CHAPTER 5 The Devotees’ Crucible Part I: A Cheerful Dinner / New Job, New Skills Once again, we were ushered to a private room in the Forest Diner, where Maria the Chef took care of our orders. Our huge party of sixteen sat at two giant tables with the Rikerton family, the Mistral Forge artisans, Falma, and Louisa at one. Cion also had a special guard dog meal prepared for her in one corner of the room. This time, I asked Igarashi to raise a toast for us. Once everyone had a drink in hand, she stood up. “We’re so lucky and happy to have Melissa’s mother and Falma join us today, in what I’m sure will be one of our liveliest dinners to date. While we have yet to accomplish our ultimate goal, here’s to resting while we can, celebrating when there is cause to rejoice, and preparing for the important task ahead of us… Cheers!” “““Cheers!””” I took a swig of my beer, a brand of ale offered at the Forest Diner called The Forest Minstrel. Chilled to perfection in a pint glass, its fruity flavors unfolded beautifully on my tongue, leaving very little bitterness in the aftertaste. “They say the higher progress in districts, the more delicious the drinks,” Igarashi mentioned, “but I wonder if it’s a good thing…” “Well, different things motivate different people… Though, of course, it’s not a good idea to get too hooked on alcohol.” “Looks like we don’t need to worry about you there, Atobe… Seraphina, are you sure you wouldn’t like anything?” “It’s best if I don’t drink for one of my skills, though if I had to choose, I suppose I would say I do enjoy alcoholic beverages…” Does Stoic prevent her from letting loose at all? Maybe it’s rude to drink in front of her—or so I thought. “Please, don’t hold back for my sake. I’ve always had what you might call an interest in self-restraint.” “Oh… Th-thanks. It would be nice to share a drink with you at some point, though,” I told her. “Yes, it would be my pleasure. However, I cannot yet be sure how much it might affect my performance, so for the foreseeable future, I believe it best I continue to abstain.” Seraphina’s self-control impressed all my party members; some also seemed oddly unsettled, though I couldn’t imagine why. “D’ya think I’d get some kinda special powers if I took a page out of Seraphina’s book? Like, could I turn into a Super Duper Extra Gambler?” “You’re still too young to drink, Misaki… You and I can go out for one when we’re old enough.” “A drink with Suzu! Omigosh, how craaazy sappy would it be to go for your first taste of that sweet, sweet juice with a sweet, sweet childhood friend?” “Well… I actually think it might be nice to experience that together,” I opined. “Huh? With you…? Ohhh, you mean for me and Suzu to exchange that sacred sake cup. Oh yeah, I’ve seen my fair share of yakuza movies, too, you know.” “How about you dial it down a bit, Misaki. Madoka’s too young for this kind of talk…,” Elitia warned. Surprisingly, Misaki did actually seem to simmer down, but I knew she’d already gotten too worked up; I felt a headache coming on. At the same time, I did appreciate the way her antics always made me momentarily forget the dire situation we found ourselves in. “Lots of people in my family like to drink a ton, so they told me I could grow up to be a heavy drinker, too,” added Madoka. “Oh, I didn’t know… I’m from a pretty cold area, too, so I think high alcohol tolerance is in my blood.” I guess that meant Madoka came from a large family. Elitia’s eyes flashed with surprise. Then the two girls smiled warmly at each other. “You say that, Ellie, but I bet you’re actually suuuch a lightweight. You’ll flop over like a fish and be all, like, ‘Just take me now!’” “‘Take me now…’? Misaki, what exactly does that mean?” “N-nothing important…,” I cut in. “Wow, looks like we’re starting off strong with some tasty appetizers, huh?” Igarashi portioned out the hors d’oeuvres from the large dishes they came in, plating them so perfectly, there was nothing for me to do. Though not exactly the ribbed sweater she had on when we first arrived in the Labyrinth Country, the knit top Igarashi wore accentuated her chest every time she bent over. Is this some kind of optical illusion? I thought, but then forced myself to look away. “I’m so glad you all made it back safely… Mr. Atobe, I’m wonderfully pleased to see your explorations are going smoothly,” Louisa said as she came over to sit by me, lightly clinking her glass against mine. She’d dropped by the apartment first before coming out to dinner, changing out of her work uniform and into something that gave her an entirely different vibe. As always, her generous chest stood out and left me at a loss for where to look when she leaned over. “Thank