Chapter 84

Early the next morning, Snow and I offered our prayers at the church. This was to consume the experience points we had accumulated yesterday. As a result, I reached level 16, and Snow reached level 17.

According to schedule, our weapons were set to be completed this evening. I knew that without them, any effort on the 26th floor would just be a waste of equipment. While wondering how to kill time until tonight, Snow and I made our way back to the guild, “Epic Seeker.”

However, I stopped in my tracks when I saw a crowd gathered at the entrance. I was fairly certain there was no guild business scheduled for today.

“Is something the matter?”

As the Guild Master, I called out to the gathered group. The eyes of everyone at the entrance turned toward me.

When our gazes met, I marveled at the high levels of the people gathered there. I didn’t even need to use “Focus” to tell. The quality of the mana overflowing from their bodies spoke of their strength. Perhaps because my level had increased and the precision of my Dimension Magic had improved, I felt my understanding of the mana in the air was growing deeper.

Then, from the center of the crowd, a man with particularly dense mana stepped forward.

“That appearance… I take it you are the Guild Master of ‘Epic Seeker’?”

“Y-yes. That’s right.”

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Guild Master of the guild ‘Supreme,’ Elmirado Siddark. It’s a pleasure.”

The man with the high mana, Elmirado Siddark, extended his hand toward me. As I shook it, I used “Focus” on him.

He was an indisputable genius. With Attribute Magic as an innate skill, his magic stat was extraordinary. Furthermore, considering his youth, his level and skill proficiency were high, suggesting he had been putting in effort from an early age.

He was a man with shoulder-length blonde hair swept back casually and distinctive almond-shaped eyes. His attire was noble, and his bearing resolute. Overall, he gave off an impression of someone you shouldn’t let your guard down around.

“Um, I’m Kanami Aikawa. I’m just an inexperienced novice who’s still learning the ropes, but it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“A novice learning the ropes, is it…? Well, fine.”

Once the handshake was over, Siddark immediately distanced himself. I felt like I had somehow offended him. Being a “Foreigner,” there was a high possibility I had committed some unintended faux pas.

I turned my face toward Snow to ask if there was an issue with my etiquette. I found her standing there with a bitter expression.

“L-Lord Siddark…?”

She muttered his name, attaching the title “Lord” as a prefix. From that, I gathered he was a person of considerable social standing.

“It’s been a long time, Snow. You can call me El, just like you did back at the Academy.”

“No, this is not a place of study.”

“Surely that doesn’t matter between the two of us? There is no problem.”

“Understood…”

From their conversation, it was clear they had been classmates at the Academy. Since I didn’t know how to handle important people, I took a step back, intending to leave it to Snow. Siddark let me go without saying a word.

Snow, however, shot me a look of reproach for backing away. She didn’t say it, but I knew what she meant: “Don’t run away.” I replied with a look that said “Good luck” and gave a pleasant smile.

“So, Snow. I came here today because I have a request for ‘Epic Seeker.’ Won’t you lend me your strength for the sake of our time together at the Academy?”

Siddark continued talking to Snow, completely ignoring me, the actual Guild Master.

“A request, you say?”

“Yes. I’ve heard that ‘Epic Seeker’ has been remarkably active since your return. I even heard you finished a job for the state in a single day because you were so efficient. I wanted to ask someone like you for cooperation.”

“N-no, I didn’t really—”

“I know you are a humble woman. Unlike the dull-witted, I evaluate your strength fairly. No one but you could have pulled off finishing guild work in a single day.”

Siddark seemed to have a decent eye for talent. He understood the utility of Snow’s power.

“No, I truly did nothing. It was all thanks to Palinchron Legacy and the new Guild Master.”

“Hmph… Palinchron, well, I can understand that. But you’re saying that spiritless man over there was actually useful?”

S-spiritless…?

I knew I was being insulted, but I didn’t know how to talk back. Just as I was about to nod and agree that I probably did lack spirit, Snow glared at me. I could tell her eyes were saying, “Show some spirit right now. Spirit.” However, that’s not something you can just produce on command. I gave a small shake of my head.

Seeing that, Snow puffed out her cheeks slightly and turned back to Siddark.

“Kanami is an excellent Master. Without a doubt.”

“Without a doubt? I’m surprised. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone as cautious as you make such a bold claim. Is this man really that capable?”

“Yes, he is the Master of our ‘Epic Seeker,’ after all… Above all, he is the only partner I have ever truly acknowledged.”

Snow called me her partner clearly. It was the first time I had ever heard such words from the usually laconic Snow. I felt embarrassed and scratched my cheek. Looking closely, it seemed like Snow’s face was also slightly flushed.

Observing this, Siddark’s expression soured.

