While there was light in the underground metropolis, its perpetual twilight hue couldn’t compare to true natural sunlight.

  After savoring the sun for a moment, Hulim dispelled her Strengthen buff and walked toward the ruins’ exit.

  "I should confirm my location first—I couldn’t judge directions accurately underground."

  Hulim stepped out of the ruins.

  When she saw the scene outside, she froze in place.

  "I... I’m still in the safe zone?"

  Yes—she recognized the familiar surroundings: the city ruins surrounding the area, and various scattered relics inside.

  Undoubtedly, this was the previous safe zone!

  Hulim glanced back at the ruins behind her.

  After a moment’s thought, she understood.

  Clearly, this passage had been dug by the sages of this era.

  This was one of the few safe zones in Mirnabith—it made perfect sense for scholars of this era to choose it as their excavation starting point.

  "Since I’m already here, I might as well check if my luggage is still there. It’s been over half a month—the giant dragon should have left long ago......"

  Many tools for traveling and living were in her luggage. During these half-month underground, Hulim had to make tools herself most of the time, which was inconvenient and less effective than specialized ones.

  Roughly confirming her direction,

  Hulim headed toward the church ruins where she’d left her luggage.

  After some time, she arrived at the church ruins. The buildings here were still intact, with no signs of damage from the giant dragon.

  Hulim entered the church ruins.

  "Great! The luggage is still here!"

  Her luggage was exactly where she’d left it—no creatures had wandered in to cause trouble during this time.

  She just wondered where the Shieldhorn Beasts she’d grazed on the grass outside had gone......

  "Could the giant dragon have eaten them?"

  If that were the case, returning would be troublesome.

  "There’s no point staying on the surface. Charkin hasn’t shown any sign of coming back. I might as well take my luggage and return underground."

  Both the Tower of Ages in the underground metropolis and the Mana Pool hidden in the underground cave were far better than staying on the surface.

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  After checking her luggage to ensure everything was in order, Hulim slung it over her back and walked toward the church exit.

  "I wonder what kind of giant dragon that was. And when will Charkin come back? By the way......"

  "Should I leave him a message here? If he comes back and can’t find me, he might leave on his own—that would be a hassle."

  With that thought, Hulim stopped.

  She glanced back at the church.

  "I’ll carve it on the entrance wall so he’ll see it right away."

  Hulim drew Helkem and began leaving a message on the church wall.

  As she carved, a large shadow covered her area without her noticing.

  The shadow was so big that Hulim—focused on carving—didn’t realize it...

  ...seemed to be in the shape of a creature’s head.

  "There, that’s done!"

  After finishing the message, Hulim sheathed Helkem and prepared to leave.

  "Mirnabith’s weather is really strange—it suddenly turned cloudy......"

  Hulim muttered casually as she put away Helkem.

  At the same time, she instinctively looked up at the sky.

  And then......

  Her eyes met those of a massive creature with red scales, staring down at her from above.

  She could even see her own reflection clearly in the creature’s huge golden slit pupils.

  ......

  "Why is this happening?!"

  A girl’s scream echoed across the safe zone’s plains.

  It was immediately followed by a roar that shook the very air.

  "Growl——!!!"

  At the sound of that roar, all creatures in the plains hid on the spot. Those who couldn’t hide in time simply dug a hole and buried their heads in the soil, leaving their lower bodies exposed, trembling violently......

  "No, why are you chasing me?! It’s been half a month—why are you still here!"

  Using both Strengthen and Agility, Hulim ran much faster than last time, but she was still far inferior to the giant dragon behind her.

  And just like before, the giant dragon couldn’t understand a word she said. It only kept opening its fanged maw, snapping at Hulim again and again.

  Even though Hulim wasn’t even enough to fill its tooth gap......

  Hulim could only predict where the dragon would bite based on its mouth movements and dodge in advance.

  The girl and the dragon chased each other across the plains in a zigzag path.

  "Why is the entrance so far away?!"

  The only place Hulim could flee to was the underground passage’s entrance—only there could she truly escape danger.

  But the distance, which hadn’t seemed that far not long ago, now felt unattainably distant......

  Misfortune never comes alone.

  From continuously using high-intensity magic, Hulim suddenly felt a sharp headache, and the mana in her body gradually became unruly.

  "Oh no, why now of all times......"

  The unstable mana made the white glow surrounding Hulim flicker.

  Her running speed inevitably slowed down.

  "Growl——!!!"

  The giant dragon roared.

  Its bloody maw lunged at Hulim.

  It seemed Hulim was about to be swallowed whole.

  Suddenly, a meteor streaked across the sky.

  It then rushed toward the giant dragon at extreme speed, hitting it directly on the head.

  "Roar!!!"

  The giant dragon let out a shrill cry and was slammed heavily to the ground by the meteor.

  "Wh... what?"

  The sudden turn of events left Hulim stunned.

  She froze in place.

  At that moment, a glowing orb rose from the dragon’s head and slowly drifted toward Hulim.

  "......What is this?"

  Hulim instinctively stretched out her hands.

  The orb landed in her palms.

  Before Hulim could get a clear look at it,

  Whoosh!

  A gust of strong wind blew, forcing Hulim to squint her eyes.

  Through the blur, she saw the red giant dragon spread its wings and soared into the sky......

  "......It left?"

  The dragon’s abrupt departure left Hulim dumbfounded.

  At this time, the glow of the orb in her hand faded, revealing its true form.

  It was a... metal sphere?

  Click!

  A crack suddenly appeared in the middle of the metal sphere.

  "Huh? Wait, what is this? Is something going to come out?!"

  As Hulim hesitated whether to throw away this unknown object,

  Boom!

  The metal sphere exploded directly!

  Then,

  a palm-sized, humanoid creature with transparent wings popped out of it.

  "Hello! Hello! Hulim! How are you! I’m the cute and charming figurine character! Little Semiris desu☆!"

  Hulim: "................................."

  "Semiris???"

  ......