◇
"...You held back well. For a moment, I was worried you were going to kill them both right then and there. It's a good thing neither of them seemed to notice your killing intent."
Marius spoke as soon as we had moved into a small, vacant room away from the Count's office.
"I feel like crushing Father to pieces this very instant," I growled.
I deactivated [Hide] and stepped into the light. My expression must have been a mask of indescribable rage.
In the office earlier, there were not only Marius, the Count, and Aldo, but also me, lurking in the shadows. Because everyone knew how much I doted on Sophia, I never would have been able to get the Count to talk. Marius, who still enjoyed a modicum of our father's trust, had volunteered to act as the bait to draw out their secrets.
"I'll be the one to crush that beast," Marius said, his voice cold. "I won't let you snatch that role from me, Selma, not even as my sister."
"I don't care who does it, as long as Sophia is saved. But Brother... why are you helping me? You've always been so indifferent toward her."
Thanks to Marius’s cooperation, I finally knew why Sophia had been brought to Daluane. However, his sudden shift was baffling. He had maintained a wall of apathy toward Sophia for as long as I could remember.
"I'm sorry to answer a question with a question, but Selma—why do you want to save her so badly?"
"Because she’s my sister. She's my precious little sister, the only one I have in this world. Do I really need a better reason than that?"
I answered him instantly, meeting his gaze with unclouded eyes. Marius’s expression softened into something resembling warmth.
"We really are two of a kind. I suppose it’s only natural, since we share the same blood," he murmured. His voice was filled with a gentleness that matched his face.
"...I thought you hated her. You even told me you had no time to waste on the 'stain of this house.'"
"If you truly believed that, then I suppose my acting was better than I thought."
"What do you mean?"
"When I first heard that a servant was pregnant with the old man’s child, I was actually happy. I was looking forward to having a new sibling. But at the same time, I utterly despised that man for drowning in his own lust. I couldn't forgive the fact that a man who couldn't even control his own base desires was the one ruling this land and leading its people."
Marius spoke the words as if he were finally purging a poison he’d kept bottled up for years.
"That’s why, from that day on, I’ve moved with one goal: to drag that man off his throne as soon as possible. But in this country, a peerage carries immense weight. Back then, I was too small, too insignificant. If I had rebelled, I would have been crushed like an insect."
"So you stayed silent... and ignored her just to survive?"
"Exactly. I had to build my power in the shadows to eventually destroy him. I know my own nature, Selma. If I had allowed myself to get involved with Sophia, I would have ended up doting on her just like I did with you. That wouldn't have sat well with the old man or Mother. So, I chose to be a phantom in her life—utterly indifferent."
"…………"
I didn't know what to say. I understood the cold logic behind his choice, but it didn't change the fact that his distance had been another weight on Sophia’s heart.
"But that ends today. I’ve finally found the weapon I need to strike him down. Even if he claims it’s to save the people, making secret deals with the Empire—our enemy—is high treason. ...Though, I suppose I’ve lost any right to call myself her big brother at this point."
◇ ◇ ◇
"So, Count Claudel has been colluding with the Empire?"
I had decided to join forces with Marius to topple our father. If the Count fell from power, the title would naturally pass to Marius. As the new head of the house, Marius would have the authority to unilaterally cancel Sophia’s engagement.
Normally, breaking a finalized marriage contract is a diplomatic nightmare, but since the other party was an Imperial noble, we could use the war as a pretext to simply wipe the slate clean. To justify our move, I brought the facts of the Count's treason to Lucy.
Lucy—Princess Lucila—closed her eyes, lost in thought after hearing the report.
"I’m not asking you to denounce him this very moment, Your Highness," Marius added. "I only ask that you turn a blind eye to our actions for a short while."
He was being careful. Father was still the head of the Count Claudel House. Regardless of how righteous our cause was, we were technically baring our fangs against our own patriarch.
"...The fact that the Count is in communication with the Empire is certainly something I cannot overlook," Lucy said slowly.
"Then—"
"—However," she interrupted, "we can still turn this to our advantage. For instance, we could have your sister act as a double agent. Count Claudel likely intends to use her for a similar purpose. If her marriage benefits the Kingdom's intelligence, then the Crown might be inclined to overlook the Count's original transgression."
