The Enigma Dungeon of the Falkrona Duchy.
Like the other Enigma dungeons, it was a dangerous dungeon. It was as dangerous as the rewards were generous. Countless men had lost their lives blinded by their greed and carelessness was unforgivable in the Enigma Dungeon.
In the present day, people blinded by greed were still present but less than before. Humans learned from their past mistakes.
The entrance of the Enigma Dungeon was lively but really- really overcrowded. Like the entrance of any theme park, a few dozen of lines were made. People had to swipe their pass on the card reader and then push the turnstile. A computer was installed near each line to scan each person in case of fraud or worse terrorist attacks. The guards were people trained especially under the organization of [Eden Council].
In the past, the [Eden Council] of the Falkrona Duchy asked to hire the mighty knights of the Falkrona Army, but the Duke of that time sent them out furiously. He refused to lend even a single one of his trained knights to a 'children's park, as he said. Since then, the relation between the [Eden Council] and Falkrona Household has been tense.
"Woowww! Look at her!"
"I feel like I've seen her somewhere…"
"In your dream."
When Miranda Stormdila along with her friends and guards appeared in one of the queues, people obviously started to gossip with each other.
Myra and the others ignored them again as it wasn't the first time they had been the center of attention. Even in the Royal Eden Academy, the place filled with high-ranking nobles, she was gathering multiple stares, so she was used to it now.
Fortunately for high-ranking nobles, there were unique VIP lines so they didn't have to wait long. After scanning their passes, they finally arrived at floor 0.
The floor 0 was the beginning. There, you could find restaurants, weapons stores or even apothecaries. Miranda and her mates had already prepared, so they headed directly to the first floor. There were more than fifty ways to head to the first floor, so people were hardly squeezed between each other despite the abundant number of delvers.
"As usual, Myra?"
Lea asked.
"Yeah, we will fight the beasts until the thirtieth floor, not more."
"It's a shame, I'm sure we can go until the fortieth floor though."
The young man whose presence screamed 'I'm a proud noble', sighed in disappointment and brushed away his blond hair. A few girls who were walking near them squealed with slightly flushed faces, but the one he wanted to seduce didn't react at all.
"Perhaps Dylan, but the Academy starts in less than two days. We shouldn't take any risks."
Miranda said in a calm tone before double-touching the ring on her right index finger. A bright light engulfed her body.
Her mates closed their eyes, accustomed to such scenery. When the light faded, Miranda was there in a dark green battle armor dress. The ring was a high-technological artifact that could be used as spatial storage, but the most useful feature of this kind of artifact was the 'Cladding'.
The 'Cladding' was the most used feature of people using such artifacts. It enables someone to recover their body in armor at lightening speed. Of course, only armor made of special ore withstanding the time-space force could be worn easily like that. Since it was a spatial storage as well, Miranda was able to put back her sunglasses and other jewelry that could bother her inside her ring. It was an extremely convenient artifact and the most bought one.
"As she said, Dylan."
The last man said and double-touched his ring and like for Miranda, a light shone and he appeared with armor and a sword.
"Ah! Theo! You bought a new armor?"
Lea immediately recognized the few changes in Theo's armor.
"Yes, you are quite sharp, Lea."
Theo teased Lea before joining Miranda, who was already walking ahead with the guards.
"Let's go, Lea."
Dylan grinned and touched his ring. Lea snorted at Theo and did the same thing. Then they chased after their two mates.
...
...
Three hours had passed since the noble quartet entered the Enigma Dungeon of the Falkrona Capital. And in just three hours, they had already reached the twenty-fifth floor. It wasn't anything hard for students of the [Royal Eden Academy]. Only the cream of the crop was allowed to even pass the entrance exams. Well, some sons and daughters of high-ranking nobles had strings pulled for them but they were rare.
Miranda, Lea, Dylan and Theo were all sophomores in the Royal Eden Academy. Well, they were technically still at the end of their first year but they were ranked among the best in their whole promotion. No wonder they were able to rush to the 25th floor in just three hours. They were all talented.
But.
The main reason of their easy rush to the 25th floor was none other than Miranda Stormdila. She was one of the top geniuses of the Academy and one of the future great figures of the Celesta Kingdom. At only seventeen years old, she reached the 5th Ascension. Usually, new sophomores would be at their 4th Ascension, but Miranda wasn't like normal people. People would say that she inherited her father's genes, the Monarch's talent, but the truth was that it was her own talent. Abilities might be hereditary but not talent.
"Fiou, I'm dead tired."
Lea stretched her arms to heat her cold hands on the campfire before her. Around the campfire were seated, Miranda, Dylan and Theo. It was getting dark so they chose to set up their tents.
"We were finally able to catch up with you Myra."
Lea sighed exaggeratedly.
"Your father is too overprotective, Miranda."
Theo said with a smile.
The first year in the Royal Academy had ended more than a month ago but they couldn't meet Miranda because her father forbade her.
"It can't be helped when…the son of Duke Falkrona disappeared suddenly."
Miranda stopped midway, seemingly bothered by something, before ending her words.
Her father, Draven Stormdila, feared that something might happen to his daughter, as even the son of a Duke disappeared that easily. Their mansion was in the Falkrona Duchy, so it was even more a reason for him not wanting his daughter to wander in the streets of Falkrona's capital town. It was after Miranda's endless complaints that he agreed but in the condition to go there with trusted people.
"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot Edward disappeared a month ago."
Dylan laughed.
"It's not funny, Dylan. We have known him and he's the son of Duke Falkrona."
Theo rebuked Dylan. They were all living in the Falkrona duchy and they were high-ranking nobles, so meeting the son of the duke of the same age was inevitable for them.
"We may have spoken to him, but it's years ago, Theo. And he ain't the son of the Duke anymore, neither the powerful heir, remember?"
Dylan cackled.
A month ago, just a few hours before Edward's disappearance, the news of Thomen Falkrona disowning and driving his son away from the Falkrona mansion spread. Following that, Thomen Falkrona announced his adopted son, Simon Falkrona, as the new heir. It caused quite the commotion everywhere in the Kingdom.
"..."
"Myra?"
Lea patted Miranda's hand, seeing her lost in her thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"Um…"
Lea hesitated to utter her next words but steeled herself.
"...You were close to Edward before, right? Has he spoken to you before his disap-"
"No."
Miranda cut Lea off before she could finish.
"I'm not close to that guy nor have I spoken to him."
If Lea hadn't known Miranda for several years already, she would have never noticed the hint of resentment in Miranda's words even though she kept an impassive face.
"I see…"
Miranda lowered her gaze and continued to clean her dark green bow. It was obvious that she didn't want to talk about Edward anymore.
Dylan seemed satisfied with Miranda's reaction, judging from his big smirk. He didn't like a bit that Miranda had been close to a man in the past.
-Rustle!
-Thud!
Just when the awkward silence seemed unbearable, something fell from the ceiling out of the void. The thing seemed to be a human who fell head-first in the bush a few meters away from them.
-Clang!
The bodyguards immediately drew their weapons and went in front of their protégé. Miranda and her friends didn't remain still as they were also ready to retort at any ambush.
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[!] Hope you liked it! This bonus chapter is my way to thank you all for the amount of support you gave me the last few days! See ya, tomorrow!
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