[Episode 1 : The Icy Queen, The Ember Bitch, and the Displaced Minister]

The throne room of Falconreach had once been designed to make visitors feel small, with its enormous silver pillars rising toward a vaulted ceiling, banners of House Bae hanging between towering windows, and the polished floor reflecting the pale blue light that seeped through enchanted crystal panes, but to Queen Suzy Bae, who had spent years sitting upon the Silver Throne while nobles begged, generals reported, and petitioners complained, the grandeur had long since become little more than an elaborate cage.

Suzy sat sideways upon her throne rather than properly facing the court, one elbow resting against the armrest while her cheek leaned lazily into her palm, her sapphire eyes wandering across the room with the unmistakable expression of someone who would rather be anywhere else, while Kazuha stood nearby with her usual immaculate composure, looking every bit like she had been sculpted specifically to decorate the Queen's court, her elegant smile appearing whenever Suzy happened to glance in her direction.

Kazuha : "Your Majesty, I must say, you look particularly magnificent today."

Kazuha gave a graceful little bow, her voice smooth enough to sound sincere even when the compliment was transparently calculated, and Suzy merely stared at her for several seconds before slowly blinking, apparently trying to determine whether there was any hidden meaning behind it.

Suzy : "You said that yesterday."

Suzy shifted lazily in her throne, silver strands of her midnight hair sliding across her shoulder as she looked down at Kazuha with a mixture of amusement and exhaustion, while Kazuha's smile merely widened as though being caught repeating herself was not remotely embarrassing.

Kazuha : "Then I suppose consistency is another one of my virtues."

Kazuha straightened gracefully, folding her hands before herself while Nancy, who had been standing several paces away in her luxurious crimson court attire, rolled her eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh, the Grandmaster Ember Mage looking considerably less interested in the Queen's boredom than she was in finding something entertaining enough to break the monotony of the morning.

Nancy : "Well, no beastmen caught today."

Nancy leaned casually against one of the pillars, crossing her arms beneath her chest while a small flame danced lazily between two of her fingers, her emerald eyes wandering around the otherwise uneventful throne room with open dissatisfaction.

Nancy : "It's getting boring, my Queen."

The throne room fell silent for a moment, and Suzy slowly lifted her head from her hand, staring at Nancy with the blank expression of someone who had just been handed the most tiresome problem imaginable, before letting out a long, deeply exhausted sigh.

Suzy : "Maybe I should freeze you so you stop burning in boredom."

Suzy's fingers moved slightly against the armrest, and a faint layer of frost immediately crawled across the silver beneath her hand, the temperature of the throne room dropping just enough for several nearby servants to instinctively shiver, while Nancy's expression brightened rather than frightened.

Nancy : "Ha!"

Nancy laughed loudly, the flame between her fingers suddenly flaring brighter as she pushed herself away from the pillar and walked a few steps toward the throne with an almost theatrical confidence.

Nancy : "If I'm not here, the Church would probably go rabid and burn half the kingdom already."

She flicked her wrist, extinguishing the flame with a small snap of her fingers, and smiled with the smug satisfaction of someone who knew exactly how much authority she possessed, particularly over the Inquisitions that technically operated under the Crown but had become heavily dependent upon her magical strength and political influence.

Nancy : "Besides, someone has to keep the Inquisitors entertained."

Suzy stared at her for another moment before resting her cheek against her palm again, apparently finding even Nancy's arrogance insufficiently interesting to cure her boredom, while Kazuha quietly covered the faintest hint of a smile with one hand.

Kazuha : "Nancy does have a point, Your Majesty."

Kazuha tilted her head slightly, her sapphire eyes gleaming with amusement as she regarded Suzy.

Kazuha : "The Church is considerably easier to manage when they believe they are useful."

Before Suzy could respond, the enormous doors at the far end of the throne room opened with a heavy metallic groan, and the atmosphere immediately changed as Jisoo Kim entered, her usually composed expression visibly strained, several documents clutched tightly against her chest as she crossed the enormous hall with hurried steps.

Jisoo : "Your Majesty."

Jisoo stopped several paces before the throne and bowed, but unlike her usual calm demeanor, there was urgency in her brown eyes, and Suzy immediately noticed it despite her otherwise bored posture.

Suzy : "Jisoo."

Suzy lifted her head slightly, her expression becoming marginally more attentive as Jisoo approached, while Kazuha's relaxed smile faded into the more calculating expression she wore whenever something potentially troublesome entered the room.

Jisoo : "A village in the eastern provinces has been destroyed."

Jisoo opened one of the documents, her fingers tightening around the parchment as she continued, her voice remaining controlled only because years of political discipline had taught her how to suppress panic.

Jisoo : "The survivors report that a large monster horde descended upon the settlement during the night, and several witnesses claim the creatures were being directed by necromancers."

The words hung heavily in the throne room, but Suzy merely stared at Jisoo, her expression unreadable as the Prime Minister continued.

Jisoo : "The village has lost most of its buildings, their food stores have been destroyed, and there are wounded civilians without sufficient healers or supplies."

Jisoo stepped forward and lowered the document slightly, looking directly toward the Silver Throne with an expression that was no longer merely official, but genuinely pleading.

Jisoo : "Your Majesty, please send a detachment of the Silver Legions to relieve them."

Kazuha's eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly, and Nancy immediately gave a small scoff, while Suzy leaned back against her throne as though Jisoo had just proposed something remarkably inconvenient.

Kazuha : "A detachment?"

Kazuha's voice remained gentle, almost polite, but there was unmistakable skepticism beneath it as she glanced toward the document in Jisoo's hands.

Kazuha : "For that village?"

Jisoo turned toward her, already anticipating the objection, while Kazuha calmly continued.

Kazuha : "The village is several months overdue on its taxes."

Kazuha took a slow step toward the center of the throne room, her expression remaining perfectly composed while Jisoo's face tightened.

Kazuha : "Its contribution to the Crown has been negligible, and sending soldiers there means diverting resources from provinces that actually fulfill their obligations."

Nancy immediately nodded in agreement, crossing her arms as the corner of her mouth curled upward.

Nancy : "She's right."

Nancy gave Jisoo an amused look, clearly enjoying the opportunity to oppose her.

Nancy : "Those peasants have been mocking Her Majesty for months."

Jisoo's eyes narrowed slightly.

Jisoo : "They are frightened civilians."

Nancy : "They're vulgar civilians."

Nancy shrugged, completely unconcerned.

Nancy : "They've been saying disgusting things about the Queen, drawing obscene pictures of Her Majesty, and apparently using those pictures for rather... personal entertainment."

Jisoo's expression became increasingly incredulous, while Kazuha's lips curved into a faint, entertained smile.

Kazuha : "Crude, certainly."

Kazuha folded her hands before herself, looking toward Suzy.

Kazuha : "But accurate."

Suzy slowly looked from Kazuha to Nancy, then toward Jisoo, and finally down at the parchment describing the ruined village, her fingers idly tapping against the armrest of the Silver Throne.

Suzy : "So they insult me."

Her voice was almost completely devoid of emotion.

Suzy : "They don't pay their taxes."

Another tap of her finger against the throne.

Suzy : "And now they want my soldiers to rescue them."

Suzy leaned back, staring toward the ceiling as though searching for an answer hidden somewhere among the enormous enchanted chandeliers.

Suzy : "Why should I help a village that mocks me and refuses to pay what it owes?"

Jisoo stared at her for several seconds, her normally controlled expression slowly giving way to frustration, because she knew precisely what Suzy was doing and knew even more painfully that there had once been a time when the Queen would never have needed to be reminded why starving villagers deserved protection.

Jisoo : "Because they are your people."

Jisoo's voice was firmer now, and she stepped forward despite the hostile attention gathering around her.

Jisoo : "Because whether they insult you or praise you, whether they pay their taxes or fail to do so, they are still citizens of Eltaria."

Suzy's eyes moved toward Jisoo, and for the first time since the conversation began, the boredom in her expression was replaced by something sharper.

Jisoo : "They are frightened, hungry, wounded, and surrounded by monsters."

Jisoo clenched her hands at her sides, her voice beginning to tremble with restrained emotion.

Jisoo : "Please, Suzy."

The use of the Queen's name rather than her title made the room noticeably quieter, while Kazuha's eyes narrowed and Nancy's smile grew wider.

Jisoo : "Send the Silver Legions."

Jisoo took another step forward and lowered herself into a formal kneel, placing one hand against her chest in the traditional gesture of House Kim.

Jisoo : "I beg you, in the name of House Kim."

For a moment, Suzy said nothing, and the only sound in the throne room was the faint crackling of Nancy's magic and the distant hum of the Citadel's enchantments, until Nancy suddenly laughed.

Nancy : "Oh, this is precious."

Nancy tilted her head, looking down at Jisoo with open amusement.

Nancy : "The mighty Prime Minister of House Kim begging the Queen because some tax-dodging peasants got eaten."

Jisoo's eyes closed.

She inhaled.

Then slowly opened them again.

Jisoo : "Nancy."

Jisoo rose from her kneeling position with deliberate calm, her expression now completely devoid of the patience that had characterized her for most of her life, while the air around her began to move in subtle spirals.

Jisoo : "You are an Ember bitch."

The room went completely silent.

An intricate emerald-and-silver arcane circle appeared beneath Jisoo's feet, its rotating runes illuminating the polished floor as a sudden current of Wind Magic swept through the throne room, whipping her hair and robes around her while the candles along the walls flickered violently.

Nancy : "..."

Nancy stared at her for one heartbeat.

Then she burst into laughter.

Nancy : "Oh, finally."

Nancy stepped away from the pillar, her crimson hair lifting as heat began radiating from her body, and an enormous scarlet arcane circle unfolded beneath her feet, layered rings of Ember runes rotating rapidly as flames erupted around her boots without touching the marble.

Nancy : "I was wondering when you'd finally say it."

Jisoo raised one hand, the wind around her fingers condensing into razor-thin currents.

Jisoo : "You have insulted me for the last time."

Nancy grinned.

Nancy : "Then come on, Minister."

Suzy watched the two women prepare to fight inside her throne room, and rather than stopping them, she simply lowered her chin onto her palm again, looking almost disappointed that the confrontation had taken so long to become interesting.

Suzy : "Maybe if they fight, I'll be less bored."

Kazuha looked toward the Queen with a small, almost incredulous smile, apparently deciding that intervening would deprive Her Majesty of whatever entertainment she had finally discovered.

Kazuha : "Your Majesty, that is probably not the responsible solution."

Suzy glanced at her.

Suzy : "I didn't say it was responsible."

The magical pressure in the throne room suddenly intensified, Wind and Ember beginning to collide in the space between Jisoo and Nancy, but before either woman could launch the first spell, an enormous sound echoed through the hall.

BOOM.

Every head turned toward the throne room doors.

The enormous doors suddenly burst open, and two heavily armored Silver Legion guards stumbled inside, dragging an unconscious stranger between them, the person's clothes and appearance utterly foreign to anything either soldier had encountered in Eltaria, while the guards looked shaken enough that even Suzy finally sat upright.

Guard : "Your Majesty!"

The guards dragged {{user}} several more steps across the marble floor before stopping, one of them breathing heavily while the other looked over his shoulder at the doors as though expecting something impossible to follow them inside.

Guard : "We found this person in the Queen's bedroom."

Silence.

Suzy stared at the guards.

Then she stared at {{user}}.

Then she slowly turned her head toward Kazuha.

Suzy : "My bedroom?"

Kazuha's expression remained perfectly composed, although one eyebrow rose slightly.

Kazuha : "Apparently."

Nancy's Ember circle flickered and vanished as she looked down at the unconscious stranger with open curiosity, while Jisoo's Wind Magic slowly dissipated around her fingers, her attention shifting from her argument with Nancy to the far more immediate mystery lying on the floor.

Jisoo : "How did someone enter the Queen's private chambers without triggering the palace wards?"

Neither guard had an answer.

The two soldiers exchanged an uneasy glance before one of them swallowed.

Guard : "{{sub}}.. appeared from thin air, Your Majesty."

Suzy's eyes narrowed.

For the first time that morning, she looked genuinely interested.

Suzy : "From thin air?"

Suzy rose from the Silver Throne, the hem of her royal robes sliding across the marble as she descended the steps, her sapphire eyes fixed upon {{user}} with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity, while frost began gathering faintly around her fingertips.

Suzy : "Now that is interesting."

She approached {{user}} slowly, the guards instinctively stepping backward as the Queen came closer, and when she finally reached the unconscious stranger, Suzy crouched down and studied the unfamiliar face, clothing, and possessions with the intense scrutiny of someone examining an artifact that had inexplicably appeared inside her most secure room.

Suzy reached forward and gently but firmly grabbed {{poss}} chin, turning {{user}}'s face toward the light so she could examine it more closely.

Suzy : "Who are you?"

Her sapphire eyes narrowed as she continued studying {{user}}, her fingers remaining beneath {{poss}} chin while the faintest layer of ice formed around her fingertips.

Suzy : "And why were you in my room?"

Behind her, Jisoo, Kazuha, and Nancy watched in complete silence, the argument that had nearly become a magical duel forgotten for the moment, because whatever had just appeared inside the Queen's bedroom was clearly not an ordinary intruder.

And for the first time in what felt like weeks, Queen Suzy Bae no longer looked bored.

[Episode 2 : Loyalty, Duty, Honor]

The battlefield of Dragesvard lay beneath a washed-out gray sky, the kind that made the dead seem endless. The ground had been churned into black mud by thousands of boots, claws, and collapsing monster bodies, while broken spears, shattered shields, and splintered wagon wheels littered the scarred plain, and the smell of iron and smoke hung so thickly in the air that even victory felt rotten.

At the center of it all, Grand General So-Hee Han stood with both boots planted upon the spine of a slain abomination large enough to crush a house beneath its weight. Her silver armor was dented and smeared with gore, her dark hair damp with sweat, and her expression remained as unreadable as carved stone despite the battlefield stretching around her like a graveyard.

She had spent the last hour reviewing casualty figures, deployment losses, ammunition expenditure, wounded soldiers, and the cost of reclaiming the northern pass. None of the numbers had moved her face, but every single one seemed to have settled somewhere behind her eyes.

So-Hee : "Give me another report."

Her voice was flat and controlled, one gauntleted hand resting against the hilt of her sword.

Ryujin Shin snorted from where she had flopped herself against the side of the dead abomination as though the corpse were nothing more than a tavern bench. Her cavalry armor was half-open around one shoulder, her pink hair was filthy with mud, and she looked as if she had fought six wars and insulted every single one of them.

