I let out a faint sound as if to confirm.
“W-wait, Palinkron… What are you saying…”
“Just as I said. With my power, I can resurrect Aikawa Hidaki. That will end the boy’s long battle.”
“No, but… that’s… impossible…”
“I can do it. I will succeed for the boy’s sake. You will return to your original world with Hidaki-chan, who is more important than life, and live out your remaining days as Aikawa Uzunami. That would be the boy’s greatest happiness, right? I will absolutely make it come true.”
Palinkron was trying to help me as if he were an old comrade.
The conversation was unbelievable, considering we had been trying to kill each other just moments ago.
“I can’t send you back to your original world immediately, but I’ll prepare that for you someday. Until then, please wait quietly in an isolated place where no one else is. The two of you.”
Palinkron moved the conversation forward on his own, leaving me behind.
However, the story he told was not a bad one for me. So, I couldn’t think of stopping him.
On the contrary, I let out a flattering voice, as if clinging to a straw.
“R-really—?”
“Yeah, really.”
“No way… You can’t just resurrect someone that easily. You’d have to go to the ‘Deepest Part’ of the Labyrinth for that—”
“But I succeeded in Hein’s ‘Rebirth.’ You’ve already met him, haven’t you?”
Even though it was the story I had longed for from the depths of my throat, I couldn’t accept it due to its sudden appearance. As I looked at him with suspicion, Palinkron continued his explanation.
“But that… he himself said it wasn’t him. Rustiara and the others also said it wasn’t him.”
“Well, they would say that. But did you truly believe him after talking to him? That memory, that personality, that way of speaking, that way of life. Could you deny that it was Hein in front of it all? Boy, what did you think?”
When I first met Hairi, the first face that came to mind was Mr. Hein’s.
And I felt that the words insisting it wasn’t Mr. Hein were lies. The last time I met him, I mistook her for Mr. Hein’s return.
That’s why I acted so strong in front of her.
It was in front of a Knight I could respect…
“It’s true that there were impurities mixed in. But that is undoubtedly Hein Helvishein. I succeeded in resurrecting Hein. And I have the confidence to perform an even more perfect resurrection this time.”
Palinkron stated it decisively.
There was no sign of hesitation in his voice. It was as if he were stating as a certainty that Hairi was the “Rebirth” of Mr. Hein, and that Hidaki would now be “Reborn.”
“Ah… ah…”
I let out a sound like sobbing.
In the face of sudden hope, my words failed to form. My body trembled, anticipating a happy ending. It wasn’t the disturbing tremor from before.
However, it was also true that it wasn’t something I could easily swallow. I desperately tried to form words, confirming the conditions for a happy ending.
“B-but, ‘I’ am not ‘Aikawa Uzunami,’ and ‘Hidaki’ is not my sister…”
As happiness approached, I became hesitant. Seeing my hesitation, Palinkron smiled.
“Didn’t I tell you earlier? You’re still going to save Hidaki, aren’t you? Don’t worry, Aikawa Hidaki will probably think of you as her older brother. After all, she’s exactly like him.”
I looked at my reflection in the Dimension. Indeed, if my memory was correct, I was still Aikawa Uzunami. I myself had made such a mistake; it was highly probable that even my own sister would make the same mistake. But that was too much…
“Does that give you guilt? In that case, I’ll resurrect the Aikawa siblings together. You can call yourself the ‘Savior’ and watch over the happiness of the unfortunate Aikawa siblings. The happiness of these siblings is your mission, right? You’ll surely be greatly thanked. Watching that will be your happy ending. As long as it ends somehow, that’s all that matters, right?”
He immediately offered an alternative plan. It was an alternative plan that perfectly understood my nature. I had no grounds to deny it.
“Certainly, but…”
“Of course, you can invite the young lady and the masters behind you then. Along with your companions, you too should be happy. And this time, everyone will be happy in a grand finale.”
“Huh? Uh, u-un…”
I had forgotten Maria was behind me. Being reminded of my companions, I felt a slight pang of guilt. And my anxiety about the remaining problems grew.
Palinkron, sensitive to the slightest shift in my anxieties, quickly added.
“Don’t worry, I’ll defeat Apostle Sis and save that child Dia. If anyone else dies from now on, I’ll bring them back. So don’t worry about anything anymore.”
