'Elle, you ended up staying for another year...was that a good thing?'
The truth is, I've finished all the plans I had to do, but there's still some adjustments to be made and some room for improvement. I'll try to do some more research.
Well I hope so.


　The next year. Elle became a Blue Star class alchemist in February of his Divine History 1993. The world was astounded by this achievement, which could be called the first of its kind in the kingdom. In the blink of an eye, his achievement spread and nowadays, there is no one who doesn't know the name Elwydd Willis.

　And Elle's popularity is growing not only because of his research achievements, but also because of his appearance. It is probably easy for the media to handle the fact that he is a genius alchemist and handsome. Day after day, he was continuously reported as an overly handsome genius.

　He was quite annoyed, but I told him that's what the fame tax is all about. Elle wasn't convinced, but I was happy nonetheless.

　I've been watching him next to me for a long time. I've watched him work hard, day in and day out, day in and day out. And that was appreciated by the world. I couldn't be happier.


'Hmmm........'
What's up, Fee?
It's nothing.
Really?
Yeah!


　And then another ... year passed.


'Elle, congratulations on your graduation.'
Fee. Thanks for your help.


　The graduation ceremony went off without a hitch. There was a lot going on, but the memories I have of Elle will last a lifetime. Right now we're just talking a little bit before we go to the post-graduation party.


　A lot has really happened. It's been a turbulent two years. Like rubbing Elle's scandals out, he was truly outlandish and harder than anyone else... and the greatest genius of all time.


　I was also once considered to be one of the best geniuses in the kingdom. But even that gets hazy in front of Elle. And I understood. A genius is not determined by its genetic factors alone. Talent, hard work, and environment. When these three elements are properly intertwined, a genius is born. I had witnessed it with my own eyes. That's how the existence of Elweed Willis, a Blue Star class "Bluesteller" alchemist, was born.


''Elle, from now on, do your best as a teacher.
Well, I'm new to teaching people, but I'll try my best.
But then again, I didn't know that Elle was going to be a teacher.
"Surprised?
'Well that's only surprising coming from me, knowing how out of control you are.
Haha, that's what it is, too.


　Elle and I will say goodbye after graduation. That's what I thought, but due to pressure from others, Elle decided to teach at the academy. Thanks to my persuasion it's actually quite personal. Elle will take over the farmhouse once she graduates. Many would think that knowing that would be a shame, or even impossible. But I was against Elle taking over the farmhouse in earnest for other reasons. It was purely a desire to be with her.


　Once Elle retired and took over the farm, we wouldn't see each other much anymore. I didn't want to do that. I wanted to be with Elle. I want to be with her forever. I want to be able to talk about silly things with her, do serious research, and laugh with her.


　I wanted to do that, so I proceeded to get Elle to do something alchemy-related. Being a lecturer at the academy was not something I would have wished for, but my heart was filled with mixed feelings.


　Hadn't I robbed him of his potential?
　You're keeping him from his dreams, aren't you?
　My presence is just a distraction, isn't it?


　I can't help but think about that. I just can't help it.


　And then the tipping point came. It's a labyrinthine quest.


Hey, Fee. Monica," she said. I killed someone. 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?


　The deepest part of the Sixth Labyrinth. We had won the fight to the death in the lowest level. But the facts were the worst. The spiders in the ten, thirty, forty, and fifty layers here were all originally human. Elle realized this and regretted it. He was lamenting. He was wailing.


　He was only sixteen years old, and he had put it on his back.


　With that, Elle took the opportunity to embark on a full-scale exploration of the labyrinth. I was struck by that. It's my fault that this happened. I'm the one who is robbing Elle of her dreams. I'd really like to start researching crops right now and become a successful farmer, but...


　It was all my fault. Because of me, Elle........Elle.......


　It was the same before she came to the Fifth Maze. Elle has awakened to some ability again. Elle is special. A genius. But is that ability really necessary?　Because of my selfish thoughts at that time, Elle has come a long way. As Elle developed her monstrous powers, I was driven by self-doubt.


　One day I will be punished by heaven.


　That's what I had begun to think the last few days. But this is how it has become a reality.



　◇



"Elle...

　I blurted out. I think a day has passed since I was already alone. Fortunately, the demons aren't that strong. I can handle them on my own. But my mind is getting worn out. Will I really be able to advance to the lowest level by myself?

　But this is my reward. This is retribution for making a mess of Elle's life.

　Even if I die here I will accept it. Ruining a man's life is worth dying for.

　It robs a man of his future potential. It's as cruel as death. As punishment for doing so, I am wandering the fifth labyrinth alone.


　My body is already screaming. I'm exhausted and need to rest. But now that I'm alone, I can't be vigilant or sleep soundly. He probably looks terrible. Her hair is shaggy and her body is not clean. Even if I wiped it off with a wet towel, it would still be uncomfortable.


　But I still thought it was okay. Because this is retribution.



''...?　Oh I didn't think we'd come this far already....


　A few more days passed. I kept going with a dizzy gait. And then it dawned on me. We were just in front of the thirty layers. I noticed it by the ouroboros symbol on the door. There must be demons ahead. Would he be able to fight them on his own?　Until now, Elle was there. She was there. That's why I felt safe to fight, and Elle did the important stuff.

　Even though you stole the future from me, I'm still relying on you. It's really the nature of the person called me that is bad.


''Well.......shall we go?


　Geeeeeeee, I opened the door and there was a snake with a bright blue body. But it was at least five meters long. I don't know its official name, but that snake was probably a very high-level demon.


　And so the fight to the death by myself began.



''Ha....''
Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.


　It was done. I burned the entire body of that snake. To be precise, I sublimated all the water, the moisture that exists inside. However, the inherent domain 《Personal Field》 that Elle had mentioned was a rather thick individual, so it was difficult to get through the alchemy. Because of that, the battle lasted for six hours. Looking at the watch on his wrist, he saw that not much time had passed since the battle had just begun.


　I'm not a platinum-grade 《Platinum》 alchemist, and besides, I was once called a genius as well. If I put my mind to it, I can do it alone........


　But my body is already in shambles. There is frostbite everywhere, and I manage to warm it up and relieve it, but it seems to have penetrated to the inside and is not a fundamental improvement.

　Still, I need to keep going. I don't know where I'll be able to meet up with Elle and the others. Then I have no choice but to proceed.

　For the sake of redemption, the only thing I can do is not stop this progress.

　That was all I could do now.