“So, you’re saying I… fell here?”
“Yep, yep, that’s right. Honestly, when you literally fell here, I was surprised.”
Piece by piece, I pieced together the information and began to understand the situation.
The “Shaka Hōkan Jin” led to the “Deepest Part” of the labyrinth. There was no doubt about that. And it seemed I had fallen all the way here through that “connection.”
Immediately, I confirmed the most important thing.
“Hey, Lord. Was anyone else besides me who fell here?”
“Yes. The ones who fell were Kanamin and Rainer.”
“Anyone else? There should be one more girl…”
“Hm…? No one else? It’s really just those two. If you ask Rainer later, you’ll know it’s true.”
I grimaced.
While I was grateful to be alive, it was meaningless without Hidaki. If what Lord was saying was true, Hidaki had been left alone on that battlefield, which could only be described as a great calamity. If that were the case, I needed to go rescue her immediately.
Driven by a sense of urgency that made my blood boil, I forced myself to suppress it. Then, calmly, I activated a skill meant for situations like this.
[Skill “Deepest Part’s Covenant Holder” has been activated]
[Stabilizes your mind in exchange for specific emotions.]
[Grants a +1.00 bonus to Confusion.]
I knew this level of urgency was too much to process. To avoid going berserk and hating everything like Primordial Kanami a thousand years ago, I decided to accumulate my emotions. I skillfully separated the negative emotions so I wouldn’t run into the darkness screaming and raging. Of course, I didn’t take it all. It would be easier to empty myself, but that’s something I shouldn’t do as a human. I’d learned that the hard way. The trick was to retain enough urgency to prevent me from going berserk, but not so much that I actually would.
“Haa…”
Unlike my previous, unfinished skill “???”, the skill “Covenant Holder of the Deepest Part” could be adjusted at will. I posed my question to Lord with the optimal emotional balance, not too rational, yet not overly emotional.
“Then, where is Rainer right now?”
For now, I needed to secure my companions. It was possible that Rainer knew the outcome of the battle on the surface.
“Um… Rainer is currently challenging the labyrinth towards the sixty-fifth floor.”
“Challenging? He’s going to the labyrinth alone?”
“Yes. He left this morning, so he should be back soon.”
From the mention of the sixty-fifth floor, I understood that Rainer was heading towards the surface. After all, meeting up with Rainer was important. We, who had been mediated by Hairi, should be able to cooperate without fighting to the death.
“Then I’ll wait for him.”
“Really? Then, while you wait, shall we take a stroll through the castle town and chat? You must be hungry too.”
I was indeed getting hungry, and I wanted to explore this place. However, I’d prefer to gather information alone, away from the Boss Monster in front of me. Yet, the innocent, childlike gaze of Lord held me captive.
Unlike Arti or Aid, Lord didn’t seem to be hiding anything. She appeared to be a pure Guardian, much like Rowen. In our previous conversation, my past self, “Primordial Kanami,” apparently favored Lord. This meant she had her reasons for doing so.
The parting with Arti still lingered in my heart. I didn’t want to repeat such a farewell. I wanted to part ways with this girl named Lord just as I had with my best friend. I had no room to spare right now, nor would I cast everything aside to think only of my sister. I had failed many times doing that. The key was balance. I would consider my sister first—but avoid extreme actions like discarding everything else. It would have been a difficult sense of balance for my previous self. But with my current self, I could achieve that delicate balance. I had acquired the skills to make it possible.
Trusting my new skill, “Covenant Holder of the Deepest Part,” I accepted Lord’s proposal.
“…Alright, let’s do that then. Please guide me, Lord.”
“Okay! Follow me!”
Lord nodded happily and took my hand. We headed for the castle town. To get outside, we walked through the empty castle. We went up long stairs and through long corridors, and then along a path in a lush, beautifully maintained garden. Along the way, I tried using magic other than “Dimension.”
As expected, I couldn’t construct Ice Magic. Next, I tried “Connection.” However, I didn’t feel like I was maintaining the corresponding “Connection.” Even looking at my status, my maximum MP hadn’t decreased. It seemed I had unconsciously dispelled it during the battle with Palinkron. The most painful loss, however, was the severing of my “connection” with Reaper. After being exposed to so many dispelling magics, that strong, curse-like “connection” had been lost. With this, I couldn’t even inform my companions on the surface that I was safe. It only served to reconfirm the urgency of the situation. My face naturally contorted.
