The dungeon behind them finally grew dim, its suffocating aura fading into silence as Shellia, Yuki, Orielle, and Lumiel stepped toward the exit. The heavy stone doors groaned shut with a final echo, sealing away the shadows they had fought so fiercely. A quiet, blessed relief settled over the group. The air outside was cooler, fresher, and filled with the gentle hum of life that the dungeon lacked.
Shellia brushed a strand of damp hair away from her face, still feeling the warmth of Orielle's golden gaze on her. She stole a glance at her companions—Lumiel walked ahead with his usual poise, every step precise, his platinum hair catching the sunlight. Orielle, still in her adult form with flowing crimson locks and golden eyes, walked beside her like a guardian flame, while Yuki floated lightly in the air, his boyish form gleaming with soft divine light.
It was then that Shellia's thoughts wandered. For days now, she had been bonded to Yuki, and now Orielle as well. But something nagged at her heart. She turned her eyes toward them and finally asked the question that had been resting heavily on her mind.
"Yuki… Orielle… what does it mean when I give you a name? Do spirits… already have names of your own in the spirit world? Or is the name I give you something different?"
The moment her words left her lips, Orielle tilted her head, her crimson hair glimmering in the sunlight. Yuki slowed in his flight, landing softly on Shellia's shoulder like a feather. His small body radiated faint warmth, like a protective light.
Yuki's expression turned contemplative. [Lia, spirits do indeed have names of our own. In the spirit world, a name carries essence—an identity born of the elements and the will that shaped us. But… when a human gives us a name, it is different. That name is not just sound—it is proof. Proof that a bond has been formed, that trust flows between spirit and human.]
Orielle nodded, her golden eyes gleaming with quiet agreement. [It is a contract. The moment you name us, your essence and ours intertwine. Your power may draw upon ours, and in turn, our existence is anchored more firmly in the human realm. Without a name, we are merely wandering sparks. With a name given by our Beloved… we are whole.]
Shellia's breath caught. She pressed a hand against her chest, realizing the weight of Yuki's words. "So… when I called you Yuki, that wasn't just… me picking a name because it sounded right. It was a contract."
Yuki smiled warmly, nodding. [Exactly. Your voice carried your will, and in accepting it, I became your Yuki. That name binds me to you, not in chains, but in trust. That is why I can lend you my healing, my strength. And Orielle too—when you spoke her name, you weren't merely guessing. You were recognizing her true self beneath the corruption.]
Orielle's lips curved into a faint smile. [Your heart resonated with mine. That is why the name came so naturally to you. You purified me not only with divine power, but with the acceptance of who I am meant to be.]
Shellia felt her cheeks grow warm. She looked between them, her voice quiet. "Then… does that mean if I meet more spirits, I'll have to give them names too? And those names will… shape our bond?"
Orielle's voice grew soft, yet it carried a weight like an oath. [Yes. Each spirit you encounter is destined to resonate with you in a way unique to them. You will know when the time comes. A name is not chosen lightly—it is a promise. And for us, it is an honor.]
For a while, Shellia said nothing, simply walking. She thought about the life she had before—the coldness, the betrayal, the loneliness of being a queen with no knight's vow, no love, no companionship. Yet here she was, in another life, bound not by politics but by threads of trust and fate with two spirits who looked at her as if she were their world.
She exhaled softly. "I… I didn't know it was so important. I'll remember that. If I give you a name, it will always be with all of my heart."
Yuki laughed, a bright, childlike sound. [That's all we ever want, Lia.]
Orielle reached forward, brushing a strand of Shellia's hair back, her touch like the warmth of fire. [And with every name you give, your strength will grow. But more than strength, your heart will never be alone.]
Shellia smiled faintly, her eyes misting with emotions she could not quite name.
---
They reached the gates of the dungeon village just as the sun began to sink behind the hills. The bustling noise of adventurers filled the air—cheers, the clatter of armor, the smell of roasted food from taverns. It was a stark contrast to the silence of the dungeon.
Lumiel, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke, his calm voice carrying a trace of respect. "Lady Shellia, you fought bravely. Though my duty was only to guard, I must say… you exceeded expectations."
Shellia chuckled nervously, scratching her cheek. "I… just did what I could. Honestly, without Yuki and Orielle, I wouldn't have survived."
Orielle's golden eyes softened at the words, but she didn't speak. Yuki puffed his chest proudly on Shellia's shoulder. [Exactly! Lia may be our Beloved, but we're her strength too.]