He said he would bring back Dia and everything else. Indeed, if that happened, all the worries I had been burdened with would be resolved.
“Un…”
I timidly nodded.
“You don’t have to think about anything anymore. The more you think, the more you suffer. It’s best for you to end your life peacefully and happily in a distant land, unrelated to the continent or the labyrinth…”
It was a new “path” that was too convenient. I had no choice but to accept Palinkron’s words. It was the words I had always wanted, the “different path” I had always desired. And I had heard it at the most opportune moment, in the worst possible way. Only Palinkron and I were here. So, I had no way to resist or pretend to be strong.
However, it seemed like a story that would only benefit me, with no benefit for Palinkron. My barely remaining thinking power formed the words of a question.
“But, you wanted to fight me, didn’t you…?”
“I’ve had enough of fighting. You can’t fight any more, can you? Then I won’t push you. I’ll go look for my next opponent.”
Saying so, Palinkron extended his hand to me, who was kneeling and crying.
The logic seemed to hold up. Having no energy to think any further, I could only accept it at face value.
—Palinkron was giving me a reward.
I am being offered compensation for my efforts fighting in Another World until today. I am drawn to that temptation. Like a newborn infant wandering to find its parents.
“Ah, Palinkron… I, I…”
Still on my knees, I reach out with trembling hands. My and Palinkron’s hands slowly draw closer.
When our hands connect, my story will end. The story of uncovering the labyrinth’s—no, the world’s—truth to return to my original world will end.
But—
“—No.”
A clear voice cuts through the desolate wilderness, mirroring my own despair. The world where Palinkron and I were alone is shattered, and a third party intervenes.
As if a mist covering the world had cleared, the source of the voice appears. A soft wind blows. A girl with silver hair emerges, shedding her transparent wind cloak. Behind her stands a boy with golden hair.
I know the names of those two. Hairi and Rainer. Two new ‘Wedges’ have arrived, forcing me to put on a brave face.
Naturally, I stop my outstretched hand.
“If you take that hand, you win, Palinkron. The battle isn’t over yet. You mustn’t yield to temptation.”
Hairi, who has appeared, stops me with a stern tone. Leaving Rainer behind, Hairi walks towards me, her silver hair fluttering. Palinkron and I, startled by the sudden third-party intervention, cannot immediately respond or move.
Hairi ignores the stunned Palinkron, takes my hand, and helps me stand. Then, she urges me to step away from Palinkron. I somehow move my tangled legs and stagger away.
Hairi addresses Palinkron.
“As always, you’re good at bringing people down, Palinkron. But only becoming strong when you’re in an advantageous position is proof of cowardice.”
“…W-Why are you here?”
Palinkron lets out a trembling voice, a rare sight for the usually calm and collected him. His expression shows that Hairi’s appearance was completely outside his calculations. It’s no wonder. As a Magic Stone Human, she shouldn’t be here. She absolutely couldn’t be here.
Of course, Hairi’s body is dissolving even now. She seems to be neutralizing the effects of the Shaka Hōkan Jin with wind magic, but it’s far from perfect. She is slowly, but surely, approaching death. If she stays here any longer, she will share the same fate as the soldiers a moment ago.
However, Hairi shows no panic, even as magic particles dissipate from her body.
“Go back immediately! Your body will be consumed! Why did you come!?”
Palinkron waves his hand, trying to push Hairi away. I felt the same as Palinkron.
“Hairi… Y-Your body is… melting…! Why are you here…!?”
Before we parted at the fort, I clearly told her to escape.
“I’m sorry. I intended to come to the ‘center’ from the beginning… Heh heh. But Maria’s flames gave me a cold sweat. It would have been dangerous if we weren’t Wind Knights.”
Hairi speaks of her near-death experience here as if it were a joke. It seems she never intended to escape. Indeed, recalling our conversation at the fort, she hadn’t agreed to my words of escape. But I never expected her to appear at this moment.
“Hein’s younger brother! Take that idiot and leave now! With your magic, it’s still possible! This time, everything about your brother will be lost!”
Leaving Hairi, who simply smiles and shows no sign of escaping, Palinkron calls out to Rainer. Rainer’s body is also starting to dissolve. As both are high-level knights, they won’t dissolve immediately, but it’s still dangerous. Yet, Rainer remains silent, unwilling to move.
