Chapter 42 - <8>
"Alright, this is the entrance."
Ritz stood before a large door about twice his height and turned to face the other two. The beautifully carved door looked both extremely heavy and expensive.
The throne room he had actually seen had always been open, and he'd never had a chance to look closely at the door, so it felt strangely new.
"Is the king in here?"
At Anna's obvious question, Ritz nodded.
"Probably."
"Does Ed-san work in here, too?"
"In Ed's case, he's usually buried in work in his office. The throne is normally a place for receiving guests from other countries, granting audiences to subordinates, and issuing major decrees. It's not where the king usually resides. Work is for the office, night is for his private chambers. But if he's not working… he'd probably be here."
That's how it was when Ritz was by Edward's side. The throne was used when listening to reports from the war, or when there was some kind of ceremony.
Other than that, he had never seen Edward on the throne. He was usually poring over documents in his office.
That's why, during his time as a minister, Ritz would slack off on the sofa in Edward's office. While running from his own subordinates who were chasing him, of course.
After all, Ritz was terrible with paperwork.
"Then why did we come here? Wouldn't it be better to check the office?"
"Well, normally, yes. But it's been decided since long ago that if you want an audience with the king, you go to the throne. We're here for an audience at this castle now. So it's normal to head for the throne, right?"
Ritz placed his hand on the door. As expected, it was as heavy as it looked. As he slowly pushed it open, Anna and Franz naturally joined in.
Even with their lack of strength, their help lessened Ritz's effort. It was the same as being together on a journey. For some reason, that thought struck Ritz lightly in the chest.
He wasn't just helping them. He might be receiving help from them as well, even if it was just a little.
With the three of them pushing together, the heavy door opened, revealing a very wide room bathed in sunlight.
A red carpet stretched straight from the door to the throne, guiding them. The rest of the floor was made of shining white marble.
"Whoa… this is amazing."
Anna let out a voice of admiration, but then fell silent as she noticed someone was there.
On the magnificent, light-filled throne, a single man was sitting sloppily.
"…That's the king of this country…"
Franz muttered, his brow furrowed. It was probably a far cry from what he had imagined. It was the same for Ritz.
The man there had a pale complexion and eyes that were dull and murky. His mouth hung open in a sloppy smile, and his body was slumped heavily into the throne like a sandbag.
The clothes he wore, in contrast, were a magnificent robe woven with glasswork and gold embroidery.
He had seen Edward wear something similar. He thought it was at the coronation ceremony at first. But while the robe looked divine when Edward wore it, on this man, it looked shabby.
This couldn't be just the bias of a dear friend.
"Welcome."
The man spoke to the three of them. At the arrogant tone in his words, even the gentle Anna scowled a little and muttered under her breath.
"Something about him gives me a bad feeling. He's completely different from Ed-san…"
But their feelings didn't seem to reach this man at all. Without even getting up from his fat body, the man looked them over with an arrogant gaze.
"I am the king of this country."
Franz scowled and continued to glare at the man who called himself king.
"It seems you defeated my soldiers to come here. What you have done is an affront to me. You understand that, don't you?"
Ritz just looked at the man. He felt no particular emotion. It was just as he had expected, he was this kind of guy.
Naturally, he didn't answer the man's question.
Looking at the man, Ritz felt a faint nostalgia amidst his disgust. Ever since reuniting with Edward, he had been strangely reminiscent of the civil war, and seeing this man's figure was forcing his memories back to the past, whether he liked it or not.
The nobles and royals who had fought Edward and the others had eyes just like this.
A tense, sharp air dominated the room. But the man who called himself king seemed completely unable to read the atmosphere.
"Execution would be appropriate, but you are a little too valuable for that."
The man looked at the three of them with an appraising gaze. This attitude of not understanding his own arrogance, of measuring people's worth entirely by his own standards.
He probably didn't understand how ugly that looked to others. If he did, he would be able to govern a little better.
