A week passed after the merged dungeon incident.
Somehow, the world did not end.
That was always nice.
Ruruka had already been discharged from the hospital three days ago. According to the doctors, her recovery speed was excellent even by high-rank awakener standards. According to Ruruka herself, she had been "fine" since the second day. According to Ria, that statement was "the kind of foolish nonsense injured warriors say before collapsing in hallways."
For once, I agreed with Ria.
Which was why Ruruka was not allowed to return to her own place yet.
Technically, she refused at first.
Politely.
Then firmly.
Then with the sort of stubborn calm that usually made guild officials surrender documents, missions, and sometimes their dignity.
Unfortunately for my little sister, she was fighting the wrong opponents.
Ria simply crossed her arms and said, "If you die, my daughters will be sad. Therefore, you will stay where we can watch you."
Ruruka tried to argue.
Then Hikari hugged her leg and looked up with watery eyes.
Ruruka lost.
Karin said she needed to inspect Auntie's recovery daily.
Ruruka lost harder.
Ruri held her hand and quietly asked, "Please stay until you are really better."
Ruruka surrendered completely.
Even A-rank swordswomen had natural predators.
Three worried nieces were apparently hers.
So now, my condominium had gained one injured aunt, one temporary mother who acted like a strict royal physician, three dragon daughters with extreme attachment issues, and me, the legal owner of the home who somehow had the least authority inside it.
Life was strange.
Sunday morning turned into Sunday afternoon with unusual peace. The living room was full of soft sunlight. The framed family photo from Showa no Mori Park had finally been ordered for enlargement, though the actual frame had not arrived yet. The smaller printed copy sat temporarily on the shelf, where Hikari had placed her tiny spoon in front of it as a "family guard."
I did not ask.
Ruri, Karin, and Hikari were playing with Ruruka on the carpet.
Ruruka was supposed to be resting.
Naturally, she was not.
She sat with her back against the couch, one arm still in a support brace, while Karin handed her wooden blocks and demanded tactical advice for building a "fortified hospital castle." Hikari had assigned tiny spoon as the hospital director and insisted every injured person needed permission to leave bed. Ruri was writing a recovery schedule in her notebook, occasionally glancing at Ruruka with the suspicion of a tiny nurse.
"Again," Ruri said gently, "Auntie should not lean too far forward."
Ruruka immediately straightened.
"Yes, Ruri."
Karin placed another block. "Auntie, if the enemy attacks from the left side, do we use walls or traps?"
"Karin," I said from the dining area, "why is a hospital castle expecting enemies?"
"Because enemies are rude."
Ria, seated on the couch with a cup of tea, nodded as if this was acceptable logic.
"Enemies rarely respect recovery periods."
"Do not encourage her."
"I encourage accurate threat assessment."
Karin grinned.
Ruruka tried not to laugh, failed halfway, and immediately winced.
Ruri pointed her pencil at her. "Auntie."
Ruruka bowed her head slightly.
"Sorry."
Hikari patted her knee.
"Hikari thinks Auntie needs less laughing."
"I agree," Ruruka said.
Karin leaned closer. "But what if the joke is really funny?"
Ruri answered before anyone else could.
"Then Auntie can smile quietly."
Ruruka looked at me.
I shrugged.
"You heard the nurse."
"She is six."
"She is in charge."
Ruri's cheeks turned pink, but she did not deny it.
I stood at the dining table, arranging several folders, my tablet, a portable recording crystal, and the cursed enemy of all free men.
Reports.
The moment I touched the stack, my soul started decaying.
Dungeon combat was dangerous. Boss fights were painful. Spatial anomalies were confusing. But reports were special. Reports were suffering in written form. They asked questions like "Describe the exact sequence of events" when the exact sequence of events was usually "everything went wrong and then I made it worse until it stopped."
Unfortunately, Aaron had requested a personal debrief.
No, requested was too gentle.
Aaron had used the kind of polite message that looked harmless until you read between the lines.
"Master, regarding the Arcane-Abyssal merged dungeon and the previous Chiba anomaly, I would appreciate your direct testimony today if your condition permits. Several findings require confirmation."
Translation: You are coming to the guild office whether you like it or not.
I sighed.
Then sighed again because the first sigh did not feel sufficient.
Ria noticed, of course.
She always noticed when I was suffering in a way she could comment on.
"Where are you going?"
I looked at her with tired eyes.
"Report."
Her expression remained flat.
"Report?"
"My greatest weakness."
Ria stared.
"You fought two S-rank bosses last week."
"Reports last longer."
"That is absurd."
"Reports are absurd."
She took a slow sip of tea while watching me gather the documents. Then her gaze moved toward the children and Ruruka on the carpet.
Hikari had just placed a blanket over Ruruka's lap, despite the fact that it was not cold.
Karin was now building the hospital castle walls taller.
Ruri had written something in her notebook and was checking Ruruka's water bottle.
