CH 32

“It hurts, hurts, hurts!”

The day after winning that fierce battle against the Black Dragon, I woke up in the inn bed and, rare for me, decided to sleep in. 

Then, when I tried to turn over, I felt severe pain all over my body and completely awoken.

This severe pain is the effect from yesterday’s battle.

Yes, right now, I have muscle aches. 

I activate [Pain Relief] to alleviate my pain.

“This is the worst way to wake….”

Because I used too much magic yesterday, it seems my head still isn’t working. 

Take out a few raisins and throw them into my mouth.

I’m trying to eat raisins whenever my head isn’t working too well.

I feel that eating sweet things rather than raisins will be better for refreshing my head.

Although, there’s a possibility that’s just my misunderstanding from me liking sweet things.

Well then.

Since I returned to the inn yesterday, I’ve been sleeping like a log, so I don’t know a single thing about what happened afterwards.

Even as a corpse, a 92nd Floor Boss had suddenly appeared on the surface. 

There’s no doubt that it would have caused a great deal of turmoil.

With just a bit better timing the corpse wouldn’t have been left though…

I wonder if I’m lucky or unlucky.

Just before we were suddenly transferred outside, we were surrounded by a pale light. 

This is the first time I’ve seen this phenomenon, but based on the situation, it was likely that the Guild had used Deportation. 

Speaking of that, I did hear yesterday that the Hero Party was exploring the 92nd Floor.

Shortly after we moved to the surface, the Hero Party appeared.

It seems very likely that the Hero Party was involved in yesterday’s incident. 

“For now, I should go to the Guild first huh.”

To get information about the labyrinth as soon as possible, it would have to be the Explorer Guild 

They’re probably wanting to talk to me as one of the individuals involved, so I can also find out about the cause behind this irregularity, as well as what happened after I returned.

◇

When I arrive, the eyes of the people inside gather on me.

The information had already spread to the explorers, that’s fast.

“Welcome, Orn. ​​I’ve been waiting, thinking it might be about time for you to come.”

I hear a familiar voice.

When I turn to the voice, Eleonora is there.

She’s a Guild staff who I’ve been indebted to ever since I was a beginner explorer.

Since she’s also in-charge of the Hero Party, back when I used to be in the Hero Party, I pretty much met her almost everyday. 

“Eleonora, it’s been a long time.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while. Fufu, even though it hasn’t even been a week since we last met, strangely, I feel nostalgic.”

“Ahaha. That’s true. –So, you’ve been waiting for me regarding yesterday’s incident, right?”

“Yes. It’s true that I’ve been waiting, but I’m surprised at how good your timing is.”

“The timing’s good, you say?”

“Fufu, for the time being, can you follow me? Please talk over there.”

In the meeting room I am guided to by Eleonora, several Guild executives, including the Guildmaster, as well as the Hero Party members are assembled in the same place.

Among them, Oliver, Derrick, and Aneri turn to me with faces that look like they’ve swallowed a bitter pill.

Next to Aneri is a woman I had never met.

Perhaps she is my successor, Philly Carpenter.

My condolences that you got caught up in this kind of thing as soon as you join the party.

“You did well to come, Orn. Sorry for getting straight to the point, but is it okay to hear from you about what happened yesterday?”

The Guildmaster speaks with a gentle tone.

As usual, he’s a person whose smile never leaves his face.

The Guildmaster’s black hair is starting to be mixed with some white, he has a refined appearance.

He’s somewhere I completely can’t grasp at all.

“I’m fine with that, but first of all, please give me a summary of this incident. I only fought the Black Dragon that suddenly appeared. I also didn’t handle the aftermath, so if I were to mention the things I can talk about, it’s just information of me fighting the Black Dragon.”

“That’s true. Luna, I’m sorry, can you not give us the details again?”

“……Understood.”

At the request of the Guildmaster, Luna begins to talk about the entire sequence of events.

When they were exploring the 92nd Floor, the Black Dragon suddenly appeared in a location other than the Boss Area.

Realising that they could not be victorious in that battle, they used the “Capricious Door”.

As they tried to enter the distorted space, the Black Dragon interrupted, and instead, it was the Black Dragon that entered that distorted space.

Immediately after that, they went to the Guild and requested for Deportation.

What’s up with that…

I’m surprised at how upset I’ve become.

“After the Deportation, there was some commotion with the corpse of the Black Dragon that appeared on the surface, but with the cooperation of the Guild, everything soon settled down, and we come to where we are now.”

“Thank you, Luna. Well, Orn, the Black Dragon transferred to the 50th Floor Boss Area through the ‘Capricious Door’. According to Selma from ‘Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit’, the you that happened to be present subjugated it by yourself, is that true? …………Orn?”

