Even though I was thrown into the air, I quickly regained my posture and landed. Nosfy and Reinand did the same. None of us were on a level where we would be damaged by a casual 《Zea-》.
However, Reinand, who had been observing from the rear, changed his expression. He drew his dual swords, stepped between me and Rowen, and glared at the two guardians. His expression was as if he would intercept them if they attacked any further.
“Wait, Reinand! Everyone, calm down! Let’s not fight here! We’re in a labyrinth!”
“But Christ, these guys—!”
I tugged at the hem of Reinand’s clothes, who was about to pounce. But he wasn’t the only one I stopped. The two guardians, who possessed a fierce power, continued their argument.
“Noisy, noisy, noisy! Nosfy is so noisy!! It’s not enough, it’s still not enough! That’s why I’m not going to the surface!! I’m absolutely not going!!”
“Rowen, you shouldn’t be so selfish. Even if it’s not enough, we have to go.”
While Rowen continued to throw a tantrum, Nosfy seemed calm. However, upon closer inspection, she was faintly sweating. It seemed this situation was also unexpected for Nosfy.
“So bossy! Nosfy, you’re the one who’s stuck in the past!! I don’t want to be told by Nosfy, who can only act like a good girl!!”
“Are, am I acting like a good girl…?”
“You are! Lingering desires are unfulfilled desires, that’s why they’re lingering!! If you could face them so easily, the Child wouldn’t be ‘here’ in the first place! Nosfy, you don’t even properly understand your own lingering desires, yet you act so high and mighty—!!”
As she shouted, Rowen swung her right hand sideways, sending green magic towards Nosfy. However, Nosfy calmly neutralized it with her radiant magic. As their argument escalated, the volume of their magic increased explosively. It was close to firing devastating magic bullets unconsciously.
“Hey, stop the magic…! Magic is…!”
If they continued their magic exchange, it would escalate into a big war involving the labyrinth’s monsters. That was something we had to avoid. While they might be fine, I and Reinand could be caught in the crossfire and die.
“Rowen, what do you mean? My lingering desire is an ‘unfulfillable lingering desire’?”
“That’s right, Nosfy has lingering desires too, doesn’t she? Are those desires fulfillable on the surface, in the future!? Aren’t they, like the Child, meant to be fulfilled in the past!? That’s why you came to the ‘past’ instead of the surface!? If ‘that space’ is destroyed, wouldn’t Nosfy be the one to suffer the most!?”
“That can’t be… it’s not like that. My situation and yours are too different. Don’t say such nonsense. Besides, we’re talking about *you* now, not me…!”
Nosfy flatly denied what Rowen said. However, she was clearly flustered. The faint sweat that had been trickling down her face increased. As their argument progressed, Rowen and Nosfy’s distance closed, and they finally got close enough to grab each other, reaching out their hands simultaneously.
“—!”
The skill “Sensation” activated. It was a warning like lightning piercing through my head. Sensing that I absolutely couldn’t let them touch each other, I instinctively chanted a spell.
“—Magic, 《Default》!! Both of you, calm down first!!”
Manipulating space, I created a distance of about ten meters between Rowen and Nosfy. Their outstretched arms missed each other, grasping at empty air.
“Ah, Kanamin…”
“Lord Uzunami…”
By using Dimensional Magic, I finally got their attention. More importantly, they understood that I was genuinely angry. Nosfy looked ashamed, and Rowen lowered her head apologetically. With that brief pause in both time and distance, both seemed to have calmed down a little.
After that slight calm and pause, Rowen spoke first.
“…I’m going home for today.”
Looking dejected, Rowen attempted to leave alone, turning her back to hide her tearful expression.
“Going home…? Are you planning to walk all the way back from here alone?”
“If I go all out, I can get back right away, so it’s fine… I just got a little too heated, so I’m going to get some air and cool my head… Everyone, I’m sorry…”
“Ah, hey!”
Shaking off my attempt to stop her, Rowen spread her wings and took flight. Her flight was so fast that there was no way to stop her as she reversed course through the labyrinth. And so, the three of us were left alone in the labyrinth.
