The butler stood near the entrance, rubbing his well-groomed mustache as he pondered something. His sharp eyes scanned the room—then landed on a young girl dressed in a simple mage's robe. She carried a heavy stack of books, her movements slightly wobbly under the weight.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
Lira Wyndall, a mage with messy black hair tucked beneath a cap and goggles perched on her forehead, walked briskly toward the officers' deck. Her expression was pale, and her thoughts were a storm of irritation.
"Ah, man… What the hell am I even doing here?" she grumbled internally. "I should be out in the field, blowing up monsters! Not stuck in this dull HQ. And it's all that stupid idol's fault—no, that dumbass prince Kaelan! Ugh!"
Before she could vent further, a shadow loomed in front of her.
The butler had appeared out of nowhere, his refined smile firmly in place.
"Wha—?!" Lira barely stopped herself from yelping. "Where the hell did he come from?!"
Awkwardly, she forced a smile.
The butler gave a polite bow. "Miss Wyndall, may I trouble you for a moment? I require your assistance with something."
Lira blinked. "What... me? Uh... Aaa—okay?"
Before she could process what was happening, the sound of an exaggerated yawn echoed through the hall.
Prince Kaelan strolled in through the main gates, stretching his arms above his head lazily. His blonde hair was a mess, and his uniform was only half-buttoned.
"Ugh… What's with all the noise?" he muttered. "Can't you all be a little quieter?"
Lira's eye twitched. "What the hell is he doing here?!" she screamed internally.
Kaelan's gaze swept across the room before landing on Lira. His tired expression instantly shifted into something dazzling.
With a smirk, he closed the distance between them far too quickly. "Oh? Miss Lira? I wasn't expecting to see you here." His voice dripped with practiced charm.
Lira immediately took a step back, hugging her books to her chest like a shield. "Back up! What the hell do you think you're doing? Personal space, damn it!"
Before Kaelan could respond, the butler elegantly cleared his throat. "Perfect timing, Your Highness."
Kaelan's charming smirk faltered. "Huh?"
The butler continued smoothly. "I must step away momentarily, and I would greatly appreciate it if you took command of HQ in my absence."
Kaelan blinked. Then, realization dawned on his face.
"Ooooh, that's what you meant."
A moment later, he found himself standing at the center of the headquarters.
With a confident grin, he clapped his hands. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen! Give me the status report!"
The officers hesitated for a split second—then immediately snapped to attention.
"Yes, sir!"
Lira groaned internally. "This is going to be a disaster…"
Lira and the butler swiftly left the headquarters, their footsteps echoing down the grand hall.
As they walked, Lira frowned. "Uh… where exactly are we going?"
The butler didn't even glance back. "Just follow me."
Something about his tone made her shiver.
They ventured deeper into the castle, the once-brightly lit hallways growing dim. The torches lining the walls became fewer, their flickering light casting eerie shadows. The further they went, the darker and colder it became.
Lira hugged her books tighter to her chest. "Okaay… this is getting creepy," she muttered under her breath.
Soon, they reached a heavy, mid-sized door—old, black steel coated in layers of dust. Its worn surface was covered in strange, ancient markings, making it look like something straight out of forgotten ruins.
Lira gulped. "Uhh… this door looks kinda cursed."
Beside it stood an old man, his face wrinkled and stern. He gave the butler a silent nod before reaching for the door's mechanism. With a series of metallic clanks and the grinding of gears, the old man twisted the heavy lock open.
The door groaned as it swung inward.
But before Lira could even step forward, she realized—there was another door inside.
Unlike the first, this one shimmered with a strange, pulsing glow. Magic danced across its surface in intricate patterns, shifting and twisting like living energy.
Lira blinked. "Wait—another door?! So, this is dungeon boss room. Huh...!"
The butler chuckled, lifting his hand. A polished silver ring glinted on his finger. Without a word, he held it up to the magical doorway.
A brief hum filled the air. The shimmering magic scanned the ring before the door whirred to life and—
SWOOSH!
It swung open effortlessly.
Lira's eyes widened in amazement. "Whoa…!"
The butler smirked. "Shall we?"