That was why this country was in such disarray.
Indeed, 'trial' was a good word for it. Those unworthy of being king, who were trapped in this labyrinth, would come face to face with a copy of themselves on the throne.
Like a hideous pair of matching mirrors.
Anna was glaring at the king with the murky eyes. She was probably remembering Ritz's earlier question, 'What would you do if I asked you to help me do something bad?'
Anna's suspicion was correct. This man would surely ask something of them.
"What say you, will you not serve me? I shall grant you wealth and fame."
Ritz, understanding the meaning of the trial, remained calm and looked at Anna and Franz without answering.
They were both silently glaring at the man on the throne. The answer was already decided in their hearts.
But the man couldn't sense it.
"Choose. Death or honor."
Ritz looked at the two of them alternately, then let his lips curl into a smile. Anna and Franz were both genuinely angry at this man's foolish offer.
Indeed, these two possessed the qualifications to save people. They were different from the nobles who would be trapped here.
Ritz took a step forward. He gathered their opinions and his own and looked at the man. Ritz had never had any desire for honor. He knew that honor was just a troublesome chain that restricted one's freedom.
So no matter who sat on this throne, no matter what benefits he was offered, he would never nod in agreement.
For Ritz, there was only one king: Edward.
"I refuse."
"Oh? I do not know what it is like in reality, but you could rule this world…"
Ritz scowled. This king seemed to understand that this was a world within a labyrinth. Was this the worst king Artis had created?
"You are fools. It seems you wish to fall into an eternal sleep, like these ones."
The king pointed to a painting filled with faces contorted in various forms of anguish. Were these the royals and nobles who had been unable to escape and had become empty shells?
"They died because they followed you, didn't they?"
At Ritz's words, which he spat out, the man laughed. He had no idea what that laughter meant.
"Now, I ask you once more. Will you submit to my command, or will you fight your most formidable foe and lose your lives? The choice is yours."
Domination through fear. And the temptation of power. These were surely two things a royal should never agree to. If they could firmly reject this, the trial would be over. Ritz looked straight at the man.
"I refuse."
He thought this would make the king disappear, but it seemed it wasn't that easy.
Unlike the people before, the man didn't vanish. Instead, a cruel expression appeared on his face as he laughed.
Enjoying executions and abuse… that was also one of the worst acts for a king. The king ignored Ritz's scowl, clapped his hands, and called for someone.
"Be careful, Franz, Anna. Something's coming."
As the three of them braced themselves, the large door they had just entered opened with a heavy, creaking sound. Standing in the center of the entrance was a familiar figure.
A tall, slender yet sturdy build, long ears, a greatsword on his back…
"?"
Ritz scowled and glared at the man. The black hair of the man standing in the entrance, which was long only in the back, swayed.
"That bastard Artis… has some pretty good taste."
That was all he could mutter.
Standing before the door was Ritz himself. A defiant smile played on his lips, and his expression was full of confidence.
Ritz recognized that expression. It was how he had looked before he met Anna and Franz, back when he was still an active mercenary captain.
The decisive difference from Ritz was his equipment. He wore steel armor only on his shoulders, arms, and legs.
So… this was what he meant by 'most formidable'.
Ritz smiled wryly. The him in front of him and the current him were probably evenly matched. If he had let Franz answer, he could have ended it with one blow, he thought with a little regret.
Anna could have easily defeated him too, but he didn't want to lay a hand on a child, so this was still better.
"That's Ritz, right? He's kind of scary…"
Anna's small whisper reached his ears. It seemed his mercenary self was a scary thing to Anna.
He had wanted to be his current self in front of the two of them, but having it all laid bare wasn't fun either.
The false Ritz didn't stop, gradually approaching. The king spoke to him, overjoyed.
"Now, defeat those people and line their heads up before me!"
At the man's words, the false Ritz drew his greatsword. Its dull gleam illuminated the strangely bright throne room.