As I struggled, we passed through the extensive garden and went through the castle gate. As there was no one to manage it, the gate was left wide open. Finally, after crossing a bridge, we arrived in the town. The moment we did, the world changed. Beyond the silent, colorless castle was a vibrant, noisy town. It was brimming with a different kind of vitality than the labyrinthine Allied Nations, adorned with jewels and ores. There wasn’t a single “Magic Stone Line.” Instead, the path edges were meticulously lined with stones and plants. The path of soft earth, not stone, was gentle on my feet. Above all, it reminded me of my true homeland. The smell of nature was strong, and I felt the peace characteristic of the countryside.
The style of the houses lining the streets was also old. There were hardly any brick houses; they were mostly wooden. There were few two-story buildings, and most were low, flat houses. Unlike the Allied Nations, which seemed to have been carved out of nature, this place was built in harmony with nature. It was a gentle country.
The quality of the people walking by was also different. Not a single person carried a dangerous weapon. This was a sight I would never have seen in the Labyrinth Allied Nations. The peace of the town was reflected in the demeanor of its people, indicating that it was a country free from even minor conflicts, let alone war.
There was just one slight peculiarity. I noticed it immediately as I observed carefully, though it might have been missed unless one was paying close attention. Among the people passing by on the bridge—there wasn’t a single pure human. Surprisingly, there were only beastmen. Everyone had some kind of animalistic feature around their ears or tails, and occasionally, I saw people who looked almost like Monsters.
“Lord… this is a recreation of the ‘North’ from a thousand years ago, isn’t it?”
“That’s right!”
“There are only beastmen.”
“They say they’re called beastmen now. A thousand years ago, they were called Demon Humans. A thousand years ago, the ‘North’ was the last paradise for the beastmen.”
Lord said it in a casual tone. Sensing a hint of sadness in her words, I decided not to pry further. I would accept this town as it was. If what Lord said was true, this was the kingdom of the ‘North’ from a thousand years ago… I walked around, looking at my surroundings with interest.
“Kanamin! Then, for now, let’s go eat something. I know a delicious place, I’ll take you!”
Lord, acting as if she knew the place well, started to blend into the town. However, we couldn’t avoid attracting attention. From beastmen with relatively cute rabbit or dog ears to lizardmen covered in scales from head to toe, all sorts of beastmen were looking at us. Here, I, a normal human, seemed to be the minority. I wondered if that’s why they found me so strange. As I pondered this, a cat-eared girl ran up to us, followed by an adult cat-eared woman who appeared to be her parent. I had only seen one cat-eared girl in the Labyrinth Allied Nations. It seemed that beast ears were common here.
“Lord-sama! Good afternoon!”
“Good afternoon. It’s a beautiful day today, Beth.”
A beautiful day? It’s completely cloudy… If this were a game, it would be a black sky dominated by a Demon King or something similar. However, the cat-eared girl, Beth, looked up at the dark sky and replied with a smile.
“Yes, it’s a beautiful day! —More importantly, hey, Lord! Is this person the one?!”
Her finger was pointed at me.
“Indeed. He is the Kanamin of our Demon King’s army’s Royal Guard Knight Commander!”
“Wow! So it’s true! The legendary one! But he looks so normal! Just like a human!”
“Try to feel it closely. Kanamin is undoubtedly the strongest ‘Demon Human’.”
“Oh, wow, you’re right. Such immense magic power…!”
The girl looked at me with an admiring expression. I could only offer a polite, forced smile.
“I’ll go tell everyone that the Commander has awakened!!”
The girl ran off like a cat. In her place, other people started to approach. They had apparently been waiting for an opportunity to speak. The girl’s innocent greeting seemed to have given them the courage. Since some of them looked like Monsters, my polite smile became strained. Some had bird-like wings, others fish-like fins; they were truly diverse.
“So, this is the Royal Guard Knight Commander…? His appearance is quite different from the legends…”
“But judging by the ‘Curse Technique,’ he’s definitely not human.”
“I heard he was the true ‘Demon Human,’ but he doesn’t look strong at all.”
“He’s not wearing anything, is he? I heard he was a masked knight…”
I was appraised by beastmen of all ages. Lord intervened, trying to drive away the crowd.
“That said, there’s no need for a Knight Commander here because it’s so peaceful! Hey, stop staring just because he’s unusual! You can meet him anytime!”
The surrounding people complied with wry smiles.
