The Devil's Betrothed-Chapter 725: I’ll Be However You Want We To Be

Erin and Rina were in the indoor sword training room, where Erin was teaching Rina how to use a sword.

"This short sword should be a good fit for you," Erin said, offering Rina one of the practice swords before picking up another for herself.

Rina held it awkwardly, and Erin stepped forward to correct her grip. "Hold it like this. Don’t put too much pressure on the handle, as if you’re clenching it too hard, alright?"

"Understood," Rina replied, mimicking Erin’s movements.

"Now stand like this," Erin demonstrated, but Rina simply looked at her, confused.

Erin sighed, realizing that the position of her legs wasn’t visible because of her dress. She pulled the hem of her dress up slightly, revealing her ankles, and then adjusted Rina’s posture, lifting her own dress just enough to show Rina the proper stance. "Tomorrow, we’ll have proper training attire for both of us, so it won’t be this difficult. For now, let’s focus on learning the hand and upper body movements."

"Okay," Rina agreed, continuing to follow Erin’s instructions diligently.

"Did your brother teach you this, Lady Erin?" Rina asked curiously.

"Yes, he did," Erin replied with a smile.

"You’re so lucky. I wanted to ask my brother, but we had a fight before I could."

"Maybe try asking him again?" Erin suggested gently.

"He won’t teach me. He’s always busy," Rina said, looking a little sad.

"How do you know I won’t teach you?" a voice suddenly interrupted.

Both Rina and Erin turned, equally surprised.

Lucian stood at the entrance of the training room, watching them.

’When did he arrive?’ Erin wondered. ’This man is like a ghost who doesn’t make a sound while walking. He has always been like this.’

"You’ll teach me?" Rina asked, her eyes wide with excitement, while Erin stood silently, wondering why he had come here.

"If you want me to," Lucian replied, walking closer to them.

With each step he took, Erin felt a heaviness settle in her chest, and she wished she could leave. Last night, she had managed to steady her emotions, and now here he was again, stirring them up all over.

"Great! Teach me, then!" Rina said excitedly. She turned to Erin. "I’ve watched my brother practice with a sword. I can tell you, he’s the best!"

Erin forced an awkward smile. "I know. Then you’d better learn well from him, alright?" Seeing a chance to escape, she added, "I’ll leave you to him, then."

Lucian’s gaze remained fixed on Erin, but she didn’t offer him a single glance, only a polite nod before attempting to leave.

"Hmm? Why are you leaving?" Rina asked, confused. "You and my brother can show me together. I’ll watch from the side so I can get an idea."

Erin shook her head. "That’s not how you learn. You have to—"

"Rina’s right," Lucian interrupted. "The first step in learning is to watch others do it."

Erin looked at him, her hesitant gaze meeting his determined one. "Then I’ll send one of my brothers. They’re the ones who taught me, and Rina can learn from them as well."

"Rina needs to see a woman doing it," Lucian countered. "She should see how skilled women can be, just as much as men."

"My brother’s right," Rina chimed in. "Lady Erin, I want to see you use a sword. I even want to see you defeat my brother! I’ll sit here and watch." She ran to the side and sat on the bench happily. "Okay, you two can start now."

Erin felt helpless, glancing around as if searching for an escape, while Lucian’s gaze remained unwavering on her.

"Afraid you’ll get hurt?" he asked softly. "Don’t worry, I’ll go easy. It’s just to teach Rina, not to spar."

Lucian walked over to the sword stand, picked up a practice sword, and returned to Erin.

She looked at him in disbelief, as if questioning how clueless he truly was. He had rejected her once—how appropriate was it for him to be around her now?

"Shall we?" Lucian asked, looking directly into her beautiful eyes that clearly showed her reluctance. Yet, despite her unwillingness, he was more than eager to be around her.

Erin wanted to refuse, but then she heard Rina’s excited voice. "Lady Erin, I’m on your side! Defeat my brother!"

Erin glared at Lucian. Maybe this is a chance to settle some old scores, she thought.

She tightened her grip on the sword, and they began. What initially seemed like a friendly spar quickly turned intense as Erin stopped holding back.

The sounds of practice swords clashing echoed through the training room.

Lucian could feel the anger behind her strikes, but he kept his composure, focusing on dodging and using this opportunity to take in her beautiful face and those captivating eyes. His gaze didn’t waver from her, not even for a moment.

"Wow! Lady Erin, you’re amazing—better than my brother!" Rina exclaimed from the sidelines.

Just then, a servant arrived, looking at Lucian and Erin.

"What’s the matter?" Rina asked.

"Lady Rina, the berries you and Lady Erin liked have arrived—freshly picked. The lord has asked for you to come and see them," the servant informed her.

Rina’s eyes brightened. "The ones I liked during the morning meal?"

"Yes, my lady."

She immediately stood up, eager to call Erin along, but seeing how seriously she was sparring with her brother, Rina hesitated. "Let’s not disturb them. I want to know who wins," she whispered to the servant before leaving with him.

Meanwhile, Lucian and Erin continued...

"What has angered you?" Lucian asked, keeping up with Erin’s fierce moves effortlessly.

"Do I look angry to you?" Erin shot back.

"I can tell."

"Then you’re wrong," Erin replied, her movements becoming even more aggressive.

"Have I upset you somehow?" he asked, noticing her strikes becoming more aggressive. He could clearly sense her anger.

"Weren’t you supposed to be mute?" she retorted.

"Somehow, you make me speak," he replied.

"Not very pleasant to hear," she shot back.

"Then what does please you?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"You don’t need to know."

"I want to."

"Why?"

"So I can do something to please you and take away this anger of yours."

She knitted her brows in confusion. "Why are you so chatty? I prefer the silent version of you."

"I’ll be however you want me to be."

His words caught her by surprise. Did he just flirt with her?

"Is this all you’ve got?" she asked in frustration, irritated that he was going easy on her despite her fierce attacks, making it impossible to reach any conclusion. "I don’t have the energy to keep going like this all day."

Lucian’s expression changed as he shifted from defense to attack. In the next moment, all Erin knew was...

She was standing with the tall man right behind her, so close that she could feel the heat from his body. His sword had trapped hers, both blades crossed against her neck, leaving her unable to move at all. She felt completely immobilized in his hold.

Breathing heavily, a cold sweat forming on her skin from exhaustion, she finally conceded. "Alright, I lost," she said, hoping he would release her. But he didn’t move, his arm still holding her firmly in place.

Lucian looked down at the woman in front of him, her back pressed against his chest, his sword-wielding hand resting in front of her neck, trapping her. She had admitted defeat, but he found himself unwilling to let her go.