Events leading up to Reiji and Sel's night at the inn…
Assassin 1:
(delivering the Guild Master's orders)
"They're staying at a small inn near the east wall. The Guild Master wants them dead… tonight."
Shadowy Figure:
"Is that so…" he replied, a grin creeping across his face. "Hey. Follow them. Make sure it's done tonight."
Assassin 1:
"But sir… the boss sai—"
Shadowy Figure:
"I TOLD YOU WHAT TO DO. Now go do it!"
Assassin 1:
"Y-Yes sir. Understood."
(Those punks think they can walk into my town and throw their weight around... Just because they've got aptitude for all four elements? Heh. This is what happens when you show off in another man's territory...)
Back at the Inn...
Morning light filtered through the cracked window of the modest room. Reiji stirred, letting out a long yawn and stretching both arms above his head. The rest had been much-needed… but something felt off.
"…Huh?" he blinked groggily. "Why is there… a weird-looking guy in our room?"
Still half-asleep, Reiji stood up, squinting at the unmoving figure lying near the door.
As he tried to process the scene, Sel rolled over and groggily opened her eyes.
"Oh, good morning Reiji. How was your—"
"Who's this guy?" Reiji cut her off. "I woke up and saw this random dude just… here. He's not moving. Maybe he passed out or something?"
Sel stood up as well. Her tone shifted immediately.
"Oh, looks like my trap caught him."
"…Trap? Wait, you set a trap?" Reiji blinked.
"Yeah," Sel said as she got out of bed. "Ever since we left the guild, I've felt someone watching us. Just in case, I placed a barrier around the room to keep any intruders out."
"You did what? Why didn't you tell me? We could've—"
"If I had told you," Sel interrupted, "you wouldn't have relaxed enough to get proper rest. We both needed sleep."
"…Right. I guess that makes sense." Reiji paused, still staring at the body. "So why hasn't he moved?"
Sel crouched beside the man, examining him. Her face grew more serious.
"…He's dead."
"Wait—dead?!" Reiji's eyes widened. "Your barrier killed him on contact or something?!"
"No," Sel replied flatly. "I'm not stupid. The trap was designed to paralyze, not kill. I wanted him alive—we need information."
She sighed, standing up and dusting her hands.
"But it looks like… when he realized he failed his mission, he took his own life."
"…So it was a do-or-die job," Reiji muttered, frowning.
Sel glanced at him, then smirked. "Huh. I thought you'd be screaming your head off from seeing a corpse first thing in the morning."
Reiji exhaled slowly. "I won't lie… it does bother me. But I've already decided—I'm not going to run anymore."
His voice grew firmer, eyes locked on the floor with resolve.
"This world isn't like the one I came from. It won't change just because I'm scared. If I want to survive here—really survive—I'll have to face things head-on. No matter how ugly. I'll accept this world for what it is… and keep moving forward."
Sel smiled. Not her usual teasing grin, but something gentler. Genuine.
"Good," she said quietly. "That's the spirit."
Reiji stared at the lifeless body, a sour expression on his face.
"…So… what exactly are we going to do with this? We can't just leave a corpse in the room."
"You're right," Sel replied casually, walking over. "I'll absorb the body into my imaginary space."
"…Imaginary space?" Reiji tilted his head. "What's that?"
"It's like a void. A blank dimension I can store things in—or erase them if necessary."
"That… sounds insanely useful," Reiji muttered.
Sel smirked. "You'd be surprised. Anyway, let's get cleaned up and head back to the guild."
"Huh? You still want to accept that request? After everything that just happened?" Reiji asked, blinking in disbelief.
Sel turned to him with a cool expression. "If we refuse the quest now, it'll look suspicious. They'll assume we're on to them. That could trigger more than just a second-rate assassination attempt."
Reiji crossed his arms, reluctantly nodding. "Yeah... I guess you're right."
Sel gave him a curt nod. "Let's play along. Accept the request. Observe. If they slip up again, we'll be ready. Besides…" she added, her eyes narrowing, "I want this wrapped up so we can focus on the real problems."
After a quick breakfast, the two headed back to the Adventurers Guild. The atmosphere was unchanged—business as usual.
"Hey Sel, Reiji! Good morning!" Lyra beamed at them from behind the reception desk.
"Hey Lyra," Sel greeted her. "We're doing well, thanks. We'd like to speak to the Guild Master."
Lyra's smile faltered slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry. He's unavailable at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?"
"No need. We just came to accept the job request he mentioned yesterday," Sel said, keeping her tone neutral. "I talked it over with Reiji, and we've decided to take it."
"Oh! Is it the one involving the dungeon outside the kingdom?" Lyra asked.
"That's the one," Sel confirmed.
"Perfect! I can process that for you right now if you're ready to begin."
Sel hesitated just a moment—then nodded. "Yeah. That's fine."
Lyra started the paperwork, and within minutes, their mission was officially registered.
As they left the guild, Sel gave Reiji a sideways glance.
"Remember what I told you yesterday—stay close, keep your guard up, and don't wander too far."
Reiji nodded seriously. "Got it."
And with that, they set off toward the dungeon. Unbeknownst to them, they were stepping deeper into a plot far larger than they realized.
Meanwhile, in the Royal Palace…
Things weren't going well for the kingdom's hero.
Ren wandered the palace gardens, his thoughts heavy. He couldn't stop replaying what happened the night before…
King Leopold von Grimholde:
"I told you to deal with the situation—not pick a fight with Kael!!"
