◇ ◇ ◇
It was the day after my meal with Sophia and Selma.
Since I was set to begin my exploration of the Great Labyrinth tomorrow, I headed to a general store I’d been frequenting for years to stock up on consumables like recovery potions.
"Gramps, hello."
"Oh, Orun. It’s been a while..."
The shopkeeper was a man around sixty with a long, snow-white beard. I had been a regular here since I first arrived in this city as a novice explorer. Even when I was barely scraping by, he’d give me discounts, offer me prototypes for free, and occasionally share the kind of wisdom only a senior in life could provide. I owed him a great deal.
"It hasn't been that long. I was just here four days ago."
"Was it only that? My mistake. Business has picked up lately, and I’ve had many more people to talk to."
"I'm glad to hear it's booming."
"Ho ho ho. It’s all thanks to you, Orun."
"I haven't done anything. It’s just that your products are top-notch."
"I know the truth, lad. I know you’ve been promoting my shop. Even though you’ve become a top-tier explorer, you still use my little store—and you even go out of your way to spread the word. I’m truly grateful to you."
The old man’s sudden sincerity caught me off guard.
"Where is this coming from? If anyone should be grateful, it’s me."
"Gratitude should be shared whenever the mood strikes. You have to say these things while you still can."
He had a point. Partings often came without warning. Say it while you still can. I was always learning something from him.
And yet, I realized with a pang of guilt that I might not be able to repay his kindness anymore.
"...Gramps, I’m sorry. The truth is, I’m not a member of the Hero Party anymore. I probably won’t be able to promote the shop the way I used to."
Until now, I’d used the Hero Party’s reputation to help him. I wasn’t famous on my own. Without that title, my influence on the public was essentially zero.
When I confessed that I’d left the party and could no longer help his business, the old man simply reached out and patted my head, his expression as gentle as ever.
"What are you worrying about, child? It’s been nearly nine years since we met. For nine years, you’ve kept a fossil like me company. That alone is more than enough. Don’t give it another thought. Besides, it’s up to me to make sure the customers you brought in stay. You’ve done plenty. Thank you."
"No... thank you."
His kindness hit me harder than I expected, and I found I couldn't hold back my tears.
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have cried. But it seemed being kicked out of the Hero Party had left a deeper scar on my heart than I’d realized. When Oliver—someone I’d been with since birth—cast me aside, it felt like my entire life had been rejected. Being affirmed by this man, who had known me for nearly a decade, felt like a salvation I didn't know I needed.
He had always listened to my complaints. He had always helped me. He had always been on my side.
I didn't have any family left, and in my heart, I thought of him as my own grandfather. I can never betray this man. I made a silent, firm vow to myself.
◇
After stocking up at the shop and doing a light warm-up against some magic beasts in the Labyrinth, I headed to the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky Headquarters to finalize the details for tomorrow’s Guided Exploration.
"...The interior is just as impressive."
I’d seen the building from the outside many times, but this was the first time I’d ever stepped through the doors. The lounge was easily as grand as the lobby of a luxury hotel—the kind of place the Marquis House used to host parties for the Hero Party. Even with my limited knowledge of decor, I could tell the furnishings were incredibly valuable.
"You're here, Orun."
Selma was sitting in the lounge’s rest area. She stood up to greet me as soon as I entered.
"Good evening, Selma-san. This is a magnificent headquarters."
"Thank you. We put a lot of effort into the entrance to make an impression, though the rest of the building isn't quite this lavish. Come, I’ll show you the way."
I followed her deeper into the complex. As she had mentioned, the further we went, the more the quality of the decor leveled off, though it was still far more impressive than anything most explorers would ever see.
She led me into a room that looked like a boardroom. A man in his early thirties was already seated there. He wore the black and blue colors of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, with the clan’s crest embroidered on his chest.
Is he an administrator? He has quite the aura for a clerk.
"Orun, let me introduce you. This is the Grandmaster of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, Vince Briars."
I see. The man at the top. That explained the heavy presence he radiated.
Given the high stakes of this Guided Exploration, I’d expected an executive to be present to vet an outsider like me. But to have the leader himself show up? I wondered what he was after. A man in his position surely wasn't lacking for things to do.
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Vince Briars. I’ve heard many rumors about you, and I’ve been wanting to speak with you for some time. When I heard you were coming today, I decided to make an appearance."
