Chapter 17 – Access Granted: The Forgotten Past

Three days after the speech.

Two days before the enemy invasion.

The Kingdom of Mana.
Capital City.

The palace no longer bears the scars of battle—its golden spires gleam in the morning sun, banners fluttering proudly in the breeze. Knights in polished armor patrol the streets with renewed discipline, their new formations crisp and professional.

Lord Gindol now rules Albius in Fu Xi’s stead, while Fu Xi has moved into the heart of the capital.

Anduril, the old blacksmith who somehow knows more about building than half the royal architects, is—against all odds—helping us construct something… unexpected.

A school.

Not just any school—a proper academy, open to the people of Mana. White stone walls, a clock tower, and even rows of neat classrooms… it’s the kind of place I’d only seen in anime back on Earth, except the architecture screams “fantasy kingdom.”

The teachers from our world have settled in faster than I thought. Some of them are even smiling again. The students—us—are finally starting to act like students.

Even Luna, the Princess of Mana, insisted on joining as a student. Of course, nobody dared say no.

Kline is here too. Turns out he’s only sixteen. (Seriously? I thought he was at least eighteen with the way he flirts.) Seraphina and Elowen are both seventeen. Which means, if you look at our “party,” we’re basically… teenagers with too much responsibility.

Me? Well, for the first time in years, I’m actually enjoying being a student. No bullies, no pointless busywork—just real learning. It’s almost peaceful.

Almost.

As for Raul? He’s fine physically, but mentally… yeah, not so much. Still obsessed with being a “hero,” and according to the teachers’ assessment, he’s better off in the cell for now.

And Alfian? Don’t get me started. He refuses to cooperate, says being a student is a “waste of time” because he’s a warrior. Delusions of grandeur, straight from the medieval roleplay manual.

But Verica… she’s worse.

It happened two nights ago, after the great speech in the square. The air in the palace felt lighter that day, hope lingering like perfume. That night, Luna, Elysia, Fu Xi, Gindol, Kline, and I gathered near the holding cells.

Verica was waiting for us.

Smiling.

“Well, well… what’s this little meeting about?” she says, her voice like honey dripping over a blade.

I step forward, but she tilts her head, eyes narrowing on Luna.
“I just had to see for myself… the girl pretending to be Queen. Tell me, Princess—why keep up the act? You’re not worthy of the crown. Stop playing queen before you break something you can’t fix.”

Luna’s lips part, anger flashing in her eyes, but before she can speak, Elysia slams her boot into the iron bars with a deafening clang.

“You’re lucky you’re in there, Verica,” Elysia growls, her voice low and dangerous. “If you weren’t, I’d make sure you regret ever speaking to her like that.”

The cell falls silent except for the slow drip of water somewhere in the darkness.

And in that silence… I feel it.
A tension in the air.
Like the faint rumble before a distant storm.

The torchlight in the dungeon flickers against the damp stone walls, shadows stretching like grasping claws. The air smells faintly of iron and cold earth.

Luna steps forward until she’s just outside the bars, her gaze sharp enough to cut steel.

“Tell me, sister…” her voice is steady, but I can see the tension in her jaw, “…is it Mother?”

Verica sits on the crude wooden bench, legs crossed, posture regal despite the chains on her wrists. Her lips curl into a cold, mocking smile.
“Like I said… there’s nothing I could tell you. And she—” her eyes narrow, “—is not your mother. Got it?”

Luna’s hand clenches, her nails digging into her palm. “Then if you love this nation… please… tell us everything.”

For a moment, Verica just studies her. Not as a sister, but like an enemy commander sizing up a rival.
“Mother managed to escape,” she says finally, her tone almost casual. “I’m sure the Lord will come for reinforcements.”

That’s… fast. Too fast.

Kline folds his arms, voice low. “That Azazothik guy… he’s a high-ranking general. I’m sure they’ll return.”

Fu Xi’s gaze doesn’t waver. “I agree.”

Verica leans back, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Mother is coming back home to rescue me…”

We all know she’s wrong. All of us—except her—know that her mother is already gone.

Elysia steps forward, her voice sharp as a drawn blade. “Then tell us—what are they planning for this kingdom?”

Verica stares past her in silence, like we’re nothing more than background noise.

