Chapter 179 – A Simple but Almost Impossible Dream That Came True
Chapter 179
A Simple but Almost Impossible Dream That Came True
Date : Day 20 of Lunaeve 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
For the next hour—the Monster Room ceased to resemble a dangerous chamber—it had become a slaughterhouse.
The massive Runic Array continued its relentless cycle.
It flashed. Fresh goblins appeared. They charged. Then they died. Again. And again.
The Freedom Party had already cleared this Monster Room once before.
Back then, it had taken them nearly an entire day. Now—with the addition of their magical artillery—the difference was overwhelming. Entire waves vanished beneath Arianna's spells before they could even reach the narrow corridor.
The pressure upon Hyoren, Jackey, and Elise was noticeably lighter. The battle became one of grinding rather than survival.
Then—after flashed one more time—the glowing Runic Array suddenly dimmed. Its intricate lines lost their light.
Hyoren immediately understood.
The spawning has stopped… Three hundred goblins done…
The Monster Room had finally exhausted its quota.
He briefly glanced behind him.
Arianna was breathing heavily. Her forehead was damp with sweat. After casting ten high-tier spells throughout the battle–her Aethell Reserve was considerably decreased. She held her posture using her Quadraflux Weaver as a crutch.
Hyoren turned back toward the corridor.
More than twenty goblins still crowded the narrow passage.
Without hesitation, he made his decision.
His shield shot forward.
“Shield Bash.”
BANG!
The leading goblins were hurled backward. They crashed into those behind them. Like bowling pins—the tightly packed monsters stumbled into one another.
Hyoren immediately followed.
He raised Dawn Breaker. By now, the process had become far more familiar. The sword pointed toward the corridor. Dark Aethell flowed through the blade. Gathering at its tip.
He released it.
“Shadow Bloom.”
A dark orb appeared upon the tip of Dawn Breaker. Then, it bloomed outward.
WHOOSH!
A fan-shaped wave of dark magic surged through the narrow corridor.
The goblins were blasted backward. Roughly half dissolved instantly. The survivors collapsed onto the stone floor.
Blinded. Disoriented. Unable to recover.
“Now!”
Hyoren charged first. Jackey followed beside him without hesitation.
The two advanced methodically. There was no panic. No wasted movement. Only clean execution.
Hyoren's sword finished one goblin. Jackey's axes claimed another. Then another.
Behind them, Elise kept her Moonveil Bow drawn. An arrow remained ready. Her emerald eyes calmly watched every fallen goblin.
Prepared to eliminate the first one that recovered from the blindness.
In the end, she never needed to release it.
One by one. Every remaining goblin was systematically put down.
The final monster dissolved into shimmering particles.
Silence descended upon the Monster Room. The snarls had vanished. The clang of weapons was gone. The explosions of magic had ceased.
Only the ragged breathing of the four adventurers remained within the chamber.
***
Hyoren sheathed Dawn Breaker.
He lifted the back of his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead before turning toward his party.
His eyes first fell upon Jackey.
The cat-clan beastkin stood with a wide grin, one axe resting comfortably across his shoulder. His tabby tail spiraled happily behind him.
Then Elise.
She finally lowered her Moonveil Bow, the bowstring relaxing after an hour of constant firing.
Finally, Arianna.
She slowly walked closer, using her Quadraflux Weaver as support. Her breathing was heavy, her forehead damp with sweat, yet there was unmistakable satisfaction upon her graceful face.
Just as Hyoren was about to speak—A familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
"Sword Mastery - Level Up to 4."
"Sword Mastery - Active Skill Acquired - Sweeping Slash."
Hyoren blinked once. Then smiled.
His level hadn't increased. But at least one of his skills had. And because Sword Mastery had reached Level 4—he had also learned a new Active Skill.
Sweeping Slash. A technique that unleashed a broad slash toward the front. Unlike Quick Slash, its range was extended, allowing it to strike multiple enemies standing before him at once, though the slash motion is slower and required build up.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
Another way to deal with multiple opponents...