“…Fine. If Snow goes that far, I shall judge him as a man worth testing. That actually works out well for the request I have.”

“The request…?”

“Yes. A vacancy opened up in a plan the nation of Lauravia has for today. I was hoping to ask the currently well-regarded ‘Epic Seeker’ to fill that gap.”

“…Please tell me the details of the plan.”

“The plan is simple. We are to maintain the ‘Main Path’ on the 10th and 20th floors of the Labyrinth, which became nothing more than ordinary rooms a few days ago.”

“Construction on the ‘Main Path’… I see, you’re going to set up new barriers in rooms that lost their mana along with their Guardians.”

“As expected of Snow. You’re quick on the uptake.”

Previously, the 10th floor was hindered by raging flames, so the ‘Main Path’ was only the bare minimum. If I recalled, it was just a thin ‘Mana Line’ connecting the 9th and 11th floors. It seemed they were going to rebuild it properly and construct a barrier to ward off monsters.

That was the work the guild ‘Supreme’ had come to request cooperation for.

“I will check with the Master.”

“…Very well.”

Snow approached me as I stood in the back, grabbed my hand—and pulled me even further back. Once she confirmed our voices wouldn’t reach Siddark, she stepped on my foot.

“Ow!”

“…Kanami, why did you back away and leave me there?”

“Well, he’s your friend from the Academy, right? I thought I was being considerate.”

“…I see, a most terrible meddling. Next question: Why didn’t you say anything back to him?”

“You mean about the spiritless thing? That’s not worth arguing over. I know he’s looking down on me, but it doesn’t really bother me. Besides, it’s probably true that I lack spirit.”

“…Kanami, you have plenty of spirit!”

“N-no, I really don’t think I do…?”

In all my life, I had never been told I had spirit. Snow was the first. In any case, I can’t really feel anything even if someone insults me with something as vague as “spirit,” so there wasn’t much to be done.

“…Regardless, I won’t have you being looked down upon like that. You are our representative, Kanami, so at least say something back.”

“That’s not my style. I hate talking back just because I don’t want to be looked down on, or trying to satisfy vanity for the sake of appearances. …If I show it through my actions, people will eventually understand naturally. I think that’s enough.”

“…There you go with that naive talk again. Regardless, I simply cannot stand you being looked down upon, Kanami!”

“T-thanks. But we can just prove him wrong later, right?”

“…………”

Snow fell silent after hearing my policy. It wasn’t that she had run out of things to say. One look at her face told me she wasn’t convinced. She was definitely dissatisfied with my easygoing way of thinking. She had simply given up on persuading me.

“—Snow, are you finished yet?”

Siddark called out, watching us have our long conversation. Snow took a deep breath, regaining her composure.

“…Sigh. So, Kanami. What are you going to do about helping with the ‘Main Path’ construction?”

“I’ll provide as much cooperation as possible. That is the duty of a guild in Lauravia.”

“…I see.”

Hearing my answer, Snow returned to Siddark.

“The Master says he will accept the request for cooperation.”

“That’s good to hear. Thank you, Snow.”

“…Thank the Master.”

Snow replied, looking exhausted. Her tone was already starting to slip back into her usual sluggish way of speaking.

“Of course. I’m also grateful to the Guild Master and members of ‘Epic Seeker.’ Now then, let’s discuss the details of the plan immediately. We don’t have much time.”

“…Yes. Let’s talk inside the ‘Epic Seeker’ building.”

Snow guided Siddark’s group inside.

As I watched them, I was thinking about something entirely unrelated to work. It seemed that Snow wouldn’t slack off when an important person was around. I began to ponder if there was a way to utilize this for our future Labyrinth explorations.

While I was lost in thought, Snow called my name loudly, and I hurriedly followed them into the “Epic Seeker” headquarters.

After a short discussion, the “Main Path” construction project led by the nation of Lauravia began that same day.

Only a small group participated in this plan. There was one government official and three magic engineers responsible for reinforcing the “Main Path.” For protection, there were a few elites from each participating guild.

The guilds involved were all major players in Lauravia. Being the elites of those guilds, their individual abilities were quite high. Standing at the pinnacle of them all was Elmirado Siddark.

The influence of his guild “Supreme,” his personal strength, and his family lineage were all top-class. In fact, he was the one overseeing today’s exploration. Even the official sent by the state seemed unable to stand up to Siddark. From what I heard, the Siddark family belongs to the royal bloodline of Lauravia and is a powerful noble house even among the Allied Nations.

“—Heh, that’s impressive. So he’s royalty? Or maybe a Duke?”

“Kanami, you didn’t even know that?”

Walking beside me was the veteran mage of “Epic Seeker”—Teiri. She looked exasperated.

