After the long night of festivities and celebration for our return from the dungeon, the morning light came softly over Sindria. The city sparkled under the sun, still echoing with the joy of the previous night. But the air inside the palace was different now—heavy, thoughtful, and filled with tension.
In the grand meeting room, Sinbad and his Eight Generals were already gathered. They were discussing a serious matter: the growing threat of Al-Thamen and the recent attack on Sindria. Their voices were firm, their expressions tense. Sinbad stood with arms crossed, his gaze sharp as he analyzed recent movements of the dark organization.
Meanwhile, in a quieter part of the castle, Aladdin had wandered off to the room where Dunya, the captured dark metal vessel user, was recovering. Though she had fought against us, it was clear she had been used and betrayed by Ithnan, one of Al-Thamen's agents. She was sick, her body weak from the black Rukh that had infected her. Aladdin, being curious and somewhat playful, was spending time with her, though his childlike behavior was causing more chaos than comfort.
I stood on a balcony nearby, enjoying the warm breeze. But then, I heard Dunya scream. My body tensed. I leaned closer to listen.
Inside the room, Aladdin had apparently done something perverted again, and Dunya was clearly not impressed. A loud voice cut through the moment—Yamraiha had arrived. "You idiot!" she yelled, her staff glowing with magical energy as she zapped Aladdin in the head. He cried out dramatically, spinning around like a top. Sinbad walked in behind her, scratching his head, wearing an amused smile.
"Aladdin, you truly are a Magi. " Sinbad thought under his breath with a chuckle, as if this moment was kind of funny.
After Yamraiha scolded Aladdin and restored some order, Dunya turned her eyes to Yamraiha. Her sharp expression softened a little. "How... are you doing now?" she asked with unexpected concern.
Yamraiha was a bit surprised but replied gently, "I'm doing fine. But you're the one who's still sick. You need rest."
I watched this scene quietly from outside the door. Something about it made my chest feel heavy.
Suddenly, in front of my vision, a transparent screen appeared—the System Interface.
SYSTEM NOTICE: Updating in progress... Please wait. Loading 1%...
My face twitched. "Really? Right now of all times? This damn system..."
"Hey! Naberius!" Aladdin's voice suddenly called out.
I turned my head slowly, pretending I hadn't been caught eavesdropping.
"Uh... hey Aladdin, Yamraiha, Lord Sinbad," I said with a sheepish smile. "Just, uh, listening in. Haha."
Sinbad chuckled, still in a relaxed mood. "Is that so? Why don't you come in then?"
"Oh, thanks, Lord Sinbad."
I entered the room, trying not to look awkward. Everything was still following the timeline from the original story, but I knew a major event was coming soon. Dunya... she didn't have much time left. Her body was slowly being consumed from the inside by the shards of the corrupted metal vessel. In the original series, her fate was tragic. And worst of all, Sinbad's own metal vessel had unintentionally made the shards in her body come out.
No. I stopped myself from going too deep into that thought. I looked at her closely. From a reader's perspective, Dunya never deserved that end. She had been a victim. A princess turned puppet. Betrayed, twisted, and abandoned.
And yet here she was.
She noticed my intense gaze and turned her head away in embarrassment.
Realizing my rudeness, I quickly straightened up and bowed slightly. "Hello, Lady Dunya. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Naberius, a friend of Aladdin. It's an honor to meet you."
She blinked at me, a little surprised. Then, turning her head slightly, she replied, "I am Dunya Mustasim... princess of a fallen kingdom."
Her voice held a strange mix of pride and emptiness, as if her title no longer held any meaning.
There was a long pause between us. I wanted to say more, to comfort her somehow. But my thoughts were interrupted by the slow progression of the system update in my vision.
Loading 8%...
I sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long day.
to be continued