90 - Caught
The corridor was quiet. Too quiet.
The distant echo of music from the ballroom felt like it belonged to another world entirely—one filled with laughter, politics, and glittering masks. Here, there were no masks. Or rather… no need for them.
Joana stood before them, composed, elegant, her purple eyes sharp with quiet understanding.
Mariana felt it immediately.
This woman knows. Not suspects. Knows. And then, “I’ll get straight to the point.” Joana said calmly. No hesitation. No buildup. “I’m from another world.”
Silence.
“What?” Sadia blinked.
Joana didn’t break eye contact. “The same one as you two.”
Mariana’s breath caught. There it is. No games. No vague hints. Just truth.
“Yo-You’re serious...” Mariana murmured.
Joana tilted her head slightly. “Very.”
Sadia crossed her arms. “And how are you so sure about us?”
Joana smiled faintly. “Because I’ve been watching.”
Mariana stiffened slightly. “That sounds creepy—”
“I paid attention to the rumors.” Joana cut in smoothly.
That made both of them pause.
“… rumors?” Sadia asked.
Joana nodded. “Grand Princess Mariana,” she began, glancing at her, “once known for being… less than pleasant.”
Mariana winced internally.
“… suddenly changed.” Her voice was calm, observational. “From vile… to revered. From Villainess… to Saintess.”
Mariana swallowed. “Fair.”
Joana’s gaze shifted to Sadia. “And you. Archduchess Sadia. Sickly. Frail. Rarely seen outside.”
Sadia raised a brow.
“And yet,” Joana continued, “you appear lively. Healthy. Attending the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration—a major deviation from your supposed condition.”
Silence. Then, “Okay, that’s actually convincing.” Sadia admitted.
Mariana sighed softly. “Yeah…”
Joana folded her arms lightly. “I had my doubts,” she said. “So I observed, waited and confirmed.”
Mariana frowned slightly. “The-Then why didn’t you approach us earlier?”
Joana didn’t hesitate. “Because I didn’t know what kind of people you were.” That answer landed heavier than expected.
Mariana blinked. “… what?”
Joana’s gaze sharpened just slightly. “I didn’t know if you were trustworthy.”
Sadia tilted her head. “You thought we might be… what? Villains?”
Joana didn’t deny it. “I’ve seen enough stories,” she said calmly, “to know that not every reincarnated person is… kind.”
Mariana flinched internally. Green tea heroines. Manipulative protagonists. Fake innocence.
Yeah…
“… fair.” Mariana muttered.
Sadia glanced at her.
Mariana scratched her cheek awkwardly. “… I kind of thought the same thing about you.”
Sadia blinked. “Excuse me...?!”
“I mean...” Mariana panicked slightly. “Not now, but at first...! Like... what if you were one of those manipulative types—”
“Wow.”
“I’m just saying...!”
Joana chuckled softly. “Honesty. I like that.”
Sadia huffed. “… I’m not manipulative.”
“Good.” Joana replied simply.
A pause. Then Sadia leaned forward slightly, curiosity returning. “So how did you get this much influence?”
Joana’s lips curved. Slow. Confident. “Because,” she said, “I have almost all the information in this world.”
Silence.
“What...?” Mariana blinked.
Joana didn’t elaborate immediately. But the way she said it, it wasn’t arrogance. It was fact.
Sadia’s eyes narrowed slightly. “… you’re connected to the information guild, aren’t you?”
Joana smiled. “Something like that.”
Mariana inhaled slowly.
Okay, that’s huge. That’s REALLY huge!
She stepped forward slightly. “Can you help us?”
Joana’s gaze shifted to her.
Mariana clenched her hands slightly. “To survive here.” She added.
Sadia nodded. “We’re not trying to follow the plot. We’re trying to stay alive.”
Joana studied them both quietly. Carefully. Then, “And what do I get in return?”
Mariana didn’t hesitate. “Us.”
Joana raised a brow.
Sadia smirked slightly. “Two isekai’d people with knowledge of the story? That’s not a bad deal.”
Mariana nodded. “We share everything we know. No secrets.”
A pause. Joana looked at them then smiled. “Deal.”
And just like that, Mariana lunged forward and hugged her. “Thank goodness!”
Sadia followed immediately. “Finally someone NORMAL!”
Joana stiffened for half a second. “This is new.” But she didn’t push them away. Instead, she let out a small, amused sigh. “You two are something else.”
Minutes later, they were seated on a cushioned bench in the quiet corridor, far more relaxed than before.
“Wait, you watched anime too?!” Sadia gasped.
Joana nodded. “Of course.”
Mariana leaned in. “Which ones?!”
And just like that, they spiraled. Manhwas. Anime. Tropes. Clichés. Bad endings. Trash male leads. Green tea heroines. Yandere nightmares.
“Speaking of which...” Mariana groaned, dropping her head into her hands.
Sadia blinked. “What now?”
Mariana looked up. “Zafiel.”
Joana hummed. “Ah, the male lead.”
“He’s not following the plot.” Mariana said immediately.
Sadia nodded. “At all.”
Mariana pointed at herself. “He keeps showing up wherever I go.”
Joana raised a brow.
“And the way he looks at me...” Mariana shuddered. “It’s weird.”
“Possessive?” Joana asked.
“Terrifying.” Mariana corrected.
Sadia snorted.
Mariana groaned again. “And the worst part?” She hesitated. “I kind of like his face.”
Silence. Then, Sadia burst out laughing. Joana chuckled.
“I’m serious...!” Mariana protested. “He’s literally my type appearance-wise...!”
“That’s unfortunate.” Joana said calmly.
“I KNOW!” Mariana grabbed her own head. “But I don’t do yanderes in real life...! NO THANK YOU...!”
Joana laughed softly. “You're right.”
Mariana leaned forward suddenly, grabbing Joana’s hand. “If things go bad, like REALLY bad, you have to help me.”
Joana blinked. “You’re serious?”
“I am VERY serious.” Mariana said firmly.
A pause. Then Joana nodded. “… I will.”
Mariana exhaled in relief. “Thank you…”
Sadia stretched slightly. “Alright. We should head back before people get suspicious.”
Mariana nodded. “Yeah…”
They stood and returned to the ballroom. The moment they stepped back inside, Mariana didn’t even get two steps in before—
“...!” She was lifted cleanly. Effortlessly. Her breath caught as her feet left the ground.
“Welcome back.” That voice. Zafiel. He set her down gently—but not really. Because her arm was already hooked around his. Trapped.
Mariana’s soul left her body.
Help me.
She turned her head slightly.
Sadia?
Sadia looked away.
Joana?
Also looking away.
Traitors. Absolute TRAITORS.
Mariana smiled sweetly while internally—
I WILL REMEMBER THIS.
Zafiel leaned slightly closer. “Did you enjoy your little walk?”
Mariana swallowed. “… yes.”
“Good.” His grip tightened just slightly. “Now tell me,” he murmured softly. “… do you really think you can run from me?”
Her heart skipped. For a moment, she hesitated. Because deep down—
No, it feels impossible.
But she lifted her chin slightly. Forced confidence. “… I can.”
Zafiel watched her silently. Then, e smiled. Calm. Certain. Dangerous. “No.”
Her breath hitched.
“You’re already caught.”