A small clink breaks the quiet. Kline tosses something through the bars—a small stone pendant. It slides to Verica’s feet.

Luna kneels, picking it up. “This was hidden in your room. Along with letters and papers. Why are you hiding something again?”

Even though Verica treats her like a fool, Luna’s tone carries something strange. Not pity exactly… but she hasn’t given up on her sister yet.

I watch in silence, my mind turning over possible ways to break her. Then an idea.

“How about this,” I say, my voice calm. “Do you want Raul in here with you?”

Verica’s eyes snap to me. “That fool? He’s just a toy. Someone to pass the time. Besides—” her gaze sharpens, “—I would be queen by now if you hadn’t meddled….”

“And Alfian?” I press.

“That self-obsessed idiot? He only thinks about his own face.”

I take a step closer, my shadow falling over her. “I’m not as… compassionate as these others,” I say evenly.

But instead of flinching, her lips curl into something far more disturbing.

“Ohhh… what’s this? Going to beat me?” Her voice drops into a low purr, eyes glittering with twisted excitement. “Please… I can’t wait to feel those strong hands—”

What. The. Hell.

Kline leans toward me, muttering, “Her brain’s already broken… or she’s just lost it.”

Yeah. No kidding. And your ehem been excited…you dumbass.

I turn away, only to catch Verica still staring—no, smirking—like she’s discovered some sick new hobby.

Luna’s glare cuts into me. “Randy…”

Before I can respond, she pulls a paper bag over my head.

“Hey—!”

Kline bursts into wheezing laughter. “Gyahahahahaha!!”

“Shut up!!” I yell through the muffled bag.

Luna turns back to Verica, her voice regaining its edge. “Sister… you know something we don’t. Don’t you care for this nation at all?”

Verica’s smile vanishes, replaced with cold certainty. “Care? Hmph. Like I said… you’re all going to die. If he is coming… he’s definitely coming. Father already has plans.”

Her words echo in the silence.
She’s either in deep denial… or she’s telling the truth.

And I don’t know which one I hate more.

Elysia’s voice, sharp and defiant, cuts through the tense silence. "Look... you know... Luna here is a far better Queen than you've ever been... might as well just sell out this kingdom for the title, eh?"

Verica’s face contorts with rage. "Like she could ever handle complicated stuff! I handle politics, Luna thinks running the nation is all about writing papers, haaah!!!"

Fu Xi's voice, slow and heavy with the weight of years, adds to the pressure. "Verica... we all know the reports of demons coming in and out of this palace..."

A chilling, humorless laugh escapes Verica's lips. "Oh, maybe you're just too old to remember what a demon really looks like... hahahaha! You all are as dumb as a mule!!"

Then, a sudden shift in the air. Kline's voice, low and serious, breaks the taunting. "What's the word... Asmākaṃ Khra'nāyaka ānayişyati."

Verica's smug expression vanishes. Her brow rises, her eyes wide with shock. "You... how do you know that...?"

A slow, knowing smile spreads across Kline's face. "Well, I have my ways... as an alchemist, I need to know more."

I look at Kline, a sudden connection forming in my mind. "That sounds like Sanskrit from my world..."

"It means 'our leader is bringing home...' something I don't understand what it's meant for," Kline replies, his eyes never leaving Verica.

Luna, her voice laced with a mixture of pity and finality, speaks to her sister. "Sister... if you bring ruin... there is no nation you could rule."

Verica's face darkens, her eyes filled with a terrifying, vacant darkness. "......I only see darkness.... leave me!!"

We all rise, ready to go. Fu Xi delivers the final, crushing blow, his voice devoid of emotion. "Your mother is already dead... there is no one who will come for you... got it."

We walk out, leaving her alone with the guards and the shattering realization. A faint, desperate sound follows us. "No... no... no... that's not the plan... how could they know I'm here... no... no... no...."

The sound fades as the door to her cell clangs shut, sealing her in a prison of her own making.

I notice something strange in Luna’s expression. Her eyes—usually sharp, confident—are softer now, like she’s carrying a thought heavier than she lets on.

“Verica is a bit spoilt…” Luna murmurs, as if trying to distract herself. “Rather than actually learning from our tutor, she’d rather spend time with the guards. Or cling to Father… the King.”

