"Ah, Master! Good morning!"
I woke up, finished my preparations, and stepped out of my room. I happened to run into Log right as I was leaving.
"Ah, morning."
It had been a little over a month since the clash between Log and Carol. Since then, Log had recovered his composure and seemed mentally stable. For the time being, I felt safe assuming he was no longer on the verge of a volatile outburst.
"Mornin', Master! Morning, Log!"
When I arrived at the dining hall with Log, Carol was already there. She greeted us with her usual high spirits. It seemed Luna had done a good job supporting her, as she had returned to her normal self by the very next day. Since Log had offered her a proper apology, their relationship had returned to the way it was before. I hadn't expected the rift to be permanent, but seeing them back to normal was a genuine relief.
Sophie and Luna arrived just as we took our seats, and the four of them began their breakfast. Since I always ate my own portable rations in my room, I simply sat with them, sipping tea while skimming the newspaper. Normally, I should have joined them for the meal, but finishing breakfast with rations on the days I dived into a Labyrinth had been my routine for years. It was a deeply rooted habit. It would have been counterproductive to force a change and throw off my rhythm now, so I made sure to at least spend the time in the same room with them.
As the five of us enjoyed a quiet moment before the day's investigation, the door opened silently. Louis, the butler who had greeted us upon our arrival at the mansion, stepped inside. He walked straight toward me, so I stored my newspaper and stood up.
"Good morning, Louis."
"Good morning, Master Orun. I apologize for interrupting your meal."
Louis spoke with a polite bow. Since we were technically guests of Count Eddington, we were always treated with the utmost courtesy. However, his movements were even more formal than usual, and his apology felt weighted with more emotion than was strictly necessary.
"No, don't worry about it. Do you need something?"
"Yes. The Head of the House has requested your presence."
Count Eddington? He had summoned me a few times before, but he had always been considerate enough not to call for me right before a Labyrinth investigation. For him to summon me now suggested an urgent matter.
"Understood. Should I head to Master Orville’s office as usual?"
"Yes. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I humbly request that you come with me."
After confirming my question, Louis bowed deeply once more. Isn't this a bit much?
I left the other four to finish their meal and headed to Count Eddington’s office alone. I knocked, and after a voice from within granted me entry, I opened the door.
The moment I stepped inside, the atmosphere changed. A heavy, suffocating tension dominated the room.
"Excuse me. Lord Orville, you summoned me?"
I addressed Count Eddington, the source of the pressure. Grandpa Eddington was sitting on a nearby sofa. He looked like his usual, kindly self, but his eyes were as sharp as blades. As I approached, he spoke.
"Forgive me for calling you so early. Time is short, so I will skip the pleasantries. Just moments ago, we received word that several individuals believed to be Imperial soldiers crossed the border and invaded our territory. It appears several of our men were killed in the process."
The Count dropped a bombshell without warning. It was shocking enough that Imperial soldiers had entered another country, but to kill several people during the crossing? There was supposed to be a non-aggression pact. What was the Empire thinking? An act like that could easily escalate into full-scale war.
"...Specifically, how long ago did this happen?"
"Just now—about ten minutes ago."
Ten minutes? Given the distance to the border, that was impossible. For information to travel that fast, they would need someone with a Special Ability like Selma’s 【Telepathy】. If that was the case, the Count must have had such a person in his employ. For now, I understood that it would still take time for the Imperial forces to reach this city. We had a window, but we had to move quickly.
"...I see. In that case, we will return to Tsutrail immediately. We can resume the Labyrinth investigation once things have settled."
This was an affair of state. It wasn't something for Explorers like us to meddle in. Furthermore, if this territory was likely to become a battlefield, I had no intention of staying. I needed to get back to Tsutrail and decide on our next move.
I turned to leave, but the old man spoke again.
"That would be a problem, Orun-kun. After all, I brought you here specifically for this day."
"For this day?" I repeated.
"Yes. I’ve noticed unsettling movements within the Empire for some time now. The odds were fifty-fifty, but I had prepared for this scenario. I need you to get to work, Hero of the Kingdom, Orun Doura."
I see. So this was the old man's—the Count House's—scheme all along.
An A-Rank Explorer would have been more than enough for a simple Labyrinth investigation. Furthermore, Grandpa knew this was a critical time for the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. Despite that, he had gone out of his way to pull three S-Rank Explorers away from the capital so he could use us as military assets when the Empire eventually struck.
"You're overestimating me. I'm no hero."
"Perhaps. It is true you haven't single-handedly quelled a Stampede like the Empire’s 《Hero》 has. However, you are undoubtedly the strongest piece I can move, Orun-kun. I need you to lend us your strength."
"I refuse. I’m an Explorer, not a soldier. I have no reason to fight your war."
"Oh, but I think you do. I believe the Empire’s objective in this invasion is to secure a Labyrinth. If that is the case, where do you think the enemy will head next after breaking through the border?"
Their goal was to secure a Labyrinth? The Empire had lost its Great Labyrinth, but they still had plenty of others. There should have been no reason to target another country’s Labyrinth—unless Grandpa's guess was right. If it was, their target would be...
"Rugau?"
Grandpa nodded, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
Don't mess with me...!