If this one really possessed the same power as him, then Ritz was at an overwhelming disadvantage.
The fake had no one to protect, but Ritz had to protect two people.
And he had no armor.
"Sorry. I've got no grudge against you, but I'm gonna have to ask you to die."
Ritz shuddered. Even his voice was his own.
He had a general idea of his own strength. If he were to fight himself seriously, he probably wouldn't be able to protect Anna and Franz.
"Anna, Franz, get back!"
Ritz shouted at the two of them as he drew his greatsword. Confirming by their presence that they had backed away, Ritz glared at the fake in front of him.
"I have a policy of not laying a hand on women and children. You've given yourself away, fake."
At Ritz's words, the fake just gave a small laugh. It seemed the false Ritz had no such policy. A decisive difference.
"Dressing up like my mercenary self… I'm touched…"
Ritz muttered and readied his greatsword.
"It's a service. I thought I'd show your friends the real you."
"Hngh!"
Hit where it hurt, Ritz was momentarily at a loss for words. The part of him he had tried so hard to hide was now on display before him. It was Anna's words that brought him back to his senses.
"Ritz! What should I do?!"
At Anna's voice, he snapped back to reality. That's right, he had to win as his current self.
"Even if you ask me what…"
He answered as lightly as possible. At present, there was nothing Anna and Franz could do. If he accepted their help and the target of the attacks shifted to them, it would be a disaster.
He absolutely did not want to see himself cut down his two young companions.
Ritz kept his eyes on the him in front of him and replied cheerfully to Anna.
"Cheer me on. And heal me if I get hurt, okay?"
"Okay!"
As if her voice was the trigger, the false Ritz held his greatsword horizontally and charged straight at him with incredible speed and power.
It was the preemptive strike he himself specialized in. With this, he would first crush his opponent's will to fight.
"Hngh…"
He blocked the first blow with the sword he had raised in an instant and his braced legs. Even knowing what he would do, his judgment had been a split second too late.
But there was no time for regret. He had to think about how to turn this situation around.
The swords scraped against each other with a grinding sound. Just as he had imagined, he possessed power equal to his own. It had been a long time since he'd felt such a heavy sword.
If that was the case, what would be his next move?
He knocked the greatsword back with brute force and took a step forward, but it seemed his opponent had seen that coming. The sword he raised was blocked overhead.
"…You saw through me, huh?"
Ritz broke away and reset his stance. His opponent did the same. The fact that he could read his opponent's moves meant his opponent could do the same.
"Don't hold back."
The false Ritz said this with a smile, as if he had read Ritz's thoughts.
So he thought the same way, too…
Ritz charged in without a moment's pause, attacking with swift movements, calculating his opponent's moves. The fake, as expected, reacted to his sudden movements and blocked his sword.
Their speed and weight were equal. As he thought, he was at a disadvantage.
He stared at his opponent over their crossed swords.
From this angle, the fake only had two choices: swing his greatsword up to push Ritz's greatsword away, or push it back.
If he was pushed back, he would lower his body and slash diagonally. If he was pushed upward, Ritz could switch his grip on his greatsword and mercilessly thrust at the fake's throat.
He was sure the fake knew that, too.
In that case, the fake would knock Ritz's greatsword upward and then aim for his abdomen.
Ritz relaxed his grip slightly, trying to bait his opponent. If he fell for it, he'd be lucky.
Then, the fake's lips curled into a slight smile.
"I'm not falling for that trick, partner."
He saw through it… He'd never had such a troublesome opponent.
"Damn it!"
Ritz roared and charged fiercely at his fake self. His opponent quietly readjusted his stance and stared at him.
Ritz's straight thrust was blocked by the blade of the fake's sword, which he used as a shield.
Without a moment's pause, he kicked out with a sweeping motion at his opponent's side. The blow landed on the opponent's abdomen, which wasn't fully protected.
"Hngh… nice kick."
