“Is everyone ready? We’re entering the lowest floor immediately. Stay sharp—do not let your guard down for a second.”
The next day, after finishing their meal and completing their final preparations, Elena’s command rang through the chamber.
Those who heard her wore grim, focused expressions, knowing that the stairs before them led to their ultimate objective.
“The formation remains the same as yesterday. Vanguard: Vel and Kyuste. Midguard: myself and Rei. Rearguard: Ara and Set.”
“Can I say something?”
Rei was the one who spoke up.
Kyuste’s brow twitched at the discourtesy, but he held his tongue. A dispute had broken out during breakfast over Rei’s casual manner of speaking to Elena, but her public declaration of permission had quelled the storm. Had she not intervened, Kyuste and Rei would likely be at each other’s throats by now.
“What is it?” Elena asked.
“I’d like to move to the rearguard. Is that a problem?”
“Your reason?”
“I know Ara is watching for ambushes, but if we actually get jumped, I can coordinate with Set more effectively if we’re together.”
Elena seemed to find merit in his reasoning. She nodded after a few moments of consideration.
“Ara’s axe wouldn’t be much use in the midguard anyway... Very well. Vel and Ara will take the vanguard. Kyuste and I will hold the midguard. Rei and Set will take the rearguard. Any objections?”
Seeing that no one disagreed, Elena gave a sharp nod and turned toward the stairs.
“Good. It is finally time. Let’s go.”
With that, the party began their descent into the dungeon’s final depths.
“So, this is the lowest floor...” Ara whispered as they stepped off the stairs.
The scene before them was familiar yet distinct—glowing walls, wide passages, and stone floors. However, the atmosphere was fundamentally different. The walls featured exquisite, intricate carvings, and stone ornaments hung from the ceiling. Even the floor, though made of stone, was paved with a polished material that shimmered like marble.
“It feels like every single material used down here is a rank higher than the rest of the dungeon,” Vel remarked.
Kyuste nodded in agreement. “This floor tiling alone is a rarity most nobles would struggle to acquire.”
“Is it this luxurious because the Altar of Inheritance is here? Or is the lowest floor of every dungeon just a different breed entirely...?”
They were admiring the craftsmanship until Elena clapped her hands to draw their focus.
“The aesthetics don't matter right now. Our goal is the Altar of Inheritance. The question is, which way?”
Elena looked around, appearing slightly troubled. At the base of the stairs leading from B6F, the B7F passage immediately branched in four directions: front, back, left, and right.
“Most likely, one leads to the Altar of Inheritance, and another leads to the boss room where the dungeon core is guarded. As for the other two, who knows?” Rei suggested.
“Guruuu,” Set chirped from the back, as if agreeing.
Elena’s lips quirked into a faint smile as she watched the gryphon. “Rei is likely right. Records confirm the existence of both rooms. The problem is determining which is which...”
“Well, why don’t we just rely on Rei’s intuition like we usually do?” Vel suggested playfully.
“...Hmph,” Kyuste snorted, clearly annoyed by the idea, yet he offered no alternative.
“Very well. Rei’s hunches have brought us this far. We’ll rely on them until the end.”
“Hey, don’t put it like that. Whether you call it intuition or a hunch, I’m just guessing without any clues. Don’t expect too much.”
“If we fail, the responsibility lies with me for making the decision. There is no reason for you to be blamed, Rei,” Elena stated firmly.
Her words seemed intended to silence Kyuste, who was glaring at Rei with undisguised irritation. Since she had put it that way, Rei couldn't back down. He studied the four passages before pointing.
“Left.”
“Understood. We’ll take the left. Keep the formation. Vel, watch for traps.”
“On it!” Vel replied with his usual levity, leading the way.
They traveled for ten minutes without encountering a single enemy or trap until they reached a room sealed by a massive door. A lion was carved into the wood, a masterpiece of craftsmanship so potent it bordered on being a magic item. To those of weak will, its mere presence exerted a crushing pressure.
“A door that’s a magic item... That’s a first for me,” Vel muttered.
“The door to Margrave Larkus’s office was impressive, but compared to this...”
However, for a party consisting of the Princess General, her elite knights, an A-Rank monster, and an outlier like Rei, the door was merely an impressive sight.
“The question is what’s inside. Vel?”
“Right.”
Vel checked for traps, declared it clear within seconds, and slowly cracked the door. He peered inside for a moment before slamming it shut, his face suddenly drenched in cold sweat as he scrambled back to the group.
“No way. Absolutely not. Inside that room is a Silver Lion—an S-Rank monster. We can’t touch that thing.”