He looked back toward the others.
Elise appeared perfectly normal. She didn't seem to have received any notification.
Jackey, however, was staring blankly toward the ceiling. His golden eyes were unfocused, as though reading something only he could see.
Arianna was the same. Her light blue eyes remained lowered toward the floor, quietly processing whatever message the Voice of Aethell had conveyed.
Hyoren called out to them.
“Jackey. Arianna. You two leveled up?”
Jackey immediately snapped back to reality.
He enthusiastically raised both axes high.
“Yes, Big Bro! Level 15! WOHOO!”
He happily twirled both axes.
“And my Dual Wield skill became Level 5! I can whack those skulkers even faster! WOHOO!”
Hyoren chuckled.
“Good for you, Jackey.”
He then shifted his gaze toward Arianna.
She had already regained some of her composure. Her light blue eyes shone with quiet excitement.
“How about you, Arianna?”
She gracefully straightened her posture.
“Yes, Leader. I also received a level up.”
She paused. A bright smile slowly bloomed across her face.
“Two levels, to be exact. I am now Level 12. And… My Magic Conversion skill has also reached Level 4. My Aethell regeneration should improve noticeably.”
Elise smiled warmly at Jackey.
“Congratulations, Jackey.”
Jackey grinned.
“Thanks, Elise!”
Elise then turned toward Arianna.
“Congratulations, Arianna.”
A faint blush appeared upon Arianna's cheeks. She gently adjusted the brim of her wide hat.
“Thank you very much, Mentor.”
Hyoren nodded with satisfaction.
“Congratulations to both of you. It seems neither Elise nor I leveled up.”
He smiled.
“Although one of my skills did. My Sword Mastery reached Level 4. And I learned a new Active Skill. Sweeping Slash.”
He briefly explained the skill to the party.
A wide slashing attack capable of striking several enemies standing in front of him at once.
Everyone offered their congratulations. Hyoren accepted them with a smile before continuing.
“Now that Arianna has reached Level 12… We're only two levels short of our target.”
He reached beneath his tunic once more and checked the watch hanging around his neck.
16:42.
There was still some daylight remaining. Even so, he looked around at everyone. Each member of the Freedom Party showed clear signs of fatigue. Especially their magician, Arianna.
“Good work, everyone. It's still a little early… But I think we've earned a rest.”
Jackey sheathed both axes.
“Yes! I'm hungry! And tired!”
Elise tucked a loose strand of silver hair behind her pointed ear.
“I agree. We're all too exhausted to continue exploring today. It'll be better to rest. Then start fresh early tomorrow morning.”
Arianna removed her wide-brimmed hat.
She gently shook her head, allowing her crimson hair to sway before taking a neatly folded handkerchief from one of her pockets. Then, she carefully wiped the perspiration from her forehead.
“A rest...”
She smiled softly.
“Would be most welcome.”
Hyoren nodded.
“Rest it is.”
His eyes swept across the battlefield. The narrow corridor. The Monster Room. Both were littered with the remains of the battle.
Hyoren carefully observed the scattered loot.
Then something caught his attention. The magic stones were still there. But many of the other drops were missing. He spotted a few warped, melted rusted swords lying on the ground. Some crude clubs had been burned black beyond recognition. Pieces of ragged leather armor were scattered here and there.
The loot were far fewer than he remembered from the last time they had cleared this room.
Is this… The effect of using destructive magic? The loot we don't secure... gets destroyed together with the monsters...
He looked around once more. The magic stones, however, remained plentiful.
Hmm… The magic stones though…
His curiosity was piqued.
He turned toward Arianna.
“It seems… Using powerful magic to clear large groups has its disadvantages.”
He gestured toward the battlefield.
“The loot… Some of it gets destroyed together with the monsters.”
Elise crouched beside one of the melted rusted swords and examined it.
“Looks like it.”
She looked around the chamber.
“I think more than half of the equipment didn't survive. There are clearly fewer loot than when we cleared this room last time.”
