Selma called out to the rookies, and the second day of the guided exploration began.
"So, Orun-san, it turns out you were kicked out of the Hero Party because you weren't good enough. Didn't you claim yesterday that it was due to a 'difference in direction'?"
As soon as we entered the Labyrinth, Logan spoke to me in a mocking tone.
Ah, right. I was feeling lazy yesterday and just gave them some vague excuse...
Maybe I shouldn't have tried to save face. Still, there was no point dwelling on what I'd already said.
"Stop the idle chatter and focus. The magic beasts here are more dangerous than the ones we saw yesterday."
"There’s no way I’d fall behind against magic beasts from the Upper Floors. I suppose for someone as lacking as you, even these floors are a struggle."
I let out a tired sigh. They say the weakest dogs bark the loudest, but I hadn't expected such a grating howl. I really wished he wouldn't assume he was more capable than me based on a single tabloid article.
"Did you not hear me? I told you to focus."
"—!? Tsk, I get it!"
I sharpened my tone and let out a hint of bloodlust. He finally shut up. Perhaps I was being a bit immature, but it was necessary.
It wasn't just Logan, either. Caroline’s attitude toward me had also shifted; she looked at me as if I were something she'd stepped in.
These brats, honestly...
Despite their attitudes, the exploration proceeded smoothly until we reached the 31st Floor. From here on, I was responsible for issuing combat instructions. I had a feeling they wouldn't follow them properly, though.
That concern was justified almost immediately.
The Tenth Unit engaged in their first battle since entering the Middle Floors. The enemies consisted of five Goblins in the foreground and a single Orc standing a short distance away.
"Caroline, draw the Goblins! Logan, provide Support Magic for Caroline. Sophia, take out the Orc in the back!"
"Hah! What a passive plan. Caroline, kill the Orc! I’ll handle the Goblins myself. Sophia, you take one of them too."
Logan ignored my orders entirely and issued his own.
What the hell is he thinking? Those instructions completely ignore their roles.
I couldn't tell if Caroline was actually following Logan’s order or if she just wanted to fight the stronger beast, but she blew right past the Goblins and charged the Orc. Logan began picking off the Goblins as he’d declared. Meanwhile, Sophia stood paralyzed, caught between the two conflicting sets of orders and unable to act.
"Tsk! You're useless!" Logan spat at Sophia while finishing off the last Goblin.
It took Caroline a little longer, but she eventually brought down the Orc. In the end, they finished the battle without a scratch.
"...What was that fight just now?" I asked as the Tenth Unit gathered back together.
Selma was nearby, but she made no move to intervene, so I continued.
"What do you mean? That’s just how we fight. We finished without a single person getting hurt," Logan replied.
"And you think that was the best way to handle that encounter?" I kept my voice calm, suppressing the urge to yell.
"Yeah. I can handle Goblins easily enough. Pitting Caroline against the Orc, the actual threat, wasn't a strange decision. You’re far too obsessed with 'theory,' Orun-san. You can't explore a Labyrinth with such a rigid mind. Oh, but I suppose that’s why you were kicked out of your party."
"...Suppose your logic just now was correct. It’s a fact that, as you said, no one was injured."
"I can at least appreciate your honesty in admitting I was right," he said, puffing out his chest.
Who does this kid think he is?
"However," I continued, "your instructions were terrible."
"Huh? What mistake did I make? Stop making things up."
"You insulted Sophia earlier, didn't you?"
"Yeah, because it was Sophia’s fault for just standing there instead of listening to me."
"You have a lot of nerve saying that while ignoring your own blunder."
"There was nothing wrong with my orders! I clearly told Sophia to kill one of the Goblins!"
"The only person who could understand that instruction was you, because you were the only one who knew which Goblins you intended to hit. Out of the five, which four were you taking? Which one was for her? There’s no way she could move to attack without knowing that. If you had discussed who takes the right or left side beforehand, that would be one thing. But without that coordination, your instructions were nothing short of pathetic."
"..."
He glared at me, his face flushing with frustration, but he didn't have a comeback.
