Chapter 71: C-Rank Labyrinth — Sanctuary of Restful Purification (4)
Chapter 71: C-Rank Labyrinth — Sanctuary of Restful Purification (4)
《Please hold on!》
《Time remaining until strategy condition completion — finally 1 day》
Fourth day of service.
Now everyone moved slowly with unfocused eyes, staggering around like zombies.
I was still relatively fine since I occasionally used Ghoul Mobility, raising my Stamina, but the other volunteers were not so fortunate.
“……”
Elion, who brought meals, quietly set down a basket of bread twice a day and left.
Sometimes our eyes met.
Each time he avoided my gaze and bit his lip.
He seemed uneasy.
After all, a priest who had even declined the rank of bishop to assist the saint in working at the Sanctuary of Restful Purification could hardly avoid feeling guilty when seeing the volunteers’ pale, exhausted faces.
《Not long now!》
《Time remaining until strategy condition completion — 12 hours!》
Everyone was so exhausted that no one spoke anymore.
Staggering, dragging themselves forward.
Even though we were in the temple of a Good God, everyone had become almost like undead.
Even Pendrick—the monster of positivity—and Bartimir, who as a demon should have treated this ward full of negative emotions like a buffet, looked utterly drained.
《Soon…!》
《Time remaining until strategy condition completion — 10 minutes!》
Now there was truly little time left.
“…Let’s hold on just a bit longer.”
At my words, the Moon Expedition members and the Harmony Church believers nodded faintly.
Their faces were nearly unconscious from exhaustion, yet they somehow kept moving.
Everyone silently poured out the last of their strength and continued nursing until the end.
Then—
Whoooosh!
Light appeared.
A burst of pure white radiance suddenly spread across the entire treatment ward.
《Aaagh! Please cover the eyes!》
Twitch!
The Eye That Perceives Truth and the snake tattoo on my left arm reacted violently.
Sacred energy so intense that even the Evil God’s terminal recoiled in disgust gently soothed our completely exhausted bodies and minds.
My legs weakened automatically.
As I leaned against the wall, a Guardian Church believer with overwhelming presence walked into the ward.
“…You have worked very hard.”
Her ceremonial robe radiated a sacred dignity beyond comparison to our clothes.
A pure white buckler rested in her left hand.
A heavenly being.
That was the illusion that came to mind the moment I saw her.
“Greetings.”
The priest entering the ward bowed with a hand over her chest.
“My name is Seraphina, the White Shield of Arteine.”
《Seraphina, the last Saint of the Guardian Church (Human, age 34). A high priest cherished by the hypocritical goddess. Honestly, even I acknowledge Seraphina.》
The noble representative personally chosen by the one who protects all people.
The greatest clergy member in history, whose achievements were passed down through biographies, fairy tales, and plays.
The owner of the free treatment facility had arrived.
“I greet the Saint touched by the glorious hand of Arteine!”
Valentin and the Harmony Church believers quickly knelt on one knee in reverence.
I hurried over to the confused Bartimir and forced him down onto one knee beside me.
“I would like to speak with you for a moment. Would that be alright?”
No one present was bold enough to refuse the Saint’s request.
“Please say whatever you wish!”
Valentin answered loudly on behalf of everyone.
Seraphina merely fidgeted with her hands clasped before her and then bowed deeply.
Valentin and Lucius stared at each other in shock.
The Saint spoke softly.
“Thank you. And I am sorry. I believe I have placed too great a burden upon you.”
“That is not the case, Saint! Serving at the Sanctuary of Restful Purification is nothing but an honor for us!”
“……”
Saint Seraphina bit her lip while looking at me and the Moon Expedition.
Although the laws of this labyrinth meant we were technically all lay followers of the Guardian Church, she was clearly looking directly at the three of us who did not originally worship Arteine.
“I feel especially sorry toward you.”
Her soft voice trembled faintly.
“Thank you sincerely for helping us. Explorers.”
“…What?”
Valentin lifted his head abruptly.
He blinked repeatedly.
That was a remarkably composed reaction for a Holy Knight.
“H-how… do you know the term ‘explorer,’ Saint…?”
During the era of the Great Holy War, the profession called explorer did not exist.
The term used to refer to those who entered labyrinths changed over time.
This was because perceptions of exploration gradually changed.
In ancient times they were called adventurers.
Now they were explorers.
At first glance the difference seemed small.
But their purposes were completely different.
Adventurers valued the experience itself.
Explorers focused only on obtaining Mystery Tomes and treasures.
If anything, I’m closer to an adventurer.
In the modern era, after centuries of research, labyrinths were simply targets of exploration.
But during the era of the Great Holy War thousands of years ago, labyrinths were merely exciting places of adventure.
Which meant it should have been impossible for the Saint to call us explorers.
“Please forgive us for being unable to offer compensation equal to your efforts due to the circumstances of the temple.”
After apologizing again, the Saint looked toward the Holy Knight whose pupils were trembling.
She wore a gentle smile as if prepared to answer every question.
Valentin hesitated briefly before speaking carefully.
“…Did you know we came from the future?”
“Yes. I have known for seven years.”
“…Arteine.”
“I seem to have startled you. I apologize once again.”
The Saint bowed again.
To priests, Holy Knights, and explorers who were technically lay followers within this labyrinth.
Valentin flusteredly waved his hands.
“W-why would you apologize to ordinary volunteers like us!”
“That is not the case. You willingly came from the future to care for the patients here. How could I stand proudly before you? A simple bow like this is far from enough to express my gratitude.”
Still bowing, Seraphina continued speaking.
“I heard from Priest Elion. You sincerely cared for patients who are nothing more than ‘wanderers within the labyrinth’ to you.”