Together, they walked through the streets until they reached the guild. The building loomed tall, its wooden beams polished from years of use, the insignia of crossed swords and wings carved above the doorway. The inside buzzed with adventurers—men and women of all ages shouting, laughing, trading stories of hunts and dungeons.
Shellia felt awkward. She wasn't in a noble's gown today—she wore practical adventurer's attire, though it still felt strange for a duke's daughter. She glanced around nervously, but Yuki whispered reassuringly in her ear. [Don't worry, Lia. You belong here.]
Approaching the counter, she placed the mission parchment on the desk. The guild receptionist, a young woman with short brown hair and bright eyes, glanced up with a polite smile.
"Welcome back. Mission completed?"
Shellia nodded, clearing her throat. "Yes. The dungeon has been cleared."
The receptionist's eyes widened. "Cleared? That was the thirty-level ghost dungeon! You—" She cut herself off, scanning Shellia, then Lumiel standing behind her in priestly robes, and finally Orielle with her striking hair and eyes. "Forgive me… may I ask for the report?"
Shellia recounted their journey, though she left out the intimate details of spirits and contracts. She explained the monsters, the floors, and that the final boss had been purified rather than slain.
The receptionist scribbled furiously, her eyes shining with awe. "Incredible… not only did you clear the dungeon, but you managed to purify the final entity. This is… highly unusual."
She stamped the parchment with the guild's insignia. "Congratulations, Lady Shellia Emerald. As per guild regulations, your rank is promoted to B-rank effective immediately. This is no small feat for a beginner adventurer."
Shellia blinked in shock. "B-rank already? But… I only just registered…"
The receptionist smiled kindly. "Your accomplishments speak for themselves. Please continue to do great work. The guild will keep a close eye on your progress."
As Shellia accepted the stamped parchment, Yuki whispered in her ear, [See? I told you, Lia. You're destined for this.]
Orielle chuckled softly. [B-rank so quickly… that is no coincidence. It is the mark of a Spirit Beloved. The world itself acknowledges you.]
Shellia held the parchment tightly, her heart swelling. For the first time in her life, she felt recognized—not as a political bride, not as a duke's daughter, but as herself.
Lumiel gave her a rare smile, inclining his head. "It is only the beginning. Greater challenges lie ahead."
Shellia nodded, determination burning in her chest. She turned to Yuki and Orielle, her voice steady. "Then let's face them together. With your names, with our bond, nothing can break us."
Orielle's golden eyes glowed warmly. [Always.]
Yuki grinned brightly. [Always, Lia!]
And together, they stepped out of the guild into the fading sunset, ready for the journey ahead.
---
The guild hall, once filled with the warmth of adventurers' laughter, suddenly cracked with tension. Shellia had barely tucked her parchment away when the doors slammed open. A young adventurer stumbled in, his face pale, his armor dented and streaked with blood.
"Monsters!" he cried, breathless, eyes wide with panic. "A horde of them—charging the southern gate! Their rank isn't ordinary, it's— it's far higher than we can handle! And—" His voice faltered, trembling as he spat the words. "Their leader… he wields ice magic. But the ice… it's black. Like shadow itself. And the wounds—" He clutched his shoulder, eyes filled with fear. "The wounds won't close with ordinary healing magic."
The guild hall erupted in noise—chairs scraping, voices rising, adventurers grabbing weapons and rushing to the doors. Fear mingled with determination, but there was no mistaking the tension in the air. This was not a typical monster raid.
Shellia froze where she stood, her breath catching. Black ice. Magic that defied the natural order. Slowly, she turned toward Yuki and Orielle, who hovered at her side like twin flames of light and fire. Yuki's usually bright expression dimmed, his small form trembling faintly, while Orielle's golden eyes narrowed in sharp recognition.
Shellia's heart pounded. She didn't have time to debate or ask questions. Without hesitation, she darted toward the door, her boots striking the wooden floor. "Show me the way!" she shouted to the injured adventurer.
The young man, startled by her voice, quickly pointed south. "The southern gate! Hurry!"
And without another word, Shellia sprinted into the streets, the clamor of bells ringing through the city as alarms spread. The scent of smoke filled the air before she even reached the gate.
What awaited her there nearly stopped her heart.
The streets were chaos—walls cracked and burning, villagers running in terror, children crying in the arms of desperate mothers. Adventurers clashed with monsters in bloody combat, steel ringing against claws. The beasts were varied: hulking wolf-like creatures with glowing eyes, twisted birds that spat shards of bone, and armored trolls that swung rusted weapons with terrifying strength.
