With Nanahoshi's help, Rudeus gains a way to shorten his journey, but he and Elinalise will still need to hurry if they hope to return before Sylphie gives birth. Their first obstacle: the harsh desert of Begaritt and its monstrous denizens.

With Roxy's rescue, the search for Zenith resumes in earnest. Rudeus reconnects with his mentor amid the perils of the labyrinth. But why does she seem a little more awkward around him than before?