Making his way through the piles of artifacts, he silently pondered on what to get. Knowing that he can’t waste any more time, he disregarded every weapon and armor artifact as he doesn’t need it. More so, he knows how to find the perfect armor for him but it would take him more time to get it. Suddenly, a certain unusual artifact caught his eyes despite nearly being covered with other artifacts. It was a black book with a red diamond emblem in the middle which is covered with strange markings on the front cover. It was a thick and heavy book as he carried it. He tried opening the book to no avail. To his surprise, the book floated away from him as it flips the pages by itself rapidly.

“Is it a familiar? I’ve never seen something like this” Kyle pondered as he stared at the floating book. This is like the common familiars of mages called the living tome but it was usually smaller and thinner while it doesn’t usually emit any aura, this one is peculiar for having an oppressive aura around it.

“Impertinent! Insolent! Destruction! Crave! Freedom!” it chanted with a deep monotonous voice. The room slightly shakes every time it chants a single word and little by little is started shining. This is no ordinary artifact and more likely a cursed one as Kyle readies his cursed sacred weapon named the zenith of chaos. Black chains seem to appear out of nowhere as they wrapped around the floating book before bringing it closer to the floor as the book screamed vehemently.

“Freedom! Mine! Need! Desire! Help!” the book chanted once more as Kyle doesn’t know what to do with every second the book is getting closer and closer to the floor. He noticed that there is a small portal just below the chained book as it tried escaping the chains. Seeing the desperate attempt of the book, he decided to free it as he strikes the chain continuously and slowly one by one, the chains are being destroyed as the book escaped the grip of the chains.

“Fool! You just doomed my life! I’ll never forget about this insolent otherworlder!” a terrifying bellow erupted from the portal as it shrinks before vanishing into nothingness. Kyle smiles nervously as he didn’t know what the consequences will be nor what this strange book actually is. The black book slowly floats towards him as he gazed at it with cautiousness. He aimed his spear at it with the intent of striking it down if it shows any hostility.

“Never….Fear….You…..Help….. Me” the voice of a tired and fatigue woman can be heard as it flips its pages quickly before closing and falling to Kyle’s hands. The door behind him opened as the knight from before appeared.

“Did you already pick an artifact? The coronation of the crowned prince is about the start” the knight said devoid of any emotions. Kyle stared at the book before choosing to take it. It was too interesting to pass up and the fact that he never heard or seen anything like it before urges his curiosity. This might be a curse or a blessing but Kyle is willing to take the risk for his curiosity.

“Yes. I decided to pick this black book” he replied with a smile.

“Hmmm…Nevermind, just go there already. The king might suspect you as a thief if you don’t go there” the knight coldly replied as he guided Kyle back to the main hall where the guest is, with each of them trying to coddle with the future king or get their daughters to be the queen. He noticed the both Cellica and Melissa are nowhere to be seen as he figured they would rather leave early than see the man they hated become the new king. Sitting in one of the chairs, he calmly gazed around with both of his spear and book inside the black storage since he was lucky that the knight didn’t notice him wielding his cursed spear. Seeing that no one was interested in talking to him, he also decided to talk to no one. Although there are influential people in this hall, he is more or less trusted by the shadow and as the number one organization for information and assassinations. It would only tire him to try and butter up these people. A smile appeared on his face when he sees Alrich bringing Aleena towards his table.

“Sir Alrich asked me to follow him to meet someone, what can i do for you?” once reaching his table, Aleena asked with a bright and polite smile. A sigh escaped from Kyle’s mouth as he stared at Alrich. Alrich coughs awkwardly before smiling and sitting beside Kyle.

“This is Kyle, he has a mission to make that only you can do”

“Yes! What mission is it? I hope i can help” she said quickly with her eyes shining in excitement. Kyle glared at Alrich who laughs nervously before staring straight at Aleena’s eyes.

“Your master has a grand prophecy that we, together with you can save the world” Kyle said seriously with a grim smile.

“What?! Really?…oh sorry i was too excited” she laughs before gazing at Kyle to see if he’s joking or just teasing her.

“It is true? How did you meet my master and how does he look?” she said with clear doubt in her tone. Her piercing gaze that seems to see every lie a person can make is quite unnerving than her usual naive and cheery attitude.

“He? I’m quite sure she’s a woman and she looked like a glorified succubus.” Kyle explained

“So you are not lying, besides she isn’t a succubus! She’s a goddess incarnate i tell you! So where did you found her?” she said excitedly that she was even leaning towards Kyle with both of her hands slamming on the table.

“Found her huh, well you gotta join on our little group to save the world first” Kyle cheekily smiled.

“How can i trust you? You might do something…something in-indecent!” she shouted while covering her chest as everyone’s firm gazed locked on them. Her face flushing while nervously gazing at both Kyle and Alrich.

“N-no, we don’t do that. We have two female companions. Your master entrusted us to take care of you and to make your prophecy true” Kyle said with a sigh. He doesn’t appreciate the weird gazes from these nobles who have done much more sadistic things to others.

“I see..if it’s really master. Then do you have any proof that can suggest that master has met you before and! If she wanted me to follow you guys” she said

“I-i don’t have anything really, but i gain a title from her. This place is too noisy, follow me and i will show you the proof.” Kyle stands up from his chair as he beckons Aleena to follow him. Aleena is quite cautious and hesitation is reflected on her face. Scratching his head in annoyance, he leaned towards her ears before whispering these words.

“Her real identity is the goddess of demons. Isn’t that right?” shock appeared on her face as he pushes Kyle away from her before glaring at him. She tried grabbing her sword only for her to realize that she didn’t bring it, she clicks her tongue before settling down in the chair. A loud sigh escaped from her lips as she stared at Kyle.