Ria's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Then she said, "You know what?"
That tone never led to anything simple.
I looked up.
"What?"
"They have their auntie here to watch them."
Ruruka looked over immediately.
"I am recovering."
"You are conscious," Ria said. "That is sufficient for short-term supervision. Besides, Ruri is clearly in command."
Ruri sat straighter.
Hikari clapped softly.
"I am the defense captain," Karin declared.
"You are not allowed to fight anything," I said.
"I can defend emotionally."
"That's somehow worse."
Ria placed her cup down.
"I will come with you."
I blinked.
"To the guild?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I was involved in the previous dungeon incident after this recent one. The Chiba gate. The Soul Reaper. The recording crystal. The suspicious terrain mismatch." She lifted her chin. "If your guild master intends to discuss connected anomalies, then my perspective may be useful."
I stared at her.
She stared back.
That was annoyingly reasonable.
I hated when people used reason against my desire to suffer alone.
"You'd have to meet Aaron."
"I am aware."
"He is cautious."
"So am I."
"He notices things."
"So do I."
"He knows too much about me already."
"Then he will have less room to misunderstand."
"That logic feels dangerous."
"Your life is dangerous because you avoid explanations until they explode."
Ruruka covered her mouth.
I looked at her.
"Don't laugh. You have ribs."
She lowered her hand and looked away.
The girls watched us curiously.
Hikari raised her hand.
"Mama is going with Papa?"
Ria softened immediately, though she attempted to hide it by adjusting her sleeve.
"Yes. Mama will accompany your father to his report."
Karin's eyes brightened.
"Like a mission?"
"No," I said.
Ria said, "Administrative mission."
Karin nodded seriously.
"That sounds worse than monsters."
"It is," I said.
Ria stood.
"We will be back before dinner."
Hikari looked toward Ruruka.
"Auntie will stay?"
Ruruka smiled.
"Auntie will stay."
Ruri nodded. "We will make sure Auntie rests."
"Please do," Ria said. "If she attempts unnecessary movement, report it."
Ruruka looked betrayed.
"Ria."
"You are injured."
"I can move."
"You can remain seated."
"I am not a prisoner."
Hikari placed tiny spoon on Ruruka's blanket.
"Hospital director says Auntie stay."
Ruruka looked down at the spoon.
Then at Hikari.
Then surrendered again.
"…Yes, Director."
I almost laughed.
Ria noticed.
So did Ruruka.
Ruruka's eyes moved between us, then sharpened with a meaningful look that should have been illegal for injured younger sisters.
"So Nii-sama and Ria are going out together."
I immediately knew where that was going.
"It's not what you think."
Ria said the same thing at the exact same time.
"It is not what you think, swordswoman."
The room froze.
Karin's grin slowly formed.
Hikari tilted her head.
Ruri blinked.
Ruruka's expression became terrible.
"Riiiiight. Sure, sure. You do you, Nii-sama."
I stared at her.
Ria's eyes narrowed.
"I do not like your tone, swordswoman."
Ruruka's lips twitched.
"But I will let it slide today since you are recovering."
That did it.
Ruruka tried not to laugh.
She almost succeeded.
I tried not to laugh.
I failed.
Ria turned and smacked the back of my head.
Not hard enough to hurt.
Hard enough to make her point.
"Mage."
"Ow."
"You deserved that," Karin said.
"Probably," Ruri added quietly.
Hikari looked concerned. "Papa got Mama bonk."
"I'm fine."
Ria walked toward the entrance with absolute dignity.
"Prepare yourself. I will not wait because you are slow."
"I'm the one with the car."
"You will be slow with the car."
"I hate that you're probably right."
We left the condominium under the supervision of three children and one recovering swordswoman, which was not a sentence I ever expected my life to produce.
Driving from Chiba back to the Saitama Branch took longer than expected.
Traffic was not terrible, but it was slow enough to give my brain time to regret things. Ria sat in the passenger seat, posture elegant, gaze fixed ahead with the calm judgment of someone evaluating the entire road system and finding it lacking.
She had chosen simple clothes today. Not too formal. Not too casual. A fitted blouse, long skirt, and light coat. Refined enough to look like a respectable spouse from overseas, but practical enough that she could probably cut down a monster with dark mana if necessary.
Which was the problem.
Aaron would notice.
Maybe not the dark mana itself. I had handled that part. Before leaving, I placed Arcane Concealment over her resonance, suppressing her true mana signature, level impression, and status information. To ordinary hunters, she would look like a high-level but unregistered overseas hunter with polished control. To Aaron's clairvoyance, the concealment would hopefully appear like a disciplined privacy ward.
Hopefully.
I disliked hopefully.
Ria noticed my side glance.
"You have been looking at me every few minutes."
"I'm reviewing our cover story."
"Your cover story is terrible."
"It's functional."
"You told me to pretend I returned from overseas because I missed my husband and children."
