The Villainess has Shattered

Scene 6

"What rift phenomenon?" Odette questioned Kash, her eyes locking with his as her mind raced. This was an entirely new concept, something she had never encountered before.

This wasn't something she could have missed in her other [Rehearsals], as she had practically done and seen everything. She had explored every route, yet she hadn't encountered anything like a rift phenomenon. And that's the part that truly puzzled her.

'Could this be a result of the performance? It had to be. Could it also be linked to the dream? It must be.'

"Oh, you perked up at those words!" Kash remarked, tilting his head and smirking. He placed his white-gloved hands on his chin, pretending to think deeply.

"I could tell you, but you already rejected my request."

Hearing those words caused ether to slowly trickle out of Odette. She grabbed him by his fur collar as her aura became chaotic.

"Kash, tell me."

"Woah, woah, there! What's with the hostility?" He said this in an effort to defuse her annoyance as he removed her oddly strong grip on his clothing.

"The fluff on my collar is made from the fleece of a golden ram; I don't want it rumpled."

'What is with her strength? And the ether she released felt sharp, if we can call it that. But why does it give me a sense of déjà vu?'

"Just tell me."

"You haven't told me the magic word."

Odette just stared at him in disbelief as Kash waited to hear her speak.

"Seriously. Please tell me," Odette spat out, watching Kash's facial expression morph into a more dejected state.

"I wanted more pushback. You're no fun." Kash pouted. Seeing as I wasn't going to comply, he just sighed and returned to his normal smug expression.

"Fine. But you must do something for me in return."

"Sure whatever. On with the information," Odette ordered as she sat down on one of the theater's velvet seats.

"I sense no one's presence here. Speak."

"Aren't you a little bossy today?" He teased.

"Apparently there is a rift somewhere in the kingdom or, if the information given in Luciel's book is accurate, a gate."

"The Luciels are involved in this. This is new. You're insinuating this has to do with those above," Odette questioned with curiosity and surprise in her voice.

'Those pricks are actually communicating with the other families about their book...'

"Correct," Kash answered. "Their celestial book, along with your family's research, helped ascertain the meaning of this tear in space. It's merely a type of gate or portal that connects our world to another."

These words immediately gained Odette's attention.

'Another world? Is that possible? If this rift does exist, then... I can leave. I can leave this place.'

"Where is it? The rift. Where is it?" Odette immediately pressed for answers; her pupils widened, and her unblinking gaze made her look slightly mad.

"Hey! I don't know, so there's no point pressing me for this information," Kash explained as he watched Odette get up from her seat and walk towards him.

Stopping in her tracks, she began to think over this information.

"Actually, Kash, why do you know this information? This seems like highly important stuff, and I doubt you'd make this up to mess with me."