Chapter 46 - <12>
Burning with rage, Laria gradually transformed the flames she wore into something black, large, and sinister. Franz, watching this transformation, could only stare, at a loss for words.
A massive blow was surely coming.
Edward, seeking to break the stalemate, launched an attack on Laria, but he was repelled by the strange glow of the flames she wore.
He could see the flames growing stronger with each attack he made. This was ineffective.
On the contrary, he was only strengthening the glow of the flames. The nature of those flames, which grew stronger with each clash of power, rendered sword techniques useless.
Anna, who had been holding the bowl, was the first to snap back to her senses, even before Franz. She turned the silver bowl upside down and scattered its contents onto the floor.
Cheeses of various sizes rolled across the floor.
Then, she poured the water from the pitcher into it all at once. In her haste, a little water spilled over the edge, but the bowl was filled to the brim.
Clasping her slightly trembling hands before her chest, Anna raised her voice in prayer.
"O Water Spirit, who governs peace and healing, come forth to me. Come, Water Dragon!"
A massive pillar of water rose from the water-filled bowl, and with a splash, the Water Dragon let out a roar. At the sight, Edward exclaimed in admiration.
"Isn't that incredible…"
Franz nodded silently. He had heard that among spirit users, only those of a very high rank could use dragons. And yet, Anna summoned the Water Dragon with ease.
Franz was used to it, but anyone who didn't know would surely be surprised. However, Edward quickly regained his composure and gave Anna instructions.
"Anna, first, destroy this mansion. The inspectors are outside. Let them know we're safe and ask for help!"
"Yes! Water Dragon, please!"
Anna's Water Dragon soared vigorously towards the heavens. It shot through the open hall, smashing through the magnificent chandelier and the ceiling itself as it ascended into the sky.
Reflecting off the shattered glass of the chandelier, a dazzling sunlight flooded the hall.
It was real morning. Franz felt a sense of relief. Come to think of it, since waking up in that artificial world, he hadn't bathed in today's sun yet.
The sunlight also illuminated Laria. But it did not bring peace to her as it did to Franz and the others.
"Iyaaaaaaaaah!"
Laria covered her face with both hands and let out a terribly high-pitched scream. Her voice was so anguished that they were unable to move.
As if in response to Laria's voice, the black darkness swirling around the flames seemed to deepen.
And that black darkness, as if fleeing from the warm sunlight, was trying to hide itself within Laria.
Like countless black snakes, slithering as they devoured Laria's body…
"Ugh…"
A wave of nausea washed over him.
"You all right?"
The one who appeared was Ritz, who had just defeated Raven.
"What kind of flame is that…"
"Yeah, physical attacks have no effect."
At the calm Edward's words, Ritz let out a small groan. It seemed that even the great Ritz was at a loss against Laria's powerful magic.
"So this is what he meant…"
Ritz muttered and furrowed his brow. Had he heard something from Raven during their fight?
"Ritz!"
Anna, having recalled her Water Dragon, called his name as if relieved to see him.
"You okay, Anna?"
"Yeah! How about you, Ritz?"
"Like I'd ever get taken down."
"I know, right!"
Their usual exchange slowly cooled his head. Anna's Water Dragon was here, so they might be able to manage this somehow. He needed to calm down a little.
"Anna, can you put out that flame?"
Anna nodded at Ritz's words.
"I'll try! Water Dragon! Surround that person and put out the fire!"
The Water Dragon roared as if in response, then coiled around Laria and squeezed. For a moment, the fire's intensity weakened, but in the next instant, it was not Laria but the Water Dragon that cried out in pain.
"Hang in there, Water Dragon!"
Responding to Anna's shout, the Water Dragon continued to squeeze Laria.
But then, something strange happened. Steam began to rise from the Water Dragon's body in thick clouds.
Something like black strings had begun to wrap around the Water Dragon's body. They writhed like countless snakes and began to bite into the Water Dragon's body.
It was the same thing that had been trying to crawl into Laria's body.
The dark magic that had been covering the flames… that was what was tormenting the Water Dragon now.
The sight was clearly visible not only to the spirit users Franz and Anna, but also to Ritz and Edward.
At this rate, the Water Dragon itself was in danger.
"Ritz, what should I do?!"
Anna asked Ritz, the most experienced among them, in a voice close to a scream. But Ritz was not a spirit user. In the end, his conclusion was the same as Franz's.
