The man tempered her rage with practiced hands as he studied Nanao.
"You're looking well, Nanao. I see you've had many more wonderful
meetings aside from my daughter. Are you her friends?"
He turned to Oliver and the others. They each made to introduce
themselves, but the man flicked his gaze to the podium.
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I am technically here to lead the class.
Maybe another time. Ah, Ms. Cornwallis. I'm glad to see you are well,
too."
He called out to the other girl staring at him, then lazily strode to the
podium. Upon reaching it, he scanned the room.
"Now, let me introduce myself. I am Theodore McFarlane, a part-time
lecturer for Kimberly. I don't teach any subject in particular. Instead, I run
around filling in for the other instructors. I hope we can all get along."
He introduced himself breezily. One of the students shouted a question.
"Excuse me! Does that mean you're going to be our alchemy instructor
from now on?"
"No, my role is only to be here for a few classes. I may be an instructor,
but most of my job occurs outside this academy. I cannot stay on campus
for long."
"Then will Instructor Grenville be coming back?"
The ringlet instructor sighed slightly at this name. "If he comes back
alive. But I suspect we'll never see him again."
The students all swallowed. He'd just implied that the mage Darius
Grenville was dead.
"Just so you know, it's not uncommon for mages to go missing. But
when you've lived in this world for as long as I have, you just know. This is
one of those times where the missing party doesn't come back. I'm not a
prophet, however. It's just a feeling."
A chill went down Oliver's spine. Calm down. There's no way he could
have caught on already. I wasn't that careless, he told himself.
"That said, the headmistress has already reached out to his replacement.
For those of you who were Darius's apprentices or were hoping to become
one, you have my deepest sympathies. But I guarantee your next alchemy
instructor will be amazing, too. You'll just have to put up with me until they
arrive."
Theodore changed subjects, preventing anyone from bringing up Darius
anymore. Relieved, Oliver scolded himself. Don't let down your guard. This
man mustn't be underestimated.
"Now, shall we begin? Errr, what was today's lesson…? 'A
chuckleshroom antidote'? Hmmm."
An odd look came over Theodore's face as he flipped through the
textbook. He thought for a few seconds.
"Making this the normal way would be so tiresome. Okay! When you
finish making your antidotes, give them to me, and I'll drink them."
The students stared at him in horror. He didn't seem to care.
"I'll grade you based on its quality. I'll also give you detailed criticism,
of course. Everyone have their tools on their desks? Then begin!"
He clapped his hands and signaled for them to start. As he watched the
students frantically get to work, he continued to speak.
"It's not a difficult recipe, so you can afford to listen to me chat, right?
Oh, this latest adventure of mine was wild. Have any of you read my series
Journey to the East?"
A blond girl in the corner of the room shot her hand up.
"I'm currently taking my time with Volume Twelve—"
"I've read them all!" Pete raised his hand at practically the same time
and shouted as well. The instructor ignored the shocked Cornwallis—the
blond girl—and zeroed in on Pete.
"Wonderful! My travels are funded by the sales of my books, so you've
been keeping me fed! May I have your name?"
"Pete Reston, sir!"
"Pete, eh? Okay! I've committed it to memory. I'll bring you back a
souvenir next time."
He walked over to Pete's workbench to observe him eagerly mixing his
antidote.
"I wrote that series based on the energy and spirit of my destinations. It's
not very helpful in learning the true feel and the culture of the land. On my
most recent journey, I even found that many things I wrote needed to be
corrected."
The ringlet instructor put a hand to his brow in reflection.
"Like what…?" Oliver asked, continuing to tend to his antidote.
"Mm, for example, the food item known as soba in Yamatsu. In Volume
Three, I stated, 'It is a cold noodle dish with a very delicate flavor and is
served with a very salty cold soup.' But I was mistaken. That wasn't a soup;
it was a sauce! And you don't pour it on the noodles; you lift up the noodles
and dip them in!"
He shoved a hand in his coat pocket and retrieved two long, thin sticks.
He gripped them between the fingers of his right hand.
"Also, this is how you hold chopsticks. Clever, isn't it? You grab your
noodles like this…then slurp them up in one mouthful. The manners are
different there, so it's fine to make lots of noise."
He mimicked eating soba for them. Guy, half in disbelief at the foreign
food culture, turned to the girl next to him.
"…Is that true, Nanao?"
"Indeed. That reminds me, I haven't had soba since coming here."
"Got a hankering? Good, good. Then I'll bring some back for you next
time," the instructor casually promised as he continued down memory lane.
Chela listened in sulky silence, then eventually extinguished her
cauldron's flame. "…I'm done."
"That's my daughter for you! The cream of the cream of the crop!"
Theodore picked up the vial of finished antidote and swigged it, just like
he'd said he would. Instantly, a mass of bubbles began frothing from his
mouth.
"Blrrbllrbl!"
"Oh dear, I put too much bubblegrass in. My hand must have slipped
thanks to all your irrelevant babbling."
"Blrggrble…! M-my lovely daughter! This is more than just a 'slip'!"
Theodore finally managed to swallow the bubbles and speak. Just then, a
different voice spoke up behind him. "I am finished, too."
"?! Wait, Nanao! There's no way you finished that quickly—," Oliver
started.
"Okay! Round two!"
Before Oliver could stop him, the instructor chugged Nanao's
concoction. He gulped loudly, and a second later, tears came pouring from
both his eyes like fountains.
"My eyes! My eyesss! Nanao, how could you? The bitterness of the
crying onion hasn't been tempered at all!"
"Mmm? Did I make a mistake somewhere?"
"It's because you didn't wash it in salt water after mashing it! How
many times have I told you not to take shortcuts with the recipe?" Oliver
lectured her as he quickly whipped up a vial of neutralizer.
