A moment later, Grayan opened his mouth.

“I don’t really know about fate or destiny. What’s important to me is April. If your vow is true, I can trust and entrust April’s safety to you.”

His words were as good as permission. April, smiling with joy, hugged Grayan again, and Grayan inevitably stiffened.

{Thank you for granting permission. Now, what’s your opinion?}

Nyx asked me again. April was also staring at me with shining eyes.

‘Please grant permission! Please grant permission!’ she seemed to be begging desperately……. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, I avoided April’s gaze and slowly opened my mouth.

“There’s no winning against one’s children. There’s no use in saying more.”

With that, the decision was made for April to make a contract with the great spirit Nyx.

Everything was fine, except for the fact that April hugged me so tightly in her joy that it seemed she might break my ribs. April…… what does she eat to be so strong? Surely a miraculous rabbit…….

{Now, take this.}

A soft floating spirit stone fell into April’s palm.

Then, Nyx slowly approached April and said,

{You can wear it as a necklace or bracelet. I will enter it and sleep immediately after our contract, so the next time we meet…… it will likely be in the distant future.}

Somehow, Nyx’s voice sounded a little lonely. With a hand like the night sky, Nyx gently stroked April’s cheek.

{I look forward to that moment, meeting you again.}

“……I look forward to it too. Thank you, great spirit.”

At April’s response, Nyx let out a gentle smile. A voice followed, warm and calm like a spring breeze.

{Shall we make the contract now? Now……. close your eyes.}

Following Nyx’s instruction, April gently closed her eyes. Nyx, who patted April’s head as if praising her, continued her instructions.

{While earnestly wishing for a contract with me, say my name out loud. ‘Nyx’.}

The contract process was much simpler than expected. There was no need for a contract, stamp, or signature.

“……Nyx.”

April softly called Nyx’s name. With that, the contract between Nyx and April was finally established.

We could see it visually. A thin thread of light appeared between April and Nyx and soon disappeared.

{Well then, see you again sometime, April.}

After a light kiss on April’s forehead, Nyx was sucked into the spirit stone. No, not just Nyx. The entire maze was being sucked into the spirit stone with Nyx.

{The realm of the spirit always accompanies the spirit. We will all sleep together inside that spirit stone.}

A single butterfly fluttered its wings, explaining. In the gradually disappearing landscape of the maze, I hugged April tightly (and from within Grayan’s embrace that enveloped both of us and Tiberius) and asked urgently,

“What happens to us here?!”

{Don’t worry, Gloria~.}

{Worry is also an eightletter word.}

“Is this the time to―”

―speak so calmly? Just then, my vision suddenly shook, and consciousness abruptly cut off.

When I opened my eyes again…….

“You’re back!”

“My Lord!”

“Sniff sniff, we were worried……!”

The tearstained faces of the knights came into view.

Behind them, Arwin stood with his arms crossed, quietly sighing.

‘Ah…….’

I let out a word inside and relaxed my shoulders.

Finally escaped that damned maze.

(This is a time delimiter.)

“What, this is unbelievable……! How was the spirit liberated?”

“The magic that imprisoned the spirit should have been perfect……!”

What’s that, those clichéd lines?

As I was being taken by the soldiers of the Salisbury Duke’s family, those Salvation Society guys kept babbling like that. Though I didn’t know well, it seemed they were trying to do something with the power of the great spirit…….

“Duchess? Will you come over here for a moment?”

“……?”
Just then, Aruwin beckoned to me with a gesture. It was a rude gesture, something like calling a dog, but I went to him obediently, thinking it couldn’t be helped. Aruwin is inherently mad, and his real identity is unknown, so…

“It might be like a thousandyearold dragon.”

For Aruwin to be a dragon, it felt like the dignity of a dragon had fallen to the ground. So, being a dragon seems about right. I must not let Aruwin find out that I had such a thought.

“Why did you call me?”

I asked, carefully holding a sleeping rabbit in my arms. Grayan was already standing beside Aruwin.

For some reason, Grayan scrutinized me with meticulous eyes, and I inevitably felt a tingling sensation from his gaze.

… Come to think of it, I feel closer to Grayan because of this incident. I’m not the only one who is deluded, I’m sure he thinks so too.

“I’ve found out roughly what the Humanitarian Aid Society has been doing at this facility. It seems the Duchess should hear it too.”

“……!”

At his words, I involuntarily tensed and hardened my face. What the Humanitarian Aid Society had done at this facility… It surely was not good.

“It may not be good for the Princess to hear… Well, it seems she’s asleep now.”