Instead, Hairi answers.
“I am not leaving. —The boy taught me. To fight for what is precious without giving up until the end. So, I too will be strong and fight until the end.”
In front of me, who had stopped pretending to be strong, Hairi spoke of being strong as if to spite me. Hearing her words, I took a single step back as if I were afraid.
“Fight for what is precious…?”
I had completely given up on that. I was ready to abandon everything and leave it to Palinkron. But Hairi pressed on, as if not allowing it. Hairi’s face twisted for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and pleaded.
“Listen, boy. Palinkron cannot revive you.”
She declared that Palinkron couldn’t create a happy ending. I was speechless at her merciless declaration. Palinkron’s mouth hung open.
“W-What are you talking about, hey…”
Ignoring the indignant Palinkron, Hairi continued to speak to me.
“Look at me. After all, he couldn’t revive even one friend. And there was such a fresh corpse.”
I couldn’t answer rashly. To admit that would be the same as closing the ‘other path’ that was just presented. So, it was Palinkron who answered.
“No, wait. Wait, hey. The revival was successful… You’re Hein Helvishein, aren’t you…!”
“No. I am Hairi.”
Hairi denied it curtly. As if to press the advantage over the stunned Palinkron, she continued.
“—You failed to revive Hein.”
“I didn’t fail…! The revival was a success. You are Hein. I succeeded in ‘Rebirth’!”
“…Then why did you abandon me after reviving me? Why did you distance yourself as if fleeing?”
“W-Wha? No, wait. Really, wait. There’s no particular reason. If there were, it would be benevolence. Benevolence to let you do as you please, given your short lifespan.”
“That’s a lie. There’s no way you have that much consideration.”
“No, I’m seriously being kind! You saying whatever you want just because it’s me, isn’t that going too far, hey!”
“You couldn’t stand to watch it, could you? You were suffering because the reality that your friend, Hein, would never return in front of you. That’s why you wanted to make me, the end result of that, disappear.”
“H-heh, hahahaha. Hein, what are you talking about…? Do I look like someone with such sentiment…? No, that’s beyond the point. I haven’t failed. What part of you is different? Even if your appearance or gender changes, your mentality is exactly Hein…?”
“Then why were you so sad when you first saw my appearance…? When you finally reunited with your friend, why did your face twist with pain… was it because you failed?”
“No… that’s not it. It’s the opposite. At that time, I was only saddened that I had succeeded…”
“What are you saying yourself!? Why would you be sad that you succeeded!!”
“Th-that’s—…”
Under Hairi’s barrage of questions, Palinkron finally stammered.
I could see he was confused by a situation he hadn’t expected at all. Of course, so was I.
“You can’t resurrect me. Yes, you shouldn’t be able to. Therefore, boy, don’t be deceived! This man is trying to charm you by promising something he can’t do!!”
Then, she stood in front of me to protect me from Palinkron.
Faced with those realistic words, my heart wavered. I began to lose faith in the existence of a convenient happy ending—
“Wait, boy! This time, I’m not lying!”
Palinkron shouted in a panic. He tried to mend the connection between me and him that was starting to break.
The Palinkron in front of me no longer possessed his usual calm and collected demeanor.
Hairi’s appearance must have been that unexpected. No, perhaps this strange panic had other reasons as well.
Palinkron argued back roughly, matching Hairi’s forceful logic.
“You don’t admit you’re Hein for the boy’s sake, right!? You’re trying to encourage us, who are in the same situation!? Even if you were implanted with any memories, or if you remembered any memories, you wanted to show us ‘I am me’ didn’t you!? But that self-sacrifice, that chivalrous consideration, that misguided meddling! No matter how you look at it, you’re Hein!”
“I understand you want to believe that. However, that’s a misunderstanding. I don’t think I am Hein at all.”
“You bastard—!!”
Palinkron clicked his tongue. Realizing that arguing properly was pointless, he turned his face to me, spread his hands, and gestured to Hairi, pleading.
“Boy! As you can see, I’ve ‘reborn’ Hein! With this momentum, I’ll ‘rebirth’ Older Brother’s Sister too!”
