Shaula’s welcoming words—recognizing they were directed at the wrong person, Subaru ultimately chose not to deny them.

Beatrice’s advice also weighed in.

In reality, it was undoubtedly more advantageous for Subaru that Shaula mistakenly identified him as Flugel. If Shaula turned hostile now, it was possible he might be swept away by her overwhelming power.

Having once been treated with kindness, Subaru at least expected her to hesitate in striking. Given that he was already at a disadvantage in terms of strength, any hesitation on her part could be a pivotal factor leading to his defeat.

“You don’t have to worry, Subaru. Even if Shaula realizes you’re not Master, I’m sure nothing terrible will happen.”

This was Emilia, who seemed to have overheard the conversation behind her.

Emilia, with her long silver hair tied into a braid, confidently toyed with the end of it as she spoke to Subaru.

“I’m happy to hear Emilia-tan’s reassurance, but… what’s your reasoning?”

“I’m not quite sure what you mean by that, but I really think Shaula is a good girl. She helped us and you, Subaru. There’s no reason we can’t be friends. If that happens, there’s no need for fighting, right?”

“…Yeah, that’s true.”

It was certainly an overly optimistic take, but being excessively pessimistic was a considerable flaw in its own right.

Even if Shaula learned the truth, it wouldn’t immediately create an adversarial relationship. Even if the truth came to light, it was enough for Shaula to decide on her own to halt any aggression. And Emilia’s notion that they could grow close enough to garner such trust was not entirely wrong.

Not from a calculative standpoint, appealing to emotion, but out of a genuine desire to avoid conflict.

“Don’t take Emilia’s airy thoughts too seriously, Balus. We’re in the ‘Sage’ Watchtower, and we need to challenge the dunes on the way back. There’s no harm in being overly cautious.”

“Honestly, Ram always says that right away. You can relax a bit…”

“If I let my guard down, I might find myself thrown underground with you or Lady Anastasia. For a frail thing like me, that despair was unbearable… you might not understand, Emilia-sama.”

“Hmmm, is that so? But, you know, I feel really good ever since we arrived at the Augria Sand Dunes.”

Emilia responded lightly to Ram’s sharp words. Their relationship as master and servant had been quite good for over a year now. Although Ram’s behavior was somewhat lacking in respect towards Emilia, it appeared that Emilia actually rather enjoyed being treated that way.

Emilia, who must have trauma from disdain and discrimination, might even sense that Ram’s words held none of those negative feelings.

“By the way, what do you mean by Emilia-tan feeling good?”

“I don’t know, maybe it’s that the air suits my skin? The mana varies a bit in color by the country or region, so I think that might be it… but the mana around here especially seems to agree with me. I can’t say I’m not happy about it.”

“Well, that’s true. This place is filled with beasts and the witches sealed away…”

Emilia clenched her fists as if her strength was surging, but then she immediately made a pathetic face, chuckling. While sympathizing with Emilia’s feelings, it was certainly a powerful opinion.

As mentioned earlier, this area was fraught with danger from beasts and witches, yet it was genuinely appreciated that Emilia’s powers were on the rise. However, the memory of having lost to Shaula remained imprinted in Subaru’s mind, so it didn’t provide much aid in becoming overly optimistic.

“But, the conditions are different. Unlike the previous situation where we could attack unilaterally from the tower, if we’re at a distance where we can see each other, even Emilia-tan shouldn’t lose.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nah, I was just saying your eyesight is crazy good. You were tossing attacks accurately at us from way far away. How do you even do that?”

“Ah, that’s just because my needles are connected to my mana, and they’re drawn towards the target. Hell’s Snipe was created by my Master!”

“…I see, so you added unnecessary features, Flugel.”

For which he had suffered terribly. While he couldn’t expect another chance to talk to Flugel, if he got an opportunity for something like a tea party, he’d want to hurl every kind of insult.

Listening to Shaula’s cheerful humming, Subaru sighed.

Just then—

“I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but we have arrived at our destination.”

“Oh?”

It was Julius’s voice, at the forefront of the group ascending the spiral staircase to the upper levels.

He was escorting Anastasia, and as Subaru looked up at Julius, he noticed that somewhere along the way the ceiling was now visible.

“No, it’s not the ceiling—it’s the floor of the upper level.”

