Inside the private confines of their carriage, Vergil immediately voiced his thoughts to his wife. "I am sensing something incredibly unusual about Marie."
Freya looked over, her curiosity piqued. "What is it?"
"Her Holy Magic reserve is utterly massive, and it flows continuously through her body, much like the 'Force'," Vergil explained, his brow furrowed in analytical thought.
"Is she actively wielding that power?" Freya asked.
Vergil shook his head. "No. It seems she possesses a highly specific, dormant talent within a very niche branch of Holy Magic."
"What kind of talent?" Freya pressed. "If it isn't an active application skill, does that mean it acts as a passive physical enhancement? Something that continuously buffs her raw strength, speed, or agility?"
"Even stat-buffing is technically considered application magic," Vergil corrected gently. "What I am sensing is a unique aura. It seems to passively elevate her power—and potentially the power of those around her—without her even realizing it is happening."
Freya's eyes widened in realization. "Do you think she is leaking or subconsciously casting this Holy Magic by accident?"
Vergil nodded slowly. "It is highly probable. Technically speaking, Holy Magic is fundamentally benevolent; it is fueled entirely by positive emotions. It is very likely that when she accepted this arranged marriage, she felt a profound sense of hope, relief, or joy. That sudden surge of positive emotion may have triggered this dormant power to awaken."
Freya leaned back against the carriage cushions, a protective smile forming on her lips. "Once we return, we should have her undergo a proper magical aptitude test to figure out exactly what we are dealing with. However, given how unique her mana signature is, it would be much better to use that object instead of the standard guild-issue crystal."
Vergil nodded in absolute agreement. "A wise decision."
The three-hour return journey passed smoothly and without incident. As the convoy finally crossed the borders into the Dark Village, the elite soldiers of the 2nd Imperial Army formally broke formation, dispersing into the shadows to return to their respective barracks.
Marie peered out the carriage window, her emerald eyes widening in absolute awe. Based on the terrifying rumors circulating in the White Hill Kingdom, she had expected the "Dark Village" to be a grim, foreboding wasteland of monsters. Instead, she was greeted by a vibrant, bustling metropolis ablaze with magical lights, where countless races—elves, dwarves, beastmen, and demons—lived and worked together in perfect, peaceful harmony.
Noticing her stunned expression, Fenrir chuckled. "A bit different from what you expected, right? The name definitely throws people off."
"I... I am completely speechless," Marie admitted, watching a group of Orc merchants cheerfully haggling with human traders. "The rumors back home paint this place as an absolute nightmare."
"Not at all," Fenrir smiled proudly. "My cousin, Emperor Shiroi, manages this entire territory alongside his incredibly capable cabinet of ministers. In fact, rumor has it that a brand new race is about to officially join the Kainaldia Empire today."
"Is that true?" Marie asked. Fenrir simply nodded.
Suddenly, a massive shadow swept over the city. A colossal Red Dragon was flying in from the northeast, soaring directly toward the Imperial Palace. Trailing behind the dragon on levitation magic were several small, furry figures. Marie instinctively flinched at the sight of the mythical beast, but Fenrir calmly looked out the window.
"Looks like our VIP guests have already arrived," the wolf-boy grinned, his tail swishing behind him. "This is a great chance for you to meet the newest members of the empire."
In the lead carriage, Vergil and Freya noticed the dragon's shadow as well, but neither Immortal so much as blinked, completely unfazed by the sudden appearance of a legendary monster.
The carriages smoothly entered the palace courtyard and rolled to a halt. True to his new gentlemanly persona, Fenrir quickly stepped out and offered his hand to help Marie down.
As Vergil and Freya stepped out of their own carriage, they were greeted by a truly bizarre sight. Emperor Shiroi and Empress Lucia were standing in the courtyard, casually conversing with a small group of cats. Hovering at the center of the feline gathering was an orange tabby cat sporting a pair of leathery, miniature dragon wings.
The moment Freya laid eyes on the fluffy visitors, her usual stoic, regal assassin demeanor completely evaporated. Without a word, she practically teleported across the courtyard, scooped up one of the normal-looking cats, and began aggressively snuggling it against her cheek.
Vergil strolled over, letting out a soft, amused chuckle as he listened to the cats happily conversing with Shiroi in perfectly fluent human language.
Shiroi sweatdropped, offering the felines an apologetic smile. "Please forgive my aunt. She has... a slight weakness for cute things."
"Oh, it is no trouble at all," the cat in Freya's arms purred, speaking with a polite, surprisingly refined voice. "Her hold is actually quite supportive and comfortable."