Not to be outdone, Hairi also spread her hands similarly. She showed me her body and declared.
“Boy! I am not Hein! I am Hairi! Palinkron cannot ‘rebirth’ me! I failed! I myself, who was resurrected, am saying this! I am me! The answer is the same as when I first told you!”
Their claims were diametrically opposed. Believing one meant abandoning the other. Whether by luck or misfortune, it was a choice between life and death. My body trembled at the overly heavy choice. While I hesitated, the two continued to argue.
My argument with Palinkron was taken over by Hairi. As far as I knew, Palinkron was unrivaled in verbal sparring, but he and Hairi were equals. They were as equal as friends.
“No! You are Hein Helvishein! You have the memories and the personality! Due to the boy, your gender has changed a bit, but that idiot’s spirit remains! I’ve proven that if you have the ‘blood’, the ‘soul’ can be crushed!!”
“No! I am Hairi Weisprorope! It may be true that I was created based on Hein! It may be true that I have some memories of a man named Hein, but a different person is a different person! If you feel we are similar, it’s just that ‘I’ and ‘the man named Hein’ had some overlapping tastes! It’s a coincidence! The person named Hein was not revived! What stands here is a failure of resurrection, Hairi Weisprorope! Now, finally, I can prove it with confidence!!”
Hairi’s way of speaking now was similar to mine. It was like looking at my past self. She insisted that being a ‘Magic Stone Human’ didn’t matter.
At some point, our positions had been reversed. It wasn’t that I was putting on a brave face in front of a despairing Hairi; it was that Hairi was putting on a brave face in front of a despairing me.
That’s right. It was obvious to anyone that Hairi was putting on a brave face. Even as she shouted, her knees were trembling. Although she now showed only a valiant expression, I wasn’t mistaken about the brief look of agony she showed before she began to deny herself. She was probably afraid of her own loss. Because she had no confidence, she was kicking logic aside and shouting. She was just stubbornly insisting.
She’s imitating me. Before we parted at the fort, Hairi said, “I believe in you.” Now, I understood she was putting that into practice. Hairi was showing me the ‘me’ from when I was stubbornly trying to be strong. And she was telling me to take responsibility for it. Seeing that sight moved my heart.
Ah, Hairi saw me like this back then, did she… The sight of someone in the same position trying so hard to live was too dazzling. Honestly, even now, I still think she’s the reincarnation of Mr. Hein. After all, there’s too much proof to think otherwise. Yet, Hairi shouted vociferously.
She denied it, even if it were the truth of the world. She went against the ‘reason’ of the world.
“A person who has died once does not come back! I, who have been resurrected, do not consider myself Hein Helvishein! I am myself!”
“—Even so, as Hein’s friend, I declare that the Magic Stone Human here is Hein Helvishein!”
It was an argument that went nowhere. A back-and-forth devoid of logic. Yet, one of the words spoken pierced my heart.
“I am myself.”
It carried weight because Hairi said it to me.
Hairi’s direct gaze pleaded with me.
It told me to scream that “I am myself.” It told me to stubbornly hold onto myself.
Sacrificing her life, Hairi displayed her final brilliance.
Overwhelmed by her spirit, Palinkron changed his approach. He must have judged that Hairi would not waver no matter what.
“Hey, Hein’s younger brother! Are you okay with that too! Even though your older brother is here, if things continue like this—”
“—The person here is not my older brother. It’s Hairi Weissplope, a Magic Stone Human with a short lifespan.”
But Rainer didn’t wait to hear the end, he stated it directly.
It was a declaration that left no room for persuasion. His expression was so blank that it was impossible to guess his inner thoughts.
Seeing that, Hairi put on a triumphant face.
“How about that, Palinkron. Rainer has proven it. The person here is not Hein Helvishein, but Hairi Weissplope!”
“P-proof? You call this proof…?”
“It is not oneself that gives value to the living. It is someone who believes in you who gives you value. That’s why you can never understand by trying to figure out what a human is all by yourself. Proving oneself can only be achieved by borrowing the help of others. I learned that… That’s why—!”
Hairi also changed the person she was talking to.
She turned her gaze, straighter than Palinkron’s, towards me, not Palinkron.
