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As the council buzzed with relief and the scent of scorched, battle-wearied clothing lingered faintly in the air, Velsun slowly stood from his throne.
The golden floor beneath him shimmered as he moved—each step echoing with quiet authority.
"Step aside," he said calmly, descending toward the unconscious figures of Zalario and Reinhart.
The crowd instinctively parted.
With a wave of his hand, a soft warmth filled the space. The very air shifted—like the gentle rays of a morning sun touching cold skin.
He raised one hand, and a brilliant golden light began to gather above his palm—radiant, yet soft.
"—[Solar Grace]."
Two gentle beams descended, enveloping Zalario and Reinhart. Their bruises faded, the blood vanished as if never spilled, and their chests began rising more steadily.
The magic didn't just heal flesh—it mended the spirit, replenishing what had been burnt away in battle.
Zalario's fingers twitched, his eyes slowly fluttering open. He blinked upward, groggy but aware.
"...Velsun…?"
Velsun gave him a faint smirk.
"Took you long enough."
At the same time, Reinhart gasped softly, then groaned as he sat up, his vision slowly sharpening.
"W-What happened…?"
Before he could even get his bearings, Darius was at his side, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You lived, boy. That's all that matters."
Velsun nodded toward both of them, satisfied.
"Get some rest, both of you. You've earned it."
The light dimmed, fading back into Velsun's body as the solar magic settled.
He turned toward the others, his gaze strong.
"Let this day be remembered: today Solara has gained a true hero, and our legends have saved Solara against the might of three primordial daemons."
"Solara stands tall."
The throne room erupted in applause in joy and celebration.
The events surrounding the clash between Solara and the Primordials didn't stay quiet for long.
In fact, they echoed across the world like thunder.
No official declaration was made.
No message was sent.
But the very aura of what had occurred—three Primordials arriving and failing to cause destruction—was too overwhelming for the world's information networks to miss.
Even without Velsun's personal involvement, Solara's forces alone had repelled catastrophe.
[Dwarven Kingdom—Dwargon (Past Era)]
Deep in the heart of the mountain realm, in a grand hall filled with flame and steel, sat a grim, broad-shouldered king upon a throne of black stone.
Durun Dwargo, great ancestor of Gazel Dwargo, gripped the armrest of his throne tightly, the report scroll still unrolled in his other hand.
"They defeated… three Primordial Devil Lords?" he muttered, voice low and dangerous.
His generals stood silently around him, unable to speak.
"And their king, the True Dragon, didn't even fight?"
The room remained silent.
"...The populace of Solara—what are they?"
Durun stood slowly, the fire of his people reflected in his eyes.
"Send word to the elders. We would be wise to deepen diplomatic ties with Solara."
Now back to Solara
After ordering the preparations for a grand celebration, Velsun made his way into his private chamber—an elegant yet minimalistic room bathed in golden sunlight through stained glass.
Following closely behind were Karlos, Zalario, Reinhart, and Veldora.
The moment the doors closed, the atmosphere shifted from formal to familiar.
Karlos—practically vibrating like an overexcited dog—immediately stepped forward.
"My Lord! So first, I elegantly dealt with Misery—it took a bit, sure, but you should've seen her face when I pulled out Nox! And then I may or may not have manipulated Guy into forming a contract using Mephistopheles. Not to brag, but... well, okay, I'm bragging."
He flashed a proud smile, chest puffed.
Veldora, arms crossed, let out a dramatic sigh.
"Tch. Must be nice. I didn't even get to punch anyone. What was the point of showing up, huh!?" "I even practiced a cool line too!"
Reinhart chuckled.
"We'll make sure you get a fight next time, Veldora-sama."
Zalario, sitting with perfect posture despite being one of the most injured, adjusted his gloves.
"I would have won, if not for that sudden skill awakening. He caught me off guard."
Before anyone could respond, Karlos leaned forward, smirking mischievously.
"Mhm. Seems like a skill issue to me, Zalario."
There was a beat of silence… and then—
Zalario's cheeks actually turned a light pink.
"S-Shut up. It was nothing like that."
Velsun blinked in surprise.
Karlos, mouth hanging open for half a second, then grinned.
Reinhart turned slowly, looking at Velsun, then at Karlos.
"Did he… just blush?"
