Flytrap

,”I think I’ve roughly figured out what Paradise is like.”

At Raellan’s words, Ellie and I nodded. I completely understood what Runnerbit meant by the world’s endpoint. Paradise is where my ideal ending exists. A place that can literally be the endpoint of life for anyone.

,”But our liege doesn’t seem to have any particular attachment to Paradise.”

Ignoring Raellan’s bitter smile, I took out my citizenship from my pocket. As Specter had said, the citizenship contained various instructions on how to freely use Paradise. Of course, it also included instructions on how to leave Paradise and head to the 5th floor of the labyrinth.

,”I heard you have to apply on the 5th floor of the building where you received your citizenship to go to the 5th floor.”

,”Are you planning to go straight away?”

,”I don’t intend to waste time in a place like this.”

The moments I spent with Luna, Roy, and Rossi were happy moments where I couldn’t feel any sense of incongruity. It was the closest thing to the ending I had dreamed of, but no matter how happy I was, the fact that it was all a lie didn’t change.

The thorn that was deeply embedded in my heart, boasting its presence, remained as it was.

The only person who could remove this was Luna. But the Luna in Paradise can’t do that. She is living happily in Paradise with her two children and loving husband. She can’t crush and knead my heart, nor can she resent me.

So, this is not Paradise for me. Unless it’s a shortcut that leads directly to the 10th floor, it’s not even worth the name Paradise.

,”Then let’s go right away. It doesn’t seem like anyone else is coming.”

Agreeing with Raellan’s words, I turned around to head towards the fountain, but I heard footsteps rushing from behind. Looking over my shoulder, it was Lamine.

,”…I didn’t expect you to come.”

As Raellan said in surprise, Lamine, who had calmed her rough breathing, shrugged and replied.

,”I know it’s all fake anyway. No matter how good it is, it’s Paradise that will end if Ross doesn’t save the world. There’s no reason to stay any longer.”

At those words, the good-natured Raellan twisted one corner of his mouth and said.

,”You’re not thinking of heading to the 5th floor together for such a Ross?”

,”…Can’t I help enough from outside the labyrinth?”

Raellan put his forearm against mine and whispered softly.

,”Contradictory, isn’t it?”

,”…It’s already over. Lamine promised to be with me until the 4th floor.”

I had no intention of forcibly dragging anyone along. Lamine was also seriously injured on the 4th floor. She could have lost her life as she had feared. Asking her to go to the 5th floor together in this situation was no different from blackmail. I didn’t want to get Rakar’s sister killed in a pointless place either.

Lamine gave me a grateful look. I pushed away Raellan, who was muttering something dissatisfied, and moved my steps towards the fountain.

***

I returned to the building where I received my citizenship and climbed the stairs. Passing the 3rd floor where Specter was, as I headed to the 4th floor, the spring season full of floral scents formed a floor. While Ellie and Lamine stopped for a moment and stared blankly at the cherry blossom petals, Raellan stealthily approached me.

,”Hey, liege. Have you perhaps realized what the essence of Paradise is?”

What is he going to say again? I rubbed my forehead and looked at him, and Raellan stretched the corners of his mouth long like a snake.

,”There were monsters and men and women who had reached the realm of transcendence among the residents of Paradise who greeted us. But… there were no kids.”

Come to think of it, I hadn’t met a child while walking around. Intrigued, I looked at Raellan, and Raellan twisted his lips as if he had read my eyes.

,”Since they have everything at home, the residents of Paradise don’t need to give birth to children themselves. They can create perfect children, so why would they bother with a probabilistic fight where they don’t know what kind of child will come out?”

Only then was I able to realize what the essence of Paradise that Raellan was trying to say was.

,”…It’s a flytrap. They don’t think about climbing the labyrinth with everything Paradise gives them, and they’re slowly dying here. They can’t escape, they can’t leave anything behind, and they’ll melt into Paradise and disappear.”

,”That’s why Paradise can be the endpoint of all worlds. Since tomorrow’s happiness continues endlessly, everyone stupidly forgets about the death that will come someday and just settles down here without any purpose. They mistakenly believe that they have reached the maximum endpoint they can achieve. They slowly die from the sweet happiness that Paradise gives.”

Even if the essence is fake, Paradise can achieve everything, and if you set your mind to it, the fake can become real. Paradise, Eclipse, stops the challengers of the labyrinth in a very pure way.

