"Well."
Odellit recalled the overwhelming power of the Saint who called upon Descent of Divinity during the slaughter of Hellkaion and the battle with the Black Magic Swordsman.
Divine Descent was certainly a wondrous force. However, it was not something that piqued her interest because it was an area beyond her reach.
In the first place, it was an impossible plan to capture a High Saint with Odellit's current power and use her as an experiment.
In that sense, subjects of research that are moderately easy to acquire but are still interesting are the ones that pique her interest…
"Oh, well, considering the topic of your graduation thesis, a Sacred Sheep would be a more appropriate research subject."
"…"
Hearing those words, she remembered a silver-haired paladin who was always following the Saint around.
Odellit did not deny this time.
"By the way, shouldn't you graduate this time? We have a child in our family who hasn't graduated from the Tower until she's well over twenty years old. Tsk, tsk."
"…"
Odellit, as a competent magic swordsman usually does, awakened Aura first, so there was bound to be a limit to the achievements of magic research.
However, this was not something an ancestor eight generations her senior, who only dug the magic research field, would consider from his point of view.
"If this continues, our family's legacy as Archmages may end. Please make sure to find a man with good mana circuits and marry him so that the new generation of nephews will be different from you."
As expected, conversations with adults of the family tended to proceed in this routine manner.
Marquis Lecandro broke up the fruitless conversation between the two.
"I would like us to depart now."
"I was just about to. Please don't rush me."
They stood in front of the third area, the Thornbush Forest.
Thorn bushes as thick as an adult's waist wriggled in a disgusting way.
Giant tulip-shaped man-eating flowers were in full bloom here and there, eagerly waiting for prey. This man-eating thornbush flower had an incredibly fast regenerative ability, and it was resistant to aura because it had eaten many sword masters.
It was a terrible match for the Kingdom's army, whose raiding party consisted primarily of Aura users.
Marquis Lecandro warned.
"If you get close, you will be eaten and consumed in an instant."
"No wizard would fight in close range."
Morifis sent away the hummingbird that had perched on his index finger.
"Burn it, Beatrice."
The tiny, chubby silhouette of the hummingbird gradually swelled in size and became sharper.
Kiyaaagh!
Soon the hummingbird, or rather, the creature that was the hummingbird, poured out flames from its beak.
A long stream of fire set the bushes ablaze.
The bird monster's flames exceeded the insane regenerative power of the thornbush man-eating flower making the flowers scream and collapse to the ground.
It was firepower that could only be produced if six or seven 6th-Circle wizards were to work together in the attack.
It was proof that a single chimera under Morifis was stronger than several high-ranked people with advanced skills.
"It is done, Marquis Lecandro."
Thanks to Morifis, the punitive parties of the two countries stepped over the ashes and through the forest with ease.
When they passed the natural barrier, Morifis stopped.
"Then everyone, please back away."
"Hah…"
Marquis Lecandro sighed deeply.
It seemed that Morifis was trying to do something to sabotage the Church's Party again.
'Now he's doing it very openly.'
Marquis Lecandro gave up, realizing that the man was a psychopath who would not listen to reason, and assessed that joining up with the Church's Party was already impossible.
Besides, judging from the conversation that has taken place so far, it seemed to be in the best interests of continental peace that The Saint and The Chimera Researcher do not encounter each other.
Morifis' voice was heard from afar.
"Grow up well."
As an archmage, Morifis could use various types of magic, including chloromancer, a field of spells that aided in the growth of plants.
The man-eating thornbush flower, whose underground roots were still alive, began to grow frighteningly fast.
The bushes grew much more abundantly even after covering the original area. It almost invaded the territory of allies, nearly consuming the knights and magic swordsmen as nourishment for rapid growth.
With his work done, Morifis turned around with a proud look on his face.
"I think we don't have to worry about being overtaken by the Holy Country's Party anymore."
"…All right, let's go."
Marquis Lecandro pressed her temples and practiced the knightly virtues of silence and patience.
She would have to do that if she wanted to quickly save the royal family and part ways with this psycho.
From now on, it was new territory with no prior scouting and no information.
The punitive force made by the two countries' armies took steps toward the maze made up of hedges.
"Hoo, have they already reached the maze garden?"
Among the mirrors made by Anaxia, there were many practical and convenient ones.
One of them was the Sentient Mirror.
The Sentient Mirror allowed her to see images from all over the territory.
Anaxia, who was watching the warriors through this, had an amused look.
"I see that the humans in the lead are alienating the Vanquisher of Evil. Humans do love to antagonize, divide, and betray."
"Indeed, Lord Anaxia. Haaang~~."
"Well, thanks to that, it's fun to observe."
Anaxia took her steps after dispelling the Sentient Mirror and asked the Succubus Queen.
"How's the work in the Boss's room?"
"It's finished perfectly. Why don't you go to take a look?"
"Sure."
Soon the steps of the two demons stopped before a huge arched gate of solid iron.
Kugugoogung!
The door, deliberately designed to make a heavy noise, began to open left and right.
The Boss Room that was soon revealed had the appearance of a magnificent throne room.
A red carpeted pathway dyed red, as if blood had been squeezed in abundance, reached a high platform made up of thirteen steps and on top of the platform was a splendid throne made of gold and jewels, showing off its majesty.
It was obvious why Duchess Anaxia decorated the Boss Room like a King's throne room.
'I will become a Demon King.'
She planned to crown herself King.
It was tantamount to taunting the entire Demon World, but she didn't care. Because 'Newborn Chaos and Evil' was on her side.
The Succubus Queen encouraged Anaxia.
"Go ahead and sit down, my Lord."
"Not yet, it's not the time."
Anaxia held her breath and restrained her desires.
The first sitting is very meaningful and she wanted to do it in front of as many people as possible.
And that moment is when all warriors, including the Vanquisher of Evil, enter this room.
Just imagining it brought mad excitement to Anaxia's eyes.
"What is the reply to the mirror gift sent to the three Demon Kings?"
"The heads of the vassals who delivered the gifts have returned. Cleanly cut."
"Good."
That was the best return gift in the Demon World.
The Demon Kings will also be watching the upcoming 'banquet' through the mirrors she sent.
It will be an exquisite Demon King debut.
"Lord Anaxia~."
At that moment, succubus maids delivered exciting news from the entrance to the throne room.
"'Newborn Chaos and Evil' has returned! Please go ahead and welcome the distinguished guest!"
Chapter 29. Castle of Changing Mirrors
Roaaaaaaarrrr!
The dense thorn bush forest was reduced to ashes by the Blue Flame.
I pointed ahead and shouted loudly.
"All troops, forward!"
"Yes! Corps Commander!"
"Follow the Corps Commander!"
"…What kind of Commander of a Corps has only four soldiers? Is it fun to play like that?"
Ephael and Ash chimed in my make-believe, but Hestio struck out of the play.
['The Troubled Architect of the Tower of Trials' laments that he is a friend with poor social skills.]
['The Critic who adjusts the balance' is opposed to an organizational culture that prevents people from saying the right things.]
I pretended I hadn't heard Hestio and strode ahead.
Throughout the thornbush forest that had turned to ashes, there were plant stalks that still throbbed with life.
I was twirling the chain in my hand, and whenever I found something like that, I used my aura to cut it off.
Psososo!
Because there was a grappling hook at the end of the chain, it exerted the same power as a dagger.
For the record, thanks to having Weapon Meister Agnes as my teacher, I was proficient with most weapons.
"Eli."
"Huh? Yes?"
I looked back with a proud look on my face at Thesilid's call. I expected him to be impressed by my wonderful multitasking skills.
But it wasn't.
"Do you like that dog collar that much?"
"Huh?"
"Because you keep carrying it around."
Only then did I look again at the chain shackles that I had been spinning around without thinking about it.
This was an item I got after sending the mother wolf away without pain.
[Item 'Dog Collar of Obedience'
A special dog collar crafted by Anaxia to tame guard dogs. From the moment it's worn, the target will regard you as their master and serve you with utmost care.
Note: The moment it is worn, the size changes to perfectly fit the subject's neck circumference.]
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' smiles sinisterly with a glint in her eyes.]
Because of 's reaction, the purpose of the item seemed to feel strange.
I hurriedly tossed it into my inventory and dusted off my hands.
"I didn't particularly like it."
"I see."
"Really."
"I see."
I quickened my pace, trying to hide my awkwardness.
