Reeve's consciousness returned slowly.
There was no pain. No cold. No heat.
When he opened his eyes, he saw endless green grass, swaying gently under a calm sky. No Grimfang Wastes. No ruins. No mist. Just a wide open land that felt… wrong. Too quiet. Too perfect.
"…Where am I?" Reeve whispered.
Ahead of him stood a figure—motionless.
"Hey," Reeve called out, standing up. "Can you tell me where this place is?"
No reply.
He took a step closer. "Did you bring me here?"
Still nothing.
Reeve frowned and asked again—but before the words fully left his mouth, the figure suddenly collapsed onto the grass.
"W–wait!" Reeve rushed forward, fear gripping his chest. "Hey! Are you okay?!"
Before he could touch them—
A cold, commanding voice echoed through the air.
"Who are you?"
Reeve froze.
"And why did you do that?"
He turned sharply. There was no one beside him—but above, upon a dark stone throne rising from nothing, sat another figure, watching him with piercing eyes.
"I… I don't understand," Reeve said honestly. "What are you talking about?"
The figure on the throne tilted her head.
"Then answer me this," she said calmly.
A fire torch ignited, burning violently against the wall of a massive castle that Reeve hadn't noticed before.
In that burning light, he finally saw her clearly.
"She's… a girl?" Reeve muttered in shock.
The girl stood, flames reflecting in her eyes.
"You appeared in the middle of my domain," she said coldly.
"And you killed my dragon."
Reeve's breath caught. "What? No—I didn't kill anyone!"
"You collapsed after that," she continued, ignoring him. "So now you will answer me."
Her voice hardened.
"Or I will kill you."
Reeve raised both hands slowly. "I swear, I don't know what you're saying. I was about to enter Grimfang Wastes—then a light appeared… and I woke up here."
Silence.
The girl stared at him for a long moment… then exhaled softly.
"…Alright," she said. "Now I understand."
Reeve blinked. "You do?"
"But you still made a mistake," she continued. "And mistakes require payment."
Reeve swallowed. "What… kind of payment?"
She stepped down from the throne and walked toward him.
"You will become my right hand," she said.
"And help me kill the Demon King."
Reeve paused… then nodded.
"…Okay."
She stopped mid-step, clearly surprised. "That was easy."
She moved closer and extended her hand. "Then give me your hand."
Reeve instantly pulled back. "No way! I can't live with one hand!"
She stared at him.
Then slapped him.
"I meant hold my hand," she snapped.
"Until we complete the bonding ceremony—master and student."
"…Oh."
Reeve hesitantly took her hand.
The moment their hands connected, the world trembled.
"Ceremony begins," she said—and released ten percent of her mana.
The pressure crashed onto Reeve.
At the same time, Reeve released everything he could.
But because of the seal and the mana-consuming clothes, his so-called full output was barely one percent.
Still—
The girl's eyes widened.
"…Heavy," she muttered.
She increased her mana.
Nothing changed.
She pushed harder. More. More. Until she reached one hundred percent.
Finally, she exhaled sharply.
"…Now I can compete with your mana."
She looked at Reeve.
"Tell me. How much pressure do you feel?"
Reeve blinked. "…Um. I guess… zero percent?"
Silence.
Her expression cracked.
"…What?"
She stared at him, then suddenly laughed.
"Fine. From now on—you are my master."
Reeve panicked. "Wait—I don't want a right hand, or a master, or any of this!"
She waved dismissively.
"You won the ceremony. Whenever you wish, you may use my power."
"…I don't even understand what you're saying," Reeve muttered.
She stepped back ten paces.
Smoke rose.
Her form shifted—demonic aura collapsing inward, reshaping into a fully human appearance.
Reeve stared. "Can you send me back now?"
She shook her head slightly.
"Sorry."
The world folded.
In the next instant, they stood outside—her domain gone, the grass fading into nothing.
Reeve looked around desperately.
"Then… how do I go back to my friends?"
She met his eyes.
"I don't know."