Hinata remained in town. She often checked on the children's classes at the Church, occasionally sparring with them when they got too comfortable. Since we couldn't find suitable instructors for the kids, her timing was perfect.
Until then, Hinata had been keeping order across the Western Nations as the commander of the Holy Knight Order. Now that Eterna had stabilized the southern territories, she finally had time to spare.
I approached her directly. "Hinata, could you spend some time with the children? I can teach combat and ancient incantations, but… I'm not exactly what you'd call a teacher."
She folded her arms, her piercing eyes scanning me for a few seconds before nodding once.
"Sure. I've already used Elemental Magic —'Waypoint Teleportation'—to register the town. I'll drop by when I'm free."
"Much appreciated," I said, offering a rare smile.
Hinata accepted without hesitation. She always did. Reliable and sharp-minded—she was the kind of ally who appeared just when you needed her most.
Truth be told, I had no intention of sending the children back to Ingracia. I didn't trust Yuuki—not anymore. There were too many inconsistencies, too many half-truths in his words. It was better to keep the children here, where my protection could reach them. I used the festival as an excuse to bring them out of that kingdom.
I'd even handled their transfer records myself. The schools in Ingracia were struggling to control the children's growing powers ever since they merged with the elemental spirits. Ordinary tutors were useless now. What they needed were teachers capable of handling their level—and their temperaments.
Yuuki once told me that the Holy Knights had strong command over spirits. I'd mentioned spirit fusion by accident back then, and his reaction made it clear—he'd already known.
I should've kept it a secret.
«Observation: You should have kept it a secret, Atem.»
Solarys, the Sovereign of Wisdom, spoke calmly in my mind, his tone laced with faint reproach.
I sighed. I know, Solarys. Don't rub it in.
«Reflection is progress. But do not repeat such lapses. The one called Yuuki conceals more than he reveals.»
"I'm aware."
Even so… some part of me still wanted to believe Yuuki was genuine. That foolish part of me—the human side—was my weakness. I'd have to bury it.
The children were my responsibility now, and Hinata's presence was a godsend. They adored her. During the festival, she'd won their trust effortlessly. She wasn't just a teacher to them—she was someone they wanted to become.
Watching them, an idea struck me. Maybe I should also learn something from Hinata. I joined the kids during one of her lessons, standing quietly behind a row of desks.
Hinata turned her sharp gaze toward me, her arms crossing in irritation.
"…What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd observe the lesson," I replied casually.
"You're a distraction. Leave."
Her tone was absolute—no room for negotiation.
"Ah… I see. My mistake."
I left without protest. There was no winning against that woman's authority. Even Solarys hummed faint amusement in the back of my mind.
That happened about a week after the festival ended. The streets of Eterna had calmed down, the citizens returning to their normal routines. That was when we opened the moderated dungeon—the Labyrinth of Eterna—to the public.
Adventurers had been restless ever since we announced it. Lines of them crowded the guild halls, demanding information, forming parties, and arguing over strategies. They wanted glory, treasure, recognition. And now, they would have their chance.
We had prepared for this moment meticulously. Every corridor, every creature, every magical node was balanced by my design and Ramiris's architecture. When the gates finally opened, the crowd's roar could be heard across the city.
The days became busier than ever.
...…
...
…
But within hours, problems arose.
Not minor issues—chaos. The challengers were completely unprepared for what awaited them.
I had predicted some recklessness during the opening festival, which was why I'd lowered the difficulty of the first floor significantly. But despite all those safety measures, they were failing—miserably.
The first floor had no traps. None. The monsters there were weak—barely F-ranked. Harmless things like Slimes, Bats, and a few Skeleton Scouts. Even a farmer with a stick could handle them.
The design was intentional: the first floor was meant to build confidence and familiarize challengers with the environment. Only rooms with treasure chests contained monsters, and even those were positioned to teach awareness and caution.
Ramiris had wanted to add fall traps, of course, but I had them removed. This was supposed to be a learning experience, not a massacre. The only real challenge was to make a map. I thought, Surely even beginners can handle that much.
I was wrong.
Three days passed, and not one party reached the second floor.
Even Basson's squad—experienced adventurers who had tested the labyrinth before—ended up hopelessly lost. They didn't even attempt proper strategy or coordination. I watched from the observation chamber, suppressing a groan.
"Are they seriously… trying to fight that Skeleton with their backs turned to the door?" I muttered.
Ramiris floated beside me, snickering. "Told you they'd be hopeless without traps!"
I gave her a look. "That's not something to be proud of, Ramiris."
