"So, Orun. Are you serious about leaving the clan?"
Once Rain had calmed down, Wilkes turned back to Orun with the same question.
"……Yeah. I wouldn't joke about something like this."
"Does that mean you're going to be our enemy?"
At Wilkes’s question, the tension in the room became almost suffocating. In the midst of that heavy atmosphere, Orun slowly shook his head.
"I know it sounds convenient to say this while announcing my resignation, but even after I leave, I still want us to be friends. However... I will be acting in opposition to the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky."
"What does that even mean? You want to stay friends while being our adversary?" My sister, Selma, tilted her head in confusion.
Actually, it wasn't just her. It felt like no one in the room, myself included, understood what Orun was trying to say.
"From now on, I’m going to be moving very publicly to crush the Cyclamen Cult. If I stay registered with the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, my actions will cause trouble for the rest of the clan. That’s why I need the Cult to believe that the Silver Rabbit and I have officially parted ways."
"Master, are you going to fight the Cult alone?" Carol asked.
"Yeah. I have a long history with those people. I want to settle the score with my own hands. I can’t let my selfishness drag the rest of you into it."
"Then I’m fighting with you! I have a history with them, too!" Carol shouted.
"I’ll fight as well!" Log added.
"Me... me too!" I chimed in.
"Don't be a stranger, Orun," Wilkes growled. "You just have to say the word and we'll lend you all the strength we've got!"
"Exactly! I'm tired of losing companions," Rain said, her voice firm. "Let us fight by your side."
"Orun, you are a precious friend to me—to all of us," Selma said. "If our friend is going to war, then we're going with him!"
Everyone rallied behind Carol’s declaration. Yes, she was right. It might be a brutal struggle, but as long as we were together, surely we could win!
Orun looked stunned, as if our reaction was the last thing he expected. Slowly, his surprised expression softened into a smile.
"Everyone... thank you."
The room collectively exhaled. A wave of relief washed over us. Thank goodness—we wouldn't have to be separated from him after all.
But just as I felt the tension leave my body, the smile vanished from Orun’s face.
"—But I can't let you."
His words were a flat rejection.
"……Why not?" Selma asked.
"It’s reassuring to hear you offer your help. Truly. But if you want to support me, I’d like you to fight somewhere else—somewhere away from my direct conflict with the Cult."
"Somewhere else?"
"Yes. In the Great Labyrinth. What I want to ask of all of you is to focus on the conquest of the Great Labyrinth of the South."
"The conquest of the Great Labyrinth...?" I asked. "How is that the same as fighting with you?"
"Because the world is about to become very turbulent. We’re heading into a time where conventional wisdom won’t apply anymore. And I believe the key to stabilizing things lies within the depths of the Labyrinth."
"Orun... just what is it you’re seeing?" Selma asked, her eyes narrowing as she studied him.
"A glimpse of the near future, I suppose. I predict a world where the conquest of the Great Labyrinth becomes an absolute necessity. That was this clan’s original goal, wasn't it?"
"It was, but……"
"I believe this clan can take even the fiercest storm and turn it into a tailwind. That’s why I’m asking this of you. Please, use the power of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky to conquer the Great Labyrinth of the South."
"……Is that truly what you want from us?" Selma asked, staring straight into his eyes.
"Yes. Sooner or later, someone has to do it. And if it has to be someone, I want it to be the people of this clan."
Selma lowered her eyes for a moment, looking terribly lonely, but she quickly snapped her head back up with a fierce, determined gaze.
"I see. Fine. If possible, I wanted to reach the bottom with you by our side. But your mind is made up, isn't it?"
Orun nodded firmly.
"Then leave the Labyrinth to us! We will achieve the conquest, no matter what! So you make sure you take care of what you have to do, too."
"……Thank you, Selma. I won't give up, either. I promise to give it everything I have until the very end."
After that, Orun told us more about what he expected to happen and what he intended to do. It was a future beyond anything I had ever imagined.
"……And that’s why I’m leaving. I know I’m being incredibly selfish, and for that, I’m sorry. But I’ve made my decision. How you choose to take my words is up to you. My only wish now is for everyone to be able to live and smile in their own way. ————Everyone, take care of yourselves."
With that, Orun cut the conversation short and walked out of the room.
If he had tried to leave before giving that explanation, I think we all would have physically blocked his path. But after hearing what he had to say, we couldn't.
Because it was so obvious that the reason he was making this choice was to protect us.
We were too weak. We were just things to be protected, and because of that, we didn't have the right or the standing to hold him back.
It was so frustrating...
Why am I so pathetic...?
"Conquering the Labyrinth, huh?" Wilkes spat out, the air in the room turning heavy again. "Sure, that was my personal goal, too, but we made a promise! We said once Anego and Orun were back, the five of us would finish the job together! And now... damn it!"
"We really didn't know anything at all, did we?" Rain whispered.
"Regardless of what we decide to do next, we need time to think," Selma said. Her shoulders were slumped with grief, but she still forced herself to speak with the authority of a clan Executive. "If what Orun said is true, we probably don't have much time, but we shouldn't make a decision based on raw emotion."
Even though she had to be suffering and confused herself, my sister was still trying to keep us together. She really is amazing……
"Selma is right," the Grandmaster agreed. "Orun’s news was a total shock. Especially for the five of you who just got back from Daluane—you're exhausted. Go and get some rest for now."
"You don't seem very surprised, Grandmaster," Rain noted. "My head is still spinning. I heard everything Orun-chi said, but I can't even begin to grasp the weight of what he's carrying. I can't imagine how much resolve it takes to make a choice like that……"
"I was the only one Orun told in advance," the Grandmaster admitted. "I was just as bewildered as you are when I first heard it."
"Grandmaster, have you decided what you’re going to do?" Carol asked.
"I am the Grandmaster of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. My duty is to protect this clan and its members. I will act accordingly—even if, in the end, that means cutting Orun loose."
"………………"
Silence fell over the room as everyone retreated into their own thoughts. I was no different; I barely had the mental energy to notice anyone else.
However, I did notice Big Sis Ruu. She had been standing there since we entered the room, watching everything in total silence without saying a single word. She looked so different from the Big Sis Ruu I knew that it sent a shiver of unease down my spine.