“What you see there is the fifth floor ‘Kelaeno.’ The only entrance and exit to the outside is here. Betty and the others initially entered through here.”

Once close enough to the fifth floor, Beatrice interjected with such a note. Nodding in understanding, Subaru immediately noticed an odd feeling pierced through him.

If Emilia and the others had entered the tower from the fifth floor after being separated—

“How did the Giant and the Dragon Car make it into the lowest floor? There’s no way this staircase is wide enough for a dragon carriage.”

Widening his arms to verify the spiral staircase he had come up, Subaru assessed its width. While the staircase was reasonably wide, it still wasn’t wide enough for two people to stand side by side. Alone, an Earth Dragon might barely fit, but it was impossible for the Dragon Carriage to pass.

Of course, it didn’t matter if it was possible for the Earth Dragon to traverse this long staircase; it simply wouldn’t be a path they should take.

“Could it be they installed an elevator or something? If so, we should definitely take that next time. While being health-conscious is a good thing, denying the conveniences of civilization entirely isn’t good either.”

“Sorry, I’m not quite understanding what you’re saying… But about the Dragon Car? Shaula lifted it up and carried it.”

“…Pardon?”

Subaru felt he couldn’t let that slip by, so he asked Emilia for clarification. She frowned at his exchange, seemingly understanding that she was being asked to repeat herself and continued with, “So…”

“Shaula just effortlessly lifted the dragon car and the Earth Dragon, bringing them down without a hitch.”

“No, no, no, no, wait! That’s definitely not okay. That dragon car is so massive it’s likely over a ton, right? Adding the Earth Dragon on top of that…”

Subaru’s eyes widened at the terrifying claim, but none of his companions denied it. Furthermore, Shaula proudly puffed out her chest and flared her nostrils.

“Just like I was told, I carried it. You know, lifting that much was a breeze. If I left it sitting at the entrance, the miasma flowing in from outside might mess up the lizards. It was just a little consideration. You can praise me for it!”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but now that I know your sturdy arms aren’t so sturdy at all, it’s kinda disheartening. That kind of superhuman strength… even Reinhardt wouldn’t be able to pull that off.”

The most astonishing human in Subaru’s mind without a doubt was Reinhardt, but even he would struggle to lift quantities beyond human limitations.

While he could split the world with sword pressure or walk on water, lifting a dragon car with one hand was certainly out of the question—

“Can he do that? For a moment, I’m starting to worry whether he’s even human.”

“Hmph, you’re thinking about someone else in a conversation about me. How jealous.”

Regardless, Subaru understood how the Dragon Car made it to the lowest level. Although he hadn’t seen the scene of movement, it didn’t lessen the shock, but it did mark Shaula as a new threat in the escalating absurdity.

After some more conversation, they soon reached the fifth floor. The ‘Kelaeno’ was, as had been articulated several times before, a level with entrances connecting the inside and outside of the tower.

Set deep within the cylindrical structure of the tower was a single massive door.

This door was so large it could be looked up at, and the width must have been nearly ten meters. While it was an unnecessarily large door, Subaru also doubted how much strength was needed to open it—

“Could it be that this is one of those ‘trial gate’ situations, where it’s difficult to enter?”

“At the very least, it’s true that it didn’t budge when I pushed. Because of that, searching for Anastasia or you was also rather difficult.”

Subaru sighed as he gazed at the supermassive door, nodding at Julius. It appeared the door was indeed a challenge imbued with the weight it appeared to have, preventing challengers from moving onward.

It wouldn’t matter if Shaula could lift a dragon car without breaking a sweat. For ordinary people, opening it was near-impossible. Thus, it seemed that neither Emilia nor Julius could proceed with their search for Subaru, resulting in their frustration.

“Still, it seems the structure has seen better days.”

“I think it’s due to the strong sand winds; the sand’s blowing in with the wind. Just taking a deep breath leaves my mouth feeling gravelly instantly. I despise that.”

With her tongue out, Anastasia traced it with her finger to remove the gravel as she demonstrated. Just as she said, Subaru could feel the sandy sensation forming in his mouth, confirming that fine particles of dust were perpetually swirling about the fifth floor connecting to the outside.

“The sand of the dunes is permeated with miasma. If you underestimate it just because it’s minimal, it might erode your body from within. Unless it’s necessary, we should get through here swiftly.”

