"Xueno..." The night's cold wind, laced with winter rain, whipped against Senior Sister Bai Zhi's delicate face. Yet her eyes held a sorrow that bordered on disarray.

Why did Senior Sister's gaze change so completely at the mention of Xueno—so unlike the way she looked at me?

"Have you seen Xueno? When? Where? Tell me—now!" Feyn Senior abandoned all ladylike decorum, gripping Esther's arms with desperate urgency, her tone bordering on interrogation.

"Miss Feyn, please calm down. I’ll explain everything."

Esther gestured for us to sit on the rocks beneath the stone circle. Only when Feyn Senior’s breathing steadied did she begin.

"It happened months ago. That night, I was gathering herbs on the outskirts of Perplexing Forest when I met a tiny, beautiful girl with snow-white hair. Her face was pale, her health clearly frail... she looked like a gust of wind might knock her over. I couldn’t fathom why such a girl would wander the forest alone, so I approached to offer help."

Esther continued, "She told me her name was Xueno. She wanted to adventure in a nearby Undercity because her elder sister—vibrant, beautiful, and fearless in battle—inspired her. That must be you, Miss Feyn. While her sister overflowed with youthful energy, Xueno had been sickly since childhood. She believed the Undercity might make her strong, give her courage to fight her illness... and let her see the world where her sister fought so fiercely."

"What?!" Feyn shot to her feet, eyes glistening. "Xueno went alone to the Undercity..."

"Seeing her inexperience and frailty, I urged her to bring companions. She confessed she’d run away. Neither her family, her academy, nor her sister would ever permit such a risk. But she refused to wither away—her body weakening, her spirit sinking deeper into gloom. She wanted to fight, no matter the cost..."

Esther sighed helplessly. "I even offered to accompany her, but she refused. Before parting, she asked me to deliver a message... if I ever met a tall, beautiful knight named Tianlin Feiyan."

"What did Xueno want to tell me?" Feyn’s voice trembled with urgency and grief, as if she already sensed the ending she dared not face.

"She said... if she never returned from the Undercity, her sister should forget her. Find a healthy girl instead. She couldn’t bear seeing your eyes clouded with worry during visits, nor watch you walk dark paths searching for a cure..."

"This happened... months ago?" Feyn’s voice cracked with indescribable sorrow. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

"Feyn Senior!" I stood, taking her hand. "Don’t blame her—she only met Xueno by chance—"

Esther rose and bowed deeply to Feyn. "I apologize, Miss Feyn. I sensed something was wrong and meant to find you immediately. But that very night, Redfang Castle’s men captured me. After everything that followed... I forgot. Until now. Hearing Princess call your name—it echoed how Xueno spoke of her sister. I remembered. Forgive me."

*Similar? Me and Xueno?* I wondered. *In how we feel about Senior Sister?*

"No, *I* should apologize, Miss Esther. Thank you... truly." Feyn returned the bow with perfect grace.

Feyn Senior was too shattered to think clearly. I asked for her: "You met her in Perplexing Forest. Do you know which Undercity entrance she used?"

"The forest itself is safe, but deep within lies an eerie ruin—the Dreamloss Altar. I never dared approach it; its aura is unsettling. But rumors say it holds an entrance to the Undercity."

"Where is Perplexing Forest?" Feyn pressed instantly.

"Sixty miles northwest of Redfang Castle."

"I leave now. Will you come with me?" Feyn turned to me, her body coiled to sprint.

"Senior Sister, be reasonable!" I urged. "It’s a night’s journey to Redfang Castle. Faster to return to the Undercity first. If that altar connects here, my teleport ring can take us straight to it—and I’ll mobilize the entire Undercity to search!"

"Oh! ...You’re right. Forgive my rashness. Let’s return to the Undercity first."

Her voice turned icy formal—*you* this, *you* that. No more "Princess" or "little sister." It stung. But I’d still find Xueno for her.

We bade hasty farewells to Esther’s group and stepped into the stone circle’s center, activating the teleport array.

The ancient stones trembled. Azure runes flared to life. With a deep *hum*, a pillar of blue light erupted—and Feyn Senior and I vanished.

We rematerialized in the labyrinthine depths of the Undercity’s first layer. Gripping Feyn’s hand, I triggered my ring’s magic. Instantly, we stood in the Dark Princess’s war room.

"*Lodis. Attend me now.*"

Violet mist swirled in the corner. Lodis emerged—tall, cool-eyed, her pink hair in a single ponytail. She dropped to one knee. "Princess. You summoned me."

"Where does the Dreamloss Altar in Perplexing Forest lead within *my* Undercity?"

"Perplexing Forest?" Lodis blinked.

"You don’t know?"

"No... I know every secret of this Undercity. But that altar... it connects to the Undercity, yet its destination is unknowable."

"What do you mean?" Feyn demanded.

Lodis’s gaze remained analytical. "Undercity entrances are either physical tunnels or magical gates. Most gates teleport to fixed locations. But the Dreamloss Altar—*Dreamloss* means ‘place of gambles’ in Old Naga—is non-directional. It can deposit travelers anywhere in the Undercity’s unshielded zones. This realm spans hundreds of miles, layered and twisting far deeper than the surface world above. Finding one girl..."

"Then she’s *somewhere* in my domain, at least?"

"Usually. But the altar links three major Undercities: ours, the Minos Labyrinth, and the City of Original Sin. The latter two... are beyond our reach."

My hope crumbled. "So... even with a full search, we’d only have a one-in-three chance of finding Xueno’s trail..."

"Precisely," Lodis confirmed softly. She’d overheard everything through her earpiece.

"Feyn Senior... I’m sorry. But don’t lose hope—I’ll order every guardian to search immediately. There might still be—"

"Thank you, Princess. At least I know Xueno sought adventure. I’m weary. I’ll bathe and rest now."

"Senior Sister—"

As Feyn turned to leave, she nearly collided with Bessdaitiel, the head maid, bursting through the door. Neither’s reflexes should have allowed such a stumble. What had shaken them both?

Bessdaitiel barely sidestepped, but their ample bosoms pressed together in the narrow doorway.

"*Mmmph—*" Feyn Senior’s breath hitched—a soft, involuntary gasp escaping despite her grief.

*Good.* At least her body still responded normally. Still sensitive.

"Princess! You’re back!" Bessdaitiel panted.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Your Coming-of-Age Ritual! The council meeting to finalize arrangements is *today*! The layer guardians have waited in the Hall of Deliberation all afternoon!"

"C-coming-of-Age Ritual?" Forgotten memories flooded back—humiliating demands, the roars of ambitious Undercity lords.

"*EHHHHH?!*"

I’d thought they’d dropped it! They’d been waiting *all day*?! My stomach plummeted. This was very, very bad.