Theodore took a whiff, and eventually, the tears began to slow.
"Ph-phew… Thank you. How many years has it been since I last cried
like that? That was more intense than I expected. Um, remind me, how
many more do I have to drink?"
"Only thirty-eight more, Father."
"That'll kill me!" he screamed in delayed realization.
Stacy glared at them, then raised her hand. "U-Uncle! I'm done, too!"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, yes."
The man dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief, then strode over to her.
Stacy was stiff as a board as he drank her finished antidote.
"Mm, well done. Evenly heated, and the ingredients were finely
prepared, so it's quite smooth. The taste is refreshing, too. I wouldn't be
surprised to see this sold in a store."
"Y-you honor me! Um, I—"
"An A. Keep up the good work."
He quickly graded her and then walked away without any further
chitchat. Stacy stood there, all alone.
"Sir, I'm done, too!"
"Oh! Yes, Pete! I've got my hopes up for this one!"
Theodore went straight to the bespectacled boy and drained the vial, not
bothering to study its contents. He savored the taste with a straight face,
which all of a sudden transformed into an expression of pure joy.
"Oh, excellently done! It's every bit as good as Ms. Cornwallis's! I can
tell from this antidote that you study very hard."
"Y-you flatter me, sir!"
Pete blushed crimson from the praise.
But before his eyes, the light was fading from Theodore's face.
"..."
"…S-sir?" Pete cautiously called out to his instructor. The man fell to
the floor, hugged his knees, and then flopped on his side.
"...Life is full of despair… I wanna die…," he began mumbling.
"Oh no!" Oliver cried. "He's overdosed and is going into a sudden
depression! He needs an antidote, now!"
"Seriously, are you a complete buffoon?" Chela chided her father. "Any
medicine can become poison if you take too much!"
The two of them got to work trying to save their instructor. Before they
got far, however, Guy grabbed the chuckleshroom sample from his
workbench.
"If he's overdosed on those antidotes, then shouldn't he just eat the
mushroom itself to cancel it out? Here, this one's sliced real thin."
"Wait, Guy! You can't just—"
Before Katie could stop him, he'd popped the mushroom into
Theodore's mouth. He forced him to chew and swallow, and the man's
expression instantly relaxed.
"Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! The sky is full of rainbows!"
"Crap, it was too effective!"
"Guy! You need to think before you act!"
The worsening situation made Oliver want to clutch his head. While
they worked to get the class back on track, Theodore's mood constantly
sank from the lowest lows to the highest highs.
Even after alchemy class was over and they'd moved to their next
classroom, the six friends still couldn't stop talking about what had just
happened.
"Your dad's a funny guy, isn't he?"
"Please don't bring him up anymore… I can feel the steam coming from
my ears."
Chela covered her face in shame. This was new to everyone.
"He acts that way virtually all the time. People call him 'free-spirited,'
but there's no denying he lacks the sense of responsibility needed in a
parent or instructor. It causes me no end of suffering."
She sighed, regretfully reliving the experience. Next to her, Pete was
nervously waiting for their sword arts class to begin.
"It's finally time for full-on duels…"
"Calm down, Pete. There's no need to rush."
Oliver tried to soothe him as they stood in their lines. Just then, Master
Garland appeared before them in the usual giant classroom, garbed in a
white cloak.
"Let us begin. Like I said last time, you will be including spells in your
duels today. Thus, though you have been separated by experience in the
past, I will be now be pairing you up at my own discretion. Many of you
will be out of your league. Think of this as a learning experience."
With that out of the way, Garland began casting the dulling spell on
everyone's swords as per usual. He then randomly chose one out of every
three pairs of students to start their duels while the rest watched. The
students stepped forward as he called them by name.
"…Ah."
"—Mm."
And so it happened that Pete and Stacy ended up as opponents. She'd
left quite an impression when throwing her name into the ring for the battle
royal, and so even he remembered her. They squared off at the one-step,
one-spell distance.
"Pete's up against one of your relatives, right?" Guy asked Chela.
"…Yes. This will be a tough fight for him."
She watched their duel intensely. Oliver did the same. This was Pete's
first chance to show the fruits of his work with his friends.
"The duel doesn't end with one point," Garland said. "Continue fighting
until time is up. Now—begin!"
Garland signaled the start of the duel. Pete frantically readied his sword.
"Don't panic, Pete!" Oliver shouted from outside the arena. "Just focus
on getting one point to start with!"
He cheered Pete on in an attempt to get him to loosen up.
Stacy's temple twitched. "'To start with'? …I see you underestimate me
as well," she muttered, a sharp look in her eyes. She pointed the tip of her
athame at her opponent. "Come, nonmagical spawn. I'll show you how
outclassed you are."
Trying to keep from succumbing to her intimidation, Pete stepped
forward in his midstance.
"Gah?!"
The moment he tried to swing, his opponent had already read him and
caught him with a thrust. The impact sent him flying, and he landed on his
back. Stacy looked down at him coldly.
"Stand up," she demanded mercilessly. "We've still got plenty of time
left."
Pete gritted his teeth and got to his feet. Recovering his stance, he
attacked his opponent, who did not seem fazed in the least.
"Haaah!"
She skillfully parried his attack, which was aimed at her wrist. Unlike
before, when she'd countered his first strike, Stacy stayed on the defense
this time. Pete unleashed a flurry of blows, which she blocked with ease.
She snorted. "…Your attacks are all over the place. Even for a beginner,
you're awful. You haven't so much as a shred of sense."
She dodged a thrust and swept his feet. Pete lost his balance and fell to
the floor dramatically. He then jumped up, irate.
