Most of the wards that supported the void labyrinth disappeared.
　It was fortunate that the wards didn't disappear immediately, perhaps to evacuate the demon race inside.

　It would only be a little over fifteen minutes before the labyrinth would crush the great forest.
　It was impossible to evacuate the sub-humans, but we could do something about the labyrinth.
　If we can get right underneath the labyrinth, it will only take us two minutes to clear it.
　If Elfie and I give it our all, we should be able to blow the labyrinth, which has lost its wards, to pieces.
　There will be some debris flying around, but we'll let the wards protecting the great forest prevent that from happening.

''Iori, I can see Verdia-chan. We'll be here in three minutes.

Okay.

　While I'm processing Hilde-Garda, I'm calling Berdia here.
　With Berdia's flight speed, they should be able to get down there faster than the labyrinth falls.
　Even taking into account the fact that there are more people than we are going, Elfi had also drummed up that it would be fine.

'...... But you didn't have your body after all, did you?'

'They must have feared that the labyrinth would be dropped, so they moved it. They'll take care of the trouble.

　There was no 'heart' of Elfi in the void labyrinth.
　I searched every corner, but I only found the residue of the wards that would have sealed the 'heart'.
　Unfortunately, Elfie couldn't return to his full body.

　Having said that, so did my heroic power.
　Even after absorbing the last labyrinth core, the power of his prime had not returned.
　Apparently, the use of mind-image magic is mandatory.
　Well, I was ...... expecting it.
　It helped me get my revenge on Hilde Garda, so let's call it good.

It's just a matter of time. We'll just have to divide it up there. More importantly, Iori.

　Elfi turned his gaze to one corner of the room.
　There, Lucifina was leaning against the wall, unconscious.
　After taking a shot at Hilde Garda, she had immediately passed out.
　I've already confirmed that her body is not unwell.
　The wounds were also healed with healing magic.

''I'll take the sub-human who was held hostage. Iori, take care of that half-elf.

　With that, Elfi took the three sub-humans into a light embrace.
　Realizing that they were being taken care of, he gave a small thank you and headed down to Lucifina.
　I don't have a face to match, I thought to myself.

◆

............

　He turned his gaze to Lucifina.
　Lucifina's appearance, which had lost consciousness, hadn't changed much from thirty years ago.
　It's probably because she has inherited the blood of a fairy species (elf) that has a much longer life span than humans.

　Nope.

'...... a little bit, has your hair grown out?'

　Her blonde hair, tied up in strings, shines in the light from outside.
　Thirty years later, I still think it's beautiful.
　So I was sad.

'Iori-san ......?'

　I guess I heard myself talking to myself, and in a snatched voice, Lucifina called my name.
　Slowly, my eyelids opened and our eyes met with silver eyes.

'Are you done ......?'

.......　Yeah, I got him down. I'll be fine.

　I suppressed the emotions flooding in from within and answered in an overwrought voice.

'So ......?'

　Lucifina's voice seemed to take her breath away.
　It sounded like she was waking up from a long dream, still stranded in a dream.
　That made me feel strangely uneasy, and I took Lucifina's hand.
　It's not a dream, to tell her that it's not a dream, it's reality.

''--ah.''

　My eyes widen and Lucifina drops her gaze to my hand.
　Narrowing her eyes as if to endure something, Lucifina tries to say something.
　But she looks at me, unable to look directly at Lucifina, and she swallows the words as she looks at me in silence.

　Then she said in a slightly trembling voice.

'...... Iori-san is still very kind, isn't she?'

　White, thin fingers slowly clenched back.
　I couldn't see Lucifina's eyes at the sound of her voice, which was the same as it was thirty years ago.

''Oh, I'm .......''

　I can't get the earlier words out of my throat.
　I have no right to ask Lucifina to say such things.
　Because I hated Lucifina so much that I was going to kill her miserably not long ago.

'I ...... believed it. That Iori would find me one day.

　Squeezing my hand tightly as I fell silent, Lucifina said.

'I didn't ...... believe you,'

　Lucifina's words pierced my heart.

　I didn't understand the meaning of Lucifina's words that night.　
　I was so focused on the idea of being betrayed that I forgot about everything else.

I was trying to get revenge on Lucifina all the way to ....... Lucifina was cheating on me all the time, taunting me, betraying me, or so I thought. ...... I couldn't trust Lucifina.

　For thirty years, all the time, Lucifina had been suffering.
　And yet, he didn't care about it and continued to hate Lucifina.
　Thinking about the weight of thirty years made me want to throw up.

