If there really is a World Tree at the end of this maze, we need to be extremely careful.
“Furutsu, what’s wrong?” Grida asked.
Be careful. The term “sandworm” is safe. That’s fine. However! A labyrinth with a World Tree is no good. Shortening this or changing its phrasing in any way will leave us a little too close to a certain game series on a dual screen, and we’ll be in hot water in terms of copyright. Those two words should never be used in the same sentence!
“Huh?! That sounds terrifying.”
Exactly. The real world is indeed terrifying. An “I didn’t know” won’t cut it. Remember those gerugere things that looked like cats? Just one letter difference and it’ll resemble a particular list of names given to a certain hero in an RPG classic.
“Apple-san? Why are you trembling?” Datil asked.
“Datil, it’s trying to be meta right now. We should just act like nothing’s happening,” Fresa replied.
Hey, stop it you guys! Ahem, moving on! How dare you, Gruszka!
“We completely let our guards down. He certainly isn’t a chief for nothing.”
“Hey, stop admiring him, Datil!”
Gruszka had acted obedient and led us into the deepest area of the ruins. The moment we’d all stepped foot into the entrance of the labyrinth, however, he sprang his traps.
“A trap that forcibly pushes people from the entrance into the labyrinth... Who would’ve thought?” Datil said.
As it happens, a number of traps had been activated. From arrows to spears to giant logs, a multitude of weapons flew out toward us. In addition, the magic seal on the ground transformed into a moving walkway like you’d see at an airport, guiding us toward the labyrinth with amazing speed. In the next moment, the entrance had automatically shut, with us inside.
“We were too focused on the entrance, weren’t we?” Fresa said.
“You were too focused on the jewels embedded in the entrance, weren’t you?”
Yeah. Your eyes had this air of intensity, and you had an...interesting expression on your face.
“Heeey! Be quiet, Datil-san! You too, Apple-san!” she pouted.
I didn’t say anything. Verbally, at least.
“In any case, this is kind of bad, isn’t it?” Datil remarked.
“Right. I thought only one person could enter at a time. All three of us are here.”
Yeah, we’ve got Fresa, Datil, and...the last person isn’t me actually.
“Why has everything gone dark? A-Are we inside the labyrinth?! Why am I with you guys?!” the bandit chief yelled.
It’s Gruszka.
“Hey, he undid the restraints on his arms!” Datil shouted.
Fresa giggled. “We really can’t keep our eyes off him. But I think Apple-san’s got the upper hand this time.”
We were in the deepest part of the ruins. Gruszka had been keeping his distance from us since we’d arrived at the labyrinth entrance, so I used my Shackle ability from the curse card to keep him close with my invisible binds. I’m glad I was able to recast this.
“I see. The shackles!” Datil said.
I guess even you can’t see them unless you’re focused.
“I was so focused on the entrance that I didn’t notice a thing,” Fresa said.
You were so focused on the jewels, weren’t you?
Ding! “The effect of Shackle has expired. Recast cooldown: 3600...3599...3598...” With a clank, the shackles released Gruszka. I needed to wait for about an hour before it could be used again.
“Why?! Why was I dragged in here too?!” Gruszka said, panicked from being suddenly yanked into a dark passageway.
“You deserve it! You never learn,” Fresa said.
Although Fresa and Datil couldn’t see as well as I could, the curse card increased their physical capabilities, allowing them to see relatively well in the dark.
“We shouldn’t be looking around aimlessly. Our heads will fall if multiple people are in here at once, right?” Datil said.
He was right; if more than two normal humans entered this labyrinth, they would die. I was able to confirm this via the mysterious voice that we’d been hearing on repeat.
Ring! Ding! “Humans have been confirmed. Welcome to Gaokerena Palace. From this room onward, we will remove all foreign objects. Please ensure that only one person at a time enters. Forcible entries will activate our self-defense mechanism which is extremely dangerous.” Ring! Ding! “Humans have been confirmed. Welcome to Gaokerena Palace. From this room onward...”
“Is this looping?” Grida asked.
Yeah. Seems like an announcement to warn any visitors, but it sounds like only you and I can hear it. Maybe only plants can pick it up?
“Gaokerena Palace? What’s a self-defense mechanism, Furutsu?”
See that door? Beyond it is a room that removes dirt, dust, mold, and germs that visitors may be bringing in. We have to enter that room one at a time. Failing to do so might confuse the system—like it thinks that not all the foreign objects were removed.