Logically, I know this should be where I don’t get emotional and calmly answer the Guildmaster, 

――But I can’t surpress my emotions.

“I didn’t think you were this stupid. Oliver, I’m disgusted by you.”

Without answering the Guildmaster’s question, I lash out at Oliver.

“What’d you say? You just got lucky by defeating it after it’d been weakened by Oliver and Aneri’s attacks, why can’t you shut your mouth from saying something like that!”

“I’m not talking to you. Shut up, outsider.”

I was talking to Oliver, but Derrick replied instead.

I don’t feel like having a proper conversation with this guy, so I dismiss him.

“’Outsider’ you say!? I’m the Hero Par–“

“Don’t you understand language? I told you to shut up. Shut your mouth.”

When I say again, instilled with my killing intent, Derrick who was still barking, cowers and closes his mouth. 

Should have done that from the start.

“I understand there was an irregularity. Of course you can’t expect that the Floor Boss would leave its Area. However, starting from the beginning, why did you bring a newcomer Enchanter so quickly to the deep layers? Luna must have objected. Did you think that since it’s a place you’ve been too many times, you could afford it?”

Oliver just makes a bitter face and doesn’t respond.

“Did I hit the mark? I said that we were only lucky to be able to clear both the 92nd and 93rd Floors. I said that with your current abilities, there’s only a low possibility of advancing farther into the deep layers. In fact, since we entered the deep layers, there’ve been so many cases where we would’ve been died if we’d taken one wrong step.”

“–su! That’s why I replaced the Enchanter! If someone who can use better support magic than you joins, we can proceed, farther, I thought, and decided…”

Oliver responds to my remarks, but his voice gradually weakens.

“You made the decision, and the majority of the members agreed and kicked me out. I’m not angry about that. It’s true that I had to use many small tricks and had to try everything I could. There are many Enchanters who are above me. It was upsetting for me to be expelled, but you’re the leader of the Hero Party. You have the duty to clear the Great Labyrinth. I’m not denying that. What I’m furious about when I think of it is — you’re belittling Enchanters!!”

“I don’t belittle them! I know they are important, I did replace you, right!”

Oliver strongly denies it.

This guy really sounds like he think so.

“…Do you understand that you’re overlooking how wearing it is on the nerves of an Enchanter exploring the labyrinth? For their first cooperation in the deep layers? Hah, there’s no way right! After all, for you guys, you probably asked of her from the start, the same level as what I’ve been doing, yeah? For someone who’s just inherited the position, it’s impossible for that to be achieved! Even a B Rank party can see that such a party will collapse!”

“Tell me, exactly how will the Enchanter’s nerves be worn down!? The Enchanter just waits for the time to reapply the buff, and gives instructions from a safe place, right!? Isn’t that easy! Anybody who can use support magic can do that!”

“…Are you seriously saying that?”

I’m at a loss for words.

“Even if I’m not serious, that’s the truth right!”

For the first time, here I finally understand.

――When your rage exceeds its peak, you will instead become calm.

“………Oliver, 61 seconds; Aneri, 134 seconds; Derrick, 186 seconds; Luna, 140 seconds, do you get what this is?”

Oliver is confused by my sudden question.

Still, he seems to be thinking hard to find the answer to my question, but it doesn’t look like any answer will come.

“It’s time for your buffs to expire. Fundamentally, an Enchanter has to cast an average of three buffs on each ally during battle. Moreover, the timing for activating magic is not the same for everyone. You have to keep track of the buff period of twelve different types of buffs, and above that, must also play the commanding role to lead the party. Olver, can you do that?”

“Heh, it’s an application of parallel construction. If I get used to it, I can do it!”

“Because you are a genius. It’s true you might be able to do it. However, no one will tell you the numbers I mentioned earlier. Details about you guys. Entering the deep layers and immediately testing your cooperation, you just went straight into fighting, right? Despite that woman, Philly, not having a grasp of your effective buff period. I don’t know what that woman who isn’t saying anything thought, but she should have definitely been thinking that you might die if the buff wears off. While with that in the back of her mind, she must have been desperately figuring it out through trial and error mid-battle. What’s easy about that, you tell me!!”

Oliver opens his eyes.

As expected, it appears like I’ve conveyed what I wanted to about the difficulties of being an Enchanter.

Enchanters are always being chased by time.

That feeling of losing strength at the moment the buff runs out is not something you can get used to.

If that happens during battle, it’s a fatal gap.

Demonic beasts are not naive enough to pass over that chance.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that if the buff wears off in the midst of battle, your companions will die.

“This time, you came back alive because your luck was good and because she is an excellent Enchanter. You guys need to express gratitude to her.”

With the end of my words, the meeting room is dominated by silence.