“If you’re okay with it, Lariette, I’d like to become your legal guardian. What do you think?”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“It means you’d become my younger sister, Lariette—Aster, the Tower Master’s sister—separate from the royal family. Of course, if you’re against it, feel free to decline. Take a day to think it over. I’ll wait.”

When Lariette first heard the proposal, she had honestly planned to refuse.

Aster had already done more than enough for her—saving her life and providing her with a place to stay.

Besides, didn’t Aster already have a younger sister, Princess Faelin?

Even if she were to join the Tower Master’s household, separate from the royal family name, it still felt like too much.

However, the next day, as Lariette headed to inform Aster of her decision to decline, she unexpectedly ran into Seoden.

Seoden—the great mage who had healed her.

It was the first time she’d seen him since waking up—he had been avoiding her until now.

While Seoden was undoubtedly busy, there was a moment when she had clearly sensed his deliberate efforts to steer clear of her.

She had once seen him spot her in the hallway, only to abruptly turn on his heel and walk away.

Even when she had called out, “Master Seoden,” intending to greet him, he hadn’t stopped.

For reasons she couldn’t understand, it was clear that Seoden didn’t like her.

The strange look in his eyes when she first regained consciousness had not been a figment of her imagination after all.

And yet, here he was now, waiting for her—the very person who had avoided her so persistently.

With a solemn expression, Seoden began to speak.

“I hope you’ll consider accepting the Tower Master’s proposal. As you know, Lariette, we don’t know when Princess Faelin is going to wake up… or if she ever will. Becoming the Tower Master’s sister would bring him great comfort. It would also be advantageous for you to live here in the tower.”

After all, no one would dare to mistreat the Tower Master’s sister.

Seoden spoke his piece and then left without another word.

Lariette hesitated for a moment before deciding to go to Aster.

She told him she would accept his proposal.

It wasn’t for the comfort of life in the tower, but for Aster.

Though she couldn’t truly replace Princess Faelin, she wanted to at least try to fill a small part of the emptiness her absence had caused.

Surprisingly, Lariette quickly became close with Aster, far sooner than she had anticipated.

So much so that now she could even joke with him.

Aster gave her a quick glance with a mischievous look before breaking into a small smile.

“If you’re able to joke around, then you must not be as sick as you claim.”

Lariette nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I’m really fine. And don’t worry, I always remember what you said. If I start feeling unwell, I’ll let you know right away.”

“Alright. But why did you skip lunch? I was planning to eat with you, but Alken mentioned you didn’t have an appetite.”

Lariette was surprised to see Aster, usually so busy, come to the lab at this time.

It turned out he had come just to eat with her.

Aster’s gaze quickly shifted to concern. Lariette quickly replied.

“Oh, it’s not because I’m sick. I was just feeling a little off today.”

“Feeling off? Did someone bother you? Is there some idiot making your life miserable?”

Aster said it casually, but after spending over four months with him, Lariette had learned that Aster often mixed serious words with his jokes.

She hurriedly shook her head.

“No one’s bothering me. Everyone knows I’m your sister, so there’s no one here crazy enough to want to die. Don’t worry.”

“Then why are you feeling off?”

“That’s… because I had a strange dream last night.”

“A dream?”

Aster tilted his head, intrigued.

Lariette let out a soft sigh before speaking.

“Well… in the dream, I saved a man. It was completely dark, like pure darkness, and there was a man with his eyes closed. I felt this strange urge to save him, and as I got closer, my heart…”

Arielle placed her hand over her chest, narrowing her brow as she recalled the sensation.

“It was painful. So, I grabbed his hand and led him toward the light… But as soon as we reached it, I woke up. No matter how hard I try, I can’t remember his face. I remember everything else, but not his appearance.”

It was such a strange dream.

Lariette spoke quietly, her gaze dropping as she sighed in frustration, her thoughts still lingering on the dream.

Because of this, she didn’t notice how Aster’s face had frozen in tension.

Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, Lariette clapped her hands and looked up.

Aster’s expression shifted quickly.

“Brother, should I try hypnosis magic? I think it might help me remember his face.”

“No.”

Aster’s response was so sharp and cold that Lariette flinched, her shoulders instinctively drawing back.