you, Louisa. But I think we may have to take a bit of a gamble tomorrow…” “Black Boxes do always get the heart pumping, don’t they?” said Falma. “…Mr. Atobe, thank you so much for inviting me to dine with you all again this evening. It’s wonderful to see Cion looking her usual cheerful self, too. I could swear she’s grown again since the last time I saw her.” “Yes, she’s always such a great help. She even rescued a couple of civilians during the stampede here.” Though deeply engrossed in her meal, Cion seemed to hear us talking about her. She looked up and over at us, happily wagging her tail back and forth. After Rikerton had finished his first drink, Melissa refilled his glass, her mother helping her hold the bottle. I could almost see the love sparkling in Rikerton’s eyes. Nothing could get me to interrupt this lovely family moment. When Rikerton did look over my way, I just silently raised my glass in his direction in an attempt to convey even a fragment of how glad I was for him. “Melissa and Rikerton look so happy… These are the moments you really need to treasure.” “You’re like a pro at those subtle, super-considerate moves aren’t you, Arihito? These certified Precious Moments always tug at my heartstrings, then your thoughtfulness lands the final blow.” “Hey, you’re making me out like the bad guy here, you know…,” I retorted, only to see that all of my friends’ eyes had reddened at the lovely family scene. If you asked me, they were far kinder than I was. Elitia, apparently embarrassed to have anyone see her emotional, kept her gaze fixed as far away from the Rikerton family as possible. Misaki seemed ready to pounce with another naughty scheme as soon as she noticed, but Suzuna caught her in time and held her back. Watching the way those three perfectly balanced each other out gave me great peace of mind. “And now, your seafood course,” Maria announced as she brought in the next dish, gas lungfish steamed in foil. Apparently, it was made with ingredients that helped replenish magic. It also increased lung capacity, which I imagined might protect against fatigue. “Mr. Atobe, would you allow me to assist in serving you?” “O-oh, Louisa, you must be exhausted after a long day’s work,” Igarashi cut in. “I’m happy to do that instead—” “My dearest elder sisters, battling it out in a restaurant is a big no-no,” Misaki chided. “Here you go, Arihito-poo. You can have my broccoli or whatever this is that came with the fish.” “I’ll eat that for you, Misaki…,” said Suzuna. “…But I feel bad asking you to take it for me all the time… Y-you know what, it’s fine. I’ll just eat it.” Thinking we could probably avoid this kind of issue in the future if I had a handle on what everyone liked or disliked, I decided I should ask them all about it later. Not to engage in stereotypes, but Melissa and her mother seemed especially enthralled by the gas lungfish. Theresia, too, plowed through her plate with her usual gusto. “……” “Hm? …A-are you sure?” While Louisa and Igarashi battled it out, busily keeping the other in check, Theresia carved out a portion of the fish, stuck her fork in it, and handed it to me. “You really can’t beat Theresia. She knows exaaactly how to swoop in and get closest to you, Arihito.” I was this close to asking Misaki to speak only when spoken to. Though Theresia looked somewhat embarrassed to have taken over the responsibility, she dutifully fed me the dish bite by bite. It did seem somewhat odd, though, given how she usually kept all her focus on her own food. But if asked whether it made me happy or not, I’d have to go with the former—no question. After dinner, the whole group—Ferris and Falma included—returned to our lodgings. Rikerton hung back, apparently wanting to have a word with me. “My, my… Well, you certainly caught me in a rather compromising light.” “Not at all. Watching you three made me hope one day I could be so lucky.” “Come now, you’ve got many, many years ahead of you before you retire and settle down… That said, I’m sure you’d make a great father. I can see it now.” “N-no, that’s far too… You’ve got me in a corner here.” Rikerton laughed heartily. He must’ve been watching his drinks, because all the redness from the alcohol had already faded away from his cheeks. “My wife and I were just discussing this earlier…and Ferris says she would like to help you and your party in this important battle.” “…Is that what her party wants as well?” “According to my daughter, who can communicate with her, it’s what Ferris herself wishes,” he explained. “The details haven’t been worked out yet, but if she were to approach you with the possibility, would you consider it?” “Of course, thank you. That’s really