For a second, I thought Lucy was on our side, but her face had shifted into that of a cold, calculating Princess. She was suggesting we support the Count's plan.
"I'm sorry, Selma. As your friend, I hate the idea of forcing such a burden on your sister. But as a Princess, I have to judge what is best for the state. Especially if the groom is Viscount Emelt."
The Emelt family was notorious for their deep ties to the Imperial military. Sending Sophia there would give the Kingdom a perfect bridgehead for espionage.
"We’ve secured help from the neighboring nations, but the Kingdom is still at a disadvantage. I need every card I can get. Furthermore, I cannot allow a Stampede to occur in the Daluane Labyrinth. If foreign soldiers in the Allied Forces are injured because of a localized disaster here, the entire coalition could fall apart."
"…………"
I understood her logic perfectly. But I couldn't accept it. If this was a war that could only be won by sacrificing Sophia, then perhaps the Kingdom deserved to lose.
"I understand your position, Princess Lucila," I said, my voice steady. "In that case, I will act as an Explorer of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky."
Lucy’s expression softened just a fraction. I felt like she was playing me like a fiddle, but this was the only path left.
"If there is a risk of a Stampede, I cannot ignore it as an Explorer. I will go and conquer the Labyrinth near Daluane myself."
"If you conquer a Labyrinth without the Guild's permission, your license could be revoked, you know?"
She was right. Labyrinths are state resources managed by the Guild. Conquering them is usually forbidden unless specifically requested to manage the Magic Stone supply. What Orun and the others were doing lately was a massive exception to the rule.
"You needn't worry about that. Orun is scheduled to arrive in Daluane shortly. He currently holds the authority to conquer target Labyrinths and the discretionary power to clear non-target ones if he deems it necessary. I’ll simply have him retroactively authorize my mission."
The only reason to go through with the Imperial marriage was to prevent the Stampede and protect the people. If the Labyrinth was gone, the threat was gone, and there would be no reason to hand Sophia over. Besides, there was no guarantee the Empire would keep their word anyway. In fact, they’d likely trigger the Stampede the moment the wedding was over.
Lucy nodded with a radiant smile, as if I’d finally given the "correct" answer. I realized then that she had probably seen this conclusion the moment we started talking. Her intellect had always been terrifying, even back in our academy days.
As a Princess, she couldn't officially authorize the conquest to ruin a political marriage. So, she had subtly backed me into a corner until I "volunteered" to do it myself.
Honestly, royalty and high nobility are such a headache. Still, if there hadn't been a strategic benefit to my plan, Lucy would have used her authority to stop me. I didn't know exactly what her endgame was, but she always moved with a purpose.
"I see," Lucy said, concluding the meeting. "If Selma the Explorer has made her choice, I have no way to stop her. And if the Labyrinth is gone, leaving only the Count's treasonous dealings... then I suppose I will have no choice but to denounce him."
It was a transparently hollow statement, but it set our course. The web of everyone’s motives was a mess, but the bottom line was simple: clear the Labyrinth, and everything would fall into place for me.
◇
Sophia, please wait just a little longer. I’m coming for you!
Standing at the entrance of the Labyrinth on the outskirts of Daluane, I sent one more [Telepathy] message toward my sister. As usual, there was no reply.
While I tackled the Labyrinth, Marius was going to squeeze Sophia's location out of Father. I wished my Ability were more precise—if only I could see exactly where she was. But I didn't have time for self-pity. I didn't know the exact date, but the deadline to hand her over was fast approaching. Father wasn't the type to waste resources on her for long.
I had to clear this place and drag him down before time ran out.
"Alright... let's go!"
Steeling my resolve, I stepped into the Labyrinth alone.
Even with the Allied Forces formed, Lucy was swamped with diplomacy and couldn't move openly. So, this conquest was a solo mission. I was an S-Rank Explorer. I told myself I could handle a standard Labyrinth alone.
