The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

Since Thor returned and we put Amber's parents into specially built catacombs in the upper castle, Amber was calmer. I stayed with her for a few hours in silence, but what she really needed was to be left alone with her thoughts and memories. Irene offered to stay with her just in case and I was thankful for that because I couldn't; the things I had to pay attention to started piling up dangerously and this situation would soon get out of hand. I was sitting alone in my office looking over some documents, wondering why I was creating a bureaucracy, why I was bringing this curse upon myself... *sigh* But the answer was depressing and simple: because it worked.

"Theon?" Luna entered my office and went straight to my desk. "Do you need my help?"

She asked softly, sitting in front of me. The bright light of the noontime sun wonderfully shone over her face, making her eyes sparkle. Luna had her hair loose and the golden sunshine danced on her silver hair. She combed an unruly strand that moved in front of her eyes. Her fox ears twitched in dissatisfaction when she saw a large column of papers that needed my attention and she picked the first one. I smiled at her and wanted to dismiss her offer, but as fast as I opened my mouth, I shut it. Why not?

"It would be a huge help, Luna. Thank you." I smiled at her, but she made a serious face.

I immersed myself in the work and we were sitting there in silence for a moment when I felt her strong gaze. When I raised my eyes and looked at her, I saw anger mixed with concern.

"Theon, how long do you think you can act like this?" She asked seriously, looking straight into my eyes. "I am observing you closely, my Dear. Yes, don't look at me like this." She frowned upon seeing my facial expression, which probably was a bit stupid. "I love you, Theon. You surpassed all expectations I once had when the younger me back in the Holy Grove was reading about other Kitsunes. That wasn't too hard, to be honest, but you almost matched the man I dreamed you would be."

"Thank you?"

"Stop it..." She rolled her eyes. "Theon, you are flowing away from us each day. Like a leaf that fell into a river, you are carried away by currents you have no control over. You are here- near us, but with each passing day, you are more distant, more silent and more… inhumane. Theon, you are changing."

"What can I do about it, Luna?" I looked at her, too tired to even try to deny that. "When we were in the shadow lands, after everything was over, I started thinking about people of this world as mortals... What's happening with me, Luna?"

She stood up and walked slowly around the table, appearing so tempting and provocative. She pushed me down slowly, and I moved away from the desk, allowing her to sit on my lap.

"Theon, Amber and Irene insisted that I should talk with you, as your wife and as your Kitsune." She hugged me, still taxing me with her gaze. "Theon, we are worried about you equally, and we want to help you. If not for you, they would have died. I still would be sleeping in a lifeless state in Holy Grove. Don't push us away when you are in trouble. As we have you to rely on, you have to rely on us! Theon, are you worried that something happened with your system access?"

"How do you know that? I never told anyone about it... Mhumpf..." She hushed me, putting her hand over my mouth.

"Of course, I know! I'm your Kitsune after all!" She giggled. "Amber and Irene might not know what exactly is wrong, but you can't deceive us." She snuggled herself to me, gently moving her hand from my lips to stroke my cheek. "Theon, the System or the World's Words, whatever you call it, is a responsive and adaptive system that will try to adjust to your demands. Demand from the system whatever information you need and everything will be provided to you, in the form you prefer. Right now, you locked yourself in a state where the system is passive because you think nothing can be done about it. I want you to know that this is not a huge problem."

"I... Thank you, Luna." I smiled, relieved from the tension built in the last few days. It would be problematic if I messed up something.

"Mmmhmm..." She gently shook her head. "But there is this other problem. Theon, I want you to concentrate."

Without any warning, she teleported us to our bedroom. I felt the familiar softness of our bed mattress and I felt the weight of Luna when she landed on top of me and I saw the determination in her eyes.

"Now, Theon, we have to talk seriously." She sat on top of me, firmly pressing her hands to my chest. "You are overworking yourself, and even though you don't feel exhausted, you are barely holding on. Do you think you have to do everything alone? Theon, how long are you going to ignore us?!"

