Chapter 53 – Evil Star

“…Yurasia Espilot?”

“Oh? Princess Silina…? I thought you’d returned to the academy.”

After passing through about a dozen rooms, Yurasia entered the seventeenth chamber, only to encounter Silina—whom she had assumed had gone back to the academy—along with her followers.

“…I had some other matters to attend to,” Silina said, deflecting. She couldn’t exactly admit she came back because she needed the restroom. Her eyes flickered to Yurasia’s sword, drenched in monster blood.

Then, her gaze moved to Yurasia’s sweat-drenched neck and slightly fatigued face.

“I see… Well, um… Excuse me, but…”

Yurasia fumbled with her words, hesitating awkwardly.

Her eyes were round and gentle, her expression soft. There was no hostility in her gaze, and a light smile graced her lips, putting others at ease.

Seeing Yurasia like this, Silina recalled the stark aura she had exuded upon entering the room.

Her steps had been sharp and precise. Her blue eyes had seemed almost haunted. Her expression had been cool and emotionless, radiating a killing intent so intense it seemed to sting the skin. And her sword, poised to strike at any sign of life, had glowed with an icy blue aura.

Even Silina, who had witnessed countless faces among humanity, had felt chills upon seeing Yurasia in that state.

But now?

If she had ears and a tail, they’d be wagging in an endearing manner. She looked far from a battle-ready knight, more like someone who might scream at the sight of a monster.

Could this really be the same person? Are all knights of Eustetia like this?

Even the experienced royal knights standing by Silina’s side seemed to pale in comparison.

Was that usual cheerful demeanor all just an act? Silina didn’t know, but she was certain Yurasia harbored no ill will towards her.

With that thought, Silina sighed and spoke.

“It’s fine. Just speak freely.”

“Ah… well, um… I believe the direction you came from is incorrect…!”

“Was the room you were in blocked from behind?”

“Yes. In the room I was in, the path only led in this direction.”

“Really…?”

Silina frowned slightly and checked her pocket watch.

“How many rooms have you passed through so far?”

About 30 minutes had passed.

At that pace, they should’ve covered at least five rooms—

“I passed through a total of 17 rooms to get here.”

“…What?”

“Eep… Y-You passed through… 17 rooms…!”

A frustrated sigh escaped Silina’s lips.

Even Untra, her usually stoic escort knight, couldn’t suppress a low grunt of disbelief.

“…We’ve only passed through five. There were roughly five monsters in each room.”

“Oh… The rooms I passed through had… at least 30 monsters each.”

It seemed unbelievable, given how few monsters they had encountered so far.

But the pieces of flesh clinging to her sword, the blood still dripping from it, made it hard not to believe.

“You… are stronger than I thought.”

“Ah, um… ehehe… thank you.”

Seeing Yurasia arrive here without a scratch despite the ordeal, Silina couldn’t help but be genuinely impressed.

In less than 30 minutes, she had traversed 17 rooms alone, taking down hundreds of monsters along the way.

Even Untra, her escort knight, wouldn’t have been able to manage such speed.

Is Eliaernes’ abrasive attitude because she has such a strong knight at her side?

Probably.

After considering this, Silina nodded and spoke to Yurasia.

“Would you like to rest a bit before we continue?”

“I’m ready to depart immediately.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Yurasia’s gaze drifted toward the exhausted people standing behind Silina.

“…Alright. Then, let’s move right away.”

“I’ll lead the way.”

With a quick flick of her sword, Yurasia shook off the bits of flesh and blood clinging to the blade and took her place in front of Silina.

The slender nape of her neck peeked out from beneath her tied-up hair. Her shoulders were narrow, her frame petite.

Yet, for some reason, facing her back, Silina felt a sense of relief she couldn’t explain.

***

Silence, a spell to suppress sound. Oculus, a spell to conceal one’s presence.

However, Stella was only a 3rd Circle mage.

Those of higher ranks could break these spells easily, so I pulled Stella’s hood low and slipped out of the academy.

And I made sure to warn Stella not to leave, promising I’d bring Yurasia back.

Of course, I didn’t leave it to words alone.

Just in case she got the notion to sneak out, I tied her and Pina to the bed with mana-blocking restraints.

Given the current chaos, it was safer for Stella to stay within the academy, where any lurking threats wouldn’t easily reach her.

[The Headmaster and Vice Headmaster were both absent when the incident occurred.]

Predictable.

There’s an insider.

“Have you identified the insider?”

[…Your perceptiveness is impressive for a student. No, we haven’t found them yet.]

How incompetent.

I clicked my tongue and picked up my pace.

[It’s been 28 minutes and 32 seconds since the labyrinth appeared. We can’t determine the number of civilians inside, but there are five academy students. Among them are Yurasia and Princess Silina.]

The situation wasn’t ideal.

With this much Magi saturating the air, any ordinary humans trapped in the labyrinth would succumb to Magi poisoning if they remained for more than two hours.

For Yurasia, she might last four hours. Silina, at best, three.

