The morning sunlight pierced through the thinning mist, casting dappled patterns across the dew-covered grass.
Perhaps she had grown accustomed to that ever-present feeling of constraint, or maybe her nerves had simply been worn numb. When she woke the next morning, Little Merlin still looked somewhat listless, but she no longer startled at every little thing like the day before. Even though the white stockings remained tightly bound around her legs, causing her to adjust uncomfortably in her sleep from time to time, she had managed to rest relatively peacefully. In her deep slumber, the slick, tight sensation invaded her dreams, making her little feet dangle and swing in the air—so cute it was almost criminal.
Little Merlin held a steaming wooden bowl in both hands, sipping vegetable soup in small mouthfuls. Her legs, clad in white stockings and loafer shoes, hung suspended in midair, unconsciously swinging back and forth. With each swing, the stockings around her thighs emitted a faint pulling sensation.
‘Ugh…’
Little Merlin’s brow furrowed slightly. Her calf twitched reflexively, but quickly calmed down as she continued drinking her soup with her head lowered.
Mahina sat by the campfire, lightly poking at the dying embers with a branch in her hand. Sparks danced in the morning breeze. The other two nodded their heads while finishing their breakfast.
Lucia speculated, “We should reach the Demon King’s Castle today. Let’s defeat the Demon King quickly and get out of here. Little Merlin is suffering badly from the curse. We’ve already spent two nights here, assuming time syncs with the outside world.”
“Those rumors about ghosts and disappearances probably refer to this place. No wonder no one noticed before.”
“Yes, that’s my conclusion as well.”
Lucia raised her eyes at that moment. The dungeon’s difficulty wasn’t high, and no students had been killed so far. She sneered as she looked at Mia. “Candidate Saintess, why did you sneak into the library late at night while the students were participating in the Star Moon Festival activities?”
Mia showed no sign of panic. She set down her wooden bowl slowly and deliberately, then clasped her hands together piously. The pair of particularly grand pouches on her chest, which looked especially striking in the morning light, swayed gently with her movements.
“That’s because… I recently heard rumors about a ghost appearing in the library late at night.”
Her voice was ethereal and compassionate, as if she were truly praying for lost souls.
“As a Candidate Saintess of the Holy Kingdom and a member of the Zelion Royal Academy, of course I wanted to eliminate the students’ anxiety and purify those unclean things. I never expected…”
Quite the smooth talker. From what Lucia had observed at the time, that wasn’t the case at all. Mia had clearly been searching for something specific on the bookshelves. Whether it was actually related to the dungeon remained unknown.
“So did you find anything?”
“I’m afraid it’s this dungeon. From what I’ve observed these past few days, it seems to be connected to people’s wishes.” Mia picked up her wooden bowl from the ground, not angered by Lucia’s attitude. Instead, she wore a contemplative expression. “When I questioned the Alchemy Department students who wandered in by mistake, each one gave a different account. Some even thought they were just dreaming and would wake up to find themselves no longer in the library. Almost all of them returned to the Academy the next day and resumed their normal lives.”
Mahina, who had already finished breakfast, looked at her mage staff as she prepared for departure. “Probably because too many people were dragged in this time. Especially… the dungeon merged too many people’s wishes and subconsciousness, causing the content to increase dramatically. It couldn’t let them leave overnight like those students.”
Mia nodded. She glanced at Little Merlin, then at Lucia and Mahina. “This place has gathered too many people with powerful magic power and complex thoughts. Yes, but based on the scroll’s contents, it’s almost over.”
At this point, Mia changed the subject. “But I didn’t expect to end up teaming up with Her Highness Lucia so soon. I originally thought it would only happen during an Academy-organized dungeon expedition or when cooperating with the Royal Family.”
Lucia was inspecting the sharpness of her sword blade. She didn’t even raise her head, simply replying flatly, “Hmm. Our roles overlap, so we wouldn’t end up on the same team. After all, we’re both Candidate Saintesses, aren’t we?”
An extremely blunt and subtle rejection. The implication was clear—don’t try to get chummy with me.
Mia smiled. “You never know about some things. Just like how we ended up in this dungeon by accident.”
Lucia looked up at Mia. “Are you a Zelion resident?”
Mia was taken aback, clearly not expecting the conversation to jump here. She answered instinctively, “I’ve lived in the Holy Kingdom since I was a child. I’m not a Capital resident.”
Lucia shook her head with a straight face. “That won’t do. I can’t go on expeditions with non-Capital residents.”
The muscles in Mia’s face twitched. “Even so… besides, the Radiant Festival isn’t far off. We might run into each other during the events.”
Lucia stood up, sheathing her long sword with a crisp click. “Is that so… Then spend all your money on Radiance Day and go home and enjoy yourself.”
Mahina had grown accustomed to the two women’s subtle rivalry during the journey. She didn’t get involved, simply watching quietly as Little Merlin ate. Little Merlin was struggling to stuff the last piece of bread into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s. Because she was eating too quickly, a bit of soup clung to the corner of her mouth. Combined with her little feet swinging in the air, she looked so cute it was almost criminal.
Mahina also stood up. “Alright, let’s get moving.”
This time, to avoid further agitating Little Merlin—and to prevent this delicate hero from having her legs ruined by the pantyhose before she even met the Demon King—the three took turns carrying Little Merlin on their backs. Although unavoidable contact still occurred occasionally, it was much better than yesterday.
Since they were strolling through a safe, peaceful forest, idle chat became the only way to pass the time. Mahina walked at the side and rear, her gaze involuntarily drawn—or rather, forced—toward the undulating scenery ahead.
Mahina watched that swaying pouch, its heavy texture as if each swing created ripples in the air. “Miss Mia, are you adapting well to Zelion? Although the climate here is pleasant, it must be a bit dry for someone from the Southern Region.”
Mia tilted her head slightly, her emerald hair sliding down her shoulders, the tips gently brushing against Little Merlin’s cheek on her back. “Life in Zelion is more comfortable than I imagined. Everyone has been very kind to me.”
Mahina tapped her staff lightly against the ground. “That’s good to hear. With the Holy Kingdom’s support, I believe the upcoming Monster Subjugation will go more smoothly.”
“Yes, but I also think we can have great chemistry together. I can’t wait to form a party with everyone, including Little Merlin, of course.”
“Mm…” Little Merlin instinctively moved her legs, adjusting her position. With this movement, the pantyhose, already warm from earlier activity, transmitted sensations throughout her body along the nerve endings in her thighs under the pressure.
However, Mia still hadn’t noticed Little Merlin’s discomfort. She announced loudly, “I will protect everything in the Holy Kingdom!”
“That’s enough. I can already see the Demon King’s Castle.” Lucia cut her off.
Everyone followed her gaze. At the edge of the forest, the view suddenly opened up. At the end of the Calendula Flower Sea, a massive, magnificent building stood quietly under the sunlight.
Lucia pointed at the large castle built of orange cement ahead of them. Spires reached into the clouds, and the walls were smooth as mirrors. She gripped her sword hilt tightly, her gaze sharpening. “We’ve finally reached the final act.”