"Any more is impossible. Recall the Water Dragon!"
"Okay!"
However, the Water Dragon seemed unable to even move. Those black snake-like things were wrapped around its body and wouldn't let go.
"Ritz!"
Responding to Anna's anguished cry, Ritz unhesitatingly ran towards the Water Dragon and struck at Laria with his greatsword.
At that, the black snakes around her turned towards the new enemy, Ritz. In that opening, the Water Dragon mustered all its strength and pulled away from Laria.
At the same time, to escape the snakes, Ritz leaped back, tearing the dark serpents apart.
Franz stared at Laria within the flames. Laria's eyes were no longer seeing anything. The darkness that had been tormenting her just moments ago was now devouring her entire body… even her face, yet she seemed to feel no more pain.
She had been completely consumed by darkness. She had relinquished all sense of self and given everything to the darkness.
He knew this state. He remembered it happening to him. In this state, Franz had burned down nearly his entire family home.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Ritz raise his greatsword.
He's going to cut her down, darkness and all… It seemed he had made his decision.
But the snake-like black darkness swayed before him, and even Ritz seemed unable to step forward.
"Oh, my king, my master, O Darkness Spirit King…"
Laria's dreamlike voice echoed in the ears of everyone present.
"Damn it, what do I do…"
Ritz clicked his tongue. Edward and Anna were pale. This was the very definition of being at a loss.
An experienced spirit user might be able to do something, but the spirit users here now were far too inexperienced and knew nothing.
It was at that moment. The small pouch in Franz's pocket made a light metallic sound.
He gently took it out and saw that it had begun to emit a dazzling light, as if it had absorbed the sunlight pouring in from the large hole the Water Dragon had opened in the ceiling.
This presence was undoubtedly that of a spirit. And it was neither the presence of fire nor water.
"This is… light spirit magic?"
Orphe had said this was something he could use in a pinch. If so, he had no choice but to take a gamble.
Franz took the contents out of the pouch. This feel, this texture… could this be…
"…Master…"
Franz muttered softly. The next moment, after taking it out of the bag, Franz screamed, heedless of anyone watching.
"What good is a puzzle ring?!"
Yes, it was indeed a puzzle ring. Moreover, the puzzle ring, linked in a single row to form a circle, was the very one Orphe used to dangle in front of Franz as a prank.
Memories of that time came flooding back. He'd go to the kitchen to prepare a meal, only to find it hanging from the two handles of the cupboard, sealing it shut.
'Oh, Franz~. If you can't solve this, the cupboard won't open~.'
It was an item that could absolutely not be useful in a pinch. Did Orphe think that a 'pinch' was when he wanted to kill time?
As he stood there, stunned, holding the glowing puzzle ring, Ritz yelled at him.
"Franz! Don't just stand there with that thing! You'll die!!"
The shout, a mix of exasperation and anger, was understandable. But the one most unable to comprehend the situation here was none other than himself.
He had said it was for a pinch, so why had he given this to Franz? He was a mischievous person, to be sure, but did he not think that Franz would open this at a time when his life was on the line?
It was at that moment.
The puzzle ring bathed in the sunlight pouring from the hole in the ceiling that the Water Dragon had opened and began to shine even more brightly.
The more that light increased, the more power welled up within his heart. That brilliance was the opposite of Laria's darkness… in other words, the power of light.
Franz's senses were not wrong. This was the presence of a Light Spirit. And a very powerful one at that.
Franz raised the puzzle ring he held high, as if offering it to the sun. It was strange, but as he did so, a peculiar sensation overflowed within him.
"Franz, put that thing away! Just get far away—"
He thought he heard Ritz's shout, but more than that, Franz was mesmerized by this puzzle ring.
"Somehow, I think I understand how to use this."
Through this puzzle ring, a strange calmness and confidence-like feeling was flowing into him. Franz knew that feeling.
It was hope.
He infused it with power and held the ring, which was about a meter in diameter, at the ready.
Strangely, the ring, made of many linked puzzle rings, became fixed in a circular shape, as if it were made of a single piece of metal.
In that time, Laria raised both her hands to the heavens.
"O fire which governs power, and darkness which governs fear and confusion."
A red light filled Laria's jet-black eyes. The fire and darkness surrounding her grew even stronger. Everyone present felt its sinister touch on their bodies.
But for Laria, that sensation seemed to be a source of great joy. Feeling the overflowing power throughout her body, Laria's face broke into a smile of delight.
