The Rising Star and the Fabricated Truth
"Hmm..."
A low groan escaped my lips as I stared at the newspaper. Given the timeline, I had expected Babayaga's demise. However, the timing was far too fast. It had only been four days since the 72 Dungeon Meeting ended. The new boss of the Rank 8 dungeon was slated to be the twin-headed ogre, Jokal. Honestly, I didn't care about that. Swallowing my surprise, I continued reading the article.
"...The Rising Star of the Empire, entirely on her own."
The "Rising Stars of the Empire" referred to the newly emerging heroes. Currently, the Empire's Four Heroes were Valmonk, Wilhelm, Astin, and Leon. Valmonk and Wilhelm were dead, and the remaining two, Astin and Leon, were on the verge of retirement. In the game's original canon, all of them retired except for Wilhelm, who went on to assist the player. Despite his aging body, his awakening of the Holy Sword had played a major role in defeating Calandas.
In other words, the two remaining heroes at this point were washed-up has-beens. The Imperial Court and the Subjugation Command undoubtedly knew this. That was why they were desperately scrambling to elevate these rising stars as the new Four Heroes. With a generational shift already urgent, my actions had essentially lit a fire under their rears. They had to do something desperate—not just a temporary fix, but a frantic attempt to douse the flames. That desperate move was the subjugation of the Rank 8 dungeon by a rising star.
Conquering it alone without a subjugation force was a bit excessive, but it was a calculated move to show the world that the Empire was still going strong. And surprisingly, it worked. The newspaper headline boldly proclaimed her success. To think a mere rookie, not even an official Hero yet, had achieved such a monumental feat.
"I didn't know about this."
I had never seen or heard of such a record in the game's lore. Since two of the Heroes had died because of me, it wasn't just a simple butterfly effect—the future had shifted drastically.
"...Of all people, why her?"
The name printed clearly in the newspaper was Cecilia.
No matter how many buff elixirs they shoved down her throat or how much top-tier gear they showered her with, it should have been impossible for an inexperienced rookie to conquer a Rank 8 dungeon alone. But the moment I saw the name 'Cecilia,' everything made sense. She was destined to become the strongest Hero in history. Even now, she was likely stronger than the current active Heroes. In her future prime, she was projected to reach Level 95.
If there's no player, she's basically the protagonist of this world.
I was looking at this calmly on the surface, but inside, I was incredibly anxious. Numerically, the next target after Rank 8 was Rank 7—me. Even putting the ranking aside, my dungeon had been firmly marked by both the Subjugation Command and the Holy Church. The next target was, without a doubt, the Tomb of Faith. They would surely make thorough preparations, with Cecilia at the center of the force.
"I'm screwed."
I needed to realign my plans after the recent roundtable meeting. Although I had handled myself well enough at the roundtable, it was undeniable that an enemy far more dangerous than Calandas had emerged. Calandas and I were merely rivals on the surface; my true enemies were the Empire, the Church, and the Five-Colored Magic Towers. Those three factions.
Above all, I had to keep my eyes on Cecilia. Talk about terrible luck. First Valmonk, then Wilhelm, and now Cecilia.
"...Actually, maybe this is for the best?"
If Cecilia came after me after reaching her absolute peak, I would die without a doubt. Conversely, if she came to me before she grew too strong, it could be an opportunity. Yes. Let's think positively. The priority right now was to prepare countermeasures against Cecilia. Soon, reinforcements from the Castle of Pleasure's 9th Legion would arrive, and Dalon and Renrin both viewed me favorably. Still, relying solely on their support was a dangerous mindset. What if the Castle of Pleasure, the Underground Tomb, and the Twin Stars Tower suddenly ignored me? If I put 100% of my trust in them, I would end up dead at Cecilia's hands.
No matter what, the best course of action was to strengthen my dungeon's internal defenses and build up our fortifications. It went without saying that I needed to train Charlotte, Balutak, and even Estizel. Though I was restructuring my plans, the basic framework remained the same as before I recruited Balutak: recruit DLC bosses as allies and raise my own combat power through Ancient Dungeons.
