Depths of the Otherworldly Labyrinth (WN) – Chapter 299

Honestly, I think it’s fine if one of the elders were to become immortal.

I’m already using magic that desecrates both the living and the dead. It’s not like I’d make a fuss about immortality now.

If I had the chance, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to cooperate with the Senate on developing immortality magic.

While I sense a certain darkness from them, I also feel a genuine patriotism. Just because they’re greedy doesn’t mean I’ll judge them as inherently evil. That, too, is a form of strength for people to live.

Thinking I could easily concede something like immortality… perhaps that’s because I might have witnessed the lives of those who steal principles.

I don’t place much value on the concept of immortality.

Even if they use grand words like “immortality,” in the end, it should just be a difference in states. I know that even if one becomes ageless, they’ll have ageless worries, and if one becomes immortal, they’ll have immortal worries.

Above all, the idea that a nation can be secure with just immortality and absolute power is a delusion.

If that were the case, a thousand years ago would have had a better outcome.

For these reasons, I believe I can be a good trading partner with the Senate. We won’t have irreconcilable differences or life-or-death battles because our interests don’t clash. In that sense, I think they’re truly easy opponents. Of course, they’re by no means easy opponents when it comes to actual deals and negotiations…

After finishing my audience with the Senate, I left the castle with Ragune-chan and walked through the thriving castle town, a result of Nosfy’s dealings with the Senate.

In the end, I accepted their goodwill.

The “Saintkidnapping Incident” was dropped, and I’m temporarily borrowing space in the burning underground city. I did refuse their offer of financial assistance, but with this, Maria and Reaper’s charges have been cleared.

We also made a promise to keep a watchful eye until my business with Nosfy is concluded. However, since it’s all just a verbal agreement, I should be prepared to be betrayed at any time. If their gains outweigh their losses, they’ll discard their conscience without hesitation.

Remembering their cheerful laughter, I tensed myself up—and then, picturing the faces of those waiting for me back at our residence in the underground city, I tensed up even more.

It’s been quite some time since I fought Fafnir and had a long talk with the Senate. Traveling through the castle town also took considerable time, so the sun is already beginning to set.

Even as dusk settles, the vibrancy of the Great Holy Capital doesn’t diminish in the slightest. Confirming the richness of the city that the Senate prides itself on, we passed through the entrance to the aforementioned underground city and returned to our base, the mansion, after navigating through the raging flames.

First, I entered the grand hall to check on my companions’ safety—and then, I stopped at the entrance, having overheard a terrifying conversation. Nosfy, still defiant despite being restrained, was questioning Maria, who was sitting on Rustiara’s lap.

“—Maria-san, as I said before, is this truly alright? Is this truly okay? Doesn’t the world seem too unfair, too unfortunate, too hateful?”

“As I’ve said many times, I am happy. No one but myself has the right to decide my feelings. I am confident. Because, my heart feels so warm…”

Maria placed a hand on her chest and replied with a slight smile towards Rustiara behind her.

…God, that’s terrifying.

I don’t know the details of what led to this, but it’s a conversation that delves deep into the very core of life. Even though I’ve only heard a sentence or two, I can tell it’s a exchange where, at any moment, someone’s emotional landmine could be triggered, leading to a massive conflagration. Both of them are utterly serious. While Fafner the Guardian and I were measuring and gauging our emotional distance in what felt like a charade of a battle—I never expected Maria and Rustiara to be having a heart-to-heart dialogue with the Guardian Nosfy.

In the midst of that dialogue, where it felt like the conclusion of their lives was about to be decided, only Nosfy was breaking into a cold sweat.

“B-but! From the perspective of the majority, you are in a pitiable state… There are limits to not wanting much. Even from my perspective, you are just pitifully unfortunate-…”

“As I repeat… with all that, I am still happy. I am happy, happier than I’ve ever been—that’s what I think. Even if it’s Nosfy, you won’t be allowed to deny that. My life is mine, and my world is mine. I can praise myself without hesitation. That’s what I believe is important.”

“…Is that so. Maria-san, you are strong. Truly…”

And from the outside, it seems like Maria is the one pushing the conversation forward. I don’t know the circumstances that led to a discussion of happiness and misfortune, but Maria will never falter. I can feel the firmness of her heart.