"I never wanted to bother you..."

"Oh, that's great! You didn't want to bother us? So your better idea was to make us afraid?!"

I felt her tears falling on my face; she was trying to hold her tears, but in vain. "Theon don't do this to us. We don't want to lose you!"

"Lose me? I..."

"Stop! Just stop, you stupid... You said that you don't believe in the heroes, but you are trying to be one!" Luna pursed her lips, wiping her tears. "Stop treating us,the people of this world, as if we’re not good enough to help you!"

I lay on the bed looking at her, speechless. She was right. God damn it, she was right. I had been looking down on the people of this world, treating them almost like children, unable to do anything on their own without proper guidance. "I am so sorry, Luna..."

"You are not first, Theon. Not a single summoned hero I am aware of thought about people of this world as their equals. Some tried but... At least you wanted to save them."

"I imagine I was not the first with this thought." The colourful flowers embroidered on her dress drank her tears when she giggled.

"No. But by far, you are the first one who was not exploited or betrayed."

"Lucky me..." I sighed, a little resigned, and covered my face under my arm.

She fixed herself on me and stayed silent for a moment while I was laying in self-induced darkness. I felt the gentle pressure of her breasts on my chest when she hugged me. Her stunning scent awakened my suppressed desires and surprisingly, I felt better.

"What is going on, Luna?" I asked, slowly raising my arm towards the ceiling.

"I don't know, Theon. Hmm..." She placed her hand on my forehead and pressed her own forehead to it. "As your Kitsune and your wife, I have access to your data. Theon, let me try to do something..."

Right in front of me, a series of blue boxes opened and closed rapidly, too fast for anyone to read, yet I knew exactly what was written on every single one of them. My statistics, my skills, lists of equipment and all dungeon details.

"I am not sure, however, I found something I have never seen before..." She pressed herself to me, kissing me passionately and this time I felt very different from usual; as if some weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Not all, not even much, but I noticed a difference, nonetheless. "Do you feel better?"

"Yes..." I whispered slowly.

"That's the skill Amber, Irene and I have in common. It has no name, but its description says it restores humanity..."

•••

Aurora looked in the small mirror and smiled. She was a scion of the powerful dungeon and she had evolved into a very rare monster type- she was the Lamia Princess. Maybe not the most powerful or legendary variant of her kin, but she was very proud of what she had become, even if she hadn't had any influence on it. Aurora was humming a merry tune under her nose while she was trying to brew another batch of healing potions, when a loud crack of breaking glass made her sigh.

"I'm so sorry..." Opal covered her face in embarrassment.

"Miss Opal, please, there is no need to despair." Aurora smiled encouragingly.

The Lamia Scion, at least, was speaking the truth. Opal had no reason to despair, in stark contradiction to Aurora, who had every right to be depressed. Opal was a very talented herbalist, but Aurora, despite her young age, never once saw anyone so sloppy in the workshop. A low-level slime helper rolled over the mess made by the young Dwarf, cleaning it all in no time, and the Lamia Scion could only be thankful to have her around.

"No, Master Aurora, it's my fault. I can't focus on anything, and it's driving me crazy!" Opal rubbed her face in frustration. "It's been even worse lately!"

"Oh!" Aurora smiled, struck with a glimmer of hope. She decided to try to play a guessing game. "Maybe you can't sleep?"

"I never slept so soundly since coming to Avalon." Opal shrugged.

"Then maybe you should change your diet?" Aurora was not going to give up so easily. Her master gave her the task of making an Arcanist out of Opal, and even if Aurora had to die multiple times in the process, nothing would stop her.

"How exactly? Besides... No, I don't think this is a big problem." The Dwarf sighed and looked towards the doors and then all around, and she lowered her voice. "It's because of Verni."

"Verni?" Aurora was surprised. Why would Verni be the cause of such anxiety and concentration problems for Opal? She was under the impression that he was especially nice to Opal...

"Mhmmmm..." Opal purred with a strange facial expression.