"I guess this is the next area."
It was just as Ash said.
Before we knew it, the thorn bushes were over and a hedge maze garden appeared in front of us.
Ash was embarrassed.
"Hey, if we do this wrong, we'll be stuck there, wandering around for a long time, right?"
"This also seems to be made of plants. Can't we burn it and clear a path?"
"Ephael, you idiot, don't you know about the rules of the dungeon? If you don't follow the rules of this maze area, you will be returned to the entrance."
"What. Does that mean we can't climb up the wall?"
"Yes."
At that point, Ash, who had placed his right hand on the green live wall, showed off his practical knowledge.
"Then I guess we have no choice but to use the right-hand method to get out of here."
In the maze, if you follow the wall with your right hand, you will eventually find the exit. That was the best method of escaping a maze.
I tapped Ash on the shoulder as encouragement.
"As expected, Ash. You're smart."
"Thank you, sister. Then I will take the lead."
"But there's no need for that."
"What?"
"Wait a minute."
After giving the group snacks and telling them to rest, I took out writing utensils as I had something else to do.
Ssuk, suk.
"Sister, what are you doing…wow."
"What are you surprised about…omg."
"Why are you guys doing…huh."
I was copying the maze structure from the system map onto a piece of paper.
['The Critic who Adjusts the Balance' comments that the map feature is the pinnacle of a transmigrator's privilege.]
['The Creative Business Manager' laments that it should have been sold as a cash prize.]
I showed the completed map to the four people.
"Here, this is the way to go."
"Whoa, this is the Saint's revelation."
"It's a miracle. This is a real miracle."
"Sister, you are wonderful."
Ash, Ephael, and Hestio put their heads together and studied the paper map, trying to find their way from the entrance to the exit.
Thesilid remained by my side, apparently uninterested, and offered me a drink.
Accepting it meekly, I squinted at him.
"Aren't you going to find the way together with them?"
"Should I?"
When he asked the question, the answer did not come right away.
In fact, the reason I bothered to draw a map was because of Thesillid. I thought it would be convenient if he memorized the path if someday he came to this dungeon without me.
Thesillid stared at me intently, as if he knew what I was thinking, and waited for an answer. I felt like I didn't want to ruin this moment, so I said.
"No, you don't have to. I'm bored, so stay here."
"Yes."
After the break, we followed the map out of the maze and a pitch-black castle greeted us.
Unsurprisingly, the castle gate was tightly closed. Normally, a siege would be unavoidable. But my companions looked back at me with no intention of fighting, and each said something.
"Our Leader Ellet must have a plan."
"I believe you, Captain."
"Please open the castle gate, Sister."
"Eli, please."
These guys' discipline is already long gone.
I agreed with Agnes.
It seems that my paladins had developed bad habits.
But it was also true that there was a way, so I moved forward without making a fuss.
Above the gate was a small bronze relief sculpture in the shape of a screaming face. I called out to it.
"Congratulations to Anaxia Pelhemstein on her succession to the ducal throne!"
Confirm. Pass.
Drurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
We succeeded in entering comfortably.
"The Kingdom's army and the Magic troops must not have entered the castle yet."
"Why do you think so?"
Ephael asked the reason for Thesilid's judgment, then a detailed explanation came out of Ash's mouth.
"They would have laid siege to the castle, and we would have felt explosions or vibrations from attacks. Since we see no marks of it happening, they're still wandering in the maze. Right, Brother Thesilid?"
"That's right."
Hestio snorted while enlighted Ephael nodded his head in disbelief.
"They started first and even tried to prevent us from following, but they fell further behind. Funny, isn't it?"
"I know. If they had gone with our captain, they would have had an easier time getting here."
"While they struggle, wandering through the maze, we broke through the castle gate like taking candy from kids. Serves them right!"
The morale of our paladins has risen. With this momentum, we can go all the way to the boss room.
Kwangg!
As we five, including me, entered the castle, the iron door slammed shut behind us.
[System You have entered the 'Castle of Mirrors'.]
Wham!
Torches were lit sequentially, from those nearer to us to those farther away.
Hestio peered into the antique hallway with a look of boredom.
"What, the walls are all covered with mirrors?"
There were mirrors of all shapes and sizes hanging on the walls of the castle, making it seem like it was a mirror museum.
But mirrors weren't the only decoration.
"Well, there's the occasional piece of art."
"Huh?"
Those who turned their eyes to the painting without thinking much about what I said were going crazy.
"What the heck. What kind of work of art is this!"
"Oh my god, I'm going blind! Please warn me about this kind of stuff in advance!"
Well, paladins are not immune to obscenities.
I glanced over at Thesilid and saw that he too was wiping his face with one hand. For some reason, I wanted to make fun of him.
"You seem out of sorts, Lord Thesilid."
"No…"
"Right. Maturity is achieved through quality, not quantity of experience. That was a wise saying."
"…Stop it."
Thesilid eventually turned his head away from me and avoided eye contact.
As expected, 17th Thesilid is fun to tease. If it had been after episode 86, I wouldn't have been able to make fun of him.
"Sister, Brother, what on earth are you talking about?"
Ash snooped around with interest, so I covered his eyes.
"No viewing for minors."
"What?"
"Come on, guys, let's go. We've got a long way to go."
That was when I looked the other way and tugged on Ash's wrist.
[System Warning. The structure of 'Castle of Mirrors' changes.]
I came to my senses and shouted immediately.
"Everyone stay close!"
Sure enough, I had picked the right people. The four people immediately followed the order without hesitation.
As soon as we gathered together like a flock of penguins enduring the bitter cold, a vibration went up our ankles.
Duru! Drutrruu!
A path was created where there was a wall, and what used to be a path was blocked by a wall.
As the system warned, the structure of the castle had changed.
"It's okay. it's over."
"What is this?"
I answered Hestio's question.
"The Castle of Mirrors changes its structure every hour. You have to be careful not to get separated from the group, and watch out for walls suddenly coming down from above your heads."
"I see. It's an hourly interval, right?"
"Yes, Ephael."
Not only Ephael, but the other three also took out their pocket watches and checked the time.
Yes, we should all do this together. No one should go missing, guys.
I walked ahead again and opened my mouth. It was time to explain the Castle of Mirrors to the group.
"Okay, I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. The way to the boss room is simple: follow the path straight ahead to a room where a middle boss awaits, and once you've defeated him and solved the riddle, you'll open the door to the next room. We repeat this until we reach the room where Anaxia awaits."
"What? There's no need to wander around the castle?"
"Yes, Ephael. You don't have to get lost because it automatically opens the right path."
"Then what's the point of the castle's layout changing every hour?"
"Good point, Hestio. Every time the structure changes, the path gets twisted, forcing you to go through more mid-boss rooms. For example, you could get out of a floor by just breaking through one more room, but if an hour has passed and the path changes and you have to break through three more rooms, it would be quite frustrating, right? That's the objective of the hourly change."
"What's this riddle you were talking about?"
"Ash, that's…"
Drurrrrrrr!
When we reached the end of the hallway, the door opened by itself. It was a mid-boss room.
I went on to say the last word.
"I think you can just see for yourselves after catching the mid-boss."
[System 'Succubus Maid Sina', ranked 3031st in the Demon World, has appeared.]
[System 'Incubus Servant Shion', ranked 3054th in the Demon World, has appeared.]
Two dream demons.
They were barely a chin-up on the A-list boss. It was light, perhaps because it was the beginning.
"Welcome. Haaang~~."
"Welcome. Huh~~."
A female dream demon in a maid uniform and a male dream demon in a tailcoat greeted us coquettishly.
Their wrists and ankles were shackled in iron chains, the ends of which led into the mirror behind them.
It was a sign of submission to Anaxia.
"Let's play together. Hm~~?"
The dreamers winked.
It was a ploy to cloud the opponent's mind by radiating temptation.
Of course, I simply brushed it off.
"Since there are two of them, we should split into teams."
A dream demon's mental attacks worked better on the opposite sex. Although they were low-level guys, there was no need to make things easier for the enemy.
I distributed the group very rationally.
"Ash, Hestio, Ephael. You have the Incubus Servant."
"Yes, sister."
"Sure, whatever."
"Why not the succubus?"
Then Thesilid, who was not called, summoned the holy sword and spoke.
"Then I'm on the Succubus Maid group…"
"No. You just rest."
"What?"
I declared solemnly, pulling out Serpens.
