Eulia (1)

As I fought off the relentless onslaught of monsters swarming from all directions, one of them managed to catch me off guard, plunging its crude spear into my abdomen.

"Gugh!"

Reacting swiftly, I delivered a forceful blow to the goblin's forehead with the hilt of my sword, causing it to reel back, blood streaming from the wound, and relinquish its grip on the spear.

But the battle was far from over. The cavern echoed with the clamor of combat as more goblins surged forth, their numbers seemingly endless. With each passing moment, my sense of urgency heightened—I needed to locate the Boss before I succumbed to this relentless onslaught.

Leaping upward, I drove my sword into the rocky walls, using it to anchor myself as I surveyed the chaos below. Goblins, hobgoblins, and the sinister figure of a goblin shaman gathered, their weapons poised for attack while the shaman conjured its dark magic.

"Shit..."

The expletive escaped my lips as a fiery ball hurtled toward me, the intense heat distorting my vision as it exploded against the cave walls, sending shards of rock flying in all directions. Though the flames didn't touch me directly, the force of the explosion threatened to send me reeling.

...

..

.

[You have died.]

[2/3 left]

A little while later, after dying because of fall damage, I was sent to a white space to wait until I get resurrected.

"What's with that?"

Seeing the new panel below the notification, I couldn't help but become curious about what it was about.

[That is the number of times you can get resurrected.] The system's reply was matter-of-fact, devoid of emotion.

"...I see. Being able to resurrect for infinitely might have been really overpowered to the point that even the system decided to nerf it."

Saying this to myself, I returned my attention back to the system.

"Question, what will happen if I die more than three times? Will I get forcefully thrown out of the Labyrinth?"

But the system remained cryptic in its response.

[You'll die.]

"I mean, yes, I know that," I sighed in contempt, laying down on the cold floor as I stared up at the empty sky. "But what I'm trying to ask here is what will happen to me after I die?"

[You'll die.]

"Again, do you want me to repeat... Oh fuck! I understand it now."

If I were to die more than three times, it'll be permanent.

***

<𝗔𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻>

In the corridors of his grand mansion, William caught sight of three children playing together.

"Grandpa!"

A warm smile lit up William's face as his granddaughter rushed to embrace him.

Violet Premia Del Feur, once bedridden and now restored to health, brought joy to William's heart. Her recovery had been nothing short of miraculous, and William felt gratitude overflow in his heart as he held her close.

As he released her from the embrace, William couldn't help but wonder about the prayers Saber had offered during Violet's illness.

Whose gods had answered his pleas?

"What are you up to?" William inquired, turning his attention to the little girl in his arms. Violet beamed up at him, her eyes shining with excitement.

"I'm playing with everyone!"

Indeed, since her recovery, Violet had been surrounded by companionship. Reina and, along with Noah's twin sister, Nemo, had been constant sources of laughter and play for Violet. Eulia, their newfound guardian in Occiditis's absence, joined in the fun as well.

"That sounds wonderful!" William gently tousled Violet's hair, eliciting a contented purr from the girl.

His gaze then shifted to Eulia, who seemed to tense at his attention. Concerned, William addressed her with a reassuring tone.

"How have you been, Eulia?"

"I-I'm alright, sir..."

Eulia's response was polite but guarded, and William couldn't help but chuckle at her discomfort. He encouraged her to address him less formally and expressed his pleasure at seeing her well.

He remembered the frail, timid girl she had been when Saber first brought her into their home. Now, she had blossomed into a confident young woman, thanks in part to the kindness of the children and the support of their household staff.

Addressing Eulia, William asked about her well-being, noticing her tense reaction.

"I see. Just call me Will or William," he reassured her with a gentle smile. "But I'm glad you're doing better."

"Y-yes! Thank you for your kind words, sir William."

With a charming smile, Eulia expressed her gratitude, prompting William to deflect the praise onto Saber, her master.

"No, you should thank your master for your transformation instead of me," William insisted, waving off her thanks.

"Well, I must be off. Take care, everyone."

Violet waved goodbye, her face alight with happiness as William departed, leaving the children to their play.