This fake said exactly what Ritz would have said. Instantly shaking off the momentary pain, the fake once again charged fiercely at Ritz.
His movements were fast. Ritz, too, was completely reacting to his movements.
Their movements and words matched… The only way for Anna and Franz to tell the real from the fake was probably by the armor.
Ducking under the fake's greatsword, which was aimed at his neck from a high position, Ritz swung his greatsword at the fake's legs.
If he could just stop his movements, the rest should be easy…
But his enemy was well aware of that, and the fake aimed for Ritz's head with the pommel of his greatsword. As he dodged it in an instant, a kick landed with considerable speed.
"Ugh…"
Ritz, who was not wearing armor, choked. In that split second, the fake attacked again. He leaped up and readied his greatsword once more.
This was going to be a tough fight.
"That's not fair."
The taste of iron rising in his mouth, Ritz scowled.
"'Fair'? You can't say that in a fight."
"You're right about that!"
Without giving his opponent a chance to get ready, Ritz swung his sword. The fake, as expected, blocked it with force.
The greatswords, both easily over ten kilograms and as long as Anna was tall, clashed heavily and fiercely, sending sparks flying.
It was difficult to fight well when everything was being read.
But he couldn't back down here. Not only his own life, but also the lives of Franz, Anna, and Edward were on the line.
"I… can't lose!"
As he broke away from the clash, Ritz leaped toward the fake. The greatsword passed through the spot where he had just been with a whoosh. The fake had swung downward.
That was one of his own specialty moves. Of course, he had known and waited until the last possible second.
He thought he had made it in the nick of time, but the next moment, a sharp pain shot through his right side, and at the same time, Anna's scream grazed his ear. It seemed he had been cut. But there was no time to worry about that.
Without a moment's delay, he swung with all his might at the opening that had been created on the fake's right side. Fresh blood spurted.
But in the heat of the moment, his footing was weak, and he couldn't deliver a fatal blow.
Though he had taken a wound just like Ritz, the false Ritz immediately turned and blocked Ritz's greatsword. So his fighting style was the same in that regard, too.
The greatswords clashed at the hilt.
"Looks like we both took a hit…"
"Seems so."
Ritz noticed something warm flowing down his thigh. But in this position, he couldn't expect Anna's healing.
Her healing was direct. The technique wouldn't activate unless she touched the body nearby.
"…Ritz… Ritz, hang in there!"
Out of frustration at being unable to do anything, Anna was shouting at the top of her lungs.
A clash of strength against strength, a fierce exchange of swords that sent sparks flying.
And the flowing red blood…
It was a fierce battle like nothing they had ever seen before. It was just like that battlefield, where mercenaries clashed.
Were the two of them alright? He wondered, but the situation didn't even allow him to look back.
"Ritz! Hang in there!"
Franz's desperate voice reached his ears. All the while, the greatswords continued to clash without rest.
If they dodged, they would both be wounded, and their bodies would steadily ache.
What's more, the fake had armor, but Ritz did not. It was clear that Ritz was becoming more and more disadvantaged.
The blood that slowly trickled out was steadily draining Ritz's stamina. But he couldn't retreat.
He didn't even want to imagine a guy with his own face cutting down Anna and Franz.
"Guess this is… the last shot."
Ritz muttered, feeling the limits of his stamina. He was starting to run out of breath, and his vision was blurry, as if seen through a thin haze.
It seemed his opponent was in the same state. Seriously, to make even their stamina the same was in truly bad taste.
Ritz held his sword straight out in front of him.
"Here I come, fake!"
With a battle cry, Ritz charged at his opponent with all his might. The fake held his sword horizontally as a shield to block the attack, but that was exactly what Ritz was aiming for. Just before reaching his opponent, he raised his sword high.
"Ritz!"
Anna and Franz's shouts reached his ears. They were probably panicking because his front was wide open. The fake must have thought so too, because he waited for Ritz with his sword held horizontally.
