Chapter 377: A Strange Entity

Ryan stood near the closed door, looking at Sophia’s serious face as he processed the names she had just mentioned.

He slowly exhaled through his nose and relaxed the tension in his shoulders, feeling that the conversation was entering delicate territory.

’I have a bad feeling this is going to be one of those "personal responsibility" stories, the kind where simply listening gets you dragged into danger. Whatever it is, I hope I don’t end up getting dragged into this later,’ Ryan thought, rubbing his chin with one hand as he evaluated what staying to hear this secret would entail.

With that in mind, Ryan decided there was no longer any point in standing by the exit and walked back toward the center of the room.

He approached one of the wooden chairs next to the table, pulled it out a bit to brush off the dust with his hand, and sat down.

After leaning back in his chair, Ryan gestured toward the empty seat across from him, inviting Sophia to sit.

He rested his arms on the sides of the chair and interlaced his fingers, showing with his calm posture that he was now ready to listen to whatever Sophia planned to tell him.

Sophia observed him in silence for a couple of seconds before walking over to the table with soft steps.

Then, she pulled out the other wooden chair and sat comfortably across from him, keeping her back straight.

She smoothed the skirt of her dress with both hands, crossing her legs under the table while fixing her gaze on Ryan.

After taking a deep breath, Sophia rested a hand on the wooden surface and began to speak.

"For a long time, this situation didn’t let me sleep peacefully. I assume William told you about the origin of the races of this world. If I’m wrong and you still don’t know, then tell me now," Sophia commented calmly, tilting her head slightly to the side to observe his reaction.

Ryan kept a serene face at the mention of that topic, remembering the past conversations he’d had about it.

He didn’t respond with words so as not to interrupt the flow of her explanation, simply giving a single, silent nod. Upon receiving that confirmation, Sophia averted her gaze for a moment toward the edge of the table.

Then, she swapped her relaxed expression for a more serious one, narrowing her eyes slightly as she searched her memory and recalled that day.

Sophia looked back up at Ryan and spoke in a lower tone. "It’s been many years since this happened. In those days, Erhes Valley wasn’t yet the cheerful town it is now. This place was barely beginning to develop, intended to be a military front to fight against the demons."

Ryan listened without moving from his seat, noticing how Sophia’s fingers tapped lightly against the wood at the mention of the town’s original purpose.

She adjusted her posture in the chair before continuing her story. "But then, an S-rank dungeon appeared in the area. The prince and I... No, I mean, the current King of Lunar Veil and I. We came with the intention of clearing that dungeon and becoming S-rank."

Ryan slightly raised an eyebrow upon learning that the nation’s ruler himself had participated in that raid years ago, but he remained quiet to let her continue.

Sophia lowered her hand to her lap and interlaced her fingers over her skirt, keeping her gaze fixed on a spot between them.

She let out a soft sigh before continuing her account. "Three adventurers were supposed to enter the dungeon, but the third member of our group was delayed, so the king and I went in alone. When we were about to complete the dungeon, the demons arrived. That was Ophelia’s combat squad, serving Rohan. At that time, she wasn’t a demon queen yet. And she still served the Ignis nation."

Ryan leaned his torso forward slightly upon hearing Ophelia’s name, paying closer attention to the details of that encounter inside the dungeon.

Sophia pressed her lips together slightly as she remembered the harshness of that clash, her shoulders tensing lightly beneath the fabric of her dress.

She looked directly into Ryan’s eyes to emphasize the difference in strength there had been in that place. "Although the king and I managed to finish off the other demons, Ophelia was incredibly strong, even though she was only an Infernal. She was already far above everyone else who shared her rank. If it hadn’t been for my Twin Resonance, she would have killed us, but that skill gave her a lot of trouble."

As she spoke, Sophia unconsciously moved her left hand and brushed her own right arm, which now looked perfectly intact in front of Ryan.

Her voice grew a little tenser as she relived the end of that fight. "The battle dragged on for a long time. I lost my right arm because of Ophelia, but because of that—thanks to my skill—she was severely injured. We were on the verge of winning when Rohan arrived. That Demon King defeated us effortlessly; if he had wanted to, he could have killed us."

Sophia paused briefly to take a breath, letting go of her arm and resting both palms on her thighs. "But if I died, it was highly likely that Ophelia would die too. Because of that, he held back."

Ryan blinked a couple of times after finishing listening to that part, putting the pieces together in his head regarding the relationship between the leaders of the neighboring nation.

’So that’s how they know each other. I didn’t expect Demon King Rohan to take pity on Ophelia. If he had killed Sophia, he would have quickly rid himself of that situation even if Ophelia died. Those two really were friends, huh,’ Ryan thought, resting his chin on his hand as he analyzed the decision Rohan had made in the past.

However, as Ryan realized how Sophia’s damage link worked, his body tensed in his chair.

A cold sweat ran down Ryan’s cheek, traveling slowly to his jaw as he looked at the guild master across from him.

’Wait a second. If I had killed Sophia instead of knocking her unconscious, what would have happened to me?’ Ryan thought, remembering the previous moment when he had almost gone too far with his power before she passed out.

But Ryan decided to leave those doubts for later, discreetly wiping his face with the back of his hand so as not to show his uneasiness.

He simply let Sophia continue her story without interrupting her with questions about her skill.

Although this story raised new questions about how they had survived, he was certain she would answer them once she finished speaking.

Sophia noticed Ryan’s thoughtful silence and formed a slight, lopsided smile, uncrossing her legs under the table. "I’m sure you’re wondering how one makes it out alive after coming face to face with a demon king, aren’t you?"

Ryan lowered his hand from his chin and rested it on the wood, looking at her with skepticism. "Truthfully, it’s hard for me to believe he would leave you alive without a reason. Even if he and Ophelia really were friends, I don’t see Rohan sparing your life just because Ophelia was going to die too."

Sophia let out a soft laugh at his bluntness and slowly shook her head. "Hahaha, yes, you’re right. I admit that if a strange entity hadn’t appeared, disturbed by our entire battle, the King of Lunar Veil and I would be dead right now. But that entity was so powerful that not even Demon King Rohan could do anything against it."

Ryan frowned instantly and straightened his back in his seat upon hearing that something capable of overpowering Rohan existed. "An entity?"

Sophia wiped the trace of a laugh from her face, leaning forward over the table to look him straight in the eyes.

"Yes, Ryan. Haven’t you ever wondered where the energy that feeds the dungeons comes from?"