As Anastasia, Jeremy, and Marianne found themselves trapped in an ancient forest filled with towering black-branched trees and crimson leaves, they carefully observed their surroundings. The eerie atmosphere made it clear that this was no ordinary place.
After assessing the situation, Anastasia spoke up. "We need to find whoever summoned us here," she suggested, her icy blue eyes scanning the darkened woods. "A large-scale summoning like this isn't possible unless the summoner is present in some form. Without them, we wouldn't have been transported here at all."
Her words carried a sense of urgency. If they wanted to escape, they had to uncover the identity of their summoner.
Jeremy nodded in agreement with Anastasia. "You're right. A summoning of this scale requires the caster's presence. If we find them, we might find a way out." His usual confident smirk was replaced with a serious expression as he surveyed the eerie forest.
Marianne, however, hesitated, her fingers clutching the hem of her dress. "But… what if they're dangerous?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The crimson leaves rustled overhead, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.
Anastasia glanced at her reassuringly. "That's why we'll be careful. We'll assess the situation first without straying too far from this spot. Rushing in blindly would be reckless."
With that decision, the three cautiously began examining their surroundings, their senses on high alert for any signs of movement or clues about their summoner's identity.
As they carefully assessed the situation, Anastasia mumbled to herself, "Find a way out, huh? That's easier said than done…"
She furrowed her brows, deep in thought. The Ancient Forest is a special case. From the outside, it doesn't seem too large, but once you step inside… it's a completely different story. The deeper one ventured, the more distorted the space became, as if the forest existed within a separate subspace.
Among those who had been trapped here before, only a handful had ever managed to find their way out. The rest… were never seen again.
The weight of that realization settled in her chest, but she quickly pushed the thought aside. No—we'll make it out. I won't let us be trapped here.
After some time spent searching, the three of them gathered back at their original spot. No one had found anything—not a single clue.
Marianne let out a small sigh, shaking her head. "Nothing. We found nothing at all."
The moment those words left her lips, Anastasia suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. Her body tensed as a strange, foreboding sensation washed over her. She turned to look at Jeremy, her icy blue eyes filled with worry.
Jeremy met her gaze and gave a small nod. "Yeah… it's exactly what you're thinking." His voice was unusually serious.
Marianne, noticing the shift in their expressions, blinked in confusion. "Wait… what are you two talking about?" she asked, glancing between them.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Jeremy turned to Marianne, his expression serious. "Don't you think it's strange? We're in an Ancient Forest known to be swarming with merciless monsters, yet… we haven't encountered a single one."
Marianne's eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on her. "Now that you mention it… that is weird." Her voice wavered, tension settling into her features.
Anastasia crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "It's as if something is protecting the area around us, keeping the monsters away." She paused for a moment before continuing, "But that only leads to another question—where is the summoner?"
Jeremy's expression darkened. "And more importantly… how did they make it out of this forest alive?"
A heavy silence fell between them. Then, Anastasia finally answered, her voice cold and certain.
"They didn't." She exhaled slowly, her grip tightening. "The summoner… is probably dead."
Marianne swallowed nervously before speaking. "Then… what exactly is keeping the monsters out?"
Anastasia's eyes narrowed as she answered, "A barrier?"
Jeremy nodded. "Probably."
Marianne hesitated for a moment, then asked the question that truly unsettled her. "Then… how did the summoner die? If there's a barrier, they should've been protected, right?"
A heavy silence filled the air. Anastasia's expression turned even more tense as she slowly responded, her voice quiet but firm.
"Inside… There must be something inside the barrier that killed him."
A chilling realization settled over them. Whatever had ended the summoner's life—was still in there with them.
One thing was certain—the summoner hadn't been able to complete the ritual perfectly. If they had, only one of them would be here.
Anastasia's mind raced as she pieced the clues together. "Whoever was behind this… they didn't anticipate that I would open the gift with you two. That means the tool they used was probably designed to summon only one person."
She narrowed her eyes in thought. "I could have been with anyone when opening that box—my father, an adult, anyone. And probably, the summoner didn't want the emperor to be here."
Jeremy's expression darkened as he picked up on her meaning. "Then that means…"
Anastasia nodded grimly. "The summoner must have died before they could complete the ritual."
A heavy silence settled between them.
Jeremy's voice cut through the tense silence, his usual smirk nowhere to be seen.
"Do you guys know how to kill?"
His words were calm, but the weight they carried sent a chill through the air.
Marianne flinched, her breath hitching as she turned to stare at him. "W-What…?" she whispered, eyes wide in disbelief.
Anastasia remained quiet, her icy blue eyes unreadable as she studied Jeremy. She understood why he was asking. Whatever was inside this barrier had already killed once. If they wanted to survive, they might have to do the same.
Marianne swallowed hard, gripping her trembling hands. Could she really do that if it came to it?
After a while.
The growling sound echoed, but it didn't come from the forest. It came from their own stomachs—loud, relentless, and impossible to ignore.
Jeremy winced, his hand instinctively pressing against his midsection. "That's the problem too," he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "What do we eat?"
Anastasia's gaze sharpened as she scanned their surroundings. She remembered the tree she had seen earlier, "I saw a tree with fruit on it. If it's poisoned, Marianne can extract the toxin."
Marianne, still shaken by the earlier conversation, nodded despite the nervous flutter in her chest. "I... I can try," she said, her voice steadying with resolve, though the uncertainty still lingered in her eyes.