"Already winter, huh."
It was December, and the sun now spent far less time in the sky than it had during the summer months. As I sat in a private room of a restaurant, waiting for my companion, I watched the first snow of the year begin to drift past the window. The sight drove home the realization that the seasons had truly turned.
"I see you beat me here, Orun. Sorry to keep you waiting."
I had been killing time by mulling over ways to improve my recent spell formulas and considering expanded interpretations for my own special ability when Selma-san entered the room.
"No, I only just got here myself. I haven't been waiting long at all. ...Wait, isn't Sophie with you?"
I had assumed she would be arriving with Sophie, but as I looked around Selma-san, the girl was nowhere to be found.
"Ah. As you might expect, I couldn't exactly bring her along to a meeting with a sponsor. Besides, she mentioned there was a place she wanted to see, so we decided to go our separate ways once we reached the Royal Capital."
Just as Selma-san said, we were currently in the capital of the Nohitant Kingdom.
At the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, it was custom for the executives to visit the sponsors who had provided the most support over the year as the end of the month approached. These meetings served as a formal way to express our gratitude. Selma-san and I had been tasked with greeting a major sponsor who resided here in the capital.
"I see."
"...It looks like she’s heading this way now. Please, bear with me for a few more minutes. My apologies."
Selma-san updated me on Sophie’s status. She had likely checked in using her [Telepathy]. That special ability of hers really was incredibly convenient.
"There's no need to apologize. Today is Sophie’s big day, after all."
The real reason Sophie had accompanied us to the capital, despite having no business with the sponsors, was to celebrate her coming-of-age. She had turned fifteen this month. In this country, fifteen was the age one was legally considered an adult. While there wasn't a general culture of celebrating every birth month, the fifteenth birthday was an exception that many people marked with a special celebration.
Normally, such events were strictly family affairs. I was technically an outsider, but Sophie had been kind enough to invite me, so Selma-san and I were going to celebrate the milestone together.
"I appreciate you saying that. Before Sophia arrives, however, there is something I wanted to ask. Did you learn anything about the Central Army?"
Selma-san’s expression shifted into something much more serious. Count Bowell, whom I had met with earlier today, was a man with deep ties to the Central Army. Selma-san clearly wanted to hear any intel I had managed to glean as soon as possible.
As a note, the Central Army refers to the military forces directly under the Royal Family's jurisdiction. They are an entirely separate entity from the Territorial Army, which consists of the private soldiers maintained by local lords.
"I managed to confirm the information I was looking for, at least to a certain extent. I’ll go over the finer details once we’re back home, but as we suspected, the Central Army seems to be incredibly on edge."
News of the Saubel Empire’s invasion of the Nohitant Kingdom from two months ago had rippled across the continent overnight. However, it seemed that some neighboring countries and more distant nations viewed it as little more than a minor border skirmish that the Nohitant Kingdom was over-exaggerating. They didn't seem to perceive the incident as a grave threat.
Admittedly, the fighting had only lasted about a day, and the theater of war had been confined to the area around a single town. It was perhaps inevitable that other nations would see it that way. But those outsiders were overlooking one crucial fact: a "Hero" had been present during that invasion.
A "Hero"—a being capable of effortlessly annihilating an entire division single-handedly.
The fact that I had managed to win against the "Hero Felix" was nothing more than a stroke of incredible luck. It was simply a matter of my special ability happening to have perfect compatibility against his. Without that advantage, I wouldn't have been an obstacle to Felix at all. In fact, until I had consciously grasped how to use [Gravity Manipulation], I hadn't been able to land a single effective blow against him.
I might sound like I’m being overconfident by saying this, but if I hadn't been there, or if I had lost that fight, there was a very real possibility that the Empire’s invasion would still be ongoing today. Because of that, I personally believed that the incident was not something to be taken lightly.
"...I see."
"Also, 'that story' appears to be true."
The story in question was a rumor that the heads of both the Kingdom and the Empire would be attending a scheduled summit. The location for this meeting was said to be the Imperial Capital itself. In other words, the King intended to walk right into the heart of a hostile nation.
Anyone could see how dangerous that was. Yet, despite his subordinates' desperate attempts to dissuade him, the King was apparently refusing to budge on his decision.
