Upon exiting the dungeon, the sight that greets us is unexpected.

  Outside, the number of soldiers is much greater than we anticipated. A small cavalry unit is stationed near the entrance, with several horses ready and carts prepared to transport materials and people. The afternoon is edging toward dusk, and the fresh air outside contrasts sharply with the stifling atmosphere of the dungeon.

  Vincent steps forward to speak with the commanding officer, a tall man in ornate armor that signifies his rank. The officer bows slightly to Vincent, showing respect.

  “Prince Vincent, we have prepared everything necessary for your return and for transporting the collected materials,” the officer reports firmly. “I’ve also arranged for a couple of carts to be at your disposal for a more comfortable journey.”

  Vincent nods slightly, acknowledging the gesture.

  “We appreciate your support. It has been a difficult mission, and my companions need rest.”

  The officer gives the necessary orders, and soon a couple of carts are prepared for us. They are simple vehicles but spacious enough to accommodate us comfortably. The guides, who had been waiting patiently, take their positions at the front of the carts to lead the way back.

  With everything ready, we begin our journey back to the fort.

  The prince and his two childhood friends ride in the smaller cart, while the rest of us take the other one. Bob and Tom sit with Ronan on one of the two cushioned benches inside our vehicle. I sit between Mary and Darius. As the puppy starts barking—pretending to be an ordinary dog, as always when people are around—I take him out of my backpack and place him on my lap.

  “Ronan, there’s something I’d like to ask you,” I say after a while. Fatigue is beginning to set in, and I’m almost drifting into a sweet slumber.

  “My lady, whatever you wish to know.”

  “Why didn’t you do more? You barely acted in the dungeon, and we all know you have an incredible exhaust spell, for instance.”

  “True,” Darius chimes in, his expression changing as if recalling the zombies in the aquatic dungeon during the exam.

  Ronan, with his characteristic calm and confidence, reaches for his backpack and begins to open it. Darius, Mary, and I exchange puzzled glances. Ronan pulls out a skull.

  Wait… no… is it? Yes, it’s Joe’s skull. He must have kept it after Joe’s sacrifice.

  Ronan lifts the skull with both hands, almost cradling it, gazing into its empty eye sockets as he continues speaking:

  “The bear consumes a lot of mana; it’s a very powerful summoning. That’s why I did nothing else—I wanted to save mana in case something happened to you.”

  “Happened to us?” Mary asks, not understanding. “That’s what I’m here for—I’m the healer.”

  “Something more definitive,” Ronan replies without breaking his gaze from Joe’s skull.

  Something like… what happened to Joe?

  Oh my god. I’m horrified.

  “You mean because Mary can’t resurrect us?” Darius realizes.

  At first, his face lights up, as if he’s gotten the right answer to a difficult question in class. Then it dawns on him.

  Oh, yes. I can see it in how his expression shifts.

  First, an Ugh!

  Then a Well, but you would resurrect me, right?

  Then another Ugh! I’d be a zombie.

  And finally a Well, at least I wouldn’t be completely dead.

  His face is a poem. I imagine mine isn’t much better. As for Mary, I can’t tell because she’s covered her face with both hands and is emitting several horrified groans.

  So there’s that.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “And why do you keep Joe’s skull?” Darius eventually breaks the awkward silence after a few minutes.

  “Even if I’m missing bones, he and I are friends. I can raise him with this,” Ronan explains, nodding toward the skull he’s still holding before slowly tucking it back into his backpack.

  “You can?” Darius perks up. “That’s awesome! I like him a lot. He saved my life.”

  At this moment, I’m grateful for Darius. A bit of a simpleton, but without malice. I love it. Even Mary dares to lower her fingers slightly and glance at Ronan. It’s as if the earlier mix of unease, revulsion, and strange relief dissolves in the face of Darius’ delight that Joe is still alive.

  Or undead.

  Or whatever he is.

  Anyway, we resume the conversation, moving on to more mundane topics. Except, perhaps, when it veers toward light magic and resurrection spells. In the otome game, I never faced the dilemma of losing a party member. But in many MMORPGs, I did, so I’ve been waiting for a way to resurrect people in this world. I didn’t care if it was a sacred scroll (oops, maybe not, since the gods here are self-restricted), a high-level light spell, or a legendary item… something. According to Mary, no light magic can perform resurrections. Apparently, the highest-level healing spells can restore a destroyed body, but they’re useless if the person is already dead. This is because the soul leaves the body. Curiously, what Ronan seems to be doing with the bear and Joe is the opposite: raising a soul into a zombie or skeletal body and keeping it there.

