Chapter 11 — The Kingdom of the Headless Crown

The next morning, the three adventurers stood outside Shadowveil City.

A carriage waited beside the road.

Mina looked at it.

Then at Nyxhen.

Then at Yumiko.

Then back at the carriage.

“We're taking this?”

Nyxhen nodded.

“Yes.”

Mina smiled.

“Nice.”

Yumiko stood beside her, her large white wings folded against her back.

She looked at the carriage curiously.

“Have you ridden one before?”

Mina shook her head.

“Of course.”

Nyxhen stared at her.

“You have?”

“No.”

“Then why did you say of course?”

“I wanted to sound experienced.”

Nyxhen sighed.

Yumiko giggled.

“You're strange, Mina.”

“I prefer interesting.”

“That's not the same thing.”

“It is in my dictionary.”

“You have a dictionary?”

“No.”

Nyxhen closed his eyes.

“I'm already tired.”

The Journey to Veloria

The three climbed into the carriage.

Mina sat near the window.

Yumiko sat beside her.

Nyxhen sat across from them.

The carriage began moving.

The wheels rolled along the road.

Mina immediately pressed her face against the window.

“Whoa!”

Nyxhen looked at her.

“What?”

“The scenery!”

“You've seen trees before.”

“But these trees are different.”

“They're trees.”

“Maybe they're special trees.”

Nyxhen looked outside.

“They're trees.”

Mina continued staring.

Yumiko smiled.

“You really like traveling.”

“Of course!”

Mina turned toward them.

“We're going to a kingdom!”

Nyxhen crossed his arms.

“We're going to fight something that apparently controls an entire kingdom.”

Mina smiled.

“That's also exciting.”

“That is the opposite of what I said.”

Yumiko laughed.

The carriage continued forward.

For a while, everything was peaceful.

Then Mina turned toward Yumiko.

“Okay.”

Yumiko blinked.

“Okay?”

“You need to tell us what you can do.”

Yumiko looked confused.

“What I can do?”

“Yes.”

Mina pointed at her enormous scissor-claymore.

“You remember how to use that.”

Yumiko looked down at it.

“I think so.”

“And you're an angel.”

“Yes.”

“And you have wings.”

“Yes.”

“And wing ears.”

Yumiko touched one.

“Yes.”

Mina leaned closer.

“So what else?”

Yumiko thought.

“I don't know.”

Nyxhen sighed.

“That's going to be a problem.”

Mina looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because we're heading into a kingdom ruled by an unknown enemy, and one of our party members doesn't remember her abilities.”

Yumiko looked apologetic.

“Sorry.”

Nyxhen immediately shook his head.

“Don't apologize. It's not your fault.”

Mina smiled.

“See? Nyxhen does have a nice side.”

Nyxhen looked away.

“Don't tell anyone.”

Mina giggled.

Yumiko looked at her hands.

“I think there is something.”

“What?”

“I don't know.”

She raised one hand.

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“Something feels familiar.”

Mina watched carefully.

Yumiko closed her eyes.

She took a slow breath.

Then—

A tiny white cloud appeared above her palm.

Mina froze.

Nyxhen immediately leaned forward.

Yumiko opened her eyes.

“...What is that?”

The cloud floated gently above her hand.

Mina's mouth opened.

“Cloud.”

Yumiko blinked.

“I can make a cloud?”

“Apparently.”

Mina poked it.

Her finger went straight through.

“It's soft.”

Yumiko moved her hand.

The cloud followed.

“That's strange.”

Nyxhen stared at it.

His expression changed.

“Wait.”

Mina looked at him.

“What?”

Nyxhen pointed at the cloud.

“That isn't ordinary magic.”

Yumiko looked at him.

“What do you mean?”

Nyxhen studied the cloud.

“Dream-based magic.”

Mina's eyes widened.

“You know about it?”

“A little.”

Nyxhen looked at Yumiko.

“Your class might be Dreamweaver.”

Yumiko blinked.

“Dreamweaver?”

Nyxhen nodded.

“A class that manipulates dreams, imagination, and dream-like constructs.”

Mina stared at the cloud.

“So she can make dreams?”

“Possibly.”

Yumiko looked at the little cloud.

“I don't remember learning this.”

“You may not need to remember.”

Nyxhen pointed at her hand.

“Your body might remember what your mind forgot.”

Yumiko stared at the cloud.

“That's... interesting.”

Mina immediately raised her hand.

“Can I have one?”

Yumiko blinked.

“A cloud?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because it looks fun.”

Yumiko smiled.

“Okay.”

She raised her other hand.

Another cloud appeared.

Mina grabbed it.

It immediately popped.

Puff.

Mina stared at her empty hand.

“...It died.”

Nyxhen sighed.

“It's a cloud.”

“It was my cloud.”

“You had it for two seconds.”

“It was a short but meaningful friendship.”

Yumiko covered her mouth.

“I'm trying not to laugh.”

Nyxhen looked at her.

“Don't encourage her.”

Mina pointed at Nyxhen.

“Jealous.”