encouraging to hear. It gives me hope.” We could never have too many hands on deck for our rematch with the Simian Lord. Part of me didn’t want to rope Melissa’s mother into this dangerous mess—the same exact internal conflict Elitia must have struggled with this entire time. I wondered what Rikerton thought about the idea. Would he object to putting his wife in harm’s way? But Rikerton’s reaction quickly overshadowed any concerns I had. “Ever since that day you first came to my shop, one thing after another in my life has kept changing. I racked my brains for what else I could do while I waited for my wife’s return…but couldn’t land on anything. That’s why, right now, my heart swells with happiness—happiness that I can be here, and that Ferris wants to do her part to help.” “Rikerton…” “You’re like a guiding star to me, shining down upon and illuminating hopes I’d always considered out of reach. I really admire you, Mr. Arihito.” “I…I have every single person who’s helped me along the way to thank for where I am now. Of course, that includes you, Rikerton.” Rikerton chose to say nothing; he simply nodded and extended his right hand to me. After a firm handshake, he left the restaurant. “…A star, huh…?” Suddenly, I remembered Polaris had also based their party name around a particular star. Do we have anything that could represent us like that? Oh, right—Ariadne, the Iron Wheel. Just as all the individual stars align to form constellations, my party and I gathered all the strength we could around us to progress forward as one giant wheel together. Forgetting what I did for the moment, my party members had stuck with me through the most difficult labyrinths I never would’ve gotten through on my own, overcoming every obstacle they threw our way. All my hopes rested on their shining stars. …If we all looked back over what we’ve been through…what would they feel about me? The diner staff began clearing the tables, which I took as my sign to leave. But just as I headed for the door, Maria came walking in. “Thank you so much for the meal, Maria. Everything was delicious, and my whole party loved it.” “How very kind of you. I’m so pleased to hear it.” Maria humbly bowed in thanks; I returned the gesture and couldn’t help but remember my days as an office worker exchanging business cards with colleagues. “Your party informed me you defeated a Named Monster.” “Yes, one called the Cursed Water Serpent Worshipper.” “…While I imagine some may feel resistance to making a meal of the monster you only just slew, would you consider sharing with me any parts of the monster you don’t expect to need for materials? I would like to cook something with them.” “Huh…? S-sure, I don’t mind.” I don’t know if I could eat that snake that gave us such a fight for our lives, I thought for the briefest moment before recalling most of our monster-based food. “Would you like to come see what you might be able to use after we dissect it?” “That would be wonderful, thank you. Is there anything else you wish I might prepare for you?” Maria asked, whipping out a notebook and pen. Speaking of wishes, there was one thing I’d discussed with Ceres before. “We came upon several fruits that can boost some stats a little while back. Could I ask you to make something from those for me?” “Yes, of course. Such fruits are incredibly valuable. You chose to preserve them?” “I thought it would make the most sense to save them for times of need, but I also heard cooking them can augment their properties… Not to mention, you kindly served us such valuable fruit as well.” “I felt it only appropriate to thank the Most Distinguished Seekers who helped quell the stampede with a fittingly distinguished meal. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to grow such capability-boosting produce, so we only very rarely manage to purchase any… But if you could provide the ingredients, I would be more than happy to see what recipes I can craft around them.” “That sounds like quite a lot of extra work to start from building the recipe…” “We Chefs have a skill called Recipe Creation that allows us to sense how best to prepare unfamiliar ingredients.” “I see… Well, I would definitely appreciate it. When should I bring them to you?” “I can step in to retrieve them in the morning when I deliver your breakfast. I look forward to serving you again here at the—excuse me. I mean, I shall see you in the morning.” After arranging the order for the morning, I left the Forest Diner. The thought of eating that crocodile had never even crossed my mind—but if Maria suggested it, I expected we might see some interesting benefits. As I awaited my turn at the baths after returning to our lodgings, Elitia