"Logan’s getting scolded! Ahaha!" Caroline laughed, enjoying the sight of Logan being reprimanded.
"That goes for you too, Caroline. Why did you charge the Orc?"
"Ehh? I mean, Logan said he could handle the Goblins, and I want to kill the strong ones!"
"You’re a Defender. As long as you’re in a party, you need to fulfill your role. Once you’ve done your job, if you have leeway, no one will complain about you doing as you please—as long as it doesn’t cause trouble for the group."
"...Fine."
Both of them looked unconvinced. I hoped the lesson would sink in eventually, but I wasn't holding my breath.
"Selma-san, sorry for the delay. Let’s resume the exploration."
"Understood. Moving out!"
We reached the 36th Floor, our final destination for the day. Generally speaking, the day had proceeded without major incident.
However, the two from the Tenth Unit refused to follow my instructions until the very end. If they had struggled even a little, they might have started listening to me. But because their individual abilities were so high, they hadn't faced a single true challenge since entering the Middle Floors.
Once we returned to the surface, Selma called for dismissal. I stopped the members of the Tenth Unit before they could walk away.
"I’m well aware that you don't want to follow my lead. However, this is a Clan operation. You are members of this Clan, and I am an explorer hired by the Clan. We only have one day left. Tomorrow, please follow my instructions."
To be honest, I wanted to wash my hands of these brats, but since I had accepted a formal request from the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, I had to earn my pay.
"Sigh... There’s nothing to learn from someone who was kicked out for being weak. Following your instructions is just a waste of time," Logan said, sounding genuinely exasperated.
"Then judge whether it’s a waste or not after you’ve tried it at least once."
"I don't need to try it to know. There’s no point in doing something so obviously inefficient."
Why was he being so rebellious? Did he truly believe he was stronger than me? If so, his attitude made sense given his arrogance, but I couldn't fathom what kind of logic had led him to that conclusion.
"I-I think it would be better if we followed Orun-san’s instructions..." Sophia murmured.
"Be quiet, Sophia. We were the only rookie unit that didn't lose a single fight today. For an explorer, results are everything! That proves my way isn't wrong."
"It’s true that results matter. I agree with that. However, you still have room to spare. If you have leeway, shouldn't you strive for better quality? Try different things. There isn't just one right answer."
"...Shut up! I don't need orders from some weakling who got kicked out of his own party!"
Logan finally exploded. It seemed that no matter what I said, my words wouldn't reach him. I’d done what I could. That was enough, wasn't it?
"Logan, that’s enough."
Unable to watch any longer, Selma intervened. Logan flinched, clearly not expecting her to step in.
"—! ...Excuse me."
Logan turned and marched away without another word. Caroline followed behind him. Sophia hovered indecisively until Selma told her to go after them.
"I'm sorry, Orun. I didn't realize Logan's attitude had become that toxic..."
Selma offered a sincere apology, and I told her not to worry about it.
"Thank you. I’ll give him a stern talking-to later so that he listens tomorrow."
"There’s no need for that."
"...Why?"
"If you lecture him now, it might affect his performance during tomorrow’s exploration. If you’re going to scold him, wait until the training is over. I'll provide enough backup tomorrow to make sure they don't get themselves killed."
"............Orun, Logan is a precious comrade to us. I know this is a lot to ask, but please... help him before he gets hurt. I'll handle the mental support on our end."
Honestly, I didn't care much about what happened to Logan, but I couldn't say no when Selma asked me like that.
"...Understood. However, since they clearly want to fight their own way, I’m going to let them."
"I see... That’s fine."
As my conversation with Selma ended and I prepared to head home, someone called out to me.
"Yo, Orun. Got a minute?"
I turned toward the voice and saw the two Defenders who were also acting as instructors. I braced myself, wondering if I was about to be harassed by them as well.
"What is it?" I asked wearily.
"You look exhausted, man. We were just wondering if you wanted to grab some dinner. How about it? Want to go for a drink?"
It wasn't a challenge; it was an invitation. I figured being alone with my thoughts right now wasn't the best idea, so I decided to take them up on the offer.