"Grant them despair!"
The flame took on an intense heat and glowed with its maximum brilliance as if to explode, and the darkness blazed like a fire. The three of them, including Ritz, backed away from the intense heat, but Franz did not move.
In his mind was a single word, sent from the puzzle ring. He had to chant it.
"Now, offer everything to the darkness. For darkness is all, darkness is the cradle of life's rest!"
At the same time as Laria's madness-filled words, a mass of black-burning flames was unleashed towards Franz, who stood directly in front of it.
If that hit Franz, the mansion would probably be annihilated along with him.
But Franz wouldn't run. He believed in the power that had welled up within him and in his master, Orphe, with his earnest expression from that time.
Franz chanted the words that came to his mind.
"O Light Spirit King, who governs shining hope and pride, lend me your strength!"
Simultaneously with Franz's prayer, the puzzle ring began to emit a brilliance as if the sun itself were there.
It was truly the power of a Light Spirit…
"Absorb the darkness, Ring of Light!"
The light that overflowed from the puzzle ring enveloped the space. The intense light was so strong that even its caster, Franz, couldn't keep his eyes open.
It was as if the sun were right there.
"Iyaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Laria screamed as she was struck by the light. The darkness was slowly being peeled away from the flames that cloaked her body.
Each time the darkness that had burrowed deep within her was torn from her body, she continued to scream in tearing despair and pain.
"O Light, purify all!"
Franz shouted, still holding the ring that was overflowing with intense light. To purify darkness, there was only light. That was common sense for spirit users.
Laria's unusually fierce scream echoed.
The fear, confusion, and hatred that filled the space. Franz fought the urge to cover his ears and desperately held on.
If he was to take a life… he had to bear that burden. As a spirit user, as the caster, he had a responsibility for the power he had unleashed.
If this light were to kill Laria, Franz would accept it. That was his mission.
The darkness that had dwelled with the flame was completely absorbed by the puzzle ring Franz held and was annihilated.
Stripped of all its darkness, all that remained was Laria, writhing in the flames, continuing to utter curses of resentment.
Madness filled her eyes.
"The darkness… my king…"
Her eyes locked onto Franz. Stared at by pupils as black as darkness itself, emitting an eerie glow, he couldn't move a muscle.
"I'll kill you… I'll kill you…"
Muttering, Laria stumbled, but she was steadily approaching Franz, one step at a time. The flames erupting from her body had not lost their intensity.
The flames were surely melting Laria away. Her entire body burned by hellfire, her figure stained crimson with blood, was a gruesome sight.
"…"
Franz stood silently before Laria. This puzzle ring had no means to defend against fire. Even if he tried to cancel out the fire with his own, he no longer had the strength for it.
"Franz, run!"
Ritz's shout reached his ears, but for the first time, he realized he didn't even have the stamina to do so.
He couldn't muster any strength in his hands. His knees were trembling. He hadn't known that using such powerful spirit magic was so exhausting.
On top of that, his leg had been burned earlier, so he couldn't run.
As he staggered, he looked at his companions and saw Ritz and Edward rushing towards him. He leaned on Edward, who rushed over without a word, and staggered as he began to walk.
Still, he couldn't take his eyes off Laria. As the caster, he had a duty to see it through to the end.
Ritz stood behind Laria, who was chasing Franz, and readied his greatsword. The darkness was gone. There was nothing to stand in his way.
Laria turned, sensing Ritz's presence. Her eyes no longer held any trace of sanity.
She, who had been completely possessed by the darkness just moments before, had lost all sense of self the moment that darkness was annihilated.
Now, her heart was captured by the flame, and she was barely alive.
The flame burned ever stronger, seeking to consume and scorch everything as it shot up pillars of fire. With no one to control it, the flame would never be extinguished until it had burned everything here to the ground.
To extinguish the flame, he had to kill her and eliminate the host of the flame.
Back then, in his family home in Saradio, he had people to stop him and things he didn't want to lose. That's why he was able to stop his rampage.
But Laria probably had nothing. For them to survive, Ritz had no choice but to cut her down…
"Ritz."
When he called out, Ritz looked at Franz, then gave a small nod. Ritz probably understood that much.
Ritz looked down slightly, then stared straight at Laria. Franz stopped walking and watched Ritz and Laria.
Don't look away.
It was Franz who had used the Ring of Light and caused her self to collapse.