'No,'

　Lucifina shook her head slowly.

'Suspicious, angry - and yet, Iori-san found me.

But...

Iori said that Lucifina isn't as good as you.

　Straight up, Lucifina looks into my eyes and says.

'The only way I could save the three people who were being held hostage was for me to break her possession. If I hadn't woken up, I wouldn't have been able to save the hostages. Doesn't it make a difference?

It's .......

　We have been able to counter the demons surrounding the great forest.
　We've also been able to counter the spies that have blended in with the sub-humans.
　I've also prepared ways to wake up Lucifina, who's possessed and sleeping.

　But there was nothing I could do to save the last three hostages.
　No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find a reliable way to save the hostages in Hilde Garda's hands.
　And there was also no surefire way for Lucifina to regain control of the body when she woke up.　　

　So I went to .......

'See?　You trusted me to win, Iori-san, didn't you?

----

That's what I was more than happy to do .......

　Lucifina smiled at that, with transparent drops pooling in her silver eyes.　
　...... You can't say anything if you say it like that.

　Swallowing the words, he gripped Lucifina's hand tightly once more.
　With my empty hand, I wipe the drops that are about to spill out.

　Then, while we stare at each other for a while.

''Iori!　Little Verdia is here.

　Elfi called from behind me and I stood up.

'Can you stand?'

Yes. I'm fine.

　He pulled Lucifina's hand and made her stand up.
　Then I handed the 'Tenri Sword' that I had retrieved to Lucifina.
　Supporting my wobbly body, we both head down to Elfie's.

''I'm glad you're ...... safe.''

　Berdia had already arrived and said so when she saw me.
　I wonder if Elfi said it first, and she doesn't act surprised when she sees Lucifina's appearance.

'The fall of the labyrinth is about to begin. Let's go down quickly.''

　With that, Elfie, holding the three hostages, jumped on Berdia's back.
　Let's get on as fast as we can, too.
　I pulled away from Lucifina's hand and tried to head down to Berdia, but

...... Lucifina?

　On the way, Lucifina stopped.

''You're going to go down there now and destroy the Void Labyrinth with the two of you, right?

...... Yeah, yeah. So let's get going.

　Lucifina shook her head and said.

'I can't go down there,'

You're not going to be able to do that.

''Hilde Garda has built the lower part of the labyrinth sturdy enough to withstand an attack from below. Enough to withstand the slash of the 'Tenri Sword' from below. Besides, there is a mechanism in case it is destroyed. The moment it shatters, a lot of magic will rain down below.

　Lucifina tells me quietly as she slowly unwraps my hands.

'This void labyrinth was created by Hilde Garda with my body in the last thirty years. So I can understand. Even with the power of Iori-san and the others, we can't completely protect the great forest.

Even if it's ......, that's no reason why Lucifina can't go with us.

　I already knew.
　At least I knew what Lucifina was thinking.

'There's a surefire way. The Void Labyrinth is resistant to attacks from below. Even if it is destroyed, the magic will still rain down below. But an attack from within is different. If you attack from within, you can destroy everything in the labyrinth without activating the magic that's being planted,''

　Saying that, Lucifina drops her gaze to the 'Tenri Sword'.

''If you draw the power of the 'Tenri Sword' to the limit, it is possible. For once, it can unleash a blow more powerful than Iori-san's magic or Elfiszak-san's magical eye.

Does that mean you're going to use 'break magic' in The Tenri Sword?

　Lucifina nodded in response to Elfi's question.
The Tenri Sword has the power to instantly double the magic power that has been poured into it.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.
　Lucifina said.

''No. If you do that, you won't get away with it either.

'It's fine. It's just that this is something I have to do.

　Lucifina shakes her head as if to cover me who answers immediately.

''It's a surefire way to protect the people below.

　Lucifina is telling the truth.
　Hilde Garda was probably prepared for someone like me and Elfi to attack from below.
　They must have thought about what would happen when they broke through those preparations.
　And the surest way to break through those traps would be to destroy them from the inside.

　This guy always does that.
　He is willing to sacrifice himself in order to help someone else.

'Just because it's a sure thing!　How am I supposed to leave you here?

I can't!　You have no right to go downstairs!

"--

　I huffed at those words.

'Are you trying to atone for your sins, ......?'

　Without nodding, Lucifina said.

'...... I became a knight because I wanted to protect many people with my hands. That desire hasn't changed even now. So, if I can save someone, I think I would like to fight to the very end.

............

