3.
I knew it.
「What a shame.」
For a very long time, I think I already knew.
「Think about it. Whoever made the tower put effort into making it. That's also a message for us. But no one cares.」
「Originally, it should have been a sight to admire and look up to.」
「We've become accustomed to everything by the 10th floor.」
A person who almost always maintains an expressionless face, wears a helmet, and tries as much as possible not to show their face to others.
Always clad in armor.
「I thought I had a pretty good poker face.」
「Kim Gong-ja. Do you have a clairvoyant skill?」
Perhaps someone with a more formidable wall built around their heart.
「There's no helping it.」
My comrade.
Patricia.
Our noble and pure Crusader.
「I have the skill to detect lies.」
「It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say this skill brought me all the way to the position of vice-captain of the Civil Militia.」
「Doubt is a poison that eats away at humans, and truth is the most powerful antidote. Although we can't regain the trust we've lost so far, at least we'll be able to cooperate on the 12th floor.」
Right before engaging in a close battle with the Devil King of Fall Rain.
Hunters who had broken through the stage for the first time in years were excited, and therefore easily fell into the trap laid by the Devil King. They hadn't considered the possibility that 'the quest itself could be a trap of the Devil King.'
When it was announced that someone had betrayed us and sided with the Devil King, the leaders of the giant guilds quickly suspected each other.
「How foolish! I told you! Never choose the reward of the Devil King.」
「Dare I say, we still don't know who betrayed us, but I will gift that bastard the most painful death.」
It was a time when we couldn't yet trust each other.
The Heretic Questioner interrogated people in the basement of the Ten Thousand Temple under the pretext of heresy, the Black Dragon Witch's assassination squad tore through the night of Babylon, and the Count was busy encroaching on the capital of other guilds.
Above all.
「This atmosphere. This air. It feels like when we were conquering the early parts of the tower.」
「Indeed. It feels similar to the times when the 5 major guilds were actually 10.」
「Back then, we died a lot. Killed a lot too. Right?」
The fact that we were merely slaughterers to each other.
Everyone knew it.
Knew it all too well.
「Crusader! Immediately interrogate everyone with [Lie Detection]. Without missing a single person! If anyone even hesitates to answer the Crusader's question or tries to avoid it, I will kill that person right here on the spot!」
So.
「I was planning to do so without saying.」
I knew it.
「First of all, let me clarify that I am not the traitor.」
That people like you would never forget the slaughterers.
It's inconceivable, unpersuasive, and unforgivable.
If I don't have the power to punish the slaughterers right now, I will wait until I do. I will be patient. Whether it takes 5 years or 10, I will eagerly wait until the moment the opportunity arises.
「For poker faces.」
「I do have confidence.」
Making those around think that [the Crusader is a reliable human].
Even if you miss the opportunity, you will not show a hint of regret.
Even if the opportunity comes, you will not show any signs of excitement.
You just do what needs to be done.
「Really, life is full of uncertainties.」
That you are such a person.
「Reconciling with the Black Dragon Witch and becoming friends again. And with the other guild leaders too….」
「Really.」
「Despite all that has happened.」
For a very long time, I think I already knew.
"...."
Therefore.
When I found myself face to face with a doll strikingly similar to the Crusader in a dead-end alley on the 63rd stage of the Glass Labyrinth, and when I saw the signboard the doll was holding.
I was not surprised.
Not at all. Not one bit.
『I am.』
The signboard was written in a concise handwriting.
『I have 17 different plans to assassinate all my comrades.』
It was exactly the Patricia I knew.
4.
Creak.
"Did I surprise you?"
The mouth of the doll, identical to the Crusader, moved. The snake that does not reveal its appearance or voice was whispering through the doll.
"This human is my exemplary follower. Principally, it's forbidden for constellations to meddle directly with humans who haven't surpassed the 50th floor. That's why they make contact indirectly, through skills or blessings."
"...."
Indirect propagation of faith.
From the standpoint of constellations, skills and blessings are, sort of, a means.
There are far more worlds that do not reach the 50th floor than those that do. There must be.
From the constellations' point of view, the faith resources of those many worlds are too precious to waste.
That's why they go to the extent of using their power to create skills and distribute them, and sprinkle blessings like the [Blessing of the Goddess of Vitality] I once received as a reward for a hidden stage.
"But this human was desperate."
Creak. Creak.
