Far from the kingdom of Bellmoth there is a great mountain which no one approaches.

The trees wither if they grow and the animals flee in terror.

Nothing grows there and no one can live there because of a strange smell very poisonous to living things.

A group of people was going deep into that mountain.

It was Algard's group the crown prince along with Prime Minister Kramer and among others.

"Hey, how much farther to go? I'm getting annoyed by this mask."

Prince Algard was speaking to the only person who could detect magic power interference in the air.

She was a young girl in her early twenties.

Her long hair down to her back was light brown and her eyes were dark brown.

Her clothing was different from the others as it was a uniform that only court mages would wear, similar to gray robes.

The girl's name was Eclair and she was the only female among the court mages of the kingdom of Bellmoth.

Eclair grew up in a family of commoners who went hungry, one day she awakened her magical powers when she caught a rabbit to eat.

She used her powers to try to improve her parents' lives until one day she was discovered by a corrupt nobleman.

He accused Eclair's family of stealing her food when it was food they bought with the money their daughter earned fair and square.

Bellmoth from long ago regardless of whether the late King Eldegard was present, was a nation so corrupt that it looked down on the poor.

The poor were scum to be stepped on by those at the top.

They only saw their self-centered bubble as the only thing in the world out there.

They would break trade agreements just because the merchants would back down when they read that they would be forced to pay a 50% monthly tax and then 30% of the merchandise they had and finally 20% for taking any kind of product out of the country to import it.

It was an absurd fee of over 100% profit for Bellmoth that no one would pay.

That drove up prices and inflation set in.

Thanks to Dixgard is that this regime of terror ended as he killed all the corrupt ones especially the royal family.

But right now the only survivor was wanting to go back to his golden age.

And that was the reason for the celebration, the death of the corrupt and Algard saw that as a party in his honor.

Eclair had no choice but to plead for her parents' lives, but the chief court mage saw potential in her so he gave her two options.

Die with her parents or live in the palace and work for the royal family.

Eclair wanted to live with her parents, but they saw this as the opportunity they never thought they had.

They blamed themselves and were executed.

Eclair abided by their final will and went on to study magic and its concepts.

Over time, in a very sexist country, she became the first woman to become a court mage.

Putting aside the sexual harassment she received from her peers, she was happy to be a court mage.

Because she thought she would have a small degree of influence to be able to help the poor ones of the country.

But she realized too late that the country is rotten to the core and no matter how hard she tried, no one would listen to her because she was a woman.

No one would give her an ear to listen to the crazy things she said about improving the lives of the starving people, even if it meant a rebellion would happen one day.

She just nodded and accepted herself in living in that place until the day she died.

One day while reading in peace, she was visited by the chief court mage who asked her to accompany the future king in search of something.

When she asked what it was, she was told something that terrified her.

"One of the Seven Catastrophes you say!"

"I'm sorry, it's impossible, it's really impossible."

(The Seven Catastrophes are horror stories that parents told their children to put them to sleep.)

(The scary thing is that they did exist and thanks to what I was told, one of those calamities is near here.)

Long ago a king of Bellmoth found a cave which was created by something that fell from the sky.

It was so deep that it emanated a strong stench, but the king was a genuine adventurer and went in.

It took him three days to return and when he did, he came back screaming with no clothes on and his hair completely fallen out.

He shouted "A monster! In that cave there is a huge black monster!"

The people who heard that immediately understood, that place was where one of the Seven Catastrophes rested.

Seven evil beasts that attacked humankind centuries ago and were defeated by the Three Heroes who gave their lives to erase those aberrations.

But witnesses to those exploits reported that they could not guarantee whether they were just put to sleep or were really dead.

For they were almost without a scratch and only saw large bodies falling.

The map he held in his hands was created by the king who discovered that cave.

But the plague of a corrupted magical power caused the forest and then the mountain to die little by little.

Not to mention that the map being stored for so long would lose its dye.

Therefore, the only person who can read and restore it is Eclair.

