It was the night, two days after the conquest of the Primal Labyrinth.
For the first time in a long while, the academy was bathed in a bright, festive atmosphere.
The labyrinth, having had its Core destroyed, was currently in a state of dormancy. It was estimated that it wouldn't show any major activity for at least a month. The academy's official stance was that the labyrinth required a significant amount of time to reconfigure its internal structure and redistribute its monsters.
(Well, the real reason probably isn't anything that complicated.)
It was the same in CHOICE//MAZE.
As the title—The Girls and the One-Year Labyrinth—suggested, the original game was designed so that the player would spend a full year to achieve the complete conquest of the Primal Labyrinth.
If the labyrinth were designed to bare its fangs at full strength constantly, progress would stall within days. In the worst-case scenario, it wouldn't have been surprising if the protagonist and heroines were wiped out on the very first day. There is a clear distinction between a high-difficulty challenge and an impossible one.
The latter is simply unreasonable, and such a thing cannot be called a game.
That is why the labyrinth deliberately grants us a period of grace—allowing for a cycle of conquest and dormancy to ensure the struggle is paced throughout the year.
(...In short, it’s just a matter of developer convenience.)
Regardless of the reason, the fact remained that we had a reprieve. I intended to make grateful use of this preparation period.
The academy seemed to share that sentiment. Taking advantage of the labyrinth's dormancy, they decided to use this time for the students’ benefit. A small banquet was held to honor the students who survived the expedition and to restore their morale.
In truth, this banquet was an event featured in the original game as well. It was positioned as a moment of respite where the students could gather together, but—
(In the original, the atmosphere was hardly one where you could host a celebration...)
While the conquest had technically been a success in the game, it followed a brutal battle where sixty percent of the students had perished. Naturally, the academy had been shrouded in a somber, funereal air. The "commendation banquet" had been a party in name only; in reality, it was a stand-up buffet that felt more like a wake. My memory of it was a quiet, hollow event where students who had lost friends and comrades simply reached for food in silence.
—Compared to that, the scene unfolding before my eyes now was something else entirely.
"So good...!"
Just as I heard someone's unfiltered praise, a conversation drifted from a nearby table.
"Calm down, will you?"
"I can't! I've never eaten food this delicious in my life!"
"...I suppose that’s the normal reaction."
"Wait, have you?"
"I've had similar dishes served at dinner at my house."
"Nobles are so unfair...!"
At one table, a student clutched her plate in excitement while a pair of girls nearby chided her. A short distance away, I saw students slapping each other on the back.
"You're alive, you bastard!"
"That's my line!"
"I lost sight of you halfway through, so I thought for sure—"
"Don't jinx me!?"
After looking at each other's faces, the two laughed simultaneously. Similar exchanges were taking place all over the room.
The academy had roughly five thousand students. Even with a large number currently undergoing treatment in the Medical Wing, there was no single facility capable of housing everyone. Because of that, the banquet was spread across several locations. The Grand Cafeteria, the Auditorium, the Courtyard, and the Greenhouse Garden—facilities usually reserved for lessons or assemblies—had been transformed into makeshift venues for the night.
"It's so lively!"
"Yeah, it is."
The place we had chosen was the largest venue of all—the Grand Cafeteria.
Chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling cast a soft glow, filling the vast space with warm light. Long tables were lined up against the walls, packed tight with an incredible array of food.
There were fragrant roasted meats, steaming fish dishes, and vibrant vegetable platters. There were even rows of sweets that wafted a sugary aroma. These were delicacies one would never see on the usual cafeteria menu.
"...Mm, it’s delicious!"
Ciel, who was eating beside me, spoke with her eyes sparkling. After enjoying her meal in silence for a while, she seemed to notice my gaze and gave a sheepish, red-cheeked smile.
"S-Sorry. It's just, I've never really had food like this before."
"It's fine. This banquet was prepared specifically for us, after all."
I placed a few more items on a plate and offered them to her: a small portion of herb-roasted chicken, a tiny tart smelling of sweet fruit, and a side of colorful marinated vegetables.
"Here, try these. They're good too."
"Eh? Oh, thank you."
Accepting the plate, Ciel looked down at the food with a bit of hesitation.
"...Is it really okay?"
"There's more than enough for everyone. There’s no reason to hold back."
"I suppose you're right..."
With a small laugh, she used her fork to cut a bite of the chicken. The scent of herbs wafted up as she tasted it. Instantly, her expression lit up.
"...This is wonderful too."
"I thought you'd like it."
"The aroma is so rich. And the meat is so tender..."
Nodding in appreciation, she next reached for the tart. After a small bite, her eyes widened again.
"...So sweet."
"It's a fruit tart."
"I don't think I've ever had a sweet this sugary in my life."