While I was etching new facts into a corner of my mind, the marionette Crusader said, seemingly delighted,
"I am a constellation that does not particularly enjoy giving special treatment to anyone, but even so, I can say this human was 'special.' It's been quite a long time since I saw someone wish so fervently! More than 10 years ago, this human bit their lips until they bled, praying to a god they didn't even believe existed."
During the period of the great purge in the tower.
"Grant me the power to punish the wicked in secret," they said.
"...."
"In other words, this human wished to become an assassin! Secret killings. Executioners hidden behind veils. Planned murders. I am not the constellation that governs death, but my power touches all schemes and assassinations. I gladly lent my strength!"
I muttered bitterly,
"[Lie Detector] was a skill you gave then."
"That's right. And that's not all!"
Grating sounds came from the doll's mouth.
"The skills this human possesses are practically a list of my powers, gloriously laid out. They can see how much someone likes them in numerical form. When revealing their skills to others, this human can distort and twist the description as they wish. Detecting secrets. Distorting information. Manipulation. Schemes. Isn't it truly beautiful!"
"...."
"The ones you consider friends were planning your death!"
[The Eye Living in the Labyrinth] mocked.
"Not a single one approached you with pure goodwill."
How about that, the serpent constellation asked.
"Before even hearing your story, they thought of your death and perfected the method of your murder before showing you an immaculate smile. Death King. Even before you were known by that alias!"
Yes.
"This is the true nature of the friendship you so dearly cherish!"
Even the most insignificant dagger hurts when its blade grazes the flesh.
Even if my head already knows, even if my heart has already come to terms, even if the words I'm hearing now are merely provocations meant to shake me, an act of desperation by the opponent, knowing all that…
The blade is still a blade, and a wound is still a wound.
It would be a lie to say it doesn't hurt.
"If you wish, I can remain silent and not speak of the secrets those humans harbor."
Then, the problem is.
"Even if you do not wish for it, I can expose all the secrets those humans keep right before your eyes!"
Whether I can truly endure it or not.
"Fear what is to be feared. You humans, you should be wise enough for that. You have been given a name too grand for your fate. Put down that sword…"
"What do you know?"
The doll's artificial eyes turned towards me.
"What?"
"What do you know so well about Patricia?"
I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and fiddled with it.
A white handkerchief with silver thread embroidery.
While feeling the soft touch at my fingertips, I calmed my agitated emotions following the patterns with my fingers.
I controlled the temperature of my heart.
"I know Patricia much more deeply and much more than you think."
"Ha. How funny! You didn't even know what kind of murder plans they had."
"Patricia used Yoo Soo-ha."
"…What?"
I recalled the memory.
It felt incredibly distant, as if from a very long time ago.
The moment I decided to regress 4000 days, the Crusader was there at the scene.
「Don't use your water abilities independently!」
「That's right. We need to time our abilities together!」
Harlem Street was burning because of Yoo Soo-ha.
Among the top rankers, only the Crusader and the Alchemist rushed to the scene of the fire. The Crusader might not know, but that was actually the first time I saw her.
In front of the flames, the two rankers conversed.
「That's weird. Why isn't Miss Saintess here yet…?」
「She said she had something tonight. I'm not sure, but it might be a date. She has been spending a lot of time with the Flame Emperor lately.」
「…I don't like that Flame Emperor guy.」
Naturally, both knew Yoo Soo-ha.
「The Saintess should meet someone better.」
And.
「Her standards are too high. Who could she meet that's better than the number 1 ranker?」
The Crusader didn't speak ill of Yoo Soo-ha.
You, who should hate someone like Yoo Soo-ha more than anyone, showed no sign of contempt, even though if there were anyone in the world who should despise Yoo Soo-ha, it would definitely be you.
「Welcome, Flame Emperor.」
Instead, she was polite.
「As you can see, an arson has occurred in the old slum area. Can you help us?」
She was courteous.
「What do I get out of helping?」
「Tomorrow, all media across the world will write in big bold letters: 『The Flame Emperor subdues the fire, a charitable act of goodwill』. You can improve your image while grabbing the attention of all the people around the world.」
Why?
Why did she do that?
Didn't she realize what kind of person the Flame Emperor was?
There was a time when I thought so.
I was furious, believing that the Flame Emperor's act was so convincing that it deceived everyone, including Patricia.
"When the Saintess attempted to poison Yoo Soo-ha, he fell for it once once. But he immediately regressed and took his revenge on the Saintess. At that time, for some reason, Yoo Soo-ha believed the person who ordered his poisoning was the Black Dragon Witch."
"What? …What are you talking about?"
"Who do you think tipped him off?"