"In that case, I have to talk with him, so he stops disturbing you." Aurora started moving towards the doors, but a sudden grasp held her back.

"What are you doing? No... Stop!" Opal squealed with fear in her voice.

"But..."

"I think I love him!"

"Oh..." Aurora nodded, but then she focused on Opal once more with a new understanding. "OOOOHHHH!"

•••

Hrulf was looking at the two fenrirs that followed him lazily in terrifying silence; anything this big shouldn't have moved so quietly. According to the orders of his master, they were taking a tour of her domain, but they were not impressed. Hrulf was not receiving any negative emotions, but anyway, he felt strange.

"Excuse me, Mr Hrulf. Could you explain to us how your master obtains the mana for her sustenance?" An icy shiver crossed Hrulf's back when he heard that voice. That was also strange. Most of the Righteous Dungeon denizens could talk, while here, in the Wolf Manor, only the scions were powerful enough to communicate with outsiders.

"We are mostly able to obtain enough mana during the adventuring season, like other dungeons. However, this year was hard because of unrest in the south. We managed to repel the Cridians for the time being, but Queen Josla sanctioned anyone trying to delve into our dungeon, so it was hard to gather mana." Hrulf was not sure if telling everything to these strangers will bring any good to his master, but he was an obedient scion and did everything he was told. He suddenly stopped, feeling the intruders entering the dungeon. "Oh no! The winter beasts are here!"

"Indeed. Five of them entered your dungeon and they are exploring the resource nodes. Interesting..." The second fenrir sniffed the air.

"Quick! Stay here and hide. I will gather all the denizens and we will chase them off." Hurlf tried to run towards his spawner to gather all wolves, but a heavy paw pinned him gently to the ground.

"Hide? We do not hide, small one. Why do you want to chase off the prey?" Asked one of the guests and Hurlf snarled, irritated.

"Prey?! You fools! Do you know what you are talking about? They can easily kill you so many, many times that it will finally weaken your core!"

"Hahahaha. Sit." The fenrir ordered him as if Hrulf was some kind of dog.

Before he could do anything, both fenrirs jumped towards the roaming winter beast at a breathtaking speed. They also grew in size as they ran silently towards their prey- the two closest winter beasts stood no chance when they were cut in half with a single bite of massive jaws. The fenrirs didn't even stop and one of them managed to kill the third snow monster before the last two finally spotted them. This was unreal to watch; for as long as Hrulf existed, they were afraid of winter beasts and their ability to drink away dungeon mana. But right now, three winter beasts lay dead on the ground of his dungeon, unaware of what even killed them. The last two tried to cast spells towards the fenrirs, and Hrulf just hoped they would dodge somehow, but the firebolts hit them. The large and proud wolves were unharmed, and they walked menacingly towards the winter beasts who tried to withdraw.

The fenrirs were much faster; one of them cut the snow monster's escape route while the other ran towards them for the first time making any sound. A blood-curdling howl rumbled in the air, announcing anything and anyone nearby that a large predator was in the area, and it was hunting. Hrulf watched this with poorly hidden concern and awe as two last winter beasts were killed almost effortlessly. If only two fenrirs could kill these monsters with such ease, then certainly they could destroy his master. But his master was delighted. She was screaming, thrilled, when huge amounts of mana flowed to her.

"Small one, we do not run. We are the warriors of Avalon and we shall know no fear." They were standing right over the dire wolf scion, towering like two mountains. "These prey were weak and insignificant. They were only level forty-something, so you, a scion of this dungeon who is at level eighty, should be able to crush them."

"No one was ever able to do what you have done!" Hrulf finally snapped, snarling angrily at the two arrogant brats. "How did you survive their magic?!"

"We have standard issue battle gear equipped. Your Master did not give you enchanted gear? You don't have a runic shield enchanting your collar?" The fenrirs looked puzzled at each other.

Hrulf opened and closed his jaws a few times, unable to come up with a response. It started to become clear that their master just doesn't think like any other dungeon he was aware of...