a step, Leo leaned slightly toward Valra and warned her in a flat, serious voice, "If you value your life... you better consider taking a taxi. Or maybe even walk. Safer options."

Valra blinked, confused by his sudden warning. "Huh? Why? Come on, I kinda want to know y-your aunt a little more... you know..." Her voice trailed off as her face turned a deep shade of red. She couldn’t even finish the sentence—it was too embarrassing.

Leo gave her a weak smile, almost pitying, "That’s... not what I meant. But sure, go ahead. You’ll understand soon enough."

He didn’t elaborate. Just turned and walked toward the old, rumbling car.

Valra and Pride followed behind. Leo took the front passenger seat, while Pride and Valra slid into the back. The interior of the car was cramped and smelled faintly of engine oil and worn-out leather.

"You guys coming with us too?" Raphael asked with a playful but clearly annoyed tone.

Her eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, catching sight of the two girls settling in. There was something possessive in her voice—like she wasn’t thrilled to share her nephew’s company, especially not after such a dangerous encounter.

She had been waiting for some quiet time with him.

"Sorry, Raphael," Leo said with a sheepish grin, turning on the innocent charm. "They were pretty worried about me. If you don’t mind... maybe they could stay at our place tonight?"

He tilted his head, pulling off the classic little-nephew act—big eyes, soft tone, slight pout. Almost like he was begging her for candy.

Raphael stared at him, her brows twitching. She knew this was a terrible idea. Letting not one, but two girls into her house with Leo?

That was practically inviting chaos.

But then again... those eyes. Damn it. Puppy eyes!!

With a reluctant sigh, she finally nodded. "Fine... but you better inform your parents first, okay?"

Both Pride and Valra nodded quickly. Especially Valra, who nodded with such enthusiasm it looked like she was going to sprain her neck. A happy grin spread across her face.

"Alright then... let’s head home," Raphael said, placing her hands on the wheel.

The car gave a weak, sickly groan as she turned the ignition. It coughed, choked, and sputtered. It took three full tries before the engine finally came to life—barely alive, trembling like an old man on his last breath.

"It’s really old, I suppose," Valra muttered under her breath.

But before she could finish observing, her eyes widened.

Leo, sitting beside Raphael, had suddenly reached for the seatbelt—not just once, but twice. He pulled the belt across his body and double-looped it before clicking it into place. Then he grabbed the door handle with one hand, and with the other, clutched the dashboard tightly. His knees pressed together, bracing. From the glove box, he pulled out a mouth guard and casually placed it between his teeth.

Valra blinked in disbelief.

"Haha... What are you? A two-year-old?" she teased with a chuckle, raising an eyebrow.

Leo gave her one last glance—his eyes calm, but full of knowing sadness. And then the car jerked forward.

"Ha-ha, you’re acting like she’s driving a plaaa—NNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!! YOU GOING TO HIT THE BUILDING??! STOPPPP!!"

And so began Valra’s scream.

The car shot forward like a missile, swerving around the corner at a reckless speed. Valra’s fingers dug into the seat. Her head slammed into the side cushion. Her entire body tensed as she screamed for dear life, her voice echoing through the narrow streets.

There was only one person who didn’t move. Didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink.

Pride.

She sat like a statue—stoic, calm, arms folded, not a single muscle twitching—completely unaffected by the rollercoaster of horror they were trapped in.

While Valra howled and Leo silently endured with every possible safety precaution strapped around him... Pride just existed.

****

Trrr... Trrr... Thud!

The car finally screeched to a halt in front of the house, tires whining and brakes hissing.

The first one out was Valra. She didn’t just open the door—she crawled out of it like a survivor emerging from a plane crash. Her trembling fingers touched the ground. Then, slowly, she collapsed to her knees and nearly kissed the earth.

"I... I’m... I’m alive... G-God... Oh God, thank you... please, thank you..." she cried, tears welling in her eyes as she mumbled through desperate prayers of survival.

Raphael stepped out, pouting as she glanced over her shoulder. "Oh come on! Stop overreacting. That wasn’t even my fastest!"

She huffed and turned to Cael, who had just walked out of the house casually, holding a laptop in one hand, completely unbothered.

"See? Cael’s doing just fine. Look at her—not a hint of fear on her face."

Valra’s head turned slowly toward Leo, who was now calmly removing his seatbelt, mouth guard, and peeling himself away from the dashboard. He looked like a soldier returning from war—bruised but proud to still be breathing.

His face relaxed into a small smile, like he was simply glad to still see the sky.

After stepping inside the house, the warm colors of evening sunlight began pouring through the windows.

The orange glow of sunset brushed the walls and floors with soft gold.

Valra hesitated at the door. Her heart pounded. This... was her first time entering Leo’s home legally. No sneaking, no secret missions—just walking through the front door like she belonged.

She stepped inside hesitantly, her cheeks flushed red. Her hands were clasped nervously in front of her. She felt shy—embarrassingly so.

"You guys didn’t eat anything yet, right?" Raphael asked from the hallway, stretching her arms. "I’ll make something quick. Wait in the living room... and don’t move around too much. Especially not near the bathroom."

Her voice was serious. Almost threatening. Her eyes narrowed, especially at Valra and Pride, making it clear that this was not a casual warning. It was a rule. A firm one.

Valra gulped and nodded quickly.

Leo chuckled under his breath, turning his gaze away to avoid meeting Raphael’s eyes.

Valra tilted her head, curious.

"...Why the bathroom?" she whispered.

Leo just smiled silently and walked ahead, leaving her with more questions than answers.

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