She giggled anyway, wings fluttering. "Still funny though!"
I sighed deeply. "I should've expected this."
Even Basson's squad was doing better than most, and they were still struggling. Other teams weren't so lucky—some were defeated by rank D monsters. Rank D.
«Conclusion: Human arrogance exceeds rational parameters,» Solarys commented flatly.
"You're not wrong," I muttered. "They think strength lies in shouting and swinging swords. Pathetic."
Most challengers had been blinded by greed. They'd run straight for treasure chests without checking corners, triggering ambushes from hidden monsters. Skeleton Archers struck them down from behind while they were busy arguing over loot.
It was embarrassing. Painful to watch.
"Their danger awareness is nonexistent," I said aloud, leaning back. "They crave gold more than survival."
Ramiris tilted her head. "Should we… make it easier?"
I gave her a cold glance. "No. Let them learn the hard way. If they can't handle the first floor, they have no place in my labyrinth."
She blinked, taken aback by my tone. "You're kinda scary when you say it like that."
"I'm not here to coddle them, Ramiris. This is Eterna's trial. Strength comes to those who earn it."
As I watched another party fall to a pack of Goblin Scouts, I shook my head slowly.
"In other words," I said, "they just suck."
Solarys remained silent, though I could feel his silent agreement.
Among these fools, a few at least had the sense to travel in squads. But some—some of the truly delusional ones—challenged the labyrinth alone.
"Solo adventurers…" I murmured, narrowing my eyes. "That kind of behavior borders on insanity."
Ramiris nodded quickly. "Yup. Either insanity—or overconfidence."
I folded my arms, staring down at the labyrinth's holographic map. The trials of Eterna had only just begun… and already, humanity was proving its limits.
As I've mentioned, the spawn rate of monsters on the first floor was really low, and even if any were to spawn at all, they were rank F at best. That said, when appearing in a group, monsters like those could still pose a threat. Actually, whether it indeed "posed a threat" was subject to debate. Rather, I should say that it posed sufficient threat to the challengers.
If you were to come in alone, even resting would prove challenging. With no one on guard, you couldn't even take a nap. No matter how weak rank F monsters were, they were still capable of hurting you. Certain types of monsters would launch a sneak attack on sleeping humans, and if you weren't cautious enough, you could easily wind up dead.
I initially thought that these solo challengers had some great strategies in mind, but it turned out that they were just a bunch of brainlets. These reckless idiots didn't get anywhere and immediately left upon exiting the labyrinth. But, to be honest, based on how they had acted, they wouldn't have lasted any longer even if they had managed to somehow make it further down.
From Floor 2 onward, not only were there more monsters in the hallways, but rank E opponents would also start spawning among them. When challengers made it to Floor 5, they would begin to face rank D monsters as well. If you had trouble merely getting through these earlier floors, you would definitely be killed when encountering rank D monsters.
One of the challengers had a particularly embarrassing reason for forfeiting—he was starving.
On every tenth floor we had set a save point, and on every fifth floor we had a safe zone prepared where water could be refilled. We also subtly reminded everyone to bring more rations.
The other adventurers seemed to have made plans after analyzing Basson's squad's experience. But that alone wasn't enough. Adventurers seemed to be a very prideful bunch and they often ignored others' advice. Not sure whether it was the fact that they couldn't die in the labyrinth, or that they were overconfident in their abilities. Either way, many of them didn't bring any rations.
If you got so lost that you were unable to find your way back to the entrance, then starvation came as no surprise.
No matter how I thought about it, it was their own fault.
They wanted to open as many treasure chests as possible—although I suppose I remember how that feels…
If our labyrinth were truly designed with the intention to kill, I doubt there'd be anyone who could crack it even after a hundred years. But at this time, the challengers were either impoverished bodyguards or mercenaries, all of whom sucked at exploration.
We don't have to panic just yet—with that thought, I held my expectations for the next three days.
Yet, in the end, not a single one managed to reach the safe zone on the fifth floor. The attempts had been miserable.
...…
...
…
That being said, we did profit off of the entry fees, which was always a plus. But if this were to continue, the adventurers would all have low morale, and chances of challengers returning would be minimal.
It looked like we needed to re-examine the whole project.
This unexpected matter had caused me grave concern.
I sighed, the weight of Eterna's ambitions pressing on my shoulders. "Then it's time we re-evaluate. This labyrinth isn't just a trial of strength—it's a mirror. If humanity fails to learn from its own reflection, then I'll make sure the mirror shows them truth."
The light in my eyes hardened.
This unexpected matter had indeed caused me grave concern—but also, a new determination.