The next day…
Arthur was lying in his room, staring at the ceiling in silence. Fenril lay on the floor beside him, breathing steadily as he rested.
They had told him to prepare—to take the day to buy new clothing, as his previous set was far too worn out. It was unavoidable: Arthur preferred close-quarters combat, and on more than one occasion, enemy attacks had managed to tear his clothes. Besides, he was growing; the armor that once fit him comfortably was starting to feel tight.
His new outfit was almost identical to the one Paul usually wore. Resistant. Practical. Designed for the front line. The only differences were the cape—a deep blue that fell over his back—and his pants, which were black. (For now, he wasn't wearing the cape).
Currently, he had nothing else to do. So, he decided to rest. Close his eyes. Recover his strength after the long journey and everything that had happened.
…Or at least, that was what he intended.
From the hallway, Arthur heard footsteps. He recognized them immediately. Rudeus.
The footsteps stopped in front of one of the nearby doors. Roxy's room was right next to his. Arthur didn't need to look out to imagine the scene: Rudeus hesitating in front of the door, wanting to enter, wanting to speak to her.
But Roxy wasn't available.
Arthur knew this because, the day before, he couldn't help but notice it. Roxy was completely absorbed in reading the book "Memoirs of Research on the Teleportation Labyrinth." More than once, she had frowned, muttered to herself, or flipped pages back, clearly confused by certain passages.
Arthur, who had already read and understood the book's contents with the help of the **Great Sage**, ended up explaining several points to her: how the circles functioned, the structural anomalies of the labyrinth, and certain theories the author barely hinted at. Roxy had listened to him with absolute attention.
Now, Arthur sighed softly, even while lying down with his eyes half-open.
"How boring this is.."
In the hallway, on the other side of the wall, Rudeus paced back and forth in front of Roxy's room. His steps came and went with evident persistence; he wanted to talk to her, but he didn't want to disturb her.
—"Rudeus?" —Roxy's voice sounded from inside.
He startled.
—"Yes, Sensei…"
Roxy observed him for a second, and then he heard her voice—accompanied by what he imagined was a somewhat forced smile.
—"You're distracting me, passing by my door so much."
Rudeus lowered his gaze.
—"I-I'm sorry… I'll leave you in peace."
He said that and turned around, walking down the hallway with slumped shoulders.
—Rudeus," —she called out suddenly.
He stopped and turned immediately, regaining a bit of spirit.
—"Yes?"
—"Could you close the door?"
The illusion vanished instantly.
—"Ah… sure."
Rudeus responded with a rigid smile as he pushed the door until it closed carefully. The soft click of the latch echoed more than it should have. He stood there for a second, motionless. Then he turned and walked away down the hall. His figure slowly faded… and by the way he walked, it seemed his destination would be some bar, to drink in solitude.
---
After a while, there were two soft knocks on Arthur's door. Fenril barely raised an ear but didn't move. Arthur opened his eyes. He didn't need to get up to know who it was.
—"Come in," —Arthur said calmly.
The door opened slowly. Roxy peeked her head in first, as if hesitating, wondering if she was interrupting.
—"Arthur…?" —she asked. —"Are you busy?"
Arthur sat up slightly, resting on the bed.
—"No," —he replied. —"Come in."
Roxy entered and closed the door carefully. Her steps were light, almost timid. She glanced for a moment at Fenril, who barely opened an eye before settling back down, then scanned the room and, finally, stopped at Arthur.
—"I'm sorry to bother you," —she said, clutching the book against her chest. —"But… there's a part I don't quite understand."
She showed him the open text, pointing to some marked lines. Arthur tilted his head to look.
—"Ah… this section," —he murmured. —"It's not poorly written, but the author assumes the reader already knows how the secondary circles overlap."
Roxy frowned.
—"That's what I thought, but when I read it… everything gets mixed up."
Arthur smiled softly.
—"It's normal. Here, sit down."
Roxy hesitated for a second… and then sat beside him, leaving a small, respectful distance between them. Arthur took the book carefully and began to explain, pointing with his finger.
—"Look. This circle doesn't work alone. It's linked to the other two by magic resonance. That's why, when one activates incorrectly…"
—"…it drags the others with it," —Roxy finished, her eyes widening slightly.
Arthur looked at her, surprised.
—"Exactly."
Roxy watched him for a moment, and then she smiled, genuinely.
—"Now I understand."
There was relief in her voice. Arthur moved slightly closer and turned his gaze back to the book, continuing to explain the parts she didn't understand.
.....
Two days later.
Finally, the day arrived to venture back into the labyrinth, this time with Arthur and Roxy integrated into the group.
