The prince stepped out of his carriage, and the guards bowed before him. He then made his way to the landlord's mansion to meet the new landlord after Utang was arrested by the knights. Sona, watching from afar with Kasandra, was noticed by the prince, and their gazes met before he finally entered.
Inside the mansion, the new landlord, Markus Deleheyon, greeted the prince warmly. "It's an honor to meet you," he said. The prince, eager for information, asked about the rumored mage. They sat down, and Markus presented him with some documents.
"Her name is Sona. She's 16 years old. As the rumors say, she's admired for her beauty by both men and women. She's also a C-rank adventurer with a huge personality. Oh, and she has a younger sister named Dema, who has quite a bit of potential!" Markus laughed to himself. The prince raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's so funny?"
Markus grinned. "Sona defeated an arrogant A-rank adventurer. It was incredibly satisfying to watch him get beaten. And her battle IQ—remarkable. She can even cast spells without incantations and without draining much mana, even for high-level magic."
The prince speculated, "Perhaps she has a divine blessing. Only a select few can receive that." Looking at the profile picture, the prince realized it was her—Sona—the girl whose gaze he had met earlier. He also recalled that she was working with Kasandra.
Later in the afternoon, Sona was busy moving and arranging documents when a maid arrived to inform her that Kasandra was calling for her. Sona made her way to the room, and upon opening the door, she found the prince accompanied by Guild Master Ronald, Kasandra, and Rain. Surprised by the gathering of important figures, she introduced herself, bowed, and said, "It's an honor to meet you."
The prince smiled. "You don't need to be so formal. I'm just here to inform you about your award ceremony for helping defeat the Fire Dragon."
"An award ceremony?" Sona asked, puzzled.
"Yes! It will be held at the academy once you enroll," the prince explained.
Kasandra asked, "Is that why you're visiting?"
The prince nodded and then revealed a quest from the king himself: a Dungeon Exploration
Later, after the prince bid farewell, Kasandra, Rain, Ronald, and Kasandra began discussing the king's quest. Dungeons, which had been explored for decades, were known to contain valuable items, treasures, minerals, and, of course, dangerous monsters. Many had used dungeon exploration as a means to become rich and powerful. However, the risks were high, as dungeons were where monsters were born. To avoid death, teams needed a balanced composition of mages, heavy knights, and damage-dealing classes.
Kasandra and Rain suggested they form a party to assist Sona. Rejecting the quest would cause her to lose face, especially since it was a direct request from the king. The prince, knowing this, had planned for Sona to fail if she couldn't reach the 20th floor, which would force her to join him. Their mission would begin in the coming weekend.
Meanwhile, in his carriage, the prince found himself captivated by Sona's beauty. His thoughts kept drifting to her. It seemed his heart had been captured. Turning to his commander, Kuzuki asked if the plan was ready, and the commander confirmed. Initially, the prince's goal was to use Sona for his own purposes, but now he found himself wanting to make her his wife. However, Rain and Kasandra posed obstacles. The prince had plans to deal with them before he could claim Sona for himself.
The next day, Sona, enjoying her day off, visited the marketplace. As she walked through, people stared at her with admiration. Suddenly, a boy approached, asking for her autograph. Startled but willing, she signed for him. The boy thanked her and began singing her praises. Soon, a crowd gathered, all eager for her autograph. Tired, Sona continued her shopping.
In the marketplace, Sona spotted a book she was interested in and decided to ask the shop owner about publishing her own. The owner agreed enthusiastically, and they discussed business. Sona handed him a book she had written on learning magic, which impressed him. He promised to make copies for her.
Sona then asked if he had any books on holy healing magic, and the owner confirmed he did. When she inquired about the price, he insisted it would be free, knowing Sona had saved him from a monster attack. She was flustered by his compliments but declined his offer, not wanting to be in debt. Instead, the owner asked for her autograph. Sona awkwardly complied.
As she headed home, Dema was waiting for her. The two embraced, and Dema insisted on cooking dinner. Sona offered to help, but Dema urged her to rest. After dinner, Sona gave Dema a book on holy healing magic. Dema thanked her warmly.
Sona paused, realizing the day of her enrollment at the academy was fast approaching. She wondered what it would mean for them—whether they would have to leave Feroa Village behind.