I shook my head. “I’m not troubled. Don’t be concerned. I just… well, I kind of have a life out there in the world. Not a particularly exciting one, mind you, but I have people who would wonder where I went if I suddenly disappeared. Do you think the agency would let me speak with my friends and family? I wouldn’t tell them the truth, of course, but I should come up with something to say to them.”

“Possibly. You would have to ask the residents, Astrid and Belinda. They know about these things. I don’t know what it would be like to live outside, in the world beyond the mansion. Yes, I have traveled, but for me, traveling to a different location is no different from the mansion residing here.” Her lips curved into a frown. “What are the woods like? I can only see their outline from the mansion.”

I shrugged. “They’re just woods. Lots of trees, a few animals. Some magical creatures here and there, but nothing above a Level 1.”

“I would so very much like to learn more about Earth.” She sighed, sitting up in the tub and gazing toward the window, where the sun shone into the little room. I had to remind myself that none of this was really real, but just a creation of the dungeon’s mind.

“Don’t you get out much?” I asked. “I could show you around Earth sometime. Would you like that?”

She gave a bitter little laugh, looking down at her hands. “You must know little about dungeons where you are from. I would like that very much, but it would be impossible. The dungeon core cannot leave the dungeon, whatever form the dungeon takes. For me, that means I cannot leave the mansion.”

“You really can’t go outside the mansion at all? Even for a little while?” I asked.

She shook her head sadly, and it almost seemed like this bloodthirsty dungeon was fighting back a tear.

I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the dungeon core. As awesome as the mansion was from my perspective, it was functionally like a prison for Kyrine.

“Could you leave your dungeon back when you were on Eosor?” I asked.

Kyrine shook her head. “Although it wasn’t quite as difficult as being on Earth. My dungeon had frequent delvers, and I was able to gather information from those who entered my depths. Some even became friends, of a sort. We had mutual goals—progression—and we could assist each other where possible.”

“Progression has become a big part of Earth, too. Ever since G-Day.”

“G-Day?”

“Yeah, Gateway Day. That’s what we call the day when the portal opened from Eosor and the Outworlders came through it to Earth. It changed history forever.”

“Otherworlders,” Kyrine said with a small smile. “So, that’s what you call the people from my homeworld.”