“Alright, we’re cutting work short today as planned! It’s time to party!”
As Gerald-san—one of the clan’s executives and the head of General Affairs—bellowed the announcement, the members erupted in cheers.
A celebration had clearly been in the works; in the blink of an eye, a buffet was being organized in one of the open spaces on the grounds. An immense amount of food and drink was hauled in, and it seemed nearly every member stationed at the headquarters was dropping their tools to join in.
I say “nearly” everyone because some individuals in high-ranking positions still had tasks that couldn't wait until tomorrow, preventing them from staying for the duration.
From there, the revelry began in earnest.
“N-Nice to meet you, Orun-san! My name is Eliza! Congratulations on reaching the 93rd Floor!”
“Hey! I told you no getting a head start! Nice to meet you, Orun-san! I’m Miranda.”
About a month had passed since I joined the clan, but until today, I hadn’t really managed to blend in with the other members. I was a former member of the Hero Party and had been promoted to executive status immediately after joining—it was only natural that people kept their distance.
Tonight, however, I found myself chatting with plenty of members I’d never spoken to before, regardless of their gender.
“This might sound rude, but you used to have this... unapproachable aura about you, Orun-san. But that’s gone today. I’ve wanted to talk to you for a while, so I finally worked up the nerve to come over! You’re actually really easy to talk to. Now I feel silly for being so scared of you.”
I think her assessment was spot on. I hadn't made any effort to approach people myself. Even I have to admit it was pretty twisted of me to want friends while simultaneously shutting everyone out.
But being accepted by the rest of the First Unit had given me some much-needed mental leeway. Today was turning out to be a great day—not just for the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, but for me personally.
“Yo, Orun! Long time no see!”
Just as I finished making the rounds, a voice called out from behind me. I turned to find Anthem-san and Barnard-san standing there. Behind them were Cathy-san and the rookies who had participated in last month’s guided exploration.
The number of rookies had been cut roughly in half, though. Some had transferred to different departments, while others had left the clan entirely. They’d gone through a traumatic experience, after all; no one could blame them for their choice.
“It’s been a while, Anthem-san, Barnard-san, Cathy-san. Good to see you all again, too,” I said, nodding to the rookies.
“Reaching the 93rd Floor right after joining... well, I guess that’s to be expected from someone who can solo a Black Dragon. Just when I thought I was finally catching up to the First Unit, you went and widened the gap again.”
“Barnard-san, didn't you reach the 88th Floor the other day?”
“Yeah! Just a little more and I can say goodbye to those floors that make front-liners weep! I’m heading for the Deep Floors first, Anthem!”
“Enjoy the bragging rights while they last. I’ll be overtaking you before you know it.”
Anthem-san and Barnard-san belonged to different parties, but they clearly viewed each other as rivals, constantly pushing one another to improve. It was a nice dynamic to witness.
“Orun-san, congratulations on reaching the 93rd Floor!” “Congratulations!”
While the two veterans continued their bickering, the rookies offered their own praise.
“Thanks. I’ve heard from Estella-san that you’ve all been working hard, too.”
“You’ve actually been keeping tabs on us?!” one of the girls cried out in surprise.
It wasn't so much that I was watching them specifically; the information just happened to come up while I was checking with Estella-san about the Exploration Management Department’s training progress. I couldn't exactly tell them that, so I just gave a vague, polite smile.
“Good grief,” Log grumbled. “For the past month, you guys just watched Master from a distance and didn't lift a finger to talk to him. Now that he’s done something legendary, you all flip-flop and try to act like best friends.”
The moment the words left his mouth, a chorus of voices shot back.
“”We don’t want to hear that from you of all people!””
Log was met with a total rejection from everyone around him. However, looking at their faces, everyone was wearing a smile. They weren't actually angry.
“Pfft. Ahahaha! They've got a point, Log. You’re not exactly the one to talk!”
I couldn’t hold it back anymore; I burst out laughing at the exchange.
“Not you too, Master... I’ve already done plenty of soul-searching over that...”
Log’s face twisted into a look of pure chagrin.
Still, seeing how well he’d integrated into the group—enough to be teased like this—made me realize that maybe I didn't need to worry so much about social circles anymore.