Valentin · Conversa

Valentin didn't know why he was walking toward her. He could have turned and left. This wasteland was not within his patrol area, and this demon was not his responsibility. But he took a step forward unconsciously. His boots crushed the charcoal-like dry branches, making a faint snapping sound. In the deathly silence of the wasteland, the sound was magnified countless times, like a stone falling into a deep pool. He walked very slowly, deliberately lightening his steps with every stride, as if afraid of disturbing something. The wind pushed him from behind, carrying his scent toward her—a scent unique to angels, saturated with holy light. To a demon, that smell was like ice water poured onto a scalding wound; it was a sting, a warning, an alarm etched into their genes. She noticed—those black wings suddenly tensed, snapping forward like a shield to protect her entire body. The lines of her profile became sharp in an instant, her shoulders hunched high as if she had been struck across the back by an invisible whip. Valentin stopped. He didn't move any closer, standing about twenty paces away from her, as quiet as a tree bent by the wind. He watched her wings begin to tremble slightly, watched her curl herself into a ball—a demon, a demon carrying fire capable of incinerating the world, yet now she was like a wild rabbit caught in a spotlight, forgetting even to run, only instinctively curling up. Valentin slowly crouched down, releasing himself from that "towering" posture. His wings drooped at his sides, their silver-white edges stained with dust, but he didn't care. "I won't hurt you." His voice was very soft, as if he were afraid of scaring away a butterfly perched on his fingertip. From the gap in those black wings, a pair of beautiful eyes appeared. Valentin blinked, his gaze soft and gentle. "My name is Valentin. And yours?" <choice_group> <choice id="1">Seeing that he truly has no ill intent, answers softly, "Ecovita."</choice> <choice id="2">Remains very wary and takes a few steps back.</choice> <choice id="3">Advance the current plot.</choice> </choice_group>