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Like i stated previously, this is a quick summary (by the author) what he planned for the story, as well as the most relevant plot threads after volume 3. enjoy~
Afterstory
By the order of Emperor Geraf after losing his battle against the Dark Knight Alba, the one to reach the 7th floor of the labyrinth and resolve the incoming crisis will be crowned the next Emperor. Feeling that they might find a chance to become the Emperor, more adventurers challenge the labyrinth, but not everybody was too accepting of this. For one, there was the 1st to 6th princess of the Empire. They couldn’t allow their younger sister, the 7th princess and magician Rufa, to get too close to the seat of the Empress.
They were afraid that they might receive punishment for what they had done to their sister. And that an elf of all races could become the Empress in an Empire that favored humans. They may not be a full-fledged group, but as they had a common enemy with Rufa, they worked together. And as all this happened, the 3rd princess went to meet her lover, who is also an adventurer, White Knight Wolf.
“My beloved Wolf…I will do what I can to keep my moronic sisters and that filthy elf away from the seat of the Emperor…as it is your right to inherit it.”
“Thank you very much, my princess.”
With that, they shared a kiss. In reality, however, the White Knight is actually a prince of a small country that was destroyed by the Empire, and he used his strength as an adventurer, as well as his beauty, to woo the third princess in order to get revenge on the Empire.
*
Unbeknownst to any of this, Alba once again travels the labyrinth. He has his work cut out against the various monsters, as even his childhood friend and fairy Cockoo arrive, fighting against her rival in love Rufa. They then head for the guardian of the 4th floor, when they fall into a trap set up by the princesses. However, the White Knight’s party appears with his group of beautiful female warriors and magicians, saving them from their dilemma.
“Thank you.”
“We have to help our fellow adventurers.”
Alba thanked the White Knight, as they shared a handshake.
“When you head down to the 7th floor to save the Empire, please let me be your strength,” the White Knight leaves again with his party of beauties, seen off my Alba with a smile.
However, Rufa just clicked her tongue.
“Who is that slimy man? Just taking women with him wherever he goes…This labyrinth isn’t a place to build a harem.”
“Aren’t you complaining about our own party?”
“But we’re all allies here. They’re just running after the next best man…aren’t they embarrassed to be adventurers?”
“Can you say that again while looking at your face in the mirror?” The dwarf warrior Garnet retorted, but Rufa couldn’t shake this bad feeling about the White Knight.
*
More months pass, as the Evil God of Demise’s revival moves in with only three more months to spare, as Alba and the party finally reach the 6th floor. Having trained their aura, obtained better equipment, they recruit party members to defeat the Dark Knight. They had the black-haired samurai Chidori, the orc warrior Willow, as well as the three people of the Plunderers, and some 6th-floor rankers of the Holy Maiden clan join them. And even the White Knight Wolf and his party were ready to participate.
“Alba-dono, the time has arrived, hasn’t it?”
“As long as I get my revenge on the Dark Knight, I’m fine with anything.”
“I’m happy as long as I get the Dark Knight’s equipment and get a good look at the monsters of the 7th floor.”
“Alba-san can have the seat of the Emperor, so let’s save the world together!”
All their feelings come together as they head for the Dark Knight. And after a fierce battle, Alba’s greatsword pierces the Dark Knight’s chest.
“…Did we win?”
However, unlike all the other monsters before this, the Dark Knight did not turn into particles of light. Instead, he took off his mask…revealing a male human face below. However, he had cracks of light running along his face.
“What is going on here?!”
Rufa and her party were bewildered, as the Dark Knight smiled at Alba and said ‘Please take care of her.’ Alba’s party then is wrapped up in light, as they stood inside a dark space resembling the night sky.
“Is this the 7th floor?”
“I see you’ve come, my braves.”
“Who?!”
An elf woman with snow-white skin appeared in front of them. And behind her was a giant vortex.
“This is the lowest floor of the labyrinth. And at the same time, it is the center of the world that gathers the thoughts of all life on this planet—The Maelstrom.”
The elf queen Andromeda then spoke of the truth of everything.
*
A thousand years ago, strong monsters usually confined to the lower floors of the labyrinth were freely walking above ground. Humans, elves, dwarves, and the other humanoid races feared these monsters and hid within the forests and caves. However, there appeared warriors that crossed the boundary of races. This party consisted of a human warrior, Remules, another human warrior Leonard, as well as the fairy magician Oberon and his lover Titania, a mysterious shadow clothed in black with no information known about them, and the elf magician Andromeda.