"He blushed," Velsun confirmed, eyes wide with a smile slowly creeping across his face.
Karlos burst out laughing, holding his stomach.
"Oh my god. This is the best day ever."
Zalario crossed his arms, looking away with a slight pout.
"I had just recovered. Emotions were high. That's all."
Veldora, meanwhile, tilted his head.
"Blush? Wait, what's that mean? Is Zalario overheating? Should I cast a cooling spell?"
Everyone stared.
Karlos, wheezing, waved his hand.
"No, no, Veldora-sama. Just stay blessedly unaware. You're perfect as you are."
Velsun chuckled softly, still riding the warmth of camaraderie in the room. But as the laughter died down, he stood up and stretched his arms casually.
"Alright, you guys cool off a bit. I'll be heading out of Solara for a while."
All four turned toward him instantly.
Reinhart, blinking, tilted his head.
"Out of Solara? Where are you going, Velsun-sama?"
Zalario's expression sharpened slightly. Karlos raised an eyebrow in surprise. Veldora, still sulking a little, perked up.
"Oh? Field trip?"
Velsun gave a relaxed smile, walking toward the balcony as the sunlight cast a golden glow across his back.
"I need to go visit Ramiris."
Everyone froze for a second.
Reinhart let out an understanding sigh.
"Ah… right. If you don't invite her personally…"
Karlos let out a nervous chuckle.
"She'll throw a tantrum… or worse, wouldn't want that."
Zalario simply said,
"Strategically wise. Better to prevent than to react."
Veldora, ever the clueless dragon, scratched his head.
"I like Ramiris. She's small and yells a lot. She reminds me of snacks."
Everyone ignored that.
Velsun turned, his grin calm but knowing.
"You all know how she is. If I don't show up myself, she'll say I'm 'ignoring my fairy responsibilities' again."
Karlos gave a nod
"Don't worry, my lord; leave Solara to us."
Reinhart smiled.
"Safe travels, Velsun-sama."
Veldora, arms crossed with a smirk.
"Tell her I said hi. And that next time, I want to spar."
"Will do," Velsun said, lifting off into the air as golden magicules gathered beneath his feet. "Try not to break anything while I'm gone."
The world shimmered as Velsun materialized inside a vast chamber deep within the ancient dungeon. The air was thick with magicules, humming softly like the breath of the earth itself. Crystalline roots curled through the ceiling, and faint glows pulsed along the dungeon walls—alive, almost sentient.
This was the Labyrinth before it was ever tamed or famous. Wild. Untamed. Dangerous.
But Velsun walked in like it was a garden stroll.
"She really hasn't changed the entrance even once," he muttered, glancing around.
Just then, the ground shifted slightly—a familiar spatial quake. A gust of wind swirled with magic and flower petals… And then she appeared.
Ramiris.
Tall, radiant, and wild as the wind, she hovered a few inches off the ground, arms crossed, her long blonde hair flowing behind her. Her sharp eyes narrowed the moment she saw him.
"Well, well. Look who finally decided to visit," she said with mock offense, floating closer.
Velsun raised both hands, smiling.
"Hey, I came in person, didn't I? That's got to count for something."
Ramiris huffed, turning her nose up.
"You missed my last three invitations to inspect the new dungeon floors. Three. I built a whole floor just for you! It had sun motifs and a statue and everything—where were you!?"
Velsun chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Sorry. Kingdom almost got wrecked. Minor thing. You'd have loved it—three Primordials."
Ramiris floated right in front of him, arms still crossed—but her eyes softened slightly.
"I heard… something about that. You alright?" "…You didn't get hurt, right?"
For a moment, her usual teasing tone was gone.
Velsun blinked. Her concern was genuine.
"Nah," he said, his voice lower. "Everyone came back safe. Thanks to my people… and thanks to one stubborn daemon who refused to fall. I just… wanted to invite you myself. Figured you'd want to crash the celebration."
Ramiris blinked once.
Then, slowly, a small smile crept across her face.
"Well… if you put it like that… Maybe I'll forgive you."
She floated down and turned around dramatically, motioning toward a shimmering spiral staircase made of light.
"Come on. I'll show you the new floors while you properly invite me. You owe me at least that much."
Velsun followed, still smiling.
"Lead the way, Dungeon Queen."