However, rumors said this place contained Magic Beasts on par with those found in the Deep Floors of a Great Labyrinth. As someone whose combat rating was on the lower end of the S-Rank tier, I knew I was in for a brutal fight.
But for Sophia's sake, I was the only one who could do this.
I fought my way through the wasteland-like floors, incinerating Magic Beasts as I went. Eventually, a group of waist-high spiders blocked my path.
"...This wasn't in the reports."
I’d memorized the local data, but there had been no mention of these. They were almost certainly a new species. As I began my spell construction, the spiders spat out sticky webbing to bind me.
The threads passed harmlessly through my body.
I’d been running my original magic, [Phantom], since the moment I stepped inside. They were attacking a ghost.
"[Fire Javelin]!"
From the shadow of my illusion, I launched spears of fire.
"...They really are as tough as Deep Floor beasts."
Usually, a Special-grade spell is enough to end things, but these spiders barely flinched. They were scorched, but far from dead. I kept moving, using [Phantom] to keep them guessing.
"I can't afford to be stingy with my mana anymore! —[Explode]!"
I stacked buffs on myself and began rainng down Special-grade and Advanced Magic without mercy. That finally did the trick. The spiders dissolved into black mist, leaving only their Magic Stones behind. I pushed on toward the deepest reaches of the Labyrinth.
◇
"Haa... haa... haa... Dammit... only halfway through the 20th Floor..."
I grumbled to myself, blood trickling from my nose. I had pushed my magic so far past its limit that the pounding headache had given way to a steady nosebleed.
It had been over two days since I entered. This Labyrinth had twenty-seven floors in total, and each one was massive. I was returning to the surface to rest after every floor, making my progress slow but steady.
But the density of the beasts was reaching a breaking point. I was aiming for the 21st Floor when I ran into them: a pack of over ten wolves with reddish-black fur. Another unrecorded species. Each one was a Deep Floor-class threat, and they were hunting me with terrifying coordination.
I tried to fight a defensive battle, relying on [Phantom] and support magic, but my brain reached its limit before they did.
"Is this... it...?"
My vision blurred, and my thoughts felt like they were mired in thick mud. I was in the middle of the 20th Floor—too far to run forward, too far to retreat. Even if I somehow killed these wolves, I’d never make it back to the Crystal at the entrance before another pack found me.
I was a mage. I knew the basics of close combat, but in this state, I couldn't land a hit that would matter. The wolves circled me, growling, closing the net. Then, one of them lunged from behind.
"Ngh! [Rock Needle]!"
Constructing even a mid-tier spell through the agony in my head was nearly impossible. I managed to trigger it, forcing the ground to spike upward, but the wolf simply leaped over the stones. It opened its jaws in mid-air, hurtling toward my throat at a speed I couldn't track.
I can't dodge this... I'm sorry, Sophia. I'm going to die before I can even save you—
As an Explorer, I’d always known death was a possibility. I felt a surge of bitter regret, but my body refused to move. I closed my eyes, waiting for the end.
I expected a flash of agony followed by darkness.
Instead, a sharp gust of wind whipped past me.
I waited for the bite, but it never came. I opened my eyes cautiously.
A young man stood before me, clad in a coat of black and blue. In his hand was a sword forged from pitch-black mana. The wolf that had been about to kill me lay behind him, sliced perfectly in two.
"Thank god! I made it! Selma-san, are you okay?"
"…………Orun?"
There he was. My reliable comrade, the man who shouldn't have been here, looking at me with a face full of worry.
"You must have had a rough time doing this all by yourself. But it’s okay now. Leave the rest to me."
He gave me a small smile. The relief was so sudden and so overwhelming that I felt tears start to spill down my cheeks.
"—Now then. You curs... how dare you lay a finger on my precious friend. I hope you're ready for this."
Orun turned back to the pack. His voice was trembling with a quiet, terrifying rage. I could feel the very air around him beginning to vibrate.
"[Second Form: Mont Zwei]"
His magic sword split into twin daggers, and Orun’s form blurred before my eyes. I thought my vision was failing again, but a second later, a dozen pitch-black arcs of light traced through the air. In the blink of an eye, the remaining wolves vanished into clouds of black mist.