"I'll deal with the succubus alone."
Do people take me for a crazy girl to pit Thesilid against a succubus?
'Never!'
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' cheers you on with a furious affirmation.]
['The Critic who adjusts the balance' says you're having a hard time stopping the protagonist from building a harem.]
['The Troubled Architect of the Tower of Trials' is dissatisfied.]
I loaded my sword with aura and stomped the ground.
"Here I go!"
"Kyaang!"
Of course, the succubus maid was knocked out in one blow.
"Sp, sp, spare me."
"Yeah. No. Bye."
I let her go without pain, but I guess there must have been emotions in my sword, as Thesilid, who was watching from the side, said in a dazed tone.
"You seem to hate succubi a lot."
"Yes."
As I sheathed my sword, I looked around to see if the other three were doing well.
"O-Oh no! I can't believe my honey trap doesn't work!"
A half-naked, mumbling Incubus servant huddled into the corner, and his ramblings soon became a will.
"Good job."
"It was a dream demon, but it's nothing special."
Ephael expressed his disappointment over what he expected.
Since I was a kind leader, I was happy to explain.
"Because he was a low-level dreamer, it seems like there wasn't much he could do other than hypnotize."
"What about the stronger ones?"
"Well, if we are talking about the Succubus Queen, she could transform into your perfect ideal type and take you down within 10 seconds."
"Oooooh…!"
"Stop the silly expectations. You can't even see a demon's artwork straight."
The two dream demons crumbled into powder, leaving only a maid uniform and tailcoat.
I rummaged through their clothes hoping to find anything to loot.
One item came out from inside each set of clothes.
['The scale that judges the soul' congratulates you on scoring an awesome costume that you couldn't get even after using cash in the cash shop.]
'Well. Can this be called a costume?'
What was held in my hand was a vest and harness made of black leather straps.
[Item 'Dream Demon's Leather Harness'
It is a clothing item that can be worn under clothing to disguise yourself as a dream demon.
Note: Increases your Charm by 200% when worn, but decreases your Elegance, Majesty, and Charisma by 100%].
I thought about it for a moment.
Could it be useful for infiltration someday?
"That's a weird-looking belt, isn't it?"
"Right? What is it for?"
It was an inappropriate topic to be brought out in front of innocent Paladins so I quickly threw the two harnesses into my inventory.
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' commends you for picking up rare clothing items.]
['The Eyes that Watch Over the Chaos of All Things' says that the men's version is not needed, so let's throw it away.]
['The World-building God' solemnly requests you to not expose yourself too much.]
I called the attention of my companions.
"Come on, it's the riddle time you've been waiting for. Everyone come this way."
I pointed to a wall mirror that was mimicking an ordinary decoration. It was the same mirror that was chaining the dream demons that had been killed earlier.
"The mirrors to which the retainers are tied each have names. You have to guess the name to open the next passage."
The way to get the name hint was intuitive. I stood straight in front of the mirror.
Surururu.
The image reflecting my face faded and soon it was replaced by something else entirely.
Ephael and Ash reacted immediately.
"Oh, this is…"
"She's a cute girl?"
Inside the mirror was a little girl with pink hair tied into two pigtails. Hestio immediately recognized her and spoke.
"What the hell, this is Ellet when she was little."
"Really? Was Sister this cute?"
Ash placed his index finger on the mirror surface as if to peck the younger me on the cheek.
The younger me in the mirror moved by herself and placed her index finger where Ash's finger was.
"Wow, that's really cute."
"Yes, our leader had a time like this."
"With such a cute face and flowers in her hair."
Hestio smiled mischievously and pretended to nudge my little forehead. Then, the younger me in the mirror sneered and stuck out her tongue with an expression that said, 'Do you think I'd be pushed around like that?'
When Hestio was embarrassed, the image in the mirror changed. It was his childhood image that happened to be standing in front.
I said, looking at the black-haired kid with a sulky face.
"Yes, our Hestio also had a cute time like this. He cried because he was so disappointed that I gave two sandwiches only to Epahel…"
"He-hey!"
Hestio is fun to tease, too.
Everyone took the time to check their reflection and see their childhood cuteness. With this, the name of the mirror became clear and I said.
"Answer. Childhood Mirror."
Durururu!
A path appeared on one side of the wall.
"Understand? This is how we go all the way to the boss room."
We repeated the process of defeating demons and guessing the names of the mirrors.
Since the vassals on the first floor were at most A-level bosses, it took longer to solve the riddle than to fight them.
The Childhood Mirror was the easiest to guess from all the other ones. There were ones that reflected a flower, not a person, and I had to use the cultivation skill 'Plant Detection' to get it right.
"Answer. Mirror of the Birth Flower.
Durururu!
There were also uncharacteristic diets.
"Breakfast from yesterday?"
Dururu!
A surreal, grotesque image of something unrecognizable.
"Hmm, Mirror of Nightmares…?"
Dururu!
Some even showed text material instead of visual material.
-He thought as he was being dragged in the pitch-black darkness. It seems like the whole world hates him and wants him dead.
"Hold on, why is RUWS here…"
['The Spoiler Inspector' opens his eyes wide.]
Oops, sorry.
"Uh, hmm, the mirror of the most frustrating novel you've ever read?"
Durururu!
Hm, right. I knew it.
['The Critic who adjusts the balance' marvels at how you managed to finish the original novel given your personality.]
['The Eyes that Watch Over the Chaos of All Things' notes that you were also eager to leave comments.]
['The Critic who adjusts the balance' asks if it was comments filled with trolling and hate.]
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' chuckles at the comment 'Our main character is just set for slow growth, right? RIGHT!?']
For some reason, this is painful to listen to. Resisting the urge to cover my ears, I hurried down the aisle.
This time, there were stairs instead of a hallway.
As I went up to the second floor, the level of the bosses also rose to S level.
Well, it wasn't something that could compete with the might of our paladins, so we quickly defeated it.
The problem was, once again, the mirror.
"What the hell? It doesn't reflect anything."
"Really?"
Hestio and Ephael snooped around in front of the mirror for a while, but the mirror was as white as a sheet of paper.
There was no reflection for them, but it was the same even when Thesilid and I stood in front of the mirror. This means that four people from our group do not have the correct answer to the riddle.
All four are not eligible? This is a difficult one.
Now the only one we could trust was Ash.
"Go, youngest."
"You are our hope."
Fortunately, Ash lived up to our expectations. The mirror finally reflected the image that would become a hint.
A red-haired girl appeared, glaring at us with fierce eyes and at that moment, Ash's expression became distorted.
"Crazy."
"Wow, the youngest swore."
"Oh, I'm sorry, sister and brothers. But…haaa, really…"
Our youngest showed a strong dislike.
As we wondered and asked "What? What is it?", Ash let out a long sigh and blurted out the answer.
"My ex."
Durururu!
Thanks to this, we had just unintentionally learned a lot about each other's pasts.
While his older sister and brothers were all single from birth, the youngest, who hasn't even had a coming-of-age ceremony yet…
"You say you've been in a relationship…?"
"Brother Ephael?"
"Ash, you suddenly feel so distant."
"…?"
Ephael pretended to walk away from Ash.
Thesillid and I glanced sideways at each other.
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' considers the 17th regressor's still pristine past as desirable, while deeply regretting the transmigrator's lack of experience.]
['The World-building God' complains about this kind of double standard.]
['The Spoiler Inspector' looks at the protagonist with suspicious eyes and is deep in thought.]
About that time, Ash looked back at me and said solemnly.
"Sister, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Last time I was very rude."
"About what?"
"Before I started offering murder contracts for cheap, I should have asked if you had an ex-boyfriend."
"Do you want to get scolded?"
"No."
By the time Ellet and her group had made their way through the second and third floors, reaching the fourth floor, the Kingdom's army and the Magic army faced an awkward situation.
The joint subjugation party of the two countries had a hard time escaping from the Maze Garden and only succeeded in entering the Castle after a siege.
The Castle of Mirrors welcomed them, who were exhausted, with open arms, and as if waiting, the structure of the castle was changed and the subjugation party was scattered.
"This is a truly awkward situation."
"Yes, indeed."
The power distribution was extreme.
In the meantime, 8th Circle Archmage Morifis Marcellion and Aura Master Romina Lecandro were still together.
Of course, it wasn't just the two of them.
There were a total of six people who were separated together, in addition to Morifis and Romina, there were two more from the Magic Army and the Kingdom's Army.
