From afar—atop a mountain peak within Viaisia Country, I watched the end of the battle.
The Royal Capital’s luminescence ceased, and the magic of the “Thief of Principles” was released.
Then, an unusual amount of magic particles ascended into the sky.
Witnessing a scene akin to souls drifting, I was convinced it was no ordinary magic.
Now, a being who would leave their name in history had met their end.
Fulfilling all their “Lingering Desires,” they were escaping the shackles of this world. I saw them off with a touch of envy, sorrow, and grief.
“Aid, Rowen—have you returned…?”
I called out the names of my friends and offered a silent prayer.
With this, I became the only “Thief of Principles” left in this world, excluding the Aikawa Siblings.
Clutching the “Divine Tree Gauntlet” I received from Aid, I brushed away a faint sense of loneliness.
From here on, I am alone… as always, alone.
“Apostle Sis has fallen into Lord Uzunami’s hands, and Lord Hidaki has returned to the forefront…”
Everything was as the “Prophecy” foretold, sending a shiver down my spine.
Since meeting me, Lord Uzunami had faced crisis after crisis. At times, I absolutely thought it wouldn’t turn out according to “that Prophecy.”
But in reality, it was the opposite—Lord Uzunami defeated all the Apostles and took Lord Hidaki into his grasp.
Honestly, I still cannot believe this situation.
It’s truly hard to believe, knowing the circumstances from a thousand years ago—the beginning of three Apostles and two foreigners.
Among the five, only Lord Uzunami remained.
The meek, weak, and seemingly unable to defeat even a child, kind Lord Uzunami was nowhere to be found. Instead, he had become an overwhelmingly absolute victor.
“…If Lord Uzunami has even a one percent chance of victory, he will reach it. Now that he has fully blossomed as a ‘Thief of the Principles of Dimensions,’ it is best to assume so.”
This duel—to an observer, it might have seemed like Lord Uzunami’s overwhelming victory, but that wasn’t the case for me.
Based on my experience as someone who achieved many victories on the battlefield a thousand years ago, it would have been strange if Aid hadn’t won decisively.
Aid’s winning odds were that high.
If they fought a hundred times, he had the preparation to win ninety of them without the opponent scoring.
If I had intervened, it would have approached a hundred.
However, Lord Uzunami possessed the power to reverse that near-certainty of a hundred percent down to zero. Therefore, Aid was utterly defeated.
Before the battle with Aid, I had also cooperated with Titty on the 66th Floor of the Labyrinth, creating a stage where victory was almost certain—a ninety-nine percent chance of a shutout. Yet, I failed.
Both Aid and I became losers… as if the world hated us.
That is the kind of ability “Thief of the Principles of Dimensions” Aikawa Kanami possesses.
There is no more mistake.
Once might still be a coincidence, but twice in a row means there is a reason.
There are seeds called magic.
Ah…
My hands are still trembling.
My body freezes at Lord Uzunami’s unknown power.
Regarding the duel between Aid and Lord Uzunami, to be honest, I intended to launch a surprise attack if the opportunity arose.
However, I could not intervene.
While fighting Aid, Lord Uzunami was constantly on guard against my surprise attack. He controlled the entire situation with ease, as if everything was within his grasp. He even seemed to deliberately create openings to lure my attack.
Failing a surprise attack and having to restart would be one thing.
What was terrifying was that if I carelessly intervened, I didn’t know when Lord Uzunami might acquire new powers.
Lord Uzunami’s greatest threat is not his “power to draw out the best choice through foresight,” but his “growth speed and imitation ability during combat.”
If he imitates my unique talents of “Light Magic” and “Talks,” an individual like “Nosfy Fuziaze” would never be able to defeat “Aikawa Uzunami” again.
This is tantamount to my “Lingering Desire” never being fulfilled.
“I shouldn’t have been able to intervene…”
Come to think of it, that girl named Snow still had room to spare. I clearly confirmed from a distance that she was acting a bit goofy after the battle.
That girl, while enduring Lord Hidaki’s blizzard, was intently watching for an opportunity. If her trusted Lord Uzunami and Rowen were defeated, she likely had prepared herself to fight next.
In fact, that blue-haired Dragon Person possesses the potential to do so.
Furthermore, the girl named Dia, within whom Apostle Sis resides, might have escaped her shackles through her own power. Lord Uzunami’s words could potentially have triggered that.
…If I start talking about possibilities like this, it will never end. But I suppose it is Lord Uzunami’s power to turn all that endlessness into fear.
“Heh, heh heh… Heh heh heh…! I can only laugh… I really can only laugh about this… This is…!”
So, will I give up…?
Will I become a good girl again and quietly disappear from the stage…?
That—is impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
I do not want to give up ever again.
I vowed that I would never give up again.
Then, I must think.
Think, think, think.
At worst, it’s okay if I can’t win. I must somehow keep thinking of a way to trap Lord Uzunami—!!
“When fighting a ‘Thief of the Principles of Dimensions,’ a half-hearted chance is meaningless… only one hundred percent or zero percent exists…”
And, since nothing in this world is absolutely one hundred percent, and humans can only reach zero percent, perhaps my intended way of fighting is… –
“…Haa. It’s truly disheartening. …Well, either way, let’s go pick up that idiot Fafnir. If he threatened me that much and didn’t appear as a hidden reinforcement, there’s no doubt. He’s probably not even been summoned from the Labyrinth yet.”