Lira swallowed hard. "I feel like I just triggered a secret side quest…"
***
Inside the Stronghold
The king's voice rang with authority, his presence commanding the room. "All captains, secure the defense lines. Maintain distance—do not engage without explicit permission. I want status updates every ten minutes. If you encounter anything suspicious, report it immediately."
A tense silence followed as the captains absorbed his orders. Then, with a sharp nod, he added, "You have your orders. Now get moving."
He paused, his gaze shifting toward Ryan. His tone lowered slightly, but the weight of command remained.
"I need a moment with this old man. In private."
The captains exchanged quick glances before bowing in unison.
"As you command, Your Majesty."
One by one, they turned and exited the chamber, their footsteps fading into the distance.
As they stepped outside, Sayori Takahashi, Captain of the Emerald Wardens, and Shiro Takahashi passed through the gates.
The moment they were clear, Shiro let out an awkward laugh. "Heh heh heh... Hey, sis!" He waved nervously towards Sayori.
Sayori closed her eyes, as if collecting her thoughts, then spoke. "I always thought you were just a pervert... but now you're a lolicon too?"
Shiro nearly choked. "I AM NOT! What the hell?! Shouldn't you be concerned about me instead?!"
She wasn't even listening. In fact, she was just mumbling angrily to herself.
Anya narrowed her eyes. "Would you mind not calling my servant weird things?"
Sayori gave her a gentle smile. "She's so cute when she's mad."
Anya scowled. "Hmph."
Sayori shrugged. "When kids do something wrong, it's the duty of their elders to educate them. And as his big sister, it's my job."
Anya Starr at Sayori's chest, then smirked. "Oh wow, yeah, I can totally see how 'big' you are. Must be tough carrying all that wisdom."
huh.!
Before another brawl could break out, Sayori exhaled and straightened up. "Anyway, do you understand the stakes of this battle now?"
Shiro's expression turned serious. "Yeah. I used my appraisal skill on that old man. You won't believe this, but... he's not even alive."
A sudden chill settled over them.
Sayori narrowed her eyes. "So you're saying... you couldn't see anything?"
Shiro nodded. "Yeah. No mana, no blood circulation, no heartbeat—nothing. It's like he's a walking corpse."
Sayori frowned. "What if he's just concealing his power?"
"Even if he is, he'd be the first person to pull it off that perfectly. But... I did see some weird symbols on his hands."
Sayori's eyes sharpened. "Were they corruption symbols?"
Shiro shook his head. "No, they weren't. I know corruption when I see it. But I have no clue what they actually were..."
Sayori crossed her arms. "Wait... hold on. How do you know? You said you couldn't see anything. Don't tell me—" She narrowed her eyes. " You can see through clothes?"
Shiro paled. "Wha—No! I mean—well, technically, it's my appraisal skill, so I can—"
"Shut up," Sayori and Anya said in unison.
Shiro held up his hands defensively. "I-It's not on purpose! I swear! It only happens when I—"
Sayori took a step back, hugging herself. "So you have been doing it all the time."
"I HAVEN'T!"
Before he could protest further, Anya slammed a fist straight into his stomach. With a wheeze, he doubled over, eyes watering.
Sayori shook her head, watching him crumble. "A simple piece of advice, then—take the chance to run before the real war breaks out."
Shiro, still clutching his stomach.
She turned to leave, pausing only to glance back. "Just don't die, alright?"
With that, she disappeared into the distance.
Shiro turned to Anya. "Captain, we should probably get going too."
Anya hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah... I suppose."
Then, to his surprise, she tugged at his sleeve, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thanks for that... I was about to lose myself."
Shiro blinked, then grinned. "Oh, Captain, you're so cute when you're—"
"Shut up!" she snapped, shoving him away.
Now, Inside the stronghold.
It was just the king and Ryan.
The king stepped forward, his expression a mix of relief and admiration. His regal composure barely masked the weight pressing down on his shoulders.
"I don't even want to imagine what would have happened without you," his voice heavy. "We could've suffered catastrophic losses."