"Pete, stay calm!" Guy shouted from the crowd. "This is a duel with
magic, remember?"
"—!"
Pete snapped out of his rage. Right, spells were allowed now. There was
no need to continue fighting within sword range. Changing his tactic, Pete
jumped back.
Stacy exhaled with pity. "Fool. Do you really think you stand a better
chance with spells?"
The two stood apart, glaring at each other for a second. Pete fired the
first shot.
"Tonitrus!"
He chanted a lightning spell. As if to declare his intent for victory, he
followed up with a second and third shot. But Stacy didn't even flinch. She
continuously evaded the attacks, shifting to the side just enough to dodge
and defending herself calmly with her athame, which was ensorcelled in
oppositional magic.
"Were you even aiming? Tonitrus!"
She unleashed the spell while dodging. It shot right through Pete's
reckless offense, piercing him mercilessly.
"Ah—gah!"
"Pete!" Katie shouted as Pete collapsed from the blow. This time, he
didn't get up right away. He spasmed on the floor, his limbs paralyzed.
"Do you see now that you are outclassed?" Stacy asked frigidly. "'I've
read them all.' Ha! Don't get so full of yourself over one measly
compliment!"
Her words were tinged with rage.
Guy furrowed his brow in confusion. "…? What's she mad about?"
"I don't know. I don't think they've ever talked…"
"..."
Katie shared in his confusion as Chela studied the duel. Eventually, Pete
recovered enough to stand, but it changed nothing. He desperately
challenged her with sword and spell, but Stacy's overwhelming skill
repeatedly knocked him back down.
"There she goes again! I can't watch this! Is it not over yet?!"
"No, wait, Katie," Oliver said, grabbing her by the shoulder before she
could jump into the fray. "He hasn't given up yet. And…there may be hope
yet."
"Huh?"
"Ms. Cornwallis underestimates him. That's her weakness."
He carefully observed the battlefield as he spoke. Only he and Chela
noticed the continuously burning tenacity within Pete's eyes, despite his
total inability to make a move of his own.
"You don't learn, do you, weakling?" Stacy spat, bored with this
endlessly repeating pattern. She still believed them to be at spell-casting
range. But Pete charged at her full force.
"Yaaah!"
"—?!"
His mad dash caught her off guard. Stacy quickly shot off a lightning
spell, but it missed, just grazing his head—because he'd leaned forward as
far as he could when he ran. Sensing danger, Stacy instantly jumped back.
Pete stuck out his right hand to catch himself from falling, then followed up
with a thrust.
"—!"
"Guh…!"
Stacy's eyes were wide, staring at the sword tip pointed an inch from her
chest. Pete's voice was filled with frustration. He'd been unable to bridge
the tiny gap between him and his enemy.
"The Hero's Charge, huh? That was close," Oliver muttered.
The Rizett-style sword arts technique Hero's Charge was a surprise
attack that relied on an extreme forward lean to throw off their opponent's
judgment of distance.
Chela, who had taught him that move, nodded.
"Yes. Even Ms. Cornwallis couldn't have expected that risky attack.
Unfortunately, he lacked just a little bit of sharpness in his execution."
It was a bitter experience for the both of them as well. Pete reluctantly
got back into his stance. The silence was heavy.
"…Was that Michela's idea?" Stacy finally muttered.
"..."
Pete said nothing. Accepting his silence as an affirmative, the girl
twisted her lips in anger.
"…You all really piss me off!"
"That's time! Enough!"
Garland's voice echoed powerfully a few minutes later, and their duel
came to an end.
"Huff… Huff…"
"You did well, Pete."
Oliver patted the panting boy on the shoulder. Pete bit his lip and looked
down.
"I couldn't…get a single point…!"
Large tears dripped from his eyes. Oliver nodded, and Chela smiled
gently. Those tears were proof that he'd never given up on the match
through the very end.
"You have nothing to be sad about. There's always next time," said
Chela.
"Yeah. Your opponent was really strong, too," Oliver added, then looked
across the battlefield to where Stacy was angrily stomping the ground. The
boy named Fay was standing next to her, and he calmly returned Oliver's
gaze.
"Makes sense she'd want to participate in the battle royal, that Ms.
Cornwallis. We can't underestimate her."
He honestly appraised her skill. Chela's expression, meanwhile, was
quite complicated.
Two days later, after dinner was finished and the students had returned to
their dorms, the six of them stayed on campus as promised.
"Everyone's here, then?"
On Chela's signal, they cast a sharpening spell on their blades and
entered the mirror into the labyrinth. When everyone had landed in the hall,
Guy scanned their surroundings.
"I just realized, this is the first time the six of us have gone into the
labyrinth alone. I'm a little nervous."
"It's fine, it's fine! There's nothing to be scared of with all of us here!"
Katie said brightly, but Oliver cut in.
"Sorry to kill the mood, but honestly, the labyrinth is chock-full of scary
things. There are countless risks, like getting lost, being attacked by beasts,
ending up injured by traps, or even running into other students."
"Urk!"
"On the first level, we mostly have to worry about the first and fourth
items on that list," said Chela. "The higher we are, the more students there
will be. I have encountered a malicious senior student before, and it was not
pleasant."
"Unnngh!"
Oliver and Chela joined forces to temper Katie's boldness. Oliver then
proceeded to explain their formation.
"Nanao and I will be at the front, and Chela will guard the rear. The
three of you in the middle, stick together in a triangle formation. It might
sound like overkill, but this formation should give us a solid defense in any
direction."
"Okay… What if someone gets separated?" Pete asked.
"Don't try to move around in the dark. Just stay where you are and keep
low. I promise we'll find you."
