It had been a little over two weeks since I lost control and was locked away here.
Fortunately, having regained my memories gave me plenty to do. Between organizing my own thoughts and training my [Mana Convergence], I found myself surprisingly occupied.
"And so, just as we were about to start conquering the 93rd Floor, I was ordered away on a long-term assignment. I’m actually on my way to the Regrif Territory right now."
"…………"
"Apparently, Regrif is famous for its wine. Since it's a coastal region, they say the flavor is quite different from your average vintage. I’ll send some your way if I get the chance. You can drink wine, right?"
"……Hey."
"Hm? What is it?"
"What do you mean, 'what is it'?! Why the hell are you even here!?"
My voice rose in spite of myself, echoing through the glass partition separating me from Orun.
In contrast to my outburst, Orun remained perfectly composed, radiating the same gentle atmosphere he had back when we were still in a party together.
"Why, you ask? Well, I figured you’d be bored in here all by yourself. I planned on visiting a bit later, but like I said, I’m leaving Tsutrail today."
"That's not what I'm talking about... Why are you acting so normal with me? I nearly killed you, Orun."
That was the truth. Orun didn't know the full circumstances of what happened that day. From his perspective, I had suddenly gone berserk, and I had nearly taken his life when he tried to stop me.
Normally, you’d avoid a person like that. Why go out of your way to visit? I had expected him to come eventually, but certainly not this soon.
"Well... that's true. But that was caused by [Perception Alteration], wasn't it? If that’s the case, then you're a victim too, Oliver."
...How did Orun know about [Perception Alteration]?
I had heard that Philly’s whereabouts had been unknown since that day. No one besides me should have known the truth about the [Perception Alteration]...
Did Orun reach that conclusion on his own? No, that was unlikely. No matter how brilliant Orun was, he couldn't have arrived at that specific answer without some kind of lead. It was more natural to assume there was someone else out there who knew Philly’s true identity and the nature of her magic. But who?
"...Besides, what happened back then feels like a dream. To be honest, it doesn't feel entirely real. But that dream's scenery—no, it's nothing."
Looking at Orun now, he reminded me of his younger self—the one who used to bottle everything up. His visit was entirely unexpected, but since he had taken the trouble to come, this was the perfect opportunity to say what I had intended to tell him the next time we met.
Even if it was nothing more than a move for my own self-satisfaction...
"............Orun."
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
"What’s this all of a sudden? Like I said, I know it wasn't your own will. In the end, we both came out of it in one piece, so there’s no need for you to lose sleep over it."
"There's that, too. But this apology is for kicking you out of the Hero Party. I deeply regret that decision... I know an apology won't earn me your forgiveness. But I needed to say it. —I am truly sorry."
As I laid bare my honest feelings, Orun looked at me with an unreadable expression.
"...Tell me, Oliver. When you decided to remove me from the party, was it a decision you struggled with?"
"Yeah. I couldn't decide right away. I remembered our promise to conquer the Great Labyrinth together, and I was torn. But in the end, I prioritized me conquering the Great Labyrinth."
It felt now as though Philly’s will had influenced that choice, but that didn't matter to Orun. Being betrayed by someone you had worked with for years was the same regardless of the cause. The wound in Orun’s heart was likely deeper than I could ever fathom. I knew a simple apology wouldn't fix things, but I couldn't stay silent.
"A little while ago, someone I respect told me something," Orun said. "'Decisions made after hesitation always lead to regret.' You're probably regretting the choice to kick me out, but honestly, even if you had kept me in the party, I think you would have ended up regretting that, too."
Decisions made after hesitation always lead to regret, huh?
He was probably right. The situation where Orun and I were working together to conquer the Great Labyrinth would have been far too convenient for her. If we had continued our conquest of the Great Labyrinth of the South like that, we undoubtedly would have suffered for it later.
Looking at it objectively, the choice to remove Orun from the party might have been the "correct" one. But that didn't make it any easier to swallow.
"I'm not worried about it anymore," Orun continued. "Sure, it was painful right after it happened, but your reasons for doing it were technically valid. More than anything, I’m happy with my life right now. Luna even told me that I seem more relaxed now than I ever was in the Hero Party."
"Luna said that?"
"Ah, right. You wouldn't know. Luna joined the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky as well."
"Is that so? That’s good to hear. So Luna gets to be in a party with you again."
"Well, we're in different units. But she’s coming to the Regrif Territory with me, so we'll be working together for a while."
"I see."
I had placed a massive burden on Luna after I kicked Orun out. It wasn't my place to say, but I truly wanted her to be happy.
"—Well, it's about time. A lot has happened between us lately, Oliver, but you’re still my childhood friend and my best friend. I’ll come by again once I’m back, so be ready to chat then."
Orun gave me a genuine, carefree smile.
"............Yeah. I'll be waiting. —Thank you."
Orun nodded with a satisfied look and turned to leave.
It had been an unexpected visit, but the joy of being able to speak normally with him again was beyond words.
...Still, three Labyrinths appearing simultaneously in the Regrif Territory? There was no way that was a mere coincidence. It was almost certainly the work of the Cult—but to what end? What was their objective?
Regrif was a famous coastal tourist destination. People flowed in and out of there constantly even without Labyrinths, so it probably wasn't a plot to gather a crowd. The only other notable feature was its proximity to the Saubel Empire, just across the Cryo Mountains to the north.
The Saubel Empire was the home of the now-vanished Great Labyrinth of the West. Looking back, it was almost a certainty that the Cult had assisted in its conquest, but now that the Labyrinth was gone, there should be no reason for a connection. Was I reaching too far by trying to link these new Labyrinths to the Empire?
The Empire was a major continental power. Even without their military, they were protected by a guardian known as a Great Hero. If the Cult meddled there unnecessarily, they risked a devastating retaliation. There was no logical reason for them to involve themselves.
"...Wait. 'Great Hero'?"
Something snagged in my mind. What was it?
"The Great Hero—Felix Roots Kreuzer. Crown Prince of the Saubel Empire and conqueror of the Great Labyrinth of the West. And, an atavism, just like Orun and Shion..."
Starting with the term "Great Hero," the ominous puzzle pieces began to click into place.
"No, this is just a delusion built on top of more delusions. But... if my theory is right, then the reason Orun was called to Regrif is—"
I could only pray that the nightmare scenario forming in my mind would never become a reality.
Thank you for reading to the end of the chapter.
What follows is just some rambling from the author, so feel free to skip it!
This concludes the third arc. How was it? I hope you enjoyed it even just a little.
I can admit this now, but I actually originally intended to finish the story at the end of the first arc. When I started writing chapter one, I had a rough plot for the ending ready, but I wasn't sure if my motivation would hold out... lol.
However, many more people read this than I ever expected, so I’ve been able to keep writing past the first arc.
With the end of the third arc, we’ve finally finished what would be the "Introduction" phase of the story's overall structure. There’s still a long road ahead, but I plan to keep updating, so I would be honored if you continued to follow Orun’s journey.
Thank you very much!