Chapter 3

  THE SEARCH BEGINS (1)

  I was seated in the Otherworld Research Club room, slowly sipping the hot chocolate Miss Karin had prepared for me as we waited for another person to arrive.

  After endless classes, the weekend had finally arrived, giving me the much-needed rest from the grueling academy routine.

  As for the black dragon, I had entrusted him to Hana’s careful hands. Regis and Ingrid, meanwhile, were busy with their respective clubs.

  “I’ve also called our other club member,” Miss Karin said gently, folding her hands as she smiled at me. “I hope the two of you can become good friends—and produce good results for the club.”

  “Umu,” I replied quickly.

  Though truthfully, my mind was far more invested in enjoying the rich sweetness of the hot chocolate.

  Knock. Knock.

  “I believe they’re here. I’ll let them in,” Miss Karin said as she stood and walked towards the door.

  “Good evening, Miss Karin,” a voice greeted from the other side.

  For some reason, the voice sounded vaguely familiar.

  Still, I was too busy savoring my drink to turn around and check.

  “Welcome back,” Miss Karin replied warmly. “I hope you enjoyed your vacation.”

  “Yes.”

  “Come in. Let me introduce you to our new member. Noelle, this is—Alicia.”

  The cup slipped from my lips. I choked, coughing as I turned around, already knowing what I’d see.

  Noelle Glacimiere.

  From my class. She stood there, composed as ever.

  “You…” Her voice escaped her lips the moment our eyes met. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “Ah… hello,” I replied meekly.

  “Oh? So you two already know each other. That certainly makes things easier,” Miss Karin concluded with a satisfied nod.

  “So, she is the supposedly new club member,” Noelle concluded as she pinched her forehead.

  Moments later, Noelle took the seat directly across from me. Miss Karin poured a cup of hot chocolate identical to mine and placed it gently in front of her.

  I looked at her, hoping to start a conversation. But she met my gaze only briefly. Her eyes were cold.

  Then she turned away.

  “…Right,” Miss Karin clapped her hands lightly. “Let’s discuss why I asked both of you to be here.”

  “Yes, Miss Karin,” Noelle replied cheerfully.

  And at that moment, I was certain of it.

  For some reason, Noelle clearly wasn’t pleased to see me here—or perhaps she already disliked me.

  “After the semester break,” Miss Karin began, her tone shifting into something more serious, “I’ve decided that our club will be undertaking a major activity.”

  Noelle and I straightened slightly.

  “While organizing old records in the library,” Miss Karin continued, “I discovered an ancient book. According to it, tomorrow night a star will pass extremely close to our world.”

  A star?

  My first thought was disappointingly mundane. Is it just an asteroid?

  “It only appears once every ninety-eight years,” Miss Karin continued. “For most people, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime sight.”

  That got my attention.

  “So… are we staying up all night at the club observatory to watch the sky?” Noelle asked, as casually as if this were carried out as a usual club activity.

  I felt a small spark of excitement stir inside me. Stargazing in another world. I wondered what constellations I might see in this world—and what new things I could learn.

  “That would be ideal, but the text warns that the star’s path is narrow. If we observe from the wrong place, we may miss it entirely.” Miss Karin continued. “That’s why I’ve decided we should observe it from the highest point in the region.”

  Noelle stood up and walked over to the map pinned to the wall, which appeared to be an elevation map of the Grindelwald Kingdom. Tracing the contour lines with her finger, she marked a few locations with a nail pin. Then another.

  “There are only two places that would work,” Noelle said. “The highest clock tower in the capital of Grindelwald—or the Scarlet Peak on the outskirts of the kingdom.”

  “Exactly my thoughts,” Miss Karin nodded. “But I believe the peak would give us a much clearer view. And I doubt we’d be granted permission to stay in the clock tower overnight on such short notice.”

  “Agreed.”

  I followed their conversation as best I could, unfamiliar place names piling up in my head until all I could do was nod along.

  “Which brings me to my final point. I’d like the two of you to accompany me in researching this star and uncovering its origins.”

  “Yes, of course, Miss Karin. I’m ready to do anything,” Noelle answered instantly.