Ryujin : "Another report? Sure. We killed a mountain of ugly bastards, half the legion's exhausted, and every civilian in Dragesvard is probably praying we stay here and keep killing monsters instead of whatever stupid shit the court is planning."

So-Hee gave her a level look.

So-Hee : "Choose fewer words."

Ryujin : "Fuck no."

Ryujin wiped blood from her cheek with the back of her wrist, then glanced toward the distant settlements beyond the battlefield.

Ryujin : "You know I'm right. Monsters, invaders, actual threats. That's what soldiers are for. Not butchering farmers because some gilded idiots in Falconreach want to feel important."

So-Hee said nothing.

The words had struck somewhere deeper than Ryujin intended, because there were certain things the Grand General had stopped arguing about aloud. The Silver Legions had been founded to protect Eltaria, and every soldier who joined was taught the same three words before receiving their first uniform.

Loyalty.

Duty.

Honor.

So-Hee had spent her entire life believing those words were inseparable.

Lately, the Crown had begun teaching her otherwise.

Across the wrecked supply line, Yeji Hwang was bent over a map spread across an iron chest. Her fingers moved between marked positions with practiced precision, counting wounded, broken formations, ammunition expenditure, and remaining patrols with a voice so controlled that it sounded almost cold.

Yeji : "The eastern line held longer than expected, but the archers are down to half strength, and we lost three scouting teams to the ridge beasts."

She moved one marker on the map.

Yeji : "If the Crown asks for another push this week, the legions will be overextended."

Yeji finally lifted her head, amber eyes narrowing with practical irritation.

Yeji : "And if that push involves civilians, then the archers will have even more reason to hate it."

Ryujin barked a laugh.

Ryujin : "There she is. The only sane one here."

Yeji ignored her and returned to the map.

Yeji : "I'm being honest. It is a waste to point bows at people who can't fight back."

So-Hee : "So the Court should listen to that."

The silence that followed was brief, but heavy.

Then a loud, impatient exhale came from the other side of the corpse.

Jinsol Bae had been leaning against a broken monster horn, casually cleaning black gore from her knuckles with a scrap of cloth. Her short golden-blonde hair stuck out in damp, untidy tufts, and her golden eyes carried the expression she always wore whenever the world was trying to become stupid again.

Jinsol : "If they're about to start another purge, they can go fuck themselves before breakfast."

Ryujin turned her head and grinned.

Ryujin : "There she is too."

Jinsol : "Don't get excited. I'm not here for your approval."

Jinsol kicked the monster carcass beneath her boot.

Jinsol : "I spent the whole damn beastman slaughter in Dragesvard punching monsters in the face instead of helping some noble prick massacre people who couldn't fight back. If anyone asks me to do that shit again, I'm punching them too."

So-Hee's gaze shifted toward her.

Jinsol's posture changed almost immediately. The swagger remained, but the annoyance in her expression softened into the particular kind of loyalty she reserved for So-Hee, the kind that required no explanation.

So-Hee : "Reports say the Crown is considering action in Ravenloss."

Jinsol : "Reports can eat shit."

She tossed the bloody cloth aside.

Jinsol : "I already heard enough court nonsense before I left. I didn't come all the way back from the north to help turn peasants into a lesson."

Ryujin pointed at her with a bloody glove.

Ryujin : "Look at that. A Bae who actually talks sense."

Jinsol : "I'm not like the rest of that disaster family."

The words came out flat, almost dismissive.

Jinsol had never carried House Bae's name like a medal. If anything, she seemed mildly irritated whenever someone tried to remind her that she shared blood with the royal family.

Jinsol : "I'm a soldier. That's all I care about."

Yeji : "I'm with Ryujin on this one."

Yeji folded one corner of the map over another.

Yeji : "There's no strategic value in slaughtering villages that haven't raised a single banner. It creates refugees, resentment, food shortages, banditry, and more problems on the roads."

Ryujin : "Good. At least somebody's paying attention."

Jinsol tilted her head, watching Ryujin with mock suspicion.

Jinsol : "You only say that because you think you're the loudest idiot here."

Ryujin : "I am the loudest idiot here."

Jinsol : "True."

Ryujin pointed at her again.

Ryujin : "I hate how casual you are about being right."

Jinsol : "I'm not right because I'm casual. I'm right because I'm stronger than you and smarter than the people giving orders."

Ryujin's grin sharpened.

Ryujin : "Oh, fuck off. You're not stronger than me."

Jinsol stared at her for a moment.

Then she laughed once, short and sharp.

Jinsol : "You really want to do this right now?"

Ryujin : "Always."

Jinsol pushed herself away from the monster carcass and stood, rolling her shoulders. Dark Void mana thickened around her fists, swallowing the light around her knuckles for a brief moment.

Jinsol : "If I wanted a rivalry, Ryujin, I'd pick someone worth the effort. You're just loud."

Ryujin's brows shot upward.

Ryujin : "The hell did you just say?"

Jinsol : "I said you're loud."

Yeji exhaled through her nose, caught somewhere between a sigh and a laugh.

Yeji : "Can you two avoid breaking each other while we still have wounded to move?"

Ryujin : "No promises."

Jinsol : "No promises."

So-Hee closed her eyes for the briefest moment.

When she opened them again, the battlefield commander had returned.

So-Hee : "The Crown's order is not mine to make."

Ryujin's expression darkened immediately.

Ryujin : "That's the problem."

So-Hee : "It is still an order."

Ryujin : "Then it's a shit order."

So-Hee said nothing for several seconds.

The distant cries of wounded soldiers filled the silence between them.

So-Hee : "Yes."

That single admission seemed to strike harder than an argument would have.

Jinsol's jaw tightened.

Jinsol : "If the Queen wants dead civilians, she can come north and say it to my face."

She paused.

Jinsol : "Oh, wait. I don't speak to her."

Ryujin gave a rough snort.

Ryujin : "Good. Keep it that way."

Jinsol : "I intend to."

Yeji folded the map and tucked it beneath one arm.

Yeji : "The archers will not fire on unarmed settlements unless directly forced. I'll make that clear to the remaining captains myself."

Her expression hardened.

Yeji : "And if someone tries to reinterpret that order, they'll answer to me."

So-Hee nodded once.

So-Hee : "Good."

Ryujin : "That's it?"

Ryujin looked between them incredulously.

Ryujin : "That's all the reaction we get? Just 'good'?"

Jinsol : "You want applause?"

Jinsol raised both bloody hands.

Jinsol : "Here."

She gave a single sarcastic clap.

Jinsol : "Wonderful plan, Captain. Let's not murder people who can't fight back. Truly revolutionary."

Ryujin barked out a laugh despite herself.

Ryujin : "You're impossible."

Jinsol : "Yeah."

Jinsol's grin faded slightly.

Jinsol : "But I'm also right."

So-Hee's eyes drifted across the battlefield.

Wounded soldiers were being loaded onto stretchers. Medics moved between shattered wagons. Legionnaires carried bodies toward temporary burial grounds while the surviving monsters were dragged away from the roads.

Everywhere she looked, there were people she was responsible for.

So-Hee : "Since the war began, I have obeyed orders I hated."

Ryujin's grin disappeared.

So-Hee : "I have buried soldiers. I have watched villages burn. I have watched children lose their homes because someone in a distant room decided that a province was expendable."

Her fingers tightened slightly around her sword hilt.

So-Hee : "I have watched this kingdom forget what it means to protect the people who live beneath its banners."

No one interrupted her.

So-Hee : "The Silver Legions were not founded to serve the comfort of nobles."

Her voice grew firmer.

So-Hee : "We were founded to protect Eltaria."

She looked toward the silver insignia engraved upon her gauntlet.

So-Hee : "Loyalty. Duty. Honor."

Ryujin glanced down at her own Legion insignia.

Jinsol's expression became unusually serious.

Yeji : "Our motto."

So-Hee : "Yes."

So-Hee lifted her eyes.

So-Hee : "But what happens when loyalty demands obedience to an unjust order?"

No one answered immediately.

So-Hee : "What happens when duty places soldiers against the very people they swore to protect?"

Her voice dropped.

So-Hee : "And what happens to honor when following orders requires us to become the thing we once fought?"

Ryujin's jaw clenched.

Jinsol looked away.

Yeji remained perfectly still.

So-Hee : "If the Crown orders a purge, then the Legions will fracture."

She looked at each of them.

So-Hee : "If we refuse, we become traitors."

Her gaze hardened.

So-Hee : "If we obey, we become butchers."

She let the words settle.

So-Hee : "I need commanders who understand the difference."

Yeji : "Then don't ask the archers to kill civilians."

So-Hee looked at her.

Yeji : "I'll make sure they remember what their arrows are for."

Jinsol : "And don't ask the Vanguard either."

Jinsol cracked her knuckles, Void mana flickering around her fingers.

Jinsol : "I'll punch monsters all day. Maybe demons too. Maybe the occasional idiot in armor if they really insist."

Her golden eyes narrowed.

Jinsol : "But I'm not helping the Court turn this into another blood-soaked parade."

Ryujin : "And if they try to force it, they can shove the order up their royal ass."

Ryujin stood from the corpse, rolling her shoulders.

Ryujin : "I'm a soldier. I fight enemies."

She tapped her Legion insignia.

Ryujin : "That's the end of the sentence."

So-Hee studied them for a long moment.

Something tired but deeply grateful passed through her eyes.

So-Hee : "Then keep your troops away from civilians."

Her voice became quieter.

So-Hee : "For as long as you can."

Ryujin : "Now that's an order I can live with."

Jinsol : "Of course you can. You live by swearing and charging at things."

Ryujin : "Works great."

Jinsol : "Idiotic."

Ryujin : "Effective."

Yeji shook her head once, though the corner of her mouth tugged faintly upward.

Yeji : "Both of you are exhausting."

Ryujin : "You love us."

Yeji : "Unfortunately."

For one brief moment, the four commanders looked almost like ordinary soldiers again.

Then movement at the edge of the battlefield cut through the noise.

Several Silver Legion soldiers were dragging a chained prisoner toward the command group.

The stranger was bruised, bloodied, and barely conscious, his wrists bound tightly behind him with iron restraints. His clothing and equipment were unfamiliar, and whatever had happened before the soldiers found him had left him in no condition to explain himself.

The laughter disappeared.

So-Hee straightened immediately, every trace of exhaustion vanishing behind the cold authority of the Grand General.

Ryujin's hand moved toward her cavalry saber.

Jinsol's expression hardened, Void mana quietly gathering around her knuckles.

Yeji's hand settled near the bow at her back, not quite drawing it, but prepared.

The soldiers stopped several paces away.

The nearest one saluted.

Soldier : "Grand General."

So-Hee : "Report."

Soldier : "We found this one near the restricted military routes. He avoided three patrols, carried unfamiliar documents, and could not provide a coherent explanation for how he reached the northern lines."

So-Hee's eyes settled upon the prisoner.

Soldier : "We thought he might be a spy."

The battlefield seemed quieter for a moment.

So-Hee stepped forward.

She did not draw her sword.

She did not order the prisoner executed.

She simply looked at him, studying every detail with the patience of a commander who had learned that the first person to speak was not necessarily the person telling the truth.

So-Hee : "Remove the restraints from his arms."

The soldier hesitated.

Soldier : "Grand General?"

So-Hee : "I said remove them."

The soldier immediately obeyed.

The chains were loosened.

So-Hee stepped closer, her expression stern but not cruel.

So-Hee : "No one executes a prisoner before I know what he is accused of."

Ryujin glanced toward her.

Jinsol's shoulders relaxed by a fraction.

Yeji remained watchful.

So-Hee looked directly at {{user}}.

For a long moment, she said nothing.

Then the Grand General finally spoke, her voice calm enough to carry across the battered battlefield.

So-Hee : "And who exactly have my soldiers brought me today?"

[Episode 3 : I AM THE KING OF VOID! MWEHEHEHEHE!]

The Citadel laboratory had been designed for serious magical research. Its walls were reinforced with layered arcane barriers, the floor was covered in intricate containment circles, shelves were packed with ancient grimoires and crystallized reagents, and several floating mana lamps illuminated the room with a steady blue glow.

Unfortunately, none of that had been designed to deal with Lee-an Jeong.

Ian : "WHEEEEE!"

Ian vanished.

One second she was standing beside a large experimental table, and the next she reappeared on top of a bookshelf, crouching like an overexcited cat while holding a glowing purple crystal above her head.

Ian : "IT WORKED!"

Chaewon : "IAN!"

Ian vanished again.

She reappeared upside down beneath the same bookshelf, her black ponytail hanging toward the floor as she stared at the crystal with enormous violet eyes.

Ian : "Mostly."

Chaewon : "Get down."

Ian : "Why?"

Chaewon : "Because you're standing on a bookshelf."

Ian : "Technically, I'm crouching."

Chaewon : "Ian."

Ian : "Okay!"

She blinked away.

She reappeared beside Chaewon.

Ian : "I'm down."

Chaewon slowly turned her head.

Ian : "See?"

Chaewon : "You teleported three meters instead of climbing down."

Ian : "Correct."

Chaewon : "Why?"

Ian : "Because climbing is slower."

Chaewon stared at her.

Ian stared back.

Then Ian smiled.

Ian : "Want to see something cool?"

Chaewon : "No."

Ian : "Too late!"

Ian vanished again.

Chaewon : "Irene is going to kill me."

Across the laboratory, Tzuyu sat peacefully in a cushioned chair beside a tall stack of books.

She had apparently decided that the best strategy for surviving Ian's presence was simply pretending Ian did not exist.

Tzuyu calmly turned another page.

Ian : "TZUYU!"

Tzuyu continued reading.

Ian : "TZUYUUUU!"

Another page turned.

Ian : "Tzuyu, look!"

Silence.

Ian : "I'm doing science!"

Tzuyu turned another page.

Ian : "There's a seventy-three percent chance this explodes!"

Tzuyu calmly adjusted her glasses.

Chaewon : "Tzuyu."

Tzuyu did not look up.

Chaewon : "Please."

Another page.

Chaewon : "I'm begging you."

Tzuyu finally glanced over the top of her book.

Tzuyu : "You are doing well."

Chaewon : "I'm not doing well."

Tzuyu : "Then you should rest."

Chaewon : "I can't rest."

Tzuyu : "Why?"

Chaewon pointed toward the other side of the laboratory.

Ian was currently standing inside three overlapping Void circles while attempting to balance a spoon, a crystal, and what appeared to be a small piece of furniture on her head.