Since we were in a private room of a high-end restaurant frequented by nobility, the soundproofing was excellent. There was no one nearby, so it likely wouldn't have mattered if I spoke plainly, but given the sensitive nature of the topic, I chose to remain vague.
Even so, Selma-san caught my drift immediately. Her eyes widened in shock.
"...That is a headache-inducing development. Does it mean His Majesty the King is taking this situation that seriously?"
"Yeah. If the information Count Eddington obtained is correct, it makes a certain amount of sense. An Empire facing a mana stone shortage would naturally look to invade a Kingdom that possesses the Great Labyrinth of the South. If we press them on that, we might be able to steer the negotiations in our favor. But then again, I don't know if it's even possible to have a rational conversation with an opponent who led with a full-scale invasion. I agree that it's far too dangerous."
"His Majesty must have his reasons, but we can only speculate. Regardless, we should leave the politics to the royals and the nobles. That reminds me—how did the matter the Grandmaster was worried about go?"
"You mean the possibility of me being recruited into the military?"
I asked to confirm we were on the same page. Selma-san nodded.
"I was told something along those lines, but I turned them down flat. I'm much better suited to being an explorer than a soldier."
"I see. We feel we understand your heart, Orun. If they try to force their way in against your will, this clan has no intention of staying silent—even if the opponent is the King's own army."
"...Thank you, Selma-san."
"It’s only natural to protect a precious comrade. There's no need for thanks."
As I talked with Selma-san, my hearing picked up the sound of Sophie’s approaching footsteps. Just as we wrapped up our conversation, the door to the room opened and Sophie stepped inside.
"Sorry I'm late! Thank you for waiting...!"
"Good evening, Sophie. You’re actually early, so we haven't been waiting at all."
"Orun is right. More importantly, I’m sorry I couldn't spend the day with you."
"Big Sis was working, so it couldn't be helped!"
Sophie sat down next to Selma-san, assuring her sister that she didn't mind.
"...Did you have fun in the capital?"
"Yeah! I was just shopping at the Downing Trading Company! They had so many cute magic tools and things—it was great! I'll show you what I bought later."
The Downing Trading Company was a massive enterprise with its main store in the Hitia Duchy, a nation in the center of the continent known as a magical powerhouse. They were one of the leading trading companies on the continent, with branches everywhere, specializing in magic tools for daily life.
Originally, domestic firms like the Flockhart Trading Company had dominated the market, but after the incident six months ago, the Flockhart Trading Company had been absorbed by Downing. Since then, they had been rapidly expanding their influence within our borders.
I hadn't heard any dark rumors about the Downing Trading Company, and I’d heard that their products were generally of high quality. While I had mixed feelings about the disappearance of the Flockhart Trading Company, as a consumer, I had to admit there were benefits to Downing’s presence in the country.
Sophie chatted happily with Selma-san about her day, her face lit up with a brilliant smile. Selma-san looked equally pleased as she listened, making for a very heartwarming sight.
Once we were all settled, the food was served, and the meal—which doubled as Sophie’s coming-of-age feast—began. We enjoyed the conversation as we savored the course meal.
The food was, of course, delicious. However, since I’d had many opportunities to eat high-end cuisine during my time with the Hero Party, it wasn't particularly novel to me. I imagine Selma-san felt the same way, but for Sophie, whose childhood had been far from privileged, everything was a brand-new experience. She had a different reaction for every new dish that was brought to the table.
I was just glad she was enjoying herself. Selma-san seemed to be thinking the same thing; the expression she wore while watching Sophie was even gentler than usual.
"It sounds like the Great Labyrinth conquest is going well lately."
"Yes! I believe I reported that we defeated the 50th Floor Boss recently, but we've already reached the 53rd Floor! Our immediate goal is to reach the lower floors by the end of next month!"
I had been keeping tabs on Twilight Moonbow, so I was aware they had hit the 53rd Floor. Back during the Guided Exploration in the spring, they had only made it to the 50th Floor. Now, they were reaching even deeper levels through their own strength alone. It was quite moving to think about.
