"Heh… heh…"
Royal Capital Roland — the king's bedchamber.
A low, beast-like growl echoed throughout the palace, occasionally accompanied by heavy footsteps.
Despite the vast size of the chamber, not a single servant remained inside. It wasn't due to negligence—it was an order personally issued by King Anz III himself.
A shadow prowled through the room.
Its limbs were unnaturally elongated. Coarse fur pushed through the fabric of its nightclothes. Faint beast-like features distorted its face as sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, thick saliva dripping down continuously.
If anyone had remained inside, they would likely have already been torn apart by this humanoid monster.
Fortunately, the wise had long since fled.
But there were always those too slow to react.
"Ha…"
A maid hid inside a dark wardrobe, tightly covering her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. Through a tiny crack in the cabinet door, she peeked outside.
The inhuman growls echoed again and again. It felt as though the creature was drawing closer—but she couldn't see it.
And that uncertainty was the most terrifying part of all.
She didn't dare make a sound.
Then—
Footsteps approached.
Terrified, she quickly shut the wardrobe door.
Thud!
The faint sound of wood colliding echoed unnaturally loudly through the silent chamber.
Her breathing stopped.
The noises outside… disappeared.
D-Does that mean…?
Tears poured uncontrollably from her eyes. Panic nearly drove her insane.
After several long minutes of silence, she cautiously opened a small crack again.
Nothing.
The room was empty.
The "correct" choice would have been to leave immediately—
But her legs were too weak to move.
So she shut the door once more and remained hidden inside.
And the instant she closed it—
"AAAAAH! COME OUT!"
A chaotic roar exploded from directly above the wardrobe.
The heavy doors shook violently as clawed hands slashed downward. Sticky saliva poured from above like a waterfall.
Her scream mixed together with the beast's roar—
And if nothing interrupted it, her voice would soon vanish, replaced only by the sound of flesh being torn apart.
In absolute despair, she finally saw the creature clearly—
Blood-red eyes glowing with madness, forever searing themselves into her memory.
A claw lunged toward her chest—
"Your Majesty seems to be in excellent spirits today."
A gentle voice suddenly interrupted.
The beast froze.
A trace of human confusion appeared across its face.
Both the maid and the beast turned at the same time—
And saw a smile.
A tall young man stood there.
Even within the dim chamber, his silver hair seemed to shine brilliantly. His appearance was flawless—handsome, yet carrying a touch of androgynous beauty capable of captivating anyone who looked at him.
But what stood out the most—
Were his eyes.
Blue as sapphires, like a lake reflecting the sky itself. A single glance was enough to pull others in completely.
He wore luxurious clothing, yet bore no noble crest.
Only a white eagle emblem rested upon his chest.
"M-My Lord Eliphis!"
The maid cried out in joy.
Eliphis gave her a reassuring smile before turning toward the beast. He bowed slightly and made a polite gesture.
"Your Majesty, you are tired. It is time to rest."
In a daze, Anz III nodded and slowly walked toward the bed.
With every step, the fur receded from his body.
By the time he lay down, he had already returned to human form—somewhat resembling the portraits displayed throughout the palace.
But only somewhat.
In those portraits, he looked majestic and imposing.
Now—
He was merely an old man with hollow, lifeless eyes, trembling weakly beneath the blankets.
Eliphis watched him settle down before turning back toward the maid, his smile still warm and gentle.
"M-My Lord… thank you…"
She stammered, blushing as she fidgeted nervously.
His gaze softened further.
He gently tapped her forehead with a slender finger.
"Be smarter next time."
"Ah—!"
At that brief touch, her entire body went limp.
Watching him leave, she trembled slightly and let out a soft, dazed moan—
Before fainting on the spot.
And in her final conscious thought:
The Light Eagle who brings dawn to the kingdom.
The undefeated general.
Leader of the Radiant Falcon Order.
Lord Eliphis… is so handsome…
…
The doors to the chamber slowly closed behind him.
Eliphis sat beside the king's bed.
He injected a crimson healing serum into Anz III's body and softly whispered:
"Awaken."
Soon, the king's eyelids trembled before slowly opening.
"…Eliphis… is that you?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I came to see you."
