Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139844414118669/episodes/822139846481704239
A quiet atmosphere hung in the principal’s office.
Seated behind a heavy desk, Dietrich’s gaze fell upon the report spread out before him. After a moment, he turned a page and spoke.
“First of all—you did well.”
Lifting his head, he spoke in a low, calm voice; his expression seemed, if only slightly, softer.
“Conquering the Primordial Labyrinth this time must have been a grueling battle for every team. Despite that, many students were able to return to the academy on their own two feet. —There could be no more gratifying result than that.”
After saying that, Dietrich paused for a moment.
His gentle gaze turned first toward Elisia.
“Elisia Ravenhart. I have already reviewed your team’s report. Maintaining the front lines, evacuating the wounded, the decision to retreat—all were handled with composure. You performed admirably as Student Council President.”
“Thank you.”
Straightening her back, Elisia gave a brief bow.
After watching her, Dietrich’s gaze slowly shifted toward me.
“And—Rai Arkberg.”
Hearing my name called, I straightened my posture as well.
“Your efforts to keep the labyrinth’s attention focused on you as a decoy also contributed greatly to this outcome. —To be honest, I couldn’t fully agree with that strategy until the very end, but as a result, many students were able to act while avoiding excessive combat…”
I gave a brief nod, and he said,
“Well done.”
“Thank you.”
“…However, according to the report, it seems you descended all the way to the innermost chamber containing the core.”
Dietrich’s gaze grew sharp, as if reproaching me.
The gentle atmosphere from just moments ago tightened ever so slightly. …Unless I’m imagining things, I feel a mysterious pressure emanating from Elisia beside me as well.
“I made it to the very entrance of the innermost chamber. I couldn’t go any further because the labyrinth’s resistance was too strong.”
The scene from that time flashed through his mind.
Naturally, the deeper one goes into the labyrinth, the more intense the interference becomes.
Both the number and quality of monsters clearly change. And that was true even when the ‘Alert Level System’ was in full force.
As the alert level rises, the appearance rate of powerful monsters skyrockets.
Furthermore, as the layers grow deeper, the base stats of the monsters themselves increase.
If the labyrinth grows more wary of me the deeper I go and sends stronger monsters my way, then there’s no reason not to advance. That’s precisely why I pressed on deeper.
The more the labyrinth’s vigilance intensifies, the more its combat power concentrates on the greatest threat.
To make it direct all its firepower at me.
And so, I arrived at that very door that appeared in the game.
(Well, as it turned out, the door didn’t open for me…)
No matter how hard I unleashed the most powerful magic I possessed, or how hard I punched it with my enhanced fists.
The sturdy door refused to budge. With each impact, a dull thud echoed through the labyrinth, creating only a large dent in the thick surface of the door. That was all.
There was no sign of it breaking, nor any sign of it opening. As I stood there helpless, unable to do anything but stare, the design carved into the door—which looked almost like an eye—…
[I won’t let you, of all people, go any further.]
I still remember how it looked down at me with such loathing, as if mocking me, as if to say exactly that. …No matter what I did, the door wouldn’t open. Now that I knew that, there was nothing left for me to do there.
In the end, I turned back and ended up in a fierce battle with monsters somewhere around the middle levels.
“…I see.”
Muttering briefly, Dietrich let out a small sigh.
Keeping his reproachful gaze fixed on me, he leaned back against the chair’s backrest.
“There’s no need to force your way through the levels. I should have told you to stop at a certain point and defend your position there—but…”
His voice was quiet. He wasn’t raising his voice, nor was there any anger in it.
But those calm words cut deep into my heart.
I instinctively looked away.
After all, I had effectively ignored the headmaster’s instructions.
(……I have no reply.)
It was my decision.
I knew from the start that the deeper I went into the labyrinth, the greater the danger would become. I pressed on anyway because, at that moment, it seemed the most rational course of action.
To draw the labyrinth’s full attention toward us.
To do that, I couldn’t afford to stop halfway.
If I ever find myself in the same situation again—
(……I’d probably do the same thing again.)
Though I thought that to myself, I wasn’t insensitive enough to say it out loud.
A brief silence filled the room. Dietrich stared intently at me, but eventually let out a small sigh.
