I wondered if Sherry had started to view me in a new light.
No, wait. What did I mean by "new light"? She must have thought I was incredible from the very beginning. There was no doubt about it.
Still, the truth was that the Duke who’d recommended me for the Empire Liberation Society had only ever seen Roxanne in action. It was likely her performance that had prompted the recommendation in the first place. Perhaps he’d actually wanted to recommend Roxanne instead of me. If that were the case, I couldn’t really blame him.
"I’ve been told that the Empire Liberation Society imposes a strict duty of confidentiality," I said. "Everything learned within the Society—the identities of its members, even the fact that I’m joining—must be kept an absolute secret. Apparently, it’s a precaution to prevent members from becoming targets due to information leaks."
"That sounds like a very prudent and wonderful arrangement," Roxanne replied.
"At this point, adding one or two more secrets to the list isn't a problem," Sherry added.
Roxanne seemed to be in full favor of the secrecy. As for Sherry—hadn't she just been impressed by me?
"It is a secret!" Milia chirped.
"I think we'll be fine," Vesta said.
It was true that we were keeping so many things under wraps that even Milia had picked up the word for it.
"We're heading to the thirty-third floor of Quratar now so they can observe how we fight. They’ll be judging whether I have enough skill to hold my own as a member. I won't be using magic, so this will be a strictly physical engagement."
"Understood," they replied in unison.
I could always rely on Durandal. It would expose the fact that I possessed an extraordinary sword, but I suppose that couldn't be helped.
"Our primary targets will be Drive Dragons, but since we’ve already cleared the thirty-third floor once, there’s no reason to be nervous. We’ll just do what we always do. It shouldn't be a problem."
"Of course not," Roxanne said confidently.
If Roxanne said so, it had to be true. Any battle that actually made her feel uneasy would probably mean certain death for me.
"We’ll be paying the entry fee this time, so we’re heading to the Adventurer Guild first."
We left the house and warped to the guild. From there, we walked to the labyrinth entrance. It was about the same distance as our usual shopping trips, so it was no trouble at all. I could have warped directly to the Quratar Labyrinth, stepped outside, and then walked back in, but that would have looked incredibly suspicious.
"Would you like a guide map of the labyrinth?"
At the Knight Order Station, they were peddling maps as usual. They certainly were dedicated to their business.
Then it hit me—I’d forgotten mine.
"Roxanne, do you remember the route through the thirty-third floor?" I whispered.
"Yes. It won't be a problem."
As expected, she was flawless when it came to the labyrinth.
"Entry fees for five, please."
I handed over five silver coins and received five flimsy tickets in return. I really wished my thirty-percent discount applied to these things.
When we stepped into the thirty-third floor, Estel was already waiting. There were six people in his group—likely his personal party. Aside from the Baron, who was a Paladin, the lineup was formidable: an Adventurer, an Explorer, a Wizard, a Beast King, and a High Priest. Their levels were undoubtedly high.
I recalled that Beast King was an advanced job for a Beast Fighter. This was my first time seeing one. The High Priest was likely the rank above Priest; that was a first for me as well. With three women and three men, the party was perfectly balanced between the front line and the rear guard. They looked like a group of seasoned veterans—exactly what you’d expect from an examiner.
"Ah, Michio. Good to see you," Estel called out as soon as we arrived.
"Likewise."
"And this is your party?"
"Yes, it is."
"I’ve spent a long time fighting on the upper floors, so I might have some advice to offer you all," Estel said. "If you wish, we can proceed slowly to the boss room together, fighting monsters along the way. Or, if you’d prefer otherwise, we can wait for you in the small room closest to the boss. Which will it be?"
So, I had a choice. Naturally, the less they saw, the better. While there was a chance I could learn something from how an ordinary party fought, our usual strategy revolved around magic.
"Our strategy relies pretty heavily on our specific gear, so would you mind going on ahead and waiting for us?"
"Gear, eh? Very well."
When I declined his offer, Estel nodded simply. It was a flimsy excuse I’d made up on the spot, but it seemed to satisfy him. In truth, if our equipment changed, our entire approach to combat would change. Since I was forbidden from using magic, we’d be relying on Durandal, Milia’s Estoc of Rigidity, and the spear Sherry used for its chant interruption.
