Ten days had nearly passed since Yulia first forced her way into my cell.

I still remembered that night when she’d announced she’d stay over. Upon hearing dinner was corpse eater meat, she’d lit up like a kid forbidden from junk food finally stepping into a fast-food joint. The way she’d stared at my grilled corpse eater chunks mirrored exactly how my neighbor’s little girl had gazed at the fries I bought her on our first McDonald’s trip.

That night, Yulia alone devoured my entire day’s stash of corpse eater meat. Afterward, we happily pored over the dark magic tome she’d brought, even finding a hidden nook in the detention chamber to stash her secret toys.

But in the end, Miss Elaina tracked her down. Just before bedtime, a furious Miss Elaina blocked the dungeon’s main gate, nearly summoning Dante himself to open it. Yulia had no choice but to hide the magic book with me and trudge back for another round of etiquette retraining from the Elaine Maid.

That evening, Yulia panicked in my cell as Miss Elaina’s magical shouts echoed outside. She wished she could vanish into the floor rather than face scolding. Yet no matter how unwilling she was—ten thousand times over—she finally surrendered, leaving with a sour expression.

Watching her grimace, I felt grateful for the first time that I was a prisoner.

*Thank goodness I don’t have to suffer with you. Bless your heart, Yulia—I’ll pray for you before bed.*

And tonight, Yulia seemed reluctant to leave again.

“Hey, Alice, just for tonight? Shelter this homeless little girl?”

“Scram. I still remember Miss Elaina’s fury the next day like it was yesterday.”

“No fair! Let me stay a bit longer? Until Elaina falls asleep?”

“She won’t sleep before you return. Leave now, or I’ll tell her you’ve been secretly eating corpse eater meat!”

“*Anything* but that! Got it—I’m gone. Goodnight, Alice.”

With that, Yulia twirled down the detention corridor, vanished with a *whoosh* of magic, and reappeared outside.

Lately, she’d been lingering longer in my cell. Clearly, Miss Elaina and Lem’s arguments were escalating. *Yulia, just go be Elaina’s punching bag. Don’t drag me into your mess.*

After shooing away the sulking Yulia—who’d begged to sleep over again—I thought silently:

*Time for bed. Plenty of sleep means growing tall. Then I’ll look older, make my fake age believable, and get out of prison sooner.*

I pulled bedding from Cell No. 5, arranged it on the floor, and prepared to rest.

Then—a strange, subtle tremor rippled through the Third Detention Chamber’s magic. Just like when Yulia used her external mechanism to enter. *Probably forgot something,* I guessed. *Or she can’t face Miss Elaina’s worsening temper and wants to cling to me again.*

I paused my bedtime routine and walked toward the corridor where she usually appeared.

As expected, space seemed to warp—and Yulia materialized. But this time, two others stood with her. Not Miss Elaina. A man in black armor. Another in white robes.

Yulia’s eyes were vacant, as if controlled. After casting the spell, she stepped back obediently beside them.

“You’re the ones from the forest!” I recognized them instantly—the mysterious figures who’d examined me at birth.

“Indeed. The female corpse eater born that day retained her sanity. But we’re not here for you. Stand down.” The armored man commanded like a king.

“[Rampage Cursed Goatling] resists interference from the World’s Principles.”

A long-forgotten, monotone mechanical voice echoed in my skull.

“Like hell I will! What did you do to Yulia?!” I ignored his nonsense and lunged forward.

“She resisted the Word Spirit? Just like those unruly Black Goats in the forest.” The armored man sounded surprised. I seized the moment, snatching Yulia from his side.

“Sammugina, re-examine this female corpse eater for me?” He studied me holding Yulia, amused.

“Sorry, mate. I’m sick of these ugly corpse eaters. Besides—we didn’t come for *it* today.” Sammugina brushed him off, striding toward the purple crystal in Cell No. 1.

“Then I’ll handle it myself.”

“Remember our agreement with the guide. No harming them.” Sammugina added, already lost in admiration of the corpse inside the crystal.

The armored man lowered his weapon. “I won’t hurt you, Alice the Corpse Eater. Let’s talk.”

*If you won’t attack, I won’t pick fights with adults who can clearly wipe the floor with me. Peace it is.*

“But first—release Yulia.” I glared at her dazed face in my arms.

“Bite her. Pain breaks an Intermediate Incantation’s hold.”

Skeptical, I sank my canines into Yulia’s shoulder. Blood welled. Instantly, clarity returned to her eyes. She blinked up at me, disoriented.

“No frenzy after tasting blood? Remarkable.” The armored man stared at me like I was a new species.

“Shut your trap, trespassers! Leave now, or I’ll have Yulia summon Miss Elaina!” I set Yulia down, shielding her.

Yulia grasped the situation, silently asking if we should act. But the armored man raised empty hands.

“No hostility, Corpse Eater and Unicorn girls. Grant us a moment.”

“They’re being polite. Let’s owe them a favor, Yulia. Besides—I think he could kill us both alone.” I chose peace over trouble.

“How reasonable, Miss Corpse Eater.” He smiled. “While Sammugina works, let’s chat. I’ll explain our purpose. And discuss the woman in Cell No. 1—the hunter Lem’s mother, Selena.”

Casually, he dropped a bombshell.