Seeing Rowen gone, Reinand seemed relieved and returned his dual swords to their scabbards. Only one person remained—Nosfy, who looked terribly uneasy. Her usual dignified and elegant face was completely undone.
“L-Lord Uzunami, was I wrong…? I was trying to be right as Rowen’s friend…”
“No, I think Nosfy said the right thing. There’s no doubt about that. But I don’t think just saying the right thing solves everything. Especially with children like Rowen, stating the obvious can sometimes have the opposite effect.”
“Rowen, a child…?”
Nosfy was in the right. It might have been a little harsh, but it was undoubtedly correct advice from a friend. Compared to me, who couldn’t delve deeply into her inner feelings for fear of Rowen’s guardian powers, she was more admirable. However, their ways of thinking clashed fatally. It wasn’t a matter of who was wrong, but simply that the timing was bad, I thought.
“Because Rowen is a child, it’s not being resolved even though I’m doing the right thing…?”
“Ah. Depending on the time and situation, I think that can happen.”
“I-is that so… —Gah! Ow!”
Suddenly, Nosfy clutched her head and doubled over. I was startled by this sudden development. It was the first time she had shown pain since entering the labyrinth.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, I just have a slight headache…”
“Are you alright? You don’t seem as composed as Rowen…”
“Perhaps so… Talking with Rowen made me reflect on some things myself…”
With my help, Nosfy got up unsteadily. I didn’t think her HP had decreased, but just in case, I tried to have Reinand use healing magic. However, Nosfy refused.
“Reinand, thank you. However, it’s not necessary. More importantly, let’s hurry and move forward. We’ve wasted time arguing earlier.”
“Are you still planning to proceed through the labyrinth?”
“Yes. Having told her that much, I can’t afford to rest without returning to the surface. More importantly, I’m here to help Lord Uzunami. So, please hurry…”
Leaving me and Reinand, who were worried, Nosfy began to walk alone down the marble corridor. Her expression was pained, yet for some reason, the magic emanating from her back continued to swell. After the argument with Rowen, her presence as a guardian had clearly increased. That meant her lingering desires were growing.
“Thief of the Principles of Light” advanced into the light of the corridor like a wraith. It was too ominous a sight. There was no way we could follow her.
“No, let’s go back. We should return to Viais and talk to Rowen again. It’s a bit disappointing, but today’s Dungeon Exploration will end at the 57th floor.”
“However…! Don’t you need to return to the surface quickly, Lord Uzunami!?”
“That’s true… but we can’t just leave Rowen like this, can we? Besides, Nosfy doesn’t seem to be feeling well since talking with Rowen…”
“You don’t need to worry about my condition! More importantly, I want to be of help to Lord Uzunami. Yes, I’m sure that is my lingering desire. Therefore, I will—!”
“If you care about me, let’s stop here for today. Thanks to Nosfy and the others, we’ve made enough progress in our Dungeon Exploration. So, today is enough.”
I interrupted Nosfy’s fanatical-like claims with a strong tone and persuaded her. Hearing that, Nosfy looked down with a distorted face and replied in a weak voice.
“…Then please let us at least reach the stairs to the 56th floor. The area near the stairs probably has the fewest monsters, so we should be able to use 《Connection》 safely there.”
It was a reasonable compromise. It would be a bit dangerous to reach the next stairs, but it was far better than continuing the conversation here.
“Understood. We’ll end it there.”
With our policy decided, we resumed our Dungeon Exploration. We formed a formation with me and Reinand following behind Nosfy, who was walking ahead. However, the formation didn’t matter. Despite the intense battle, the monsters on the 57th floor didn’t attack us. It was as if they were afraid of something.
In less than an hour, we found the stairs leading to the 56th floor. Then, in a suitable spot nearby, I chanted a spell.
“We finally made it. It should be safe around here. —Magic, 《Connection》.”
A purple door appeared, and Nosfy immediately continued her spell.
