I walked past the hospital reception and headed towards the ward.
The supposedly well-ventilated corridor had been repaired, barely maintaining its form as a passage. I moved through this unappealing space and entered Dia’s hospital room.
There, along with Dia, stood several unfamiliar faces.
“Dia, guests?”
I called out to Dia, who was sitting on the bed.
Then, I turned my gaze to the three unfamiliar men standing in the room.
The three visitors were dressed like priests.
A “Gaze” confirmed their class as priests, so there was no mistake. They wore clean, pale-colored robes with a patterned stole draped in front.
Their Status was only slightly stronger than that of an ordinary person.
“Christ…!? Wait, hang on a second.”
“Ah, I understand.”
I calmly replied and walked out into the corridor.
My anger had not subsided, but I was grateful that the skill “???” from earlier prevented me from panicking.
After killing some time in the corridor, the three priests emerged, bowed to me, and then left.
Once I confirmed they were gone, I re-entered the room.
“Hey, Dia.”
“Christ, it’s unusual for you to come so early in the morning…”
Dia wore a troubled expression.
She probably didn’t want me to see the scene that had just unfolded. Dia had various circumstances in her life. I had already vaguely suspected this, given her acquaintance with Rustiara.
After all, Dia was more talented than Rustiara. It would be strange if she didn’t have any problems.
Having reached this conclusion in my mind, I started the conversation.
“Were those priests from Fuziaze?”
“Ugh. Not Fuziaze, but something similar.”
“You don’t have to say if you don’t want to.”
“…No, I’ll tell you. They’re priests from my country… They’ve been chasing me.”
Dia didn’t try to hide it.
Perhaps she felt she had no choice but to reveal the truth. Was it because her acquaintance with Rustiara was known, or because the Christmas festival was approaching? I couldn’t fathom the reason.
“Chasing you?”
“I’m sorry for hiding it until now. I’m a prominent figure in a certain country, and I’m a fugitive…”
Dia honestly told me about her situation.
A prominent figure in a certain country… As expected, she must be someone with special circumstances. Otherwise, her talent surpassing Rustiara, a perfect artificial being, couldn’t be explained.
Dia might have intended to share shocking news, but from my perspective, I finally heard a reason that made sense.
Unable to bear seeing Dia’s apologetic expression, I responded gently.
“…I see. But don’t worry about it. No matter what happens, you’re still you, Dia.”
“Christ…!!”
Dia looked at me, seemingly moved.
She had probably braced herself for some kind of condemnation.
However, I had other things on my mind. My angry yet cooled thoughts quickly moved to the next topic.
“So, Dia, do you have to return to your country immediately?”
“No, not immediately, although I should have. I have to attend the Christmas festival ceremony tomorrow. I’ve been appointed as a representative of a certain religious faction.”
Learning that Dia held an even higher position than I had imagined made my heart rate increase considerably.
It was understandable, considering how ragged and starving she looked when we first met. It was a good reminder of the importance of first impressions.
Suppressing my desire to know more, I focused on practical matters only.
“Are you going back after attending? Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, of course I’m not going back. I’ve decided to make a name for myself here. Besides, I won’t be asking for your help in persuading them. I don’t want to trouble you. For now, I intend to handle it alone.”
Dia clearly stated her intentions.
It was vastly different from some other people I knew. If they, like him, were honest about their feelings and decisive, things would have been easier.
“I understand. But I want to help in any way I can. If you need anything, please ask.”
“Yeah, thanks. Christ.”
The conversation about the problems Dia was likely facing concluded in mere seconds.
Of course, I didn’t believe this was the entirety of Dia’s troubles. However, the issues that were within my reach for now were resolved. I quickly moved on to the main subject.
“So, I’m sorry to interrupt, but… there’s something I want to ask.”
“Something you want to ask?”
Dia wasn’t driven mad by external influences like me or Rustiara, nor was she consumed by strong personal feelings like Maria. Furthermore, in this Another World, Dia was about the only person I could trust, which was a harsh reality.