At this moment, the only one wavering in this grand hall is Nosfy—no, Liner seems to be in a similar state. In the corner of the room, Liner, sweating just as much as Nosfy, was gripping his sword with a deeply bitter expression. He probably wants to excuse himself, but he can’t run away after saying he’d stand guard. His exhausted face clearly shows he’s been in the same posture for hours, ready for anything.

Nosfy, being outmaneuvered by Maria, tries to change the subject. Next, she turns her attention to Rustiara, who has been holding Maria like a body pillow.

“Rustiara-san… What are your thoughts after hearing Maria-san’s words?”

“I believe everything Maria-chan and the others say. That’s why I feel at ease. Even if everyone in the world calls me an idiot, I will never waver. —I will just aim for the same dream as Tiara-sama.”

“The same dream as Tiara… No, you’re chasing after that back, aren’t you, Rustiara-san.”

“Yeah. I want to be with everyone too. No matter how difficult Nosfy says it is, I’m aiming for a perfect, all-happy ending. So, with Nosfy too, I can—”

Unlike Nosfy, Rustiara spoke with a bright and refreshing tone. At the end of her statement, she even tried to invite her current enemy to join them.

“I’m sorry. I cannot do that. That, at least, is mistaken.”

“…Hmm, hmm. Mistaken? …Hey, Maria-chan. Was what I just said no good? I was following a really righteous scenario progression, right?”

“Sigh… Rustiara-san, ‘scenario’… You’re thinking in a way that makes it seem like a play again.”

At Nosfy’s denial, Rustiara tilted her head and asked Maria, who was looking exasperated in her arms. At a distance where their faces were almost touching, they briefly exchanged words: “Eh, am I?” “You are.” “Really?” “It’s completely become a habit.” “Really, really?” “It’s already a sickness.” “I-I will try to cure it…”

Seeing this, Nosfy let out a small chuckle. This smile, too, was a bright one I had never seen before—

“Hehehe… Although it’s mistaken… you two are truly close. Truly… close…”

A gentle, serene, and graceful smile. It was an expression that perfectly suited someone who might unexpectedly smile at small moments of happiness.

“Seeing everyone’s faces reminds me of the past. There was Tiara, there was Sis, there was Arti, there was Seldra…”

Concerned that it might relate to Nosfy’s true “lingering desire,” I carefully observed her expression from my hiding spot.

“—At that time, I couldn’t follow everyone. Unlike you all, I couldn’t make mistakes, and I was the only one who pretended to be good. I lacked the ‘courage’ to take a single step forward…”

However, even though the content was regretful, her face didn’t show remorse. While maintaining her smile, she seemed to be merely reminiscing about how pathetic she was in the past. Rustiara repeatedly invited her, saying to Nosfy:

“…I see. But isn’t it too late even now? I’ll invite you again? No matter how many times.”

“Heh, thank you. You are so kind, Rustiara-sama. But, we can no longer be friends. Because the era—the world is too different.”

Nosfy thanked her but firmly refused. The strength with which she stated she wouldn’t yield from that point made me feel that her true “lingering desire” lay there.

“However, while we can’t be friends… well, I can help you. I’m confident in teaching light magic or divine magic, so I’ll teach you in preparation for the battle that will eventually come. Rustiara-sama should become a bit stronger.”

“Eh? You’ll teach me directly from the ‘Thief of the Principles of Light’? …Nice!”

Then, though separated by a desk, the two of them began to practice magic amicably. Maria, in between them, was also engrossed and didn’t try to stop them. From my perspective, I couldn’t watch without worrying about what Nosfy might do under the guise of practice. However, they didn’t seem to be like that. Even though their invitation was rejected, they treated her as if she were already one of their friends.

Resignedly, I decided to approach Liner, who was likely feeling the same emotions as I was, and spoke to him.

“You’re getting along strangely well… the three of you…”

“…Ah, ah, Christ. You’re back. …Indeed, it’s so strange it makes me want to vomit. But, from observing, it was a normal conversation. Or rather, it was a very proper conversation… so proper that I thought everything might just end like this.”