Pete nodded, and everyone formed up as Oliver had instructed. Once
they were ready, Nanao addressed the group.
"Everyone is prepared, yes? Onward, then!"
Six pairs of legs set out down the hall. As Chela was bringing up the
rear, she noticed a broom attached to the Azian girl's back.
"Nanao, you brought your broom? I doubt there will be many places to
fly on the first level."
"That is fine. We are still getting to know each other, which involves
spending time together."
Nanao smiled and gripped the broom's handle.
Oliver grinned. That was so like her.
Katie, who was walking in the middle, studied the bespectacled boy next
to her.
"…Hmm? Pete, you're a boy today."
"H-how can you tell?!" Pete backed up in shock.
The curly-haired girl put a hand to her chin. "It's like…an aura? You
seem calmer today, so I guessed."
Pete grumbled at this. Now that he was an awoken reversi, his biological
sex would be unstable until he learned how to properly control it.
Oliver, as his roommate, had known this was a "boy day" since that
morning.
"Katie, we'll be relying on you to guide us there. Where should we go
first?"
"Um, I think it was straight down the right, then make a left at the third
junction."
Katie explained their route. They followed her instructions, when all of a
sudden, a group of small creatures cut in front of them. They were round,
and their limbs diminutive.
"Oh! A nest of ball mice!"
"Stop. You can observe the wildlife at a later date."
Guy grabbed Katie firmly by the collar as she tried to go after the
creatures.
She seemed miffed, so Oliver explained.
"Many of the magical creatures on the first level are small and timid.
However, if you let down your guard, you can still end up being seriously
hurt. For example, this crack…"
He drew his athame and thrust it into a crack in the wall. Instantly, giant
pincers latched onto the blade. Oliver pulled the weapon back, dragging out
a crustacean about as large as a medium-size dog.
"See? It's a cracking-crab nest. Their pincers are super strong, and they
can easily sever a finger if you stick your hand in. Be careful of cramped,
dark spaces."
"Ooh… That is a large, tasty-looking crab."
"You've got an excellent eye, Nanao. They're really good fresh and
boiled in salt water."
"Don't focus on the food! Oliver, put it back already!"
Katie admonished him, and Oliver returned the cracking crab to its nest.
Then the six of them started off again.
As they walked, Guy seemed to remember something.
"Say, doesn't Kimberly have a Labyrinth Gourmet Club? Apparently,
they gather creatures from down here and cook 'em up in search of new
delicacies. Neat, isn't it?"
"Not at all! I bet they make things like kobold sauté and troll stew!"
There was no arguing with Katie on that.
Next to her, Pete sniffed the air. "…Is it just me, or does something
smell good?"
"No, I smell it, too. It's very fragrant, like something being cooked."
Chela suspiciously agreed. Bewildered, they turned the corner and found
the source.
"…Mmgh?"
"What, first-years?"
Several faces turned to look at them. About ten students were sitting
around a fire in a makeshift plaza set up in the hall. Half of them looked to
be first-years, and the other half were second- to fourth-years. Unsure if
they could pass by in silence, Oliver hesitantly greeted them.
"…Good evening. Um, what are you doing?"
"We're the Labyrinth Gourmet Club, and this is our new-member
welcoming party! Wanna join?!"
The oldest boy stood up and beckoned them over. Just then, another
student came running from the depths of the hall. In their hands was a
creepy, reddish-black mass.
"Sir! I found this massive leech! Can we eat it?"
"You're a real challenger, newbie! Okay, let's try cooking it!"
"Sir, should I be worried? My vision's going blurry! Was it that
mushroom I ate earlier?"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha! Here, have some antidote! You'll throw up blood and die
if you don't!"
The Labyrinth Gourmet Club chatted exuberantly about disturbing
things as they barbecued their meal.
Oliver bowed. "…Seems we're in the way. We'll be going, then."
The six of them edged around the area and left as quickly as they could.
Once around the corner and out of earshot, Katie finally spoke up.
"I told you it was full of weirdos!"
"Oh, lay off! It's no different from those random-flavored drinks at the
store!" Guy argued.
Chela glanced behind them. "Labyrinth dining ethics aside… The one
who invited us to join the club is quite famous."
"Ah, I thought so. So that's Kevin Walker, the Survivor?" Oliver nodded
in understanding.
Guy looked crestfallen. "Really…?! Aw, man! I shoulda stayed to chat!"
"What? Is he a big fish or something?" said Katie.
"Of course," replied Chela. "I heard he spent half a year lost in the
labyrinth's depths, and the academy pronounced him dead. They even held
his funeral, but then he came back alive!"
"Half a year? Here? Impossible. No one's that tough…," Pete scoffed.
"He missed his graduation thanks to that, so he's still a sixth-year
currently. I dunno what he might have fed us, but it could've been
interesting to join that barbecue."
Oliver was half joking. Katie shook her head furiously, but Chela looked
somewhat wistful.
"Yes, they seemed to be having fun. So that's called a barbecue?"
"? Chela, have you never been to one before?" Oliver asked.
"I'm ashamed to admit it, but no… At my house, we never ate or cooked
outside the kitchen."
"Aw, you're missin' out!" said Guy. "All right, let's have a barbecue
soon. We could do it in the workshop, right?"
"Sure, but don't get any funny ideas about the food. I refuse to go
hunting in the labyrinth."
Katie sharply put her foot down. Soon, everyone stopped in their tracks.
Before them stretched a long, narrow hall—and covering the walls, ceiling,
and floor were giant slugs.
"Ugh, it's a den of slugs!" Guy groaned. "Hey, can we find another
way?"
"Why? They won't hurt people," Katie said, puzzled.
She easily stepped into the hall, and the sole of her shoe squelched in the
slime.