I lean back with a sigh, my tone laced with sarcasm. “Not like I care. I was born without even knowing who my father or mother were to begin with. The funny part is… my uncle once told me they left me to him the moment I was born. Just tossed me into his arms like some burden.”

Silence.

Luna doesn’t answer, but I catch the way her fists clench on her lap. She’s not silent because she doesn’t care—no, she’s silent because she knows something.

I narrow my eyes at her. “…What’s with that face?”

Her lips part, but no sound comes. In her mind, a vision flickers. She remembers the time she connected her magic to Randy’s memories—memories that Randy could not see.

She saw it.
Two figures—his parents—mortally wounded, blood staining their clothes as life drained from them.
His uncle, trembling as he held a newborn baby—me. His tears dripping onto Randy’s face as Randy wailed, tiny and helpless.

But there was no sound in that vision. Only the sight of desperate love, grief, and loss etched into one moment.

Luna lowers her gaze, whispering under her breath, “Randy… you’re blessed. You just don’t realize how many people cared for you…”

“Oi. Hey?” I wave a hand in front of her face. “You okay?”

She startles, cheeks flushing pink. “I–I’m fine!”

Her voice jumps an octave, and for some reason it makes my chest feel warm and irritated at the same time.

Before I can press further, Kline clears his throat loudly—like he’s been watching a play unfold.

“Ahem. Well, touching scene aside…” His glasses glint as he smirks. “So, this sister of yours isn’t going to be much use to us in gathering information, huh?”

“Oi, Kline…” I grit my teeth.

Luna glares at him too, her blush still lingering.

For a second, the air between us shifts—half tension, half embarrassment.

And yet, I can’t shake the look Luna had earlier. The kind of look that says she knows more about me than I want her to.

““So now we gotta figure out how we could find any clues about this…” I mutter, scratching my head.

Luna lowers her gaze, holding her chin in thought. “There’s a clue in her words…”

“Yeah,” I nod. “Something about Father already having plans.”

Luna’s eyes sharpen, and she suddenly grabs my wrist. “Come on!! Follow me!!”

Before I know it, me, Kline, and Elysia are all chasing after her through the palace corridors.

Lord Fu Xi watches us with his usual calm demeanor. “I will head to the office to verify something…”

But as he turns,—something moves in his shadow.

“Mina,” Fu Xi whispers.

From the darkness emerges a woman clad in pitch-black attire, her presence cold and sharp, like a blade hidden in the night. Her assassin-style robes something out of Assassin’s Creed.

“Yes, my lord?” her voice is calm, without emotion.

“Look after Lady Luna.”

Mina bows, then vanishes like smoke. A shiver runs down my spine.

“I need to check the library… there may be something about the prophecy,” Fu Xi murmurs, heading into the shadows.

in the palace pathway

Meanwhile, Luna leads us straight into her father’s chambers. The air here is different—heavy, filled with the faint scent of incense and old paper.

We start combing through everything.

Kline whistles, grinning. “This king sure lived lavishly, huh?”

“Of course he’s a king,” Elysia retorts, rolling her eyes. “What did you expect, a peasant’s hut?”

Kline smirks, running his fingers over a golden chalice. “I don’t know. Still looks… pretty normal to me.”

I scan the room carefully. “Usually if kings hide something, it’s behind layers of ‘normal.’ That’s how secrets work.”

My eyes drift to a massive portrait on the wall—a woman with kind eyes and regal beauty. Nerina. Luna’s mother.

Something feels… off.

I place my hand on the frame, running my fingers across the edges, feeling for a seam or a mechanism.

“Oi!” Luna snaps at me, glaring. “I know Mother was a looker, but you don’t need to fondle her portrait like that!”

“Wha—hey, I wasn’t—”

“Comradeship, Randy,” Kline says, smirking as he claps a hand on my shoulder. “Comradeship.”

“I am focusing!” I snap back. “You think I’m doing this for fun?”

Elysia sighs. “Just hurry up.”

And then—I feel it. A faint bump, like a switch hidden in the wall.

Click.

The massive portrait groans as it shifts, sliding sideways to reveal a yawning black corridor. Dust spills out, the smell of ancient stone wafting into the room.

We all stare.

