Bugh!With a hard push, Elaine fell onto the grass and winced as fresh blood flowed from her injured knee.“That is your punishment for forgetting your position in this palace. I told you never to show your face in front of me again. Do you understand now, dead rat?” one of Elaine's sisters sneered.Elaine's sister crossed her arms and stared at her with a snobbish expression, as if utterly satisfied after making her life miserable all day. Elaine responded with a small bow and apologized, “Okay, Sis Rowena. I'm sorry, I will remember not to do that again.”Rowena had expected Elaine to throw a tantrum and flee to a deserted place, making her position even worse in the eyes of the people within the Stardust Palace. But to her surprise, Elaine stood up again and bowed respectfully before limping away from the palace garden.Rowena was left in a state of shock, mouth gaping in disbelief. “E… Elaine! Don't go, you bitch! Do you dare to play games with me now, huh? You want to embarrass m

"I'm not sure where to begin," Cassis began with a furrowed brow, clearly struggling to find the right words. "But if you want clarity, I suppose I'll start with the founding legend of Sylvandale. It's a tale that has been passed down for generations and will serve as a foundation for the theories and conjectures we'll explore to solve this complex problem."Elaine nodded, her interest piqued. She knew that whatever Cassis was about to tell her was important."I understand," she replied, giving the crown prince her full attention."I know my actions were reckless," Cassis continued, his voice low and remorseful. "But you deserve to know the truth, El. Your late mother was a victim of the disgusting practices that are eating away at Sylvandale from within. It's time to put a stop to it."And with that, Cassis launched into his story. Elaine listened intently, her mind conjuring vivid images of a time long ago, when the founders of Sylvandale first set foot in the enchanted forest.“Lon

"Elaine, where are you going? Why are you packing?" asked Aria, Elaine's roommate and daughter of another concubine, as she approached hugging a large mushroom doll. Elaine, who was focused on packing her things for the dungeon, was surprised."I just need to go outside for a while. Will you take care of my bed again?" Elaine asked, hoping Aria would keep her departure a secret. "I'll bring you some mushroom candy from Silverwings when I come back."Aria's eyes lit up at the mention of the candy. She nodded eagerly, unable to resist the temptation of the delicious treat. Although she had initially hesitated to cover up Elaine's absence, Aria had trouble sleeping and was always on edge when the night patrol passed by. Elaine had been venturing out of the palace more frequently, almost three times a week, and Aria had become accustomed to covering for her.With the bribes of mushroom candy, Aria readily agreed. "Don't worry, I'll take care of your bed so well that no one will notice you

Elaine's eyes fluttered open, and confusion flooded her mind. "Uhhh ... where am I?" she groaned. Instead of seeing Brother Cassis and the other four people, she found herself in a strange room that resembled a temple. Mana gems glittered in various corners of the room, creating a natural illumination that was both eerie and beautiful. "Why am I in this strange place? Wasn't I with Brother Cassis?" Elaine wondered aloud, her voice trembling with fear. "W-where is Brother Cassis now?" As she tried to move her body, she realized she couldn't. "Uhhhh ... why can't I move my body? What happened? Am I frozen or tied up somewhere?" Panic began to set in as she struggled to break free. Suddenly, she heard a loud voice and a movement out of the corner of her eye. "Shit! Look! The statue is eye-opening!" the strange voice exclaimed. Elaine's heart raced as she tried to locate the statue and any other sounds in the room. "Uh, a statue? Who is speaking?" she asked, her voice quivering. "A

Gasping for air, Elaine's eyes fluttered open, and she realized that she had returned to her original body. She quickly looked around, making sure that she was no longer trapped inside the statue. Tears of gratitude streamed down her face as she glanced down at her thin, malnourished hands."Thank goodness...I'm back," she whispered to herself.Suddenly, a realization hit her like a ton of bricks."Nash! He's still in there!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.Elaine surveyed her surroundings and noticed that she was standing at the edge of the entrance to the fifth floor of the Evergreen Spire dungeon. The room was filled with wild roots that were drooping lifelessly. She had no time to waste, she needed to find Nash and get him out of there."I have to find him quickly," she muttered to herself.As she made her way through the dungeon, Elaine remembered that she needed Cassis's help. After all, he was the one who would be most thrilled to help, especially since Nash had found the H