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Chapter 59: Midsummer Courtyard
"Don't misunderstand," Aiden quickly explained. "The Domain Instance information stated it clearly: 'The higher the level and the number of participants, the lower the drop rate.' Miss Ais, you are a Lv. 5 adventurer, while the strongest monsters in this dungeon are only Lv. 3. If you enter, it would be absolute overkill for this dungeon. Forget the Adventurer's Experience Book; if we clear it with you, we might not even see the shadow of an Artifact."
Reminded by his words, Lefiya and Ais finally realized the issue.
Right! If Ais entered, it would be a dimensional strike against the dungeon. To maintain balance, the Domain would inevitably slash the rewards drastically.
"Then... Miss Ais, I will go in with Mr. Aiden and his team," Lefiya said, tightening her grip on her staff, determination in her eyes. "You go back to the surface and bring more Magic Stones."
She had confidence in herself. As a Lv. 3 Mage, even if Aiden's group had ill intentions, she was confident she could handle it. Moreover, deep down, she believed that Mr. Aiden, who shone so brilliantly in battle like a hero, wasn't the kind of villain who would stab someone in the back.
"Okay. Be careful, Lefiya."
Ais gave Lefiya a deep look and offered her caution.
Then, without any delay, she turned and left with lightning speed.
A faint chant was heard—"Awaken."
Pale green wind elements instantly wrapped around her. Her figure turned into a blur, disappearing around the corner of the passage in the blink of an eye.
Aiden could even hear the lingering whistle of wind in the air. The corner of his mouth twitched again. She even used her enchantment magic, [Ariel]. One could imagine just how urgent Ais's mood was.
However, he understood her obsession with becoming stronger. After all, her ultimate goal was to take revenge on the strongest monster, the One-Eyed Black Dragon, which had single-handedly wiped out the allied forces of the Zeus and Hera Familias.
After Ais left, Lefiya took off her backpack and emptied all the accumulated Magic Stones, throwing them into the portal. She and Ais had also fought their way down from the Upper Floors, so the quantity of stones was substantial.
As the last Magic Stone was swallowed by the vortex, the portal, which had only been glowing faintly, finally changed.
The blue-purple light surged, and the rotation speed of the vortex increased dramatically. The center became incomparably deep, as if a tunnel to an unknown sea of stars had fully opened.
"Let's go, Miss Lefiya," Aiden took a deep breath and looked back at her. "I'm counting on you."
With that, he hesitated no longer, taking the lead and stepping into the rotating screen of light.
Robin, Tifa, and Hyacine, seeing Aiden disappear into the blue-purple vortex, followed closely without delay.
Lefiya was the last one.
Standing before the portal, she took a nervous breath, patted her modest chest to cheer herself on: "You can do this, Lefiya. Mr. Aiden is a good person... yes, a good person."
Having mustered up a lifetime's worth of courage, she closed her eyes and charged in headfirst.
Aiden felt an intense spinning sensation, as if his soul were being tossed into the boundless cosmos, blurring the concepts of time and space.
When he regained consciousness, he was standing in a completely strange space.
Before he could observe his surroundings, Robin and the others appeared beside him amidst flashes of light.
The final figure, however, arrived in a posture resembling a charging bull, screaming "Yaaaaa—!"
Robin and the others instinctively dodged to the side.
Aiden's mouth twitched. If he dodged too, this clumsy Elf would smash headfirst into the hard stone wall and likely knock herself out.
Helpless, he braced himself and caught the incoming "headbutt."
Thud.
Lefiya's forehead slammed solidly into Aiden's chest.
Aiden felt the impact and was secretly startled. A Lv. 3 Mage might not be known for physical strength, but after two ascensions of falna, her base power was nothing to scoff at.
"Ugh..."
Lefiya clutched her red forehead, looking up with teary eyes. She finally realized her blunder. She was pressed entirely against Aiden's chest; the masculine scent and the solid chest caused her brain to short-circuit instantly.
A second later, she jumped back like a startled deer, her pretty face flushing so red it looked ready to bleed. She bowed ninety degrees to Aiden, stammering an apology: "I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to!"
"It's fine. I'm okay." Aiden waved his hand, signaling her not to worry.
Only then did he have the mind to carefully examine the true environment of the "Midsummer Courtyard."
The sight before him made him involuntarily hold his breath.
It was a massive, circular space sunken deep into the earth, grand beyond imagination.
They stood at the edge of the uppermost level. Beneath their feet lay ancient stone stairs stretching downward step by step, like an invitation from an ancient ritual leading to the silent center.
Looking down, two wider circular platforms were visible, embedded into the earth like massive gray moons. Dozens of broken stone pillars stood lonely on the platforms, their surfaces weathered by wind, silently testifying to the grandeur of the dome they once supported.
The air lacked the Dungeon's characteristic humidity and smell of dirt. Instead, it was dry, clean, and filled with the ancient scent of accumulated time.
The entire space was constructed from a gray-white stone of unknown origin. Though dilapidated, it strangely held no oppressive feeling. Instead, it was filled with a solemn, majestic, almost holy atmosphere.
Aiden reached out, his fingertips brushing the patterns on the wall beside him. The carvings of intertwined vines and stars, once exquisitely beautiful, had long been smoothed by time, leaving only faint outlines.
Then, he looked up.
In that moment, everyone mirrored his action and gasped in unison.
Directly above their heads, a perfect circular opening stared down at them like a giant eye.
Through that opening, they could see a patch of real sky—something that did not belong in the Dungeon.
This was no cave or cavern. It was a magnificent ancient altar buried deep underground.
Forgotten by the world, covered by the earth, yet stubbornly retaining its only connection to the sky.
They had stepped into a sanctuary forgotten by time.
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