Van de Vaart Region

The red light of the portal rippled one last time before fading, leaving behind a heavy silence in the castle hall. Sirius stepped out together with Valeria and was immediately greeted by sharp, bone piercing cold air.

The hall was vast yet quiet. A deep red carpet stretched toward the distant throne at the far end. Lamps with dim midnight blue light hung from the ceiling, casting long shadows that stretched beneath them.

Only the sound of Valeria’s high heels echoed through the dimly lit space.

"Ah, the others are out doing their duties. Forgive me if you feel lonely, Sweety."

"It does not matter. I am used to it."

"Hoh, truly? Your face looks like someone lonely, you know."

Sirius could only frown at her teasing, which unfortunately reflected his current state more accurately than he wished.

Valeria climbed the small steps one by one before finally sitting on the throne flanked by two enormous bat wings carved beside it.

Her legs crossed and her delicate hand propped her chin. Her red eyes watched Sirius closely. A mischievous smile curved on her lips.

"Well then, what do you think of this place?"

Sirius looked to his left and right, observing closely the black bricks that formed the castle walls and floors. He did not know why, but the place felt small to him, who was used to seeing far and wide.

His nose twitched. The castle air was cold and slightly stale. That was all he sensed. So different from the fresh scent he was used to inhaling in the forest filled with towering trees.

His ears flicked. There was no symphony of nature following him as it always had. No birdsong or insect chirps. No footsteps of animals, no cries in the distance, not even the soft sound of wind brushing through branches.

"This is very different from the forest where I was born. Confined and unnatural. To be honest, it feels uncomfortable for me."

"Heh, such an honest answer. And to think this will be your new home." Valeria leaned back. "So tell me, do you think you will be able to settle down here?"

Sirius fell silent for a moment.

The room was indeed uncomfortable, but he had a reason why he left the forest that had lulled him into almost forgetting his original purpose.

"I will try. I have a goal I must fulfill."

"Hoh." A faint smirk appeared on Valeria’s lips. Her fingers tapped the armrest of her throne.

Suddenly, without him noticing, the vampire was already standing in front of his face. Sirius jolted in surprise and stepped back.

Valeria lifted his chin gently with her fingertips. "You keep repeating those words. It only makes me more curious about what you are aiming for, Sweet little brother." Her touch slid softly along his jaw.

Sirius pulled back to free himself.

"Forgive me. I cannot tell you."

Valeria folded her arms and tilted her head. "I see. Well then, sooner or later I will find out on my own."

Sirius frowned. "Are you not angry, Lady?"

Valeria smiled with her signature expression, her fangs peeking between her crimson lips. "Not at all. In fact, sometimes it is more exciting when you do not know something. You understand what I mean, do you not?"

She turned around. But before she took a step, Sirius called out.

"Lady Valeria."

"What is it?"

Sirius paused, as though choosing his words carefully. "Lady... am I truly not going to be pulled back into that forest?"

Valeria sighed. "You are no longer a king. I erased your bond with that dungeon. Oh, do you even know what a dungeon is?"

Sirius nodded and explained that he learned the knowledge from the mortal races he had eaten. It came in fragments, like scattered pieces of a puzzle.

"I see..." Valeria exhaled before lifting her shoulders. "I will tell one of my servants to teach you everything basic. I will also tell them to teach you reading and writing if necessary. It is part of my promise to you."

"Thank you for your understanding, Lady."

"Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Sirius shook his head.

"Good. Then I will leave you for a while. Do whatever you like until I return. Bye bye."

"Huh?"

His jaw dropped, unable to believe what he heard. Before he could question further, the girl waved her hand and vanished without a trace.

His head tilted. He did not know what to do. Now he felt like a guest abandoned by the host.

What should I do now?

He sighed and wandered around the hall, walking aimlessly. There were several doors, though he had no idea where any of them led.

Curiosity swelled within him, his instincts urging him to explore. Yet politeness bound his steps.

She gave me permission to do anything, but wandering freely feels... rude, does it not?

In the midst of his confusion, the southern door creaked.

A young woman with fox ears, dressed neatly in a maid’s uniform, stood there. Her eyes and hair were navy blue with a wolfcut hairstyle.

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

Silence pressed between them. Sirius remained standing stiffly in the middle of the hall, while the maid’s blue eyes stayed fixed on him.

After blinking several times, the girl stepped forward. Then she retreated again, half hiding behind the half open door. Her ears drooped as she peeked at Sirius from behind the frame.

Sirius approached cautiously.

"E-excuse me, Lady?"

"P-please do not come closer!"

He froze. Unsure what to do. Years without anyone to speak to had dulled his conversational ability. If the other person did not speak first, he could only wait.

"S-sorry," the girl whispered from behind the door. Her ears twitched.

Sirius tilted his head and waited patiently until she was ready.

Little by little, she showed more of herself. After taking a deep breath, she finally asked shyly, "W who are you? And what are you doing in the throne room?"

Sirius smiled with relief now that she finally initiated the conversation. "My name is Sirius. I am new here."

"Sirius? Wait, are you from the cursed forest of Lysvarn?"

"Yes."

Her eyes sparkled instantly. She stepped out from behind the door, approaching him. Her tail swayed behind her long skirt.

"I understand now. You must be the little wolf Lady Valeria mentioned."

