The corridor of the medical wing remained a hive of activity, with recovery mages rushing back and forth.
Leaning my back against the wall, I kept a silent vigil on the door to the room where the white-haired girl was staying.
After I had gone to fetch a recovery mage and explained the situation, they concluded that my presence was far too distressing for her. Thus, I had been relegated to waiting in the hallway.
From inside, I could hear the girl’s voice—a series of cries that sounded like screams now that she had finally regained her senses. I must have truly terrified her. Through the wood of the door, I heard her brief, sharp rejections: "Stay away," "I hate you," "Stop it."
...She certainly didn't hold back her disdain.
"Lord Rai... who is that girl, exactly?"
Lene, who was waiting outside with me, spoke up.
"She didn't react at all to Yuu or the rest of us. Why is she so adamant about rejecting you, and you alone?"
Lene asked, her brow furrowed with genuine concern.
Her voice lacked the probing edge of Elysia's. Seeing that she was simply puzzled, I let out a mental sigh of relief and turned my gaze back toward the door.
"Poor compatibility, most likely."
"Compatibility...?"
"Yeah."
The girl’s frightened voice still carried through the air.
However, perhaps because I was no longer in the room, she was gradually beginning to calm down.
"In this world, some people just click the moment they meet, while others simply don't get along no matter what."
"...Is that how it works?"
"Probably. Not everyone has as good compatibility as we do, Lene."
When I answered with a wry smile, Lene looked up at me, stood dazed for a moment, and then hurriedly cupped her cheeks with both hands.
Her face turned a deep, burning crimson.
When I shot her a look, wondering what was wrong, she began to fidget, swaying her body as if trying to shake off her own embarrassment.
"I-It's only natural, of course! That Lord Rai and I have good compatibility... we have a master-servant bond, after all! It's only natural!"
Lene swayed happily, a blissful, silly grin spreading across her face. Seeing her look so adorable, I reflexively reached out and patted her head. Her shoulders gave a small start. She didn't seem to mind; instead, she squinted and leaned into my touch like a loyal hound.
Chuckling at the sight, I returned my focus to the door.
The girl’s voice from within had settled significantly.
The recovery mage or Yuu and the others must have finally succeeded in soothing her.
(…Poor compatibility, huh… Well, that’s not entirely a lie.)
After patting Lene’s head to my heart’s content, I let my thoughts wander back to my knowledge of the original game.
The white-haired girl rescued from the labyrinth.
Someone ignorant of the truth might assume she was an adventurer who had wandered in from outside or a victim caught in a labyrinth disaster—but they would be dead wrong.
Unfortunately, she belonged to the labyrinth's side.
In fact, it was debatable whether she could even be classified as "human."
It produced monsters, eliminated intruders, and protected the core in its innermost depths. It was a massive monstrosity equipped with its own self-defense mechanisms: the Primal Labyrinth. A childish will resided within that monster, and it harbored only one desire.
—It wanted to play. That was all.
(…What a nuisance.)
The labyrinth didn't crave world conquest, nor did it want to destroy humanity.
It simply repeated its centennial cycle for no other reason than to satisfy its urge to play. It lured in intruders, unleashed monsters, and enjoyed the spectacle of people struggling for their lives from the safety of its own spectator seats. Once satisfied, it granted the world a hundred-year reprieve, waiting for the next generation to mature before playing again.
It was an endless cycle of repetition.
And the existence created specifically to make that "play" more interesting...
Was that white-haired girl.
(I remember someone once saying that there’s nothing more tedious than just watching a game from the sidelines.)
At first, the labyrinth must have been satisfied.
It was fun enough just watching its "toys"—the humans—screaming and falling into despair, yet still struggling to resist from the comfort of its safe zone.
However, after repeating that for centuries, simply watching was no longer enough. So the labyrinth pondered: how could it be truly satisfied? How could it have more fun?
The conclusion it reached was to place its own piece on the board.
