The Plains of Twilight and a Flicker of Hope

The exit of the temporary dungeon—a crack of light flickering in the empty air—shivered like a dying ember before vanishing entirely. Before the three of them, the Plains ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of Twilight stretched out to the horizon. Hayeon unconsciously clenched her trembling hands and looked back.

Nothing remained in the empty air, yet her eyes still vividly pictured the ruins of the collapsed dungeon and the memories trapped within. Brek, crushed to a pulp; Jules, his head blown apart; Burg, his flesh scattered; Spine's blood-soaked robe. And Kadel's blood-slicked eyes as he screamed, "Run!" until the very end.

They were cruel beasts who had only wanted to exploit her, but watching their lives snuffed out so brutally right before her eyes shook her to her very core. Her stomach churned. Bile rose in her throat, but Hayeon bit her lip hard and forced it down.

Even men that strong and arrogant... die so pointlessly in the end. What is strength, anyway? The Gold Plates they bragged about so much meant absolutely nothing before a monster like that.

Along with the terror, a strange sense of futility washed over Hayeon's chest.

"To think a high-tier entity like that would appear on the first floor. Either the dungeon's structure itself has warped... or someone intentionally destabilized the mana core," Lilia muttered, crossing her arms as she surveyed their surroundings.

"Analyze it later," Xenia said curtly, turning back as she walked ahead. Her gaze swept over Hayeon. "This young lady comes first right now. She's completely out of breath. The aura of the dead is too thick in this place. Let's get out of here."

Lilia shut her mouth at that. Under the crimson sky, the three of them set off again across the unfamiliar plains. Xenia gently supported Hayeon as she stumbled. Her touch was firm and warm.

A sudden wave of emotion welled up inside Hayeon. She hung her head and spoke softly.

"...Thank you. And... I'm sorry. I feel like I'm just a burden... unable to do anything..."

"It's fine. You held up well back there. Anyone else would have fainted on the spot. But you kept your wits about you until the very end. That's more than enough in my book."

Xenia offered a brief, calm smile. It was a warm, unconditional kindness. For the first time, Hayeon felt her guarded heart soften slightly at a gesture of genuine sincerity.

Lilia glanced at Hayeon from the side and let out a blunt snort.

"Well, you are still a walking piece of luggage. But hey, you didn't die. You have to survive to have a tomorrow. Crying about it won't solve anything."

Her words were cold, but strangely, they didn't sound like a condemnation. It felt like her own twisted way of offering encouragement.

After walking for a long time, faint artificial lights began to flicker in the distance across the plains.

"Look over there, Hayeon. We're in luck," Xenia said, pointing toward the lights.

"What is that...?" Hayeon asked, and Lilia explained with an annoyed sigh.

"It's the 1st Floor Adventurer Outpost. A temporary base run by the Adventurer's Guild. Since the dungeon shifts its terrain every three months, the outpost has to be relocated periodically. It's practically a lifeline for low-tier adventurers. Supplies, healing, and information exchange all happen there—though, of course, they only support up to the third floor."

"The rules are incredibly strict; any form of violence is strictly forbidden inside the base. Break them, and you're kicked out immediately and face guild disciplinary action. In short, you can sleep soundly behind those wooden fences." Xenia's additional explanation put Hayeon slightly at ease.

When they arrived at the outpost, which was surrounded by a massive wooden palisade too humble to be called a castle wall, the guards briefly inspected them before letting them inside.

The interior of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠base was livelier than expected. There were several tent lodgings, makeshift shops, and a dwarf blacksmith hammering iron in one corner. The rowdiest spot was the tavern and restaurant located right in the center, called the Twilight's Cup.

"Let's go inside and get something to eat first. A warm bowl of soup will help you relax." Xenia led Hayeon into the tavern. The inside was filled with the boisterous shouts and laughter of adventurers.

An elderly man wearing an eyepatch over one eye sat behind the counter, overseeing the entire tavern with a sharp, watchful gaze.

"That's Commander Elias Claren, the man in charge here. He's a former Gold Plate adventurer, and rumor has it he personally beats anyone who breaks the rules with a log. Thanks to him, this is the one place where we're absolutely safe," Lilia whispered quietly.

The three of them took a seat in the corner and ordered warm stew and bread. Having not eaten a proper meal in ages, Hayeon eagerly devoured the stew, drawing a warm, pleased smile from Xenia.