came over to see me. “Arihito, you sure you didn’t miss sharing the bath with Theresia tonight?” “W-well… That’s… How can I put this…?” “Heh-heh… I know. Theresia always tags along after you. She did join us earlier but seemed to get very light-headed after soaking for only a few minutes, so a few of us rushed to leave with her…” “…Is she okay?” “Yes, she’s resting in our room now. She seemed to calm down after a drink of water. I assume she’ll come back out here at some point, though, so make sure to check in to see how she’s feeling.” Since equipment resistances didn’t do any good in the bath, Theresia was always left less tolerant to hot water. I trusted from what Elitia told me that she was probably fine, but I’d almost jumped to my feet at first with worry. And yet Elitia didn’t seem at all annoyed at the nervous wreck I must’ve appeared to her. Instead, she covered her mouth and giggled. “…Sorry. Maybe I am overprotective, worrying like that.” “I think Theresia is so taken with you exactly because that’s the kind of man you are. Even if she can’t talk, I can still tell. She looked restless without you.” “I see… Thing is, I think our relationship might change once we do free her from that demi-human mask.” “You think…she’ll pull back from you?” “I think that’d be only natural. Not that I can say anything with confidence about what she used to be like before…” “…We just need to advance one more district to finally get a clue about how to return her to normal. I can’t wait to talk to her, either… But to do that, first…” I shared Elitia’s sense of urgency. But if we wanted to move forward, we needed to first train ourselves properly to meet the higher demands. “Arihito, it looks like I got extra skill points for transitioning into my new job… See that +5? Do you mind if I get your input on what skills to take?” she asked, then showed me her license, sitting not across from me but at my side. Part II: Progress I examined the screen displaying all of Elitia’s skills. She’d seemed nervous the last time she’d shared it with me, but now, if anything, she looked a little bashfully proud. ♦Acquired Skills♦ Double Slash Slash Ripper Rising Thunder Blade Ronde U Luminous Flow Armor Break Parry Slice 1 Counter Slice 1 U Star Parade Air Raid Sonic Raid Comet Raid Secrets of the Sword 2 Dual Wield U Ultimatum U Asterisk ♦Available Skills♦ Level 3 Skills Liberation: Unlocks a sword’s true potential when attacking. Weapon used will not break, regardless of its durability. (Prerequisite: Secrets of the Sword 2) Blade Maiden: Evolved form of Bloody Roar skill. Unleashes sword strikes that increase in power in correlation to user’s vitality. The more vitality allies lose, the greater the boost in attack power. Level 2 Skills Cross Slash: Unleashes a powerful attack using weapons equipped in both hands. (Prerequisite: Dual Wield) Hit and Away: Increases evasion when hit with a counterattack. Boosts accuracy of indirect attacks against foes. Deadly Angle: Doubles weak spot damage to a monster. Backslash: Occasionally eliminates the pause after one attack before the user can attack again. Acquired from: CURSED WATER SERPENT WORSHIPPER Holy Warrior Stance: Allows user to equip Holy Warrior–specific armor and weapons. Zone Fending: Attacks every enemy within range and inflicts knockback on those hit. While not very powerful, it occasionally allows the user to activate a follow-up attack before enemy. (Prerequisite: Fencer Step) Level 1 Skills Pierce 1: Attacks pierce straight through target when using a thrusting-type sword. Weapon Break: Targets the opponent’s weapon to reduce its durability when user equips certain types of swords. Maintenance: Allows you to know in advance when equipment will break and perform emergency repairs if you have the proper tools. Feats of War: Increases experience points and dropped loot rate when you defeat the enemy’s leader. Fencer Step: Increases evasion rate when a stabbing sword is equipped. Unfailingly evades the first physical attack after activation. Remaining Skill Points: 1 (+5) “Wow… This is incredible, don’t you think…?” Apparently, you didn’t need to use any skill points to acquire the more advanced version of a skill if something external caused it to evolve. That alone would’ve been enough to shock anyone, but Elitia had also learned a skill from the Cursed Water Serpent Worshipper. Perhaps that meant you could sometimes take a skill after defeating an enemy who wielded the same weapons as you. “…You’ve worked so hard to earn this, you know.” “N-no, I…,” she stammered, embarrassed. “All these skills just popped up once I stopped being a Cursed Blade…” “Yeah, and the new ones all look very impressive. Those