Just as they had planned, they advanced to the third floor without major complications. Paul and Elinalise headed the first line, breaking through the monsters with impeccable coordination. Rudeus and Roxy stayed as support, casting spells with precision to cover the flanks and reduce the pressure on the front. Arthur intervened only when the number of enemies increased too much; then Paul would swap positions with him, allowing Arthur to enter direct combat while the others recovered their strength.
Talhand, for his part, was in charge of neutralizing spider webs and any obstacles that might hinder the group's progress.
When the last enemy fell, silence took over the labyrinth corridor.
—"Fu…!" —Roxy let out a long sigh, lowering her shoulders slightly.
Rudeus noticed it immediately. Even though her expression remained serene, there were clear signs of fatigue: the rhythm of her breathing, the way she leaned on her staff for a second longer than usual. She had spent a lot of mana
Arthur noticed too, but said nothing.
Rudeus pressed his lips together, watching her from behind. Part of him wanted to approach, say something, offer help… but he hesitated. That uncomfortable feeling—that distance that wasn't there before—was still there.
—"We should take a break," —Roxy said finally, regaining her composure. —"I'd prefer not to run out of magic power in the middle of the next combat."
No one argued with the decision. Gisu, meanwhile, compared the labyrinth book with the map he had been carefully tracing.
—"According to this, we should soon encounter the magic circle to the fourth floor," —he commented. —"We're moving quite a bit faster than the original group."
While the veterans exchanged opinions on the route, Roxy remained seated, breathing with difficulty. Her exhaustion was evident, though she tried to hide it.
—"Arthur…" —she called him in a low voice. —"Would you mind if I lean on your back for a while?"
She didn't seem to trust the walls much. Rudeus felt a slight jolt upon hearing her voice… but it wasn't him she was addressing.
Arthur turned naturally, without a trace of discomfort.
—"Sure, no problem."
He sat back-to-back with her, offering firm support. Roxy leaned against him and let out a long sigh, as if she could finally relax.
Rudeus observed the scene in silence, his canteen squeezed between his hands. "There's nothing inappropriate about it, I know that." Even so, something in his chest tightened. That closeness… that trust.
"Before, it would have been me who was there. Or at least, that's what I want to believe."
He looked away, faking interest in checking the perimeter, while a bitter sensation settled in his throat. It wasn't exactly jealousy. It was more like the silent confirmation of something he had been avoiding admitting for a long time: the distance between him and Roxy was no longer just his imagination.
...
After a short rest, they didn't take long to find the magic circle. Just as Gisu had predicted, the transition to the next floor was surprisingly fast.
Upon crossing the portal and reaching the fourth floor, Arthur was the first to notice the change. The air was different—heavier. The walls were no longer simple stone tunnels, but intricate structures that intertwined with one another, forming narrow, branching passages like the interior of a giant anthill. The sight was unsettlingly familiar to him, reminding him of the monstrous creatures they had faced before
Rudeus felt it too. This place was nothing like the previous levels. There was no sense of openness or clear routes; everything seemed designed to confuse and trap.
Paul observed the environment with a frown and then turned to Gisu.
—"What do you think?"
Gisu scanned the area, evaluating every detail before responding.
—"I need to explore a bit more to be sure… but I don't like it."
Paul nodded slowly.
—"Alright, guys," —he finally said. —"We won't force things. We'll explore this floor and then head back to Lapan."
Barely had he finished speaking when the air in the corridor tensed. From the shadows, two imposing figures emerged. They were tall, with robust bodies covered in dark, worn armor. Each possessed four arms—two wielding rusted weapons and the others prepared to defend or attack without warning.
—"Armored Warriors…" —Gisu murmured, scowling. —"They aren't common in the upper floors."
Rudeus stepped forward almost by reflex, raising his staff. Mana began to concentrate around him.
"I can take them out quickly," he thought, preparing an offensive spell.
—"Wait, Rudeus!" —Roxy's voice stopped him before he could complete the incantation.
He turned, surprised.
—"Don't use direct magic," —she said seriously. —"Those monsters reflect or deflect frontal magic attacks. If you fire like that, the counterattack could hit you… or someone else."
Rudeus grit his teeth and lowered his staff slightly. Arthur, who had been observing in silence, had already stepped forward, evaluating the distance and the movements of the enemies with precision.
—"Then," —Paul said, —"we change the plan."
Elinalise smiled, twirling her spear.
—"Melee front line," —Talhand added. —"I'll cover any interference."
The Armored Warriors emitted a metallic sound as they moved, advancing slowly, as if measuring their prey. Rudeus stepped back, positioning himself next to Roxy. From there, he watched as Arthur stepped forward without hesitation, his posture firm, his attention completely centered on the enemy.
End of Chapter