The winged cat—who was clearly the Red Dragon in a compressed, magical disguise—gave a sharp nod. "Well, if our terms are agreed upon, I shall return to the forest to inform the rest of the tribe."
"Understood," Shiroi replied respectfully. "As discussed, I will dispatch the construction and warding teams immediately to establish the protective borders for the Cat-Sith territory."
With the diplomatic meeting concluded, the winged cat closed its eyes. In a blinding flash of crimson light, it instantly transformed back into the colossal Red Dragon. With a single, mighty flap of its wings, the "Uncle" of the forest took to the sky, soaring back toward the northeastern woods.
Emperor Shiroi let out a small, amused sigh as he looked at the bewildered noblewoman. "Welcome to the Imperial Palace."
Marie quickly collected herself, offering a flawless, practiced curtsy as she formally introduced herself. Just then, Risa descended the grand staircase, blinking in surprise at the newcomer. "Who might this be?"
"This is Lady Marie," Shiroi introduced with a warm smile. "Fenrir's prospective bride."
Risa's eyes lit up, and she offered a bright, welcoming smile. "Oh! Welcome to the Kainaldia Empire!"
Vergil, stepping back into his professional mindset, adjusted his cuffs. "My escort duty is complete. I will be heading straight back to the Dungeon."
"It would be best if Marie accompanied you," Shiroi suggested. "It is the perfect opportunity for her to learn what exactly her new family does at the Yuta Dungeon."
Freya, who was still happily cradling the Cat-Sith in her arms, looked up. "Do you mind if I bring this little one along? A cat would be wonderful for helping the monsters de-stress between shifts."
The Cat-Sith tilted its head, speaking in its polite, refined voice. "Are the monsters there frightening?"
"Only in appearance," Freya reassured the feline, scratching it gently behind the ears. "They are actually incredibly sweet."
"Will they play with me and practice magic together?" the cat asked hopefully.
Freya beamed. "Of course they will."
Marie, however, was growing visibly anxious. The prospect of entering a dangerous dungeon on her first day was terrifying. Sensing her fear, Fenrir gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. When we go to the dungeon, we are on the management side."
Marie's fear instantly morphed into profound confusion. Vergil chuckled at her blank expression. "You will understand once we get there."
Fenrir gently took Marie's hand and led her toward the palace's rear mountain hangar, with Vergil and Freya trailing close behind. Moments later, they boarded a sleek, heavily armored VTOL HawkPlane.
As the aircraft lifted off vertically and rocketed toward Zephyr Village, Marie pressed her face against the glass, utterly baffled by the flying machine. Fenrir happily explained the basics of VTOL technology and their roles as dungeon managers. Marie looked more lost by the second.
Vergil and Freya couldn't help but laugh at the poor girl's absolute bewilderment. "Unlike traditional adventurers who risk their lives clearing floors, a dungeon manager monitors the ecosystem and ensures the labyrinth functions properly," Vergil explained.
"It requires a lot of creativity," Freya added. "Our job is to design an environment that is challenging, engaging, and enticing enough for adventurers to want to test their limits."
"I... I will do my best to learn quickly," Marie promised, though her head was spinning.
"Before you start working, we will conduct your magical aptitude test," Vergil noted. "After that, we will assign you a training regimen. It could be magic, swordsmanship, or a combination of both."
"Why both?" Marie asked, tilting her head.
"Because magic and blade can be fused into a highly lethal art," Vergil explained, tapping the concealed hilt of his retractable sword. "It takes immense time and discipline to master both simultaneously, but the results are devastating."
The HawkPlane soon arrived at the secluded mountain range behind Zephyr Village and hovered just above the ground. As they disembarked, the aircraft immediately took off, returning to the capital. Suddenly, a some Golems phased out of the solid rock face.
"It is perfectly safe," Fenrir promised.
Vergil and Freya stepped forward, effortlessly phasing straight through the solid mountain rock alongside one of the Golems. Fenrir squeezed Marie's hand, instructing her to close her eyes as he led her forward. She braced for an impact that never came. Instead, a wave of cool energy washed over her.
"You can open them now," Fenrir whispered.
Marie gasped. They were standing inside a massive, high-tech command center. Dozens of glowing magic mirrors displayed live feeds of the labyrinth, and a massive like normal door pulsed with heavy mana in the center of the room.
"Welcome to the Yuta Dungeon Control Room," Fenrir grinned, his wolf tail wagging proudly.
The room was an absolute hive of chaotic, corporate activity.
Vergil immediately headed to the forge, diving into a deep conversation with Broomir about the blueprints for their next rare weapon drop to make.
Freya unzipped the back of her formal noble gown, letting it drop to the floor to reveal her sleek, tactical assassin armor underneath, ready for work.
