Alon's ostensible reason for coming to the Estrovan territory was to build connections. However, the real reason he endured a journey of over a week to get here was because of a labyrinth located to the south of Estrovan.
"…Is this the place where you said you had some business?"
"Yes."
"It took us two weeks to find this place, but… there's nothing here?"
As Evan slowly scanned the empty forest, he spoke. Alon also looked around.
Indeed, the only things around were an unpaved road and a forest that seemed to have been neglected for a long time; there were no features that stood out.
'That's why I had to go through so much trouble for two weeks.'
Alon's face remained expressionless, but he let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
After the ball, Alon had spent nearly twenty days in Estrovan, investing his time in finding this labyrinth.
'I took it too lightly just because it was easy to find in the game.'
Thinking that, Alon shifted his gaze to a small ravine visible beyond the forest. He began to walk toward the only clue that had allowed him to find the labyrinth.
"Are you sure this time?"
Having already wasted two trips, Evan grumbled as he followed Alon.
Sensing Evan's footsteps behind him, Alon quickly organized his thoughts.
'The name of the labyrinth is the "Whispering Labyrinth." It's accessible around the middle of the game, and the reward for clearing it is the item called "Constraint." Once I get that, my business in the labyrinth will be done.'
Recalling the characteristics of the labyrinth he had visited hundreds of times in Psychedelia, Alon walked without hesitation. Soon, he arrived at a small ravine beyond the forest.
"…This place looks strange no matter how you look at it."
Evan spoke as soon as they reached the ravine.
Just as he murmured, the ravine was small, but it had an unmistakable sense of wrongness.
Despite the sun hanging high in the sky, the interior of the ravine was excessively dark, as if it were repelling the sunlight.
This triggered a sense of alarm and caution in Evan.
"Let's go."
"Young Master!?"
But instead, this phenomenon filled Alon with joy.
The effect in the ravine was identical to the field effect of the Whispering Labyrinth he was searching for.
This meant that the Whispering Labyrinth was indeed here, so he stepped into the dark ravine without hesitation.
Evan watched Alon with a shocked expression but had no choice but to follow him inside.
Entering the ravine felt like the presence of the sun a moment ago was a lie; the interior was shrouded in darkness.
In the darkness, various stones, carved with what seemed to be artificial patterns rather than natural formations, could be seen scattered around.
Walking past these, Alon soon spotted an entrance submerged in pitch-black darkness.
Alon stood staring blankly at the door, which was undoubtedly artificially constructed, covered with various patterns.
"How did you know this place existed?"
"Because I've been here often."
"What?"
Realizing he had made a slip of the tongue, Alon quickly corrected himself.
"It was a joke."
"…A joke? With that face, it didn't sound like a joke at all… So how did you know about it?"
"I have my ways."
"For someone with ways, it did take you quite some time to find this place."
"…I didn't expect it to take this long either."
As Alon briefly recalled playing Psychedelia, Evan asked another question.
"So, who made this unpleasant place?"
"It was made by a fellow named Palaon."
The Whispering Labyrinth.
Alon recalled that in some online communities, it was also referred to as Palaon's Water Rocket Labyrinth.
"Palaon, you say?"
"Let's go in."
Without answering any more of Evan's questions, Alon walked toward the labyrinth entrance, and Evan, looking nervous and cautious, followed him.
Soon, no one was left at the entrance of the labyrinth.
Screeeeech~!!!!
Crack! Crackle! Crunch!
A Hell Gargoyle—normally defeatable only during the mid-story progression of Psychedelia—was being slowly crushed to death as if caught in a massive stone press that had fallen from the ceiling.
Evan looked on with a pale face.
"O…"
Watching such a powerful monster, which he could never defeat alone, die in such a futile and gruesome way was enough to leave a mark on his normally stoic disposition, honed by years as a mercenary.
However, what made Evan's heart pound even more was the realization that the massive stone currently crushing the Hell Gargoyle hung above their heads as well.
'How can the young master be so calm in this situation…?'
Evan looked at Alon.
Despite the fact that failing to solve even one puzzle in this labyrinth would lead to a brutal death like the Gargoyle's, Alon's face remained expressionless.
He seemed to be waiting for the door to open, completely unfazed by the situation.
Seeing Alon like this only intensified Evan's curiosity about him.
Usually, no matter how inscrutable a magician might be, four years together would reveal at least a little of their true nature.