For the record, the members participating from “Epic Seeker” were me, Snow, and Teiri. I had wanted to bring Vorzak along too, but since this was so sudden, he couldn’t make it in time.

At the back of the long line moving through the Labyrinth, I chatted with Teiri.

“Sorry. I’m from the sticks…”

“Well, it can’t be helped… That’s why Vorzak and I are here. If there’s anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I will. Since it looks like today is going to be pretty idle, I’ll have you tell me all sorts of things.”

“Idle, you say… We’re still inside the Labyrinth, you know.”

“With such strong members and only going up to the 20th floor, I think we’ll be idle the whole time.”

“Even so, the Labyrinth is a place where people can die if they slip up.”

“I’ll be watching constantly. I won’t let anyone die.”

“…You don’t really need to help people from other guilds, you know. This kind of thing is their own responsibility.”

“I understand that, but… if someone is about to die, I think my body will move on its own. Even if it’s someone outside of ‘Epic Seeker,’ I’m sure it would.”

“Sigh… you’re naive. If you live like that, no matter how many lives you have, it won’t be enough.”

“I suppose… Snow tells me that a lot, too…”

But that was fine. If I didn’t help those within my reach, I would surely be crushed by regret. Having been born and raised in a different world, I had to live with those values. I would save as many people as I could. I had already made that resolution.

—The moment I swore that to myself, I felt a strange sensation of wrongness.

It was an odd feeling, as if something at the very root of me had been misplaced.

…Was the resolution I made really that kind of resolution?

No answer came. Carrying a slight sense of unease, I continued walking through the Labyrinth. It was easy since the people in the front were taking down any monsters that appeared. This job was essentially just walking.

Incidentally, Snow was at the front, having been invited by Siddark. I could tell through “Dimension” that she was struggling, unable to defy the forceful instructions of the assertive Siddark.

“So, Kanami, what is it you want to hear about?”

“Let’s see. I’d like to hear more about the nobility. I didn’t realize the Siddark I met today was such an important person…”

“I see. It is a bit of a problem that you didn’t know the Siddark family. Fine, I’ll teach you starting from the top.”

And so, Teiri’s lecture on the nobility of this world began. She cleared her throat and spoke like a teacher.

“First, the Royal Family. Their authority has been declining lately, but they’re still at the top. However, in Huzya, the Church is higher.”

“The Church…”

“The royal power is weak in Huzya. Their system is unique over there. If you ever go, be more careful of the Church than the royalty.”

“Understood. The cultures really do differ by country.”

“Next are the nobles. Though, only the high-ranking ones really have power. Mid-tier nobles can sometimes have a lower status than local merchants.”

“I see. It seems there are all sorts of levels even among nobles.”

“Now, the ones you really have to watch out for are the Siddark family I mentioned earlier. They are one of the so-called Four Great Noble Houses. For now, you can’t go wrong by bowing your head to these four: Helvilleshine, Siddark, Walker, and Alais.”

“…I’ve committed them to memory. I won’t defy those four names.”

“Good… In that case, try being a little kinder to Snow ‘Walker’ as well.”

“Eh? I am being kind to her, aren’t I?”

“Snow probably wants you to protect her at times like this. She is a girl, after all.”

“…But I’m protecting her with ‘Dimension’ right now?”

“No, that’s not what I mean… Haa, never mind. Let’s move on. I’ll tell you about dangerous nobles, powerful clans, and influential merchants…”

“Please do.”

Teiri was likely telling me to take Snow away from Siddark. Anyone could see at a glance that Snow was uncomfortable with him. She really wanted to slack off, but since her opponent was someone of high status, she couldn’t. You could say their compatibility was the worst.

However, I believed this would lead to Snow’s growth. It would be ideal if this served as a catalyst to fix her slacking habit. Therefore, unless something extreme happened, I had no intention of lending a hand in this matter.

While Teiri and I talked, the group progressed through the floors. Since we were mostly sticking to the “Main Path,” combat was sparse. However, perhaps because there were so many people, we attracted more monsters than usual. A long line probably made for an easy target.

I noticed the enemies approaching through “Dimension.” But since these were Rank 1 to 10 monsters being handled by people close to Level 20, there was no need for me to step in. I just watched from a distance to make sure no accidents occurred.

On the other hand, Siddark was constantly giving orders to someone. He seemed to have a strong-willed, assertive personality. He should be the opposite type of person from Snow, yet for some reason, he took a great liking to her. Feeling curious, I casually asked Teiri about it.

“—It’s because she’s from a good family but has a weak will. Snow doesn’t assert herself. To him, a well-bred woman like Snow who is easy to handle is ideal.”