These six continued their fighting and grew to become known as the Braves, finally reaching the Maelstrom that gave birth to the monsters. However, unless one erased all life from the planet, the Maelstrom, who sucked up the thoughts of life itself, would not disappear. As the six braves didn’t know what to do, Andromeda offered a possibility.
“Use my body as a lid to seal the Maelstrom’s power.”
They might not be able to destroy the Maelstrom this way, but it would weaken the monsters walking on the earth and save a great number of people. Andromeda’s allies spoke against this plan, but she would not cave in, as they had to accept it. With this, Andromeda became the pillar of the sealing spell the Oberon and Titania created, which gave birth to the Bottomless Labyrinth.
With the so-called Filter of using different floors, they made sure to seal the strength of the Maelstrom, the mana, and made sure that no monsters could be born above ground. And at the same time, it was meant as a training facility to prepare the next Braves once Andromeda’s power eventually ran out.
At the same time, Andromeda’s lover, the warrior Remules, wished to protect her from evil, as well as act as the final test for the aspiring braves, and touched the power of the Maelstrom—Turning him into the Dark Knight. The other human warrior Leonard secretly loved Andromeda all the same, and gathered people to challenge the bottomless labyrinth, which gave birth to a town…and eventually the Empire as a whole. However, Oberon and Titania were disappointed at the people who celebrated this false happy end because of their dear friends’ sacrifices and left the human settlement to live in isolation. The mysterious ninja did the same and vanished without a trace. After that, a thousand years passed, and as Andromeda’s power weakened, the Maelstrom’s power breaking free from its seal, a new hope appeared—
“That is you people.”
“…”
Alba and his party were devastated, as Andromeda observed Rufa.
“You, who carries the blood of my dear friend Leonard, as well as the elf blood within you…it must have been your destiny to arrive in front of me.”
“That’s…”
“Princess Rufa Oram Goldo…accept your duty and save this world as my successor.”
“…”
Rufa went silent. However, there was only one answer from the very beginning.
“I understa—”
Right as she wanted to agree, a dull sound filled the silence, as a white blade appeared from Andromeda’s chest. The White Knight Wolf had stabbed his blade through her.
“Wha…?!”
“Heh…Hehe…Hahahaha!”
Alba’s party was bewildered as Wolf took off his mask as the benevolent knight and revealed his madness.
“Things didn’t go as planned, but as long as she dies and the Maelstrom’s power runs rampant, then monsters will return to the surface and the Empire will be destroyed, right? This…is my revenge!”
Wolf roared in happiness as his revenge was finally completed, but Rufa readied her wand.
“You threaten to destroy the peace of all of humanity for your petty revenge? I will not allow that!”
“Silence, you filthy invader! If people like you get to live in happiness and peace, then I’d rather have the world end instead!”
“What?”
Alba was confused but readied his sword to protect his allies. Thus begins the battle against Wolf and his allies, but after a few casualties, Alba’s party comes out on top. While his allies gather time, Wolf goes to touch the Maelstrom, causing its giant amount of mana to change him into a giant monster—The Evil God of Demise.
Overwhelmed, Alba’s party suffers great casualties, and even his own sword ends up broken. However, as all hope seems lost, what appeared in front of him wasn’t the fabricated copy of the Demon Eater that Fairy King Oberon created, but the true one…the sword of the Dark Knight Remules. Imbued with the aura of all the ones who fell victim to the Dark Knight, Alba swings the Demon Eater and strikes down the Evil God Wolf.
“Gyaaaah! Not yet! Unless I see the Empire fall to ruin with my own eyes, I cannot end here…!”
He throws himself into the Maelstrom, but as a normal human being could not handle this much mana, his body disappears deep within the vortex, like he was being sucked down to hell itself.
*
The final battle ended, and with Andromeda’s life about to end, Rufa makes her decision.
“To save the Empire and all of this world, I will become the new lid for the Maelstrom.”
While shedding tears of sadness, she turns towards Alba.
“Alba-sama, thank you for everything. Please…be well.”
Met with her determination, Alba’s reaction is—
“I don’t want that.”
He denied it bluntly.
“A-Alba-sama?”