“—It’s the same for you, boy! I don’t think of you as ‘Primordial Kanami’! I don’t think of you as ‘Kanami’ or ‘Christ’ either! You are simply yourself! Liner, and I, and the girl lying here – we all believe that!”
And then, she showed me Maria, who had fallen to the ground.
The girl who had given her all, who had told me until the end that “I am myself”—
“I heard Maria’s cry too. After she said all that, are you going to say that you are nobody? Are you going to say that you have no value? Are you going to lose to Palinkron? I don’t want to see such an uncool boy! I don’t want to see it!!”
Hairi tossed her silver hair and voiced her wish.
Who is that “I”?
I swallowed the urge to ask.
I knew I would be met with another forced answer, as if she were just being strong.
But if he said so, I had an obligation to meet that expectation.
It was a familiar “stake”.
The tens of thousands of “stakes” had crumbled, and my companions’ “stakes” had been pulled out, but a single, very old stake remained in my heart.
He had entrusted me with various things.
He never called me by my name until the end.
I remembered how he entrusted everything to the boy standing there, not as the foreigner Kanami, nor as the ancestor, but just as a boy.
I couldn’t show him any weakness.
I felt the retained “stake” in my heart, which had been full of holes.
Palinkron must have intended to pull out all the “stakes” that held me fast. But he had overlooked one thing. Perhaps he couldn’t reach the “stakes” of those who had died.
“You’re going to save your companions, aren’t you? You’re going to defeat Palinkron, aren’t you? You’re going to aim for the deepest part of the labyrinth, aren’t you?”
I had indeed said those words.
To avoid making them a lie, I had to be strong for a little longer.
My “companions” were still watching. That alone meant I had lost the right to give up.
“—Perhaps I was just pretending to be strong at first. Perhaps I was just showing off in front of others. It was probably as fragile as a sandcastle that crumbles the moment you become lonely. …But that pretense will surely become real someday. I decided to believe in that possibility. You made me believe it. …So, boy, could you pretend to be strong for me, just a little longer?”
Hairi smiled gently.
It was the first time I had seen her smile.
Hairi here believed my words, which were once just pretense. Because she believed them, she was finally able to smile from the bottom of her heart. She was able to escape that hellish suffering.
Knowing that suffering, I could never betray that smile…
“—I want to see the cool side of the boy that I couldn’t see back then. That is my lingering regret, and my precious hope that I have finally obtained.”
It was something that Hairi apparently valued more than her own life.
It was indeed proof of his existence—proof that he was merely pretending—and proof that Palinkron was right—but Hairi made it proof of her continued existence.
Behind Hairi, Palinkron shook his head.
His face was contorted with distortion.
“Boy… Don’t be swayed. You don’t have to bear the arbitrary expectations of such an idiot. Hein is here… He’s here…”
I probably had the same distorted expression as well.
My tears still wouldn’t stop. I could feel large tears falling profusely. Yet, even as tears streamed down my face, I shook my head repeatedly.
Suppressing the urge to vomit, I gulped down breaths, moved my spasming lungs and stomach, and forced out words.
I would pretend, just like Hairi, tell the same lie.
“No… he’s not here… he’s not here… You’re a liar after all, Palinkron…”
“—! Hearing that, you say that, boy! Are you really okay with that!? If you admit that, your sister won’t come back!?”
I refused the helping hand Palinkron extended.
I wanted to grab that hand and end it all. But with the “Wedge” stuck in my body, I couldn’t reach for it. Instead of a convenient dream world, I was pulled back to reality.
In reality, I put on a brave face.
“Hidaki doesn’t need you, I’ll find her myself…!! Even if she’s dead, I absolutely won’t rely on you…! You’re my enemy, you’re my enemy!!”
My vision was filled with tears.
Still, I managed to say it, my breath ragged.
I had said I would walk a “path” with no meaning, no value, and no reward.
There was only one reason for that.
There were people who had expectations for me. That was the only reason.
“So don’t act tough, boy…! It’s painful just watching you…!”
Palinkron had a similar expression, as if he could barely breathe.
“Ah, life is tough… But that’s just how it is. That’s how it is, Palinkron…”
Having shed all my tears, I said that with a faint smile.
Pushing death aside, I spoke the word “life.”
