"The Fated Rival of the Moon"

The air inside Count Veyrin Malzev's office was thick with anticipation. The scent of expensive incense and polished mahogany filled the space, complementing the luxurious decor—a stark contrast to the tension that had settled between the three figures within.

Azrael Kaelthorne sat in his chair, back straight, arms crossed, his usual cold and detached expression locked in place. His piercing golden eyes flicked toward the young woman seated across from him.

Elaris Velmira.

The sole princess of the empire. His fiancée. The future strongest existence in this world.

With long, silky blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and eyes that gleamed like polished rubies, she radiated the quiet authority of someone born to rule. Yet, despite their engagement, Azrael barely knew her.

And now, thanks to Veyrin Malzev, they were sitting together in the same room for the first time in years.

Azrael turned his gaze toward Veyrin, who lounged in his seat with a playful smirk, looking far too entertained by the situation. He was dressed as a noble today rather than his usual black-market merchant disguise, exuding the air of a confident businessman who had already won before the negotiations even started.

Azrael's fingers twitched slightly.

"Bro, what is this? This isn't good," he signed in their private code language, his hands moving with sharp, precise gestures. "Even though I'm her fiancé, I barely know her. Why did you bring me here?"

Veyrin's smirk widened. His own fingers danced effortlessly in response.

"Bro, you gotta be kidding me. You're engaged to her, but you don't even know her well?"

Azrael's jaw tightened.

"This isn't about me," he signed back. "This is about you. How am I supposed to help you when I don't even know her that well?"

Elaris, who had been watching their exchange with mild curiosity, suddenly spoke, her voice smooth yet carrying the weight of unspoken authority.

"Why are you two moving your hands like that?" she asked politely, tilting her head slightly.

Azrael, maintaining his composure, replied with a subtle smirk, "Nothing important. Just convincing Veyrin to start talking."

Veyrin chuckled before leaning forward, his usual playful demeanor momentarily fading as he got to the point.

"Alright, alright. No more delays. I invited both of you here for one reason. I want us three to go to an ancient dungeon together to recover some artifacts."

Elaris arched an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "And why, exactly, would I waste my precious time on something like that?"

Veyrin's smirk faded, his posture shifting into something more serious. His next words carried no trace of his usual teasing tone.

"Because you'll get to know more about Azrael."

Azrael's expression didn't change, but internally, he was glaring at Veyrin. What the hell are you doing?

Elaris, however, seemed intrigued. She turned her gaze toward Azrael, her ruby-red eyes locking onto his golden ones.

"Hmph. That does sound mildly interesting."

Azrael clicked his tongue. She's definitely going to accept.

And as expected—

"Fine," Elaris said, resting her chin on her hand. "I accept. This better be worth my time."

Azrael sighed internally. He never even agreed to this in the first place.

Ding!

A translucent blue system window appeared in his vision.

---

[Mission: Clear the Ancient Dungeon with Elaris and Veyrin]

Objective: Explore and conquer the ancient dungeon alongside Elaris Velmira and Veyrin Malzev.

Reward: +40 Stat Points, 5,000 System Points.

---

Azrael closed the window with a flick of his mind.

He had no choice now.

Veyrin, on the other hand, clapped his hands together, his smirk returning. "Excellent! Now that we're all on board, let's meet at dawn tomorrow. I'll have everything prepared."

Azrael rubbed his temples, knowing this would be a headache.

A dungeon expedition with the Moon's Fated Rival and a black-market noble?

This was going to be interesting.