"Let me through, guys. Sorry!"
She gently yet boldly pushed aside the slugs in her way and continued
forward. Her five friends stared in disbelief as she reached the other end of
the hall in no time at all.
"See? I made us a path. It'll close soon, so hurry up!" she shouted,
indicating the space she'd cleared. Forced to act quickly, the group flung
themselves one after another into the hall. None of the slugs attempted to
harm them, and they safely made it to the other side.
"Easy, right?"
"…Save for the fact that my trouser cuffs are all smelly." Guy looked
down at his slimy clothes in disgust.
Katie ignored him and dropped her gaze to the floor. "It's their
reproductive season. If you look closely, you can find babies, too. Here,
see? So small and cute!"
"Whoa! Don't let 'em crawl on your hand! Put it back on the ground!"
Guy jumped back as she held out the baby slug for him to see.
Oliver, however, couldn't shake a nagging feeling. "Hey, Katie, is it just
me, or…are we seeing a lot of magical creatures on this route? We're not in
that deep."
"R-really? Maybe that's just how it is." She quickly looked away.
Guy, sensing what was going on, furrowed his brow. "You little… Did
you choose this route on purpose? Like maybe after asking Miligan about
the wildlife distribution in the labyrinth?"
"Ha—ha-ha-ha! Of course not!"
Katie laughed robotically and then began walking again. Once she
sensed everyone's eyes boring holes through her back, she ultimately
succumbed to the pressure.
"…I mean," she mumbled, "isn't a livelier route more fun?"
"So this was premeditated!"
"…Well, as long as we get there safely."
Oliver sighed in resignation and followed Katie's lead.
After another twenty minutes, the six of them reached another one-way
hall.
"Oh, wait," Katie said. "This place might be a little dangerous."
"…Hold on. What d'you mean specifically by 'dangerous'?" Guy asked
apprehensively. Katie didn't respond, instead taking out a ball of yarn from
her bag and tossing it down the hall. Suddenly, nails flew out from every
angle of the corridor, turning the ball into a pincushion.
"…Like that."
"A little?! We'd be turned into hedgehogs at the first misstep!"
As Guy shouted at her, Oliver cautiously peered down the hall. Careful
observation revealed countless small holes, about the size of a pinky
fingertip, on the walls, floor, and ceiling. These were the source of the
needles.
"It's…not a trap. It's a colony of bowshells."
"Yeah… But the needles are small, so they can't kill a human. They
might sting a lot, but that's it."
"'That's it'? No thanks! …So how do we get across this?"
Pete sounded highly concerned, as he very well should. But Katie strode
ahead of the group, full of confidence.
"Leave it to me. You just have to burn a certain type of incense, and
they'll go right to sleep."
She produced an incense burner, placed it on the floor, and lit it with a
fire spell. Once smoke began to rise, she also urged it down the hall with a
bit of magical wind.
"Okay, there. Now we wait five minutes."
She continued to maintain the wind spell. Relieved that she'd brought
the proper equipment, the other five waited for the signal. After only a few
minutes had passed, Nanao suddenly turned around.
"…? I hear a strange sound approaching us."
The Azian girl cautiously peered down the hall in the direction they'd
come from. Oliver turned as well; he heard something being expelled at
high pressure as the corridor began to fill with white gas.
"Shoot—it's a trap!" Oliver said stiffly. Water vapor was pouring out
from the gaps in the walls and rapidly approaching them. If it really was
steam filling the hall, then it would be scalding hot.
"Run, as fast as you can!" Chela yelled. "You'll be burned terribly if it
touches you!"
Sensing danger, Chela urged her friends to move.
Katie looked horrified. "Huh?! No, wait! The incense is still—"
"There's no time! Go!" Oliver compelled them onward as well, and the
six friends took off into the hall. If they wanted to avoid heavy, full-body
burns, then they had no other choice. About thirty seconds of sprinting later,
once they could no longer hear the steam, they finally stopped.
"Huff! Huff! W-we survived, huh? Oh, my heart…"
"You… You…"
Katie was relieved, but Guy's voice trembled. The other five turned in
shock to look at him.
"…What are you gonna do about my ass?"
"Uwah!"
Pete let out a scream at the sight, and the other four swallowed in
unison. The tall boy stood there looking quite pitiable, with dozens of
needles stuck in his butt.
Ten minutes later, thanks to Oliver's help, all the needles were removed and
his injuries healed. Guy's rear was as good as new.
"Katiiiiie! I've got a bone to pick with you!"
"I'm sowwyyy! Fohwive meee!"
Of course, the pain was still fresh in his mind. Full of rage, Guy grabbed
their guide's cheeks and pulled them. Oliver didn't try to intervene. Instead,
he stood next to Chela and sighed.
"Some traps only activate for a group of people. Guy deserves our
sympathy, but let's take this as a learning experience."
"Agreed. It certainly was terrible luck that the only place the incense
didn't reach was the path Guy took."
The two of them took the lesson to heart. Guy, once he had finished
punishing Katie, released her. He put his hands on his hips menacingly and
snorted.
"Hmph… Okay, that's enough for now. But don't ever forget my ass's
sacrifice. Be more careful leading us from now on! Got it?"
"I-I'll try my best…"
Tears welled up in Katie's eyes from the pain as she resumed guiding the
group to their destination.
"That said, we've gone quite far already," Oliver remarked as he
followed. "Shouldn't we be arriving soon?"
"Y-yeah. We're almost there. Just over this hill—"
Katie nervously looked at her map. But once they'd passed halfway
through the hall, she suddenly stopped.
"Oh! Here it is! Stone… No, Caputalis!"
