Now, the problem was already solved—at least on the surface. Thanks to his system, Amber would go home. The lord, once assured of her safety, would have no choice but to keep his word.
The abbess was safe, his promise intact, and another sigil would decorate his banner.
Simple. Clean. A thread neatly tied.
Or so Aiden thought.
But reality had a way of unraveling even the tightest knots.
As both of them walked, the narrow alleyway began to brighten. The faint light ahead widened, promising something more than shadow, something beyond damp stone and stale air.
The sound of birds—actual birds, alive and singing—filtered in, high-pitched trills that seemed impossible in a dungeon.
They stepped forward together, the shift almost ceremonial.
Aiden blinked. His eyes widened, despite himself.
He had read about dungeons countless times, poring over every line in books like a starving man devouring crumbs. He had thought knowledge would armor him against surprise. And yet—