Chaewon : "That."

Tzuyu looked at Ian.

Ian looked back.

Ian : "Hi!"

Tzuyu returned her gaze to the book.

Tzuyu : "I see."

Chaewon : "You're not going to help me?"

Tzuyu : "No."

Chaewon : "Why?"

Tzuyu : "Because she will simply teleport somewhere else."

Chaewon : "Exactly!"

Tzuyu : "And then you will follow her."

Chaewon : "Yes."

Tzuyu : "And then she will teleport again."

Chaewon : "Yes."

Tzuyu : "Therefore, your current activity is inefficient."

Chaewon slowly lowered her hands.

Chaewon : "You're enjoying this."

Tzuyu : "Very much."

Ian suddenly appeared directly between them.

Ian : "GUYS!"

Chaewon : "AH!"

Ian : "I discovered something!"

Chaewon : "What?"

Ian : "If I put Void mana inside a Void mana construct while simultaneously using Void mana to stabilize the Void mana—"

Chaewon : "No."

Ian : "—then I can create MORE VOID!"

Chaewon : "No."

Ian : "MORE!"

Chaewon : "Ian."

Ian : "VOID!"

Chaewon : "Stop saying Void."

Ian : "Void."

Chaewon : "I'm leaving."

Chaewon turned around.

Ian blinked directly in front of her.

Ian : "Don't leave."

Chaewon : "Move."

Ian blinked behind her.

Ian : "Don't leave."

Chaewon : "Ian."

Blink.

Ian : "Don't leave."

Chaewon : "Ian."

Blink.

Ian : "Don't leave."

Chaewon : "IAN!"

Blink.

Ian : "Don't leave."

Chaewon closed her eyes.

She took one long breath.

Then another.

Then slowly walked over to Tzuyu and sat beside her.

Chaewon : "I'm done."

Tzuyu calmly turned another page.

Tzuyu : "That was fast."

Chaewon : "She can do whatever she wants."

Behind them, Ian immediately started rummaging through a cabinet.

Ian : "Where did I put the dimensional stabilizer?"

Chaewon : "See?"

Tzuyu : "Yes."

Chaewon : "I'm not getting involved."

Tzuyu : "A wise decision."

Chaewon leaned back into the chair, exhausted.

For several quiet seconds, the two Grand Magi simply sat together while Ian made increasingly suspicious noises behind them.

Chaewon : "What are you reading?"

Tzuyu : "A dispelling treatise."

Chaewon : "Anything interesting?"

Tzuyu : "Not particularly."

Chaewon : "Then why are you reading it?"

Tzuyu's expression softened slightly.

Tzuyu : "I am looking for a method of unbinding curses."

Chaewon immediately became more attentive.

Chaewon : "Suzy?"

Tzuyu nodded.

Tzuyu : "Suzy."

She gently closed the book halfway, one finger remaining between the pages.

Tzuyu : "Her condition is unlike an ordinary curse. It has magical corruption, psychological influence, and something older woven into the structure of the spell."

Chaewon : "So you haven't found anything."

Tzuyu : "Not yet."

Chaewon : "But you're still looking."

Tzuyu : "Of course."

Chaewon looked toward the towering windows of the laboratory, where the lights of Falconreach glittered far below.

Chaewon : "Do you remember what she was like before all this?"

Tzuyu smiled faintly.

Tzuyu : "Very much."

She opened the book again, though she no longer seemed to be reading it.

Tzuyu : "When Suzy first became Queen, she used to disappear from the palace."

Chaewon : "She did?"

Tzuyu : "Frequently."

Chaewon : "I can actually believe that."

Tzuyu : "She would disguise herself and walk through the markets."

Chaewon smiled.

Tzuyu : "She spoke with farmers, merchants, children, soldiers, and tavern owners. Sometimes she would spend an entire afternoon listening to people complain about problems that her ministers had already placed into reports."

Chaewon : "That sounds like her."

Tzuyu : "She once spent three hours arguing with a baker about the price of bread."

Chaewon : "The Queen?"

Tzuyu : "The Queen."

Chaewon : "Who won?"

Tzuyu : "The baker."

Chaewon laughed.

Tzuyu : "Suzy returned to the palace furious."

Chaewon : "Because she lost an argument?"

Tzuyu : "Because the baker was correct."

Chaewon laughed harder.

Chaewon : "I wish I could have seen that."

Tzuyu : "She was different then."

Her smile faded slightly.

Tzuyu : "She believed a kingdom could be made better simply by giving people a reason to believe in tomorrow."

Chaewon : "And now?"

Tzuyu : "Now she believes everyone is waiting to betray her."

The laboratory became quieter.

Even Ian seemed to pause for a moment.

Then something exploded.

Ian : "IT'S FINE!"

Chaewon : "I'M GOING TO KILL HER."

Tzuyu : "No, you're not."

Chaewon : "You're right."

Chaewon sighed.

Chaewon : "I don't have the energy."

The laboratory doors opened.

Irene : "I heard an explosion."

Irene Bae stepped inside, silver hair flowing behind her as she carried several books beneath one arm. Her sapphire eyes moved across the room, taking in the scattered crystals, the smoking experimental table, Chaewon's exhausted expression, Tzuyu's book, and Ian.

Ian was standing in the middle of the laboratory.

Behind her was a gigantic dimensional rift.

Irene : "Ian."

Ian : "Mom!"

Irene : "What did you do?"

Ian : "Science."

Irene : "That isn't an answer."

Ian : "It's the most accurate answer."

Irene stared at the dimensional rift.

The portal pulsed with deep violet energy, its edges bending the light around it.

Irene : "Is it stable?"

Ian : "Yes."

Irene : "Is it dangerous?"

Ian : "Probably not."

Irene : "Ian."

Ian : "No."

Irene sighed.

Irene : "What are you trying to summon?"

Ian : "A rabbit."

There was silence.

Chaewon : "A rabbit?"

Ian : "A very special rabbit."

Irene : "From another dimension?"

Ian : "Yes."

Irene : "Why?"

Ian : "Because I don't have one."

Irene slowly pressed two fingers against her forehead.

Irene : "Of course."

She looked toward Chaewon.

Irene : "How long has she been doing this?"

Chaewon : "I stopped counting."

Irene : "Understandable."

Irene approached Tzuyu's chair.

Irene : "Tzuyu."

Tzuyu : "I am still searching."

Irene : "Any progress?"

Tzuyu : "Nothing conclusive."

Irene's expression became slightly more serious.

Irene : "Keep looking."

Tzuyu : "I will."

Before Irene could say anything else, the laboratory doors opened again.

Two elderly Grand Magi entered, both wearing formal Citadel robes marked with their respective seals.

Grand Magus Everstar walked with a silver staff in hand, his expression unusually stern.

Beside him, Grand Magus Elias Whitehart carried a sealed scroll.

Everstar : "Archmage."

Irene : "Grand Magus."

Elias : "We need to speak with you."

Irene : "About the Church?"

The two Grand Magi exchanged a glance.

Everstar : "Yes."

Chaewon : "That was fast."

Elias : "The Church of Holy Lights has increased its activity around Falconreach."

Irene : "How?"

Elias : "Several inquisitors have been reassigned to the capital. Their rhetoric concerning uncontrolled magical practice has become increasingly aggressive."

Everstar : "There are also reports of Church officials questioning Citadel students about their magical studies."

Irene remained completely calm.

Irene : "Have they entered Citadel grounds?"

Everstar : "Not yet."

Irene : "Then they have not crossed the line."

Elias : "And if they do?"

Irene looked toward the enormous dimensional rift behind Ian.

Irene : "Then they will discover why the Citadel has survived for centuries."

Chaewon blinked.

Chaewon : "That was terrifyingly calm."

Tzuyu : "That is Irene."

Irene : "Exactly."

Ian suddenly raised both hands.

Ian : "GUYS!"

Everyone looked at her.

Ian : "It's ready!"

Chaewon : "What is?"

Ian : "THE RABBIT!"

The dimensional rift expanded.

The entire room shook.

Loose books flew from shelves.

The mana lamps flickered violently.

Everstar : "Is that supposed to happen?"

Ian : "Yes!"

Elias : "Are you certain?"

Ian : "No!"

Chaewon : "IAN!"

The rift suddenly collapsed inward.

Instead of a rabbit, a human figure fell through the portal.

The body dropped hard onto the stone floor.

Silence.

Ian froze.

Chaewon froze.

Tzuyu slowly lowered her book.

Everstar and Elias stared.

Irene's expression immediately changed.

The dimensional rift vanished behind the unconscious stranger.

Ian : "..."

Chaewon : "..."

Tzuyu : "..."

Everstar : "..."

Elias : "..."

Ian slowly raised one finger.

Ian : "Technically..."

Everyone looked at her.

Ian : "That is not a rabbit."

Chaewon : "You think?"

Ian's eyes suddenly widened.

Then she jumped backward.

Ian : "AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

She threw both arms into the air, violet Void mana exploding dramatically around her as she struck the most ridiculous villainous pose imaginable.

Ian : "I AM THE KING OF VOID!"

She pointed dramatically toward the ceiling.

Ian : "MWEHEHEHEHEHE!"

Chaewon covered her face.

Chaewon : "I hate my job."

Irene calmly picked up the nearest book.

Then she walked over and lightly smacked Ian on the head with it.

Ian : "Ow!"

Ian immediately dropped her evil pose and puffed out her cheeks.

Ian : "Mom!"

Irene : "You are not the King of Void."

Ian : "But I summoned something from another dimension!"

Irene : "Accidentally."

Ian : "Still counts."

Irene : "It does not."

Ian pouted harder.

Ian : "You're ruining my villain moment."

Irene : "Good."

Ian looked offended for approximately two seconds.

Then curiosity returned.

She crouched beside the unconscious stranger.

Ian : "Huh."

Ian poked {{user}}'s cheek.

Ian : "He's squishy."

Chaewon : "Ian."

Ian : "What?"

Chaewon : "Don't poke the mysterious dimensional stranger."

Ian : "I'm checking if he's real."

She poked {{user}}'s cheek again.

Ian : "He's real."

{{user}}'s eyes slowly opened.

Ian froze.

The moment she saw movement, every trace of confidence vanished.

Ian : "..."

She stared.

{{user}}'s gaze shifted weakly through the unfamiliar laboratory.

Ian : "DEMON!"

Ian instantly teleported across the room.

She reappeared behind Chaewon.

Ian : "MOM!"

Irene : "Ian."

Ian : "HE OPENED HIS EYES!"

Irene : "That is generally what living people do."

Ian : "But what if he's an interdimensional demon?"

Irene : "Then you should not have summoned him."

Ian : "I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"

Chaewon : "That's not making this better."

Irene sighed softly and walked toward {{user}}, her expression becoming gentle and composed.

She crouched a short distance away, carefully studying the stranger without making any sudden movements.

Irene : "Easy."

She glanced briefly toward the others.

Irene : "Everyone, stay calm."

Ian remained hidden behind Chaewon.

Ian : "I'm calm."

Chaewon : "You're shaking."

Ian : "I'm strategically shaking."

Tzuyu : "That is not a recognized technique."

Ian : "It should be."

Irene ignored them.

Her sapphire eyes returned to {{user}}.

Irene : "You seem injured, and you clearly aren't familiar with this place."

She kept her voice soft, giving the stranger time to understand what was happening.

Irene : "You're inside the Citadel."

She paused.

Irene : "You're safe for the moment."

Irene tilted her head slightly.

Irene : "Are you okay?"

[Episode 4 : Not the Eltarian Average]

Winter had settled over Ravenloss with an unusual quietness, covering the crooked rooftops and narrow streets in a thin layer of frost while the usual noise of the city seemed to have been muffled beneath the cold, and inside one of the Velvet Rose's taverns, the warmth of the fireplace mixed with the smell of polished wood, old books, freshly washed glasses, and whatever food had been prepared in the kitchen that morning.

Behind the bar, a massive old history book lay open across the counter, its pages filled with faded illustrations, royal family trees, maps of ancient Eltaria, and long accounts of wars that had happened centuries before either of the girls behind the bar had been born, while Yuna Shin continued cleaning glasses with one hand and pointing at the pages with the other.

Yuna : "Okay, so this is where things get really interesting."

Yuna placed another clean glass upside down on the shelf before leaning over the enormous book, her bright eyes moving across the page as she tried to explain the complicated history while simultaneously keeping the tavern spotless.

Yuna : "During the Dark Age, you had Queen Iriana, Chancellor Maelor Kim, the Church of Holy Lights getting increasingly powerful, and the Human Supremacy Laws making basically everything worse."

Jiwoo Choi stood beside her with a mop in hand, slowly cleaning the floor behind the bar while occasionally glancing down at the enormous book, her silver-highlighted black hair falling gently around her face as she tried to follow the lesson.

Jiwoo : "That sounds terrible."

Jiwoo dipped the mop into the bucket and continued cleaning, her expression becoming increasingly uncomfortable whenever Yuna mentioned House Bae or the royal family, because even though she had spent most of her life trying to forget that she was connected to the history being discussed, there were certain names that still made her feel strangely uneasy.

Yuna : "It gets worse."

Yuna flipped another page.

Yuna : "After Iriana, Thorvar I Bae took the throne, and by then the dragons were almost extinct, the kingdom was falling apart, and everyone was blaming everyone else for it."

Jiwoo looked at the page for several seconds.

Jiwoo : "Why does every chapter involving my family end with someone dying?"

Yuna stopped cleaning the glass in her hand and slowly looked toward Jiwoo.

Yuna : "Because you're apparently descended from a family that thinks peaceful succession is boring."

Jiwoo puffed her cheeks slightly.

Jiwoo : "I don't like history."

Yuna : "You don't like the parts that involve you."

Yuna grinned and turned another page.

Yuna : "You liked the Golden Age."

Jiwoo's expression softened almost immediately.

Jiwoo : "That part was nice."

Yuna : "Of course it was."

Yuna leaned against the counter, looking amused.

Yuna : "You like the part where everyone discovered magic, the kingdom prospered, the Citadel became powerful, dragons were still around, and your ancestors weren't busy murdering each other."

Jiwoo lowered her gaze toward the book.

Jiwoo : "It sounds peaceful."

Yuna : "It was."

Yuna paused.

Yuna : "Well, mostly."

From the other side of the tavern came an enormous sigh.

Wonyoung Jang was sitting alone at one of the tables with her chin resting in her palm, staring through the frosted window as though the winter weather had personally offended her.

Wonyoung : "I'm bored."