Liner, relieved by my return, relaxed his combat stance. He sheathed his twin swords and sat down on one of the chairs in the room, taking a breath. Seeing him, the others also noticed my return. Naturally, Nosfy was the first to speak. Her face lit up, abandoning all the gentle demeanor she had just shown, and her voice became unnaturally loud.

“Ah, Ah…! Uzunami-sama, welcome back! Hehehe, how was—your talk with Fafnir. No, your confrontation with Fafnir?”

Her mouth stretched to its limits, and her tone became mocking. …This is how she is when she talks to me. Unlike the proper elders she was dealing with earlier, she’s not an easy opponent. I tightened my mouth to its limits and then replied as if conveying to the companions in the room, “I learned Fafnir’s weakness and how to defeat him. I also saw his true magic. Most importantly, I learned that what Nosfy stole from Fafnir was a book—”

“Yes! And then, and then!?”

Midway through my words, Nosfy interjected with an eager agreement. I continued my report, my expression turning bitter. “And… I can’t lose next time.”

“Yes. Next time…? Does ‘next time’ mean this time…?”

“…We had a light sparring match and came back.”

“You had a light sparring match and came back…? F-fufufu, Fufufufu— Yes, I understand perfectly! You had a *light* sparring match, were *lightly* overwhelmed, and scurried back, didn’t you, Uzunami-sama! I can tell by your face! I’m confident I know everything about Uzunami-sama! You must have been unable to leave the suffering Fafnir to his fate, right?! Ah, how kind! So kind—hehehe, it’s laughable! I can picture Uzunami-sama, trying to save him with a condescending attitude, only to make things worse—hehehe, tears wel up! Fufufufu!”

Nosfy was laughing so hard that tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. Ultimately, I felt incompetent that the outcome was as she predicted. However, I calmly brushed off her taunts, as I also believed I had a near-optimal reunion and interaction with Fafnir.

“You were so determined to just talk, but you ended up sparring and even lost. I understand! You just *had* to fight him, didn’t you!? Fafnir was screaming, Fafnir was wishing for it, Fafnir drew his sword! Yes, I understand!”

“Ah, you’re right. This time, it went according to your plan. …More importantly, it’s about the book now. Nosfy, where is the scripture you stole from Fafnir?”

Against the highly excited Nosfy, I gave a subdued response. Perhaps she calmed down, influenced by my lack of reaction, she took a deep breath and stopped her baseless provocation.

“That foolish knight’s scripture… Yes, I stole it and am keeping it. It’s an important piece for manipulating him.”

I maintained a stern gaze and pressed for its whereabouts. However, knowing she wouldn’t answer straightforwardly, I realized I’d need to devise a way to extract the information.

That’s when it happened.

“Currently, the scripture is entrusted to Glen Walker for management. However, I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing.”

“Glen-san…?”

The answer came surprisingly easily. Furthermore, a name I hadn’t expected was mentioned. I was surprised in two ways by her straightforwardness. A warning in the back of my mind echoed, “It must be a lie,” “It must be a trap.” However, my skills all judged this to be true. The familiar warning sounds didn’t resonate at all.

As I stood there in a daze, Maria, standing nearby, added a clarification. “Kanami-san. Glen-san, like Fafnir-san, had strange rules instilled in him, so he’s been cooperating with Nosfy-san for a while now. When I first came to the Great Holy Capital, he was with me. Oh, and Shira Legacy was there too.”

That’s right. When I used the past sight magic—Dimensional Decisive Calculation: Prologue—in Daryl’s town in the north, Maria and her companions were acting as a party of four. This means they came to the Great Holy Capital as a group of four, met Nosfy, and fought her. It appears Glen then defected due to light magic. Upon discovering this fact, Rustiara, an old acquaintance, laughed.

“Haha. Glen, as usual.”

While Rustiara reminisced, I continued my questioning in a stern tone. “Nosfy, where is that Glen-san now?”

“Who knows where he is? He’s certainly in the Great Holy Capital, but I don’t know his exact location.”