“Well then, so that they don’t approach this door, I will have a ‘Talk’ with the nearby monsters. —《Re-re-inverting Light》.”
Since this floor had few obstacles, the visibility was good. Nosfy cast light on all the monsters she could see. If her story was true, then this combo of 《Connection》 and 《Re-re-inverting Light》 would have secured a warp zone to the 56th floor.
It was a remarkable advance in just a few days. Unlike normal exploration, the higher we went, the easier it became, so the start of our Dungeon Exploration was bright. However, we had also gained a troublesome problem. From yesterday’s appearance, I thought the two guardians’ compatibility was good, but it was not at all. Even if they had no intention of fighting, their ways of thinking were too different.
Just thinking about it gives me a headache, but I can’t avoid this problem.
“The door is safe now. Shall we go back?”
“Ah.”
With Nosfy in the lead, we passed through 《Connection》 and returned to Rowen’s world—Viais.
***
Having returned from Dungeon Exploration via 《Connection》, I immediately activated 《Dimension》. It didn’t take long to find Rowen. It had only been an hour since we parted in the labyrinth, but she was in the castle. That alone showed her speed.
“Found her. She’s in the library… no, the storeroom.”
Among the piles of broken paintings in the storeroom, Rowen was sitting in a ball. A faint tear glistened at the corner of her eyes, and her entire nose was red. She seemed quite calm, but she had been crying alone since returning.
Bringing Nosfy and Reinand with me, we headed for the castle’s library. The rusty library door was open. However, the door leading to the storeroom was locked as if to repel others. It would be easy to open this. Neither Nosfy nor I would need to chant a spell; we could simply push the door open with force. However, if we forcibly broke it, it would never be opened again. Both physically and mentally.
So, I tried to call out from the outside. However, Nosfy stopped me. Feeling responsible forcornering Rowen, she wanted to handle the conversation herself. I understood Nosfy’s intentions and stepped back to watch.
“…Rowen, we’re back. Could you open this door?”
I called out in a gentle tone. Firstly, Nosfy prioritized facing her.
“No. …I don’t want to see you right now.”
However, the response was a clear refusal. Rowen had probably realized we were outside the door. Her reply was quick. At this clear rejection, Nosfy’s face fell. But she quickly rallied and bowed, even though she couldn’t be seen.
“I’m sorry, Rowen. I said too much earlier. I apologize.”
“…No. It’s not like Nosfy needs to apologize for anything. I’m sorry for shouting earlier.”
Perhaps Nosfy’s sincere apology got through, as Rowen apologized back in a soft voice. With that slight pause, her tantrum from the labyrinth seemed to have subsided. The atmosphere felt a little lighter. At least, it wasn’t as volatile as in the labyrinth. Reinand, who had been watching from behind, also removed his hand from his sword hilt. From his perspective, he probably felt the crisis had passed. With both apologies accepted, the conversation continued in that gentle atmosphere.
“…But Nosfy, you still think the Child should return to the surface, right?”
“Yes. I believe that is the righteous path.”
However, even though Nosfy apologized, she didn’t seem to change her opinion. Hearing that, Rowen replied with a hint of disappointment.
“The Child knows that’s the righteous path too. But the Child isn’t a grown-up enough to choose the righteous path just because it’s righteous… So, I’m sorry…”
While they could now exchange words, their conversation remained deadlocked. Rowen had no intention of returning to the surface.
“Th-that’s not true. Rowen you were a more admirable adult than anyone! I, your worthy rival, will prove it. You are an adult…! More than anyone…!!”
“—No.”
“It is not! If the ‘Ruling King’ wasn’t an adult, then who would be!?”
“That’s why the Child is ‘here’. So—it’s not.”
“Eh?”
Rowen denied it again. Unable to fully comprehend the double denial, Nosfy was speechless. Rowen immediately followed up with an apology and a rejection.
“I’m really sorry, Nosfy… Please leave me alone today…”
Her plea, spoken in a pained voice, carried enough weight to make Nosfy back down.
