Hmmm... you're back.


　The five of us had come back to earth. When we looked back, we could see the fifth labyrinth, but it was empty. There was nothing in the lowest level, as Eve had said. The woman was crazy, but she didn't seem to be lying.


'Hmmm. I knew it would feel good to be outside....
It's cold...............................
Hmm. She's a doll, but she has five senses. Aria is a real wonder.
Wait, Marie. Don't stare at me like that!　It's kind of scary!


　Marie and Aria seemed to be totally at ease with each other and they were talking nicely. I'm glad I didn't do anything to kill people in the labyrinth this time. I huff out in relief.


'Speaking of which, Elle. Have you noticed the structure of that labyrinth?
Hmm?　Yeah. In the end, it was divided vertically into two layers. And it seems that every tenth layer was designed to be opened only by destroying the demons in each other's territory.
I see... then that was a labyrinth that could not be traversed by a single person?
'Though it's doubtful that it would have worked exactly, since someone else had actually stepped through first. All this seems to be known only to that woman.
You're Eve. You're Elle's sister?
It was me, wasn't it?
'Well you're certainly neutral, so you could be a woman.
''Well I'm not going to affirm it myself, but that woman was too much like me. There is no doubt that we are related by blood. But.....
"I can't figure out why we're using humans as instruments of experimentation...? Well, I didn't see it firsthand, but from what Aria there did, and the story of the corpse embedded in the ice, I'm sure it's not a decent person.
I hate to admit it. I can't believe that's my sister.
Well, you'll be careful next time you see him. You never know what they might do to you.
'Well...'


　I was talking to Rafe and the ladies were having some fun with the three of us. But, as usual, it was just Aria being teased. But maybe Aria was just happy to be able to laugh like that. The future could easily be a future where she would kill herself like that. Still, Aria decided to live. I can't say that I'm going to take responsibility for her and take care of her until the end, but I want to do what I can for her.


　And we decided to stay at an inn in the Igal Republic for one day. There was no need to rush back home and we were tired, so we decided to take a good night's rest.


　That night. As I was sitting in my room organizing and writing down what had happened so far in my notebook, Fee's guy came by himself.


'Elle, is this a good time?'
'Oh...'


　I look up from my notes and invite Fee into the room.


'Elle's had a rough time... well...'
No, don't worry about me. More importantly, I'm sorry.


　I bow my head. I've always wanted to apologize. It's because I made the choice to say that I'm abandoning Fee.


'Oh, no!　Don't apologize!　Because that time it was for the best... and Aria would have died alone, right?
'Yes. But Aria is actually....
It was a doll. It wasn't like a homunculus.
'A doll with human consciousness, to be exact.'
"...Huh. I wonder what the labyrinth really is.
Like the labyrinth, who the hell is that woman?
Sister, what is it?
'Ah. But when I think about it, something doesn't quite add up.
What?
It's about who I am...
Elle, as I recall, was said to have been taken in from an orphanage.
'Yeah. But I guess I'm not just an orphan. An unusual aptitude for alchemy. And a horrible human being to call my sister. And that was a being who used magic. So I guess I'm also something or other related to magic.
I thought Elle was special, but I didn't expect her to be magical...
I'm surprised myself, but given the circumstances, I'm sure it's true.
Are you okay?　That sister of yours....
There will be no reconciliation. Next time I see them, they'll probably kill each other. That woman had an amazing ability to do what she did when she had to. And she thinks of people as lab animals. It's only natural she'd want to kill me.


　There's one piece of information I haven't told everyone. It's that she loves me dearly. I've told Aria not to tell her that. It's not easy to say it yourself, and I'm embarrassed to say it, because I think I need to face that obsession myself rather than the thought of being embarrassed.


The best way to do that is to have a look at your own personal history. And if you want me to be your real family member.........
Hmm?　What?　I was just thinking.
'It's nothing!　You stupid hearing loss!


　And with a discarded line, Fee left. An utterly noisy one.


　The next day, early in the morning. I could feel the inn buzzing. We are astonished to hear what's going on.


''And we need to buy some time...''


　That was the one word Eve had said that still stuck with me. Stalling for time. In other words, there was a reason he wanted to keep us in the fifth labyrinth. I hadn't really thought about it. But it remained in the corner of my mind as an uncomfortable feeling. And the stories I heard at the inn now, and even more so, that bleak atmosphere when I was in the kingdom before. It was here that the reason why Serena and Fred were also in a hurry was clear.


　We rushed back to the kingdom. But it was a long way to go. It would normally take nearly two weeks to get from the Igal Republic to the Kingdom of Canovaria. We could use the transference to travel in a day or so, but even so, that time was too short.


　This was no time to take it easy. So this was the reason why that woman wanted me to stay in the fifth labyrinth for so long!

　Swearing in your mind doesn't change itself.


This is....


　The next day.

　We finally caught sight of the Kingdom. But it's not the Kingdom as I know it.

　It's a burning place. The kingdom is engulfed in flames like a fiery fire. And screams and shouts. Every kind of vindictiveness is resounding.


　The place where we are now is the royal capital. I don't know what's happening to the rest of the royal capital, but it's safe to say that almost all of the royal capital has been consumed by the sea of fire without a doubt.


''Errrr!　Let's go!
Ah!


　Me and Fee went to the Society for now. Marie, Rafe, and Aria parted on the spot, saying that they would rescue the living.


''U........''
'My God... why...'


　We're running through King's Landing. The reason we don't use the transfer is to make sure there are no people still alive. However, there were almost no humans alive there. The First Pledge 《Prima Terrier》 was completely missing from the fallen humans. And the peculiar smell that arises when a person is burned. A strange smell of burning proteins filled the air.


　What the hell is going on here? And I wondered if my family, friends, and students were all safe.

　Please, please. Please, please. I'm begging you. Please make sure that everyone is alive.

　All I could do was pray.


"The.........association.....
It's completely destroyed it's probably an explosion. There's no doubt about it, judging by the wreckage.


　Alchemy Society. I reached it, but the building I had always seen there was not there. It has completely collapsed. It remains firmly in place after the explosion, and people are dead underneath it.

　


''........Elle, get a grip. It's times like these that we have to try to stay calm.
... "Oh yeah, I know. I'm sorry.


　Yeah. I'm not the only one who has a hard time. In fact, it's Fee, who has been in this kingdom ten years longer than me, who has had a hard time. I'm not the only one to be overwhelmed by this reality.


　Just then, I find a familiar face. That's........Selena.


"Selena!
'Elle!　I'm back!
'What, what the hell happened?!
"It's a coup d'etat!　The ringleader is the Third Princess Alice........
"What?!


　I can't believe it. There's no way Alice would let this happen.

　I don't know where to begin. What has happened to this kingdom and what has happened to Alice?

　Thus, on the 8th of August 1994 in the Kingdom of Canovaria, a coup d'état occurred. At the same time, this was the beginning of a long battle.