When I made my way toward the rookie parties I’d be supervising, I found eight boys and girls waiting for me.
I caught the children whispering excitedly among themselves. "Yes! It’s the Hero!"
I’m not the Hero, though...
Checking the roster, I saw that the Ninth Unit had five members, while the Tenth Unit only had three. Sophia was among those in the Tenth.
Still, for a rookie, she’d managed to survive on her own for a decent length of time despite being cornered by over ten Orcs. It wasn't an exaggeration to call her a rising star.
By the way, Sophia was now wearing the same uniform as the other rookies. Honestly, I thought her previous outfit was cuter.
"I’m Orun, as Selma-san introduced me earlier. I’ll be in your care for the next three days."
When I offered my greeting, the rookies shouted back in unison, "We look forward to working with you!"
"So, is someone from the Tenth Unit running late?" I asked.
In theory, a party should consist of five people—six at most. If there are too few, the group might lack the utility to handle unforeseen situations. If there are too many, the difficulty of coordination skyrockets. Furthermore, Magic Beasts are naturally drawn to larger groups, and if a party is too big, it becomes difficult for the Defender to draw all the aggression onto themselves. For those reasons, five is currently considered the optimal number.
"No, we’re a three-person party," answered a boy with golden hair and purple eyes from the Tenth Unit.
The gender breakdown was three boys and two girls for the Ninth Unit, and one boy and two girls for the Tenth.
"A three-person party? That’s unusual," I muttered, letting my surprise slip through.
Risk increases as party size decreases. This clan was too experienced to not understand that, so why did they settle on a three-person composition? From what I’d seen earlier, there were two six-person parties nearby. They could have easily moved one member from each of those to the Tenth Unit. Since they were still rookies, reshuffling parties should have been a simple matter.
"That’s because there’s no one who can keep up with us," the boy said with absolute confidence.
I see. Because they were high-potential rookies, their skill levels were simply too far beyond their peers. Even so, this boy already had quite the ego for his age. Among Explorers, there are those whose attitudes inflate in direct proportion to their power. Seeing him like this now made me worry about his future.
...Wait, is personality correction part of my job description too?
No, the clan must have some kind of plan. Yes, that had to be it. If that were the case, it wouldn't be right for an outsider like me to interfere on a whim. It certainly wasn't because I found the idea of dealing with it a total hassle. Definitely not.
"I see. Well, if everyone is here, then there’s no problem. We don't have much time, so could you tell me your names and positions?"
I had them introduce themselves one by one. After the Ninth Unit finished, it was the Tenth’s turn.
"I’m the leader of this party, Logan Hayward. My position is Enchanter, and I’m the man who will eventually surpass Selma-san."
So this kid was the Tenth Unit's Enchanter. In the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, the standard protocol was for the Enchanter to serve as the tactical commander during combat. I was already feeling a bit uneasy about this boy being in charge...
However, there was a chance his combat leadership was actually solid. I wouldn't know for sure until I saw them in a real fight.
"Right. Good luck with that. Next."
"Heeey! My name is Caroline Inglot. My position is Defender!"
Next was a girl with emerald eyes and slightly frizzy auburn hair that reached down to her waist. Her height and general appearance were typical for her age, though a few of her features were surprisingly well-developed. I won’t specify which, though. Regardless, she seemed like an energetic kid.
Since time was short, I should have moved on, but since I already knew Sophia was next, I decided to ask Caroline something that had been bothering me.
"You don't seem to be wearing any armor. Are you planning to gear up once we enter the Labyrinth?"
"Geez, are you asking that too, big brother? I’m a Defender who doesn't use armor or shields!"
She said it with such a smug look that I didn't know how to respond. A Defender is a role meant to take the brunt of a Magic Beast's attacks to protect their allies. Armor and shields are supposed to be mandatory.
...Actually, I knew of one exception. In the S-Rank Party that rivaled the Hero Party and the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, there was a Defender who used neither.
"Are you aiming to be an Evasion-type Defender?"
"Bingo! I don't want those gross Magic Beasts touching me. But I also want to slice and dice as many of them as possible, so I became a Defender so I could stay right in their faces!"