If he was cut down by that, Ritz would be in two pieces.
"Are you trying to die, Ritz?!"
He heard Franz's voice.
Sorry, but he had no intention of dying yet. He was prepared to die, and he had no regrets if he did.
But if he died here, his friend and his companions would die. He had no intention of dying when other people's lives were riding on his own.
He knew the timing to swing his sword. The last chance was a gamble.
Just before his opponent swung his sword, Ritz leaped toward the fake's greatsword.
"!?"
Using the fake's greatsword as a foothold, Ritz leaped into the air.
"Take this!"
He took aim at the false Ritz from above. By the time the fake turned around, Ritz's sword was right in front of him. There was no way to dodge it.
Ritz put all his strength into it and swung his greatsword down. The fake took the greatsword to his body and fell to his knees with a thud.
Just as he thought the match was decided, the situation changed drastically. It was caused by Ritz's blurred vision.
The greatsword had missed its mark by just a little. And unluckily, that spot was protected by armor.
The moment everyone thought the fake had fallen, the fake threw his greatsword with a swift motion as he turned. Ritz, who was barely standing, panting for breath, dodged the greatsword in an instant, but it was too late.
The greatsword spun through the air and sliced through Ritz's body. A spray of blood danced again, and Ritz slowly fell to the ground. Still, he struggled desperately to get back up.
"You're soft, partner. Still got some fight in you?"
The fake, using his greatsword for support, stood up and gave Ritz a cold smile.
"…Told you. I can't lose."
With a faint smile of his own, Ritz used his last ounce of strength to knock the fake's greatsword away. The false Ritz's greatsword spun and slid across the floor.
But that was the last resistance Ritz could offer.
The floor was getting closer, he thought vaguely, as he collapsed to the ground.
"Ritz!"
To the screaming Anna, Franz shouted.
"Anna, I'll try to stop the fake somehow. You do something about Ritz!"
Anna immediately came to her senses and nodded.
"Got it!"
Before the false Ritz could pick up his greatsword, Franz extended his spear of flame and stood in his opponent's way.
"You're going to fight me, Franz?"
The false Ritz said in Ritz's voice. A chill ran down his spine. He could feel his hands and feet shaking.
It was terrifying. He was Ritz, but it was precisely because he was Ritz that he was terrifying. He had fought Ritz once before. But that had only been a match because Ritz had been holding back.
Without him holding back, it would be over in one blow.
He knew that all too well from watching the battle that had just unfolded before his eyes.
"You'll die, you know?"
The fake leisurely picked up his sword. It was disgustingly just like Ritz.
"You don't want to die yet, do you?"
The fake said in Ritz's tone and slowly raised his greatsword. To him, Franz offered a small rebuttal.
"I don't want to die. But I won't back down."
"Why not?"
Franz glanced at Ritz, who was still on the ground, and at Anna, who was desperately trying to heal him.
"I haven't found my answer yet."
"Your answer?"
"The meaning of my existence. If I'm with Ritz and Anna, I might find something. That's why…"
Franz gripped his spear of flame with renewed determination.
"I won't let you kill them!"
At that moment, Franz noticed that the false Ritz's expression had subtly changed.
The defiant smile had transformed into a gentle one.
"I see. I understand now. You may not have the qualifications to be king on your own. But together, the three of you might possess those qualifications."
"…What are you talking about?"
As he continued to glare with his guard up, the false Ritz began to glow faintly, eventually changing into another man.
"Artis!"
"I have been watching. You are more than qualified to leave this place."
Artis smiled.
"Ritz-kun has the strength to push forward with the truth without fear. Anna-chan has compassion and kindness for all people. And you have the courage to protect what is important. A king should possess all of these things. That was the wish of King Edmond, who had this labyrinth made."
His manner of speaking was strangely familiar. And he had heard it quite a bit.