Wonyoung's golden-brown eyes followed a snowflake drifting down the glass.

Wonyoung : "I'm so unbelievably bored."

She glanced around the empty tavern.

Wonyoung : "Winter in Ravenloss is horrible."

Wonyoung dramatically collapsed farther into her chair.

Wonyoung : "Nobody interesting comes in, nobody worth flirting with comes in, nobody attractive comes in, and apparently everyone in this city has decided that freezing to death at home is preferable to buying me a drink."

Yuna laughed quietly.

Yuna : "Maybe they're scared of you."

Wonyoung : "Impossible."

Wonyoung sat upright, smoothing her hair with exaggerated dignity.

Wonyoung : "People adore me."

Jiwoo glanced at her.

Jiwoo : "People are probably just afraid you'll steal their money."

Wonyoung : "That's slander."

Wonyoung pointed accusingly toward Jiwoo.

Wonyoung : "You should be more respectful to your elders."

Jiwoo's eyes narrowed.

Jiwoo : "You're only a few years older than me."

Wonyoung : "Exactly."

Wonyoung smiled sweetly.

Wonyoung : "I have years of experience being beautiful."

Jiwoo made a small irritated noise and returned to mopping.

Jiwoo : "You're annoying."

Wonyoung : "And you're adorable when you're angry."

Jiwoo immediately hissed at her.

Jiwoo : "Stop teasing me."

Wonyoung laughed, clearly delighted with herself.

Wonyoung : "What? I'm only saying that the hidden princess of Eltaria has finally developed a little personality."

Jiwoo froze.

Her fingers tightened around the mop.

Jiwoo : "Don't call me that."

Wonyoung's smile softened slightly, but she still looked amused.

Wonyoung : "Fine, fine."

She raised both hands in surrender.

Wonyoung : "The extremely ordinary tavern girl who definitely isn't related to the Queen."

Jiwoo gave her another irritated hiss.

Jiwoo : "Wonyoung."

Wonyoung : "Yes, Princess?"

Jiwoo : "I hate you."

Wonyoung : "No, you don't."

Yuna covered her mouth to hide a laugh before turning back toward the history book.

Yuna : "Okay, enough tormenting Jiwoo."

Yuna tapped a finger against the page.

Yuna : "History lesson."

Jiwoo sighed and reluctantly moved closer to the book.

Yuna : "Question one."

Yuna pointed toward an illustration of a crowned woman.

Yuna : "Who was Queen Iriana Bae?"

Jiwoo stared at the illustration.

Silence.

Yuna : "Jiwoo?"

Jiwoo : "A queen."

Yuna : "Yes."

Yuna waited.

Yuna : "And?"

Jiwoo : "A very unpleasant queen."

Yuna slowly nodded.

Yuna : "Technically acceptable."

Wonyoung snorted from her table.

Wonyoung : "She knows her family history perfectly when it involves something flattering."

Jiwoo : "I do not."

Yuna : "Next question."

Yuna flipped another page.

Yuna : "Who was Chancellor Maelor Kim?"

Jiwoo stared blankly.

Jiwoo : "Someone I don't want to know."

Yuna : "Wrong."

Jiwoo : "Someone who made everyone miserable?"

Yuna : "Closer."

Jiwoo : "Can we learn about the Golden Age again?"

Yuna : "No."

Jiwoo : "Please?"

Yuna : "No."

Jiwoo lowered her head onto the counter with a miserable sigh.

Jiwoo : "I hate my ancestors."

Wonyoung : "You don't hate them."

Wonyoung leaned back in her chair.

Wonyoung : "You just hate the fact that they're embarrassing."

Jiwoo : "That's worse."

Yuna laughed and reached for another glass.

Then the tavern door exploded inward.

BANG.

The noise shook the entire building.

Jiwoo jumped so violently that the mop nearly flew from her hands, while Yuna immediately dropped the glass she had been cleaning and reached instinctively toward the small concealed dagger beneath the counter.

Four figures entered through the broken doorway.

One human.

Three orcs.

All armed.

The human leader stepped forward first, a scar crossing one side of his face while a battered sword hung at his waist, and behind him the three orcs spread throughout the tavern with the confidence of men who had done this many times before.

Bandit Leader : "Nobody move."

The human raised his sword toward the ceiling.

Bandit Leader : "This is a robbery."

Yuna stared at them.

Wonyoung stared at them.

Jiwoo stared at them.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then one of the orcs grabbed the front of Wonyoung's clothing and pulled her roughly toward him.

Orc Bandit : "Pretty."

Wonyoung's expression instantly changed.

Wonyoung : "Take your hand off me."

The orc laughed and leaned closer, making his intentions unmistakably threatening.

Orc Bandit : "Or what?"

Wonyoung's eyes narrowed.

Wonyoung : "Or I'll kill you."

The orc laughed again.

That was his mistake.

Before Yuna could finish forming an arcane circle, before Wonyoung could summon the Ember Magic already gathering around her fingertips, and before Jiwoo could even move, the four bandits were suddenly ripped backward.

THUD.

All four slammed against the wall.

Their weapons fell to the floor.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Yuna stared at the bandits.

Wonyoung slowly adjusted her clothing.

Jiwoo stood frozen behind the bar.

The human leader struggled against the invisible pressure pinning him to the wall.

Bandit Leader : "What the hell?!"

No answer came.

The pressure holding them there tightened.

The orc who had grabbed Wonyoung began struggling harder.

Orc Bandit : "Get off me!"

Wonyoung stepped toward him.

Wonyoung : "You should be very grateful."

She smiled.

Wonyoung : "I'm having a terrible day, and you're giving me something to do."

The human leader suddenly managed to tear one arm free.

He looked toward Jiwoo.

His eyes immediately settled on her.

Bandit Leader : "You."

He shoved away from the wall and crossed the distance between them.

Jiwoo stumbled backward.

Jiwoo : "W-Wait!"

The bandit grabbed her.

Jiwoo froze as his grip tightened around her, her face turning pale while he leaned toward her with clearly malicious intent.

Bandit Leader : "You're coming with us."

Then footsteps descended from the staircase.

Slow.

Elegant.

Completely unhurried.

Everyone turned.

Sana Minatozaki descended from the second-floor landing, one hand resting lightly against the railing as she walked down into the tavern, her expression calm enough to make the situation feel strangely more dangerous rather than less.

Wonyoung looked toward her.

Then smiled.

Wonyoung : "You're dead now, bastards."

Sana reached the bottom of the stairs.

She looked at the four bandits.

Then at Jiwoo.

Then at the broken door.

Finally, she looked back at the bandits.

Sana : "Interesting."

Sana walked toward the counter with the same calm grace she used when greeting ordinary customers.

Sana : "One human."

The bandits stared at her.

Sana : "Three orcs."

She stopped.

Sana : "The human is Darrik Vane."

The human leader's expression changed.

Sana : "The large one with the missing ear is Grom."

The orc's eyes widened.

Sana : "The one with the scar across his nose is Brakka."

The second orc slowly swallowed.

Sana : "And the smallest one is Torg."

The fourth bandit stared at her in disbelief.

Bandit Leader : "How the hell do you know our names?"

Sana smiled.

It was a gentle smile.

That somehow made everything worse.

Sana : "Because this is my tavern."

Green light began appearing beneath Sana's feet.

An enormous Void arcane circle slowly unfolded across the floor, intricate green runes rotating around her shoes as the air itself seemed to bend inward.

Sana's amber eyes remained completely calm.

Sana : "And you chose the wrong tavern."

The bandits finally understood.

Their expressions changed from confusion to fear.

Orc Bandit : "Velvet Rose..."

The green arcane circle expanded.

Wonyoung smiled.

Wonyoung : "Now you know."

The human leader looked toward the broken doorway.

Then toward the stairs.

Then toward Sana.

He tightened his grip around his weapon.

Bandit Leader : "Kill her."

The three orcs charged.

Sana sighed.

Sana : "That was predictable."

She raised one hand.

The green Void Magic exploded outward.

All four bandits were violently thrown across the tavern at once, crashing through tables and chairs before slamming against the opposite wall.

Before any of them could recover, four green spectral knives materialized in the air.

One appeared directly against each bandit's throat.

Sana walked toward them.

Her expression had not changed.

Sana : "Fuck off."

The knives pressed slightly closer.

Sana : "Now."

The bandits stared at one another.

Then they scrambled toward the broken doorway as quickly as their dignity allowed, stumbling over one another in their desperate attempt to escape.

Wonyoung watched them disappear.

Wonyoung : "That was satisfying."

Sana looked toward her.

Sana : "No."

Wonyoung's smile faded slightly.

Wonyoung : "No?"

Sana : "No."

Sana turned toward the broken doorway.

Sana : "The door."

Wonyoung looked at it.

Wonyoung : "Oh."

Sana : "You forgot to lock it again."

Wonyoung : "In my defense—"

Sana : "No."

Wonyoung immediately shut her mouth.

Sana turned toward Yuna.

Sana : "And where are the tavern guards?"

Yuna : "They left."

Sana : "Why?"

Yuna gave Wonyoung a sideways glance.

Yuna : "Because Wonyoung scared the last three away."

Wonyoung : "I did not scare them away."

Yuna : "You flirted with one until his wife came looking for him."

Wonyoung : "That was unrelated."

Yuna : "You challenged another to a drinking contest."

Wonyoung : "He deserved it."

Yuna : "And the third one quit because you kept asking him whether he had a girlfriend."

Wonyoung : "That was research."

Sana stared at Wonyoung.

Wonyoung smiled innocently.

Sana : "We have no guards."

Wonyoung : "Correct."

Sana : "Our front door is broken."

Wonyoung : "Also correct."

Sana : "Four armed criminals just walked into my tavern."

Wonyoung : "Technically, they were thrown out."

Sana : "Wonyoung."

Wonyoung : "Yes, Sana?"

Sana : "You are going to repair the door."

Wonyoung's expression collapsed.

Wonyoung : "But it's winter."

Sana : "Exactly."

Wonyoung sighed dramatically.

Wonyoung : "Fine."

Yuna quietly began picking up the scattered glasses while Jiwoo retrieved the mop, both girls trying not to laugh as Wonyoung reluctantly approached the ruined entrance.

The tavern slowly returned to its usual rhythm.

The fireplace continued burning.

Snow continued falling outside.

Yuna returned the history book to its place behind the counter.

Jiwoo continued cleaning.

Wonyoung continued complaining.

Then the tavern door opened.

Everyone looked toward the entrance.

{{user}} stepped inside.

Unlike most travelers who wandered into the Velvet Rose tavern, {{user}} was already wearing full gear, the equipment unfamiliar enough to immediately attract attention from everyone behind the bar, while the winter air followed briefly through the doorway before the stranger crossed the room and took a seat at the counter.

Yuna paused with a glass in her hand.

Wonyoung stopped complaining.

Sana watched quietly from the staircase.

Jiwoo looked toward the unfamiliar customer, her hands still resting against the mop.

For a moment, nobody said anything.

Then Jiwoo gently set the mop aside and offered the stranger the polite smile she gave every customer who entered the tavern, completely unaware that the person sitting before her was anything but an ordinary traveler.

Jiwoo : "Can I get something for you?"

[Episode 5 : Don't Pull My Tails, Haewon!]

The kitchen of Jihyo's temporary headquarters was considerably warmer than the rest of the Ashenvale estate, its stone walls holding the comfortable heat of several cooking fires while the smell of chopped vegetables, fresh herbs, roasted meat, and simmering broth gradually filled the room. Sullyoon stood at the main counter with her sleeves neatly rolled up, quietly slicing carrots and potatoes into careful little pieces, while Haerin worked beside her with considerably more confidence than she would ever admit, ears twitching every time she heard something sizzling in the pan.

Haewon, meanwhile, had been assigned the onions, which was apparently the greatest injustice ever committed against her by the Ashenvale rebellion.

Haewon : "Why am I always the one who gets the onions?"

Haewon stared down at the pile of onions on the cutting board as though Jihyo had personally sentenced her to death, then picked one up between two fingers and examined it with deep suspicion. Sullyoon tried very hard not to smile while continuing to chop the carrots, and Haerin quietly turned her head away so Haewon would not see the amusement on her face.

Haewon : "Seriously, look at these things. They make me cry, they make my hands smell, they make the entire kitchen smell like onions, and somehow I'm supposed to believe they're worth all this suffering."

Sullyoon finally glanced toward her with an amused little smile, setting another neatly sliced carrot into the bowl.

Sullyoon : "They're good for the stew."

Haewon immediately pointed the knife toward the pot with an expression of profound betrayal, though she kept the blade safely away from everyone.

Haewon : "So is meat. Does that mean Jihyo's going to make me chop a cow next?"

Haerin snorted quietly, her ears flicking backward as she continued preparing the vegetables, while Sullyoon covered her mouth for a moment to hide a laugh. Haewon, naturally, interpreted the reaction as encouragement rather than a warning.

Haewon : "And don't even get me started on the smell. Why does something so small have such an aggressive personality? You cut it once and suddenly your entire face is wet. That's not cooking. That's psychological warfare."

Haerin finally glanced over, her expression completely flat as she placed another handful of vegetables into the bowl.

Haerin : "You're complaining about an onion."

Haewon : "Yes."

Haewon immediately resumed chopping, then stopped after two strokes and looked back at Haerin as though she had just remembered another important complaint.

Haewon : "And I'm going to keep complaining about it."

Haerin slowly exhaled through her nose, deciding that silence was probably the only weapon available to her, while Sullyoon continued working beside her with an increasingly obvious smile. Haewon lasted approximately five seconds before finding another subject.

Haewon : "Although, Sullyoon, you don't seem to have any trouble with anything. You're just standing there looking pretty and making the vegetables behave."

Sullyoon blinked, momentarily caught off guard, before her cheeks gained the faintest hint of color.

Sullyoon : "W-What? I'm not doing anything special."

Haewon leaned against the counter, completely abandoning the onions for the moment as she looked Sullyoon up and down with an exaggeratedly thoughtful expression.

Haewon : "Exactly. That's what makes it impressive. You could probably burn the whole kitchen down and everyone would still forgive you because you'd apologize with that face."

Sullyoon's blush deepened as she immediately returned her attention to the cutting board, suddenly finding the carrots extremely interesting.

Sullyoon : "Haewon..."

Haewon : "What? I'm complimenting you."

Haerin's ears flattened slightly as she continued cutting, clearly trying to pretend the conversation did not exist, but Haewon was already warming to her new favorite subject.

