After leaving the A rank party, I aim for the deep part of the labyrinth with my former students
The Time When the Sun Had Completely Set
Under the moonlight, Rain and I sat side by side in a small pavilion near the inn.
"Look at this."
Rain took out a small [tablet] from their magic bag.
It was a special [tablet] that had been distributed to "Clover" to test whether the magical broadcasting artifacts around "La-Jo" were functioning properly. Eventually, it had been granted directly by the king.
"It’s a bit unstable, though."
"Huh…?"
When Rain pressed the power switch on the side, an image appeared on the screen—though somewhat distorted.
This small [tablet] was adjusted to pick up magical broadcast waves more easily than the general [tablets] in circulation.
Even so, it was hard to believe that a broadcast could reach such a distant place.
"I never heard anything about there being broadcasting equipment on Vilmuren Island…"
"Mm. I just happened to notice it by chance."
I understood what Rain was trying to say.
I also understood why they kept quiet about it from the others and told only me.
This [tablet] was also a magical artifact compatible with Nibelun’s "Golden Power."
If something impossible was happening right now, then maybe it wasn’t foolish to hold on to a bit of hope.
Maybe—just maybe—Nibelun, who had disappeared into the [Abyss Gate] in my place, was somewhere on this island.
That hope made my heart restless.
"What about the [Seeker’s Compass]?"
"It’s the same as before, but… the rotation is a little slower, maybe."
Rain gently took out the magical artifact, and I stared at it intently.
The needle of this legendary artifact, which was said to point towards anything in existence, spun around the dial as if searching for something.
It looked the same as when I last saw it. It should be the same. And yet, it felt like the needle was pointing at something.
"Could it be that the [Abyss Gate] is nearby?"
"Maybe. But I don’t know for sure, so… I talked to Yuke about it."
"I’ll bring it up with Elder Elran tomorrow, along with everything else."
"Mm. Got it."
I wondered if Rain was disappointed by my response.
Maybe I should have said that I would go, no matter what.
A part of me wanted to.
But I was afraid.
Afraid that clinging to an uncertain hope might only lead to deeper despair.
"Sigh… I really am spineless, aren’t I?"
"Sorry. I didn’t mean to trouble you."
"No, it’s fine. I still can’t move on… and maybe I shouldn’t."
Either way, I had to organize the facts as they were.
Everyone was already struggling to adjust to this foreign land. If I, their leader, lost focus, it would only cause trouble for them.
There was nothing I could do about the uncertainty surrounding Nibelun.
But the fact that Vilmuren Island was within a broadcasting range—and the related information—needed to be reported to Elder Elran before we left.
Regardless of my personal feelings towards him, I had a duty to report.
"…Speaking of which."
"Hm?"
As I was gathering my thoughts for tomorrow, Rain stepped in front of me and peered into my face.
"How did you explain about Silk?"
"I told them she was my partner—both personally and professionally."
"Hmm. I might be a little jealous, you know?"
Rain looked up at me with an almost playful gaze.
They probably weren’t truly jealous, but maybe they had some thoughts about it.
After all, Elder Elran was Silk’s foster parent.
"Well, it didn’t exactly go as planned."
"It was the same for me. In the end, the choice is Silk’s."
"Yeah, I think so too. If Silk decides to stay with me—and with Clover—I’ll support her with everything I have."
Hearing my words, Rain let out a soft chuckle.
The way their smile was illuminated by the moonlight made them look almost like a fairy, and for a moment, my heart skipped a beat.
Did I say something strange?
"Yuke, you really haven’t changed."
"You think so? I feel like I’ve changed a lot…"
As I scratched my head, Rain leaned against me.
See? I never would have been able to touch them like this before.
"Even if we’re not allowed to investigate here, I’ll head down into Finis’ ‘Achromatic Darkness’ again. I’ll pressure Benwood into giving me permission."
"Mm. Understood."
Rain gave a small nod at my words.
Then, we fell silent, sitting shoulder to shoulder under the foreign stars.
Sharing a small hope and an even smaller fear, we quietly held hands.
◆
The Next Morning
After thoroughly completing our preparations for departure and confirming that we could leave at any time, we sat down for breakfast while discussing the schedule with Captain Jules Stien, who commanded the kingdom's passenger ship.
He hadn't expected us to return the day after arriving, but it seemed he hadn’t anticipated a long stay, either.
"We’ll load the food and water by the end of today and speed up the final checks. That way, we’ll be ready to set sail by tomorrow morning."
"Sorry for rushing you."
"Not at all. But are you sure you’re all okay with this?"
Since this journey had a bit of a vacation-like aspect for us, he was probably referring to that.
After all, we had stopped the Abyssal Labyrinth from running rampant and causing a "Selection," effectively saving the world. Because of that, we had been hailed as a hero party, making our lives in the kingdom a bit more complicated.
We weren’t nobles or anything special—just a D-rank party that had only recently formed. Yet, we were suddenly being invited to meet foreign dignitaries, attend formal banquets, and receive lavish hospitality. It was overwhelming.
And considering that our victory had come at the cost of Nibelung’s sacrifice, it was hard to celebrate any of it.
Seeing our discomfort, King Vincent had granted us this mission under the guise of giving us some time off… That was how this journey had come to be.
"It’s not exactly peaceful here either, and we also have new information to report to the king."
I needed to talk to the rest of Clover as well, but the anomaly in the broadcast coverage had to be shared with the king, the Royal Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Broadcasting Bureau.
Right now, the technology behind magical broadcasting artifacts was monopolized by the Kingdom of Welmeria. Other nations were still in negotiations to implement it.
If this anomaly on Vilmuren Island was happening elsewhere, it could disrupt those discussions.
…More importantly, knowing how sharp King Vincent and Marquis Bedivoir were, they would likely grasp the significance of this situation immediately.
If things went well, they might even push for a formal investigation into the [Abyss Gates] found across various nations, including the one on Vilmuren Island.
"You look rather troubled, Sir Feldio."
"Apologies. I tend to show my thoughts on my face."
"In any case, we’ll be ready to depart by tomorrow morning. In the meantime, why don’t you all enjoy some sightseeing today?"
"Thank you."
I bowed my head in gratitude for Captain Jules’ consideration.
"Alright, Yuke! Let’s go on a date!"
Marina, who had apparently been waiting for my conversation with the captain to end, downed the rest of her cocoa and turned to face me.
"Hold it right there, Marina."
"Yeah, not so fast!"
Before she could move any further, Silk and Nene stopped her from both sides, casting brief glances in my direction.
What exactly did they expect me to do?
As I hesitated, unsure how to respond, Jamie let out a quiet sigh and spoke up.
"You guys, stop bothering Yuke. If you want to go, just go."
"Yeah! Let’s all go together!"
Watching our exchange, Captain Jules let out a hearty laugh.
"You lot really are fascinating! One moment, you’re overcoming the most treacherous labyrinth and saving the world from a 'Selection.' The next, you’re acting just like ordinary young adventurers."
Jamie sighed again at his comment.
"Honestly, I just wish they’d calm down a little."
"So, Jamie, are you coming? Group date?"
"Of course I am!"
Her slightly flushed face made me and the captain burst into laughter.
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