"Little!?" he murmured, frowning. He was certain he was far larger than every monster in that forest.

"Aren’t you only a few years old? For demons, that is extremely young. We can live for hundreds of years. I myself just celebrated my twenty ninth birthday a few days ago. And someone still calls me a teenage girl, you know."

Sirius nodded slowly, beginning to understand.

"Ah, right. We have not introduced ourselves properly. My name is Rianna. I am Lady Valeria’s most trusted maid. Well... actually, I am the only maid here. Nice to meet you, Sirius." She chuckled softly.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Rianna."

Her cheeks puffed out for a moment when he called out to her, but quickly shook her head slowly. "Ah, Lady told me to give you a tour. Come with me."

Sirius nodded quietly and followed her. Her steps were light, not stiff like a typical maid’s. It felt as though she was allowed to act freely.

He found that curious. It was rare for a maid to be permitted such behavior or to allow herself that freedom.

They walked through the castle corridors. On the walls, lamps emitting faint blue light flickered and stirred a sense of curiosity within him.

"This is your first time seeing them?"

"Yes. As far as I know, that color only exists in forest fireflies."

"That is magic technology. These lamps are forged to create light using magic stones as fuel. We used to use oil lamps made from animal fat, but this makes everything much easier."

Sirius nodded solemnly.

Along the way, Rianna explained many things to him. Not only about the castle, but also general knowledge of this world. Dungeons, magic, monsters, even demon culture and history.

Slowly, the scattered puzzles in his mind began to align. Piece by piece formed a complete and orderly book. He now understood almost everything.

"By the way, do you know why a dungeon needs a boss? And why I was chosen?"

Rianna’s lips curved. "There are many reasons. In your case, you were chosen because you were more dominant than the others. Forest type dungeons rarely have a boss because the monsters live in balanced ecosystems. Rarely is there one creature strong enough to dominate."

She paused and inhaled deeply. Then smiled with a hint of mischief.

"When a forest type dungeon chooses a boss, the chosen monster must be extremely powerful. Powerful enough to hunt everything in that forest alone. Am I wrong?"

Sirius did not answer. He looked away.

"Huh. You are easy to read, you know."

"But... Miss–"

"Call me Rianna. Our ages and status are not that far apart."

"But... Rianna, that does not answer my first question."

"You are right. So I will explain it."

She cleared her throat.

"Every dungeon needs a boss or king. The main reason is to strengthen the dungeon itself and maintain its continuity."

Sirius frowned, prompting Rianna to sigh quietly.

"As you know, dungeons absorb negative energy to create monsters."

Sirius nodded.

"If the boss is strong, there will be more fear and more death among the adventurers who enter. More fear and more death means the dungeon absorbs more negative energy. And what happens then?"

Sirius’s eyes widened as understanding dawned.

Rianna grinned. "Exactly. The dungeon creates more and stronger monsters. When their numbers overflow, what do you think happens next?"

Sirius did not answer. His jaw tensed. His eyes narrowed.

Rianna’s ears twitched. "It seems I do not need to explain the rest."

"Wait, I hunted and ate many monsters. Was that not enough to control their numbers?"

She raised one eyebrow. "And how many did you eat compared to how many the dungeon produced every day? That does not even include the monsters that reproduce naturally."

"But..."

"Listen. That forest is vast. You were trapped in its heart. You never knew what happened at the edges. Do not grow arrogant just because you were the strongest in one spot. You are small compared to the world."

Sirius lowered his head. Sometimes strength made someone feel larger than they truly were.

Rianna smiled faintly and patted his head. "Enough. Do not feel down. Consider it advice."

"Thank you."

"Now then, let me take you to your room. Lady had me prepare it for you long ago."

Sirius tilted his head. Was Valeria really that interested in him? Enough to prepare a room long before he arrived? Did she not consider that a wolf might choose a different side than hers?

"Come with me."

Without a word, Sirius followed.

He had a bad feeling. A small room might not suit someone born roaming free in the wilderness.

Moonlight slipped through a castle window. A breeze carrying the scent of nature brushed his nose. He stopped walking and gazed outside.

"That is..."

"Ah, that is the forest owned by the Van De Vaart family. Is something wrong?"

Sirius’s lips parted. His entire body froze as he stared through the window.

"May I go there?"

"Of course, but for–"

Before Rianna could finish, a loud thud echoed as Sirius’s large body disappeared through the window with a single leap. His feet hit the ground and he instantly sprinted toward the forest, unable to restrain the primal urge rising within him.

"W-wait!"

Rianna’s shout could not stop him.

His steps pounded against the damp earth. Bushes rustled softly as his body brushed through them. Insects sang beneath the moonlight. The cool night breeze touched his face.

This is where I should be.

When he glanced back, Rianna was still nowhere in sight. A flicker of guilt touched him for leaving her behind in his excitement.

I must apologize to her later.

He looked around. The forest had shorter trees and fewer of them than the place he was born.

His steps moved farther. His eyes sparkled, captivated by every corner of Valeria’s family forest. Without realizing it, he had reached a lake that shone with bright blue light like the fireflies he had often seen.

This is a beautiful place.

He lowered his head to the water. Fish darted beneath the clear surface. His tongue dipped and lapped the water, easing the dryness in his throat.

After a few gulps, something felt wrong.

Too quiet. Too… silent.

Splash!