Goblin's Gate

"Let's first confirm who is missing together."

The escape from the maze was momentarily postponed.

Dianne tried to sort out the situation, and everyone nodded and looked at each other.

"Rogers, Casey, Marlon, Nick..."

One by one, Dianne pointed and said their names, but her voice trailed off.

And then, she became bewildered. 

"Why can't I remember?"

They had entered together, there were supposed to be six of them.

But she couldn't recall the sixth member.

Dianne, who was known as a genius, had a remarkable brain capable of memorizing things after seeing them once.

So not being able to remember was...

"Who was it? I can't remember either!"

"Me neither..."

As the group exchanged their thoughts, Dianne voiced her suspicions.

"It seems this can only be interpreted as a mana anomaly."

"That's right, isn't it? It's hard to believe that all five of us can't remember."

"I'll record everything from now on."

Dianne immediately used magic to write down the names of her comrades on the sleeves of her robe.

Then, she carefully organized everything that had happened so far.

"All the mana anomalies in Monet's Maze haven't been fully understood. Traps or puzzles blocking the path have already been discovered and analyzed, but..."

They couldn't just stand still.

They needed to verify if they were walking in circles.

"Let's go. Staying here won't solve anything."

As Dianne led the way, her companions, unsettled by the unexplained phenomena, followed her in silence.

Following her words, they continued walking, though they couldn't help but remain uneasy about the strange occurrences.

"Dianne, this evaluation, it's not dangerous, right?"

Upon Rogers' inquiry, Dianne's expression hardened.

"This place is an ancient relic. We can't take it lightly. Besides, this last evaluation for the fourth-year students has been renowned for being challenging, regardless of the faculty. You know that, Rogers."

"That's true... and that's why the mortality rate for the graduation class and the fourth-year students is high."

"Even so, with Dianne here, I feel a bit relieved. She's our faculty's top student, after all."

Responsibility weighed heavily on Dianne's shoulders.

But she was accustomed to situations like this, so she nodded calmly.

"I'll do my best to ensure that nobody dies. So please stay strong, everyone."

The academy was not just a place for learning; it was much more.

The Imperial Academy was the driving force behind the Empire's presence on the continent and a top-tier institution for elite development in the country.

Graduating from this academy meant that wealth and honor would follow, but it was equally famous for being extremely difficult to graduate from.

"As long as we make it through this evaluation, we can advance to the graduation class. We can't afford to fail in a place like this."

"Let's stay focused."

With these thoughts in mind, they resumed their journey toward the exit.

The uniformly brown corridor seemed to play tricks on them, making it feel like they were walking in circles because the scenery remained identical.

"Nothing seems to be happening."

Someone muttered.

True to their words, Dianne's group hadn't encountered any traps as they walked through the maze.

Moreover, the magical marks they had placed while walking alongside one of the walls did not reappear in the same locations they had already passed.

"Shall we take a rest soon?"

Upon Dianne's suggestion, her comrades nodded in agreement. They took out the edible plants they had gathered while walking.

"Ugh, these grasses taste bitter and sour..."

"Is this the time to complain about side dishes? At best, we may only have to endure for a few days, so there's no choice."

Fortunately, they had prepared various provisions and portable rations in anticipation of any type of evaluation.

"Since we don't know how long we'll be here, let's not waste our resources."

"How long did it usually take to escape from Monet's Maze?"

"On average, it takes three days. Still, it's better to conserve supplies just in case."

The Monet's Maze, being an indoor facility, did not provide any way to tell the time accurately. They used rough estimates to differentiate between day and night, but sleep was not a luxury they could afford.

"It's been quite uneventful. Except for the one missing member..."

"Yeah. Is this place always like this?"

Having set up protective magical spells, the group continued to move forward, but they started to relax gradually.

Finally, they reached the first trap.

"What's this..."

While they had read about it in documents, it was their first time encountering it in person. It was a massive door with a peculiar face in the middle.

