Things Obtainable from the Labyrinth (4)
Even though he was going to such lengths to save me, wouldn’t it be too cruel to keep rejecting his heart? ‘It’s unsettling to leave that child alone, but if Priest Arthur helps her by her side…’ It might just be possible. ‘We could face criticism for dragging the Holy Empire into the imperial succession struggle, so I must be cautious…’
Providing a safe location probably wouldn’t invite major backlash. Still, the fact that this entire plan was only possible thanks to Priest Arthur’s help and sacrifice weighed heavily on my mind. It felt like I was taking advantage of his goodwill toward me, and it was only natural that the thought left a bad taste in my mouth.
Princess Canaby’s expression had looked strangely troubled. Just as I feared, my persuasion clearly hadn’t satisfied her. She had promised not to resent me if her mind didn’t change, so I could only hope Princess Reciel wouldn’t be too disappointed.
“You’re saying this came from inside the Labyrinth?”
“Surprising, isn’t it?”
When Bishop Haman saw the item I had received from Princess Reciel, he said he had something to show me too and led me to a certain place. Once we arrived, he proudly displayed the artifacts obtained during this Labyrinth subjugation.
“That one looks like a divine statue, doesn’t it?”
“Do you know why the Holy Empire organized this subjugation force? It’s because there are things we must find inside the Labyrinth.”
“Things that must be found inside the Labyrinth… Are you perhaps referring to the Holy Relics?”
“Correct. I only gave you a small hint, yet you figured it out immediately.”
“!!”
Why would a Holy Relic be inside the Labyrinth? The question flashed through my mind, followed immediately by worry over whether I was even allowed to hear such explosive information.
“Is it all right for you to tell me this?”
“It will become public knowledge soon anyway. Knowing a little early won’t cause any major trouble.”
“Why is a Holy Relic inside the Labyrinth? Did the Sun God enter the Labyrinth and command someone to bring it out?”
“No priest has heard the Sun God’s words except for the prophecy that the Labyrinth would open. We learned of the relics’ existence through ancient records. Our Holy Empire has preserved its historical documents exceptionally well, unlike other nations.”
Many records in other countries had been lost to war. After the Labyrinth closed, the world had expected an era of peace. Unfortunately, reality proved far crueler. Instead of peace, the very military power once poured into the Labyrinth was now turned against fellow humans—spears and swords raised in mutual slaughter.
‘Thanks to that war, the Holy Empire developed at an astonishing pace.’
By attaching ourselves to various nations and receiving enormous compensation for healing, we had grown rapidly. Meanwhile, other countries wasted their national strength tearing at one another. Cultural assets were destroyed, and vast amounts of carefully recorded documents were lost on a massive scale.
Because of our foolish ancestors’ choices, when the Labyrinth reopened, their descendants had no choice but to enter it armed with only the rarest scraps of information.
“Are the locations of the Holy Relics also written in the records?”
“There are records of certain relics, but they aren’t precise. We need more information.”
It seemed they hadn’t managed to locate any Holy Relics during this subjugation.
“On top of that, some records were so vague that we thought we’d found a relic, only to discover it was merely a divine statue.”
“Will locating the Holy Relics become the primary objective of the subjugation force from now on?”
“Yes. And we’ve also received contact from the Deltrack Imperial Family.”
The Deltrack Imperial Family. Thanks to Princess Canaby and Princess Reciel, I had formed an unexpectedly deep connection with the empire. It was highly likely that Bishop Haman’s words were related to me.
“In truth, many places have requested to hire you for their own teams. I’ve turned them all down, saying you cannot go without the Holy Empire’s permission.”
“You handled it well. The Holy Empire frowns upon priests engaging in personal activities. If someone dies while acting alone inside the Labyrinth, it would be most unpleasant. Many believe that, for the safety of our priests, personal activities must be strictly restricted.”
I had known it wouldn’t be easy. That was precisely why Princess Reciel had borrowed the name of the Deltrack Imperial Family.
“However, everyone recognizes the necessity of permitting limited activity when it serves as part of diplomatic efforts.”
As expected, they couldn’t simply ignore the request when it involved diplomacy with the Deltrack Empire.
“The Deltrack Imperial Family specifically requested to take Priest Arthur with them. I understand you have a close relationship with the Deltrack imperial family. Did this request come with your consent?”
“Yes. Her Highness first asked for my opinion. I accepted because I believe it is necessary for treatment. However, I made it clear that it would require the Holy Empire’s approval.”
“If permission is granted, how would you feel? If you only agreed because you couldn’t refuse, the Holy Empire will protect you.”
Bishop Haman’s question carried genuine consideration for me. I smiled and answered.
“It is a choice I made because I believe I am needed.”
“Understood. The order will come down soon.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“It would be good if Priest Arthur could discover a Holy Relic inside the Labyrinth. If you find one and bring it back to the Holy Empire, you will receive tremendous recognition for your achievement.”
