“Just as I expected…”
On the morning of the second day of our guided exploration, I was going through my daily routine of reading the newspaper.
The front page featured a headline announcing that the Hero Party had replaced their Enchanter. The article read as follows:
『Sources indicate that the Hero Party replaced their Enchanter yesterday. We secured an exclusive interview and have recorded the details of that session below.
First and foremost, the primary reason for the change was the incompetence of the previous Enchanter, Orun Doura. The leader of the Hero Party, Sword Saint Oliver, understood that an Enchanter is an essential presence for any Labyrinth conquest; this is why he had included Orun Doura in the party until now.
However, Sword Saint Oliver was unaware that Orun Doura’s skills were far below that of even an average Enchanter. This means the Hero Party achieved the unparalleled feat of reaching the 94th Floor of the Great Labyrinth of the South while burdened by such an unskilled member.
Philly Carpenter, who joined the party yesterday, is an explorer formerly active in the Great Labyrinth of the West. Her abilities are said to nearly rival those of Selma Claudel of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, who is hailed as the “Continent’s Greatest Enchanter.”
With this new comrade, expectations for the Hero Party’s further conquest of the Great Labyrinth continue to soar, whether one likes it or not.』
The publisher of this article has deep ties with the Hero Party’s sponsors, effectively giving them a monopoly on any information regarding the group. Even so, I felt they didn’t need to go quite this far to smear my name…
There were two other major publishers in the city, but neither covered the Hero Party; they focused primarily on the movements of other clans and parties.
“I wish they could have at least waited until the guided exploration was over,” I muttered.
The looks of envy the rookies gave me yesterday would likely turn to contempt now. I was especially worried about Logan from the Tenth Unit. I was supposed to take command of them in the Middle Floors starting today, but I doubted a man with his ego would be willing to follow my orders now.
“Hah… no use dwelling on it. I might as well head to the plaza.”
◇
“Orun-san!”
As I walked toward the assembly point, a voice called out from behind me. I turned to see a beautiful girl with indigo hair that flowed down to her waist. Her name was Luna Flockhart—a Supporter for the Hero Party.
Back when I was with the group and the other members' treatment of me was slowly deteriorating, she was the only one who never changed. She hadn't been at the mansion we shared when I was kicked out, having been away on business at her family home. If Luna had been there, perhaps things wouldn't have ended the way they did.
Then again, Oliver probably chose that specific timing because she wasn't around. In the end, it was likely just a matter of time.
Thinking like this made it feel as though I still had lingering attachments to them. I thought I’d already moved on.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Orun-san?”
“…I suppose so.”
In reality, it had only been four days, but seeing Luna’s face made it feel like an eternity.
“I’m sorry for stopping you right before you dive into the Great Labyrinth.”
Luna seemed to know I was assisting the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. Information regarding a major clan like that traveled fast. I’d been bracing myself for Oliver or the others to come pick a fight, but based on that article, I wasn't even worth their notice. My worries had been for nothing.
“No, it’s fine. Did you need something?”
“Well…”
Luna’s eyes drifted downward for a moment, hesitating, before she looked me in the eye again.
“Orun-san, won’t you come back to the party? We need your strength!”
I’d had a feeling she would say that. She had always been the one to value my contributions.
“…Is that the consensus of the party? Because this morning’s article suggests otherwise.”
“It’s… my own decision. But! If you agree to come back, I’ll do everything in my power to persuade them!”
Her eyes were dead serious. She truly intended to talk them around.
—But it was already too late for all that.
“It’s impossible for me to return now that an article like that is in circulation. Besides, I have no intention of going back.”
“How can you say that? We promised, didn’t we? That we’d conquer the Great Labyrinth together!”
“That was a promise between the three of us—you, me, and Oliver. Since Oliver was the one who kicked me out, that promise became void a long time ago.”
“That might be true, but…”
“…Sorry. I’m going to be late, so I have to go.”
I was being a bit blunt, but it would have been a hassle if she kept pushing. I turned my back on Luna and continued toward the plaza.
◇
When I arrived at the plaza, the rookies all turned their eyes toward me. However, their gaze was no longer filled with the admiration of yesterday; now, it was tinged with confusion.
I couldn’t blame them. Their expectations had been stoked to the limit yesterday, only for that article to drop this morning.
“Orun, I’m sorry.”
Selma-san apologized as she came up beside me.
“You have nothing to apologize for, Selma-san.”
“But I was the one who used you as bait to fire up the rookies yesterday. Their reaction is a direct backlash from that.”
Selma-san, who usually exuded nothing but confidence, looked uncharacteristically dejected. She was clearly taking it to heart.
“You’ll fail the guided exploration if you stay like that. I’ll provide proper support, so please, hold your head high. That’s the Selma-san I know.”
“…Hah. You certainly have a way with words. To think I’d be lectured by you. Very well, I shall carry on as usual. I’m counting on your support.”
Her voice regained its usual strength. That was more like her.
“Understood. Leave it to me.”