  Her eyes looked bright. It was the first time I’d seen her so lively and unrestrained. In class, she was always serious and composed.

  “Good,” Miss Karin said. “And what about you, Alicia?”

  My heart skipped—nervous, excited, or both.

  Maybe I was a bit nervous at the thought of traveling for the first time with people I barely knew, but excited to visit a new place for stargazing.

  “Yes,” I said. “I’m ready.”

  “Excellent. Since the entire team is prepared, let’s finalize the details and set out together tomorrow at the first light of dawn.”

  …

  After the meeting wrapped up, we exchanged brief goodbyes with Miss Karin and stepped out into the fading evening light.

  Noelle slowed her pace.

  I noticed—and slowed with her.

  For a moment, neither of us spoke. The corridor felt unusually quiet, except for the crackling sound of a torn-away club poster flying through the breeze.

  She looked at me.

  I met her gaze.

  Should I say something first?

  Or is she about to ask me something?

  The silence stretched just long enough to feel awkward.

  “…How do you know Miss Karin?” Noelle asked at last, breaking it.

  “I was just exploring all the clubs in the area and saw this club,” I said. “And miss Karin was kind enough to show me around the club… and I ended up joining it.”

  “I see.”

  She paused, as if considering something more. I know this abandoned place isn’t somewhere one would usually find themselves, but what I had said was the truth.

  Without another word, Noelle turned sharply to the left and walked away.

  I stood there for a heartbeat longer than I should have, watching her disappear down the road.

  Only to realize a second too late that I had no one left to take me back to the dorms. With no other choice, I quietly teleported into the shadow near the main dorm gate, carefully making sure no one saw me.

  At the gate, I found Regis and Ingrid already waiting for me.

  “Look who finally decided to show up,” Ingrid snapped the moment she saw me. She stomped her foot against the ground. “It’s already late for dinner! If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss it and end up sleeping on an empty stomach!”

  Only then did I realize they must have been waiting there for quite a while.

  “Did your club activity go well?” Regis asked, tilting her head with a curious smile.

  “Yeah,” I said. “We’re going on an exploration trek tomorrow. I think they called it the Scarlet Peak.”

  “What—you too?”

  “What—you too?!”

  Regis and Ingrid spoke at the same time.

  I blinked. “Apparently, a star that appears only once every century will cross the sky tomorrow night. So we’ll be camping on the mountain peak for stargazing.”

  Their eyes lit up.

  I couldn’t help the pride in my voice. The thought of it alone made my chest tighten with excitement.

  “The Nature Club is heading there as well,” Regis said. “There’s a rare herb that only blooms under a full moon—and tomorrow night is the only chance for us to harvest it.”

  Both of us turned to Ingrid to hear her part of the story.

  “Listen carefully now,” Ingrid said, suddenly lowering her voice. She cleared her throat and glanced around as if the walls themselves might be listening. “And you cannot tell this to anyone.”

  Regis and I instinctively leaned closer.

  “While recently going through the old archives in the library,” Ingrid continued, her tone growing theatrical, “I discovered an ancient diary belonging to a great man.”

  “A great man?” Regis echoed skeptically.

  “An ancient diary?” I wondered.

  “Shhhhh…. Keep Quiet... For now, just listen.” Ingrid said firmly. “According to the diary of this great man, just before his death, he hid his entire fortune so that no one could steal it. And in his final will, he declared that the treasure would belong to the first person who finds it.”

  She paused for dramatic effect.

  “This is where it gets interesting—” Ingrid said as she snapped her fingers, “—a map then fell out of the diary.”

  “A map?” I repeated.

  Ingrid nodded vigorously. “And according to the X marked on it—” Ingrid jabbed her finger in the empty air as if pointing at destiny itself, “—the treasure lies at the peak of Scarlet Mountain.”

  “…Wait,” Regis said slowly, folding her arms. “Wasn’t your club all about digging up gold?”

  Ingrid straightened instantly, placing a hand over her heart. “After giving it some serious thought,” she declared with confidence, “I’ve decided to transform the Gold Mining Club into the Treasure Hunting Club.”

