Chapter 86

Even after we overcame the swarm, I continued to take command for the journey through the 18th and 19th floors.

Siddark was in a state where it was painful even to speak due to overexerting his magic beyond its limits. In contrast, not a single voice of complaint rose from the group.

The fact that I hadn’t let anyone die in the previous battle was a major factor. Through that performance, it seemed my skill as a commander had been recognized. Furthermore, given the recent remarkable achievements of Epic Seeker, there was a move among the others to test just what its Guild Master was made of.

To meet those expectations, I led the line without letting my guard down for a single moment.

Along the way, Dimension picked up an enemy.

“…A large monster is approaching from the front. It’s a Carmine Minotaur. Everyone, halt the march immediately. Mages, please line up. Next, those who can handle heavy weapons, stand by behind them. Once the target appears from around that corner, we’ll unleash a volley of magic. If you don’t finish it off, mages fall back and leave it to the front-liners. This should be a perfect shutdown. If anything goes wrong, I’ll follow up with freezing magic, so just relax and do your thing.”

I immediately ordered a shift from an anti-ambush formation to an interception formation. The explorers, looking accustomed to this now, adjusted their positions.

At first, there had been some resistance to changing formations when no enemy was visible. However, after I repeatedly provided the optimal answers, they now moved obediently.

I gave the countdown.

“Five seconds… three, two, one, fire.”

Simultaneously, the bull-headed monstrosity appeared from around the corner. The spells from the mages—who had been given ample time for their incantations—struck the beast like a hail of buckshot. Without being able to offer even a shred of resistance, the Carmine Minotaur vanished into light.

“Alright, that’s it. Let’s keep moving briskly.”

After confirming the target had vanished, I resumed the march. Behind me, the other explorers were buzzing. They seemed to be discussing the abnormal nature of my scouting abilities.

I picked up their conversation through Dimension.

Generally, most were voices of praise, calling me “reliable,” but many were also concerned about the details of such an extraordinary detection spell. Despite their curiosity, I was a Guild Master of a rival guild; once this job ended, we would be competitors. Even if they wanted to ask, they couldn’t.

Since I couldn’t exactly tell them the truth, I had no choice but to lead the group with a polite smile. In this manner, we reached the 20th floor without incident.

Thanks to Dimension, we could avoid swarms, and even if monsters appeared, we always had the initiative, so there was no way for problems to arise. As insurance, I had kept Magic: Dimension: Winter (Di-Winter) · Frost ready throughout the combat.

We arrived at the now-vacant 20th floor, and everyone shifted to the task of reinforcing the Main Path. Supporting Siddark by the shoulder, I led him to a spot further away to take a break.

As we sat down together, Siddark finally spoke.

“I’m sorry…”

He muttered the single phrase in a small voice. From that humble attitude, I sensed a strong core of sincerity within him.

“No, please don’t worry about it.”

“Guh, I’ve fallen behind this time… but next time, definitely…!”

It seemed, however, that he couldn’t quite suppress his competitive nature. His pride wouldn’t allow him to stay defeated. Thinking that he led a difficult life, I felt a strong sense of empathy for him.

While letting Siddark rest, I alternated between helping with the construction and taking breaks. I had to admonish Siddark several times when he tried to force himself to move.

After repeating this process for several hours, our work was finally completed. The Mana Lines, which had been nothing more than thin threads, had visibly thickened, and the barrier had been strengthened enough to be felt against the skin.

I was worried about the impact on the Connection I had hidden in the corner, but the 20th floor seemed fine as well. As expected, the barrier didn’t reach the far corners of such a vast room.

The group raised cheers at the completion of the request and, after a short rest, set off toward the surface. However, Siddark’s condition had still not recovered. It seemed the debt incurred by repeatedly firing magic beyond his capacity wasn’t something that could be paid back overnight.

When I tried to offer him my shoulder, Siddark refused.

“It’s fine. Combat is out of the question, but I can at least walk now…”

He then walked through the line with unsteady steps. However, he didn’t even try to lead the group with his voice. He didn’t have the stamina for it. Or perhaps it was because he understood the current state of the team.