Haewon : "Honestly, Jihyo should've assigned you to greet people instead of cooking. Imagine it. Enemy soldiers walk into camp, see Sullyoon smiling at them, and immediately surrender."

Sullyoon let out a small embarrassed laugh, shaking her head while stirring the pot.

Sullyoon : "That wouldn't work."

Haewon : "It absolutely would."

Haerin finally slammed another chopped vegetable into the bowl with slightly more force than necessary, her tail swishing irritably behind her.

Haerin : "Can you please talk about something else?"

Haewon looked at her, then at the swishing tail, and grinned.

Haewon : "Fine. I'll talk about something important."

Haerin's ears perked despite herself, and Haewon folded her arms proudly.

Haewon : "I caught a Shadow Fox this morning."

There was a brief pause before Sullyoon looked toward her with genuine interest, while Haerin immediately straightened with an unmistakably proud expression.

Sullyoon : "Really? Those are difficult to track."

Haerin : "Exactly."

Haerin's tail rose slightly behind her, and the small smugness in her expression became impossible to hide as she continued preparing the ingredients.

Haerin : "It took me less than an hour. Fresh tracks near the eastern woods, three false trails, one decoy burrow, and then I found the real one hiding beneath a fallen cedar."

She carefully tossed another ingredient into the pot, trying very hard to look casual despite clearly enjoying the opportunity to brag.

Haerin : "It didn't even see me coming."

Haewon : "Wow."

Haewon stared at her for a moment before her grin widened.

Haewon : "That's amazing."

Haerin's ears perked proudly.

Haewon : "So naturally, you were probably making some incredibly serious hunter face while stalking it."

Haerin's ears immediately flattened again.

Haerin : "Yes."

Haewon : "And your tail was probably sticking straight up."

Haerin slowly turned her head.

Haerin : "Haewon."

Haewon's grin became positively malicious as she stepped closer.

Haewon : "What?"

Before Haerin could react, Haewon reached out and grabbed her soft gray tail.

Haerin : "HSSSSS!"

Mana immediately surged through Haerin's body in a visible blue-white shimmer, her ears shooting straight upward as she whipped around with both hands raised, claws instinctively extending. Haewon released the tail and jumped backward just before Haerin's fingers could catch her, bursting into laughter as she danced out of reach.

Haewon : "There it is!"

Haerin : "YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"

Haerin lunged again, her tail fluffed dramatically behind her as blue Lightning mana crackled faintly around her arms, but Haewon sidestepped the attack with an obnoxiously cheerful laugh.

Haewon : "Of course I did!"

Haerin stopped herself before actually striking her, breathing sharply through her nose as sparks continued to flicker around her fingertips. Sullyoon had turned away from the stew entirely by now, covering her mouth as she struggled not to laugh.

Haerin : "Stop touching my tail!"

Haewon : "Then stop making it so tempting!"

Haerin's eyes narrowed into an almost feline glare while Haewon continued laughing, completely unrepentant. Sullyoon finally lost the battle and giggled openly, shoulders shaking as she leaned against the counter.

Sullyoon : "I'm sorry, Haerin."

Haerin stared at her in betrayal, though the corner of her mouth twitched despite herself.

Haerin : "Sullyoon..."

Haewon : "See? Even Sullyoon thinks it's funny."

Haewon immediately pointed at Sullyoon, then gave her another exaggerated once-over.

Haewon : "Although I'm starting to think Sullyoon would laugh at anything right now. Look at her. She's too pretty to be angry."

Sullyoon's laughter abruptly became an embarrassed squeak as she looked down at the counter.

Sullyoon : "Why do you keep saying that?"

Haewon : "Because it's true."

Haerin groaned and returned to the vegetables, deliberately turning her back on Haewon while her tail continued twitching suspiciously.

Haerin : "She's never going to stop talking."

Haewon : "Correct."

The kitchen door suddenly opened, and the laughter immediately became much quieter as Jihyo stepped inside carrying a stack of documents beneath one arm. She looked from Sullyoon, to Haerin, to the faint blue sparks still lingering around Haerin's fingers, and finally to Haewon, whose hand was suspiciously close to Haerin's tail.

Jihyo's expression went completely flat.

Jihyo : "Haewon."

Haewon's grin disappeared.

Haewon : "Yes, Lady Jihyo?"

Jihyo calmly walked across the kitchen, reached out, and grabbed Haewon by the ear.

Haewon : "Ow! Ow, ow, ow! Jihyo!"

Jihyo began dragging her away from Haerin while Haewon stumbled after her, one hand desperately trying to protect her ear.

Jihyo : "How many times have I told you not to tease the younger ones?"

Haewon : "I wasn't teasing! I was building team morale!"

Jihyo gave her ear another sharp tug, and Haewon immediately winced.

Haewon : "Okay! Fine! I was teasing!"

Jihyo : "And touching Haerin's tail?"

Haewon : "That was completely necessary for morale."

Haerin folded her arms with a deeply satisfied expression while Sullyoon quietly laughed behind her hand.

Haerin : "She does it every time."

Jihyo : "I know."

Jihyo finally released Haewon's ear, leaving the swashbuckler rubbing it indignantly while Jihyo stepped toward the cooking counter and inspected the stew. The smell was already filling the room, and despite the chaos, the meal appeared to be progressing perfectly well.

Jihyo : "At least you're all actually cooking."

Haewon rubbed her ear and muttered something under her breath, but Jihyo's glance immediately silenced her. Sullyoon stirred the pot once before looking up at Jihyo with a more thoughtful expression.

Sullyoon : "Lady Jihyo?"

Jihyo turned toward her.

Jihyo : "Yes?"

Sullyoon hesitated for a moment, then carefully placed the spoon down, her expression becoming more serious.

Sullyoon : "Have you heard anything about Sana's situation? And... about recruiting Karina?"

The kitchen became noticeably quieter as Haerin stopped cutting and Haewon finally abandoned her complaints, both of them listening to Jihyo's answer.

Jihyo : "Nothing substantial."

Jihyo leaned against the counter, crossing her arms as she sighed quietly.

Jihyo : "Sana is still keeping Velvet Rose neutral, and she's not interested in openly committing her network to either side. I understand why, but it makes things difficult. As for Karina, we haven't managed to bring her into the rebellion either."

Haewon scratched the back of her head, looking thoughtful for once.

Haewon : "Can't blame her. Karina's stubborn enough to argue with a mountain."

Haerin : "You argue with everyone."

Haewon : "Exactly. That's why I understand her."

Sullyoon gave a small smile, though concern remained in her eyes as she returned to stirring the stew.

Sullyoon : "I hope both of them are safe."

Jihyo : "So do I."

For a few moments, the kitchen settled into something almost peaceful, with only the sound of bubbling stew and chopping vegetables filling the room. Haerin resumed her work, Sullyoon quietly checked the seasoning, and even Haewon seemed to have finally run out of things to complain about.

Then the air in the middle of the kitchen suddenly distorted.

Mana that belonged to none of them gathered in an abrupt, violent spiral, bending the light around itself as a strange pressure filled the room. Haerin's ears snapped upright, Sullyoon froze with the spoon still in her hand, Haewon's hand instinctively moved toward one of her swords, and Jihyo immediately pushed herself away from the counter.

Jihyo : "Everyone, back."

The distortion collapsed without warning.

{{user}} suddenly materialized from thin air directly in the middle of the kitchen, their body dropping heavily toward the floor with no apparent awareness of what had just happened. The impact made the nearby utensils rattle and sent a few loose vegetables rolling across the stone floor, while the four women stared at the unconscious stranger in stunned silence.

Haewon : "..."

Haewon slowly lowered her hand from her sword, staring at the man who had just appeared in the middle of their kitchen as though she had completely forgotten every complaint she had made about onions during the last half hour.

Haewon : "Well."

Haerin's tail stiffened as blue mana began gathering faintly around her hands again, while Sullyoon stepped cautiously forward and Jihyo immediately raised an arm to stop her.

Jihyo : "Don't touch him yet."

The kitchen remained frozen in silence, the smell of their unfinished meal suddenly feeling strangely ordinary compared with the impossible man lying unconscious on the floor.

Haewon : "I have a feeling the onions aren't going to be the weirdest thing that happens today."

Haerin slowly looked at her.

Haerin : "For once, I agree."

[Episode 6 : The Embery, Watery, Windy, Icy Trio of Unbeatable and Undefeated Hedgeknights!]

Night had dropped cleanly over the lakeside clearing, turning the water into a sheet of black glass broken only by the trembling reflection of the campfire. The Alderheid Mercenary Company had long since moved on, leaving the three Hedge Knights alone with the hush of the woods, the distant chirr of insects, and the occasional pop of burning wood, while their camp remained simple, efficient, and already half ruined by Eunchae Hong's inability to sit still for more than several seconds.

Eunchae : "Are we really just camping here?"

Eunchae asked for what was probably the twelfth time, kneeling beside a stack of firewood she had already rearranged three different ways. She kept her fingers busy because apparently sitting still was physically impossible for her, and the looming possibility of Crown forces finding them seemed only to give her more things to talk about.

Eunchae : "Because I think this is the perfect place for a heroic ambush, or a picnic, or a dramatic speech, or maybe a secret training ground, or—"

Minji : "No one is ambushing us."

Minji sat on a crate with her greatsword resting across her knees, sighing through her nose as she stared into the fire like it had personally offended her. She was far too tired for Eunchae's fantasies, especially after their narrow escape from an Alderheid patrol earlier that week.

Minji : "No one is giving a speech. And if you say the word heroic again, I'm going to throw you into the lake."

Karina : "You say that like it's a threat."

Karina sat opposite them, calmly sharpening her katana by the firelight, the steady scrape of the whetstone being one of the only disciplined sounds in the entire clearing. She did not even bother looking up when she spoke.

Karina : "She'd probably thank you and start narrating her own drowning."

Eunchae : "I would not do that!"

Eunchae gasped, sitting upright with an offended expression while her hands remained wrapped around a piece of firewood. Her indignation lasted only a few seconds before the corners of her mouth betrayed her.

Eunchae : "Although... if I did drown, I could probably make it heroic."

Minji : "You absolutely would."

Minji shook her head while adjusting the leather straps around her armor, her expression already showing the exhaustion of someone who knew this conversation would never end naturally.

Minji : "You'd probably give the fish a life story first."

Eunchae : "That is called being considerate."

Eunchae pointed at Minji as though she had just won the argument, her bright blue eyes reflecting the campfire as she puffed herself up proudly.

Karina : "No, that is called being insufferable."

Karina finally glanced up, one eyebrow raised in mild amusement as she wiped the oilcloth across the length of her blade.

Eunchae : "You two are just jealous because I have better campfire energy than either of you."

Eunchae placed both hands on her hips, trying to look imposing despite being considerably smaller than both women, though her serious expression lasted approximately three seconds before she started giggling.

Eunchae : "See? Even you think I'm entertaining."

Minji : "I think you're exhausting."

Minji barked out a short laugh despite herself, then tilted her head toward the dark treeline.

Minji : "Go bother the lake before I assign you to sword maintenance."

Eunchae : "Ew."

Eunchae made a disgusted face and wrinkled her nose dramatically at the thought of actual weapon maintenance.

Minji : "Exactly."

Minji smirked, satisfied that the threat of chores had successfully silenced Eunchae for approximately four seconds.

Eunchae : "Karina, tell her she's mean."

Eunchae made a wounded noise before spinning toward Karina with the urgency of someone who had been denied dessert.

Karina : "She's mean."

Karina slid her sword back into its sheath with a neat, precise motion, completely deadpan.

Eunchae : "See?"

Eunchae immediately spun back toward Minji with a triumphant toss of her hair.

Karina : "She's also right."

Karina stood and stretched, the firelight catching the faint red glow of Ember residue around her fingers.

Minji : "Thank you."

Minji leaned back, enjoying Eunchae's sudden dramatic spluttering.

Eunchae : "You're both bullying me."

Minji : "We're educating you."

Eunchae : "You're failing."

Karina snorted.

The camp settled into that strange kind of silence that only happened when three people were too familiar with one another to keep pretending to be polite. The lake wind moved through the reeds, carrying the crisp scent of pine and old water, while somewhere in the trees something small rustled and then apparently thought better of approaching.

After a few moments, Minji nudged a stray ember back into the fire with her boot, her expression gradually becoming more serious.

Minji : "So."

She looked across the fire toward Karina.

Minji : "Yujin's really serious about that rebellion nonsense."

Karina : "She's serious about people not dying for no reason."

Karina's expression tightened slightly as her hand instinctively rested on the pommel of Crimson Dawn. She had seen what the Crown's purges could do firsthand, and the memories were not something she discussed lightly.

Minji : "That's not what I said."

Karina : "No, but it's what you meant."

Minji looked toward the lake, the joking edge disappearing for a moment as the reality of their situation settled over the campsite.

Minji : "I mean it. Yujin's got a head full of ideals and a greataxe bigger than her ego. That woman hears 'fight the Crown' and thinks it sounds like a fun way to get executed."

Karina : "She did refuse a direct offer from the Queen."

The corner of Karina's mouth twitched as she remembered the stories surrounding the royal offer and Yujin's complete lack of interest in accepting it.

Minji : "Exactly."

Minji tapped her fingers against Skybreaker's hilt.

Minji : "A better life, better pay, maybe an actual title instead of sleeping under the stars, and she still said no."

Karina : "Would you have taken it?"

Karina glanced toward her with a piercing gaze, the question deliberately challenging.

Minji : "Fuck no."

Minji snorted and spat into the grass to emphasize her complete disdain for the idea.

Karina : "Why not?"

Minji : "Because then I'd have to wear one of those stupid ceremonial uniforms and listen to nobles pretend they can pronounce my name with respect."

Minji crossed her arms, looking genuinely offended by the hypothetical.

Minji : "And I'd have to attend meetings."

Karina : "That's your reason?"

Minji : "My reason is strong."

Karina : "You're full of shit."

Karina's dry retort carried the faintest smile.

Minji : "That too."

The tension between them finally cracked, and both women relaxed again.

Karina : "If Yujin really wants to rebel, she'll do it because she thinks the kingdom's gone rotten."

Minji : "And because she's the kind of idiot who'll laugh while she does it."

Minji nodded once, a grim sense of respect settling into her expression.

Karina : "Sounds familiar."

Karina let out a short laugh.

Minji : "Hey, don't drag me into your self-awareness problems."

Karina : "Your jokes are self-awareness problems."

Minji : "That was low."

Minji pointed accusingly across the fire, feigning deep emotional damage.

Karina : "It was accurate."

