Chapter 7
Adrian, who had spent a sleepless night, went to see Manuel at his usual waking hour. Manuel, in the middle of being dressed by servants, frowned when Adrian pushed his way inside.
“Adrian, did you come this early in the morning just to tell me again you can’t accept Nar as family?”
“Father, take her to the Quina region.”
“What?”
Manuel’s expression hardened instantly. He dismissed all the servants, leaving only father and son in the room.
“Adrian, what nonsense is this? No matter how much you dislike her…”
“She came to me last night and told me herself.”
Adrian’s sleepless, bloodshot eyes were serious as he licked his dry lips.
“She said she has to go there because she’s a Saintess.”
“…Nar said that?”
“She seemed to think of it as her mission.”
If Nar had heard this, she would have gone mad with frustration—but Adrian’s misunderstanding only deepened.
“Father once said there must be meaning in why she chose our family.”
“…”
“That there must be a reason the Saintess chose our house over the temple.”
Adrian recalled the golden glow he had once seen flickering like fire in her. Nar had simply been angry at the time, but Adrian thought otherwise.
“The Demias family has produced generations of Sword Masters. I don’t think it’s unrelated.”
“Are you saying Nar deliberately approached me for that reason?”
“Who knows? Maybe it was divine guidance.”
Adrian was dead serious. Manuel hesitated.
“But Nar is still too young to fulfill the Saintess’s duties.”
“If you allow her to join the party headed for Quina, I won’t oppose her formal adoption.”
“You… you’re serious?”
“Yes. And one more thing.”
Adrian recalled Nar’s last words before leaving his room the night before—not to meddle.
“I’ll go with her.”
He couldn’t not go—after all, they were about to become family. Adrian’s eyes were resolute.
When Adrian found Nar, she was playing a card-matching game with Clio. The game, suggested by the nanny, was meant to sharpen children’s memory and focus—flipping pairs of cards illustrated with insects and animals. For Nar, it was child’s play. She yawned widely and deliberately played at Clio’s pace.
“Rio, Nar.”
“Brother!”
“What? Why are you here?”
Because Clio was present, Nar even used polite speech with Adrian, raising her brows at him. Huh, so she wasn’t always hostile to him after all.
Clio, engrossed in the game, instantly abandoned it and ran to cling to Adrian’s legs. Adrian didn’t speak a kind word but simply reached out and ruffled Clio’s hair. For once, he looked like an older brother. Then he fixed his gaze firmly on Nar.
“You’ve been included in the journey to Quina.”
“Oh. Good work.”
“…That’s all you have to say?”
“What more do you want me to say?”
Nar blinked at him. Adrian clicked his tongue.
“Forget it. Rio, Father, I, and Nar will all be away from home for a while.”
“…! No way! Take me too! Brother, what about Rio?”
“It’s too dangerous for you.”
“No! I want to go too!”
Clio burst into loud sobs. The nanny rushed over to pick him up, but he pushed her away and clung harder to Adrian’s pants, wailing even louder. Nar covered one ear and commented flatly:
“You made him cry.”
“…So I did.”
Adrian, who had never once comforted his crying brother, panicked stiffly, while Nar leaned back on the sofa, snacking and enjoying the show.
Once Manuel made his decision, preparations for Nar’s departure to Quina moved quickly. But then, a problem arose: Clio sulked furiously. Nar scratched her cheek.
From the afternoon Adrian had visited, Clio locked himself in his room and refused to come out, no matter how the nanny coaxed. He was terribly upset that the family would be leaving without him. At first, Nar felt relieved without her little shadow constantly sticking to her, but soon she found herself uneasy.
At last, she went to his room.
“Rio. Everyone leaves tomorrow. Are you going to keep sulking like this?”
“…”
Clio sat with his puffed-up cheeks, staring at the wall. Nar crossed her arms.
“Ri–o.”
The nanny beside her shook her head. Nar didn’t give up.
“You’ll come to see us off tomorrow, won’t you?”
“…”
“We don’t know how many days we’ll be gone. You should at least see us. Don’t do something you’ll regret. This could be the last time you see your family. Of course, not while I’m around—but you never know.”
The nanny gasped. The direct line of Demias didn’t know, but they had nearly lost Manuel once already.
Clio burst into tears, flinging himself at Nar.
“I don’t want it to be the last! Take me too!”
“Where we’re going, monsters appear. You’re too weak.”
“What about you?”
“I’m the Saintess. I can take them down in one hit.”
“Uwaaaah!”
Clio bawled miserably. Nar grimaced.
“Don’t train while I’m gone—it’s dangerous. Nanny, take good care of him.”
“Yes, my lady…”
“I hate you, Nar! Waaaah!”