Everyone in the team was looking to me for orders. To meet that expectation, I had no choice but to give directions from the center of the line.

“It’s safe to proceed like this. There are no monsters.”

Hearing this, the group began their progress with looks of relief. While watching over the overall situation, I caught Snow and Siddark talking nearby. Their expressions were serious, and Snow lacked her characteristic lethargy.

I eavesdropped just a little. Since they weren’t that far away, I didn’t even need Dimension.

“…In other words, an invitation from the House of Siddark?”

“That’s right. Ideally, I wanted to tell you about the invitation after finishing this job perfectly, but… it ended in a pathetic result…”

“I’m sure both the House of Walker and the House of Siddark have already agreed on this… But El, is this what you want?”

“I welcome you, Snow. That is why I am asking.”

From the flow of the conversation, I understood that Siddark was inviting Snow to his home. Realizing this was a private matter between them, I stopped listening.

However, Snow cut the conversation short and approached me.

“…Kanami, I’ve been invited by the House of Siddark. It looks like I’ll be tied up for the entire day tomorrow.”

“E-err, why are you telling me this?”

“…I thought I needed the Guild Master’s permission.”

“Ah, I see. Well, of course I don’t mind. You can go.”

“…I’ll be tied up for a full day. Is that okay? Is it really okay?”

“Are you trying to use me as an excuse because you can’t refuse it yourself?”

“…That’s not it. I’m just confirming. Master, are you really giving permission? Won’t you be in trouble if I’m not there for the Labyrinth exploration tomorrow? Shouldn’t you tell me to stay? Right?”

“I mean, I’m giving you permission, but…”

“…Sigh, you’re useless.”

“That’s a harsh thing to say.”

As I thought, Snow was just trying to use me to turn down the offer. If I had shown even a hint of reluctance, she would have pushed all the responsibility onto me. Specifically, the responsibility of snubbing two of the Four Great Noble Houses…

“…Fine, I’ll go report back to El.”

Snow walked away dejectedly toward Siddark. I watched her go and confirmed through Dimension that Siddark looked relieved. It appeared that tomorrow would be a solo exploration of the Labyrinth.

However, having days like that is only natural. I don’t intend to bind anyone for my own convenience. The same goes for the management of Epic Seeker.

I began planning tomorrow’s solo exploration while leading the group back.

If I lead, we won’t fall into any dangerous situations. However, the downside is that because I can see a bit too much, I tend to avoid even the most trivial risks, which often leads to time-consuming detours.

Though we went over schedule, I managed to lead the group from the 20th floor to the surface without a single problem occurring.

Once we stepped outside, I wasn’t sure what the protocol was from there, so I looked to Siddark for help. He nodded and spoke up in my stead.

“The rest of the post-processing will be handled by us, ‘Supreme.’ Everyone, you worked hard today. Thank you.”

First, he addressed the group as a whole. Then, he spoke to each Guild Master, settling matters regarding rewards and future plans. Finally, Siddark turned to me.

“‘Epic Seeker’ Guild Master, Kanami Aikawa. I thank you for your assistance this time. Regarding your reward and other matters, a messenger will visit the ‘Epic Seeker’ headquarters later. Please wait for them.”

“I understand.”

We exchanged safe, formal words, and the conversation ended efficiently.

However, just as we were about to part ways, Siddark spoke to me on a personal level.

“Kanami Aikawa, I will never lose to you again…”

It was a one-sided declaration of war.

He had been strangely quiet during the entire trip back, but it seemed he had finally settled on viewing me as a rival. He was admitting defeat for today, but vowed it wouldn’t happen next time.

Before I could say a word in response, Siddark walked away.

Behind him, Teiri stood watching the scene with a beaming smile.

“Things have certainly become interesting while I wasn’t looking.”

“The fact that you can call this ‘interesting’ is exactly what’s wrong with you people. I just wanted to establish a better relationship with Siddark.”

“Fufu, I love it. Kanami, the rival of Snow’s fiancé, Elmirado Siddark. I wonder what kind of story awaits you now. Ufufu…”

“There isn’t going to be any story.”

“I suppose we’ll have to ‘stay tuned’ for that. So, what should I do? Are we dismissed?”

