The Culprit’s Best
by Afuhfuihgs
The storm I’d been worried about finally hit. Thankfully, I had grown the island beforehand, so Ellie and I were able to reinforce our island home and take shelter. Several days later, we were able to harvest a coconut-like fruit from the giant tree in the center of the island, proof that we had fully grown the island.
Unknown birds flew in the sky above the island, and bugs scurried busily among the plants that had grown on the ground. It had become an island where living things could thrive.
We planted the fruit we obtained on a suitable patch of ground, and the moment it was completely covered in dirt, a sprout grew, soon taking the form of a door. The fruit had become a door leading to the 4th floor of the labyrinth. Before opening the door, I checked on Ellie’s condition. Ever since the storm hit, Ellie had been sweating and mostly lying down.
She had no appetite and had barely eaten anything for days. Thankfully, she was moving around now, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she lacked energy. Seeing Ellie, who was always bright and active, struggling naturally focused my attention on her.
“Ellie, are you ready to go out?”
Before leaving the island, Ellie knelt in front of Estelle’s grave for the last time and prayed. After a moment of silence, Ellie slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me.
“This might be the last time I can see Estelle.”
I’m not so insensitive that I don’t understand what Ellie’s words mean.
“…I know.”
“Then you should say your last goodbyes.”
“…”
But what good is prayer? Estelle is dead. No matter how hard I pray, my voice won’t reach her. That’s why I didn’t say anything to Luna, who was sleeping in the spatial storage either. Because I know that everything is meaningless in the face of death.
Seeing Ellie staring intently at me, I sighed and turned towards Estelle’s grave, pretending to close my eyes and pray out of obligation. It’s a useless act. No matter how much I pray, it doesn’t change the fact that I killed Estelle because of my mistake. I can’t be forgiven. And I don’t want to be.
When I opened my eyes, Ellie got up and brushed the dirt off her knees. Somehow, I felt like Ellie had grown a lot in the past few days. It’s like when a friend who used to trade insults with you suddenly becomes an adult on their own. It’s a little hard to adjust to.
“…Send me to my island.”
At Ellie’s quiet voice, I skillfully used spatial magic to send Ellie to the door leading to the 4th floor. Watching Ellie open the door immediately, I also grabbed the doorknob.
[Life takes root on the island.]
[The island will remember you, its creator.]
[You have reached the 4th floor.]
[The labyrinth’s blessing permanently strengthens you.]
[It is a rest period. 72:00:00 remaining until re-entry into the labyrinth.]
***
Ellie said she had a place to go and left first, saying she would go to Modest later. Leaving the Imperial Palace, I headed straight to Modest’s secret hideout. When I arrived, I learned that Ellie and I were the first to reach the 4th floor. It seems we grew the island the fastest thanks to Cassis, who had devoured several islands, serving as nourishment.
I immediately went to Amber. And I explained Estelle’s death. At first, Amber didn’t believe it, denying it for a while, saying it couldn’t be true, but soon she began to shed tears. To her, Estelle was the guild leader and the clan’s successor… but she was just a child who needed care, like her younger sister Amy.
“Estelle left me a will asking me to take care of the clan. I will try to keep that will.”
The word “atonement” is disgusting. Because there’s no way for me to be forgiven now. Suddenly, I felt like I knew why Ellie, whom I met in another world, was so happy to meet me. Being able to be forgiven is a miracle in itself.
“…Really, really, did Estelle-unni die?”
Turning around at the voice suddenly heard from behind, I met Amy’s eyes, who was holding the doorknob with a face that looked like she was about to cry. I slowly lowered my gaze and said.
“Yes, she died protecting me… because of my mistake.”
That is the plain truth. Amy burst into tears and glared at me. As if she would never forget the culprit who caused her beloved unni, who cared for her so much, to die. That gaze didn’t leave my face until Amber took Amy to another room.