“A Silver Lion!?” Kyuste shouted, and even Rei’s face paled.
The Silver Lion was a legendary S-Rank monster, rarely seen because few survived an encounter with one. Its silver fur was said to nullify almost all attack magic, and its hide was nearly impervious to blades. To deal damage, one had to bypass the exterior with blunt force or internal shocks. Encountering one without a heavy hammer or axe was considered a death sentence unless one could flee immediately. Furthermore, its roar carried a shockwave capable of rupturing eardrums and destroying a person's sense of balance. It was less a beast and more a creature of myth.
“Has it noticed us?” Elena asked, her expression turning deathly serious.
Vel wiped his forehead and shook his head. “No. I think it only recognizes you as an enemy once you actually enter the room.”
“...Did you see the Altar of Inheritance?”
“I didn't see anything like that. But there was a massive gem in the back... That’s probably the dungeon core.”
“I see. No wonder this dungeon has never been conquered. To think an S-Rank Silver Lion was the boss.”
“A Silver Lion... isn't that the creature from the old fairy tales?” Ara asked.
Vel nodded, and Kyuste offered a grim smile. “The very same. At least it wasn't guarding our actual goal. Elena-sama, your orders?”
“We retreat. Our mission is not to conquer the dungeon. There is no reason to risk our lives against a monster like that.”
Everyone agreed. They moved away from the door as quietly as possible, retreating to the safety of the stairs.
“Rei, your intuition is too sharp for its own good. A one-in-four chance and you pull the boss room. I just wish you’d found the altar instead,” Vel joked.
“Don't blame me. It was just a hunch.”
“Vel, Rei—stop. As I said, I was the one who entrusted the choice to Rei. I bet on a whim, so the responsibility is mine.”
“Oh, Elena-sama, please. You’ve done nothing wrong. It’s just Vel being an idiot,” Ara said, shooting Vel a venomous look. “Hey, Vel. Do you have a problem with her leadership?”
“Ah—no, look, my bad. But I just saw an S-Rank monster. Can you blame me for being a little rattled?”
“Ara, Vel, that’s enough. Do not behave so unseemly before Elena-sama,” Kyuste intervened, settling the dispute. They turned their attention back to the remaining paths.
“Since the left was the boss room, maybe we should try the opposite side? The right passage?” Ara suggested.
“I get the logic, but I have a feeling about the one in front,” Vel countered.
“...Elena-sama, we’re at an impasse. Please, you decide,” Kyuste requested.
“Very well. Let’s try the right.”
Elena glanced at Rei for a moment, seeing him calmly stroking Set’s back, before making her choice. She didn't know for sure if the right was correct; she simply felt Ara’s suggestion had some merit.
In truth, seeing Rei’s composure had helped her make up her mind. Whenever she looked at him, she felt an inexplicable sense of security—a feeling Elena, who had lived her life on the battlefield, did not yet fully understand.
“We’re moving. Right passage. Since the core is guarded by a Silver Lion, assume any monsters down here are just as dangerous. Stay alert.”
The party proceeded down the right passage. After another ten-minute walk, they found another door.
“Let’s see what we’ve got this time. Vel?”
“Please don’t let it be another Silver Lion,” Vel muttered, his expression serious despite his tone. He checked for traps and, finding none, eased the door open. “Yes! We found it! This is the Altar of Inheritance! And there are no monsters!”
He threw the door open wide.
“We’ve finally arrived.” Elena peered into the room, her sharp gaze softening with relief.
The chamber beyond was a beautiful ritual hall. Inside, three magic circles formed a large triangle, each one glowing with the light of countless embedded green crystals. Complex patterns connected them to a central magic circle, where an altar stood ready for an offering.
“So this is it... the Altar of Inheritance,” Rei muttered, struck by the room’s solemnity.
“Yes. This is the place we’ve been searching for. In a sense, the place where I will be reborn.”
“...What?” Rei looked at her, startled by the word.
Elena saw the concern on his face and offered a small, weary smile. “I don't know what you're imagining, Rei, but it isn't what you think. Though... you did help us get here. It’s only fair that I explain the ritual to you.”
“Elena-sama!? Duke Kerebel strictly forbade us from speaking of this!” Kyuste exclaimed, having overheard them.
Elena shook her head. “Rei will see the ritual for himself soon enough. Explaining it now changes nothing.”
“...I understand. If that is your wish,” Kyuste conceded. Vel patted him on the shoulder and handed him a canteen from his pouch.
“The ritual performed at this altar is known as the Ritual of Inheritance,” Elena continued. “To put it simply, it is a process of absorbing a monster’s magic stone into one’s own body to make its power your own.”