Wings’ Side 2
MEHLIS’S WOUNDS HAD HEALED, AND Drachenflügel resumed their labyrinth dives. Perhaps it was only natural after what had happened, but we were better coordinated now. I was still in charge of enemy detection and strategy, but I could do more now that the others had learned how to read the map and handle other menial tasks.
I just couldn’t understand how they had managed so well until now.
I was quite certain it was thanks to their own latent abilities that they had made it through the fiftieth floor. All three of them could manage stunning feats at times, and their courage, bordering on recklessness, sometimes paid off.
However, I couldn’t see a future for them. While I thought they could walk the line between loss and profit as a mid-level party, I saw no hint of the famous Drachenflügel who had stood at the front lines of the labyrinth expedition. I saw no way of them ever returning to their glory days. Not to mention, it seemed physically possible for them to defeat a boss. As mean as it may sound, this party just lacked the strength.
Back at our party’s house, a heavy air surrounded the dinner table. While they pretended to be in good spirits, with Chronos and Mehlis making us laugh with their innate sunny dispositions and Nikola with her sarcastic remarks, it was overwhelmingly dour whenever silence fell.
“That’s it! Why don’t we increase our numbers?” Chronos suddenly suggested, though it seemed like he must have been considering it for a while. “We were too busy building ourselves up to really notice it, but we’re an A-rank party! We’ll get tons of applicants if we ask! Once we get some new members, let’s get right back out there on the front lines!”
Nikola was the first to speak. “How many more are we going to recruit?”
“Good question… The more the merrier, right? Ten, maybe?”
None of us seemed very fond of the idea. That would mean a drastic change in our party’s dynamic, which made it hard to be fully on board. However, it was also hard to give any rebuttals that weren’t purely emotional.
“How should we pick the new recruits? Our party’s full of girls, so some of the guys might try to join with that in mind. We obviously don’t want that. What do you think, Mehlis?”
Chronos stared at her. Once I grew familiar with this party, I learned that Chronos had a habit of trying to control people, just as he was trying to do now.
Mehlis gave the exact answer Chronos had wanted. “W-well, I guess I’d sleep better at night if we only had girls instead of any guys besides you, Chronos. I think.”
This was another of the many problems with this party. Both Mehlis and Nikola were in love with Chronos, and the feeling was mutual—for both of them. We all risked our lives when diving into the labyrinth, but these relationships would occasionally get in the way of our communications or sometimes make them overly smooth.
The two of them certainly weren’t excited over the idea, just as I had expected. I assumed they were worried that Chronos’s affections might shift to any of the new girls who would join the party.
That made me the only one who could oppose his proposal. “Um, Chronos?”
“What is it, Sophia?”
“I think we should be a bit more careful when it comes to expanding our party. We need to consider the costs, and none of us have the experience needed to lead such a big party into the labyrinth.”
The atmosphere grew even more tense than usual, which was what happened whenever we discussed anything important.
Chronos brought a hand to his chin and took a moment to think before speaking. “Don’t you think it’s wrong to decide that something’s impossible before we even give it a shot? Let’s just start with doing what we can.”
I had been expecting this answer. “Um, but in that case—”
“The money will work itself out! We’ve got our reward money for killing that boss! We’ll be able to have some fun and take it easy for a little while, right?”
“Huh?” I had already explained this to him. This was bad. Just when I thought he had figured something out, he had carried out his calculations under false assumptions.
“What is it, Sophia? If it’s something that’s hard to bring up now, we can talk later in my room if you—”
“The guild still hasn’t recognized Drachenflügel for defeating a boss.”
“Huh?”
That’s right. Drachenflügel had yet to become an official A-rank party, as the guild had yet to recognize us for defeating a boss.
“What? Explain, Sophia.”
“The papers Wim passed down to me included the necessary documents and the part of the boss that proves our victory, but—”
The tension in the air spiked. I had messed up.
“Sorry, Sophia. Don’t say his name again.”
Somehow, the name Wim Strauss had become taboo in Drachenflügel.
“My apologies. Um, from what I can tell from the records my predecessor left me, the necessary documentation was all submitted properly. We should soon be receiving the proper acknowledgments, but for some reason, they have not yet authorized things, nor have they given us our reward.”
“You mean he effed up?”
“I…suppose? I mean, it’s past the point of when they’d typically acknowledge that we successfully defeated a boss, but knowing the labyrinth, they may just be having difficulty confirming things. In any case, it will be a little while until we receive the funds we’re owed.”
Chronos slammed his fists on the table. “Damn it all! He’s effed us over again!”
“Calm down, Chronos! This isn’t your fault.”
“That’s right. Drachenflügel defeated the boss on the ninety-seventh floor. There’s no changing that fact.”
Chronos held his head in his hands, and Mehlis and Nikola tried to comfort him. Thus, they banded together to make Wim Strauss the villain.
This was how Drachenflügel had always been, as of late.