Chương 1: Prologue

"Sigh..." A lone sigh escaped in the guildmaster's office. It was already past ten at night. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating a young girl with snow-white hair seated behind a desk piled high with paperwork. She looked no older than fourteen. Exhaustion was written all over her face, yet her hands never stopped moving. One document after another was reviewed, approved, rejected, and sorted. She knew she wouldn't be going home until the mountain of paperwork was gone.

"I want to go home. I want a cigarette. I want coffee... Maybe it's about time I cursed whoever banned smoking in this office." Muttering to herself in a voice as clear as a ringing bell, she conjured ice into an empty cup with magic, poured fresh coffee from the machine beside her desk, and took a long sip of iced coffee. The girl was currently inside the Kyushu Fifth Special Designated Hazardous Creature Countermeasure Headquarters. Most people simply called it the Guild.

And this room—the Guildmaster's Office—belonged to its highest-ranking official. The white-haired girl sitting there was known throughout Japan and beyond by many names. The First. The Charlatan. When mysterious doors known as Dungeons first appeared around the world, she had been the very first person to step inside one.

"I could probably smoke here. A little magic would hide the smell and the smoke." Digging through her pocket, she pulled out her preferred brand of cigarettes, placed one between her lips, and lit it with a flick of her finger. The sharp sting of nicotine spread through her lungs. Fatigue and comfort washed over her simultaneously. By the time she exhaled the smoke, her expression had already returned to normal. There hadn't been a Stampede today. That was good news.

Unfortunately, there had still been casualties inside the dungeons. Missing persons. Most likely dead. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Even so, someone had to keep clearing the Gates. If they didn't, society itself would start falling apart. Only those who passed the Guild's certification exams and field training were allowed to enter. Inside the dungeons, personal responsibility was absolute. That was how things worked in Japan.

More importantly, that was how she had made sure things worked. Knock. Knock. Her thoughts were interrupted by a visitor. At this hour, it was unusual. No emergency calls had come in. Hopefully it wasn't another foreign recruitment attempt, or some narcissistic fool demanding greater authority while dramatically listing their accomplishments. The only thing worse would be additional paperwork.

"Come in. It's late, and I'm planning to head home soon, so keep it brief—" The words died halfway through.

"Rina. You're still here too? Good. Anything that can wait until tomorrow is tomorrow's problem. Let's go home." What had started as an excuse to send the visitor away instantly became a genuine proposal. Because the person who entered was his wife. His wife. If he missed this chance, he would probably end up working past midnight. His appearance had changed beyond recognition. The only thing left of his former self was his face—and even that had changed considerably.

But legally speaking, he was still Rina's husband. The marriage certificate said so. The details of when that marriage had happened were best left unexplored. Even if his current body looked like that of a fourteen-year-old girl. Objections would not be accepted. And for the record, he had absolutely no interest in other women. Men were even less of an option.

"I saw your motorcycle still parked outside, so I figured you were working late again." Rina glanced at the cigarette.

"And yes, you can go home now. Also, use the smoking room. I know it's awkward with your appearance, but nobody's going to judge you."

"... Yes, ma'am." He had been caught red-handed. Not surprising, considering he hadn't even bothered hiding the smell or the ashtray. With a resigned sigh, he extinguished the cigarette, finished his coffee, and washed the cup. If they were heading home together, he could always leave the motorcycle here overnight.

"What time do you finish tomorrow?"

"On time."

"Hungry?"

"A little. We can stop by a convenience store."

"And the hotel?"

"I finish on time tomorrow too. Behave yourself." While washing the cup, he tossed questions over his shoulder. Rina answered each one without missing a beat. Years of marriage had made this sort of exchange second nature. A convenience store stop on the way home sounded good enough. A short while later, he slid into the driver's seat of their car and grabbed the steering wheel. Back when he'd first acquired his current body, driving had been terrifying. His perspective was different. His height was different.

He'd honestly felt more comfortable riding motorcycles than driving cars. But time solved most problems. The passenger door opened. Rina climbed in, fastened her seatbelt, and they set off. They chatted about nothing in particular as they drove through the quiet night, stopping by a convenience store before heading home. Their house stood in a remote area, far from the city. A home filled with memories. Memories of him, his wife, and their children.

"Aren't you coming inside?"

"You go ahead. I'll finish this cigarette first." He lit another cigarette and watched the night sky. Despite everything that had happened... Despite becoming the person known as the First... Despite all the chaos that had followed... Life, somehow, was still normal. And for now— that was enough.