“Of what?”

“My cloud.”

“It disappeared.”

“Exactly. You couldn't handle its beauty.”

Nyxhen stared out the window.

“I should have stayed in Shadowveil.”

The Aura of Veloria

Hours passed.

Eventually, the carriage slowed.

The driver looked ahead.

“We're approaching the Kingdom of Veloria.”

Mina immediately looked through the window.

Her excitement vanished.

The landscape had changed.

The road became darker.

The grass around the path looked strangely dull.

The trees were twisted.

Even the sky seemed different.

Yumiko's wings moved slightly.

She frowned.

“I feel something.”

Nyxhen's expression became serious.

“Me too.”

Mina swallowed.

“What is it?”

Nyxhen looked ahead.

“Aura.”

“Dark?”

“Very.”

Yumiko looked toward the kingdom.

“It feels... heavy.”

Mina nodded.

“It feels like something is watching us.”

The carriage passed through the kingdom's outer gate.

The moment they entered—

A strange pressure surrounded them.

Mina's crimson hair moved slightly despite there being almost no wind.

Yumiko's wings trembled.

Nyxhen's chains rattled.

Mina slowly looked around.

“...This place is creepy.”

Nyxhen nodded.

“For once, I agree with you.”

Mina looked at him.

“For once?”

“Yes.”

“Rude.”

The driver looked uncomfortable.

“You three should be careful.”

Mina leaned forward.

“Have you been here before?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know?”

The driver pointed ahead.

“Because people who enter this kingdom don't usually come back.”

Everyone went silent.

Mina slowly sat back.

“...Oh.”

Yumiko looked at her.

“Mina?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we still doing this?”

Mina stared ahead.

Then smiled.

“Absolutely.”

Nyxhen groaned.

“Of course.”

Veloria

The carriage eventually stopped near the outskirts of the kingdom.

The three stepped down.

The driver immediately turned the carriage around.

Mina watched him.

“He's leaving?”

Nyxhen nodded.

“Apparently.”

Mina waved.

“Thank you!”

The driver didn't stop.

Mina lowered her hand.

“...He really doesn't want to stay.”

Yumiko looked around.

There were abandoned houses.

Broken signs.

Empty streets.

No civilians.

No merchants.

No children.

No noise.

Mina whispered.

“Where is everyone?”

Nyxhen looked around.

“Probably hiding.”

Yumiko tightened her grip around her giant weapon.

“Something is wrong.”

Suddenly—

CLINK.

One of Nyxhen's chains moved.

He turned.

“Did you hear that?”

Mina looked around.

“No.”

Yumiko shook her head.

Then—

CRACK!

A glass window shattered.

Nyxhen instantly pushed Mina aside.

A sharp piece of glass flew past them.

“MOVE!”

Mina stumbled.

“What was that?!”

Nyxhen looked toward the rooftop.

A woman stood there.

Long hair.

A dark outfit.

Glass fragments floated around her like a swarm of blades.

She smiled.

“Well, well.”

Nyxhen's expression hardened.

The woman raised one hand.

“Three adventurers.”

Mina stared.

“Who are you?”

The woman smiled.

“Seraphine Veylglass.”

The glass around her rotated.

“Remember that name.”

Nyxhen stepped forward.

“She's the enemy.”

Mina looked at him.

“How do you know?”

“Because normal people don't throw glass at strangers.”

“Fair.”

Seraphine laughed.

“You're quick.”

Nyxhen narrowed his eye.

“Unfortunately for you.”

Seraphine raised her hand.

The glass shards shot forward.

Nyxhen jumped.

Chains erupted from his body.

CLANK!

The chains wrapped around his arm.

He swung them outward.

The glass shattered against the metal.

Mina's eyes widened.

“Nyxhen!”

“Go!”

“What?”

“Take Yumiko and find the castle!”

“But—”

“I'll handle her!”

Seraphine smiled.

“Oh?”

She raised her hand.

Hundreds of glass fragments appeared.

“Confident.”

Nyxhen slowly reached toward empty air.

His fingers closed around nothing.

Then—

A black chain appeared.

It wrapped around his hand.

The chain extended into a massive chained scythe.

Nyxhen pulled it from thin air.

The blade gleamed.

His expression changed completely.

He spun the scythe once.

WHOOOOSH!

The chain rattled across the street.

Nyxhen planted the weapon beside him.

“Meet my Noctesgrave.”

Seraphine's smile widened.

“Now that's more interesting.”

Nyxhen's eye narrowed.

“Come on.”

He swung the scythe.

The chain launched forward.

“Let's see what your glass can really do.”

Mina and Yumiko

Meanwhile—

Mina and Yumiko ran through the streets.

Mina looked behind them.

“Nyxhen!”

Yumiko grabbed her hand.

“He told us to go!”

“But he's fighting alone!”

“He can handle himself!”

Mina frowned.

“Probably.”

They turned the corner.

Then stopped.

Mina's face went pale.

“...Oh.”

Yumiko looked ahead.

A massive horde filled the street.