She was threatened by Algard that if she did not hurry and take her to where the calamity was, his men would have their fun with her.

She reluctantly agreed and handed him a mask made from medicinal herbs to neutralize the harmful effects of the evil power.

"Hey, I asked you if still nothing we arrived, I'm bored!"

"I-I'm really sorry, but the fog in this place is so dense that I can't see anything."

"I don't care. Hurry up or I'll tell them to devour you."

"Your highness that is most inappropriate, she is the only female of our court mages."

"Did you say something?"

"I said you are very wise!"

She couldn't count on anyone to help her out of this situation.

(Come on, where are you?)

(Any sign of where you are?)

As if her thoughts were heard, suddenly the ground she was stepping on became an abyss.

"Kyahhh!"

She screamed as she fell down that huge crater, but thanks to some mushrooms growing there despite the fact that nothing should be growing there, she fell gently into them and then onto her butt as she hit bottom.

"It hurts so much."

She opened her eyes and noticed that there was no fog in this place.

There was only a huge hole dark as night from which a strange breeze could be felt.

Eclair thought at that moment.

(This must be the place.)

(Even if someone said it wasn't, I'm sure it's this place.)

As the mushrooms that grew out of nowhere began to wilt.

"Hey, where are you!"

Prince Algard shouted.

"Ah. I'm here!"

She shouted to be heard.

The prince and the others slowly descended and came upon a huge cave.

"It's here without a doubt."

"Let's go."

"Please wait your highness."

He was stopped by Eclair.

"First we must find out if there is no danger inside for you."

"That's simple."

He grabbed Eclair's hair and threw her forward.

"You'll go ahead. You're the only one capable of detecting the magical power of a living being and objects anyway, aren't you?"

"Get off your ass then."

Eclair wanted to cry, stood up and walked into that dark hole.

This happened exactly four days ago.

◇

In the distance we could see a beautiful city which was shining as if it was the reflection of the blue sea.

A strange toll booth was there.

I arrived at the toll booth and before I said anything, the man standing there said.

"Papers please."

The back window of the carriage was knocked on, it was Alice knocking, I opened the window for her and she handed me some papers which I handed to the man.

He looked them over and then handed them to me.

"Alright, enjoy your stay here princess."

"Thank you."

Eliza replied.

The small gate connecting to the booth opened and we walked through.

"Master, I can notice several presences in the nearby vicinity."

"Me too, they must be guards."

It's like Alice said, an armed group was hiding in the trees staring at us.

Thinking we are suspicious people or something.

We passed the entrance and again I was amazed by the place.

Everything was shiny as if it was made of glass.

We left the carriage at the first inn we found and after checking in we went for a walk.

"Why are you so quiet?"

Asked Estelle who looks like a maid with green hair.

"You said it's only at night that you can access that bar."

"Then we should wait."

Even if I said that, it doesn't take away how worried I am about Alice.

"Alice, would you like to go with me to buy some souvenirs for the others?"

"Sure!"

She replied in high spirits.

I turned now to Estelle and Eliza.

"We'll go shopping then. Please wait here."

"Understood."

We left and left them alone.

◇

It was just the two of us, she took my arm and buried her cheek in my shoulder.

"This feels like a very romantic date between us."

"It is. But I'm really bothered by this."

"What thing?"

She asked intrigued.

"Alice, I wasn't kidding when I said this would be dangerous."

"What Estelle said if it becomes true, there's no safe place for you. It really is dangerous for you to be here."

"I don't want anything to happen to you, the best thing you can do is go home─"

She hugged me tightly, as if she didn't want to let go of me for anything in this world.

"I don't want to!"

She looked at me with sad puppy eyes, please don't.

"I wanted to accompany you because I wanted to be useful to you."

"Be useful to me?"

I said very shocked by that answer.

"I don't have any magical power like you, any kind of political power like mother or being the heir like Mary."

"I'm just the second princess."

"What you said that time and what's happening now is proof that you'll get in trouble every time."