Wanderers within the labyrinth.
That was the term used in this era to refer to labyrinth phantoms.
Unlike the modern term, which reflected the idea that they were not equal to living people, this expression carried a gentler nuance.
However, her words still implied that even in this era people viewed labyrinth inhabitants as golem-like beings.
“We merely did our best in the role given to us.”
Since her gaze filled my mind with pure white calm, I spoke respectfully.
“If we treated even acts of goodwill toward patients carelessly, would that not make Arteine sorrowful?”
“……”
The Saint looked at me with slight curiosity.
Meeting the gaze of a high-ranking cleric directly was considered rude, so I lowered my head slightly.
“Then… in the future, if a cultist praises a Good God, the Evil God they worship does not become angry?”
《Of course they would! >:(》
“No, they do not become angry at all.”
As I answered calmly, lightning shot painfully from the lightning tattoo on my collarbone.
The snake tattoo on my left hand flicked its tongue in protest.
But thanks to the Blind Devotee trait, unless I openly declared apostasy, the Evil Gods would never punish me.
“…Saint?”
Pendrick, who had been watching carefully, finally spoke.
“Forgive me, but may I ask how you discovered our identities? It’s honestly quite confusing.”
A phantom bound by labyrinth rules had seen through the identities of explorers.
It was impossible under normal circumstances.
Like a wingless species suddenly flying through the sky without using any mystic power.
Even Valentin, the vice captain of the Spear of Order, could not hide his confusion.
“I simply guessed.”
The Saint replied with a faint smile.
“Places with great historical and geographical significance are very likely to be recreated as labyrinths. Therefore I always thought this treatment center—this place where one must struggle endlessly—might someday become the stage of a labyrinth.”
Bartimir’s eyebrow twitched.
“…That doesn’t explain anything.”
Halfway through, I pinched his waist so he added a polite ending.
“Does it not?”
Seraphina gently straightened the blanket of a patient who had been writhing in pain.
“In truth, this entire temple lies within the range of the mystic Heavenly Ear, which allows me to hear every sound spoken nearby.”
“……”
In simple terms—
She had been listening in.
“…Ah, I see.”
Valentin laughed awkwardly and nodded.
Even historical figures rarely had their entire set of Mysteries revealed.
Such information was far more important than something like an identification number.
“You have little time left before the strategy condition is fulfilled. Until then, please rest. With my mystic power, I can stabilize the patients for about ten minutes.”
The Saint moved to the center of the ward and closed her eyes.
Ssshh—
White energy flowed from her body and enveloped the entire critical care ward.
Arteine’s Touch.
A Ninth-Tier Mystery that fixed the vitality of all allies within its range at maximum and blocked negative status effects.
It consumed enormous divine power, so it could not be maintained long.
But as she said, ten minutes was possible.
“…I can finally breathe.”
Bartimir stretched out and collapsed onto the floor.
Valentin approached me and whispered nervously.
“It was already known that the Saint appears on the final day if none of the volunteers die. But I never expected her to know we came from the future….”
Sweat covered Valentin’s face.
“Is this related to the Hidden Piece you mentioned?”
Lying down beside Bartimir, I answered.
“No.”
“…No?”
The Saint knowing we were from the future had nothing to do with the Hidden Piece.
In the game, she treated players strictly as lay followers of Arteine and never revealed the existence of Heavenly Ear.
It twisted again.
This was not something that could be described simply as new content.
Her behavior had nothing to do with the hidden manipulator responsible for labyrinth distortions.
“She probably just suddenly felt like revealing the truth.”
A confession with no logical explanation.
“…Your words influenced her, Sir Kar.”
Lucius spoke quietly.
Seraphina smiled with her eyes closed.
“I heard you say that rational people who calculate profit and loss would never perform such exhausting volunteer work.”
The sacred energy flowing from her body grew stronger.
“That is certainly true. I am foolish and irrational, which is why I run a free clinic. Priest Elion is also foolish for abandoning the rank of bishop to suffer here.”
Everyone gathered at the Sanctuary of Restful Purification was a fool.
People who willingly accepted unnecessary suffering.
“But if foolish people like us did not exist, these patients would suffer endlessly before dying alone. Therefore we will continue to act like fools until Arteine guides our foolish souls to her side.”
“……”
The Moon Expedition and the Harmony Church believers said nothing.
They simply rested silently.
Then—
Bzzzt.
A red gate appeared in the center of the ward.
《Congratulations: the full five days have finally passed!》
C-Rank Labyrinth.
Sanctuary of Restful Purification.
Exploration complete.
“You have all worked hard.”
The Saint opened her eyes and approached us.
“I will grant you a blessing as your reward. I am truly sorry that this is all I can offer.”
Seraphina placed her hand on each of our heads and used a blessing.
Cozy Rest.
A blessing that maintained a refreshed state of mind as though one had slept deeply for several days.
Valentin clasped his hands respectfully and spoke.
“Saint, we will take our leave now.”
“You have done well.”
“Please remain in good health until we meet again.”
Valentin bowed and stepped toward the gate.
“Wait.”
I raised my arm and stopped him.
“The exploration is not over yet.”
This labyrinth had not yet been cleared the proper way.
“This exploration must continue.”
The first step to fulfilling the Hidden Piece condition of the Sanctuary of Restful Purification.
Remaining in the labyrinth even after clearing the strategy condition.
“…You mean to stay here?”
“Yes.”
Remaining inside a labyrinth after completing the exploration was extremely foolish.
Which was precisely why it mattered.
“We will remain here and share the Saint’s fate.”
Because explorers were fools who risked their lives for the values they believed in.