The wind was cool against Leona's cheeks as she and Vivienne strolled through the estate's secluded garden. Stars twinkled weakly in the twilight sky, their light muffled by the thick canopy of trees. After their exhausting day of training, Leona had suggested a walk to help clear their minds. But now, as they strolled along the gravel path, she couldn't shake the feeling that Vivienne had been uncommonly quiet.
Leona turned to her companion. Vivienne's gaze was elsewhere, her golden hair glowing faintly under the moonlight. Her fingers trailed absently along the low hedge beside the path, unhurried, as if she were lost in another world.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Leona asked, breaking the silence.
Vivienne hesitated, her fingers stilling. "Have you ever wondered why we're here?
Leona frowned, unsure how to respond. The question wasn't unusual, but there was a weight to Vivienne's tone that made her pause. "What do you mean?"
Vivienne stopped walking and turned to face Leona. Her blue eyes searched Leona's face, as though trying to decide whether she could trust her. Finally, she took a deep breath.
"I remember dying," Vivienne said softly.
Leona froze, her breath catching in her throat. "What?"
"I don't know how or why, but I know I died," Vivienne continued, her trembling voice low. "It was in another world—a world so different from this one. There were no swords, no castles, no nobles. I was just… an ordinary woman."
Leona stared at her, her heart racing. Vivienne remembered her past life? That wasn't in the original story.
"Do you remember how it happened?" Leona asked carefully.
Vivienne nodded, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "It was an accident. I was crossing the street, and a car—" She stopped, shaking her head as though the memory was too painful to relive. "The next thing I knew, I woke up here. At first, I thought it was a dream, but everything felt too real."
Leona's mind raced. This changed everything. If Vivienne retained memories of her past life, then perhaps she wasn't just a character in the story. Perhaps she was like Leona—a real person who had been pulled into this world against her will.
Vivienne looked at her, a flicker of desperation in her eyes. "Leona, have you ever felt like this world is… wrong? Like it doesn't quite make sense?"
Leona's stomach twisted. "What makes you say that?"
"There are times when everything feels. scripted," Vivienne said. "People say things, do things, but it's like they're following some kind of script they don't even realize exists. And then there are the holes-things that don't add up, like memories not being mine or events contradicting themselves.
Leona swallowed hard. She had felt it, too-the cracks in the world, the moments when it felt like the story was falling apart. But hearing Vivienne voice those doubts made it all the more real.
"Do you think…" Vivienne hesitated, biting her lip. "Do you think this is all just a story? That we're not really… real?"
Leona's heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth to deny it, to reassure Vivienne, but the words wouldn't come.
Vivienne's gaze sharpened. "You know something, don't you? I can see it in your eyes.
Leona hesitated. The robotic voice had warned her not to reveal the truth about the story, but how could she lie to Vivienne now? She took a deep breath and decided to be as honest as she could without breaking the rules.
"I don't know everything," Leona admitted. "But I do know that this world isn't what it seems. There's something… off about it."
Vivienne studied her for a long moment, then nodded as though she had been expecting that answer.
"Leona," Vivienne said quietly, "I don't think it's a coincidence that we've both noticed these things. I think we were brought here for a reason."
Leona's chest tightened. "What kind of reason?"
"I don't know yet," Vivienne said. "But I do know one thing: I'm tired of being a pawn in someone else's game. If this is a story, I refuse to let it dictate my life."
Leona's breath caught. There was a defiance laced in Vivienne's words, a spark of the heroine she was supposed to be. But there was also an edge to her tone, a dangerous rebellion that could lead her astray.
The robotic voice chimed in Leona's mind, sharp and urgent:
"Warning: Heroine alignment unstable. Immediate action required.
Leona clenched her fists, forcing herself to be calm. "Vivienne, if we are going to figure this out, we need to work together. But we also have to be careful. This world is a story in truth, and there is a set of rules which we don't understand in their entirety. Breaking such rules could have consequences."
Vivienne arched an eyebrow. "Consequences like what?"
"I don't know," Leona admitted. "But somehow, I feel it isn't going to be good.
Vivienne's expression softened slightly. "You're scared."
"Aren't you?" Leona countered.
Vivienne hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. But that doesn't mean I'm going to sit back and do nothing."
Leona felt a pang of admiration for her. Despite her fear, Vivienne was determined to take control of her destiny. It was a trait that made her a natural heroine—but it also made her unpredictable.
"Then let's make a pact," Leona said, extending her hand. "We'll figure this out together, no matter what it takes."
Vivienne looked at her for a long moment, then clasped her hand firmly. "Together."
The robotic voice chimed again, softer this time:
"Heroine alignment stabilizing. Positive progress detected."
Walking back toward the manor with their new alliance, Leona couldn't shake off this nagging feeling that their meeting was only the start of something. Vivienne's revelation had thrown everything she thought she knew into question. If Vivienne remembered her past life, what else might she find out? And if this really was a story, then who-or what-was holding the reins?
Leona turned to Vivienne, who looked more relaxed than she had since morning. For the first time, a spark of hope fluttered in Leona's chest. Maybe together, they could do what neither one of them could alone: rewrite their fates.
But in the back of her mind, a nagging thought lingered: If Vivienne wasn't the only one who remembered another world, could there be others? And what would happen if they decided not to follow the story's script?
The first twist had been revealed, but Leona knew it was only the beginning.