“Then let’s decide on that. My goal isn’t here; it’s towards the fourth floor ‘Alcione.’ …Though I’m feeling rather disheartened about facing stairs again.”

“You’re still so weak-willed. But you can be at ease. The stairs between the fourth and fifth floors are much shorter than those between the fifth and sixth. If they were too far apart, I’d get tired of going back and forth, so I made it considerate for you.”

“Don’t jinx it.”

Amid the sand and dust, Shaula danced around with her arms outstretched, only to be swiftly hit on the back of the head by Meily. While that was happening, they passed through the fifth floor and headed toward the stairs leading up to the fourth floor.

A slight breeze drifted through, and as they moved forward in the dimly lit, yellowish haze, they could see the ceiling not too far overhead—confirming that the statement about it not being far away was true.

So, with light banter, they continued walking toward the fourth floor ‘Alcione,’ ultimately arriving at their intended level.

The construction of the fourth floor didn’t dramatically differ from that of the fifth or sixth.

A cylindrical structure meant the building’s design wouldn’t falter, and the size remained relatively unchanged. Still, the change in atmosphere was notably apparent.

First, the size of the fourth floor they ascended differed significantly from the lower levels.

Compared to the lower levels, the circular floor was much more compact, which was no surprise; the ring of circular walls around the interior of the circular structure shaped it, creating a different usage of space compared to the previous single floor.

The spiral staircase from the lower level connected centrally to the fourth floor, and many doors scattered along the surrounding walls revealed multiple rooms existed within the floor.

“This is where I’ve made my home in the fourth floor ‘Alcione.’ And just over there is the ‘Green Room’ that Master wanted to visit.”

“Green Room…?”

As Subaru was perplexed by the changed atmosphere of the fourth floor, Shaula bypassed him, dramatically gesturing toward the door that faced them.

Unlike the entrance and exit of the fifth floor, the several doors in the fourth floor had normal sizes. They didn’t seem to require any special strength to open, but the door itself bore a strange sense of unease.

True to its alias, the ‘Green Room’ was enveloped with countless green vines, resembling a jungle that had been untouched for hundreds of years.

“Does that mean Rem and Patrasche are inside?”

“I don’t know their names, but there’s a girl and a lizard in there.”

“You can rest assured. Rem and the Earth Dragon inside are definitely them.”

With Subaru hesitating, the somewhat unreliable testimony from Shaula made him scoff lightly as he watched Ram race toward the vine-laden door.

Reaching towards the vine-covered door without hesitating, her slender arm effortlessly pushed open what appeared to be a stone door, effectively revealing the Green Room.

“Aren’t you coming? Balus?”

“…I’ll go, too.”

Facing Ram’s teasing inquiry, Subaru shook off his unease and stepped forward. Following closely behind Ram, he boldly entered the Green Room.

However, the moment Subaru and Ram stepped inside the Green Room, the door instantly closed shut behind them. Surprised by this turn of events, Subaru spun around to see the door now shut behind him.

“Hey, we’re separated!”

“You don’t need to be scared. —This room seems to limit the number of humans that can enter it. The owner of the room seems to dislike it.”

Explaining the strange occurrences behind him, Ram began advancing forward, leaving Subaru scratching his head at her explanation while swiftly following her petite figure.

Just as it had appeared with its strange door, the Green Room was thoroughly covered in a prevalence of green. Twisting vines sprawled across the walls, floors, and ceilings, and at times, one had to duck to avoid the hanging vines blocking their path.

Within this space governed by greenery—

“Rem… and Patrasche.”

In the far back of the Green Room lay a patch of miscellaneous plants that created a small space devoid of the verdancy. Here was a bed formed from the lush, green grass, blooming small flowers in several areas.

Lying on that bed adorned in green and flowers was Rem, her sleeping face unchanged.

Her white cheeks bore no color, and there were no signs heralding any change on her peaceful sleeping visage. The only signs of life lay in the slight rise and fall of her chest amidst her faint breaths, proving she was alive only by the warm touch when held.

Despite that, a profound sense of relief washed over Subaru.

“So you really were safe…”

“I told you, didn’t I? Or do you think Ram would lie about Rem’s condition? What purpose would there be behind that?”

