The Dark Continent

In Leonhardt's past life, something had always felt strange about his adoptive father. He could never quite put his finger on it—but now, realizing there was a chance that Arthur Von Celestia wasn’t human… it explained that odd feeling. Yet, that revelation only raised another question:

Was his daughter the same?

She had also been alive back then, and she hadn’t aged a day over twenty. Strange—considering she should’ve been over two hundred years old.

These thoughts spun through Leonhardt’s mind until a soft voice pulled him back to the present.

"My... That scared me. I really thought we were going to die," Eleanoir said, her eyes returning to normal.

She looked up. “So that’s the Demon King… I wonder what his blood tastes like,” she added, barely able to contain her bloodlust.

Leonhardt’s eyes narrowed. “Noir. Now isn’t the time to fantasize,” he said sharply. “We need to get out of here.”

It was the most rational choice. Even the three cloaked figures were dashing across the water’s surface, and the knights sprinted across a golden barrier that formed beneath each step.

Fortunately, the shore was within sight—it would only take a few minutes to reach.

Eleanoir tightened her grip around Leonhardt. “I hope you haven’t forgotten about our deal,” she said. “And since I saved your life, that means I get to drink twice as much.”

“Wait, Eleanoir, you can’t just—” Leonhardt tried to protest, but she launched forward with a burst of speed, wind swirling in her wake.

***

When they arrived at the snow-covered shore, Eleanoir finally placed him down. The temperature had dropped drastically—just one more mystery of the Dark Continent.

The three cloaked figures arrived next, right after the knights.

The three cloaked individuals headed straight into an opening in the mountainside, while the knights stopped.

The two standing beside Gardric drew their swords, pointing them toward Eleanoir and Leonhardt.

“Vampires! Don’t resist, and we’ll grant you a peaceful end!” one of them shouted.

“Oh dear. I completely forgot about the Saintess’s little hunting dogs…” Eleanoir said, her smile unwavering.

The knights clenched their jaws. How dare a filthy vampire speak of the Saintess? They stepped forward, cold sweat beading on their foreheads—this would be their first time facing a vampire.

Leonhardt shot Eleanoir a glare. Now even he was being suspected. And if they discovered the seven-pointed star on his chest…

Should I just kill them? he thought, his hand reaching behind his back for the dagger strapped there.

He had no mana particles, but he had experience. He could probably take down the two knights before him—and leave the stronger one to Eleanoir.

He hated killing humans more than anything… but if they found out his secret, he wouldn’t be able to defend himself—not at his current strength—not when the whole world would come after him.

He was just about to draw his dagger—

“Stop.” The strong knight at the back spoke, stepping forward. “That is not something you can defeat.”

“B-But Commander—”

“Enough,” Gardric said firmly. “We came here for a different purpose. Leave her to those who specialize in hunting their kind.”

He turned toward the cave.

Reluctantly, the two knights sheathed their swords and followed him.

But Gardric glanced over his shoulder one last time.

“Eleanoir Emberfrost of the Fire Tower… allow me to give you some advice.”

A wave of mana exploded from Gardric’s body, pressing down like a falling boulder.

“Do not speak of the Saintess so lightly.”

Leonhardt coughed blood, struggling to stay on his feet. Without mana particles, the pressure of released mana was even more dangerous to him.

Eleanoir looked at him, then placed her hand gently on his head, shielding him with her mana.

She looked back at the commander. “Okay~ Gardric Willowmore,” she said with a sweet smile.

Gardric turned and walked into the cave. The other two followed, disappearing from view.

Eleanoir looked at Leonhardt. “Are you okay?”

“Yes… Thank you…” he replied, breathless.

She smiled. “We should get going.”

Leonhardt raised a brow. “Weren’t you going to drink my blood?” he asked.

Wasn’t that her whole reason for protecting him?

Eleanoir looked up at the sky, then back at him. “No. Not yet—but soon. I didn’t expect you to be so eager to get your blood sucked,” she teased. “Do you maybe have a crush on me?”

