Chapter 223

【Sun Stone】

▶ A stone filled with pure solar energy. It appears to be a top-grade material.

【Moon Stone】

▶ A stone filled with pure lunar energy. It appears to be a top-grade material.

Ores containing the energies of the sun and moon respectively.

Seeing them, I could instantly guess their nature.

‘Material items?’

Materials useful for crafting something. Especially with the label “top-grade,” their value was likely immense, beyond easy estimation.

I quickly gathered them, picked up the Formless Pouch, and handed it to Shin Noeul.

“It’s a box that can store and retrieve items at will. It will surely be helpful.”

“…Is it really okay for me to take this?”

“Yeon Jaki-nim has a promised reward, and I have what I obtained from the previous labyrinth. It’s most appropriate for the Unit Leader to take it.”

Nearby, Xiao Chen made a somewhat dissatisfied expression, but that wasn’t my concern. After all, without us, she would have been destined to slowly starve to death here.

Thus, everything was concluded, but I couldn’t easily leave and stood still, lost in thought repeatedly.

The fundamental reason and questions behind my entry into this labyrinth.

Because they remained entirely unresolved.

‘It can’t end like this, can it?’

Seoa said she distinctly heard a voice emphasizing that she should seek out the labyrinth again.

And I too, seeking to unravel the mystery of this Witch’s Resonance Trait, came to the labyrinth again.

But the reward we actually obtained isn’t much different from when we conquered the Black Forest, is it?

‘No matter how I think about it, it’s strange. There must be something more.’

In the original work, the only unconquered labyrinth was precisely this Blind Mountain.

As the space concluding the labyrinth, there should have been a reward prepared that other labyrinths didn’t possess.

Amidst the questioning gazes of the party, I busily moved around, beginning to inspect every nook and cranny of the clear room.

“Is there still something more?”

“That possibility is high. This isn’t the end.”

However, finding a clue wasn’t easy. So, I decided to change my perspective and approach it again.

‘This place is reality, but it clearly also carries the characteristics of the game.’

Then, what would be needed to uncover the secret of this Blind Mountain, which corresponds to the endpoint of the four labyrinths?

Thinking about it, it was a very simple story.

‘Witch’s Sorcery.’

Following that train of thought, I hurriedly retraced my memories and began recalling information about the other labyrinths.

‘The Witch’s knowledge revealed so far totals three.’

However, at that point, I couldn’t help but frown slightly.

‘Does that make sense? It’s not like the labyrinth challengers know the exact conquest order.’

Exceptionally, I grasped it through knowledge of the original work, but logically, it’s a situation that doesn’t make sense.

For instance, what if someone came here immediately after clearing one labyrinth like us, or if the first labyrinth they conquered was the Blind Mountain?

Naturally, there would be no way to know the Witch’s knowledge hidden in other locations, leaving them helpless.

At the very least, Verdi probably wouldn’t have handled things that way either.

‘Wait, then why did she summon Seoa in the first place?’

It might have simply been a hurried urging to conquer the remaining labyrinths quickly, but to my knowledge, such an event didn’t exist in the original work.

Ultimately, it meant there was a possibility that we could overcome this situation with just the abilities we currently possessed.

When I thought that far, one memory struck my mind.

It was an analysis post about the Eternal Labyrinth that briefly became a topic in the community back then.

‘He said the order of labyrinth conquest isn’t important.’

Setting aside the detailed content, regarding the Witch’s knowledge granted in the Eternal Labyrinth, he said this:

The knowledge stones placed one in each labyrinth are all the same item, and depending on the number of times they are used, the next stage of knowledge is granted.

In practice, it meant that regardless of which labyrinth is conquered, the order of acquiring knowledge itself is fixed.

Since it’s natural to progress step by step from the basics when learning something, his claim gained considerable credibility.

And applying that to this situation, it roughly fits.

‘Even if, by chance, someone clears the Blind Mountain first, they would inevitably acquire at least the first piece of Witch’s knowledge.’

And the sorcery Seoa learned through that first knowledge were two Art Formulas: the Flight Art and an Art Formula that transforms inanimate objects into living forms for a certain period.

If my thinking is correct, that was highly likely to be the key.

‘Come to think of it, the clear room of the Eternal Labyrinth has an unusually high ceiling.’

An immense height, as if designed to be unreachable by ordinary means.

Although no one would likely attempt it, climbing the walls probably wouldn’t be easy either.

‘Without the Flight Art, a thorough inspection would be a distant prospect.’

Having fully grasped the idea, I soon, with Seoa’s help, flew up into the air together and began meticulously examining every corner of the ceiling.

And soon, I found what I was looking for.

‘This?’

Within the exquisitely decorated panorama of the ceiling, one stone component naturally forming part of it caught my eye.

