TIKKA PALACE
Serelia wandered through the enormous palace corridors, silently observing every hallway and doorway she passed.
I think I'm lost.
She glanced behind her, I could map the entire building with my detection, but someone would definitely notice.
She continued walking.
Where am I supposed to find this man? I've already checked several rooms, and there's still no sign of him.
She sighed inwardly.
This man really does move around a lot.
Just as she turned another corner, a voice came from behind her.
"Hey."
Serelia stopped.
"Are you lost?"
She slowly turned around.
A young man stood several steps behind her.
He had dark chestnut-brown hair and striking steel-blue eyes. His posture was relaxed, but there was an unmistakable authority in the way he carried himself.
Alric Lot of House Lot,He studied her for a moment.
"You've been wandering around the building, room by room. You must be new here, aren't you?"
Serelia lowered her head.
Alric continued.
"The new maids are being selected in another building. You have to go through the training and examination first."
Serelia quietly turned around and began walking away.
"Wait."
She stopped.
"Can you really find your way there alone?"
Alric shook his head.
"I don't think so. Come on. I'll take you there myself."
Serelia lowered her head again, Without another word, Alric began walking.
She followed silently.
After a few moments, Alric glanced at her.
"So, what made you decide to become a maid in Tikka palace ?"
No response,He waited.
Still nothing.
Alric raised an eyebrow.
"I see."He smiled faintly.
"You're not much of a talker, are you?"
Serelia continued walking without saying a word.
---
Eventually, they arrived at an enormous building located within the palace grounds.
Its entrance was surrounded by towering stone walls, and a massive iron gate stood at the front, large enough for several carriages to pass through at once.
Tall pillars rose on either side of the gate, each decorated with intricate carvings bearing the insignia of Tikka.
Beyond the gate stood the maid-training facility.
The building itself was enormous, with several floors stretching high above them. Large windows lined its walls, while guards stood at both sides of the entrance.
Alric stopped.
"This is the place."
He gestured toward the entrance.
"This is as far as I can go for now. Only women are allowed inside. That's where the tests are being conducted."
He pointed toward the building.
"Ask around once you're inside. You'll be fine."
Serelia nodded.
"Take care."
She stepped forward and pushed open the massive gate.
As soon as she entered—
"Why are you coming in this late?!"An elderly woman hurried toward her.
"Did you get lost? The test is about to begin! Hurry up"
Before Serelia could react, the woman grabbed her by the hand and pulled her inside.
Alric remained outside.
He watched the strange, silent girl disappear through the entrance.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I hope I get to see you again, strange girl."
He turned around and began walking away.
---
TIKKA — LAKE VAIL
CUTTERS ALLEY STREET
Nara ran through the streets as fast as her legs could carry her.
She suddenly changed direction, turning sharply into another alley.
"Heading home would cause trouble."
Her breathing became heavier.
"If they discover where I live, I'll have to move somewhere far away."
She looked behind her,The men were still coming.
They're not giving up.
Nara turned another corner and froze.
A dead end.
A tall wall stood directly in front of her, there was nowhere else to go.
"No..."
She looked around desperately.
The men were getting closer.
Nara spotted several wooden crates stacked against the wall.
She rushed toward them and began moving them into position.
"I can climb over."
She placed one crate on top of another.
But before she could climb—
"Got you!"
One of the men caught up.
He grabbed the back of her clothing and violently pulled her down.
Nara crashed onto the ground.
"Ah!"
She immediately tried to crawl away.
The man grabbed her wrist.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Nara turned around,Her silver knife flashed.
SLASH!
The blade cut across the man's face.
"AGH!"
Blood immediately poured from the wound.
The man stumbled backward, clutching his face.
He pressed his palm against the injury and began circulating Eno through his body. The wound slowly started closing.
Nara scrambled backward, gripping her knife with both hands.
"Don't come any closer!"Her voice trembled."Or I'll kill you!"
The injured man stared at her in disbelief.
"You little bitch!"
He touched the blood running down his face.
"You dare cut me?!"
Nara's breathing became increasingly unstable.
"What do I do now?" she looked toward the wall."there's nowhere to run."
Her gaze dropped toward her own eyes.
"And I can't use them, I promised I wouldn't use it "
A memory suddenly surfaced in her mind.
---
MONTHS AFTER BEING RESCUED BY ALBERT
TIKKA -LAKE VAIL
CUTTERS ALLY STREET
The room was quiet.
Nara sat in front of Albert while he carefully examined her eyes. For the first time in a long time, she could see again.
Albert looked at her.
"Can you see now?"
Nara slowly opened her eyes.
Everything was still blurry, but she could see.
"I can see again, thanks so much, how do I ever repay you"
Albert nodded.
"I was able to recreate your eyes."
His expression remained serious.
"But they haven't fully adapted to your Dio signature yet."
Nara looked at him
" okay sir"
"It means you have to be careful."
Albert pointed toward her eyes.
"You need to reduce the amount of energy flowing through them. If you don't, there's a chance you could go blind again."