“That’s fine. Please tell that to Snow as well; she looks exhausted back there.”

“Got it. Well then, see you next time, Kanami.”

“Yes.”

Teiri left, taking along Snow, who was hanging her head further back in the line.

The atmosphere turned toward dismissal, and the crowd gradually thinned out. As they left, many people stopped to offer me their greetings. My command during the final stretch must have left a strong impression.

Following the general flow, I also left the area.

My destination was Alibers’s workshop.

It was already late at night and there wasn’t much to do, but I could at least check on the progress of my weapon. If everything went according to plan, I might even be able to receive the finished product.

Picturing my own dedicated sword, my pace naturally quickened. Despite everything, owning a “personal sword” is something every boy yearns for.

I passed through the darkened streets of Lauravia and reached the workshop, where the lights were still burning.

“Excuse me—”

Offering a greeting, I stepped inside.

I was stunned by the carnage within. Young blacksmiths were sprawled everywhere, looking like a field of corpses. Most were covered in dust and sleeping like logs, while those still awake had deep dark circles under their eyes and looked like they were on death’s door.

One of those deathly-pale faces, Alibers, spotted me and approached.

“If it isn’t the Master! Perfect timing!”

“A-Alibers. Good evening.”

Though he approached with a great smile, he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. This high tension was likely his “last flame” before burning out.

“Master’s sword is finished. This way, take a look.”

Pulled along by Alibers, I headed toward the back of the workshop.

There, a single straight sword was on display.

The design was exactly as I had requested previously: a symmetrical straight sword with a pure white blade adorned with blue patterns. Its scabbard was displayed beside it.

“This is… my sword?”

“Yeah. It’s a masterpiece I made specifically for you. I want you to have it.”

With that, Alibers handed the sword to me. As I took the Crescent Pectrazuli Straight Sword, I was startled by its weight.

“It’s light?”

“Fufu, light, isn’t it? But don’t worry. It’s light, but its durability is guaranteed. Nothing in this shop could even scratch that blade. Or are you the type, Master Kanami, who can’t use a sword unless it has some heft?”

“No, my swordsmanship is self-taught, so I don’t really care about weight. I’m just happy to have it.”

“Glad to hear it.”

I gave the sword a light test swing and sheathed it. That series of movements felt several levels faster than before. No, in reality, it probably was several levels faster. That was how easy to handle, light, and natural it felt in my hand.

“This is great. If it can cut through crystals, it’ll be perfect.”

“It’ll cut. I can only confirm that in the field, but I’m confident.”

“Thank you. I’ll test it out tomorrow.”

I bowed my head in thanks. But Alibers wasn’t done talking yet.

“Also, I’ll give you that magic item I mentioned before—the one that interferes with flames. This is also a top-tier piece using high-purity magic stones. Here.”

Alibers tossed something to me.

It was a necklace fashioned with a red gemstone.

“It looks impressive for something so small. It’d be so much easier if I could bring a bunch of these into the Labyrinth.”

“If you’re going to bring in multiple items, be careful, as magic items can interfere with one another. Of course, I’ve already confirmed that this sword and the Red Talisman don’t interfere with each other.”

“Thank you. This is going to make exploring from the 20th floor down much easier.”

“No, no, no need for thanks. If anything, I’m the one who should be saying it. If the Master gets stronger, that alone makes me happy. If you press on through the Labyrinth, I can use the magic stones you find there to study my own craft. Feel free to work me to the bone.”

“Understood. I’ll bring even more magic stones next time, so be ready.”

We bumped fists with smiles, promising to continue this good relationship.

After receiving the remaining heavy equipment for Snow, I left Alibers’s workshop. I returned to Maria’s room, chatted idly about the day’s events, and eventually fell asleep.

And so, I ended another fulfilling day.

A life with an average amount of worries, working hard in my own way, and finding small joys. This was exactly what I had been seeking for so long—

Right?

Is it really okay for this to be my happiness…?

As usual, a faint pain remained stuck inside my head, refusing to vanish. However, accompanied by a certain sense of fulfillment, I drifted into a deep sleep.