Now, I don't think Patricia was deceived.
"That night, Yoo Soo-ha told the Saintess, 'Think carefully before you answer. I might not have an invulnerability to poison, but I do have a skill to detect lies. If you lie and get caught, I'll burn you to the bone.' But Yoo Soo-ha didn't have a lie detector skill."
"So what are you trying to say…?"
"The one who had that skill was Patricia."
The exact opposite.
I think Patricia deceived everyone.
"Before I regressed, I believe the Sword Saint was killed by Yoo Soo-ha. The Sword Saint is strong. Even if Yoo Soo-ha had a regression skill, it would have been extremely difficult for him alone to overcome the Sword Saint. Yet, the Sword Saint was defeated, went missing, and rumors of his disappearance spread."
"...."
"Patricia knew the Sword Saint well. She was directly under him when he was the leader of the Civil Militia. She would have known what the Sword Saint's weaknesses were, what his schedule was like, everything. She had been sharpening her blade against the Sword Saint, who participated in the Great Purge. It wouldn't be surprising if Patricia collaborated with the Flame Emperor in hunting down the Sword Saint."
I think everyone was deceived by Patricia.
"Of course, the Civil Militia guild, which has the authority to [treat murdered people as missing], making it seem as though they haven't died… was under Patricia's control."
"...."
"In another world."
The timeline the Tower Master showed me.
The IF scenario where I become a guild member of Yoo Soo-ha and live on.
There, the Saintess attacked Yoo Soo-ha with a spear.
"For some reason, the Saintess knew that the murderer who killed her grandfather, the Sword Saint, was Yoo Soo-ha."
"Yoo Soo-ha!"
"You murdered my only grandfather!"
"Who told her?"
Someone wanted to use the Flame Emperor to eliminate the Sword Saint.
That someone wanted to use the Flame Emperor to get rid of the Black Dragon Witch.
Someone wanted to instigate vengeance in the Saintess to decisively sour the relationship between the Flame Emperor and the Black Dragon Witch.
"Who could have told her?"
In the IF scenario shown by the Tower Master, the great guilds collapsed.
The Heretic Questioner died at the hands of a terrorist infiltrating the Ten Thousand Temple, and the Black Dragon Witch, too, was taken care of by an assassin.
The Heretic Questioner and the Black Dragon Witch, of all people, were supposed to be thorough with their security.
"Coincidentally, the guild that verifies and vouches for the identities of those entering the tower is the Civil Militia."
How could terrorists and assassins.
Not only enter the tower but also infiltrate the core of the giant guilds?
"There is only one person with the capability and position to do that."
To be trusted means you have the capacity to betray.
"And there's only one among the guild leaders with a motive to do so."
To be able to guarantee means you have the power to manipulate.
"The Tower Master showed me an illusion to prove that [Yoo Soo-ha can change] too. But even in that illusion, the tower was destroyed, and the giant guilds collapsed. Why? If you're going to show me an illusion, you could have shown the perfect world, so why deliberately, why a broken world to me?"
Because the Tower Master cannot ignore human wishes.
Even if it's a wish soaked in blood, Patricia's wish was [to rightfully retaliate against the slaughterers].
Just that wish alone was something the Tower Master couldn't ignore.
"...."
For a very long time.
I think I already knew.
"Hishmith Kritz."
I opened my lips.
"You wouldn't know everything I just mentioned."
"...."
"You wanted to provoke me as if the trust I've built up until now was nothing but a sandcastle. You wanted to strip down the secrets held by my comrades one by one, display them to me, and drive me to a point where I can't trust anyone anymore, not even myself, if possible."
But.
"I know more than you think I do."
About Patricia.
About my friends.
"I know the expressions they've shown, and even the expressions they've never shown. I've seen and understood things about themselves they don't even know."
It's not that I reached out my hand because I didn't know.
It's not that I gave my trust while being ignorant.
"It's not because I believed they wouldn't do such things, that they aren't the type to do so."
I gripped my sword.
****
"I am by their side, and they trust me, to prevent those who could do such things from doing them, to stop those who could commit such acts from committing them."
"You…"
"There is no secret you can reveal that has a blade sharp enough to break me."
"How dare you, you insignificant brat!"
"Humans aren't dolls meant to be displayed in your glass garden."
With all my strength.
I struck the floor of the labyrinth with my sword.
"Nobody lives to be displayed by others, and nobody has the right to display others."
Screech-.
Centered on where I struck.
"I'll bring you down from here."
The world of glass was torn apart.