Baldwyn was resting in the lodgings of the Monster Coliseum.
These were lodgings for challengers participating in Coliseum Matches.
Although multiple people lived in one room, there were no particular downsides to the living aspect. Of course, it wasn’t good either.
It was merely enough to be satisfied with having a place to stay and rest.
Above all, he was currently filled with expectation.
“I can finally bring Lyra and Sienna!”
When he was captured by the Arch Lich, everything had been desperate.
Even if he survived in the coliseum, there was no certainty that his comrades would be released.
However, the owner of the coliseum said it herself.
She said she would release Lyra and Sienna.
“That’s enough now!”
Baldwyn clenched his fist.
As a condition for their release, he was asked to participate in the Crusader who would attack the Free City Alliance, but he intended to escape with his comrades if they came.
If they ran far away, they probably wouldn’t be able to follow.
‘But aren’t things going too well?’
He suddenly had that thought.
Isn’t there a saying among adventurers?
If a dungeon looks like it has too few monsters, be careful of traps.
This meant to be wary of things going too smoothly and to think and act one more time.
Baldwyn recalled his conversation with Celia a moment ago.
“Hmm.”
Although she wore a mask, she was an incredibly beautiful being.
The face behind the mask must also be pretty.
‘Well, someone like that wouldn’t lie.’
He thought of his conversation with Celia and then blushed. Celia was that captivating to him.
Baldwyn blamed himself for his embarrassing feelings. To think of another woman while worrying about his comrades’ safety.
But contrary to his will, Celia’s image kept coming to mind.
Her elegant gait.
The subtle tremor in her voice.
The dance of shadows created by her red dress reflecting in the light.
And the subtle scent that spread whenever she moved.
“What am I doing?”
Baldwyn shook his head and got out of bed.
If he kept thinking, he felt like things would get strange.
His thoughts turned elsewhere.
‘Why does she run such a cruel entertainment?’
What is her relationship with the Warlocks she mentioned that she wants them to join the Crusader?
Questions followed one after another, but strangely, no suspicion arose about her.
It was truly strange.
Normally, he would have suspected everything.
Baldwyn had experienced numerous scams and deceptions to become a Gold Badge adventurer.
But with Celia… something was different.
Her very existence melted away his suspicion.
‘I shouldn’t be like this.’
He reaffirmed his plan.
Escape immediately when his comrades arrive.
Do not participate in the Crusader.
But whenever he thought of this, a strange sense of guilt washed over him.
It felt like he was betraying Celia.
He covered his head with his hands.
His mind became complicated, and his thoughts seemed to blur. Whenever he thought of Celia, his reason wavered.
It felt as if someone was sprinkling fog in his mind.
Just then, someone opened the door and came to find Baldwyn.
“Master is looking for you.”
It was a guard.
***
“Celia-nim…?”
Baldwyn instinctively uttered her name.
Her red dress seemed to draw all the light in the room.
Unlike before, she was not wearing a mask.
Her perfect features, soft curves, and mysterious, unfathomable eyes were revealed.
“Ah.”
At that moment, he found himself once again captivated by Celia’s presence.
This feeling could not be a normal emotion.
“Come, sit over here.”
Celia gestured slowly. Her movements were fluid, and every gesture seemed perfect.
Her bright red lips, fair skin, and shining silver hair further enhanced her beauty.
“Baldwyn-ssi?”
Celia’s voice enveloped his ears like music.
But for some reason, her voice seemed tinged with sadness.
“I’m sorry… but I think I have to deliver some unfortunate news.”
Baldwyn’s face stiffened. His instincts sensed danger. But at the same time, Celia’s voice was melting away his caution.
“What do you mean…”
Celia sighed and approached the window.
She was so beautiful that Baldwyn was momentarily speechless.
However, Baldwyn had no choice but to regain his senses at her subsequent words.
“Your comrades… are no longer in this world.”
“What?”
No, what did that mean?
Baldwyn jumped up in surprise.
“Wh-what on earth are you saying!”
Celia placed a pouch on the table instead of answering.
Baldwyn slowly approached and opened it.
Inside were a few strands of Lyra’s silver hair and a red jewel ring that Sienna always wore.
“This is…”
“Nothing is certain. However, it seems the Warlocks attacked them.”
Celia’s voice lowered.
“I’m sorry. I should have paid more attention…”
Baldwyn’s face turned pale. His hands trembled.
“A lie…”
He muttered.
“It can’t be. Lyra and Sienna are Gold Badge adventurers. They wouldn’t be defeated by Warlocks…”
It was devastating news for him, who had been planning to escape with his comrades when they returned.
He should have been angry.
He should have been sad.
But he felt neither anger nor tears.
He didn’t know why.
He was sad but didn’t feel sad.
And Celia and the Arch Lich were the culprits behind all these events.
Yet, he wasn’t angry. His anger towards her was also subdued.
He even felt relieved that he didn’t have to run away with his comrades.
‘Why?’
Why had he changed like this?
Baldwyn found the answer easily.
‘Celia.’
It was all because of Celia, who was right in front of him.
From some point on, he only thought of Celia.
Moreover, after seeing her face without a mask, the deaths of his comrades felt like nothing.
“Ah…”
A faint sigh escaped Baldwyn’s lips.
Celia slowly approached him.
Her scent, sweet yet lonely, filled the room.
“You must find it hard to believe.”
Celia’s voice was soft and contained sincere comfort.
Baldwyn was confused by the fact that he wasn’t as sad as he expected, even after hearing about his comrades’ deaths.
Deep in his heart, his intuition warned him that this situation was strange.
