The Whispering Water of the Death Maze
“Everyone here?”
Seneca’s deep, resounding voice echoed through the clearing, sharp and commanding. Unlike the usual simple classroom scene, today there were more people gathered than just the trainees. Five assistant priests in long robes appeared like shadows and lined up behind the trainees, forming a protective wall.
“Let’s begin. Move out.”
The priests advanced without hesitation toward the forest interior. The trainees followed, hesitant and in clusters, while the five assistant priests guarded the rear of the line.
“This way.”
Seneca whistled casually as he stepped into a dark side path. Arkin, trailing the unhurried priests, suddenly felt his ankle grow cool. Although he couldn’t see it with his eyes, the transparent stream flowing around his ankle was unmistakably there. He was clearly swimming against the current.
Did the others really not feel this mysterious water flow? Curious, Arkin scanned the surroundings closely. But the other trainees showed no sign of interest—they weren’t even glancing at their ankles like he was. They simply walked quietly along the narrow path.
…Nefetia?
Arkin turned his head over his shoulder. As expected. The moment their eyes met, Nefetia pointed at the ground. She tilted her head in question, as if asking, “Arkin, can you feel it?” Arkin answered with a subtle nod.
“Priest! Everything’s ready!”
From the opposite side of the path, a group of laborers called out cheerfully. The dirt-streaked men carrying shovels on their shoulders grinned at Seneca and quickly moved aside. Since only the priests would face Valdemar’s wrath directly, the laborers secretly enjoyed this covert conspiracy.
“Um… Priest?”
Titus pushed his way through the crowd of burly laborers and approached, watching Seneca closely. The young priest stood right beside him, waiting for a cue.
“Um… Priest. Is this really okay? Without the High Priest’s permission…”
Titus’s voice trembled slightly with nerves. While he had helped prepare, he looked inwardly uneasy about rushing into the maze lesson without Valdemar present.
However, Seneca turned to him with a calm, knowing smile.
“Titus. Would I start something I wasn’t prepared for?”
“But…”
Before Titus could finish, Seneca chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder.
“The High Priest is more distracted than ever these days. It’s only right to give him a little surprise.”
“Y-yes…”
Titus bit his lip hard. He couldn’t read Seneca’s mind at all. Had the priest done this on purpose? Was he setting a trap to test Valdemar’s reaction? After all, he wasn’t the kind of man who acted rashly without a plan.
Even this morning, the Chief Priest had shown no intention of running the maze lesson. The moment he made up his mind, things moved at lightning speed. In less than an hour the preparations were complete. Whatever was happening, since the priest was taking responsibility, they had no choice but to follow.
Titus slowed his pace and stepped to the rear of the line with a stern expression. The trainees, unaware of the assistant priests’ anxious faces, buzzed with excitement for the new class.
“Finally something interesting! Way better than writing poetry!”
Kaichen’s loud, whiny voice rang out, and blue sparks crackled at the tips of his flying white-platinum hair. The lightning prince, who had looked miserable the entire writing period as if he were receiving corporal punishment, now looked especially energetic among the trainees. Petra from Stonegard countered him by straightening her shoulders.
“Even if there’s something over there, I’m definitely taking first place.”
And then…
“The maze is literally called the Death Maze. Is that really fine? What if we get trapped inside?”
Amalfi trembled like a delicate flower stem in the wind. Beside her, Elio looked equally pale.
“Quiet, everyone! We’re here.”
Seneca drew their attention. The trainees turned in the direction he pointed and gasped at the same moment.
“Wow.”
The entrance to the maze looked like a lush green wall. The dense thicket of foliage left no gaps for light, and the sheer height made them crane their necks to look up.
“Hold on.”
Petra, still staring blankly at the overwhelming green barrier, suddenly snapped out of it.
“We came here during the island tour too… but this is twice as big.”
“That’s for sure.”
Elio swallowed hard. Facing the massive wall, human figures felt tiny. Seneca, who had been scanning the barrier, chuckled.
“It’s natural now that the entire island is in chaos. You don’t need to be overly scared.”