The Magic Army consisted of one magic swordsman and one white magician.
"You are the only healer. If you act foolishly, know that I will leave you."
"I'll make myself useful. Please don't throw me away, Si…Pr-princess."
The beauty with the bright blonde ponytail was Princess Odellit and the scrawny girl with dull platinum hair was Hilde, the illegitimate daughter of the Marcellion family and a white wizard.
And the members of the Kingdom's Army…
"…"
"…"
Were the valedictorian and vice valedictorian of the 117th Class of the Military Academy.
A young man with slightly wavy pink hair and a young man with bright platinum blonde hair slightly parted on one side were creating a desolate atmosphere.
In fact, Frintz and Raywin attended the military academy together for six years, but they had never had a proper conversation.
They had tacitly avoided each other.
Raywin was careful about his actions in everything he did to avoid being swayed by the malicious rumor that 'The Little Duke who lost his position is bullying the powerless commoner who took the representative seat.'
Frintz also realized that Raywin was uncomfortable with him and matched his rhythm.
As the situation dragged on, the academy realized that the first place and second place were not on good terms and avoided giving them a chance to interact as much as possible.
But now, they were together in an SS-class dungeon, where everyone else was scattered. Since the situation was like this, they had to somehow work together.
Frintz and Raywin tried to drive away the awkwardness that had accumulated over six years.
"Well, Little Duke."
"Yes, Sir Frintz."
"…"
"…"
After a brief moment of eye contact, they settled on a speaking order.
After receiving Raywin's concession, Frintz spoke up, smiling with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"I haven't been ordained yet, so the title 'Sir' is too much for me. Please call me Frintz or ."
"I see. Then again, it seems inappropriate for you to call me Little Duke. Please, address me as Sir Raywin."
"Yes, Sir Raywin."
"We've come together in the same group, so please take good care of me, Frintz…Well, Mr. Frintz."
"I look forward to your kind cooperation."
Everyone started moving, following Romina Lecandro's lead.
As they followed the visible path, they came across a room. Much like Ellet's group, it was a mid-boss room with a pair of dream demons. A maid, and a servant.
"What?"
"Guests?"
However, there was a slight difference.
The two dreamers were busy working. There was a blackout curtain attached to one wall that was plastered with mirrors.
They grumbled in a voice that was devout of coquettish tones, unlike a normal dream demon.
"I'm so busy that I'm dying of overwork."
"I need to finish what the head maid told me to do quickly."
"You guys, just wait a moment. Let's just hang up a curtain so they can't see the mirrors here and deal with them…"
Of course, the warriors did not wait.
"Aaaah!"
"Gyahh!"
Two low-level dream demons were reduced to ashes by the flame breath released by Morifis' chimera bird.
Odellit frowned as she looked around the room.
"There's no way out?"
"This is a castle of mirrors, Princess Odellit, so perhaps there are clues in the mirrors."
Romina gestured to the mirror hovering in the center of the room.
It was the same mirror that had been used to cuff and shackle the dream demons they had defeated earlier.
Starting with Romina, everyone gathered around the mirror in a semicircle and soon the mirror responded.
The image of Romina Lecandro, who was in front collapsed, revealing a completely new person.
What the mirror showed was a handsome middle-aged man.
Romina cleared her throat under the questioning stares.
"He is my husband."
"Your husband is a handsome man."
"Thank you, Princess Odellit."
Morifis was a researcher before he was a psychopath and as such, he was curious about the magic mirror.
"I guess it's a mirror that reflects the target's marriage partner."
When the time was up, the image of Marquis Lecandro's husband was scattered. The next person was Morifis, who had his face pressed against the mirror.
After a while, the mirror was only blank and Morifis was satisfied with this.
"It looks like I will always be single. As it has been for the past 209 years."
"For 209 years…Ah, yes."
While Romina muttered inside something along the lines of "Who would want to live with you anyway," Morifis beckoned to Odelitt.
"Come, Grand Niece. Let's meet your future husband, who will give our family a good Archmage Grand-Grand-Nephew."
"…Yes, Great Grandfather."
In fact, there were two of Morifis's grand-nieces present, but he didn't count Hilde, who was illegitimate, as a family member.
Anyway, Odellit could not resist the urging of her ancestors and stood in front of the mirror.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"What?"
The person reflected in the mirror was none other than Odellit herself. The identity of the mirror became confusing.
"Come here."
"Ah…!"
Odellit violently yanked the arm of her half-sister, who was next to her.
The kingdom's knights frowned but she didn't care.
The mirror image had changed again, but Hilde's case was also unique. What the mirror showed was not a portrait or a blank reflection, but an image. It was a fragment of a scene where Hilde was sitting on the floor, and someone whose face was not visible was offering her a hand to help her up.
"Hmmm, I can't figure it out."
There were still more samples left.
"Cadet Frintz, stand in front of the mirror."
"Yes, Marquis Lecandro."
The mirror reflected the image of a person.
"Hooo…"
"Hmm…"
She was a young lady with bluish-black hair and red eyes.
She was a woman whose cold and haughty expression suited her extremely well, but when Frintz and her eyes met, she smiled softly as if the ice on her face was melting.
Frintz's face turned bright red at the sight of what he had always thought was his personal delusion.
"Why is this person, no, I mean…"
"Are you okay, ?"
While Raywin was worried about Frintz's condition, people from the Republic were looking at the beauty in the mirror wondering who the hell she was.
At that time, Romina recognized the person in the mirror.
"She is a maid of honor close to Her Majesty Princess Celestide. She must be the Young Lady Bianca of Count Gillette?"
"Yes…"
"Now that I think about it, I understand that Cadet Frintz enrolled after receiving a recommendation from Countess Gillette."
"Yes…"
Despite his unhinged answer, which was unbecoming of a senior graduate, Romina only smiled happily.
"I think I know roughly what kind of mirror this is. Let's take a look at Little Duke Wallenstein to make sure."
Frintz fell back with relief as if he had been released from a cushion of thorns, and Raywin stood in front of the mirror with a knightly gait.
Little did he know, he was destined to have the same reaction as Frintz.
A lively image was reflected in the mirror.
"Oh!"
"Ho…?"
The image showed the back of a woman, with her pink hair fluttering, blocking a demon with her sword.
People's reactions to this were varied.
"Oh, no, why…"
In fact, Raywin himself was embarrassed as he had not expected it.
"What a wonderful knight."
Romina was impressed by the footage extracted from Raywin's glorified memories.
"It feels somehow familiar…"
"I know, where I've seen this…."
While Frintz and Odellit narrowed their eyes.
"…"
"…"
Morifis and Hilde stared into the mirror, somehow even forgetting to blink.
Frintz voiced his suspicions.
"Could that be my sis…"
"Well, th-that…!"
An embarrassed Raywin cut off Frintz's words, but there was not enough time to come up with an explanation. Luckily, Romina was there to back him up with a simple interpretation.
"This is a knight worth admiring. Naturally, it will leave a lasting impression on your memory."
"…Yes."
"Well, that answers my question. This mirror is…."
As Romina was trying to sort out the situation. Morifis walked up to the mirror as if possessed and ran his hand over its surface.
"Great Grandfather?"
"Mr. Morifis?"
Odellit and Romina called out to Morifis, but he didn't seem to hear.
The reflection time limit had expired and the mirror tried to find something to reflect again.
The person in front happened to be Morifis and although it was an object that had already been reflected once, the second result was quite different from the first.
"Huh."
"What the."
The mirror, which had been reflecting a blank just a moment ago, now showed a werebeast with pink hair, cat ears, and a tail.
Morifis' cheeks flushed slightly.
"I-I want to raise it."
As a result, the chimeras chirped with jealousy, and those around him took a step back.
A gaze of social criticism enveloped the back of Morifis' head.
Morifis, who came to his senses after a while, turned around and asked.
"Marquis Lecandro, why do you look at me like that?"
"What's wrong with my eyes?"
"The same eyes of looking at the magical waste product that's been sitting in your lab for half a year."
Romina didn't deny it. Instead, she moved on to what she had started to say earlier about the mirror.
"Anyway, this mirror seems to show our ideal type."
Durururu!
As if to signal the correct answer, the wall opened up, revealing a new path.
"Is it a rule that if we guess the mirror's purpose, the door will open?"
Raywin had a blank face after discovering his ideal type, which he had never even imagined before.
