As I opened my mouth to respond, something fluttered down from the small hole in my coat—the one made by Remilia's spear. A faint glimmer caught my eye as the card drifted toward the ground, nding softly by my feet.

  I picked it up, feeling the rough texture of the card's surface against my fingers. Turning it over, I saw the words written in Mystia's delicate handwriting. It was her Spell Card, the one she had made just for me. I looked at the name of the spell, my breath catg in my throat.

  I looked at the small words uhe spell name, "Good luck, idiot. Don't die."

  For a moment, I just stared at the message, my chest tightening. I could almost hear her voice, the way she scolded me with that mix of worry and annoyance. I could picture her puffed-up cheeks, her wings fluttering in frustration as she pretended not to care.

  A chuckle escaped my lips before I even realized it. It started as a small ugh, then grew louder, eg across the empty battlefield. I ughed so hard that my shoulders shook, my grip on the card tightening.

  "Good luck, huh?" I muttered, wiping a tear from the er of my eye. "Idiot... she really doesn't hold back."

  I took a deep breath, feeling a strange warmth spread through my chest. The fear and doubt that had been weighing on me began to fade. I looked up at Remilia, atg me with narrowed eyes, clearly fused by my sudden ughter.

  "It seems you found something hopeful in that card," she said, her voice smooth and sweet, but ced with suspi. Her gaze was sharp, watg my every move.

  I took a step back, holding the card close to my chest. "I'm sorry, Miss Remilia..." I said, my voice firm, unwavering. "I don't think I want to bee your servant... at least, not until I lose."

  Remilia's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing dangerously. She floated down, her feet toug the ground gracefully. Her wings twitched, the delicate membrane glowing uhe crimson moonlight. She watched me carefully, her expression unreadable.

  After a moment, she crossed her arms a out a sigh. "Fine," she said, her voice calm but cold. "If you still want to tihis game... the's py it." Her wings stretched out, their shadow looming over me. "Now, transform into your vampire form if you don't want to die."

  I shook my head, "No... I 't use it anymore." I tapped my top hat, brushing off the dust that had gathered from the battle. "This whole time... I've been fighting wrong. I kept thinking about how to win. How to use my ability to ge the oute."

  Remilia's eyes narrowed, her crimson gaze pierg through me. "Why?" she demanded, her voice cold and sharp. "Why won't you use your ability?"

  "Because this is a game," I said firmly. "And I don't want to cheat to win." I straightened my posture, my heart steady. " I don't want to use my ability or more like I don't ."

  I looked up at her, my haing on my top hat as I met her fierce stare. "Because I'm going to win!"

  For a moment, Remilia looked genuinely shocked. But thehrew her head bad ughed, the sound eg in the eerie, empty space she had created. "You're serious, aren't you?" she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "You're really going to py fair? Even after everything?"

  Remilia's ughter faded, her expression turning cold. "You fool... you think I've been pying fair?" She held up her hand, and the crimson moonlight seemed to around her, gathering into a glowing red spear. "I've been using my ability from the start, Mirage Carl! I've already ged your fate!" She raised her spear, pointing it at me, her eyes bzing. "No matter how hard you try, no matter how clever your tricks... you'll never dodge my Gungnir. You'll never defy my destiny!"

  She took a step closer, her wings spreading wide as the air grew heavy with her power. "I already used my ability... so use yours too!"

  I shook my head. "No."

  Remilia's face torted with fury, her crimson eyes fshing dangerously. "You... you stubborn fool!" she shouted, her voice trembling. "You think you win... without your ability to turn lies into truth?" Her body trembled with rage, her wings fring behind her like shadows of despair. "Use it on me! Use it... so you ge our fate!"

  Her words echoed in the air, her demand raw and desperate. I could hear the strain in her voice, the anguish hiddeh her fury. Her shoulders trembled, her grip on Gungnir so tight that her knuckles turned white.

  I looked at her, my heart pounding. "Why do you wao use my ability so badly?" I asked, my voice steady.

  Her expression faltered, a flicker of emotion crossing her face before she ched her jaw. "Fet it," she spat, her voice trembling with anger. "I should have killed you before you gave me hope... before you made me believe that you could really ge my fate."

  Her wings spread wide, the red moon casting an ominous glow behind her. "No more mercy," she decred, her voice eg across the empty field. Her eyes burned with a fierce determination, her body radiating power.

  She raised her spear high, the tip glowing with a crimson light. "I am Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil of the Scarlet Devil Mansion! Mistress of Fate and Ruler of the Night!" Her voice was strong, proud, filled with turies and power. "I am the one who ge your fate that I will kill you!"

  I felt a chill run down my spine. Her presence was overwhelming, her power suffog. But I took a deep breath and stood my ground, my haing on my top hat.

  I looked up at her, meeting her crimson gaze. "My name is Mirage Carl," I said, my voice calm and steady. "The magi who turn lies into truth. The man who refuses to py by fate's rules."

  A small smile formed on my lips as I tipped my hat. "And the one who's going to beat you... fair and square."

  Remilia's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing dangerously. "Then show me, Mirage Carl!"

  The crimson moon burned brightly above us as the air grew heavy with tension. The battle wasn't over yet.

  In his mind, he thought, Sorry, Remilia, the whole time I've beeending I could win. But now, my ability is finally w.