I woke up on a bed. The air was thick with the scent of medicine, a sharp contrast to the astral peace I had just left. To my side, Hina and Yumi were fast asleep, their heads resting on the edge of my mattress. I tried to move as quietly as possible, my body screaming in pain yet feeling strangely whole—my bones had fused back together. Despite my caution, they both jolted awake.
The moment they saw me conscious, they didn't offer words; they lunged at me, pulling me into a suffocating embrace. I tried to push them away, but their grip was desperate. They began to scold me for my recklessness, their tone identical to the entities I had just encountered in the void. It was then I learned I had been unconscious for three days. Three days of mental trauma and celestial lectures while my body lay here.
I stretched my limbs, trying to shake off the stiffness. I asked Hina what had happened during my absence. The Kingdom was recovering, she said, but the atmosphere remained heavy. I looked at Yumi and felt a chill. Her aura was terrifying—she seemed less like a side character and more like a goddess. She had encased the entire Kingdom in a massive barrier, her power growing at an unnatural rate.
The Audience with the King
Soon after, a Lady Knight arrived to inform me that the King and Princess were ready to see me. In the throne room, I met them along with a new figure—the Royal Minister, Vane. He had the cunning eyes of a predator, his silver hair and sharp features screaming of hidden agendas.
Princess Isabella thanked me for saving the realm. "If it weren't for you, our Kingdom would be ash," she said before asking with a calculated edge, "Is there anything you wish to tell us?"
I decided to be blunt. I didn't care for their courtly logic. "There is a traitor among you," I stated. "The Demon Army's attack was too perfectly timed with my arrival. I want permission to investigate your nobles."
The Summons from the First Kingdom
Before they could respond, the doors burst open. Four soldiers entered, led by a woman with vibrant pink hair named Elara. Her aura was overwhelming, rivaling even Yumi's newfound strength.
"I am from the First Kingdom," she announced. "Rank 5 Hero, Seraphina, has summoned you. She awaits you in the First Kingdom."
The court fell into a deathly silence. A Rank 5 Hero. I knew this was a dangerous turn. Elara asked when I would depart. I took a deep breath and told her I would come in a few days; I had a plague of traitors to deal with here first.
Inside my mind, Night (Kiran) finally spoke after a long silence. "Stay away from her, Reyansh. I have met her once. She doesn't just see your power; she can see your soul. If you stand before her, there are no secrets."
I turned back to the King and the Princess. "I need to meet every noble in this city. Every single one."
Isabella agreed. "They will be at the banquet tonight. I expect you to find the answers our Kingdom needs."
I walked back to my quarters, my mind already weaving the pieces together. The banquet was coming, and with it, the truth.