When the white light in their vision faded, “Where is this?” gave way to an endless expanse of golden yellow.
As they regained their focus, Mahina and Lucia realized they were no longer in the gloomy library, but standing in the middle of a blooming Calendula Plain.
A gentle breeze blew through. Even at night, the sea of golden flowers rippled and shimmered, and the air was filled with the distinct fragrance of plants, a sharp contrast to the stale, musty smell from just moments ago.
Having spent years fighting out in the field, both women were well-versed in such situations. Despite the friction they usually had, Mahina and Lucia immediately rose and coordinated their movements.
Without a single exchange of glances, they sprang up at the same time, backs pressed against each other.
However, after carefully surveying the surrounding environment, they found no sign of movement, nor did they detect the presence of any magical beasts.
There was only the rustling sound of wind passing through petals, as tranquil as a painting.
Finally, Mahina lowered her guard.
“It seems the spot where we landed is safe for now.”
Mahina did not walk away immediately, but stood in the center of the sea of flowers. Watching the calendula field shining with a warm luster against the night sky, even knowing they were deep within a bizarre dungeon, a glimmer of awe escaped her pink-blue eyes.
Lucia looked around once more, and after confirming everything was clear, she relaxed her posture.
“Let’s keep moving forward for now.”
Mahina looked at Lucia and nodded. She was about to respond, but her gaze froze the moment it touched the other woman.
Right after, Lucia noticed Mahina’s strange stare and followed her line of sight, stunned.
Mahina was no longer in her formal dress from a moment ago. Instead, she was wearing a black and blue magician’s outfit, with deep golden-blue secret runes traveling across her black robes. Her slender legs were wrapped in slightly translucent black pantyhose, which shimmered delicately under the sunlight. Below that were black heels with gold and blue trim, and the pleated skirt swayed gently with the breeze, printed with patterns of stars and the full moon. A pointed mage hat sat tilted on her head.
In Mahina’s hand, she gripped a delicately crafted mage staff. The staff flowed with golden-blue radiance, and at its core, a miniature full moon hovered quietly.
Mahina gripped the staff tightly and looked at Lucia. “When did you change your clothes?”
Lucia looked down, finally discovering the source of the feeling of dissonance in her own attire. “Look at yourself, aren’t you the same?”
At this moment, she resembled a white knightess stepping out of a fairy tale. The intricate formal dress she had worn earlier was gone; pure white metal armor fit perfectly, wrapping around her knees, wrists, and shoulders, refracting a holy, cold light in the sun.
Her upper body was an improved version of a Royal Knights’ white tunic, and her lower body was a pure white box-pleated skirt. Paired with pure white over-the-knee socks that hugged her long, beautiful legs and matching short boots, a hint of absolute territory was visible between the hem of her skirt and the socks.
In her hand, she held a silver sword; the blade was slender and cold, as sharp as her own personality.
“This…”
Lucia twirled around with curiosity, her skirt fluttering. She examined her outfit; it was a bit more revealing than her usual combat gear, but it was prettier, which wasn’t half bad. She tried swinging the silver sword a few times, and the blade cut through the air with a crisp sound. The weight was moderate, and the center of gravity was perfect, as if it had been custom-made for her.
However, since everyone was wearing formal dresses for the play tonight, they hadn’t brought any weapons. How could they have not only changed clothes upon entering the dungeon, but also been provided with weapons?
“I suppose it’s the dungeon’s doing. Let’s observe our surroundings first.”
Mahina shot a look of annoyance at Lucia, who was currently intoxicated with her new equipment, then set off on her long, black-stockinged legs. Her heels made shallow imprints on the soft soil as she headed toward the forest at the edge of the field.
Mahina marched in her heels, pushing through the flower field step by step. Lucia followed close behind, continuing to guard against their surroundings. The two passed through the sea of flowers and entered the lush forest.
It remained excessively peaceful here; there was only the smell of soil, and while unknown small animals occasionally flew out from the bushes, there was no nauseating stench of any magical beasts.
But Lucia was certain this was a dungeon. The faint, distorted sense of magic in the space could not fool her intuition.
“In The North, dungeons like this do occasionally appear, though they have become rarer over the years. I am not sure if Your Highness Lucia has encountered them before,” Mahina said, looking toward the forest exit.
“Hmm… it’s not like I haven’t. There are dungeons where combat isn’t necessary, and you only need to meet specific conditions to leave.”
“Right. I’m afraid this is one of them. It’s just that there are probably special rules that keep magical beasts from appearing for now. Since they gave us weapons, we will surely have to fight.”
Confirming that there was no immediate danger, their tightly coiled nerves relaxed slightly. The forest was quiet, save for the sound of their footsteps crushing dry leaves.
“Lucia, why are you so guarded against Mia? Isn’t she your mother’s adopted daughter?” Mahina asked while chatting during their solitary time.
Lucia fell silent for a moment.
“Regardless, there is a reason she came all this way. As for why… it is better that you do not know. If you knew, you might not be able to leave The Empire.”
“I understand, Your Highness Lucia.”
Mahina certainly did not want to know. Lately, even as a commoner, she had been learning top-secret information about The Empire one after another, and she absolutely did not want to know more. Whether it was the Emperor’s recent health or the lack of affection between the Emperor and the Empress, none of this was information she should have. Learning any more would be disastrous.
Mahina suddenly looked up at a distant building. “There seems to be a person’s presence over there.”
The two exchanged glances before moving forward cautiously. Pushing aside the final layer of shrubbery, the scene before them opened up.
It was a small, white chapel nestled in a forest clearing, dainty and exquisite, exuding a sense of sacred yet discordant stillness.
Mahina moved to the front and began to accumulate magic power, quietly pushing the door ajar to observe the interior. After confirming there were no traps, she gently nudged the heavy oak door open with the tip of her staff.
Even though it was midnight with a full moon hanging high outside, the interior of the chapel was filled with sunlight as bright as midday. Stained glass windows refracted the light into countless mesmerizing spots of color, dancing on the dust floating in the air, casting a holy veil over the empty church.
As soon as Lucia stepped into the chapel, she saw that familiar person.
It was Mia.