...... and yet these hands have taken the lives of so many people. How many people do you think I've put my hands on in the last thirty years?　It's not ten or twenty. Hundreds, I've killed. I have stabbed many of them in the back and hung them on my hands in derision. I have killed innocent people with my body.

No, it wasn't. It was Hilde Garda. It wasn't you.

'No, sir. If I had not been possessed by Hilde Garda that night, none of this would have happened. If I had a strong will, I might have been able to escape from Hilde Garda's possession on my own. It was all due to my weakness.

　So I must be punished.
　I don't have the right to go somewhere with Iori and enjoy the happiness.
　So here, I dedicate myself to protecting the Great Forest,
　Lucifina said.

　...... Oh, yes.
　It was natural for Lucifina to think about such things without having to think about it.
　More than anyone else, Lucifina had tried to save someone else, and she had killed a lot of people by her own hand.
　How could she not feel guilty?

　The reason why Lucifina has been able to keep her sanity for the past thirty years is partly because she believed in me.
　But that's not all.
　I had to atone for my sins, and my guilt wouldn't allow me to lose my sanity.

'...... Don't be silly,'

　I was so angry, my mind was almost white.
　I couldn't help it, I was angry.

　At Lucifina, who felt guilty and was about to die.
　At Hilde Garda for holding her accountable.
　And to myself, for not being able to help her until now.

"That makes me culpable, too. I didn't know you were possessed by Hilde Garda. I didn't realize the meaning of Lucifina's words that night. If I had realized, none of this would have happened.

....... It's not!

No different. Besides, you've been suffering ever since you were possessed. You've been shown hell all the time. If you say Lucifina is guilty of this, then you've been punished enough already!

　Lucifina Emilior is self-punishing.
　Her village has burned down, her family has died, and she has always been concerned that she is the only one who survived.
　She is convinced that because she has lived, she must save someone else instead.
　No matter how many times she denied that was not the case, Lucifina couldn't change that way of being.
I'm not sure how much I'm willing to hurt myself in order to save someone else," she thinks easily.

　That's why I decided to protect Lucifina.

'I know. I know that Lucifina was kinder than anyone else, and she was always willing to fight for someone else. You're the one who's finally free of hell!　I will never admit to dying here!

I've killed a lot of people!　Besides, I deliberately attacked and killed Dionis-san and the people Iori had been trying so hard to help on the journey!　He didn't even stop Mr. Dionis and killed them with a sneer as they shed tears of 'why'!

'It was Hilde Garda and Dionis who did that!　They've already been punished!　And you've already been punished!　And that's the end of the story!　You don't have to suffer anymore: ......!

　Choked on the words, Lucifina's body shook.
　Then she said as she squeezed out.

'Why do you say it like that?　I am ...... I killed Iori-san, didn't I?

----

　The words were out of context, like a rehash of what I said earlier.
　The reason for staying in the labyrinth had nothing to do with the fact that you killed me.
　But those words made sense to me.

　Earlier, when I had first held her hand, Lucifina had been surprised.
　She let out a small voice and looked at my hand, stunned.
　She was about to say something, but when she saw me, she shut her mouth.

　--Lucifina was the same as me.

　She betrayed me in her state of possession by Hilde Garda.
　In the Abominable Light Labyrinth, she taunted me with words from her past.
　In front of Gracia's fort, he used the 'Tenri Sword' repeatedly to try to kill me.

　Lucifina was concerned about that.
　She felt guilty that she didn't have a face to match me.

　Just like I cared that I couldn't trust Lucifina.
　Lucifina cared that she betrayed me, too.

　I kept my mouth shut and hid my guilt because I looked so terrible.
　Lucifina was looking out for me.
　I didn't even notice that, I was .......

'I can't get Iori's face out of my head. I can't forget Iori-san who was betrayed by us and died with tears in her eyes ......!

　Large tears poured out of Lucifina's eyes as she repeated her breathing with a rough breath.

''How can you be ...... from a different world. I told Iori-san, who has been fighting all the time to save this world, that I was impudent!　And yet, Iori-san is so kind. You held my hand!　...... How can I be allowed to feel happy like this!

　Lucifina is strong.
　She's probably a lot stronger than I am.
　So she's more vulnerable than anyone, more fragile than anyone.

"I don't hate Lucifina. I'm not angry at her. And I'm not nice, you know. If Lucifina feels that way about me, it's because Lucifina is ...... someone who means a lot to me.

　The words came naturally from my mouth when I wanted to protect them.

'We all have things that are out of our reach. It would be arrogant to feel responsible for that.

............

