Friends Close, Enemies Closer
by Afuhfuihgs
Late at dawn, after resolving the misunderstanding about the movie and falling into a deep sleep with Luna, I felt a chilling sensation on my back and instinctively sensed danger, causing me to open my eyes. I hurriedly looked around and discovered a small hand moving up and down as if waving hello through the slightly open door.
At first, I thought it might be an intruder, but upon seeing the mask through the door, I realized the visitor was Estelle and breathed a sigh of relief.
To think she’d show up at this late hour without a word. I want to fault her manners, but seeing how she quietly emitted her bloodlust to wake only me, it seemed Estelle had an urgent reason for her visit.
I dispelled the shadow spear I had manifested in my hand, got out of bed, threw on some clothes, and went outside.
Estelle, who was sitting on the living room sofa and tapping her fingers, subtly moved away as I sat next to her and said,
“Roel moved.”
My still-sleepy brain didn’t properly interpret those words. Estelle, quick to notice my blank stare, sighed and explained.
“Tonight, Roel attacked the Imperial Palace. The Fifth Imperial Princess died by Roel’s hand, and both the 1st and 3rd Imperial Knight Orders were annihilated. The Emperor’s personal guard is also all corpses. Even the Sword Saint Shes, the captain of the guard, was defeated by Roel.”
As Estelle’s explanation continued, my brain rapidly shook off its drowsiness as if splashed with cold water. I predicted he wouldn’t move for at least half a year… It was a move that surpassed my expectations and those of the strategists. And in a completely unexpected direction.
“Either way, Bella will become the Emperor eventually… Is there really a reason to recklessly eliminate the Emperor?”
Estelle crossed her arms at my muttering.
“There is.”
“…?”
When I gave Estelle a questioning look, she covered her ear with her hand. Narrowing my eyes and looking closely, I saw an artifact with abilities similar to the wireless earphone Bella had once shown me.
“That’s….”
“Before entering the Imperial Palace after receiving a call from Roel, Bella came to me and handed it over. That’s how I quickly found out that the Emperor was dead and that Roel had moved. And what Roel demanded from Bella, who will become the Emperor.”
As expected of Bella. It seems she met Estelle first in preparation for the worst. Admiring Bella’s caution, I asked what Roel’s demand was. Estelle adjusted her mask, adopted a serious tone, and looked straight at me as she said.
“The opening of the Labyrinth.”
“…Huh?”
“He’s planning to fully open the Labyrinth. Without any restrictions on entry.”
The moment I heard those words, lightning struck my head. I could naturally read the future flow, Roel’s plan, as if I had seen it myself.
The Labyrinth is a setting where entry was prohibited due to its danger. Even the overpowered Roel sealed the Labyrinth completely after reaching the 4th floor. That’s all there is to the story about the Labyrinth.
But Roel suddenly intends to open the Labyrinth to everyone. The reason is simple. The Labyrinth is a dangerous place that can easily take a person’s life, but it also has attractive rewards that are worth risking one’s only life for. The Labyrinth has the property of enticing people with its very existence, drawing them into itself.
The Labyrinth is a special place where you can’t move forward with strength alone. There are traps, of course, as well as ancient barriers and magic. Or, if you can’t solve the problems, you’ll be trapped in the maze forever or die. Even the discarded settings included a room that you couldn’t leave unless you did -XX- for the 19+ side stories.
I muttered in a low voice.
“If the existence of the Labyrinth becomes known, adventurers, knights, and Sword Masters scattered across the continent will head to the Labyrinth.”
Once anyone reaches the end of a floor, the floor is completely opened. A door is created that allows you to move to the next floor. Although they are less skilled than Roel, the story changes if countless people enter the Labyrinth.
Someone’s death will become a step for another person to break through the Labyrinth. And if that someone is the adventurers who will endlessly flock to the Labyrinth… Roel can go deeper than the 4th floor with their deaths. Grinding countless lives into the Labyrinth.
I was chilled to the bone by Roel’s plan, to the point that my hands trembled against my will. I felt that the opening of the Labyrinth was a decision made solely for the sake of victory.
Roel didn’t stop. He didn’t give up on victory, just as he said. While maintaining a draw with the God of the Chaos Church, he was also looking for a way to defeat the God.