Meanwhile, Frintz's expression was gravely displeased.
This was because Morifis was stuck in front of the mirror, as he couldn't stop eyeing the werebeast's reflection
If the mirror weren't a dungeon artifact, Frintz would have smashed it long ago.
Romina urged on.
"Let's get moving."
"I will stay a little longer, Marquis."
"…Well, as you wish."
Romina left a scornful look and moved first, leading the others.
Morifis didn't know how to fall from the mirror, and only Odellit remained by his side.
"Did you like it that much? Come to your senses and let's go, Great Grandfather."
"Wait, Grand niece, there is still something to do in this room."
Before long, Morifis had worn a look of fascination on his face.
He approached the wall where the dream demons were draping curtains.
"This place has been bothering me for some reason since some time ago."
"Come to think of it…"
Odellit felt a belated sense of puzzlement.
This is because it was odd to hang curtains on a wall that had no windows.
The demons said they were doing it because of the head maid's orders, but is there something that needs to be hidden here?
Shururu!
The hummingbird grabbed the curtain with its beak and pulled it back, revealing the half of the wall that had been hidden.
Odellit found something special among the various mirrors.
"A painting?"
What caught her eyes was a grotesque portrait. This is because a beautiful, black-haired noble young lady was chained to a chair and stretched out as if she was exhausted.
"This is not a painting. It's a mirror."
"What?"
She asked back in disbelief. The young lady lifted her head slightly and looked at them both.
Odellit was startled by the eeriness, but Moriphis remained calm.
"It looks like they trapped someone inside the mirror. It's a prison mirror, how interesting."
Morifis's eyes shone with academic curiosity while Odellit had a sudden thought.
'Doesn't this young lady… look a bit like the woman who was said to be the ideal of that commoner cadet?'
A noble lady with dark blue hair named Bianca Gillette.
She happened to be a handmaiden in the First Princess Celestide's entourage.
Now that the princess has been kidnapped after being caught up in a dungeon sink, isn't it likely that her close maid will also be here?
While Odellit examined the identity and value of the person in the mirror, Morifis explored the mirror's operating circuit with the palm of his hand.
Although he was a crazy psychopath and now a pervert with a taste for cat werebeasts, he was first and foremost a great archmage. Living up to his reputation, he quickly figured out the working formula of the mirror.
"If binding and liberation magic beyond the ultimate skill is used, it could automatically replace the mirror's operating formula."
"Then it's possible to use it…"
"That's probably forever out of the question since it seems to only respond to magic or divine power above the 8th rank."
After finishing his words, Morifis sent the chimeras to the mirror.
The hummingbird, squirrel, and cat squeaked and struggled to rip the full-length mirror off the wall.
Odellit was puzzled.
"Do you intend to take it with you?"
"Of course. This mirror can be of great use."
"What kind of use do you mean?"
"Shouldn't we kidnap the Saint?"
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"You speak as foolishly as Marquis Lecandro. This great man does not discuss such grave matters as the kidnapping of a Saint in vain."
"Ah, yes."
Odellit decided to just sit back and watch as always.
Morifis was one of the six, no, now five, most powerful people on the continent.
Until now, the mere mention of trying to stop an 8th Circle mad wizard had been enough to absolve them of any responsibility in any conflicts and disputes.
This time would be no different.
As usual, it was just a matter of letting the troublemaker run amok, pocketing the profits as they rolled in, and enjoying the mayhem.
Meanwhile, in the mirror, Bianca struggled to raise her head.
Unlike inside the mirror, sounds from outside the mirror were not blocked. Bianca heard about their plot to kidnap the Saint and even though it would not be surprising if she fainted right away, Bianca gritted her teeth and glared at Morifis and Odellit.
Morifis smiled benevolently, while Odellit marveled at the mental strength that was so uncharacteristic of a delicate and frail young lady.
"Your eyes are as pretty as a rabbit's, I'm sure you'll make an equally cute bait, right?"
Any Saint worth her salt would go out of her way to help a poor dying maiden.
Morifis wanted to use Bianca to set a trap to capture the Saint and although he didn't know, it was indeed an exquisite choice of bait.
Of course, it was unclear whether that would lead to good results.
In the meantime, the chimeras had succeeded in tearing the mirror off the wall.
For an archmage, using magic to manipulate subspace was a basic skill. He opened his inventory and waved his hand in the air to loot the prison mirror. However.
"Oh, dear."
"Is there a problem?"
"My subspace is full. Grand niece, would you mind keeping it?"
"Please organize your stuff."
"It's impossible."
"The warriors are climbing the castle with enthusiasm, Lord Reed."
Anaxia was welcoming a distinguished guest at the highest point of the Castle of Mirrors, the Spire Observatory.
There were no windows or walls. Since only six pillars were supporting the roof, the magnificent view of the Demon World could be seen at a glance.
Marble pillars, high ceilings, the vastly purple Fallen Sky, and at the center of it all sat a handsome man with long black hair, exuding a majesty that seemed to command all evil.
The spire's observation deck was now a shrine to all demons.
Any demon would have fallen to his knees and bowed his head in respect. However, Anaxia had the daring honor of sitting down at eye level with 'Newborn Chaos and Evil'.
Around the two, many large and small mirrors were floating in the air. Those were surveillance mirrors summoned by Anaxia, each reflecting a different group of heroes scattered throughout the castle.
Reed just rolled his eyes and looked in the mirror. His decadently red lips curled as he spoke to Anaxia.
"Are you afraid?"
Anaxia blasphemously asked back, not immediately understanding the meaning of the question.
"Uh, well, you mean that I…am afraid of these warriors?"
"Yes."
"That can't be."
Anaxia spoke with a bit of aggravation, wondering if her evaluation was only that much for 'Newborn Chaos and Evil'.
"The thought of plucking the screams of the royals before the warrior's eyes excites me greatly."
"I see."
Reed's tone in response was indifferent, like a distantly noble being. He had no particular interest in Anaxia or the like.
The indifference made Anaxia silently excited, thinking that this was indeed 'Newborn Chaos and Evil'.
But as soon as she closely studied Reed's face, she realized that the only thing indifferent was his tone. Reed's gaze was fixed on a mirror, staring so obsessively at the reflection that he forgot to even blink.
A gaze she never thought she'd see from a being who always had empty eyes that had seen the true end of everything.
Who on earth could monopolize the attention of 'Newborn Chaos and Evil' for so long?
Out of sheer curiosity, Anaxia carefully looked at the mirror, as if to steal a glimpse. Sure enough, there was a familiar face in the mirror.
"It seems like the Vanquisher of Evil has piqued Lord Reed's interest."
What was reflected in the mirror was a pink-haired paladin wielding a sword.
"Interesting…"
Reed rolled the words on his tongue as if savoring them.
After a long consideration, he corrected himself.
"Such words are not enough."
Then what was it?
Was it desire and obsession, the purest of a demon's virtue?
Anaxia was very curious. However, because she was a wise ruler, instead of satisfying her curiosity, she chose to say something else that would please her honored guest.
"Shall I bring her here right away?"
"…"
"Please just give me your orders. I will dedicate her to you, Lord Reed."
Reed's eyes twinkled for a moment at the subtle encouragement.
However.
"Anaxia Pelhemstein."
"Yes, Lord Reed."
"Shouldn't we go get ready to welcome the warriors?"
A relaxed voice carried the order to leave, but Anaxia smiled. Because that was also good enough for an answer.
"Of course, Lord Reed."
She would do as he wished.
It just so happened that she had something to prepare. As the lord of the castle, she had just come up with a special event to entertain her guest of honor.
Anaxia bowed politely and retreated along with the mirrors floating in the air.
Reed was left alone at the shrine-like spire observatory.
Dusk was falling in the sky of the Demon World. He looked out into the purple horizon for a while and then closed his eyes.
He was always tired as his long life had worn him down.
"The mirror of Gender Swap!"
Durururu!
The correct answer was shouted by everyone in one breath and The Castle of Mirrors immediately cleared the wall in one corner to make way.
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' was very pleased to see something rare.]
['The Troubled Architect of the Tower of Trials' is very interested in this niche genre.]
['The Critic who adjusts the balance' denies himself for being interested in a male character.]
['The World-building God' expresses strong disapproval.]
The Bureau of Transmigration must have been idle because the message window was buzzing.
The mirrors in this room seemed quite fun, because even the worst of them all, Mr. Eyes, who urged for slaughter whenever he had the chance, said.