Arianna's expression immediately became apologetic. She lowered her eyes slightly. And clutched her wide brimmed hat with her hands.
“My apologies, Leader. If I had relied more upon less destructive spells… Such as Wind Slicer… Perhaps more of the loot would have remained intact.”
She looked toward the melted weapons.
“But… Ring of Fire… Earth Spikes… Even Fire Ball… All of them can damage the loot as well.”
Elise stood and gently patted Arianna's shoulder.
“Don't worry. We're not blaming you.”
Hyoren nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. I had already expected something like this.”
He shrugged casually.
“It's simply the trade-off. We're clearing monsters much faster and far more efficiently.”
He looked around at the battlefield again.
“And goblin equipment wasn't worth much to begin with. The real value is in the magic stones drops.”
Jackey quickly walked over as well, eager to cheer Arianna up.
“Yes, Miss Purple! Don't worry! We still got LOTS of magic stones!”
He suddenly threw one hand high into the air.
“Magic stones mean money! Money means brothel! WOHOO!!!”
The Monster Room echoed with laughter.
Even Arianna couldn't help covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she laughed softly.
“Ohoho… Thank you very much...”
She looked toward Elise and Hyoren.
“Mentor… Leader...”
Then her gaze shifted toward the grinning cat-clan beastkin.
“And Sir Jackey as well.”
***
Hyoren swept his gaze across the scattered loot once more.
Something still lingered in his mind.
“But the magic stones...”
He looked at Arianna.
“Why did they survive the magic?”
Arianna gently placed her wide-brimmed hat back onto her head before answering.
“Yes, Leader. Magic Stones are the Aethell Core of monsters.”
She spoke in her usual calm, scholarly tone.
“They are essentially condensed Aethell.”
She smiled softly.
“So unless the spell itself possesses overwhelming destructive power… Magic generally cannot damage them. Ohoho.”
She continued.
“Even spells such as my Lava Surge or Earth Hammer would not destroy Magic Stones. It takes specialized methods to process them.”
Hyoren nodded in understanding.
“I see… So that's how it works.”
Another piece of dungeon knowledge neatly fell into place inside Hyoren's mind.
Before he could dwell on it any longer, Jackey— who clearly hadn't understood a single word of their discussion about Magic Stones—suddenly interrupted them.
He pointed excitedly toward the back of the chamber.
“Big Bro! Forget about those! Treasure!”
Everyone instinctively followed the direction of his finger. Their eyes landed upon the familiar pedestal standing at the very back of the Monster Room. Resting proudly upon it was a magnificent golden treasure chest.
Hyoren scratched his cheek.
“Right… I completely forgot. The Monster Room always has a guaranteed reward chest.”
Elise smiled softly.
“Fufu. You were completely absorbed in your magic discussion.”
Arianna nodded gracefully.
“Indeed. A reward for our efforts. Ohoho.”
Hyoren walked toward the pedestal.
His footsteps echoed softly across the now silent chamber.
Without hesitation, he placed both hands upon the lid and lifted it. The moment the chest opened—it dissolved into countless shimmering particles.
The golden chest vanished completely.
In its place something enormous materialized atop the pedestal.
It was a massive sword measured well over two meters in length. Its blade was slender with a gentle curve that reminded Hyoren of a nodachi, though noticeably broader.
The blade itself was pure white. A vivid green streak ran elegantly along its length.
The hilt was completely green as well. Intricate decorations adorned the guard and grip, giving it a rather elaborate appearance.
It looked beautiful. But also, rather cumbersome.
Hyoren reached forward and grasped the hilt.
“Ough...”
His brows immediately furrowed.
“This is... heavy...”
Even with both hands, he struggled just to raise it properly. Swinging it was completely out of the question.
Hyoren exhaled before handing the enormous sword to Jackey.
“Try.”
Jackey confidently grinned.
“Leave it to me!”
He grabbed the hilt with both hands.
His muscles tensed. The sword rose from the pedestal.