Nara's expression changed.
"But this time, it won't stop at your eyes."
Albert's voice became heavier.
"It could affect your entire body."
Nara remained silent.
Albert stared directly into her eyes.
"And there's something else."
He paused.
"Don't use your clan ability, it would place a huge strain on the eyes"
Nara's eyes widened.
"Promise me."Albert's expression was unusually stern.
"Promise me you'll never use it again, no matter what happens, at least for the main time till you're eyes get use to it "
Nara lowered her head.
"...I promise."
---
PRESENT
Nara's eyes trembled.
"Albert"...Her grip tightened around the knife.
"I promised you."
One of the men stepped forward.
"What do you think you're doing?"
He laughed.
"You've got nowhere to run. Look around you."He gestured toward the dead end. "You're trapped."
He cracked his knuckles.
"And there's no one coming to save you."His grin widened.
"So just give up. If you cooperate, maybe your beating won't be as bad."
Nara's eyes filled with determination.
"I'd never go back to that place!"She raised her knife.
"I'd rather die!"
One of the men leaned toward another and whispered.
"She has her eyes now." The other glanced at Nara.
"She could kill us at any moment."
"But she can't use them."
He smiled.
"Rushing her would make things easier. One of us might get stabbed, but once she's restrained, we can heal."
The men slowly advanced.
Nara stood her ground.
Her silver knife trembled in her hand.
Sweat ran down her face.
Her breathing became uneven.
She was terrified.
But she refused to move.
Then—
BOOM!
Two figures suddenly dropped from above.
They crashed into the men, knocking them to the ground.
Before the last man could react, one of the figures appeared in front of him.
BAM!
A fist slammed into his face.
BAM!
Another punch.
BAM!
And another.
The man was sent crashing into the ground.
Nara stared at them.
"I told you not to follow me!" She shouted after seeing their faces
One of the figures turned toward her.
"Now is not the time for that."The voice suddenly echoed inside her mind.
"Would you rather we leave you here with them?"
Nara's eyes widened.
"Get out of my head!"
She covered her ears despite knowing it wouldn't help.
The men slowly began getting back onto their feet.
One of them spat blood onto the ground.
"Looks like the rat brought some friends."
His eyes moved toward the two newcomers, Then he noticed something.
His expression changed.
"Wait."
He stared at their clothing.
"Those aren't ordinary adventurers."
He pointed toward one of their badges.
"Adventurers from Daria?"
He frowned.
"What the hell are they doing all the way out here?"
The others exchanged glances.
"We don't have a choice."
The man reached into his pocket.
"We're completely outmatched."
He pulled out a small, round pill.
The others did the same.
Nara's eyes widened.
"No..."
The men swallowed the pills simultaneously.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then—
THUMP.
One of their hearts suddenly pounded, Another heartbeat followed.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
The sound grew louder, their bodies began to convulse.
Veins bulged across their arms and necks as strange energy began coursing through them.
"AAAGHHHH!"
One of the men dropped to his knees, His fingers twisted violently.
Bones cracked.
His arms began expanding, muscles swelling unnaturally beneath his skin.
The veins covering his body darkened as the strange energy flowed through them like something alive.
His hair began falling out.
Then his skull started changing.
His head grew larger.
His jaw stretched.
His shoulders widened.
His spine bent with a series of sickening cracks.
The other men underwent the same transformation.
Their bodies continued changing until they no longer resembled humans.
They had become something else,Something twisted.
Something inhuman.
The air around them seemed to distort from the sheer pressure radiating from their bodies.
Even from a distance, the presence of the creatures could be felt.
Then—
ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!
Their screams erupted into deafening roars.
The sound shook the surrounding buildings.
Windows rattled.
Wooden signs swung violently.
The entire market fell into chaos, People screamed and ran, shopkeepers immediately pulled down their shutters.
Doors slammed shut.
Families rushed into their homes.
The streets that had been crowded only moments ago became a stampede of terrified civilians.
Guards stationed throughout the area immediately rushed toward the source of the sound.
"What the hell is that?!" One of the guard that was close by saw it, his mouth went dried.
"Something happened in Cutters Alley!" He shouted
"Move! Everyone clear the streets!"
The guard shoot lightning from his spear, but did no damage, the monster hands stretched as it held the guard and bite off his head.
The sisters stared at the transformed creatures.
Their expressions finally changed.
"What... are those things?"
Nara's legs suddenly gave out, she collapsed onto her knees.
"They've completed the experiment..."
Her voice was barely audible.
Then, a glowing light suddenly appeared around her feet.
The sisters looked toward her.
"Nara!"
Before anyone could react.
FLASH!
Nara vanished.
---
TIKKA PALACE
The maid-training hall was enormous.
Rows of tables filled the room, with dozens of young women moving from station to station as instructors observed their performance.
Some were cooking, Others were cleaning.
Some were folding clothes, arranging furniture, preparing meals, washing dishes, or demonstrating their ability to organize rooms efficiently.
The entire hall was filled with noise.