  “Treasure hunting?” I muttered, the idea slowly sinking in—and it didn’t sound half bad.

  “This was a necessary step to expand our scope,” Ingrid continued aggressively, “to find real treasures—and most importantly—get rich.”

  She flashed a sharp grin, striking a pose as if some invisible spotlight had fallen upon her.

  “That still doesn’t change anything,” Regis countered flatly. “You’ll still be digging up dirt.”

  “No matter what you say,” Ingrid shot back, waving her hand dismissively, “my offer for you two to join my Treasure Hunting Club is still open. We can dig up the X together and become rich.”

  “No thanks,” Regis replied immediately, her face twisting in disgust. “That’s definitely a scam and a conman’s diary.”

  Ingrid scoffed. “As if a princess would ever understand the struggles of the common folks.”

  She turned her back to us and dramatically pointed toward the sky. “Laugh all you want. One day, when I find the treasure, the entire academy will be begging to join my club!”

  After her declaration, Ingrid burst into hearty laughter, utterly pleased with herself.

  “Yeah, sure,” Regis muttered, finally losing patience with Ingrid’s theatrics. She continued. “Anyways, that just means even if we go with our respective teams and teachers, there’s still a chance we’ll meet. But isn’t it a bit too odd that all of us ended up having reasons to go to the same place?”

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  “Seems so. But there’s really nothing at that peak. There have been a few dragon sightings, but they’ve never bothered the people living there. They usually stay in their own territory on the rocky side of the mountain.”

  “I guess it's fine then,” Regis said.

  In between their conversation, I noticed something off. “Regis… where’s your roommate?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t find Rhea in her bed this morning.” Regis said as we continued to move towards the cafeteria.

  We took a corner table large enough for the three of us, leaving one empty seat beside us. Just as we settled in, a familiar presence appeared.

  An adorable little maid stepped forward, holding a massive tray balanced effortlessly in her hands.

  “Here’s your dinner, everyone,” she said cheerfully.

  It was Hana.

  As she served each plate, I noticed one final dish at the bottom of the tray—far larger than the rest, covered with a heavy lid.

  “And a special dish for you, Master,” Hana announced.

  Before I could ask, Hana placed the covered plate in front of me and, in one swift motion, lifted the lid.

  “It’s Dragon-Tail.”

  The words didn’t quite register at first.

  Then I saw it.

  A black dragon lay lifeless on the plate, surrounded by vegetables. An apple was wedged between its jaws.

  My mind went blank. I had only hoped Hana would tire the dragon out—not turn it into a dish.

  “Waaahhh—!”

  Suddenly, the supposedly lifeless dragon snapped the apple in half and leapt straight at me.

  “Surprise!”

  I barely had time to react before I instinctively caught it in my arms. The dragon wriggled happily, its scales warm and very much alive.

  “You were worried about me just now, weren’t you?” the black dragon said smugly. “I saw it all over your face. Now admit it—you need me, and we can finally form our contract.”

  “…Yeah, no,” I replied flatly. “I already knew you were pretending.”

  Seriously—where did these two even learn these kinds of tricks?

  “Don’t lie!” the dragon huffed. “I saw your worried face!”

  While the black dragon and I continued our argument in hushed draconic tongue, the others stared at us in stunned silence, still processing the little performance Hana and the dragon had pulled together.

  Hana smiled innocently, hands folded in front of her apron as if nothing unusual had happened.

  Once the tension dissolved, dinner continued as normal. Hana joined us at the table where we had another revelation.

  “Today our mistress told us that tomorrow all the maid students will be going to the Scarlet Peak to learn to brew Lunar Tea from the dew drops that we will collect at tomorrow’s special triple full moon alignment,” Hana said, and we were all surprised. Now, it would be four of us going to the same place.

  By the time night settled in, we returned to our rooms and began packing our essentials—water, food, tools, and anything else we might need.

  I also wrote a note for Athena to let her know of our plans, as she was in the teacher's residence.

  I am sure tomorrow a great adventure awaited me, and I couldn’t wait to have more fun.

  After all, it was going to be my first school trip.

