Chapter 4: I Can Fight, Right?

The corridor was no longer quiet.

Alina’s heartbeat wasn’t either.

The masked figure stood at the end of the hallway like a stain in reality—silent, unmoving, and very much real.

“…Okay,” Alina whispered to herself. “This is fine. I’ve seen worse.”

No, she hadn’t.

She definitely had not seen worse.

Behind her, guards were shouting. Footsteps echoed. Someone screamed her name.

“SERAPHINA—GET BACK!”

Her brother’s voice.

Elira’s panic.

Lila’s crying.

But Alina couldn’t move.

Not because she was scared—

Okay, maybe a little scared.

But mostly because her brain was doing something very unhelpful.

“This is the part where the heroine normally shows up,” she muttered. “Where is she? Hello? Main character privilege? Anyone?”

The masked figure tilted its head slightly.

Then moved.

Fast.

Alina gasped and immediately stumbled backward.

“WAIT—WAIT—NO—HOLD ON—”

She tripped.

Because of course she did.

Her foot caught the long dress again and she went down dramatically with a soft thud.

Silence.

Even the guards stopped shouting for a second.

Alina blinked up at the ceiling.

“…Ow.”

The masked figure paused.

“…Did I just get defeated by fabric?” she whispered.

From behind her—

“SERAPHINA!”

Her brother grabbed her arm and yanked her up.

“What are you doing?!” he hissed.

“I’m participating in the plot,” she said quickly.

“This is not the time!”

“I think it is exactly the time.”

The masked figure raised its weapon again.

The guards rushed forward.

Steel clashed.

Chaos exploded.

Alina immediately stepped back.

“…Okay, nope. Not my department.”

She turned around—

and ran the opposite direction.

“SERAPHINA!” Elira screamed. “THAT’S THE WRONG WAY!”

“I KNOW!” Alina shouted back. “I’M JUST TRYING OPTIONS!”

Alina ran.

Badly.

Very badly.

“Why are palaces always THIS BIG?!” she shouted while turning corners. “Who designed this?! A maze enthusiast?!”

Behind her, footsteps followed.

The masked intruder.

Alina glanced back.

“Oh no. Why is it following ME specifically?! I didn’t even do anything interesting yet!”

She turned another corner—

and slid.

Not gracefully.

Not elegantly.

Like a wet potato.

She slammed into a wall.

“…I am going to be honest,” she whispered. “Original Seraphina would NEVER.”

A guard ran past her.

“Lady Seraphina! Stay behind us!”

Alina pointed at herself.

“…Me?”

“Yes!”

Alina nodded slowly.

Then straightened her posture.

Tried to look elegant.

Failed immediately because her hair was slightly messy and her dress was still fighting her.

“I am… behind you,” she said seriously.

The guard nodded like that was normal.

Then ran off.

Alina stared after him.

“…That worked?”

As the fight continued, more palace workers arrived.

And they all reacted the same way:

“Lady Seraphina is here?!”

“Why is she—standing like that?”

“…Why is she smiling?”

Alina, who was indeed smiling, waved awkwardly.

“Hi! There’s like… a knife situation happening. Just so you know!”

Silence.

One maid fainted.

Another whispered, “She’s acting… strange…”

Alina heard it.

“…Oh no,” she muttered. “I think I broke my reputation.”

Meanwhile—

Elira grabbed her arm. “Seraphina, you need to act normal!”

Alina blinked. “This is normal for me.”

“This is NOT normal for YOU!”

“Oh,” Alina said. “Right. Sorry. I forgot I used to be… intimidating and mysterious.”

Her brother arrived, breathing heavily. “You were never THIS—” He stopped himself. “Never mind. Just stay behind us.”

Alina nodded.

Then raised her hand.

“…Can I ask a question?”

“Not now!”

“It’s important.”

Elira groaned. “What?”

Alina pointed at the masked figure.

“…Is that guy allowed to be here?”

Her brother stared at her.

“…What?”

“I mean,” Alina continued seriously, “did he sign permission forms? Because I feel like this is a violation of palace policy.”

Silence.

A guard behind them whispered, “Is she… joking?”

Another whispered back, “I think she hit her head again.”

The masked figure suddenly broke through the guards.

Fast.

Too fast.

Alina froze.

This was no random thief.

This was trained.

Professional.

Dangerous.

“Okay,” she whispered. “That’s bad.”

The figure rushed forward—

Straight toward her.

Elira screamed.

Her brother stepped in front.

But—

Alina moved first.

Not thinking.

Just reacting.

She grabbed a nearby silver tray from a servant.

And swung it.

CLANG!

The masked figure stumbled.

Everyone froze.

Alina froze too.

“…I did that?” she whispered.

She looked at the tray.

Then at the figure.

Then at herself.

“…I am kind of terrifying.”

The guard captain shouted, “Seize them!”

The masked figure backed away quickly, realizing the situation shifted.

Then—

It looked at Alina.

Directly.

And for a second—

Alina felt something strange.

Recognition.

Like it was confused.

Then it vanished into the corridor shadows.

Gone.

Just like that.

...****************...

Silence filled the hallway.

Then chaos returned.

“ARE YOU OKAY?!”

“CALL THE HEALER!”

“SECURE THE PALACE!”

Alina stood there holding the tray.

Still processing.

“…So,” she said slowly, “I can fight now?”

Her brother grabbed her shoulders. “Why did you do that?!”

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “My body just chose violence.”

Elira stared at her. “Seraphina… you’ve never done anything like that before.”

Alina paused.

“…Yeah,” she said softly.

Then smiled.

“But I think I like it.”

Everyone froze again.

Lila whispered, “She’s smiling again…”

A servant fainted again.

...****************...

Later that night, Alina stood by the palace window.

Her reflection stared back at her.

Seraphina’s face.

But not Seraphina’s soul.

She touched the glass lightly.

“…Okay,” she whispered.

“I’m definitely not in a romance novel anymore.”

A pause.

“…This is an action survival story with emotional damage.”

She sighed.

Then added:

“And I still need to find a way home.”

Outside, the kingdom darkened under the night sky.

Unseen by her—

someone was watching from far away.

And for the first time…

the story had started to change.

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