Chapter 66

With a rhythmic crackling and popping, the thing burning like a massive campfire was, without a doubt, the house where we had been living.

A crowd had already begun to form here and there around the perimeter. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the Wald city guards arrived.

I had to take Maria and leave this place immediately.

I had no lingering attachment to the burning house. All I had to do was act swiftly. That should have been enough, and yet—

The girls standing before me made me hesitate.

There was Maria, staring at us with hollow, vacant eyes. And floating just behind her was Alti, half of her body already transmuted into flames.

Neither of them looked like someone I could approach casually.

However, standing here doing nothing wouldn’t solve a thing. I stepped forward and called out to Maria, who stood motionless before the blazing wreckage of our home.

“Ma… Maria. Let’s go. Anyway, let’s just get away from here…”

Right now, we were racing against the clock. My priority was to get her moving.

But Maria, her eyes still hollow, merely whispered in a small voice.

“Now… he’s mine. Mine forever. All that’s left is Master—”

I didn’t think she was even processing my words. Still muttering, Maria glared at us. She tried to step forward, but the girl beside her, Alti, stopped her.

Alti whispered something to Maria. At that, Maria grew quiet, hung her head, and continued to mumble something under her breath.

Watching this, I realized that Alti was the real problem. I shifted my gaze from Maria to Alti.

Feeling my stare, Alti answered with a smile.

“—Welcome, Explorer Christ. This… this right here is the Tenth Floor. The floor of Alti, ‘The One Who Steals the Principle of Fire.’ I apologize for the makeshift nature of this ‘business trip’ setup, but you may consider the top of this hill to be the tenth floor of the Labyrinth. And, though it’s a bit late, I intend to have you undergo the Tenth Trial.”

As she spoke, Alti gave a grand, exaggerated bow.

The gesture reminded me of a certain Guardian. It was the same smile and attitude as Teida—that irrational, selfish monster.

“Alti… you. Did you do this?”

“I did. I incited Maria, dragged her over to this side, and had her create a situation advantageous to me.”

“……!”

The moment Alti confirmed it, I felt a sensation as if the earth and sky had flipped.

Deep down, I must have been starting to trust Alti. The shock of being betrayed was far greater than I had anticipated. Still reeling, I drew my favorite sword from my ‘Inventory’ and shouted.

“No, Alti…! Why?! You’re a monster, but… we were able to talk! I thought we were coming to an understanding! Are you just an enemy like Teida after all, Alti?!”

I yelled as I closed the distance between us. Seeing me approach, Alti gestured with her chin toward the area behind me.

“Yes, just like Teida. But is it wise to approach so carelessly?”

I wasn’t so foolish as to look back just because she baited me. Taking one’s eyes off an enemy was out of the question. However, due to the nature of my magic, I could check behind me with minimal effort.

And when I saw the disaster unfolding in the rear, I felt the air catch in my throat.

“Disciple Sis, you’re a bit in the way—”

With those words, Palinchron swung his sword upward, slicing through Dia’s torso just as he was chanting a spell.

Fresh blood sprayed, staining Lastiara and Radiant red.

Dia had likely been preparing a spell against Alti, who had shown hostile intent. Seeing this, Palinchron—who had been standing right next to him—cut the defenseless Dia. The slash was deep, tearing from him waist to his shoulder.

The positioning had been bad. But above all, the relationship had been bad. Out of everyone here, only Dia didn’t know Palinchron well. He was unaware of his chaotic nature and hadn’t been on guard at all.

What’s more, Palinchron moved to strike Dia again with a backhand swing. At this rate, Dia was going to die. I immediately changed direction to rush back, but—I wouldn’t make it in time.

However, the lethal blade was parried by Hein’s sword. Radiant took the opportunity to leap a great distance away with Dia and Lastiara on her back. She seemed to prioritize their safety.

But Hein had been overtaxing his exhausted body. Perhaps because he had forced his way in from an awkward position, the impact of Palinchron’s sword sent him off balance. Seizing that opening, Palinchron ruthlessly swung his sword horizontally. The cruel blade tore through Hein’s body.

“—!!”

Hein kicked Palinchron away to create distance even as his side was ripped open.

Finally, I reached the rear and leveled my sword between Palinchron and Hein.

“Palinchron! You…!!”

“Heh, heh. Your opponent isn’t me, Big Brother Christ. Weren’t you listening? From now on, you’re taking that Guardian’s ‘Trial.’ I’m just going to go play with the Lady and the others for a bit.”

Palinchron laughed at my desperation. Immediately after, Alti fired an arrow of flame. I twisted my body to dodge it.

Ahead of me stood Alti, brimming with combat intent. And Maria, filled with madness, had her eyes locked on me.

I analyzed the situation calmly and rapidly.

The clear enemies were Alti and Palinchron. It was highly likely that a manipulated Maria would also be an opponent. On our side, there were five. However, almost everyone was exhausted or severely injured.

Lastiara’s MP was nearly depleted due to the ritual, and her physical condition was the worst it could be. She wouldn’t be able to move effectively.