Still, they were moving at an incredible pace. Twilight Moonbow had headed to Rugau for a labyrinth investigation almost immediately after reaching the 31st Floor. We had only returned to Tsutrail early last month. That meant they had descended from the 31st to the 53rd Floor in only about a month.
I already considered my disciples' abilities to be a match for any A-Rank explorer, and they had Luna with them as well. The fact that Luna hadn't slowed them down suggested that the middle floors were no longer a challenge for Twilight Moonbow.
As for my biggest concern—Carol’s mental state—she seemed stable for the time being. I still saw her spacing out occasionally, but Luna had told me that she maintained her usual level of focus during exploration.
"I’m glad to hear it. But remember, it’s when things are going smoothly that you’re most likely to have the rug pulled out from under you. Never forget that the labyrinth is a dangerous place."
"Right, I know! ...Orun-san, you've been, um... you've been looking very busy lately."
Having taken my warning to heart, Sophie spoke up again, her voice a bit tentative.
"............I'm sorry. I haven't been able to give you much instruction lately."
It was true. Ever since returning to Tsutrail, I hadn't been able to spend much time with my disciples. The primary reason was the shift in the political climate following the Empire’s invasion.
Currently, the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky had made reaching the 94th Floor of the Great Labyrinth its top priority. The fact that Selma-san and I had been assigned to sponsors in the Royal Capital—which was relatively close to Tsutrail—was a result of that focus.
Until now, the First Unit had explored every other day, but the rotation had recently changed to two days of exploration followed by one day off. Even on my off days, there were so many priority tasks to handle that I couldn't find much time for teaching. I knew "not having enough time" was just an excuse, but I found myself wishing more and more that the days were just a little bit longer...
"No! I didn't mean it like that. I know you're busy, Orun-san, and we're officially explorers of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky now. Besides, I'm an adult now, so I can't keep relying on you for everything."
"Sophia, you really have grown strong."
Selma-san looked proud as she heard Sophie’s display of independence.
"Ehehe, I'm an adult as of this month! It’s only natural!"
"Hmph. Well, we can't afford to fall behind then, can we, Orun?"
"...You're right. We need to conquer the 93rd Floor as soon as possible."
"Sophie, did you enjoy the meal?"
I asked after we had finished every course.
"Yes! It was wonderful! Orun-san, Big Sis, thank you so much for bringing me somewhere so nice!"
"You're very welcome. If you're happy, then it was worth it. Once again, congratulations on your coming-of-age."
"Congratulations, Sophie."
As Selma-san and I offered our well-wishes, Sophie gave us a bashful but radiant smile.
"That reminds me, I have a coming-of-age gift for you, Sophie. I hope you'll accept it."
I reached into my storage magic tool and pulled out an envelope containing a sheet of paper with a spell formula written on it.
"Oh, th-thank you! ...A letter? Um, can I look inside?"
"Of course. I hope you like it."
With an excited expression, Sophie opened the envelope and pulled out the paper.
"...Is this a spell formula?"
She scanned the contents and looked up at me.
"Correct. I figured a physical gift might overlap with whatever Selma-san got you, so I decided to give you an original magic of my own. The name of the spell is [Raise Repeat]. I think you'll actually be able to handle it better than I can. I've even modified the formula specifically for your use."
"Wait, isn't [Raise Repeat] your personal original magic, Orun-san?"
"Yeah, it is. It's a spell that reads the formula of any attack magic that passes through its area of effect, then automatically activates an identical spell with amplified power."
"I-Is it really okay for me to have something so amazing...?"
"Yes. I want you to have it. I know you can master it, Sophie."
This spell was different from normal magic. It was a formula I had built specifically to be used in conjunction with a special ability. I had already confirmed that it could be reproduced using Sophie’s [Psychokinesis], so she should have no trouble activating it. My hope was that this magic would serve as the catalyst for her ability to blossom even further.
"...Thank you so much! I'll master this magic and make sure I live up to your expectations, Orun-san!"
"I'm looking forward to it."
With that, the meeting with the sponsor and Sophie’s celebration came to a close. Once we returned to Tsutrail, there would be a mountain of work waiting for us. On top of that, the conquest of the 93rd Floor was about to begin in earnest. Given the First Unit's strength, we should be able to clear it, but we’ll have to make sure we don't let our guard down.