“Y-yes…”
Nosfy stepped away from the cold, closed door and looked at us, shaking her head. Then, she shrunk down apologetically.
“I’m sorry. It’s because of me that Rowen…”
“No, it can’t be helped. Rowen wants to sort out her thoughts alone. Let’s give her some space for a while.”
Even if I had been the one talking to her, the outcome would have been the same. I had faintly sensed she disliked being king, but I couldn’t understand the reason she stubbornly denied being an adult. If one wasn’t able to empathize with that reason, they probably couldn’t have persuaded her. It might be better not to pry and leave her alone. It was more dangerous for someone who didn’t understand the situation to say something thoughtless. In fact, Rowen was now calming herself down from her tantrum. There was no reason to force our way into the storeroom. All I could do was advance our Dungeon Exploration as quickly as possible and bring her family.
However, unlike me, who was analyzing the situation calmly, Nosfy was trembling.
“Ah… I’ve failed again… Again…”
Gritting her teeth in frustration, she grabbed my hand and asked.
“What should I have done? Please tell me, Lord Uzunami. If doing the right thing doesn’t resolve anything, then what should I do…?”
I took a small step back. I had no choice but to do so; her feelings were too heavy. In Nosfy’s eyes, there was absolute trust in me. Like Reinand had before, her eyes showed a blind faith that I could somehow fix things. However, I am not a god. I honestly confessed that I was beyond my capabilities.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know about that either…”
“—! L-Lord Uzunami, you don’t know either?”
Seeing me shake my head too, Nosfy was surprised. From her expression, which I saw for the first time, it was clear that she had placed more blind faith in me than Reinand had. At worst, she might have thought I was an actual god…
“That’s why I couldn’t say anything to Rowen until today.”
“…Is there really something that even Lord Uzunami doesn’t know?”
“Of course. That’s why I always make mistakes when looking for answers…”
I conveyed that while the Primordial Kanami of a thousand years ago might have been a person worthy of belief, I was not. I still have no confidence in what I’m doing now. I might have more to say to Rowen and Nosfy, but I don’t know what to say. I am somehow managing to converse while lost and searching for the best course of action.
Hearing my clear admission of weakness, Nosfy murmured, “Lord Uzunami makes mistakes too…”
“I think just doing what you believe to be right isn’t enough. It feels insufficient. So, Nosfy, let’s think about that insufficient part together from now on.”
I believe that what cannot be understood alone can be understood by thinking together. Just as I told Reinand a little while ago, I wanted to borrow Nosfy’s strength, and I said so while squeezing her hand.
“Just doing the right thing isn’t enough… Is that also why I can’t disappear? Then, what Rowen said about ‘unfulfilled desires like Rowen’s’ means…?”
Without answering, Nosfy put her hand to her chin and began to think. It seemed she was applying the idea that righteousness alone isn’t everything to her own problem.
“For now, I think we should leave Rowen alone today… In the meantime, we’ll do what we can. I’m thinking of going to the blacksmith’s for our next Dungeon Exploration. What about you, Nosfy?”
We had advanced nearly ten floors into the labyrinth, and it was already close to evening. Considering tomorrow’s Dungeon Exploration, we had to visit Reinand’s workshop before he left.
“…No, I’m sorry. I’ve also come to feel like I need time to think alone, just like Rowen. Perhaps because I’ve talked so much with Rowen and Lord Uzunami, whom I couldn’t converse with enough when I was alive, I have a lot to consider.”
After thinking deeply, Nosfy shook her head and refused to accompany us. She seemed to want to earnestly consider what Rowen and I had told her. Since Nosfy had nothing to do at the blacksmith’s, there was no reason to stop her.
“Ah, that’s fine. We can handle the preparations for tomorrow by ourselves.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse me. I think I’ll take a walk around the castle…”
Thus, Nosfy remained in the castle, and Reinand and I left to head to Reinand’s house. Then, as usual, we passed through the old corridor and courtyard, blending into the town of Viais.