evolved ones have a ‘U’ in front of their name… I’ve never seen that before.” “Someone once told me that ‘U’ shows up in front of skills you can’t typically acquire, but…I think it must designate the ones that reach a higher level. Scarlet Dance turned into Star Parade, and Red Eye became Asterisk, and you can see the ‘U’ in front of both of them.” “Makes sense… What’s the difference between Asterisk and Red Eye?” “I used to have to get blood on me for Red Eye to activate…so maybe Asterisk needs some special catalyst, too. I’ll probably get a better feel for it next time I activate it.” Though Elitia’s previous skills used to augment her capabilities at the cost of vitality or magic, she’d now broken free of any downsides and fully stepped into her role as an attacker. “…I’m so glad.” “Huh…? Wh-what’s wrong, Arihito? Why do you look so mysterious all of a sudden…?” “I was always worried what it would do to you to keep using Berserk and Red Eye… But we wouldn’t have made it this far without you, though I know it’s self-serving to rely on you and still hold on to those concerns.” “…That’s not true.” For a long while now, I’d had a nagging fear deep down; I was sure that every time she drew from the power of her Cursed Blade, it whittled away at something inside her. And yet whenever we made it safely through all those obstacles, I swept that anxiety out of sight. “I… After I left District Five, I tried working with three different parties. First, I tried finding people who would help here but had no luck. So I went down to District Six and joined one party there, then down to District Seven, where I tried two others. I even asked the Guild for advice in District Seven, and they introduced me to one of the two, but…it never went well.” “I had no idea…” “Yeah… But it was all my fault. I tried at first to keep the truth about this sword secret and told myself it wasn’t a big deal if the blade took control of me… But once the District Six party saw me in Berserk mode, they told me they never wanted to work with me again.” Elitia went on to say that this party decided to raid a labyrinth rumored to have a Named Monster, possibly because they figured that, with her, they had an additional, powerful attacker on their side. However, fighting that Named Monster pushed Elitia into Berserk mode. Once she’d regained her sense of self, she realized she was all alone; the rest of her party had used a Return Scroll to escape, leaving her behind. “But I don’t blame them for it. Everybody said the same thing when they saw me with the Scarlet Emperor… things like, ‘I’d never want that kind of person in my party.’” Someone saw her leaving the labyrinth covered in the monster’s blood and, assuming she must’ve attacked her party, started calling her the Death Sword. After that, the name stuck. “I completely ran out of magic and fainted. The next time I came to, I was in the Guild’s Healing Center, my arms and legs tied to the bed… Once they realized I’d snapped out of it, though, they undid the restraints.” That was when the Guild informed her she’d been kicked out of her party. Elitia had never opened up about what exactly she’d gone through before joining our group. Even so, I’d thought I could empathize with her experience and understand a little of the loneliness she must have felt. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. No amount of imagination could have given me even a taste of what she had suffered. “I started to think I’d never be able to accomplish anything. Sure, I fought Named Monsters, but I put my survival above all else and fled while I still had no idea what I was doing. I knew if I kept that up, I’d gain nothing and just keep making the situation worse for myself.” She commanded power exceeding other Seekers of a similar level and could stand her ground against much stronger Named Monsters—but only after losing control of her own actions by activating that Berserk. She needed partners she could trust who would help her take any monsters she defeated back with them when they left the labyrinth. “It’s called a Cursed Blade, but the sword knows that nothing will matter if its owner dies. It tried to keep me alive…but I couldn’t gain anything as a Seeker as long as I relied on that. I’d never grow or even find real friends…” “…And yet you didn’t give up,” I reminded her. “No, I didn’t… I went down another level to District Seven and looked for a party. By that point, I’d stopped telling people what I was working toward and had to focus on raiding labyrinths just to sustain myself. Soon enough, though, rumors about the Death Sword caught up with me.” After that, she actually did give up on the idea of going to District