200 199.60 floors.txt (1/2)

Unlike the previous labyrinths, the sixty layers were the most orderly ever.

Not to be outdone, the boss layer, the Sixty Layers, was spacious and open.

As I recall, the feature of the tenth layer was 'Fire'. The thirty layers were 'Crystal', the forty layers were 'Grasslands' - and these sixty layers were all dominated by 'Light'. Wherever he looked, there was light, light, light. There was nothing but light on the marble-like ground.

However, unlike the sixty layers of painful light, this layer of light was gentle.

You can open your eyes, even though the space is filled with light. Unlike the violent light earlier, I can even feel a sense of peace despite being in a labyrinth.

It allows me to see my surroundings with my eyes. The white ground is so polished that it could almost be mistaken for tiles. There was not a single irregularity, and it was perfectly even.

Countless white balls of light rose from that beautiful ground, as if fireflies were flying around.

If one looked closely, one could see that there was a slight color difference in the light as well. The light ranges from pale to dark, some with iridescent outlines and others dark.

The space where the light weaves in and out of the light is like drifting in a dream.

It's a feeling of being loitering in the warm sunshine.

Don't mistake it for heaven - it's sixty layers.

The center of it.

As if waking up from a dream, a girl was about to stand up.

In time, the hair that stretched to the girl's feet fluffed up. That hair, like the light around it, was imbued with a variety of colors. Starting from red-blue and yellow, and even purple-orange-green, it seemed to be a mixture of colors.

However, the endless colors that dazzled the eye gradually converged into a single color. Color after color blended with color, passing through the almost complementary brown and arriving at a strange chestnut color.

It's a chestnut color that changes in depth of color depending on the angle you look at it. I have to describe it as a strange hair texture and hair color.

The body of the girl with such fantastic hair hanging down was young.

Her height would be about the height of Dear. She is wearing pure black clothing with frills on the sleeves and hem to wrap her small body.

Her skin is white and her eyes are black. At first glance, she looks close to a Japanese, but she's a little different. In my world, she looks like a half or quarter.

My first impression was that she was beautiful. But that's not a word of praise for a person, it's 'beautiful', which is closer to admiring nature and landscape. That's how out of character the girl was.

The impact was similar to when she met Rustyala.

There is no waste in all the construction.

Long eyelashes and slit eyes, a clear nose and small lips. If Rastiara was a glowing girl, this girl was a girl who seemed to draw you into the darkness. Even though it's a completely different kind of attraction, I have the same impression. So, that is--.

-- beautiful, but very stinky .......

Because I felt that way, I'll 'watch' while taking a guarded approach to the battlefield.

[Sixty Guardian] The one who steals the reason for the light.

There's no doubt about it.

She is the sixth guardian of this labyrinth.

...... This is the labyrinth?

The girl who stood up muttered as she squinted her eyes.

Then she looks around in this light-filled space and finds me, who had invaded the sixty layers. At that moment, the eyelids of the girl who had half fallen because she refused the light are opened.

''-- Ah, ah, you came for me, didn't you?

The girl stood up and stumbled as she tried to approach me. However, she immediately stood up again and wandered toward me.

It's just like a baby seeking its mother.

I was too weak to do anything about it, and that made me think so.

But I'm not going to let my guard down.

It's true that she looks weak, but she's still on par with Lord and Rowen.

I've been watching the girl's movements while running my hand over the ”Straight Sword of Crescent Pectrazi” lowered to my waist.

But the girl didn't care about my vigilance, she only approached me.

While muttering with an impressed look--

'Oh, I've missed you ....... I've been waiting for this moment for a long time: ......

As far as her words were concerned, she didn't seem to have the same curiosity or hostility as Tida or Ayda. My vigilance increased in proportion to the distance I was approaching, but my relief was also deepening in proportion to the words that the girl was letting out.

''Just as planned, it's the appearance of Uzurinami-sama at that time. And in that body, this body ...... - I can finally prove it. I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for this moment .......

The girl called me 'Uzura Wave'. And the way she looks at me is kind.

I'm convinced that we are acquainted and even friendly, and I let go of my hand from my sword.