['The Eyes that Watch Over the Chaos of All Things' is mesmerized as he recalls the beauty of Thesilina engraved on his retina.]
Thesilina. They even named the reflection.
['The Spoiler Inspector' clicks his tongue.]
['The Eyes that Watch Over the Chaos of All Things' quickly comes to his senses and urges you to hurry up and slay the boss.]
'Yes, yes. I'm going.'
I quickly took my steps to get to the next room.
This hallway was unusually long, with many things to dazzle the eye because the mirrors on the walls constantly reflected things of interest to each of us.
"Oh, this dagger is amazing. I think it would be perfect for me to use."
"Hey, Hestio. What do you think about a mansion on the cliff? When I return to the secular world, I want to live somewhere like that."
"Sounds good. You can raise a big dog and.….isn't that black hound over there cool?"
Ash, Ephael, and Hestio were busy walking up to each mirror and looking at them.
This is why it feels like we're in a museum or an aquarium, not a dungeon.
Thesilid also glanced at the mirrors, but nothing seemed to interest him enough to make him stop to take a look.
Just then, Ash, who was ahead of him, called out.
"Older brother! Brother Thesilid! Come here. There is someone here who looks a lot like you."
"…"
Thesilid made a show of not being interested but dutifully walked over to Ash.
Ephael and Hestio also flocked in.
I was also planning to go in the direction where my companions were.
Shlururu.
'Huh?'
An image reflected by a mirror nearby caught my eye.
Against the background of a purplish twilight, there was a man with his body buried deep in the chair. A man with long black hair, and delicate and beautiful features akin to the masterpiece of a master craftsman.
I couldn't help but recognize the face.
Reed…
As Agnes whispered, Thesilid, who was five steps away, turned around, and when I met his sea-green eyes.
Dururururur!
"Uh, what!"
"Come on?!"
It wasn't the right time yet, but the structure of the castle began to change suddenly. It was the loudest and most chaotic structural change yet.
In rapid succession, walls came down and went up, paths appeared and disappeared. Even the floor moved.
['The Spoiler Inspector' is stunned.]
As seen from the Inspector's reaction, this is something that didn't happen in the original.
Coincidentally, I was five steps away from my companion.
"Sister!"
"Ellet!"
"Eli!"
A wall came down right in the middle, mercilessly isolating me from the other four.
The wall came down behind me as well, and I was trapped.
In that state, the floor moved quickly backwards, as if sliding over the rails. I felt like being forcibly transported in a dark cargo hold.
In an instant, the distance between me and my group widened significantly and it wasn't until I could no longer hear the four calling out to me that the castle stopped shifting.
It looks like it's over, Ellet.
"Yes. First of all, let's start with regrouping…"
Durururu!
Just in time, the wall in front of me opened up.
Fortunately, my four paladins were desperately looking for me on the other side of the long hallway.
"Hey! Ellet!"
"Answer when you hear us, Captain!"
"Eli!"
"Sister!"
I was relieved to hear their voices.
"Guys, I'm here! It's okay!"
I called the four and ran to the end of the hallway. But as the distance got closer, I felt a sense of discomfort.
"Ellet!"
"Sister!"
"…"
What?
Why can't they hear me?
At the time the distance from the group was less than seven steps.
Ellet, stop!
I immediately put the brakes on both feet. The next thing I knew, I was asking why.
"What's wrong, Agnes?"
Grope in front of you.
I held out my hand without thinking and it was blocked, now I realized that this wasn't a hallway, but a dead end. A glass wall so transparent that it could be mistaken for air was blocking my front.
Bang! Bang!
"Terry! Ash!"
Quagwagwang!
"Hestio! Ephel!"
No matter how much I screamed, no matter how much I pounded on the glass, it was no use.
Even when I struck with a sword loaded with aura, not even the slightest vibration reached the party on the other side.
It was as if the two spaces were completely separated.
"Ha, I'm going crazy."
It was probably too early to say this. Because the crazy thing just started.
Durururu! Surururu!
"Huh?"
What?
Agnes and I were forced to witness an amazing and disturbing sight through the glass wall.
Dururu!
The wall that had isolated Ellet and the four of them went up again. Fortunately, Ellet was in the same place.
"Oh, I was surprised."
"Ellet!"
"Captain!"
"Sister!"
Hestio, Ephael, and Ash jumped in delight at the sight of her, seemingly unharmed. There was a look of relief in Thesilid's eyes. He too called out to her as he approached her.
"Eli…"
No, he was trying to approach.
"… "
His toes stop, and his lips, which were about to call her nickname, close tightly. Meanwhile, the other three were surrounding Ellet and expressing what they didn't know was resentment or concern.
"Hey! How much we have been calling you! Please answer us."
"I called you too, but I guess you didn't hear me, Hestio."
"This restructuring was so big, it moved even the floor, I thought you were far away, Sister."
"Ah, Ash. I thought so too, but I guess it was just loud for nothing. I stayed right in the same place."
"Anyway, I'm glad. All five of us didn't get separated."
"That's right, Ephael."
Ellet replied to everything, gently calling everyone's names. After reassuring the three, she turned to the last person left.
"Terry?"
"…"
Thesilid stood a step away, watching the group with sunken eyes. When he heard Ellet's call, he came to his senses.
Before Ellet looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes Thesilid looked her in the eye and curled his lip upward.
"I'm glad you're safe. Let's go now."
A charming but strangely cold smile and a voice resonating with a lower tone. The things stuck in her eyes and ears remind 'Ellet' of some other being.
"Uh, yes. Okay. let's go."
She took the lead, unaware that her pupils were torn vertically.
"It's a doppelganger!"
It's a doppelganger!
A doppelganger slithered out of the glass wall.
It was mimicking me!
I was so mad that I was jumping up and down in a frenzy.
"Wow, me, what the hell?!"
What the fuck! That doppelganger bastard! Whoa, it's pretending to be you. Pretend to be you!
"Hey, hey, hey! Hestio, Ash, Ephael! Are you being fooled? Why are you being fooled?! HEY-!"
There is still hope! If it's Thesilid…!
But what they saw in the mirror was the face of Thesilid, smiling sweetly as if to seduce the doppelganger.
"…"
…
I was shaking.
"B-bad guy…I believed in you… "
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' is also disappointed and saddened.]
['The Eyes that Watch Over the Chaos of All Things' is confident that if it were Bianca, she would have recognized you right away.]
Agnes consoled me.
Ellet, I'll take care of the ones who didn't recognize you later.
"Sigh. Thanks for the kind words, Agnes."
I pushed aside my feelings of betrayal and depression and turned away from the glass wall. At a dead end, one had to let go of regrets to find another way.
"Anyway, if we go to where the path opens, we will eventually meet in the boss room."
Will those four be okay? The doppelganger might lure them into a trap.
"The trap they're trying to lure them into is probably the boss room."
In the Castle of Mirrors, there is only one being with the ability to create a perfect doppelganger, complete with the target's memories.
That's the boss, Anaxia.
"So we need to get to the boss room before they do."
We walked along the path that led to the other side of the glass wall and after a while, I reached the end of the road and could see an arched wooden door.
The door looked different from the rooms we had passed through so far, and it did not open on its own.
'Is this a special place?'
It seems the prediction was correct.
Ka-tchat.
With a gentle push, the door opened and an unexpected room appeared.
What? Is this a bedroom?
"I know, right?"
The large canopy bed and ornate dressing table indicate that this was a woman's private space.
I must have inadvertently entered Anaxia's bedroom.
The current room owner was busy impersonating me, so I had some time to look around the room.
While the walls of the hallway were obsessively covered with mirrors, the mirrors in the bedroom were surprisingly sparse. One of the few that caught my eye was the mirror on the dressing table.
"…"
My eyes locked onto the surface and my feet were drawn closer of their own accord.
What the mirror reflected was a place that resembled a shrine floating in the night sky.
In the center of it all was Reed, buried in a chair with his eyelids tightly closed.
Is it because the screen was extremely static? It was like seeing the idol of chaotic evil being worshiped at the top of a King Demon Hall.
There was no need to glorify or deify it. A work of art sculpted by a craftsman who sold his soul to the devil and gave his all could not be more perfect than this.
It's the same as what we saw in the other mirror earlier.
It was the mirror I saw before the structure of the castle changed suddenly. Only the color of the sky was different from the scene I saw there.