Luna whispers, “Father… what were you hiding?”

Kline smirks, impressed. “You really are interesting, Randy. How’d you know about this?”

“A king always has bones in his closet,” I reply, stepping toward the darkness. “Secrets are common among the elites.”

Elysia shakes her head. “…Still the same Randy I know.”

We descend into the hidden passage. It spirals downward into cold stone, darkness pressing in on us. I flick on a torchlight, the flame illuminating carved walls.

Then we see it.

Murals.

Strange, haunting murals stretching along the walls like the ravings of a desperate mind.

Luna traces the carvings with trembling fingers. “This… this is the Epic. The prophecy spoken by Lady Luminari.”

“Lady… who?” I ask.

“The Mad Priestess,” Kline answers grimly. “In the old era, she was once a priestess of the temple. Until visions consumed her. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw glimpses of the future… until madness took her.”

Luna continues, her voice solemn. “At first, no one believed her. She carved her visions onto the walls of her prison cell, endlessly drawing. Until her head priest declared… it was divine. A premonition from the Creator.”

Elysia frowns. “Creator? That’s… vague.”

Kline shrugs. “In this world, there’s no pantheon. Just one… nameless ‘Creator.’”

We continue down until Luna suddenly stops.

Her eyes widen.

On the ceiling, illuminated by my torch, we see an enormous mural—a hunter circling above countless things.

But it’s not just beasts or mythical creatures.

My jaw drops.

Among the drawings are… a tank. A fighter jet. Soldiers in modern combat gear.

Elysia’s voice trembles. “That’s… our world. Soldiers from our world. Against yours.”

The torch flickers, shadows dancing across the painted steel of an M1 Abrams and the silhouette of a modern jet fighter.

Luna’s whisper cuts through the silence, pale as snow.
“She drew them… perfectly. Eons ago. Exactly as they are.”

Her words hang heavy in the stale air. None of us move. None of us breathe.

For once, even Kline doesn’t crack a joke. That silence is more terrifying than any battlefield I’ve been on.

And in that moment, it hits me—we’re not just facing a kingdom’s war.
We’re staring at something far bigger.

The tunnel winds downward, stone walls swallowing us whole, until the air changes. A faint hum vibrates through the floor.

Then we see it.

A massive chamber unfolds before us, so sudden and so alien it steals our breath. White light flickers across metallic surfaces, glass tubes line the walls, and strange humming machines pulse like veins.

It looks… like a research lab.

I rub my eyes, half expecting I’ve gone insane.
“Okay… Luna… don’t take this the wrong way but—” I gesture at the glowing panels and humming consoles. “Is your dad… a mad scientist or something?”

Luna’s lips press thin, her sapphire eyes scanning the surroundings.
“Father… what have you been doing all this time?”

Her voice trembles—not out of fear, but out of betrayal.

We scatter, searching. Papers, vials, ancient texts mixed with glowing screens that shouldn’t exist in this world.

Then—Kline’s boot lands on a glowing tile.

A hologram sparks to life in front of us. A woman’s voice rings out, calm and mechanical:
“Welcome, Professor Emerson.”

We freeze.

Elysia’s eyes widen in shock. “Huh? Professor… Emerson…?”
Her voice cracks like she just heard a ghost’s name.

“Uh—Professor?” I echo, raising a brow.

The hologram shifts into a figure: a faceless woman, crystalline and shimmering with data streams.

“I am Sphaera, third-generation Artificial Intelligence, control system under the authority of the United Nations.”

My blood runs cold.
Did she just say… United Nations?

Luna tilts her head, confused. “United… Nations?”
The word feels like a foreign blade in her mouth.

This can’t be coincidence.

Elysia takes a step forward, her eyes burning with urgency. “Tell me—when were you manufactured?”

The AI tilts her head, eyes glowing.
“Manufacture date: October 25th, 2020.”

Silence.

“That’s… 3 years ago?!” Elysia gasps, clutching her chest.

My heart stutters. A memory flashes: a magazine cover I once read as a kid, the article about a so-called genius inventor who promised to change the world.

I mutter, half to myself, “I… remember something like this. But… not to this extent…”

Kline whistles low. “Interesting. Your world calls it… ‘Artificial Intelligence’? A spirit you humans built, then?”

