"Did we... win?"
"Yeah...! It’s our victory!"
"We diiiiiid it!"
"Hahaha, we finally won!"
All four of them were pouring out their hearts, their eyes brimming with tears as they processed the moment.
I was truly glad. Their hard work had finally been rewarded.
I stepped away from the group to retrieve Schwarzhase. As an outsider, I felt it was better not to crowd them right now. This was a moment meant for the four of them alone.
Still, my [Alteration] magic had plenty of room for improvement. The delay during the transformation was too significant, the forms were unstable, and it lacked duration. There were countless other issues to address, but I suppose I would just have to keep at it through trial and error.
After storing Schwarzhase, I crouched down to inspect the Magic Stone and the dropped items. Naturally, there was less than if the entire corpse had been intact, but with the severed tail and legs, the haul was still impressive. There was likely enough here to craft several sets of weapons and armor.
"What are you doing over here all by yourself? Get in here, Orun!"
Suddenly, Wil wrapped his arm around my neck, his voice booming with high spirits.
"……I can't. I don't share the years of pent-up history you four have with this floor. It would be out of place for me to join in."
The truth was, I wanted to join them. I wanted to share in that joy. But as a newcomer—someone who didn't know the pain of their previous defeat—I felt I hadn't earned that right.
Deep down, I was afraid of being rejected. I didn't know why, but my heart and my instincts shrank away from the possibility. If I were to be rejected by them now, the wound would be deep. It felt safer to keep my distance from the start.
"Out of place? Don't give me that. You’re my precious comrade. It doesn't matter how long we've known each other. Even without years of history, you fought right there beside us. That's all the reason we need. Let’s keep moving forward together!"
"He's right. I had a feeling you were holding back and not stepping into our space," Rain added. "But this is a good opportunity, so let me say it: you don't have to be afraid. No matter who you are, I’m ready to accept you."
"Orun-kun, you're so smart that you probably think about way more things than someone like me," Lucre chimed in. "But I think at times like this, you should just keep it simple! Just think about what you want to do!"
"I—no, we—like the person known as Orun Doura," Selma said firmly. "At first, sure, it was because you were a former member of the Hero Party, or because you were a Dragon Slayer. But after spending this past month with you, I want to keep this party together regardless of any of that. No matter what anyone says, Orun, you are our precious comrade!"
Their words soaked into my heart. My mind went blank, and a strange, warm sensation filled my chest.
"Huh...?"
Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face.
"……It looks like the real Orun has finally shown his face. If you're going to say it, now’s the time, isn't it?" Selma suggested.
"Yeah." "Definitely." "Uh-huh."
The other three nodded in agreement. My brain wasn't functioning well enough to understand what they were getting at.
"Orun, once again—"
"Welcome to the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky!" they shouted in unison, their faces lit up with beaming smiles.
In that moment, I felt like I had finally found a place where I belonged.
I stood up, wiping my eyes, and looked at each of them. "I might cause you a lot of trouble from here on out, you know? Don't blame me if you regret making me a comrade."
"Hmph, as if I’d ever regret it," Wil scoffed.
"Being an overachieving younger brother is all well and good, but it can be a little lonely for the rest of us," Rain teased. "You’d better prepare to be spoiled by your big sister!"
"If we're talking about causing trouble, Wil and I won't lose to you!" Lucre laughed. "We're free spirits, after all!"
"You've got that right. Though I flatly refuse to be lumped in with you, Lucre! I’m at least a little more reliable!"
"Ehhh? You’re exactly the same!"
As Wil and Lucre fell into their usual banter, I thought of my father. He had been right.
Father, I’ve finally made friends. I’ve found comrades.
"We’re finally here!" Lucre cheered.
We stepped into the 93rd Floor.
The area was a vast Sea of Trees. The foliage grew so thick it choked out the sky, leaving some areas in total darkness. The variety of Magic Beasts here was far greater than anything we had encountered in the Deep Floors so far.
"The vegetation is denser than I expected. Surprise attacks are going to be a real concern," I noted.
"True. Well, we’ll worry about that when the time comes," Selma replied.
"Yeah. Let’s head back for today as planned."
Our goal had been to reach the 93rd Floor. Even though we had enough strength left to explore, the battle with the Black Dragon had been taxing, and this wasn't the time for recklessness.
After the four of them registered their Guild Cards at the 93rd Floor Crystal, we exited the Great Labyrinth.
"Ehehe, look! It says '93' on my Guild Card! We really did it!"
Lucre remained in high spirits the entire way back. The other three looked as though a massive weight had been lifted from their shoulders.
When we returned to the Clan Headquarters, we found several members lingering near the gate. It was a rare sight, as we didn't usually station guards there.
"Ah! Welcome back, everyone!" one of them called out.
"We're back. What are you all doing out here?" Selma asked.
The member gave a wry smile. "We couldn't focus on our work, wondering how it was going..."
"So? How did it go!?" another asked, their voice tense with anticipation.
"Fufu. We made it to the 93rd Floor," Rain announced, her expression softening into a smile.
The members' faces brightened instantly. They let out a cheer and hurried back into their respective buildings.
"Were they messengers for the different departments?" I asked.
"Probably. Everyone, let's head to the main building quickly," I suggested. "Looking at that reaction, things are about to get loud. If we stay by the gate, we'll disturb the neighbors. It's better to move further into the grounds."
"Good point. We were pretty noisy this morning, too. We should avoid making a scene out here," Wil agreed.
Everyone followed my lead toward the main building. By the time we arrived, we were already being swarmed by a crowd of celebrating clan members.
"Congratulations! Truly!"
"I knew you guys could do it!"
Everyone offered their own words of praise and excitement. I usually don't care much for noisy crowds, but this time, I didn't mind it at all.