Feeling a terrible emptiness, I headed to the basement. I had nowhere to go, and I had no motivation to do the Lily’s work right now. I sat blankly in the basement alone for several hours, waiting for night to come. Because when darkness comes and the Lily’s time comes, I can forget the terrible emptiness for a while.
But someone came to the basement. I thought it was a colleague from the rescue team at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, but the person who revealed their face was unexpected.
“…Kane?”
“Chief.”
Is he still calling me Chief? I gave a bitter smile and silently watched Kane sit across from me. Somehow, Kane’s face didn’t look as good as before.
“…I’m sorry for coming here so suddenly without saying anything. But I had to see Chief.”
“What’s wrong?”
As if he had been waiting for my question, Kane looked straight at me with a gloomy face and said.
“…Aria’s parents died. And Aria… has become strange. At first, I thought she was greatly shocked by her parents’ death, so I tried to give her time… but now she doesn’t say or react to anything. It’s like she’s become a doll.”
The wandering blade created by my sin returns like a boomerang and cuts out my heart. Ah, my mistakes are endless. I had a feeling that Aria would turn out like this. Whatever the case, her parents were murdered. Luna, Nelson, Estelle… the next person I would ruin was Aria.
Kane, who had been tapping his fingernails and showing his anxiety, said quietly.
“Headmaster Conrad looked at Aria’s condition… but he told me to tell you that there was nothing wrong with her attunement. He said this is a problem on the other side that he can’t solve.”
Kane said to me with a gaze filled with the belief that I could solve the problem.
“…Help Aria wake up. If this continues… Aria will eventually wither and die like a tree whose roots have rotted. I think Ross, the Chief I know, can save Aria like me.”
His face is desperate. Kane truly loves Aria. That’s why he’s asking the culprit who made Aria like that for help. So, what I have to do is decided.
“…Okay.”
***
Kane’s explanation was accurate. Aria, sitting on the bed that she always occupied, saying it was her personal Aria bed, looked like a doll without emotions at a glance. With Lacar and Kane watching me, I sat on the opposite bed and met Aria’s eyes.
“Hello, Aria.”
“…”
There was no answer coming from Aria. The eyes looking at me weren’t seeing anything. The expression “dead fish eyes” is right. Her eyes were just open, not containing anything. Aria had lost her ego. It was a natural result since she had lost her parents, whom she loved so much.
“I heard that your parents died. I also know that the Lily killed them and people are wondering why, gossiping among themselves.”
Aria’s fingers twitched slightly at the word “parents.” Her ego hadn’t completely disappeared. She had lost the two people she loved, and the fire in her heart was going out… but she still had embers left.
So, what I have to do is make these embers burn brightly again. Aria needs the motivation to live. Just like I received from Luna, Aria can also gain motivation from me, who took her parents away.
“Everyone who died at the hands of the Lily was evil, so it’s natural for people to suspect your parents too.”
“…”
She didn’t answer, but I could instinctively tell that Aria was focusing on my voice. So, I put strength into my voice so that Aria could remember clearly.
“That suspicion is correct, the reason why the Lily killed your parents is…”
I look into Aria’s empty eyes. Hoping that warmth will return to those eyes, I finish my words with a bitter smile.
“Your parents were just terribly bad and selfish people. They had no choice but to die. Because they were villains who shouldn’t exist in the world anymore.”
Emotions take root in her empty eyes. Knowing that it’s directed at me, I slowly take out a mask and the Lily from the spatial storage. Aria’s head, which had been motionless like a doll, turned towards my hand. I said quietly to her, whose eyes had widened.
“Even if they were my friend’s parents, I couldn’t forgive them.”
The sound of inhaling, Lacar and Kane, who were shocked, looked at me and cast gazes of horror. In a situation where a doll who has gained the motivation of revenge and anger is glaring at me as if to kill me, I gave a bright smile.
That was the best I, as a friend, could do for Aria.
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