Come to think of it... what had become of Elsie?
She had successfully plundered Nyau’s mana, but I wondered what kind of look she wore now.
Timidly, I lifted my head and searched for her.
"Oh, thank goodness!"
Elsie’s cheeks were flushed with relief, her face softening into a genuine smile. Noticing my gaze, she awkwardly looked away. I was bewildered by this sudden display of childishness—it was a total reversal of her behavior until a moment ago.
"Ah, I’m sorry. You see, I thought there was only a fifty-fifty chance of success, so I’m just so happy. Ehehe. After all, I’m just a servant. It’s normally unthinkable for someone like me to outwit the Great Sage Nyau. I’ve been so tense this whole time; I’m exhausted."
I was left speechless by her sudden chattiness.
There wasn't a trace of the overwhelming composure she had displayed before. Was that all a bluff?
"Don’t you dare mock us! Give Master’s mana back!" Ryune screamed.
She glared at Elsie with a look that suggested she was ready to pounce at any second.
"I’m afraid that’s impossible. I require Lady Nyau’s immense mana for a specific purpose. You see, I have a duty to fulfill."
Elsie spoke while avoiding our eyes, offering a polite little bow. The gesture was perfectly servant-like, yet it felt tinged with a faint madness.
"To be honest, the plan I originally envisioned was full of holes. I didn't think it would work, but somehow I managed to pull it off. My heart was racing until the very end. I tried my best to keep you all from noticing, but I almost lost my nerve several times."
Perhaps as a reaction to being released from the tension, she spoke with a feverish excitement. She claimed it was a series of narrow escapes, but from my perspective, we had been dancing in the palm of her hand the entire time.
"I especially have to thank you, Kiska-san. Thank you so much."
"M-Me...?"
Why was she thanking me?
"It succeeded because of you. If you hadn't been here, my plan would have surely failed."
"W-Wait... explain yourself. Why is it thanks to me?"
If this disaster was my fault, "terrible" wouldn't even begin to cover it. But I couldn't think of anything. What had I done to trigger this?
"Ah, I’m sorry. I’m rambling because I’m so excited. I should explain properly, shouldn’t I? First, Lady Sage Nyau’s deduction was entirely correct. To steal her mana, I had to significantly shake her composure. I tried various things—startling her, framing her as the culprit—but I knew a brilliant person like her wouldn't be truly rattled by such petty tricks. However, after seeing you, Kiska-san, I changed my strategy."
Elsie paused for a moment. She took a deep breath and continued.
"I suspected that perhaps Lady Sage Nyau was in love with Kiska-san."
Wait, what?
"I knew it was a gamble. But I felt it was the only way to break her. I’ve never heard a single romantic rumor regarding her. I figured she was inexperienced in matters of the heart, and that if I struck there, I could create a crack in her mental armor."
"W-Wait... Elsie, what on earth are you saying? Nyau likes me? That’s impossible..."
Cold sweat began to pour from my palms. If what Elsie was saying was true, then the reason Nyau’s composure broke was—
"Is it? When I made her wear that maid outfit, I began to suspect she had feelings for you. I didn't have certainty, but it was enough to bet on. That’s why I decided to push Mage Ryune-san and Kiska-san into a romantic situation. How did you two find it? My Lovey-Dovey Dungeon?"
Elsie looked back and forth between Ryune and me.
Certainly, the path we took through the Labyrinth had been full of inexplicable things. I had no idea why she would bother setting up the Room of Truth where we could hear each other’s inner thoughts, but now...
"Then, the times you tried to kill us...?"
"Yes, that was to set the mood. I know my literature. In the romance novels popular at the Royal Court, when a man and a woman survive a life-or-death struggle, they invariably fall in love."
So she hadn't even considered truly killing us. Since this space was Inside the Dream and disconnected from physical death, she never intended to commit murder.
"I’m glad Mage Ryune-san fell for you. If that hadn't worked, I was prepared to captivate you myself."
Elsie casually mentioned a terrifying alternative.
Ryune, who was listening beside me, seemed to be in total shock. she looked down, silent and unresponsive.