It was precisely the portrait of Witch Verdi, which had also been the only thing missing from Melrn’s room.

‘No doubt.’

Gaining certainty, I immediately conveyed my opinion to Seoa, and Seoa, while maintaining concentration on the Flight Art, began constructing another Art Formula.

Whoosh!

Swoosh!

And as it completed, the portrait of Witch Verdi, which had been a stone decoration, instantly transformed into the shape of a small bird and hurriedly headed somewhere.

[Chirp, chirp-chirp!]

“…I’ll follow.”

The place we arrived at was precisely the small space where we had obtained the Blind Mountain’s clear reward.

[Chirp!]

Swoop.

The bird, small enough to barely fit a human hand, entered the space and instantly disappeared somewhere, then began chirping repeatedly from a considerably distant location.

Then, something amazing happened.

Koo-gung.

Koo-goo-goo-goo-gung—!

Once again, one wall of the room opened, revealing a hidden space.

“Ha, it really has no end.”

“Hmm. What could be here now…?”

Perhaps because we had gone through considerable hardship, the party’s expressions were a mix of half surprise and half fatigue.

Well, we had just let our guard down thinking everything was over, so that was natural.

However, fortunately for them, it seemed the number of people who could enter this place was already predetermined.

“It seems it’s just the two of us, Oppa.”

“……”

Seoa, who had inherited the Witch’s knowledge. And me, who for some reason bore her Mark.

Thus, we parted from the rest of the party for a while and headed towards the door within the hidden space.

And the moment I stepped inside, I sensed that Seoa, who had been walking beside me, had vanished.

Simultaneously, I was greeted by a clear yet bewitching woman’s voice.

“Nice to meet you. We meet sooner than I thought.”

“You are……”

I didn’t need to ask; I could intuitively realize. The woman before my eyes now was none other than Witch Verdi, the master of this labyrinth.

Perhaps rather than saying she exists, it would be more accurate to say a remnant of her thoughts was left behind.

“Yes. Just as you surmise. I’ve already met the other girl once before.”

“That incident in the Black Forest.”

“I’ve been curious since then. What method did you use to pass through the Trial Hall so quickly, and what is your true identity?”

In Verdi’s expression as she leisurely approached me, a subtle madness was somehow perceptible.

“Meeting you like this in my space, that curiosity only grows stronger.”

Soon, Verdi, standing right before me and meeting my gaze, stroked my cheek as if caressing something precious and continued speaking.

“Last time, I thought it was just my mood. I merely sensed that Resonance from a very, very distant place, after all.”

From those words, I realized Verdi wasn’t fully aware of the precise circumstances inside the labyrinth.

But that thought was brief, as my mind froze at her following words.

“Why do I feel such a familiar and nostalgic sensation from you?”

“……”

Frankly, such a statement was entirely unexpected. Also, the reason itself was unclear.

Here, Verdi and I were merely in a relationship worse than strangers.

Even if I was involved in the creation of the Eternal Labyrinth and her, that’s a completely irrelevant story now.

“For me, parents are a distant existence. I’ve never seen them in my entire life, and I don’t know their names or faces. So, I can’t understand familial emotions either.”

However.

“If I had had family, perhaps this is what it would have felt like.”

Verdi then removed her hand, stepped back from me, and quietly closed her mouth.

She was the last witch of her era.

Even I cannot easily fathom the magnitude of the solitude she must have felt, left all alone.

Perhaps because of that, Verdi’s appearance seemed somehow infinitely sorrowful.

“Well, setting that aside for now……”

Soon, Verdi, who had brought up the subject, changed her gaze, looked at me with a serious expression, and continued.

“I can tell very clearly that you are no ordinary being. Perhaps, more so than anyone I’ve encountered until now.”

Of course.

Starting from the limit Forbidden Technique Value, in this world, I am indeed an abnormal existence in many ways.

Verdi, having reached an extreme realm, also seemed to vaguely sense that fact.

“First, let me tell you. Due to the conquest of this Blind Mountain, your companion has officially become my successor.”

If before she was merely a candidate, from now on it carries a slightly different meaning.

“There are two labyrinths remaining. So, your companion must also seek them out someday and inherit the remaining knowledge.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

I said that, but honestly, I can’t guarantee it.

Strictly speaking, matters concerning this Eternal Labyrinth belonged to future generations.

However, if not immediately, then someday, Seoa as the successor or figures of the next generation will naturally seek out the remaining labyrinths.

From that point on, it would become their affair, not mine anymore.

“And to you as well, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

An atmosphere weighty enough to guess its gravity just from her expression.

The words conveyed by Verdi, who soon wore a bitter smile, were heavier than expected.