Chapter 3 – Why Is the Castle Bleeding?

I woke up to the sound of yelling.

And not the usual yelling — you know, ghost armor dueling pigeons, Aria yelling at Kael for burning toast, or the pantry rats demanding rent.

No, this was urgent yelling.

“Hiro! The wall’s bleeding!”

I sat up, blinking blearily. “...what.”

Aria burst through the pantry door in her nightgown and metal greaves. Yes, just those two things. Fashion was a concept that gave up on her years ago.

She grabbed me by the collar and dragged me through the hallway while Kael followed behind with a mop.

“It started during breakfast,” she explained breathlessly. “I thought it was a jam spill, but then it oozed upward.”

We rounded the corner, and sure enough—

The castle’s west wall had a line of glowing red fluid slowly crawling up its stone surface like reverse gravity syrup.

I squinted. “That’s… definitely not strawberry.”

After several completely useless theories (“Tomato ghost,” “Cursed ketchup vein,” and “Vampire mold”), we agreed on a plan: poke it with a sword.

Naturally, Aria volunteered.

SLICE.

The moment her blade touched the wall, the stone cracked open with a shudder — revealing a hidden passage behind it.

A cold breeze swept out, carrying the smell of soot, iron, and ancient magic.

[You have discovered: Forgotten Forge Chamber (Sealed)]

At the far end of the dusty room was a massive, rust-covered furnace. Above it was an old emblem: a five-pointed anvil surrounded by rings of stars. Beneath that, half-erased letters spelled out something faintly glowing:
E...L...D...O...R...I...A

Aria stepped closer, her voice low. “This was the symbol of the Forge Kings. My ancestors spoke of it — but no one believed the heart of Eldoria ever existed.”

“Eldoria,” I repeated slowly.

Something about the name clicked. Like a hammer striking an old memory.

[Hidden Memory Fragment Unlocked]

[Unknown resonance detected with Host: Hiroshi Sakurai]

[Legacy Blacksmithing Potential – Dormant]

I staggered back, clutching my head. For just a moment, I saw flashes:

– A forge burning with blue fire– A woman in silver robes placing a crown on a glowing sword– A city in the clouds falling

And then… silence.

“Hiro!” Aria caught me. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I think the castle just downloaded some ancient trauma into my skull.”

“Oh,” she said. “That’s normal.”

“That’s not normal"

Kael approached with a tea tray like this was all perfectly civilized.

“The Eldoria Forge Core,” he said calmly, “was thought lost. It’s good that you found it. Though I do advise caution. The last person who lit it was vaporized.”

“...You waited until now to tell us this?!”

“I thought you’d figure it out.”

“KAEL.”

We didn’t light the forge that day.

But we cleared the dust, marked the room, and made a promise:

We’d return.We’d restore it.And we’d find out what the name Eldoria really meant — and why it was calling to me.