"Master Ralph, welcome. We have been expecting you."
We emerged into the wide lobby of a grand building.
The elderly gentleman who greeted us had appeared the moment we arrived via Field Walk, led by the adventurer from Estel's party. He was a man in his fifties with salt-and-pepper hair, dressed in a sharp black jacket and matching trousers.
His name was Sebastian.
By the way, I had learned that Ralph was the name of the adventurer from Estel’s party.
"Thank you for the hospitality," Ralph said.
"It is my pleasure. Thank you for your service on this mission."
"I’m going back to fetch the others. I’ll leave these people in your hands for now."
"Understood."
"Well then."
The adventurer nodded to the gentleman and then glanced at me. Ah, right—I needed to remove him from the party. This was no time to stand around eavesdropping on their exchange. I hurried to open my menu and dismissed him.
Once he was out of the party, the adventurer turned and vanished through the wall we had just exited.
That left only my group and the elderly gentleman. "Elderly gentleman" felt like an understatement; he was the quintessential butler. From his name to his impeccable posture, he seemed composed entirely of etiquette and grace. He was soft-spoken and elegant, yet he possessed an air of professional courtesy that felt utterly impenetrable. I wondered if he was the head butler for the Baron Estel House, though he had used polite speech even when addressing the adventurer earlier.
"Welcome," he said, bowing deeply. "Might I ask for your names? If you possess a surname, please include it. You may omit any titles of nobility or heir house names."
Kaga was a surname, wasn't it? I wasn't entirely sure if it counted as a "house name" in this world, but it would have to do.
"Ah... I’m Michio Kaga."
"Lord Michio, then."
I hoped that was acceptable. It was too late to change it now.
"And the young ladies?"
"I'm Roxanne."
"Lady Roxanne."
"Um... well, I..." Roxanne trailed off, looking visibly flustered at being addressed as "Lady."
The man was incredibly formal—the absolute archetype of a butler.
"Within this Society, secular titles and social standing hold no weight," Sebastian explained, his voice calm and persuasive. "Please, do not let it trouble you."
"O-oh. All right."
When he said "this Society," he must have been referring to the Empire Liberation Society. So, this wasn't just some villa belonging to the Baron; it was a dedicated facility for the organization.
"And next?"
"I-I'm Sherry."
"Lady Sherry."
The old man’s keen gaze settled on Sherry, prompting her to speak. He wasn't just polite; there was a sense of hidden strength behind his eyes.
"Miria... is my name."
"Lady Miria."
"I'm Vesta."
"Lady Vesta."
He went through everyone, from Miria to Vesta. I noticed something strange—he had addressed them in the exact order they had joined my party. Either that, or he had somehow intuited our internal hierarchy. It wasn't the order we had been standing in, nor the order in which we had entered the room. I was in the center, and while it was easy to see Roxanne was my second-in-command, Sherry was standing further away.
How did he know? It was uncanny. Sebastian was a terrifyingly perceptive individual.
While I was busy being impressed and slightly unnerved, Estel and the rest of his party arrived.
"Lord Estel, we have been waiting for you."
Sebastian bowed immediately. The angle was perfect—a crisp, ninety-degree fold. The man was a professional.
"Have you taken Michio's group's names?" Estel asked.
"I have, my lord."
"Michio is to be inducted as a member. See to it."
"As you wish."
Hearing their exchange confirmed it. I had officially passed the exam.
"Prepare a room," Estel ordered. "And some herb tea."
"At once. Please, follow me."
Sebastian stepped aside with a graceful gesture and led us deeper into the building. He ushered us into a large, opulent meeting room where Estel took a seat at the center of a long, polished table.
"Michio, sit. All of you."
"Thank you."
I took the seat directly across from him. The chair was incredibly soft—clearly a high-end luxury item. Since there were six chairs on our side, Roxanne and the others filed in beside me. Estel sat alone on his side, though the adventurer and the man known as the Beast King stood behind him like statues. Guards, no doubt.
"I'm sure you've already surmised as much, but you passed the exam," Estel began. "Just as Brocken suggested, your strength is beyond reproach. At the moment, you rely perhaps a bit much on your equipment, but it isn't quite at the level of a crutch. I believe you will eventually become someone capable of clearing the Labyrinth. I see no issues with your membership."
"Thank you."
"You don't have to answer if you're uncomfortable doing so, but... is the girl who paralyzed the monsters an Assassin?"
He had seen right through Miria. I suppose her petrification had been too fast to ignore. There was no sense in lying about it now.
"She is."
"Assassins are known for their ability to inflict status ailments, but even so, her performance was remarkable. Simply having the job isn't enough to achieve those results; it requires immense experience and training. She must have worked incredibly hard."
"I suppose so."
I figured the Assassin’s ability to boost status ailment probability scaled with level. I could look forward to it getting even more effective as we went, though our pace of climbing floors was likely to keep the challenge level consistent. Estel had only seen her fight once, but she had petrified two monsters instantly, and he had likely been timing our performance in the boss room as well. Even if Miria’s petrification was our biggest advantage, he had judged that the party as a whole was strong enough to survive the 34th floor and beyond.
Since the 33rd floor of Quratar featured the Drive Dragon and the 34th floor went back to the Kobold Kämpfer, surviving the 33rd was essentially proof you could handle the next few floors. That was likely why they used it as a testing ground.
"The other girl's movements were also impressive. Not a single attack laid a finger on her."
Estel shifted his gaze to Roxanne. The Duke had praised her as well, so I wasn't surprised.
"She is an irreplaceable member of this party," I said.
"That is a wise assessment. It's not common knowledge outside the Society, but the final boss of the Labyrinth possesses the power to destroy equipment. Even if you block with a shield or parry with a sword, your gear can shatter upon contact. The ability to avoid attacks entirely is an invaluable asset."
"It destroys equipment?" I repeated, stunned.
So the final boss had a gimmick like that. Defeating it wasn't going to be a simple matter of stats.
"Now I see why Brocken was so insistent on recommending you." Estel nodded to himself.
To conquer the Labyrinth, one had to dodge, dodge, and dodge some more. Roxanne was the only person I knew who could make that a reality. It was possible the Duke had decided to recruit me the moment he saw her in action.
"If even parrying a blow can break a sword, is it safe to even attack?" Sherry asked.
It was a logical question. There wasn't much difference between a monster hitting your sword and your sword hitting a monster.
"As long as the strike lands cleanly on the body, it's usually fine," Estel explained. "However, one must be cautious, often aiming specifically for the rear. Alternatively, one uses magic. Many parties resort to bringing crates of cheap, disposable swords and shields just to get through the fight."
Building a strategy around gear being destroyed sounded like a nightmare. The final boss was going to be a massive headache.
"My apologies for the wait. The herb tea is served."
Sebastian arrived just as the conversation hit a natural pause. Estel hadn't offered much in the way of feedback regarding me specifically—likely because I was, in his eyes, just a guy with an overpowered sword.
Another servant pushed a wagon behind the butler. Sebastian lifted a teapot high into the air, pouring the tea into the cups on the wagon in a long, steaming stream. Despite the distance, he didn't spill a single drop. It was a practiced, fluid display of showmanship.
He prepared six cups—one for each of us and one for Estel. The guards apparently didn't get any. Once the cups were placed before us, Estel picked his up.
"Go ahead," he said, taking a sip.
I followed suit. The tea was refreshing, with a pleasant, slightly tart sweetness.
"This is wonderful," Sherry remarked, bowing her head slightly toward Sebastian.
"You are too kind, my lady," the butler replied with a humble bow.