The air inside the Paris Lunarian Base was different — calm, yet heavy with old energy. Silver runes glowed faintly along the corridor walls as Zerrafe “Zerr” led his new recruits inside. The students followed close behind, their voices low and filled with curiosity.

“Sir, is this really the recon base?” one of them asked, eyes darting around the glowing halls.

Zerr gave a short nod. “Observation and information gathering. You’ll learn a lot here — if you pay attention.”

“This place feels… different,” another muttered.

“It should,” Zerr replied quietly. “Every base has its own purpose. This one watches while others fight.”

As they approached the command chamber, faint voices carried through the partially open doors. Inside, a woman stood before the commander’s desk, her back to them. Her presence was calm yet sharp, the kind that naturally drew attention even without a word. The light from the mana conduits brushed against her figure, and for a moment, the students fell silent.

Zerr’s expression remained unreadable, but his eyes lingered. He hadn’t expected to see her here.

The woman finished her report, turned, and walked past them without a glance. None of the students dared to speak until the door closed behind her.

“Who was that?” one whispered.

The commander looked up from his desk with a faint smile, though there was something tired in his gaze.

“That,” he said, “was the Blood Queen.”

A wave of unease and awe rippled through the group. Most had heard the name whispered across the magic world — a Lunarian known for her unmatched power and the battlefield that had once turned red under her control.

Zerr said nothing. He only glanced at the now-empty hallway before facing forward again. “Eyes up,” he murmured to the students. “You’ll learn soon enough why names like hers carry weight.”