An Ancient Dungeon. Is it worth a visit?
Given the urgency of the situation, I didn't have the luxury of slowly training the DLC bosses. Absorbing an Ancient Dungeon Core seemed like the best option.
But doing it with just Charlotte and Balutak is too risky.
Maybe I could use the Dullahan, Karleon, who was coming as reinforcement, as my bodyguard. With him around, conquering an Ancient Dungeon would be a breeze.
When the old constellations of the Empire fade, a new star rises.
In the Imperial Palace of the Tumanist Empire, alongside the imperial family and high ministers, lived a certain woman. As for her lineage, she was far from noble; she wasn't even a commoner, having been born and raised as an orphan in the slums. Yet now, she was the Rising Star of the Empire, destined to soon become a Hero.
Slam!
Emerging from Cecilia's private chambers, the head maid let out a heavy sigh. The head maid was originally the second daughter of a marquis, sent to the palace to serve the imperial family. However, ever since Cecilia had taken up residence in the palace, she had been assigned as her personal maid, attending to her every need. Assisting the imperial family versus catering to Cecilia—for the head maid, the latter was by far the greater ordeal.
"Where has she gone now?"
Cecilia had no sense of decorum and drifted in and out of the Imperial Palace as she pleased. She completely ignored the advice of the eunuchs, and there was no way the head maid could control her on her own. Sighing repeatedly, the head maid stepped outside the palace. As her steps led her onto the dirt ground, loud shouts of exertion echoed from all directions. Arriving at the training grounds of the Imperial Knights, the head maid focused her gaze on a single spot.
A silver head of hair stood out conspicuously. In front of her, dozens of knights lay sprawled across the dirt.
"Good heavens..."
The head maid was utterly dumbfounded. This wasn't the first or second time. How many times had she taken on the knights as part of her training?
If anyone heard that a mere twenty-five-year-old woman was fighting the Imperial Knights alone, they would dismiss it as a joke. But if that woman was Cecilia, it was not only possible, but it had also become effortless. The sword in her hand wasn't even a real blade, but a blunt ceremonial sword. Furthermore, she had laid low the entire order of knights while wearing nothing but her pajamas, completely unarmored. Not a single trace of exhaustion could be seen on her face.
"Lady Cecilia."
Hearing her name, Cecilia turned her head. The moment their eyes met, the head maid flinched involuntarily. Her eyes were half-closed, always looking sleepy. Her gaze was so cold and devoid of life that the head maid could never get used to it.
"What is it?"
"What do you mean, 'what is it'? You've barely just woken up. You haven't even had breakfast, and yet you're pushing yourself with such intense training on an empty stomach..."
"I'll take care of it."
Cecilia turned away without emotion. She walked over to the fallen knights one by one, took their hands, and helped them up. Seeing this, she seemed fundamentally good-natured, but her usual expression was simply too frigid. Her face aside, even her voice was completely flat, devoid of any inflection. Whenever the head maid looked at her, she couldn't help but wonder: Does this woman truly possess emotions?
While she was lost in thought, Cecilia was already heading back toward the palace. Snapping out of it, the head maid quickly caught up and walked beside her.
"Lady Cecilia, about the upcoming social ball, will you—"
"I'm not going."
"...Could you perhaps reconsider this time? It's not just any occasion; you've conquered a Rank 8 dungeon. You should at least show your face to high society—"
"I said I'm not going."
Despite the repeated requests, Cecilia remained stubborn. Just as she was doing now, she lived in her own world, constantly acting eccentric within the palace walls. She ate when she wanted to eat. She slept when she wanted to sleep. She trained when she wanted to train. During her stay in the palace, she never showed proper etiquette to the princes, princesses, or even the Emperor.
Yet, there were two reasons why the imperial family kept her in the palace, almost as if she were confined there.
First, to nurture her as a Hero. In terms of sheer potential, she was hailed as the greatest Hero in history. Sparring with the knights in the palace, being served by maids, receiving regular mental care, and consuming the finest nutrients—residing in the palace granted her absolute, unconditional support. To forge the ultimate Hero who would soon carry the future of the Empire, no amount of resources was considered a waste.