“Yeah,” I answer, my voice tight. “Kind of like… creating a soul in a machine. A spirit to help us.”

Luna’s eyes lock on me, shimmering with curiosity and admiration.
“Your world… is incredible. There is so much we could share.”

Before I can answer, Elysia cuts in with a grin.
“Don’t worry, Lady Luna!! If we survive all this, and if we find a stable teleportation system—” she pumps her fist “—I’ll show you around myself!”

Luna smiles softly, cheeks faintly pink. “I… can’t wait…”

My chest tightens at the sight. Damn it.

But I shake it off and face the AI. My instincts are screaming that this thing holds the truth.

“Requesting access to the Main System,” I command.

Her crystalline eyes glow. “Access code required. Please verify authorization.”

Luna looks at me, startled. “Randy? You can… talk to it like that?”

I don’t answer. My uncle’s voice echoes in my head—his brutal “training,” his lessons about systems, codes, and survival. The torture wasn’t for nothing.

I lower my tone, sharp and steady. “Divert command. Access BIOS system. Reterm request. Refill request.”

The AI’s eyes flicker. “Processing… Access code required. Please verify.”

I inhale. Think. Think! A code… a key…

The first thing that comes to my mind blurts out.
“Vasco da Gama.”

Her eyes blink. “Access denied.”

“Tch.”

Elysia steps up. “Lisbon!”
“Access denied.”

Luna bites her lip, then whispers. “Lozla…”
“Access denied.”

Kline crosses his arms, smirking like this is a game. “Nerina.”
“Access denied.”

The air grows heavy.

Then Kline smirks wider, summoning faint runes around his hand.
“Fine. Let’s try a little magic. Cosán fhosgailte!”

His spell shoots into the AI, wrapping around her in light—

Her eyes flash crimson.
“Access denied.”

The light shatters.

We all freeze.

The chamber falls silent again, save for the hum of machines.

And all of us realize—this isn’t just some AI.
It’s a gatekeeper.

The chamber hums with a low mechanical growl, like the heartbeat of some ancient machine waking up.

I take a deep breath, my hands trembling as I call out to the AI.
“Access protocol… update protocol… request guidelines… repeat and request.”

For a moment, nothing happens. Then—

The sphere at the center, Sphaera, flickers violently. Her holographic light shifts, becoming sharper, more defined. The air grows colder.

“Request confirmed,” Sphaera intones, her voice now layered with static, as if speaking from multiple dimensions at once.
“Adjusting environment… access code hint: beloved, born, moon.”

The words hang in the air like a curse.

Luna’s body jolts. She stares at Sphaera, her lips trembling, eyes wide with an emotion I’ve never seen on her before. Fear. Recognition.
“That hint… that is…”

Her voice breaks. Then, with a scream that cuts through the silence, she yells—
“LUNA!!”

The moment the name leaves her lips, the chamber explodes in light.

“Access granted,” Sphaera responds, her tone suddenly softer, almost reverent. “Welcome back, Professor Emerson.”

Every machine, every dormant console in the lab surges awake. Lights blaze. Screens flicker to life. The room feels alive—no, reborn.

My breath catches in my throat. “What the hell… is happening…?”

Sphaera’s projection bows slightly toward us. “Professor, there is a message you instructed me to preserve. Would you like to view it now?”

The tension in the air is unbearable. Nobody speaks, but I can feel it—we’re all nodding.

“Get ready,” I mutter.

Luna steadies her breath, her expression shifting from trembling fear to regal command.
“Very well. Please proceed.”

A screen flares open before us, static resolving into an image—a man.

My eyes widen.
It’s the king. But not the Lozla I know. His face looks younger, sharper, almost… human.

The man speaks in a language half-familiar. “Sphaera… isso está sendo gravado agora?”

“Yes, Professor,” the AI replies.

He exhales, tension in his features, then looks straight into the camera.
“Good…”

The figure straightens, his gaze piercing through the screen and into us, as though reaching across time itself.

“Greetings. This is log one. My first encounter… and visit to this world.”

Silence.

Everyone freezes. My heart pounds so hard I swear it echoes in my skull.

“This… this can’t be real,” I whisper.