He attempted a practice swing. The blade moved sluggishly before forcing him to stop.
Jackey scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“Haha… Too heavy.”
Arianna stepped closer. Her light blue eyes carefully examined the blade.
“Judging from its appearance and the intricate runic inscription… This is most certainly a magic sword.”
Elise smiled wryly.
“But… None of us can use it. Fufu.”
Hyoren accepted the sword back from Jackey. He looked over the enormous weapon once more before nodding.
“You're right.”
He rested the blade against the pedestal for a moment.
“Should we simply sell it? It should bring in enough money for us to purchase equipment we can actually use.”
He turned toward Arianna.
“Your mother... Guild Master Fiona… She uses a greatsword, doesn't she? What if we offered it to her first?”
Arianna gently shook her head.
“I believe it would be better to sell it directly to merchant, Leader.”
She laughed softly.
“Ohoho. My esteemed mother is very attached to her current sword.”
She smiled fondly.
“It was a wedding gift from my esteemed father. A custom commission forged in Khor'Menduun.”
She paused briefly.
“It is made from Orichalcum.”
Hyoren nodded in understanding.
“I see. In that case… We'll just sell this one to Borin. It should earn us a fair amount.”
Jackey immediately threw his fist into the air.
“Yes! More money for escorts! WOHOO!”
Laughter echoed throughout the chamber once more.
Still smiling, Hyoren placed the massive sword into his Storage Bag. The weapon disappeared into the void with practiced ease.
He then turned back toward the battlefield.
“Alright. Time to collect the loot.”
He pointed toward the chamber floor.
“Let's only pick up the Magic Stones… And any surviving rusted weapons. No need to bother with the broken equipment.”
Everyone nodded.
Without another word, they spread throughout the chamber.
One by one, the Magic Stones disappeared into their Storage Bags. Any rusted weapons that had survived Arianna's magic were also collected.
The melted blades. Broken clubs. And ruined leather armor. Were simply left where they lay.
Before long, both the narrow corridor and the Monster Room had been thoroughly cleaned of valuable loot. Only the shattered remains of broken equipment still littered the stone floor.
Hyoren nodded with satisfaction.
“Good. Now it's time to secure our campsite.”
His gaze slowly swept across the now silent Monster Room. The chamber was spacious. Roughly twenty meters by twenty meters. The massive spawning Runic Array carved into the center of the floor had gone completely dormant.
It would remain inactive for another six days before functioning once again.
Hyoren smiled.
“Let's do it, everyone.”
The party immediately moved. Each member naturally began handling the task they were already accustomed to.
Elise quickly unpacked their portable cooking equipment. The portable magic stove. Cooking pans. Ingredients. Utensils.
Before long, a simple makeshift kitchen began taking shape.
Meanwhile, Jackey enthusiastically started erecting their tents. One belonged to Hyoren and Elise. Another was his own.
The last tent was Arianna's. It was almost identical to the others in design—though its materials looked noticeably higher in quality.
Hyoren busied himself elsewhere. He prepared to do the makeshift toilet. As he walked to an empty place far away from their tents, he noticed Arianna standing nearby.
She fidgeted slightly. Her eyes wandered between the others. Clearly unsure what she should be doing.
Hyoren smiled.
“What's wrong, Arianna?”
She turned toward him.
“I simply...”
She hesitated.
“I do not know what I should be doing.”
She glanced toward the others.
“Remaining idle while everyone else is working… Feels rather inappropriate.”
Hyoren nodded.
“When you explored dungeons with your academy friends… What did you usually do while setting up camp?”
Arianna immediately straightened her posture.
“I was usually responsible for erecting the tents.”
She glanced toward Jackey. The cat-clan beastkin was already happily securing the first tent into place.
“But… Sir Jackey has already done that.”
Her eyes then shifted toward Elise.
“And… To be perfectly honest… I cannot cook.”
A faint, embarrassed smile appeared.
“Our group normally purchased prepared meals beforehand… Then relied upon Storage Bags to keep everything fresh. Ohoho.”
