The Elusive Yukino and the Non-Directional Altar

“Yukino…”

The cold night wind, laced with a hint of winter rain, lashed against Senior Faein’s beautiful face. Yet, at this moment, her eyes were clouded with sorrow and a profound disquiet.

‘Why did Senior Faein’s eyes change so drastically the moment she heard Yukino’s name, becoming utterly different from how she looked at me?’

“You’ve seen Yukino? When? Where? Tell me, quickly, tell me!” Faein, completely abandoning her usual ladylike composure, eagerly seized Asta’s arm, her tone bordering on interrogation.

“Miss Faein, please don’t rush. I’ll tell you everything now.”

Asta gestured for us to sit on some rocks beneath the stone array. Only after Senior Faein’s emotions gradually settled did she begin to speak.

“It happened several months ago. That night, I was gathering herbs on the outskirts of the Wandering Forest when I encountered a very delicate and beautiful white-haired girl. Her face was pale, and she appeared to be in extremely poor health. How should I describe it? She looked as if she might stumble with every step. I found it very strange that such a girl would be alone in the forest, so I approached her to ask if she needed any help.”

Asta continued, “She told me her name was Yukino, and that she wanted to venture into a nearby dungeon. She mentioned having a very healthy, beautiful, and adventurous older sister—presumably you, Miss Faein. Her sister seemed to possess an overflowing vitality, while she herself had been frail and sickly since childhood. She felt that perhaps going into a dungeon could make her stronger, grant her the courage to overcome her illness, and allow her to see what kind of world her sister fought in, brimming with youthful vigor.”

“What?!” Faein sprang to her feet, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Yukino, she went into a dungeon alone?”

“Seeing her so sickly and clearly lacking any adventuring experience, I urged her to consider why she wasn’t with companions. She confided that she had run away; her family, the academy, and even her sister would never agree to her venturing into a dungeon. However, she didn’t want to continue living as she was. Her body would only worsen, and her spirits would grow more depressed. She wanted to fight, no matter the outcome.”

Asta sighed with helplessness, then added, “I offered to accompany her, but she refused. Finally, she asked me to deliver a message if I ever encountered a tall, beautiful female knight named Heavenly Glow Faein.”

“What did Yukino want to tell me?” Faein’s voice was urgent and sorrowful, almost on the verge of tears. It was as if she had already guessed the outcome, though she adamantly refused to imagine or acknowledge it.

“She said… if she didn’t return from the dungeon, then she wished for her sister to forget her and find a healthy girl. She no longer wanted to see your sorrowful eyes when you visited her, nor did she want you to walk a dark path in search of a cure for her illness.”

“This… happened months ago?” Faein’s tone conveyed an inexpressible sadness and loss. “Then why didn’t you try to tell me at the time?”

“Senior Faein!” I stood up and took her hand. “Don’t say that. She only encountered Yukino by chance.”

Asta, however, rose and bowed deeply to Faein. “I apologize, Miss Faein. In truth, I had a bad feeling about the situation and wanted to inform you as soon as possible. But on the very night I returned to the village, I was captured by the people from Redfang Fortress. The subsequent events made me forget about it… until just now, hearing the Princess call your name repeatedly. That feeling was truly similar to how Yukino spoke of her sister back then. That’s when I remembered. I am truly sorry!”

‘Similar? Me and Yukino? I don’t know how we’re similar. Is it about my feelings for Senior Faein?’

“I’m sorry, Miss Asta, I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way. Thank you, truly, for bringing me this news.” Faein also bowed gracefully to Asta in apology.

Senior Faein was now in a fragile, sorrowful state, unable to think calmly. I spoke on her behalf, “So, you said you met her in a place called the Wandering Forest. Do you know which dungeon she went to?”

“The Wandering Forest itself isn’t particularly dangerous, but within it, there’s a peculiar ruin called the Monros Altar. This place is so eerie that I, at my level, wouldn’t dare approach it. However, I heard that in the center of the altar, there’s an entrance leading to a dungeon.”

“Where is the Wandering Forest?” Faein immediately pressed.

“It’s about sixty miles northwest of Redfang Fortress.”

“I must go there now. Will you come with me?” Senior Faein asked me, seemingly desperate to rush there instantly.

“Senior, calm down!” I told her. “This place is dozens of miles from Redfang Fortress. It would take us at least one night to get there now. The fastest way to reach it is to return to the dungeon first. If that place is one of the dungeon entrances, then as soon as we’re back in the dungeon, I can immediately use the Teleportation Ring to take you there. Moreover, I can activate the dungeon’s power to help you search!”

“Eh? Ah!… You’re right. My apologies, I lost my composure a little. In that case, let’s return to the dungeon first.”