Luna staggers forward, her hand trembling as she touches the edge of the projection. Her eyes glisten with tears.
“Father…”

The man continues.

“Research log one… I have been transported and successfully arrived at the designated destination, according to the calculations of Professor Griffith.”

My chest tightens. Griffith? That name—
“Uncle…?!”

The voice presses on, cold and clinical.

“My report: atmosphere—identical to our world. Terrain—similar. However, what intrigues me most… is their natural ability. Something impossible for us to replicate.”

He pauses. His eyes flick downward, as though ashamed.

“…Magic. Unfortunately, I cannot wield it. Perhaps it is an exclusive trait belonging only to the inhabitants of this realm…”

The video crackles.

But my mind is already spiraling.
If this is true… then everything we thought we knew about the king, about Luna’s bloodline, about this war—
It’s all a lie.

The holographic king’s voice continues, calm yet haunting.
“Regarding the inhabitants… I was welcomed, as planned, through an agreement with a woman—half-human, half-feline. A hybrid. Fascinating. With this, there is potential… that our people may use this world as an alternative. A solution. For our own overpopulated Earth. Dr. Hawk has already predicted our world will end in 2060…”

The words stab into the air like blades.

Elysia’s lips tremble. “This is… awful…”

I cross my arms, exhaling sharply. “Yeah… it’s bad. But… I don’t think that’s the whole story.”

Her eyes snap to me. “What do you mean, Randy?”

“From what the king said… and what my uncle hinted at… there are already multiple conflicts brewing. The U.S. is in decline after the pandemic… You know, right?”

Kline tilts his head, frowning. “Pandemic? What happened, Randy?”

The question makes my chest tighten. My throat feels dry, but I answer anyway.
“…Back in 2018, there was a massive pandemic. A disease that spread across the globe. Around seven million people died, especially those with weak immune systems.”

Luna gasps, her pale fingers clutching her dress. “Seven… million…? That’s… that’s horrifying…”

I force a crooked smile, though it feels wrong. “Yeah… But strangely, that plague reshaped everything. Technology. Medicine. Even politics. In some twisted way… it changed civilization forever.”

Elysia shakes her head, biting her lip. “That’s not change. That’s tragedy.”

Kline mutters darkly, “So it was some cursed disease after all…”

I chuckle bitterly. “Not exactly.”

Their stares bore into me, demanding answers.

“Every disease eventually meets a cure. Ours came in the form of… vaccines.”

“Vaccine…?” Luna and Kline echo in unison, confused.

“Think of it like… an artificial protection. A spell to train the body before the real battle,” I explain. “But this time… the vaccines were rushed. Poorly tested. And some people… died because of it.”

Luna’s lips part in horror, her voice fragile. “…That’s… unforgivable.”

I look away, my chest heavy. “Our world has always danced on the edge of survival. This wasn’t the first plague. Before that, there was the Black Death—spread by rats.”

“Rats?” Luna blinks.

“Tiny, grey rodents. Like those pink rabbits you saw in the forest, except… more disgusting.”

Elysia smirks faintly. “Yeah, those nasty little vermin.”

“And then there was the Spanish Flu,” I continue, “which hit during our First World War.”

Luna freezes. “War…?!”

I nod grimly. “Yeah. Humanity’s first global war. Over a hundred years ago. Then came the Second World War… which claimed over a billion lives.”

Even Kline, usually unshaken, stares at me in disbelief. “A billion…? That’s… madness.”

I hesitate, then whisper the darkest part. “…And it ended with something far worse. A weapon unlike anything else.”

Kline narrows his eyes. “The… nuclear bomb?”

I swallow, my voice heavy. “The United States dropped two of them… on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Entire cities… vaporized in an instant. Witnesses said it was like a second sun rose… before the world burned.”

The silence is suffocating. Even the hum of Sphaera feels muted.

Kline exhales sharply, crossing his arms. “…Your people… are terrifying. To create magic that destroys everything indiscriminately.”

“Yeah…” My voice cracks. “It wasn’t just the explosion. Survivors were cursed with radiation. Their bodies withered. Slow, painful deaths. Generations scarred.”

Elysia whispers, her fists trembling. “Dad once said… Malaysia could never afford such weapons. But even so, just existing… they cast a shadow over every nation. Like a blade hanging over our necks.”