It’ll take me another 30 minutes to reach the labyrinth’s location.

That leaves me with roughly 60 minutes.

Within that time, I’ll have to enter the labyrinth and find its core.

One small mercy is that since the labyrinth was hastily formed, it likely doesn’t contain too many monsters.

And there should be some gaps for me to exploit from the outside.

Hastily formed labyrinths usually have many breaches where one can penetrate from the outside.

I can enter.

But I can’t guarantee there won’t be civilian casualties.

No, it’ll be fine.

The one person I trust most right now is inside—Yurasia. So, it’ll be fine.

“Have the Royal Guard been deployed?”

[Five Royal Guards, twenty royal knights. The remaining forces are stationed with Princess Fabiana, Prince Ferrando, and the Imperial Palace’s defense.]

Royal Guard.

If Eustetia has the Nameless, the palace has the Royal Guard.

Of course, they’re not on the same level.

The Royal Guard is significantly weaker.

Their commander is a 7th rank, so it’s almost unfair to compare.

And that commander is likely back at the palace.

Here, we probably only have Royal Guards of 5th or 6th rank.

Enough to protect civilians and dismantle the labyrinth without being excessive. In fact, it’s just right.

Almost too conveniently right.

Without knowing the labyrinth’s precise difficulty, they deployed exactly the right force.

As if they’d known in advance.

For now, the immediate target seems to be Silina’s death?

So the insider isn’t limited to just the academy.

The country is truly spiraling into madness.

[Mind if I borrow your shoulder?]

I squinted at the crow perched on my shoulder.

[I’ll share my vision with you.]

“All of a sudden?”

[You’re planning on sneaking in, aren’t you?]

“How do you know?”

[After what I just told you, it’d be hard not to deduce there’s an insider in the palace.]

“…So a professor is encouraging a student to sneak in instead of stopping them?”

[Right now, Eliaernes, you’re the only person I can rely on.]

The thought that I’m the only one a Black Magician trusts left a foul taste in my mouth.

But I brushed that aside, lifted my hair, and offered my shoulder. Saving Yurasia was the priority.

[Thank you.]

Soon, through the crow on my shoulder, an image poured into my mind.

A view of the city from above.

At its center was the Arant Museum.

A dark sphere encircled the Arant Museum, surrounded by royal knights in golden armor and Royal Guards in platinum attire.

Now I just needed to find a way to sneak in.

I didn’t slow my pace, if anything, I sped up.

[Now, I’ll show you the layout of the labyrinth’s interior. Normally, this would be restricted for younger audiences, but given the situation, I’ll make an exception.]

As Adelia finished speaking, an image of a corpse with its belly slit open, entrails spilling out, appeared in my mind.

Limbs flayed and twisted grotesquely, the waist bent to form a circle. The intestines within the circle spiraled, with an empty center where the core should be.

[There’s only one path. A large central chamber is surrounded by twelve rooms arranged in a spiral. The core will likely be in the center.]

As Adelia described.

Unlike typical labyrinths with their tangled corridors, this one only had a single path forward.

If someone strong and accustomed to labyrinths were trapped there, they might find it amusing, but for others, it was a death trap.

With only one path, there was no option to avoid obstacles; every danger had to be confronted.

And inside, there were ordinary citizens from the capital.

Even for me, protecting them while dismantling the labyrinth would be an annoying task.

Considering all factors, it’s clear that the labyrinth lacks Labyrinth’s usual style.

When thinking of it this way, something feels off.

Labyrinth regards her labyrinths as works of art.

Even if it wasn’t us, she would go to extremes to trap ordinary humans in a perfect labyrinth.

But this haphazardly built labyrinth? It’s impossible she’d leave something like this alone.

If a demon or Black Magician empowered by her Authority were to use her power, she would undoubtedly know.

Besides, there’s currently a ceasefire due to the Demon King’s seal.

And yet, she’s just observing this situation?

Could it be that over the past 400 years, she’s actually succumbed to senility?

Or perhaps, she’s looking for an excuse to break the ceasefire.

Whatever the case, there’s no point in mulling it over now. I’ll have to go inside and find the bastard who created the labyrinth to get any answers.

I stopped, taking a steadying breath.

[Alright, now let me show you how to enter the labyrinth—]

At that moment, I firmly grabbed the crow perched on my shoulder with both hands.

[Uh… Eliaernes?]

“Make sure you find the insider.”

[Oh my…!]

Crunch—

I crushed it in my hands.

There was no need for anyone to witness what I was about to do.

I shook off the remnants of Black Magic from my hands and pulled my hood down low.

Just then—

A flare shot up into the sky, lighting up the surroundings.

And then—

“Eliaernes.”

A loud voice rang out.

“Hmm…”

I let out a deep sigh and turned around.

Standing there, with long platinum-blonde hair cascading in waves and fierce platinum-colored eyes gleaming, was—

“…Princess Fabiana de Hermann. What brings you to this dangerous place?”