Dia was losing a massive amount of blood from the previous attack, and his consciousness was fading. Beside him, Lastiara was squeezing out the last of her strength to chant a healing spell, but the light was weak and the effect was poor.

Hein couldn’t fight any further either. Without a doubt, he had fought more than anyone else today. With his abdomen slashed by Palinchron, he was clearly at his limit.

Only Radiant hadn’t taken serious damage. The limbs I had severed earlier had finished regenerating. If I lent her a sword from my ‘Inventory,’ she would be a viable combatant. However, if she fought, the two people on her back would be defenseless.

In that case—

I finished my analysis and raised my voice.

“Radiant, take the two of them and run! Lastiara, look after Dia! Hein, follow them and provide escort! I’ll be fine here alone!! This is my problem!!”

If anything happened to Dia and Lastiara, everything would be ruined. For now, my priority was getting them away.

“What—?! Christ, I’m fighting too!!”

Lastiara shouted while applying healing magic to Dia. But immediately after, she clutched her head and stumbled. No matter how you looked at it, she wasn’t fit for combat. She would only be a hindrance. Honestly, if Palinchron took her hostage, it would be a worst-case scenario.

Hein, with a grimace, glared at Palinchron but silently dashed toward Radiant.

Radiant must have reached the same conclusion as I had. She pierced my eyes with her sharp, wolf-like gaze and bowed her head once. Then, with Hein on her back, the four of them stayed close and began to run to leave this place.

“Sera! Wait! Don’t leave Christ behind! Seraaaaa—!!”

Ignoring Lastiara’s command to stop, Radiant led everyone away.

And so, I was left alone, caught between the enemies.

Seeing this, Palinchron looked impressed.

“Quick judgment. About as close to the right answer as you can get. Lady Alti, I’m going to go after those four, that’s fine with you, right? I’m the only one who can mobilize the Wald soldiers.”

“Yes, you may do that.”

“Well then, I’m off—”

Palinchron turned to run as he said, but Alti called his name to stop him.

“—Palinchron.”

“Hm? What is it, Lady Alti? If I don’t hurry, I’ll lose sight of them.”

Palinchron stopped and pointed in the direction Radiant and the others had gone. In response, Alti slowly closed her eyes.

“Palinchron, blessings upon your life…”

She offered a prayer, looking like a sister of the church.

“Hah? That’s not like you, Lady. A blessing?”

I was bewildered by Alti’s sudden prayer. But Palinchron looked even more perplexed than I was.

“Please forgive us, the pathetic ones who forced a mission upon you, a mere human. Therefore, let me pray for the last Guardian living in the modern era: Palinchron Legacy…”

Leaving us in our confusion, Alti prayed. The prayer, so out of place for the situation, shrouded the area in silence for a few moments.

“Haha. I’m just doing what I want to do…”

With Palinchron’s retort, the silence was broken. He dashed off without looking back, and Alti watched him go with an expressionless gaze.

Thus, only Alti and I remained on the field—along with Maria, who stood with her head bowed and eyes hollow. Just the three of us.

Alti confirmed this and snapped her fingers.

At that instant, the roaring flames intensified, spreading to every corner of the hill until the entire area was engulfed. It was the very image of the Labyrinth’s 10th floor. Fires fierce enough to make Alti’s claim that “this is the 10th floor” believable surrounded us.

“Well then, let us begin… and let my long-cherished wish be fulfilled…”

Alti whispered with a solemn look. I focused on the two of them, bracing for the start.

Simultaneously, I gathered information on our surroundings. Encircled by fire, there was no escape. Ideally, I wanted to take Maria and catch up to Radiant. However, escaping would be difficult without defeating the Guardian before me. More importantly, given the ‘Condition’ on Maria’s status, the likelihood of her coming along quietly was low.

I glared at my enemy, Alti, for one final confirmation.

“Alti, was this your goal all along…?”

“Yes. This place, this moment… this is my long-cherished wish…”

Alti spread her arms wide as she spoke. This situation. This disaster is her wish. Which means—

“So killing me was your goal…? That ‘fulfillment of love’ was a lie, and you’ve been deceiving me this whole time…!”

“No, the ‘fulfillment of love’ is no lie. I didn’t intend to deceive you. If Maria’s love is realized, I will undoubtedly lose my power and vanish.”

Alti and I exchanged words flatly.

“—Therefore, no matter how this turns out, I will likely disappear here today.”

At the end, Alti spoke of her own death with total indifference. I couldn’t hide my agitation and threw my raw questions at her.

“…?! I don’t understand what you want to do or what you’re trying to say… What do you want from me?!”

Facing a humanoid monster who didn’t care about dying, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of rage.

“The ‘fulfillment of love.’ I want to let Maria’s ‘tragic love’ be realized.”

“A ‘tragic love’…?”

Alti had rephrased love as a ‘tragic love’. I asked back, not understanding the distinction.

“Maria’s love is a ‘tragic love’… a love for which a sad ending has already been decided. Our ‘eyes’ can see that. I want to fulfill it. If I don’t, I won’t be able to rest even in death.”

