The third trial of the dungeon is right in front of me. I just have to wait for the lethargic metal bars to retract back into the ceiling. I contemplate ducking under when there's enough space but decide to keep my dignity intact. Close-call transitions through slowly moving barriers are reserved for high-tension situations only, after all.

When the portcullis is fully open, I walk into the small room, more of an extension to the hallway I was in. There's a wall a few meters ahead of me and a turn to the right. The labyrinthine makeup of the space is a good indicator of its hidden objective.

The Announcer proclaims, confirming my theory, "Third trial! Find your way out."

A quick scan reveals that the optimal route is hundreds of kilometers long, teeming with obstacles, both inanimate and very animated. Not ideal. It would take me hours to traverse, eating into my remaining time.

I approach the wall and strike it with as much force as I can muster. Ouchie. This is what it would probably feel like to punch a wall straight out of a physics textbook.

"Hey!" the Announcer chastises playfully. "No making your own shortcuts. Find 'em out like everybody else."

"Could I get a hint, please?"

There's a muffled groan of frustration, carrying great internal strife. "But the game... Oh, fine. Next time, don't hit so hard."

"That's very helpful. Thank you, Announcer. Could you also shrink the distance to the exit?" I lift up my left leg and move it at the knee, producing some fake popping and snapping noises. "Bad knee."

"Ooh, I wish I could. But once the house is built, you can't change it."

"No. You famously can."

"Really? ...That makes a lot of sense, actually. But this isn't a house."

I simply hum in acknowledgement and start running. Trying to keep my journey as uneventful as possible, I avoid any patrolling monsters and the obvious traps.

With nothing exciting happening, I decide to probe my host about something quite important. "Announcer?" I ask, my voice understandable enough due to the energy shield blocking the wind.

"Mm-hmm?" The reply is as crystal-clear as ever, almost like it's originating inside my mind.

"What happens if you don't get any challengers for a long time?"

The Announcer makes a vaguely disgusted sound, almost close to gagging. "Such a drab question."

"Why would it be? If it ever happens, Goddess forbid, you should be prepared, no? Nothing drab about being prepared. It's only proactive." A wall that suspiciously flinched when I looked at it receives a soft knock, shimmering away. Minus ten kilometers.

"Huh. So you're saying that depending on how you look at a situation, it can vastly change the way you perceive it... You really know your stuff, Challenger. Hmm. I am prepared, yes. You know what they say, if the challengers don't come to you, you just gotta go to the challengers."

"How would you do that?"

"Fliers?" It sheepishly adds, "I haven't really thought it through any further than that."

"Where would you post those fliers?"

The Announcer makes an unintelligible sound of uncertainty. "Bulletin board?"

"And how would you make the fliers?"

"I'm a traditional art kinda guy."

"Opposed to?"

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"Non-traditional? Is this a trick question again? I guess what's traditional is also subjective. And I'm not really that good with computers. Why do they have to constantly change the user interface?" The Announcer's voice gets passionate. "You learn it, and then they change it. So now you have to learn it again and forget all the stuff you learned. But then they change it a third time, and it all gets jumbled up inside your head. So you just give up." It finishes its rant with a prolonged string of mumbled grumbles.

"When was the last time you used a computer?"

"Uhh, I don't remember. Never? Crayons are my favorite. What do you like to draw with, Challenger?"

"I don't know. I've never drawn before."

"That's really sad. You should try it," the Announcer says. Then it sounds like it's chuckling with its hands covering its mouth. "Too bad you'll have to wait until the game's over to experience what joy it is." Subdued chuckles can be heard again.

After running for a few more minutes, my progress is looking quite good. I should be able to avoid any encounters and fill up my magical stores. A cube-shaped red slime, taking up a whole passage on my left, is not given a second glance as I run past it and take the scenic route.

The Announcer presumably observes me for a while longer and then speaks up, "You're really good at navigating. Have you been here before? I would have remembered you, though..."

"First time. Does the labyrinth not change?"

The Announcer answers distractedly, "It does."

"How would have that helped, then?"

"Ooh... Right. Are you using radar?"

"What do you take me for? I employ an extensive combination of highly advanced technologies to map space. With your warp and gravity disruptions, I am somewhat limited, but not nearly enough to make me stoop so low. If I wanted my results in ten to twelve business days and with enough noise to make me go deaf, then I would use radar. Primitive."

"Okay... Touchy subject. Sorry I asked." Remarkable. The Announcer's replies and interpersonal skills feel so real. It almost resembles... "Hey, Challenger?"

"Yes?"

"What do you like to do for fun? I like talking to challengers the most. After that, I like the game we play."

"Is that all?"

"Hmm." The Announcer appears to be deep in thought. "Petting zoos seem like they'd be fun. Do you think challengers would like it if they could pet my blobbies? Like, while resting."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"Hrmm... They are pretty sticky." The Announcer waits silently. Then it adds, "You challengers should wash your hands better." My host waits for another moment and then starts laughing at its own joke. After an eye-watering amount of giggling, it sighs and says, "You never answered. What do you like to do for fun?"

"Spend time with my friends."

"Aww, that's so wholesome. Can I be your friend? We're already spending time together."

"Sure."

Its voice is filled with joy. "Really! This is the best day ever!" Then it coughs, somewhat apologetically. "But I'll still call you 'Challenger' while my game's going on. It's very important to stick to the rules."

"I don't mind."

"Phew. You're the best! Bring your friends next time."

"I'll have to ask them."

"They'll obviously say yes. Everyone likes playing my game. How many friends do you have? Wait! Let me guess... A hundred!"

"Not that many."

"One!"

"Between one and a hundred."

The Announcer replies, it's voice full of wonder, "Your friends are a complex number..."

I drone out, "'Cuz they're imaginary?"

The Announcer giggles. "Hey, you said it. So, between one and a hundred. That's a lot of friends. Theoretically. Who do you spend the most time with?"

"...Elisa."

"Is she your best friend?"

"Yes."

"What's she like?"

"Are you really interested in that information?"

"Yeah. I want to learn everything about the challengers. It's fun."

"...Okay. Elisa is amazing. She... She's intelligent and curious. Understanding everything I know like she discovered it herself. Always eager to learn new things. I guess you two have that in common. And so, so kind. She accepted me for who I am… and for who I was. Without her... I would have probably been long dead."

"Wow... You must really love her. What a great friend! Does she like pretzels?"

"Indifferent."

"How about donuts?"

"She does."

"I like the ones filled with the weird fruit jams. Too bad I've never had any. What do you do together?"

"Train, cook, eat, watch shows, play games—"

"You play games!" the Announcer excitedly interrupts. "What kinda games? Like mine?"

"Not exactly. Video games."

"Also quite fun. Base management is my favorite genre. What's yours?"

"I enjoy role-playing games."

"That must be so much fun to play with others. Playing together is always the most fun. That's why my game is the way that it is."

"Can you change your game?"

"Hrmm... Nope! Doesn't work."

"How about the rules? Can you change them to make your game even more fun?"

"The rules are the rules because they don't change. If the rules changed, then they wouldn't be the rules anymore."

"I see. Thank you for trying."

"You're welcome! Does Elisa like magnesium?"

"As a food or as a metal?"

"Both!"

"'No' for food. 'Maybe' for metal. Magnesium is pretty interesting. Lots of possible alloys."

"You have great taste, Challenger. Personally, I find it too gummy."

With the Announcer asking any and all questions it can think of, the time spent journeying through the labyrinth passes surprisingly fast, feeling almost close to enjoyable. Five hours later, I reach the end. Once through the grindingly slow portcullis, I am faced with a choice.

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