Strangely, Palinkron empathized with me. Sensing the direction of my life, he looked on the verge of tears.
Thus, the two exchanged words as if spitting them out—and parted ways.
Moving my swaying body, I pointed the tip of my sword at Palinkron.
I clearly showed my intention to fight again.
“—’Connection’.”
Upon seeing this, Hairi chanted a spell with relief.
She crushed a magic tool ring and created a green magical gate.
That magic, “Connection,” did not disappear even though it was above the “Shaka Hōkan Jin.” Perhaps it was because she used a magic tool; it stood powerfully, enveloped in a wave of magic power.
“Heh. I believed in you, boy. You’re the coolest.”
Hairi called my act of putting on a brave face “cool.”
I thought I had only shown my pathetic side, but Hairi seemed to think differently.
After praising me, she put the unconscious Maria into the “Connection” and made the door disappear.
“Maria…?”
“Don’t worry. I just sent her to a safe place. Now you can fight without hesitation, right?”
“Yeah, now I can fight Palinkron again…”
I took a step forward, trying to approach Palinkron.
However, Hairi stopped me.
“Wait, boy. I’ll fight Palinkron first.”
“Huh? Wh-why…?”
“If you fight in your current state, Palinkron will exploit your mental weakness again. For now, please have Rainer cleanse your mind, which has been contaminated. I’ll buy you time by fighting.”
“Contaminated…?”
I checked my own “Status.”
—Status: Confusion 7.87, Mental Contamination 1.22, Perception Impairment 0.23—
It was certainly not a normal state.
“It’s Palinkron’s specialty. By talking and exploiting your mental weaknesses, he manipulates people’s minds. It’s a ‘Curse Technique’ that deviates from the path of humanity.”
However, I was surprised that it had only progressed this far. I thought it was no different from usual, and proposed a joint front.
“But it’s dangerous to go alone. I should go with you…”
“Don’t stop me. For my own sake, I need to go alone. Fighting him here is absolutely necessary for Hairi Weisprorope’s life.”
I “gazed” at Hairi, who insisted on this.
—Status
Name: Hairi Weisprorope HP 73/176 MP 82/265-100 Class: None
Level: 16
Strength 8.22 Stamina 8.46 Dexterity 7.98 Speed 9.45 Intelligence 9.12 Magic Power 12.33 Aptitude 3.25—
Her level, which had once reached 30, had fallen by nearly half.
Her remaining HP and MP were meager. Her physical condition was likely continuing to worsen. Surely, even more than when she was suffering in Cork’s mansion…
Undoubtedly, Hairi could not defeat Palinkron.
However, Hairi would not yield the path.
Maintaining her smile, she clearly murmured.
“I’ll probably die. Here, today. …But I’m not dying out of despair. I have to go to fulfill a promise more important than my life. So please let me go. This time, please witness my back. — Boy.”
It was a declaration of suicide, the same as before, but her expression was completely different.
Unlike before, there was no hint of the feeling of dying because there was no other way, dying because she didn’t care anymore, or dying because it was the lesser of two evils.
I sensed an unyielding conviction, as if she were born for this moment.
There was no irritation at all. Her face resembled the guardians and knights I respected.
Faced with that strong will, I could say nothing. Instead, I asked the other person accompanying me.
“Rainer… Is that okay with you too…?”
Rainer, who had been silent the whole time, nodded.
“Let her do as she pleases, Christ.”
He answered briefly, without saying anything unnecessary, and immediately began to cast Divine Magic on me.
As always, his expression was blank. Yet, I could feel his resolve.
Rainer accepted Hairi’s end.
Surely, Rainer’s affection for Hairi was many times greater than mine. Since he accepted it, I couldn’t be selfish.
I had no choice but to watch Hairi’s back.
And then, in the shining battlefield, a girl with silver hair, her hair fluttering, advanced, scattering glittering particles of magic.
“Now then, I’ll be your opponent. Palinkron.”
“…Again…? …You damn idiot.”
Palinkron replied so quietly, so quietly, that no one could hear him.
He wasn’t saying it to anyone in particular.
However, both I, who used Dimensional Magic, and Hairi could hear it.
And that murmur became the signal for battle, and the white girl dashed forward.
The face of the black-clad man who met the white girl’s charge was contorted.