“I still don’t get it…! I don’t understand a word you’re saying…!!”

“Retiring because your love was defeated? Giving up because it’s a hopeless love? Impossible. Love is not such a thing. Love is something more helpless, something that makes you go mad. If you cannot reach them, life has no meaning. That is why I want a double suicide. I want to seize them even if I have to kill them. I cannot choose my means. I cannot stay sane. That—that alone, that tragic love… is true love!”

Alti declared this abnormal love as if it were a universal truth. Her expression had changed; the mask of indifference crumbled, her face twisting as if to vomit out the passion burning inside her.

I took a single step back from the sheer force of her spirit. To my retreat, Alti continued:

“Maria deserves to have her ‘tragic love’ fulfilled. More than anyone…”

Alti stroked Maria’s head, her expression softening. Every movement of her hand showed her deep affection for Maria. It was clear that Alti cared for Maria more than anyone—even more than I did.

Then, Alti’s face hardened into a serious glare.

“That is why, Christ, today you will become Maria’s. Even if that means an eternity achieved by dying together… I will gladly see it fulfilled! And then I, too, will vanish. Even if all three of us die here, I am fine with that…!!”

Alti stated it clearly. To make me Maria’s. That was the goal, the ‘Trial.’ She had prepared this stage specifically for that. She said it all, plain as day.

“For… for something like that…? You broke Maria’s mind for something like that…?”

I didn’t want to admit it. Her goal, her methods, this stage—I wanted to reject it all. Right now, I can’t forgive anyone who toys with a heart for their own convenience. And Alti’s methods were exactly that.

“Something like that…? Yes, ‘something like that.’ When I was alive, I couldn’t even do that much. It is my greatest regret! Even if I tear my throat or rip open my chest, this maddening regret continues to torment me! At that time, I could do nothing and was left behind! My beloved surely found happiness with someone I didn’t know, in a place I didn’t know! I regretted it until the day I died! I regretted it until I died, and I still regret it even after death! That is why I will see it fulfilled! Through Maria, this time, I will fulfill my tragic love as well!!”

Alti made the flames roar fiercely, expressing the emotions inside her.

“Don’t drag Maria into your selfish business!! Solve it on your own! That’s no excuse to mess with someone’s heart!”

No matter what emotions lurked inside Alti, they had nothing to do with Maria. I could never accept Alti trying to use Maria to settle her own emotional debts.

I looked at Maria. She was there, eyes hollow, staring at the ground and muttering. Just like the skill ‘???’, the act of manipulating a heart was unforgivable…!!

“I only made Maria’s heart honest… This is the truth. I only taught her her true desires, the true flames of love! This is her correct form!!”

“That’s what I mean by saying you broke her! As if it’s normal for people to be ‘honest’ all the time!”

By now, the talking was over. It was just an argument. While denying each other, both Alti and I were converting our inner emotions into mana, constructing our magic. We both knew the battle was inevitable.

I was the first to complete my spell. Leveling my sword, I unleashed my magic. The absolute peak of my power, which I had held back even during Lastiara’s rescue.

A true magical winter.

I deployed winter across the entire flaming hill, while deploying dimensional magic within the reach of my blade. A double magical circle was constructed, and mana snow began to fall upon the raging fires of the hill.

The world of winter overlapped with the world of flame—

“I knew it… I knew it! You’re just like Teida!! You are an enemy, Alti! —Magic, 《Dimension: Glaciate》! Magic, 《Dimension Winter (Di-Winter)》!!”

In response, Alti began to wrap Maria in a gentle magic overflowing from her hands. A pillar of fantastically glowing flame—neither red, yellow, nor blue—rose above their heads. The rising fire scattered in the sky, raining down flakes of flame.

“Christ, you remind me of the past! The past! That silhouette brings back memories of before! Only by defeating you can my tragic love finally be fulfilled! —Magic, 《Flame: Glaciate》! Magic, 《Incandescent World (In-Cades-Blazer)》!!”

In the overlapping worlds, red and white snow—Tear-lay—fell.

They were strikingly similar. Curiously, both our ultimate secrets were the same type of magic. I didn’t know why. It was a coincidence too perfect to be mere chance, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

I sensed the heat waves from Alti’s unique magic and heightened my guard. Naturally, I kept up the interference with my 《Dimension Winter》, but against Alti’s massive mana, it seemed to be having no effect.

“Now, wake up… Maria. Just a little more, and your love will be fulfilled. You can be happy.”

Alti whispered in Maria’s ear. Slowly, Maria lifted her head and stared at me. Her eyes were hollow. Worse than when she was a slave. They were the eyes of someone who had despaired of everything.

I glared at Alti, the one responsible for dragging her down there. Alti glared back with the flames of madness burning in her eyes and whispered:

“Here I come, Christ. Regret the fact that you didn’t choose the girl—until the day you die.”

“As if I care, Monster. —Regret it alone, and vanish alone.”

With that signal, I dashed forward.

Now. The Tenth Trial by The One Who Steals the Principle of Fire has begun.