“W-What happened…?”


    My voice was hoarse as I blinked, taking in my surroundings. The sterile scent of the room filled my nose, and the dim light from the sun casted from the window. As I tried to sit up, I felt warmth on both my sides—Lilli and Elnora were there, their hands gripping mine their foreheads resting against the mattress.


    Before I could say anything, Elnora stirred.


    “R..Ryn..?”


    Then, her eyes snapped opened.


    “RYN!” she screamed, throwing herself onto me.


    “RYN!” Lilli echoed, jumping onto the bed as well.


    I let out a breathless chuckle “H-Hey… girls.”


    They held onto my hands tightly, their eyes shined with relief.


    “You missed so much!” Lilli blurted; her voice bright—far different then how she was in the dungeon.


    “Yeah, yeah! We have so much to fill you in on!” Elnora added excitedly.


    As they spoke, I glanced down at my hand where my sigil once was.


    The old mark was gone.


    In its place was a new sigil—the shape of a dragon, crowned in regal glory. My heart pounded.


    Lilli continued... “We’re going to be rewarded in front of the entire country for the first defeat of a Dungeon Master and saving the princess.” “B-b-but we were told by the King and Princess directly to keep the churches involvement of the tournament quiet for now.”


    I clenched my fist.


    “Oh! And we refused to take the reward or be recognized until you woke up!” Lilli added.


    Tears welled in my eyes before I could stop them. I reached forward and pulled the girls into my arms.


    Something I wouldn’t have done months prior.


    “I’m so grateful... you guys are okay.”


    Lilli hesitated, searching my face. “Are you sure you’re, okay? Still…?”


    I smirked. “Yeah! Perfect! I’m just….relieved.”


    I wiped the stray tears from my face.


    Both girls blushed slightly before changing the subject.


    “Yeah! You should’ve seen Elnora! She was all over you when you were unconscious—”


    “HEY! NO, I WASN’T!” Elnora yelled, face red.


    Suddenly, a knock at the door.


    The door swung open, revealing Alex, he leaned against the frame with his usual smirk.


    “I heard someone finally woke up?” He chuckled. “I could hear the girls scream your name down the hall.”


    I let out a laugh. “Hey… How are you holding up?”


    “Me? You’re the one who nearly died.”


    I hesitated before asking “Di-did you save me Alex?”


    His smirk winded. “Perhaps, I did. You should probably lay off the carb’s leader.”


    My breath caught. As I shook my head in disbelief.


    “Oh yeah—you definitely missed it these girls were here all the time crying over you and everything” Alex taunted chuckling.


    “Ah! It was so cute I couldn’t help but te-“Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    “SHUT UP!” Elnora and Lilli yelled before kicking him into the nightstand.


    Lilli cleared her throat. “Anyways! A lot happened. Even Duke Ashford traveled all the way from his domain to come visit the endless dungeon you cleared.”


    Alex groaned as he sat up. “Yeah, buddy the whole kingdom has its eyes on all of us now. Pretty much the opposite of what you wanted, huh?”


    I exhaled, taking in Alex’s words. Normally, this would be bad news. But—now?


    I could use this.


    A slow smirk crept onto my lips. “Perhaps. But I have idea how we can play this out.”


    “And for that I need my friends—no my party.”


    The room went silent.


    Alex raised his eyebrow. “You sure your head is alright?”


    Lilli punched his shoulder.


    I let out a breath.


    “Yeah, almost dying… brought me to the present.”


    Alex chuckled mischievously. “Well, get this—rumors suggest you’re going to be the next in line to marry the princess.”


    “WHHHH-AT?! NO! NEVER!”


    I turned to Elnora and Lilli, who were gritting their teeth. They very thought of it infuriated them.


    “What time of the year is it?” I asked desperately trying to change the subject.


    “It’s summer! School just ended.” Lilli grinned.


    “Don’t worry. The Headmaster ensured that you past this year without the exit exam,” Elnora added.


    Alex smirked. “To be fair, you’re basically being called the prodigy child of the Ashford’s now.”


    “Some people think you’ll be the next hero.” Lilli added.


    Elnora beamed. “Yeah, Ryn! You’re considered a potential hero-ranked adventurer!”


    She said gleefully.


    A lot had happened since I was out. The world moved on shifting, changing—but for me, it felt like I had only just opened my eyes.