“I don’t wanna be apart from you, Rufa,” He declares without hesitation. “I don’t want to live in a world that forces you to sacrifice yourself.”
“B-But…”
“And I don’t want somebody else to experience the same fate in another thousand years.”
“That is true, but…”
Alba’s sound reasoning left Rufa without an argument.
“But if nothing is done, monsters will start walking the earth again, bringing ruin to all of civilization, you know?”
Andromeda asked Alba this question, who thought about it for a moment…and then came up with his conclusion.
“Then we just all have to become stronger.”
“…Huh?”
“All the people in this world can train here in the labyrinth to become stronger.”
And if humanity and the other races are strong enough to fight the monsters, then Rufa won’t have to sacrifice herself to hold back the Maelstrom.
“But, that is just—”
“No, it’s doable,” Garnet pointed out. “We can just leech off the strong adventurers and make sure that everyone becomes stronger. And if every single person is at least on the level of a 3rd-floor ranker, then it’ll lessen the number of casualties.”
Not to mention that techniques and magic spells had evolved drastically compared to a thousand years ago. Even if monsters appeared above ground, there’s no guarantee the same will happen again.
“And if everybody becomes strong enough like that, there won’t be any more needless fighting amongst humans.”
The reason the Empire could grow its influence to such an extent was because of the adventurers. So, if all people in the world did the same, then the Empire might lose its advantage, but it won’t be able to evade any more places.
“Doing that will avoid any fates as the White Knight experienced.”
“I see!”
“So you…didn’t even think of that?” Garnet retorted.
Naturally, it won’t be the end of all fighting. And it will be impossible to protect everyone from the monsters.
“However, that is a risk I’m willing to take if I can stop my stupid friend from sacrificing herself.”
“Garnet…” Rufa shed tears as she looked at Alba’s face.
Slapped on the back by Garnet, Alba blushes and takes a step forward.
“More than anybody else in this world…I want you to be happy, Rufa.”
“…Alba-sama!”
Overwhelmed with joy, Rufa jumps into his arms and cries. With that, the curtain falls on their long adventure.
*
As the one who conquered the labyrinth, Rufa is chosen as the 42nd Emperor of the Empire, who reveals the dangers coming up ahead. Even if Andromeda runs out of strength, the Filter, the various floors, won’t disappear immediately, so they would use the few years left to strengthen the people in the world and prepare for the arrival of the monsters.
“Be it the Emperor or adventurers, it is time for us to stop hoarding all the power to ourselves. We will share our power and responsibility with the rest of the world.”
The thousand years of peace granted by the Braves’ sacrifices have ended, with a new era now starting its turn.
“Thus, I will abolish our hegemony to value the opinion of all our citizens…to create the Republic of Goldo!”
Such beautiful words, but the way was paved with roses, and they all knew that. However, when the citizens heard that they would be put in power now, they all cheered at the arrival of this new genesis. Meanwhile, Alba, Chidori, and Cockoo turned their backs toward all this chaos and set out to go on an adventure.
I’m an idiot, so I can’t really help Rufa during these trying times. I’ll go back to report back to Gramps and Grandma, and then once everything has calmed down—
Hee hee! You never know who wins in the game of love! While we’re traveling, I’ll make sure to steal Alba-dono’s heart!
—Is what she’s thinking, but I’m not handing over Alba to anybody!
They each had their thoughts as they started making their way toward I-Rapsel. However, a certain elf and dwarf came chasing after them.
“You just ascended to become the Empress and you’re running away the very next day? Should you really be doing that?”
“I don’t care. The Empire has become a Republic, and I’m a regular citizen, so I’ll do as I please!”
Rufa stated that she’d leave the rest to her father the former Emperor, as well as her six sisters which she put under a ‘Contract’ spell so they couldn’t go against her word.
“More importantly…Garnet, you’re not thinking that you can just drop out of the race mid-way, are you?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Hmph, feigning innocence will only get you so far.”
If Garnet really didn’t know what Rufa was speaking of, then she would have surely not come chasing after him like this. And as her best friend, Rufa could easily see through the facade garnet put up.
“Now, Alba-sama, it is time for the true final battle!”
The maiden in love, who didn’t become an Empress or a Hero, ran after her beloved beneath the blue sky.
Their adventure may have ended, but their stories will continue. Someday, somewhere.
CClaw Translations 