Dawn had scarcely broken, piercing the heavy drapes of the sprawling aristocratic bedchamber.
Atop the colossal bed, two figures lay in silence beneath the warmth of the covers. The quiet suffocating the room was shattered by a heavy knock on the door.
"Duke Bernard, the troops are ready," an aide reported from the corridor.
Hearing the call to war, a slender man with shoulder-length blonde hair and a sharp jawline rose from the mattress. Without a word, he strode toward the wardrobe.
With deft movements, he donned a dark blue noble military uniform, his left breast adorned with rows of honors. Before taking his leave, Duke Bernard turned and approached the edge of the bed.
He leaned down. With a white-gloved hand, he gathered a handful of long, pink hair from the woman lying with her back to him.
The Duke closed his eyes, kissing the floral-scented strands with profound longing, breathing her in deeply. When his blue eyes opened, they gleamed with a dark, perilous obsession.
"Calista..." Bernard whispered against her ear. "I shall not allow that lecherous king to claim you."
He let the silken strands slip through his fingers. "Wait for me here. I shall lay the throne and this entire kingdom at your feet."
Having declared rebellion for the sake of his affection, Duke Bernard turned on his heel. His cape billowed softly as he marched out of the room, the heavy thud of his boots echoing down the castle corridor.
Following his departure and the click of the locking door, the figure on the bed finally stirred.
Calista pushed herself up to sit. Her slender, trembling fingers clutched the edge of the silk blanket, drawing it tightly against her chest.
Her porcelain face was a flawless masterpiece of aesthetics. Her hair cascaded like a straight, pink waterfall, draping over her exposed back and shoulders.
Yet, beneath the morning light filtering through the glass, the smooth skin from her neck to her collarbone glistened with sweat. It was marred by flushed marks—the brutal remnants of the previous night's ordeal.
The silk she held so desperately concealed the soft curves and perfectly proportioned waist beneath.
Calista's expression was entirely vacant, utterly resigned as she cast her gaze out the window. From her crystalline pink eyes, tears slipped down her cheeks. She bit her alluring lower lip until it paled, fighting back a sob.
"I want to go home..." Calista whimpered, her voice trembling with a heartbreak that tore at the soul.
She did not belong to this world. She was merely a Player, trapped in a sickening nightmare.
Outside the main estate.
Just beyond the outer castle walls, perfectly concealed in the blind spot of the patrolling guards, two figures stood waiting in the shadows.
The first was a graceful woman with straight black hair, her blunt bangs framing her face elegantly. Her clear blue eyes radiated tranquility, appearing capable of reading any situation set before her.
She wore a long white gown, the fabric cascading gently to sweep the earth and forging an elegant silhouette. The dress was fastened by a gold metal corset at the waist, emphasizing her posture while serving as a defensive brace.
An intricate gold choker and matching bands wrapped around her arms, reflecting the ambient light.
Her right hand maintained a firm grip on a magic staff crowned with golden wings. At the center of the crest, an emerald orb sat securely, pulsing softly as it emanated pure mana.
The clothing and aura of serenity exuding from the woman created a jarring contrast with the second figure beside her.
Towering next to her was a knight who stood like a walking fortress. The giant's entire body was encased in dark, heavy plate armor that looked impossible to pierce.
His face was completely obscured by a narrow-slitted iron helm, hiding his identity and any trace of emotion. A maroon cape fluttered softly from his intimidating, broad shoulders.
The knight's gauntleted hands tightly gripped the hilt of a Greatsword. The blade was so unfathomably heavy that its tip was left resting in the dirt, tearing up the grass beneath it.
Anyone witnessing this combination would immediately assume the iron knight was a cold-blooded executioner. That expectation, however, shattered the moment the knight spoke.
From beneath the terrifying helm, a high-pitched, whiny voice of a child echoed out.
"Sister Verena... Toby is hungry," the giant knight complained, rubbing his thick armored belly.
