(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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Clover Capital...
Wizard King's Palace...
Celebration Hall...
The mood was lighter now.
Music drifted softly through the chamber as Magic Knights who had fought during the attack gathered for a modest celebration.
Plates of food passed from table to table while tired laughter filled the room.
At one of the tables—
Rill Boismortier was enthusiastically explaining something with animated gestures.
"You see, the emotion of a moment!" he said excitedly.
"That's what makes a painting truly alive!"
Across from him, Asta nodded seriously while chewing a massive chicken leg.
-Nod
"Yeah! Totally!"
Next to him, Charmy Pappitson was quietly devouring an entire tray of food with frightening speed.
"...."
Rill occasionally glanced at her while talking.
Then quickly looked away.
A faint blush touched his cheeks.
Meanwhile—
Charmy remained completely focused on the food.
A young Magic Knight suddenly hurried into the hall.
His cloak marked him as a member of the Azure Deer squad.
He stopped before Rill and saluted.
"Captain!"
Rill blinked caught off guard being interrupt.
-Blink -Blink
"Hmm?"
The knight spoke quickly.
"An urgent report from Ashvale Village."
The room nearby quieted slightly.
"...."
"A ruin has emerged from underground," the knight continued. "A child was taken by a portal when the structure appeared."
Asta froze mid-bite.
"What?!"
Charmy paused chewing.
"...."
"…Was the kid carrying food?"
The knight continued.
"The area is currently sealed by a powerful barrier. Several Magic Knights stationed nearby attempted to break it but failed. According to their observations…"
He swallowed his saliva.
-Gulp
"It appears to be a newly manifested dungeon."
Murmurs spread through the hall.
Dungeons were dangerous. Unpredictable. Ancient.
"And the barrier?" Rill asked.
"Extremely strong," the knight replied. "Even combined spells couldn't breach it."
Rill's expression changed.
"...."
The cheerful artist faded slightly—Replaced by the Magic Knight Captain.
"…I see."
He stood from the table.
Asta wiped his mouth quickly.
"Is it dangerous?"
"Most likely," Rill replied honestly.
Charmy finished another plate.
"Does the dungeon have food?"
No one answered that.
Rill straightened his cloak.
"I need to inform the Wizard King."
He began moving through the hall, searching for Julius Novachrono.
Julius's Office...
The corridors were quieter now.
Most of the celebration still echoed faintly in distant halls, but here—near the Wizard King's office—the palace had returned to its usual calm.
Rill Boismortier walked briskly down the corridor, the report weighing on his mind.
He let out a small sigh.
-Sigh
'Finally… someone I can actually talk to,' he thought.
Among the Magic Knight captains, he was the youngest.
Most of the others carried themselves with seasoned composure, experience forming invisible walls around them.
Rill tried. He really did. He told jokes.
Perfect timing—at least in his opinion.
But somehow the reactions were always… strange.
Still—Talking with the Wizard King was different.
Julius never made him feel like the odd one out.
Reaching the door, Rill straightened slightly and knocked.
-Knock! -Knock!
"Captain Rill Boismortier requesting permission to enter," he called politely.
A cheerful voice answered from inside.
"Come in!"
Rill opened the door.
-Creak
"...."
Inside, Julius Novachrono sat behind his desk, stacks of documents and magical notes spread everywhere like an organized storm.
He looked up with a friendly smile.
"Ah, Rill! Still awake?"
Rill stepped forward and bowed lightly.
"Sorry to disturb you this late, Wizard King. I just received an urgent report."
Julius leaned forward with interest immediately.
"Oh?"
"A ruin has surfaced near Ashvale Village," Rill explained. "A boy was taken when it appeared. The area is sealed by a barrier that nearby Magic Knights couldn't break."
Julius' expression sharpened slightly.
"…A dungeon?"
"That's the likely conclusion," Rill replied. "It seems to have been triggered accidentally."
Julius rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully.
"Hmm… a dungeon appearing right after tonight's incident…"
His golden eyes glimmered with curiosity.
-Gleam
"Interesting timing."
Rill hesitated before adding,
"The barrier is unusually strong. Even combined spells failed."
Julius leaned back slightly.
"A protective activation seal," he murmured. "Some dungeons use them to regulate entry."
He smiled again.
"Well, that means the entrance condition hasn't been fulfilled yet."
Rill tilted his head.
"…Entrance condition?"
"Most dungeons respond to mana signatures or magical thresholds,"
Julius explained cheerfully.
"When the correct parameters are met, the barrier opens."
Rill blinked hearing Julius response.
"Oh! Like a magical lock!"
"Exactly!"
Julius stood up from his chair.
"Well then, we shouldn't leave a child inside alone, should we?"
Rill brightened hearing the response.
"Should I gather squads?"
Julius chuckled softly.
-Chuckle
"Yes… but let's make this interesting."