Ryan smirked, but there was a flicker of unease in his golden eyes. "Yeah, well… don't get too comfortable." He exhaled sharply, his tone darkening. "That thing? That was just the appetizer."
The air shifted, the tension in the room thick enough to cut.
"The appetizer?"
Ryan's voice dropped, each word weighted with something ancient. "There's something far worse brewing in the west."
The king stiffened. "The west? What are you talking about?"
Ryan's gaze grew distant, the usual lazy amusement wiped clean from his face. "An aura… one so powerful it makes my skin crawl." His jaw tightened. "It's not just dark magic. It's something old. Something that shouldn't exist in this world."
A cold silence settled over them. Then, realization dawned on the king. His face paled.
"You're talking about… Tiara."
Ryan's smirk vanished. He turned sharply to face the king, eyes narrowing. "Wait. Tiara? You mean Tiara, the corrupted demi-god?" His voice dipped to a murmur, tension coiling in his chest. "That… complicates things."
The king nodded grimly. "She's the one leading this entire assault. If we can't stop her—"
"Yeah, yeah. No need to finish that thought."
He sighed, running a calloused hand through his beard. "You really know how to ruin a man's retirement, Your Majesty."
The king let out a weary chuckle. "If anyone can stop her, it's you."
Ryan arched an eyebrow, glancing around as if to make sure the king wasn't talking to someone else. "Uh… you are talking about me, right?" He gave a bemused chuckle.
The king's expression hardened. "I'm serious, Ryan."
Ryan's smirk wavered, his eyes darkening.
Then—
A memory hit him like a hammer.
A battlefield.
No, not just any battlefield. His battlefield. The one that had marked the end of his childhood.
The acrid stench of burning wood and flesh thickened the air, smoke curling into the sky like mourning spirits. Screams echoed in the distance, but he couldn't move. His small frame was crouched behind the shattered remains of his home, his knees threatening to buckle beneath him.
And then, at the heart of it all—
She stood there.
Tiara.
Wreathed in raw, uncontainable power, her golden eyes burned brighter than the flames devouring his village. The very earth beneath her feet cracked and withered, as if reality itself recoiled at her presence.
Ryan had barely managed to breathe.
Then, with a flick of her wrist—
BOOM.
The towering mountain that had loomed over their village for centuries—split. Not crumbled. Not cracked. Split in half, its peak shearing away like fragile parchment.
Rocks the size of houses rained down, swallowing everything in their path. The land itself seemed to wail in agony.
Ryan had watched, frozen, his young heart hammering in his chest. Terror gripped him, his breath shallow—yet amidst the horror, amidst the devastation—
A single thought surfaced in his foolish, awestruck mind.
"That's… cool."
Even as tears streaked his soot-covered face, his wide eyes shimmered—not just with grief, but with something far more dangerous.
Ryan exhaled sharply, snapping back to the present.
"Yeah, I've seen her before."
"And?"
"And trust me, Your Majesty—she's way beyond anything human."
"How powerful are we talking?"
Ryan shot him a sideways glance. "Let's put it this way—she didn't just destroy my village." His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "She split a mountain in half."
Ryan shrugged. "I mean, maps had to be redrawn." A wry chuckle escaped him. "And the worst part? I was so impressed."
The king blinked. "You what?"
Ryan held up his hands defensively. "I was a dumb kid! Give me a break."
The king sighed, rubbing his temples. "So, you are always like this."
Ryan's smirk lingered, but his eyes held something colder now. Something resolute. "People say I have the power of gods," he murmured. "But the truth?"
His fingers curled into a fist. "No one's ever seen a god."
A slow, dangerous grin spread across his face as he cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp in the tense air.
"Guess it's time we find out if I'm as legendary as people say…" He rolled his shoulders, his old bones cracking in protest. "…or if I should've just stuck to gardening."
The king let out a tired laugh. "You always did have a flair for the dramatic."
Ryan winked. "It's a survival mechanism. Drama distracts from the fact that I might actually die."
"Now that I've talked to you, I'm starting to doubt your strength.
I'm ordering the evacuation of everyone using the Astral Gate."
"Perfect. That means I can finally go all out."
"Hah…!!"
***