Editor : Amethyst00



"Sergia-nim, please straighten your back."

“Yes.”

“Smile a little more benevolently.”

“
Yes.”

“Your voice is trembling. Did something bad happen?”

'Bad? There are plenty of bad things,' Sergia thought as she struggled to keep her lips from twitching.

'Like you forcing all this damned etiquette down my throat!'

As she stepped into the dressing room, Sergia—no, Lunia—screamed internally.

For her, this moment was pure torture.

Dozens of maids were moving only for her.

They kept bringing out dazzling dresses and putting them on her.

Every single one looked expensive enough to make anyone gasp.

Lunia, despite her fiery personality, was still a young girl who liked pretty things.

She couldn’t not be interested in beautiful dresses and jewelry.

'But seriously, there’s a limit to everything!'

It had already been hours since she entered the hero dungeon.

At first, she’d gone along with what was happening, trying to gather information without causing trouble.

Though she found elven etiquette stifling, she’d grown up as the heir of a prestigious hero family.

Lately, she’d even acted the model honor student as Seiren’s class representative.

Annoying as it was, she knew how to do it perfectly.

But this? This was beyond absurd.

'Breathe a little too loud? They scold you! Blink too much? They nag! Don’t smile? They flip out! Come on! Can’t I even catch my breath? We’re still just getting ready!'

The man before her never stopped drilling her with lessons in manners.

Lunia was seconds away from losing her mind.

And the fact that this was all under the excuse of preparing for a “party” made it even worse.

Just how much more uptight would she have to be at the actual event?

'I’m going to lose it.'

Even Seiren’s famously strict etiquette tutors were nothing compared to this man.

'Calm down. Calm down. Focus on figuring out what’s going on first.'

Lunia looked into the mirror at the face of the woman she had possessed.

Blue hair reminiscent of clear water, large lake-colored eyes.

A girl about the same age as Lunia herself.

Lunia studied the reflection closely, then smiled faintly.

'I’m not saying I’m conceited
 but I’m definitely prettier.'

Yes, she decided she was more beautiful than this girl.

'And my personality’s better too.'

If Leo were here, he would’ve asked if she meant “kind-hearted or crushed-hearted,” but unfortunately, Leo wasn’t here.

'Anyway, what era is this? And what’s this girl’s social status?'

Within the limited space, Lunia tried to gather as much information as she could.

But not one of the dozens of maids dared speak to her.

In fact, whenever their eyes met, they would flinch and quickly look away—

as though terrified of her.

That alone irritated Lunia.

‘Even if it’s ancient times, the maids’ reactions are absurd.’

Even in her time, there were plenty of aristocratic families and fools who thought themselves chosen—Lunia had seen them endlessly at Seiren.

But no one made their own kind tremble like this.

In elven society, excessive authoritarianism was considered disgraceful—something only the vulgar indulged in.

Lunia was no different.

Yet now, she could feel clear social stratification in the air.

Every time she so much as gestured, the maids winced and shut their eyes tightly—

as if afraid of being struck.

It wasn’t hard to imagine what kind of temper this girl usually had.

'So she’s a spoiled brat, huh. Just how far back have I been sent?'

Even without knowing the exact time, Lunia could tell it was ancient.

'But I can’t just ask outright what era this is.'

Saying something strange could arouse suspicion and ruin the dungeon strategy.

For now, all she could do was act carefully.

Swish—

Pulling aside the dressing curtain, Lunia stood before the only man she could speak to.

He stared at her for a moment, then frowned.

“This one will do best.”

He pointed at a dress.

“That’s the one I wore earlier.”

“Yes. The more I see it, the more it suits you.”

A vein popped on Lunia’s forehead.

'Then why the hell did you make me suffer through all the others!'

Grinding down her irritation, she went back to change again.

When she emerged, she was adjusting her accessories and makeup when—

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

“Sir Aether.”

“What is it?”

“There’s
 a small issue.”

“What kind of issue?”

A man entered, looking like a knight.

Lunia pricked up her ears.

Seeing that, Aether gestured for the man to step outside with him.

'Hmm. A secret conversation, huh?'

Click—

The door closed.

A perfect chance for information.

Even a small clue could help, and Lunia wasn’t going to waste it.

Perk—

She focused her pointed ears, sharpening her hearing with mana.

“There’s been an intruder in the underground prison.”

“An intruder?”

“Yes. The one who injured Lady Sergia’s fiancĂ© during today’s lesson has escaped.”

“What?”

'Heheh! Got it, you fools.'

Lunia smirked inwardly.

Even among elves, only a few could have heard that conversation.

But as a hero candidate, she was trained to enhance her senses with mana—

something she practiced hard to one day catch up to him.

Thinking of Leo, she focused even harder.

'If they’re talking that casually, this girl must not have strong mana perception. I’ll have to avoid showing magic or spiritual control in public. And—fiancĂ©, huh?'

