Roman changed his clothes, washed away the fatigue of yesterday's duel, and fell into a deep sleep. Morning arrived quietly, but not for long.
The Shadow System awakened him with its cold, mechanical tone.
> "Timeline initiated. Six hours and fifty-nine minutes until Dungeon Key manifests. Complete your daily physical tasks first."
Roman exhaled deeply.
"Always straight to the point, huh? Fine."
He prepared himself and headed straight toward the training grounds. Lyra followed as always, silently observing his morning routine. After an intense run and several rounds of physical training, Roman finally paused for breath.
"Lyra," he asked, wiping sweat from his forehead, "is there an orphanage in our dukedom?"
Her expression saddened slightly.
"There was, young master. But… because of the high cost of maintaining it, the Duke regretfully stopped its funding. The orphanage was closed. However, Lord Duke ensured the children were safe. He transferred them under the care of the church—with Father Alric, the priest who came during your soul identification ritual."
Roman stopped, his eyes softening.
"Father Alric… I see."
He returned to his chambers and bathed. On the way back, he noticed Butler Adam walking quickly down the corridor, holding a sealed letter. The crest on it belonged to the Dukedom of Ephor, their neighboring territory. Adam's face was unusually heavy.
"Adam," Roman called, halting him. "Why such a long face? Did something happen?"
Adam flinched slightly but quickly bowed.
"No, young master. Everything is fine. Have a good day… I have much work to do."
He hurried away before Roman could press further. Roman frowned.
"Suspicious… but fine. I'll wait."
He walked into the palace gardens, watering the plants absently. His mind drifted.
Shadow.
The system answered at once.
> "Five hours remain until Dungeon Key manifestation."
"What should I do until then?" Roman muttered. Then an idea struck him.
He headed straight to his father's office. The knights on guard informed him that the Duke was away on urgent business.
"Then open the office for me. I need to review some documents."
The knights hesitated, then obeyed. Inside, Roman found a large map sprawled across the desk. His eyes scanned the painted lands—Clover, the smallest kingdom on the continent. Around it loomed the great powers: Leaf, Spade, and the Holy Empire of Rudolf, the largest and strongest empire dominating this world.
Roman sat in his father's chair, flipping through documents. Reports spoke of unrest, of whispers of civil war in Clover. Nobles seeking to destabilize the kingdom. The loyalty of the people wavering.
He clenched his fists.
"Civil war… betrayal within our own walls. How I despise it. Traitors thrive like weeds here. What a mess."
Time slipped away as he immersed himself in the reports. Then, the Shadow System reawakened.
> "Dungeon preparation complete. Countdown initiated."
A glowing timer appeared before his eyes.
10… 9… 8…
Roman stood abruptly, tension running through his body.
7… 6… 5…
At 0, a key materialized in front of him, black and shimmering with an ominous light. The system spoke again:
> "Dungeon Key generated. Location marked. Follow the guiding route."
Roman gripped the key tightly and followed the system's guidance through the woods outside the dukedom. After some time, he reached the designated spot. At first, there was nothing. Only silence.
But as he stepped closer, the air trembled. A massive gate materialized out of thin air. Its aura was suffocating, pure darkness that seemed to swallow the surrounding light.
Roman's breath hitched. His instincts screamed at him to step back.
"So this… is the dungeon?"
He hesitated, then tightened his grip on the key.
With steady hands, he pressed it into the gate.
The doors opened with a deafening groan.
Immediately, an unseen force pulled Roman in, swallowing him whole like a black hole. The gate sealed itself behind him—vanishing from the world outside.