"That's the cleanest version."
"It is unbelievable."
"Why?"
"I could miss the children."
"Okay."
"But definitely not you."
I sighed.
"You're supposed to pretend."
"I refuse to perform poorly written fiction."
"It's not fiction. It's paperwork-adjacent narrative."
"Those are worse."
I gripped the steering wheel with one hand and rubbed my forehead with the other at a red light.
"Listen. Aaron knows I don't lie to my own family."
"Do you?"
"Not about important things."
"You lie about being fine."
"That's a health status. Different category."
"It is not."
"It is in this house."
She gave me a look that said she would revisit that later.
Great.
I continued before she could.
"The point is, if he asks why you know certain things, the safest answer is that I told you because you're family. He'll believe that."
Ria's gaze shifted slightly.
Family.
The word still hit strange areas between us.
I pretended not to notice.
She did too.
Efficient.
"Also," I said, "you are not Astrea today."
"I am aware."
"You are not the Demon Queen."
"I am aware."
"You are Ria Arclight. Mother of Ruri, Karin, and Hikari Arclight. Wife of Ren Arclight."
Her eyes moved toward me.
"Paperwork wife."
"Sure."
"Mage."
"Fine. Wife. But legal-cover wife."
"Better."
"Do not mention your kingdom."
"I know."
"Do not mention demons as your people."
"I know."
"Do not say 'back in my kingdom' or 'when I commanded legions' or 'when I invaded this pathetic world' or anything that sounds like you personally participated in demon politics."
Ria turned her face forward.
"You have a low opinion of my discretion."
"I have an accurate memory of your pride."
"That is different."
"That is related."
She clicked her tongue.
"What should I say if the guild master asks about my knowledge?"
"Overseas dungeon experience. Demon-controlled dungeon overseas. Old ruins. Ancient scriptures. You worked with hunters there, saw similar symbols, learned enough to recognize them."
"That is not entirely false."
"Exactly."
"It is selectively dressed truth."
"That's the best kind."
"Hmph."
The light turned green.
I drove on.
"Also," I added, "Aaron is not stupid."
"You have mentioned this."
"He may test your story politely."
"Then I will answer politely."
"That sounds more dangerous than if you were rude."
"I can be pleasant."
"No."
"Mage."
"You can be elegant. You can be controlled. You can be terrifying. Pleasant is… a project."
Ria stared at me.
"You are fortunate the children are not here."
"I know."
"Your courage grows when witnesses are absent."
"My stupidity grows too."
"That explains much."
Despite myself, I smiled.
This was probably not the correct emotional state before introducing my former Demon Queen housemate, temporary co-parent, legal wife, and daughters' mother to the one guild master in Japan who already knew too much about me.
But honestly, nervousness was tiring.
And I was already tired.
When we reached the Saitama Branch Guild, I parked Fluffy in the visitor area.
Ria looked at the building through the windshield.
"So this is the guild branch that failed to contain your life."
"That's one description."
"It looks ordinary."
"It tries."
"Like you."
"Ouch."
She stepped out before I could open the door. Not that I was going to. My ribs still disliked sudden chivalry.
The moment we entered the guild lobby, conversations shifted.
I felt it immediately.
Hunters noticed me.
That was new.
Well, not entirely new. Some people at the Saitama branch knew me as an A-rank hunter with strange habits, a past connection to Aaron, and a talent for appearing when things were complicated. But after the recent S-rank incident, the whispers had changed.
They were sharper.
More curious.
Less dismissive.
A group near the mission board glanced over.
"That's him…"
"The one who entered with Guild Master Shanks?"
"He saved the Gale Heroine, right?"
"Ruruka Arclight's brother?"
"Didn't he fight the merged dungeon bosses?"
"Wasn't he A-rank?"
"Maybe high A?"
"High A doesn't do that."
Gale Heroine.
I almost sighed.
Ruruka hated that nickname when strangers used it, which meant the guild naturally used it more often.
Ria's eyes flicked toward me.
"Gale Heroine?"
"My sister's guild nickname."
"Dramatic."
"Hunters like dramatic names."
"You sealed me and became a father of dragons. You are not allowed to judge dramatic."
"Fair."
A random hunter approached before I could reach the private hallway.
Elf.
Probably half-elf if the ears were anything to go by, though modern awakeners made species classifications complicated. Tall, green-haired, light armor, bow case over one shoulder. She looked nervous but determined.
"Excuse me, Ren Arclight?"
I stopped.
Ria stopped beside me.
"Yes?"
The elf hunter smiled.
"I heard about what you did in the merged dungeon. Saving Ms. Ruruka and the survivors. I just wanted to say it was amazing. If it's not too forward, could I maybe get your contact information? I'd love to talk about your spatial techniques sometime."
Ah.
No.
Bad.
Danger.
Before I could answer, the air beside me dropped several degrees in social temperature.
Ria turned her head slowly.