,”Honestly, I’m glad. I was going to secretly kill the guys who know your identity even if it took time after I got out of the labyrinth. But well, now they’ll be trapped in Paradise for the rest of their lives and won’t even think about getting out of the labyrinth. One annoying thing has disappeared. Hehe.”

I smiled bitterly and climbed the stairs. Ellie and Lamine, who had come to their senses, followed Raellan. The 5th floor was like an exhibition hall made of gray-white marble. Instead of paintings, the entire wall was filled with papers with numerous letters written on them.

As I approached and checked the wall, I could see that they were instructions for certain things. While Ellie was staring blankly at the instructions for [Ultra-Small Spacetime Superposition Magic], I approached a cow-like monster sitting at an orange desk, looking at a book upside down.

It didn’t seem like he was reading the book, and even when I went right in front of the desk, he didn’t recognize me at all. It didn’t seem like he noticed even when I cleared my throat, so I just greeted him.

,”…Hello.”

,”Euhuk! You scared me. No way, are you a guest who came to the 5th floor?”

The cow, who had a unique way of speaking, was startled and took out glasses from the desk drawer and put them on. The cow, who had been staring at me and my companions quietly, snorted and muttered to himself, nodding.

,”Aha, you’ve come to the wrong place. There’s no reason for those who received their official citizenship an hour ago to come to the 5th floor. Kayu almost misunderstood. I recommend that everyone read the instructions for the citizenship properly. There are places from the 7th floor where you can die if you enter by mistake.”

The cow, who was about to read the book again, realized that the book was upside down and this time rotated the book 90 degrees to the side. I scratched my head and tapped the desk with my hand and said.

,”I came here because I want to go to the 5th floor of the labyrinth.”

Buueok- The cow, who tore the book in half, looked at me with a surprised face and shouted.

,”Wh-what?! You’re saying you came here to go to the 5th floor now?”

,”…Yes. The instructions said to go here.”

,”No, but… you received your official citizenship, right? Don’t you know that you can enjoy everything in Paradise? There’s no reason to climb the labyrinth anymore!”

Raellan, with a face full of annoyance, said to the cow, who was somehow excited and constantly snorting.

,”Why don’t you just shut up and explain how to get to the 5th floor of the labyrinth? That seems to be the only job given to a worthless thing like you.”

,”That’s not true! I’m Kayu, who is in charge of the instructions for Paradise on the 5th floor! And I have so much work to do!”

Seeing Kayu’s appearance, who was about to start explaining about the work he was in charge of while taking out the instructions, I hurriedly raised my hand to stop him and said.

,”I’m sorry, but I’m in a hurry. I would appreciate it if you could explain how to get to the 5th floor of the labyrinth first.”

Kayu, who snorted, nodded and took out the instructions from another drawer.

,”Let’s see, the way to enter the 5th floor of the labyrinth is to return your citizenship. But if you return your citizenship, you can’t enter Paradise again. All the knowledge you gained in Paradise will disappear from your head. It’s all the same for official guests and illegal guests. Are you still going to go to the 5th floor?”

,”Yes.”

At the immediate answer without hesitation, Kayu was startled and snorted, then scratched the root of his horn and said.

,”…I see. I was surprised because you’re the first guest who didn’t like Paradise in less than a day. Then I’ll fill out an application to get the qualifications to enter the 5th floor.”

Saying that, Kayu looked at the torn book, then stealthily put the torn page in his mouth and chewed on it. As we were staring quietly, Kayu tilted his head and said.

,”Why are you looking at Kayu?”

,”…You said you would fill out an application. Isn’t that necessary to go to the 5th floor?”

Kayu, who blinked his big eyes at my question, hit his horn and said.

,”Oh my, my explanation was not enough. There is a grace period to receive and return your citizenship. That means you can only fill out the application after 7 days.”

,”…Pardon?”

,”The grace period of 7 days is to realize the charm of Paradise and not regret your rash decision! In just a few days, everyone will realize how stupid it was to go to the 5th floor and be grateful!”

Raellan, who sighed at Kayu, who was stealthily taking the paper to his mouth again, turned around and said to me.

,”What does it mean? It’s an attempt to hold you back so that you become addicted to the sweetness of Paradise and can’t climb to the 5th floor.”

Nodding at Raellan’s words, I asked Kayu just in case.

,”…Is there a faster way?”

,”There isn’t! This is the rule of Paradise. Just think of it as resting comfortably and stay for a few days. Then you’ll be able to realize the beauty of Paradise!”