Hearing the knight’s words, I headed toward the main gate, only to find more people gathered than I expected.
However, what caught my attention first was their appearance, and it was far from ordinary. They looked disheveled, unmistakably like people who had entered and exited the labyrinth.
“Why are you leaving the patients standing there?”
“These are all people who insisted on entering the special inpatient ward. They said they wouldn’t receive treatment until then.”
People who had come to meet Princess Kanabi.
And their appearance was easily guessable.
‘Could it be…?’
A sense of foreboding washed over me.
I felt like I knew who they were.
They, too, spotted me and approached with a hesitant expression.
“Priest, could it be…?”
“Are you the ones who entered the labyrinth to hunt monsters, as per that person’s orders?”
“Yes! That’s correct. Are you the priest in charge of their treatment?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
There were people around, so it was necessary to move the location.
Additionally, I needed to send the patients standing at the main gate for treatment.
“Rather than staying here, I should guide you to that person. It would be better if only one of you stayed as the representative, and the others went for treatment.”
“Thank you for your consideration. You all should get treated. I will go meet that person.”
“How could we get treatment? We will wait until you return.”
“If you have no face to show, then you should focus on recovering faster!”
Had they failed?
Well, if they had succeeded, the curse on Princess Kanabi would have lifted, and I would have noticed by now. But until their arrival, there had been no change in the curse.
In other words, they had failed.
I moved with the representative to Princess Kanabi’s ward.
When I brought someone in, the knight, who had flinched at first, checked the face of the person accompanying them and stiffened.
It seemed they recognized who it was.
“You’ve come to the temple.”
“Why are you here?”
“We apologize, Captain.”
The knight bit his lip as he looked at the man who bowed his head.
“I should have followed.”
“…Please kill me.”
“Enough. Don’t speak to me. Speak to the princess.”
The knight opened the door.
With a gloomy expression, he entered Princess Kanabi’s ward.
“Would you like to go in as well?”
“…It might be better to go in, just in case.”
I needed to be prepared, as I didn’t know how Princess Kanabi would react upon learning that the labyrinth conquest had failed.
When I entered late, I saw the man kneeling and speaking to Princess Kanabi.
“I’m sorry. It was my incompetence that led to failure.”
“…….”
“Whatever punishment you decide, I will accept it.”
Soon, the path in the labyrinth would change.
The only hope, the labyrinth conquest team, had encountered monsters but failed to kill them.
They probably retreated thinking they could try again with a larger group.
‘The path in the labyrinth is about to change, what should I do?’
Once the path changes, finding the monster they were searching for will become as difficult as finding a needle in a desert.
‘Why did it have to be the one thing I hoped wouldn’t happen…?’
I felt dizzy and everything went dark in front of me, but Princess Kanabi’s expression was indifferent.
“Did many die?”
“I’m sorry. Half of them are dead.”
“That’s right, when we first met, you were no ordinary one. Very cunning.”
If they were normal, they wouldn’t have been able to cast the curse.
“I’m not certain, but it’s possible that the monster is growing stronger.”
I could hear the man’s voice quiver with fear, as if he was terrified.
“Growing stronger?”
“Yes. Do you remember the rumor that was going around inside the labyrinth? The one that says monsters grow stronger the more they kill?”
“I remember.”
“We actually felt ourselves getting stronger every time we killed a monster. And surprisingly, it seems like the monsters are experiencing the same thing.”
This was terrible news for Princess Kanabi, who could only escape the curse by killing the monster.
“As time goes by, it will get harder to catch him.”
It wasn’t just about catching the monster—it was important to understand that the problem wasn’t so simple.
But since only I knew this, the two of them were only worrying about other things, endlessly.
Watching them, my insides were burning with frustration.
My mouth had been itching since earlier, and I was about to burst.
“I’m sorry.”
I could understand the man’s position, having returned without being able to kill the monster, even after finding it.
It wasn’t just a few people—half of his team had died, after all.
“Enough. You can just go back to hunt again. Focus on recovering. You’re not afraid of going back into the labyrinth, are you?”
It seemed like Princess Kanabi was giving the knight, who had failed the mission, another chance.
Realizing the meaning behind her words, his eyes flashed with determination.
“If you give me another chance, I will not disappoint you!”
Oh, really.
“Honestly, it might be better if there’s no next chance.”
How would they find it? The paths must have all changed by now.
“What’s the point of sending more people into the labyrinth?”
If they truly cared for Princess Kanabi, they should have succeeded in the hunt.
“They should have known it was their first and last chance.”
If they had understood that, they would have done whatever it took to catch the monster this time.
