The Deal
I somehow managed to secure a full month of rest. In truth, though, there wasn't much I could do during that time anyway. One of my legs was broken, and on top of the brain damage, my entire body's muscles were wrecked. There was no way I could do anything in that state.
Still, even as I tried my best to focus solely on recovery, I wasn't exactly doing nothing. I sat in my wheelchair, facing the woman across from me.
“...Greetings, Incarnation of Darkness.”
The woman with scarlet hair smiled brightly. According to her, her name was Florence—a priestess of the Church of Light and the very person who had tried to kill me. Part of me wanted to wring her neck right then and there, but I had requested this meeting myself.
The trial had essentially been overlooked thanks to extenuating circumstances—my solo struggle against the Holy Knight—and because the family head, Marie, was on my side. It wasn't that I had zero worries, but in my current condition, I figured I could handle whatever came my way. If she had the firepower to kill me, she would have used it long ago.
“So, this is our first time actually talking, isn't it?”
“I've spoken to you before. One-sidedly, though.”
The woman addressed me with a somewhat relaxed demeanor. I didn't understand where that composure was coming from, but there was no reason for me to get swept up in it.
“I'm Ha Jinwoo. And you?”
“My name is Florence. Though it seems you already knew that.”
The woman smiled sweetly as she spoke. She was one of the first humans I'd encountered in this labyrinth—and a bitter enemy at that. She'd declared she would come prepared, and she had indeed shown up heavily armed in an attempt to kill me. If the Dark Elf hadn't subdued her, I would have fled. Fortunately, she was here now. Moreover, if I hadn't obtained that blessing, it would have been me—not the Holy Knight—who died.
I knew I shouldn't release this woman. In fact, I knew I should kill her.
But before that, there was something I needed to ask.
“There's one thing I'd like to ask you.”
“Ask whatever you like.”
“It seemed like most of the people inside the labyrinth were enemies of the Church of Light. So how did you manage to get this far?”
When I'd first seen her, I hadn't known much about the labyrinth. That's why I hadn't fully understood her presence or the way she had vanished. But now I did. Her existence, the fact that she was in the labyrinth—even the fact that she had launched a surprise attack with a Holy Knight. None of it made sense.
“Is there a traitor inside?”
“As far as this unit knows, that possibility does not exist.”
When I glanced at Vertea, the small halfling spoke in her precise, measured tone.
“The entrance to the labyrinth is at the very top of the tower in Songpa District. As far as this unit is aware, one takes an elevator descending from there to reach the labyrinth proper.”
“And?”
“The cargo elevator is large enough for a Holy Knight to pass through, but that does not mean this detestable person and the Holy Knight entered through the official entrance, nor does it imply the existence of a traitor.”
Vertea's already lightless black eyes seemed even colder. She really hated her, didn't she?
“The entrance area is under particularly heavy guard by the mercenary headquarters. It is also where the Empire's embassy is located.”
“The Empire?”
“It is the empire founded by Elpenor, the God of Magic. They are hostile toward the Church of Light and have dispatched an ambassador to guarantee the labyrinth's autonomy.”
Yet another story I hadn't known. But I could vaguely grasp the implications.
“It might be possible for this woman to slip through alone in secret, but it is not at a level where she could covertly reach Guro District accompanied by a Holy Knight.”
“...So someone opened the path for them directly.”
Maribella spoke, and Florence simply smiled quietly.
“The Archmage, the Magic Tower, the Church of Magic, or...”
Even though Marie had trailed off, Florence said nothing. There was no reason for her to speak, after all. That's what I thought, at least.
“If you won't speak, we'll make you. It would be better for you to talk before you have to suffer.”
It seemed Marie intended to extract the information. She was just about to signal the knight acting as jailer when I sensed something off.
“Wait.”
The knight and Marie's gazes turned to me. I looked at Florence, who was still smiling. It didn't feel like simple composure.
“Marie, is there a kind of magic that activates under specific conditions? Something like a curse?”
Marie's eyes widened slightly at my words before she pulled something from her pocket. It was a monocle. She placed it over her eye and stared intently at Florence.
“...Father is correct. It's magic from the School of Oaths... a vow...”
She swallowed hard, then removed the monocle. Her face had gone deathly pale. Well, she was always pale, but still.
“There's an incredibly complex spell on her. It seems to activate the moment the vow is broken... It's an ultimate magic.”
