All my teammates knew how to heal each other. No one had ever informed me about this, so I was quite impressed when Luca wrapped me nicely with bandages.
"That should do it. N-now follow me, " he urged. "Two ciphers are remaining."
I hobbled beside him as we searched for the next cipher, but the pain was not as bothersome as before. He took one section of the cipher and I limped to the other, furiously hammering on those odd-looking cylinders.
At one point, Luca crouched down to tinker with an eccentric mechanism. I could not recognize it. Was it something he had made during his time here? How did he get the materials?
Zap! The device began sharing transmissions with another cipher near the area.
"Extraordinary."
I couldn't help but admire it. It brought me genuine glee to witness Luca's ideas in the works. "Only you could come up with these incredible ideas," I praised, not realizing how heartfelt my words were.
"I... th-thank you," he chuckled shyly. "Your a-appreciation means the world to me."
Once I reflected upon my words, I pretended to be dumbfounded to hide my somewhat noticeable blush.
"Why is my appreciation so valuable to you? We've only recently become acquainted." I politely dismissed while continuing to decode.
"I'm not as foolish as you deem me to be, Y/n," he responded solemnly. "I intend to unearth who you used to be in my p-past life. D-don't expect me to abandon this approach either."
He lifted his gloved fingers from the keyboard and shifted closer to me to catch my view. He hypnotized me with those captivating hazel eyes of his. Any closer and I would have broken my gaze, only asserting his suspicions.
"Y-you're my experiment now, dear Y/n. It's up to you to d-draw my conclusion," he smirked before leaving me behind to compute the other connected cipher.
Left stone-faced, I watched him dash away before playfully scoffing right after, snapping back to the cipher to seem productive. I flushed at the attention he bestowed upon me, which would only increase over time as he saw fit. Experiment? Is that how he would like to play this game?
He hasn't changed one bit.
The comfort I received with this newfound relationship was overwhelming. I suppose I needn't be careful with the past resurfacing anymore if that's how he perceives me. It's as if his pursuit was a romantic endeavour. Sadly, my hints will prove to be useless, and all drawn conclusions are made purely of theories. There's also the chance that this experiment of his would never end, resulting in his unnecessary agony. If that's the case, even if he claims to never give up, I'd have to persuade him to drop those pointless theories for him to move on...
A far bellow of pain brought me back to present events. Murro was the next one to be downed. I had to compute faster if I wanted to reach him in time.
"Don't move, I'm coming!" I hollered before pressing the last key.
I was fully healed, so I should be able to make a swift rescue. Maybe Margaretha will be there to distract the hunter.
One more cipher. One more. I assured myself as I snuck near Murro's chair.
I crouched down as low as possible and waddled behind the chair. The Bloody Queen was already spectating the area but hadn't noticed my presence yet. Maybe I should bring out my second marionette and divert her. This time I decided to use my prototype of Melly. It was unfinished, but she still had quite a weight to her. However, the borrowed time may not be enough for me to unlatch Murro. Am I prepared to accept the uncertainty?
I launched myself from my hiding place, swung my strings in a boomerang-like manner, and watched it latch onto Mary's arm firmly.
I scrambled with Murro's seat belt and was able to successfully set him free.
I prayed that the cipher would pop soon as I impulsively shielded Murro from an angry strike to the arm. I could not tell if I'd done it for the sake of everyone's success, or my subconscious. I feared death, and yet here I am protecting a stranger.
I must admit, it did give me a burst of energy. What this energy was I did not know, but it was enough for me to provoke another chase against the queen.
The cipher had finally popped and a boisterous alarm reverberated around the area. I wanted to spring towards the exit in glee until I had the upsetting realization.
I would not make it in time.
The burst of energy vanished and fear slithered through my lungs.
Murro had changed his direction and left me to fend for myself. I was directly in the heart of the map, which suggested that I had to mislead Queen Mary somehow. I could also scavenge for the dungeon, but where it was I could not recall for the life of me.
The queen's growls of impatience crept closer and closer towards me.
I returned to one of the luxurious structures on the map, where I was working on my first cipher. I made it to the top of the stairs, and I had to decide between dropping down a cavity through the floor or plunging over the splintered windowpane. Mary burst in just as I flung one leg over the frame, and she cleverly dropped into the cavity of the floor in hopes of continuing her pursuit on the lower ground.
I, however, have yet to attempt my plunge.
I took advantage of the limited seconds given to me and dashed back down the stair handles.
A grin emerged on my face as I sped closer to the exit. The only fears in the back of my mind were the possibility that the gate wasn't open, or that Mary was planning a surprise attack, but there were no signs of her as I continued running.
My heart pulsed with excitement and may have pulsed double when I witnessed Luca waiting for me at the gate. He grinned and waved once he caught sight of me, and I felt an embarrassing heat rise to my cheeks.
Unfortunately, this spark of joy dissipated when a crimson, fiery figure sprung from beside the exit.