He felt as if something was telling him that. He placed a hand on his chest and thought.
Take responsibility for the spell you used until the very end. This was the one meaningful lesson his master had taught him.
With his greatsword in hand, Ritz sliced through the flames and, with that momentum, closed in on Laria.
Laria was looking at nothing, and smiled with vacant eyes.
…Beautiful.
For just a moment, Franz thought so. More than any other version of her, Laria was beautiful in that moment.
But in the next instant, Ritz's greatsword swung horizontally in a straight line through Laria's body. The blood that gushed from Laria's body stained Ritz's.
Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, Franz watched the scene. A short groan escaped his lips without him realizing.
Slowly, Laria crumpled. Ritz, who had cut her, quietly caught her body.
The flame quietly died down. This meant she had lost her power to use spirits, was freed from the Fire Spirit, and had also lost her life.
Without a word, Laria breathed her last in Ritz's arms.
"Ritz!"
Ritz gently laid Laria's body down beside Raven's. For some reason, her face looked content. It was probably easier to die without knowing anything.
But I wouldn't want that, Franz thought.
Ritz's small voice reached Franz's ears as he stared at Laria's body.
"…Anna… sorry."
But Anna rushed to Ritz and pounded on his back.
"…Why? Why did you kill her?"
To extinguish the flame, he had to kill her and eliminate the host of the flame. Anna probably understood that too.
That it was the best course of action for their companions in that situation.
"Couldn't you have done something?! Hey, Ritz!"
But Anna still couldn't help but say it. She, who valued human life more than anyone.
And Ritz, too, said nothing in response to Anna's accusation, silently taking the pounding on his back. Ritz had said he didn't want to show this side of himself to Anna and Franz.
In place of Ritz, who wouldn't turn around, Franz decided to answer.
"It's not Ritz's fault. I knew this would happen when I absorbed the darkness. If you're going to blame someone, you can blame me for using the light spirit. I… was the caster."
"I know. I know, but…"
Finally stopping her pounding, Anna's words trailed off in a tearful voice.
Anna's hands were tightly gripping Ritz's clothes from behind. He knew that Anna was gritting her teeth and enduring the pain.
"Still… it's painful…"
After looking down for a while, Ritz turned to face Anna. He silently and gently stroked the head of Anna, who was still biting her lip.
"Something this awful won't happen again?"
After a while, Anna asked in a still-tearful voice, and Ritz gave a small nod.
"…Probably."
"Promise. Let's make sure it never, ever happens again!"
With a tearful smile, Anna looked up at Ritz, then at Franz, who had reached them with Edward's support.
He nodded deeply at the finally smiling Anna.
Edward, who had been watching the three of them, turned his gaze to the man who had been cowering in a corner, unable to even run away, trembling as he watched the previous battle. Without turning around, he threw a cold voice at him.
"And where do you think you're going, brother?"
"E-Edward!"
Edward slowly turned and stared at Stewart, who was pressed against the wall in fear. Franz was surprised by the coldness in his eyes. So Edward was a person who could make such an expression.
"Do you think you can escape at this point?"
Stewart froze as if turned to ice. There was no one here to help him anymore.
"F-Forgive me, Edward! I'll give you everything I have! I won't rebel again! I beg you, spare me!"
Edward approached Stewart, step by step. Stewart began to tremble violently, forcing a fawning smile at Edward.
But Edward's expression didn't change one bit.
"Rebel Stewart, former Crown Prince. You will receive a punishment befitting your crime."
Edward declared this matter-of-factly, coldly.
"Help me, I don't want to die. I'll tell you the names of all the nobles involved in the rebellion. So please, help me, Edward."
"I have no memory of being called by my name by a man like you."
With that, Edward turned to look at them. Then he smiled cheerfully.
Ritz gave a wry smile, but Franz felt a little terrified. I see, this person's smile sometimes has a touch of terror mixed in, he thought.
"The ones most inconvenienced were these three. I shall have them decide your fate."
At Edward's smiling words, the three of them froze. Franz glanced at Anna, the most compassionate of them all. Ritz's gaze followed suit.
He wondered if Anna would forgive him, but her eyes were not their usual gentle ones. Anna, entrusted with the choice, took a step forward.
"If you hadn't done bad things, the butler and Laria-san wouldn't have died. And if a war had started, lots of people would have died, and lots of children might have become orphans, you know?"
