The morning after Princess Lucila arrived in Tsutrail to enlist our help, the members of the First Unit gathered in the dormitory lobby. We were there to see off Selma-san, who would be acting as the Princess’s personal escort.
“Thank you all for coming out to see me off. I’ll be away from the clan for a while, so I’m leaving things here in your hands.”
As Selma-san offered her thanks, Rain was the first to speak up.
“Of course we came! You make sure to give the Princess all the support she needs, Selma!”
“I will, naturally.”
“Still, to be hand-picked by the Princess herself... you really are something!” Lucre added with a grin. “Selma-san is such a reliable leader to me, so it makes sense that the Princess would want to lean on you too. As your teammate, it makes me so proud! It’s going to be a tough job, but do your best!”
“You’re making me blush, Lucre. But thank you.”
“Orun, you’re heading out today as well, right?” Wil asked, turning the conversation toward me.
“Yeah. I’m meeting Fuuka and Haruto-san at the Explorer Guild. Once we’ve met up, I’ll pick up our Labyrinth Conquest Permits for the other sites from the Guildmaster, and then we’re leaving Tsutrail immediately.”
“I see. Conquering multiple Labyrinths is going to be a grueling task, Orun-kun. Good luck.”
“Thanks, Rain-san. It’s going to be a hectic time for everyone staying here, too. Just make sure you don't overdo it.”
From this point on, we would all be moving separately.
Rain and the others staying in the city would undoubtedly have their hands full with their own responsibilities. It would likely be quite some time before the whole team was together again. However, I believed that if each of us gave our absolute best to the tasks in front of us, we would find our way back to one another in the not-so-distant future.
“I know the road ahead will be difficult for us all, but let’s promise to meet again—to once more challenge the Great Labyrinth together as the First Unit of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. When we next gather, it will be the day we set foot on the 94th Floor. And then... we will become the Next Hero Party!”
Selma-san spoke with a dignified air, her eyes fixed on the future as she thrust her fist forward.
“Right! And to make sure that happens, I’m going to study magic twice as hard while I help defend the city!” Lucre declared, pressing her own fist against Selma-san’s. “I won’t let anyone else get hurt. I won’t let anyone else die!”
“The Hero Party, huh? I’ve never cared much for titles,” Wil said, adding his fist to the group. “But I inherited a dream from Albert—the dream of conquering the Great Labyrinth. I don’t plan on kicking the bucket until I’ve seen that through. And I can’t imagine doing it with anyone but this team!”
“Everyone, while you’re looking at the top, don't forget to watch your step,” Rain added, her fist joining the others as she smiled. “If we move forward surely, one step at a time, that path will eventually lead us to the 94th Floor—and ultimately, the end of the Great Labyrinth itself. Let’s all walk that path together!”
The four of them turned their smiles toward me, waiting.
“I’m heading out to conquer the northern Labyrinths, but that’s just a means to an end for me,” I said, resting my fist against theirs. “My goal is to learn everything I can from Fuuka and Haruto-san to reach the next level. As the ace of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, I’ll come back stronger than ever.”
I spoke my piece, our five fists joined in a silent vow.
Thank you for reading to the end of the chapter!
Happy New Year, everyone! I look forward to your continued support this year.
Chapter Five concludes with this episode. The volume of content ended up being nearly double what I originally planned, and I feel the chapter became a bit cluttered, but I believe I’ve touched on most of the essential plot points for now.
In Chapter Six, we’ll be picking up the pace as we head toward the conclusion of Part One! As of right now, I plan for Part One to conclude in Chapter Eight. There is a possibility that I may end the story itself with the eighth chapter, but I’ll make that decision as I go. For now, my focus is entirely on writing Chapter Six.
I’ve been fortunately busy lately, so the next update is scheduled for Friday, February 3rd. I apologize for the wait! I’m hoping to post a character introduction during the break.
Please continue to support the series!