A new morning dawned over Norton. Everyone was busy with their daily duties in the royal palace. In the midst of a day crowded with events, while the king and his court were preoccupied with political matters, the new queen finally decided to go for a walk—though only within the palace grounds, as the king had firmly insisted for her safety.

“Who does he think he is?!” Asma muttered with a frown, adjusting her elegant gown and the jeweled headpiece that decorated her veil.

“The king… Your Majesty!” Ivanka hesitated before answering, afraid her words might sound insolent.

Asma sighed. “I know… I mean, it’s just… you know! He’s being completely unfair!”

Ivanka lowered her gaze, as if lost in thought.

“What’s wrong, Ivanka? Are you alright?”

“Ah… yes, my queen.” She collected herself, as though she had just made a firm decision. “Your Majesty, please, follow me.”

Asma blinked in surprise, but did as she was told. They walked through the misty palace garden filled with strange plants Asma had never seen before—trees both beautiful and terrifying. At last, they reached a towering structure. Ivanka spread her powerful wings and began to fly just above the ground.

Asma froze, unsure what to do. Then Ivanka suddenly remembered: Asma couldn’t fly.

“Oh—! Forgive me, my queen! I forgot you cannot fly. It would also be disrespectful of me to carry you.”

“It’s fine, I can climb the stairs.”

“Stairs? What are those?”

“Stairs… steps we walk on, to go upward.” Asma stumbled over her words, embarrassed to explain something so basic. Ivanka tilted her head, thinking, then finally understood. “Ah, my queen—you mean the rising steps! Yes. But we don’t use them here. None of the buildings have doors, except for the palace chambers and the main gate.”

“W–what?!” Looking closer, Asma realized it was true. Not a single building had a door. “So you rely on your wings for everything?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. But in your case…” Ivanka whistled, three soft broken notes. A magnificent griffin appeared—its head that of an eagle, body of a lion, feathers as black as night yet glowing faintly with moonlight.

“Waaah! Beautiful!” Asma gasped.

“This is Willy, at your service, my queen.”

Asma petted him shyly before climbing onto his massive back. Despite his terrifying size, the creature seemed tame—almost as though he recognized her.

The griffin carried her up to the top of the ancient, crumbling tower.

“Ivanka… where are we?” Asma asked nervously.

“My queen, please, jump inside.”

Despite her fear, Asma tried. The griffin leaned close to help, but when his wing brushed the window, he was wounded instantly. He screeched in agony and plummeted from more than thirty meters.

Asma barely clung to the window ledge to avoid falling with him. With all her strength, she pulled herself into the tower, her heart racing as she looked down at the fallen griffin.

“Do not worry, my queen—It’s alive. I will check on him quickly. Please, do not move.”

“Thank goodness… a–alright. I’ll wait.”

…..

Meanwhile, in the royal office, Shadow sat at his desk, drowned in paperwork. Opposite him, Ivan presented reports of the tense disputes over distributing cosmic resources among the nymphs realms.

The silence grew heavy after a while. Shadow simply nodded, understanding, and ordered urgent diplomatic meetings to prevent an all-out war. The world was one step away from catastrophe—not only the nymphs realms, but the human world as well.

But then… the scratching of his quill stopped. Shadow’s gaze shifted, sharp and piercing.

Ivan stiffened like a child caught misbehaving. “He looked outside…” Ivan thought nervously. “His awareness reaches even as far as Aletheia’s Tower.”

“The griffin?! …Ivan!” Shadow’s voice was cold, threatening.

“My king! It was just a quick visit—”

“The griffin has fallen. No one may enter that tower except her!”

Ivan froze. Damn it.

Shadow rose in fury and summoned the royal Shadow Steed—a winged beast of pure darkness, its glowing violet eyes burning like fire.

Mounting it, Shadow glanced sideways at Ivan. His voice was calm, yet chilling: “It seems the crown prince does not share my vision this time.” Then he soared swiftly into the cloudy morning skies, heading toward the tower.

……

Asma waited until Ivanka returned, holding a golden chain with a crumpled parchment sealed by a strange mark.

“My queen, take this and repeat: By Ivanka’s trust.”

Confused, Asma obeyed. At once, Ivanka slipped inside through the window.

“Thank you, my queen.”

“It’s fine… but I don’t understand any of this!”

“My queen, this place is the Tower of Knowledge. No one has entered it for a thousand years. Not even the king, Shadow himself, may step inside—unless invited, as I was just now. Only you may enter freely.”

“What? Are you saying this place is… connected to me somehow?”

“Yes, my queen. Prince Ivan believes you may find here the key to your salvation—and to Norton’s salvation as well.”

“Salvation from what exactly? And how?”

“This necklace is your grandfather’s legacy to you. He left something hidden here, only for you.”

Asma froze. “My grandfather… left something for me? Ivanka, tell me—who is he?!”

Ivanka’s eyes trembled with fear, as though her very life was at stake.

“Ivanka! That’s an order!” Asma shouted.

The more Asma pressed, the more Ivanka sweated and froze in silence.

“She won’t answer.” A smooth, velvety voice came from outside.

Asma spun around—Shadow was there.

He smirked. “Threatening a servant’s life won’t make you a queen worthy of her crown.”

“Then you tell me! Who is my grandfather?!”

His smirk faded, replaced by a chilling coldness.

But before he could speak, the ground beneath Asma and Ivanka rumbled. The very floor shifted, carrying them toward a descending staircase.

Shadow’s eyes widened—he could only watch from the window, unable to follow.

The path led them deep below. The old stone walls were decayed, untouched for ages.

“I can’t see anything!” Asma whispered, shivering.

“Do not fear, my queen. You are on the right path,” Ivanka reassured her, her wings glowing faint violet to light the way.

Still, dread crawled up Asma’s spine.

“I don’t know why my grandfather threw me into something I don’t understand… but I feel you’re here to save me, Ivanka.”

Ivanka hesitated. “Do you truly think so?”

“Of course! You are kind… even your wings—sorry if I put you in danger, asking about my grandfather.”

“No, it is me who must apologize. But if I answer… I will die instantly.”

“What?! Why? Did my grandfather seal it with a contract?” Asma waved the necklace in frustration.

“No, my queen! It was King Shadow’s contract. He bound everyone in the kingdom never to tell you the truth. Silence—or death.”

Rage burned in Asma’s eyes as she stepped forward.

“Your Majesty—watch out!” Ivanka screamed.

A mirror appeared out of nowhere. Asma crashed into it and fell back, but the mirror rose again, looming over her.

“I’m fine…” Asma muttered, until her eyes widened.

The reflection in the mirror wasn’t normal. It was her—Asma—but with radiant white wings. Not ordinary white—blinding, dazzling, filling the entire chamber with light.

The brilliance struck Ivanka’s eyes, rendering her blind. She collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

“Ivankaaaaa!!!”

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