  I think for a moment.

  “Could it be possible…? Do you think you could work together to create something new, a spell that truly resurrects?”

  The cart’s rattling lulls me. Darius, in fact, is already asleep. Maybe it’s because I’m drowsy that I ask without considering how unusual it might be for light and dark magic to collaborate.

  “My lady, I won’t deny that your sharp question has crossed my mind before. Intellectually, it’s a fascinating topic, and in my long days spent in darkness, I’ve pondered it more than once,” Ronan replies. I hear Mary exhale sharply. Hmm… I don’t even glance at her; I’m too relaxed, my eyes almost closed. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure if Mary knows about Ronan’s past. Probably not, just the little I’ve told her. “However, as I only possess dark magic, I could do little more than speculate.”

  “I…” Mary begins, her voice filled with emotion, “I’ve never even considered it, the idea that such a thing might be possible. But if it is, we must try. A world where no one has to grieve the untimely death of loved ones would be wonderful.”

  “All right. Shall we find someone condemned and kill him to test it?”

  Okay, I open my eyes. He’s joking, right?

  “Ronan, don’t say things like that as if you mean them,” Mary scolds. “That’s how you get a bad reputation… If we ever have the opportunity, we’ll try. But I hope we don’t. I don’t want anyone to die.”

  Ronan, who for a moment seemed deeply interested, nods with… disappointment?

  Whatever.

  Because normally, you’d wait for the executioner to handle it.

  I close my eyes again and refrain from continuing the conversation. The others talk until fatigue overtakes them as well, and we eventually fall asleep in the cart. Bob and Tom don’t sleep—I suppose that’s an advantage of being skeletons.

  The last sounds I hear before drifting into a restorative sleep are the horses’ hooves and the creaking of the wheels on the ground. The carts move slowly toward the fort that welcomed us this morning. The feeling of having survived and overcome the dungeon’s challenges washes over me, along with sheer exhaustion. The little pup breathes softly, asleep on my lap.

  When I wake, several of my companions are speaking in hushed tones. They notice me stirring and point out the window.

  I see the fort’s gates and notice the sky tinged with reddish hues, signaling the day’s end.

  By the way, the puppy is not on my lap but on Mary’s. I raise an eyebrow. What is the seed of evil doing there? And how is Mary so calm, not feeling repulsed or anything? Is the little wolf’s disguise as a dog that convincing?

  Mary is awake, petting him. The rascal has grown slightly, but since no one asks, I don’t explain anything.

  As the carts enter the fort’s grounds, the soldiers salute us respectfully, clearing the way as the guides lead us to a rest area.

  The horses pulling the carts come to a stop, and we disembark. It’s the same spot where we boarded with the guides this morning.

  The nobleman of the fort has been waiting and greets us personally. His expression is a mix of concern and relief upon seeing us return.

  I understand the relief—he’s probably worried the king wouldn’t react kindly to his son being injured or killed in the dungeon.

  “My sincerest apologies,” he says, bowing slightly. “I was under the impression this was a simple dungeon. I had no idea such rooms or creatures of that magnitude existed. I will open an investigation immediately, and once I have answers, I will ensure you are informed. Dinner and beds are ready if you wish to stay.”

  Vincent, ever courteous, responds with a slight nod.

  “We greatly appreciate your attention and concern. Rest assured, your words will be valued. However, I must apologize. My companions and I are exhausted, and as I mentioned upon arrival, we must return to the academy in time for dinner. On another occasion, I will accept your hospitality.”

  The nobleman nods, understanding the urgency.

  “Of course, Prince Vincent. I completely understand. But I am honored to know you would consider returning. Your presence will always be welcome here.”

  Vincent smiles softly and adds:

  “When we return, I will accept your invitation. This time, there will be no excuses.”

  The nobleman’s face lights up with joy.

  “It will be an honor to host you. Thank you, Prince Vincent, and to all of you, for what you accomplished today.”

  With a final exchange of words, we bid farewell to the nobleman and the soldiers who watch us with respect. Without further delay, we head to the portal that will take us back to the academy.

  I’m not sure we’ll make it in time for dinner.

  So now you can go ahead and check out the short story (my goal is for it to have around 10,000 to 12,000 words in total) that I’m writing for the magazine’s contest. It allows me to explore things that, from Bianca’s perspective, I can’t cover here. It’s an investigation tied to some academy missions that will come up next. This main story will continue to follow Bianca, but the short story delves deeper into other characters. I hope you enjoy it! :)