'Then, please. Touch me and stroke me. If Uzumi-sama strokes me just once, that's all it takes to make me disappear. Yes, that's all I want.

The girl combined her hands and wished herself gone.

At the same time, the distance between me and the girl becomes zero.

I gasp at this overly hasty development. However, I quickly reconsider and re-focus my body.

If I can continue to stroke the girl and clear the sixty layers, I'll be happy about that.

The girl's wishes will come true and so will mine.

'Okay. ......'

I don't think anyone will lose anything, so I reach out my hand with a reply of approval.

He places his palm on the girl's head and slowly strokes her cozy hair.

'Oh, thank you ......'

The girl thanks him and narrows her eyes.

She seems to be biting down on the feeling of being stroked.

The girl stands tall on her toes and continues to be stroked in a comfortable manner. The expression on her face certainly gave me an inkling of disappearance.

Even I, who know nothing about the circumstances, knew that this day, this is the moment when the girl's true intentions are realized.

A thin drop of water falls from the girl's narrowed eyes and the curtain is pulled back on a story.

It was my intuition that this was the case with the skill ”sensitivity”.

--I'm not going to be the only one who's been in this business for a long time.

I've gained that confidence. Perhaps the girl has gained that certainty as well.

The only thing left to do is to watch her die.

So I kept stroking and stroking her - for about fifteen minutes (・・・・・).

I didn't want to disturb her lingering effects, but I finally couldn't take it anymore and let the words out.

”...... ki, it's not going away, is it?

The girl is a little embarrassed by his words and returns it.

''Well, it seems so: ......

The girl seemed to be in the same situation as me.

It was a stream that seemed to disappear even now, but it wasn't like that at all. Her body is there without losing strength.

The girl hurriedly pulled away from my palm and asked, ”Why ......? He repeated the words ”I'm sorry, Then, after repeating the question to the hilt, he grabbed my hands with a desperate look on his face.

Believe me, Uzumi-sama!　I would never lie to you, sir.　I've always been--

'Well, wait. I have something very hard to say, but can you hear me out first?

The girl's words were interrupted.

If she was going to disappear happily as it was, she didn't want to say anything. But that was not going to happen.

Then I need to tell her that I am not qualified to listen to her words.

Seeing my serious eyes, the girl nodded her head in a dignified manner.

I begin to explain slowly so as not to provoke her.

In fact, I have no memory of what I was like a thousand years ago. So I don't know who you are. Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about. ......

What--?

The girl opens her mouth with a pop.

So I want you to introduce yourself again. My name is Aikawa Uzumi. What's your name?

'Wow, did you forget ......?　All at ......?

Without answering her own introduction, the girl checked her facts.

It's not unreasonable. If one of my people loses their memory, I'm confident I'd say the same thing with the same look on my face.

'I'm sorry ......, I can barely remember ......'

So, he doesn't explain much and just nods back with a few words so that the girl can think calmly.

When the girl sees that nod, she is confused.

However, even though she was confused, she could see the flame of understanding lit in her eyes.

There was a willingness to accept the situation and still move forward.

It didn't take long for the girl to come back to herself.

After taking one deep breath, she took a step back, picked up the skirt of her clothes and began to bow. That gesture was as reverent and full of grace as Lord.

I understand. Then, let me introduce myself once more. My name is Nosfi.

From that point on, she was not confused - she was not lost.

◆◆◆◆◆

”My name is Nosfi. I used to be the flag of the south side and fought a war. At that time, Uzumi-sama was the Knight Commander of the North. It was like the relationship between Romeo and Juliet, a tragic fate that tore us into friends and foes. In the end, I died and Uzumi-sama survived to create the labyrinth.

As if to make sure, Nosphy continues to tell his story, perhaps because I said I'd forgotten it.

There is no major discrepancy between that story and the information I know.

It didn't look like he was lying to me.

'All through the war, I was looking for Uzumi-sama. I kept thinking about him until I died. Therefore, Master Uzumi chose me to be the guardian of the labyrinth after I died. And now, after the passage of a thousand years, my longtime wish should have come true - ....... I'm not sure my role as a guardian will ever end. ...... Why is that? ...... Yes, I really wonder why.