I was one foot through the gate borders when my eyes locked with hers. The queen's eyes were bursting with vivid, hellish flames.
I screamed as I received a stabbing blow to my skull, finally realizing the great thickness of glass this woman called her weapon. Small shards crumbled to the floor as Luca captured me and hauled me away from Mary's demeaning glare.
"You slippery wench! My, how fortunate it must be to have a prince to come to your aid. Pathetic." Mary sneered. "Having another survivor physically pull you into the gate is strictly against the regulations."
"A d-damaging blow to the head such as yours is also against the r-regulations," Luca spat back, his back turned to protect me.
The queen huffed and resorted back to her position. "Await your next tournament, dears." She threatened from afar. "She won't tolerate you kindly as I have."
My head was still spinning and recovering from all that happened. "Have... have we won?" I asked Luca, who was still cradling my head against his chest.
He eagerly nodded with a toothy grin. "I cannot believe you passed your first match with f-flying colours!" he praised.
"Aha..." I chuckled lightly. "...Your appreciation means the world to me."
Luca's ears turned slightly pink after that reminiscent phrase, but he sought to overlook it just as I have. "C–can you stand?" He asked, his arms prepared to support me.
I declined his assistance and attempted to do as he said, but my knees quivered and my torso kept wobbling back and forth to regain balance.
"C-careful!" Luca cried out as I once again fell in his awaiting arms. "Oh no. It m-must have been a h-harder shock than I had thought."
"My stamina and balance are now comparable to my dancing abilities," I jested, holding onto his arms and attempting to make light of my incoming migraine. "My posture was always deemed atrocious."
"Dancing you say?" Luca's eyes sparked at the thought. "As in, ballroom dancing? Or a waltz?
A realization came to me. Explaining my dancing etiquette could imply the status of my past life. "Oh, you cheat! You're trying to get information out of me!"
"How dare you assume such t-treachery!" Luca spat back jokingly. "I'm merely curious..."
"Of course you are, you sleazy trickster."
"It's a s-simple question, dear," He said so nonchalantly.
"Well, someone did compel me to dance once upon a time, but they eventually gave up once they realized how hopeless I truly was."
"I assure you, your s-skills may be far better than mine would ever be." He said as he lifted me in a stance.
"Are you deaf? Did you not hear what I had said?" I stammered at the way he was holding me. Most of my weight was being pushed upon him considering how debilitated I was. "I've been knocked to the head and sliced in the ribs for god's sake! I can hardly stand!"
"But Y/n! To dance or learn a s-simple waltz is a necessary skill!" He encouraged as his eyes were elsewhere, enhancing his faux innocence. "Especially for us aristocrats."
"Well, perhaps that makes me an ill-mannered lady," I threatened. I was slightly ashamed that he had successfully pulled that so-desired hint out of me.
Unfortunately, none of my attempts to dissuade him prevented him from swaying me around like a child and their rag doll. He was a mediocre dancer himself, but still much more experienced than I.
All he did was make me dizzier than I was before. I kept stepping on his toes and drooping out of his arms when he twirled me. My attitude was wavering along with my dizziness as I laughed and scolded him constantly.
As I reflected on the situation, I wondered if this was his attempt to reenact a memory. However, even if it was for the sake of his past or for discovering who I was, he had no signs of incoming convulsions.
"Enough wasting time! I can't dance!" I whined as I felt my eyes wind in circles. "Shouldn't we go back with the others!?"
"Only for you to n-neglect me in the manor? Prompting us to never a-associate again? I'd say I'm using my time wisely, Y/n. I'm taking advantage of the o-opportunity given to me."
I stood mortified by his assertive words and released myself from his grasp, fumbling into the dirt.
"Ah-that's not...w-well..." I stammered. "Must we have this conversation at this moment? I can already sense myself drifting away." I pleaded.
I admit I had lied to excuse myself from a potentially emotional and stressful discussion, but as soon as I finished my plea, the world began to spin in ways it did not before. I felt a warm stream of liquid sliding down the edge of my eyelids. Luca's eyes widened, and I realized what was leaking.
"Is it b-blood..?" I questioned in shock as my eyes flickered rapidly. I reached out to hold something, anything that could help to stabilize myself. I hated that I had to rely on Luca again after our minor disagreement, but I was left with no choice.
Through my blurring vision, I seized his hands to test if he was still willing to put up with my reclusive behaviour. To my awe, he spared no second to lift and carry me in a bride-like clutch.
The bleeding felt heavier with each step he took towards the awaiting carriage. I attempted to mutter my gratitude, but only a meek attempt at a whisper escaped my lips.
Thankfully, he recognized my feeble attempt at appreciation and pulled me closer in response. I felt safe in his arms, but I could not tell if such a gesture was of potential friendship or romance.
Whatever the intentions were, I was overjoyed. To him, I'm still a stranger of the past, but his respectful nature assures me that I'm valuable nonetheless.
A small smile remained on my face as I gave in to a deep slumber.