She did not flare mana. The concealment remained perfect. She did not threaten. She did not speak.
She simply looked.
The elf hunter stiffened.
Her smile vanished.
"I… ah…"
Ria's voice was calm.
Elegant.
Deadly.
"My spouse is here for a guild report."
The hunter's eyes widened.
"Spouse?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize—"
Ria lifted one eyebrow.
"That is evident."
The hunter bowed quickly.
"My apologies, Mrs. Arclight. I didn't mean anything inappropriate."
"Good."
The elf retreated at impressive speed.
I watched her go.
Then slowly turned toward Ria.
"You didn't have to scare her."
"I did not scare her."
"She looked like her soul filed for transfer."
"She adapted quickly. Sensible woman."
"She asked about spatial techniques."
"She asked for your contact information."
"For techniques."
"Naive mage."
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Honestly, she might be right.
I hated that too.
Ria began walking again.
"Come. Reports wait for no one."
"Now you sound like paperwork."
"I resent that comparison."
We went straight to Aaron's office.
His assistant let us through immediately, which probably meant Aaron had been expecting me and had instructed them not to let me escape. Reasonable. Annoying, but reasonable.
Aaron was already sighing when we entered.
He sat behind his desk, several files spread open before him, a recording crystal placed in the center, and his gauntlet resting on the side table as if even his equipment needed a break.
I stopped just inside the office.
"Why are you sighing as soon as I step in?"
Aaron looked up.
"Because I was thinking about whether you showing even a portion of your true power in front of field personnel was a good idea."
I stared.
"It was not a good idea."
"That was my conclusion."
"Great. We agree."
"Which worries me."
"I saved Ruruka."
"I am aware."
"And the survivors."
"I am also aware."
"Then the future can complain later."
Aaron closed his eyes briefly.
"The future is already preparing a complaint."
"That sounds like future us problem."
Ria made a small sound beside me.
I could not tell if it was disapproval or agreement.
Aaron's gaze shifted to her.
He noticed her fully for the first time.
Of course he did.
Aaron Shanks was many things, but careless was not one of them. His eyes moved quickly, professionally. Clothes. Posture. Mana control. Presence. Relationship distance. The concealment. The fact that she stood beside me as if she belonged there and judged the entire office as inadequate.
His expression remained polite.
But his attention sharpened.
"Master," he said, "may I ask who this lady is?"
I heard Ria's attention catch on the title.
Master.
She did not react outwardly.
Good.
Progress.
I stepped slightly beside her.
"This is Ria Arclight. My wife. She got back from overseas recently."
Aaron paused.
Not a small pause.
A full pause.
"Wait."
I felt my soul flinch.
"Are you serious?"
"Usually not, but yes."
"I thought you were speaking nonsense when you said you were actually married."
Before I could answer, Ria's eyes narrowed.
She took one graceful step forward.
"Are you doubting the mage—"
I fake-coughed sharply.
Ria stopped.
Her eyes slid toward me.
I looked back with the silent desperation of a man trying to prevent a bomb from saying "mage" in front of the guild master.
She adjusted smoothly.
"Are you doubting my spouse in front of his own wife?"
Aaron froze.
I froze internally.
Ria continued, voice colder.
"Should I reconsider him working with you?"
Aaron, to his credit, recovered quickly.
He stood and bowed slightly.
"My apologies, Mrs. Arclight. That was not my intention. I was surprised because Master is… selective with personal information."
"Master?" Ria asked.
Aaron paused.
I covered my face mentally.
Aaron looked at me.
I looked at Aaron.
Traitor.
"It is an old habit," Aaron said carefully. "Your husband once taught me several things."
Ria looked at me.
"Did he?"
"Not formally," I said.
Aaron's expression said that was a lie.
Ria's expression said she knew it was a lie.
Excellent start.
Aaron gestured toward the couch inside his office.
"Please, both of you. Sit. We have much to discuss."
Ria moved first and sat with the composed dignity of someone allowing the furniture to serve her. I sat beside her because apparently that was the correct spouse positioning now.
Aaron sat across from us.
For a moment, the room felt like a formal negotiation between three people pretending several entire truths were not sitting under the table with knives.
Aaron folded his hands.
"Mrs. Arclight, thank you for accompanying him."
Ria lifted her chin.
"If the matter concerns incidents involving our household, I have reason to attend."
Our household.
Aaron's eyes flickered.
He caught it.
Of course he did.
I wanted coffee.
Or escape.
Aaron began.
"Then let us discuss what is happening around the dungeons."
He spread several photographs on the low table.
The first set came from the recent merged dungeon. Images of the two terrain halves. The Arcane Structures side, pale and rune-lit. The Abyssal Domain side, black and jagged. The central arena, damaged by the fight. Two cores before destruction. Residue scans marked in red and blue.
Aaron pointed to the boundary line.
