"Yes... On the night before the imminent victory, I can't share this joy with my friend. I'll always remember you were my first servant who awakened me from my slumber."

Miranda sneered, pressing the sharp dinner knife against her neck.

"Your so-called victory will not happen."

White Mist watched her and chuckled softly.

"That's not necessarily true."

Miranda's pupils shrank slightly, and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What do you mean?"

The eerily omnipresent voice continued.

"You are a part of the plan, one of the pieces on the chessboard. It was supposed to be you who fulfills the destiny, but it doesn't have to be you."

A hint of madness crept into Miranda's eyes as she roared almost hysterically.

"Then go find that person! I have nothing to do with all this anymore!"

"Really? But he won't just let you go, he has sworn to find you, even if it's your corpse. He will resurrect you, which won't be hard for him to accomplish the ritual. You think death can free you from me, but in reality, death is only the beginning."

"You bastard..."

A flicker of fear in her eyes, Miranda cursed, dropped the dinner knife, and with trembling hands, reached into the suitcase, pulling out matches hidden within a compartment.

However, those omnipresent eyes just watched her, whispering softly in her brain.

"Thinking of self-immolation? Let me tell you, it's useless... Even if you burn to ashes, your soul will remain here."

Miranda: "Impossible! Don't think you can trick me!"

The voice from beyond mocked her.

"That's the truth. The labyrinth indeed consumes souls that have nowhere to run, but only if it's alive. This labyrinth is already dead; you surely didn't just realize this, hehehe..."

Her heart stopped for an instant, and Miranda's gaze plummeted into deep despair.

And it was then, that the ghostly voice continued to speak in her ear.

"Let's see... Forced fruit isn't sweet, and as for you, I'm nearly fed up."

"Then get out of my head now!" Miranda growled from her throat, repressing her emotions.

"Don't rush, I will do so... but to end this quicker, you need to do one last thing for me."

Miranda: "Don't even think about it!"

"You have the right to refuse, but... don't you want to hear me out before you make your decision?"

"..."

Miranda didn't speak, but her actions implied consent for the vague voice to continue.

He was never a great man.

He had never truly considered sacrificing himself to save others... even though this disaster had started because of him.

Perhaps Novel saw through his mind, so he never took his threats to heart.

Miranda's expression gradually contorted, clutching her head in agony, wishing she could strangle herself yet not wanting to let go of that glimmer of hope.

The voice from the darkness continued to whisper.

"You long to grow stronger, to change your destiny, so you rashly tried rituals and spells even your mentor dared not attempt. Yet, when you gambled everything, you found destiny had played a joke on you. The god you pleased was not another, but me... the true Outer God from Chaos."

"You fear me, yet I have never abandoned you, I even paved the smoothest path for you. If you just do as I say, your achievements won't be less than Linte Isaac, you would be the second Wizard King of this continent... effortlessly."

"But what did you do? You have always resisted me, your foolishness and fear of the unknown hindered your progress. I tried to steer you back on the right track, but sadly, you repeatedly cast aside your mission and fled."

"Now, the god who once favored you has grown weary of you... However, He is merciful, and even though you have let Him down more than once, He still offers you a second choice."

Miranda dropped the hands holding her head, and slowly lifted her gaze, staring blankly into the mirror.

"What do you want me to do?"

He had given up resisting.

Mired in turmoil, he understood that in the face of Deceitful Fog, any struggle was pointless.

Ghostly, secretive giggles echoed from the indescribable mist, as if pleased with his transformation.

"It's simple..."

"Help me complete the final part of the ritual."

"The story of Miranda has sunk deep into people's hearts, twenty-seven lives are enough as a sacrifice. But now, only death can settle the legend to dust!"

"We need to let a detective with piercing insight kill the undead alchemist known as Miranda."

"You want to kill me?!" Miranda gasped, a trace of fear floating in her hollow eyes.

As Novel had guessed, this fellow lacked the courage to sacrifice himself.

Therefore, he was doomed never to glimpse the truth.

"Of course not... Only when lies become truths can we successfully twist reality. The Miranda that must be killed is a fraudulent one, while the real Miranda... being you, will inherit the name of the deceased."

Miranda murmured to herself.

"So you want me to find an undead mage alchemist... where am I supposed to find one for you?"

Novel whispered with a smile.

"You don't need to look for him, he's in the labyrinth, and he's on his way here..."

...

In the depths of Mist Forest, a team of adventurers was making their way towards a town nestled within the woods.

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