  ◇◇◇

  At the towering gates of the Grindelwald Magic Academy, I saw a small crowd of students beginning to gather, their voices low and sleepy beneath the pale morning sky.

  Ingrid was the first to arrive, and Regis and I followed right behind her. Despite the early hour, Ingrid stood upright with her usual sharp posture, arms crossed.

  Hana’s team had already departed—before dawn, no less. It was almost intimidating how disciplined they were.

  A short while later, I spotted Noelle approaching the main gate alongside Miss Karin.

  “Good morning, Alicia—and everyone,” Miss Karin said warmly as she stopped in front of us. Her eyes moved across the group with gentle curiosity. “Are they your friends?”

  “Good morning, Miss Karin,” I replied. “Yes. This is Regis, and that’s Ingrid.”

  “Good morning. I’m Regis Ascalon,” Regis said politely, straightening.

  “Good morning. I’m Ingrid Aenswalt,” Ingrid added. “I’m Alicia’s roommate.”

  “Good morning,” Noelle greeted quietly.

  “Good morning, everyone.” A third voice came from behind Noelle.

  The unfamiliar voice made us all turn.

  “You’re—Ione…” Ingrid was the first to react, instinctively taking a small step back.

  “She’s the one who ranked third in the exams,” Ingrid whispered to Regis and me. “People say she has some special condition or a sickness. That’s why she barely ever shows up in class.”

  As if anticipating the reaction, Noelle spoke calmly, “This is my friend Ione. She’ll be accompanying us on the expedition to Scarlet Peak.”

  I looked at Ione closely.

  Her eyes remained closed, yet somehow it felt as though she could see everything. Then, as if sensing my gaze, she smiled faintly—directly at me.

  Miss Karin nodded. “It’s perfectly fine. Ione has volunteered for otherworldly research activities before as well and has been of great help.”

  Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was the only one being examined.

  “I also wanted to ask permission to bring my summoned creature,” I said, lifting the tiny black lizard sleeping in my arms.

  Miss Karin smiled. “That’s perfectly fine. I’ve already secured permission to use the transfer gate as well. We’ll head to the city and teleport directly to Scarlet Peak. From there, we’ll begin our trek to the summit.”

  Relief washed over me. “Thank you, Miss Karin.”

  I turned to Regis and Ingrid. “Alright then—see you both later.”

  …

  Once Alicia departed, Ingrid and Regis remained behind at the academy gates, waiting for the rest of their team to arrive.

  A few minutes later, Miss Xu appeared, followed by several students from the Nature Club. The moment she stepped forward, the group instinctively straightened.

  Miss Xu was, after all, the teacher in charge of the Nature Club.

  “Alright, students,” she said calmly, clapping her hands once. “We’ll be traveling to our destination the usual way.”

  Regis tilted her head, clearly puzzled.

  The other Nature Club members, however, stiffened at once—as if they already knew exactly what she meant.

  Miss Xu placed two fingers between her lips and let out a sharp whistle.

  The air rippled.

  From seemingly nowhere, a massive golden cloud surged into existence, swirling and glowing faintly as it descended before them.

  “…Isn’t that,” Regis muttered.

  “Hop on,” Miss Xu ordered. “And hold tight.”

  The Nature Club students climbed aboard one by one. Their hesitant steps and tightly clenched hands trying to grab whatever tiny part of the cloud they could with their hands, made it clear this wasn’t their first time—and that it never got easier.

  Regis hesitated at the edge.

  Before she could decide, a firm hand closed around her wrist.

  “Let me help you. Trust me, it’s only scary the first time.” Miss Xu said calmly.

  Regis barely had time to resist before she was lifted clean off her feet. Miss Xu’s grip was unyielding, and in the next moment, Regis landed squarely on the cloud.

  Miss Xu stepped up beside her. “All set.”

  She whistled again. “Let’s go, Fei.”

  The golden cloud surged upward.

  Wind tore past them as the ground vanished in an instant. The academy shrank below, then disappeared altogether as the golden cloud shot into the sky—gone from sight in the blink of an eye.