In response to her spell, the blocks that made up the wall rearranged
themselves to create an entrance after a few seconds. Katie hopped through,
and her friends followed.
"Good job, everyone! Now come on in! This is our secret base!"
She jumped for joy at their arrival. With a flick of her wand, she lit the
crystal lamp on the ceiling. Her friends ooh'd in awe at the sight.
"Yeah, this is good."
Oliver was the first to comment. The workshop was about ten yards
wide and fifteen yards long, and three yards high from floor to ceiling; it
was around the size of two double-bed dorm rooms. In the back were
candles and a stove, surrounded by cupboards full of potion-making tools
like cauldrons. On the left wall was a single door, and on the right wall
there were two.
"Pretty well stocked, too," Guy noted. "Might be a bit tight for six
people, though."
"Hee-hee-hee, you'd think that, wouldn't you? But your worries are
unfounded!"
Katie grinned as she proceeded farther into the workshop. She opened
the left door and stepped into the dark space.
"This is the main room. Let me get the light—"
She flicked her wand at the ceiling like before. Suddenly, a giant lamp
burst to life, illuminating the darkness. What expanded before their eyes
was a room about ten times the size of the last one. Pete gaped at the high
ceiling in awe.
"What in the world? It's huge! Can we use this, too?"
"Of course! According to Ms. Miligan, this is a top-quality workshop
despite being on the first layer."
Katie spoke proudly, and the echoes of her voice in the vast space
amplified the effect.
Chela walked around, checking off items on a mental list. "Yes, Ms.
Miligan was certainly right about that," she said. "There's water, light, and
a stove, not to mention they're all properly housing elementals. We could
start using this place as a workshop as early as tomorrow."
"At least my ass didn't get turned into a pincushion for nothin'." Guy
rubbed his butt bitterly. "Awright, then! Let's divvy up the space! Where
should I put my garden?"
"Calm down. Let's write everyone's wishes down on a piece of paper. I
want to raise animals; Guy wants to raise plants. What does everyone else
want to do here?"
Katie took out a notebook from her bag and began scribbling with a pen.
The others looked at one another.
Oliver's first instinct was to lay down the basics. "For now, I want to use
this as a base for exploring the labyrinth. I'd start with making sure it's
satisfactory as a safe house and setting up some beds."
"Oh? You mean to sleep here? That sounds rather exciting."
"See? Nanao understands. That's what a real secret base is," said Guy. "I
like the sound of this… Yeah! Let's set up traps around the area! A base has
to have tight defenses!"
"Like ass-stabbing ones?"
"Pete, you little—!"
Guy tried to grab Pete for teasing him, but the bespectacled boy took off.
Chela watched as the two of them played chase in the spacious room. She
couldn't help but smile.
"…Heh-heh-heh."
"? What's up, Chela?" Oliver asked.
"Oh—I'm not sure why, but I'm feeling excited, too. Strange, isn't it?
I've never experienced this before."
Chela's expression was a mixture of joy and confusion.
"…We'd probably stay up all night talking about this," Katie said
quietly. "And it's already late. If you all don't mind, why don't we…stay
here tonight?"
No one objected, and so they all settled in to spend their first night in the
secret base.
Once they decided to stay overnight, the six of them realized how hungry
they were. Everyone had packed some food, but Guy argued that they
needed something better for their first night in the secret base. They all
agreed, and so everyone left the base to go on a food run.
"…Will we really find a store in the labyrinth?"
Once again, Oliver and Nanao took the lead, and they fell into the same
formation they'd taken to get there. Katie expressed her doubts as they
walked.
There were quite a few unofficial workshops in the labyrinth, similar to
the one Miligan had given them. And with so many students spending so
much time down here—in other words, using the labyrinth as a living space
—many needs arose, which naturally led to goods being sold to fulfill those
needs. That was the sort of "store" they were searching for.
"If we don't find one, we can just do what the Labyrinth Gourmet Club
does."
"We have to find a store!"
Katie opened her eyes wide and scanned the area; she'd rather die than
have their dinner table filled with magical beasts.
Oliver grinned awkwardly. If they did find a "store," it was still highly
likely that the things they sold would be derived from magical beasts. But
for now, this thought didn't seem to dawn on her.
"Hmm? What's that?"
After searching the area around their base for a bit, they spotted a figure
deep in a wide corridor. As they drew closer, they could see dozens of items
sitting atop a cloth on the ground. The seller's face came into view, and she
looked up at the group.
"What's this? Welcome! Can't remember the last time a group of firstyears darkened my door down here."
The older female student's intonation was certainly unique, and her large
mouth left quite an impression. She wore her uniform smartly, and from the
color of the lining of the robe around her shoulders, she appeared to be a
third-year. She studied Oliver and the gang, then continued:
"Naughty, naughty, going out to play at night at such a tender age.
You'll desensitize yourselves. But I'm not in the business of picking my
customers! Nee-ha-ha-ha! Go on, then. Whatcha looking for?"
They prepared for a lecture, but she quickly switched back into
merchant mode.
Katie stooped down to look at her wares. "Wow, there really are stores
down here in the labyrinth," she said, impressed. "How do you keep stock?"
"Ain't it obvious? Either you lug it down from the surface or make it
here. A single vial of anti-itch ointment sells for three times what it does up
top. Makes all the risk worth it!"
She gave that same curious laugh again. Most of her wares seemed to be
potions, but Oliver noticed a big basket behind her that seemed to be stuffed
full.
"Do you have any food?"
"Plenty, sure. You looking to just get by? Or maybe feeling a little
festive?"
"Somewhere in the middle, I'd say. We'd be happy with something
tasty."
The girl turned around and began rummaging through the basket. From
the mountain of items, she produced leafy veggies, root veggies,
mushrooms, and meat for them to peruse.