"I don't need to explain further, do I? As an avid reader of romance novels, I know there is nothing that disturbs a girl’s heart quite like jealousy. So, Kiska-san, thank you again. Without you, this wouldn't have gone nearly as well."
I was stunned.
I had been struggling desperately to save Nyau and the others. And yet, was it my very presence that had made the situation worse?
"I-Is it really true? That Nyau likes me? I honestly find it hard to believe..."
I couldn't accept it. In this timeline, there shouldn't have been any reason for Nyau to develop feelings for me.
"Hmm, I don't know why you find it so unbelievable, but why don't you ask her yourself? Right, Lady Sage Nyau? I’ve noticed you regained consciousness a while ago."
What...?
Elsie walked briskly toward the collapsed Nyau. Ryune, who had been tending to her, seemed paralyzed, trembling a short distance away.
"Come now, Lady Sage Nyau. Stop pretending to be unconscious and lift your head."
Elsie reached down, forcibly grabbed Nyau's cheek, and lifted her face.
"S-Stop... it. Nyau is... in so much pain right now..."
Nyau moaned, her eyes fluttering open. Her previous air of authority had vanished; her cheeks were flushed crimson and her lips were quivering.
"Oh, are you still trying to play it off? It’s far too late for that."
"P-Play off... w-what on earth do you mean?"
"The fact that you’re in love with Kiska-san, obviously. Your face is as red as a maiden’s right now, Lady Nyau. Do you really think you can hide it?"
"Th-That is not true..."
Her voice was weak and fragile. To think Nyau could be this flustered.
She had always been so arrogant, someone who would never show weakness. Now, she was a mess of confusion and shame, stumbling over her words.
"Liar. When Kiska-san and Ryune-san were getting close, your heart was in a total uproar. As proof, you’re completely drained of mana now. Even a Sage respected for her vast knowledge has no defense against romance, it seems."
"S-Stop... please..."
"Fufufu, you’re at a loss for words. I think your lack of experience is quite adorable. Don't you agree, Kiska-san?"
Suddenly, Elsie turned the question on me.
I had no idea how to answer. I stole a glance at Nyau. She looked like she was on the verge of tears, her lips trembling uncontrollably.
"Oops, I suppose that was a bit cruel of me."
Elsie still wore that playful, enjoying expression.
"Well then, I suppose I should stop teasing you all. I still have work to do."
As soon as Elsie said that, she poked the incense burner in front of her.
Immediately, the world began to shimmy and blur. A grating screech, like fingernails dragging across a mirror, filled the air. The walls, floors, and pillars all warped into grotesque shapes.
I gasped. This was proof that the dream world was collapsing. A cold wind brushed my cheek, and I felt a sensation of weightlessness. The illusory world crumbled away like a sandcastle in the tide.
"Once again, my thanks to you all. My plan is proceeding perfectly."
"To hell with your thanks! What do you intend to do with Nyau’s mana!?"
"Well, I can’t tell you that."
The moment Elsie’s mocking smile wavered, a sensation of the ground falling away hit me. The scenery came crashing down, and a strange vibration shook my skull.
Vision went black for a heartbeat, and my consciousness flickered. Then, my lungs were suddenly filled with cold, stifling air. Gasping, I looked around.
We were no longer in the dream Labyrinth. This was reality. The night wind bit at my skin, and I could feel the hard floor beneath my feet.
"This is..."
I squinted through the dimness.
We were back in the house where the Village Chief had been murdered. Lanterns cast flickering shadows across the room, illuminating the dried bloodstains on the floor.
Before we were pulled into the dream, the soldiers had been restrained here by Nyau's magic. Now, they were gone.
"I truly wanted to chat more, but I must be going. I have to catch up with His Highness. Please, feel free to rest in the village."
His Highness? Where had the second prince and the escort unit gone while we were trapped?
Ignoring my confusion, Elsie moved with elegant grace, kicking off the floor and lunging toward the window to escape.
"Die!"
Ryune’s roar of rage echoed through the house.
In a flash, she had leaped after Elsie, lunging at the maid’s back with murderous intent.