Third-person POV

Irina and Electra slowly made their way down the stairwell that led from the rooftop back into the dormitory building. Irina walked a step ahead of Electra with her hands tucked casually into the pockets of her jacket, but the thoughtful expression on her face made it clear that her mind was busy trying to process everything Electra had just told her.

After a few moments of silence, Irina finally spoke again. She turned her head slightly toward Electra and narrowed her eyes with a skeptical look. "Alright," she said slowly, sounding like she was trying to organize the story in her head. "Let me get this straight. You woke up in the middle of the night, got dressed, somehow managed to leave the school without anyone noticing, and then you walked all the way to the palace just to threaten Queen Jella?"

Electra nodded without hesitation. "Yes," she replied calmly. "That’s exactly what happened."

Irina stopped walking for a moment and stared at her in disbelief. The look on her face made it obvious that she was still struggling to accept how casually Electra was talking about something so reckless. Electra noticed the reaction but didn’t seem particularly bothered by it. She simply continued walking down the stairs like nothing about the situation felt strange to her.

"I didn’t go there planning to become queen," Electra added after a moment, her voice thoughtful as she spoke. "That wasn’t part of the plan when I left the school. To be honest, I didn’t even know why I was going there at first. My instincts just kept telling me that I needed to go to the palace. It felt like something important was waiting for me there, even though I didn’t understand what it was."

Irina slowly started walking again, still looking unconvinced. "And your instincts just happened to lead you straight to the queen’s bedroom in the middle of the night?" she asked dryly.

Electra shrugged lightly. "Something like that."

They reached the next landing of the stairwell and continued down another flight of steps. Electra kept speaking, her tone calm but thoughtful as she explained the strange reasoning behind her decision. "Once I saw Jella again, everything started to make more sense. I realized something while I was standing there in that room. The entire world already hates me. They’re afraid of what I am, and they see me as some kind of dangerous monster. No matter what I do, that reputation is already attached to me."

Irina glanced at her from the corner of her eye but didn’t interrupt.

"So I started thinking," Electra continued. "If everyone already fears me, then maybe the best way to deal with that fear is to give them a reason to see me differently. If I become queen, then they won’t just see me as a monster anymore. They’ll see me as a ruler. Someone who has responsibility and someone who has to make decisions for the kingdom."

Irina let out a short breath that sounded halfway between a laugh and a sigh. "You really think becoming queen will suddenly make everyone see you as a gentle and trustworthy leader?"

Electra shrugged again. "Maybe not immediately," she admitted. "But it’s a start."

Irina stopped walking again and turned to face her fully this time. The skeptical look on her face had only grown stronger. "Electra," she said slowly, "you literally just admitted that you burned one of the palace guards so you could force your way inside, and then you told me that you burned Jella’s face to make sure she listened to you."

Electra didn’t deny it.

Irina crossed her arms and gave her a long look. "Those actions don’t exactly make you look like a kind and peaceful ruler who has the people’s best interests at heart," she continued. "If anything, it makes you look like exactly the kind of terrifying creature everyone already believes you are."

Electra sighed softly, clearly aware that Irina had a point.

"And even if you somehow convince the people to accept you," Irina added, "there’s still another problem. The kingdom doesn’t just let someone walk in and claim the throne because they feel like it. The council also decides who becomes ruler, and without their approval, you can’t become queen."

Electra remained quiet for a moment as they reached the bottom of the stairwell and stepped into the hallway of the dormitory. The entire place had somehow gotten a little more cold, and the distant sound of someone moving around in another room echoed faintly through the corridor. Electra folded her arms loosely as she walked, clearly thinking about what Irina had said.

"Well then," she finally replied with a small sigh, "I guess I’ll just have to convince the council."

Irina stared at her again, clearly surprised by how simple Electra made it sound. Electra continued speaking without hesitation. "I have no intention of letting that woman stay on the throne," she said calmly. "Something about her just feels wrong. Even without my memories, I can’t stop thinking about the fact that she needs to be removed from power as soon as possible. Stripping her of that power seems like the best place to start."

Irina rubbed the back of her neck as they began walking down the hallway toward Electra’s room. "You really don’t do things halfway, do you?" she muttered under her breath.

Electra ignored the comment.

After a few seconds, Irina spoke again. "Alright," she said, sounding resigned. "Let’s say your plan actually works and the council listens to you. What exactly are you planning to do first?"

Electra thought about the question carefully before answering. "Honestly," she admitted, "I don’t have a clear direction yet. That’s why I asked Jella to release my father."

Irina glanced at her curiously. "You’re planning to rely on him for advice?"

Electra nodded.

They stopped walking when they reached the door to Electra’s room. Electra leaned casually against the wall beside it as she continued explaining her thoughts. "He used to be king," she said. "Even if he’s not popular right now, he still understands how this kingdom works better than I do. If anyone can give me a sense of direction, it’s probably him."

Irina considered that for a moment before nodding slowly. "Your father is definitely on your side," she said. "I’m sure that even now, he’ll still believe in you, but you should know that he’s not exactly favored by the people anymore, so a lot could go wrong."

Electra gave a small, dismissive shrug. "That may be true," she replied, "but he was still king once. That experience has to count for something."

Irina leaned her shoulder against the wall and looked at Electra carefully. "So what’s the next step in this plan of yours?"

Electra pushed herself away from the wall and reached for the door handle. Before opening it, she looked back at Irina with a calm but determined expression.

"Like any proper royal," she said slowly, "I’ll start by giving everyone a chance to do things the right way. Peacefully."

Irina raised a brow. "And if they don’t?"

Electra opened the door to her room and stepped inside before answering. "Then," she said with certainty, "I’ll do things the hard way."