Senior Faein’s voice was so cold when she spoke to me now, using ‘you’ instead of ‘Princess’ or ‘little sister’! It pained my heart, but even so, I would help Senior Faein find Yukino’s whereabouts.

After a hasty farewell to Asta and her companions, Senior Faein and I stepped into the center of the stone array and activated the teleportation formation.

The surrounding stone array began to tremble slightly, and ancient blue runes lit up one by one. With a hum, a pillar of blue light rose, and Senior Faein and I vanished within it.

In an instant, we arrived in the labyrinthine depths of the first floor of the deep underground. Holding Senior Faein’s hand, I immediately activated the Teleportation Ring and returned directly to the Dark Princess’s War Council Hall.

With a thought, I commanded, “Rodis, come see me at once!”

A moment later, a purple mist glowed in the corner of the War Council Hall, and Rodis, a tall, aloof girl with a pink ponytail, appeared. Seeing me, she immediately knelt on one knee. “Princess, you called for me.”

“Tell me, the Monros Altar in the Wandering Forest, which location in my dungeon does its entrance lead to?”

“The Wandering Forest?” Rodis paused, surprised.

“What? You don’t know either?”

“No… there is no intelligence within or outside the entire dungeon that Rodis doesn’t possess. It’s just that, while this entrance in the Wandering Forest does lead to the dungeon, its specific destination cannot be ascertained.”

“What?” Senior Faein grew anxious. “What does that mean?”

Rodis’s gaze was calm and intelligent. “Dungeon entrances are divided into two types: physical entrances and magical teleportation. Physical entrances are those actually connected to underground labyrinths or caves, while magical teleportation can transport one to a specific location within the dungeon. Most magical teleportation arrays lead to fixed floors and spots. However, there are exceptions, such as the Monros Altar in the Wandering Forest. Monros, in ancient Naga, means ‘a place of gambits’ or ‘a game of chance’.”

“Rodis, get to the point,” I interrupted.

“Ah, my apologies. I have so much information that I sometimes get carried away. The Monros Altar is a non-directional altar. Entering the altar and activating the teleportation can send one into the dungeon, but it could be any location without an extremely strong magical barrier. The dungeon stretches for a hundred miles, with varying depths everywhere, far vaster and more complex than a surface world of the same area! It’s impossible to know where one might be teleported,” Rodis explained.

“What? Then, it’s always within my dungeon, right?”

“Usually, yes. However, the Monros Altar is even more unusual. It connects to three surrounding large dungeons: besides our Dark Dungeon, there are also the Minos Labyrinth and the City of Original Sin. These two places are not ones we can freely investigate,” Rodis stated.

I felt a sudden pang of bewilderment. “Meaning… we don’t know where Yukino actually went. Even if we conduct a full dungeon search, the probability of finding a clue about her is only one-third.”

“Yes, that’s about the situation,” Rodis confirmed, having heard our conversation through the telepathic ear-ring, and thus aware of Yukino’s news.

“Senior Faein… I’m sorry, but please don’t worry. I will immediately order all floor guardians to conduct a comprehensive investigation. Perhaps there’s still a chance…”

“Thank you, Princess… At least I’ve heard news of Yukino’s whereabouts. I’m a little tired, so I’ll go bathe and rest.”

“Senior…”

As Senior Faein was about to leave the War Council Hall, she nearly collided with the head maid, Beth Daisy, who had rushed in. Given Senior Faein’s reaction capabilities and Beth Daisy’s mature steadiness, such an incident should have been almost impossible. What was wrong with both of them today?

Beth Daisy offered a brief wave of apology, brushing past Faein at the half-open doorway. However, they seemed to have underestimated their passing ability, as the two women’s ample chests unfortunately pressed together.

“Mmm…” Regardless of her mood, Senior Faein instinctively let out a soft gasp.

This reassured me somewhat. It seemed Senior Faein’s body was still unharmed, still as sensitive as ever.

“Princess, you’re back!” Beth Daisy exclaimed urgently.

“Hm, what’s wrong?”

Beth Daisy said breathlessly, “What’s wrong?! Have you forgotten your Coming-of-Age Ceremony?! The specific discussion meeting we agreed upon is today! The floor guardians have been waiting for you in the Council Hall for most of the day!”

“Com… ing-of-Age Ceremony?” I was momentarily bewildered, then a flood of embarrassing past memories and the clamoring shouts of various dungeon powerhouses’ ambitions rushed into my mind.

“Eh—???”

‘Hadn’t this matter been dropped? So they hadn’t forgotten after all! They were still waiting for me in the Council Hall! I felt… the situation was extremely dire!’