I ground my teeth, barely suppressed the urge to smash my fist into his face. Rugau was where Wil and the others were. In other words, the Count House had semi-forcibly stationed them there specifically to put them on the front lines.
"During the meeting the day after you joined the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, didn't you say you would 'do your utmost to protect your comrades'? Are you going to abandon those comrades to be senselessly consumed by the fires of war while you run back to Tsutrail?"
"—!!"
As my rage flared, the very air began to vibrate. The Count gasped, recoiling from the bloodlust in my gaze, but the old man simply glared back with those piercing eyes.
You old bastard...!
I wanted nothing more than to vent my fury on him right then and there. It was galling to be manipulated so perfectly. However, if Wil and the others were truly in danger, my feelings had to come second. While I didn't fully trust the old man, the fact that he was telling me this meant his deduction was highly likely to be true.
I took a long, deep breath to steady myself.
"...Fine. I'll head to Rugau."
"I knew you would. As I said, we anticipated this. We have countermeasures in place, so the situation is manageable—with one exception."
"An exception?"
"Yes. It seems those who crossed the border are a troublesome lot, even by the standards of the Imperial Army. They are part of the Crown Prince's Imperial Guard."
"The Imperial Guard? You mean..."
"Yes. Even as an Explorer, I'm sure you know them. They are the ones who conquered the Great Labyrinth of the West. And naturally, the 《Hero》 is among them."
The Explorer known as the 《Hero》—Felix Roots Kreuzer. He was the man responsible for the conquest of the Great Labyrinth of the West and the Crown Prince of the Saubel Empire. He was rumored to be the strongest man in the world. His legends were many: clearing a Great Labyrinth that had remained untouched for centuries, single-handedly quelling a massive Stampede, and even routing an entire division of the Imperial Army in a mock battle.
The thought of such an absurd monster leading the invasion made my skin crawl.
"I want you to go ahead of us and lure the 《Hero》 to a specific location. We have an Anti-Hero Magic Weapon installed there. I want you to use it to neutralize him. We will handle the rest of the enemy forces."
An Anti-Hero Magic Weapon... they actually built something like that?
Grandpa gave me a detailed briefing on the device. Based on what he said, it wasn't something you'd ever use against a normal person, but against the 《Hero》, it was likely the bare minimum required to stop him.
"...And if this weapon fails?"
"As long as the 《Hero》 is preoccupied, we have enough force to annihilate the rest of the enemy. We will capture them all alive. That will force the 《Hero》 to the negotiating table. By all accounts, he is a man who treasures his subordinates."
"So you want me to stall him until your side captures his men?"
"Precisely."
I didn't know exactly how strong the 《Hero》 was. People said the Great Labyrinth of the West was easier than the South because it lacked Deep Floors. Still, he had conquered a Great Labyrinth. He couldn't be weak. If the rumors were even half-true, I stood no chance of winning.
"I’m not planning to die for you. If I see no chance of winning, I’m retreating with Wil and the others. Keep that in mind."
"That is only fair. I'll leave the judgment to you. But if there is even a slight chance of victory, you won't back down, will you?"
"...I'll be billing you for this favor later. Also, I'm the only one helping. I'm sending Twilight Moonbow back. I won't drag my disciples into this mess."
"Understood. I wasn't counting them as combat assets anyway. I'll leave it in your hands."
I left the office and hurried back to the dining hall, pulling Luna into a vacant room.
"...Did something happen?" she asked, her expression turning serious. We had known each other long enough for her to realize I wasn't my usual self.
"Yeah. I’ll keep it short because we’re out of time."
I gave her the highlights: the Imperial intrusion, the likely invasion, and my plan to deal with it.
"Why didn't you refuse? Orun-san, this is war. This isn't like you."
"...I know. But Wil and the others are likely in the middle of it. I can't just leave them."
"I see."
"Luna, I want you to take Sophie and Log back to Tsutrail. Officially, you’ll be escorting Abel Eddington to the capital. There will be soldiers in the guard as well, so there shouldn't be much for Twilight Moonbow to actually do. Once you reach Tsutrail, tell Selma-san everything."
I rattled off the instructions.
"...Fine. Orun-san, you had better come back alive. I won't forgive you if you die in a place like this...!"
"Of course. I don't plan on dying. I'll buy some time and then catch up with you alongside Wil's group."
After finishing with Luna, I headed to the stables. I wanted to see my disciples' faces one last time, but every second counted. I left the explanations to Luna.
At the stables, I found the horses, the old groom, and Abel. As I approached, Abel bowed his head.
"Orun-kun... I am truly sorry for dragging you into this."
I probably looked down at him with cold, distant eyes. My heart hadn't accepted this, even if my head understood that he was only doing his duty as the heir to this territory. If I were in his shoes, I likely would have done the same.
"I assume your suggestion that I learn to ride was also based on anticipating a situation like this."
"............"
Abel didn't answer. He kept his head lowered, refusing to meet my eyes. I knew if I kept talking to him, I would eventually say something cruel. I walked past him without another word and approached a horse.
I stroked its neck. "I’m going to have to push you hard, but I’m counting on you," I whispered.
I mounted the horse and galloped toward Rugau.