Side Note

Hello, it's me, reminiscing over the life and times of a slave girl in Hamblin, Madeleine here. Can you guess what's causing me to feel nostalgic? I'm inside the Verdeux Castle right now! I'm standing in the dormitory room for the maids and it's exactly as how I remember it. I can see the beds of all the other maids and their belongings, and there's even my bed! I hid so many daggers under it. Although I will say that there are a lot more mutilated bodies here than I remember, but that's to be expected. The last time I was in the Verdeux Castle was during a hostile takeover. 

Oh yeah, before I forget to mention it, I've already gone through a floor. It was a whole lot of nothing besides Deja, which also makes the person I'll meet on this floor super obvious. My former master that I saw die twice in the same minute, Rio Verdeux. Did she ever explain how she came back? I wouldn't know nor remember. I guess I could ask Deja… nah, don't feel like it. I want to get through this as fast as possible.

I'm going to kick down the doors of the throne room and immediately pelt Rio down with magic while sending out Ava, Light, and Deja to attack her head-on. It's the most effective route and should prevent close combat situations for me. Sure, I'd win, but not with an aching body… I should've asked Myka for healing. Oh well.

Ooh, it's the kitchen! I remember spending so much time here just making tea. Man… maybe I should make myself some tea… nah, no time for that. Oh my, it's the living room! I remember when a bunch of us maids were stripped naked here as punishment. I enjoyed the view. Woah! It's the torture room! I am not going to talk about the torture room.

Eventually, the shadow clones and I reached the throne room. Ah… it's almost like I'm back here, tied up and at my knees, about to be sent to my execution… it almost feels like yesterday. I looked at my three copies, counting down with my fingers to my kicking down of the door. 

As soon as I curled my last finger, I slammed the door open with my foot, Ava and Light instantly zooming through with their weapons in hand, although oddly enough, Deja remained by my side. Eh, whatever. Ava and Light should be enough. Rio sat on her throne, looking at us as if she knew we were coming… well, of course she did. I'm the reason she's here…. what the… Ava and Light did the same move they did on Maxine, yet Rio skillfully dodged it by twisting midair… and she's now running straight at me. That's not good.

I tapped the ground, sending fireballs at Rio, who quickly cut them down with a rapier before blocking an attack from behind without looking. Okay, I'm going to shoot light beams now. I shot out a barrage of light rays that she easily dodged, and then she deflected one of them right into Light. Okay… I'm going to build a wall. I stomped hard on the ground and created an ice wall that went from one wall of the throne room to the other, completely cutting off Rio fro… hold up, I spot some fingers at the very top… and Rio is now on top of the wall. What?

She took out her crossbow and fired an arrow at me, which Deja fortunately caught. Rio proceeded to jump down, sprinting straight at me. I took out my dagger and prepared for some close-quarters combat, only for Deja to jump in front and answer Rio's attack with a chop to the head, instantly knocking her out. Deja then proceeded to take away all her weapons and even strip her… oh my god, her body is beautiful… hot damn… wait…

"Why are you stripping her?" I get the weapon part, but Deja is really going at it, removing everything on her person and even wrapping herself around Rio's back. If I weren't in a death gauntlet, I would've thought that's their relationship… or maybe it actually is.

"Whenever you win, she kills herself." Yikes. Just… yikes. "She's gotten quite good at suicide, which is why I removed everything and why I'm acting as rope."

"Relationship goals."

"I will hold her in the Shadowrealm to ensure she doesn't cause us any more loops. The key should be her fake crown. Be careful with it." And into the shadows they went. I skipped over to Rio's stuff, carefully grabbing the crown. It feels like I'm holding a shadow… I don't remember making a crown for Rio. Whatever. Off to the next floor I go.

I'm on the next floor, and it looks exactly like the Shadowrealm, and this time it's actually mine. My special sitting rock has my note under it! That and as soon as I entered this floor, I could feel my Shadowrealm become full again… oh, I can just feel my smirk. I'm back in full power, baybee! I can even see my shadow clones off in the distance. There's the one from that weird raft, the one with a detective hat, and there's even Number #1! I thought she was killed by Merida! Although, if the Shadow Clones are my allies this time… who is the foe?

Chapter namesake: The rock band 'Queen'.