—I would ask Dia, whom I could trust, for her opinion.
This was the purpose of my visit.
For this reason, I began explaining Rustiara’s connection to the Christmas festival. Dia listened intently.
◆◆◆◆◆
“—I see.”
After I finished explaining the general outline, Dia processed the information I had given her.
Dia wasn’t entirely unaware of Fuziaze’s Christmas festival, so she readily accepted my story.
Then, she shared her thoughts.
“It’s not just education. There must be some kind of Mental Magic involved. Something layered repeatedly since childhood. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so stubborn.”
Dia diagnosed Rustiara’s poor condition.
Dia, who was knowledgeable about Divine Magic, seemed to have a particular magic in mind.
However, I had checked Rustiara’s condition with Status. It didn’t appear that any magic causing abnormality was cast on her. What came to mind were skills like “Raw Material” and “God-Imitation Eyes.”
“Even if it’s Mental Magic, can you remove it, Dia?”
“No, I don’t think so. If it were simple magic, I would have removed it when we first met. It’s likely a magic formula ingrained in her very being. The higher-ups in Fuziaze would have no problem doing something like that.”
Dia stated with certainty, as if she had witnessed it.
“Then, we’ll have to give up on removing it…”
“However, I believe they’ll remove the curse before the ceremony to bring down Saint Tiara. I don’t think they’d entrust a body under a Mental Magic that devalues one’s own life to a past great figure.”
“Before the ceremony, huh…”
If that’s the case, the ideal scenario would be to take Rustiara away after the curse is lifted.
If that’s not possible, then I’ll have to find someone who knows how to break the curse and get their cooperation.
“So, what do you want to do, Christ? I’ll cooperate. My condition has also improved.”
After listening to me, Dia asked about my wishes.
She even offered her cooperation. It was difficult for her too, yet she was willing to help a friend. Dia was still a good person.
But, unfortunately, I didn’t have a confident answer at the moment.
Or rather, my answer had been stolen by the skill “???”.
“…Dia. This might sound strange, but can I ask you something?”
“Ah, ah.”
“If you were Dia—no, normally—what would you do? Is this a situation where I should go and help?”
I asked without mincing words.
I could no longer trust my own judgment. All my decisions seemed to be the result of being manipulated by the skill “???” for their own good.
“Huh? Me…?”
“Yeah, even if I had a higher priority obligation… Should I still go and save Rustiara…?”
Dia looked startled, as if seeing something bizarre.
However, after a pause, she replied with a serious expression.
“Let’s see… If it were me, even if I had something to prioritize, if there was someone irreplaceable to me, I would go and save them. I probably would… But that’s just me. I don’t know if that’s normal.”
Dia earnestly explained, looking at me intently.
—If it were Dia, she would go and save them. But she didn’t know if it was normal…
I had more clues, but still not enough.
With no other choice, I asked frankly.
“Then… if. If, I mean. If I loved Rustiara, should I go and save her?”
“Wh—? Wait, wait… Huh? Christ, do you love Rustiara?”
Dia suddenly panicked and tried to confirm.
Indeed, it was understandable for her to be surprised by such an abrupt hypothetical. But now, I needed to know that hypothetical.
“No, I don’t love… her. But please answer based on the assumption that I do.”
“I-I see… If, huh? A hypothetical situation, right…”
“Yes, it’s fine if it’s hypothetical. It’s fine if it’s hypothetical now.”
“In that case… If you loved her, wouldn’t you go and save her? If you loved her, wouldn’t you want to save her no matter what priority you had? …Well, if you loved her. This is assuming you loved her!”
Dia answered without hesitation.
As expected, if I had loved her, I would have no doubt gone to save Rustiara. Even if it meant losing everything, I would save her…
That’s precisely why the skill “???” had erased that emotion.
“…I understand. Then, I’ve decided to save Rustiara.”
Confirming that my thoughts aligned with Dia’s opinion, I solidified my resolve.
“Eh…?”