It was the first time Lariette had heard Aster speak with such a cold, detached tone.

Just as the atmosphere was about to become awkward, Aster made a sheepish expression.

“Sorry, I was being too sensitive. The thing is, hypnosis magic is one of the more dangerous types of magic. As you know, hypnosis is typically only used for people who really need to recover memories. You can’t just use it for something like a dream. And as for dreams… they’re not real. If hypnosis were used, it could actually change the content of the dream.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Yeah. And dreams… they’re just dreams. Don’t think too much about them. Everyone has nightmares or prophetic dreams from time to time. I think the strange dream you had might be related to your work with magic.”

Hearing Aster’s calm explanation, Lariette’s troubled mind began to ease.

Right, a dream is just a dream.

With that thought, Lariette smiled at Aster.

“I guess so. I should just let it go.”

“Yeah.”

Aster smiled gently, but in reality, Lariette couldn’t shake the lingering unease from the dream.

What Aster said made sense, yet something about it still didn’t sit right with her.

It didn’t feel like just any ordinary dream. She wanted to understand more, but at the same time, if he had offered to help her remember the man’s face, she likely would have refused.

It felt as though she was afraid to know the truth.

Strangely, she felt a sense of fear.

It might seem like she was being indecisive, changing her mind back and forth, but she couldn’t help it.

Her mind was truly unsettled.

“Lariette, the dream is settled now, so let’s go have lunch. Skipping meals isn’t good for your health.”

Aster spoke.

Lariette, attempting to mask her troubled feelings, nodded.

“Okay.”

Just as she was about to head toward the dining hall with Aster, he suddenly came to a halt.

“Brother?”

His face was as rigid as ice.

Lariette, surprised, called out to him, but Aster stood there in silence for a moment.

He appeared to be deeply focused on something, though she couldn’t tell what.

Why was this happening now…?

Lariette’s confusion began to turn to unease, but just as it did, Aster’s gaze grew more intense.

He spoke, his expression serious.

“Lariette, I’m sorry, but I think I’ll have to have lunch on my own today. I need to go somewhere.”

Sorry.

Aster added a quick apology and disappeared before Lariette could even respond.

“…This doesn’t feel right.”

It was never a good sign for Aster, a transcendent being, to leave with such a serious expression.

Lariette, sensing an ominous feeling, turned back around.

It seemed like today wasn’t the day for lunch.

***

In the western part of the Pentium Empire, in the Dark Forest where ancient beasts lay dormant.

After being quiet for over a thousand years, the forest suddenly erupted in turmoil.

The sudden attack by the monsters.

While there had been occasional monster sightings from the forest, this was the first time they appeared in such large numbers.

The soldiers and knights who rushed out of the castle gates to defend were swiftly overwhelmed and slaughtered.

The monsters charged with relentless fury. A massive ogre hurled itself at the tightly closed castle gates, slamming into them with a powerful crash!

The gates, made of solid stone and protected by defensive magic, didn’t break immediately, but the monsters showed no intention of retreating.

Monsters with a degree of intelligence began targeting the castle walls instead of the gates.

Ogres and orcs climbed the walls, while wyverns soared through the sky.

“Activate the defensive… Shield Magic Circle, NOW!!!”

The commander of the knight order guarding the castle shouted urgently.

Ding-ding—

The bells signaling the emergency rang out repeatedly, and the residents inside the castle began to evacuate in unison.

Whoosh—

Just as a protective magical dome was about to envelop the entire castle, wyverns thrust their heads through.

“Kreeeek!!!”

The wyvern’s head was severed by the shield, but another wyvern followed, its head getting cut off, only for another to take its place. This cycle continued until, finally, one wyvern managed to slip through the gap and entered the shield.

Just as the wyvern opened its mouth to strike the castle lord, a burst of flame erupted—turning the wyvern into nothing but ashes.

The castle lord swallowed nervously, on the brink of death.

As his mind struggled to come back to him, a chilling voice rang out.

“Pull yourself together. This is just the beginning.”

With that warning, the man restored the shattered shield with a single wave of his hand.

The tall man with long golden hair flew toward the monster horde beyond the barrier.

“Tower Master…”

The castle lord muttered quietly, watching him disappear.

In this place, filled with nothing but death, the Tower Master had come.