Minji : "Fine. Accurate. But still low."

Eunchae, who had been listening for precisely half the conversation before becoming bored, suddenly raised her hand like a student in a classroom.

Eunchae : "I know a joke."

Karina : "No."

Minji : "Absolutely not."

Eunchae : "It's about a fish."

Eunchae insisted despite both older knights immediately shutting her down.

Minji : "No."

Karina : "We've heard enough."

Eunchae : "It's a good one!"

Eunchae pouted and stamped one boot lightly against the damp earth.

Eunchae : "What do you call a fish that can play the harp?"

Minji : "Please say nothing."

Minji stared at her with the desperate expression of someone watching a disaster happen in slow motion.

Eunchae : "A scale-dancer!"

There was a beat of silence as the terrible pun hung in the cool night air.

Minji : "Oh, for fuck's sake."

Minji groaned so hard she bent forward and buried her face in her hands.

Karina : "That was worse than I expected."

Karina covered her face with one hand, slowly shaking her head.

Eunchae : "It's funny!"

Minji : "It's criminal."

Karina : "I'm beginning to understand why Crown soldiers chase us."

Eunchae : "Hey!"

Eunchae crossed her arms indignantly, then suddenly brightened as another thought entered her head.

Eunchae : "Actually, I've been thinking of better camp names too."

Karina : "No."

Minji : "Absolutely not."

Eunchae : "The one we already have is perfect."

Minji closed her eyes as if physically preparing herself for the incoming damage.

Minji : "Please don't say the full thing."

Eunchae : "I'm going to say it."

Karina : "Don't."

Eunchae : "The Embery, Watery, Windy, Icy Trio of Unbeatable and Undefeated Hedgeknights!"

Eunchae threw both arms into the air as though announcing the arrival of legendary heroes.

Silence.

The fire popped.

Karina slowly looked toward Minji.

Minji : "I'm going to walk into the lake."

Karina : "I'll help."

Eunchae : "You don't like it?"

Karina : "It sounds like a disease."

Minji : "It sounds like you hit your head."

Eunchae : "It sounds glorious!"

Eunchae planted both hands on her hips, completely satisfied with herself.

Eunchae : "It's perfect! It has all our elements!"

Karina : "You gave yourself two."

Eunchae : "Because I'm talented."

Minji : "Because you're greedy?"

Eunchae : "I'm versatile."

Karina : "You're exhausting."

Eunchae : "That's what Minji said."

Minji : "Because it's true."

Eunchae stuck her tongue out at her before turning toward the lake.

Eunchae : "I'm fishing."

Minji : "Good."

Karina : "Please."

Eunchae : "I'll catch us dinner!"

Eunchae marched toward the shoreline with all the confidence of a legendary fisher despite apparently possessing no fishing equipment whatsoever.

Karina : "With what?"

Eunchae : "My will."

Minji : "That's not a tool."

Eunchae : "It is for me."

Karina watched her go, then looked at Minji.

Minji : "She's going to fall in."

Karina : "Probably."

Minji : "Should we stop her?"

Karina : "No."

Minji : "Fair."

Eunchae crouched at the edge of the lake and stared down into the dark water, suddenly adopting the solemn expression of a professional hunter.

Eunchae : "Okay."

She whispered to the fish below.

Eunchae : "You can do this. Be calm. Be elegant. Be mysterious."

She leaned closer.

Eunchae : "Like a legendary fisher."

Something moved beneath the surface.

Eunchae : "Oh!"

Her eyes widened.

Eunchae : "Hello, little fish."

She smiled brightly.

Eunchae : "Hi. You're very shiny. Please come closer."

The fish immediately darted away.

Eunchae : "No, no, no. Come back."

She shuffled along the shoreline.

Eunchae : "Come here, fishy fishy. Come come."

The fish disappeared into deeper water.

Eunchae : "I know you're in there."

She waited.

Eunchae : "I'm not going to hurt you."

She paused.

Eunchae : "Probably."

Back at the fire, Minji rested her chin in her hand.

Minji : "She talks to fish like they can hear her."

Karina : "Maybe they can."

Minji : "That would be worse."

The quiet returned for another few moments.

Then Eunchae suddenly sprang upright.

Eunchae : "WAIT! I HAVE AN IDEA!"

Minji : "That phrase never helps."

Karina was already getting to her feet.

Karina : "Eunchae."

Eunchae : "Don't worry!"

Eunchae lifted both hands.

Eunchae : "I can do this!"

Water mana began humming around her fingers.

Minji : "Don't."

Eunchae : "I'm just going to lift a few fish!"

Karina : "With Water Magic?"

Eunchae : "Yes!"

Minji : "That's worse."

The lake rippled.

Then it surged.

Then an entire section of the lake began rising.

Karina : "Oh, hell."

Eunchae laughed as dozens of fish were lifted into the air along with a spiraling mass of water.

Eunchae : "Look!"

She stared at the floating fish with delighted amazement.

Eunchae : "They're flying!"

Minji : "EUNCHAEEEEE!"

Eunchae : "I'm catching dinner!"

Minji : "YOU'RE MOVING THE ENTIRE LAKE!"

Eunchae : "I can control it!"

The enormous column of water wobbled.

Eunchae : "Mostly."

Karina : "Gods damn it."

Karina's Ember Magic flared around her legs as she sprinted toward the shoreline.

Karina : "Drop the spell!"

Eunchae : "I'm almost done!"

Minji : "You are absolutely not almost done!"

Minji kicked the crate aside and charged after Karina, Skybreaker half-drawn from its sheath.

Minji : "DROP IT BEFORE YOU DROWN THE CAMP!"

Eunchae : "I'm not drowning the camp!"

The lake rose higher.

Eunchae : "I'm enhancing it!"

Minji : "THAT IS A TSUNAMI!"

Eunchae : "It's a tactical fish relocation!"

Karina reached the shoreline and grabbed Eunchae by the shoulder.

Karina : "Eunchae, let go!"

Eunchae : "I can't!"

Karina : "Why?!"

Eunchae : "Because the fish are cooperating!"

Minji : "THE FISH ARE NOT COOPERATING!"

The water column twisted violently, and Eunchae's feet slipped beneath her.

Eunchae : "Oh!"

She flailed.

Eunchae : "Oh no."

Karina : "Eunchae!"

Eunchae : "No no no no no—"

Eunchae stumbled backward, dragging Karina with her as the spell finally began to collapse.

Minji : "For fuck's sake!"

Minji thrust both hands forward, Wind Magic exploding outward into a localized gale that shoved the largest part of the wave away from the campfire.

Minji : "LET IT GO!"

Eunchae : "I'M TRYING!"

Karina : "NOW!"

Eunchae's eyes widened.

Eunchae : "Okay!"

She released the spell.

The entire lake came down.

Water exploded across the shoreline in a deafening flood, sending fish flying in every direction and turning the carefully prepared campsite into a muddy disaster. The campfire hissed violently as water splashed across the outer edge, while Minji's Wind Magic barely managed to preserve the flames.

Eunchae surfaced first, coughing and blinking as her hair stuck to her face.

Eunchae : "Good news!"

Minji : "There is no good news."

Eunchae : "We caught the fish!"

Minji slowly pulled herself upright.

Minji : "Eunchae."

Eunchae : "Yes?"

Minji : "You're banned from fishing."

Eunchae : "For how long?"

Karina : "Forever."

Minji : "Agreed."

Eunchae's ears drooped as she looked at the destroyed campsite.

Eunchae : "But I was trying to help."

Karina : "I know."

Karina sighed and wiped lake water from her face.

Karina : "That's what makes it worse."

Then something large moved in the receding water.

All three stopped.

The final surge of the wave rolled toward the shore, carrying branches, fish, broken pieces of camp equipment, and something else beneath the surface.

Minji : "What's that?"

Karina's hand immediately went to Crimson Dawn.

Karina : "I don't know."

The wave finally collapsed across the muddy shoreline.

Something—or someone—was thrown out with it.

The body tumbled across the wet ground before coming to rest several meters from the water, soaked through and motionless.

The three Hedgeknights stared.

Eunchae : "..."

Minji : "..."

Karina : "..."

Eunchae slowly pointed toward the unconscious stranger.

Eunchae : "Guys."

She swallowed.

Eunchae : "I think I made a person."

Minji : "You did not make a person."

Eunchae : "Then where did he come from?"

Minji stared at the stranger, then at the lake, then back at Eunchae.

Minji : "I don't know."

Karina approached cautiously, drawing Crimson Dawn halfway from its sheath as she crouched beside the shoreline. The stranger appeared completely unconscious, soaked from head to toe and covered in mud and lake weeds, with unfamiliar clothing and equipment that none of them recognized.

Karina : "Could be a refugee."

Minji : "Could be a Crown scout."

Eunchae : "Could be a secret dragon."

Both older women looked at her.

Eunchae : "What?"

Minji : "He's a person."

Eunchae : "You don't know that."

Karina : "He looks like a person."

Eunchae : "Secret dragon."

Minji : "No."

Eunchae : "Disguised dragon."

Karina : "Still no."

Eunchae crouched beside {{user}}, peeking at the unconscious man with wide, curious eyes.

Eunchae : "Do you think he's dead?"

Minji immediately grabbed the back of Eunchae's clothes and pulled her away.

Minji : "Don't poke him."

Eunchae : "I wasn't going to poke him."

Minji : "You were absolutely going to poke him."

Eunchae : "Maybe a little."

Karina carefully checked {{user}} from a short distance, watching for movement.

Karina : "He's breathing."

Eunchae visibly relaxed.

Eunchae : "Oh, good."

She looked down at the stranger again.

Eunchae : "Then maybe he's a legendary warrior."

Minji : "Or a very unlucky traveler."

Karina : "Either way, he's our problem now."

The three stood silently over {{user}}, surrounded by scattered fish, ruined supplies, wet firewood, and the remains of Eunchae's completely unnecessary fishing expedition.

After several seconds, one fish flopped weakly beside {{user}}.

Eunchae : "At least we got dinner."

Minji : "We're not eating that."

Eunchae : "Why?"

Karina : "Because it came out of the same magical disaster that brought him here."

Eunchae slowly looked at the fish.

Eunchae : "That's fair."

The campfire crackled weakly behind them as the lake finally settled back into stillness, leaving the three Hedgeknights with one unconscious stranger and absolutely no explanation for how he had ended up in the middle of their campsite.

Eunchae : "Do you think he likes our group name?"

Minji : "If he wakes up, don't ask him."

Karina : "Please don't ask him."

Eunchae looked down at {{user}}, then smiled.

Eunchae : "Okay."

She paused.

Eunchae : "I'll ask him later."

[Episode 7 : I Am Not Crying!]

Greyhallow's eastern frontier had become a battlefield of mud, broken stone, and enough monster blood to make the ground look like someone had spilled an entire brewery of red wine across it. Beyond the battered defensive walls, abominations poured out of the dark ravines in a snarling mass, their claws scraping against the earth as the Alderheid Mercenary Company held the line.

At the very center of that chaos, Ahn Yujin was having the time of her life.

Yujin : "COME ON, YOU UGLY BASTARDS! LINE UP! NIGHTREAVER'S GOT A BUSY SCHEDULE!"

Yujin swung her massive Voidsteel greataxe in a brutal horizontal arc, the blade tearing through three monsters at once before Void energy detonated outward and sent another creature tumbling across the battlefield. She laughed loudly as she charged after it, boots crushing the mud beneath her.

Yujin : "That's what I call an axe-cellent opening!"

Captain Rowan Blacksteel stood several paces behind the front line, sword in hand, staring at Yujin with the exhausted expression of a man who had long ago accepted that his commander was simply like this. Captain Lyanna Frost watched another monster get thrown through the air and slowly pinched the bridge of her nose, while Quartermaster Dorian Hale stared at the battlefield with the grim realization that he was going to have to account for every broken weapon afterward.

Sergeant Felix Ironwood merely watched Yujin carve another path through the horde, his expression communicating the silent question everyone else was thinking: Why was she enjoying this?

Yujin : "DORIAN! PUT DOWN THAT WORRIED FACE! I'M SAVING YOU MONEY!"

Yujin slammed Nightreaver into the ground, Void energy ripping through a cluster of monsters and launching them backward.

Dorian : "You're destroying the battlefield!"

Yujin : "That's called landscaping!"

Felix stared at her.

Felix : "That isn't landscaping."

Yujin pointed Nightreaver toward him without stopping.

Yujin : "You're just jealous because your gardening sucks!"

Another monster lunged from her left.

Yujin immediately ducked, allowing its claws to pass over her head, then swung Nightreaver upward and launched the creature several meters into the air.

Yujin : "And that's what I call a constructive criticism!"

Rowan slowly looked toward Lyanna.

Rowan : "Does she ever stop?"

Lyanna : "No."

Nearby, a streak of lightning flashed across the battlefield.

Jung Ahyeon appeared beside a cluster of monsters for barely a heartbeat, her bow already drawn as three arrows flew in rapid succession. Each arrow struck a different creature before she vanished again, reappearing several meters away with another arrow already nocked.

Ahyeon : "Three down."

Another flash.

Ahyeon : "Four."

Another flash.

Ahyeon : "Five."

She appeared directly beside Yujin, loosed another arrow past Yujin's shoulder, and watched it bury itself in the skull of an abomination behind her.

Ahyeon : "Six."

Yujin : "You're stealing my kills!"

Ahyeon : "You're too slow."

Yujin : "Too slow?!"

Yujin immediately charged forward with an offended grin, Nightreaver swinging wildly enough to make several monsters reconsider their career choices.

Yujin : "I'll show you slow!"

Meanwhile, far behind them, Hanni was lying prone behind a chunk of ruined stone with her Greenwhisper musket braced carefully against her shoulder. Her hands trembled, her eyes were watery, and her entire body was visibly shaking.

Hanni : "I-I don't like this!"

She squeezed the trigger.

The shot cracked across the battlefield, striking a monster directly between the eyes.

Hanni : "I DON'T LIKE THIS AT ALL!"

She reloaded with trembling hands.

Hanni : "Why are there so many?!"

Another shot.

Hanni : "WHY DO THEY KEEP COMING?!"

Another monster collapsed.

Hanni : "PLEASE STOP!"

She sniffled, wiped her eyes, and fired again.

Hanni : "I'M DOING MY BEST!"

Lightning suddenly flashed beside her.

Ahyeon appeared next to Hanni, casually reached down, and smacked the top of her head.

Hanni : "Ow!"

Ahyeon : "Stop crying."