Just then, the eyepatched man who had been watching them from behind the counter slowly rose from his seat.

"Xenia... Varg, is that you?" As Hayeon looked up, the eyepatched man, Commander Elias Claren, slowly approached them.

As he drew near, Xenia smiled and raised a hand in greeting.

"Uncle Elias, it's been a while."

Commander Elias Claren stared at Xenia for a moment, then smirked and crossed his arms.

"To think you'd show up here. What wind blew you in?"

"Oh, you know... this and that. But Uncle, haven't you retired yet?" At Xenia's playful tone, Elias snorted.

"Retirement is for when you're in the grave. I'd get too bored otherwise."

His gaze shifted. Scanning Hayeon as she sat beside Xenia, Elias raised an eyebrow.

"So... who's this cute young lady?"

Xenia smiled warmly and rested a hand lightly on Hayeon's shoulder.

"She's a little lady I picked up recently. She's got good instincts and a sharp look in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her eyes, so I have high hopes. Her name is Hayeon. She's still a rookie, but she'll be quite capable soon enough."

"Hmm..." Elias studied Hayeon once more. Looking slightly tense, Hayeon stood up and bowed.

"Hello. I am Hayeon."

Elias spoke curtly as he turned away.

"You pass." He walked silently back to the counter.

Passed? I have no idea what his criteria are. She quietly caught her breath beside Xenia. Even if only for a moment, she felt truly safe here.

But soon, Xenia emptied her cup and stood up.

"That's enough resting. Time to move again." Hayeon nodded and stood up.

"Let's rent some horses here. Walking at this pace will take us days." Following Xenia's suggestion, the group rented two horses, and Xenia naturally pulled Hayeon onto the front of her saddle.

Feeling Xenia's firm warmth and subtle scent from behind her, Hayeon unconsciously blushed. It was a pleasant fragrance, incomparable to the disgusting stench of men's sweat.

This person... might really... be a good person. If I stay by her side... I think I'll be safe. How can I win her heart?

The city was still a long way off, and as evening approached, the three of them began preparing camp once more. Lilia skillfully lit a fire with magic, while Xenia dressed a small beast she had hunted nearby.

Watching them, Hayeon wanted to be of some help, so she carefully ventured into the forest to gather dry firewood.

It was then. Rustle. It wasn't just the sound of leaves; she felt another presence.

"Is... is someone there?"

When Hayeon cautiously returned to the campsite, her face was deathly pale.

"What's wrong? You're white as a sheet."

"Something... was moving in the forest. I don't know if it was human... but they were small, incredibly fast shadows."

"Were we followed? Hayeon, stay close behind me," Xenia said in a low, calm voice. She pulled Hayeon behind her back and gripped her greatsword with one hand.

"There's a faint trace of killing intent lingering around. It seems they've retreated for now, but they might show up again, so we shouldn't let our guard down," Lilia said, pulling a small magic detection orb from her robes.

As the night deepened, Hayeon sat close to Xenia, watching her silently polish her greatsword. It was a weapon as tall as she was, the very thing that had saved her life just moments ago.

Could I... ever become like that? Strong enough so that no one can trample over me, strong enough to protect someone...

"...Xenia Eonni. You're... really strong. Do you think... I could become like you someday?"

The question slipped out before she could stop it. It was filled with pure admiration, envy, and a sliver of hope.

Xenia stopped wiping her blade and quietly turned her head.

"You can. It won't be easy, of course, but I like that attitude. I can feel your will to survive."

She slowly reached out and stroked Hayeon's hair. Her hand was large and warm, bringing a sense of peace as if resting beneath the shade of an ancient tree.

"If you truly want to get stronger, I'll teach you. Step by step, starting from the very basics."

At those words, something hot welled up deep within Hayeon's chest. For the first time since arriving in this world, she felt a surge of pure hope and emotion.

Looking up at the crimson stars twinkling beyond the campfire, she whispered silently to herself.

...Yes. Here... with this person, maybe I can start over. Not by selling my body to men to gain power, but through my own effort and will... as a real adventurer.

She felt as though she had finally found her path forward in this hellish world. A new system window floated before her eyes.

Looking at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her updated status window, Hayeon quietly clenched her fists. With these very hands, she would absolutely change her fate.