He turned back to the trainees and clapped his hands.
“From now on, we begin the Death Maze class.”
“Re-really? It’s fine?”
Amalfi shrank back in fear.
“It’s fine, Amalfi. It’ll be safe. I promise.”
Stella approached quietly and patted Amalfi’s back, but the princess still looked unconvinced.
“I’m scared. I can’t do it. It looks dark and dangerous…”
“That’s why this is a class. You have to practice overcoming fear.”
Seneca shot back, annoyed.
“I’ve said it a hundred times. We’ve prepared everything safely. It’ll be a fun activity. All dangerous traps are removed, the difficulty is adjusted to the situation, and if you get lost, the assistant priests will rescue you immediately. Isn’t that right, priests?”
“Yes! Correct!”
The assistant priests behind Seneca echoed him loudly. Seneca gave the trainees a faint smile.
“Then let’s pair up.”
“Again with that weird stick lottery like last time?”
The moment the word “pair” left his mouth, Petra jumped in eagerly.
“Of course…”
Seneca’s gaze drifted to Amalfi. He had been staring at her small, shrinking shoulders. Suddenly he changed his mind and nodded.
“This time, you decide for yourself. The priests would get tired of you fighting inside the maze.”
“Then Elio, I’m taking you!”
Before the permission was even fully given, Petra snatched Elio’s arm. The slender prince flinched, but his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, and he obediently stood beside her.
“What about me? Who am I with?”
Amalfi was about to panic and look around when Stella appeared silently, pulled her close, and whispered something long and urgent into the princess’s ear.
“Wha—?”
Amalfi’s eyes widened, then slowly filled with color.
“Really? For real?”
“Mhm.”
Stella smiled gently and stroked Amalfi’s back. That single kind gesture was far stronger than a hundred words. Amalfi’s rigid expression finally began to soften.
“Kaichen, take care of Amalfi.”
Kaichen, who had been distracted elsewhere, stared at Amalfi being pushed toward him and blushed furiously.
“M-me and Amalfi?”
“Yes. Stop staring at Serena. This is where you belong now.”
Stella tugged Kaichen’s arm and made him stand face to face with Amalfi. Kaichen, who had been glancing around the whole time, scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment at being caught.
“O-okay. I’ll pair with Amalfi.”
“Good. Do your best.”
Stella turned to her own pair and approached.
“…Zafiri. Let’s do this together.”
Stella and Zafiri had never crossed paths before, but the unhesitating way Stella came to him made a mysterious smile bloom on his lips.
“You chose me as your destiny partner?”
“Your fortune is good today.”
Stella curved her lips into a gentle smile.
A little apart, Arkin and Nefetia stood together. As the two people who had found each other first, they were quietly watching the others pair up.
“Arkin.”
Nefetia poked Arkin’s side.
“Those two… don’t they match better than expected?”
“Yeah. Unexpected, huh?”
Arkin smiled in agreement. Like how a calm night-sky star from Astraria paired perfectly with the lively vine prince of the sunlit day, they looked beautifully harmonious.
“So, Arkin, you’re coming with me?”
“You want me to confirm?”
Arkin slid his hand into Nefetia’s for a moment before letting go—answering her sweet question. If he could, he would have kept holding her hand, but they held back out of awareness of the others’ eyes and stood a careful step apart.
“Everyone has paired up. We draw lots to decide the order. There’s only one entrance, so we go in one by one.”
Seneca pulled out a lottery tube and spun it around the trainees. While they waited, Arkin stared at the endless maze wall. Suddenly he glanced down at his ankle again. The water flow had grown noticeably stronger. It wasn’t as heavy as real water, but it offered a slight resistance around his calves.
“Ar… Arkin? That current…”
Nefetia, who had been looking down like him, whispered softly.
“…It feels like it’s centered there?”
“…Me too.”
The two of them standing side by side turned their gazes slowly toward the maze entrance. Despite the grim name “Death Maze,” a fresh, earthy scent and the sweet fragrance of flowers drifted endlessly from the shaded interior.