Labyrinth Expedition Formation (1)
"Hey. You know it's really too much to pull this spy crap like this, right?"
To Eunhyeon, the current situation was seriously uncomfortable.
It was none other than Alex, wearing an awkward smile, who had brought an uninvited guest.
"I'm cooperating with you, sure, but my main job is to serve the princess."
"You admit you're spying, and yet you're so brazen about it?"
"Because that's my job."
Alex said this without a hint of guilt or remorse.
"I get the feeling you really don't like that I came to see you?"
"You call that 'just coming to see me'?"
"Even if I look like this, I'm still a princess of a nation."
"That's exactly why it's such a hassle. Does a princess really think it's okay to wander around with just one escort knight? Making your own guard spy on top of that—your antics are downright despicable."
"Huhu, fine. I'll let that rude mouth of yours slide for now."
Sitting across from Eunhyeon with Alex in tow, Yuria's forehead bulged with veins of irritation. She swallowed the rising anger in her mind and barely held back against Eunhyeon's blunt words before opening her mouth again.
"According to Alex, you're planning an expedition?"
Eunhyeon let out a sigh at the fact that the information had leaked through Alex, but since he couldn't hide it anymore, he nodded honestly.
"Yes."
"And the expedition site is the Arkys Great Labyrinth?"
"That's right."
"...Without even consulting me?"
"Why would I need to discuss it with you, Princess?"
"Hah, listen. I claimed that dungeon first. So hands off. If you touch it, I swear. I won't let you get away with it."
"......"
Her brazen threats, claiming prior dibs, were so reckless that Eunhyeon could only stare in disbelief. The shameless attitude of asserting priority over a dungeon was utterly unimaginable for a princess of this kingdom.
"Haven't you already failed the labyrinth's trials, Princess?"
"Th-that's true, but I plan to pass them someday, so all the rewards there are mine! So absolutely don't touch them!"
What kind of logic was this?
Eunhyeon fixed his peculiar gaze on the princess of a nation spouting such nonsense.
"Wh-what? What's with that look?"
"Don't you feel even a little ashamed?"
"...N-not at all."
Even as she said it, Yuria naturally averted her eyes from Eunhyeon—her actions completely contradicting her words. She was aware she was being utterly unreasonable. But for her, the rewards of the Arkys Great Labyrinth were non-negotiable.
That's why she was desperately trying to stop Eunhyeon from going on the expedition.
'It's dangerous. If this guy goes, clearing the trials will be a piece of cake for him!'
Having partied with him once before in the labyrinth, Yuria knew Eunhyeon's prowess all too well. If he set his mind to it, the trials would pose no obstacle. For her, on the verge of solving the trials' riddles only to watch the rewards slip away right in front of her eyes, news of his expedition must have felt like a bolt from the blue.
"Your goal is the 'Heart of Arkys', right, Princess?"
"Yes."
"But I can't give that to you."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't qualify."
"Who are you to decide that?"
Yuria frowned, clearly offended by Eunhyeon's firm declaration, and shot back. It was true that she had failed the trials and nearly led her party—including Cracir knights like Alex—to their deaths. But hearing it thrown in her face like this by Eunhyeon was bound to rub her the wrong way.
"I told you before. It's a treasure allowed only to the descendants of the 'Puppeteer', Arkys's heir. You seem to think you can use the immense mana within the Heart of Arkys to strengthen your body, but I've said a dozen times it's not meant for that."
"Ugh..."
Yuria let out a small groan, at a loss for words.
"Eunhyeon."
Alex cut into the bickering and addressed Eunhyeon.
"Can't you let the princess join this expedition?"
"What?"
"Huh?"
Not just Eunhyeon, but Yuria as well reacted with shock to the sudden proposal.
"Alex! What are you saying? Why would I join this guy's expedition..."
"Please think rationally, Princess. Considering what you can and can't do right now, plus the current power dynamics among the noble factions, joining this expedition would only benefit you—no downsides."
"Hmm? That's intriguing. Tell me more."
Though it was Alex persuading Yuria, surprisingly, it was Eunhyeon who showed interest this time.
"You two... deciding things without even asking me..."
"Do you know the princess's current situation?"
"That Consort Helena plans to marry you off to a foreign noble to solidify her base and expand her influence for crowning her son, Prince Evan, as crown prince?"
"You know more than I thought. Who told you?"
"You did."
"......"
Alex's expression hardened, and he turned to Yuria. Receiving his subtle gaze, she trembled and asked what it meant.
"Wh-what? Why?"
"Did you tell him all that?"
"Th-that's..."
"Information about the royal family's political marriages is all top-classified. You know you shouldn't leak it to outsiders so casually, so why..."
Yuria frowned and waved him off, cutting Alex short.
"Fine, I'm sorry! For blabbing about my arranged marriage so carelessly! I was reckless! I'll reflect on it! So stop nagging me already. Please!"
Her expression screamed exasperation as she recoiled in disgust. It seemed like this kind of bickering between Alex and Yuria was a daily routine.
