Year 3500 of the Divine Descent Calendar – Summer Komansette City, Northeastern Haid Empire.
It is said that this was where the founding emperor was chosen as the Hero—and also his hometown.
Four hundred years ago, Hero Haid defeated the Demon King of that era.
Before his coronation, he returned to his hometown and, under the chimes of the church bells and the blessings of the people, married the beloved daughter of a duke who had journeyed with him.
Afterward, Hero Haid deeply reflected on the decay of the previous dynasty.
How different was a corrupt and brutal ruler from the Demon King he had slain?
Thus, starting from this very city and with the support of his wife, he launched a rebellion against the rotten dynasty.
Within just a year, he overthrew the previous monarch and established a new regime—the Haid Empire.
To this day, a statue of that Hero—the founding emperor—still stands proudly at the city’s center.
The statue shows him with a dignified and handsome expression, his sword pointed forward, and his open mouth seemingly shouting for freedom and hope for the people.
Although Komansette never became the imperial capital, every citizen of this city feels proud to be from the “City of Beginnings.”
Prosperity, pride, and the Hero’s hometown—these are the names forever tied to Komansette.
And today, the city welcomed a traveler.
That itself wasn’t unusual—pilgrims from all over the empire regularly journey here to pay homage to the Hero’s birthplace.
But today’s traveler was… a little different.
From the moment she stepped through the city gates, she drew countless eyes.
Casual passersby turned their heads.
Vendors weary from the scorching sun stared wide-eyed.
Even the dutiful soldiers at their posts momentarily lost focus.
Her long gray-white hair fell to her waist.
Her fair skin looked untouched by the summer sun.
And those pale green eyes shimmered like starlight reflected on a lake.
Not to mention her beauty—so captivating that even a single glance could evoke love and longing.
She was like a painting brought to life, crafted to perfection by a master artist.
Clearly uncomfortable with the attention, the girl—Lanafit—grasped the brim of her overly wide sunhat, trying to shield her face.
But the residents still caught glimpses of her beauty beneath the brim’s edge.
Only when she hurried off and vanished down the street did the crowd reluctantly tear their gazes away, murmuring to themselves, fantasizing about a fated encounter with such a stunning girl.
…
In a narrow alley…
“…And once again, this is what happens. This is why I don’t like going to crowded places,”
Lanafit—yes, that very girl—muttered in resignation, pulling at her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
Even a brisk walk in this oppressive heat left her soaked.
Though, that was partly her fault for dressing so heavily in the middle of summer.
She was still wearing the outfit Roseithe had given her long ago—an outfit made for the temperate warmth of Sky Island, where the climate felt like spring year-round.
In this sweltering summer?
It felt like walking inside a slowly heating steamer.
It wasn’t suffocating, exactly—but definitely uncomfortable.
But there wasn’t much she could do about it.
Over the past weeks, she’d passed through many places, always avoiding settlements when possible.
The last time she entered a town was a month and a half ago, when the weather hadn’t yet turned this hot.
So, she never had the chance—or the thought—to buy lighter clothing.
Besides, even with everything covered, she still attracted attention.
If she wore anything lighter, wouldn’t that just invite a whole mob of admirers and flirts?
Lanafit had no interest in unnecessary trouble.
Still, despite the heat and the outfit, things weren’t entirely unmanageable.
“I should’ve gathered more of that herb back then… at least enough for the whole summer. What a miscalculation…”
She sighed and conjured a shimmering ice rose in her palm, its chilly air bringing a brief but welcome relief.
She held it close to her face and exhaled in comfort.
But this wouldn’t last.
She couldn’t just walk around town holding a magic ice rose.
If the city guards saw it, they’d think she was some kind of dangerous spellcaster plotting an attack!
Finding a reasonably clean, empty wine barrel, Lanafit sat down to rest.
She figured the crowd was probably still waiting for her outside the alley anyway.
As she cooled off, she began studying the city architecture, mumbling to herself.
“This city’s pretty big. There’s gotta be an herbal shop or two. What I need—Little Ice Grass—isn’t that rare. I should be able to find some.”
Little Ice Grass was a medicinal herb used in potion-making.
Combined with other ingredients, it could be brewed into a potion known as the Heat Resistance Elixir.
As the name suggests, it helps people endure extreme heat.
Lanafit had once stumbled across a large patch of the herb while traveling and gathered quite a bit, planning to brew some for sale in case she ever ran out of money.
She even made a stop in a nearby town to buy some bottles and other supplies.
But once summer hit?
Every single vial of potion went to her personal use.
She didn’t sell a drop.
Just last night, she’d tried sleeping in a tent—but the heat kept her awake the entire time.
So today, bright and early, she rushed to Komansette, hoping to find a shop that sold Little Ice Grass.
She needed to buy more—anything to help her survive this brutal summer.
After resting for a solid two hours, the oppressive heat on her body had dissipated, and the sweat had been dried off by the wind.
Figuring the townspeople had likely lost interest in her by now, Lanafit gently closed her hand around the ice rose, shattering the artwork-like flower into delicate shards of frost.
Then, after cautiously peeking out from the alleyway, she finally stepped back into the street.
…
Several hours later…
Lanafit dragged herself back into the alleyway, completely drained.
“You’ve got to be kidding me… Is my luck really this bad?”
Sitting once again on the same empty wine barrel, her tone was one of clear frustration as she complained aloud.
Why?
Because she’d spent the entire morning scouring the city—visiting every single shop that sold herbs or potions, big or small—and got the same answer from each one: Sold out.
The reason?
Apparently, just a few days ago, a labyrinth had suddenly appeared near the city due to an earthquake.
After scouting parties investigated it, they discovered it was filled with lava and blazing fire-type monsters.
Fearing the dungeon’s monsters might grow in number and threaten the city, the local lord organized a joint effort with the Adventurer’s Guild and part of the city guard to launch a preemptive attack.
As a result, all the heat-resistance potions were bought up, along with every last ingredient needed to make them—including the Little Ice Grass.
In other words, Lanafit had shown up at the worst possible time.
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