The party was still in full swing, but I had already left the venue. At the moment, I was walking behind the Grandmaster with Selma-san, heading toward the reception room in the main building.
“I’m sorry for pulling you away while you were enjoying yourselves,” the Grandmaster said, his voice laced with apology as he led the way.
“Not at all. I’ve had more than enough fun. Besides, I think this is a matter that Selma-san and I really ought to handle.”
“I see. Well, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the celebration. Still, I should say it again: congratulations on reaching the 93rd Floor. I’m truly proud of you all.”
“Thank you, but we’re just getting started,” Selma-san replied to the Grandmaster’s praise. “The 93rd Floor is only our first step. We intend to go much further.”
Her words rang true. While getting revenge on the Black Dragon had been a massive milestone for the group, the ultimate goal was still the conquest of the Great Labyrinth itself. From here on out, this clan would continue to push deeper and deeper.
“That’s very encouraging to hear. We’ll be backing you with everything we’ve got, but please, try to proceed at your own pace. Don’t overexert yourselves. —Ah, here we are.”
While we were talking, we arrived at the reception room. The Grandmaster knocked once before stepping inside. Selma-san followed him, and I brought up the rear.
Waiting inside the room was an old man dressed in fine, elegant clothing. His name was Lazares Eddington—the former head of the Count Eddington House. More importantly, he was one of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky’s most prominent sponsors. Though he had already passed his title to his son and lived in semi-retirement, rarely appearing in public, he still wielded immense influence behind the scenes.
“Lord Lazares, thank you for waiting,” the Grandmaster greeted him with a respectful bow. Selma-san and I followed his lead, offering our own silent bows.
“No, no, I’m the one who should apologize for barging in like this,” Lazares said. “I heard you reached the 93rd Floor and simply couldn’t sit still. I know it’s a bother, but would you mind humoring this old man with a bit of conversation?”
Lazares Eddington gave the impression of a perfectly pleasant, kindly old gentleman. Despite his noble status, he spoke with a gentle tone even to a commoner like me.
If anything, that made him even more intimidating. This was a man who had spent a lifetime surviving the vipers’ nest of high society. There was no way he was just a "kind old man."
That said, the interests of the Count Eddington House and the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky were currently aligned. That was why he funded us, after all. Unless something truly catastrophic happened, he wasn’t likely to become our enemy. For now, a baseline level of caution was sufficient.
Or so I had thought until today.
“It’s been two weeks, Orun-kun. To think you’d actually reach the 93rd Floor in the blink of an eye. Truly remarkable. I suppose this success is thanks to you being there?”
“You flatter me, my lord. My contribution was minimal. This result was only possible because of the strength of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. I certainly couldn't have reached the 93rd Floor on my own.”
Ugh, using "watashi" to refer to myself feels so unnatural, I thought. I didn’t have a choice—you didn't address a noble with "ore"—but it still felt weird.
“Humble as always, I see. And Selma-chan, excellent work today. Were you finally able to avenge Albert-kun?”
“...Yes. It was only possible thanks to your support, Lord Lazares. Thank you for lending us your strength.”
“What I did was a mere trifle. But thanks to you, I have a wonderful story to bring back to everyone. Thank you for providing such an interesting topic of conversation. I’m glad I placed my faith in you all.”
According to what I’d heard from Marquis Forgas back when I was with the Hero Party, things had been precarious for a while. After Albert-san died and the Hero Party surpassed the clan’s progress, voices within Count Eddington’s faction began calling to cut off the Silver Rabbit’s funding. Apparently, this old man was the one who had stepped in and halted the motion just as it was about to be finalized.
Over the past month, there had been almost no news regarding the Hero Party’s progress. In contrast, the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky had just pushed their record to the 93rd Floor. Only three parties in history, including our own, had ever reached that deep. It was clearer than day which side had the momentum and the public’s attention.
I honestly didn’t know if this old man had planned things to work out this perfectly, but there was no doubt that his influence within his faction had just increased exponentially. He had also placed the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky under a massive debt of gratitude. If Lazares Eddington decided to make a big move in the future, the clan would likely be dragged right into the middle of it.
I’ll have to keep a much closer eye on this guy than I have been, I noted mentally.
“Oh, that’s right. Since we have this opportunity, there is one thing I’ve been meaning to ask Orun-kun.”
...Something he wanted to ask me?
“What is it?”
“Yes, it’s about the leader of the Hero Party, the Sword Saint Oliver.”
Oliver? That was the last thing I expected. I’d already told them as much as I could about the Hero Party.
“If you and the Sword Saint were to fight one-on-one, which of you would win? The condition being that you both only use martial arts—no magic allowed.”
A fight without magic?
The very idea of not using magic in combat was foreign to me. I took pride in the various martial arts I’d acquired, sure, but I hadn’t mastered any of them. In terms of pure physical ability, I was naturally inferior to most senior explorers. I used magic—specifically support magic—to bridge that gap. I couldn't imagine fighting without it.
Besides, mana was everywhere. A situation where I couldn't use magic was practically impossible unless I was already slipping into unconsciousness, in which case I wouldn't be able to fight anyway. I didn’t understand the point of the question.
“...I would win,” I answered.
I didn’t know what he was digging for, but I figured the outcome wouldn't change much whether I lied or told the truth, so I gave him an honest answer.
“...Hmm. Forgive me, Orun-kun, but I had heard a rumor that you have never once defeated the Sword Saint?”
Where on earth did he hear that?
“It’s true. I’ve never beaten him.”
Beside me, Selma-san reacted with surprise. It seemed she had assumed I was stronger than Oliver.
“Now I’m confused. If you’ve never won, how can you say you’d beat him?”
“While it’s true I’ve never won, the last time I actually sparred with Oliver was a mock battle before I converted to an Enchanter. And Lord Lazares, you asked who would win in a contest of pure martial arts without magic, didn't you?”
The old man nodded.
“In that case, I would win. I know every single one of Oliver’s habits and tells. As far as opponents go, he’s actually one of the easier ones for me to handle. —However, please don't misunderstand. This only applies to a one-on-one duel between us. If the contest was to see who could slay the same type of magic beast faster, I wouldn't stand a chance.”
Oliver was a genius. He didn't need to rely on the kind of petty techniques I used; he could overwhelm anything with pure, unadulterated power. Under normal circumstances, there was no reason a mediocre man like me should ever be a match for him.
“I see. So, because you’ve watched his every move for nearly ten years—no, since you were children—you can win as long as the fight is restricted to martial arts. Yes, that makes sense. I’m relieved to hear it.”
...Relieved?
The way he said that made it sound like he expected such a fight to actually happen. Just what was he plotting?
We talked for another hour with Selma-san and the Grandmaster, but that specific part of the conversation left a bitter taste in my mind that I couldn't quite shake.
Once the meeting with Lazares Eddington was over, I had yet another appointment: an interview with Blanca, the newspaper publisher. Since I was used to handling the press from my time with the Hero Party and I was already with Selma-san, the two of us went together.
The interview lasted about an hour. Selma-san handled the bulk of the questions while I chimed in with occasional details. Most of the questions were general inquiries about the 92nd Floor and the fight with the Black Dragon, so I'll spare you the details.
By the time the interview finished and we returned to the party venue, the cleanup was already underway. It was getting late, so we couldn't keep the neighborhood awake forever.
After helping tidy up, I headed out to a nearby bar with Anthem-san, Barnard-san, and a few other senior members I'd befriended earlier. It was a sort of "after-party" for the adults.
I still had a lingering sense of unease from the meeting with the former Count, but the time I spent drinking and laughing with everyone was truly wonderful.