A faint smile appeared on the king's face.
"Every time I wake… and see you… I feel at ease."
"I will always be here, Your Majesty."
"Yes… whenever trouble arises… you are always by my side. When we fought against the Warrior Nation… when the barbarians invaded… cough—"
Eliphis calmly produced a cup of warm water and helped him drink.
After coughing for a while, the king suddenly asked:
"The child I mentioned before… the one lost outside… have you found her?"
"Yes. It has already been confirmed. They are escorting her back now. You will soon meet the princess."
"…The princess…"
The king let out a weary sigh before suddenly grabbing Eliphis's wrist tightly.
"She will become queen. You must assist her… just as you assisted me!"
Eliphis lowered his gaze, quietly looking at the frail old man before him.
Then he smiled once more—that mesmerizing smile capable of putting anyone at ease.
"I will, Your Majesty."
"Swear it!"
Eliphis placed a hand over his chest.
"I swear—I, Eliphis, will devote everything to protecting the Kingdom of Yanor, protecting the Queen, protecting—"
Before he could finish speaking—
The king had already fallen asleep once more.
Just speaking those few sentences had exhausted him completely.
"…protecting my kingdom."
The White Eagle softly finished the vow, unwavering confidence shining in his eyes.
He administered another serum, tucked the blankets neatly around the king, adjusted his appearance—
Then quietly left the room.
Outside, a crowd of anxious ministers waited nervously.
The moment Eliphis gave a small nod, everyone relaxed in relief and immediately crowded around him with endless praise.
"As expected of Lord Eliphis!"
"The king trusts you more than anyone else!"
"Only you can ease His Majesty's illness—you truly are a blessing sent from the heavens!"
"I simply happen to possess the right talent," he replied calmly.
After the greetings finally ended, a captain approached while leading a white horse.
"My lord, there is new information from that side."
Eliphis remained completely composed.
"There is no need for us to concern ourselves with it."
"But—"
"They are merely stepping stones. No one listens to stepping stones."
He mounted the horse and gazed toward the setting sun.
"Compared to them, I am more interested in the dungeon discovered near our base."
"It still hasn't opened yet."
"It soon will."
His sapphire-blue eyes gleamed faintly.
"I had a dream. Something I need is inside that place."
Sein Dungeon — Lord's Room
Wade read through the letter sent from the Unicorn Dungeon.
[In three days, the Demon Subjugation will begin. You will receive an invitation—simply accept it.]
[Enclosed: Information regarding the Burning Demon.]
"So soon this time…"
He muttered quietly.
Last time, there had been a long gap before the decisive battle began.
He continued reading.
"Burning Demons… creatures originating from hell, blessed by an unknown god. Immune to high temperatures. Possess powerful bodies and extraordinary vitality. They adapt rapidly and evolve continuously. Their reproductive capabilities are terrifying—even severed limbs can regenerate into entirely new individuals."
"Most importantly—their flames never extinguish. Once touched, the fire will continue burning until the target is reduced to ash."
"They once burned half the continent before eventually being sealed inside the Eagle Dungeon."
Wade rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Sounds like a combination of Hulk, Wolverine, and some kind of fire user… though maybe not quite as absurd as Wolverine when it comes to regeneration."
The real problem was—
"Unquenchable flames."
Could even legendary magic extinguish something like that?
If they had once burned half a continent…
Then it probably wasn't ordinary fire.
Still—
When it came to hunting demons—
Nothing seemed more suitable than the Black Knights serving under King Gwyn.
The Twin Princes of Lothric might work too, but…
The letter specifically mentioned that the Red Fang Dungeon would be leading the battle due to their specialization in anti-fire abilities.
The other dungeons—including Sein—were merely there to accompany the operation and observe.
Essentially, it was a showcase.
The Unicorn Dungeon had even gone out of its way to remind him:
Everyone else had already agreed to keep a low profile.
Since this was supposed to be Red Fang's stage, it would be unwise to steal the spotlight.
Or make unnecessary enemies.
Or appear overly dominant.
Wade lay back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
"Guess I'll just play the supporting role this time."
Not the spotlight.
Just the leaves supporting the flower.