"Our analysis confirms what we suspected. This was not a normal terrain mutation. The dungeon feels artificially merged. The mana signatures are distinct, and neither core appears to have formed from the other. They were brought into overlapping spatial alignment."
Ria leaned forward slightly.
Her eyes were sharp now.
Not bored.
Not dismissive.
Interested.
Aaron continued.
"This connects to the first dungeon anomaly you encountered months ago, Master. The C-rank labyrinth where Ruruka eliminated the Ogre King, missing core behavior, hidden totems, and four towers."
He placed another set of photographs down.
The pillars.
I recognized them immediately.
I had taken some photos during the earlier investigation and had given Aaron copies later as proof. At the time, we knew the symbols were not standard dungeon runes. They looked old. Dark. Intentional. But no translation system had identified them properly.
Aaron tapped the first image.
"These symbols appear on the tower bases. We initially thought they were corrupted dungeon script, but after comparison against known rune families, that explanation no longer holds. They are too consistent."
I looked at the photographs again.
Then I noticed Ria.
Her expression changed.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
Her mouth tightened. Her gaze fixed on one of the symbols longer than the others. Her fingers stilled on her lap.
I turned to her.
"Wife."
Her eyes shifted toward me.
The word had slipped out naturally.
Dangerous.
Aaron noticed.
Extremely dangerous.
I continued anyway because stopping would make it worse.
"Do you have any idea what those are?"
Ria looked back at the photographs.
"Yes. I probably do."
Aaron sat straighter.
Ria's gaze remained on the symbols.
"Back in the demon—"
I coughed.
Loud.
Painfully.
Partly fake, partly because my ribs disliked sudden theatrics.
Ria's eyes slid toward me again.
I gave her the look.
The please do not reveal you are the Demon Queen in Aaron's office look.
She clicked her tongue softly.
"Back in the dungeon controlled by demons overseas," she corrected, "I saw the same familiar scriptures."
Aaron's face became more serious.
"Mrs. Arclight, are you saying you can read them?"
Ria looked at him as if he had asked whether water was wet.
"Of course I can."
Aaron blinked once.
Ria continued, "What is the use of evidence if you cannot even decipher it?"
Aaron paused.
I paused.
Then I said, "Well."
Aaron nodded slowly.
"She is not wrong."
"She often isn't," I said before I could stop myself.
Ria looked at me.
I looked away.
Aaron's expression became strange for half a second.
Too observant.
I hated observant people.
"What does it mean?" Aaron asked.
Ria picked up one of the photos delicately, as if touching low-quality documentation offended her.
"This line references summoning vessels."
Her finger moved to another mark.
"This one is old demonic script connected to beast-calling rites. Not simple summoning. More like binding a creature's origin to a prepared domain."
Aaron's eyes sharpened.
"And this?"
"Dark enchantment. Stabilization. It implies strengthening through anchored sacrifice or layered mana absorption."
The room became colder.
Not physically.
Conceptually.
Aaron leaned forward.
"You are certain?"
Ria scoffed.
"I do not guess when reading ancient scripture."
I looked at her.
Inside my head, something unexpected happened.
She was helping.
Actually helping.
Not just maintaining the cover story. Not just playing wife because the girls needed records. She was giving Aaron useful information, translating hostile script, adapting her words into the overseas-hunter lie without collapsing it.
I was a little proud.
Not gonna lie.
Also terrified.
Because she was very good at this.
Aaron noticed my expression.
I made it blank.
Too late, probably.
He asked another question before I could worry too much.
"You called it familiar scripture. Is this common in demon-controlled dungeons overseas?"
Ria placed the photo down.
"Not common. Old. Most lesser demons would not understand it. Those who used it were either ritualists, high commanders, or fools who copied power without understanding the consequences."
Aaron looked at me.
"Consequences?"
Ria answered instead.
"Unstable summons. Corrupted beasts. Territory contamination. Sometimes domain overlap if the ritual fails to define proper boundaries."
Aaron's gaze sharpened further.
"Domain overlap."
I sat forward.
"Like two dungeon terrains merging?"
Ria folded her arms.
"In principle, yes. But not exactly. A ritual can force one territory to accept another influence, but merging two self-contained domains with separate cores is far more complex."
Aaron's fingers tapped once against his knee.
"So whoever did this either intentionally forced two domains together or failed while attempting something adjacent."
"Correct," Ria said. "And if it is failure, it is a grand one."
I looked at the photos.
Summoning vessels.
Origin binding.
Dark enchantment.
Stabilization through anchored sacrifice.
Domain overlap.
This was getting uglier.
Aaron brought out more files.
"Then let us include the other anomalies."
He laid out reports from Saitama, Tokyo, and Chiba.
"Saitama farming dungeon. Original D-rank. Elevated to B-rank. Boss became A-rank Demon Knight."
He slid another sheet.
"Tokyo E-rank. Elevated to C-rank. Spectral Wolf in a dungeon that should have produced goblins and insects."
