Orun took down opponents in an instant—foes I would have struggled to defeat even one-on-one.
Orun was our ace. It was only natural that he could wipe out enemies faster than I ever could, so the fact itself didn’t surprise me.
(However, what was that movement he just made...?)
His speed when he annihilated those wolves was beyond logic. I hadn't been able to track him at all; for a moment, I wondered if he was using [Space Leap] in rapid succession.
But whenever magic is invoked, a magic circle should appear. Depending on the spell, it’s possible to hide the circle with enough ingenuity—shrinking it until it’s invisible to the naked eye. However, for a magic as complex as [Space Leap], shrinking the circle to that extent is impossible.
In other words, Orun’s recent movement, which could only be described as teleportation, was performed through sheer physical ability. Well, I suppose he must have been under the influence of some buffs.
As I was pondering this, I heard a man's voice from behind me—someone other than Orun.
"I’d heard about Orun’s high learning capacity, but even so, it hasn't even been two months since he first saw Shukuchi, and he's already mastered it? That’s just insane."
When I turned toward the voice, I saw Haruto and Fuuka from "Copper Afterglow."
Wait, did he say Shukuchi?
If I recall correctly, Shukuchi is a legendary technique considered to be one of the secret arts—the pinnacle of martial arts. Given its status as an ultimate technique, I’d heard that there were almost no users of it in the present day, nor many even in history.
I had also heard rumors that "Fuuka has reached the ultimate height of martial arts." If that was true, did it mean Orun was being taught Shukuchi by Fuuka herself?
"I just tried to imitate it by watching. I know better than anyone that I’m nowhere near Fuuka's level yet," Orun said.
"Hmm. By the way, Instructor Fuuka... if you were to give Orun's Shukuchi a score out of a hundred, what would it be?" Haruto asked.
"......Sixty points," she replied.
"Ho, so he managed to get better than half. By the way, what’s the passing grade?"
"I’d want at least eighty. There's too much waste in his movements. His weight shifting is still far from ready. It might work against weak opponents like those wolves just now, but it's not at a level that can be integrated into tactics against a true powerhouse."
I was surprised to hear Fuuka speak this much. I had assumed she was a woman of few words who only spoke the bare minimum. It suggested that she and Orun had become quite close over these past two months.
...Wait. Why was I suddenly concerned about how intimate the two of them were?
"Yeah, I know. —Oh, Selma-san, are you okay? That nosebleed is from overusing magic, right? We'll handle the perimeter watch, so please take a break for now."
Orun, having finished his conversation with Haruto, spoke to me with genuine concern. He helped me sit on the ground and then enveloped my surroundings in a [Magic Barrier]. We were in a wasteland where dust clouds rose frequently, but his barrier protected me from the grit and wind.
"Y-yeah. You saved my life, Orun. Thank you."
When I thanked him, looking up from the ground, he wore a smile that instantly put me at ease.
"No need for thanks. If you knew a comrade was in danger, Selma-san, wouldn't you have done the same for me?"
While we spoke, I took a towel out of my [Storage Magic Tool] and wiped away the blood. Since the bleeding had already stopped, it didn't take long to clean up.
"That... might be true. ...So, why are you all here?"
"We heard from Princess Lucila that you were here, Selma-san. We hurried after you as fast as we could."
"As I thought—it was Lucy. In that case, have you heard the reason why I'm here?"
"Yeah, I heard. That the marriage between Sophie and the eldest son of Viscount Emelt has been decided."
"I see. Then, can I assume you'll cooperate as well?"
"...I intend to bring about the result that Sophie desires. Regardless of that, since there's a risk of a Stampede here, I'm going to conquer this Labyrinth anyway."
I see. That was a very Orun-like way of thinking.
"Yes, that is enough. You have my gratitude. —Now then, since you're all here, let's hurry up and finish this."
My head still throbbed, but I couldn't afford to waste another second.
"............Understood. Is it okay if I take command? You probably don't know Fuuka's or Haruto-san's movements well enough to coordinate them yet, Selma-san."
When I spoke of resuming the conquest, Orun’s expression faltered for a second, as if he wanted to say something else, but he ultimately swallowed his words. He likely wanted to send me back because I was a hindrance, but he had chosen to respect my feelings instead.
In that case, I needed to refrain from any further selfishness. As Orun said, I only knew of his new companions' abilities through hearsay.
"Understood. I'll leave it in your hands, Orun."
"Alright. First, we'll head down to the 21st Floor. We came here in such a rush that we only know the bare minimum about this place. I'll need you to fill us in, Selma-san."
Not only I, but Fuuka and Haruto also nodded in agreement.
"Also, regarding combat: Fuuka and I will handle the front line. Haruto-san, please protect Selma-san while monitoring the surroundings. Selma-san, please rest. We can all handle our own buffs, so I'd just be grateful if you could link the four of us with [Telepathy]."
...Hmph. So my support wasn't needed.
I understood that he was saying this precisely because I was in no condition to construct complex spell formulas. Yet, I couldn't help but remember the battle against the Black Dragon during the Guided Exploration last year. Even back then, when I tried to cast support magic on Orun, he told me it wasn't necessary.
『I've established the link. Can all three of you hear me?』
I used my [Ability] to call out to them via [Telepathy].