"Take it. Since you're first-time customers, I'll offer you a special deal:
three thousand belc for the lot."
"Wait—for all this?"
Oliver was shocked. Considering where they were, he'd been prepared
for food to be incredibly pricey. This was much more palatable than what
he'd imagined. Picking up on his confusion, the seller grinned.
"I like reckless folk like you, descending this far into the labyrinth after
only half a year at the academy. I hope you all survive and become regular
customers." Her "encouragement" was quite disturbing.
Oliver made to thank her, but she cut him off.
"But if you don't, then I'll have more fresh meat to sell. Either way, I
win."
Everyone except Nanao stiffened. The seller burst into laughter.
"Nee-ha-ha-ha! It's a joke! A joke! Here, have some drinks on the
house!"
The six of them returned to the base with their surprisingly easy-to-find
dinner. Now came the question of cooking.
"…What kind of meat do you think this is?" Katie asked, studying the
lump of red flesh.
"Probably lamb. Judging from the muscle, it's at least not demi-human,"
Guy answered while he checked the mushrooms next to her. As he was the
person with the most experience with food, the group had left him in charge
of checking to make sure it was safe.
"So what do we make? We've got enough for a feast."
"Wait—you can cook, Guy?"
"Don't expect anything fancy. But you can at least have faith that it'll be
tasty."
The tall boy stood, rolled up his sleeves, and walked to the kitchen.
Katie jumped in next to him, smiling faintly. "Should I take that as a
challenge?"
"Oh? I dunno, should you?" Guy responded, his interest piqued.
Sparks flew between them. A few seconds later, they'd grabbed knives
and were furiously prepping their ingredients.
Oliver chuckled from behind. "…Guess we're in the way, then. Nanao,
want to train a bit before dinner?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
She immediately nodded, and they headed for the common room.
Chela turned to Pete. "In that case, Pete, why don't we study for class? I
noticed you were struggling in spellology."
"Ugh… F-fine. Thanks."
Nanao and Oliver faced each other in the center of the common room.
Oliver was the first to speak.
"So…let me ask this first. Have you managed to reproduce it since
then?"
He didn't need to say what "it" was. Nanao shook her head, and the boy
crossed his arms.
"I see… Strange. That certainly wasn't the kind of move you just
unleash by chance."
"As I asked before, are you certain you're not overthinking this?"
"No. If I was mistaken, there's no way you could have defeated the
cursed eye of a basilisk," Oliver stated quite plainly. He was talking about
her duel with Vera Miligan, specifically Nanao's final blow—the seventh
spellblade.
The fact that she'd even managed this was a secret between the two of
them. Like Master Garland had stated in class, spellblade users never made
a display of their techniques. Oliver had been very careful to remind her of
this, so she didn't ignorantly let the truth slip.
"In any case, we'll just have to wait for it to come back to you. So until
that happens, let's focus on spell practice."
With that, Oliver moved on to the next subject. He couldn't offer a
single word of advice in regard to the spellblade. It was Nanao who had
created it, and only she could recreate it.
So leaving aside the problems that were outside the realm of his ability,
they focused on practicing the basics for a mage. First on the list was
spellwork. As Oliver prepared to teach her as usual, Nanao grinned bitterly.
"This again? I don't mind, of course, but… Might we first cross swords
for a bit?"
"No. Since you're in the battle-royal tournament, you need to at least be
able to handle a spell duel. This is for your own safety, as well as a show of
manners if you're going to continue attending this academy as a mage."
"Mm, you have a point. I understand."
Nanao nodded meekly at Oliver's advice. It wasn't that she wished to
skip out on her magic lessons—she just wanted to cross swords with the
person in front of her more than anything.
Oliver knew this; he smiled and drew his wand. "Don't worry. Your
spells are getting more focused. You're almost ready to use them in a fight.
Once you can do that, you'll have to learn to weave them in with your
swordplay. It's my job as your teacher to lead you to that stage."
Nanao's expression clouded over as she drew her own wand.
"Then…once that's happened, you'll no longer teach me magic?"
She looked at him forlornly.
Oliver shook his head. "I'll continue to answer any questions you have,
just like I do now. Only then we'll be equals as mages in both name and
ability."
He looked into her eyes. Suddenly, she gripped her wand tighter.
"That…is exciting."
After an hour of practice, Chela called for them to come back, so they
sheathed their wands and returned to the living room to find Katie and Guy
standing proudly over their dishes.
"All done! What do you think?!"
"Eat up! Get it while it's hot!"
They sat down at the table. Aside from the brown bread, which they had
every day, there were two dishes before them. Katie's was a tomato-based
stew served in a giant pot. Guy's consisted of roasted meat and veggies
covered in a thick, brown sauce atop a large plate.
"They…both look so good," Oliver marveled.
"Let's tuck in, shall we?" said Chela. "To our first night in the
labyrinth!"
The six of them clinked their cups of cider together. This was a drink
made from fermented apples and contained a tiny bit of alcohol, which
meant they could only enjoy it in the labyrinth where the normal laws didn't
apply. The sweetness of the fruit juice and sting of the carbonation
pleasantly slid down their parched throats.
With their thirst quenched, the group finally reached for the food. Katie
and Guy stared intently as their friends took bites from each dish. A few
minutes passed in silence as they savored the flavors.
"…They're both good," Oliver muttered. "But if I had to declare a
winner…"
His gaze moved toward the plate of meat and veggies.
Chela nodded. "Guy's dish is a hair better, I'd say," she noted. "Katie,
your dish was superb, but this one has a deliciousness I haven't experienced
before… Um, may I have some more?"