“Snow has a weak will…? She does nothing but act selfishly with me, though.”

“Is that so? Snow is supposed to be the type who doesn’t give her all but silently performs the bare minimum, right?”

“No, she pushes paperwork onto me and complains all the time.”

“Heh, is that how it is… She must really like you then. She was the same way with her brother, Glen.”

“Was she…?”

“It brings back memories. Back when Glen was in ‘Epic Seeker,’ I was at the bottom of the guild. But I still remember those scenes. Snow was always in the back grumbling at Glen, who was talented but timid.”

“Heh, they sounded close. Snow said they weren’t, but I guess she was just being shy.”

“Hmm, they were close once. But if you ask how they are now, it’s complicated. Both Glen and Snow changed after a certain incident… I’m sure they aren’t as close as they used to be…”

“A certain incident…?”

“Ask her yourself about that. If I talk about it, it’ll spoil the drama between you and Snow.”

“D-drama…”

I had thought Teiri was one of the more serious members of “Epic Seeker,” but it seemed she was definitely a true member. She was a bit of a dreamer and somewhat eccentric.

“That part of the story is very important. Instead, I’ll tell you something else interesting. You asked why Elmirado Siddark is so concerned with Snow Walker earlier, right? The truth is actually much simpler.”

“H-huh…”

“Believe it or not, the two of them are engaged!!”

Teiri conveyed this new fact to me with great delight. Wait, isn’t that exactly the kind of thing I should hear from the person herself…?

“Engaged, huh…”

“Oh, you aren’t surprised? I thought you’d be more shocked or flustered…”

Apparently, my reaction didn’t please her. I was starting to understand. This person had a tendency to look for a story’s hero and heroine in Snow and me.

“No, they’re both from the Four Great Noble Houses, close in age, and went to the same Academy. Considering Siddark’s attitude, I figured it wasn’t an impossible story.”

“I see. So, how about it? How do you feel after hearing they’re engaged? Tell big sister.”

“Nothing in particular. I think it’s a good match, though…?”

“E-eeeh… Are you serious, Kanami…”

“One way or another, I think their interests align. And from what I can see, Siddark himself doesn’t seem like a bad person. People like that are harsh to outsiders but kind to their own. He’s talented and ambitious, so I’m sure Snow’s future is secure.”

“…N-no. You really are a bit strange, aren’t you?”

“E-eh? Was there something strange about my answer? Even if there was, I don’t want to hear that from you, Teiri.”

When I gave Teiri my objective evaluation of their marriage proposal, she looked at me with a twitching face as if worried about my head. But I didn’t want to hear that from someone as dreamy as her.

“I don’t want to hear that from you either. Say, Kanami, do you not like Snow?”

“I don’t know about that. It hasn’t been long since we met.”

“Surely you have some likes or dislikes? Well? Does our Snow catch your fancy? Or not?”

“I don’t have the luxury to think about that… I’m working frantically for the sake of my sister, after all…”

“The fact that your sister comes up there means you really are a siscon, just like Palinchron said…”

“Why does it turn into that?”

“If you don’t want to be certified as a siscon, then answer me honestly right now.”

Teiri cornered me with a serious expression. It was the first time I had seen her so serious. As expected, the members of “Epic Seeker” are strange. The things they get serious about are a bit off.

To be honest, I didn’t mind being certified as a siscon. In reality, my sister is the most important thing in the world to me. Without a doubt. But, I’ll answer for the sake of calming Teiri’s feelings.

“Let’s see. I do like Snow. She’s a pretty girl.”

“It’s also kind of annoying to have it said so casually.”

“Then what do you want me to do…”

“Hmm. Was Kanami always this dry…?”

“Eh, was I dry…?”

I tilted my head at a word I hadn’t been called much. I didn’t think of myself as a dry person. If anything, I felt I was quite emotional. But… looking back, that previous exchange might have been a bit dry. I was cold toward Snow.

Was I always such a flat, rational guy…? It’s almost like me when I have no leeway. I know I tend to become dry when I’m pushed to the limit.

But I should have plenty of leeway right now. I have everything I need right now… So why is it so…?

While rubbing my aching head, I forced a smile for Teiri.

After that, we continued to kill time with such trivial talk. A few monsters attacked along the way, but they were no match for us. We reached the 10th floor without any incidents.

Of course, it took more than twice the usual time. Even though we headed straight there, it took ten hours. Then, the group split into those taking naps and those on guard duty, and the construction began.

I found some free time and approached the “Connection” in the corner of the room. Since it was covered with an inconspicuous cloth and aided by the darkness of the Labyrinth, no one had found it. Since the construction was centered in the middle of the room, it seemed no one intended to go to the corners. Relieved, I went back to work.