And amid it all, the bitter chill of unnatural frost coated the air. Black ice spread across cobblestones, devouring warmth and light, leaving nothing but jagged shards that pulsed with darkness.
Shellia's eyes darted over the battlefield. Too many were wounded—groaning, bleeding, their skin turning pale where the black frost touched. Ordinary priests chanted desperately, but their spells sputtered uselessly against the corruption.
Lumiel stepped forward, his presence radiating calm amid the storm. He raised a hand, and a vast shimmering dome of golden light expanded outward like a second sky. "Divine Shield," he intoned, his voice unwavering. The barrier surged, pushing back monsters and enclosing the wounded. He turned to Shellia briefly, his platinum hair shining in the glow. "Leave the fallen to me, Lady Shellia. My divine power is pure enough to counter this corruption. You—focus on the battle ahead."
There was no hesitation in his tone, only conviction.
Shellia nodded sharply. "Understood."
Her eyes locked onto the source—the leader standing amidst the carnage.
A man, tall and broad-shouldered, draped in tattered black garments streaked with frost. His hair was a midnight shade, streaked with faint blue highlights that glimmered like frozen rivers. And his eyes—his eyes burned red, the same crimson that Orielle's once bore when corrupted. The ice that coiled around his fingers shimmered with darkness, radiating a chill so vile it burned to breathe near it.
Shellia froze. Her stomach tightened in a knot. "That… that can't be…"
She turned to Yuki, her voice unsteady. "Don't tell me… he's—"
Yuki didn't let her finish. He floated higher, his childish form trembling yet smiling faintly, like someone seeing a ghost of the past. [Yes, Lia.] His voice shook, both with sorrow and with joy. [He is one of us. A spirit—bound to you, once. My kin… my brother.]
Shellia's heart skipped. A spirit. Another one like Yuki and Orielle. But… corrupted.
The man's crimson gaze locked onto her, recognition flashing like lightning in his eyes. For a moment, the battlefield seemed to fall silent. He smirked faintly, his voice deep and chilling, echoing with unnatural power.
"So… the Beloved still lives." His breath steamed in the air, each word dripping with disdain and something else—something like longing. "I wondered how long it would take before you found me."
Shellia gripped her staff, divine energy crackling faintly in her palms. The aura around him was overwhelming, not like the dungeon's corruption but deeper, more personal.
"Who are you?" she demanded, though her heart already whispered the answer.
He laughed, the sound sharp as breaking ice. "Once, I was a spirit of frost, born to serve balance. But when your world crumbled… when you fell in the first life… I was left behind. Alone. Broken." His crimson eyes flared. "The demons whispered to me. They showed me truth. And so I embraced their gift. Black frost, eternal and unyielding."
Orielle stepped forward, her fiery hair blazing like a torch against the night. [You lie to yourself. You surrendered, and in doing so you betrayed what it meant to be a spirit.]
The man's gaze flicked to her, sharp as a blade. "Orielle. How fitting. I see you too crawled back from corruption. And yet, you chain yourself to the Beloved again? Pathetic."
Shellia's blood burned at his words. She could feel Yuki's tiny form trembling against her, his small voice whispering near her ear. [Lia… that is Kyren. The Spirit of Frost. In the first world, he was meant to guard you. To fight beside us. But when you fell… he was the first to break.]
Shellia's chest tightened. Kyren. A name wrapped in sorrow, now drenched in corruption.
Kyren raised a hand, and black frost burst outward, spears of ice slamming into buildings, shattering walls. Screams echoed as adventurers scrambled to defend. The cold seared Shellia's skin like poison.
"Come, Beloved," Kyren growled, his voice both taunting and pleading. "Fight me. Prove that you are not the failure I remember."
Shellia's grip tightened around her staff, divine light igniting in her veins. She turned to Yuki and Orielle, her voice steady despite the tremor in her heart. "Then we fight. Not to destroy him… but to bring him back."
Orielle's golden eyes softened, then hardened with resolve. [If anyone can… it's you.]
Yuki's small hands clenched, his voice sharp. [We'll fight together, Lia. Just like always.]
With a deep breath, Shellia surged forward, her staff blazing with divine light as Kyren's black frost crashed toward her like a tidal wave. The clash of light and shadow lit the battlefield, a storm of purity and corruption colliding with the fate of the city trembling in between.
---