That's from the guy I trust most in the world. ...... I couldn't trust Lucifina, and maybe that's not the word I would have used if I'd been so bothered, but I don't think I could have helped it. Hilde Garda was ready and willing to take over Lucifina from the beginning. There was nothing Lucifina could do about it at that point.

That can be done at ......!

You care about it. It's good to be concerned about it. --You're not a bad person.

　Elfie was the first thing he said to me.
　At that time, these were the words I wanted him to say the most.

　It's because it's Elfi's words that I trust the most that I could say to Lucifina.

"I ...... ha. I betrayed Iori-san.

Lucifina didn't betray me.

Iori-san. ...... I hurt her!

Lucifina didn't hurt me.

That was a terrible thing to say to Iori-san!

''Lucifina didn't do anything wrong!''

　I tell her, staring into her silver eyes.

Listen.

----

'Everyone in the world says you're bad, and Lucifina herself admits it!　I'll deny you all that!　I've been fighting next to you for a long time, and I--Iori Amatsuki Iori will prove Lucifina's innocence.

----

'If Lucifina says she can't bear the guilt, then I'll stand by you. Lucifina's guilt, her guilt, her burden, all of it!　I've got your back!

----

　I don't know if that's an unusual word.
　I was consumed by vengeance, and I couldn't say those words.
　Still, I remembered that there was a hero (idiot) who would say these stupid things.
　Even if I was an idiot, if I could save Lucifina, it seemed to me that it was fine now.

''-- Lucifina can still start over.

　Betrayed, I went to hell.
　I was so disappointed in the world, so disappointed in myself that I couldn't think of anything but revenge.
　And yet, I'm here now.
　I'm here to get revenge and move on again.

　I'm the one who can start over.
　There's no reason why Lucifina can't start over.

"Surely you must destroy the maze from within. You're right. But who the f*ck do you think I am?

----

'I have the power of the 'proof of valor'. It's not a contrivance to destroy this labyrinth. If that's not enough, then I have Elfi. This guy is a former Demon King. He's the kind of guy who could take out three demon general-class enemies and still have some power left. Hilde Garda's trap?　We'll smash that stuff right in front of you.

----

As if that weren't enough. --Lucifina will help you.

　Maybe it can't be just me.
　It might not be just me and Elfie.
　Then you've got Lucifina.

'I told you thirty years ago. She doesn't need to be the only one getting hurt. Lucifina doesn't need to fight alone. I'm here to help Rucifina.

Mr. Iori.

If you're still unreliable, then you have Lucifina to back you up.

　Lucifina looks down and shakes her shoulders.

"You have to help me, Lucifina. I'll help you, too, Lucifina.

Huh.

　Lucifina makes a small throaty sound.
　Like a dam, large tears spill out of her silver eyes.

'Even if I'm like this, will you support me ......?

That's why I want to support you, Lucifina.

　He holds out his hand to Lucifina.

'--so come with me.

Uh-uh.

　Sobbing and shaking all over, Lucifina bursts into tears.
　Her face crumples up into a crumpled mess.

Yes.

　Lucifina accepts my words.
　Lucifina reaches out for the hand I offered her.
　I thought I was truly reunited with Lucifina after thirty years.

　Lucifina's trembling hand grabs mine.

　Just before that.


I'm not going to be able to get rid of the fact that you have been killing innocent people with your hands no matter how you embellish your words.


　I heard a voice.
　For a moment I thought it was Elfi saying that.
　That's how much the voice sounded like Elfie.

　The difference was that the voice was chillingly cold, to the point of bottoming out.
　And impossibly, impossibly malicious.

'----'

　There was a bash, a damp sound.
　A red flower bloomed in full view.
　The right hand that Lucifina was holding out was gone entirely from her shoulder.

''--ah.''

　Lucifina's body flew through the air and fell to the ground.
The 'Tenri Sword' left her hand and flew to the corner of the room.

''Lucifina!''

　Almost at the same time as I run up to the fallen Lucifina.

Why ....... Why are you here!

　I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what to expect.
　I'm not going to be able to get to the point where I'm speechless looking up at the end of Elfi's gaze.
　Someone is standing on the roof of the half-destroyed labyrinth, looking down on us.

　I knew that guy.
　It was someone I hadn't expected to see at all.
　I had only met him once, but he was someone I would never forget.

　Silver hair that draped over his shoulders, golden eyes with mockery in them.
　The jet-black twin horns sprouting from his head.
　The jet-black robe that covered his entire body.

　It is.
　It is.

"You are the ----


　--It was Ortegia van Zahlefeld, the "Demon King".