I activate Dimensional Magic, “Connection,” creating a shining magical door on the mountaintop. Not only the doors I’ve placed in various countries, but I can also move to my floor in the Labyrinth—the 60th Floor.
“If I can secure that first, my options will increase. Honestly, it’s a meager hand against Lord Uzunami, but…”
I can’t help but feel that adding one more Guardian at this point…
After all, this time the enemies were “Thief of the Laws of Wood,” “Thief of the Principles of Water,” and “Apostle Sis”—three of them. Combined with me, the “Thief of the Principles of Light,” waiting for an opening, it was a four-person formation.
Even so, no opening was created for Lord Uzunami.
Even if I cooperate with the “Thief of the Law of Blood” and become two people, the chances of victory still seem slim.
But no matter how I fight, having more cards is better.
First, there must be numbers.
The basics of battle are information and the number of pieces.
In terms of quantity, I need at least three times as many.
Ideally, individuals who have undergone “Demon Awakening” would be good.
Honestly, I dislike “Demon Awakening,” but I will compromise for now. Fortunately, Aid has given me some equipment to make up for the quality. It should somehow transform into enough cards to make a move.
Come to think of it, I truly owe Aid a great debt.
Thanks to him today, my range of tactics has greatly expanded.
I was able to experiment with countermeasures against Lord Uzunami’s foresight and elemental magic. Furthermore, I learned in advance that countermeasures against all elements would be necessary from now on. Most importantly, I’ve found a way to deal with the mobility of the most troublesome “Thief of the Principles of Dimensions”—the magic “Connection.”
The next time I seriously fight Lord Uzunami, it will likely be a situation where escape is impossible, I am isolated and alone, surrounded by strong soldiers—and that’s when the battle can truly begin. When I can engage in a verbal exchange.
—Heh, heh heh.
To struggle this much just talking, Lord Uzunami is truly—impressive.
Impressive, my beloved who dwells in a realm so high that no one can reach, my beloved…
However, my love’s power will surely overcome this ordeal.
Precisely because you are a desired man who is out of reach, my love only grows.
I love you, Lord Uzunami. I love you always and forever.
Now, this is my only driving force.
Relying solely on this, I will definitely surpass you.
Yes, I will…—
“—What if Eldora appears on the 70th Floor of the Labyrinth…? Talking with him really is after a long time, so I’m a little anxious… I might need to create some magic just for him… Ah, there’s just so much I need to do. Heh heh.”
I suddenly recall the most troublesome among the remaining “Thieves of Principles” in the Labyrinth. While Fafnir won’t be easy, Eldora, in terms of the difficulty of “Talks,” is at the top.
I’d like to secure the assurance that I can persuade both of them before I summon them.
Yes.
Being the coward I am, I always want assurance.
I desperately want one hundred percent—absolute—safety assurance.
But such a thing doesn’t exist in this world.
I know that firsthand.
Those who cling to “absolute” things are easily tripped and die.
In this world, the only one who can be called “absolute” is Lord Uzunami.
No one can defeat Aikawa Uzunami, who can magically interfere with the “absolute.”
Everything I am doing now is probably all in vain.
I understand.
No matter how much I try, it’s all meaningless.
This action, my very life, is a mistake.
I wish I had never been born.
It could be said that my very existence is a mistake.
It could be said, but—
“H-heh heh, ah-ha-ha-ha!! Ah-ha-ha-ha, —It doesn’t matter. I don’t need victory or correctness, or anything anymore! There is only one thing I want—”
I will do all the wrong things I couldn’t do during my life.
For now, I will focus only on that.
Otherwise, I cannot even disappear.
“I will not give up anymore. This time, I *will* become ‘The Best.’ For that, I will not be picky about the means. No, I will choose all the options I didn’t choose in my life, one by one. My battle starts from there—”
Continuing to make mistake after mistake is the correct thing to do now.
Instead of faithfully serving Lord Uzunami, I will insidiously trap him.
This is the only path left for Nosfy Fuziaze.
It is my “path,” as I have no “homeland” or “family.”
Before I step through “Connection” on the mountaintop, I look up at the sky.
I look up at the blue sky of my friends’ homeland.
Saying goodbye to the homeland that is so clear and pleasant that I want to stay here forever—I smile at the world.
“A-a-ha-ha-ha… Are you still watching now…?
Are you mocking me…?
It doesn’t matter. If you want to mock me, mock me as much as you want.
However, no matter what happens, no matter what becomes of me, Nosfy Fuziaze will continue to make mistakes.
And someday, I will make *you* make a mistake too…!
I will never die as a good girl again!!
I will absolutely not repeat the same mistake! *Absolutely* not!!”
With that vow to the world, I passed through “Connection” to continue challenging the world, laughing at everything.
What awaits me on the other side is the Labyrinth.
I too, am one of the explorers seeking my own answer—a realization I have, even as a Guardian of the Labyrinth.
One grows stronger by advancing through the Labyrinth. That’s how it’s designed.
Then, I will utilize it.
Acquiring new power, gaining companions, and retraining my spirit—I will show myself again.
Until then, please…
Please wait for me, Lord Uzunami.