Camilla and Nova were intensely focused, wiring acoustic runes into their new puzzle door.
Anastasya was glued to her monitors, analyzing the movement patterns of adventurers from Level 1 all the way down to Level 6A.
Fenrir's five adopted big sisters were sprinting back and forth through the logistics corridors, frantically carrying loot to restock empty treasure chests.
Aeka was hovering over a terminal, meticulously cross-referencing the faces of incoming adventurers against the Adventurer Guild's "Blacklist" to designate targets for elimination or become "permanent resident" for dungeon.
Takano and Valkriea were down in the Monster Hall, pointing at a playback crystal as they gave the dungeon mobs a tactical breakdown on defensive positioning.
Kurogami sat at a massive desk, quietly sifting through a towering stack of resumes and documents for monsters from all kind species and race applying to join the dungeon's payroll.
Marie just stood there, completely overwhelmed by the bizarre, wonderful madness of Kainaldia's lates premier dungeon.
Anastasya glanced up from her glowing monitors, noticing the nervous noblewoman standing beside her nephew. "And who might this be?"
Freya, who was still happily stroking the Cat-Sith resting in her arms, smiled. "This is Lady Marie. She is Fenrir's prospective bride, and she is here to learn the ropes so she can assist her future husband."
Anastasya's professional demeanor softened into a welcoming smile. "Ah, congratulations. Welcome to the team, Marie."
Marie nervously returned the smile, glancing around the high-tech control room. "Are... are all dungeons managed like this?"
"Not at all," Anastasya explained, leaning back in her chair. "Natural dungeons are typically governed by Demon Lords or similar entities who control the labyrinth's ecosystem from a separate dimension. However, since the Yuta Dungeon is an entirely artificial construct, it requires an active, behind-the-scenes management team to keep the economy and difficulty balanced."
Fenrir stepped closer, nodding in agreement. "She is right. We have been operational for just over a week now. The dungeon has a total of 70 floors, but the furthest any adventurer party has pushed is Level 6A."
Marie tilted her head. "Level 6A? What does the 'A' stand for?"
Vergil, who happened to be walking past carrying several fresh molds for swords and daggers, paused to explain. "It means the floor has alternate layouts. For certain levels, we designed two entirely different maps—an 'A' route and a 'B' route—to prevent the Adventurer's Guild from easily mapping the dungeon and sharing the exact pathways. And also become backup area because some Adventure don't want form a party and preferring do adventure alone."
Marie nodded, the strategic logic making perfect sense to her.
Fenrir turned back to Anastasya. "Auntie, what kind of managerial position would be the best fit for Marie?"
Anastasya pulled up a digital ledger on her mirror. "Let's see... Kurogami is currently handling Monster Care and Recruitment. You and Camilla are the Lead Trap Makers. Aeka is on Guild Surveillance..."
"I have an affinity for Holy Magic," Marie interjected politely. "Though I am not entirely sure where that fits in."
Aria, who was jogging past the monitors with an armful of potions, stopped in her tracks. "Oh! Are you interested in studying magic, Marie?"
"I am," Marie admitted. "But I don't actually know what my specific magical talents are."
Aria's eyes lit up. She looked over at Vergil. "Dad, can I borrow that object from the vault for a moment?"
Vergil nodded. "Go ahead. Given the unusual nature of her mana signature, we definitely need to use it to accurately read her potential."
Aria immediately bolted out of the room. Vergil gestured for three heavy security Golems to stand guard around the control console and pulled out a chair for Marie. "Have a seat."
Marie sat down, looking incredibly confused. "What kind of object is she bringing?"
The Cat-Sith in Freya's arms perked its ears up. "I am curious as well."
A moment later, Aria returned, lugging a massive, ancient-looking grimoire with a heavy metal clasp. She gently placed the colossal book on the table in front of Marie.
"This is a custom-made relic I forged," Vergil explained, tapping the cover. "It is designed to flawlessly detect, analyze, and categorize all forms of magical potential."
The Cat-Sith's eyes widened with excitement. "May I try it first? Just to see how it works!"
"Be my guest," Vergil chuckled, stepping back. "Place your paw on the cover and recite this incantation: 'Book of all magic, you who can know my potential, show me my potential so that I may fulfill my destiny.'"
The Cat-Sith eagerly reached out, placing a soft, furry paw onto the ancient leather binding. With a clear voice, the feline recited the exact incantation.
Instantly, the massive grimoire emitted a brilliant, pulsing light. The heavy cover unlocked itself, and the pages rapidly flipped until they stopped on a blank sheet. Glowing, golden text began to magically write itself across the parchment.