Pots clattered.
Knives chopped.
Water splashed.
Instructors shouted instructions.
Serelia stood at one of the cooking stations, stirring a pot while trying to remain focused.
"Do I really have to do all this just to get inside the palace and find Animus?"
She glanced around, This is stressful.
"Hey!"
Serelia looked up.
The instructor was staring directly at her.
"You with the blue eyes!"
Serelia blinked.
"What did you say your name was again?"
Serelia remained silent.
The instructor frowned.
"Are you ignoring me?"
The room suddenly became quiet.
The instructor raised her voice.
"I'm talking to you!"
A girl standing nearby quickly raised her hand.
"I don't think she can talk."
The instructor looked at her.
"What?"
"She hasn't spoken since she arrived. She's been completely silent."
The instructor stared at Serelia.
"You can't talk, but you want to become a maid?"
She shook her head.
"How is that supposed to work?"
Serelia continued cooking without reacting.
The instructor eventually looked down at her notes.
"According to the tests we've conducted, you're actually very good at everything."
She flipped through the papers.
"Cooking, cleaning, organization... you've passed almost every test we've given you."
She sighed.
"But being unable to speak is still a major disadvantage for a palace maid."
She thought for a moment.
"Still, we'll find a use for you."
---
Hours passed.
Eventually, the tests came to an end.
Those who failed were sent home with a small amount of money as compensation for their time.
The successful candidates, however, were officially accepted into palace service.
Twenty young women remained.
An instructor stepped forward.
"Now it's time for your tour of the palace."
The twenty newly accepted maids followed her through the palace grounds.
"This building is where you'll be staying."
"The ground floor is for newly appointed maids. The second floor belongs to maids who have been here for some time and are familiar with their duties."
She pointed upward.
"The top floor is reserved for the head maids."
The women listened carefully.
"Once your duties are completed, you return directly to your rooms."
Her expression became stern.
"No sleeping outside this building."
She paused.
"Attendance will be taken regularly to make sure everyone is accounted for."
Then she pointed toward the entrance.
"And one more thing."
Her voice became louder.
"No boys are allowed inside!"
Several girls exchanged awkward glances.
---
Hours later, the tour continued.
The palace was far larger than any of the girls had expected.
They had already walked through countless corridors, courtyards, gardens, kitchens, storage rooms, training halls, servant quarters, and administrative buildings.
The girls were exhausted.
Some were practically dragging their feet.
"This palace is enormous."
"I thought the tour would be over by now."
"How are we supposed to remember all these places?"
"I already forgot where the kitchen was."
"Me too."
"I swear we've walked past the same hallway three times."
A few girls laughed despite their exhaustion.
Serelia remained silent, quietly memorizing every route.
Then suddenly—
CLANG!
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Several guards rushed past them.
Then more followed.
Their expressions were serious.
Some carried weapons.
Others shouted instructions to each other.
The maids stopped walking.
"What's going on?"
"Why are the guards running?"
"Did something happen?"
"I don't know."
A moment later, Alric walked past.
He suddenly stopped.
His eyes landed on Serelia.
She looked up.
Their eyes met.
Alric smiled.
"I see you've gotten in."
Serelia stared at him silently.
"Good job."
Before he could say anything else—
"Commander!"
A guard hurried toward him.
"We're ready to leave."
Alric nodded.
"I'll see you soon."
He gave Serelia one last glance before turning away.
As they walked down the corridor, Alric's expression became serious.
"What's the situation?"
The guard immediately answered.
"The creature's description doesn't match anything we've encountered before."
He swallowed.
"And so far, twelve guards are already dead."
Alric's eyes narrowed.
"Dead?"
"Yes. Killed by the beast."
Alric looked toward the palace entrance.
"We leave at once."
He turned toward the others.
"The teleportation tower should be ready by now."
The guards immediately followed him.
Within moments, Alric and the soldiers rushed out of the palace.
---
"Alright, let's move on."
The instructor clapped her hands.
"They have their own job, and we have ours. Let's continue the tour."
The girls reluctantly followed.
As they walked, several began whispering among themselves.
"Isn't he handsome?"
"I know, right?"
"Did you see the way he looked at her?"
"It seems like Lord Alric has his eyes on someone."
Several girls glanced toward Serelia.
She simply stared ahead.
A girl walking directly behind her suddenly spoke.
"Hey."
Serelia turned slightly.
The girl smiled.
"I'm Ophira."
Ophira had long, wavy honey-blonde hair tied loosely behind her head, with warm amber eyes and a bright, friendly expression. Unlike the other maids, she carried herself with an easy confidence that made her seem comfortable wherever she went.
"I know you can't actually talk," Ophira continued.
She leaned slightly closer.
"But it looks like Lord Alric has his eyes on you."
Serelia blinked.
Ophira giggled.
"There are plenty of girls here who would do anything just to get his attention."
She smiled warmly.
"So... be careful, okay?"
Serelia stared at her for a moment.
Then she turned forward again.
Ophira smiled.