Her voice was tinged with genuine wonder. After staring at the tart for a long moment, she murmured softly.
"...I wish I could let my sister, Papa, and Mama eat this, too."
"Want to send some to them?"
"Eh?"
Ciel stared at me, her sky-blue eyes wide with shock. Her expression practically screamed, Is that even possible?, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Trading companies in the Royal Capital handle provincial deliveries all the time. If I ask a few favors, it's easy enough to arrange."
"But... wouldn't the fees for something like that be incredibly high?"
"Don't worry about that."
"Eh?"
"I'll just ask a Trading Company that has dealings with my Ducal House. If I use my family's name, they'll do it for the price of the box."
If we used a Transport Box enchanted with Preservation Magic, the food would stay fresh and at the right temperature. Even if it were delivered to a remote village, it would arrive in a state almost identical to when it was freshly cooked. This was essentially a luxury service used to provide noble dining tables with fresh ingredients—certainly not something a commoner could easily afford.
However, if I requested it as a member of a Ducal House, they would certainly be flexible.
When I said it so casually, Ciel completely froze.
"...Wait a minute."
"Hmm?"
"Are you saying you're going to use the name of a Ducal House... for my sake?"
"...Is there a problem with that?"
"A huge one!?" Ciel hissed, hurriedly lowering her voice. "That's way too much! To use the power of a Ducal House just to deliver food to a commoner's house...!?"
"You're overreacting."
"I am most certainly not!"
Ciel knitted her brows, looking deeply troubled. I gave a wry smile as I watched her hold her head in her hands, clearly flustered.
"It's just sending a little food. It’s not a national crisis."
"But..."
"Besides," I added, "it's only natural to want your family to experience something delicious, isn't it?"
At that, Ciel fell silent. She lowered her gaze for a moment.
"...Thank you," she whispered with a small, soft smile.
She was likely picturing her family’s faces; her expression was incredibly gentle. It was very like her—always caring and family-oriented.
While we were sharing that quiet moment, a reserved voice spoke up from the side.
"...Um, Ciel-san."
It was Lene. She was holding a plate with modest portions of meat, bread, and vegetables, likely chosen for their nutritional balance.
"Lene? What's the matter?"
With a troubled look, Lene glanced toward the back of the room. "Well... it's about Yuu-san."
"Yuu?" Ciel tilted her head.
I followed their gaze. A short distance away, near a table by the wall, the familiar red-haired youth was standing alone. Though he held a plate, he had barely touched any of the food. He was keeping his distance from the surrounding celebration, quietly observing the room.
"I tried to talk to him earlier..." Lene continued, her face full of concern. "But he just said he was fine and wouldn't really engage in conversation."
Indeed, he looked completely out of place. While laughter and chatter filled the air, Yuu stood a step removed from it all. He wasn't injured, and he didn't look ill. He simply looked like a man possessed by a single, all-consuming thought.
"It's probably because of her," Ciel said with a knowing, weary smile.
"Her?"
"The white-haired girl we rescued from the labyrinth."
Lene let out a soft "Ah" of realization.
"He's been like that ever since we got out," Ciel explained as she cut another piece of her tart. "He's completely in the clouds. If you talk to him, he’s totally unresponsive. He’s even been wearing his clothes inside out... Earlier, I saw him pacing back and forth in the exact same spot three times."
"T-That is... quite extreme."
"Yeah. And the cherry on top? Every time you look at him, he’s staring off toward the Medical Wing." Ciel shrugged exasperatedly and popped the piece of tart into her mouth.
(—I see.)
The girl we found in the Innermost Depths. She had collapsed during the battle with the Core and was now being cared for in the Medical Wing. Right now, Yuu's mind was undoubtedly filled with nothing but her.
"...Do you think he'll be all right?" Lene asked.
"Who knows? But knowing him, he'll be back to his usual self before long."
I looked over at the red-haired youth once more. His distant gaze was fixed firmly in the direction of the Medical Wing.
(...)
Yuu’s true story—the real narrative of the protagonist—began the moment he met that white-haired girl. It was only natural that he would be acting this way now.
I gave a slight shrug and turned my attention back to the table. Most of the dishes were still untouched. There was steaming meat, fragrant fish, and plenty of sweets left.
"...It's a rare banquet. We should eat before it all gets cold."
I picked up my fork.
"Ah, yes!" Lene adjusted her plate, and Ciel gave a small giggle.
"You're right. It would be a crime to let this go to waste."
Ciel resumed eating. Behind us, the lively sounds of the banquet continued to echo—laughter, the clink of plates, and the palpable sense of relief that had finally returned to the academy.
(In the end, a happy ending really is for the best.)
Thinking that, I reached for my next bite.