The night had barely ended.
The eastern horizon remained dark blue.
Only the faintest traces of dawn painted the distant sky.
Frostbound Coast still slept beneath layers of snow and silence.
Yet a group of riders was already moving.
Fast.
Very fast.
The cold northern wind roared across the wilderness.
Horses thundered through frozen roads.
Snow scattered beneath iron horseshoes.
At the front rode Kel Rosenfeld.
His silver hair fluttered behind him.
His dark winter coat danced in the wind.
Golden eyes remained fixed ahead.
Toward the mountains.
Toward the Mana Crystal Mine.
Behind him followed dozens of knights.
Elite knights.
Veterans.
Men and women who had fought monsters for years.
Their armor reflected the pale moonlight.
Their weapons rested ready at their sides.
Nobody questioned why they were here.
Nobody questioned why the celebration invitations had already been sent.
After serving under Kel long enough...
People stopped questioning certain things.
One knight eventually laughed.
"Imagine the faces of those merchants if we actually reclaim the mine today."
Several others chuckled.
Another knight grinned.
"They'll think Lord Kel can predict the future."
A veteran nearby shook his head.
"No."
His gaze moved toward the young Count riding ahead.
"He simply plans as though success is inevitable."
The group laughed.
Yet none disagreed.
Their journey continued.
The first monster appeared shortly afterward.
A Frostfang Wolf.
The beast barely had time to emerge from the trees.
TWANG!
An arrow pierced its skull.
The monster collapsed instantly.
The knights continued riding.
Another monster appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
Each died before reaching the group.
Arrows flew.
Steel flashed.
Monsters fell.
The riders never slowed.
Not even once.
By the time the first rays of sunlight touched the mountains...
The expedition had already arrived.
The Mana Crystal Mine.
A massive opening stretched across the mountainside.
Ancient stone surrounded the entrance.
Snow covered the nearby cliffs.
The mine looked like the mouth of some sleeping giant.
Dark.
Silent.
Waiting.
The knights dismounted.
Weapons were drawn.
Shields adjusted.
Armor checked.
Kel calmly walked toward the entrance.
"Stay alert."
His voice was quiet.
Yet everyone heard it.
The group entered.
Darkness swallowed them.
The mine tunnels stretched deep underground.
Ancient stone walls surrounded them.
Moisture dripped from the ceiling.
The sound echoed endlessly.
Creating an eerie atmosphere.
Magical lanterns illuminated the path.
The deeper they went...
The stranger things became.
Nothing attacked.
No ambushes.
No traps.
No monsters.
Several knights exchanged confused glances.
"Something feels wrong."
"I agree."
"Too quiet."
Kel remained silent.
Continuing forward.
Eventually.
The first monsters appeared.
Snakes.
Dozens of them.
Black-scaled serpents slithered across the stone floor.
Their yellow eyes glowed in the darkness.
Their fangs dripped venom.
Unfortunately for them...
They had encountered Kel.
His sword flashed.
One snake died.
Then another.
Then another.
The blade moved with terrifying precision.
Every strike was fatal.
Every movement efficient.
The knights followed.
Steel collided with scales.
Magic illuminated the darkness.
Monster corpses accumulated.
The deeper they traveled...
The more snakes appeared.
Hundreds.
Then thousands.
The mine clearly belonged to them now.
Eventually the tunnel opened into a gigantic underground cavern.
Everyone froze.
Mana crystals covered the walls.
Massive blue crystals.
Purple crystals.
Silver crystals.
Countless treasures illuminated the darkness.
The entire cavern glowed like a sea of stars.
And beneath those crystals...
Lay thousands upon thousands of snakes.
Sleeping.
Coiled around crystal formations.
Resting peacefully.
One knight slowly whispered.
"...By the gods."
Another stared blankly.
"We're rich."
The cavern contained enough mana crystals to change Frostbound Coast forever.
Then suddenly—
A knight stepped forward dramatically.
Raised his sword.
And shouted.
"My brothers!"
The cavern echoed.
Every knight turned toward him.
The man pointed toward the sleeping serpents.
"Today we reclaim what belongs to Frostbound Coast!"
Cheers erupted.
The knight continued.
