Milena folded her arms, cutting through the heavy silence with a flick of her fingers—almost theatrical, like she was brushing away a curtain.

"Well, since the mood’s already been thoroughly ruined," she said, her tone dry as ever, "allow me to lay out the context. Point by point, in the spirit of transparency."

I didn’t say a word. And Selene still wouldn’t look at me.

Not after everything she did.

Azalea’s eyes darted between us like she was watching a tennis match on triple speed, clearly unsure which side was winning.

Milena started pacing slowly across the room, her voice rising—not dramatically, but with that methodical, dissecting calm that made my skin crawl.

"First: Why Selene made a contract with me. It’s simple—she owed me."

I narrowed my eyes, but Milena only raised a brow, as if daring me to interrupt.

"She came to me with a wish—her very first. A dangerous one. She wanted to summon the most intelligent soul this world could possibly receive. Someone who had once mastered the mysteries of life and death. Medicine and magic. A walking paradox with no will to live."

Her gaze slid to me. And she smirked.

"You."

Azalea gasped beside me. "Wait, that was her wish?! To summon Kairi?!"

Milena didn’t even pause. "In exchange, she bound herself to me. Swore a soul contract under the sigil of Geflügel. I, as the Archon of Geflügel—or aves, to put it less ominously—would lend her my power. But power comes with price."

Meanwhile, Azalea kept flailing—shaking her hands in disbelief, jabbing a finger at herself with mock offense, and throwing increasingly desperate looks my way, as if screaming, "Hey! I’m still here! Look at me, you b***h!"

I kept my voice level, not willing to display my emotions.

"Arthur’s ring?"

"Exactly," Milena said with a snap of her fingers. "A parting gift from me. Fowl and serpents have long detested each other. So naturally, when it came time for your little encounter in the forest, you were already pre-equipped with a countermeasure."

I heard Selene exhale. Just barely.

"But to make such a pact," Milena went on,

"required risk. Until I grant Selene her wish in full—that is, to see the ’smartest soul’ flourish into power—her soul remains sealed by my own spell. Break the rules, and her soul will be forfeit—replaced by that of one of my kin."

"Not a death sentence, no. Much worse."

Azalea went pale. "Wait, wait, wait—so Selene’s soul could be replaced by... a chicken?"

Milena gave her a thin smile.

"Think more harpy than hen. But I do appreciate the imagery."

I hadn’t moved. My arms were crossed. One finger tapped, silently.

"Selene was allowed," Milena said, now circling closer to me, "to make no more than three sub-contracts with you. All were used. Any additional binding between you two—such as what I suspected might’ve happened last night—would mean death. For both."

Selene flinched. "Milena, I didn’t—"

"I know you didn’t," she said simply. "Which is why I’m not smiting you."

Then she turned to me.

"But the incident in the secret chamber... surely you’ve guessed what it was?"

My jaw tightened. The twist in reality. That gaze. That mockery.

"You recorded it."

Her grin widened. "Correct. Mytheia did the recording. I merely gave the command. A simple observation—using Selene’s shapeshifting form to... stress-test you."

"That wasn’t a test," I said, voice flat as iron. "That was entrapment."

"I wanted to see how far you’d go," Milena said, still maddeningly calm.

"The most brilliant soul from another world—how far would she go under pressure? Under delusion? You were performing well. I must admit, I was impressed."

Azalea finally spoke, lips parted in horror. "Wait, that was you?! I thought— I thought it was Sherrie playing a trick again! Kairi almost—she broke down—!"

Milena gave her a glance. "She didn’t. That’s the point."

I stepped forward, heat rising to my voice. "You played me. You made me believe I was losing control. You made me question everything."

"Yes," she said. "And yet here you are. Stronger, perhaps. More aware. Or would you rather go back to blissful ignorance?"

Selene finally found her voice. Hoarse. "I didn’t know she’d go that far."

Milena didn’t even look at her. "You gave me permission."

"I didn’t think it would traumatize her!"

"Oh?" Milena turned back to me, folding her arms. "And tell me, do you not play games with others?"

I froze.

She tilted her head slightly, voice softening—but only just. Mocking.

"Why get so angry when you’re the one being played with, hmm? Isn’t that how Selene first earned your trust? By misleading you? By keeping secrets?"

Azalea blinked. "Wait. She’s... not wrong?"

Milena pressed on, relentless.

"You forgave her. Easily, in fact. But me? One twist, one mirror, and you snap."

My fists clenched. Selene still couldn’t meet my eyes.

"And that," Milena finished, "is why you’re so fascinating."

I didn’t respond. I was too busy trying to decide whether to scream... or just walk away.

Azalea looked about ready to throw a shoe.

"Okay, seriously, what kind of messed-up game is this?!"

And Milena—of course—just gave a small laugh.

"The one you’ve all agreed to play."

Milena, having just dropped what could only be described as a world-shattering info-dump without so much as blinking, calmly folded her hands and turned to the side. Like she’d just reported the weather. Like the emotional debris left in her wake wasn’t her problem.

Azalea, who had been valiantly following along—despite an expression that looked increasingly like her brain had been scrambled in a blender—blinked a few times in disbelief.

Then frowned. Then...

She pouted.

Full-on, lips-jutted, eyebrows-tilted, anime-level pout. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"H-Huh?! Wait, excuse me?" she squeaked, arms flailing like she was trying to flag down a passing carriage—or a bus that refused to stop.

"Did you seriously just info-dump your entire villain origin story and not even acknowledge me?! I was here the whole time! I heard everything! I’m not just some emotionally supportive furniture!"