"We appreciate it."
"Everyone wants to keep their trump cards hidden. There’s no need to feel reserved about it," Estel said, explaining his easy agreement.
I suppose the desire to keep one's fighting style a secret was universal. Estel gave a brief instruction to the Explorer in his party, who then chanted the spell for Dungeon Walk. A black wall manifested, and the six of them stepped through. I wondered if the Explorer was a permanent member or just there for transport. Given their high level, it was probably the former.
"Shall we go then? Remember, no magic. Roxanne, lead the way."
"Understood."
We started moving. I didn't think we were being watched, but the idea made me uneasy, so I stayed away from magic. It wasn't like we needed it anyway. I could have moved us to the meeting point with Dungeon Walk myself, but I chose not to. The Duke had likely told him I was an Adventurer, and while I could have claimed Sherry was an Explorer, there was no need to layer on more lies.
I’d made sure my first job was set to Adventurer. It made my bonus points a bit tight, but I had to commit to the role. I also kept Gambler equipped to ensure we were in top form. I left Libertine and Mage on as well, since I’d be using magic once we were inside the boss room.
Guided by Roxanne, we made our way toward the meeting point, clearing out monsters along the path without any difficulty.
"You’ve arrived," Estel said when we reached the small room. "I checked just now; there are monsters between here and the boss room. I’ll be observing from right behind you. If it isn't a Drive Dragon, I might have you fight another round, but go ahead."
We stepped out first and moved toward the boss room.
"It’s a Drive Dragon and a Rock Bird," Roxanne whispered. "One of each, I think."
While Estel only knew that monsters were present, Roxanne knew exactly what they were and how many there were. She really was in a league of her own.
"Thanks. As expected of you."
The monsters appeared. True to Roxanne’s word, it was a single Drive Dragon and a Rock Bird. My party dashed forward immediately. I cast Status Ailment Resistance Down on the Drive Dragon before joining the fray. Since I had Gambler equipped, I might as well use it. It wasn't like the skill had a visible effect he could point out.
"I did it!" Milia cried out.
The Drive Dragon was petrified in an instant—almost the exact moment I reached it. That was probably a little too fast. I hadn't even managed to swing at the Rock Bird yet. Well, it couldn't be helped.
"Good. You did well," I said.
I’d just have to treat it like a lucky coincidence. At the very least, I’d refrain from using the debuff on the Rock Bird.
"Success!" Milia shouted again.
Well, so much for my restraint. I finished off the petrified monsters with Durandal. The fact that my sword could cut through stone would be obvious now, but that was another thing that couldn't be helped.
Once the Drive Dragon dissipated into smoke, Estel walked over to us.
"The speed at which you annihilated them is impressive. That was a flawless performance."
"I'm glad to hear it."
It looked like I was one step closer to passing.
"Now for the boss. If there are any more monsters on the way, you'll handle them as well," Estel said before stepping back.
"There are no more monsters between here and the boss room," Roxanne whispered once the Baron was out of earshot.
She was really showing off the gap in their abilities. Of course, Estel might have known the path was clear too; he’d only framed it as a possibility.
Following Roxanne’s lead, we reached the boss room without further incident. The waiting room was empty, just as she’d predicted.
"Only one party passed through while we were waiting," Estel informed us. "The door should open any moment. Once you’re inside, we’ll wait out here."
Only one party could occupy the boss room at a time, which meant I could finally use magic without hesitation. The heavy stone doors groaned open almost immediately.
"Here we go."
I gave Estel a polite nod and led the charge into the room. I wasn't wearing my Alba since I was sticking to my adventurer persona, but there was no time to change anyway. It wouldn't matter.
"I did it!"
And indeed, it didn't matter. We had fought Land Dragons enough times that victory was a foregone conclusion. I finished off the petrified beast with a burst of magic. We hadn't needed magic until this point, and we hadn't taken enough damage to require healing.
Our equipment certainly made things easier, but it wasn't as if we were struggling. If there was any concern, it was the time it took to finish. The duration of the boss fight might be part of the evaluation, and if I’d wanted to fail, I could have dragged it out.
But there was no reason to go that far. I finished the monster at a relatively relaxed pace and moved up to the thirty-fourth floor.