Eight for a while since one of the parties she’d fought with in District Seven had been sent back down after proving incapable of fighting the monsters in the district. Once she went for it, though, that same party spotted her at the Guild and started spreading those awful Death Sword rumors behind her back. Why did all these people she’d worked with hold her in such contempt? Elitia answered that question herself. “…My brother never had any intention of letting me run away with my sword.” “You mean he was the one who made sure that terrible reputation followed you all the way to District Eight?” I asked, incredulous. “By the time I realized it, stories of the Death Sword were spreading like wildfire,” she replied quietly. “How could they ever talk so badly about one of their own, the person they entrusted to use a sword they’d found…? That’s unforgivable, no matter what the reason.” “…Thanks. The truth is, I never dreamed I’d get to return to this district so quickly. I thought I had no other choice but to slowly work my way back up.” The resolution behind that decision was exactly what had led Elitia to team up with Suzuna, only a level-1 Seeker, and start training her in the beginner labyrinths. She knew they would skip no districts and could only progress step by step—but she would do it, determined not to let Berserk take her over again. “It was only after teaming up with Suzuna that I felt like I had a right to keep living. After all my other parties shut me out, I thought I’d be alone forever.” “Well, I guess it’s pretty lucky we met you, then.” Elitia’s eyes welled with tears. She reached for my hand, where I held her license—but stopped herself before touching me. “What if I…?” “…If we’re going to go down ‘what if’ rabbit holes, I’d much rather talk about what might happen after we safely take down the Simian Lord.” I knew full well how committed she was, even though we couldn’t hang our hopes on anything “definite,” no matter how strong we got. Even so, I couldn’t help but hope and search for a future where we all definitely survived. “…It looks like getting this new job gave me extra skill points,” she said quickly, switching gears. “Do you mind if I take Liberation and Backslash?” “Blade Maiden works best only when the rest of us have lost a lot of vitality… I guess that is pretty risky.” “Exactly. But I’m sure my blade will answer to my call now.” “Right… Yeah, I bet you’re right. Okay, let’s go with those two.” Toggling the license with her pointer finger, Elitia acquired the two skills. Afterward, I pointed to the Feats of War skill. “You’re much more advanced in level than the rest of us, which makes it harder for you to build up experience points… With that in mind, I think it’d be a good idea to take this Feats of War, too. You could also choose Break Weapon instead, if you think you can use it with the swords you have now.” “Apparently, you need a special Sword Breaker–type blade for that… But you’re right, I’ll take Feats of War, too.” I wanted to keep one eye on the future. The battle with the Simian Lord would not be the end for us—it was an important goal, one stage of our journey. “Thanks for listening, Arihito. Good night.” “Sure thing. Sleep tight.” With that, Elitia left the living room. I finished the water in my glass and took a deep breath. Just then, Falma and Theresia came walking in together. “Hello again, Mr. Atobe. Regarding your treasure chests, when would you care to handle the opening?” “As early as possible. I was hoping we could do it tomorrow morning. We have two Black Boxes and just today found a Red Box.” “Oh my… Red Boxes in and of themselves are incredibly precious… My heart pounds like a schoolgirl every time I see you, Mr. Atobe. I hope you’ll forgive me for not exactly acting my age.” “N-not at all. Actually, aren’t you younger than me…?” “Oh…? I-is that right? Then I’ve truly been quite rude to you all this time… But of course, as you say, you did tell me your age. How did I get so confused…?” “Oh, no, not in the least. If anything, I know I can’t exactly deny I’m a bit neurotic for my age…” “I can tell you that is patently false. I’ve thought you quite well put together for someone younger than myself… But in that case…” “Wh-what’s wrong?” I’d thought Falma had forgotten all about how she offered to scrub me down in the baths since she had been drunk. If she still had even a little of that memory, though, it would make things a bit awkward. “…Would you mind greatly if I continued speaking with you as I have so far? I’ve always regarded you as a younger brother, so… I-I’m sorry, I know this is quite a selfish request.” “If that’s what you prefer, it’s fine by me.” “Thank you very