◇ ◇ ◇
Two days had passed since Sophia’s older brother, Marius, officially became Count Claudel.
By immediately and formally rejecting the marriage proposal that had been forced on her, he finally secured Sophia’s freedom.
In truth, the entire arrangement had been nonsensical from the start. Sophia’s parents had spent years hounding her to "fulfill her duties as a noble," yet in this kingdom, one only truly becomes a noble after graduating from the Noble Academy. While this rule had become something of a formality—since almost every child of the aristocracy eventually enrolled—it still stood.
Sophia had not graduated. Therefore, despite her bloodline, she was not technically a noble. Stripping her of her status while simultaneously demanding she fulfill the responsibilities that came with it was nothing short of absurd.
The more I thought about it, the more Viscount Emelt’s role in this baffled me. The members of Twilight Moonbow, Sophia included, had been featured in the newspapers before, so he certainly had the chance to learn about her. However, the fact that he had gone as far as using the threat of a Labyrinth Stampede to force the engagement felt profoundly wrong.
Despite this lingering unease, I spent yesterday and today assisting with the post-crisis cleanup. That was when I received word that the rest of Twilight Moonbow—Luna, Log, and Carol—had arrived in Daluane.
I immediately guided the three of them to my guest quarters. With Sophia present, I explained that the situation had already been resolved.
"Geez! We rushed all the way to Daluane all fired up, and you're telling me it's already over?" Carol grumbled, her lips puckered in a pout.
"I’m sorry for making you all worry," Sophia said, bowing her head.
"No way! If you're okay, Sophia, then it’s totally moumantai—no problem at all! I’m just so glad you’re not going anywhere!"
Carol brushed off the apology and pulled Sophia into a fierce hug. Watching Sophia’s face get smothered by Carol’s... generous chest while she wheezed out, "I-I can’t breathe..." left me at a loss for how to react. As a guy, it was a bit much. Log seemed to agree, as he was blushing furiously and looking at the floor.
"Hehe, quite right," Luna said, watching the two girls with a gentle, relieved smile. "Just seeing for ourselves that Sophia is safe made the trip to Daluane worth it."
"I really am sorry for the trouble," Sophia said after finally escaping Carol’s embrace. "But looking back, I think this gave me a chance to find myself again. Now, I can say it clearly to anyone—I want to keep being an explorer with all of you."
"I'm so happy to hear that," Log said. "I can't imagine Twilight Moonbow without you. Welcome back, Sophia."
"Yeah! I’m back!"
Seeing everyone in Twilight Moonbow smiling together brought a surge of relief. My own contribution had been negligible; the lion’s share of the credit belonged to Selma-san and Marius-san. Having acted so cool in front of Sophia earlier, I felt a twinge of embarrassment that I wasn't the one to actually fix everything, but as long as she was happy, nothing else mattered. My petty pride was irrelevant.
"By the way," Sophia asked the group, "how did you all find out I was in Daluane so quickly?"
"That was all thanks to Big Sis Ruu!" Carol chirped. "She tracked you down, and we chased after you as fast as we could!"
"I wouldn't call it a 'great performance,' exactly," Luna demurred. "I simply realized a new potential for my Ability. Thanks to that, I discovered you were heading for Daluane. In a way, this incident was a good experience for me, too."
"I see. Thank you, Big Sis Ruu."
"Hehe, you're very welcome."
"You shared senses with the fairies through an Expanded Interpretation of your Ability, right?" Log pondered. "I wonder if my Shadow Manipulation has any potential beyond just moving shadows around? I can't think of a single thing."
"Expanded Interpretation, huh..." Sophia added. "My Psychokinesis feels like it should have so many possibilities, but my mind is a total blank."
"Hmm? Master, didn't you reproduce Mana Convergence using an Expanded Interpretation of Gravity Manipulation?" Carol asked, turning to me.
The conversation had shifted to the mechanics of Abilities before I knew it.
"That’s right. My case might be a bit unique, but having a model nearby—someone who actually had Mana Convergence as an Ability—was the biggest factor."
By 'unique,' I was referring to the fact that I had mistakenly believed my own Ability was Mana Convergence for a long time. Looking back, I still found it strange that I’d been so confused. I still hadn't found a satisfying answer as to why I could perceive mana through Gravity Manipulation in the first place. In that sense, I still didn't fully understand my own power.
"Is it really that much easier to imagine when you have a model to follow?" Log asked.
"I think it definitely helps. That said, Abilities are powered by imagination. Sometimes, having a model can actually limit your perspective. In the end, it might just come down to serendipity."
An Expanded Interpretation isn't something that happens overnight. You have to understand your Ability to its core, then look at it from a completely different angle to see what you were missing. At least, that was what Grandpa always used to say.
"I suppose so," Luna said thoughtfully. "I might never have thought of my own interpretation if I hadn't been so desperate to find Sophia. Serendipity sounds about right."
Sophia and Log both went quiet, seemingly lost in thought about their own powers. None of them noticed Carol. In contrast to their excitement, she wore a rare, self-mocking expression.
