Elle, it's over!
'Firstborn!　It's really amazing that you could take it down by yourself!
Oh it's done. I, I did it. I did it....

　I was still standing there, dumbfounded, tears streaming down my face. I was just sad. I didn't think it was right for this to exist in this world.

　But if I was able to save that family, that little girl, I was so glad.

　The thought preceded the guilt now.

　Death could be a salvation. And at the same time, I couldn't forgive the person who had done such an atrocious thing. What right did he have to create a chimera of people and spiders? Moreover, he would lock it up in a labyrinth and make it live forever and ever for a long time.

　A living hell indeed. That family, the girl had no choice but to accept it. There was no choice........ So killing her was the right thing to do, right?　Hey ... isn't it?


"Elle, why are you crying?
Sir?　What ... is ... what's going on?


　And then, poof, poof, I began to speak. The spiders that fought in the tenth, thirtieth and fortyth layers of the Sixth Labyrinth, and here in the fiftieth layer, were chimeras with humans. They were human at heart and spiders in body. They had been living in this labyrinth for a long time in that state. They can't even kill themselves. You can't do anything. I can't even go outside. You've been trapped in there forever.

　That's what I'm saying....

"Hey, Fee. Monica. I killed a man. Human beings with my own hands. I didn't know it at ten layers. When I was on the 30th layer, I knew it wasn't right. Forty layers I was aware of it. And at fifty layers, I knew.....and I killed it. The girl's wish was to die. So I killed her. Hey are we right?


　I said I killed a human. That was a man. It was a solid person with a human heart. He may look different, but he was born as a human being and died as a spider, a human being.

　And I ask them both if I am right. Am I right? No, I ask if we are right.

　Even though I had my hand in it, there is no doubt that the three of us worked together.

　Is it a good thing that the three of us captured this labyrinth? I still think so. My trembling hands haven't stopped shaking. This trembling hasn't stopped since I cut that girl's head open for a long time.

''Elle........''
Sir....

　Then they wrap me up in a hug as they wrap me up. Then Fee pats me on the head.

'I'm sorry I let you carry me around for so long. Elle, you know, you did the right thing. I let someone who wanted to die die, and I let them die properly as a person. So don't look so sad.
....
'Sir, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware of anything but I think I am too. Sensei, you did the right thing. And I'll carry that with me.

　When I heard those words, I felt something inside me disintegrate.

　I didn't have to act stoutly anymore. You don't have to hold back anymore. You don't have to hide it, you don't have to run away........


'Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!



　And I wailed with their support.


　I still didn't know what to call this feeling.




　◇



　All the various things since then have been done by Fee and Monica.

　There was a book at the back of the Sixth Labyrinth. That was all there was. And in the corner of the room was some clothes and miscellaneous items. Those must have been collected by Aina, who longed for the outside world. I cried again when I saw that, but I didn't regret it anymore....


　Then I went to the Elf Village and told them of my plan to capture the Sixth Maze.

　Then I received a welcome party at the Elf Village and returned to the kingdom.


''It's hard to believe all of a sudden, but I see. The truth of the Sixth Labyrinth is anything but...''
Mr. Chairman, this is the book I found in the deepest part of the book.
Let's see.

　When I came back from that, I was here to tell them that I had attacked the labyrinth. Fee and Monica are gone now because of another matter. I was the only one who came to tell the chairman what happened in the maze.

　And now I've handed him a book I found in the deepest part of the labyrinth. But I couldn't read it because I didn't know what the letters were. A completely unfamiliar script. Probably a language from before the fall of civilization.

I don't know this language either. I'll save this one for the Association for now. Well this is going to be a bit of a cliché, but thank you so much. Conquering the maze is an international achievement. Your names will be heard around the world. But let's not tell the truth. The announcement from our association will not be that big a deal. We'd actually like to have a celebration, but I don't think we're in the mood for that.
Yes I just need to get my mind out of the gutter now.
A demon and a human chimera. And an individual that lives for hundreds of years. There's a lot of mystery here but it looks like there's something in the labyrinth after all.
Mr. Chairman. I'm going to take care of the rest of the maze now.
Are you going to do it?　Really?
'Seeing that devastation, other labyrinths could be as well. I can't tolerate such atrocities.
'It's a big help to us but if you're determined, we'll do our best to back you up too. This may sound like a cliché, but I wish you the best of luck.
I understand.





　I said those words for the last time and went back to my house.

　I turned the key and opened the door but........it was already unlocked.


''Preeminent!　Welcome home!　Congrats on the labyrinth!

　It was Alice in the doorway. I didn't close the door this time.

　And I ... hugged Alice as hard as I could.

'What!　Huh!　What's the matter with you?　Did you hit your head in the labyrinth!
'No I'm ... I'm feeling very blessed ... thank you, Alice ...'
'No that's fine but, well yes...'

　I still hadn't wiped out the feeling of death from that moment. When I returned home and was alone, I would remember it. And I would think that my hands were sticky with bright red blood. When I came back home, my mind seemed to be able to handle it.

　The reason it's normal like this now is because I have a clear purpose. The purpose is to capture the labyrinth. The same thing with the crops, but now we need to capture the labyrinth.

　I'm going to work on this at the same time, but I think I can do it. No, I'll do it.

"Sir, the bath is boiling again today.
Oh thank you.

　When I got away from Alice, I went straight to bathe I ate my dinner with Alice. During that time, Alice didn't ask me anything. She smiled and laughed and told me about her time at the academy, how she and Rita had gotten to know each other better, and how Proto and No. 1 were doing.

　I laughed and listened to it too.

　It's not that I want to forget. I don't want to escape. I don't want to hide it.

　I am going to live with the truth and the work I did. I am going to move forward. And on top of that, enjoy this everyday life.


Hey, Alice, listen to me.
What do you mean?
It's about the great adventure in the Sixth Labyrinth.
Yes!


　I want to write a book about what happened in that labyrinth someday. I want to share it with the world. The sad and fragile story of a young girl who lived on alone in the labyrinth... and lived a worthy life to the end.


　◇


　Early morning. Alice is asleep next to me. Yesterday, we slept together in silence. I was shivering and Alice held my hand and I slept peacefully.

'....Morning.

　I was out of bed, as usual, soaking up the morning sun. Then, even though it's this morning, the intercom rings. It's Fee's.......what's going on here?

　While thinking about it, I opened the door.

'Elle I have a letter for you. No, technically, it's us.
Who's that?
It's Rafe.
"Leif?　I think he's gone to the fifth labyrinth now...




　I opened the letter that was handed to me, and it simply stated, "Request assistance as soon as possible.


"Request your support as soon as possible.


　And we were to face the fifth labyrinth.