“That’s true. Knights are none of our business.”
“Yes. After all, this is a world without conflict.”
“Well then, see you later, Kanami-san.”
After a casual wave to me, the newcomer, the people dispersed one by one. They seemed to find me unusual, but that was all. Their interest didn’t grow, and they scattered.
I waved back, drawn by their actions. However, my heart was not at ease.
This fantastical world felt distorted. Bewildered by its strangeness, I walked through the town, led by Lord. I felt as if I had stumbled into a fairy tale. Outside the town lay darkness. This was the kingdom of the ‘North’ from a thousand years ago, which shouldn’t exist. And here, I was “Primordial Kanami,” the “Royal Guard Knight Commander.” If I hadn’t reaffirmed my identity as “myself” during the battle with Palinkron, I would have gone mad.
“L-Lord, why does everyone know me?”
“Well, because Kanamin was famous in the kingdom of the ‘North’ a thousand years ago.”
W-what exactly was I doing? The Primordial me… But more importantly, *when* was this “thousand years ago” in the first place? I recalled that in the memories I had retrieved, there was a story about going to the ‘North’ with Apostle Sis. The purpose of that journey was to “gather magic power.” And as a result of gathering magic power—Hidaki “became a monster.” Was this “here” the story in between, or a completely different era…? Even loosely speaking of a thousand years ago, the time span was vast. As I pondered the era, we arrived at a house that was particularly large within the town. Reading the large sign, I saw it was a “restaurant.”
Lord, acting like a regular, entered and was led to the back. The interior of the hall was similar to a tavern, but the private room in the back was as luxurious as a noble’s chambers.
“It’s the VIP room! Because I’m a child, after all!”
To the waitress who came to take our order, Lord cheerfully replied, “The entire menu!” Lord added with a smile to the pale waitress, “Bring it all! It’s a celebration of recovery!” The waitress hurried off flustered, and the kitchen in the back became a hive of activity. Soon, dishes were laid out on the table in the private room. I thought it was an unreasonable order, but this restaurant managed to fulfill it perfectly. As someone who worked in the same industry, I was impressed by the restaurant’s skill.
“I’ll treat you today, so eat as much as you want.”
“…I will.”
I picked up my chopsticks, intending to eat before the food got cold. That’s when I noticed something strange. The food and tableware laid out on the table were eerily familiar. Not in the sense that I was used to them from the taverns of the Allied Nations’ Valt. I was surprised to see things laid out that I was familiar with from my original world. I picked up chopsticks and put something that resembled Japanese *ohitashi* into my mouth. The taste that spread in my mouth was of sake and soy sauce. Perhaps mirin was used too.
“This is delicious… More importantly, why are these seasonings here…?”
“Of course. Kanamin taught me how to make this.”
“I did…?”
What on earth was “Primordial Kanami” doing…? While savoring the nostalgic taste of my homeland, I made a mental note. Looking around carefully, the interior of the restaurant was also similar to my world. The uniforms of the staff were also coordinated like uniforms. This was a culture absent in the Labyrinth Allied Nations. It showed signs of diligent missionary work by a “Foreigner.”
“Well, let’s put that aside for now. More importantly, I have something serious to discuss.”
However, this was not relevant for now. I shook my head and recalled the main subject. Now that I could finally sit down, I intended to confirm the details.
“It’s okay, let’s talk slowly.”
“Before coming here, I was on the surface… At that time, it was me, Rainer, and a sleeping girl. Do you really not know about that last girl?”
“Mm-mm, I really don’t know. Only Rainer and Kanamin fell here. If anyone else, a third person, had intruded, I would definitely have noticed.”
Lord didn’t seem to be lying. While absorbing this fact, I calmly continued to speak.
“So Rainer woke up first and headed for the labyrinth.”
“That’s right. Since she’s such a valued guest, I wanted to give her a grander reception. We could have had a country-wide festival for her. But Rainer refused. Right, Kanamin, aren’t you going to have a festival?”
“No. I don’t have the time or the余裕.”
My tone naturally became harsh. Thanks to my new skill, I was striving for calmness, but it wasn’t perfect. Seeing my irritation, Lord sensed my inner turmoil.
“Mmm, perhaps you’re in a hurry because of Hitaki-chan?”
I had deliberately omitted her name. Yet, Lord easily uttered my sister Hidaki’s name.
“…You know about Hidaki too?”