I had half a mind to bury my face in my hands. For an Evasion-type Defender, combat experience is the only thing that translates to strength. It isn't a playstyle a rookie can just pick up, and evasion-types are notoriously vulnerable against monsters they’ve never seen before. That S-Rank woman only made it work because she possessed a very specific, special power. While one might get close to her level through desperate effort, it was impossible to truly stand on the same stage without a similar gift.
Besides, her reason for being a Defender was just so she could "slice and dice" things...
Was the Tenth Unit just a collection of problem children? No, Sophia isn't a problem child, so that’s not right—wait, come to think of it, didn't she break her promise to Selma-san and sneak into the Labyrinth alone? I guess I can’t say for certain that she isn't a handful...
"You should give up on being an evasion-type. Hasn't the clan told you it’s a bad idea?"
"Of course they have," Logan chimed in, answering for her. "But she just ignores everyone."
"Logan, you don't listen to the instructors either! You’re one to talk!"
"U-Um, please don't fight...!"
Logan and Caroline started bickering immediately, leaving Sophia to try and play peacemaker. My head was really starting to hurt now.
"Sigh... Next."
"Ah, yes! I’m Sophia Claudel! My position is Rearguard Attacker—a Mage."
Even though her introduction followed the same format as the Ninth Unit's, it was a massive relief to hear a normal response.
"Alright, I’ve got your names and faces down. I’ll be in your care for the next three days. The other units are starting to move out. Let’s head out as well."
I took the lead, following behind the Eighth Unit. Finally, we stepped into the Great Labyrinth. The Guided Exploration had officially begun.
"Once we're inside, I’ll be bringing up the rear. You guys stay close to the Seventh and Eighth Units."
I gave my instructions to the leader of the Ninth and Logan before moving to the very back of the line. Inside the Great Labyrinth, the rookies marched in two columns while the instructors maintained a high-alert perimeter, positioned at the rear and flanking the sides.
◇
"Hey, hey! Why is someone from the Hero Party helping us? Does that mean the Hero Party doesn't see our clan as rivals?"
Some time had passed since we entered the Great Labyrinth when Caroline decided to strike up a conversation. While the other rookies were stiff with nerves, this girl seemed exactly the same as she had been on the surface. I couldn't tell if she was just brave or incredibly thick-skinned.
"Didn't you listen to Selma-san? I’ve already left the Hero Party. That’s why I’m able to participate. And for the record, the Hero Party views the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky as a major threat. They were always keeping a close eye on you."
"Ehh?! Why did you leave? Being in the Hero Party is everyone’s dream! What a total waste!"
She was certainly pushy. She seemed genuine enough, but she was exactly the type of person I struggled to handle.
"It doesn't matter. It’s none of your business."
"Aw, come on! Tell me! Um, what’s the phrase... right! For my future reference!"
"............Let’s just say it was a difference in direction."
"Ooh! 'A difference in direction!' That sounds so cool!"
It was just a cliché line to dodge a question, but she seemed to love it. I didn't quite get her sense of style, but she was satisfied, so I let it be.
Unfortunately, Caroline wasn't done talking. Despite finding it a bit of a hassle, I couldn't just ignore her, so I gave her non-committal replies while keeping my focus on our surroundings.
◇ ◇ ◇
Two White Wolves—Magic Beasts resembling pale wolves—were closing in on the rear of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky's formation. They tracked the group's scent, steadily gaining ground.
However, the White Wolves never reached their prey.
The ground beneath them suddenly surged upward, impaling both beasts on earthen spears. The cause was simple: Orun had quietly cast timed magic on the floor as he walked.
The impaled wolves dissolved into black mist, leaving only their Magic Stones behind.
Even while entertaining Caroline’s chatter, Orun had sensed the monsters’ presence from far away. He had calculated exactly when the beasts would pass over a specific spot and pre-set his magic to trigger at that precise moment.
Orun had already eliminated several monsters this way since they entered the Labyrinth. If any of the beasts he’d killed had reached the group, a battle would have broken out, stalling their progress.
The other instructors were currently counting their lucky stars that so few beasts had ambushed them, entirely unaware that Orun was systematically neutralizing every threat from the shadows without anyone noticing.