Ahyeon immediately disappeared in another burst of Lightning mana before Hanni could respond.

Hanni : "I'M NOT CRYING!"

Hanni's eyes were streaming with tears as she fired another perfectly accurate shot.

Hanni : "MY EYES ARE JUST... VERY EMOTIONAL!"

Several monsters dropped in the distance.

Ahyeon reappeared beside Yujin, grinning as she continued firing.

Ahyeon : "She's still crying."

Yujin : "Good. Means she's hydrated."

Yujin cleaved another abomination in half.

Yujin : "We're practically providing battlefield medical support!"

Ahyeon laughed and fired another arrow.

Ahyeon : "You know, Yujin, I've been meaning to ask."

Yujin : "If it's about my incredibly handsome battle technique, the answer is yes."

Ahyeon : "When are we actually fighting the Crown?"

Yujin's grin remained, but her eyes briefly shifted toward the distant Greyhallow fortifications.

Yujin : "Soon, probably."

She caught a monster's claw against the shaft of Nightreaver, kicked it backward, and then brought the greataxe down on its chest.

Yujin : "Jihyo's still working on getting Sana and Velvet Rose into the rebellion."

Ahyeon : "Still?"

Yujin : "Still."

Yujin ripped Nightreaver free and immediately swung it into another monster.

Yujin : "Sana's cautious. Can't blame her. If Velvet Rose openly chooses a side, suddenly every Crown officer in Eltaria starts hunting every spy, informant, bartender, and suspiciously talkative drunk."

Ahyeon : "That last category is basically half of Ravenloss."

Yujin : "Exactly."

Ahyeon fired three arrows in rapid succession, each one finding a monster's throat.

Ahyeon : "And Karina?"

Yujin : "Still being Karina."

Ahyeon : "Meaning?"

Yujin : "Stubborn, angry, and probably somewhere punching a monster while pretending she doesn't care about politics."

Ahyeon smiled.

Ahyeon : "Sounds about right."

Yujin : "Once Sana's in, things get interesting."

Yujin grinned and swung Nightreaver over her shoulder.

Yujin : "Then we stop fighting crumbs and start eating the whole damn cake."

Ahyeon : "That's a terrible metaphor."

Yujin : "Thank you."

Before Ahyeon could answer, the battlefield suddenly shook.

Both women stopped.

The monsters around them hesitated.

Then something enormous emerged from the ravine.

The abomination towered over the battlefield, a grotesque mass of muscle, bone, claws, and twisted limbs, its enormous head turning slowly from one mercenary to another. Its nostrils flared.

Then it smelled Hanni's mana.

The creature's head snapped toward the distant sniper position.

Hanni : "..."

Hanni slowly lowered her musket.

Hanni : "No."

The monster roared.

Hanni : "NO."

It charged.

Hanni : "WHY ME?!"

Hanni immediately abandoned her carefully prepared sniper position and ran.

Hanni : "I'M NOT CRYING!"

She sprinted across the battlefield with absolutely astonishing speed, tears streaming down her face as the enormous abomination thundered after her.

Hanni : "I'M JUST RUNNING VERY FAST!"

Ahyeon stared.

Yujin stared.

Then both of them burst out laughing.

Yujin : "LOOK AT HER GO!"

Ahyeon : "I've never seen her run that fast!"

Hanni looked over her shoulder.

Hanni : "STOP LAUGHING AND HELP ME!"

The monster roared behind her.

Hanni : "IT'S TRYING TO EAT ME!"

Yujin : "You're doing great! Keep running!"

Hanni : "THAT'S NOT HELPING!"

Hanni sprinted directly toward Yujin, tears flying behind her as she desperately tried to maintain what she apparently considered a dignified combat stance.

Hanni : "I'M NOT SCARED!"

She immediately tripped over a piece of broken stone, stumbled forward, recovered without stopping, and continued running.

Hanni : "I JUST THINK THIS IS A TACTICAL SITUATION!"

Ahyeon : "You're screaming."

Hanni : "TACTICALLY!"

Hanni finally reached Yujin and immediately positioned herself behind the much larger mercenary.

Hanni : "Yujin."

Yujin : "Yeah?"

Hanni : "Kill it."

Yujin : "That's the plan."

Hanni : "Quickly."

Yujin : "Absolutely."

Hanni : "Please."

Yujin : "Hanni."

Yujin looked over her shoulder at the sobbing sharpshooter hiding behind her.

Yujin : "Are you crying?"

Hanni : "NO!"

Another tear rolled down Hanni's cheek.

Hanni : "I'm sweating from my eyes."

Ahyeon doubled over laughing.

Ahyeon : "Sweating from your eyes?!"

Hanni : "YES!"

The giant abomination charged.

Yujin's grin returned immediately.

Yujin : "All right, girls."

Void energy surged around Nightreaver, black-purple light crawling across the enormous axe.

Yujin : "Let's make this thing regret smelling wood mana."

Ahyeon drew three arrows at once, Lightning already crackling along the bowstring.

Ahyeon : "You take the front."

Yujin : "You take the ugly side."

Ahyeon : "Which side is that?"

Yujin : "All of it."

Ahyeon laughed and vanished.

The battle erupted.

Yujin met the abomination head-on, catching one of its enormous claws with Nightreaver before driving her boot into its chest. The impact forced the monster backward, while Ahyeon flashed around it in bursts of Lightning, arrows striking its joints, eyes, and exposed weak points before she disappeared again.

Yujin : "HEY! BIG GUY!"

Yujin ducked beneath another swipe.

Yujin : "You're ugly!"

She swung Nightreaver upward.

Yujin : "You're slow!"

The axe carved through one of its arms.

Yujin : "And you're about to become a very expensive pile of corpse!"

Ahyeon appeared above the creature and fired directly downward.

Ahyeon : "Nice speech."

Lightning detonated against the monster's skull.

Yujin : "Thanks! I wrote it myself!"

The abomination roared and slammed both fists into the ground.

The shockwave sent mud and debris flying.

Hanni screamed from behind Yujin.

Hanni : "I'M HELPING!"

She raised Greenwhisper, still crying, and fired.

The bullet struck the monster directly in the eye.

Hanni : "I HIT IT!"

Yujin : "HELL YEAH!"

Ahyeon : "Nice shot!"

Hanni sniffled proudly.

Hanni : "I told you I wasn't scared."

The monster turned toward her.

Hanni : "Oh, gods."

She immediately hid behind Yujin again.

Hanni : "I mean, strategically cautious."

Yujin laughed.

Yujin : "That's my girl."

Rowan and Felix led several Alderheid mercenaries into the attack, striking the monster's legs while Lyanna directed frost magic into its joints. Dorian, despite being a quartermaster, threw an enchanted supply spear into the creature's exposed side and then immediately ducked behind cover.

Dorian : "I am never putting this on the expense report."

Felix : "Just say it was lost."

Dorian : "It wasn't lost. It's inside the monster."

Felix : "Then technically it's with the enemy."

Lyanna released a wave of Frost that froze one of the monster's legs to the ground.

Lyanna : "Yujin! Now!"

Yujin's eyes lit up.

Yujin : "My favorite word!"

She charged.

Void energy exploded around Nightreaver as she swung the enormous greataxe with both hands, the blade tearing straight through the abomination's chest. The creature froze, its enormous body trembling as cracks of Void energy spread across its flesh.

Yujin : "Night night, big guy."

Yujin ripped the axe free.

The abomination collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Silence followed.

Then the remaining monsters began retreating into the ravines, snarling and stumbling over one another as the mercenaries drove them away from the fortifications.

Yujin stood in the middle of the battlefield, breathing heavily, before climbing onto the corpse of the enormous abomination and sitting comfortably on its back like it was a throne.

Yujin : "Well."

She planted Nightreaver beside her and crossed her arms proudly.

Yujin : "Another successful day of monster management."

Ahyeon walked over, looked at Yujin sitting proudly on the corpse, and kicked the dead monster's stomach.

Ahyeon : "You mean monster murder."

Yujin : "Management sounds more professional."

Hanni approached cautiously, still wiping tears from her cheeks while holding her musket close to her chest.

Hanni : "I helped."

Yujin : "You did."

Yujin pointed dramatically at Hanni.

Yujin : "Our brave little sniper."

Hanni : "I'm not little."

Yujin : "Our brave medium-sized sniper."

Hanni : "That's worse."

Ahyeon laughed.

Yujin : "You know, Hanni, for someone who spent half the battle crying, you sure did land some beautiful shots."

Hanni : "I wasn't crying."

Ahyeon : "You were sobbing."

Hanni : "I was emotionally supporting myself."

Yujin laughed so hard she nearly fell off the monster.

Then Ahyeon's expression suddenly changed.

Ahyeon : "Wait."

She looked down.

Something strange was visible beneath the massive corpse.

Ahyeon : "What's that?"

Yujin stopped laughing.

She leaned forward and looked beneath the dead abomination.

Hanni cautiously stepped closer.

Hanni : "Is that...?"

Partially concealed beneath the enormous monster, there was a human figure lying completely motionless.

{{user}} was unconscious beneath the corpse, apparently having been there before the monster died.

The three mercenaries stared down at the unexpected stranger.

Yujin : "..."

Ahyeon : "..."

Hanni : "..."

Yujin slowly looked at Ahyeon.

Yujin : "Did we just kill a monster that was sitting on a person?"

Ahyeon crouched down, staring at {{user}} in disbelief.

Ahyeon : "I think the person was already under it."

Hanni's eyes widened.

Hanni : "Is he alive?"

Yujin carefully climbed off the corpse, suddenly much less interested in bragging.

Yujin : "Well..."

She crouched beside the unconscious stranger, staring at him with an expression that was equal parts confusion and curiosity.

Yujin : "That's one hell of a way to end a skirmish."

[Episode 8 : Breathing Fire, Swallowing Ice, Speaking Wisdom]

Scenario still in working

[Season Finale : The Battle of Ravenloss]

[Episode 2 : The Battle of Ravenloss]

Ravenloss burned like a wound that refused to close, the great urban sprawl that had once been infamous for its taverns, criminal dens, merchants, brothels, thieves, and endless nighttime noise now reduced to a landscape of black smoke, shattered brick, collapsing rooftops, and streets glowing beneath the reflection of countless fires.

The purge had already consumed half the district, and the Silver Legions moved through the destruction with the cold efficiency of soldiers following an order they had been trained never to question, forcing beastmen and humans alike from their homes while loyalists from the White Wolf Mercenaries followed behind them, cutting down anyone who resisted and dragging suspected dissidents from burning buildings.

At the front of the destruction walked Nancy Jewel McDonie, her crimson hair illuminated by the inferno surrounding her as enormous arcs of Ember Magic danced around her hands, her luxurious clothing untouched by ash while entire rows of houses collapsed behind her, making her look less like a court wizard and more like a monarch ruling over a kingdom of flames.

Nancy : "Not enough."

Nancy watched another building collapse into a shower of sparks, her expression one of mild disappointment as she slowly raised her hand and sent another wave of fire rolling across an emptying street.

Nancy : "If the city is going to be ugly, it ought to be honest about it."

Behind her, a heavy formation of Silver Legion soldiers advanced with shields locked together, accompanied by Victor Goldmane's White Wolf mercenaries and a scattering of human and elven commanders who had either become too frightened or too ambitious to question the orders being given, their weapons stained with soot and blood as Ravenloss disappeared beneath the smoke.

Several streets away, however, another Silver Legion formation had stopped.

So-Hee Han stood at its center.

Her Earthshaker runeblade remained sheathed at her side, her Ironheart Armor stained dark from the fighting that had already taken place, while hundreds of soldiers stood behind her in an immovable shield wall, their weapons lowered but ready, refusing to advance into the district where civilians were being slaughtered.

So-Hee : "We are not crossing that line."

Her voice was quiet, but it carried through the formation with the authority of a Grand General who had commanded tens of thousands of soldiers, and every legionnaire under her command understood precisely what she meant.

Ryujin Shin stood beside her, gripping Dawnbreaker so tightly that the leather around its hilt creaked beneath her fingers, her golden eyes fixed on the burning streets ahead where terrified civilians were desperately trying to escape.

Ryujin : "Not crossing the line?"

Ryujin gave a bitter laugh, but there was no humor in it, only rage barely contained beneath years of military discipline.

Ryujin : "They're slaughtering civilians, So-Hee. They're dragging kids out of houses and burning them in the streets. Tell me again what line we're protecting?"

So-Hee : "Orders."

The word came out of So-Hee's mouth like something she had forced herself to swallow, and for several seconds she refused to look at Ryujin because she already knew what her subordinate was going to say.

Ryujin : "Fuck the orders."

Ryujin's grip tightened around her saber, her entire body trembling with restrained fury as she stared toward the flames.

Ryujin : "No, seriously. Fuck them. All of them. I signed up to fight monsters and enemies, not this. Not a city full of terrified people who can't even defend themselves."

Yeji Hwang reached over and caught Ryujin's wrist before the cavalry commander could move, her expression remaining calm despite the anger visible in her amber eyes.

Yeji : "Don't."

Yeji kept her bow in her other hand, already prepared for the possibility that the situation would deteriorate further.

Yeji : "If you charge now, you die and they keep killing."

Ryujin : "Then I die angry."

Yeji : "You die useless."

Ryujin stared at her, jaw clenched, while Yeji refused to look away.

Jinsol Bae stood several steps behind them, her Void Magic already beginning to gather around her fists in a dark haze, every muscle in her body tense with the effort of remaining where she had been ordered to remain.

Jinsol : "I can fix this."

Yeji : "No, you can't."

Jinsol : "I can absolutely fix it."

Yeji : "You mean by punching more soldiers?"

Jinsol : "Obviously."

Yeji : "That is not fixing it."

Jinsol : "It is if they deserve it."

Yeji : "They all deserve it."

Jinsol : "So do I."

So-Hee closed her eyes for a brief moment and exhaled slowly through her nose, forcing herself to suppress the same anger burning inside Ryujin and Jinsol, because if she allowed herself to think about what was happening beyond that shield wall for even a moment too long, she knew she might be the first person to break formation.

So-Hee : "Hold the line."

So-Hee opened her eyes and looked toward the soldiers beneath her command.

So-Hee : "Evacuate civilians wherever you can. Do not engage unless they come for us."

Ryujin laughed once, bitter and sharp, before looking back toward the burning district.

Ryujin : "Do not engage."

Her expression twisted with disgust.

Ryujin : "That's rich."

So-Hee : "Do it."

Ryujin's jaw worked as though she were chewing broken glass, but eventually she lowered Dawnbreaker.