At Anna's earnest gaze, Stewart's mouth opened and closed like a fish.
"If you think you can just live happily after people have died, I will never, ever forgive you!"
Franz was speechless, while Ritz and Edward watched Anna in silence.
Franz held his breath. Anna was supposed to hate killing. She wouldn't suggest an execution. So what did she want to do?
"What shall we do, Anna?"
Edward asked Anna gently. Anna declared with a determined face.
"I'm going to teach this person what a hard time everyone has when a bad person is king."
With that one sentence, it all clicked.
"The 'Infinite Nightmare'… Indeed. It might be fitting for my brother, who needs to reconsider his qualifications as king."
"Right!"
Seeing the four of them nod in agreement, Stewart screamed.
"Stop, please!"
But Anna, burning with anger, showed no mercy.
"No! If you were fit to be king, you'll be able to get out. Do your best."
In the first place, Stewart had no choice in the matter. Edward took a beautiful, multifaceted crystal from his pocket.
"This is the 'Infinite Nightmare.'"
"Wow… it's beautiful."
Anna exclaimed in admiration. They had been trapped inside it, but she had never imagined it would be so beautiful from the outside.
But upon seeing it, Stewart screamed.
"Please, I'll do anything you say, just not this."
Neither Ritz, Edward, nor even the compassionate Anna lent an ear to the pleading Stewart.
It was the same for Franz; he had no intention of sympathizing with him. He had done enough to deserve this.
"You wanted to be king, right? Do your best to become one."
Anna's words were gentle yet severe. She was furious to her core. The fact that it didn't show on her face at all was a little scary.
Anna herself probably didn't realize that, in a way, it was the same as Ritz's smile.
"Brother, it is said that one can escape from here if they have the qualities of a king. In fact, these three managed to get out safely in a short time."
At Edward's mocking words, Stewart shook his white hair and shouted.
"There were three of them! I am alone!"
But again, no one sympathized with him.
"But we're not royalty, are we? You were the one who trapped us in there, right?"
"…"
As Stewart was left speechless, Ritz continued.
"We're telling you from the start, 'We're going to have you enter the Infinite Nightmare now.' We couldn't be kinder, could we?"
Thinking he was being mocked, Stewart's face flushed crimson. But he offered no further protest. He still believed he could somehow break free of this situation.
He didn't know that his own lenient nature was what was cornering him.
"Edward, do you not wish to hear the names of the traitors?"
Stewart asked Edward the same question he had before. Edward's expression didn't change.
"I'm not interested."
"Why not?"
"This country has a capable Prime Minister and inspectors. There is likely nothing that cannot be investigated."
Seeing that Edward showed no signs of going along with his plans, Stewart grew impatient and shrieked.
"They are traitors, you know? Why do you not try to find out?! You will regret it!"
But even at those words, Edward's expression didn't so much as twitch.
"The ringleader of the traitors has already been captured. The rest will be found easily enough."
"…Wh-… You call me a traitor?"
Edward answered the bloodshot-eyed Stewart calmly.
"That's right. A traitor to the country… a state criminal."
"What?"
"You attempted to start a civil war for your own desires and cause the needless loss of your people… If that is not a state criminal, what is?"
At Edward's cold declaration, Stewart could no longer contain himself and flew into a rage.
"Then are you not a state criminal as well?!"
But Edward did not falter.
"To save the people, I could not allow you and your brother to become king. You may never understand that, brother, but it is the truth."
Stewart had nothing to say to Edward's still-calm reply. For him, the only accusation he could level at Edward was that he had stolen the throne.
Franz felt disgust at Stewart's pathetic begging for his life. It was no wonder that he, who knew no other royalty besides Edward, would think, Is this the end of a royal line?
"Do you have anything else to say, brother?"
Realizing that nothing he said would move the hearts of Edward or the three others here, Stewart fell silent.
Terrified, only his eyes blazed with hatred.
Edward raised his eyes and looked at Ritz. Ritz looked at Anna, then turned to look at Franz. He nodded back silently.
"Well then, Ed. Shall we begin?"
"Yes."
"What should I do?"
"Lend me your knife."
"Sure."
Ritz took out a small knife he usually kept in his bag and casually handed it to Edward.
"Give it back, you hear?"
"Of course I will."
As the two exchanged such lighthearted banter, they looked at Stewart. The man's face was gradually losing its color.
How terrifying it must be for him, who did not know what kind of labyrinth this 'Infinite Nightmare' was.