I could tell from every word that he adored me.

But it's odd.

He doesn't seem to be greatly shocked by my memory loss. Nor does she seem to be shocked that she couldn't disappear.

Even with the skill 'sensitivity', I couldn't understand the bottom of her emotions.

It's a sensation of not being able to see what's behind the light, as if she's staring at the sun.

I felt different from any of the guardians (guardians) I had ever seen.

''That had nothing to do with Uzurinami-sama, who has no memory. I'm sorry.''

It's as if he's throwing all kinds of words at me to see my reaction.

I wonder if it's just my imagination that I'm starting a new life as a guardian (guardian) and I even feel comfortable.

After apologizing once, Nosfi changed the subject without seeming to be particularly bothered by it.

''But why don't I have any memories of Uzurinami-sama?　Last I heard, everything was going well: ......

I don't know anything about Nosfi's unresolved issues, but I can answer the question about me. I'll choose my words carefully before returning them.

'Let's see, ......, at the end of the millennia ago, it seems that the Apostle Legacy guy interrupted me and called me into the labyrinth in an incomplete state. Also, there's no tiara in this time period, and my sister is on earth, still asleep. So I'm sort of running the labyrinth in reverse.

...... tiara is gone and your sister is on earth asleep?

Yeah.

'I see. Well, that means we have to get to ground as soon as possible.

As they finished checking each other's situation, Ryner, who had been watching the situation in the distance, approached.

'Christ, are you okay ......?'

He saw that they were discussing the matter calmly, and he knew it wasn't going to be a fight.

'Who is this gentleman?'

Nosfi looks at Ryner and prompts him to make introductions.

'This is the knight who's helping me, Ryner Helvilshain.

Hellville Shine?

When he heard his name, he looked a little surprised. However, he immediately gave a ladylike bow.

''How do you do, Helvilshine. I'm not the 'flag' of the south - I'm the guardian of the labyrinth, the 'stealer of the reason for light', Nosfi.

He held out his right hand and asked for a handshake.

Ryner cautiously confirmed that there was no hostility and then squeezed his hand back.

'...... Nice to meet you, Nosfi. You can call me Ryner.

By shaking hands they proved that they were not each other's enemies.

'Um, ......, can't I call you Helvirshine instead of Reiner?'

Then Nosfi shakes his hand and asks for a change of name.

''--?''

Ryner overreacted to Nosfi, who asked him with an upward glance as if he were peering at him from below. He let go of the hand he was holding and jumped backwards like a beast in front of its natural enemy. And his hands are now on the verge of pulling out the twin swords at his waist.

It was not just a reaction. I was so caught that I almost drew my sword as well.

It seems that Reiner himself is unaware of what has happened. I'm going to ask Nosfi with a grim and troubled expression.

Nosfi ....... What did you just try to do to me ......?

However, Nosfi had a similar expression on his face. He begins to apologize faintly.

''I'm sorry, too. I thought that my 'curse' had already disappeared completely, but it seems that some residue remained. It was never my intention to harm you. Please believe in me: ......!

Remnants of the 'curse'?

'Yes, it was mine before I was born. I thought it had disappeared once it had passed through the cleansing process of death, but I guess that wasn't the case. I'm really sorry, Ryner. I swear that I will never reveal the residue again.

The word 'curse' reminds me of the Reaper's face.

She had the same 'curse' on her as the Grim Reaper in the fairy tales. The content of the curse was that 'you cannot exist while you are recognized'. It seems that Nosfy was carrying something similar to that.

The condition for lifting the Reaper was 'Rowen's death', but was Nosfi's condition for lifting the curse 'his own death'?

Ryner bonded with Nosphy, who continued to apologize, and approached Nosphy to shake his hand again.

'No, that's fine then: ......'

''Hmph. Maybe it's because I lost my 'curse', but it's a very fresh feeling. To be able to shake someone's hand properly: ......

It was a long handshake.

...... May I pat you on the head for a moment?