Skeletons.

Hundreds of them.

Maybe thousands.

They marched through the kingdom.

Their weapons scraped against the ground.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

Yumiko stared.

“That's a lot.”

Mina raised her hand.

“Very.”

One skeleton noticed them.

Then another.

Then dozens.

Then hundreds.

They all turned.

Mina swallowed.

“Okay.”

She pulled out a blood vial.

Yumiko raised her giant scissors.

Mina smiled.

“Let's do this.”

She threw the vial into the air.

Blood floated around her.

“Blood Shot!”

The blood transformed into projectiles.

BANG!

Several skeletons were knocked backward.

Yumiko swung her giant weapon.

WHOOSH!

A huge group of skeletons was sent flying.

Yumiko stared.

“I'm pretty good at this.”

Mina grinned.

“Told you!”

Yumiko swung again.

WHOOSH!

More skeletons flew.

Mina fired again.

“Blood Shot!”

BANG!

“Blood Shot!”

BANG!

“Blood Shot!”

BANG!

Yumiko swung.

“Scissors!”

Mina looked at her.

“That's not the name of your attack.”

“I don't know the name!”

“Fair!”

Yumiko swung again.

“SCISSORS!”

Mina laughed.

Then Mina noticed something.

The skeletons weren't moving randomly.

They were following commands.

Every single one.

Mina looked around.

“Wait.”

Yumiko stopped.

“What?”

“These skeletons.”

“What about them?”

“Someone is controlling them.”

Yumiko looked around.

“Necromancer?”

Mina nodded.

“Definitely.”

A voice echoed from somewhere.

“Correct.”

Mina's eyes widened.

A figure appeared in the distance.

A dark-robed mage stood among the skeletons.

The skeletons moved around them.

Mina pointed.

“There!”

Yumiko lifted her weapon.

“Got it.”

Mina raised her hand.

“Let's take them down!”

The necromancer raised one hand.

Every skeleton charged.

“Here they come!”

Mina fired.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

Yumiko swung.

“SCISSORS!”

The battle erupted.

The Fireball

Mina fired Blood Shot after Blood Shot.

Yumiko swung her giant weapon again and again.

The skeletons kept coming.

Then—

A massive fireball flew through the street.

Mina looked up.

“Uh-oh.”

Yumiko looked up too.

“That's big.”

“Very big.”

“Run?”

“RUN!”

The fireball exploded between them.

BOOM!

Mina and Yumiko were thrown in opposite directions.

“Mina!”

“YUMIKO!”

Smoke filled the street.

Mina tried to stand.

“Yumiko!”

She couldn't see her.

Then—

A strange magical light appeared beneath Mina's feet.

“What?”

The ground disappeared.

Mina fell.

“AAAAAAAH!”

The Castle

Mina landed on a cold stone floor.

THUD!

She groaned.

“Ow…”

She slowly stood.

Then looked around.

She was inside a massive castle.

Tall pillars surrounded her.

Dark flames burned in wall-mounted braziers.

Mina looked behind herself.

The magical light had disappeared.

“...I got teleported.”

A voice echoed from the darkness.

“Indeed.”

Mina froze.

A figure stepped forward.

A mage surrounded by flames.

Fire danced around their body.

Mina narrowed her eyes.

“Who are you?”

The mage smiled.

“Flamereaver.”

Fire erupted around their hands.

“And you are the intruder.”

Mina raised her hand.

Blood gathered around her fingers.

“I'm Mina.”

Flamereaver smiled.

“Then, Mina…”

The flames grew brighter.

“Let's see how long you survive.”

Mina grinned.

“I was hoping you'd say that.”

Yumiko's Side

Back outside—

Yumiko pushed herself up.

“Mina!”

She looked around.

Nothing.

“Mina!”

Only skeletons answered.

Clack.

Clack.

Yumiko tightened her grip around her giant weapon.

“Where did she go?”

A skeleton lunged.

Yumiko swung.

WHOOSH!

It flew away.

“Mina!”

Another skeleton attacked.

She swung again.

“Not now!”

Another.

“Move!”

Another.

“Stop bothering me!”

Yumiko's wings spread behind her.

Her expression became determined.

“I need to find Mina.”

She raised her giant scissor-claymore.

“I'm coming!”

Somewhere Else in Veloria

Nyxhen's chains crashed against glass.

CLANG!

Seraphine stepped backward.

“Interesting.”

Nyxhen spun Noctesgrave.

The chained scythe ripped through the air.

“You talk too much.”

Seraphine smiled.

“And you don't talk enough.”

Glass gathered around her.

Nyxhen tightened his grip.

“Then let's stop talking.”

Seraphine's eyes narrowed.

“Gladly.”

The two charged.

Steel.

Glass.

Chains.

Magic.

The battle had begun.

And deep inside the castle—

Mina stood alone against a fire mage.

Outside—

Yumiko fought through an endless army of skeletons.

And somewhere between them—

The Headless Crown watched.

The kingdom itself seemed to hold its breath.

The battle for Veloria—

Had finally begun.