Every little piece of information mattered.

“Hey.”

“Y-Yes!”

The maid applying makeup went pale at Lunia’s voice.

“I-I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

She fell to her knees, trembling.

Lunia sighed and looked at the ceiling.

'Just what kind of life did this girl live?'

To make a maid react like this just by speaking?

“You didn’t do anything wrong. There’s nothing to apologize for. I just have a question.”

“Y-Yes, my lady!”

“My fiancé—is he all right? I heard he was hurt.”

The maid, still shaking, replied,

“Y-Yes
 Sir Hilkian suffered serious injuries during today’s lesson, but he said he will still attend His Majesty’s birthday celebration, so there’s no need to worry.”

“His Majesty?”

“Yes.”

At that unfamiliar title, Lunia’s expression twisted oddly.

Crash—

Aether returned just then, expression unchanged.

He bowed politely.

“You are truly radiant, Princess Sergia. Worthy of the title.”

'Princess? Did he just say princess?'

Lunia knew elves once had royalty—

but that was over five thousand years ago, before the Age of Calamity.

'Wait
 Princess? Then this must be from over five millennia ago?!'

“Before the celebration, let us greet His Majesty,” Aether said, offering his arm.

As he escorted her, Lunia’s mind raced.

'If this is truly before the Age of Calamity
 there are only three heroes this could relate to.'

Recorded in the Hero Records as those who lived before that era:

the Wise Queen, Lysinas. the Divine Blacksmith, Dweno. and the Poet of the Star—Luna.

'And this world clearly centers around elves. That means—it must be Lady Luna’s world!'

Her heart began to race.

She recalled the moment she’d met Luna before— after defeating the Skeleton King.

Luna had been nothing like she imagined, yet more beautiful and awe-inspiring than words could describe.

They hadn’t even had a proper conversation then.

'Maybe
 maybe this time I can actually speak with her!'

Lunia’s eyes sparkled.

To converse with the Poet herself!

To talk about magic, to receive her guidance, her praise—!

'Please, let this be Luna’s world!'

Her heart pounded, but she maintained perfect composure.

They arrived before a massive door engraved with a tree motif.

Several elite knights stood guard.

They saluted and opened the grand doors.

Creak—

Instantly, pitch-black darkness flooded her vision.

A void so deep she couldn’t see ahead.

Lunia froze.

'What
 is this?'

She quickly regained her calm.

Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the darkness vanished— replaced by a grand audience chamber.

'Did I imagine it?'

She almost dismissed it as a hallucination, but a chill ran down her spine.

Her instincts screamed—be ready.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself.

“Lady Sergia,” Aether whispered reproachfully.

Normally, Lunia would have snapped back.

Now, she ignored him and stepped forward.

At that moment—

Goosebumps crawled across her entire body.

She forced herself to stay calm.

But inside, her mind was screaming.

'What is this place?!'

Every part of her wanted to run.

Her chest tightened; cold sweat dripped down her back.

Yet no one else seemed affected.

“Welcome, my daughter, my princess.”

A gentle, regal voice spoke from the high throne.

“Happy birthday, Father.”

Lunia lifted her head and saw the Elven King, Ergen.

She smiled gracefully, playing her role.

But then she saw it—

and finally understood why she’d felt such primal fear.

The audience chamber was inside the trunk of an enormous ancient tree— the World Tree, though Lunia didn’t realize it.

This was the heart of Balharun, the high elves’ city.

A sacred space opened only when the Elven King himself visited.

Vast, divine, magnificent—

and behind the king’s throne lay what others perceived as empty space.

But to Lunia’s eyes—

something unspeakable slumbered there.

Her nails dug into her palms to keep her hands from shaking.

'That
 what is that
'

A grotesque, misshapen monster unlike anything she’d ever seen.

Invisible to this world’s false inhabitants— but plain as day to her.

She didn’t worry about screaming— she couldn’t even breathe.

She could only be thankful that the thing appeared to be asleep.

'A creature of Tartaros?'

Its very existence radiated terror.

Its body was wreathed in black fire that looked ready to consume everything.

Then something clicked in her mind.

A memory from long ago—

a children’s story she’d loved, the story that made her revere the heroes.

In that story, the evil villain shouted at the great heroes:

“Raaawr! I’ll devour you all!”

How cliché, she used to laugh.

Why did that memory suddenly surface now?

Why did she remember her mother’s playful voice reading that story?

And why did she suddenly recall her younger self mocking that ancient evil— because she knew the heroes would defeat it?

Was it a death-flash?

Or because she now knew there were no heroes left to stop that evil?

It didn’t matter.

Because now she knew exactly what she was looking at.

'It’s
 identical to the one from the fairy tale.'

Lunia shut her eyes tightly.

'Erebos.'