Verena let out a long sigh, sounding every bit like a weary nanny. "Patience, Toby. We are going to rescue another sister inside. Didn't Toby want to be a superhero?"
At the word "hero," the lethargic demeanor of the giant steel knight vanished.
With brutal strength, he lifted the hundred-kilogram Greatsword with one hand, positioning it across his chest. He struck a heroic pose, mimicking a champion of justice from a Sunday morning cartoon.
"Yeah! Toby wants to be a hero and defeat the bad guys!" the boy's voice cheered from the helm, brimming with enthusiasm.
Verena stood on her tiptoes, gently patting the top of Toby's iron helm with genuine affection.
"Good boy. Inside that castle, there is a bad man who kidnapped a very pretty sister. We must rescue her and run away. Do you understand?"
Toby nodded so enthusiastically that his neck guard rattled. "Okay! But Sister Verena has to promise Toby... after we beat the bad guys, Toby gets to eat lots and lots of ice cream!"
Verena offered a faint smile and nodded slowly. "Very well. I promise."
She pulled her hand back, her gaze lingering on the giant knight.
This world has truly gone mad, Verena thought to herself.
The imposing knight named Toby was, in reality, a seven-year-old boy from Earth. The poor child had secretly logged into his older brother's account while his sibling was in the restroom.
By some cruel twist of fate, the server collapsed at that exact moment, dragging him into this world and trapping him inside his brother's character.
Verena often found herself nursing a headache, requiring profound patience to manage the stark contrast between this giant executioner's body and the true nature of a child who still whined for sweets.
Her gaze shifted toward the grand castle. Her heart ached as she thought of the woman inside.
Such a tragic fate for the women of Earth stranded in this realm, Verena lamented.
Female Players who once spent hours meticulously customizing their avatars into masterpieces of beauty now found themselves struck by calamity. In this brutal world, unrivaled beauty without the necessary combat Job and levels was nothing but a curse.
Their gorgeous faces became open invitations—making them targets to be hunted, violated, or enslaved as trophies by powerful Players and native nobles alike.
Verena exhaled heavily, banishing the grim thoughts. There had been enough despair for one day.
She gripped her staff tightly and stepped gracefully out of the shadows, preparing to infiltrate the castle grounds.
"Come, Toby. The rescue operation begins."
The giant knight carrying a monster-cleaving sword did a little jump of joy, making the ground beneath them quake.
"Yayyy! Hero Toby is moving out!"
Inside a bedchamber that now felt like a solitary confinement cell, Calista stood frozen by the window, draped only in a plain white gown.
She listened to the faint, rhythmic marching of Duke Bernard's forces as they moved away from the courtyard.
The silence of the castle corridor was abruptly broken by a muffled thud just outside her locked door.
Calista flinched. She stepped back, her eyes locked warily on the wooden panels.
A gentle knock followed. Then came the voice of a woman, crisp and incredibly calm. "Hello... I am the Vice Guildmaster of Holy Cross."
Calista's heart pounded against her ribs. The name of the monolithic guild sparked a flicker of hope in her mind. Disregarding the risks, she rushed forward and unlocked the door.
Before her stood the woman in the white gown, a warm smile gracing her features. Her clear blue eyes gazed serenely from beneath black bangs.
Looming directly behind the elegant woman was the horrifying figure of the giant armored knight.
Calista's eyes darted down the hallway. Two of Duke Bernard's elite personal guards were sprawled unconscious on the carpet, showing no signs of a struggle.
Without a second thought, Calista pulled them both into the room and immediately secured the lock once more.
She retreated a few steps. Her breathing was ragged, her chest rising and falling erratically as she stared at the two intruders.
Her knowledge of Orion Online remained sharp. She quickly matched their physical appearances and weapons to the roster of top-tier players burned into her memory.
With a violently trembling hand, Calista pointed at the woman and the giant knight.
"You..." Calista said, her voice hoarse. "You are SeraphicGlow... the Zodiac Virgo. And you..." She pointed at the armored knight with sheer terror. "...are Hellnah, the Destroyer."