The name Holy Relic carried no small weight. ‘Because they are objects imbued with the power of the Sun God.’
Artifacts said to bestow miracles upon the world. I didn’t know how many might exist inside the Labyrinth, but discovering even one would be more than enough to qualify someone to challenge for the position of Cardinal.
‘For some reason, the number of reasons I have to enter the Labyrinth keeps increasing.’
I had never held any concrete ambition to challenge for the rank of Cardinal. At first, my only thought had been to avoid the Labyrinth and live a comfortable life sucking up honey. But people’s hearts are fickle, aren’t they? When a clear path to success lies wide open before your eyes, it’s not easy to turn away. As circumstances change, greed naturally grows, and one begins to push themselves further.
Things I had sworn I would never do eventually become things I willingly step forward to accomplish.
“If you discover a Holy Relic or learn its location, please be sure to contact me.”
“Of course.”
I readily agreed to Bishop Haman’s request. Since the person currently providing convenience for my daily life was right here, there was no reason to send a relic to some faceless stranger just to share the benefits.
“Though I’m not sure whether such a glorious opportunity will ever come to someone like me.”
“You never know, do you?”
The future is known only to the Sun God. Even without great expectations, entering the Labyrinth meant the possibility wasn’t zero, so he left the request just in case.
Not long after Bishop Haman gave his permission, astonishing news came from Princess Reciel.
“My sister has given her permission! I told you! I said persuasion would work!”
The surprising report that Princess Canaby had agreed to Princess Reciel’s plan.
Who could be targeting Princess Canaby? Once you understood her background, the answer was obvious.
The Deltrack Empire did have a Crown Prince designated as the next emperor. However, the current Crown Prince’s mother was a palace maid, leaving his support base extremely weak. In contrast, Princess Canaby’s mother had been a noble-born Empress. Had the Empress borne a son, a prince born of a palace maid could never have risen to the position of Crown Prince.
After the previous Empress’s death, the Emperor’s favored concubine had successfully elevated her own son to Crown Prince. She then ascended to the position of Empress herself, personally proving what a dramatic reversal of fortune truly meant.
‘They say the Deltrack Empress is exceptionally cruel and venomous.’
The people most likely trying to kill Princess Canaby were probably connected to that Empress. The nobles supported Princess Canaby on the grounds of tradition and legitimacy. If only Princess Canaby disappeared, no one would stand in the Crown Prince’s way.
‘The Holy Empire protested strongly, so they seem to have restrained themselves for now…’
But there was no telling when they might act out again. Once they learned that I had completely taken Princess Canaby and Princess Reciel’s side, they would surely begin moving once more. Before that happened, I needed to move Princess Canaby to a safe location.
Unless they wanted to wage war against the Holy Empire, they wouldn’t dare search the temple itself to find her. Therefore, as long as we were careful about moving her to the Panic Room, we could secure her safety without question.
‘Living as royalty must be exhausting.’
How could she remain so calm in the face of the terror that someone was trying to kill her? And from the very family members who should have been the ones she could trust most in life, no less.
‘The idea that royalty are raised in luxury is clearly a misconception.’
The three of us—Princess Canaby, Princess Reciel, and myself—gathered in one place. Since Princess Canaby had finally accepted her sister’s proposal, it was time to begin moving forward with the plan.
Perhaps because she was happy to have received her sister’s permission, Princess Reciel excitedly explained her plan in greater detail. She said that since it might be possible to resolve the curse using items found inside the Labyrinth without having to kill any monsters, she would consider various methods.
“You planned this out very well. I’m impressed.”
“I told you I would prove I could do well for you, Sister. Now you only need to think about your own body. Understand?”
“I’m not sure if I should be allowed to do that. I feel like I’m placing far too heavy a burden on you…”
“I know what you’re worried about. Those people can never kill me. You already know how strong my power is.”
Princess Reciel raised her slender arms, which showed no sign of muscle, and displayed her confidence. When I thought about the strength those thin forearms could produce, someone like me absolutely could not laugh at her. Though someone who didn’t know better might simply find it cute and smile.
“Only Princess Reciel and I know the information about the Panic Room. You must not share it with the knights either. The Panic Room is strictly the property of the Holy Empire. You are merely borrowing it, so please understand.”
“You are already helping us greatly. We cannot possibly impose any further. We will do as you say.”
“Before that, there is something you must know.”
Princess Reciel looked back and forth between Princess Canaby and me, her eyes filled with determination.
“Please speak.”
“It’s about the curse. Exactly what kind of condition is it?”
Princess Canaby’s cursed state.
“…That is.”
Princess Canaby seemed to find it difficult to tell her younger sister and trailed off.
“Tell me. I’m not a child anymore. I think I have the right to know something of this level.”
It was rather absurd to entrust her with such an important mission out of trust, yet refuse to tell her just how serious the curse truly was.