“Suddenly, the puppets started moving on their own…?”

Having listened to the story up to this point, this was the detail that stood out to me the most. From what Alto had told me—or to be more precise, from what I’d gathered through accounts from Lene’s former party members—I had always assumed Shion had deliberately commanded her puppets to immobilize everyone else and use them as bait.

However, that wasn’t the truth.

I glanced at Flair, Tetra, and Lycia—and then at Iris, whose expression was complicated, and the person beside her, Bran.

That day, Shion experienced the same phenomenon we had. In other words, Shion awakened as a puppet master, and as a result, her puppets began moving of their own accord. It seemed the puppets had acted to fulfill Shion's desperate wish—to survive at any cost.

Even if it meant sacrificing everyone but Shion.

Lene, who had been listening quietly until now, finally spoke.

“…I understand the situation now.”

“…You believe this story? It’s quite fantastical, don’t you think?”

“Of course I do. I’ve always known that you aren’t the type of person who would willingly hurt us.”

“…!”

Faced with Lene’s unwavering, sincere gaze, Shion's eyes widened in surprise.

“I must admit, I’m a little shocked you believed it so readily,” Shion said.

“Is it really that surprising? Given the precedents set by Ike and Iris, I find it quite reasonable. Or perhaps, in this case, we should consider Shion to be the precedent?”

“…It doesn’t really matter either way,” Shion muttered.

“Let’s return to the matter at hand, then,” Lene said with a small cough.

“I understand now that your puppets began moving autonomously. But what concerns me most is what happened afterward. Could you explain how you ended up under the influence of brainwashing magic and came to command demons?”

“…I understand,” Shion replied with a nod.

After a pause, she continued.

“After we were separated, the puppets carried me as they tried to reach the surface. But on the fifth floor, we were attacked by monsters, and the puppets were destroyed. Left alone, I somehow managed to escape to an area devoid of monsters.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but ask, “But right after you escaped, didn’t Lene and the others retreat as well? Didn’t you cross paths?”

“Unlike Lene, I lacked the strength to fight my way out, so I took a route that avoided monsters entirely. Because of that, I never encountered Lene and her party, who were taking the shortest path to escape.”

“I see.”

Satisfied with her explanation, I nodded. Shion continued her story.

“Alone in the Septem Labyrinth, I resigned myself to death. The fifth floor is not a place adventurers would challenge casually unless they were exceptionally skilled. But even so, I thought it was a fitting end for someone who had betrayed her comrades, no matter the circumstances.”

But then, Shion added with a grim tone, “It was at that moment of despair that he appeared.”

“Well, well. To think I would encounter such an extraordinary individual in a place like this. I had come merely to observe whether the Hero would reach the seventh floor, yet here you are.”

Before Shion stood a man.

No, not just any man.

He was clad in jet-black attire, and a single horn protruded from his forehead.

Recognizing the inhuman figure before her, Shion cried out, “A demon!? Why is a demon here!?”

Indeed, Shion immediately realized what he was—an enemy of humanity.

Despite her hostility, the demon only chuckled in amusement.

“Oh, come now, there’s no need to be so on edge. I have no intention of harming you.”

“Liar! As if I could believe you! What’s your goal!?”

“To grant you power.”

“…What do you mean?”

Faced with his absurd claim, Shion momentarily forgot her animosity and tilted her head in confusion. Why would an enemy of humanity offer her power?

The demon smiled and spoke.

“The abilities you possess as a Puppeteer are both unique and formidable. If you could fully realize your potential, you would gain a power so immense it could even defeat the Hero.”

“…I’ve never desired such a thing.”

“Really? Yet just moments ago, it seemed as though you were quite intent on killing the Hero yourself.”

“That’s not true! That wasn’t of my own will…”

“Whether it was your will or not is irrelevant. What matters is that your power drove the Hero to the brink of death. That is the only truth.”

“No… That’s not… I didn’t…”

Under normal circumstances, Shion would have vehemently denied the demon’s words. But the guilt she carried toward Lene and the crushing exhaustion clouded her judgment.

Her mind was a swirling storm of confusion.

“Hmm. That should suffice.”

The demon extended his hand toward Shion’s head.

A sinister, jet-black magic gathered in his palm. The moment it touched her, Shion felt her consciousness fade, as though drifting far away.

“Now, nameless Puppeteer, you shall serve as my pawn and slay countless Heroes.”

Those were the final words she remembered.