"Mgh.. mpphh.."
Remy dashed down the corridor, completely ignoring the muffled protests coming from the person on her shoulder. Dressed as a maid, she looked nothing like one as she sprinted with a bound princess slung over her shoulder.
Strangely enough, not a single servant who witnessed the bizarre sight reacted. They merely stared with frightened expressions as the odd scene rushed past them.
Remy held the struggling Alia tightly over her shoulder. With ease, she flew up the palace stairs, skipping three or more steps at once. Her face remained blank, as always.
"Bam!!"
The door swung open with a harsh thud. Remy stepped in and shut it behind her, then dropped Alia onto the bed.
Panting from all her thrashing, Alia hurriedly pulled the torn piece of cloth from her mouth and flung it aside.
Her mind was in turmoil. She was frightened and hurt—but most of all, she was furious.
Leaping off the bed, she stormed over to Remy, who stood emotionlessly by the door.
"Move!"
Remy didn't respond.
"I SAID MOVE!!"
Alia screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice trembling with fury. Her brows drew tight, and her eyes burned with a piercing sharpness.
Remy gave no reaction. Her blank expression didn't waver.
Alia clenched her fists. In a sudden and completely uncharacteristic burst, she lunged at Remy with all the strength she could muster, her mind set on knocking her down and forcing her way past.
"Arrggh—"
Remy didn't flinch. Not even a twitch. Alia's full force wasn't enough to make her budge an inch.
Fueled by sheer frustration, Alia threw a punch aimed directly at Remy's face—her first and only strike in her entire life.
Effortlessly, Remy raised her right hand, blocked the blow, and caught her by the wrist.
"Aggh.."
Alia let out a strangled cry of pain. Remy ignored it completely, twisted her arm until it locked, then spun her around and pushed her forward.
"huff.. huff.."
Alia's entire body was burning with adrenaline. Her arms and legs, sore from struggling, had lost their strength. Her mind was locked in a spiral of helpless thoughts, unsure of what she could do next. The fury bubbling within her only blurred her reasoning more. She had never been more painfully aware of how weak she truly was.
For a fleeting moment, the image of Edith appeared in her mind.
"WHO DO YOU THINK I AM?! I AM THE PRINCESS OF LINDRE!! MOVE OUT OF MY WAY!!!"
She screamed with every last breath in her lungs, her voice echoing through the room.
But it was useless.
Her voice had no power.
Her strength had no meaning.
She was alone.
She couldn't even fathom a world where Edith didn't exist.
She wouldn't allow it.
No matter what, she wouldn't let that happen.
She looked at the bed—then suddenly bolted toward it. She grabbed the bedsheet and, with a single powerful tug, ripped it off.
Next, she turned to the curtains, seized the fabric, and with a rough pull, tore them down.
"What are you doing?"
It was the first time Remy had spoken since entering the room.
Alia didn't respond.
She tied one end of the bedsheet to the foot of the bed, then fastened the curtain to the other. With the makeshift rope in hand, she leapt toward the window.
The window wasn't that high off the ground—but it wasn't exactly close either. The curtain-and-sheet combo wouldn't fully reach.
The landing would be rough. But Alia had made up her mind.
Remy broke his rigid stance and lunged forward. In the blink of an eye, he was beside Alia, seizing her arm with a firm grasp.
"Ugh… Let me go… ggh… let me go!"
Without a word, Remy yanked her arm and flung her toward the bed. Alia landed on the bed, thrown by the force of the shove.
But she didn't stop there.
Gripping her arm again, she twisted it behind her back and pinned her down, forcing her face-first into the bedding.
"Aghh..."
"Let me go!"
Alia struggled with everything she had, trying to break free. But Remy's grip was ironclad. She had her completely immobilized.
"Please… just let me go!"
"I'm... begging you…"
Her voice trembled. Her eyes were brimming with tears.
The fight in her was crumbling away.
The tears came freely now, along with broken, trembling words.
"…please… Edith… Edith…"