“...Are you saying she's maintaining an ultimate magic?”
I didn't fully understand it, but anyone could tell this was no ordinary situation.
“According to what this unit knows, such a thing is impossible even for an Archmage. At the very least, they could not maintain it for this long.”
Impossible even for an Archmage. If that was the case, then what it implied was—
“See you later. Goodbye for now.”
Leaving behind Florence, who smiled sweetly as she spoke, we stepped outside. Once we had left the prison, Marie said,
“It's the God of Magic.”
When I turned to look, Marie wore a grave expression.
“But why on earth would the God of Magic...? The God of Magic should be an ally of Darkness, yet this was clearly an assassination attempt targeting Father.”
“According to this unit's knowledge, the God of Magic always acts with the greater picture in mind. It is difficult for mortals to comprehend such intentions.”
Vertea continued as she walked beside me, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again. Beneath her lowered lashes, her black eyes shimmered quietly.
“However, this unit speculates that it is not entirely unrelated to Master. Rather than trying to determine whether the god is an enemy or an ally, it would be wiser to assume both. Please be cautious.”
As I listened to Vertea, I thought about it. The God of Magic. A god who had slain other gods in pursuit of human greatness, only to ascend to godhood himself. The founding emperor of the Empire. The most powerful mage in history. I couldn't begin to understand what he wanted from me.
“How does the Church of Light view the God of Magic? They say he killed the Star God and the God of Language as well.”
“Well... they are essentially hostile, but they don't engage in open warfare.”
“A cold war, then.”
The situation felt familiar.
“Something like that. Getting entangled with the Church of Magic is insane enough, but the God of Magic isn't someone you can simply ignore. He gets actively involved as well.”
In that case, there was nothing to be done. I closed my eyes and nodded. Feeling the warmth of the sunlight on my skin, savoring its heat and light, I spoke.
“If you're uneasy, just let her go.”
“...Pardon?”
“Florence. If it makes you anxious, just release her.”
“Have you lost your mind? It must be the brain damage—”
“It's not that.”
It was something I'd thought about carefully. In that recent fight, if the location had been different, I would have fled without hesitation. In that case, I wouldn't have obtained the blessing... but even so, running away would still have remained an option.
“It's better for me to be in danger than for you to be.”
Marie stopped walking. Still gripping the handles of my wheelchair, she stared at me blankly.
“I'm your father. A father can't abandon his child just to save his own life. A parent's job is to protect their child.”
I hadn't lived my life in order to become that kind of adult. If that was the alternative, I'd rather face the danger head-on. Even such adversity could become my nourishment.
“...I'm a saint, you know. I'm not so young that I need Father to say he'll protect me.”
“No matter how big they get, children are always babies to their parents.”
“What are you even saying... seriously.”
Though she spoke curtly, Marie's expression wasn't bad.
“...You didn't even raise me.”
I wasn't unaware of what lay beneath those words. Maribella hadn't chosen to become the family head. She had been raised from birth to fulfill that role. I wondered if a child who had grown up as the family head from such a young age had ever once received affection or love from her parents. Just seeing how she spoke about that godmother figure without any warmth was enough to tell me.
What Maribella secretly wanted from me was clear. Having never had the luxury of living like a child, she clearly wanted to act spoiled toward her father and be treated like a little girl. She just couldn't say it outright, so she grumbled instead. It was an irrational complaint. But it was also completely sincere.
I wondered how I should comfort her, then decided—
“Yeah, yeah.”
I simply responded lightly.
“...What is that supposed to mean?”
My daughter, who had been looking at me with some expectation, tried to maintain an indifferent expression but looked a little pained. That too faded before long. She knew it herself. That these feelings weren't rational. That I hadn't been in a position to raise her, and that my presence here now was all there was. Once you start holding onto things that can't be helped and demanding answers, it never ends.
Fortunately, my daughter was smart. She let out a sigh, muttered something about forgetting it, and began pushing the wheelchair again. I sat obediently in the chair my daughter pushed and returned to my bed.
“The God of Magic.”
Beyond the heavy, resounding footsteps, dozens of massive figures revealed themselves. Each of the giant warriors bore different decorations on their weapons and armor, yet they all shared the same size. Bodies exceeding three meters, clad in pure white metal armor. Within them lay metallic muscles, joints, bones, and intricate formulas of divine light that anchored their souls. They were, quite literally, an army.