“You really are telling the truth, forgive me for attempting to attack you. It’s just the crowned prince promised me that i will be the next queen. You know, a queen! I can eat anything i want and get whatever i want.” she said with a crestfallen look on her face.

“Yes, but don’t you want to adventure? Fight monsters and explore ruins and dungeons? Your talent will be wasted sitting lazily inside the castle” Kyle wanted to persuade Aleena to join them. He wanted to reignite her adventurous spirit and her greed for a battle that would push her to the limits.

“I do! but, i loved the crowned prince….he was kind, gentle, and brave. He’s the ideal prince that i can ever hope for. I want to follow master but my heart is tied to this palace and to the owner of the throne. Sorry but i will have to refuse to follow you. " she said melancholy with her shameful and crestfallen expression as she stands and decided to leave the table.

“Then would you follow me, please? I have a present from your master that would be quite bad if i gave it here” Kyle said with a disappointed tone as he stares at her. She turns around before nodding as Kyle leaves the table together with Aleena which leaves Alrich alone once more.

“I think he would teleport her towards the crowned prince secret room where he keeps his chimera experimentation. Quite ruthless to do to a young maiden in love but a thing he must do to achieve his mission” he mumbled to himself as he drinks a cup full of wine. Since he doesn’t have anything else to do, he decided to stay there and drink until this banquet finishes as the wine was high quality and expensive.

Once they reach the garden and after making sure that’s there are no guards or any surveillance. Kyle halts his steps as Aleena steps back while staring at Kyle. He turns around and smiles before chanting the portal summoning as both of them were swallowed in it. A surprised scream resounded from Alenna as she falls to a hard stone.

“What the? Where did you bring me!” she shouted as she grabs Kyle’s collar before shaking him.

“Relax, you see that wooden door there? Inside that, there will be your present” Kyle flashes his friendly smiles as Alenna proceeded to shake him even more.

“W-what i-if t-there’s g-ghost! This place is too scary!” she whined as she shakes Kyle even more that he started getting dizzy.

“Stop! Fine, i would open the door. Just follow me” Kyle removes her hand from his collar as he walks towards the wooden door full of scratches and dirt. Aleena is tightly grabbing the hem of his suit as she gazes all around with a fearful expression.

“I didn’t know you are scared of ghosts. Only people in my world were scared by it and you are the first original inhabitant to be scared by it” Kyle laughs as he receives a light punch in his back.

“S-shut up, it was because of my master. She always surprises and scares me with ghostly apparition and specters while telling scary stories when i’m about to sleep” she explained

“Just go already!” she shouted as Kyle opens the wooden door. The wails and screams of tortured beings rang like a sadistic harmony as a flight of stairs can be see heading deeper. Kyle and Aleena headed down slowly as the sound of fighting can be heard the deeper they go. Once reaching the bottom, the corpses of knights were laid in the ground as Kyle summons a normal spear while Aleena reluctantly picks up one of the swords of deceased knights.

“Why did you bring me here?!” she angrily shouted while aiming the steel sword at Kyle. Familiar chains burst from the room ahead of them with the intention of wrapping Aleena by the chains as she effortlessly parried each chain away from her body while twisting and turning her body to avoid getting hit by poisoned daggers thrown at her at immense speed.

“Stop Layla, she’s not an enemy. " Kyle said with a sigh as the relentless chains stopped and vanished as Layla can be seen walking nonchalantly with a smile while holding a pair of daggers full of blood.

“Kyle! Didn’t expect to see you here!” she shouted while waving the daggers. She makes her way towards Kyle only for her to be stopped by a steel sword blocking her. Aleena fiercely glared at her as Layla shrugs it off.

“I didn’t expect the prince to have a half minotaur half-human hybrid in there and a human forcefully enhanced by dragon’s blood. That fight was glorious i tell you, so why did you just come here? You miss out on the fun” Layla chuckled as the face of Aleena turned morbid.

“The screams of tortured slaves were too deafening that even i wonder how the prince can be sane just staying there for hours, well he was never sane, to begin with!” Layla laughed loudly as Aleene’s expression turned to anger as she lashes towards Layle.

“Lies! How can you tell that this place is own by the prince?! I’m allowed to kill you for defaming the future king of this kingdom” she shouted with her face contorted to anger.

“I mean this is literally just below his room, who is this? The majesty’s little girlfriend?” Aleena swings her steel sword towards Layla as she parried it with her twin daggers before stabbing forward but Aleena spins around while dodging the dagger and with the momentum, Aleena smashed the steel sword to Layla’s daggers who used it to block her attack as Layla flies to the side. With a grin appearing on Layla’s face. She wanted to fight more but Kyle stopped them with his spear embedded between them.

“Stop already, i teleported her here to see the true side of the crowned prince she loves.” he explained at Layla who shrugs it off before staring at Aleena who broke down to tears. He slowly walks toward her with a sympathetic expression as she falls to her knees crying.

“It’s true Aleena, this is his project even before he met you. If he becomes the king then i’m scared to even think what will happen to this kingdom” he said with his gentle tone while patting his head. She slaps his hands off before glaring at Kyle

“Stop…i’m not a kid…i’ll follow you okay? Are you happy?” Aleena said with anger mix in her tone. This signifies the end of their mission at the castle as for Isaac who sits calmly on the tree. A young man can be seen walking towards him with a surprised expression.

“Isaac?!” someone shouted as this figure started running towards Isaac. He quickly stands up while aiming the jagged katana at the man who he recognized.

“Touka?” Isaac says with a baffled expression.