"I'm sure there will be fights that will be very risky...that's why I..."

She hugged me tightly again with great sadness in her words.

"I don't want to stay behind. I want to at least be useful to you to lighten your burden."

Her words reminded me of a certain goddess I haven't spoken to in a long time.

I hugged her to show her my feelings.

"It makes me happy that you say that."

"I am not the strongest man in the world, I only seek to eliminate the danger that threatens my world."

"I want to be happy and so I seek to eliminate problems as soon as possible."

"It makes me happy that you want to be with me so much that you even seek danger. Doesn't that make me particularly happy in fact."

"But your honesty is what I admire, you really are a brave girl."

"Thank you for being with me, Alice."

"Hehehe. If you say so many things like that you'll make me blush."

"That's good. As my future wife I must show you my love when I can and now we can do."

I moved to her lips and we had a wonderful lovers' kiss.

◇◇◇

"You really are all idiots, you're all taking it lightly."

"It might be as you say. The master is taking it easy on this matter."

Eliza and Estelle were left alone in that bustling place, they went to sit near a fountain while waiting for them to return.

Estelle looked at Eliza and she without looking at her replied.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. It's just that it's really weird that you agree with me, but don't try to convince him."

"Master made the choice to fight and wait for the night to fall, I can't do anything else just wait beside him."

"That's why. Your loyalty is rare, you don't even look human, humans and demi-humans doubt even our families and you blindly trust that man."

"What's so special about him?"

"..."

Eliza didn't answer, she just closed her eyes and then said.

"The master is my master, as an exclusive servant my duty is to see to their safety no matter if they are harmful to me or others."

"Sounds almost like you're one of those crazy women in love with a guy who cheats on his wife over and over again."

"You do like to talk, do you want me to cut out your tongue that badly? Really a talking cat is irritating."

"The change from your cold emotionless personality to a vengeful angry one is really fast and scary!"

"Estelle-chan! Eliza-chan! We brought souvenirs for you too!"

Elia stood up and said a few words to Estelle before walking towards Alice.

"Just as you have a reason to live which is revenge, my reason to serve the master is something that only matters to me and no one else should care."

Estelle did not understand Eliza's way of thinking.

But if she knew the message encrypted in her words, she would immediately understand what she meant.

◇◇◇

Night fell very quickly.

The four of them were hiding in an alley that connected to a certain bar.

"That's the place?"

"Yes, that bar is the mask we use for customers."

"They come in and think it's a simple place and they're all barbarians, it's an excuse so they don't see the real inside and know the connections the boss has with the whole world."

"It's a labyrinth inside that is underground."

"I see. Interesting that, but I don't care."

Before he got here, Lion went to buy a high-quality sword.

He didn't care what it cost or who made it, he only cared about its durability and sharpness.

"Alright, it's about time."

"...Will you really do it?"

Estelle asked incredulous at what he would do.

Lion answered her by checking the body gear he bought.

"Of course I will, I told you so many times."

"I don't care who that boss of yours is. Anyone who wants to kill me will be eliminated."

"I was planning on taking you with me and Eliza, but now that Alice is here she must be protected and you two will take care of her. did you hear?"

Eliza nodded in the polite and graceful way a maid would.

"Understood. Master, be careful."

Lion chuckled a little at her concern.

"I am a hero. One who already knows traps hidden in walls, floors, boxes, labyrinthine corridors among other traps."

"It'll be a piece of cake."

"See ya~."

He said in a cheerful tone as he ran to the door and with one strong kick he kicked it down.

Estelle told him that the entrance to the interior of the underground was hidden behind the bartender.

"There it went again."

"Hey, is it normal for him to go like a madman destroying everything in his path?"

"I thought he'd have a more elaborate plan than that..."

"That's what my future husband is like hehehehe."

Alice said smiling awkwardly.

"Don't presume something like that!"

"You two get out of the way!"

Suddenly Eliza screamed and grabbed both girls and threw them aside as if they were trash.