Another.
"Chiba educational district gate. Supposed B-rank. Volcanic terrain. Produced Soul Reaper Special Variant, which should belong to an A-rank dungeon minimum. Terrain mismatch and boss mismatch."
Another.
"Recent Saitama merged dungeon. Supposed A-rank Arcane Structures. Partial Abyssal Domain overlap. Titan Guardian and Abyss General. Two active cores."
The table looked like madness arranged politely.
Aaron's voice lowered.
"In every case, we found evidence of forced elevation, mismatched monster identity, or interference with core behavior. The recent case proves the phenomenon is not limited to strengthening. It can alter or overlap domain structure."
Ria studied the reports.
"These events are too close together."
"Yes," Aaron said.
"And escalating."
"Yes."
"And your guilds are only reacting."
Aaron's expression tightened.
"Yes."
Ria did not soften the statement.
Good.
Aaron did not deny it.
Better.
I leaned back and ran a hand through my hair.
"If this is connected to demonic ritual logic, then the towers in the first dungeon may have been an early test. Strengthening one dungeon core. Creating artificial boss behavior. Then the Chiba gate shows special variant insertion or forced summoning. The merged dungeon shows domain overlap."
Aaron nodded.
"A progression."
"Or multiple failed experiments."
Ria tapped one photograph.
"The symbols indicate summoning and stabilization. If those markings, or similar ones, appear near other anomalies, then someone is using dungeon cores as anchors."
Aaron's eyes narrowed.
"For what purpose?"
"Summoning beasts," Ria said. "Strengthening domains. Creating pathways. Dragging monsters from places they should not be."
I looked at her.
Her kingdom.
The rift that opened.
Her forces dragged to this world.
My stomach tightened.
Aaron noticed my reaction.
Of course he did.
"Master?"
I kept my voice even.
"Thinking."
"That is a dangerous sign."
"Usually."
Ria glanced at me, and for a brief moment, something passed between us.
Not words.
Understanding.
She knew what I was thinking.
I knew she knew.
And we both knew Aaron could not hear that part yet.
Not now.
Not until we understood more.
Aaron began asking Ria more questions.
Carefully.
Respectfully.
Like a man who realized Mrs. Arclight was not just a mysterious spouse from overseas, but a person with high-value knowledge and enough presence to make his office feel smaller.
"Could these scriptures be used without demonic mana?"
"With difficulty," Ria said. "The structure favors demonic resonance, but a skilled ritualist could imitate enough of the pattern through corrupted mana or prepared vessels."
"Could a human use it?"
"If foolish enough and supplied with the correct catalyst."
"What catalyst?"
"Blood. Cores. Bound spirits. Beasts already corrupted. Or a place where the boundary between worlds is thin."
Aaron wrote that down.
I hated all of it.
He then asked, "Can you provide a translation framework?"
Ria looked offended.
"You expect me to translate ancient demonic scripture from photographs of cracked pillars with poor lighting?"
Aaron paused.
"I can obtain higher resolution images."
"Good. Do so. And angle them properly. Whoever took these did not understand preservation."
I coughed again.
Not fake this time.
Ria looked at me.
"What?"
"I took two of those."
"My point remains."
Aaron looked like he wanted to laugh and knew better.
Smart man.
The discussion continued for nearly an hour.
We built hypotheses.
Not conclusions.
Not yet.
The safest working idea was this: someone or something had been experimenting with dungeon cores as spatial anchors. The earliest known stage involved hidden towers and artificial strengthening. Later stages involved boss mismatches, special variants, and partial terrain overwrites. The merged dungeon represented the most advanced anomaly so far, with two distinct domains overlapped and stabilized long enough to create two boss zones.
The scariest part was that these incidents were not random on the map.
Saitama.
Chiba.
Tokyo.
Around areas tied to previous high-rank events.
Around places connected to me, Aaron, Ruruka, or the earlier Demon King attack.
Nobody said that part out loud yet.
But Aaron looked like he was thinking it.
Ria looked like she had already judged it and found it unacceptable.
By the end, Aaron placed both hands on his knees and exhaled.
"This is worse than I expected."
"Reports usually are," I said.
Ria glanced at me.
"That was not the time for laziness."
"It was defensive humor."
"It was poor."
"Noted."
Aaron looked between us.
Something in his expression shifted again.
Suspicion?
Amusement?
Professional concern?
All of the above, probably.
"Mrs. Arclight," he said, "your assistance has been invaluable."
"Naturally."
I leaned back.
"She accepts compliments like taxes."
Ria turned.
"Mage."
"Injured."
"You are mostly recovered."
"Emotionally injured."
"Pathetic."
Aaron covered his mouth with one hand.
I saw that.
He was smiling.
Barely.
Traitor.
Then his expression grew serious.
"There is one more thing."
I did not like that sentence.
Never did.
Aaron stood and gestured toward the side of the office.