“……From now on, you should value your own life a little more.”
He spoke in a tone that sounded less like a reprimand and more like genuine concern.
“……Yes.”
I replied briefly, and he gave a slight nod.
As if to signal that the conversation was over, he turned his gaze back to the report and flipped a page. The rustling of paper echoed faintly in the quiet room.
“According to the records, the Primordial Labyrinth, once its core has been destroyed, will show no major activity for a while. It’s believed this is so it can reorganize its internal structure and the placement of its monsters, but…”
He paused there, letting a moment pass before continuing.
“For at least a month, the Labyrinth is unlikely to bare its fangs.”
Beside him, Elisia let out a soft sigh.
It was as if the tension that had been building had eased just a little.
“The medical wing is at full capacity, and we’re severely short-staffed in healing mages. It will take time to rebuild our forces and restock our supplies.”
Dietrich continued, his gaze fixed on the report.
“At least, we’ve been granted that breathing room…”
I nodded at his words.
During this period when the Primordial Labyrinth has calmed down, this time was crucial for ‘CHOICE//MAZE’.
A brief window of preparation before the labyrinth bares its fangs again.
There was much that could be done during this time.
Learning new techniques under a teacher. Diving into other labyrinths to devote time to self-improvement.
Stopping by the workshop district—where experts from every field gathered—to prepare equipment, magical tools, and items, among other things.
And—who to spend that time with.
That, too, was one of the crucial choices during this period.
(……In short, it’s a period of free action.)
How you spend this month will greatly affect the difficulty of the next dungeon’s conquest.
However, be careful not to get too carried away and level up far beyond the recommended level, or you’ll trigger the “Alert Level System.”
Not too strong, not too weak. This is a period that requires such exquisite balance.
“Now then—there’s one more thing I’d like to confirm.”
While I was lost in thought, Dietrich’s gaze turned toward me once more.
“It’s about the girl discovered at the deepest part of the labyrinth…”
At those words, Elisia straightened her posture slightly.
“According to the report, that girl was engaged in combat with a monster at the deepest part of the labyrinth, wasn’t she?”
“Yes. …By the time we arrived, the battle was already underway.”
Elisia continued quietly.
“The girl was fighting a monster in the deepest chamber, but she lost consciousness immediately after we arrived, struck by its attack. —After that, we defeated the monster and rescued her.”
Dietrich remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the report.
“……I see.”
He turned a page of the report.
“As for the girl’s condition—she is currently being treated in the infirmary. She has several injuries, but her life is not in danger. However… I’m told she hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”
Beside him, Elisia furrowed her brow slightly.
Dietrich tapped the edge of the report lightly with his fingertip.
“We’re currently verifying her identity, but there’s no matching entry in the academy’s student roster. We’re proceeding with the investigation on the assumption that she’s either an outsider or… has some connection to the Primordial Labyrinth.”
Dietrich’s words were cautious, but he couldn’t fully hide the underlying wariness.
(…Well, I suppose that makes sense.)
An unidentified girl discovered at the very depths of the labyrinth.
It was no wonder the academy was on high alert.
But to me, it wasn’t particularly surprising.
Because her existence was one of the events already programmed into the game.
Yu would engage monsters in the vast hall at the deepest part of the Labyrinth and rescue her after she fainted during the battle. I’d thought my meddling might drastically alter the flow of events, but it seems things went smoothly after all.
“As soon as she regains consciousness, we’ll need to hear her side of the story. For that reason, we plan to keep her under our care in the infirmary for the time being.”
Dietrich looked up at that point.
“Normally, we’d restrict contact with individuals whose identities are unknown… but since you were the ones who rescued her, I’ll allow you to go check on her.”
After saying this in a calm voice, Dietrich lowered his gaze back to the report.
“Of course, I won’t force you. You should prioritize getting some rest right now.”
“…Yes.”
Elisia gave a slight nod.
And with that, the report in the principal’s office seemed to be over.
The tense atmosphere finally eased slightly.
(……The infirmary, huh?)
That girl is there right now.
If things follow the same pattern as the game, the story should move on to the next stage soon. And naturally, I won’t be the one at the center of it.
—It’ll be Yu.
In the midday light streaming through the principal’s office window, I exhaled quietly.
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