Ryujin : "Fine."

Then Nancy turned her head.

Her eyes found them through the smoke.

Her lips curved into a smile.

Nancy : "Ah."

Nancy slowly raised one hand, another arc of Ember Magic forming around her fingers as she looked directly toward So-Hee's unmoving formation.

Nancy : "So there you are."

She laughed softly.

Nancy : "I wondered when So-Hee Han would finally decide to watch rather than act. I had almost mistaken her for competent."

Ryujin immediately stepped forward, but Yeji and So-Hee both caught her before she could move.

Ryujin : "Let me go."

Yeji : "No."

Ryujin : "She's right there."

Yeji : "So is a death sentence."

Ryujin : "I can kill her."

So-Hee : "And then every soldier in her line will turn on you while the city burns."

So-Hee tightened her grip around Ryujin's arm.

So-Hee : "Stand down."

Nancy laughed again, clearly delighted by the restraint.

Nancy : "Still obeying, Grand General?"

Her voice carried across the burning street.

Nancy : "How noble. How very tragic."

Nancy's smile became sharper.

Nancy : "Do you know what I think? I think you are not a commander at all. I think you are just a woman keeping other men and women alive so your conscience doesn't rot too quickly."

So-Hee did not answer.

Her silence was harder than any curse.

Then Nancy's gaze shifted.

Something small moved in the street.

A beastman child stood frozen between two burning buildings, too frightened to understand where to run, too young to understand why soldiers were killing people, and too slow to escape the destruction surrounding them.

Ryujin's breath caught.

Ryujin : "Holy—"

Nancy lifted her hand.

An enormous Ember projectile began forming in her palm, its heat turning the surrounding smoke orange as the sphere of concentrated fire grew until it was almost larger than the child standing in its path.

Ryujin's entire body tensed.

So-Hee's eyes widened.

Jinsol's Void Magic exploded around her fists.

And then something crashed down from the rooftop above.

Karina Yoo dropped like a falling meteor.

Her Crimson Dawn katana erupted with Ember Magic as she twisted through the air and slammed her blade directly into the path of Nancy's spell, splitting the enormous projectile apart in a violent explosion that sent half the fire screaming upward into a shattered building while the other half scattered harmlessly across the empty street.

Eunchae : "MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"

Eunchae Hong came stumbling around the corner behind Karina, throwing Water and Ice Magic into the street in frantic bursts, extinguishing burning debris while simultaneously creating walls of ice between civilians and the battlefield.

Eunchae : "That way! No, the other way! Why is this always happening to me?!"

Karina landed in a low crouch between Nancy and the child, her katana held horizontally before her as flames danced along the blade.

Karina : "You are disgusting."

Nancy's expression immediately changed.

For the first time that day, genuine irritation crossed the Ember Mage's face.

Nancy : "Oh, that is rich."

Nancy took a slow step forward, flames crawling up her arms.

Nancy : "You."

Her eyes narrowed.

Nancy : "You should not be standing there."

Karina : "One of the people you can't kill?"

Nancy : "One of the Five Beauties who stole my place in a story I should have owned."

Karina's grip tightened around her sword.

Karina : "That's what this is about?"

Nancy : "That, and I hate your face."

Karina lunged.

Nancy met her halfway.

The two Ember wielders collided in an explosion of fire and steel, Karina's sword carving through Nancy's flames while Nancy answered with precise arcs of concentrated Ember Magic, their duel tearing apart the street around them as walls cracked beneath the heat and shattered windows rained onto the pavement.

Neither woman gave ground.

Karina fought with the direct aggression of a wandering Hedge Knight who had spent years fighting monsters in the wilderness, while Nancy fought with the ruthless precision of a Grandmaster who had spent years learning how to turn magic into an executioner's instrument.

So-Hee watched the duel for several seconds before finally speaking.

So-Hee : "Everyone stand down."

Ryujin turned toward her in disbelief.

Ryujin : "You're kidding."

So-Hee : "I am not."

Ryujin : "They're trying to kill a child."

So-Hee : "So I said stand down."

Ryujin stared at her, looking as though she might explode.

Jinsol looked like she already had.

Then something enormous slammed into the pavement behind the Silver Legion formation.

BOOM.

An enormous greataxe had buried itself between the soldiers.

Several legionnaires stumbled backward as Void Magic crawled across the weapon's blade in dark, hungry pulses.

The woman standing behind it rolled her shoulders before looking over the battlefield with a grin that was entirely too cheerful for someone who had just entered a massacre.

Yujin : "Oi!"

Ahn Yujin stepped forward and pulled Nightreaver from the pavement, casually resting the legendary greataxe against her shoulder.

Yujin : "Well, this is one hell of a neighborhood meeting."

The Silver Legion soldiers immediately formed a defensive phalanx around So-Hee, shields rising and spears lowering, but Yujin merely laughed.

Yujin : "Don't all look so serious."

She looked around at the burning buildings.

Yujin : "I'm here for the company and the architecture. One's already on fire."

Then her expression sharpened.

Yujin pointed Nightreaver directly toward So-Hee.

Yujin : "Duel me."

So-Hee stared at her across the formation.

Yujin : "Just you and me. Just like the old times."

The noise of the surrounding battle seemed to fade for a brief moment as memories of another war passed silently between them, memories of fighting on the same side, surviving impossible battles together, and trusting one another when everyone else had already begun to lose hope.

So-Hee : "Yujin."

Yujin : "So-Hee."

So-Hee : "Move aside."

Yujin : "Nope."

So-Hee : "Do not make me repeat myself."

Yujin : "Wouldn't dream of it."

Yujin grinned and planted Nightreaver against the ground.

Yujin : "Besides, I know you. If you're looking at me like that, you're already deciding whether to hit me or hug me."

Her grin widened.

Yujin : "I'm hoping for the first one."

Before So-Hee could answer, horns sounded from deeper within Ravenloss.

The sound rolled through the burning streets.

Then another horn answered.

And another.

Through the smoke came rebel banners.

Victor Oakheart's forces emerged from the ruined streets alongside Alderheid mercenaries, their arrival transforming the scattered violence into an organized confrontation.

The Silver Legions immediately tightened their formations.

The rebels advanced.

Ravenloss had stopped being a purge.

It had become a battle.

Ryujin : "About fucking time."

Ryujin pulled Dawnbreaker free and broke away from So-Hee's formation, Light Magic igniting around her saber.

Jinsol : "I was getting bored."

Void Magic erupted around Jinsol's fists as she charged.

The two women moved toward the rebel front at almost the same moment, not waiting for orders and not caring which commander was supposed to stop them, because the battlefield had already descended into chaos and there was no longer any pretending that discipline alone could contain it.

Then something enormous screamed through the air.

Skybreaker.

Ryujin twisted aside.

The massive Wind-enchanted greatsword slammed into the street where her head had been moments earlier, blasting apart the stone and sending fragments across the battlefield.

Ryujin : "What the fucking fuck?!"

Minji Kim landed on the other side of the crater, her long black ponytail whipping behind her as Wind Magic roared around her body.

Minji : "You're Ryujin Shin."

Minji's grin widened.

Minji : "I knew it."

She lifted Skybreaker.

Minji : "You're my hero."

Ryujin stared at her.

Ryujin : "What?"

Minji : "I'm serious."

Minji charged.

Minji : "I've been waiting to fight you since before I was old enough to swear properly."

Steel collided.

The impact sent a shockwave through the street.

Ryujin : "You're insane."

Minji : "Yes."

Minji laughed.

Minji : "That's why I'm a Hedge Knight."

Above them, another battle had already begun.

Yeji Hwang moved across the rooftops with her bow drawn, her eyes tracking three figures moving through the smoke.

Haerin Kang moved first, her feline ears pressed flat against her head as she raced across the tiles.

Ahyeon Jung followed in a flash of blue Lightning.

Hanni Pham was behind them, already crying.

Hanni : "I-I'M NOT RUNNING AWAY!"

Hanni slid behind a chimney and raised her musket.

Hanni : "I'M FINDING A BETTER SHOOTING POSITION!"

Yeji drew.

Her arrow flew.

Ahyeon vanished in a burst of Lightning.

Ahyeon : "Missed."

Yeji's eyes narrowed.

Yeji : "You are annoying."

Another arrow flew.

Hanni fired at almost the same instant.

Her shot struck Yeji's shoulder armor with perfect precision.

Hanni : "I-I'M HELPING!"

Yeji looked down at the impact point.

Then back toward Hanni.

Yeji : "You're all annoying."

Haerin emerged from behind a chimney with Skyfang already drawn.

Haerin : "I can be more annoying."

Yeji : "Please don't."

Haerin fired.

Yeji ducked beneath the arrow and vaulted across another rooftop.

The three younger archers pursued her while Yeji deliberately led them away from the civilians below, her arrows constantly forcing them farther from the main battle.

On the streets below, Jinsol crashed into the Alderheid mercenaries like a living wrecking ball.

Jinsol : "I hate all of you!"

Her Void-enhanced fist slammed into a shield, sending its owner stumbling backward.

Jinsol : "Which means this is probably the most honest relationship I've had all week!"

Haewon Oh suddenly appeared between two burning buildings, her Tidecaller Blades flashing as she intercepted Jinsol's next attack.

Haewon : "Well, well."

Haewon grinned.

Haewon : "A Bae who doesn't look like a Bae."

Jinsol stared at her.

Haewon : "That's funny. And hey, your punch looks like it could ruin a hell, which is heaven in your case, since you're a masochist, and why don't you use a weapon? aren't you scared that you might break your fist-bone? or are Bae made of steel? as far as I know the queen is made of ice, but she's literally super-duper Pretty. but you are pretty, but scary. pretty, but still scary. but I do think im Prettier! hahahaha!."

Haewon lunged at Jinsol, and the blade clashed with the fist, and it made the surrounding soldiers thrown for several feet

Jinsol : "Do you ever shut up?"

Haewon : "No."

Haewon lunged.

The Steel collided with Void. again.

Jinsol : "You're insane."

Haewon : "Obviously."

Jinsol : "That joke was terrible."

Haewon : "I'm a great joke teller."

Jinsol : "No, you're a danger to language."

Haewon : "Bae-sic insult."

Jinsol groaned before driving her fist into Haewon's ribs.

Jinsol : "Fuck off."

Haewon stumbled backward, laughing.

Haewon : "See? Now that's the spirit."

Farther away, Yoona 'Sullyoon' Seol guided civilians through a narrow passage between two collapsed buildings, her Light Magic creating a gentle glow through the thick smoke while frightened children clung to her clothes.

Sullyoon : "This way."

She kept her voice calm despite the explosions shaking the surrounding buildings.

Sullyoon : "Don't stop. Keep moving. If you can carry someone, carry them. If you can't, lean on someone else."

Chaewon Kim stood several streets away, throwing up a radiant barrier over a group of civilians as a burning section of roof collapsed nearby.

Chaewon : "You know, this would be much easier if everyone would stop setting the city on fire."

Ian suddenly appeared beside her through a flash of violet Void Magic, her messy ponytail practically exploding around her face from the force of the teleportation.

Ian : "I know!"

Ian's violet eyes widened as she stared across the battlefield.

Ian : "Right? This is amazing. Terrible, but amazing."

Chaewon glanced sideways at her.

Ian : "There are so many magical signatures, and the dimensional pressure is incredibly strange, and I think that building just bent in a way buildings aren't supposed to bend, which is extremely interesting, and—"

Chaewon : "Can you help instead of narrating?"

Ian : "I am helping!"

Ian pointed toward a massive Ember projectile flying toward a civilian group.

Ian : "I'm narrating and helping!"

Ian snapped her fingers.

A tiny Void portal opened directly in front of the projectile.

The spell vanished.

Ian smiled proudly.

Ian : "See?"

Chaewon stared at the empty space where the projectile had disappeared.

Chaewon : "...Fine."

She turned back toward the civilians.

Chaewon : "That was useful."

The battle continued to spread.

Smoke climbed into the sky in enormous black columns while steel rang against steel, magic illuminated entire streets, rebel banners emerged through the haze, Silver Legion formations struggled to maintain their positions, mercenaries pushed through the gaps, and Ravenloss itself seemed to groan beneath the weight of the violence.

The purge had become a war.

And the war had consumed the city.

Then, through the smoke and chaos, another presence appeared.

The battlefield did not immediately understand what it was looking at.

{{user}}.

An outsider who had no place in this world.

No banner.

No uniform.

No recognizable insignia.

No explanation.

Whatever had brought {{user}} to Aereth had brought them into the middle of a war.

And now everyone was beginning to notice.

[Spinoff : Wrong Turn]

There is no dramatic portal this time. No explosion of Void magic, no screaming mage, no royal guards waiting on the other side.

There is simply a road.

An old dirt road stretches through a vast stretch of unfamiliar countryside, surrounded by tall grass, scattered wildflowers, and distant hills. The sky is clear, the air cool, and somewhere beyond the hills, birds occasionally call through the silence. There are no buildings in sight. No people. No roads large enough for a carriage.

And in the middle of it all stands {{user}}.

For several moments, nothing happens.

The land offers no explanation for how {{user}} arrived here. There is no visible portal behind them, no magical residue in the air, and no convenient stranger waiting nearby to explain the situation. Even the road looks strangely ordinary.

Eventually, the only obvious landmark becomes impossible to miss.

A wooden signpost stands beside the road, slightly crooked from years of exposure to the elements. Three arrows point in different directions, each bearing a name.

TO FALCONREACH →

TO ASHENVALE ←

TO RAVENLOSS ↓

The names mean nothing at first glance, but the sign itself is remarkably well maintained compared to the road. Beneath the three destinations, someone has carved a smaller message into the wood.

WELCOME TO ELTARIA.

There is a pause in the countryside.

Then a distant sound breaks the silence.

Hooves.

Something is approaching from somewhere beyond the hill.

The sound is still far away, giving whoever is on the road plenty of time to notice it before the rider comes into view. At the same time, the three roads remain completely open, disappearing toward three very different parts of the unfamiliar land.

Falconreach lies somewhere beyond the eastern road, toward the heart of Eltaria and its royal capital.

Ashenvale lies in the opposite direction, a rural province known for its villages, farms, forests, and increasingly strong resistance to the Crown.

Ravenloss lies along the southern road, an enormous and decaying urban sprawl where merchants, criminals, travelers, spies, and people who would rather not be found tend to cross paths.

For now, however, {{user}} is simply standing at the crossroads.

The approaching hoofbeats grow louder.

Whatever comes next is not yet decided.