In a silent room, two figures faced each other: a teenage girl of about fifteen with white hair and yellow eyes, and a small girl of around seven with chestnut hair and eyes of green mixed with gold. The air was tense.
Aliss observed the child warily, intrigued despite herself. She let slip, almost against her will:
— My savior?
The little girl replied with a wide, radiant smile:
— Yes, of course you are my savior.
Aliss frowned slightly.
— And how can you be so sure?
— I asked destiny, during the night.
Aliss let out a soft sigh, regaining her composure.
— So you performed a divination, and now you believe I'm your so-called savior.
The girl nodded without hesitation.
Annoyed, Aliss leaned slightly toward her.
— Don't let yourself be deceived. Destiny enjoys playing tricks on newcomers. Don't believe everything it shows you. When you asked your question, it merely offered you possibilities. Destiny is inescapable, but it is never singular—it depends on our actions and our choices. If you reached me, it's because I was the nearest outcome.
She paused, then added:
— Go back home and question it again, this time without haste. And before you leave… return the stone you took from me.
The little girl extended her hand as if to give back the gem, but at the last moment she swiftly pulled it away. She stuck out her tongue, mocking.
— Nice try. But I've also seen what comes next. Once you have it, you'll leave… and I'll die afterward. That's my leverage.
Aliss's gaze darkened.
— I have better things to do than waste my time with a child. Give me what you're holding, and quickly. Go find another "savior" if you want to be saved. I have no time for this kind of foolishness.
Hurt, the little girl staggered, tears welling in her eyes, before replying:
— You're a child too… even if I don't know how you manage to look older.
A flash of anger crossed Aliss's eyes.
— In what reality did you see me as old? Never mind. Give it to me.
The girl lowered her head slightly.
— I have something to offer you… if you save me.
Aliss calmed herself, intrigued.
— Oh? And what do you think you can offer me?
— It's not something physical. It's influence. Power. That kind of thing might interest you, wouldn't it? The world is dangerous. You always need allies, just in case.
Aliss gave a faint smile.
— It's true—it's better to have eyes in the back of your head. In the global jungle, profit is king and the source of survival… And it's also true that you'll likely have a radiant future, little rising star.
She sighed.
— Damn it… fine. Little one, what's your name? I might help you.
The girl lit up.
— I also foresaw my full name. My name is Aria Maria Belle.
Aliss smiled in return.
— I admit it—you might actually become profitable in the end. Give me what you're holding.
Aria handed her the gem eagerly. At once, Aliss flicked her forehead with a finger. The girl collapsed into a deep sleep. She fell backward, but just before touching the ground, a portal opened beneath her and she vanished into it.
— Oh, my dear beast… Oh, my dear little Belle. Who are you, my little one? I wish only you, you wish only me… and she?
The wind reclaimed the space, becoming the sole master of the castle. A deathly silence settled in. As she walked, Aliss removed the gauntlet from her left hand; the rabbit's paw detached from her palm. She stepped onto the red carpet leading to the vertical staircase. Before reaching it, she began to clap her hands.
Golden energy burst forth. She caught it between her palms in a single motion.
— Clap.
She stretched the energy, transforming it into a complete deck of cards. Without waiting, she began to shuffle them while slowly descending the stairs.
— This is truly irritating, my lord. You are forcing me to do what I had sworn never to do in this place.
A deep voice echoed, heavy with contempt.
— How crude of you to compel me so, young lady. Such a lack of tact. But since it must be so, I suppose I shall play the master's game.
— A guest who proposes a card game… I fear we won't have the leisure to enjoy tea with such a brute.
The atmosphere shifted abruptly. Darkness spread in all directions. A gigantic shadow formed—that of an immense man, seven to ten meters tall, with a bestial presence. He looked like a wild beast, a wolf of shadow born from the darkness, stalking its prey with overflowing predatory hunger.
Aliss narrowed her eyes.
— What a nauseating stench… Just as I thought. I would never have had the courage to drink tea with you, my lord.
She continued calmly:
— I am unable to accept your request. This childish hunt will continue a while longer. Know this: I will not hand Belle over to you.
— Withdraw or play with me. You understand every word I say, former human. Beauty and the Beast—it is thus. Even if you too are a wild beast, this tale is not about you. Accept it at last, my lord.
The Beast roared, shaking the entire castle. It was determined to devour her, as it had all the others before her—the children of the Beast.
Faced with this, Aliss remained stoic. Her own predatory bloodlust was powerful enough to smother the howls of that savage shadow.
— Very well, my lord. But unfortunately, I have less than an hour to spare for you before the undesirables arrive. Know this: now that I'm here… you are the prey.
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