"Serendipity and feelings, huh? Both of those are pretty far removed from me," she whispered to herself.
Carol viewed her own Ability as a curse. While it had certainly saved her life before, her hatred for it ran deep. Her perspective on herself and the world was slowly starting to shift, and I believed that change was for the better, but it wasn't a simple fix. It would take time.
For now, the best I could do was watch over her and offer advice whenever she sought it. This was an answer she had to find on her own.
"Anyway, let’s change the subject," I said, once the conversation hit a lull. "Are you four free tonight?"
"Carol, Big Sis Ruu, and I are free," Log answered. "We basically came here on a whim."
"I don't have any plans either," Sophia added.
"Good. I was originally going to suggest this once we got back to Tsutrail, but since everyone is here in Daluane, it’s the perfect time."
"Hmm? Perfect for what?" Carol asked.
"It’s already March, isn't it? That means you’ve officially come of age, Carol. I thought we could all go out for a nice meal to celebrate."
"Oh! You're right! I’m fifteen this month! I’m finally an adult!"
The realization seemed to hit her all at once, and her energy skyrocketed. With the others quickly agreeing, we decided on a whim to hold a coming-of-age party for her.
The celebration was filled with constant laughter. The war between the Kingdom and the Empire was looming, and ever since leaving Tsutrail, I hadn't been able to fully lower my guard. But tonight, I was able to enjoy a few hours of pure fun with Twilight Moonbow.
Tomorrow, I would give a detailed report on the Labyrinth Conquest to Princess Lucila. After that, Fuuka, Haruto-san, and I would head back to Tsutrail, bringing Selma-san and the members of Twilight Moonbow with us.
I found myself genuinely looking forward to returning to my duties as an explorer for the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky.
◇ ◇ ◇
"Doctor, it seems the Claudel House has suddenly moved to scrap the marriage proposal with Viscount Emelt."
Lueria and Frederick—siblings with matching reddish-beige hair and identical features—entered a Cult stronghold located near Daluane. They spoke to a man in red robes who was busy working in the center of the room.
The man, addressed as "Doctor" by Lueria, was Ozwell McCloud. He paused his work and turned toward them.
"............That is a joke in poor taste."
Ozwell, who had been in high spirits while preparing for his next experiment, felt his mood plummet instantly.
"I wouldn't joke about this! Oh, and by the way, it looks like the Labyrinth they were planning to trigger has already been conquered. It’s lost all its functions," Frederick added in his usual, drawling tone, completely unfazed by Ozwell’s deepening scowl.
"Hmm. It seems I miscalculated several factors. Still, I placed some fairly powerful specimens in that Labyrinth. It shouldn't have been something local explorers could handle. Did you hear who conquered it?"
"Yes," Lueria answered. "Word is it was Selma Claudel."
Ozwell’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Selma Claudel? The S-Rank Explorer known as the Continent's Greatest Enchanter?"
"That’s the one. Honestly, the news that she arrived in Daluane with the Princess is common knowledge around here. Didn't you know?"
"I've been... occupied. My preparations for the next experiment were so absorbing that I haven't looked at a report in days."
"The Doctor and his human experiments," Frederick chirped. "So, what are you actually planning to do once you get your hands on that Sophia girl?"
"That should be obvious—it is an experiment to achieve my ultimate goal. Abilities are a matter of atavism. Generally speaking, if an Ability manifests in someone, it won't appear in anyone within three degrees of kinship."
Ozwell’s voice took on an excited, academic lilt.
"Sophia Claudel is not an exception to that rule. And yet, both she and her sister are Ability users. That is an anomaly. It suggests the Claudel bloodline might satisfy the conditions I have been searching for. I must have her, no matter the cost!"
Ozwell’s voice grew louder with his excitement, but the aura radiating from him was utterly malevolent. Facing him, the siblings felt the primal terror he had instilled in them since childhood bubble to the surface. No matter how casually they acted around him now, that deep-seated fear was not easily erased.
Ozwell was obsessed with securing Sophia. He had tried to use Imperial nobility to keep things quiet and avoid friction, but that had failed.
Lueria and Frederick shared a silent thought: Ozwell would not give up. Since subtle methods had failed, his next move would be simpler and far more violent. And they were the ones who would be sent to carry it out.
"In any case, these roundabout games are becoming tedious. Don't you two agree?"
"……Yes. We agree, Doctor," Lueria replied, her voice steady only through a monumental effort. Frederick nodded beside her in silent confirmation.
"Good, good. You really are my most excellent pawns. Let us begin, then. If possible, I’d like to secure Selma along with Sophia."
Eager to escape his presence, the siblings immediately left to begin preparations. As Ozwell had noted, they were efficient; they already knew exactly how he wanted them to proceed without being told.
"—Now then," Ozwell whispered into the empty room, a dark smile spreading across his face. "I suppose I should put some real effort into this. The war between the Kingdom and the Empire has begun, and Beria will be moving soon. Once that happens, I won't have the luxury of focusing on my research. I’d like to see these results before then."
The malice of "Doctor" Ozwell McCloud of the Cyclamen Cult was about to swallow Daluane whole.