Hyoren nodded in understanding.
“Then don't worry about it. You can simply rest.”
He smiled reassuringly.
“Or perhaps keep Elise company while she's cooking. You've exhausted yourself casting all those spells today.”
Arianna gently shook her head. Her crimson hair swayed softly.
“No. I wish to help.”
She smiled with quiet determination.
“I am a member of this party now.”
Hyoren couldn't help smiling.
She truly was a hard working person…
Behind the graceful noble lady. Behind the magic freak brat. There was someone who genuinely wanted to contribute.
He thought for a moment.
“Hmm… Then you can help us set up the Ward Stones.”
He handed the four square stones to Arianna. She carefully accepted them with both hands. A bright smile immediately bloomed across her face.
“Understood, Leader.”
Without another word, she lightly trotted toward the corners of the chamber, preparing to place the Ward Stones that would form their protective barrier.
Hyoren watched her for a brief moment before nodding to himself. Then returned to constructing the makeshift washing area and toilet.
***
After the camp had been fully set up—Freedom Party gathered around the simple makeshift kitchen.
Elise served everyone generous portions of her stew.
The ingredients were modest. Nothing luxurious. Yet, as always, her cooking was warm, hearty, and surprisingly delicious after an exhausting day inside the dungeon.
After finishing dinner, everyone leisurely enjoyed a short period of rest.
Hyoren held a mug of warm tea between his hands while quietly appreciating the peaceful atmosphere.
Then, Arianna stood. She lightly dusted off her elegant purple robe.
Hyoren placed his mug down beside him.
He looked up at her.
“What's wrong, Arianna?”
She smiled.
“I wish to examine the Runic Array.”
She glanced toward the massive dormant formation engraved upon the chamber floor.
“I have seen examples inside books before… But… Every Monster Room spawning Runic Array is unique. Ohoho.”
She gracefully walked toward the center of the chamber.
Hyoren's curiosity immediately surfaced again.
He briefly looked toward Elise, who calmly sipped her tea beside him.
She noticed his gaze. A knowing smile appeared upon her lips.
“Go. Fufu.”
Hyoren smiled back.
“Thanks, Elise.”
He stood before making his way toward the Runic Array.
Along the way, he passed Jackey. The cat-clan beastkin was sprawled across a tarp with both hands behind his head. His full stomach and the exhausting battle had clearly caught up to him. His eyes were already half-closed.
Hyoren gently nudged Jackey's leg with his foot.
“Hey. You'll catch a cold if you sleep here. Go wash yourself. Then get some proper sleep if you're tired.”
Jackey jolted upright.
“Huh? Huh?”
He blinked several times before finally recognizing Hyoren.
“Oh! Right! Okay, Big Bro!”
Without another complaint, and after cleaning himself he disappeared into his tent.
Hyoren continued walking toward Arianna.
She was already crouching beside the dormant Runic Array. A notebook rested upon the stone floor. A fine pen moved rapidly across its pages.
With meticulous care, she copied every visible rune into her notebook.
“So. Find anything interesting?”
Arianna's head immediately bobbed.
The composed, elegant noble lady had noticeably retreated into the background. Standing before a fascinating Runic Array. Her scholarly curiosity completely took over.
She wasn't nearly as out of control as when she had discovered Hyoren's impossible Attunement Level. But, she undeniably resembled an excited child who had just discovered a brand-new toy—a magic freak brat.
“Yes, Leader! I've examined many Monster Room Runic Arrays before. And every single one has been unique.”
She excitedly pointed toward the center of the formation.
“Including this one!”
She grabbed her notebook and quickly stood before walking several steps around the array. Then she pointed toward one particular rune engraved at its center.
“See this! See this!”
Hyoren couldn't help chuckling as he walked closer.
“The center rune? What rune is that, Arianna?”
Her smile immediately bloomed.
“Just like every Summoning Runic Array… The core is the ‘Soul’ rune.”
She gently traced the symbol with her finger without touching the engraving itself.