“Of course, I do. That’s why Kanamin was going to take revenge on the entire world, right?”
“Then do you know what happened after that?”
“After taking revenge? I don’t know. Because, before that, I was betrayed and killed by Kanamin.”
She casually revealed the cause of her own death. At the very least, it wasn’t something to say with a mouth full of food.
“I-is that true?”
“Yep, true.”
“Um… by any chance, do you hate ‘Primordial Kanami’?”
“No. I don’t care about that anymore. Because I was the one who asked you to betray me.”
“Huh?”
“Kanamin granted my wish. And after she died, she prepared such a wonderful world for me. That’s why I love Kanamin so much!”
“Wait a minute, what is my relationship with you? I can’t see it at all…”
“Mmm, honestly, I don’t want to remember, so I don’t want to say it. Besides, it’s enviable that you have no memory at all! Ah, I wish I could forget too…”
“But I can only hear about a thousand years ago from you. Just a little—”
Many Guardians had died, and now only Reaper, Apostle Sis, and Aid knew about a thousand years ago. I wanted to gather any information I could here. However, Lord shook her head, leaking an immense amount of magic power she had been suppressing.
“—The past doesn’t matter anymore. Because the surface and the ‘North’ don’t matter anymore. I’ve found peace ‘here’! So I don’t care about my past wishes or world peace anymore!”
Lord declared with a smile. She looked incredibly happy, yet I felt a distortion at her core. Like the “World,” it was distorted. Behind that brightness, I sensed the inherent precariousness of a Guardian. Because she had regrets that prevented her from dying, she could never be satisfied, no matter how long she lived. Yet, she didn’t even understand her own inability to die. It seemed like she was wandering in a tragic and sorrowful afterlife. Therefore, I didn’t know how to respond to Lord’s declaration right now. I knew far too little about Lord. And she knew me, “Kanami,” too well. I decided it was best not to provoke her and cause trouble.
“O-Okay… So, you don’t care about the past anymore. You want to live peacefully here. Is that right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then, you should live peacefully. However, I think Rainer and I will be leaving quite soon.”
“Mmm, you say the same thing as Rainer. You should play here more.”
“Then, after I finish what I need to do on the surface, I’ll come back again. We’ll play together then.”
“Mm! It’s a promise!!”
For now, I made a promise to part ways peacefully. Since Lord didn’t seem to be in dire straits, it seemed I would have to face her properly after all my companions had gathered. Now, I just had to confirm things about “here” while waiting for Rainer. The food on the table rapidly disappeared. Though I ate little, Lord consumed an unbelievable amount at an unbelievable speed. I felt a difference in eating habits due to our species. When asked, Lord replied, “Winged Tribe,” a race I had never heard of in the Labyrinth Allied Nations. Perhaps she was related to Snow’s relatives? While we talked a bit, the things on the table were almost gone. Her voracious appetite was infectious, and I also took a sip of the accompanying soup. Then, I encountered the taste of my homeland again.
“Whoa, this is really delicious. More importantly, isn’t this miso soup?”
“Kanamin taught me the dishes, and then I spread them throughout the town. They’re all the best!”
“Ah, it’s so comforting…”
Though I knew I didn’t have much time, I was overwhelmed by these incredibly comforting ingredients. I swallowed the hot miso soup, exhaling a warm breath. I narrowed my eyes and gazed blankly into the air. I was certainly at peace right now. —However, a sound that shattered all that lingering peace rang out. The VIP room door was roughly opened, and a blond-haired boy entered. Although his clothes had changed slightly, there was no mistaking him. It was Rainer, the one I was waiting for.
“Calm down, Christ…!”
He immediately chastened me, who was in a relaxed state. Rainer approached with heavy footsteps. Lord welcomed the rude guest with a smile.
“Rainer, welcome back!”
“Lord, I was worried because there was no one in the castle. You should have at least left a note.”
“Ah, that’s right. I forgot.”
Lord apologized, scratching her head. As Rainer watched her with a look of exasperation, I also spoke to him.
“Rainer, I’m glad you’re safe… I was worried.”
“Yeah, I’m safe.”
Realizing we were eating, Rainer unceremoniously sat in an empty seat.
“Rainer, I’m sorry to ask so suddenly, but can you tell me what happened after defeating Palinkron?”
“I understand. I’ll explain right away. We need to leave quickly.”
Rainer replied while picking at the food spread before us. He probably anticipated my desire for information. His explanation began without a hitch.