Rumors? I wasn't famous, and the Hero Party had always kept my information to a minimum. I couldn't imagine what stories he’d heard.
"I’m Orun Doura. It’s an honor to meet the Grandmaster."
"There’s no need to be so guarded. I’m aware you’ve left the Hero Party. There’s no reason for us to play games or probe for ulterior motives, is there?"
I couldn't read him at all. Usually, a person’s thoughts bled into their expressions at least a little—unless they were a high-ranking noble—but this man was a total cipher.
Historically, the sponsors of the Hero Party and the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky belonged to rival factions. When the two parties had been on the same floors, our sponsors had often ordered us to commit various acts of sabotage. It had been exhausting. I’d hated being dragged into noble politics, and while I never did anything inhumane, we were constantly being forced to trip each other up.
Eventually, the Hero Party pulled ahead and the Silver Rabbit faced internal issues, so the petty interference had died down. Still, I doubted the Silver Rabbit’s sponsors were happy about the current state of affairs.
"...I suppose not. I was told I’d receive a detailed briefing on tomorrow’s mission?"
"Yes. Selma will handle the specifics."
"The core plan is as we discussed yesterday," Selma began. "We will clear from the 1st Floor to the 51st Floor of the Great Labyrinth in three days. Specifically, we hit the 21st Floor on day one, the 36th on day two, and reach the 51st on day three."
Hearing it again didn't make it sound any less insane. Whoever designed this plan clearly didn't understand the Labyrinth and had likely only listened to the bragging of overconfident elites.
"...We’re taking rookies, so I assume these are day trips?"
"Correct. Staying overnight in the Labyrinth would be far too much of a mental strain for new recruits."
If we took the absolute shortest routes and had high-ranking explorers handle the floor bosses, it might be possible. Barely.
"As for the magic beasts along the way, we have ten rookie parties participating. We’ll rotate them to handle enemies in our path. Any magic beasts that ambush us from the sides or rear will be handled by the instructors."
'Instructors' meaning me, Selma, and the other elites. If ten parties were rotating the workload and we handled the surprises, the burden on the rookies would be significantly reduced. Mathematically, they’d be doing less than a tenth of the fighting they’d normally face. Though, considering the travel distance, the physical exhaustion would probably be a wash.
"There are five instructors in total, including Orun and myself. Each of us will be responsible for two rookie parties. Your job is to intervene if your assigned parties get into a pinch. In the Upper Floors, let them manage their own battle formations. Once we hit the 31st Floor—the Middle Floors—I want the instructors to take command of the battles."
The Great Labyrinth of the South was divided into four tiers: the Upper Floors (1–30), the Middle Floors (31–60), the Lower Floors (61–90), and the Deep Floors (91+). Naturally, the further down you went, the deadlier the beasts and the more massive the floors became.
Explorers were ranked accordingly: C-Rank for the Upper Floors, B-Rank for Middle, A-Rank for Lower, and S-Rank for the Deep Floors.
"That’s the gist of it. Any questions?"
I had a million, but I knew they were aware of the flaws in the plan and were moving forward anyway. I decided to ask the one that bothered me most.
"Just one. Why only five instructors? With a schedule this reckless, wouldn't it be safer to bring multiple A-Rank parties and have the elites clear the entire path?"
"That... well, the goal is to get the rookies to the 51st Floor, yes. But this is a rare opportunity for them to explore with high-ranking support. It would be a waste of a teaching moment to simply do everything for them, wouldn't it?"
Total lies. This mission was about results, not education. The Silver Rabbit knew that. There had to be another reason they were keeping the numbers low, but they weren't going to tell me.
Selma was usually easy to read, and I probably could have baited the truth out of her, but with Vince Briars sitting right there, it was too risky. I didn't want to dig my own grave.
"Understood. It sounds like a grueling three days, but I'll cooperate."
"Glad to hear it. As for compensation, we’re offering two gold coins upfront and ten upon completion. Does that work for you?"
The pay was incredibly high. Currency in this world was divided into seven denominations: iron, small copper, large copper, small silver, large silver, gold, and platinum. Each was worth ten of the previous coin. To put it in perspective, a single gold coin could support an average person for an entire month.
"I have no complaints, but... isn't that a bit much?"
"It’s a reflection of how much we value your skills, Orun. We’re counting on you."
"I understand. I'll give it everything I've got."
Vince Briars remained silent until the very end. I left the room wondering what the Grandmaster had actually come for.