“It is primarily associated with Soul Magic. An advanced branch of Dark Magic.”
She laughed softly.
“Though… Most people simply call it Necromancy now… Ohoho.”
Hyoren's interest deepened even further.
“Hoo… So Summoning Magic is actually part of Soul Magic?”
Arianna enthusiastically nodded. Her red hair swayed.
“Yes! Yes! Soul Magic revolves around manipulating souls.”
She carefully gestured toward the central rune.
“Summoning… Tethering… Binding… Manipulating… All of those belong to Soul Magic.”
She continued in the tone of a lecturer happily explaining her favorite subject.
“For example, about Necromancy. A necromancer raises the dead by replacing the departed soul with Aethell and tethering that Aethell to the empty husk.”
She gestured with her hand.
“The body moves… But the original soul is no longer there.”
She shook her head.
“However… That is only one application. Originally… Soul Magic was never solely about raising the dead. It is the discipline dedicated to manipulating souls. It can establish connections with souls. It can tether them. It can replace them. And it can summon beings.”
She smiled brightly.
“Temporarily… Or even permanently.”
Hyoren nodded slowly.
“I see. So that's why...”
He looked back toward the intricate Runic Array spread across the floor.
“Most people think Soul Magic is only Necromancy… Because that's the application they see the most.”
Arianna vigorously nodded.
“Exactly!”
She pointed her pen toward him with an excited smile.
“It's largely thanks to the Noctynara Heretics.”
She let out a small sigh.
“They've made Necromancy infamous throughout the continent. Human experimentation to discover how to create better undead. Raising the dead and then attacking settlements.”
Her light blue eyes clouded slightly.
“So most people simply assume Soul Magic begins and ends there.”
She lightly shook her head.
“Well. That's the general idea behind the Soul rune, Leader. Now, let's examine the other parts of this Runic Array!”
Almost immediately—the scholarly excitement returned to her face. Her light blue eyes regained the glitter of excitement.
She hurried several steps across the Runic Array before pointing toward another cluster of runes.
“Here! Come here, Leader! See this!”
Her voice carried the excitement of someone who had just solved a difficult puzzle.
“This sequence specifically sets the spawning limit!”
She laughed happily.
“It says the maximum is three hundred! Three hundred! Not less… Not More! How fascinating!”
She quickly scribbled several notes into her notebook before moving to another section.
“And this one!”
She crouched again.
“This controls the simultaneous spawn limit.”
She tapped near another engraved rune.
“It ensures that only thirty monsters may exist at any given time. Only after their number decreases… Will the array activate again to create more.”
Her pen hurried across the paper once more. She barely paused before moving again.
“And this! This section determines the monster species… As well as the level of creatures the Runic Array is allowed to produce.”
She giggled.
“Ohoho. So this...”
She pointed toward one peculiar rune.
“This is how Goblin is written in runic language.”
Hyoren stepped closer.
He carefully examined the strange symbol. The rune consisted of several jagged strokes awkwardly connected together.
He stared for a moment, then chuckled.
“The rune looks ugly, Arianna… Just like a goblin face. Hahaha.”
Arianna froze for half a second. Then burst into laughter.
“Ohohohoho! I've never thought of it that way! You are a genius, Leader!”
She laughed without the slightest restraint for a while.
After calming herself, Arianna spun around to face Hyoren with both arms spread wide. Her elegant purple robes fluttered softly with the motion. Several loose strands of crimson hair had escaped from beneath her wide-brimmed hat.
Normally, she would have fixed them immediately. This time—she didn't even notice. Her light blue eyes shone with pure excitement.
“This! This is exactly why I love adventuring!”
Her smile radiated genuine happiness.
“Every journey… Every dungeon… Every forgotten ruin… There is always something new waiting to be discovered.”
She exhaled softly.
“New magic. New runes. New theories. Ohoho.”
She slowly turned around, her gaze sweeping across the enormous dormant Runic Array that occupied the entire Monster Room.
“I could spend my entire life studying things like this… And I would never grow bored.”