"I don't care about any of that," Cecilia said, staring straight ahead. "Tell the Command. I want to conquer the 7 Abyssal Palaces. Now."
"You cannot. There are procedures for everything. And those aren't just ordinary dungeons; they are the 7 Abyssal Palaces. They aren't places you can just conquer on a whim."
"I can go alone."
The head maid squeezed her eyes shut. As always, trying to reason with her was completely futile.
"Why on earth are you in such a hurry?"
"For revenge. Why else would you ask?"
"I know, but..."
As everyone in the palace knew, Cecilia lived for one reason and one reason only: revenge. Conquering the 7 Abyssal Palaces starting from Rank 7 to build her strength, and eventually reaching the Ten-Tier Abyss—destroying them step-by-step was a noble cause for humanity, but to Cecilia, it was driven purely by vengeance.
Long ago, her master had lost his life in the Rank 2 dungeon, the Ten-Tier Abyss. To Cecilia, he was far more than just a master. He was her sole pillar of support, the only person she could trust and rely on. The man who had taken her in when she was an orphan in the slums and had become her entire world. Cecilia had resolved long ago to exact vengeance upon the Ten-Tier Abyss for stealing her master away. That resolve had never faded; she was still entirely blinded by revenge.
What a pitiful soul.
...Or at least, that was her fabricated memory.
Lucas had not died in the Ten-Tier Abyss. In reality, he had been executed on the guillotine, cursing humanity with his final breaths. Ten years ago, upon hearing the news of Lucas's execution, Cecilia had gone absolutely mad. She slaughtered knights, killed Heroes, and even held a blade to a prince's throat. Though she was eventually subdued and thrown into the deepest dungeon, the Empire could not bring itself to discard her.
Cecilia was the sole disciple of Lucas, the strongest Hero, who had passed down everything he knew to her. Even the imperial family recognized that she was too valuable a talent to simply execute. However, possessing magical power that surpassed even active Heroes, memory manipulation magic did not work on her. After much deliberation, the leadership of the Empire decided on a solution: the Lauraba Ruby Crystal.
"Lady Cecilia. That thing on your chest... is it not uncomfortable?"
"Not really. They said it's a good artifact."
"..."
"It's not like I can take it off even if I wanted to."
"Right. I forgot for a moment."
The head maid cast a somber glance at Cecilia's chest. The ruby crystal, which looked as if it were branded onto her flesh, was neither a mere accessory nor a simple artifact. It was the Lauraba Ruby Crystal, a binding seal of the magic mirror. It practically nullified the wearer's magic resistance.
In other words, the current Cecilia was completely defenseless against memory manipulation magic, just like an ordinary person without a single drop of mana. However, even with memory magic, it was difficult to completely erase a person who was deeply rooted in one's original memories. Especially since Lucas was Cecilia's entire life. Erasing Lucas from her mind was practically impossible.
Thus, they fabricated a memory: Lucas had fallen in battle within the 7 Abyssal Palaces, specifically the Ten-Tier Abyss. They had devised this scheme to fuel Cecilia's desire for revenge, intending to use her to conquer the 7 Abyssal Palaces. If she left the Imperial Palace, she would be exposed to environments that could destabilize her fabricated memories. If she wandered the outside world and caught wind of Lucas's past execution, the memory manipulation would unravel. This was the second reason why the imperial family kept Cecilia confined within the walls of the palace.
Stopping in her tracks, Cecilia looked up at the sky.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. I just miss Master."
"..."
The head maid knew all of her habits. Whenever she looked up at the sky, it meant she missed her master, and Cecilia would look up at the sky dozens of times a day.
The 7 Abyssal Palaces...
The head maid's expression darkened as the thought crossed her mind. There was a rumor circulating outside the palace. That the boss of the Rank 7 dungeon of the Abyssal Palaces, the Tomb of Faith, was a Death Knight named Lucas. The head maid prayed with all her heart that it was merely a false rumor.
The next dungeon Cecilia was slated to conquer was the Tomb of Faith.
If that Death Knight truly was Lucas...
Would that not be far too cruel?