“I’m going to the Great Cathedral of Fuziaze right now.”
I stood up without hesitation.
Perhaps the answer had been clear from the beginning.
Even with my limited life experience, I knew this.
Abandoning the person you love isn’t normal.
The right thing to do is save the person you love, clear the Labyrinth, and return to your family with your head held high.
It might not be rational, but it is the right thing to do as a human, considered rationally.
“Wait, Christ! That’s… that’s too sudden! Even if you go now, it won’t work! Didn’t you just say that the Mental Magic is removed right before the ceremony? If you forcibly try to save her, Rustiara herself might resist you! Mr. Hein is probably agonizing over this because of that very reason. If you save her, but Rustiara, under the influence of the magic, suddenly changes her mind and insists on participating in the ceremony, can you do anything about it?”
That’s right.
That’s why Mr. Hein had planned to take Rustiara abroad, even if it meant cutting off her legs, by making me part of the plan.
As things stood, there was a risk of Rustiara herself resisting me.
Seeing the expression on my face as I recalled something, Dia sighed. Then, muttering “There’s no helping it,” she continued.
“I understand that Christ truly wants to save Rustiara… In that case, Christ, you just need to wait.”
Dia told me not to move.
She continued, “—I will save Rustiara.”
Dia declared with a resolve that matched my own.
“Dia will…?”
“I can be present just before the ceremony is completed. At the moment the ceremony is completed, I’ll create an opening by causing the Great Cathedral to collapse—and then approach Rustiara. There, I’ll ask Rustiara, who will be free from all her constraints, her true feelings. If Rustiara wishes to escape, we’ll both go to you immediately.”
It was a bold and reckless plan.
However, it was also true that the moment Rustiara would be free from her various constraints was only then.
“If it succeeds, Rustiara and I will be pursued by Fuziaze. We’ll immediately flee to the maritime nation of Griad to the south, and we’ll all go Dungeon Exploration again.”
Dia continued nonchalantly.
She was so nonchalant that I couldn’t believe it.
However, I didn’t understand the reason for her going so far.
Was her relationship with Rustiara deeper than I thought? But from her distant behavior the other day, I didn’t think so.
As I grew suspicious of the reason for Dia’s devotion, she noticed and responded.
“Well, it’s partly a convenient excuse for my own fugitive life… If someone like Rustiara becomes an ally, she’ll be very helpful…”
“But if you save Rustiara, you’ll gain powerful enemies. Are you truly prepared to defy an entire country to save Rustiara, Dia…?”
“Resolve? I have resolve. If she’s a companion you’d go this far for, Christ, then she’s undoubtedly a companion I should help. This much is nothing. Don’t worry too much. Our Dungeon Exploration has only just begun.”
Dia replied with a smile.
Even though she herself had a dream of making a name for herself in the Labyrinth, she was trying to save Rustiara, knowing it would hinder her dream.
Faced with her immense humanity, I was reminded of my own insignificance.
I was ashamed of my own inaction, driven by self-preservation.
Dia’s presence was dazzling.
And I wanted to be like Dia.
“Thank you, Dia… But you don’t have to do that. I will. Surely, that is my role.”
“Christ will?”
“She is still my main target. I will barge in just before the ceremony is completed and abduct Rustiara. I cannot let you go that far, Dia.”
I pretended to answer with unwavering confidence, just like Dia.
Upon hearing this, Dia simply said, “As expected of Christ,” and showed no sign of opposition. As always, she placed excessive trust in me.
“—Understood. If Christ says so, then let’s proceed with that plan.”
The discussion was settled.
Afterward, I asked Dia for as much information as possible about the Great Cathedral.
However, Dia was not particularly familiar with it either. As a guest, she only knew the ceremony schedule and the basic floor plan.
Nonetheless, having that information was far better than having none.
I now knew the timing and the location for my infiltration. It was infinitely better than an indiscriminate assault.
After exchanging as much information as possible and confirming each other’s plans, I parted ways with Dia and headed towards Fuziaze alone.