Vergil leaned over and read the results aloud for the room: "Species: Cat-Sith. A feline race highly intelligent in elemental magic; magical talent is innate across all generations. Lightning Magic: Rank B. Water Magic: Rank B. Fire Magic: Rank C. Wind Magic: Rank A. Capable of chantless casting and possesses a naturally high affinity for contracting with Spirits."
The Cat-Sith gasped, its tail puffing up in joyous shock. "By the stars, it is completely accurate! I can indeed use those elements without chanting!"
Vergil closed the massive book, the golden text fading from the pages, and pushed it toward the center of the table. "Alright, Marie. It is your turn."
Taking a deep, nervous breath, Marie placed both of her hands flat against the ancient leather cover. She closed her eyes and recited the incantation exactly as the Cat-Sith had: "Book of all magic, you who can know my potential, show me my potential so that I may fulfill my destiny."
Instantly, the grimoire erupted in a blinding, radiant white light, glowing far brighter than it had for the feline. As the light faded, Vergil stepped forward and confidently flipped to the middle of the book to read her stats.
It was completely blank.
Realizing his mistake, Vergil's eyes widened slightly. He immediately flipped past the standard index, bypassing the advanced classes, and opened the grimoire to the very last page—a section reserved only for mythical or world-altering anomalies.
Golden text blazed across the parchment. Marie gasped as Vergil read it aloud.
"Praise be to The Maker and The God of Magnacarta VII, for a maiden has been born with absolute power and true purity of heart. With her prayers alone, enemies shall be brought to their knees, lethal diseases shall be cured, and plagues shall be banished. She who considers herself useless is a boundless vessel of blessing from the heavens, and through her lineage, heaven shall unlock all its blessings upon this world."
A heavy, stunned silence fell over the control room. Freya, Fenrir, and everyone else present simply stared at the young noblewoman in absolute shock.
Vergil broke the silence, slipping immediately back into his analytical mindset. "To break this down logically, there are three tiers of Holy Magic, and two primary methods of application: Active Attack and Active Support. In Marie's case, she falls into an entirely different category: Passive, Non-Application Support. She is essentially a walking area-of-effect buff. It is going to take time and intensive study for her to learn how to consciously control that kind of output."
Freya looked at her husband with deep concern. "Until she masters it, can we give her an enchanted item to suppress her magic?"
"Suppressing it completely would be incredibly dangerous," Vergil corrected, shaking his head. "If we block the flow, her physical body might not be able to handle the sheer volume of holy energy continuously pooling inside her. It would be like capping a geyser. Instead of blocking it, we need an item to dam and regulate the flow, allowing her to release it safely."
Anastasya tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I have a specialized channeling staff and a set of runic necklaces in my vault that are designed to regulate massive mana outputs. They should act as a perfect dam for her energy."
"She can wear them while she practices casting basic elemental magic," Fenrir suggested, his tactical mind catching up. "That way, she learns to actively push mana out while the items safely regulate her passive holy energy."
Vergil nodded in approval. "Excellent idea, Fenrir."
Anastasya smiled, pulling up a new schedule on her magical monitor. "In that case, Marie's official position will be a 'Watcher'. She will sit here with me and monitor the adventurers in the dungeon. While she is on shift, she will alternate her magic training with Nova, who is currently assisting Broomir in the forge."
Vergil glanced at his daughter. "Nova, you should help Broomir manufacture firearms. Any model, any rarity tier. We need to expand the loot pool."
Nova blinked, looking up from her blueprints. "Why do we need firearms? Are adventurers even using them?"
In response, Anastasya flicked her wrist, expanding one of the surveillance feeds on the main mirror. The screen showed a chaotic battle on Level 4. A party of highly agile adventurers was completely dominating a mob of monsters. One was dual-wielding handguns, dodging attacks with the fluid grace of a cowboy. Another was providing cover fire with a lever-action rifle, while the vanguard was utilizing a heavy shotgun and a grenade launcher. In the backline, a heavy-weapons specialist was laying down suppressive fire with a massive, mana-fueled Gatling gun.
"I had no idea adventurers had access to that kind of firepower," Nova said, her jaw dropping slightly.
"They belong to a specialized class known as 'Gunslingers'," Anastasya explained. "They are absolute experts in modern firearm combat."
Nova's business instincts immediately flared to life. She studied the feed closely. "Wait... we don't have a single shop in the Level 6 Safe Area that sells firearm ammunition, attachments, or repair kits."
Anastasya smirked, leaning back in her chair. "Perhaps we should open a dedicated gunsmith or a specialized firearm repair shop, then?"
"That is a brilliant idea," Nova grinned, already sketching out a new storefront on her notepad.