I won't fall for the queen who burned my world-Chapter 76: Rebels

Pain.

That was the first thing Elysia felt.

A dull, relentless throb pounded in her skull, spreading like ripples through her body, each pulse sharper than the last.

Her limbs were stiff, aching in ways that told her she'd been in this position for far too long.

When she finally forced her eyes open, the dim, flickering light above her sent another spike of pain straight into her head.

Her vision blurred before coming into focus, revealing a place—if it could even be called that.

The room was in a state of absolute decay. The stone walls were cracked and damp, stained with patches of dark mold.

The wooden beams above her head were rotting, water seeping through in slow, steady drips that pooled in murky puddles on the dirt-covered floor.

The air was thick, damp, wrong—a mixture of mildew, rust, and something else. Something metallic.

Blood.

Elysia's body tensed instinctively as she fully regained awareness, but when she tried to move, she found herself bound—thick ropes digging into her wrists and ankles, securing her to a rusted iron chair.

Her breath came out slow, measured. Stay calm.

"Ah. You're finally awake."

The voice was smooth, almost amused.

Elysia's gaze snapped forward, landing on the figure standing just a few feet in front of her.

A woman.

A human.

Her short, chestnut hair framed sharp, calculating eyes, and her lips curved into a smirk as she crossed her arms. She wore a soldier's uniform—not a demon's, but one belonging to a human faction. Her posture was relaxed, but her stance was firm, unwavering.

"Took your time," the woman added, tilting her head.

Elysia didn't reply. Instead, she did what she always did first—assess.

Her mind moved quickly, cataloging everything she could.

Human. Soldier. Not part of the demon army. Not here alone.

The symbols carved into the stone walls behind her—hastily drawn, but effective—hinted at magic. Restrictive magic. That's why I can't feel my flames.

She clenched her jaw, trying to keep the rising frustration at bay. She was powerless for now, but not helpless.

The woman exhaled through her nose, almost as if she were bored. "I'd introduce myself, but I doubt you care."

Elysia remained silent.

The woman's smirk deepened. "I see. Keeping quiet? Expecting your beloved demon queen to come storming in and rescue you?" She chuckled. "That won't happen."

Elysia narrowed her eyes. "And why is that?"

"Because we're not stupid," the woman said simply. "We're rebels, not fools."

Rebels.

Elysia felt something twist inside her.

"Then what do you want?" she asked coldly.

"Simple," the woman replied, shrugging. "We're going to take a very generous sum of gold from your dear wife and then disappear before she can retaliate."

Elysia's fingers curled into fists, the rope around her wrists biting into her skin. "And you think she'll let you?"

The woman chuckled again. "Not our problem. We'll be long gone before she can even think about hunting us down."

Elysia breathed in deeply, schooling her expression into something unreadable. They think Malvoria will just hand over the gold?

These people clearly didn't know what kind of force they were dealing with.

Still, she needed more information.

"And what then?" Elysia pressed. "You take the money and run? That's it?"

The woman leaned forward slightly, resting her hands on her hips. "That's it. We're doing you a favor, really."

Elysia blinked, incredulous. "A favor?"

"Of course," the woman said, as if it were obvious. "We're getting you away from her."

Silence.

Then—laughter.

Soft at first, then bubbling into something bitter, something sharp.

Elysia laughed.

The woman's smirk faltered. "What's so funny?"

Elysia shook her head, her laughter fading into something cold. "You think you're rescuing me?"

The woman scoffed. "Obviously."

Elysia tilted her head. "And what exactly do you think Malvoria does to me?"

The woman frowned, as if the answer should be obvious. "She's a demon queen. A monster. She took you. Forced you into marriage. You're nothing but a prisoner."

Elysia's lips pressed into a thin line.

She wasn't foolish—she knew her marriage had started as anything but normal. She knew what people thought of it. But this woman—these rebels—they didn't know her. They didn't know Malvoria.

And they didn't get to twist this into something it wasn't.

Elysia took a slow breath, keeping her voice steady. "You think I need saving."

The woman's expression hardened. "You do need saving."

Elysia's fingers twitched.

Then—"Where are the soldiers who were with me?"

The woman arched a brow. "Why does it matter?"

"Where are they?" Elysia repeated, her tone colder now.

The woman studied her for a moment before smirking again. "Somewhere else. Let's just say they're not as comfortable as you are."

Elysia's stomach twisted.

"Define comfortable," she said slowly.

The woman shrugged. "They're being... disciplined."

Elysia's entire body tensed.

Beaten.

They were beating them.

She didn't realize how tightly she was gripping the arms of the chair until her knuckles turned white.

Her expression must have darkened because the woman's smirk widened. "Oh? That upsets you? I thought you were a human, too. Why are you so worried about them?"

Elysia's voice came out low, dangerous. "Because they were with me."

The woman clicked her tongue. "That's a shame. I was hoping you'd finally come to your senses and see that demons don't deserve your protection."

Elysia's temper flared.

"You're just like them," the woman continued, her voice laced with mock disappointment. "Defending monsters. Fighting for them. It's disgusting, really."

Elysia's breathing was sharp, measured. "And you think you're better?"

The woman's smirk faltered slightly. "We're fighting for freedom."

Elysia's lips curled. "No. You're fighting for vengeance. There's a difference."

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The woman's eyes flashed with something dangerous.

And then—

CRACK.

The impact was brutal.

Elysia's head snapped to the side as pain exploded across her cheek. The force of the slap left her ears ringing, her vision momentarily blurred.

Silence.

Then, slowly, Elysia turned back to face the woman, blood pooling at the corner of her mouth.

She licked the metallic taste away, her eyes burning with something lethal.

The woman exhaled sharply, as if calming herself, then took a step back.

"Don't worry," she said, her tone lighter now, almost mocking. "We'll get you out of here soon. Away from the monster you're so desperate to defend."

Elysia said nothing.

She only stared.

And as the woman turned away, Elysia's hands clenched into fists.

This wasn't over.