While the lower depths of the castle were cold, damp, and filled with the lingering smell of grease and old smoke, the Royal Training Grounds and the heroes' wing existed in a completely different world. Those upper halls were bathed in constant sunlight that streamed through enormous windows, illuminating polished marble floors and walls decorated with gold. Servants moved quietly through the corridors carrying trays of rich food, while guards stood watch with disciplined posture as if protecting royalty.
The four summoned heroes had been taken to magnificent chambers so they could rest before their official training began.
Liam, the SS-Rank Sword Saint, sprawled comfortably across a luxurious bed layered with silk sheets and velvet blankets. He stretched lazily while staring up at the high painted ceiling that displayed scenes of ancient battles and heroic legends.
"This is so good," he said with a satisfied sigh, a wide smirk spreading across his face. "I love this place already. It beats a hospital room any day."
Clara, however, could not share his excitement. Instead of enjoying the luxurious room, she stood quietly by a tall window that overlooked the vast kingdom stretching beyond the castle walls. The sunlight reflected faintly in her eyes, but her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.
"Shouldn't you be worried about that guy?" she finally asked, her voice tight with unease. "The mistake… Lucius."
Liam did not even bother turning toward her. He was too busy examining the enchanted hilt of a practice sword that had been placed beside his bed.
"Why should I be worried about him?" Liam replied casually.
"Because he is one of us," Clara answered, turning toward the others with growing frustration. "He was summoned here just like we were, and I do not think he is being treated like us at all. Something about this feels wrong. We should do something about it, or at least talk to the King."
Liam responded with a short mocking laugh.
"The King is already doing him a favor," Liam said dismissively. "Think about it carefully, Clara. Lucius is an F-Rank healer with a body that can barely stand on its own. He would be completely useless on a battlefield. Honestly, he is much safer cleaning floors inside this castle than he would ever be fighting demons outside. The King allowing him to remain here at all is already an act of kindness."
"A favor?" Clara repeated softly, clearly horrified by his words.
"Exactly," Collen said as he joined the conversation. The SS-Rank Elemental Archmage sat comfortably at a nearby table that was covered with exotic fruits and expensive pastries. Small sparks of electricity crackled playfully between his fingers as he spoke.
"There is nothing we could do even if we wanted to," Collen continued with a shrug. "Besides, look at how we are being treated. We have our own luxurious rooms, servants waiting on us, and unlimited food. Why should we trouble ourselves with someone who could not even make the orb glow properly?"
Clara looked at him with growing disappointment, but Collen had already lost interest in the conversation.
"Status Open!" Collen suddenly shouted with excitement as a glowing blue holographic screen appeared in front of him.
"Look at this!" he said enthusiastically while scanning the floating numbers. "My mana is already increasing just from sitting in this room. I am already Level Five!"
Shira quickly leaned over his shoulder to examine the screen, while Liam climbed out of bed to check his own status window.
Soon the three of them were laughing and comparing their rising statistics while bragging about how quickly their power was growing.
Clara simply watched them in silence.
A cold feeling settled in her chest as she realized something she had never expected to feel.
The people standing in front of her had once been her friends.
Now they seemed like strangers.
Without saying another word, Clara quietly stepped out of the room.
She left behind the gold-lined corridors, velvet carpets, and cheerful laughter. As she descended the winding stone staircase that led deeper into the castle, the atmosphere gradually began to change.
The air grew colder.
The polished marble floors were replaced by rough stone.
The pleasant smell of incense slowly faded and was replaced by the unpleasant scent of smoke and old food.
Clara continued walking through the dim corridors until she suddenly collided with someone.
The person she had bumped into was Ian, the servant.
He looked pale and shaken, as if he had just witnessed something terrifying. His eyes were wide with fear, and his breathing was uneven.
Before Clara could even apologize, Ian suddenly grabbed her arm. His grip was tight and desperate as he leaned closer and whispered urgently.
"That boy… stay away from that boy," Ian hissed nervously before releasing her.
Without waiting for a response, he hurried past her and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.
Clara stood frozen for a moment, confused and uneasy.
Eventually she continued forward until she reached the entrance of the castle kitchen.
The intense heat struck her immediately as she stepped inside.
The kitchen was strangely silent.
Several servants stood scattered throughout the room like statues, their eyes all fixed on a single figure standing near the back exit.
That figure was Lucius.
He still looked thin and fragile in his torn hospital gown, but something about him felt different. As he slowly stood up to leave, there was a strange heaviness in the way he moved, as though an invisible weight surrounded him.
Clara felt a painful twist in her chest as she stepped forward through the steam and heat.
"Wait! Lucius, it's me… Clara! We need to talk."
Lucius did not stop immediately.
He continued walking slowly toward the dark corridor that led back to the servants' quarters, as though he had not heard her at all.
To Clara, it almost felt as though she had become invisible.
"Lucius, please!" she called again.
This time he stopped.
The silence in the kitchen became absolute.
Lucius slowly turned his head and looked back at her over his shoulder.
Clara flinched.
The boy standing before her had the same face as the friend she remembered, but something about his eyes had completely changed. They looked cold and empty, like two pieces of glass that reflected nothing.
"Lucius?" Clara whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "We can help you. Liam and the others… we can speak to the King."
Lucius stared at her quietly for a moment before answering.
"The King gave me exactly what I deserved," Lucius said in a low hollow voice that barely sounded like his own. "Now I am going to find what I am owed. You should return to your palace, Clara. Do not come down here again."
For a brief moment, his gaze lingered on her face. Somewhere deep inside him, a faint memory of the person he used to be stirred.
But that feeling quickly faded.
As he turned away, a quiet thought formed in his mind.
Since no one in this place had shown him any kindness, he realized that there was no reason for him to continue being kind either.
If this world refused to treat him like a human being, then he would stop trying to act like one.
Before Clara could reach out to stop him, Lucius stepped into the darkness of the hallway. The shadows seemed to stretch outward and swallow him completely, leaving nothing behind except silence.
Clara remained standing in the heat of the kitchen long after he disappeared.
The look in his eyes continued to haunt her long after he was gone.