“Well, I can’t help it. It’s just how I am; I can’t relax until I see with my own eyes… Patrasche, I’m relieved you’re safe, too.”

Subaru softly sighed at Ram’s words, then approached where Patrasche was nestled deeper into the green bed.

The gentlel-colored creature was similarly lying atop grass, matching the state as if resting in the straw of its stable. However, what was clearly different was—

“Is this grass different from regular grass?”

“———”

When Subaru inched closer and confirmed Patrasche’s wellbeing, the dragon rubbed its nose against his palm. Accepting the affectionate gesture, Subaru suddenly felt a faint, warm pulse emanating from Patrasche’s grassy resting place.

“It’s said that the power of the spirits assists in healing.”

“Spirits… do they actually exist? Where?”

“How can you not know, despite being one who uses spirits? This room embodies the spirit itself.”

“———”

While gently stroking Patrasche, Subaru quickly glanced around at Ram’s words. The dense presence of creeping vines and moss on the walls didn’t visualize the spirit to his eyes, but upon being told by Ram, Subaru suddenly noticed the overwhelming density of mana surrounding him.

It felt akin to breathing in a high concentration of oxygen—instilling a sense of calm within him.

The healing mana here might have a similar effect. By taking deep breaths, even without any injuries, Subaru felt he could receive its benefits.

“I think I somewhat understand. This must surely be the spirit… can’t it speak?”

“The spirits here are unusual… then again, no spirits are truly normal. Just like Emilia-sama’s Great Spirit and Beatrice-sama’s, it seems this spirit lacks any clear desire of its own. It merely has the intent to heal any injuries or illnesses of the beings that enter.”

“Huh, I see.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing too significant; it just reminded me of a witch I know who has a similar disposition.”

Hearing ‘witch’ might have sounded like nonsense to Ram, but she merely snorted as she walked closer to watch over Rem. As if considering her sister, the vines quickly extended behind Ram, swiftly intertwining and weaving into a green chair that would carry her body’s weight.

Ram thanked the spirit’s thoughtfulness with a nod and settled her weight onto the chair.

“This is pretty amazing.”

“At the very least, among the spirits I’ve known, this one is the most gentlemanly. Balus should take a page from this, as should knight Julius regarding his conduct.”

“Still, I’m not really a fan of that idea.”

Dismissing the advice to aspire towards both individuals, Subaru returned to petting Patrasche. Rubbing its head, he scratched under its chin to slowly ease its lifted head back down.

“Rest up, okay? You’ve helped me so much already; you definitely deserve a break. It wouldn’t be wrong to take a vacation once in a while.”

“———”

At Subaru’s gentle words, Patrasche curled up, closing its yellow eyes to drift back into sleep. Having been brought all the way here, they could now both confirm their safety.

That was sufficient; Patrasche’s task was completed.

“Any changes with Rem? If healing is possible here, maybe there’s something that can be done for her…”

“Sadly, it seems like that’s a long shot. There’s been no real change to her condition… if it’s not due to injury or illness, it can’t be healed. That seems to be the conclusion.”

“…I see.”

Still, it seemed the spirit of the Green Room was unwaveringly caring towards the dormant Rem.

It also appeared genuinely devoted to watching over her.

“In conclusion, nothing will change like this.”

“…If you want to change things, you’ll have to fulfill the purpose for which you came to the tower.”

“The Great Library Pleiades, that trial…”

Their original goal was to contact the ‘Sage’ Shaula residing in the Pleiades Watchtower and borrow her famed all-knowing wisdom to rescue Rem and the victims of ‘Gluttony’ and ‘Lust’ still located in Pristella.

However, the ‘Sage’ Shaula of the Pleiades Watchtower turned out to be just a name, with only a peculiar girl who mistook Subaru for the ‘Sage’ Flugel actually present. The Pleiades Watchtower was, in reality, the Great Library Pleiades, and the knowledge reputed to be Shaula’s lay dormant among the countless books stored within that library.

Indeed, their significant goal had twisted, and the destination had veered far into unexpected territory.

“To touch the knowledge and reclaim Rem… that objective has not wavered at all.”

“…Well, if that’s the case, good.”

Stretching her shoulders, Ram closed her eyes a little while Subaru rested his gaze on her. From there, she gently held Rem’s hand, not sparing him a glance.

