While Elizabeth spoke to the servants, Aria approached Maria's ear and whispered:

"Say that I ordered you."

"What?" Maria said quietly, turning to look at Aria, but she stayed silent. She seemed determined.

Maria didn't understand why Aria had told her that, and she didn't have time to discuss it with her.

Elizabeth, who seemed to have finished talking to the two servants, turned around and asked:

"Do you want us to take you by force, or will you follow us peacefully?"

"Do it," Aria whispered to Maria's ear.

Was there really no other alternative?

Running away wasn't an option, and fighting was even less so, as both had seen what Elizabeth was capable of.

Sighing, Maria chose to follow Aria's seemingly crazy idea.

"Aria ordered me to," Maria said, unable to hide her nervousness.

Elizabeth, upon hearing her, looked at her with disbelief.

"That's absurd."

"What a liar!"

Said both servants behind Elizabeth.

Maria certainly understood their point of view in not wanting to believe her. Still, since she had taken this path, she would go all the way.

"It's the truth. Aria told me that she was tired of the mansion, so she wanted to explore more, and..."

"Silence!" Elizabeth shouted, interrupting Maria's speech.

Elizabeth looked quite irritated.

Had her plan failed?

"That can't be true," Elizabeth murmured, but there was great anger in her tone. Despite looking upset, from Aria's point of view, Elizabeth showed no signs that she was going to attack.

About to give an excuse, Maria was interrupted by Elizabeth's speech.

"Miss Aria would never ask for such a thing; you're lying!" Elizabeth claimed as she approached to be face to face with Maria.

Maria, despite having the enemy face to face, kept her composure and said:

"But it's true... right, Aria?"

"Yes. She speaks the truth," Aria responded without hesitation.

Elizabeth, upon hearing that answer, stood frozen.

How?

That's what Elizabeth wondered, as since she had been with Aria, she had always been a calm and reserved girl, but since Maria returned, her attitude had changed.

"What did you do to Miss Aria?" Elizabeth asked angrily.

"Step back, you smell bad," Aria said, covering her nose.

This comment surprised both Maria and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth swallowed saliva and took a few steps back. Then, she looked at the servants behind her and asked:

"Hey, has Miss Aria wanted to go out before?"

The servants became nervous upon hearing that question and hesitated about what they should answer.

"Why are you hesitating? Keep talking," Elizabeth said.

"Well... from what I've heard from the housemaids... it's true that Miss Aria has asked to go out, but..." the servant stopped upon feeling Elizabeth's penetrating gaze.

"Why are you stopping? Keep talking."

"I only know that Lucia ordered not to let Miss Aria out," the servant replied quickly, and his companion nodded.

Elizabeth sighed and turned her gaze back to Maria.

It seemed that Aria had hidden that desire from her, but why?

What had she done wrong?

"Well, let's go back inside. Hand over Miss Aria"

Maria was going to bend down so that Aria could get off her back, but to her surprise, Aria held onto her back tightly.

"I don't want to," Aria said aloud.

Maria was confused by Aria's sudden declaration.

"Oh, come on, Miss Aria. I promise that when we get home..."

"I'm not interested. I want to keep exploring the surroundings of the mansion," Aria replied directly, leaving Elizabeth speechless.

Maria, seeing how Aria openly defied Elizabeth, was already considering herself dead in her mind, but to her surprise...

"Alright... if that's Miss Aria's wish... I'll respect it," Elizabeth said as she sighed.

Maria wanted to clean her ears upon hearing that response.

Was she really not dreaming?

This made no sense!

"Both of you... take care of the bear's corpse while I accompany Miss Aria on her walk with... Maria," Elizabeth said the last part with some disdain.

While Maria didn't know what was going on, Aria, on her part, understood even more about Elizabeth's behavior.

Well... then Elizabeth can't go against me or my personal wishes. She only shows aggression towards anything that threatens me, and as long as I prove that Maria is not dangerous, she might not kill her. But... why is she doing this?

Although Aria still disliked Elizabeth's presence, she was aware that she wouldn't harm her. However, she was concerned that Elizabeth might get rid of Maria.

"Let's continue with our walk," declared Aria, and Maria obeyed as she continued to carry her on her back.

"Don't try anything stupid," Elizabeth declared, looking directly into Maria's eyes.

Maria remained silent and began to venture into the forest following Aria's instructions, accompanied by Elizabeth from behind.

Regardless of the route they took, Elizabeth didn't say anything and only acted to protect them when a dangerous creature approached.

Aria, excited to learn more details about the outside world, began to memorize everything, learning in detail all of Elizabeth's combat movements.

She had never felt so alive!

The hours passed. The sun began to descend from its highest point, and Maria's endurance was at its limit.

Aria, focused on finding possible escape routes while analyzing Elizabeth's movements in depth, didn't notice Maria's physical state until she stumbled and fell to her knees.

Elizabeth hurried to try to separate Aria from Maria, as if she didn't care that Maria was about to fall face-first to the ground. To her surprise, Aria held onto Maria's back even tighter.

Maria, feeling all this struggle, found her vision becoming blurrier.

She had reached her limit.

She couldn't believe she had been able to carry a girl on her back for hours. Both her arms and back ached, and her legs couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm sorry, Aria, but..."

"Get up. She'll kill you the moment I let go of you," Aria whispered to Maria, sending shivers down her spine.

You must be kidding...

Maria wanted to say to Aria, but she had almost no strength to speak, and she was incredibly thirsty.

At that moment, several memories passed through her mind, and she remembered how, in moments when they were attacked, Elizabeth only acted when it seemed that Aria was about to get hurt.

Maria chuckled a little. Certainly, in moments where it seemed she was having a hard time with obstacles or annoying creatures, Elizabeth didn't lift a finger, as if she were waiting for a moment like this.

Maria was on the verge of collapse. They had walked so much that she couldn't get up in this uncomfortable position. However, Aria's words echoed in her head again and again.

Was she really going to be killed like this?

But...

Why hadn't she just done it before?

Was Elizabeth a sadist!?

Elizabeth, who had been silent while gently holding Aria's waist, separated from them for a moment.

Aria sensed that she had heard what she had said, given the short distance between them.

While Maria was in an internal struggle to try to get up, Elizabeth said:

"Do you really think that of me, Miss Aria?"

Aria nodded without hesitation.

Elizabeth's face reflected sadness, and when she tried to grab Aria again, she said.

"Let me go," Aria said while still holding onto Maria.

"Miss Aria, I think Maria is... very tired to carry her on her back. What if I carry her? I can..."

"No. You stink," Aria replied, interrupting Elizabeth's speech.

Aria didn't know it, but every time she rejected Elizabeth like this, she felt those words like a stab in the soul.

Oh... my queen... I'm sorry, but apparently, she doesn't like me...

Tears started to fall from Elizabeth's face, even though she had closed her eyes. She was trying to control herself, but it was useless—her tears wouldn't stop.

Unable to endure any longer, Maria simply fell face-first to the ground, fainting in the process.

"Maria..." Aria said in surprise. She repeated the name over and over, but Maria didn't respond. Now, due to her greed for acquiring as much information as possible, she was left alone with Elizabeth.