Before entering the Alpha trials, Athena had memorized the paths leading to other dorms—each a serene bamboo forest. Even before she lost consciousness, the illusion had shown her the same familiar sight. But now, as she gazed outside, her breath caught. This wasn’t just a bamboo forest anymore. Something was different. Something was wrong.

But what she was seeing now didn’t make sense.

Is it possible for an enchanted forest to exist inside the academy?

Enchanted forests were common in the Elvish realm, and since the academy itself was situated within that realm, it was understandable to find one surrounding its outer walls.

However, discovering such a forest inside the academy’s walls was both surprising and unexpected.

The entire forest was shrouded in a thick fog. Athena surveyed the airtight coach, noting the built-in air purifier. So, the fog isn’t just for concealment—it’s poisonous too, she realized.

Despite the eerie mist, the forest itself was breathtakingly beautiful. The plants and trees seemed to glow, illuminating the path where sunlight couldn’t reach. Athena marveled at the sight but found something amiss. Enchanted forests weren’t just known for their glowing flora—they were home to majestic creatures, guardians of divine blessings. But here, there was nothing. Not a single rustle of movement. Just eerie silence.

Her gaze then landed on a seemingly ordinary lamp hanging outside the coach. Unlike a normal flame, this one burned black and white. A strange, unsettling sight. I’ve never seen fire like this before… Curiosity piqued, she called out, “Coachman, what is the significance of this lamp?”

Silence.

Frowning, Athena tried again, raising her voice. Still, there was no response. Did he not hear me? she wondered. Then, an idea struck her.

Pressing the red button on her bracelet, a screen appeared before her. She quickly navigated its interface and sent a message to Cleo: Cleo, why can’t I communicate with the coachman?

Within seconds, a reply popped up.

Miss, you will see a blue button beside the window. Please press it before speaking. Otherwise, no one outside can hear you.

She sighed and typed a quick Thank you. Cleo’s response came instantly: The pleasure is mine, Miss. I hope you enjoy your journey. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out.

Athena exhaled in exhaustion. This guy really likes to talk…

Deciding against asking Cleo about the lamp, she instead located the blue button and pressed it. “Coachman, what is the significance of this lamp? Why does it burn with such a strange flame?”

This time, he responded, his tone indifferent. “Miss, that is an ‘Arcanum Lamp,’ used to conceal travelers from the creatures of the enchanted forest. As long as it remains lit, no beast will approach the carriage.”

So that explains the absence of creatures… “And the fire?” she pressed.

“That is known as Ignis Fatuus—also called a ‘will-o’-the-wisp,’” he replied in the same detached manner.

The words ‘will-o’-the-wisp’ stirred something in Athena—an old story, whispered in her grandmother’s warm voice on a summer afternoon. As a child, she loved visiting her maternal grandparents. Every time she went, she would act coquettish with her grandmother, who would let her lay on her lap and tell her stories.

One such story was about the will-o’-the-wisp.

That day, she and her grandmother had a picnic in the garden. Lying comfortably, Athena could see a variety of flowers swaying in the breeze, their floral scent filling the air.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Little cupcake, do you know what a will-o’-the-wisp is?” Duchess Bellatrix asked, her tone playful.

Athena, her curiosity piqued, shook her head. “No, Grandma! What is it?”

The Duchess chuckled at her granddaughter’s eager expression. “Well, do you know there are two kinds of creatures?”

Athena nodded enthusiastically.

“One is called Abyssal creatures, and the other is Enchanted creatures. Abyssal creatures are born in the Abyssal plains, while Enchanted creatures are born in the enchanted forests, blessed by the gods.”

As she spoke, the Duchess gently ran her fingers through Athena’s hair, her voice weaving the tale.

“Once upon a time, there was a magnificent beast, beloved by the Beast God. It was strong and majestic, and during the great war between the old gods and the darkness, this beast fought valiantly alongside the gods. Pleased with its loyalty, the Beast God wished to grant it the title of Guardian of Heaven.”