Pinching one eye shut at Ram’s attitude, Subaru pointed at the ceiling.

“I’ll take on the challenge above; what about you?”

“If no one watches over Rem, it’s utterly worrisome. If that’s the case, I’ll take that role. The only reason I went so far as to accompany you with Lord Roswaal’s insistence was to keep watch over Rem, after all.”

“That’s true enough. So then, I’ll leave Rem to you.”

“I can only keep watch.”

“Your staying close to her holds meaning.”

Said Subaru, who rarely gave compliments to Ram, as he looked at Rem’s sleeping face before leaving the room. In her expressionless features, neither peaceful nor suffering could be discerned.

Reaching out to brush over her bangs gently with his fingers.

“Well then, I’m off.”

“———”

Of course, there was no response.

Ram knew it wasn’t directed at her and thus refrained from openly interrupting. Pleased with this, Subaru made his way toward the room’s exit.

Making sure to extend his hand to the vines along the wall, he didn’t forget to say, “Please look after Rem and Patrasche,” to the spirit.

Then, as he was about to step out, he paused suddenly.

“Speaking of which, I mentioned not wanting to leave Rem behind, yet now I’m just leaving her empty? Why did I come down here in the first place?”

“———”

“You’re not saying you hurried down just to check on me now that I’ve woken up, right? If something’s up, you should let me know…”

“Just hurry up and leave.”

“Huh? I mean, you could at least tell me if there’s something on your mind.”

“Hurry up and leave.”

Pressured by the intense urgency radiating from her, Subaru couldn’t get another word out and found himself hastily retreating from the Green Room.

—

“While I usually never quite understand what Ram is thinking, lately, it’s been particularly opaque.”

“Hmm, I don’t think so. Ram can be surprisingly straightforward. I find it charming how she tries to hide that straightforwardness.”

“That’s a rare older-sounding comment from you… Well, technically you are older.”

“That’s right, I’m the big sister here. More so than anyone else present… actually, not quite.”

“Heh, but it’s clear that Beti is still the oldest here by a wide margin. That fact can’t be overturned. Don’t hesitate to adore it.”

As they exited the Green Room and united with the remaining group, such conversation ensued.

Emilia, slightly vexed at having been dethroned from the position of oldest, while Beatrice proudly puffed out her modest chest. Yet, honestly, neither of them was acting very sisterly at all.

Furthermore, discussing who the oldest in this current group was a surprisingly sensitive topic.

“Hm? Natsuki-kun, what is it? Do you have something to say?”

“Not really. I just noticed there are a lot of faces whose appearances and actual ages don’t quite add up.”

“Really? I often get told I look younger than my real age. It’s a bit complicated to be pleased about that, but you can use it to your advantage if you’re being underestimated.”

With a business-like grin, Anastasia smiled, but Subaru couldn’t ascertain her true feelings.

Anastasia’s real age was over twenty, while her appearance suggested she was fourteen or fifteen. However, what Subaru wanted to bring up wasn’t so much the exterior but rather the internal problem with Anastasia. Currently, Anastasia was still overtaken as she maintained in Echidna’s body.

If Echidna’s origin was the same as Beatrice’s, she could notably claim victory in the age race. However, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for Subaru to avoid revealing the silly yet convoluted details hidden so far.

Additionally, there were other noteworthy contenders for the ‘oldest’ title.

“Oh, what is it, Master? Oh, I see, you don’t like the smell of the Green Room? I get that. I don’t like that room either!”

“You said I smell unpleasant! I didn’t think I was okay with it,” Subaru said.

“Your scent is one that grows on you. Truly. I’m not lying this time.”

“Shut it.”

As he distanced himself from the annoyingly delightful Shaula, Subaru glared up at the upper-level stairs—remaining to tackle the upcoming trial were all members excluding Rem and Ram—

“What will you do? Are you coming with?”

“Me? Well… I don’t particularly need to accompany you, but since I have the opportunity, I’d like to join. It feels lonely if I can talk and yet can’t, you see. I’ve been silent for hundreds of years, so I have countless things I want to say.”

Subaru felt a tad guilty upon hearing her sad remarks arranged with her cheerful smile. Emilia and Beatrice were likely familiar with such loneliness too. Thus their feelings toward Shaula were thickly woven with sympathy, and none of them seemed inclined to drive her away.

