The Robotic Voice's Warning

Leona sat amidst the cold darkness of this dungeon. The cold stones pressed upon her, and shackles had abraded her wrists raw. Besides her irregular breathing, the faint dripping somewhere in the distance was the only noise. Her mind raced back to that fateful, ill-fated meeting with Duke Magnus.

How had it come to this? A week ago, she was just trying to nudge Cedric and Vivienne together, and now she was imprisoned, the story veering off course faster than she could repair it.

And then it came-the cold, metallic voice in her head, breaking the silence like the chime of a death knell.

"Critical deviation detected. System collapse imminent. Timeline integrity compromised."

Leona sprang upright as her heart pounded. "System collapse? What do you mean 'system collapse'? I am trying my best here!"

"Projected collapse of world framework in ninety days if deviations are not corrected. Immediate intervention is required."

Ninety days. Three months. That was the time she had before all this world crumbled to nothing, bringing her existence right along with it. The robotic voice spoke-the monotone so impassionate despite the urgency in its message.

"Prioritize alignment of core characters: Heroine, Male Lead, Antagonist. Supporting roles secondary. Accelerated efforts recommended."

"Accelerated efforts?" she hissed. "Do you think I'm not trying? Magnus threw me in a dungeon! How exactly am I supposed to fix anything from here?"

"Current situation suboptimal. Escalate strategic influence. Leverage external alliances.

Leona slumped back against the damp wall, letting it seep in. Ninety days: ninety days to save a world that wasn't hers, a story that was an abandoned tale of somebody else. And yet, as much as she wanted to give up, the thought of failure left a hollow pit in her stomach.

Because failure didn't just mean her own death. It meant the end of everyone she'd come to care about: Vivienne, Cedric, even the maddening Magnus, in his own peculiar way.

She shut her eyes, breathing deep inside her. "Fine," she grumbled. "I'll hasten. But I need help. Can't do it by myself."

The robotic voice did not speak again, perhaps to confirm that a decision had indeed been reached.

The door creaked open, and her reverie was shattered. Leona blinked, startled, as a figure slipped into the cell.

"Leona," a familiar voice whispered.

Her heart leapt. "Cedric?"

The prince emerged from the shadows, his face taut with concern. "I've come to get you out of here."

"How—" she began, but he silenced her with a finger to his lips.

"No time. Magnus will know I'm here if we delay. Come with me."

Cedric pulled a small key from his pocket, unlocking her shackles with deft precision. As the irons fell away, Leona rubbed her sore wrists, gratitude and guilt warring within her.

"You shouldn't be here," she said quietly. "If Magnus catches you—"

"Let me worry about Magnus," Cedric interrupted. "You're more important right now."

His words buckled her chest. The look in his eyes, regard for her as if she were the only center of his world, twisted her stomach with unease. This wasn't how the story was supposed to go. He was supposed to look at Vivienne that way.

As they made their way through the corridors, Leona tried to keep her focus on their escape, but the robotic voice's warning echoed in her mind: Time was running out, and every deviation brought them closer to the brink.

Once they were safely outside, Cedric led her to a hidden grove near the palace gardens. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting an ethereal glow over the secluded spot.

"You're safe now," he said, his voice soft.

"Safe?" Leona shook her head. "Cedric, none of us are safe. Not with Magnus—and now the king—conspiring against you."

Cedric frowned, stepping closer. "You know something, don't you? Something you're not telling me."

Leona hesitated. How could she explain the truth without sounding insane?

"I just… I overheard things while working in the palace," she said finally. "Magnus is dangerous, and the king is… not who we thought him to be."

Cedric studied her, his gaze searching. "You're hiding something, Leona. I can see it in your eyes. But I won't press you—for now."

Before she could respond, the bushes rustled, and Vivienne emerged, her sword drawn.

"Vivienne?" Leona said, startled.

"I followed Cedric," Vivienne admitted, lowering her weapon. "I had to make sure he wasn't walking into a trap."

Her sharp gaze shifted to Leona. "We need to talk."

Cedric glanced between them, reluctant to leave. "I'll stand watch," he said finally, stepping a short distance away.

Once he was out of earshot, Vivienne crossed her arms. "You're in over your head, Leona. Whatever Magnus threatened you with, it's only the beginning. He doesn't let go of his targets easily."

"I know," Leona said quietly.

Vivienne's eyes narrowed. "Do you? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're trying to juggle too many pieces of a puzzle you don't fully understand.

Leona bit her lip, debating how much to reveal. "Vivienne, if I told you everything, you wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

Taking a deep breath, Leona decided to take the risk. "This world-it's not what you think. It's a story, Vivienne. A story that's falling apart. And I was brought here to fix it."

Vivienne stared at her, her expression unreadable. "A story?

"Yes," Leona said, the words tumbling out now. "Cedric, Magnus, the king, even you—you're all characters. But the story isn't following its original path, and if I can't fix it, everything will collapse."

Vivienne was silent for a long moment, her face pale.

"That… explains some things," Vivienne said finally, her voice shaking.

Leona blinked. "Wait, you believe me?"

Vivienne nodded slowly. "I've always felt like something was… off, like I was living someone else's life. And the memories—they don't make sense sometimes."

Relief flooded Leona. "Then you understand why I need your help. Magnus is a key player, and if we can't realign him—"

"Magnus is a lost cause," Vivienne interrupted. "You don't fix someone like him. You stop him."

Leona hesitated. Could Vivienne be right? Magnus had strayed so far from his original role that he seemed almost irredeemable. But the robotic voice had been clear—core characters had to be aligned, not eliminated.

"I don't know if that's the right solution," Leona said carefully.

"Then find one," Vivienne snapped. "Because ninety days isn't enough to save the world and play peacemaker with a madman."

Leona started at the acid in Vivienne's voice but nodded. It was now an imperative act-and fast.

During the following days, Leona worked out a plan continuously. She stuck closer to Cedric and Vivienne, carefully and insidiously influencing their communication in hopes of reviving a companionship that was originally ordained by the storyline.

Meanwhile, she tried to get more information about Magnus' plans by overhearing conversations while working as a maid and piecing together his strategy.

But with each passing day, the weight of the robotic voice's countdown grew heavier.

"Eighty-six days remaining."

"Eighty-three days remaining."

The warnings were incessant, a constant reminder that time was slipping away.

One night, sitting alone in her small room, Leona felt the walls closing in. Desperation gnawed at her. She couldn't do this alone.

"Give me something," she whispered to the robotic voice. "A clue, a hint-anything."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, the voice spoke.

"Character integration strategy available. Alliance with antagonist required for timeline stabilization.

Leona frowned. "Alliance? You want me to work with Magnus? He's the one trying to destroy everything!"

"Antagonist alignment critical for system integrity."

Leona buried her face in her hands. How could she possibly convince Magnus to work with her when he was determined to crush her?

But as much as she despised the idea, she knew the voice was right: Magnus wasn't an obstacle-he was a cornerstone. Without him, the world would fall apart even faster.