The two girls fell to the ground and just when it was Eliza's turn to run away, her back was ripped by something sharp and a strange green liquid came out instead of blood.

"..."

She seemed for a moment to feel pain, but erased that sensation immediately.

*Whistling*

"That was a very good reaction, silver-haired maid."

"But you were hurt in the process. So it wasn't a good way to avoid the damage you received."

Said a mysterious voice from above.

There stood three mysterious figures who quickly down.

Estelle opened her mouth in fear as she saw who those three mysterious figures were.

"I-It can't be, it's them. The Dark Triad!"

Starting with the figure to the right of the three.

He was a strange man if one could call him, his attire was similar to that of a pervert practicing torture for pleasure in heels.

His hair was cropped on half of his head and half with hair covered his right side.

His name was Basler and besides speaking girly he was the third strongest of the Dark Triad.

"Ara, it's a pity that these cute little dolls are our targets to eliminate."

"Hahaha, I find it ridiculous to want to kill girls, but President Steiner ordered it and there's nothing to be done."

Replied a man with rag-like clothes, unkempt hair and long beard with a lost look from too many drugs.

Bartholt was his name and he was number two in their group.

"Shut your mouths both of you, no matter who our target is, whether he is a baby or a saint, we must eliminate them because that is our duty."

"Spoke the faithful dog."

"That's why you're not popular with the girls."

"I'll kill you idiots!"

The last of them was the number one assassin, the strongest of the Dark Triad and also Griffin's right-hand man.

Zolgen, a man with tanned skin, exposed muscles replete with tattoos and above all a shiny bald head.

They were the Dark Triad, and now that they appeared, it will be impossible for them to escape.

◇

"I'll ask one more time."

"Where is your boss?"

After I entered the place, I started to tear apart here and there.

The inside of this subway base doesn't look like a base.

It's a huge mansion underground!

It really is unbelievable this place, it has all the amenities you would expect from rich people.

Of course, being underground you wouldn't see it.

It's a shame that those beautiful white walls and portraits are stained with the blood of my enemies.

I proceeded to kill everyone without any mercy.

I entered every room and destroyed the hidden traps.

I forgot for a moment that I came for the boss, grabbed a wounded guy and demanded to know where their leader was.

He spat in my face, I twisted his neck.

Next.

"Where is your boss?"

"I won't tell you even if─"

*Broke*

"Next."

"Your boss where is he hiding?"

"You're wrong if you think I'll betray─"

"Next."

I proceeded to repeat the same thing a few times.

"You know, I don't mind doing this all day. It's their necks that end up broken."

"..."

The guy I grabbed seemed to hesitate when he saw the corpses of his companions.

"Can I beg for my life?"

"How many have you killed?"

"None I swear!"

"It's just my first week and I only received basic training, I've barely killed snakes for food and I've never killed anyone."

"Fine, tell me where your boss is and promise not to break your neck."

"Sure! At the end of the biggest hallway is his office, you'll recognize it because it's the biggest and most exaggerated door of all."

"Thanks."

I let go of the guy and hoped he wouldn't do the cliché they all do.

"You idiot, you should have killed me when you had your chance!"

*Broke*

I snapped his neck by stepping back and stretching my hand to his head and positioned it upside down.

I don't understand why they betray their bosses and then show loyalty.

Are they idiots?

Anyway, I went where he told me and it was true.

This door was the most exaggerated of all in size, color and especially the sign that says boss there.

I drew my sword and entered as if I were a tax collector.

"Hello, hello, I've come to take care of the boss, is that you just in case?"

The room was dark, but a man was sitting there drinking a glass of rum.

He looked at me to see and after finishing his drink he answered me.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"No. Because I don't care."

"Die already stupid."

I jumped up to cut him off quickly to get it over with as soon as possible.

But suddenly I was looking at the floor with remnants of his desk on it.

"That desk was imported. It cost a fortune."

I thought immediately.

(Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!)

(What the hell just happened!)

Looks like it won't be an easy battle this time.