much. Well then, I’ll head to my lodgings for this evening. Good night, Mr. Atobe. And good night to you, too, Theresia.” “……” Theresia nodded, then pattered over to me. She remained standing, and this closeness made me feel like things were back to their old ways. “…Mr. Atobe, may I have a moment?” “Yes, of course. Thank you for all your hard work today, Louisa.” Louisa had walked in just as Falma left. She took a seat across from me, smiled warmly at Theresia, then examined my license, which I’d left on the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll review your results.” ♦Expedition Results♦ > Raided 1F through 3F of TWILIGHT LAKESIDE STROLL: 30 points > MADOKA grew to level 5: 50 points > Defeated 2 ICE REMNANTS: 200 points > Captured 1 ALTARGEIST: 440 points > Defeated 1 CURSED WATER SERPENT WORSHIPPER: 3,600 points > Captured 1 LAMIA OF THE DEEP: 400 points > Party members’ Trust Levels increased: 270 points > Fought alongside NATALIA’s party: 10 points > Rescued NATALIA: 100 points > Rescued LEONARD: 100 points Seeker Contribution: 5,200 points District Five Provisional Contribution Ranking: 302 “You’ve taken a great stride toward earning the five-star labyrinth requirements… So great, in fact, it’s set my heart aflutter.” “Thank you very much. Looks like defeating a Named Monster can really move you up the rankings even in District Five, too.” “Of course. Seekers in this district earn an average of two thousand contribution points per expedition, give or take a few hundred.” “I imagine you have some limits as to what information you can share with me about other parties, but… Do you know how many contribution points the White Night Brigade tends to earn?” “You mean the currently highest-ranked party in District Five? Though they do not embark on expeditions very regularly, they earn a vast amount of contribution points whenever they conduct a raid. It appears they earned close to ten thousand points on their last venture.” As things stood, we’d have to compete against the White Night Brigade to move on to District Four. However, they could always advance before us as well. “According to the Brigade, they have not yet taken the promotion exam as they feel they still need to prepare for it… However, if a party lingers too long at the number one spot, they can be temporarily removed from the rankings.” “Oh…I see. I’d bet they do already have what it takes to advance, though.” “They may very well be waiting for something. As I understand it, they have parties that essentially act as subordinate groups in lower districts…though I’m afraid that is all the information I am privy to with my current authorization level.” “That’s more than enough, thank you. It’s given me quite a lot to consider.” Louisa smiled, one hand lightly resting against her chest. Suddenly, it hit me. “You’re not using your monocle?” “N-no… I just took a bath. But I can see up close well enough without it,” she explained, then lifted her hand to adjust said monocle—only to realize it wasn’t there. With an abashed smile, she said, “…Well…I suppose I should return to the bedroom. It’s quite late.” “Thank you again for everything, Louisa,” I told her casually. She shot up, came over to my side—then leaned in so her nose almost brushed my ear and whispered, “It’s much easier to see if I’m this close.” “L-Louisa…?” “Tee-hee… Good night, Mr. Atobe. And to you, Theresia,” she said in parting, then headed for the bedroom. Watching her walk away, I noticed her nightgown, though loose and airy, still somehow accentuated all her curves. I got up as well and turned down the lights. Madoka always went to bed early, so I’d have to review her skills in the morning. Any discussions about the materials and magic stones we’d picked up would have to wait until then, too. “……” Theresia’s gaze bored into me, leaving me somewhat unsettled. But I had to tell her. “Theresia, I think you should go sleep in a bed with the others tonight. You’ve been through a lot today.” “……” For a while, she didn’t respond in any way—or so I thought. In fact, she’d slowly made her way over to the sofa across from me. The image of her as we left the labyrinth flashed back to mind. She stared at me, saying nothing. “……” Hearing movement, I thought she’d gotten up again, but I realized she had actually stretched out on the couch. I brought a blanket over and covered her with it. “…To be honest, it’s really comforting for me to have someone with me when I sleep. That’s what it was like when I was a kid.” “……” “Hm…?” For a second, it looked like Theresia’s lips had moved. Of course, I heard no sounds come from them, though. “…You sleep tight, too, Theresia. Good night.”
Chapter 58
30 min read