Even if Roel fails, he’s acting without any regard for the consequences, thinking he can aim for another draw.
As I nervously fiddled with my lips, Estelle said.
“First, I immediately sent a message to everyone to gather at Modiste. The strategists need to know that Roel has moved. Everyone will gather by noon tomorrow at the latest.”
I nodded with a heavy heart, then inadvertently turned my head towards the door where Luna was sleeping.
The flow tells me. If I don’t mobilize everything I have now, even bigger variables will arise.
After running a hand over my face and contemplating, I said in a low voice.
“Luna and Ellie will also attend tomorrow’s meeting.”
***
The next morning. After waking up at dawn and thinking about the plans for the future, I stayed awake and prepared breakfast before Luna woke up.
Luna, who woke up a while later, took a shower and had breakfast with me. Seeing Luna never forgetting to say thank you as always, I quietly ate and casually brought up Ellie.
“Luna… um, what do you think of Ellie?”
Luna’s hand, which was scooping up soup, stopped. The face full of happy emotions instantly turned cold. Surprised by the sudden change, I lowered my gaze for no reason.
“Ross’s childhood friend, his former first love… a person who has a bad influence on Ross.”
Glancing sideways, I rubbed my brow at Luna’s chilling smile, which I had never seen before.
From Luna’s perspective, it’s natural that Ellie is unpleasant. But Ellie’s magical knowledge is essential for me right now. As I was wondering how to bring it up, Luna asked with a smile.
“Why Ellie all of a sudden?”
“…No, it’s just that.”
“I’m right in front of you. You should look at me when you talk, Ross. Are you hiding something from me?”
“No, no. Absolutely not.”
For some reason, feeling a chill down my spine, I swallowed hard, met Luna’s smiling eyes, and struggled to explain what happened yesterday.
As I emphasized that Ellie’s help was really unavoidable, Luna, who was listening to the explanation with a blank face, said in her usual voice.
“If that’s the case, then it can’t be helped. I’m okay, Ross. Thank you for being considerate.”
It seems that Luna, with her generous heart, understood the situation. Just as I was feeling relieved in my heart, Luna said with a bright smile.
“But before that, I think I need to talk to Ellie alone for a bit? I think we need a clear conversation about each other. Mhm.”
…Or not?
***
Leaning against the wall outside the library, I wiggled my fingers. It feels like I’m waiting for punishment outside the faculty office after doing something wrong.
Ellie, who spends most of her time in the library, was naturally occupying a secluded spot in the restricted section today as well. Luna, who went to find Ellie with me, gave me the order to wait outside the library with a smiling face.
I was a little worried about whether Luna could handle Ellie, but for some reason, I followed the order without saying a word, feeling Luna’s fierce gaze. The last thing I saw from afar was Luna sitting across from Ellie with her arms crossed.
Scratching my eyebrows, scraping the floor with the front of my shoes, and repeatedly taking my back off the wall and sticking it back on, I was expressing my inner anxiety outwardly… Finally, Luna and Ellie came out of the library. Even with Luna linking arms with Ellie.
“Uh….”
It was a sight I had never even imagined, so I could only stare at the two of them as if frozen. What happened? Could it be that Ellie used some kind of magic on Luna?
The worries about Roel that had filled my head since dawn completely disappeared, and I was busy interpreting the surreal sight before my eyes.
Luna and Ellie smiled at me, who was making a dumbfounded expression, almost simultaneously.
“We decided to become good friends.”
“Yeah, we cleared up our misunderstandings.”
As they said that, they looked at each other and smiled, and I was about to feel relieved that things had worked out… but I noticed that their eyes weren’t smiling at all.
It was different from the case of Bella and Estelle, who openly insulted each other and fought. Although they were linking arms, the two people’s strange aura couldn’t be hidden.
What kind of conversation did they have? Judging that the best choice for me was to pretend I didn’t know anything, I muttered that it was a relief and nodded.
Luna, taking her hand off Ellie’s arm, naturally intertwined her fingers with mine and smiled.
“Yeah, that’s a relief.”
Is it just my imagination that the hand intertwined with mine feels like it has more strength than usual…?
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