However, it wasn't an ordinary face; it had an eerie quality to it. It was larger than an average person's face, and two horns protruded from it.

-Once again, we are hungry laborers for the starving one.

"It's speaking, just as the documents say. How fascinating."

The traps within the ruins that had consciousness were known to recite the strange phrase of the "starving ones."

-I still can't believe that it's a world where everyone else has vanished, leaving only the laborers behind.

Someone had with a face that looked like it had swallowed something unpleasant.

Hearing this, the group nodded in agreement.

"Would it be a hopeless attempt to go back?"

"Well, we would likely face similar traps and riddles on the path. It wouldn't make much sense to avoid one only to encounter another."

"Right. I remember reading about this. It's called the 'Goblin's Door.' It's not a particularly dangerous trap even if you fail."

"Goblin's Door? Ah, so that's what it's called. I remember it too."

Dianne also nodded in agreement as she looked at the peculiar door. The Goblin's Door was found throughout the maze and was classified as one of the lowest difficulty traps. It allowed passage through a simple question-and-answer session.

Any student from the Rodren Academy was expected to have a vast knowledge base, and this was a gateway that couldn't be ignored. "Well, anyway. Let's go through this. We can help each other if someone doesn't know the answer."

The Goblin's Door had the advantage that, even if the one entering didn't know the answer, the others could provide it.

It was designed to be of the lowest difficulty level.

-To pass through this place, prove your knowledge by entering my mouth.

"Ugh, that's a bit daunting..."

Despite being quite hesitant, Rogers was the first to step forward and bow low to fit inside the mouth, barely squeezing through.

-Then, I will ask you a question.

The Goblin's Door, despite the person inside its mouth, began to recite its question.

-In the Niddickel Swamp, located in the Urrac Mountain Range, there exists an item known as the 'Blue Jewel,' which is said to heal, kill, and bring joy to living beings. What is the type of this item?

After the Goblin's Door finished its question, everyone in the group began pondering.

"Urrac Mountain Range? Where is that?"

"Just a moment. I know of the Nadical Swamp, but not the Niddickel Swamp."

The sudden appearance of place names unfamiliar to them left everyone baffled.

Inside the Goblin's Door, Rogers was becoming anxious.

"Does anyone know this? The Urrac Mountain Range, Niddickel Swamp, and the 'Blue Jewel'! Dianne? Dianne, you know this, right?"

Upon hearing Rogers' frantic question, Dianne instinctively covered her mouth and fell into deep thought.

Then, just as she was about to respond and exit the mouth of the Goblin's Door...

"Oh, I've heard of this before! It's called a 'jewel' from the start! Of course, it's a mineral or a gem!"

"Really? That makes sense. Nick?"

At that moment, the Goblin's Door spoke again.

-My patience is running out. I'll be closing my mouth soon.

"What? Hurry up! Is it a gem or a mineral?"

"No, actually, the question isn't that simple. Firstly, the Urrac Mountain Range was originally an ancient name for the Krates Mountain Range. Among the various swamps within the Krates Mountain Range, one related to the 'Blue Jewel' might be the Nadical Swamp. It probably got passed down and the name changed from Niddickel to Nadical."

"In that case..."

"The 'Blue Jewel' is actually the 'Stardust Firefly' that grows only in the Nadical Swamp. It's known for its medicinal properties, its use as a toxin, and, it's even considered a delicacy because of its taste. It perfectly fits the description of something that can heal, kill, and bring joy to living beings."

With Dianne's explanation, the group's expressions gradually brightened.

"So the correct answer is 'insects.'"

Upon Dianne's confirmation, Rogers shouted excitedly, "Insects! The answer is insects!"

-...Move along.

As if suppressing a sigh, the Goblin's Door spoke again, making a small opening to allow only Rogers to pass.

Rogers quickly exited, sighed in relief, and waved to the others. "Thank you, Dianne!"