That means…
"This mirror seems to reflect reality, not fantasy."
A real Reed? Where is he?
"Probably somewhere in the Castle of Mirrors. How else would Anaxia dare to sneak a peek at 'Newborn Chaos and Evil'?"
Oh, my God. Is Reed here?
"Reed is the one who planned this royal kidnapping in the first place, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's somewhere in the Castle of Mirrors."
I answered calmly, but it wasn't the same for my heart.
For now, Reed showed no sign of making a move himself. He would only watch the world with dead eyes from behind a black curtain with his puppet, Anaxia Pelhemstein, in tow.
But what if I mess up his plan?
The original work does not have an answer to this question. This is the world of the original that has already been twisted beyond discretion.
The time I spent glaring at Reed through the mirror on the dressing table became longer.
But Ellet.
"Yes."
This mirror, you can see the other side from this side, right? Wouldn't the other side be able to see us too?
"Agnes, of course, only from this side…"
But I couldn't finish my sentence.
Reed, who looked like a corrupted celestial statue, stirred.
His long black eyelashes fluttered and his eyelids rose slowly. The moment his blood-red eyes emerged from the darkness, I held a small gasp.
"…"
"…"
I felt like my gaze and his were connected across space. I forgot to breathe, forgot to blink, and could only hold his gaze.
"There's a rat in the castle."
"…!"
The voice from inside the mirror pierced my ears. At the same time, his hand reached out like a claw into my field of vision.
Stunned, I reflexively took a step back.
Kwasik. Kwazijic.
Sharp cracks began to spread across the mirror in the dressing table.
I knew it intuitively. The moment this mirror breaks, Reed will also be able to see me.
It was a situation in which I had already become painfully aware that neither of us could be persuaded or compromise with each other. A direct confrontation between me and Reed will only accelerate the catastrophe.
So for now.
'Let's not face each other.'
I put my hand on the shattering mirror, just as he put his hand on the glass between us.
"Holy darkness."
I cast the skill I obtained after catching the Kraken in the Sea of Flood.
Shaaaa…
This was a holy skill that blocks light in a targeted area, forming a perfect dark zone.
The area I would now designate was the mirror and through the broken mirror, I could see Reed's eyes widen.
The darkness that bloomed from my palm filled the cracks in the mirror and completely covered the surface.
The mirror hardened as if it were coated in a pitch-black rock, and cracks could no longer spread.
['The World-building God' is relieved.]
['The Scales that Judges the Soul' exhales the breath she had been holding.]
I took my hand off the mirror and stared at the surface that reflected nothing but darkness for quite a long time before turning away.
"Let's go."
I was in a hurry to join the others.
We left the place through a door in a different direction than the one we'd used to enter the bedroom.
On the other side of the passage was an unusually ornately carved door.
The time has come for powerful demons approaching the SS level to come out. Since I'm alone I have to stay alert.
Sreung.
After unsheathing Serpens in advance, I stood in front of the door. However.
What? Why isn't the door opening?
From the looks of it, it must be a door to the middle boss room, but this time it was stuck with only a small open gap.
This was not a door that could be opened by hand. Without much thought, I immediately swung the sword loaded with aura.
Quagwagwagwang!
The attack worked because there was an opening. What was revealed beyond the shattered door…
"…"
There was no shortage of scenes to harden my expression.
Meanwhile, in the spire's observatory.
"…Did he run away?"
Reed wondered as he looked at the void that had turned into a dark cross-section.
Soon his eyes narrowed, revealing his discomfort.
How dare the rat have the audacity to catch a glimpse of his resting.
It was a brief nap, but he also had a sweet brief dream after a long time. However, he woke up because of that blatant gaze of observation, so it was beyond reprehensible.
Wouldn't it be appropriate to grab him and twist his neck?
He had decided early on that this time he would live differently than he had in the past. To do so, he needed to practice not controlling nor holding back his desires and impulses.
Ka-chan!
The cross-section made of darkness touched by Reed's hand shattered into pieces. With both hands, he tore the space apart and stepped through the gap.
The place he entered was a lady's private space.
He looked around the room with narrowed eyes. When he couldn't find any traces, he turned his gaze to the wall.
Among the many decorative wall mirrors, there was one that suited his needs perfectly.
It was a mirror that looked ordinary at first glance, but it reflected the inverted image of the bedroom.
"Reflect what just happened in this room."
The Mirror of the past faithfully obeyed the orders of 'Newborn Chaos and Evil'.
At the same time a ripple spread across the surface, erasing Reed's image, and a new image was revealed.
Reed's eyes widened slightly but soon subsided.
"…"
He stretched out his fingertips and carefully brushed the mirror's surface as if he could reach it.
He didn't expect reality to be sweeter than dreams and this may as well be the first time in his entire long life.
Reed's mouth drew a fascinating curve.
"It's a shame you left without saying goodbye."
What can we do now that it's come to this?
I have no choice but to go say hello first.
There was a calm madness in his red eyes.
At that time, a party of six people made of members from the Kingdom's Army and the Magic Army were also in an uproar after experiencing a sudden change in the structure of the castle.
Grurururu!
The wall that had suddenly come down split the group in half, three by three.
One side consisted of Morifis, Romina, and Odellit, and the other side consisted of Frintz, Raywin, and Hilde.
It was not enough to be separated by a partition wall, the two teams had to move vertically away from each other because the floor of one side dipped downward and the floor of the other rose upward, like a gondola suspended on either side of a pulley.
"Oh, my."
"Ugh."
"Aaaah!"
"Uh-oh!"
Most of them were trained knights, so they only let out restrained groans. The screams belonged to Hilde and Morifis.
The tail of screams grew increasingly distant letting them know that the distance between the two teams was rapidly increasing.
When the castle's structural changes were completed, the two teams were separated by at least 10 floors and could not even hear each other's voices.
It was a complete separation.
First, the situation on the side with Romina, Morifis, and Odellit was as follows.
"Oh, ouch, ouch…"
Morifis made a pained sound as he patted his buttocks. In fact, he was physically fine because he defended himself with an ultimate barrier magic.
However, there was a minor problem.
"Oh, my, it's wet."
"That's right. There was water pooling at the bottom."
Odellit helped her ancestors up from the shallow water.
"This place is…"
Romina, who landed beautifully, was already exploring the surroundings.
The place where they fell through because of the moving floor was a huge, octagon-shaped cavity.
There was no entrance and all sides were sealed with grates. The floor was filled with ankle-deep water as if it were in contact with an underground waterway.
"I don't know what this place is for. But seems too big for a prison."
"It looks like a prison for demonic beasts."
As soon as Romina and Morifis said a word.
Must be the new prisoner slaves. It's been a while since I had anyone to educate.
An eerie voice echoed from the ceiling.
The bronze relief of a man with a cow's head, which was thought to be only a huge decoration, was talking.
Romina muttered as she loaded her sword with aura.
"It's one unlucky fiend."
Up until this point, everyone had been thinking the same thing.
That large minotaur bronze relief looked at best like an S-class boss.
As he faced a party with an Aura Master and an 8th Circle Archmage, his future was clear.
The three of them stood in combat formation without a hint of tension.
However, the minotaur bronze relief, who was both the Chief Jailer and the Slave Guard, laughed at them.
There is no point in resisting. Your fate was decided the moment you set foot in this place.
"…!"
Suddenly, a whirlpool began to swirl on the surface of the water that was reflecting the three people's image.
Only then did Odellit, Morifis, and Romina realize the gravity of the situation.
Their bodies were being sucked into the world of the water's surface.
Dungeon rules have a strong coercive power and in front of it, an Aura Master and an 8th Circle Archmage were helpless.
"Oh my, my body…!"
"It's sinking!"
"Ancestor, please do something!"
The Minotaur grinned and decided on their course.
I guess I can send the two strongest into the Mirror of the Labyrinth to break their spirits and send the weakest girl straight to the lumber yard! Now go to work! You shall be reborn as a slave of the great Anaxia!
Meanwhile, things weren't much better on the side where Frintz, Raywin, and Hilde were tied together.
"Are you okay?"
"Are you okay?"
"What? Ah, yes…!"
As exemplary knights, Frintz and Raywin took care of Hilde first.
Polite hands were extended to her from both sides as she lost her balance and fell on her buttocks.
"I-It's okay…"
Hilde lowered her head and stood up on her own without holding anyone's hand. She was used to it.