  …

  By the time everyone had departed, only Ingrid remained at the academy gates.

  The space that had once been lively now felt strangely empty.

  She walked closer to the stone wall, leaned against it, and let out a soft sigh. The sun was already climbing higher, its warmth slowly settling over the floor as she waited in silence.

  A few minutes passed.

  Then, in the distance, she spotted a lone figure approaching.

  “You finally came,” Ingrid called out, waving to catch the person’s attention.

  “Sorry for being late,” the woman replied as she drew closer. “It took some time to make the preparations.”

  Ingrid straightened at once, her usual energy snapping back into place. “No problem. I’m just glad you accepted my last-minute request to become our club’s temporary advisor, Miss Alice.”

  “It’s fine,” Athena said with a gentle smile. “I was free this weekend, and I wanted to learn more about this place and about the different club activities and what students here actually experience.”

  “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” Ingrid said confidently. “And together, we’ll dig up the greatest treasure and become rich.”

  Athena chuckled softly. “I hope you succeed and find it.”

  Ingrid’s eyes grew wide on hearing Athena’s words.

  “Miss Alice…” Suddenly, Ingrid grabbed Athena’s hand, her voice trembling. “You’re so kind. You’re the only one who didn’t make fun of me after listening to what I said.”

  She hastily wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

  “It’s alright,” Athena said calmly, squeezing her hand back. “After all, it’s a teacher’s job to believe in their students.”

  Ingrid sniffed, then immediately brightened. “By the way—how are we going to Scarlet Peak? Do we have teleportation scrolls or are we riding a griffin?” Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

  “Actually, I’ve already arranged our transport.” Athena hesitated, then turned around.

  Behind her followed an old man holding the reins of a simple wooden cart—the kind usually used to haul supplies in and out of the academy. Two mules stood patiently at the front, flicking their tails.

  Ingrid’s eyes flickered for a moment.

  She couldn’t help but remember the flashy ways the other clubs had departed—flying on top of a soft cloud, or using the teleportation gate.

  Athena scratched her cheek awkwardly. “I’m sorry, it’s not much. I tried, but the academy wouldn’t approve teleportation rights for a newly formed club. And every other transport option in the city was already fully booked by the time I contacted them.”

  “You don’t need to apologize,” Ingrid said firmly. “I already know how everyone sees this club. It’s my fault for asking you such a favor on such short notice.”

  Ingrid grinned.

  “This is more than enough.” She then stepped forward, lifting her golden spade high into the air as sunlight caught its edge. She declared loudly, “Let’s begin the treasure hunt!”

  Athena clapped, smiling as the cart creaked forward.

  ◇◇◇

  Eldruin Grindelwald, Headmaster of the Grindelwald Magic Academy, sat comfortably in his chair, fingers loosely interlocked as he gazed at the empty space before him.

  “Are you not going to take any action?” a voice asked coldly. “I’ve already submitted my report.”

  Eldruin chuckled. “It’s nothing more than a student causing a little mischief.”

  “You call it a mischief?” the voice repeated, utterly emotionless. “She is going against an organization like that—and exploiting the academy in the process.”

  “I believe,” Eldruin replied calmly, “that this will be a valuable opportunity for them to grow. Experiences like these shape people far better than classrooms ever could. They’re all bright students. I’m confident they’ll overcome it.”

  “I don’t understand what kind of headmaster willingly pushes his students into danger.”

  Eldruin’s smile softened, just slightly. “It’s not that I’m unconcerned. Of course, I too fear they might get hurt.” He leaned back. “But I also believe in them. And the teachers that are protecting them.”

  Then, almost casually, he added, “And besides—you’ll be there to protect them if anything truly goes wrong, won’t you?”

  “…Don’t drag me into this.”

  Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating the room in warm gold as Eldruin continued to smile, utterly unbothered.

  “Fine,” the voice said at last. “But if anything out of the ordinary happens, it’s on you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Knock. Knock.

  Before Eldruin could answer, the door opened, and Miss Fillia stepped inside.

  “Good morning, Miss Fillia,” Eldruin greeted cheerfully.