“I’ve taken a liking to this one, and I think it would be good to have her along.”

“It’s certainly natural that the exam overseer would accompany us if we’re to challenge the trial. It’s right for her to be our escort to ensure no foul play occurs.”

Unexpectedly, supportive reinforcement came from Julius and Meily. With that, the majority was leaning favorably towards Shaula joining them.

Subaru looked at Anastasia, who hadn’t yet commented, to unify their consensus.

In response to his gaze, Anastasia tilted her head and said, “Me?”

“If I object strongly, it wouldn’t matter. Besides, there’s no reason to oppose. Doesn’t that sound just fine? Also…”

“Also?”

“She seems to be really fond of Natsuki-kun, so if we bring her along, she might slip up about the trial content. That slip-up could endear her to us.”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t know anything about the trial content at all, so that would be a betrayal.”

“Well, you’re saying that now…”

Anastasia chuckled wryly, and Shaula beamed proudly as if being praised.

Whether Anastasia’s betting was fortuitous or foreboding was yet unclear, but for the time being, it seemed nobody objected to bringing Shaula along.

Some might argue it felt a bit careless, but leaving her to wander alone was uneasy; it was merely a question of keeping a potential hazard closer or letting it roam far away.

“Alright then, let’s go together. I don’t expect much, but I’m holding out hope for explanations.”

“You’ve been told, little one. I’ll do my very best!”

“That’s not what I said! What kind of nonsense are you hearing?”

With a disgruntled face, Shaula made a pouty expression. Listening to Beatrice’s angry voice, the group opened the door facing the Green Room and peeked inside; they were immediately greeted with stairs leading upward.

“Is the spiral staircase done?”

“The fourth floor ‘Alcione’ connects directly to the third floor ‘Taygeta.’ I typically don’t go up unless necessary, so I rarely visit.”

“When it comes to errands?”

“It’s a lady’s secret.”

As Shaula demonstrated her uselessness, Subaru looked toward Julius, who had again likely already assaulted the third floor while he had been sleeping.

Expectations brewed for some valuable discussion, but his Knight merely shrugged his shoulders with calm indifference.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but we also know very little. After immediately climbing to the third level, we ran into a room referred to simply as the trial…”

“A trial room?”

“What lies within is a baffling mystery. To be honest, we’ve found no clues to solve it and have ended up quite lost.”

“A baffling mystery…?”

Subaru frowned at Julius’s remark while staring up at the staircase. The upper levels were dark, and they couldn’t discern anything from below. However, the vacuum-like silence offered an unsettling atmosphere.

“But entering doesn’t seem to lead to any significant changes. We’re not receiving any special treatment upfront… It’s just that we’ve been turned away.”

“That’s frustrating; to think we wouldn’t even be acknowledged.”

Emilia and Beatrice nodded in agreement with Julius’s sentiments.

Despite the mention of ‘test,’ all the participants had been present. The mere similarity of the term to ‘trial’ had sowed seeds of wariness in their minds.

“It can’t be helped. ‘You won’t win tiger cubs by avoiding the tiger’s den.’ —Let’s go.”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit.”

“Let’s go with that spirit.”

“Let’s go with that spirit!”

With affirming responses trailing into three distinct styles, Subaru boldly placed his foot on the stairs. As he climbed, each step was a little higher—in contrast to the spiral stairs before, this ascent to the third level was more akin to the height of a normal building.

Thus, against his expectations, Subaru surprisingly breached into the third floor ‘Taygeta.’

“This place is…”

Immediately upon entry, Subaru felt an overwhelming sense of dissonance.

Rather than a pile of unease, it was a space saturated only with discord.

—It was white, overwhelmingly white.

Though technically, he was sure it was an extension of the previous cylindrical tower, the instant Subaru ascended the stairs, he was met by a bizarre space entirely drenched in brilliant white from all directions.

While the dimensions were comparable to that of earlier tower floors, the surrounding whiteness rendered walls invisible and boundless. Looking upwards, he couldn’t even pin down the ceiling’s location, while gazing down to spot the only dark area where the staircase lay—everywhere else was painfully white, almost instilling fear that he might fall into an abyss.