“After that battle, the two of us, exhausted, were swallowed by the ‘Shaka Hōkan Jin.’ I borrowed Christ’s sword, and because my body was protected by crystal, I wasn’t dissolved, but we were dropped deep into the continent. That’s ‘here.’ It’s called the ‘Back of the Labyrinth’.”
“Were it just the two of us…? Anyone else—”
“—Sorry, but it was just the two of us who fell. Your sister was taken away on the surface while you were unconscious. She was taken by the Guardian Aid.”
This question was probably within his expectations as well. Unlike Lord, Rainer clearly resolved my doubt. However, when Aid’s name was mentioned, Lord’s eating paused for a moment. “Thief of the Laws of Wood” and “One who steals the logic of the wind,” they were clearly not strangers. After all, Aid had boldly stated he would wait for the “Ruling King.”
“Aid…, he…?”
“It’s my fault. I didn’t know she was your sister at the time.”
“No, why would a Guardian take Hidaki…?”
“Aid is a natural-born teacher and a madman when it comes to nation-building. He’s probably gathering people for nation-building. He always said the country needed power. From what Lord told me, the girl named Hitaki is incredibly strong, right? That’s probably why.”
“Damn it, so that’s how it is… But Hidaki has fallen into a sleep. A cursed sleep that’s not normal. She shouldn’t be of any use in battle…”
“It is Aid, after all… When it comes to magic other than combat-oriented, he’s first-class. There’s probably a way to wake her up.”
It wasn’t a bad prospect to have Hidaki awakened. Although he was a strict Guardian towards me, he was polite to others. Since he was liked by the Magic Stone Human children, Rainer’s description of him as a teacher wasn’t a lie. He would probably be sincere towards Hidaki as well. However, I couldn’t leave it to him forever. Protecting Hidaki was my mission. Seeing my grim expression, Rainer seemed to grasp what I wanted to say.
“Yeah, that’s right. Let’s return to the surface as soon as possible and reclaim everything. I agree with that.”
Rainer finished his bites and stood up.
“I also need to go protect the Living God soon.”
Then, he said something he never would have said before. He truly looked like a knight. It seemed he had finally found his true self.
“Rainer. Are you no longer quarreling with Rustiara?”
“Quarreling? I intended to fight to the death… Well, as you say, I won’t quarrel anymore. From now on, I intend to inherit my Older Brother’s will and serve that woman as her knight.”
“That’s good. I’m very happy to hear that.”
This was synonymous with me gathering another companion. When we returned to the surface, I would introduce Rainer to everyone. Even the women who had always opposed him would surely understand seeing him now.
“Well then, let’s leave the restaurant soon. Christ, there are many things I want you to do. We don’t have much time, so let’s hurry to the labyrinth.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
As Rainer started to leave the room, I intended to follow him. However, my foot stumbled, and I almost fell.
“Whoa, I’m still not at my best. Losing my Magic Stones had a big impact.”
Although my physical condition had recovered, the lack of balance was unavoidable. The vitality that had been equivalent to two people was suddenly halved. Even a simple act like walking was accompanied by anxiety. However, seeing this, Rainer attributed it to another reason.
“Don’t push yourself, Christ. After all, you were apparently asleep for a year.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I was asleep for a long time—…?”
However, one word in his statement made me falter. It was an unbelievable word.
“—A year?”
“Yeah, a year. According to Lord, about a year has passed since that battle. So she’s saying there’s no time to be relaxed.”
I instinctively looked at Lord, who was hastily shoveling the remaining food on the table into her mouth. She chewed the food and swallowed it forcefully before explaining.
“Phew. Well, even I couldn’t crack that hard crystal cleanly. It’s because the crystal is too hard, okay? It’s not my fault!”
It seemed to be the truth. I had thought only about a day had passed, but reality wasn’t so kind. My life was saved, but I had unknowingly paid a price for it. A year. While I worried about Hidaki and Dia, this made me worry about the companions I left behind on the surface as well. Even a few days, I thought they would wait patiently, but a year was different. Anything could have happened on the surface. The thought made me anxious. The power they possessed was enough to cause such anxiety. The reasons for needing to return to the surface quickly had increased. My head, which had felt somewhat clearer after the battle with Palinkron, started to throb again. I finally understood why Rainer was in such a hurry.
“L-Let’s hurry…!”
Sipping the miso soup, I realized I had no time to relax.
