Demons, undead, beastn, and vampires…
In an era where countless things brought chaos to the world, humanity couldn’t help but long for salvation at every mont of their lives.
The Orion Empire was the sole hope for those who wandered in search of such salvation.
Everyone firmly believed that by pooling their strength in that still-civilized place, they would surely beco free from all dangers targeting them.
Knock, knock.
The deepest room on the first floor of the Imperial Palace, where the empire’s leadership resided.
A maid, carrying a tray with a al, quietly knocked on the door and spoke in a tense voice to the person beyond.
“Um, Miss Vivian. Excuse . Are you there?”
Vivian Platonis.
A distinguished guest personally invited by the imperial family from the Magic Tower, whom they have defined as ‘humanity’s hope’.
However, despite being a being that could be called a savior, the servant who opened the door felt what could only be described as fear.
“Um, Miss… Vivian?”
Thunk.
“Eek!”
As soon as she stepped inside, sothing collapsed with a sound.
Fearing it might have been an attempt to attack her, the maid who scread hastily covered her mouth and began looking around the room.
The room was so dark that one couldn’t see an inch ahead, even in broad daylight.
Not only were the curtains drawn, but any spot that could let in light was blocked by piles of books and docunts.
The noise earlier likely ca from books stacked at the entrance falling over.
Creak.
But the issue was not the cause of the noise, but whether the result might irritate the other party.
Creak, creak.
The inside of the room was cluttered with piles of docunts.
A figure was half-lifting a chair in front of the desk and swaying, as if finding the situation tedious.
No, more than that, it seed as though she was completely out of it.
Her poorly maintained hair, along with her dull eyes and pale skin, gave the impression of a walking corpse.
“Um, um, um…”
“Leave it there.”
The maid froze in surprise at the sudden, dry and lifeless response from Vivian, who montarily stopped swaying the chair and began to look at her with eyes that seed to glide over her.
“Oh, I stopped by to hide for a mont, but it seems I have company?”
“…Who are you?”
“Just a passerby intruder. Not soone grand enough to introduce myself, but I hope you’ll accept that much for now…”
A man suspicious to anyone’s eyes.
After descending from the window fra, he began to swiftly scan the cluttered interior of the room.
As if habitually surveying a newly entered place.
“…Are you here to disrupt my research?”
As his gaze landed on her research materials, Vivian’s hand reflexively raised.
At the flick of her hand, the space where he stood would be isolated, and parts of his body would be sucked into a dinsional rift, disappearing.
If she aid for a limb, it would be severed; if for the head, life would be extinguished…
“That’s not it. As I said before, I’m just here to hide for a mont…”
The unidentified man, not sensing the danger, soon apologized, bowing in front of Vivian.
“But that’s my business, so you need not concern yourself. If I’ve interrupted your work, allow to apologize.”
His deanor was more polite than the intruders who had co before.
Of course, she could use her powers if she found him displeasing, but she felt no inclination to do so at the mont.
With no progress in her research and her concentration broken, the arrival of soone wouldn’t necessarily be an intrusion.
“Ah, no… It’s fine. I’m just resting right now… It’s not really an interruption.”
“Haha, thanks for letting it slide. I appreciate your kindness.”
The intruder felt relief at having successfully asked for her understanding.
Then, with his masked face, he began to look around and examine the research results one by one in the room.
Complex and extrely precise formulas. Even without specific knowledge, anyone could guess she was a great scholar from the contents abundantly present.
Taking just a few of these docunts to the black market could potentially interest scholars from the Magic Tower, willing to pay a hefty sum for them.
“Co to think of it, I heard there was a scholar directly invited by the Imperial Family… Hmm?”
His interest in her identity was brief. Soon, the intruder’s gaze shifted to a newspaper buried among the docunts.
It was natural to be curious about the only item among the academically valuable docunts that served to convey news of the outside world.
‘Hero Killer, Hero Hunter… and the war that broke out at the Dragon’s Tomb a month ago.’
The mont he realized all the news in the newspaper pointed to a single individual.
A gleam began to sparkle in the eyes behind the mask, and his gaze shifted back to Vivian.
“Do you, by any chance, know a man nad ‘Woo Hyo-sung’?”
Thud!
The chair she had been sitting in tipped backwards.
Her body tumbled to the floor, overwheld by pain, but Vivian paid no attention to her own state, quickly turning her interest to him.
“Woo… Woo Hyo…?”
“I asked if you know a man nad Woo Hyo-sung.”
“Y-you, you, you, you, do you know him?”
Vivian crawled towards him with trembling hands.
The way she looked up at him was not just pathetic but also pitiful, yet the eyes looking back at her sparkled with excitent.
“Well, just an acquaintance for a mont. He once attended to .”
“Attended…?”
“Yes, he used to carry my things when we entered dungeons. Did you also receive such help from him?”
“Uh, uh-huh. Woo Hyo, he helped a lot. He made als, cleaned… Hehehehe.”
Her face blushed shyly, and her hand was placed over her fluttering heart.
Facing her timid laughter, the intruder quietly adjusted his silk hat and honestly expressed his feelings.
“Your expression has brightened.”
“Eh, what?”
“When I first saw you, you had a face as if the world were ending. Did you collect news about him because you wanted to et him?”
Vivian closed her mouth and wore a blank expression in response to his question.
Did that an she hadn’t fully grasped what he said?
Was it because she was unaware of the reason behind her careful preservation of news about him, buried among the piles of docunts?
Thump, thump!
The sound of a fierce collision coming from the entrance interrupted their conversation.
It didn’t take long to realize it was those who had been pursuing her.
“Miss Vivian! Are you there?!”
“The leader of the rebels has invaded the Imperial Palace! We will be entering for investigation, please understand!!”
Yes, the current intruder was one of the most notoriously wanted individuals in the empire.
Though they risked angering her, the soldiers were determined to enter, even at the cost of their lives. Vivian was a figure critical to the survival of humanity, and protecting her was a mission that justified any sacrifice.
“Um… Uh!”
“Make sure to eat properly at least.”
As Vivian, not understanding the situation, was about to speak, the intruder handed her the sandwich. His actions were as refined and polite as his attire.
“If he holds no grudge against you, he might be saddened to see you like this.”
“Uh?”
“If you’ve seen the news, you might guess, right? If he has made achievents, surely the Imperial Palace would also be interested.”
Based on the news she had collected, it was certain that he was under the watchful eye of the Imperial Palace.
Despite the significant changes from the person she knew, she felt a sense of anticipation about possibly eting him soday. eting soone with whom she shared a bond, even briefly, was a small achievent from this intrusion.
“While I can’t reveal my identity publicly, should you happen to et that friend, please convey my regards. Your old friend truly congratulates you on your success.”
As he expressed such friendliness and jumped out the window, the entrance opened with a thud!
But by then, the intruder had already disappeared, and only Vivian, biting into a sandwich, sat dazedly inside the room.
To the palace, Vivian was a guest of utmost importance, even more so than the highest nobles. They feared that displeasing her could cost them their lives, yet as protectors of the palace, they had no choice but to ensure her safety first.
“Miss Vivian, are you safe? The intruder is…”
“…Pfft.”
The mont they approached with tension, a slight laugh escaped from her lips.
“Ehehehehe~”
“M-Miss Vivian?”
“This, after eating all this…”
Afterward, Vivian, having taken a bite of the sandwich, swiftly set it down and turned to look at them.
The mont they saw her face, their breath stopped because sothing they thought impossible had happened.
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