  “Headmaster… was someone just here?” she asked, glancing around the room, feeling someone’s presence.

  “No one at all,” Eldruin replied lightly. “I only see you.”

  Miss Fillia frowned slightly.

  Behind her, just as the door closed, a shadow slid across the wall—silently—before vanishing entirely.

  “So,” Eldruin said, turning back to her, “what brings you here?”

  “Work, of course,” miss Fillia replied flatly.

  The headmaster groaned dramatically. “Can’t you let this old man rest even on a weekend? It’s so unfair. I want to go on vacation too.”

  ◇◇◇

  Once we reached Grindelwald City, we found ourselves standing before a massive oval structure that dominated the entire district and could be seen from any part of the city.

  Passing through the main gates, we entered a vast hall—and at its center stood a colossal transfer gate.

  The transfer gate was a towering, circular frame made of crystalline pillars. The space within it was empty.

  Miss Karin stepped forward and presented a document stamped with the academy’s seal to the guards stationed nearby. Once they confirmed its authenticity, they rushed toward a control platform at the side of the gate.

  From what I have learnt, these transfer gates operated on a tunnel-binding principle as they forcibly align two distant points in space by flooding the gate frames with condensed magical energy.

  Rather than teleporting the body, the gate bends the space—compressing distance into a single step.

  Though the method was crude and energy inefficient compared to my teleportation skill, it still worked.

  As the operator pulled the final lever, the space inside the gate began to distort.

  Magic surged violently, flooding the air. The hollow center filled with swirling light, spreading outward like a living aurora—layers of blue, violet, and gold twisting together, crackling softly as if reality itself was being bent.

  “Ione… are you okay?” Noelle asked, gripping Ione’s arm as she tightly shut her eyes.

  “It’s just a mild burning sensation,” Ione replied quietly. “I’ll be fine. Let’s pass through quickly.”

  “Alright,” Miss Karin said, returning to us. “Let’s go, everyone.”

  She glanced at me, noticing how intently I was staring at the gate.

  She turned to me with a gentle smile. “It’s your first time, Alicia, right? If you’re scared, you can hold my hand.”

  I hesitated, watching the shifting colors inside the gate.

  “Um… okay,” I agreed, not wanting to refuse her kindness as she had already held her hand out.

  Then—

  I felt someone’s gaze lock onto me.

  A sharp chill ran down my spine.

  “Miss Karin,” Noelle said politely, though her clenched teeth told a different story, “you don’t need to trouble yourself. I can help her.”

  She wasn’t going to bite me… right?

  Miss Karin chuckled softly. “Alright then. Let’s all hold hands and go in together.”

  In the end, with Miss Karin holding my right hand, Noelle tightly gripping my left, and Ione connected on the other side, we stepped into the transfer gate as one.

  For a brief moment, a glue-like sensation brushed across my skin—followed by an intense cold, like acetone evaporating instantly.

  Then—

  We were standing before another empty transfer gate, this time surrounded by nothing but open land and biting wind.

  To our right stretched a vast mountain range.

  And towering above them all stood the Scarlet Peak, its crimson-tinted summit under the sunlight piercing the sky.

  “Alright,” Miss Karin said, surveying the group. “Everyone’s here.”

  She smiled.

  “Let’s begin our ascent.”

  For nearly two hours, we pushed ourselves upward, eager to cover as much ground as possible while our strength held. The climb was manageable at first—rocky, but steady. However, once we had crossed almost halfway up the mountain, the terrain changed drastically.

  The slope grew steeper. The ground became unstable.

  Each step demanded twice the effort.

  With no other choice, Miss Karin called for a break.

  “As part of this expedition,” she said calmly, “you’ll also be training to acquire your own resources for your survival.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Noelle, Ione, and I replied in unison.

  “Our first priority is food and water,” Miss Karin continued. “Noelle and Ione, you’ll be in charge of locating those. Nights can get cold here, so we’ll also need firewood and supplies for cooking. Alicia—you’ll handle that.”

  The three of us nodded after receiving our directives.

  “I’ll scout ahead and look for a safer route to the summit,” she added. “We’ll regroup here in thirty minutes.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the three of us answered again.