"Master, a moment?"
Ria's eyes sharpened.
Aaron noticed.
"It concerns a location tied to an older incident. I am not excluding you, Mrs. Arclight, but I need to confirm something with him privately first."
Ria looked at me.
I nodded slightly.
"It's fine."
She leaned back with an expression that said nothing was fine, but she would allow it because she was elegant and dangerous.
Aaron led me a few steps away, near the window overlooking the guild training yard. He lowered his voice and showed me his phone.
On the screen was a mana-density monitoring map.
I recognized the place before he said it.
The sealed dungeon.
The location where the first major attack connected to the Demon King had appeared.
The place tied to the old mess.
The place I had not wanted to revisit.
Aaron's voice was quiet.
"The situation is getting more serious. We need to find a solution quickly."
I stared at the screenshot.
High-density mana fluctuations.
Sudden spikes.
Repeated pulses.
Not a full breach, but close enough to make the back of my neck go cold.
"When?"
"Started two days ago. Increased last night."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were recovering. Your sister had just been discharged. And frankly, I wanted confirmation before alarming you."
I looked at him.
Aaron did not look away.
"I was wrong to wait."
I hated when people admitted things honestly.
It made being annoyed harder.
I looked back at the screen.
The pulses were not random.
They had rhythm.
Not natural dungeon pressure.
Not normal sealing decay.
Something was knocking from the inside.
Or something outside was calling to it.
"I'll visit next week," I said.
Aaron's expression tightened.
"Master—"
"I said next week, not next month."
"The fluctuations may worsen."
"Then monitor them. If it goes critical, call me. Otherwise, I need a few days."
Aaron studied me.
He knew why.
Ruruka. The girls. Ria. My body. The house still recovering from last week.
And probably because he knew I had already decided to go.
"I will prepare access and updated records," he said.
"Good."
"Will you bring Mrs. Arclight?"
I glanced back toward Ria.
She sat on the couch, pretending not to watch us while absolutely watching us.
"If this connects to demonic script, maybe."
Aaron followed my gaze.
"She is remarkable."
"Careful."
He blinked.
I realized how that sounded.
I added, "She notices too much."
Aaron smiled faintly.
"So do you."
"That's why I'm tired."
He looked back at the phone.
"Be careful, Master. Whatever this is, it is escalating toward old sites now."
I nodded.
"I know."
When I returned to the couch, Ria stood.
"We are leaving?"
"Yeah."
"What did he show you?"
"Sealed dungeon fluctuation. Old site. High-density mana spikes."
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
"The one connected to my arrival?"
"Likely."
Aaron, still near the window, watched us both.
I could feel his suspicion sharpening again.
Ria adjusted immediately.
"The one connected to the overseas demon-controlled incident you mentioned."
I nodded.
"Yeah. That one."
Aaron's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
Smart.
Or patient.
Dangerous either way.
I gathered my folders.
"Send me the files," I told Aaron.
"I will."
"And the high-res pillar images for Ria."
"Of course."
Ria lifted her chin.
"Make sure the angles are usable."
Aaron bowed slightly.
"I will do my best, Mrs. Arclight."
"See that you do."
I stared.
Aaron accepted that like it was normal.
Maybe he was more adaptable than I thought.
As we left the office, Aaron spoke once more.
"Master."
I paused.
"Yes?"
"I will take care of the branch-side preparations. For now, rest."
I almost laughed.
"You sound like my house."
"Then your house is wise."
Ria looked satisfied.
"Finally. A useful statement from the guild master."
Aaron smiled.
"I am honored."
"You should be."
We left the guild with more questions than answers.
That was becoming a pattern.
In the lobby, the whispers started again, but they sounded different now. Some hunters looked at Ria with curiosity. Others looked at me, then at her, then quickly away when she noticed. The elf hunter from earlier avoided eye contact completely and pretended to be very interested in a quest board.
Ria walked beside me with perfect composure.
My legal wife.
My daughters' mother.
Former Demon Queen.
Current translator of ancient demonic scripture.
Walking out of the Saitama Guild like she owned part of the building through sheer judgment.
I rubbed my forehead.
"What a day."
"It was informative."
"That's worse than good."
"Yes."
We reached Fluffy and got inside.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
The car pulled out of the parking lot, the guild building shrinking behind us.
Ria stared out the window.
"The sealed dungeon," she said after several minutes.
"Yeah."
"It may answer how my kingdom was dragged here."
"Maybe."
"Or why."
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
"That too."
She turned slightly toward me.
"Will you tell Aaron?"
"Eventually."
"That is not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
"Hm."
"What?"
"You are protecting him from information."
"I'm protecting everyone from panic until I have something useful."
"Those are not always the same thing."
"I know."
The road stretched ahead.
I thought about the screenshot. The fluctuations. The old sealed site. The symbols on the pillars. The two cores. The Soul Reaper Special Variant. The Abyss General. Ria's kingdom. The first rift. The way every answer seemed to open three worse questions.
