Liria sighed, flopping back onto her bed. "Great. Now even the pineapple is being weird."
Ananara, still perched on the chair, let out an exaggerated yawn, his leafy top drooping as he slid off the cushion. "Weird? I'm exhausted, thank you very much. My brilliance takes energy." He waddled toward the corner of the room, muttering sothing about ungrateful mortals, and promptly curled up in a suspiciously cozy pile of Liria's spare blankets.
She rolled her eyes, grateful for the silence. "Finally," she muttered, staring at the ceiling.
[You're lucky he didn't demand a bedti story,] the system quipped.
"Please don't give him ideas," Liria grumbled, her voice low.
The system, as usual, ignored her complaint. [So, what's the plan? You can't exactly stroll into training with Seraphis now, can you? Not with that new distrust brewing in your mind.]
Liria frowned. "No kidding. If half of what Enara said is true, I want nothing to do with her. But how do I get out of this without making things worse?"
[You could try feigning incompetence,] the system suggested. [Or maybe developing a sudden and mysterious aversion to training.]
Liria snorted. "Yeah, because the demon queen's ex is totally going to fall for that. No, I need sothing better. Sothing foolproof."
[Foolproof? From you?] the system teased.
"Har har," she muttered, sitting up. "First, I need to know if Enara's gossip holds any water. And there's only one person who can confirm that."
[Daena?]
"Bingo," Liria said, swinging her legs off the bed. "Ti for a late-night heart-to-heart with everyone's favorite retired demon queen."
[And by heart-to-heart, you an barging into her room and demanding answers?]
"Exactly."
The system sighed. [At least you're self-aware.]
Liria crept out of her room, careful not to wake anyone or alert Ananara, who was snoring softly in his blanket nest. The hallway was dimly lit, the flickering sconces casting long shadows that made her shiver despite herself.
Daena's chambers were at the far end of the hall, guarded by an ominously carved door featuring snarling demon faces. Liria paused in front of it, suddenly second-guessing her decision.
[Scared?] the system asked, its tone almost smug.
"No," she hissed. "Just… ntally preparing."
[Sure.]
Gritting her teeth, Liria knocked on the door.
Nothing.
She knocked again, louder this ti.
"What?" ca Daena's voice, muffled but unmistakably irritated.
"It's ," Liria called.
There was a pause, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. The door creaked open, revealing Daena in a flowing black robe, her hair slightly disheveled and her glowing violet eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Liria? It's the middle of the night."
"I know, I know," Liria said quickly, slipping past her before she could shut the door. "But this is important."
Daena closed the door with a sigh. "This better be good."
Liria plopped onto a nearby chair, her mismatched eyes fixed on Daena. "I need the truth about Seraphis. What happened between you two?"
Daena stiffened, her wings twitching slightly. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because she's my ntor now, apparently," Liria said. "And Enara told so things… things that make question if I should trust her."
Daena's expression darkened, and for a mont, Liria wondered if she'd pushed too far.
"You shouldn't," Daena said finally, her voice low. "Not completely."
"Why not?" Liria pressed. "What did she do to you?"
Daena paced the room, her tail lashing behind her. "That's a long story. And not one I enjoy revisiting."
"I've got ti," Liria said, echoing her earlier conversation with Enara.
Daena shot her a sharp look. "You're awfully persistent for soone who values their life."
Liria shrugged. "I like answers. Especially when my safety might be on the line."
For a mont, Daena said nothing, her gaze distant. Then she sighed and sat down across from Liria. "Fine. But this doesn't leave this room, understood?"
"Understood."
Daena leaned back, her expression unreadable. "Seraphis and I were… partners, once. In more ways than one. But during the Demon Wars, she betrayed . Or at least, that's how it felt at the ti."
"So Enara was right?" Liria asked.
"Partially," Daena admitted. "Seraphis made a deal with the enemy. She claid it was to protect , to save our people from annihilation. But she didn't consult . She didn't trust enough to tell what she was planning."
Liria frowned. "And that broke your trust in her?"
"It shattered it," Daena said, her voice hard. "I can't forgive soone who makes decisions for . Especially decisions that put everything I care about at risk."
Liria nodded slowly, her mind racing. "Do you think she regrets it?"
"Oh, she regrets it," Daena said with a bitter laugh. "She's spent centuries trying to make ands. But regret doesn't erase betrayal."
Liria leaned back in her chair, her plan forming in the back of her mind. "Good to know."
Daena raised an eyebrow. "What are you scheming?"
"Nothing," Liria said quickly, standing up. "Thanks for the info. I'll let you get back to sleep."
Daena eyed her suspiciously but didn't press the issue. "Just be careful, Liria. Seraphis is cunning. Don't let her manipulate you."
"Noted," Liria said, slipping out the door.
[So? What's the plan now?] the system asked as she made her way back to her room.
"Simple," Liria whispered, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "I'm going to make her regret choosing as her apprentice."
[You're playing a dangerous ga, Liria.]
"Dangerous is my middle na," she quipped.
[No, it isn't.]
"Shut up."
As Liria padded quietly back to her room, her grin only widened. She could already feel the thrill of her plan taking shape. Seraphis might be cunning, but Liria had spent her whole life navigating chaos—and if chaos was the ga, she would win.
[This is either brilliant or dood,] the system said, breaking the silence in her head. [Care to explain the genius part to ?]
"It's simple," Liria whispered. "If Seraphis is looking for a star apprentice, I'll make myself the exact opposite. No teacher wants to waste their ti on soone who's utterly hopeless."
[You an you're going to fake incompetence?]
"Exactly," she said, smirking. "But not just incompetence chaotic, infuriating, 'oh-why-did-I-ever-agree-to-this' incompetence."
[And you're sure she'll just drop you? What if she doubles down, trying to 'fix' you?]
Liria paused mid-step, her confidence wavering. "I'll cross that bridge if I get to it," she muttered.
[That's… not comforting.]
"Relax," she said, waving off the system's concerns. "I've got this. I just need to figure out how to really sell it."
Her thoughts spun as she entered her room and found Ananara still snoozing in his blanket cocoon, occasionally mumbling sothing about sandy dunes. She tiptoed past him, flopping onto her bed and staring at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow's going to be fun," she said quietly.
[Fun for you, maybe. For , this feels like impending disaster.]
"Disaster is just success in disguise," Liria said, yawning as her eyelids grew heavy.
[That's not how that works.]
"Goodnight, System," she mumbled, her grin softening as sleep began to claim her.
[Good luck, Saboteur Extraordinaire,] it replied dryly.
Liria drifted off, her mind full of chaotic sches and a stubborn determination to outwit the demoness who dared to make her an apprentice.
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