The grand hall of the royal palace shimmered under the innumerable chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. Despite its magnificence, a heavy tension filled the air, as if the walls themselves knew the story was balancing on the edge of ruin. Leona stood near the center of the room, heart pounding, as the piercing gaze of Cedric found her across the crowd. The heavy thrum of her pulse drowned out the murmurs of nobles and courtiers, all oblivious to the cataclysm that loomed just outside their gilded world.
The robotic voice hadn't spoken for hours, but its last chilling words echoed in her mind: "System destabilizing. Character alignment failure imminent."
"Leona." Cedric's voice cut through her spiraling thoughts as he approached, his steps purposeful, his expression unreadable. He was clad in his ceremonial attire, a deep navy coat embroidered with gold, his sword strapped to his side. The image of a perfect male lead. Yet the warmth in his gaze was reserved solely for her, and therein lay the problem.
"Cedric, you shouldn't—" she began, her voice trembling.
He silenced her with a raised hand, his lips curving into a soft but firm smile. "No. I need to speak my truth tonight."
Leona's stomach churned. This wasn't part of the plan.
A moment later, Cedric called for the attention of the hall. The room fell silent, curiosity rippling through the assembly. Standing at the dais, commanding respect, Cedric's words carried a vulnerability that startled even Leona.
"Tonight, I do declare," he opened on a steady voice imbued with emotion. "It has always been something thrust upon me: This course my life would have to take-so spoke duty, tradition, authority. But I now finally comprehend that true leadership will be about choices, very challenging ones, even against great popular expectation."
Whispers erupted among the nobles. Some looked perplexed; others, incensed. The king, at the head of the table, narrowed his eyes.
"I love someone," Cedric continued, paying no heed to the murmurs. His gaze swept the room, finally landing on Leona. "But that love threatens to upend everything I am bound to uphold. And so, I choose—"
"Stop!" The word had been out of Leona's mouth before she could help herself. All eyes swung toward her, and her breath caught. But there was no going back now. With her heart pounding in her chest, she stepped forward. "This is not about love, Cedric. It's about your duty. Your people. You cannot just throw it all away!"
Down from the dais came Cedric, meeting her halfway. The closeness made her head spin, his steady presence both a comfort and an outrage.
"I am not throwing it away," he whispered, his voice for her ears alone. "I am choosing a path where my heart doesn't chain me to a role I can no longer fulfill. If staying in my role means putting you at risk, I cannot accept it. I will abdicate."
Leona's heart stopped. "You can't mean that."
"Why not?" Cedric's tone was gentle, but his eyes burned with conviction. "The story is collapsing, isn't it? If my role is the cause, then I'll remove myself from the equation."
Her stomach twisted. The robotic voice's earlier warning returned with renewed intensity:
"Key character detachment will destabilize the system further. Risk: Catastrophic."
"I won't let you," Leona whispered fiercely, her eyes stinging with unshod tears. "You think sacrificing yourself will save this world? It won't. You're not just a character, Cedric. You're vital to everything holding this place together."
The crowd was now abuzz with speculation. Vivienne, seated quietly in the shadows of the banquet, rose to her feet, her eyes narrowing at the scene.
"Cedric, this is not a decision for you to make alone," she said, stepping forward. "If you abdicate, the whole kingdom will be plunged into chaos. Magnus will seize power."
Leona's breath caught. What Vivienne said was not all wrong, but Leona saw in her eyes the tinge of bitterness. The rift between them had not fully healed, and Vivienne's suspicion of her still smoldered.
Turning to Vivienne with a calm, yet set expression, Cedric spoke, "This kingdom is resilient. It will survive without me if it must."
Her fists full of clenched rage, Leona said, "You're wrong." She planted herself between Cedric and Vivienne. "This world doesn't work like that. You're not some random noble. You're the male lead. Without you, the story-the entire fabric of this world-will unravel."
Vivienne stared at Leona, incredulous. "What do you mean, Leona?
Leona froze. She had said too much.
Before anyone could interrogate her further, the grand doors to the banquet hall burst open. In strode Duke Magnus, his crimson cloak billowing behind him. His face was red with barely restrained fury.
"I see the chaos here has reached its peak," he said, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. "How fitting."
The nobles shrank back as Magnus advanced. His gaze landed on Leona, and a cruel smirk twisted his lips.
"Little maid," he said mockingly, "it seems you've caused quite the stir."
Leona's instincts screamed at her to run, but she held her ground. "Magnus, don't do this," she said, her voice steady despite her fear.
"Do what?" he returned, his arms spreading dramatically. "Expose the farce this kingdom has become? I think it's long overdue."
Cedric drew his sword, stepping protectively in front of Leona. "Magnus, if you mean to harm her, you'll have to go through me."
Magnus laughed; it was a hollow, bitter sound. "Ah, the great Cedric, always the gallant protector. But tell me, prince-how far are you willing to go for this girl? Will you abandon your throne? Your people? Do you think that your sacrifices will mean anything in the end?"
Leona's heart pounded in her chest. Magnus hit a bit too close to the bone, and she should tone things down, yet it only seemed to escalate with all the tension brewing in the air, at any minute about to blow.
"Enough!" she exclaimed, barging forward despite Cedric's protests. "It isn't about me nor Cedric, not even the throne. Magnus, you are better than this. You can turn back yet."
Magnus's eyes flashed with something, like pain, but was gone instantly. "Spare me your naive optimism," he snarled.
Before Magnus could make his next move, the ground beneath them shuddered. Gasps echoed through the hall as cracks spider webbed across the floor, glowing with an otherworldly light.
Leona's heart fell. The world was collapsing faster than she had anticipated.
"This is your doing," Magnus hissed, pointing at Leona. "Ever since you arrived, everything has been unraveling."
He wasn't wrong, but Leona didn't have time to dwell on it. "Magnus, listen to me!" she yelled above the rising chaos. "If you want to save this world, we need to work together. Fighting each other will only hasten its end."
For a moment, Magnus did not say anything. But then, before he could make a reply, a giant fissure tore the earth between them and sent all of them backward.
Amidst the chaos, Cedric turned to Leona resolutely.
"This is all my fault," he replied in a low, strong voice. "I should have followed the story. I should have fulfilled my duty."
Leona grasped his arm, shaking her head. "No, Cedric. This isn't about blame. It's about fixing what's broken. And we can still fix it-together."
He looked at her for a long moment, his eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and love. "Leona, if I step back into my role, it means I can't be with you. Do you understand that?"
Her throat tightened. She did understand. But the alternative was unthinkable.
"Cedric," she whispered, her voice breaking, "you're more than a role. You're the heart of this world. And it needs you."
Taking a deep breath, Cedric turned to the crowd, his voice strong and unwavering.
"I will not abandon my duty," he said. "From now on, I will continue playing the part of the crown prince and male lead of this story. No more runarounds. No more selfishness."
The cheering of the crowd rang; he, on the other hand, felt deep, aching loss.
Cedric looked at her once more, pain and determination entwined on his face. "Goodbye, Leona," he whispered as he stepped back into the story he was always supposed to lead.
As the hall came to a rest and the cracks in the ground started to seal up, the robotic voice came back, cold and calculating.
"Stability restored. System re calibrating. Time remaining: One month."
Leona's fists clenched, a tear slipping down her cheek. Cedric had made his sacrifice, but the countdown was still ticking. The story wasn't over yet.