The Target

The Glen Mountains stood tall on the western side of the Bordeaux Duchy.

Stretching for hundreds of miles, they formed endless dark peaks.

Their color wasn’t truly black, but due to the angle, their shadowed sides rarely saw sunlight.

Over time, vegetation there thinned, leaving bare rock exposed.

It looked bleak, yet carried a different kind of presence.

Solemn.

Cruel.

Mount Glen was the highest peak among them.

Originally, it was a fortress-like observation post due to its terrain advantage.

Later, the headquarters of the Black Church was established there.

Since it belonged to the Black Order, it naturally needed a place to imprison people.

Thus, this observation post became their headquarters.

The former bishops gathered craftsmen and completely remodeled it into a church.

Using scaffolding and ingenuity, they built an enormous structure over the cliff.

A massive prison.

The Church called it—

The Black Under-Prison.

This was more than a decade after the end of the Mythical War.

At that time, the continent was unstable, filled with dark mages plotting to overthrow the Church.

The Red and White Orders were forced to branch out a new faction—

The Black Order.

They hunted and devoured the secret societies of dark mages.

The results were effective.

Soon, those groups were dismantled.

From then on, dark mages no longer dared to openly oppose the Church.

They went underground.

More than a thousand years had passed since the Mythical Era.

Whether unified or divided, the continent always had the Church.

Over five hundred years ago, Emperor Louis I unified the land.

He once tried to abolish the Church.

But it was useless.

Now, centuries later, even Louis VI—half a foot in the grave—still sought to weaken it.

Yet the Church remained powerful.

After all, even his crown had been placed by the Pope himself.

The Black Order called their headquarters the Eagle’s Nest.

And rightly so.

It stood firmly at the peak of Glen like an eagle’s nest.

Strong and unshakable.

But time erodes everything.

In recent decades, corruption spread rapidly within the Church.

Dark mages had nearly disappeared.

Fearing dissolution, the Black Order began arresting innocent civilians to maintain their power.

The collapse had already begun from within.

Like the walls carved open by prisoners over the past ten years—

Barely standing.

“Hey, why don’t we deal with that girl like before?”

A guard priest raised his brow at another black-robed priest reading scripture.

“… ”

The other closed the scripture and glared at him.

“Are you stupid? She’s someone we can’t afford to offend. The bishop has warned us repeatedly—if anything happens to her, we’ll be burned as heretics!”

He sighed helplessly.

“Oh…”

The first one glanced toward the girl in the cell.

Though spoken casually, every word reached her ears.

In this place, even the smallest sound echoed.

Ailian heard everything.

Cold sweat covered her body.

Her face turned pale.

“Keep going…”

She mouthed silently to herself.

The worn chisel in her hand was her only hope.

She held it like her life depended on it.

The prison was arranged in a circular structure along the cliff.

Being on the top level meant there must be a way to reach the roof.

From there, she could climb down the windows to the canyon.

She didn’t dare think further.

If she did, she might realize she lacked the strength to climb.

Only hope and fear kept her moving.

Scrape… scrape…

The faint digging sound echoed loudly in the silent night.

She tried to keep it quiet.

Fortunately, the guards were careless.

“That damn rat!”

One suddenly shouted.

It had been gnawing nonstop for a day and night.

“Shut up!” the other snapped.

“Tch…”

He sat back down awkwardly.

Such a dull life…

He wished something would happen.

Anything was better than this.

Supply wagons arrived as scheduled.

Every week, they brought food and materials.

This was also the prison’s weakness.

If supplies were cut off, the mountain would be isolated.

Alex had chosen this moment to act.

“Why is there an extra wagon today?”

A guard asked.

The driver got down and silently lifted the tarp.

He pulled out a bottle of rum.

“Sent from headquarters. A reward for you.”

It was half true.

Only two bottles were official.

The rest were “gifts.”

“Alright, go in.”

The guard smiled and let them pass.

Everything was going as planned.

Alex signaled to his six companions.

They wore black church robes with hoods covering their hair.

After all—

Priests were bald.

Inside the storage area, they immediately jumped off the wagon.

“Mount Glen isn’t that high after all~”

Luna chuckled.

“Madwoman…”

Eugene thought, afraid to speak.

Who climbs a near-vertical cliff from the valley floor?

Only her.

Luna.

“If we don’t want attention, we sneak from behind~”

Her “perfect plan.”

“Boss… can we try another method next time…”

Eugene had given up.

“This is the simplest way.”

She looked at him, confused.

He shivered.

They rested on a tree growing out of the cliff.

Below them was a dizzying abyss.

The wind made Eugene feel like he might fall at any moment.

He clung tightly to the trunk.

“Almost there…”

Luna murmured.

The scent was getting stronger.

Ailian…

She secured a rope with a hook and threw it upward.

“What do you mean, almost?” Eugene asked.

The hook flew impossibly high and caught onto the roof.

She tested it.

Stable.

“I’ll go first. Stay below.”

“Got it!”

She climbed quickly.

The Eagle’s Nest had been designed to prevent this.

But before Luna’s strength—

It meant nothing.

Ailian… I found you…

Eugene watched, uneasy.

Who was that silver-haired girl to Luna?

And how strong was she?

He shivered.

Probably not…

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be imprisoned.

Luna reached the domed rooftop.

The hook had latched onto a central iron cross.

Perfect.

Now… to find her.

The windows were built high to prevent escape.

Luna flipped her body and peered inside.

First room—empty.

Two guards.

She memorized their positions.

Second room—empty.

She was certain Ailian was here.

She just couldn’t pinpoint her.

…

Eighth room.

There.

A silver-haired girl.

Ailian.

She was digging the wall.

Ailian didn’t notice her.

Let’s begin…

“Welcome, sir.”

Two guards bowed to the seven newcomers.

“Take me to the prisoner.”

Alex said, trying to remain calm.

“Yes!”