Fiona couldn't breathe.
The silence in the empty training hall was heavy.
Marianne stood motionless, sword lowered, her sharp eyes staring directly at Fiona.
"…Who are you?"
The words hung in the air like a blade at Fiona's throat.
There was no way out.
Marianne had finally figured it out.
She had seen all the inconsistencies. The hesitation in Fiona's actions. The mistakes in her memories. The way she had dodged too fast, yet fought too carefully.
Her behaviors were also changed drastically since she woke up after fighting the Archdemon.
Fiona's disguise as Jeannie Leonhartt was officially shattered.
She was caught.
Fiona took a slow, deep breath.
There was no point in lying anymore.
Marianne had been patient, but she wasn't going to let this go.
If Fiona didn't explain herself, things would only get worse.
"…Alright," she finally said, lowering her sword. "You win, Marianne."
Marianne's grip on her sword tightened.
"…So you admit it?"
Fiona hesitated.
She wasn't sure how much she should say.
If she told Marianne the full truth—that she was actually the Archdemon Fiona Elizabeth ,who took her friend's body, would Marianne believe her? Would she turn her in?
Or would she even kill her on the spot?
'What is this feeling? I...i've never felt like this! Just what is this feeling!? I... Don't understand...'
Fiona's hands felt cold.
She had never been this nervous in her entire life—not even when she had fought for hundreds of years, or almost die several times,or even fight an entire army alone.
This was really different than before.
Because this girl in front of her, Marianne, wasn't even her enemy.
'Am i....recognize her as a friend? Or Its just this body's old memories?'
Fiona,deep inside herself, now was very confused about what she actually felt.
Like or not, Marianne was the closest girl and always talked with her with Lily. Maybe she was the only real friend Fiona had right now.
That thought hurt more than she expected.
Fiona forced herself to meet Marianne's gaze.
"Fine…I'll tell you the truth."
Marianne didn't move.
Fiona opened her mouth—
But suddenly an explosion erupted near the castle.
Fiona and Marianne snapped their heads toward the training hall doors, hearing the explosion with surprised.
"What the hell have just happened?!" Marianne exclaimed.
The ground rumbled, and distant shouts echoed from outside.
Then—a knight in full armor burst into the training hall, his expression frantic and full of panic.
"Captain!!! The castle is under attack!"
Marianne's eyes narrowed. Her entire body tensed.
"What?! Who dares to attack us?!"
The knight grimaced.
"…It's one of our own comrades, Captain!."
Fiona's eyes widened.
Marianne's face turned into darkened.
"Explain it.. Now!!"
The knight swallowed hard.
"It's Sir Aldric—he's leading a group of rogue knights! They just set fire to the eastern wing!"
Marianne's entire demeanor changed.
From suspicion and doubt—to absolute focus.
She turned to Fiona, looked at her with calm expression.
"…We'll finish this later. We have to go quickly!"
Then, she sprinted for the door.
Fiona hesitated only for a second before following.
Whatever this attack was, the chaos would spread widely if they were too late to react.
Fiona and Marianne rushed through the halls, passing knights shouting orders, servants fleeing in panic, and the distant clash of swords.
The air was thick with smoke.
Marianne's expression was unreadable.
Fiona could tell.
This wasn't just an enemy attack.
For Marianne,this was a personal fight.
Because Sir Aldric wasn't just any knight.
He was one of Marianne's closest subordinates,her second in command of her team.
For him to betray her like this, it was really hurt.
They reached the eastern courtyard—
And found Aldric waiting.
He stood at the center of the chaos, his sword dripping with fresh blood, his silver armor glinting under the flames.
Around him, several knights stood by his side—the Rogue Knights.
Fiona quickly counted. At least twenty of them here. The rest of them spread across the battlefield, fight with the regular knights.
Marianne didn't slow down.
"Aldric."
Her voice was cold.
The man turned, his expression grim.
"…Captain Marianne Devearux, finally, we meet again this night."
For a brief second, neither of them moved.
The flames crackled and the other knights watched.
Then Marianne stepped forward.
"Tell me," she said quietly. "Why?"
Aldric exhaled.
"…Because you're a fool, Marianne."
Her eyes narrowed.
Aldric's grip on his sword tightened.
"You refuse to see the truth."
His voice was bitter.
"The kingdom is weak! Corrupt everywhere!! And you still serve it like a loyal dog. It pissed me off!"
Marianne's jaw tensed.
"You'd betray your own comrades because of this?!"
Aldric's eyes burned with conviction.
"This kingdom is rotting from the inside. And if you won't help us to fix it—"
He raised his sword.
"—Then you'll be cut down with the rest."
Fiona felt the shift instantly.
The moment Aldric raised his weapon, the other knights moved.
They were about to strike.
Marianne's voice was low and dangerous.
"…You were my friend, Aldric."
Aldric hesitated for a moment. Then his expression hardened. He gritted his teeth.
"That's why I'm giving you a choice now,Marianne."
"Join us! Or die."
It was full of silence after Aldric said that.
Then Marianne smirked.
"Hmph! Idiot!"
in a blink of an eye, she rushed forward to attack him.
Marianne's sword clashed against Aldric's with a violent ring of steel.
The other knights charged.
Seeing this, Fiona didn't hesitate anymore.
She grabbed the nearest enemy's weapon mid-swing, twisted it out of his hands, and slammed her elbow into his ribs—hard enough to send him flying.
Her body moved instinctively, with fast and precisions.
She wasn't holding back anymore.
Marianne, in other hand, fought like a storm, her swordwork flawless, her strikes relentless.
But Aldric—was just as strong as her.
Both of them clashed again and again, neither gaining the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Fiona took down one knight after another, moving too fast for them to react.
She could feel Marianne's eyes flick toward her in brief moments—
She could tell.
Marianne always watched her in silence.
Fiona wasn't normal.
But there wasn't time for her to think.
Because Aldric was in front of her, waiting her to Made a mistake.
'Damn it! You're a fool, Aldric!!', said Marianne internally.