Despite knowing what to expect, Alice and Sóley's eyes still widened in sheer horror as they took in who was sitting on the throne...

  It was Noel. And yet, it was not their Noel.

  This Noel was cold, emotionless. Her eyes were darker than usual; her face looked hollow, like she had been starved.

  Their sweet, gentle Noel was gone; instead, it looked like a broken shell was in her place.

  Alice was speechless as she stared at the broken, hollow version of her friend. Sóley couldn't even speak—the words completely stuck in her throat, her whole body shaking at the sight of what the Dark Future Noel had been through. Their sweet, kind friend…now looked like a broken shell of what she once was. What on earth had happened to her in the Dark Future?! She looked like she hadn't slept or eaten in years…

  The silence in the throne room was deafening as they continued staring at the broken version of their friend.

  The Dark Future Noel met their gazes with her own dark, emotionless one, not an ounce of emotion in them at all.

  The silence was finally broken when Dark Future Noel spoke, her tone cold and hollow.

  "You're here. Good.”

  Alice could feel a chill run down her spine at Dark Future Noel's cold tone.

  She didn't sound like their Noel at all anymore. All the warmth and kindness she usually had in her voice was completely gone.

  She sounded almost…inhuman.

  Sóley swallowed hard before finally finding her voice again.

  "We...we've come to..." she faltered, too shocked still to get the words out.

  The Dark Future Noel tilted her head slightly, her expression unchanging as she stared back at them.

  "I know."

  Her voice was still hollow, devoid of any emotion whatsoever. The way she spoke made it seem like nothing about this situation even surprised or fazed her anymore…

  Alice's heart dropped, of course this evil version of Noel would already know they were coming.

  She clenched her fists, trying to ignore the sharp stabbing pain in her heart. The fact that the Dark Future Noel had been suffering like this for so long was bad enough, but the fact that she really was so detached, so emotionless, like nothing even mattered anymore...

  Sóley, however, seemed unable to hold her tongue as she finally spat out, her voice shaking:

  "What have you done to her?!”

  Dark Future Noel didn't respond at first, her expression still remaining completely aloof.

  But there seemed to be a hint of something in her eyes, for the briefest of moments, as she took in Sóley's question.

  After a few more seconds of silence, she finally spoke again, her voice still hollow, but with a hint of something more...

  "I did what was necessary.”

  Alice's breath hitched, what was necessary?!

  She couldn't help but feel a wave of anger at the Dark Future Noel's words. What could possibly be necessary about torturing someone like this?!

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  Sóley, however, seemed to finally reach her limit as she stepped forward with an almost desperate look in her eyes.

  "No!" she snapped sharply before continuing on in a slightly more controlled tone: "Whatever you're trying to do here...stop it right now."

  The Dark Future Noel's eyebrows raised ever so slightly at Sóley's words. For the first time since the two arrived, a hint of genuine interest crossed her usually emotionless expression.

  She tilted her head, seeming to actually consider Sóley's words.

  But then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the emotion disappeared once more. Dark Future Noel's expression turned hollow once again as she spoke, her voice still cold, but slightly more calculating this time:

  "And if I don't?”

  Alice tensed at the cold response, a mix of fear and concern taking over now.

  Sóley, however, didn't seem deterred in the slightest. If anything, the cold reply from Dark Future Noel seemed to only fuel her determination.

  She clenched her fists tightly, a defiant look in her eyes as she took another step closer to the throne, her voice now firm and resolute:

  "Then we'll make you.”

  Alice's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Sóley stand her ground.

  She knew they were completely outmatched here, but damn it, if Sóley wasn't going to back down, then neither would she.

  Still though, Alice couldn't help but feel a small sense of unease at the idea of actually fighting Dark Future Noel...their sweet friend...who had been broken into this hollow shell by some unknown force.

  Sóley took another step forward before finally continuing on with a slightly more controlled tone:

  "And trust me…we will."

  Dark Future Noel didn't even flinch at Sóley's words.

  Instead, she just let out a slow breath, as if the entire situation was nothing more than an annoying inconvenience to her.

  Her expression remained cold and emotionless as she replied in that same hollow tone:

  "Then I suppose you'll have to try."

  Alice could feel a chill go down her spine as Dark Future Noel's cold words echoed in the throne room.

  Despite the situation, there was something about the Dark Future Noel's tone that made her almost sound…bored.

  Like this entire thing was just some game to her.

  Sóley, meanwhile, seemed more determined than ever as she took another step forward, standing just in front of the throne now, with Alice standing next to her.

  "Fine then. We will."

  Dark Future Noel watched the two of them carefully. There was a flicker of something, something almost pleased, in her eyes now.

  It faded quickly, however, replaced by that same cold, hollow look from before.

  She let out another slow breath as she continued on in that same detached, emotionless tone:

  "Very well. Go ahead, then."

  Dark Future Noel summoned spears of ice out of thin air, pointing them at the two girls.

  Alice felt her heart stop—ice spears?!

  Sóley, however, looked unfazed, still standing tall with determination in her eyes.

  The air seemed to get cold around them, the temperature dropping significantly.

  Alice's breath came out in cold puffs, her body starting to shiver from the temperature.

  She clenched her fists tighter, ready to fight if needed.

  They weren't prepared; not even close.

  But they had come for Noel, not for her Dark Future self.

  And they weren't backing down now.

  Dark Future Noel's sharp, cold gaze stayed locked on both girls as she watched them carefully, like a hunter sizing up their preys' weaknesses.

  She raised her eyebrow slightly, her expression still completely emotionless.

  "Attack me," she said in a surprisingly cold and calculated tone, almost an order more than a request.

  Alice and Sóley tensed, both of them knowing that this was it.

  There was no turning back now.

  They exchanged a look before nodding. Without another word, Sóley summoned her aura shield, and Alice coated her hands in her own aura.

  There was a brief moment of silence...

  Then, in an instant...the two girls launched themselves at Dark Future Noel at the same time, their attacks coming in fast. Alice swung her aura-coated fists toward Dark Future Noel while Sóley held up her shield to deflect any incoming attacks.

  But as soon as they got close enough to strike…

  Dark Future Noel moved with a speed neither of them had been expecting, dodging both attacks in a graceful, swift motion.

  It was a speed that neither of them had been able to keep up with.

  Alice managed to catch her balance just in time, but Sóley was not fast enough, and so she just missed the dodge, getting sent flying back into the side of the throne room and hitting the ice wall with a loud THUD.

  Alice's stomach dropped as she saw Sóley slam into the wall, hard.

  Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline and panic surging through her.

  She barely had time to react before Dark Future Noel was already moving again, closing the distance between them with terrifying speed.

  "Pathetic."

  Alice's breath hitched, Dark Future Noel had just called them pathetic?!

  She could feel the anger bubbling up inside her, but she knew better than to act recklessly.

  Still though...the way Dark Future Noel said it, so cold, so detached, like they were nothing more than an inconvenience to her…

  Her grip on her aura tightened as she prepared herself for another attack.

  Sóley groaned in pain from where she was slumped against the wall before forcing herself back up onto shaky feet.

  "Ngh...this isn't over yet."