"...So, you’ve come."
Oliver spoke as he noticed us entering the teleportation room.
"Sorry we’re late. Are we the last ones?"
The rest of the group was already assembled. Including myself, there were nine members heading to Kyokutou: Fuuka of Copper Afterglow, Haruto, Katina, Huey, Shion, Oliver, Luna, and Teruche.
Chris was also there to see us off, along with Rain, who would be handling our transport.
"No, you’re right on time," Shion answered.
Her expression was uncharacteristically stiff, and the other members seemed similarly tense. We were about to begin our confrontation with the Cult in earnest, so a bit of pressure was only natural.
I opened my mouth to say something to break the ice, but someone beat me to it.
"The air is too heavy. Everyone is overthinking this."
Fuuka, the only one who seemed entirely unphased, spoke up while pausing between bites of takoyaki.
...Honestly, where did she even find takoyaki this early in the morning?
"Fuuka, aren't you a bit too relaxed?" Shion asked with a strained laugh.
Fuuka answered indifferently as she speared another piece with a toothpick. "We have all these people gathered here, don't we? I don't feel like we'll lose. So what is there to be nervous about?"
As she spoke, she thrust the takoyaki toward Shion. "Here, Shion. You should have one. You can't fight on an empty stomach."
"Eh? M-Me...?" Shion blinked in bewilderment.
Ignoring her confusion, Fuuka pushed the snack even closer. "Just take it. Say 'ahhh.'"
Prompted, Shion took a small, hesitant breath and opened her mouth, seemingly resigning herself to the situation. "A-Ahhh..."
Fuuka fed the takoyaki to her.
"...Ah, it’s hot! But... it’s actually good."
As she chewed, a soft smile finally broke across Shion’s face. The atmosphere in the room lightened considerably at the sight.
"Our princess is the same as ever..." Haruto muttered in an exasperated tone.
I wasn't sure if Fuuka had calculated that move or not, but it certainly helped. Sensing the team was in a better headspace, I turned to Rain, whose expression remained clouded.
"Rain, thank you for coming today."
"No, it’s fine. I promised you, Orun. Besides, if this can serve as atonement, I have every reason to do it."
Rain managed a smile, but it was clearly forced. I had told her she was blameless when she left the clan, but the guilt she carried wasn't something that could be wiped away so easily. As the person most affected by her past actions, there weren't many more words I could offer...
"—Rain."
As I searched for something to say, Teruche, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.
"W-What is it, Big Sis...?" Rain turned a fearful gaze toward her sister.
"I haven't forgiven you."
Teruche’s words caused the air in the room to freeze. Rain looked down sadly, her fingers clutching her clothes in a tight grip. I started to intervene, but Teruche continued.
"However, even though we’re sisters, we’ve never truly bared our hearts to one another. I feel that my words to you until now have been insufficient. Don't you have things you want to tell me as well?"
Her voice was cool, yet it carried a quiet, steady resolve.
"Things... I want to tell you...?" Rain repeated softly.
"Yes. Even if it’s not possible right now, eventually, we must face each other properly." Teruche looked Rain straight in the eye. "So, Rain... make sure you stay alive. I will return."
They weren't gentle words, but they were filled with undeniable sincerity.
"...Yeah." Rain answered with a trembling voice. She wiped her watering eyes and did her best to meet Teruche’s gaze.
They might not be able to fully reconcile yet, but they had certainly begun to walk the paths they needed to take. Shion smiled warmly as she watched the exchange.
"Well then, Rain, could you start the preparations?"
"Yeah. Leave it to me! Teleporting all the way to Kyokutou requires a complex spell construction, so I’ll need about a minute. I’ll let you know when it’s ready."
As she spoke, Rain’s expression looked refreshed. It felt like the reliable big sister of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky was truly back.
Completing a spell construction for a teleport from the Hitia Duchy to Kyokutou in just one minute was staggering. The standard magic known as Space Leap allowed for teleportation, but its range was usually limited to a hundred meters at most. While Amunzaas and the Cyclamen Cult had methods for long-distance travel, they were typically restricted to moving between fixed points and could be blocked by interference barriers. Rain’s Space Leap, however, had none of those drawbacks.
"It’s finally starting," Chris remarked as we waited.
"Yeah. We’ll be staying in Kyokutou for a while. I’m leaving things here in your hands, Chris."
"I’ve got it. First, as planned, I’ll leak the information about Ki manipulation to the rest of the world. Since everyone wants to conquer the Great Labyrinth, I doubt the Cult or the Guild will try to suppress it."
"The Cult wants to reach the bottom just as much as we do, after all."
Until now, explorers had relied on support magic for physical enhancement. In labyrinth combat, the strength of a party was often measured by the level of their Enchanter. That was fine as long as conquering the Great Labyrinth remained a pipe dream, but if we were going to take it seriously, we couldn't depend on others for our very survival. If you can't manage your own physical enhancement, you have no business being in the deep floors.
Therefore, Amunzaas intended to spread the secrets of Ki manipulation through the grapevine. If the average explorer could master it, the overall power level of the profession would skyrocket.
"And don't worry about your disciples, Orun. I promise I’ll protect them no matter what happens."
"Hearing you say that is a weight off my shoulders. I want them to have their freedom, but I’d appreciate it if you could back them up if things go sideways."
"Leave it all to me. You just focus on your own mission."
"I will."
Just as our conversation wound down, Rain called out.
"—Orun, the teleport is ready."
A massive magic circle surfaced on the floor.
"Understood. Is everyone ready?"
I looked at the group. Everyone nodded with firm resolve.
"It’s finally time, huh? Feels like it’s been both a long and a short road to get here..." Haruto murmured.
"Leader, it’s a bit early to get sentimental," Katina teased.
"Exactly. Save the nostalgia for after we've actually reclaimed the country," Huey added.
"Haha, you guys are tough. But you're right." Haruto scratched his head with a wry smile, but his eyes were sharp. He was ready for the fight ahead.
"I'm actually looking forward to Kyokutou," Luna whispered.
"Me too," Shion agreed. "There are lots of stalls during the festival, right? You’ll have to show us around while we’re investigating, Fuuka."
"Leave it to me. There are many tastes I've missed."
Luna and Shion laughed at Fuuka’s unwavering priorities.
"—Alright, sending you off!"
With Rain’s shout, a momentary sensation of weightlessness washed over us.
An instant later, the world changed.
We stepped out into a foreign land, drenched in a heavy, inky rain, where the screams of the people echoed through the air.