Moreover, Evan had helped Alon with many things over the past four years.
Sometimes he saved orphans.Sometimes he took down evil organizations.Other times, he helped a slave girl or paid off an old man's debt.If not, he'd deliver messages with no apparent meaning to acquaintances.
Yet, despite all this, Evan still didn't know Alon.
None of the tasks Alon had assigned provided any clues about his true intentions.A faint pattern did exist: Alon always seemed to maintain an interest in some of the children he had saved—sending them to orphanages.
But apart from that… he was an enigma.
For example—how did he know about such a place despite never having left the Palatio estate?Or how could he understand the labyrinth's inner workings and confidently answer its questions?
Despite the doubts, Evan trusted Alon. Every task Alon had undertaken… had led to good outcomes.
'What exactly is he preparing?'
But curiosity still gnawed at him. Evan looked at Alon with eyes mixed with admiration and intrigue.
'…I think I'm going to be sick.'
In truth, Alon was forcibly averting his gaze to avoid watching the gargoyle being crushed.
'I knew it was gruesome, but not this much…'
Screeeeech~!
As soon as the gargoyle's execution concluded, the door opened. Alon exhaled.
Even though he wasn't capable of proper combat, the reason he confidently entered this mid-game labyrinth was because he already knew everything about it.
'Thanks to that, I cleared it easily.'
This labyrinth consisted of eight rooms, each requiring a puzzle to be solved before advancing.
Knowing every puzzle meant that he wouldn't need to fight at all—and Alon remembered them perfectly.
In Psychedelia, this was one of the few labyrinths that could be re-entered endlessly without claiming its reward—making it the best level-grinding spot in the game.
Naturally, Alon, who had used it in countless playthroughs, had memorized everything and reached the end with ease.
Dragging along the exhausted Evan—who hadn't even fought—Alon reached the final chamber.
In the center, on an old table, lay a ring.
Plain. Unremarkable. Disappointing, even.
But Alon smiled.
He knew exactly what it was.
The Constraint.
Appearance meant nothing.
"…Huh? Young Master, that ring you were holding just…"
In truth, this item didn't function as an artifact—it was like an elixir, meant to be absorbed into the user's body the moment it was used.
"Now that we've got what we need, let's go."
As the ring disappeared from his hand, Alon turned his back casually.
Evan, dumbfounded, quickly followed.As they reached the exit, the labyrinth shut down—completely.
And then—
"…Did you foresee this as well?"
Human-shaped golems stood waiting. Weapons raised.They hadn't been there before.
"These golems are the stone piles we saw earlier…"
Realizing this, Evan tensely drew his sword.
"I'll handle this."
"Huh?"
Before he could question—
"The Constraint is now in effect."
Seated in the carriage heading back to the Altia Duke's estate, Roria let out a deep sigh. Her face was filled with despair as she gazed at the scenery in the distance.
'As I expected, I was a fool.'
She thought of the man she had met at the ball.
Alon, the third son of the Palatio family.
But that was only his public mask. Rumor said he had killed his two older brothers—famous underworld figures—and wiped out Avalon, which once dominated the eastern region… overnight.
He was not just a noble heir.He was the true mastermind behind the Palatio family.
'No… it's not just rumors.'
Having met Alon, Roria knew—they were true.
The emotional restraint he had shown at the ball was something beyond mere training.
'It was almost like looking at Father…'
Her father—the Duke of Altia.A man called the Noble One—because even royalty and nobles danced to his flute.
His eyes resembled Alon's.
That was why she clung to Alon—her last lifeline.And she failed.
She knew from the start he was not someone who would be swayed by pity.
Yet she begged anyway. She had nothing else.
No power. No leverage.Only a fragile position protected by her father's mercy.
So she tried—and lost.
'Ha.'
In truth, she wasn't naive.
Even with her limited power, she had fought her vile relatives many times—just to survive.
She knew the world's logic well: every relationship has a price.
'Good things will happen.'
She remembered Alon's parting words.
Thirty minutes later—she reached her mansion.
"…What did you say?"
"Lady Faylin and Lord Kigg… have passed away!"
Two siblings.The ones who tormented her the most.
Had died.
Suicide—was the official claim.
Absurd.
They would sooner stab each other than take their own lives.
Something was wrong.
And she remembered those words again—
'Good things will happen.'
The words of the one who killed all his siblingsand became heir to the count's family—
Alon Palatio.
She felt a chill run down her spine.