After the laughter died down and the dishes were cleared, Elisha clapped her hands lightly.

A group of palace attendants entered, each carrying ornate boxes.

"Now then," Elisha said with a warm smile, "for the ones who saved my life and helped me rise in the royal court… your rewards."

Oliver blinked. "You already gave us ton of gold, though."

"That was official compensation," Elisha said. "These are personal gifts."

The attendants placed the boxes in front of them.

Isolde opened hers first — inside was a long, jet-black staff, carved from obsidian-like wood, with faint gold lines branching up its length.

Elisha beamed. "It amplifies mana output by twenty percent. Only three exist in the kingdom."

Isolde's eyes flashed. "Not bad."

Then she smirked. "I approve."

Ariana opened hers next — a pair of silver bracelets engraved with supportive enchantments.

"It boosts healing spells and reduces casting fatigue," Elisha explained.

Ariana's eyes watered instantly. "T-Thank you, Your Highness…"

Finally, Oliver opened his.

Inside was a sleek dagger — simple, elegant, silver-white metal with a faint blue edge. It felt unnaturally light.

Oliver whistled. "Damn… this is amazing."

Seraphine leaned toward the box and murmured under her breath, "Weapon is compatible with master. Approval: high."

Oliver gave her a side-eye. "You don't decide what I approve."

Elisha giggled.

The mood softened—warm, comfortable.

Until it didn't.

****

There was a moment of silence as tea was poured. Soft music drifted in from the palace courtyard.

Then Elisha looked up… her expression turning serious.

"Oliver," she said quietly. "Have you ever heard of otherworlders?"

The room froze.

Oliver nearly dropped his cup.

Isolde slowly turned her head… eyes narrowing mischievously as they landed on him.

Ariana blinked, confused. "Other… what now?"

Oliver kept his face straight by pure force of will.

"…No," he said. "What are they?"

Elisha nodded. "That's normal. Only royalty and high nobles know about it."

Isolde's smirk widened.

Elisha continued, leaning forward slightly.

"A year ago, the rulers of every major nation signed an agreement. To fight back against the demons… they chose to summon warriors from another world."

Oliver's heart hit his ribs so hard he wondered if everyone could hear it.

Elisha went on, unaware.

"The summoning was performed in the Valemont Empire — far across the Evergrove Forest. You probably haven't heard much of it."

Oliver and Isolde exchanged a look.

Oliver's expression: pale, stiff.

Isolde's: absolutely enjoying the chaos.

Then Isolde asked casually, "And why bring that up now?"

Elisha took a sip of tea.

"Because," she said, "those otherworlders are going to arrive here next week."

Oliver choked.

On water.

"K–Oh—ugh—!"

He coughed violently.

Isolde patted his back, smiling sweetly. "Take it easy, take it easy. Here, have more water."

Oliver glared at her, eyes screaming: ARE YOU ENJOYING THIS!?

Yes. She was.

He wiped his mouth, trying to regain composure.

"W-Why are they coming here? It's… far."

"To conquer the Velanthris Dungeon," Elisha said with a spark in her eyes. "One of the Seven Great Dungeons."

Ariana gasped. "That's crazy…!"

Elisha nodded enthusiastically.

"Have they already conquered the Dungeon of Ruins in the Valemont Empire. The Eravilis Dungeon."

"Yes," she continued, "the otherworlders conquered the Eravilis Dungeon. The entire continent was shaken by the news. Even the Empire celebrated it for days."

Oliver forced a nod, but his jaw was tight.

Great. Wonderful. Perfect.

I escaped that mess only for it to walk straight toward me.

Isolde noticed the twitch in his eyebrow and hid her smirk behind her cup.

Ariana, meanwhile, blinked in confusion. "Otherworlders… you mean heroes from another world? Like the legends?"

Elisha nodded. "Yes. Though they aren't legends anymore. They're very real. I met two of them during the imperial summit last month."

Oliver's stomach dropped.

"It's fascinating, isn't it?" Elisha said, leaning forward slightly, her eyes bright with excitement. "The warriors, knights, even the archmages of our world have been trying to conquer that dungeon for centuries. No matter how strong the expedition, no one ever returned alive."

She lifted her cup, swirling the wine with a grin.

"But a group of otherworlders conquered it within a single year. Just one year."

Her voice rose with admiration. "They're unbelievable… so strong it almost feels unfair."

Oliver forced a stiff smile. His back was damp with cold sweat.

Elisha continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "But I heard one of them died during the first expedition."

She frowned, trying to recall. "What was his name again…?"

Oliver froze.

Ariana blinked, confused but curious.

Seraphine cocked her head, expression unreadable.

And Isolde—

Isolde had her lips pressed together, shoulders trembling as she fought the overwhelming urge to laugh.