"Heh, so this is Selma's [Ability]. Can we hear you clearly even if we're far apart?" Haruto asked aloud, sounding impressed.
"Yes. As long as you are within my range, you should hear me regardless of distance. If you want to reply via [Telepathy], just speak in your mind with the intent for your voice to reach the others."
『Like this?』
Haruto followed my advice, and his voice echoed clearly inside my head.
『Exactly like that. Just like speaking aloud, once you get used to it, you'll be able to send messages without even thinking about it.』
『Haha, this is great! I see, I see. So this is why Selma is called the 'Continent's Greatest Enchanter.' I'd heard the stories, but this is way too convenient.』
"......Haruto, you're loud. Don't make such a racket inside my head."
As Haruto grew excited, Fuuka bluntlty shut him down. Since her expression was as stoic as ever, I couldn't tell if she was being serious or just teasing him.
"That's a bit harsh, don't you think? I can't help it; this is amazing. You think it's convenient too, don't you, Fuuka?"
Haruto didn't seem bothered at all. When he pressed her for agreement, she gave a small, quiet, "......Yes."
"Fuuka, you should try it too. I'm sure you'd be fine doing it for real, but it's better to get the feel of it now," Orun suggested.
『...Like this?』
Fuuka tilted her head slightly while looking at Orun, and her voice echoed in my mind. The gesture was surprisingly adorable.
...Somehow, looking at Fuuka made me feel like I was looking at a younger sister.
Orun replied with a telepathic 『Yeah, I can hear you,』 then turned back toward the path ahead.
"Alright, let's head for the 21st Floor."
『Fuuka, take the two on the right.』
『Understood.』
When we encountered three rhinoceros-like Magic Beasts, Orun and Fuuka immediately closed the distance. Orun calmly took down one beast while Fuuka had already slaughtered the other two before he even finished.
Some time had passed since we joined forces. If it had been me, it would have taken several times longer even if I were in perfect condition. But Orun and Fuuka tore through the creatures as if they were nothing, even though these were beasts found in the Deep Floors. We had already reached the 27th Floor—the very bottom.
"The two of them are incredible..." I whispered.
Haruto, standing beside me, laughed. "Right? Those two are disgustingly strong individually, and they've spent the last two months refining their coordination. Toss in Selma’s [Telepathy] for instant communication, and the Magic Beasts here don't stand a chance."
I take pride in my own growth. But seeing them now, I couldn't ignore the fact that the gap between Orun and me was only widening.
Rain had said it before: Perhaps we are no longer worthy of being Orun's comrades.
Watching Orun and Fuuka fight together, it almost felt as if Orun had been stifled back when he was with the First Unit. Ever since he joined the "Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky," the benefits he’d brought to the clan were immeasurable. But conversely, what had we—or the clan—ever done for him?
...Were we becoming nothing more than an anchor for him?
(—No, stop. This is no good. I'm getting in my own head.)
Between Sophia’s situation, the throbbing headache, and my own sense of inadequacy, my thoughts were spiraling in a dark direction.
"...Selma-san, are you okay? Should we slow down?"
Orun looked back at me, his expression full of concern. In my current state, unable to even use magic properly, I was useless. Since I had forced my way onto this mission, I couldn't afford to be even more of a burden.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you for worrying."
"............Alright. I know it's tough, but we're almost at the innermost area. Just a little further."
"Yeah."
We encountered more Magic Beasts as we moved, but Orun and Fuuka’s coordination was breathtaking—it was almost like watching a single organism. Fuuka covered every tiny gap in Orun's movements so perfectly that they left no openings whatsoever. Orun, too, fought as if he knew exactly where she was going to be. It was so seamless that I caught myself wondering if Orun could see the future as well.
Finally, we reached the heart of the Labyrinth, secured the Dungeon Core, and returned to the surface.
"Orun, Haruto, Fuuka... thank you again. If you hadn't come, I likely wouldn't have made it out."
"How many times do I have to tell you? We're comrades; it's only natural. Besides, after hearing what’s going on, there was no way we could just let this Labyrinth sit," Orun said, his expression as gentle as ever.
Comrades, huh. My thoughts had turned dark earlier, but Orun still saw us as equals. If that was the case, I simply had to keep working until I possessed strength worthy of him.
"It was a good chance to test the [Telepathy] in a real fight. Don't worry about it," Fuuka added. Her words implied that she expected many more opportunities to fight with me in the future.
I’d heard that [Future Sight] could see a few seconds ahead, but looking at her now, I wondered... could she see much further? Days? Months?
"More importantly, Selma-san, you're at your limit. You need to rest. I know you're worried about Sophie, but if she sees you like this, she'll only end up blaming herself more, don't you think?" Orun said.
He had probably wanted me to rest from the moment we met. Despite that, he had respected my resolve and brought me along. The truth was, while the headache had faded slightly, it was still agonizing. It was time to be honest with myself and listen to him.
The Labyrinth was conquered. I could leave the matter of my father to my brother for now.
"You're right. I can't afford to worry you all any further. I'll take your advice and rest."
After that, I went with them to inform my brother and Lucy that the Labyrinth was safe. Then, I retreated to my room and fell into a sleep as deep as lead.