An overwhelming army capable of toppling any city or nation in the blink of an eye and erasing the filthy scum atop its ruins from this land of Karnevarin. Yet they were blocked by a single woman.
The woman stood with her head bowed deeply, eyes closed. She looked like nothing more than an ordinary woman. Short brown hair, eyes visible through narrow violet eyelids. She wore a neatly fitted maid uniform. To anyone, she would appear to be nothing but a servant. But they knew her.
The Archmage, Abelard of the Magic Bullet. A messenger of the Church of Magic exceptionally skilled in spatial magic. Now that gods no longer existed in the world, it hardly mattered, but some of the rigidly standing Holy Knights had faced her on the battlefield before. The magic bullets that tore through space and fired outward were a threat even a Holy Knight could not ignore. However, at this distance, they could surely subdue her.
If they raised their weapons and closed the distance, five of their brethren might fall, but they had more than enough power to overpower her. Yet they did not move. What they sought was a deal.
“We wish to negotiate.”
Andreina and her sisters had not returned. Florence had not returned either. They had been defeated by the Incarnation of Darkness within the labyrinth. That fact posed a grave threat. If he had grown strong enough to subdue a Holy Knight, they could no longer afford to sit idle.
The troublesome thing about Darkness was that its growth was limitless. Like shadows stretching endlessly across the fallen night. Therefore, the Holy Knights had come to force a deal in accordance with the will of Light.
What they desired was simple: the transfer of thirty Holy Knights and one hundred priests. Even if they never returned from the holy war, as long as they could definitively eliminate the Incarnation of Darkness.
“We can offer any price. Light has expressed willingness to even reveal the secrets of creation.”
There was no reply. As the lead Holy Knight narrowed eyebrows that did not exist, feeling a growing impatience, a strange vision suddenly echoed through their minds.
The flashing vision displayed various scenes. A king tearing apart a presented document. A woman coldly turning her back on a confession. A beast charging at a hunter even as a weapon was brought down upon it. All kinds of scenes symbolizing refusal flooded their perception in chaos.
It was the clear rejection of the God of Magic.
The negotiation had ended without even a chance for compromise. The Holy Knight clenched a fist, hardening a jaw that did not exist in fury. But they could not run wild. Fighting the God of Magic was impossible, even if Abelard alone might have been manageable. No matter how many of them there were, it made no difference.
However, it wasn't as if there were no options at all. The Holy Knight recalled the discussions they had already shared within the order. They would mobilize additional Holy Knight units, head to the labyrinth entrance, slaughter the mercenaries, then proceed directly to kill the Incarnation of Darkness.
‘We would have to fight the influential figures inside the labyrinth and the Empire as well, but...’
Even so, they believed killing the Incarnation of Darkness was of paramount importance. If the God of Magic would not permit it, they would simply act in the way of Light. They had to descend into the labyrinth somehow and deal with the Incarnation of Darkness.
The Holy Knight prepared to bid farewell and withdraw. But another flashing vision engulfed them. A woman screaming as she hurled objects. A general pointing and driving someone out of a tent. A wolf lowering its body with a low growl. It was clearer than mere refusal. And then came the voice.
[I]
[Forbid]
[It]
The Holy Knights froze. Their thoughts had been read. Their plan had been exposed. But that was not all. At the clear voice that rang out, they felt an illusion as if their nonexistent hearts were pounding violently. The god had descended. So close that his voice could be heard directly.
They responded in unison. They drew greatswords, pulled out maces, gripped axes, and lowered spears from their shoulders as they turned. The priests immediately drew forth the divine power of Light and let it dwell in their hands, preparing to wield strength incomparable to the limited power they could use inside the labyrinth.
The power to heal wounds, postpone death, revive life, and cover the entire area in light to burn everything away. The strength possessed by one hundred priests made such things possible, and thirty Holy Knights could conquer the capital of any nation before a single day had passed. Yet before a god, they were powerless.
A clear vision took root in their minds. A pale hand descending from above to below. And then—
—!
With an indescribable scream, their forms vanished. All that remained in their place was an endless abyss, a bottomless chasm whose depths could not be fathomed. Anyone with even a hint of insight would have recognized it and been struck with horror. It was the magic the God of Magic had created back when he was still human, in order to slay the gods.
Elpenor's Abyss Drop.
Using a mythical spell that anyone on the continent would recognize as a clear warning, the God of Magic withdrew. He would not tolerate any attack directed at the labyrinth.