Ren:
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but Kael had already caused chaos at the guild. I had no choice—force was the only option."
King Leopold:
"Force?! Are you saying you planned to fight him? Are you mad? Do you understand the situation this kingdom is in?! What would you have done if Kael decided to burn Grimholde to the ground?! You're not strong enough to stop him—no one is!"
Ren:
"But sire, I—"
King Leopold:
"Enough! I'm done listening. You are hereby forbidden from engaging Kael. Am I clear?"
"…Yes, sire," Ren said through clenched teeth.
Lost in thought, Ren didn't realize he was on the same path as the princess until a familiar voice called out to him.
Princess Thessaly von Grimholde:
"Greetings, Ren. How are you today?"
Ren snapped out of his daze, immediately straightening his posture.
"Yes, Princess. I'm doing well—thank you for asking."
"You looked troubled," she said softly. "Is something on your mind?"
Ren hesitated. It would do no good to worry her.
"No, Princess. Everything is fine."
"…Is that so?" Thessaly said, raising an eyebrow. "Well… just know I—no, we—appreciate everything you do for the kingdom, Ren. Don't forget that."
Ren flushed slightly. "Thank you, Princess. It's an honor to hear that from you."
She smiled warmly. "I must go speak with Father. Take care, Ren."
"You too, Princess."
As she walked away, Ren stood frozen for a moment—then smiled to himself.
Her words still echoed in his mind. And despite everything, for the first time in days, he felt lighter.
Ren was suddenly thrown back, crashing through a marble column and landing hard in the courtyard.
"What the hell—!?" Ren grunted, clutching his arm from the impact.
A figure stepped through the dust with a slow, deliberate walk.
"Nice block," Kael said with a crooked grin. "Looks like you're finally improving, Hero."
Ren gritted his teeth. "Kael… What do you want?"
Kael tilted his head, eyes glinting with mockery. "Oh, I just saw you blushing like a lovesick fool a minute ago. Thought I'd help wipe that dumb look off your face."
Ren's brow furrowed. "You attacked me because I was smiling? Are you insane?"
Kael's grin widened. "Insane? Nah. Just bored. But hey… maybe I should wipe that smile off Thessaly's face instead. Bet I could make her do a lot of things for me if I tried. I could ma—"
"SHUT UP!" Ren's voice exploded across the courtyard, his eyes burning. "Don't you dare say another word about her, scum."
Kael's expression darkened. "Oh? You got fire now?" He stepped forward, voice rising. "Let's see if your fists can back up your mouth!"
Kael vanished—then appeared in front of Ren in a blink, fist buried into Ren's gut.
"Gh—!" Ren twisted just in time, turning a direct hit into a glancing blow, but the speed still rattled him. He reached instinctively for his sword—then stopped, frozen.
The King's words echoed in his skull.
"You are hereby forbidden from fighting Kael... Am I clear?"
Ren's hand hovered at his side… then clenched into a shaking fist.
Kael noticed immediately. "Oh?" he mocked. "What's this? No sword? You're not fighting back?"
He leaned in, lips curling.
"Coward. What happened to that gallant 'Hero' act? Just one hit and you're already scared?" Kael scoffed. "Guess I've outgrown you. Shame."
He turned his back. "Anyway, I've got better things to do. Why don't you go do the kingdom a favor and crawl into a ditch?"
Ren didn't move. Just stood there, trembling with rage and frustration.
(Why… Why does someone like him get to exist?)
By the time Ren returned inside, his knuckles were still white. He tried to shake the moment off, walking toward the castle gates, when voices caught his ear.
Guard 1: "Hey… you hear about those two new adventurers from yesterday?"
Guard 2: "What, the ones who took the dungeon quest?"
Guard 3: "Wait, seriously? That deathtrap? No one's returned from it lately. Not even veteran parties."
Guard 2: "Yeah. That dungeon doesn't care how strong you think you are. That place's a meat grinder."
(Wait... adventurers? Newly registered? It can't be…)
Ren's blood ran cold. He spun on his heel.
(Sel… Reiji… Oh no. That idiot Kael must've set them up—)
He bolted through the gates, startling the guards as he sprinted full-speed toward the guild.
BANG!
The door slammed open, drawing startled looks. Ren stormed in, scanning the room.
"Where are they?! Sel! Reiji!"
Lyra at the front desk blinked in shock. "Ren? What's wrong?"
"Lyra—where are Sel and Reiji?! I need to find them, now!"
"I-I'm sorry, they just left a while ago. They accepted the dungeon quest this morning."
Ren's fists slammed on the counter. "Why would you let them take it?!"
"They weren't forced! They wanted to go. Sel signed off on the mission herself—"
"Where's the Guild Master?!" Ren cut in.
"He's… not available…"
Ren didn't wait for more. "Dammit—!" he hissed, turning on his heel and bolting out the door.
"I have to find them before it's too late…"
The forest surrounding Grimholde was thick, ancient, and full of whispers. As Ren sprinted deeper, the leaves blurred past him in streaks of green.
Then—he stopped.
He sniffed the air.
"…Wait." His heart pounded. "Is that… blood?"
A metallic scent lingered. Fresh.
(No… No no no. Please—)
Ren burst into motion again, this time faster, following the scent trail like a predator. Every step was louder. Every heartbeat heavier.
The wind howled in his ears as he tore through the underbrush.
(Sel… Reiji… hang on.)