We walked along the path that seemed to be the correct one for a while until we arrived at our destination. The sight that greeted us was, in a word, overwhelming.
The space was filled with a riot of color—flowers of every imaginable hue and trees laden with vibrant fruits. There were hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of different species in full bloom. Though it appeared eclectic at first glance, the colors and arrangements were expertly balanced, creating an atmosphere of vivid, breathtaking beauty.
A straight path led through the sea of blossoms toward the back of the room, where a majestic throne carved from wood awaited. This was undoubtedly the goal.
"This is... incredible."
『I see. This was only possible because it is phantom magic. Plants that would never naturally grow in the same environment are blooming together here. It possesses the splendor and solemnity befitting the throne room of the Forest Castle.』
"Lilliwood-san, couldn't you create a space like this for real if you wanted to?"
『It is possible, but forcing them all together into one place would be cramped for the flora. Besides, this sort of flashy splendor is not quite to my taste. I mean... it is lovely to look at and enjoy like this, but as a place for my own use, it is a bit much...』
The space certainly suited the name Forest Castle. Despite being comprised almost entirely of plants, it was a scene of opulent splendor—a domain fit for a ruler of the woods.
Of course, the actual King of the Forest, Lilliwood-san, didn't care for such ostentation, so this throne room existed purely for the sake of the attraction. In fact, they might have intentionally designed it to contrast with her personal tastes to emphasize that the World King herself had no direct hand in the amusement park's design.
With those thoughts in mind, I walked along the path, admiring the flowers and perfectly groomed trees. Just as we reached the center of the room, glowing letters materialized in the air.
Congratulations. You have reached the hidden True Throne, intended for more than just an audience. To celebrate this achievement, we have prepared a small commemorative gift. Please touch the magic tool in front of the throne one at a time. Afterward, you may return to the entrance via the magic circle behind the throne.
So this really was the goal—specifically, the true goal at the end of the hidden route—and it looked like we were getting a reward for clearing it.
I stepped forward as the group's representative and touched the cylindrical magic tool in front of the throne. It emitted a faint pulse of light, and a single card appeared.
It felt like it was made of metal—perhaps iron, though I couldn't be sure of the material. The front of the card featured an illustration of the Forest Castle, and the back was inscribed with the words: You are the 1st explorer to reach the True Throne.
Fate-san and the others followed suit, and the inscriptions on the back of their cards changed to indicate they were the second and third explorers. I see, the reward for clearing the hidden route was a special card with a serial number. It was a wonderful commemorative gift to remember this attraction by.
"Still, even though we moved along fairly smoothly, quite a bit of time has passed. I'm worried the others might be waiting for us."
"Ah, I think that'll be fine. Ever since we were teleported in, a large-scale space-time magic formula and barrier have been active over the entire attraction. It seems the time inside is being adjusted. No matter which group you're in or which route you take, everyone should exit at roughly the same time."
『It is a remarkably complex and high-level barrier formula; Kuromueina must have been the one to construct it. It doesn't simply slow down the flow of time; it seems to accelerate it based on the individual group's progress as well. Ultimately, the flow is adjusted so that approximately fifteen minutes pass in the outside world.』
"That is... a barrier so complex and advanced that I cannot even begin to visualize the magic formula, even after hearing the explanation."
I had worried that if a group struggled—since each task took a fair amount of time and most could be retried indefinitely—it could end up taking a very long time. However, it seemed a barrier had been put in place to ensure every group returned about fifteen minutes after entering.
Like Cornelia-san, I couldn't even begin to imagine the formula, but I remembered Fia-sensei using magic to change the flow of time within a barrier, so this must be a much more sophisticated version of that. I'd heard that Kuro's creative powers had been growing remarkably lately, to the point where she could do things similar to what Shiro-san does, so it wasn't surprising that she was capable of this.
In any case, it was a relief to know we wouldn't be keeping anyone waiting or be left waiting ourselves.
"Well then, if everyone's ready, shall we head back?"
"Right. We can return by stepping onto the magic circle... It looks like it's sized for one person at a time."
"Then let's head back in order, starting with Conecone~"
The order in which we had touched the magic tool was me, Fate-san, Lilliwood-san, and then Cornelia-san. Since we had moved back after receiving our cards, Cornelia-san was currently closest to the exit. Leaving in the reverse order seemed the most efficient way to go.
Cornelia-san nodded at Fate-san's words, stepped onto the magic circle, and vanished. Lilliwood-san followed, teleporting away next.
Next was Fate-san... or so I thought, but she turned around in front of the magic circle and beckoned me over.
"Wait a sec, Kai-chan. Bring your face closer~"
"Eh? Like this—mmph!?"
As I leaned down to bring my face closer as she asked, Fate-san caught me with a surprise attack, pressing her lips against mine.
It was a deep kiss—our lips firmly pressed together—though it lasted only a brief moment. Fate-san pulled away and gave a mischievous smile.
"Ehehe, I had so much fun going around with you, Kai-chan! Thank you~"
With that, she stepped onto the magic circle with a beaming smile and vanished. I was left momentarily stunned by the unexpected move, but I couldn't help but give a bitter smile at the suddenness so characteristic of Fate-san.
Then, feeling a pleasant warmth from the lingering sensation of happiness on my lips, I stepped onto the magic circle myself.
Serious-senpai: "What the hell do you think you're doing?! I thought I was safe because there were so many people around! Don't you dare take things in that direction!! Stop it! What are you going to do if the whole tone of the story changes?!"