“Even if you hate me, it can’t be helped.”
Nar left the crying Clio behind, her heart heavy.
The day of departure arrived. In truth, Nar had little to prepare.
Manuel and Adrian looked bitter at the sight of Clio’s absence. Nar only clicked her tongue.
The carriage departed with Demias knights escorting it. Originally Manuel had planned to ride on horseback, but for Nar’s sake he rode in the carriage. Facing Adrian, Nar narrowed her eyes.
“Why are you coming along, Adrian?”
With Manuel already going, was it really necessary? She’d thought Adrian disliked her too much to bother. Was he here to keep watch on her?
“I came to see if you’ll really act like a Saintess. Why else?”
So that was it. Nar nodded as if it made sense. Adrian fumed.
“The Emperor has learned of your existence, Nar.”
“How could he not, with the temple making such a spectacle?”
Adrian sneered bitterly. The temple, rejected by Nar, had lingered around Demias territory, unable to enter. They hadn’t even announced her appearance officially yet—disgusting hypocrisy.
“When we return, we’ll have to hurry your formal adoption, Adrian.”
“It’s a shame we couldn’t meet Jeanne too, but nothing to be done.”
Nar gazed out the window, picturing Jeanne Demias. She probably wouldn’t care either way—whether Nar became family or a Saintess.
After five days’ travel, they reached their destination. As the carriage neared a monster-infested area, Nar, Adrian, and Manuel all stirred awake from dozing.
“Stop the carriage!” Manuel ordered.
The knights drew their swords at once. Nar disembarked, senses sharpened, ready to counterattack. The enemy remained hidden. Suddenly, Manuel moved like lightning.
Slash! A silver-blue sword aura cut through a nearby tree.
When the knights rushed forward, they found not only the felled trunk but also the corpse of a huge frog-like monster spilling its guts. It had apparently camouflaged itself to match the environment. The knights swiftly disposed of the carcass.
Adrian sheathed his sword and gave Nar a sour look.
“You sensed the monster’s aura?”
“When something leaks that much killing intent, wouldn’t you have to be stupid not to notice?”
Adrian was stunned. That monster had been hiding perfectly. Killing intent? Ridiculous. Yet he gave her a strange look.
He had come to protect her in case she got hurt—but seeing her ability, it didn’t seem likely she’d die without reason.
After the incident, the party finally arrived at the lord’s estate. While Manuel met with the local lord, Nar and Adrian scouted the surroundings. Signs of battle scarred the land.
“The problem is we can’t tell where monsters will appear. They’re coming more often, and in greater numbers,” Adrian said.
Nar nodded halfheartedly. Without the concept of “dungeons” in this era, finding the source—the monsters’ breeding ground—was like plucking stars from the sky.
And the first dungeon that had appeared in southern Quina was terrifying for another reason.
It’s already sprouting…
The dungeon’s master wasn’t an ordinary beast-type monster like frogs, wild dogs, or raccoons. People hadn’t realized that the wild dog monsters had actually fled from something greater.
Now, that master was expanding its influence beyond the dungeon itself—a plant-type monster.
In her past life, it had been called Medusa.
The greatest advantage of plant-type monsters: reproduction. If they also carried destructive power, the damage could be catastrophic. If not eradicated early, humanity would struggle endlessly against weeds that regrew no matter how many times they were cut down.
“Adrian, watch carefully.”
“What? You—!”
Nar inhaled deeply and drew forth her divine power. The knights, sensing the sudden surge, rushed to her side.
A massive orb of holy light formed in her palm, dazzlingly bright.
Gasps of shock rose at the overwhelming display of power.
“There are three ways to discover a dungeon entrance: with a relic, by sprinkling holy water, or by a priest releasing divine power.”
“Dungeon? What’s that?”
“Too much trouble to explain. You’ll see. Anyway, relics and holy water are useless if the dungeon manifests in midair. Better to bring a priest. But honestly, aside from me, almost no one can release divine power like this.”
Nar finished speaking and hurled the orb.
Far off, Manuel and the lord of Quina came running in alarm.
At midday, a meteor shower rained down. Screams echoed throughout the territory.
While all eyes were fixed on the sky, a different light burst forth from one point on the ground. Nar sprinted toward it.
“Hey, where are you going? What did you just do?!” Adrian shouted.
“…”
She ignored him.
By the time she reached the spot, the light had mostly faded, leaving behind a towering, unfamiliar stone monolith. The lord of Quina’s eyes bulged as though they might pop out.
Nar gestured at the newcomers.
“This is the dungeon entrance. Duke, Adrian, knights—draw your swords.”
“Nar, at least explain—”
“We’re going in.”
Again, no explanations were given.