“According to the investigators’ on-site investigation, Sienna’s chest… was found with her heart ripped out.”
Her voice lowered.
“That is a typical ritual of Warlocks.”
In reality, some ghouls had handled the cleanup after the knights had toyed with them, and it had nothing to do with warlocks.
However, Baldwyn, unaware of that fact, had no choice but to believe Celia’s words without question.
No, even if the words were unbelievable, he would have believed them.
“What happened to Lyra?”
Celia was silent for a moment.
After a brief silence, her lips parted.
“Lyra was not found. They must have taken her. Halves-elves, being part-elf, are valuable materials for their dark magic.”
Baldwyn’s fist slammed into the table. The solid wooden table cracked under his strength.
The thought that Lyra might still be alive jolted him awake.
And at that moment, he felt his previous thought of escaping begin to fade.
“What… what should I do?”
His voice was filled with resolve.
But it felt like a reaction drawn by Celia’s presence, not his true will.
Celia elegantly extended her hand to him. Her hand lightly touched Baldwyn’s shoulder.
A strange sensation flowed through his body along with a warm feeling.
“I understand your anger.”
Her voice became even softer.
“But you are not safe alone. Eclipse is deeply hidden within the Free City Alliance. It’s no exaggeration to say they are protected by the Alliance.”
Baldwyn’s gaze turned towards her.
He felt himself falling deeper into her eyes as he looked at them.
Her eyes were like a deep, dark well.
The more he looked into it, the more his sense of reality faded.
“Baldwyn-ssi? Will you run away, or will you stand and fight?”
At her question, Baldwyn’s previous will revived for a moment. He had to run.
Run, gather more power, and come back.
But-
“Of course, I will fight back.”
The words flowed from his mouth.
Even as he heard himself speak, he was confused about whether it was his true will.
“So that’s your choice?”
“Of course-”
As he spoke, Baldwyn suddenly felt dizzy.
His vision blurred, and a slight nausea rose in his throat.
A feeling that something was wrong washed over him.
‘What is it?’
Baldwyn weakly sat back down in the chair.
‘Strange…’
His mind was becoming hazy. It felt like he was walking on the boundary between dream and reality. He faintly saw a smile spread across Celia’s lips.
‘Strange.’
And Celia’s voice began to echo directly in his mind.
– The Warlocks are in the Free City Alliance.
– You are the only one who can go to the Free City Alliance and get revenge.
‘Strange.’
Celia’s lips were clearly closed, but her voice echoed.
– You said you would avenge your comrades?
– Dedicate the Free City Alliance to Master.
‘Master?’
Baldwyn couldn’t understand. He didn’t know what it meant or who Master was. But strangely, he couldn’t resist the words.
It was as if his will was slowly dissolving salt in water. He subconsciously nodded.
– By the way, poor Lyra. Didn’t you choose me over Lyra, Baldwyn-ssi?
This statement momentarily confused Baldwyn.
When had he chosen Celia over Lyra?
But… as he thought about her words, it felt like it might be true.
Lyra was certainly beautiful, but she seemed to fade in the face of Celia’s presence.
“…What is that?”
He asked a question, but his will was already wavering.
“Shh.”
Celia’s finger touched Baldwyn’s lips.
At that moment, a shiver ran through Baldwyn’s body. It felt as if his soul had briefly left his body.
“Isn’t it true? Didn’t you choose me over Lyra, Baldwyn-ssi?”
Baldwyn could no longer even clearly grasp what conversation he was having. But an answer automatically came from his mouth.
“Yes… I… do.”
He felt his voice seemed unfamiliar. It was as if someone other than himself was speaking.
But at the same time, he felt liberated.
Obeying Celia’s words felt strangely comfortable.
“Now, what must you do for me?”
What should he do?
What would make her happy?
Baldwyn easily found the answer.
“The Free City Alliance… attack…”
It wasn’t to find Lyra, but solely for Celia.
And to dedicate the Free City Alliance to the person Celia mentioned as Master.
Baldwyn felt like he was entering an unknown dream.
Celia’s hand gently stroked his hair.
Her smile deepened.
“Good, Knight of Flame. Burn the Free City Alliance with your flame. And your Master’s will will be realized upon its ashes.”
Baldwyn nodded as if wandering in a dream.
He was now completely captivated by Celia.
***
Dungeon ‘Evil God’s Nest’, 1st Floor, Sector 2.
In the darkness where sunlight never reached, Lyra’s scream echoed.
“No! Please…”
Her voice, initially strong, weakened over time.
Her silver hair, fallen on the ground, faintly shone in the darkness.
The shadows of goblins lined around her, surrounding her.
Goblin Lord, who had just returned from Earth, looked down at her with greedy eyes.
Although she inherited elf blood, it was mixed with human blood.
Therefore, Lyra could not fully exert her elven traits, making her useless.
One use would be to bear goblin seeds.
And when a child was born between a half-elf and a goblin, that child would immediately be taken to mate with the captured elf as well.
This was how goblins lived.
This was how the monsters in the dungeon increased.
Goblin Lord’s finger grazed Lyra’s face, and she shuddered with disgust.
“Ugh…”
Tears flowed from Lyra’s eyes.
She gritted her teeth and attempted a final resistance, but there was a limit to resisting without arms and legs.
“Baldwyn…”
She whispered.
“I believed in you…”
The goblins laughed and moved closer.
Their hands reached out towards Lyra’s body.
Her screams once again filled the depths of the dungeon, and the sound became more desperate.
“…”
As time passed, Lyra’s voice grew fainter.
Finally, her cries turned into a low sob, as if she had given up.
The last light of hope vanished from her eyes.
