Souta advanced.

  Calm steps.

  Continuous.

  The silence was unsettling, as if the air itself were trapped inside a crystal. Each breath seemed to echo against the translucent walls, saturated with a sweet, nauseating scent — crystallized honey, dense, suffocating. The environment was so sweet it turned bitter, as if the very air was made to intoxicate and confuse.

  He was serious.

  Worried about Meliora.

  But also… lost.

  The crystallized honeycombs stretched into endless corridors, shimmering under a crimson light that came from nowhere. The glow was hypnotic, yet oppressive, as if every reflection were an eye watching him.

  — Meliora was here… just a moment ago… — he muttered, his voice dragged, almost swallowed by the echo.

  The sound of his footsteps reverberated through the endless tunnels, multiplying as if a thousand Soutas were walking at once.

  — Creamy. — Souta called, firm.

  The voice appeared, clear, almost mocking:

  — Yes, sir.

  — What’s going on here? Why does this place feel endless?

  — It’s an enchantment… — Souta guessed, trying to rationalize.

  — No, sir. — Creamy corrected, dry. — It’s a curse. Clearly elven magic.

  Souta frowned, confused.

  A curse? Who could cast something like this without me noticing?

  The memory struck like a cold blade: the hooded commoner who had bumped into him during the night.

  — Damn… it must be him. — he muttered, irritated. — I was so distracted because of Meliora that I didn’t notice.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  — Can you find the caster, Creamy?

  — Negative. — she replied, almost ironically. — He uses another curse to cover his trail. My data is vast, but there are cases where I cannot identify information encrypted with forbidden elven magic. The caster masters advanced manipulation of curses.

  Souta sighed, the sweet air burning his nostrils.

  — This wardrobe is literally endless. In short… we’re trapped.

  He quickened his pace, his heart beating faster.

  — There must be a way out.

  He tried techniques.

  Instant Step.

  Ineffective.

  Shadow Step.

  Ineffective.

  — Damn… — he growled.

  The walls suddenly rose, as if the labyrinth itself were breathing. The sound was like bones breaking. Two demons emerged, skin black as coal, eyes glowing red.

  The first lunged, fast, blade in hand.

  Souta drew the spoon.

  The clash was immediate. Souta dodged, sliding beneath the strike, and with a single swing of the spoon, the demon turned to dust.

  The second raised its hands, conjuring fire.

  Souta lifted the spoon, firm.

  Dragon’s Dessert Spoon.

  Draconic magic.

  Roar of Fire.

  An intense flame burst in a straight line, piercing through the enemy’s fire. The demon screamed, but was disintegrated before it could finish its roar.

  The ground split open.

  Souta leapt back, the stench of sulfur rising from the cracks.

  Columns surged from the sides, trying to crush him. He dodged with a pirouette, the air slicing against his skin. The columns collided with a crash that made the labyrinth tremble.

  From the ceiling, more columns fell, like steps of a deadly staircase. Souta dodged them all, sweat dripping down his face. He tried to break one with the spoon.

  Clang!

  Nothing.

  — It didn’t break?! — he shouted, incredulous. — But I can cut through any surface… only divine relics are the exception.

  Creamy appeared, her voice heavy with analysis.

  — Sir, these walls and ceiling carry strong divine presence. In my analysis, this labyrinth is the extension of a divine relic.

  Souta’s eyes widened, his heart racing.

  — A divine relic? But no court drone is capable of creating this!

  The ceiling began to descend.

  Fast.

  Souta braced his legs, the air growing heavy, almost impossible to breathe.

  — Piercing Wind!

  The pressure of the wind collided with the ceiling.

  Nothing.

  Zero damage.

  — What resilient crystal… — he muttered, feeling the crushing weight of the situation.

  The tunnels began to close, one by one, like hungry mouths. Souta ran. Jumped. Escaped seconds before the last door shut.

  He fell to his knees, breathing hard, the sweet air burning his throat.

  — We’ll break this and get out of here.

  Creamy reappeared, her voice graver.

  — Sir… strong presence. From above.

  Souta raised his head.

  Nine demons fell at once, the impact making the ground quake like a drum. The hall was more resilient than the previous one, the walls vibrating with divine energy.

  The beasts roared, the sound echoing like thunder.

  And they charged at the hero.