Leonhardt turned away and walked toward the cave, ignoring her completely.

“My~ Too embarrassed to face me~?” she cooed, following behind.

***

The inside of the cave stretched into a long tunnel. Thanks to the mana crystals embedded in the walls—glowing in a range of colors—it was easy to see the path.

Leonhardt touched a golden crystal. He could feel the mana coursing through it like liquid marbles, thousands of them rushing together in streams.

Eleanoir placed her hand on a nearby blue crystal.

“Feels nice, right?”

Leonhardt nodded. It was the only way he could currently feel mana.

Eleanoir smiled at him, then turned back to the crystal.

“Leon… do you know the myth of the rainbow-colored mana crystal?” she asked.

Leonhardt looked at her. “You mean the Celestial Stone?”

She turned to him, eyes sparkling. “My~ Aren’t you knowledgeable!”

Leonhardt sighed lightly. She was really treating him like a child… though, to be fair, he was one—at least physically.

She looked at the blue crystal, gently rubbing its surface. “The Celestial Stone… the stone that fell from the Divine Realm and shone the first light upon the world,” she said, her voice carrying a hint of sadness.

Leonhardt knew the tale well—it was in every book he read.

The stone was said to have belonged to Lumiphiel, the Celestial of Light. After an accident, it fell from the Divine Realm, casting the first light on a world once shrouded in darkness. It became what we now know as the sun. But the legend also claimed a fragment of it landed on Primordia.

“So? Why bring it up? Are you one of those lunatics chasing fairy tales?” he asked.

“My~ That’s the seventh time someone’s called me crazy. I’m beginning to think I might be,” she chuckled. “But yes, I am.”

Leonhardt raised a brow behind his mask. “Why?”

“That’s. A. Secret,” she whispered. “But maybe I’ll tell you if you call me dear sister~.”

Leonhardt turned away with a sigh. “Let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time here.”

And so, the two continued walking toward the exit at the far end of the cave.

***

As they stepped out, a forest greeted them. Tall, barren trees loomed, their snow-covered branches creaking in the wind.

Snow crunched beneath their boots. With night falling, they gathered some wood. Eleanoir lit a fire using the Lesser Fire Spell, Ignite.

They sat on fallen trunks around the fire. Eleanoir hummed a hauntingly beautiful melody—a hymn for the dead. It was eerie, yet strangely calming.

Leonhardt, meanwhile, examined the map he brought of the Dark Continent.

To reach Asteria, he needed to pass through this forest and keep heading north until he arrived at the Adventurers’ Frontier—a fortified town surrounded by towering walls, protecting its residents from monsters. Nearly everyone there was an adventurer.

From there, he’d use their Teleportation Gate to travel to Asteria—the Fallen Kingdom overrun by monsters.

But just as he was tracing the route, the fire suddenly extinguished.

He tensed, reaching for his knife.

'What just happened…?' he thought, glancing around.

“Eleanoir?” he called.

No response.

Then—he was shoved backward, falling from the log. He tried to draw his weapon, but both hands were pinned.

The night was unusually dark, but when the three moons settled overhead, their glow revealed the figure above him.

A woman with glowing crimson eyes, sharp pupils, and flushed cheeks. Her body radiated heat, her scent like roses—thick and dizzying.

“Eleanoir?! What are you doing?” Leonhardt demanded.

She didn’t answer—only licked her lips, her face a mixture of lust and hunger.

“Ah~ Leon… I can’t hold back anymore…” she whispered, lifting his mask.

Leonhardt struggled, but his body felt heavy… numb. Was it her scent? Was it some spell?

“Eleanoir!” he shouted.

She ignored him, pulling off his cloak and unbuttoning his shirt.

Leonhardt gritted his teeth. The seven-pointed star on his chest—his greatest secret—would be revealed.

And to someone connected to his mother, no less.

Like a hunted animal. His limbs refused to listen—his body betraying his will.

A former hero, pinned down by a vampire, unable to do anything.

Damn it…