The room fell silent again after Seere and Sylvia's departure. Their footsteps had faded down the long corridor of the palace, leaving Alicia and Stacia standing before Belial, Lumielle, and Ithara three beings whose gazes now fixed upon them, sharp yet filled with curiosity.
Alicia took a slow breath, trying to steady her heartbeat that still hadn't recovered from the immense pressure Belial had unleashed earlier. She straightened her back, facing forward with steady resolve, while Stacia, standing beside her, clutched her spellbook tightly both as a show of courage and as a shield of instinct.
Belial exhaled deeply, leaning back on his throne. "How interesting… even without their Queen, these two little ones can still stand before me." His eyes narrowed. "So then, who will answer my question?"
Alicia and Stacia exchanged a brief glance before Alicia spoke.
