Lying on my luxurious bed in front of me was the girl I had just rescued, though it was unclear whether she really needed saving.

Whilst making my way to my chambers, my system alerted me to a key character in close proximity. I hastened in the opposite direction and soon found myself face to face with a black-cloaked figure. Upon removing her mask, I beheld a stunning elven girl with pointed ears, azure eyes, and hair as white as snow, yet she was bleeding profusely from multiple wounds.

"It hurts," she whimpered as I applied a dressing to her injured hand. Desperately, she implored me to use magic to ease her pain, but my mana circuits were blocked by Veronica, rendering it an impossible task. I assured her that I would find someone who could aid her, but for the present, I needed to stem the bleeding and bind her wounds to keep her alive until morning.

With propriety in mind, I asked for her consent before tending to her wounds. My hands were unsteady and my legs trembled, for I had never attended to someone in such a manner, particularly not a female.

As I tended to her cuts, she regarded me with a look of apprehension. Despite her moans of agony, I applied salve and bindings to her wounds in the hopes of alleviating her suffering.

Five hours later, she finally succumbed to slumber, her arms enfolding me, her nails leaving fresh wounds upon my skin. Although I had offered her comfort during her treatment, I did not begrudge her for it, for it was my choice to do so.

As I gazed upon her peaceful countenance, a sense of serenity washed over me, for watching her writhe in pain for hours had taken a heavy toll on my mental state.

"Umm, don't leave me, mum," she muttered even as I attempted to extract my arm from her grasp. It took some effort, but I eventually freed myself and stepped outside to find Luvric, who was leisurely smoking a cigarette on a bridge.

For a moment, my heart was gripped by fear as I pondered whether Luvric had caught wind of something, but those thoughts were quickly dispelled as he called out to me.

"Can't sleep, old boy?" he enquired.

"Not quite, I had a bit too much coffee this evening," I replied, making my way towards him.

"Coffee, you say? Oh, yes, it seems that humans have that kind of function within their bodies," he said, as if pondering this for the first time.

Desperate for information, I asked, "Have they caught the intruder?"

"The archer tower has informed us that the intruder has been seen entering the palace, but the search squad has yet to catch her," Luvric replied, taking a puff from his cigarette.

Just as I was about to release a sigh of relief, Luvric's next words made me flinch.

"But don't worry, it won't be long until we find the intruder. When one enters the Bloodfallen Palace, it's not easy to escape." I couldn't help but gulp as I heard his words.

My fears were not unfounded, for the quest I had been assigned by the system was of the utmost importance and difficulty:

[Quest: Rescue the character and help her escape the Bloodfallen Palace].

[Difficulty: Hard].

[Reward: Mana circuit's Reset ]

[ Additional Reward: Instant level up ]

[Penalty If the quest fails: 1000 Electric shocks and The skill Appraisal will Be Deactivated]

"The penalty, it seems, is rather steep," I muttered. "I must prepare myself for a thousand jolts of electricity and, worst of all, the deactivation of my one valuable talent - appraisal. Such a fate must be avoided at all costs."

As Luvric spoke, I understood the gravity of the situation. "Do you have any information on the intruder?" I asked.

"The intruder, hmm, not a great deal," Luvric replied. "But what I have gathered from Lord Raymond is that this code 9 prisoner was recently arrested by the Central Mage Association and was in temporary custody in Estradel. She was being transferred to the capital when she managed to escape the guards."

"Ah, yes," Luvric continued, "she is an Elf, from the forbidden clan known as the 'Lunar'."

"Lunar?" I echoed, feeling somewhat ignorant.

"You don't know?" Luvric said with a bewitching smile. "I distinctly recall giving you a book about ancient tribes and clans. Did you not read it?"

"Well, I-I," I stammered, "I was curious to hear about it from you. Your explanations are always so captivating, you see."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, my friend," Luvric said with a chuckle. "When we return to the capital, I shall ensure you receive twenty books on the ancient tribes, and I will not accept a refusal. That shall be your punishment for not reading the assigned material."

I tried to argue, but Luvric was having none of it. "No more arguments," he said firmly. "Let me answer your earlier question.

"The Lunar tribe, one of the oldest and most enigmatic of the elven clans, resides deep within the Azarian forest in the far eastern reaches of the Aragon Empire. Their storied history with the empire, however, is not a proud one. Known for their unyielding devotion to their deity Azural, the Lunar have long been the subject of fascination and concern among imperial officials.

Seventy years ago, as the Aragon Empire expanded its military presence along its eastern borders, the Lunar were encountered for the first time. An official delegation, led by the respected Commander Bendwen Marker, was dispatched to negotiate with the tribe. Accompanied by a formidable army of six thousand soldiers, the delegation entered the Azarian forest with high hopes for a successful outcome.

However, what transpired was a gruesome bloodbath. The Lunar ambushed the imperial soldiers, butchering them without mercy. The remains of the great Commander Marker were found hanging naked from a tree, his body bearing a message carved in their cryptic language that read, "Our god Azural has struck down your army, which threatened to bring disaster upon us. Leave us be, lest you suffer further losses."

The full tale of this fateful encounter is a long and harrowing one, but suffice it to say that the Lunar remain a powerful force to be reckoned with, fiercely guarded and wary of outsiders. And so, Asher, it is time for you to retire for the night. There is much work to be done tomorrow at the palace, and you must be rested for the tasks ahead."

"So, this was the reason for the declaration of the Lunar clan as forbidden, was it?" I queried of Luvric, who replied with a hint of bitterness in his voice, "It's the church which declared them as such."

"Well, I must retire for the night," Luvric said as he bade me farewell and made his way towards his chambers. However, before he could depart, I called out to him in a somewhat hesitant voice.

"Luvric, sir," I began, "might I impose upon you with a request?"

"Ask away, but make it quick," he replied with a chuckle.

"Might I sleep in your room tonight?" I asked, feeling a sense of trepidation at the thought of being alone with the Elven Girl.

Luvric's demeanor changed abruptly. "What? I'm not gay, you impudent whelp! How dare you suggest such a thing!" he exclaimed, placing his hands in a defensive X-shape.

For a moment, I was struck by how much he resembled a young woman in that moment.

"I-I wasn't suggesting anything of the sort," I stammered. "I simply fear being alone and thought that perhaps I might be able to sleep in your room."

Luvric's expression softened, and he resumed his composed demeanor. "Ah, I see. You should have simply said so in the first place. It's a shame that a young man like yourself should feel afraid to sleep alone. As you are under my care, it is my duty to ensure your safety and comfort. Yes, you may sleep in my room."

"But you'll have to make do with the sofa," he added, "I'm afraid my bed is already occupied."

"Oh, come on," I grumbled, not particularly enthused about the prospect of sleeping on a sofa.

And with that, the night passed uneventfully.