Thud!

Before she could even finish her greetings, the door closed, severing the connection with the other side. Then, the Goblin's Door spoke again.

"Next."

This time, Casey was the one to step forward. She was concerned that if Dianne went ahead of her, it might be risky.

"Okay! Ask the question!"

"The knight Agulothus carried a sword called the 'Memory Slicer.' It was known for temporarily disorienting the opponent struck by it. This sword was made of a particular material. What was it?"

"Material?"

An entirely unexpected question came up again. The group had no prior knowledge about who Knight Agulothus was.

Casey, who had been deeply lost in thought, looked at Dianne for answers.

But then, Nick stepped up again.

"Material? That's straightforward! What else would you make a sword from? Obviously, it's made from ore."

"Nick."

Dianne, who had been silently listening, finally spoke Nick's name.

"Why? Was I wrong? It should be obvious this time. Or do you know the answer?"

"Of course."

With confidence, she answered and raised the corner of her mouth.

"To say this about myself is a bit awkward, but I've researched every document related to knights. And besides..."

As Dianne spoke, she took her staff from her robe, which surprised Marlon and Casey.

"Dianne, what are you doing?"

"I'm experiencing some memory confusion due to the mana anomaly, but after thinking it over, Nick, you weren't in the Academy."

As she spoke, she remembered the advice given by Adrias before entering the maze.

'Be careful with your fellow members.'

At the time, she couldn't understand what that meant, but now she had an inkling.

Originally, there should have been five members in their group, but there were six due to the author.

'But how did Adrias not get caught?'

A brief moment of doubt passed, but Dianne quickly continued.

"One member disappeared on the way here. Did you get rid of them?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play coy. I think you figured out this maze's traps. Otherwise, you wouldn't have continuously provided the wrong answers."

With a sudden shift to informal language, Dianne emanated a powerful wave of mana. In response, Nick's appearance began to transform.

"Did I reveal myself too much? No, I suppose not. If there weren't anyone who knew the answer, I wouldn't have been found out."

"Did you think I couldn't solve a simple problem like this? You're underestimating the Rodren Academy. You just barely understood a tiny part of the overall theme related to the maze's traps."

Dianne's magic was unleashed almost instantly, and the rapidly flying ice moth pierced through Nick.

"Eek!"

Marlon, who was watching, backed away in astonishment, while Casey, her face pale, yelled, "Dianne! But first, the answer!"

"The correct answer is 'bones!' It was a story from mythology, and there it was written as 'the bones of the gods!'"

"W-Well, it has to be, right? There's no other way... The answer! Bone! Bones of the gods!"

-…The answer is a single one. Is it bones or bones of the gods?

"Bones of the gods!"

-…Correct.

As soon as Casey answered, she didn't even look back but quickly crossed to the other side after the door opened.

Meanwhile, Dianne's dazzling display of magic continued.

"Is that all? Nothing special," she said.

Her magic erased any traces of the person named "Nick" completely.

Looking at the completely wiped-out space, she turned around and stood proudly in front of the Goblin's Door.

"So, were you a part of the scheme?"

-Worker of the hungry, will you pass?

Ignoring the Goblin's nonchalant expression, Dianne snorted, turned her back, and walked away.

"Marlon, it's your turn..."

-Be vigilant, worker.

With a horrifying tearing sound, Dianne felt a stabbing pain in her abdomen. And before her stood Marlon with an eerie smile.

"Marlon...?"

"One has been found, but you've failed to find the other two, worker."

What an absurd situation! She even considered crushing her own head with her magic staff in despair. She was about to attempt magic when...

Suddenly, there was a disgusting sound of something rolling across the floor in front of her, and she was astonished to see Marlon's decapitated head.

"I had a hard time finding you," a dull voice said.

Dianne's tension finally loosened. Adrias' appearance, the enigmatic figure who had abandoned all his teammates, that brought relief and comfort.