Then, she turned back toward Hyoren.
The excitement remained. But another emotion quietly surfaced beneath it. Gratitude.
She smiled warmly.
“And… Leader. I truly wish to thank you for accepting me into the Freedom Party.”
Her voice became softer.
“I have always dreamed of becoming an adventurer. And I even made a promise with Mentor.”
She lowered her eyes for a moment.
“But my parents… They always forbade it…”
The excitement faded into quiet melancholy.
“I worked very hard to satisfy every condition they gave me.”
She laughed softly at herself.
“Ohoho… There were countless sleepless nights just to pass the entrance examination for Aethellium Arcane Academy.”
She looked toward the distant ceiling as though recalling those days.
“And after enrolling… I studied even harder. Because graduating wasn't enough. I had to earn an Exceed of Expectations evaluation.”
She slowly nodded.
“But… I never once complained. Because I believed… One day… It would allow me to experience this.”
She gestured toward the Runic Array surrounding them.
“To witness discoveries with my own eyes. To hear them with my own ears. To touch them with my own hands. To stand before them myself.”
She took a slow breath before bowing respectfully.
“So… Thank you once again for allowing me to join the Freedom Party. My parents made one thing perfectly clear. They would never permit me to adventure alone. Nor would they entrust me to some newly formed or unknown party.”
She smiled faintly.
“If your party had not already proven its strength… And if my mom had not trusted all of you...”
Her voice became almost a whisper.
“I would have had to bury this dream forever.”
She slowly lifted her head. Her light blue eyes met Hyoren's dark ones. There was no trace of her playful ‘Ohoho.’ No noble composure.
Only quiet sincerity.
“Thank you… For allowing me to chase my dream.”
Hyoren smiled.
“You're welcome, Arianna.”
He folded his arms comfortably.
“And honestly… I'm grateful to have you with us as well. You've brought something our party was missing.”
He glanced toward the sprawling Runic Array.
“And your knowledge has already helped me more times than I can count.”
He smiled once more.
“So… Once again. Welcome to Freedom Party.”
For a brief moment—Arianna simply stared at him—then her smile bloomed brighter than before.
She nodded with surprising enthusiasm.
“Un! Thank you!”
Without another word, she hurried back toward the Runic Array.
Her notebook was already open before she even knelt down. She immediately resumed sketching runes while occasionally stopping to excitedly compare one inscription against another.
Hyoren quietly stepped back.
He watched her move from rune to rune, sometimes kneeling, sometimes standing, completely absorbed in the Runic Array carved into the Monster Room chamber.
The magic freak brat… Was completely in her natural habitat…
After spending the past few days together, Hyoren finally felt he truly understood Arianna Akela.
Everything about her noble upbringing indeed was real. Her graceful posture. Her impeccable etiquette. Her refined speech. None of it was an act.
Yet beneath that elegance—there existed a girl whose heart beat faster at the sight of an unfamiliar rune than at any grand noble banquet.
A girl who could barely contain herself whenever she encountered knowledge no textbook could provide. A girl whose carefully maintained composure would gradually crumble whenever a new magical mystery appeared before her.
She wasn't someone meant to remain sheltered behind the walls of a noble estate. Attending noble parties. Exchanging pleasantries.
Nor was she truly suited to spending the rest of her life inside the academy, repeating lessons that had already been written centuries ago.
She wasn't a court mage. Researching new magic or tools. Serving the royal and the kingdom.
She wasn't a military personnel. Drafted to fight the Demon Army. Or dealing with other enemies in general
Arianna desired something entirely different.
She wished to uncover knowledge that nobody had discovered yet. To stand where no scholar had ever stood. To decipher runes no one had managed to understand. To reveal truths that still slept within forgotten ruins and dungeons.
Every expedition. Every dungeon. Every journey. Held the possibility of igniting that passion within her once again.
She wasn't merely a noble lady. She wasn't merely a scholar.
She was an adventurer.
And chasing the unknown had always been her dream.