Franz looked behind him. Anna was still desperately trying to heal Ritz, so she hadn't noticed. Ritz was unconscious, so of course he didn't know what was happening.
Knowing this, Artis had spoken only to Franz.
As he stared at Artis with suspicious eyes, Artis just smiled happily, not minding Franz's gaze in the least.
"I'm glad, Franz. They're good friends, aren't they? I was surprised to see how much more human you've become. At this rate, it was worth letting you go."
Franz recognized that tone of voice. But that couldn't be right. No, no, there was absolutely no way.
As he violently denied the name of this person that popped into his head, the man spread his hands sadly and lamented in a very familiar tone.
"Oh my, you're so suspicious even when I'm telling only you. You're always so cold to me…"
This tone… it was confirmed. This person was definitely him. Come to think of it, when they first met Artis, didn't Anna say this?
'He looks like Orphe-san,' she had said.
Franz couldn't help but lower his voice.
"Master?"
Artis smiled brightly.
"Yes, it's me."
"But your name…"
"Orphe and Artis are both my real names."
"…"
Stunned, Franz was at a loss for words. The toys he had first seen when he entered the labyrinth… they were certainly things Orphe would like.
"Wh-wh-wh…"
But to the shocked Franz, Artis… Orphe just scratched his head.
"Listen, Franz, don't tell Ritz-kun and the others yet. Go to the Royal Library in the Royal Capital. King Edmond and the Infinite Nightmare. Just with that, you might understand a little of who I am."
"But Master…"
"Once you understand who I am, you can decide what to do from there. Whether to tell Ritz-kun and Anna-chan about me or not. And what to do after that."
"After that?"
He didn't understand what he was saying. He was just Franz's lazy, incompetent master, wasn't he?
"Listen, Franz. I have a few regrets. I wanted to talk to you a little more. But I couldn't say anything. you were more stubborn than I thought."
"…Master?"
"So if you want to know me, then investigate. But if you don't want to know… then forget everything about me."
"Forget…?"
"If you do, I will be completely erased from your memory. That's for your own good."
His tone was more serious than he had ever heard before. Even though they had lived together for five years, this was the first time he had seen Orphe so serious.
That's why Franz couldn't find the words to reply. To such a Franz, Orphe smiled.
"It's a promise, Franz."
With a mischievous smile, Artis walked over to Ritz.
"Ah, Artis-san!"
Anna, finally noticing, rushed over to Artis.
"Ritz, Ritz won't wake up!"
To the crying Anna, Artis smiled.
"Your trial is over. You may leave this place."
Artis raised both hands high into the air.
"Now, labyrinth. Release these ones."
With Artis's voice, the surrounding scenery began to ripple and disappear, and the ground beneath their feet became unsteady, just as it had when they arrived.
When he came to, the three of them were in the first room of the labyrinth. Pure white, with toys of all different sizes piled up everywhere.
Franz let out a huge sigh of relief. They were still inside the labyrinth, but it was much better than that world.
Meanwhile, Ritz was sitting up with a dazed look on his face, rubbing his stomach.
"My wounds are gone… What happened to me?"
"You were unconscious! I thought you were dead!"
Anna protested, her eyes welling with tears. Ritz laughed and apologized while stroking Anna's head.
It was a familiar scene.
"Does coming back here mean we can get out?"
Ritz stood up with a somewhat disgruntled look on his face. Though he was trying not to show it, it was easy to guess that he was quite frustrated at having been beaten by his own fake.
"Ritz, were you super frustrated?"
Anna poked Ritz, laughing.
"Shut up."
Ritz's lips twisted slightly at being laughed at by Anna, but in the end, he started laughing too.
In complete contrast to the two who were healing their past tension with silly talk, Franz still felt somewhat unsettled. It was because he had learned Artis's true identity.
At that moment, just as Artis had first appeared, he appeared on the raised platform in the center. Franz stared at his figure.
Then, where Ritz and the others couldn't see, Artis secretly waved at Franz.