But it was this very man who had used it on him and Anna, who had nothing to do with it.
Franz somehow knew. This man would not come out of this labyrinth safely. He would become a cripple with almost perfect certainty.
But that was nothing more than because he lacked the qualities befitting a king. He would learn that through his own mind.
It was simply too late for him to learn it.
Edward casually unsheathed the simple, unadorned knife given to him by Ritz. Edward's face was reflected on the dull gleam of the blade.
On that face was an expression of relief, as if he could finally settle the regrets of his own past.
Without hesitation, Edward plunged the knife into his own finger. Perhaps he used too much force, as blood overflowed from the slightly deep wound on his fingertip.
"Farewell, brother. If you manage to escape safely, you will be in the royal palace. Your crime will be forgiven, as was the custom of the king who created this."
But Edward probably knew it too. That this would be the last time he could speak with his brother while he still had his mind.
"…"
Stewart, too, perhaps realizing that he would not be able to escape, was silent, his eyes bloodshot.
Edward expressionlessly let the blood that seeped out drip, one drop after another, onto the 'Infinite Nightmare.' It soon began to shine beautifully, and eventually, it started to illuminate the surroundings more brightly than a candle flame.
"O 'Infinite Nightmare.' Swallow the man to be tested for his qualifications as king, Stewart, and grant him his trial."
The 'Infinite Nightmare' began to glow quietly, slowly enveloping Stewart like a mist. Stewart screamed and tried to brush away the mist, but it was a futile effort.
Eventually, Stewart glared at Edward with bloodshot eyes.
"Edward, I will never forget my hatred for you! If only you were not here, if only you were not here…"
Mist began to flow into Stewart's open mouth. But he no longer tried to brush the mist away.
"I could have remained king!"
With those last words, Stewart's eyes rolled back. His arms fell limp, and his body collapsed to the floor.
Stewart did not move a muscle after that.
All that remained was the echo of Stewart's hate-filled words.
"Ritz, do you think he can get out?"
In the silence that followed, Anna asked Ritz. Franz also looked at Ritz.
"No way."
At Ritz's immediate response, Anna nodded silently.
What will that man think of that world…
It was a pointless thing to think about, but he couldn't help it. Were the silent Anna and Ritz thinking the same thing?
After a while of being lost in their own thoughts, it was Edward who quietly broke the silence.
Edward lightly wiped the blood-stained knife on his own blood-soaked clothes and casually returned it to Ritz.
"Ritz, here you go."
"Yeah."
As Ritz took the knife, Edward picked up the 'Infinite Nightmare,' put it in his pocket, and then slowly sat down in the chair Stewart had been sitting in just moments before.
He let out a deep sigh and stopped moving.
Ritz stared silently at Edward. His gaze was strangely lonely and anxious.
Franz had no idea what Ritz was thinking.
Franz, too, sat down on the floor in a daze. The puzzle ring he had been holding just now had lost its power and returned to its original state, so he shoved it into his pocket. He didn't even have the energy to put it in the pouch.
As he covered his face with a sigh, he heard Anna's voice.
"Hey, hey, Ritz, is it okay if I make graves for Laria-san and Raven-san?"
At Anna's typical suggestion, Ritz nodded.
"Yeah. That's a good idea."
"If there are any, I'll put flowers on them!"
"Flowers, huh… I hope there are some."
"Will you help too, Ritz?"
"Of course."
As the two conversed calmly, Franz let out a deep sigh. The realization that this incredibly difficult ordeal had finally come to an end was finally sinking in.
Still, Franz thought.
He had never dreamed that he, the son of a mere Saradio merchant, would get caught up in the conclusion of a royal succession dispute.
"By the way."
As Franz was lost in thought, Ritz, who had been drinking directly from the wine bottle, looked at him.
"What?"
Still sitting on the floor, Franz looked up at Ritz's face.
"When did you get that puzzle ring?"
"…"
He had used it out of desperation, but being asked about its origin was very bad.
"That's right. You didn't have that, did you, Franz?"
At their suspicious faces, Franz froze. He had no idea what to say.
He couldn't say that Orphe was the one who made the 'Infinite Nightmare,' and that Artis, whom he had met inside, was the same person as Orphe, was something he absolutely couldn't say due to his promise with his master.
"Where did you get that thing?"
Ritz turned to face Franz completely. He was determined to get an answer.