The tranquility on Verena's beautiful face never wavered. Her blue eyes met Calista's directly, making no attempt to deny the identities.
Verena stepped forward, letting her white gown brush the floor, and extended a warm hand to rest on Calista's shoulder.
"Just call me Verena," the Virgo said softly. "Are you alright?"
The warmth radiating from Verena's touch dismantled every ounce of resilience Calista had desperately maintained since dawn.
Her shoulders slumped. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the tremors wracking her body, but the effort was futile.
Her breath hitched as the first sob escaped her throat, followed by a torrent of tears.
Calista stepped forward and threw her arms around Verena. She buried her face in the Virgo's shoulder, weeping uncontrollably like a lost child who had finally found her family.
"I want to go home..." Calista sobbed in despair, her raspy voice breaking with agony.
"They are all so cruel! I don't even know how I ended up in this world! They... they caught me... then sold me to the Duke... and the Duke... he... he..."
Her words were choked off by a hysterical, suffocating cry. She could not force herself to finish the sentence.
Verena returned the embrace. She patted the poor woman's back tenderly, trying to offer a sanctuary of safety.
Yet, beneath her gentle touch and composed face, Verena's eyes flashed with a razor-sharp murderous intent as she processed the unspoken torment of the woman in her arms.
However, in the midst of this poignant, emotional moment, the quiet of the room was suddenly shattered by a different, much louder wail.
"Uwaaaaa! Huuu... huuuuu!"
Calista jumped in shock. She broke the embrace, staring in disbelief at the source of the noise.
Toby, the steel knight, the infamously ruthless Destroyer, was now sitting awkwardly on the floor.
His metal gauntlets were aggressively rubbing the surface of his iron helm, as if desperately trying to wipe away tears he could not reach.
The giant knight whined and bawled so loudly that his broad shoulders shook violently, only pausing when he ran out of breath.
Verena turned around. She exhaled, asking with the infinite patience of a mother. "Toby, why are you crying all of a sudden?"
Toby answered, his raspy boyish voice echoing through the helm. "Huuu... huuu... Toby doesn't know. The pink-haired sister is crying, so Toby feels sad and wants to cry too."
Verena sighed in resignation. "Hush now, Toby is a good boy. Toby can rest for a bit. Go sit on the bed over there while I speak with the sister, alright?"
Toby obliged. The giant knight stood up awkwardly, waddled over, and did a little hop to sit on the edge of the Duke's bed.
CRACK!
CRASH!
With a deafening sound of splintering wood, the luxurious bed frame instantly collapsed, caving into the floor. It was completely unable to support hundreds of kilograms of solid plate armor.
Verena massaged her temples, attempting to ignore the fresh chaos. She guided Calista to sit and calm herself in a nearby chair.
Calista, still sniffling with reddened eyes, stared bewildered at the ruined bed and the knight sitting atop the debris. She tentatively asked Verena about the anomaly.
Verena explained the bitter truth. She revealed that the soul inhabiting that terrifying armor was merely a seven-year-old child who had been secretly playing on his brother's account the exact second the main servers collapsed.
Hearing a tragic tale that felt even more heartbreaking than her own fate, Calista slowly wiped her remaining tears and introduced her real name.
Formalities concluded, Verena shifted to her primary objective. She laid out the grim reality of the Orion continent without sugarcoating the ugliness.
She detailed how high-level Players were suffering from moral decay, acting as mad, lawless tyrants.
"Most women with non-combat Classes or low levels share your exact fate, Calista," Verena explained bitterly. "They are hunted, abducted, and treated as spoils of war by the powerful. And the most terrifying part is... as of this moment... there is not a single clue or path leading back to our world."
Upon hearing this, Calista lowered her head deeply. "Then... how did you find me inside the Vividale Kingdom?"
Verena relayed the intelligence she had gathered. "I heard reports that the grand banquet in the Vividale palace ended in disaster. The King was utterly captivated by you and publicly demanded that Duke Bernard hand you over as a concubine. The Duke rejected his sovereign outright."