It wasn't a dream. This really was Orphe.
"Is this the end of our trial? Or is there more?"
To Ritz, who was almost glaring at Artis, Artis nodded without changing his expression.
"The trial is over. You have been acknowledged as having the qualifications of a king. Leave this labyrinth and walk the path you believe in."
Though he was a little annoyed at Orphe's calm portrayal of Artis, Franz remained silent. They were master and apprentice, after all. Their bond, though he said it himself, was quite strong.
He was a master who had taken care of Franz for five long years after he had shown up as an uninvited apprentice with nowhere else to go. So if he was told to keep a secret, he had no choice but to stay quiet.
Regardless of Franz's feelings, a space of light opened up at the tip of Artis's gracefully moving fingers.
"Go through here, and you will be outside."
Pointing to the end of the light, Artis said. Without hesitation, Ritz turned around.
"Alright, let's go."
"Okay!"
Anna and Ritz quickly entered the light. He had intended to follow, but for some reason, his feet stopped.
"Master…"
"Franz, you are my first and last apprentice."
Artis's form gradually changed. It was the exact same Orphe he had parted with in Saradio.
"That's why, if you wish to know, you have the right to know many things. And I think that you all will eventually arrive at my true identity."
"Your true identity?"
At the unexpected words, Franz scowled. Was Orphe not Orphe? But his next words made him gasp.
"Because, Franz, this labyrinth was created a very long time ago. And I am still alive."
"…!"
"Ritz-kun has noticed that I have lived for a considerable number of years. Perhaps because he himself has lived for a long time. He's figured it out. But, if someone is to learn my true identity first, I want it to be you."
"Why… me?"
"Because you are… the only person from the Eneonea Continent I have lived with in my long life."
Franz was at a loss for words. He didn't really understand what he meant.
His family… his birth… He didn't know a single thing about Orphe's.
He was stunned to realize now that he knew nothing about Orphe. He hadn't even known that Orphe had the name Artis.
"I… Master…!"
"I am leaving Saradio. I wonder when I will see you next. No… I wonder if I will."
He was so surprised he couldn't speak. But Orphe was watching over such a Franz with a smile.
"I used to think that having an apprentice was a troublesome thing, but after meeting you, I found that it was more fun than I expected. You were a good apprentice, even if you were uninvited. I'm a lucky man."
Orphe held out his hand to Franz for a handshake. Hesitantly, Franz took his hand.
It was strange. When he had entered the labyrinth, he couldn't even touch him, but now he could. That meant Orphe was actually here.
"Now go, Franz. Your friends are waiting."
From within the light, he could faintly hear Ritz and Anna's voices. He still had things to do.
"Master, take care."
He had so many things he wanted to say, like to properly organize his tools, or to not slack off on his chores, but no other words came out.
"Yes, you too, Franz."
Franz started walking toward the light. The exit was ahead. And his friends were waiting there.
Just as he was about to start walking, Orphe called out to him.
"What is it?"
To the turned Franz, Orphe handed him a small cloth bag with a smile.
"This will surely come in handy in a pinch. It's a parting gift from me. Take it with you."
The cloth bag he received made a light, metallic clinking sound. He had a feeling it was something that wouldn't be very useful. For now, Franz carelessly stuffed it into his pocket.
After giving Orphe a light bow, Franz jogged off in the direction of the voices calling him.
After confirming that Franz had disappeared, Orphe sighed.
"I wonder what Franz will say when he learns my true identity…"
Most of him didn't want to be known, and only a tiny part of him did. But that tiny part of him would become his own hope, a thin thread connecting him and Franz.
If they could meet again someday, what would he do? Would he be able to tell him everything?
But for now, all Orphe could do was pray, and only that.
Now go, children of fate. May the destiny you choose be filled with much happiness.
The exit door quietly lost its light, and Orphe gently returned his consciousness from the labyrinth to his own body.