"Yeah, tell us~"
Anna was also eager to know. Franz was in a major pinch. How on earth was he going to get out of this…
Unconsciously, Franz fumbled for the puzzle ring in his pocket. Then, the pouch that had held the puzzle ring made a rustling sound for some reason.
"…?"
Feeling Ritz's and Anna's gazes on him, Franz took out the puzzle ring and the pouch.
"Franz, let me see, let me see!"
Urged on by Anna, he handed it to her without having time to check what the sensation from before was. Ritz also peered at what was in Anna's hands.
"It's a puzzle ring, no matter how you look at it…"
Anna, having taken out the contents, held it up high.
"It's a puzzle ring, all right."
Even Franz himself couldn't believe that this puzzle ring had saved them from their crisis just now. At that moment, a piece of paper fell out of the cloth bag.
"What's this?"
Ritz picked it up. Thinking it might be a message from his master, Franz hurriedly tried to take it back from Ritz, but with his immobile legs and body, there was nothing he could do.
Regardless of Franz's struggle, Ritz read the piece of paper aloud.
"How to use the Ring of the Sun Prototype?"
Written on the piece of paper was the following:
*'How to use the Ring of the Sun Prototype
This was developed to counter dark magic. Anyone who can handle spirits can use it. Its uses are infinite, from ghost hunting to怨霊 extermination and so on.
1. When attacked by something belonging to the darkness, hold this Ring of the Sun up to the light. Sunlight would be best. If not, fire or light magic will do.
2. After it is filled with light, aim it at the target of the attack. It will cleanly absorb the power of darkness. However, as this is a prototype, it is unknown what will happen to the enemy. Use it with sufficient consideration.
Furthermore, since this Ring of the Sun is a prototype, it can only be used once. Use it only in a pinch.
After use, please enjoy playing with it as a puzzle ring.'*
"Could this be from Orphe-san's collection?"
Franz nodded silently at Anna's question. He had received it in the labyrinth, but there was no doubt it was from Orphe's collection.
"How did you get so lucky to have it?"
"I couldn't sleep last night… so for a little diversion…"
It was a somewhat strained excuse. Ritz gave a blatantly exasperated look.
"You really had the composure for that, huh~"
"Well… you know."
Franz nodded with a blank expression. It was better to be misunderstood this way. Contrary to Ritz's exasperated face, Anna was smiling as she held the puzzle ring.
"The instructions say it's just a regular puzzle ring now, right? Can I have it, Franz?"
He hesitated for a moment, but Franz nodded to Anna. It was a parting gift from his master, but since it was just a puzzle ring now, there shouldn't be a problem.
"Thank you, Franz!"
Anna was overjoyed and put the puzzle ring back in its cloth bag and into her pocket. It would probably be a good way to pass the time on the boring carriage ride.
Just as he felt a little relieved at having managed to talk his way out of it, Ritz knelt down beside him and lightly poked him.
"S-So?"
"…And, where did you really get that?"
"…"
He hadn't been fooled after all. Ritz lightly tapped the completely stiff Franz on the shoulder and stood up.
"Well, I guess everyone has one or two things they don't want to talk about."
Leaving those words behind, Ritz stood up and once again put the wine bottle to his lips. This time, Franz let out a deep sigh of relief.
Come to think of it, hadn't Orphe said it? 'Ritz-kun has realized that I have lived for a considerable number of years.'
He was truly glad that Ritz was not the type of person to press the issue.
Still, Franz thought. Perhaps his master knew that if Franz went with these two, he would be able to carve his own path.
What would he find out about his master in the future?
That question also remained for Franz. It would be a secret from Ritz and Anna for the time being. There was no way he could tell them that Artis was his master.
Thankfully, Anna truly believed that puzzle ring was just something he had picked up.
Just as everyone fell silent, the entrance door was broken down by a large group of people.
"Your Majesty, are you safe?"
Kenny, who rushed in first with a pale face, was speechless at the sight of them. Franz also took a good look at everyone.
Edward's clothes were torn in several places, and his body was stained with bruises from being hit and blood from his wounds. Ritz's clothes had countless slashes that were clearly made by a blade, and Franz himself was covered in soot, dragging his burned leg.
"Oh, it's Kenny-san!"
Anna, who waved cheerfully, was also dirty with scorch marks and soot.
"W-W-What in the world happened, Your Majesty!!!"
Kenny screamed with the most pathetic look on his face.