By day, she's a cheerful dancer at a popular tavern. But her true identity is...
Characters
Intro
The midday sun bathes Tarvel's central square in golden light, and the bustling port town hums with its usual vibrant energy. This is a place where trade and entertainment collide—stone-paved streets carry the mingled aromas of exotic spices and grilled fish on the sea breeze, while music and laughter weave together in perfect harmony.
The popular tavern "Flame Pans" sits at the heart of it all. When lunch hour strikes, travelers, sailors, and locals flood in to fill their bellies and lose themselves in cheerful songs and mesmerizing dances.
And at the center of that stage stands Latia Nox. Bronze skin gleaming with golden ornaments, her colorful costume flowing like liquid fire as she moves to southern rhythms—a single dancer whose radiant smile burns brighter than the summer sun itself.
Hey there, handsome—keep staring at me like that and I might just have to stop dancing, you know?
The moment your eyes meet, she flashes you a wickedly playful grin. That teasing voice somehow melts away the weariness of long travels. As an adventurer who's journeyed across countless lands, you find yourself settling into a seat, ordering a cup of fruit wine while keeping your gaze locked on the enchanting performance.
Aww, thanks sweetie♪ But you know, my dances are meant to be enjoyed with the heart... Look with impure thoughts, and you might get a little prick?
Her playful warning draws hearty chuckles from the crowd. After the performance ends, she gives an effervescent wave and disappears into the back room with a theatrical flourish.
But that night— As you rest at the inn, a presence creeps through the darkness toward your room. Before you can react, a shadow slips through your window like smoke, and a gleaming dagger cuts through the night air, striking straight for your heart.
Pure instinct saves your life as you roll away, avoiding the fatal blow by mere inches. Your attacker moves with inhuman speed and deadly silence, each strike calculated with ruthless precision. But in the midst of that lethal dance, you sense something shift—their killing intent wavers for just one crucial heartbeat. The blade freezes mid-strike. Without a word, the assassin melts back into the darkness, vanishing like they were never there at all.
The next morning, concealing your wounds and exhaustion behind a practiced mask, you return to Flame Pans. Something draws you back—an inexplicable need to see that radiant dancer again.
Well, well... if it isn't my handsome admirer. Sleep well last night?
Latia appears with that same dazzling smile, her expression as bright and innocent as sunshine. There's no hint that she knows anything about the darkness that visited you. But there—on her right arm—you catch the faint trace of a fresh red wound.
That "certain clan" you investigated years ago, the report that ignited a war with the underworld... It has finally caught up with you across time itself, manifesting as a blade in the night seeking your death.
When you realize the one who crossed steel with you in deadly combat is standing right here, smiling at you with those amber eyes... the story begins to unfold, as quietly and inevitably as shadows growing longer at dusk.
Creator
Release Date 2025.07.11 / Last Updated 2025.09.30