"Hold on. You were about to leak info to him yourself—why pick on me..."
"Don't you get that the timing matters? When you leaked to him, we hadn't established our secret cooperation yet—it was way earlier. Leaking royal secrets without knowing his identity or true goals could have backfired and harmed the kingdom. Now, we're the ones asking for help, so we have to explain the situation."
"Argh! I get it! I said I get it!"
Yuria grumbled inwardly about how adding that one comment just prolonged the lecture. Plugging her ears with both hands and shaking her head vigorously to show she didn't want to hear it, she earned a sigh from Alex.
"You have it rough."
"I can't deny it's tougher than training."
"Hey."
"Didn't you say she's over twenty? Her behavior is just..."
"She's twenty this year. Can't be helped."
"Excuse me. Are you dissing me right now?"
"So? How does the princess's position relate to joining my expedition?"
"Hmm."
"Hiiing..."
Neatly ignored between the two men, Yuria's face crumpled with a growing sense of alienation.
"I don't know! You guys figure it out yourselves!"
Overwhelmed by surging resentment, Yuria's emotions exploded. She flung the door open roughly, slamming it hard enough to echo through the room as she stormed out of Eunhyeon's quarters.
"......"
"......"
At her outburst, Eunhyeon and Alex exchanged dumbfounded looks.
"Is she always that unreasonable?"
"She wasn't like this before. Lately, though... people say she's become a completely different person. I feel the same."
'Is it a personality change from her past-life memories awakening? What do you think, Goddess?'
What do you mean?
'By now, there must be a lot of talk among the gods, right? If that girl is truly apostle material like me, a god would make direct contact by now. But her current state feels too... neglected.'
It had been good to awaken her memories from her life on Earth, weaving part of this world's fate into a novel form so she could foresee future events.
But after that, it seemed like no god was paying her any attention.
In fact, if he hadn't gone to rescue her when she was trapped in the Arkys Great Labyrinth, she—and even Alex, the 'protagonist's' companion in the tale of 'Fate's Märchen'—would have met a total party wipe ending.
'You stepped away once to investigate her condition in detail. Did you find out anything?'
Hmm, that. Unfortunately, I couldn't meet the god who awakened that girl's past-life memories. It was a bust, so I'm sorry I couldn't help.
'No need to apologize. Someone might think I'm bossing you around.'
I wanted to help more, but there's less I can do than I'd hoped. It's regrettable.
Eunhyeon gave a wry smile at Verdandi's words.
'But Goddess, are there restrictions or conditions even for gods meeting each other? It sounds like that's why you couldn't meet.'
You're right, child. Just as gods can't interfere in the mortal realm, we can't leave our domains in the divine realm or influence others. That's why, even though there are countless gods, we can't affect each other. But exceptions like me exist.
'You mean Urd and Skuld.'
Verdandi nodded.
My sisters and I wield power that is one yet divided—'concepts.' We manage the vast thread of fate's flow—time—split into past, present, and future. That's why we three are one being.
'I see. But from what you say, it seems there are ways for gods to meet others.'
Yes. Just as we can't enter other divine realms or influence them, nor can they ours. But there's a place where all gods can gather beyond those rules. We call it the 'Hall of Gods.'
'My resurrection was decided at a meeting there.'
You catch on quick. As expected of you, child.
Twenty years ago, Eunhyeon had faced death, only to be revived recently and live again as the 'Immortal.' It was the result of a divine council in the Hall of Gods.
Verdandi smiled warmly and stroked his head.
"Eunhyeon, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking about what to do with that princess. Anyway? Keep going."
He quickly slipped away from the goddess's touch and resumed the conversation as if nothing happened, leaving Verdandi with a disappointed look.
"Seriously, what kind of people are they?"
Yuria fumed, unable to shake off her resentment toward Eunhyeon and Alex for treating her like she wasn't there.
"Birds of a feather flock together, alright. Their behavior is exactly the same—unbelievable! Huh?"
Still burning with anger at being ignored while they chatted on their own, Yuria noticed the door to the basement stairs inside the house was ajar, sparking her curiosity.
"What's this? Where does it lead?"
Her curiosity piqued, she peered intently down the stairs.
"Suspicious..."
It was too strange for a regular house to have underground facilities like this. And this wasn't Earth—mobilizing heavy machinery to dig basements was impossible.
Even the royal palace had underground tunnels for emergency evacuations, but those were built through massive national labor efforts.
"Maybe a high-rank mage's house, so magic...? No, even then..."
Everyone in the kingdom knew Iliana owned this house, but Yuria had heard from Alex that Eunhyeon managed it. She couldn't shake the thought that whatever lay below those stairs was connected to him.
"Alright. Let's check it out. Hiding something underground? I'll see what it is. If I find dirt, I'll bite back hard and make him scrap the expedition."
Recalling how Eunhyeon had rebuked her earlier, her eyes blazed with the thrill of retaliation. She pondered long and hard before deciding, but once resolved, she acted swiftly without hesitation.
Yuria stepped onto the stairs leading underground.