I walked along like I was led along. But I couldn't see the future. In fact, the structure of this place is strange. I must have walked at least a kilometer. But there was no change in the structure.

　As I was thinking about it, I found something.

"...Door?

　Yes, it was a big door. And I opened the door with a bit of hesitation.

'Hey you're here.
Who are you?

　The room was simple. A desk, a chair, and a cup that was already being poured. A quick glance at it would tell me that was probably tea, but that doesn't matter right now. Are there people in this labyrinth?　And this... in the middle of nowhere...?

　A young man in appearance. Short hair, but his hair was pure white. And somehow, he looked like me. Or so I thought.

"Sit down, Elle.
How did you...?
I don't know why.

　I sat down anyway, staring at this guy. The truth is, I'm suspicious of many things, but I don't instinctively feel any hostility. That's why I decided to think about it after we'd had our conversation.

'I figured it was about time you came around.
Where am I?　How many layers of the labyrinth are there?
''Oh well you're in the middle of capturing the Sixth Labyrinth right now, aren't you?
"?　What are you doing now?　It's like I'm the one who isn't now.
That's right. In this world where this ouroboros is spinning in circles, all possibilities lie dormant.
You think the world is repeating itself over and over again?
'No, the world itself does not repeat itself. Time is a one-way street, an irreversible thing. I like the idea of a loop, but you are you. But there are possibilities in the world. Lots of possibilities. And right now, you, as a possibility, are in the middle of the Sixth Maze.
Isn't this ... in the Sixth Labyrinth?
'It's in the sixth labyrinth, but it is and it isn't. But I don't understand these words to you right now.
Then why am I in this place and having a conversation with you?
Yeah. I just wanted to tell you that.
What?
The way the world is....
What's your point?
What do you do for a living?


　Suddenly he asks me a philosophical question. But that's a given. I'm dedicated to everything I do for my crops.

"Of course, I want to spread my crops all over the world.
Yeah. That's your nature. You want to achieve it. You always wanted it and you will continue to work for it. But you see, ten years ago the world started to go mad, and I want to stop it. I want to stop it.
... doesn't ring a bell. Straight to the point.
'Yes. I want you to traverse the entire labyrinth first.
After all, there's something in the maze?
That's right. People in this world are too ignorant to begin with. We should have captured that labyrinth earlier. But no one has ever been born who can capture the labyrinth. But now they're here at last. That's what you are. You have a great gift. Having said that, you are a descendant of that family. To say it's only natural.


　That's what I remembered. Dad told me he picked me up from an orphanage. But I don't know my exact origins. I don't know my real father, and I don't know my real mother. So who am I if I think about it?

　Until now, I've only thought about the crops, and that family is the real family. Now I think that's right, but where is the person who is related to me by blood?


What is a descendant of the family?
''Well yes. Honestly, there's not a lot of information I can give you in this space. It's still pretty overwhelming, you know. But if I had to tell you one thing, I'd say you're a descendant of the original wizards.
'The wizard ... after all, magic is one of the Lost Technologies, and it has something to do with alchemy, doesn't it?
"Magic and alchemy are essentially the same. The only difference is the process of intervention. Alchemy uses the First Quality, the Primamateria, while magic uses the Akashic Materia, the First Quality.
The Akashic materia...?
"You alchemists seem to think that the First Quality, Primamateria, is the root of everything, but in fact the Akashic Materia, the First Quality, is the root of the world. All is one, and one is all. The only thing that makes it so is the Akashic Materia, the First Zero Material. All wizards use the Akashic Materia without exception. And it makes all phenomena possible. This labyrinth is also a product of magic.
I knew it. I was right about that but I don't know what to do. I've learned about the magic, but what can I do? But what can I do?　Being a descendant of wizards, I have a high aptitude for alchemy. I can understand. But what's beyond trudging through the labyrinth?
'I can't tell you now. You don't deserve it yet. It's not really possible that I'm meeting you now," he said, "but I had to do it this way to get ahead of them. But I had to do this to outsmart them.
"They?
There's a group of people called the Phanaticos. Their goals are different from ours. They have different goals and we have to keep each other in check. In the future, you will also meet the Phanaticos, the truth-seekers.
"...come to think of it, are you on my side?　Aren't those truth-seekers, Fanaticus, more sane?
'No, they live in a crazy world. They will do everything wrong to prove the existence of God. You know, you know what they are, the mystics.
Are you saying that the mystics are related to the Phanaticus, the seeker of truth?
It's more like a sub-organization of the Phanaticus, the Truth Seekers. They want to put God down in this world and then create a new world beyond the proof. If they get into the labyrinth, they have a problem. That's because there are certain secrets in this labyrinth. Besides, I know you've already fought them, but the demonic anomalies in the world are also artificially caused by the Phanaticus, the truth-seekers, who are using humans as test subjects. They are experimenting on humans. You will know, in the depths of this sixth labyrinth, the result of their atrocious experiments.
....


　I have to admit, there's a part of me that doesn't follow the story that's too outlandish. But I've met someone I don't understand from that transition and am talking to this way, and I don't think this guy is lying to me on purpose. It's dangerous to try to believe it, but I actually thought there was something in the labyrinth to begin with. It doesn't change my purpose now. Besides, the word that I'm a descendant of wizards bothers me. It's because it brings me one step closer to my roots.

　Furthermore, it seems that there is something in the deepest part of the sixth labyrinth. Something from that truth-seeker, Fanaticus, or something like that.

"Hey.......who am I.......
I'm sorry. It's like time. We can't keep this space any longer. Elle, you are going to traverse the entire labyrinth. And then you will find the truth of this labyrinth. And then you will find your way to the truth. I believe you will.
Hey, I'll tell you what...
So long, Elwyd Willis my...


　The man was about to say something at the end and my consciousness flew away.


　◇


'Errrr!　ELGH!　Are you okay?!
Hey, you!
What?

　The next thing I knew, I was standing on the twentieth layer. The same as I was then. But what's going on?　I'm pretty sure I was having a conversation with a guy in that weird space.

'What's wrong with Elle, she's suddenly spaced out?'
Hey ... didn't alchemy go off here earlier?
Yes, but Elle resisted on the spur of the moment. But Elle resisted on the spur of the moment, and then the moment she did, she just stood there blankly for a minute. But as soon as he resisted, he just stood there in a daze for a minute. I was worried that something had happened to you.
One minute?　Is Monica the same?
'What?　That's right. The doctor was in a daze for about a minute.
'Well ... no, it's nothing. Let's move on.


　I say that and start walking away, pretending it's nothing. But that strange sense of reality in that space, that conversation. Is it just a daydream?　Or am I just being paranoid?

　But he knew me, and he knew what had been, and he knew what was going to happen. And what was to come.

　What the hell is a labyrinth?　What is this world?

　I was thinking about that as I continued on to the further end of the labyrinth for now.