During the agonizingly long fall, the world was stripped away until nothing remained but darkness and the howling sound of rushing mud. The deep blue ice sphere encasing the two of them collided violently against the rocky walls.
The monster continued to scratch at the ice with its sharp claws, refusing to give up as it tried to pry open the hardened defense. However, aside from the ear-piercing shrieks of scraping, its efforts were ultimately in vain.
Mahina lowered her eyes slightly, looking at Merlin, who was curled into a ball in her arms.
Since they could not escape, the only thing left to do was talk to pass the time.
“I told you, the battlefield for hunting monsters is dangerous,” she said. “Besides, you aren’t suited for combat.”
Merlin tried to break free from Mahina’s warm embrace, but restricted by the narrow ice sphere, the two simply could not create any distance.
Merlin bit her lower lip, a trace of frustrated color flashing across her face. She tried to pull away from Mahina’s overly warm embrace, pushing outward with her elbows against the other girl’s soft chest.
However, the space inside the ice sphere was simply too cramped.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together without a single gap, and any struggle felt like a teasing friction of resistance and invitation. The more Merlin squirmed, the tighter the fit became, until finally, she had to give up in frustration. Like a resigned kitten, she stayed still and allowed Mahina to keep her imprisoned in her arms.
“Why do you always stop me from fighting? You’re even more nagging than my mother.”
They were so close that even in the midst of the noisy roar of their descent into the depths, their slightly ragged breaths could be clearly felt on each other’s skin, interweaving into a moist and ambiguous heat.
“Because I have seen too many people fall on the battlefield,” Mahina replied. “Whether it is a fight against humans or monsters, you are currently very small and have no mana. What else can you do after making a scene and causing trouble like this?”
“Is it because of that prophecy?”
Mahina’s eyelashes trembled, and she fell into a brief silence before letting out a soft sigh.
“So you already know… after all, you are a Princess now. Did Professor Ophelia tell you?”
“No, it was Lucia.”
Mahina reflexively reached out to stroke her head, but feeling that their current distance made it inappropriate, she eventually withdrew her hand and sighed.
Even if the current Merlin acted like a small animal at school…
Mahina was different from Merlin. For the two of them, the mere act of hugging like this was an exception to their relationship.
“Sigh.”
“What is the big deal anyway?” Merlin asked. “Aren’t the so-called prophecies cyclical? The number of monsters will decline after reaching a peak.”
“Because that is Lucia’s perspective, Merlin. It is true, Lucia’s life as an Imperial Princess is quite tragic.”
Mahina instinctively held Merlin tighter. Realizing that this was not the distance they should maintain, Merlin tried to push her away.
But —
Mahina’s embrace was simply too warm.
Amidst the cold and fear of the fall, Mahina’s body temperature was like a lethal poison.
Merlin found herself unable to overcome the temptation.
Her tense body slowly softened, and she finally relinquished her strength as if surrendering, allowing herself to sink into the other girl’s scent.
“But, Merlin, have you ever thought about it? Even if Lucia was born into suffering, she suffers atop an unreachable mountain of gold. She has never tasted the life of a commoner.”
Mahina leaned against Merlin’s ear, her whisper sounding like a curse or a warning.
“To her, even if the disasters in the prophecy arrive on schedule, it is merely a loss for the nation. She has power and backing. Even if the disaster grows massive, she will be able to live comfortably.”
Merlin responded softly. “I suppose…”
“Then, what about ordinary people? Can they all rest easy like Lucia when the disaster comes?”
Mahina’s speaking speed quickened.
“No. According to historical records, when a massive monster tide occurs, the slums on the furthest outskirts often leave nothing behind, not even bones. The worst response to a prophecy even resulted in the loss of half the population. Can you guarantee that you will be part of the half that survives?”
Merlin suddenly looked up. “That is exactly why I should study, so I have the power to protect myself.”
“What power do you have? Creating water mana to take a bath? Since you are a Princess, wouldn’t it be better to just live quietly in the Elven Forest? Even if the monster situation becomes increasingly severe in the future, you won’t suffer any harm as long as you are in the Elven Forest.”
“Are you… worried about me?”
Mahina ignored Merlin and simply continued.
“Students of Zelion often handle work related to monsters; to some extent, it is considered a noble duty. Yes, you are an Elven Princess, and you can return after graduation, but even during your time as a student, you will encounter risks like this.”
“Hmph, I… I still have my mother.”
“Right… Princess, my mistake. I am sorry.”
Merlin felt confused. “Besides… can’t we just break the ring to leave?”
“I am afraid we can’t do that now,” Mahina said. “Once we were brought into the range of its labyrinth, we will soon reach the boss area. I suspect the magic set by the academy did not account for a situation involving a labyrinth. Within its own labyrinth, its rules certainly take priority.”
Mahina sighed.
“In the end, it’s my fault. I should have dispelled the defense while we were in the air earlier; otherwise, we could have just withdrawn from the exam… I’m sorry.”
“What are you saying? Didn’t we cooperate specifically to avoid a forced withdrawal? If we had taken that hit, would there have been any point in us hiding just now?”
Mahina sighed again.
“I suspect there was an error with the examination site… Although we haven’t left the site and are within the judged range, we were pulled into the monster’s own labyrinth, which caused a problem with the judgment. This ring… sigh, I suppose the academy didn’t expect there to be a sleeping monster here.”
The speed of their descent seemed to begin to slow, but the feeling of pressure increased manifold.
Mahina said in a heavy voice, “Get ready, Merlin. From the moment we were pushed into the mountain, the option to run disappeared. Even if we just stall for time to wait for support from Lucia or the professors… the protection mechanism likely won’t take effect anymore.”
Mahina began to prepare for the landing within the narrow ice sphere.
She took Merlin’s life potion and sighed secretly to herself.
As expected, Merlin had not brought any potions to replenish mana, and Mahina’s own supply had been exhausted today.
Soon, the darkness in their vision was replaced by a dim yellow light.
They were here!
The ice sphere unraveled, shattering into countless shimmering fragments.
Using the counterforce generated by the explosion, Mahina twisted her waist at the moment of weightlessness, her loafers carving an arc through the air.
Holding Merlin, she landed on one knee amidst the tremors of the earth, sliding for several meters.
“Cough…”
“Are you okay?”
Mahina shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Stretching out before them was an underground arena filled with the aura of deathly silence.
The air here was thick and turbid, carrying a decayed scent that had accumulated over many years. Above their heads, countless massive stalactites hung upside down.
On the surrounding rock walls, which were originally pitch black, unknown mineral gems were embedded, emitting a dim light that barely outlined the arena’s silhouette.
And at the end of that faint light, the darkness was writhing.
The monster that had dragged them into the depths was currently perched in the center of the arena.
With every breath it took, the surrounding light seemed to be swallowed up a bit more. Wounded as it was, it did not rush to attack, instead staring fixedly at the two pieces of prey that had fallen into its trap.
Mahina slowly raised her hand, her voice sounding exceptionally clear in the empty arena.
“Be careful, Merlin.”