Athena’s eyes widened with wonder.

“But the Abyss saw the beast as a threat. They tried to corrupt it, to turn it into one of their own. The beast refused to submit and, in the struggle, died a painful death.”

Athena gasped softly.

“The Beast God, enraged by the loss of his most cherished creature, placed a curse upon the Abyss. No matter what it does, the Abyss will never be able to turn my beasts into its own. Since then, whenever an enchanted creature is slain in an attempt to be converted, it burns its own soul, leaving behind an eerie, unquenchable flame—a warning to others.”

“That flame,” her grandmother had whispered, “is the will-o’-the-wisp—a final curse against the Abyss.”

Athena had listened with rapt attention, then asked, “Grandma, have you ever seen one?”

Her grandmother shook her head with a wistful smile. “No, sweetheart. After the war ended, will-o’-the-wisps vanished. No one knows who took them. Without them, the Abyss stopped converting enchanted creatures and simply started killing them instead. That’s why enchanted creatures never leave the forest unless they recognize a master.”

Athena had frowned in thought before asking again, “Then, Grandma, what kind of beast was the Beast God’s favorite?”

Duchess Bellatrix’s expression turned troubled. “That… no one knows. Only those who lived in that time would have known. For some reason, no records remain about the beast.”

The memory faded as Athena was brought back to the present by the coachman’s voice.

“Miss, we are here.”

Blinking a few times, she realized that while she had been lost in thought, they had already crossed the enchanted forest. The carriage was now stationed in a clearing before a dense bamboo forest.

“Miss, the carriage only travels this far. You’ll need to cross the bamboo forest on foot,” the coachman informed her. “Rest assured, there are no harmful creatures here. Please inform the butler when you wish to return, and I will pick you up from this spot.”

Athena nodded in understanding.

After confirming she had heard him, the coachman turned the carriage. The mechanical horses neighed and took off, leaving a trail of dust behind. She listened to the rhythmic galloping until both the carriage and its sound disappeared into the forest.

She took a deep breath in and let it out. The red button, gleaming like a ruby set among diamonds in the wristband, caught the sunlight. The serene bamboo forest stood in stark contrast to her churning thoughts.

Despite her indifferent exterior, the past few hours had been overwhelming. Ever since she was a child, her way of processing things had been… different. Her father and grandfather, the Emperor, often said that nothing could faze her easily.

There was an incident in the royal palace when she and Ayden were younger. They had been playing in the stables when, somehow, a lamp fell, igniting the dry straw. Within moments, the entire stable was ablaze.

Ayden panicked, tears streaming down his face as he clung to her. “Sister, what do we do?”

Athena quickly scanned their surroundings. The fire was spreading fast, but she spotted the barrels of water kept for the horses. Grabbing Ayden’s hand, she led him there.

“Ayden, soak yourself completely—don’t leave a single spot dry.”

Without hesitation, he followed her instructions. She did the same, then found an opening where the flames weren’t as intense.

“Run!”

They dashed through the fire with everything they had.

By the time they emerged, smoke clinging to their clothes, the servants—who had rushed over after hearing the panicked neighs—stared in shock. The sight of the young princess and prince stepping out of the inferno left them breathless.

That day, they received a severe scolding from their grandfather. Ayden had a fever for days and couldn’t sleep without reliving the fire in his nightmares. But Athena? She carried on as if nothing had happened.

Her mother had worried that something wasn’t normal about her, but her father believed she was simply… special.

She thought about that incident as she walked through the bamboo forest. It was her first time crossing it, but the clear stone-paved trail made it easy to navigate. It didn’t take long for her to reach the end.

As she approached the exit, she felt a subtle shift in the air. Oh… so this is the barrier to the Alpha dorm.

As she stepped through the barrier, a palpable tension filled the air. Five pairs of anxious eyes locked onto her, their concern unmistakable.