An existence intended to conquer—to "play"—the labyrinth just like the humans. The labyrinth’s own avatar, its playable character—that was the girl's true identity.
(…Well, there’s a bit more to it than just that, though.)
Just as my thoughts reached that point, the door to the room opened quietly.
"…Rai."
It was Elysia.
She glanced back into the room before stepping into the corridor and pulling the door shut behind her.
The screams had finally ceased. Instead, I could hear the muffled, fragmented sounds of someone speaking in low tones.
Yuu or Ciel was likely attempting to bridge the gap through conversation.
"Has she calmed down?"
"Yes. Right now, Yuu and Ciel are trying to get information from her."
Elysia fixed me with a steady gaze.
"As I thought, it’s best if you don’t go in."
"I figured as much."
I shrugged my shoulders in agreement.
She might have calmed down for the moment, but her primal terror of me hadn't just vanished. If I stepped foot back in that room, history would simply repeat itself.
Elysia gave a small, wry smile at my reaction.
"More importantly, regarding the girl—we found out her name."
Her expression shifted, adopting the dignified air of the Student Council President.
"Eve. That's her name."
"Eve, huh. I see..."
It was a short, easy name to remember.
I wondered if it was taken from the first woman of legend, or if it had some other origin. At the very least, it was better than a name devoid of any care.
"Um, did you find out anything else...?"
"Unfortunately, we’ve learned almost nothing. She says she doesn't remember where she came from, nor does she know anything about her past beyond her name."
Elysia shook her head at Lene’s question.
After a brief pause, she murmured "however" and turned her eyes back to me.
"She did say one strange thing."
"Strange?"
"Yes."
Elysia crossed her arms, pausing to gather her thoughts before continuing.
"She doesn't know why, but she feels an overwhelming compulsion to reach the innermost depths of the labyrinth. It’s an instinctive pull."
"..."
"She can't explain the reason. She just says her chest feels tight... and that she can't find any peace unless she goes back."
Hearing Elysia's report, my conviction that she was the labyrinth's avatar was reaffirmed.
That said, I had no intention of sharing that knowledge just yet.
An existence inextricably linked to the labyrinth.
If the truth came out, it wouldn't just be the Student Council involved; it would trigger a massive uproar within the academy leadership. If she were a student who had already built up a reputation of trust, it might be different, but for a complete unknown to be outed now... simple "protection" wouldn't be the end of it.
At worst, she would be isolated and treated as a research subject.
If that happened, it was painfully obvious what kind of life awaited her.
(…I have no desire to see a Heroine Research Subject End play out before my eyes.)
That reason alone was enough for me to keep my mouth shut.
"Amnesia, then."
Cutting off my train of thought, I gave a noncommittal shrug.
"She was found deep in the labyrinth. It's not surprising if she's a bit confused."
"…Yes. I suppose you're right."
Elysia nodded slightly.
However, a lingering shadow of doubt remained on her face. As the Student Council President, she couldn't afford to be optimistic.
"We’ll keep her under observation in the medical wing for a while. The recovery mages have ordered total bed rest."
"Given her state, that's the only logical choice."
She had pushed herself to the brink while almost entirely depleted of mana. She would need several days of quiet recovery.
In which case, there was no reason for me to linger.
"I’m heading out."
When I announced my departure, Elysia nodded with a sympathetic smile.
"That's for the best. It’s a harsh way to put it, but she simply can't stay calm with you around. For the sake of getting more information, it would be a huge help if you kept your distance."
"Understood."
Nodding to Elysia, I turned on my heel.
"Lord Rai, where are you going?"
Lene asked, hurrying to keep pace with me.
The blissful expression she’d worn while being patted was gone, replaced by her usual professional maid demeanor. However, her ears were still tinged with a faint pink.
I glanced at her and smiled.
"Just a few things to take care of."
I gave that short answer as I began walking down the corridor of the medical wing.