The problem was, I was the only one who knew that.
Since their first and last chance had disappeared, Princess Kanabi’s curse would now turn into a long-term struggle.
‘Does this mean Princess Kanabi’s life is in my hands?’
Just thinking about it gave me chills.
What kind of confidence did I have to even think about developing a cure? Regret washed over me.
‘Should I remain silent?’
Bishop Haman had already entered the labyrinth, so there was no one to consult about this issue.
There were Priests Chilan and Ando, but they would certainly oppose it.
In truth, there was no real reason to inform the foreign royal family for the sake of the Church.
But didn’t I spend time with her?
‘I don’t want to see Princess Kanabi die.’
There are priests who only do their duties, indifferent to the outcome of their patients, but I wasn’t that cold-hearted.
At least, when I treat a patient, I hope they recover and return safely to their normal lives.
I’m human, after all—except when dealing with extremely unreasonable or demanding patients.
“The real problem was sending them too hastily. Rushing things without proper preparation—it was a mistake. Next time, make sure you’re properly prepared. Then, you’ll be able to catch him.”
“Yes. I will definitely win next time!”
Ugh, I said there won’t be another chance, you frustrating person!
I knew this was going to happen.
How much better it would have been if we had met with Bishop Haman when I suggested!
I acknowledge that there were circumstances that made it necessary to be cautious of outsiders, but those same circumstances caused so much damage to Princess Kanabi.
Every second counts, but Princess Kanabi, the person directly affected, had no proper information, wasting precious time in vain.
“Your Highness.”
“Hm?”
“Sorry to interrupt, but this person is injured to the point where they need treatment as well.”
“Ah…! Right. Thank you for letting me know.”
Princess Kanabi was startled and spoke to the man.
Already feeling guilty from the mission’s failure, the man shook his head and responded.
“No, no! It’s fine! I don’t need treatment! I’m perfectly fine.”
“Don’t be stubborn, go get treated. That way, we can talk more comfortably.”
“…I’m sorry!”
Honestly, as soon as they came out of the labyrinth, it was obvious they’d arrived in a terrible state. His clothes were covered in dirt, dust, and dried blood, and from the bruises on his body, it was clear he had injuries.
I had been uneasy ever since he entered the room in such a condition, but now, I had a reason to send him out.
As the man bowed deeply and left, Princess Kanabi sighed.
It seemed like she was showing her emotions now, something she couldn’t do in front of her subordinates.
“Your Highness, you know you need treatment as well, right?”
“Yes, I understand. Please, go ahead.”
While treating her, I couldn’t engage in our usual conversation since my mind was preoccupied with thoughts. Princess Kanabi also seemed to be lost in thought and didn’t say much.
“…….”
“”
Amidst our silence, the treatment was finished.
“Your Highness.”
“I’m not thinking of giving up, so don’t worry.”
“It might be that there is no next time.”
“What?”
“It’s related to what I had mentioned about meeting with Bishop Haman.”
Princess Kanabi couldn’t hide her flustered expression.
“You did say that I absolutely needed to meet him.”
“Yes.”
“I made a mistake. There was something I should have told you, that’s why I should’ve met him. But I misunderstood and refused to meet him.”
Princess Kanabi was very sharp.
Without saying much, she seemed to have figured out the difficulty I had experienced.
“I was foolish.”
“Shall I tell you?”
“No, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I’ve already caused enough trouble.”
“Why are you so calm when your life is at stake?”
“Maybe because I’ve been in situations like this since I was young, I find myself laughing in the face of real danger.”
It wasn’t exactly a time to laugh.
“I will try to find a cure.”
“Are you saying you think we won’t catch it even if we send people again?”
“…Well.”
“From the look on your face, I see that you’re more worried about not being able to find it than not being able to catch it.”
Without realizing it, I touched my face.
“It’s all over your face. And yet, you’re surprised?”
“Your Highness, you’re just too good at reading me. I’m not that bad at controlling my expressions.”
Princess Kanabi, who had been tilting her head at my words, responded.
“Maybe it’s because I care so much that I can read your expressions so well.”
“”
“Please continue sending people into the labyrinth steadily. I will do my best to develop a cure. In fact, it’s not so different from the work I’ve been doing up until now.”
Even if things weren’t looking good, I thought it was better to think positively than negatively.
Even if the sky were to fall, there’s always a way out.
The weight on my shoulders had grown heavier, but taking a more difficult path didn’t mean it was impossible.
“Don’t think about dying. Hold onto hope and do everything you can. I will help you along the way.”
I truly hoped that Princess Kanabi wouldn’t lose hope and give up on everything.