Chela looked at Guy awkwardly. He beamed and helped her to seconds
as Katie slumped over the table.
"I—I lost…?! My best dish was beaten by that unsophisticated mess?"
"Ha-ha! You just don't get it, do you? This is our first meal after
walking forever through the labyrinth. You gotta have fire-roasted meat
after all that!"
"Rrrrrggghhhhh!"
Katie's shoulders shook with anger, as she had no retort for that. It all
made sense to Oliver now. Most likely, there wasn't that much difference in
terms of their cooking skills. However, Guy had prepared the perfect dish
for this specific scenario. That was the camping style he prided himself on.
"My ass is still hankerin' for some payback. Once dinner's over, we're
competing with these—and you bet there'll be a punishment for the loser!"
Guy retrieved a pack of cards from his bag and placed it on the table.
His eyes gleamed; the night was still young.
When they were finished eating, they started playing cards. Over two hours
passed in the blink of an eye.
"Phew, that was fun! Feels like ages since I last played that much.
Thanks, Katie. This secret base is awesome!"
"If you're really that grateful, then at least show a little more mercy!"
Guy leaned back into his chair languidly. Katie's long, curly hair, which
she was so proud of, was standing on end: the result of a spell after coming
in last place. Her tresses, now distinctively defying gravity, looked exactly
like a broomstick brush. Oliver struggled to suppress a fit of giggles.
"Th-that's enough. Let's put her back. Originale."
He dispelled her bushy hair, and it finally returned to its original shape.
Katie cupped a curl in her hand and sighed in relief.
Oliver pulled out his pocket watch and checked it.
"It's pretty late. We should get to sleep. That means setting up beds—
does anyone have anything left to do?"
A few seconds later, Chela awkwardly raised her hand.
"Um, I have a suggestion. How about…a name?"
The five of them failed to understand what she was saying.
"…A name?"
"What're you talking about?"
"For our group. Perhaps it's a strange thing to suggest, but I'm having so
much fun right now. It's almost unbelievable. Which is why I'd like to
make this special. This time, this space, this relationship… I want to give it
a name, make it something tangible… I-is that odd of me?"
Her eyes wandered, unsure and quite unlike her usual self.
Guy crossed his arms and shook his head. "Not at all. A little overly
sentimental, if you ask me, but that's not a bad thing."
"A name for the group, huh?" said Oliver. "I'd never considered it. Pete,
got any ideas?"
"Y-you're asking me? It's too sudden; I…"
Everyone settled into thought except for Nanao. "My friends, may I ask
you to draw your blades?"
She stood from her chair and unsheathed her sword. The others looked
at one another, then hesitantly followed suit.
"Form a circle and hold them out straight. That's right… Overlay them
on top of one another."
Six blades gently crossed; from above, they appeared like the petals of a
great blooming flower.
"Where I come from, we call this a sword rose. It's a display of
friendship between warriors."
"Oh, an Azian custom…"
"Do we swear undying friendship on it?"
"No, we swear nothing." Nanao shook her head. The others seemed
surprised, and she smiled. "We simply remember the shape of the flower
that bloomed here today. No one knows where our allegiances may lie
tomorrow, or who will be alive or dead beyond then. Warriors cannot speak
of the future. All we can do is burn this moment clearly into our memories."
Suddenly, it all clicked into place for Oliver. Nanao had come from a
land embroiled in war. The warriors who threw themselves into battle had
no idea when they might lose their lives, and so the act of swearing upon
the future was seen as insincere. Let's meet again tomorrow. Such an
insignificant promise was too ephemeral for them; only the present was
certain. And this girl named Nanao Hibiya had grown up amid such
impermanence.
"..."
He realized that the same could be said of this group, who lived in the
hellish world of Kimberly.
"Now at this moment, our flower has bloomed. No matter what the
future holds, this moment will not change. Whatever fate or cruelty awaits,
nothing can ever scatter the flower we formed here."
Which was why Nanao could be so certain that the present was
unshakable. With this flower expressing their warrior friendship, the six
mages gathered together displayed their bond.
"Thus, the Sword Roses. That is what I'd name our group."
The Azian girl finished her speech on the softest of notes. Silence fell
between the six friends as her words seeped into their hearts.
"A sword rose, huh? It's a little inelegant, but I like it."
Oliver was the first to indicate his assent. Then one by one, the others
nodded as well. Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Chela spoke up.
"Yes, very well. From this point on, we are the Sword Roses: an undying
flower blooming in the corner of endless space and time."
Under Chela's solemn tone, they looked down at the shape they had
made: the proof of their bond.
"All flowers bloom proudly, unafraid of the day their petals scatter," she
continued. "Let us be like them. Do not fight the scattering of our petals,
nor the withering of our roots. Just bloom as brightly as you can in the
present. These moments we create shall surely be more magnificent than
eternity itself."
Chela spoke with conviction, and silence fell again. They spent a long
while without saying a word, until eventually, Guy interrupted.
"…Hey, Chela, you're blushing."
"So are you, Guy."
"As if you're one to talk, Pete!"
"Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Katie's cheeks are like ripened persimmons."
"You're just as bright, Nanao…"
"As are you, Oliver."
They realized they were all blushing equally. Sheathing his athame,
Oliver coughed.
"…The awkwardness will be hard to forget, at least."
"Chela, would you call that special?" Katie asked.
"Yes, more special than anything I've ever known… I've never felt my
own words flow so uncontrollably before."
"Scary how late-night excitement can get to you when you're away from
home. No one's immune," said Guy.
"…L-let's change the subject! I'm dying here!"
Unable to bear the embarrassment, Pete forcefully shifted the
conversation away. Everyone laughed and nodded. The six of them chatted
for hours until they passed out from exhaustion.