Elisha kept thinking aloud, oblivious. "Mm… it started with an O, I think? No—maybe not? Ugh, I'm sure I heard it somewhere…"

Oliver stared down at his plate, trying desperately to look unbothered.

Isolde leaned closer to him, whispering just loud enough for him to hear:

"You're turning pale, hero."

Oliver's eye twitched.

Elisha, still unaware, happily kept trying to remember the name of a dead man—

A dead man sitting right at her dinner table.

Elisha tapped her forehead, brows scrunched in concentration.

"…Damn, what was his name? It started with an O… or maybe an A? No, no— definitely an O."

She mumbled on, completely oblivious to Oliver's face draining of color.

Ariana leaned in, curious. "Someone actually died in the first expedition? That's… scary. The dungeon must be terrifying."

"Oh, it was," Elisha said brightly. "According to reports, the Eravilis Dungeon was notoriously deadly. The otherworlders were strong — unbelievably strong — but even then, one of them couldn't make it past the third layer." She snapped her fingers as if suddenly remembering. "What was his name? Ollin? Ovar? Olli—"

Oliver's heart stopped.

Isolde's lips trembled violently, her hand covering her mouth. Her shoulders shook.

She was absolutely enjoying this.

Elisha kept going, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I read he was the weakest of the group, and died embarrassingly fast too. Poor thing. But the others? Oh, they were incredible! They mastered magic instantly, advanced through the dungeon like it was nothing, saved entire noble houses…" She exhaled in admiration. "Otherworlders truly are blessed beings."

Oliver gulped, forcing a stiff smile.

"R-Really? How… fascinating."

Ariana nodded energetically. "I want to meet them! Imagine learning spells that quickly!"

"Indeed," Elisha said, still tapping her chin. "Though I wish I remembered that dead boy's name. It was on the memorial stone too. Something like… Oliv—"

"Elisha." Isolde shot her a sharp look, tone deceptively calm. "Let's drop the topic of dead people during dinner, shall we? Some of us are trying to enjoy the meal."

Elisha blinked. "…Oh! Yes, that makes sense."

Then she laughed softly, waving it off. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. He's dead now."

Oliver clenched his spoon.

Thanks. I really needed that reminder.

Elisha continued, unaware of the emotional damage she had inflicted.

"What matters is that the rest of them are heroes. They conquered the unconquerable. And next week, they will be here in Solarys City to conquer Velanthris Dungeon too."

Isolde elbowed Oliver lightly from the side, leaning close to whisper:

"…Try not to faint."

Oliver grit his teeth, whispering back through a fake smile:

"Keep laughing and I swear I'll carve a rune on your forehead."

Isolde snorted.

Elisha looked between them, confused but amused. "You two seem very close."

Ariana nodded. "They're always like this."

"Mm-hmm," Isolde hummed smugly, resting her cheek on her palm. "We've been through a lot together."

Oliver wanted to cry.

And then—

Elisha snapped her fingers. "Ah! I remembered! The dead boy's name—!"

Oliver's soul left his body.

Elisha raised her finger, triumphantly—

"—Oliver Shaw!"

"…Eh?" Ariana blinked.

"…?" Elisha paused. "Wait. No. That can't be right."

She frowned again. "Oliver is sitting right here."

Isolde lost it.

She slapped the table, laughing so hard her shoulders shook. Wine almost spilled from her glass.

Oliver stared blankly at his plate.

This is my life now.

Elisha sighed in frustration. "Ugh, now my memory is a mess again. Oh well! I'll ask the royal library to send me the report tomorrow."

Oliver prayed for immediate death.

****

Elisha placed her cup down, her expression shifting from excited chatter to something more deliberate, almost diplomatic.

"Now then…" she said, folding her hands over the table. "Let's talk about why I actually invited you all tonight."

Oliver tensed subtly. Isolde leaned back in her chair, legs crossed, watching Elisha with her usual bored-but-alert expression. Ariana tilted her head, curious. Seraphine simply sat still, hands folded neatly on her lap, eyes silently observing everyone.

Elisha inhaled slowly.

"I want to formally invite you all… to join the expedition into the Velanthris Great Dungeon."

A silence dropped over the table.

Oliver blinked. "…Come again?"

Elisha nodded, voice steady.

"Velanthris — The Arcanum Labyrinth. One of the seven great dungeons. It is… not like any other place in this world. It was created during the era when magic reached its peak. Back then, even children wove spells casually. Mana flowed like air."

She paused, excitement creeping into her tone again.

"The labyrinth is a library. A maze of infinite archives. A treasury of knowledge. It is said that everything the greatest mage in history learned, created, theorized, or discovered… is sealed within its floors."

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