After seeing Chloe and Chriss off, Rayelle had nothing else to attend to.

Aerin noticed Rayelle coughing up blood again, looking rather weak. She scooped the princess up like a bride and carried her to her room before heading downstairs to the Adventurers Guild.

Vera was waiting there.

"Aerin, you're here."

Moments ago, Vera had been sitting by the window, wiping the glass while watching Chloe leave with an unusual gaze. But as Aerin arrived, she quietly shifted her eyes away and replaced it with a faint smile.

"What is it?"

Aerin sat across from Vera, studying her intently. Vera was a seasoned adventurer—she wouldn’t seek her out without good reason.

"I heard more people have gone missing in Bonn City," Vera said, crossing her arms with a worried frown. "Some were even Extraordinary Beings. Vanished into thin air... Could it be the Demon Clan’s doing?"

Aerin inwardly scoffed. *Missing? You know exactly what’s happening. Why would demons abduct Extraordinary Beings? It’s clearly the Chaos Sect.*

Still, her face betrayed none of her thoughts.

"I’m investigating the Demon Clan," she replied smoothly, "but progress has been slow lately. Your assistance would be appreciated." She avoided mentioning the Chaos Sect—too risky to spook them. At this point, she’d barely encountered them and had no reason to suspect them openly.

"Hmm." Vera sighed, slumping onto the table with a troubled expression. "But you know how it is, Aerin. The evil dragon Rigmore has awakened. Most Extraordinary Beings and troops are stationed outside the city for surveillance. Missing persons and demon infiltrations are minor compared to an Abyssal Dragon King breaching the walls—that’d mean total annihilation!"

"I see." Aerin understood. Dragon Kind were the most terrifying of all Extraordinary creatures, capable of world-shattering destruction. The Abyssal Dragon King Rigmore was even rumored to be the apocalyptic dragon destined to end the world.

Frankly, Aerin almost wished Rigmore would attack Bonn City now. Her sword hand itched to carve into dragon flesh. After all, evil dragons were weakest early on, growing absurdly powerful only later.

"Prioritizing dragon surveillance makes sense," Aerin said, standing up. "I’ll handle the disappearances alongside the mayor’s commission."

Relief washed over Vera’s weary face. "Thank goodness! This damn case has been making my hair fall out by the handful. The Guildmaster keeps pressuring me—says the mayor’s about to lose his mind and demands answers. But with everyone else on Rigmore duty, what can I do alone?"

"We’ll discuss details later. I need to rest first." Aerin stretched with a yawn and headed for the stairs. Prolonged use of her Extraordinary Power had drained her magic, leaving her slightly dizzy since earlier. She needed to recover before confronting the Chaos Sect—no room for ambushes when her mana ran low.

---

Meanwhile, Rayelle had woken up groggily after another nap. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced at the clock. Hours had passed.

"Ugh... resting for hours isn’t as refreshing as those few minutes earlier," she muttered to herself, stretching.

Of course, she knew her rapid recovery was thanks to Chriss’s healing. Bypassing her limits to restore mana? That girl’s Extraordinary Power couldn’t be weak.

Just as Rayelle pondered how to win over Chloe’s sister, a white, slender object caught her peripheral vision—swaying casually between her legs.

"Huh?" A giant question mark seemed to hover over Rayelle’s head. *What is this?*

Still blurry-eyed from sleep, she squinted at the mysterious white rod rising from her lap. It felt... vaguely sinister.

On impulse, Rayelle slapped it.

"GYAAAH!"

A high-pitched, pig-like squeal escaped her before she clamped both hands over her mouth, stifling the rest. *Don’t wake Aerin!* Tears welled in her eyes from the sharp pain. She wiped them away, blinking until her vision cleared.

Between her legs now wriggled a plump, snow-white dragon tail.

"Eh?" Rayelle blinked again. Right—after becoming a dragon maiden, all her draconic features had vanished. Must’ve been a glitch when activating her Extraordinary Power.

But why had it reappeared now?

Panicked, she leaped out of bed, grabbed the small mirror Aerin left in the cabinet, and examined herself.

The tail wasn’t the only new addition.

Pure white dragon horns curved elegantly from her temples. Tiny, fluttering wings peeked out near her waist.

"!?" Rayelle froze. *What’s happening?!*

Forcing calm, she sat on the bed, closed her eyes, and focused inward.

Then she realized the truth: her initial transformation spell had demanded too much mana. Instead of a single payment, it had been deducting tiny amounts continuously. The cost was so minuscule—and her very name "Rayelle" such a perfect lie—that she’d never noticed.

Worse, the accidental first activation had glitched, erasing all draconic traits. Now, after repeated mana overdrafts, the incomplete spell had fractured. Reality’s self-repair had snapped back, restoring what was lost.

Panic surged. *I can’t go out like this! How will I recover my mana? If Aerin finds out... I’ll end up as stir-fried dragon cub!*

As dread coiled in her chest, holy radiance spilled from the ceiling.

Soft golden light usually soothed the soul—but Rayelle went ice-cold.

*That aura... It’s from the Holy Sword Gungnir!*

More precisely—from its spirit.

Rayelle stiffly looked up.

A tiny figure hovered midair, half-slumped with a mischievous grin.

Undeniably Lulu, Gungnir’s spirit.

"Oh dear, Rayelle—" Lulu’s eyes narrowed playfully. "Or should I say... the evil dragon Rigmore? You wouldn’t want Aerin to know your little secret, would you?" Her grin turned sly, dripping with blackmail.