Dungeons, as it turns out, are paradoxical places—dangerous and unpredictable yet filled with unimaginable beauty and riches. Surrounding Mistvale are countless such dungeons, each with its own allure. Some are famed for harboring vast deposits of magic stones. Others are filled with rare and potent medicinal herbs. And there’s even one famed for its fields of luminous, ethereal flowers that glow in an array of colors, creating an otherworldly beauty that draws adventurers just for the view.

It’s thanks to these dungeons that humanity has carved out a thriving existence. Magic stones and medicinal herbs fuel not only the economy but also the progress of civilization. Even the monsters that inhabit these labyrinths, while deadly, are paradoxically vital. Their meat is a delicacy, their bones and hides essential for forging powerful weapons, durable armor, and intricate magical artifacts. Adventurers, lured by the promise of wealth and power, brave these dangers to hone their skills, growing stronger with each battle fought and each treasure earned.

In this way, dungeons have woven themselves into the very fabric of society—a constant, enigmatic presence that is both a blessing and a curse.

———————————-

Rustle rustle…

We’re walking along a serene garden path, the trees swaying gently in the night breeze. The grass rustles softly beneath our steps, and clusters of flowers dot the landscape, some even glowing faintly in the moonlight. The silver light bathes everything in a gentle luminescence, providing just enough illumination for my catgirl eyes to see clearly.

“Hey, you know,” Eris says, breaking the calm silence, “the whole world is actually one big dungeon too!”

I blink, my ears perking up in confusion. “Wait, what? The world… is a dungeon?”

“Yup!” Eris nods. “Think about it. What’s the difference between our world and the worlds behind those dungeon gates?”

I hesitate, racking my brain for an answer. “Ermmm… I… I don’t know! I’ve never even been to a dungeon before!”

Eris grins, her eyes sparkling. “Then, take a guess!”

“A guess?” I tilt my head, my tail swishing thoughtfully as I enter my ‘catgirl thinking mode.’

Hmmmmm…

Hmmmmmmmmm….

I rub my chin, ears twitching.

“Ah! Is it that there are monsters inside the dungeons?”

“Well, it’s true that dungeons have creatures we call dungeon monsters, but, in essence, they’re not all that different from the animals in our world. Some are just stronger due to the high concentration of mana.”

I frown, thinking harder. “Then… is it that dungeons are smaller?”

Eris shakes her head. “Nope. While many dungeons are small enough to explore in just a few days, some are so enormous that no one has ever fully explored them. Their scale can even surpass our wildest imagination!”

“T-then…” I chew on my lip, straining for an answer. I try to think harder, but eventually, I throw up my hands in defeat. “Ahhh, I can’t think of anything else!”

I give up.

“It’s because there is no difference!” Eris laughs

“Eh? There is none, but you still made me guess? Ugh, Eris!!!” I groan, puffing out my cheeks.

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“Hihi,” she giggles, seems clearly enjoying my frustration. “I told you, didn’t I? Our world is like one big dungeon!”

“Hmmmp!”

“Alright, think of it like this,” Eris continues, even though I’m still pouting. “If you were born inside a dungeon—let’s say the Silverwolf Dungeon—as a Silverwolf, that dungeon would be your whole world. To you, humans invading through the gates would be like monsters from another dungeon.”

“Oooooh!” My eyes widen as the idea clicks into place. “I get it now!”

“Yeah, it’s fascinating, isn’t it.”

“Nn!”

“And there’s more,” Eris adds. “Some dungeons even have ruins and traces of lost civilizations.”

“Wait!” I gasp. “So you mean there used to be people living inside dungeons?”

Eris nods solemnly. “Yup. They didn’t just live there—they built entire kingdoms. These lost civilizations were incredibly advanced, far beyond anything we have now. By studying their ruins, we’ve made countless discoveries that have shaped our world.”

“That’s so interesting!” I’m now very intrigued.

A whole other civilization?

Inside the dungeons?

That’s cool!

“But… do you know what happened to them? I mean… why did they go extinct?”

“Well, no one really knows,” Eris shakes her head. “Some say they migrated away into a higher dimension. Others believe a catastrophic disaster wiped them out. If the latter is true,” she suddenly pauses, “then we must find out what happened and how to prevent it.”

“Oh right…” I murmur, a chill running down my spine as the realization dawns in.

That somehow reminds me of what happened to the dinosaurs on Earth 66 million years ago. A big rock fell from the sky, then boom! All dead.

There’s no telling that something similar won’t happen in any near future.

“By the way, do you know where us Furren come from?” Eris suddenly says.

“Huh?” I blink. “Where… Furren come from? Wait, Furren people aren’t originally from this world?”

“Yup!” Eris confirms, her grin widening. “We came from a different world, another dungeon!”

“No way! You are kidding!”

“Nope, that’s the truth!”

I fall silent, my curiosity piqued. As she begins to explain, I listen intently, hanging onto every word.

It turns out that Furren and humans originated from two separate worlds—two entirely different dimensions. The human world was called Terra, a realm where humans were the sole inhabitants. Meanwhile, the Furren world was known as Faunae, a land where nature and beastfolk lived in perfect harmony.

Thousands of years ago, a dungeon gate opened, linking the two worlds together. This connection wasn’t peaceful at first. War erupted as humans and Furren fought over land, resources, and survival, each race viewing the other as invaders. The conflict raged on for centuries, filled with bloodshed and strife.

But over time, through countless struggles and efforts from both sides, the two races finally found common ground. They began to coexist, building a world where humans and Furren could live side by side in harmony. They also shared their knowledge and technologies, improving both worlds and creating a better future together.

However, the scars of the past haven’t entirely healed. Even now, there are places on Terra where Furren are treated with suspicion or outright hostility, facing discrimination and prejudice. And in Faunae, there are still regions where humans are unwelcome.

And interestingly, it turns out this very kingdom, the Eldenwald Kingdom, is located in Terra. But Eris’s hometown, the Zerakia Kingdom, is in Faunae. The gate connecting the two worlds is actually not far away, on top of the high mountains to the North of Mistvale.

“It’s been a long journey for our people, Felicia. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much work to be done,” Eris says.

“Nn.” I nod in agreement, feeling the weight of her words. “But… has something like this ever happened before?” I ask. “I mean, besides humans and Furren… has any other race ever appeared and made contact with us?”

Eris shakes her head. “Nope. But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future,” she adds, her expression turning serious. “Especially with new dungeons popping up every day.”

“Right…” I murmur.

“And that means we have to be prepared. Our world, our people have to grow as strong as possible,” Eris says.

“Yeah,” I echo, nodding again.

After all, even though it seems peaceful now, I can’t help but think how fragile that peace really is. The existence of dungeons means the fate of our world is always hanging by a thread.

I reflect on what Eris said about the balance between humans and Furren. One of the reasons peace was possible was because neither race was strong enough to overpower the other. There’s also a balance born of necessity, forged through shared struggles and a mutual desire to survive and thrive together, a desire for peace from both sides.

But what if, one day, a new dungeon connects us to another dimension? A world with an active civilization we’ve never encountered before?

If they come in peace, that would be a blessing. But if they’re hostile, intent on conquering or destroying us…

A chill runs down my spine. If that day ever comes, we may have no choice but to fight to protect what we have.