The Dungeon of Elvyr

“Hey Luciel, you seem out of it.”

A voice appeared behind him, a tone mischievous as ever. And then—a snicker followed.

“If you don’t respond, I’ll slap—”

“H-Huh? What time is it!?” A panicked voice, came out in response.

“Stupid, it’s only the seventh hour of solus.” his friend said, his laid-back tone as mellow as a late afternoon breeze.

“Oh… thanks Fenn.”

As Luciel replied, he can’t help but steal glances at Lilith who seemed to be popular as ever in class. Her casual laughs, and the soft flutter of her hair, always manages to steal his attention.

And then, his friend Fenn Rurik, connected the dots—as a knowing smirk replaced his mellow smile. He then slowly tapped Luciel’s shoulder, teasing him as Luciel locked his eyes onto Lilith even more.

“So something happened between the two of you, huh?”

“A-Ah… Uhmm, Well… you could say that.” he stammered a response, rubbing the cheek where he got kissed.

Fenn noticing his immediate action to rub his cheek, couldn’t help but activate his detective brain to move. Connecting the dots once more—he came up with a ridiculous conclusion.

“So you got kiss—”

“Don’t mutter it out loud please…” he interrupted Fenn, covering his mouth with his hand. His cheeks that were a tinge of pink, turned into a deep shade of red.

“You one lucky bastard…” he scuffed, but at the same time proud of his boy. “Relax. No one’s listening. Besides, I figured something happened when you came in today all dazed like a love-struck prince.” snickering once more.

“I’m not love-struck…” he pouted, crossing his arms in retort.

“Oh really!?” he nudged him slightly, “Then why do you have this dreamy look when she smiles?”

Luciel opened his mouth to protest—but instead, let out a quiet sigh, smiling softly. “…It was just… unexpected, that’s all.”

Fenn tilted his head, the teasing fading into something a little more serious. “Huh. Must’ve meant a lot then.”

“It did… really…”

“You should really tell her that. You can’t leave a girl hanging y’know?”

“I will… eventually, Don’t worry my friend.”

Just then, the doors opened with a heavy creak as their history teacher stepped in—a tall, stern man with silver-streaked hair and a cloak bearing the seal of the Royal Archive.

Fenn cursed under his breath, “Oh crap, teach is here. I’ll go back to my seat.”

But before leaving truly, he couldn’t help but tease him as usual. “Doubt you’ll survive this class considering you two sit together.”

“Shh! Shut up!” Luciel hissed, trying not to turn red as Fenn jogged off to his desk.

A soft voice followed soon after.

“Morning, Luciel… I hope you slept well,” Lilith said, quietly taking her seat beside him.

Luciel straightened up, doing his best to sound casual. “Morning… Do you know the lesson for today?”

“I do have an idea,” she said with a faint smile. “It’s about a dungeon, if I remember correctly.”

Then—awkward silence ensued. Not tense, nor comfortable. Just long enough for Luciel to second-guess everything he wanted to say next.

His gaze slowly drifted onto his desk, tapping it erratically. While Lilith tucked a strand of her flaxen hair behind her ear, pretending not to notice.

And then, the classroom settled, as the teacher’s voice rang out clearly. “So for today, we will learn about a certain dungeon that is currently active to this day.” he paused, letting the students absorb in the topic.

“It’s located near the border between the capital and the Elven Village. Known for its eerie atmosphere, it has earned a grim reputation—nicknamed the Dungeon of Death. Officially, it’s called the Dungeon of Elvyr.”

A hush fell over the room. Even Fenn who’s usually noisy in class, was sitting straighter now, his eyes fixed on the teacher in front.

“It is said,” the teacher continued, stepping slowly in front of the class, “that the Dungeon of Elvyr wasn’t always like this. That centuries ago, it was a sanctuary—a temple dedicated to a goddess long forgotten. But something happened. Something no record fully explains.”

The lights dimmed slightly—an enchantment synced with the classroom's ambient crystals, set to react during key lectures. Shadows deepened across the walls, and a quiet, heavy feeling sank into the air.

“Now, no one who enters this dungeon comes out unchanged. Either their souls become hollow at best, or at worst—dead.” He let the words hang, watching the flickers of unease ripple through the students.

He turned slightly. Lilith wasn’t looking at him. Her gaze was distant, her hands clasped together tightly atop her lap.

Luciel opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. But as he was about to say something to her, the teacher clapped his hands.

“—And that’s where you’ll take your first expedition.”

The class erupted into chaos, voices rising in disbelief and panic. They had just barely survived the grueling entrance exam—and now they were being thrown into a dungeon?

“Wait what!?”

“Old man are you serious!?”

“Are you going to send us to our deaths?”

“We’re barely trained!”

The teacher raised his hand, assuring his students. “This dungeon is pretty well documented, and you don’t have to worry about traps, as most are disarmed already. And most importantly, you will not be going in unprepared.”

Fenn let out a low whistle beside Luciel. “Man, this is gonna be one hell of a semester.”

“That’s one remark from you that I’ll agree on.”

Next: Chapter 12: A Venture into the Dungeon

July 27, 2025 GMT +8