It became hard to even recognize the floor, as if he were at risk of continuing to fall perpetually. The ceiling and walls held the same uncertainty—for if he lost sight of the staircase leading back down, he worried he might lose his grip on sanity.

And then, directly in front of this white space—a strange object floated.

“A stone tablet…?”

Upon witnessing it, the thought escaped Subaru’s lips.

That was precisely the only way to describe the thing before him.

It was a rectangular slab exhibiting an almost excessively smooth texture, being a black piece of stone.

While it couldn’t be called a stone tablet unless it was stone, it wasn’t metal either, leaving no further appropriate terms.

If they were compelled to pick a fancier title, it could well be labeled a ‘Monolith.’

Silently this monolith emitted an eerie buoyancy, floating centimeters above the floor.

Floating it should be. The blinding white confusing his sense of height couldn’t allow him to understand. However, the monolith remained there stoically in place.

Its size matched that of Subaru’s height, while its width could probably accommodate two side by side—though to be close comparison, it felt like a tatami mat languidly levitating.

“What is this bizarre object even about?”

“Well, one could say this is a device presenting us with a mystery.”

Amid taking in the strange sight, Subaru turned to catch Julius’s gaze intently focused on the Monolith.

Having experienced it multiple times and having also tasted bitterness from it, the perspective of Julius was perceptibly stricter than usual. All members had climbed to the third floor, nestled together amid this white space, enduring the vague atmosphere together.

“I wouldn’t want to linger here for long.”

“I agree. Staying here could risk losing one’s sense of balance. If one suddenly dashes for the stairs and slips, it would frighten those looking on.”

“Hey, Julius. Don’t say unnecessary things.”

Anastasia huffed in annoyance at Julius’s teasing remark. Her demeanor prompted Subaru to suspect she might have slipped while making her way back.

However, he didn’t feel like laughing at that blunder. Indeed, this room was evidently designed to mess with human perception. It was a room reflecting the deep-seated malice of the one who created it.

“Now then, what is this core mystery we must tackle?”

“Touch that slab. That may begin it, perhaps.”

“Touch the Monolith?”

“‘Monolith’… it’s surprisingly fitting. I’ll use that term from now on.”

Ignoring Julius’s strange fascination, Subaru took the steps forward to address the Monolith, and no one stopped him as he approached it right away.

As he neared closer, there was no aura of overwhelming impression radiating from the Monolith—it was remarkably an ordinary slab other than its levitation. Recognizing it was akin to seeing a tatami mat float considerably lessened the previously felt fearsome aura, too.

“Alright then, let’s touch it, shall we? Should I count?”

“Ah, then let me say it. Three, two, one…”

“That was too fast! I got it!” Subaru said, turning to face the Monolith hastily.

He heard Emilia’s countdown as she raised her hand to volunteer. Aligning with her tone, Subaru promptly readied himself once more to engage the Monolith.

And then,

“Zero—!”

Alongside that count, Subaru touched the Monolith—at that instant, the surface of the black slab glimmered brightly, and the scenery in front of him began to fragment.

No, it wasn’t a distortion.

The Monolith that Subaru touched began to shine with a black glow and began replicating itself.

This structure radiated, generating duplicates from its rear at a quickening cadence. Numerous Monoliths flew about the room at incredible velocities, swirling as they skewed into unpredictable locations, floating throughout.

Countless Monoliths sprouted across the white area, and the unexpected occurrence left Subaru dumbstruck. As Subaru’s stunned senses were overwhelmed, a voice resonated directly into his brain.

“—The hero destroyed by Shaula, touch upon his most radiant.”

“—What?!”

Suddenly hearing that voice took Subaru aback, and he instantly jerked his hand away from the Monolith. Stumbling backward, someone caught him from behind.

Turning around, he found Julius’s face behind him.

He supported Subaru with his right hand while brushing back his hair with his left, and then asked, “How do you feel? Were you able to share in our initial surprise?”

“Don’t pull a dirty trick on me—!!”

Subaru’s shout ricocheted throughout, only serving to deepen Julius’s gentle smirk even further.

In any case, the ‘trial’ had officially begun.

The Great Library Pleiades, Third Level ‘Taygeta’s’ trial.

Limit on time: ‘Unlimited’. Number of attempts: ‘Unlimited’. Participants allowed: ‘Unlimited’.

—Trial, begin.