“So it cleans everything we brought from the outside world?”
That’s right, clever girl. And if more than two people enter that door, we’re breaking the rules. To prevent anyone from bringing in any foreign objects, the visitors just get decapitated instead. That’s what they mean by self-defense mechanism.
Grida shrieked. “That’s scary!”
The people who entered this labyrinth before us weren’t able to hear this announcement, which also served as a warning. I feel like there’s no point in warning people if they can’t hear you, but there’s a good chance that the creator of this area isn’t aware of this. There’s a possibility that there are humans out there that could actually hear this announcement.
“Furutsu, so the people that entered this area two at a time are...”
Yeah. They most likely opened the door and entered the room together. Same deal if three of them got tossed in here. That’s why they were all decapitated and thrown back out.
“Okay, so what do we do with Fresa-san and the others?”
That’s the problem. We’re the only ones who can hear this warning and we don’t even have a method to convey our thoughts to them. If we don’t, their heads will roll, Gruszka’s included. Don’t be too rash, you guys.
“Should we try proceeding for now?” Datil suggested.
Huh?! Wait wait! Stop! Down!
“You’re right. There’s no sense in staying here,” Fresa agreed.
No no no! You’ll die, you know? Your heads will roll!
“Wait! What’s going on? It’s too dark for me to see!” Gruszka yelled. It seemed like he wasn’t able to see anything at all. Noticing this, Fresa reluctantly turned on her lantern. “Eek! So we really are inside the labyrinth?! If multiple people enter here, w-w-we’ll die!”
Gruszka was trembling with fear. Serves you right. I’d love to just throw you into that room alone, but...
“You’ll be fine if you stick with us. But you should cooperate,” Datil said.
Datil and Fresa won’t leave him alone; they’re too nice. There’s a good chance they’ll try to enter the room after him.
“Fresa-san, Apple-san, let’s go!”
“Yes, but let’s be careful,” she replied, nodding at Datil. She picked me up.
Wait! Don’t go! You mustn’t!
“Huuuh? Datil, I feel like Apple-san’s telling us to stay here,” she said.
“You’re right. I wonder why.”
Whew! I’m glad my thoughts are being conveyed! I don’t know how, but still!
“N-No! No way! If we stay here, we’ll die! Our heads will be gone!” Gruszka screamed as he started throwing a fit.
“Hey, calm down! Why are you suddenly being so difficult?!” Fresa yelled.
“He’s probably seen many of his subordinates die. He’s terrified that he’ll meet the same fate and is in a total state of panic!”
Gruszka wriggled out of Fresa’s grasp and dodged Datil’s arms as he rushed toward the door. As I had expected, the two started to run after him. No! All three of you will die at this rate! Why does Gruszka run so fast?!
“Stop! Calm down!” Datil yelled.
“No! We don’t know what’s up ahead!” Fresa wailed.
Gruszka wobbled around as he ran, and the two chased after him. The announcement, paying no heed to the situation, repeated itself once more as it echoed through the narrow passageway. “From this room onward, we will remove all foreign objects. Please ensure that only one person at a time enters. Forcible entries will activate our self-defense mechanism which is extremely dangerous.” Ring! Ding! “Humans have been confirmed. Welcome...”
If they heard this announcement, they would never imagine entering this room all at once, but it seems like they really can’t hear it at all.
“How about you use your shackles to stop them?” Grida suggested.
I can’t. They’re still on cooldown, and it’ll take some time before I can use them again.
Gruszka huffed. “I found it! Whew. I found a door! An exit!” He laughed while trying to catch his breath and grabbed the handle.
No! Don’t open that! It’s not an exit!
“Ah, Furutsu! Use your sleep magic!”
Oh yeah! Good thinking, Grida! Darkness from below...
Beep Beep! “Detected magic manipulation. Activating Antiphase Field. Magic will be neutralized and nullified.”
...will desire the Heavens! Wait, what did it just say?
Ding! “The spell is incomplete. Please recite the full spell to activate magic.”
My spell is incomplete? What does that mean?! Darkness from below will desire the Heavens!
Ding! “The spell is incomplete. Please recite the full spell to activate magic.”
I can’t cast anything! It said it detected magic manipulation and was activating an Antiphase Field. Does it mean I can’t use spells here?