Then I thought about home.
Ruruka on the carpet pretending she was resting.
Ruri checking recovery schedules.
Karin building hospital defenses.
Hikari assigning tiny spoon medical authority.
All waiting for us to come back before dinner.
I exhaled.
"I'll check it next week."
Ria watched me.
"And until then?"
"Until then, we go home."
Her gaze softened by the smallest amount.
Then vanished beneath pride.
"The children will complain if we miss dinner."
"Exactly."
"And the swordswoman will attempt to move unnecessarily."
"Probably."
"And your report will still be unfinished."
I sighed.
"Don't remind me."
Ria's mouth curved faintly.
"Your greatest weakness."
"Cruel."
"Accurate."
I drove on.
Behind us, the guild carried the beginning of another investigation.
Ahead of us, home waited.
And somewhere under all of it, old dungeons were starting to wake.
*****
End of Chapter 42
Arclight Parenting Report:
Parents:
Ren Arclight — Retired Archmage / Dragon Dad / Administrative Casualty
Ria Arclight — Former Demon Queen / Dragon Mom / Guild-Approved Spouse Threat
Current Family Objective:
Complete dungeon anomaly report
Maintain convincing marital cover story
Return home before dinner
Prevent recovering Auntie from escaping supervision
Children Under Protection:
Ruri — Ice / Recovery Schedule Manager / Acting Household Commander
Karin — Fire / Hospital Defense Captain / Emotional Security Officer
Hikari — Light / Reality Risk / Tiny Spoon Medical Director
Today's Activities:
Enforced Ruruka's extended household recovery
Successfully defeated Auntie resistance with niece puppy eyes
Assigned children to temporary patient supervision
Departed for joint Guild debrief
Reviewed emergency marriage cover story
Introduced Ria Arclight to Guild Master Aaron
Survived unsolicited contact-information request
Activated Spouse Intimidation Protocol
Reviewed all known dungeon anomaly records
Translated ancient demonic scripture
Identified summoning, binding, and stabilization rituals
Confirmed possible dungeon-core anchor manipulation
Discovered mana fluctuations at sealed dungeon site
Returned home before dinner expected
New Developments:
Ruruka officially placed under niece-controlled house arrest
Ria publicly introduced as Ren's wife
Guild personnel now aware Mrs. Arclight exists
Ria successfully defended spouse from suspicious elf interaction
Aaron learned Ren once acted as his teacher
Ancient tower symbols finally translated
Dungeon anomalies may be ritual-based rather than natural
Someone may be using dungeon cores as spatial anchors
Sealed dungeon connected to Ria's arrival has begun fluctuating
Old incident sites officially reactivated
Household Status:
Temporarily Aunt-Supervised
Administratively Compromised
Expected Home Before Dinner
Parents Stress Levels:
Ren
Paperwork Damaged
Cover Story Endangered
Future Dungeon Visit Pending
Ria
Composed
Professionally Useful
Mildly Territorial
Parenting Skill Growth:
Ren: 72.6% (Family Trust + Responsible Delay Bonus Applied)
Ria: 66.9% (Co-Parenting Support + Guild Cooperation Bonus Applied)
Family Synergy: 81.3% (Joint Administrative Mission Successfully Completed)
Current Parents Status:
Ren
Active
Investigating
Emotionally Defeated by Reports
Ria
Active
Cooperative
Officially Recognized as Mrs. Arclight
Immediate Priorities:
Return home before dinner
Confirm Ruruka remained seated
Review high-resolution ritual images
Monitor sealed dungeon fluctuations
Prepare for investigation next week
Keep Aaron away from several inconvenient truths
Prevent Ria from terrifying additional hunters
Operational Assessment:
Mission Type:
Guild Debrief + Spousal Cover Maintenance + Anomaly Investigation
Difficulty:
Ancient Demonic Paperwork
Emotional Status:
Ren
Tired – Suspicious – Quietly Proud
Ria
Focused – Protective – Increasingly Invested
Future Outlook:
Ruruka expected to remain under household supervision
Tiny Spoon expected to retain medical authority
Aaron expected to request further cooperation from Mrs. Arclight
Guild rumors regarding Ren's marriage expected to spread immediately
Ancient dungeon investigation expected next week
Old sealed locations expected to become increasingly unstable
Dinner expected to remain the family's highest immediate priority
Parents Personal Statement:
Ren:
"We came here to complete a report. Why are old dungeons waking up?"
Ria:
"Your guild's evidence was poorly photographed, but at least someone competent has now examined it."
Reality's Response:
"The retired Archmage brought his wife to a routine Guild report. By the end of the meeting, she had intimidated a hunter, corrected the Guild's research, translated forbidden demonic scripture, discovered a possible interdimensional ritual network, and scheduled herself for future consultation.The report remains unfinished."