Frintz and Raywin withdrew their hands, unconcerned. For now, exploring their surroundings was more important.
"This is bad, it looks like we've come quite a ways upstairs."
"The higher we go, the stronger the demons that come out of the room will become."
Their location was in the middle of the hallway. They weren't thrown into a middle boss room like Romina's party.
Frintz suggested.
"It would be better to wait in the hallway to join our allies rather than entering the mid-boss room by ourselves. What do you think, Sir Raywin, White Wizard?"
"I think that would be a good idea, ."
"I agree…"
However, people's affairs, especially those who brave a dungeon, rarely went as planned.
Durururu!
The Castle of Mirrors did not allow guests to linger too long in the hallways. The walls on both sides began to close in on them and if they stayed still like this, they would be crushed flat.
Raywin let out a frustrated voice.
"It looks like the dungeon owner doesn't want to allow it."
"Run, White Wizard!"
"Y-yes!"
Frintz and Raywin grabbed Hilde and started running.
Walls were closing in from left and right. The entire hallway was like that. So, as they continued to run in search of a safe place, the three reached the end of the corridor.
Durururu!
As if on cue, the door swung open and swallowed them whole.
"Huh, huff, huff…"
Hilde, who had weak physical strength, collapsed from exhaustion.
Clutching her heart, which threatened to explode, she tried to catch her breath and suddenly felt a shadow fall over her.
When she raised her head, she saw Frintz and Raywin standing in front of her.
"Knights…?"
The two young men stared straight ahead, swords drawn, tension radiating from their straight backs.
Only then did Hilde remember that the place they had taken refuge in was the mid-boss room.
"I can't believe you came all the way here. Annoying things."
A woman's voice coldly pierced the ears like an ice dagger.
Hilde looked at the owner of the voice in fear.
It was a red-haired woman dressed in black leather that highlighted her voluptuous body.
She had goat horns on both sides of her head, bat wings on her back, and a devil's tail, which gave away her identity.
"I am the Succubus Queen, Lilith."
Shwuinng!
A huge black scythe made a terrifying sound while splitting the air. Lilith held a weapon larger than her body with one hand, aimed it at the three, and coldly declared.
"I will not allow anyone to approach Lord Anaxia any further."
Cold sweat ran down from Frintz's and Raywin's necks due to the power that Lilith exuded.
The two talked softly while looking ahead.
"Looks like it's going to be a tough fight."
"I suppose so."
To be honest, it was an enemy where the outcome of the battle was obvious.
Nevertheless, neither man said a negative word. They did, however, have their regrets.
"If I'd known we'd be fighting such a major battle together, I would have done a lot of work together in advance."
"Right, I don't know what we've been doing for 6 years."
The two laughed bitterly.
These cornered humans had an unusually warm appearance and that made the demon uncomfortable.
Lilith lifted her chin and gave them a cold stare.
"That's it for your will."
Bang!
Lilith's legs, wrapped in leather boots, exploded the floor.
An enemy who has the power to wield a sickle with one hand at that speed.
'No tank can withstand it!'
Raywin and Frintz, who had made their judgment at the same time, began to argue.
"It's dangerous, I'll take the lead!"
"No, I will!"
"I said I would!"
"It's right for the chief cadet to do this!"
"…"
While Raywin flinched for a moment, Frintz's sword caught Lilith's scythe.
Kwazizig!
"Ugh!"
A tingling sensation traveled up Frintz's wrist and up to his shoulder.
In a situation where the sword and the huge scythe faced each other, Lilith craned her neck. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and madness for battle.
"You want my attention? Then go ahead and try provoking me!"
Lilith swung her scythe fiercely.
It was so fast that Frintz could barely see it with his fuselage vision. The gap, in not only speed but also power, was obvious. Frintz was gradually pushed back, it was too much for him to even parry.
"You think you can keep my attention with this? Huh?!"
Frintz gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Forget it, this is no fun. I'll have to play with your friends!"
"…!"
A giant swing of the scythe knocked him backward. At the same time, Lilith quickly turned her body.
Tadadadada.
The sound of frighteningly fast movements sweeps across the floor. The person in Lilith's quick path of approach was…
"Sir Raywin!"
The moment when Frintz shouted in urgency.
Kaaaaang!
"Kuh."
Raywin barely succeeded in blocking Lilith's attack. However, his arm was violently shaking from the shock, as if his muscles were about to burst.
"K-Knight!"
Hilde quickly healed him, but the trembling at the tip of his sword didn't stop.
"What? You can't even stand this much? And you still call yourself a knight?!"
Lilith grinned.
"I don't think our right arm is qualified to hold a sword? I'll crush it for you!"
"…!"
Lilith's power on the giant scythe became even stronger and a crushing energy pressed down on Raywin.
Crunch, crunch.
The floor he was standing on began to erode widely. It was impossible for his body to receive Lilith's power.
'At this rate…!'
When Raywin had a hunch that the arm holding the sword would be crushed just as Lilith said.
Kang!
The crushing pressure suddenly disappeared.
"Are you okay, Sir Raywin?"
Before he knew it, Frintz was standing next to him. He was saved thanks to Frintz striking Lilith's scythe away.
"Thank you, ."
After receiving treatment from Hilde, Raywin fixed his sword.
"Are you going to fight together? I don't care either way."
In front of them, Lilith was twirling a huge scythe with both arms above her head.
Frintz and Raywin exchanged a quick conversation.
"We need to work together."
"Yes, it's impossible to handle that demon's strength alone."
Lilith lifted her chin.
"Aren't you coming? Then I'll go."
TAK!
Lilith vanished in the air with a new output of speed. The very next moment, she was right in front of them.
Kaaaaang!
Frintz and Raywin raised their swords together to block Lilith's scythe. Even though the merciless power was distributed between two swords, it left a tingling sensation in their wrists.
Lilith swung her scythe at an incredible speed and rushed at the two.
There was no end to the sparks and metal screeches, it was a frenzied series of attacks.
Both men moved like longtime comrades-in-arms, parrying Lilith's attacks in unison. This was possible because each person acted according to the other's expectations.
It was a pairing that even Lilith was secretly impressed with.
But that was the limit.
Lilith let out a maniacal sneer.
"Hahaha! What if it's 2 to 1? What about a counterattack? You're not going to fight back?"
"Tsk."
"Ugh."
"Two against one and that's all you can do? How long are you going to keep blocking me, HANG?!"
They didn't even have time to reply, as Frintz and Raywin's faces were already showing signs of exhaustion.
Lilith's excitement grew at the one-sided offensive. Matching her mood, the trajectory of her scythe's swing grew, and the power of her attacks also increased.
Blow by blow, the difficulty was increasing nonstop. Pushed relentlessly, they both knew their limit was coming.
Frintz glanced at Hilde.
'Ah.'
That was the moment Hilde understood the signal.
"Insignificant things! Die!"
Swiiish!
Lilith slashed her scythe vertically with all the power she could muster, with the intent to smash everything to pieces.
Kaaaang!
It was so loud it made even the skull tingle.
Bruru.
She could feel the arms of the two humans ungainly twitching through the sickle's pole.
Lilith was about to scoff at the men who were struggling just because she'd only added a little strength.
But the next moment, she had to open her eyes to an unexpected situation.
"What?!"
There was only one sword blocking her scythe. The other was a scabbard. And the owner of the arm holding it was the same as the owner of the sword.
Frintz was single-handedly fending off Lilith's attacks with his sword and scabbard and the moment Lilith noticed that.
"Raywin!"
Frintz called out at the top of his lungs and the called one responded instantly.
Raywin slipped under her scythe and burrowed into Lilith.
"You…!"
Lilith was currently in a strength match with Frintz, so she was defenseless. Taking the chance, Raywin's sword cut Lilith with all his might.
Kwaaaaang!
The explosive aura threw Lilith off into the wall far behind.
A cloud of dust created by the remains of the collapsed wall covered half of the room.
Frintz and Raywin, exhausted from their earlier joint effort, glared forward, gasping for air.
'Did it work?'
It was a direct surprise attack. Of course, the three of them had given it their all, not only Frintz and Raywin but also Hilde, who focused her healing on the tank.
But.
"Oh, what should I do?"
"…!"
As the dust cloud lifted, the darkness of the silhouette fell off.
Lilith lifted herself up from the floor with her sickle, showing off her robustness by leisurely swiping her long red hair behind her.
"I'm fine."