The grand border wall of Florentia.
A towering stone structure, almost fortress-like, stretched endlessly across the horizon, bathed in the brilliant sun's light at noon.
Its perimeter, both beneath and especially atop it, teemed with border guards. Ever watchful, ever vigilant.
Despite the oppressive heat, they were always prepared for the looming danger that could emerge from the unknown, untamed region this stone wall had kept at bay for generations...
The Garden of Hell.
A dangerous region filled with powerful beasts.
This fortress-wall was Florentia's greatest line of defense against those chaos-incarnate creatures.
And in the middle of this grand structure, an equally massive border gate stood resolutely, a testament to its purpose.
Before it, a modest wooden coach waited. It was plain, almost unassuming, bearing no insignia to mark its origin. What stood out, however, were the black curtains drawn tightly over its windows...
Two horses were harnessed to the coach, their hooves pawing restlessly at the dirt—as if they, too, could sense the foreboding aura that lay beyond the gate.
A small cluster of border guards surrounded the coach, their stern yet uneasy eyes darting toward it with suspicion.
A pony-tailed brunette female knight, clad in well-worn armor that gleamed faintly in the sunlight, stood near the coach's seat as she spoke to the border guards.
Her fierce, sharp eyes swept the surroundings, scanning for potential trouble, though they always returned to the coach.
"Has our permission to pass the border wall been granted yet?" she asked one of the guards, her tone laced with slight impatience.
Yet beneath it... there was a sense of grim resolve and an anxious anticipation for what was about to come.
"...Not yet," answered the captain of the border guards, an older, veteran-like figure. "There are still a few matters requiring confirmation."
While they conversed, a few border guards examined the unassuming coach, their hands running along its wooden frame, searching for hidden compartments or contraband.
One of them, however, approached the door, his hand reaching for the handle—
"HALT, YOU SCOUNDREL!!!" the female knight snapped, her voice cutting through the air like steel sword!
Her hand flew to the hilt of her sword, ready to draw her weapon at a moment's notice...!
"Don't you dare intrude upon the Lady's privacy without her permission!"
Her glare was as deadly as her words, sending the offending guard reeling back in fear. He stumbled and fell to the ground...!
In an instant, almost every guard in the vicinity went on high alert—a few already brandishing their weapons...!
"Do not interfere with our inspection, General," the captain of the guards warned her. His voice was calm yet carried an air of authority as he addressed her title, "no... Former General. Stand down now, or we will not hesitate to respond accordingly."
The female knight gritted her teeth in frustration. The guards were unwilling to relent... and so, she readied her blade—
"Martha, enough."
A young woman's voice emerged from the coach, halting the knight, Martha, in her tracks...!
"...! M-my Lady...!"
She quickly approached the side of the coach, moving toward its curtained windows.
"M-my Lady, forgive my insolence, but these brazen fools dare to—"
"Martha, please do not further antagonize the border guards."
"B-but, my Lady—"
"I understand your concern, but they are only doing their job," the Lady said, her tone calm yet resolute. "My sincerest apologies to the guards for my knight's behavior. Her actions stem solely from her priority for my well-being."
"I understand, Lady. However..."
The captain of the border guards stepped forward, addressing the Lady behind the dark curtains.
"May we see the passengers inside? Simply drawing back the curtains will suffice."
"Yes, you may," the woman replied graciously. "Thank you for your understanding."
The curtains were drawn back, revealing the passengers inside—two women.
One of them was The Lady herself, a stunning young woman with long, crimson-red hair cascading over her figure. Her noble disposition was evident in her refined posture and the graceful tilt of her head as she regarded the stern captain.
Her sharp, piercing emerald-green eyes glimmered with intellect...
However...
"...!"
The captain could feel it—an unsettling weight emanating from her gaze...!
Her eyes... they were empty, almost lifeless. It was as though he was staring into a bottomless abyss...
"... You're Lady Anastasia, I presume?"
"Yes, my good sir," she confirmed, a small smile gracing her lips, "and the one beside me is my personal maid, Bella."
"..."
"Bella?"
The short-haired blonde maid had been frozen, her expression locked in sheer terror from the confrontation that had almost unfolded.
But eventually...
"H-huh?"
...She felt the many stares directed at her—not just from her mistress but also from the guards.
"A-ah, yes! I-I'm Lady Anastasia's maid, B-Bella! N-nice to meet you, sir!"
"...Alright. Is that everyone inside the coach?" the captain asked.
"Yes, my good sir. The only people accompanying me on this journey are my knight, Martha, and my personal maid, Bella."
"...For confirmation: what is the purpose of your journey?"
"I have been tasked with a grand order by our kingdom to claim back the ungoverned land beyond this gate."
"Is that so...?"
"Indeed. I am most pleased that our kingdom has graciously entrusted me with this noble task."
She smiled again, a serene expression that seemed reassuring to those around her.
However, for the experienced captain...
He knew better. That smile was a mere facade. Her eyes betrayed her—a deep emptiness still lingered in them...
Moments passed as the captain scrutinized her words and demeanor.
Then, at last, he turned toward the gate and raised his hand. "OPEN THE GATE!"
His command echoed loudly through the grand structure. A groaning creak of gears and the metallic grind of machinery followed as the massive gate began to open...!
Slowly, the path beyond was revealed—a stretch of meadow wilderness bathed in an eerie, almost lifeless silence.
The knight Martha quickly approached the side of the coach, "My Lady... shall we depart, ma'am?"
"Yes... let us depart," Lady Anastasia replied simply, laying back comfortably on the coach's cushioned seat.
On the other hand... the maid Bella grew anxious as she anticipated—imagined—the horrors that awaited them.
"At once, ma'am."