    I cleared my throat, forcing out words that felt foreign on my tongue. “Y….your schooling…. how has it been, Elnora?”


    She blinked at me, surprised by the sudden question. “Oh! Yes! I’ve been settling in well.”


    I hesitated, studying her face of any sign of distress. “Has… anyone bothered you?”


    A pause. Not hesitation—consideration.


    “Well… not exactly,” she said, exchanging a glance at Lilli. “I’m not saying he’s entirely bothering me. Well, us…. But your brother Alaric—he keeps looking at us. And lately, it seems like each time, he gets braver.


    A twisted sensation went inside of me, something sharp. My fingers twitched before I put my hand on Elnora’s shoulder.


    “If he does anything—ever—let me know,” I said, my voice lower than intended.


    The very thought of Alaric going after them… I would make him grovel.


    A heavy silence stretched between us before I forced a breath, shaking off the dark thoughts clouding my mind. “I’m glad you’re getting used to living in the kingdom.”


    “Yeah! She is!” Lilli cut in, her tail wagging behind her. “She picked up etiquette really fast! “Honestly, I was a little jealous.” She rubbed the back of her head, huffing.


    “But hey, she did well on the exams as well. I can’t believe we are headed into our third year. Lilli lightly sighed.


    Yeah? And you spend most of this one in and out of this infirmary. Alex teased.


    “AHH AGAIN!?” Lilli yelled out laughing.


    Laughter filled the air.


    I watched them.


    The way they interacted, the way their voices intertwined naturally.


    Had they always been like this? Or had I simply failed to notice?


    So consumed by my past, so fixated in what was. I never truly lived in my new present.


    Never truly saw them.


    A quiet smile pulled at my lips, and I joined in their laughter, it only seemed to fuel theirs.


    “I think it’s about time I leave this place.” I smiled as I began to rise from my bed.


    But the room went silent.


    “You should probably, check your eyes, though Ryn.”


    Alex’s voice was serious—too serious. He handed me a small mirror, his expression unreadable like it was in the park.


    I hesitated.


    The girls watched me, their gazes heavy with unspoken concern. My fingers curled around the mirror frame my pulse rising.


    My breath hitched.


    The reflection staring back at me wasn’t my own—or at least, not what I remembered. My eyes, once deep crimson red, had changed.


    They were purple.


    A color unfamiliar but natural.


    Ancient.


    “When?... When did this happen?” My voice was barely above a whisper as I reached up, fingers lightly touching the skin beneath my eyes,


    Alex crossed his arms. “You were deemed worthy.”


    “Worthy, for what?”


    I flared my mana on instinct—expecting the same red and black energy that surged through me since I was born.


    But what erupted from within… was different.


    My mana was purple and black.


    Alex exhaled. “When I found you in the dungeon, you were dying. And yet… it was if your entire magical capacity was rewritten, reanimated to match another.” His gaze sharpened.


    “To be blunt, the power you possess now, has chosen you.” “Your body can handle its potential.”


    “And the sigil?”


    Alex nodded. “That sigil on your hand… its most likely a true sigil, unlike the one you borrowed.”


    “H-how did you know about that sigil?”


    “Because I have one as well.”


    With a calm, deliberate motion, Alex rolled up his sleeve, revealing a sigil—etched onto his shoulder.


    A Sakura sigil.


    “If you don’t recall, I can sense all mana trace,” he continued “and that includes sigils.”


    I stared at his sigil, then at my own, my mind racing.


    Something new has decided to lay dormant in me… but what?


    “I-I think it’s time for me to leave. D-do you guys’ mind?”


    Lilli and Elnora exchanged glances before nodding. “Yeah!” they said in unison, stepping out.


    Alex followed behind them, pausing only to glance at me before shutting the door.


    The silence settled in.


    I let out a slow breath moving toward the closet.


    But just as my fingers grazed the handle—


    Beep.


    I froze.


    A translucent interface flickered into existence before me, hovering in the air like a pop-up window from my old world.


    The text wasn’t in any language. And yet… I could read it perfectly.


    Login Accepted...


    Administrator prompt accepted...


    Temples Cleared: 1/10


    Magisters have taken notice...


    Proceed?


    Yes? / No?


    My breath caught in my throat.


    This… wasn’t normal.


    I stared at the screen….


    What exactly had I become?