"Our Lord leads us toward greatness!"
More cheers.
"Follow our North Star!"
The roar became deafening.
"FOLLOW LORD KEL!"
"FOLLOW LORD KEL!"
"FOLLOW LORD KEL!"
The charge began.
Chaos exploded.
Knights rushed forward.
Steel flashed.
Magic erupted.
Snakes awakened only to meet death.
The battle consumed the cavern.
Then suddenly—
A shadow moved.
A very large shadow.
Something descended from above.
CRASH!
The cavern trembled.
Dust filled the air.
Everyone turned.
A giant python had appeared.
Massive.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
Its body alone rivaled the size of buildings.
Golden eyes stared down from above.
Its scales reflected crystal light.
The knights immediately formed battle positions.
Weapons rose.
Magic gathered.
Yet the giant serpent didn't attack.
It simply watched.
And Kel watched back.
The cavern became strangely quiet.
Two beings observed one another.
Neither moved.
Neither attacked.
Finally.
Kel broke the silence.
"Are you going to fight?"
The giant serpent blinked.
"Or continue this staring contest?"
The python hissed loudly.
Then lunged.
The cavern exploded into motion.
Its massive jaws opened.
Large enough to swallow multiple people whole.
Kel moved.
His sword flashed.
A deep wound appeared across the serpent's scales.
The python roared.
Its tail crashed through stone.
Its body twisted violently.
Kel dodged.
Then struck again.
And again.
And again.
Several wounds appeared across the giant creature.
The serpent's movements gradually slowed.
Then—
Something unexpected happened.
"You humans are impossible!"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Every knight froze.
The serpent froze.
Kel froze.
Several seconds passed.
Then Kel looked around.
"...Did someone say something?"
The giant python looked offended.
"I did."
Silence.
The cavern became even quieter.
A knight dropped his sword.
Another knight forgot how breathing worked.
Kel stared.
The serpent stared back.
Finally—
"You can speak?"
The python looked deeply insulted.
"Of course I can speak."
A pause.
"Can you not?"
Several knights nearly choked.
The serpent continued grumbling.
"You humans always act surprised."
Kel sheathed his sword halfway.
Interested now.
"You possess intelligence."
The python proudly raised its head.
"I possess far more intelligence than most humans."
A nearby knight immediately looked offended.
The serpent pointed its tail toward him.
"Especially him."
The knight looked devastated.
Several companions started laughing.
The python seemed pleased.
Kel observed quietly.
Then asked.
"If you're intelligent."
The serpent narrowed its eyes.
"Yes?"
"Then why occupy a mine belonging to Frostbound Coast?"
The python immediately crossed its tail.
"Because it was empty."
The answer came instantly.
Kel blinked.
The serpent blinked.
The knights blinked.
Then the python transformed.
Light surrounded its body.
Scales vanished.
Its massive form shrank.
Moments later—
A young woman stood before them.
Long dark hair.
Golden eyes.
Pale skin.
Several visible injuries remained from Kel's earlier attacks.
She folded her arms.
Trying to appear intimidating.
"I am listening."
Her voice carried pride.
"Speak your terms."
The cavern became quiet once more.
Kel studied her calmly.
Then pointed toward the surrounding crystal mine.
"You leave the mine."
The serpent woman frowned.
Kel continued.
"Your snakes stop attacking miners."
Another pause.
"In exchange."
Now everyone listened.
Kel's golden eyes reflected the countless mana crystals surrounding them.
"We negotiate."
The serpent woman blinked.
The knights blinked.
Even Seiren became curious.
Far beneath Scarder Lake, her voice echoed softly.
"You're negotiating with a giant snake."
A faint smile appeared on Kel's face.
"She talks."
The Guardian laughed.
"And that automatically makes her negotiable?"
Kel looked toward the serpent woman.
Who was currently trying very hard to look dangerous despite standing in front of dozens of armed knights.
"Usually."
And thus.
Within a cavern filled with mana crystals, monster corpses, and bewildered knights...
The battle for the Mana Crystal Mine unexpectedly transformed into something far stranger.
A negotiation.
Between the Lord of Frostbound Coast.
And the Serpent Queen who had accidentally become one of his newest problems.