This feels like she’s hiding something. Her playful demeanor makes it seem as though she’s proclaiming, “I am lying.” However, even if I pressed her about this lie, Nosfy wouldn’t spill. It even feels like being interrogated is precisely what she desires. Understanding that I’d need to employ considerable ingenuity to find out Glen’s and the scripture’s location, I shifted the topic to something easier to discuss. Specifically, the fourth party member Maria mentioned.

“Maria, do you know where Shira-chan is?”

“Eh, Shira…? Shira is currently at the Legacy family’s villa in the Great Holy Capital. To be frank, I had her evacuated because she couldn’t be counted as a combatant.”

It seems the Legacy family, which has villas all over the world, has one here as well. If her location is known, it’s a higher priority than Glen-san.

“Then, let’s go to Shira’s place first. I want to retrieve Teeda’s magic stone.”

I’ll get what I can reach first. Perhaps it’s because I heard about immortality from the Senate earlier, but I can’t stop thinking about the whereabouts of the magic stones of the ‘Thieves of Principles’. In my past sight magic, I recall that Shira-chan, Palinkron’s niece, had Teeda’s magic stone, which I found in the labyrinth.

“…! Kanami-san, you know quite a lot… Indeed, she currently possesses the magic stone of the ‘Thief of the Principles of Darkness’. It was a hidden trump card…”

“She…!?”

Maria, who hadn’t seen my magic, looked puzzled, and Nosfy let out a loud cry. Nosfy had also been searching, but perhaps she hadn’t even had a clue about its location until now.

“Meet Shira-chan and retrieve the magic stone. After that, find Glen-san and retrieve the scripture. Once all lingering concerns are eliminated, we’ll fight Fafnir Helvishein with all our companions.”

Since I declared to Fafnir that we’d surround and crush him, we intend to prepare with all our might. If possible, I’d like to recruit Glen-san before facing Fafnir. Gathering as many acquaintances who can fight guardians as possible seems like a good plan. For example, I’d also like to meet Sera-san, who should be in this Great Holy Capital.

Hearing my lack of carelessness, Maria nodded with satisfaction. “That’s a good decision. Let’s proceed. Fafnir-san also wishes for that.”

“Yeah, he told me himself that he doesn’t need any holding back. Fafnir will be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.”

Making eye contact with Maria, we achieved a firm understanding. The policy is decided. Maria’s strict approval is also on board. This should be the best course of action.

“However, it’s too late today… Let’s do it tomorrow. I’m going to rest now…”

I immediately turned my back and headed for the door.

“U-Uzunami-sama… Are you leaving already…?”

Nosfy tried to stop me. I made to leave the room without stopping, but Rustiara repeated with a bit more insistence.

“Eh? Kanami, you’re leaving already? Aren’t you going to talk more with Nosfy-chan?”

“…We’ve said what needed to be said. I don’t think talking any further would be very meaningful. It’s more important to rest now to prepare for tomorrow.”

I implicitly conveyed that my presence here was unnecessary. If I’m here, Nosfy can only act this way. She can’t have ordinary conversations with Maria and Rustiara. That beautiful smile she had would turn into a strange one because of me. It’s not something I particularly want to see, nor something I want to face. I decided it would be best to step away, for both my sake and Nosfy’s. It’s definitely true that I should get some rest early, having been on the move all day. I can’t say I wasn’t exhausted from the fight with Fafnir. I decided to always maintain my physical condition.

“Well then—”

Breaking free from their attempts to stop me, I left the grand hall. And then, I started walking towards an empty room in the mansion.

As I walked down the corridor, I began to plan— I’ll rest soundly tonight and go to the Legacy family’s villa tomorrow morning. I’ll leave Nosfy’s surveillance to my companions, not myself. The same applies to guarding Hidaki. Thanks to my companions, I can now focus solely on saving my sister. While appreciating that, I’ll concentrate on meeting Diplakla at the World Tree.

—Thinking such things, I walked with my head down when the light from the room I had just left reached my feet. Looking up, it was completely dark. The dark corridor of the mansion, with no end in sight, continued. Only from behind, a bright light was cast. Perhaps because of that light, the corridor looked even darker. As if reflecting the guilt I was currently carrying, the path was dark, very dark—

It’s short. I apologize.
I need to accelerate Kanami’s time of brooding…