His eyes sparkled with excitement.
"A dungeon expedition is a perfect opportunity for young knights to grow."
Rill grinned excitedly.
-Grin
"Training and rescue!"
"Precisely."
Julius reached for a cloak.
"Let's assemble a team."
The report settled heavily in the room.
A newly emerged dungeon. A missing child. A barrier no Magic Knight could break.
But instead of worry—Julius Novachrono looked… excited.
His eyes sparkled like a scholar who had just discovered a rare artifact.
"A dungeon appearing right after tonight's chaos," he murmured thoughtfully.
"What fascinating timing."
Beside him stood Marx Francois, ever attentive, holding his notebook.
Julius suddenly turned toward him.
"Marx."
"Yes, Wizard King."
"Send word to all Magic Knight squads."
Rill blinked curiously.
"...."
Julius clasped his hands behind his back, pacing slowly.
"I want a team assembled," he said cheerfully.
"But not captains."
Julius nodded as if sensing the question in the air.
-Nod
"Young knights."
His smile widened slightly.
"Talented ones. Those with potential. From every squad."
Rill's eyes lit up.
"A mixed team?"
"Exactly."
Julius tapped the desk once.
"This dungeon will be a perfect training ground."
"And," he added gently, "we must rescue the child trapped inside."
Marx nodded immediately.
"I understand."
Julius continued.
"Send the message to all Magic Knight captains."
He paused briefly.
"Except the Golden Dawn captain. William Vangeance is still absent on mission."
Marx wrote quickly.
"I will inform their vice captain instead."
"Good."
Marx bowed slightly and exited the office to deliver the orders.
Rill watched him go, practically vibrating with excitement.
"A dungeon expedition…" he muttered happily.
Julius chuckled hearing Rill's excitement.
-Chuckle
"Don't look so excited, Captain Rill. This isn't an art exhibition."
Rill grinned wider with anticipation.
-Grin
"But dungeons are full of ancient magic!"
Julius leaned toward the window, gazing out at the moonlit capital.
"Yes… And they tend to attract interesting people."
His voice lowered slightly.
"And interesting problems."
Meanwhile Inside the Ruin...
Darkness gave way slowly.
A boy's chest rose sharply as he gasped awake.
"—Haa!"
He sat upright, breathing hard, clutching his shirt as if trying to hold his heart inside his chest.
His name was Eron.
Just moments ago he had been playing outside the village.
Now—He was somewhere else.
Eron looked around wildly. The room was… wrong.
Stone walls surrounded him on all four sides.
Ancient.
Smooth but etched with faint glowing lines that crawled across the surface like frozen lightning.
Fire lamps burned quietly along the walls, their flames steady and unnatural—casting golden light across the chamber.
But there was something else.
There were no doors. No windows. No cracks.
Just four solid walls.
Eron's breathing quickened.
"H-Hello…?"
His voice echoed softly. No answer. He stood up quickly.
"Mika? Taro? Are you guys hiding?!"
Nothing.
"...."
"...."
"...."
The silence felt heavy.
"Mom?!"
His voice cracked.
"Dad?!"
The boy ran to one wall and pushed it.
Stone. Cold. Unmoving.
He ran to another. Then another. Nothing changed.
"No… no no no…"
Panic rose in his chest like a rising flood. Tears formed in his eyes.
-Sob -Sob
"I want to go home!"
His voice broke into sobs.
"Mom! Dad! Please!"
He slid down the wall, hugging his knees as tears streamed down his cheeks.
The flames on the wall lamps flickered slightly.
Then—A low rumble passed through the room.
-Rumble! -Rumble
Eron froze hearing it.
"...."
The rumble deepened.
Stone groaned like something ancient stretching after a long sleep.
Eron wiped his tears and looked up.
Across the chamber wall—The glowing lines suddenly rearranged themselves.
A crack formed. Then widened.
Stone blocks slowly slid apart, revealing a dark passageway beyond.
Cold air drifted out from the opening.
The flames on the wall lamps flickered violently.
Eron stared at the darkness.
And then—The voice returned.
Soft. Sweet. Almost comforting.
"…Come." Eron trembled.
"…Mom…?" he whispered weakly.
The voice responded again.
"…Come."
Something inside his chest tightened.
His panic surged again—But suddenly—His body went still.
Like a bolt of lightning had passed through him.
His breathing slowed. His eyes lost their spark.
Dim. Empty.
As if someone had quietly stepped behind the wheel of his body.
The boy stood. Slowly. Mechanically.
His feet began moving.
One step. Then another.
The darkness ahead waited patiently.
The voice hummed gently inside his mind.
"…Good child."
Eron walked toward the passage.
He didn't cry anymore. He didn't call for help. He simply walked forward.
Into the black corridor.
The moment he crossed the threshold—The stone walls behind him slid shut.
The chamber sealed itself once more.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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