Luna swallows, her eyes glistening. “Why would anyone… wield such power?”

“Because,” I mutter, my voice dark, “in our world, the ones with bigger guns are called ‘superpowers.’ Nations that hold weapons of mass destruction. Those bombs… gave them dominance.”

Kline looks down, his tone heavy. “…So that is why your world is drenched in blood. You call it progress… but it is shackles.”

I force a smirk, though my chest aches. “Funny thing is… your magic is basically the same. But unlike us, it doesn’t discriminate. Doesn’t poison. Doesn’t linger. It just… erases everything instantly.”

Kline narrows his gaze, then lets out a low whistle. “…That’s why your world fears itself.”

The chamber falls silent again. But this silence is different. Heavier.

Because for the first time… we all realize that maybe, just maybe…
Our worlds are not so different after all.

The chamber is filled with the cold hum of Sphaera’s projection.
King Lozla—no, Professor Emerson—speaks with a heavy, almost tired voice.

Opportunity to colonize… conflict of interest… power to reshape the world…

The words feel like daggers, each one too sharp, too cruel. None of us dare to interrupt.

Luna sits frozen, her lips pressed tight, her hands trembling in her lap. I can feel her heart racing, even though she says nothing.

I break the silence, my voice low. “Hey, Elysia… you know, my uncle used to tell me about our world.”

She blinks, snapping out of the trance of the recording. “Yeah? What about it?”

I hesitate. “…That our world isn’t truly free. That everything is controlled by a small circle. People with power… money… bloodlines that stretch back to those who once colonized our country. They’re the ones pulling the strings. Deciding who lives… who suffers.”

Elysia frowns, narrowing her eyes. “…That sounds like a conspiracy theory, Randy.”

I grin faintly, though my chest feels heavy. “Heh, maybe. Call it what you want. I’ll just leave it at that.”

Her gaze sharpens. “Don’t play dumb with me. You’re saying you’ve seen these people, aren’t you?”

I nod slowly. The memory of shadowed meetings, men with influence bowing before my uncle, burns in my mind. Uncle was always strange… too many allies in high places. Too much fear around him. Just who the hell is he, really?

Kline crosses his arms, his tone grave. “…So, in every world, there’s always someone pulling the strings.”

“Yep.” I shrug. “And that’s why… Princess, I think Verica acts the way she does. She probably sees something none of us can.”

“Verica…” Luna’s voice is small, almost breaking.

The video shifts. More words. More secrets. Behind-the-curtain politics unravel: how this kingdom was built as a wallagainst the demon nation, bound by a blood-stained pact.

It’s long. Almost unbearable. Until—

“Wait.” Kline leans forward, eyes narrowing. “Look… he’s holding a baby.”

The image sharpens. A man cradling a small child.

“That face…” Luna’s breath catches. Her pupils dilate. “It’s… me?”

Silence. My chest tightens.

“That’s… interesting,” I mutter, trying to process.

The professor-king’s voice is softer now. “This… this is the result of our bond. A child. A cat-folk. Seeing her, I feel pride… joy I never thought I could feel…”

Then—

“Dear!! What are you doing?!”

The voice cuts sharp, feminine. The image trembles as though even the machine senses the weight of it. A woman appears. Her hair… long, black as midnight.

Luna gasps. “That woman…! But… my mural… her hair was pink…”

I tilt my head. “Well… maybe there’s more to that story. Let’s not jump ahead yet.”

The footage shifts again. Professor Emerson grows older. The lab fades, replaced with regal halls. His face becomes harder, his posture heavier. A king is born.

“This is year ten. My last transmission. I am no longer a professor… I am King Lozla. And I am suffering.”

His eyes look empty, hollow.

“After Luna was born… my beloved wife, Lady Esmerelda… she died. An illness unknown. For that… I am lost. The nobles demand I remarry, to avoid fracture among them. But I…” His voice cracks. “…I could not.”

The image flickers, and the king lowers his head.

“I asked the painter to change her hair… to paint it pink. So no one would know. To protect her true form. To protect… my daughter, Luna. My beloved Luna. I would not let her be seen as a threat. Esmerelda… pray for her… pray for the strength she will need.”

