With the Thanksgiving Festival only a few days away, two people sat facing each other in a small meeting room within the Explorer Guild.
One was Leon Conti, the Guildmaster responsible for the continent’s southern region, including the Great Labyrinth of the South.
The other was Philly Carpenter, the Enchanter currently serving in the Hero Party.
The atmosphere between them was far from amicable. Instead, a heavy, suffocating tension hung in the air, strained to its breaking point.
"First of all, let me say: well done. To meet your quota in less than two months... you truly are the Hero Party. It must have been quite a struggle to collect such a massive quantity of magic stones."
Leon spoke with his usual cheerful demeanor, a pleasant smile never leaving his face.
"Is that meant to be sarcasm?" Philly snapped. Her expression was sour, as if she had just bitten into something revolting.
"No, no, I had no such intention—"
Leon was being sincere. Excluding the likes of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky or the Copper Afterglow, the penalty the Guild had imposed would have taken an ordinary A-Rank party at least three months to fulfill. They had accomplished it in two. That was certainly worthy of praise.
"—Though, I must say, your first dive after joining the Hero Party was rather pathetic. You were so busy being cautious that you ended up digging your own grave."
"Tch... That’s irrelevant. I came here today for one reason: Why didn't you report to me that Amunzaas—specifically the White Demon—was active in the Great Labyrinth of the South?"
Though her tone remained soft, Philly’s eyes were sharp enough to make an ordinary person tremble.
"If you're asking why... well, a gag order was in place. There was no reason for a mere explorer to be notified."
Leon stated the reason flatly, refusing to flinch under her piercing gaze.
"A 'mere explorer'? Don't hide behind formalities. I am an aide to the Grandmaster himself. My standing is higher than yours. Know your place."
"Suppose I had told you that Amunzaas was active. It’s easy to imagine what would have happened. You and the White Demon would have engaged in a violent battle, and the casualties among the city's residents would have been catastrophic. Knowing that, there was no way I could justify telling you."
"Your intuition is correct. Had I known, I would have undoubtedly moved to eliminate that woman. But what of it? She is a clear enemy of the state. I would have had the perfect justification: taking down a serial killer who hunts explorers. Eliminating her is a top priority. If I can kill her, I don't care if every single resident of this city dies in the process."
"What exactly do you think a human life is worth?"
Leon’s cheerful mask finally cracked. He spoke in a low, strained voice, struggling to keep his fury in check.
"I don't think much of 'people' at all. If I had to put a label on them, I suppose they are convenient dolls meant to serve as my hands and feet."
Philly spoke with a light, airy tone, as if stating the most obvious fact in the world.
"You monster..."
"I honestly don't understand why you go to such lengths to protect those inferior species. Ah, but then, you are an inferior species yourself, aren't you?"
She sneered at him, her expression dripping with utter contempt.
"I wouldn't look down on us too much if I were you," Leon warned. "Keep it up, and you’ll find yourself in a very painful position."
"Hehe... 'A painful position'? And how would that happen, exactly? If I use my Ability, you’ll forget this entire conversation occurred in the next instant. What can such a fragile creature like you possibly do to me?"
"Do you really think I’d sit here face-to-face with you without taking precautions? I know exactly what you are."
"…………"
"Your Ability is formidable. Depending on how you use it, you could reshape the world as you see fit. But it isn't perfect. Go ahead—try using that power on me. The moment you do, the location of the Guild General Headquarters and a record of your crimes will be leaked to the entire world. I wonder how Amunzaas would react to that? Ten to one, they’d launch a full-scale assault on the headquarters with everything they have."
"You—! But even if that happened, you would still—"
"I would forget, yes. But I assure you, the trap I’ve set isn't so simple that it relies on my memory."
Philly stared at him, her eyes searching for any sign of a bluff.
"…………Isn't this an act of open rebellion? I thought you swore loyalty to the Grandmaster."
"Hmph. I never swore loyalty to that man."
"What did you say?"
"Of course, the Grandmaster is well aware of my stance. I couldn't care less about the Guild’s 'true objective.' In fact, I loathe it. But the Guild is an indispensable part of modern society. That is the only reason I work for this organization—for the sake of the innocent people living in this world!"
Leon’s voice carried a chilling, grim intensity. His resolve was palpable, leaving no room for doubt.
"……Sigh. It’s likely a bluff, but there’s just enough risk to make it annoying. Fine. I’ll concede that you won today."
"I wasn't aware we were keeping score."
"For now, I won't interfere with you. In exchange, I expect you to stay out of my way."
With Philly’s declaration, the stifling tension in the room eased slightly.
"Fine by me. I’ll be praying for your plans to fail, regardless."
Leon tossed out the barb as a final act of spite. Philly merely scowled and walked out of the room without another word.
"…………Phew. That was a dangerous bridge to cross, but I suppose it served its purpose as a deterrent. Now then... I really should get back to the festival preparations."
Once Philly’s footsteps faded into the distance, Leon sighed to the empty room. He took a long, deep breath and stood up. By the time he reached the door, he had returned to his usual, mild-mannered self.