Verena pointed out the window, toward the direction of the marching troops.
"And now, a civil war is brewing out there. The Duke's forces are mobilizing because the King has officially declared him a traitor."
Calista's shoulders went rigid. Her sobbing ceased instantly. The memory of the King's sickening gaze and the Duke's fierce refusal at the banquet flashed through her mind.
Her beautiful eyes slowly lost all trace of life, turning vacant, numb, and profoundly hollow.
Unconsciously, Calista's fingers moved to her neck, scratching at the flushed skin. Gradually, the scratching grew faster, more frantic.
Her nails tore into her smooth skin until it peeled, drawing fresh beads of blood. She was desperately trying to claw away the disgusting phantom touches of the Duke from her body.
"Verena..." Calista whispered, her dead eyes fixed on the floor.
Her tone was chillingly calm; there was no explosive rage, only a void that froze the marrow. "I want them all dead. I want this rotten kingdom to crumble into dust."
Verena stepped forward swiftly, catching Calista's wrists to stop the woman from mutilating herself.
"Rampaging blindly without direction will change nothing, Calista," Verena stated firmly. "But that vengeance in your eyes... that is a foundation we can build upon."
Verena stared directly into Calista's hollow gaze.
"Your unrivaled beauty is a curse in the hands of the wrong man," Verena said. "But in the right hands, under the right command, it is a weapon of mass destruction."
The Virgo released her grip and walked toward the window, gesturing to the sprawling Vividale Kingdom below.
"If those mad Players begin racing to forge their own empires in this world, I cannot protect the other vulnerable women unless I secure my own foothold."
Verena turned back, regarding her new ally. "We shall use this warring kingdom as the cornerstone of my power."
"How?" Calista asked, her voice raspy.
"We shall let those foolish hounds tear each other apart." Verena began outlining her bloody coup with a remarkably emotionless expression.
"We will forge a false trail in this chamber, making it appear as though you were seized by the King's guard. Once Duke Bernard realizes his most prized possession was stolen by his sovereign, the hound will blindly bite his own master."
A cold, calculating smile etched itself onto the cleric's face.
"We let them rip out each other's throats, burn the city, and bleed themselves dry on the battlefield."
"And then?"
"Once the King and the Duke's factions are destroyed from within," Verena continued, weaving her masterpiece, "you shall emerge amidst the chaos. You will lead the oppressed commoners, traumatized by the civil war, as their goddess of salvation, backed by the military might of my faction. And ultimately... you shall sit upon the throne of Vividale as its new Queen."
Calista looked at Verena, a glimmer of confusion piercing her empty stare. "You engineered all of this, and you hold the power. Why do you not claim the throne for yourself?"
Verena shook her head decisively. "I shall focus on leading the protective order for women in this realm—the White Veil. You shall be the Queen who rules this kingdom."
However, the grave conversation steeped in political intrigue was abruptly interrupted by a voice from the ruined bed.
"Sister! Sister Verena!" Toby yelled innocently, frantically waving his hands in front of his iron helm. "The bed smells! It smells weird and super gross! Toby doesn't like it!"
Calista's previously hollow eyes shot wide open.
The child's innocent remark about the bed's odor acted as a heavy anchor, dragging her violently back to the depths of hell. Memory after memory of the sickening acts from the previous night slapped her sanity repeatedly.
Her body stiffened like a board. She immediately wrapped her arms around herself, hugging her shoulders as she began to tremble violently, a wave of nausea tearing at her stomach.
Witnessing the trauma response accidentally triggered by Toby's innocence, Verena's gaze iced over once more. Her jaw clenched tight.
The Virgo took a long breath, suppressing her fury. She reached out and took Calista's hand with utmost gentleness.
"We are leaving this wretched place. Now," Verena decided quietly.
She guided the fragile steps of the future Queen of Vividale out of the chamber, slowly vanishing into the shadows.