“Father…” Luna whispers, her voice breaking. Her hand covers her mouth, and I see tears threatening to spill.

The king’s tone grows darker.

“Ever since Nerina arrived, my body weakens. My mind unravels. Just like Esmerelda. Pain… more pain than joy. I know now… Nerina is no savior. She is the devil’s follower. But I am weak. I… pray this changes. Luna… if you find this… then my soul is already gone. Protect the kingdom. Protect what your mother built. I… can’t hold on…”

The projection trembles.

“Sphaera… seal this chamber. Hide it until the time is right.”

“Affirmative. Commencing lock in five… four… three…”

The image flickers one last time. The king—no, the broken man—turns his back to us. His steps echo in the hollow silence until his form fades into static.

The room falls still.

None of us breathe.

The silence is unbearable.

And then, at last, Luna whispers, her voice trembling like glass. “…Father…”

The chamber goes silent after the final words of the recording.
But then Sphaera’s voice cuts in, calm, mechanical, almost too casual for the weight of what we just saw.

“After this video, there is a clause. Professor Emerson has specified that Lady Luna will inherit… everything.”

Luna stiffens. “…..W–why? Why me?”

Sphaera hums with an almost human tone. “Because the professor believed you alone could understand this knowledge. His legacy. His hope.”

Luna turns toward me, her lips curling into the faintest smile despite the tears still in her eyes. “Well… looks like I’m also from your world, Randy. Hehe…”

Before I can reply, Elysia suddenly tackles Luna in a hug so tight it almost knocks the princess over. “You’re one of us too!!! Yaaay!!!”

“E-Elysia—too tight—!!”

Kline ignores the chaos, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he stares at the glowing machine. “Hey, Randy. This machine… it’s incredible. You think… she could be materialized?”

I blink. “What? Materialize? You mean… into a body?”

Before I can even laugh at the absurd idea, Sphaera’s voice answers. Flat. Cold. Absolute.

“Affirmative.”

“…Huh?” We all freeze.

Then the air vibrates.
Light erupts from the core, searing white, almost blinding. Circuits twist into patterns, sparks dance in the air, and a surge of mana floods the chamber.

And then—she appears.

A human-shaped figure stands before us. Flesh, skin, hair… real. Breathing. Alive.

And utterly, completely naked.

“W-Wh—!!”

Kline’s nose instantly erupts like a geyser. “OH MY GODD—!!!” THUD! He collapses onto the floor, unconscious, twitching.

“WHAT THE HELL?!” I shout, blood rushing to my face.

“DON’T LOOK!!!” Luna and Elysia scream in perfect unison, leaping at me from both sides. My head is shoved between their arms as their hands clamp over my eyes.

“RANDY!! THIS ISN’T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!!” Luna yells, her voice cracking.

“YOU’RE TOO YOUNG TO SEE THIS!!!” Elysia adds, her voice pure panic.

I thrash helplessly. “I DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS!!!”

“Dumbass!!” Elysia hisses, still holding me down. “Luna, clothing! Do we have anything?!”

“W-Wait!! Yes! There’s something over here!” Luna scrambles, fumbling with a discarded lab coat.

Seconds later—“Okay! Covered!”

When they finally release me, I peek through one eye.

Sphaera stands there in the oversized white coat, her pale skin glowing against the artificial light. Her short, silvery hair frames her face, her gaze sharp and unreadable, like a doll given life.

The coat is too big, sliding off one shoulder, exposing just enough to leave my imagination screaming.

…Oh no.

My nose bleeds. Again.

“Haaaagh—!!” I stumble back, covering my face, but it’s too late.

Luna’s glare snaps toward me, her ears twitching furiously. “Randy…”

Uh oh.

“KEEP THAT IN YOUR PANTS, PERVERT!!!”

CRACK!

Her kick slams between my legs with divine precision. I collapse to the ground, tears streaming down my face.

“W-Why… meee…” I croak, curling up in misery.

Elysia crosses her arms, cheeks red, eyes darting anywhere but Sphaera. “I told you! This isn’t some dumb anime fantasy! Idiot!!”

Meanwhile, Sphaera tilts her head curiously, looking down at us with calm, inhuman eyes. “Query: is this behavior… normal?”

The room is chaos. Pure, utter chaos.

To be continued