Hoppy’s father led her into the small, cramped living space behind the shop and urged her to sit down on a pile of soft blankets. He seemed restless, his hands fluttering as he checked her over.

"Hoppy, how did you get here? Tell me everything. The news from the Guild says outside are crawling with monsters. There are mana distortions popping up everywhere. It’s a death trap out there!"

He grabbed her shoulders, his eyes scanning her for wounds or scars. When he saw that her skin was clear—not a single scratch or bruise on her. He let out a sharp, shocked breath.

"You don’t have a single injury? How is that possible?"

Hoppy gave him a tired but bright smile, reaching for her notebook.

"I wasn’t alone, Papa. There was a woman—a traveler. She saved me from a horrible man who tried to take me. She healed my foot with a special slime and walked with me all the way here. She even made me the best soup I’ve ever had!"

She turned around, pointing toward where they had been.

"She’s right there! Her name is Miss Mad—"

Hoppy stopped. Her finger pointed at an empty space. It was clear. The bustling noise of the marketplace filtered in, but the tall, purple eyed woman with the confident smirk was nowhere to be seen. Maddy had vanished into the crowd without making a sound.

Maddy was already several streets away, weaving through the thick crowds of the Prometha. She stopped in a quiet alley and leaned against a stone wall, finally letting out a breath she had been holding. Her hand went to her face, wiping away a few stray tears.

She was more emotional than she wanted to admit. Seeing Hoppy finally safe in her father’s arms had pulled at her heart, but Maddy knew it was better to leave without a goodbye.

"I can’t get too soft. Staying would only create an attachment I cannot afford. This world was designed to see me and my children as the enemy—even in Hoppy’s eyes."

She reminded herself that she still didn’t know who to trust. As she watched the crowds in the distance, the sight of their faces made her blood boil. In them, she saw the same expressions as the adventurers who had attacked her—men who hadn’t shown a second of hesitation as they aimed their blades at her and her unborn child.

But spending time with Hoppy had confused her. She remembered the weight of the girl in her arms, the way those small hands shook, and the smell of the soup they had shared. It had all felt so natural, just like the people back on Earth. Still, her resolve to protect her children was the only thing that truly mattered.

"Everyone here..." she whispered. "If they saw what I really am, they would flip instantly. It’s in their blood to kill a monster. I have to make sure I don’t get involved in other people’s lives. My goal is just to see if these Prometheans are..."

She took a deep breath, her eyes hardening as she looked at the city.

"...more than just a map I need to clear."

She wasn’t here to make friends or be a tourist. She was here to spy. She had to find out why the people of this world looked at her with such horror.

With a final, steadying breath, Maddy stepped out of the shadows. She let her shoulders slump slightly and adjusted her hood, carefully pulling her "ordinary" veil over her presence. She was back to looking like a helpless traveler—a nobody who wouldn’t stand out in a crowd of thousands.

As she made her way toward the Guild, she reached the heart of the Capital. There, standing tall and imposing against the blue sky, was a massive statue. It was not carved from common stone like most monuments; instead, it was crafted from a rare, ancient wood. The figure’s arm reached upward, holding a staff that tipped with a fierce, unwavering flame of pure gold.

It was an Eternal Ember, the same fire that lined the streets, but this one was larger, pulsing with an ancient energy.

[Response: That is the likeness of their Primordial, Prometheus the Flame Stealer. Lore suggests he was the one who stole the flame from the other Primordials. By doing so, he ascended, transforming himself into a new kind of deity.]

Lucy’s voice paused for a microsecond before continuing.

[He is now known in their scriptures as the Primordial Mortal. He represents the spark of humanity’s defiance against the natural order of the gods.]

Maddy stood at the base of the statue, looking up at the stone face. The man didn’t look like a god; he looked like a rebel. For a second, she felt a strange kinship with the statue. He was someone who didn’t fit into the categories the world had made for him—someone who had taken power that wasn’t "his" to claim.

"The Primordial Mortal... He stole fire to give them a chance. And now they use that same fire to light the way for people who hunt me." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

She turned away from the statue, her face hidden once more. The grand doors of the Adventurer’s Guild were finally in sight. It was time to stop looking at history and start uncovering the truth of her own legend.

As Maddy reached the entrance, she stopped. The Guild Hall was far too grand; even though it was built entirely of wood, just like the statue of Prometheus, its scale made the surrounding houses look like toys.

"This isn’t a Guild hall... This is a palace. It’s too grand, too polished... where is the actual royalty in this city?"

[Response: Scanning historical records of Promethia. Interesting. Maddy, this nation does not have a King or a Queen. There is no royal palace because there is no royal bloodline.]

Maddy blinked, her brow furrowing.

"No King? Then who runs this whole operation? Who decided Oozewell wasn’t worth saving?"

[Response: The Adventurer’s Guild is the primary governing body of this land. It handles the economy, the law, and the military. In this society, power and rank are the only things that grant the right to lead.]

Maddy looked up at the towering spires of the Guild, her eyes narrowing as the pieces clicked into place.

"So that means.. the Guildmaster isn’t just a manager. They’re basically the King of this place."

[Response: Correct. The Guildmaster holds the highest authority in the nation. To the people of Promethia, the strongest adventurer is the one who wears the crown.]