  Noelle, Ione, and I set off in the same direction, our immediate goal being to locate a water source. With water, we’d likely find food—and fallen logs—nearby as well.

  I walked a few steps behind them.

  Not because I was tired.

  But because it felt… awkward.

  I trailed a few steps behind them, unsure how to insert myself between them without intruding when I barely knew either of them.

  To make things worse, the black dragon was still asleep in my backpack like dead weight pressing against my shoulders.

  Just how long does he plan to nap?

  Fine. When he wakes up, I’m definitely making him carry every firewood we find.

  A few minutes passed.

  Suddenly, Noelle stopped.

  “There,” she said. “I found water.”

  Using her detection magic, she had located a lake not far ahead. We shifted course toward it.

  And then—

  My spider instincts suddenly flared.

  The moment I looked up—

  “ROAAAAARRRR—!”

  A thunderous roar tore through the sky.

  The forest erupted into chaos as violent wind swept past us. Above, dark clouds spiraled unnaturally—and then fire burst from the peak as molten rock shot upward like a fountain.

  “…Don’t tell me Scarlet Peak is actually a volcano,” I whispered.

  Before the shock could settle, something far worse happened.

  The ground behind us trembled.

  Trees snapped and toppled one after another, the sound growing closer—faster—heavier.

  “Run!” Noelle shouted instantly, already grabbing Ione’s hand.

  They bolted forward, and I ran after them, struggling to keep pace as the sleeping black dragon dragged me down like a cursed sack of stones.

  How is he still asleep after that roar?!

  I glanced back—

  And my breath caught in my throat.

  A massive, two-legged beast tore through the forest behind us. Its body was wrapped in thick crimson hide, its jaws enormous and lined with teeth like curved blades. Each step shook the ground, its roar echoing like thunder.

  A tyrannosaur.

  “Don’t stop—keep moving!” Noelle yelled from ahead.

  “R—Right!”

  I forced my legs to move again.

  But I barely managed a few steps—

  When the ground beneath me suddenly gave way.

  The earth collapsed.

  And before I could scream, I was swallowed whole by the ground below.

  …

  “Ione—are you alright?!” Ingrid shouted as she hurried forward, constantly glancing back to make sure the two of them were keeping pace. “What is that thing chasing us?”

  “How would I know?” Ione replied, breathing hard. “But I can hear water flowing ahead. Let’s use this chance to escape.”

  “Right.”

  Taking the cue, Noelle surged ahead.

  A waterfall appeared before them, torrents of water crashing downward into a deep, roaring basin below.

  There was no time for Noelle to think, no time to turn back and assess where the monster was.

  Gritting her teeth, Noelle activated her power.

  Frost spread rapidly across the falling water, freezing the waterfall mid-cascade. The rushing torrent transformed into a smooth, slanted wall of ice.

  “Ione—hold on!”

  Grabbing Ione’s hand, Noelle leapt onto the frozen surface. Together, they slid down through the curtain of ice, disappearing beneath the waterfall and landing hard at the bottom.

  “Are you alright, Ione?” Noelle asked urgently as she caught up.

  “I’m fine…” Ione replied, then looked around. Her expression changed. “…Where’s Alicia?”

  The words hit Noelle like a blow.

  Her heart sank as realization set in. In the panic… she hadn’t checked.

  She had assumed Alicia was right behind them.

  Just as guilt began to crush her chest—

  Click.

  A sharp metallic sound echoed.

  “Noelle—!” Ione called out.

  Noelle turned only to see Ione fall unconscious on her shoulders.

  Noelle barely had time to figure out what was happening when a figure stepped out from the mist ahead. A man clad in dark gear raised a strange, magical device.

  WHAM.

  A strange metallic ring snapped shut around Noelle’s neck with a heavy clang. Strange patterns flickered across its surface, glowing a dull blue.

  In an instant, Noelle felt it—her magic draining away as if ripped from her veins. Her legs stopped responding and the world spun.

  Before Noelle could scream for help, cast any magic, or even move—

  Darkness swallowed her whole.

  ◇◇◇

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