"…Ugh… Where… am I…?"
When I came to, an unfamiliar ceiling filled my vision.
I realized I was lying on a bed.
But why…?
"Good morning, Oliver-san. Do you feel any discomfort in your body?"
Luna's voice came from the side.
I sat up and checked my condition. There was no discomfort at all.
By then, I understood why I was lying here.
"No discomfort in my body. So I lost."
It was the first time in my life I had lost to Orun.
I had never lost to him before, and I had believed without a doubt that I never would.
But now that I had lost, the emotion rising inside me was something close to resignation: "It couldn't be helped…"
I couldn't explain why I felt this way.
Yet somehow, it also felt strangely refreshing.
"…How long was I asleep?"
"About two hours. The award ceremony has already ended. Marquis Forgas said to return to the mansion immediately upon waking. Sorry to rush you right after waking up, but let's go now."
A summons from Marquis Forgas.
No doubt a scolding for failing to win.
I had zero motivation, but I couldn't ignore it.
"Understood. Let's head back right away."
◇
On the way back to our mansion, walking along quiet streets with little foot traffic, I thought about what came next.
The current hero party was in terrible shape.
There had been signs before, but now it felt beyond repair.
The biggest cause was likely Philly's joining.
Not only Aneli, even Derrick recently affirmed everything Philly did.
As a result, she had effectively become the one deciding the party's direction.
I didn't think that was necessarily bad, and her becoming party leader wasn't a problem in itself.
There was even a sense of security in leaving things to her.
So what was the issue? The conflict with Luna.
Luna seemed to have undergone some change of heart recently and had started actively voicing opinions on party decisions.
Unlike right after Orun's expulsion, when she rejected everything, her words now clearly came from genuine concern for the party.
Yet whenever Luna and Philly's opinions clashed, Aneli and Derrick always sided with Philly, so majority rule favored her.
Personally, I felt some of Luna's opinions deserved respect, but the other three wouldn't allow it.
Every clash made the party atmosphere more hostile.
And for the past few days, Luna had visibly lost her energy.
I didn't know the cause, but I wanted to support her somehow.
(Maybe this party has run its course…)
I had been thinking this for a while.
The party should probably disband.
I no longer felt strongly about continuing as an explorer with these members.
Moreover, after my defeat, the public would likely see "Golden Dawnlight" as inferior to "Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky".
To protect what's important I must be number one.
Otherwise I'll lose what matters.
Huh? What exactly is important to me?
My comrades?
No. If I'm already considering disbanding, I can't be afraid of losing them.
Then family?
My parents died ten years ago when bandits attacked and destroyed our village.
I have no lover, nor anyone I want to build a family with.
So family isn't what's important to me now.
Then fame?
No. I'm not an explorer for that.
What is it I want to become strong to protect?
"Oliver-san? Is something wrong?"
Luna's voice snapped me back.
Apparently I had stopped walking.
"…No, nothing. Let's hurry back."
The more I thought, the deeper the hole I fell into.
I had prioritized conquering the Great Labyrinth myself, even abandoning the childhood friend I promised to conquer it with.
But looking back I had nothing I wanted to protect.
The original purpose of becoming strong to protect something had at some point become simply becoming strong itself.
Haha… why am I only realizing this now…
◇
Upon returning to the mansion, I headed straight to the reception room.
As expected, Marquis Forgas sat in an expensive chair, wine glass in hand.
Opposite him sat Philly. She had apparently been entertaining him until now.
Behind her stood Aneli and Derrick like attendants serving her.
The two who were always self-centered acting this way felt off, but I could grudgingly accept it.
They had become that devoted to Philly recently.
But the truly bizarre sight was their unfocused, vacant eyes like dolls.
It was hard to imagine what had caused this, but right now Marquis Forgas took priority.
"I've returned."
The moment he saw me, anger seeped through the Marquis's expression, unable to hide it.
"Twice, twice you've smeared mud on my face! How will you make this right!!"
The Marquis who usually always carried an air of composure now showed none.
"…I wasn't careless. Orun was simply stronger. That's all."
I spoke my honest feelings and was surprised at my own words.
I had thought losing to Orun would be unbearable, yet now my heart was strangely calm.
"You weren't careless? Your ability is far beyond this! Ten years ago you fought Berias Sans to a standstill, didn't you!? And yet"
"Marquis Forgas, you're speaking too much."
A voice cut through the shouting room, carrying absolute authority that brooked no argument.
Was that Philly?
The furious Marquis had been roaring yet one word from Philly silenced him.
What was this? Had Philly always spoken like that?
The atmosphere shifted completely with her single sentence.
It felt as though she was the superior in this room.
But the anger-dominated Marquis clearly found it infuriating.
"Silence, you little girl! Do you know who I am!? I am the Marquis who rules this entire region!"
"Please refrain from barking. I can hear you perfectly well without all the noise. I had no intention of interfering with whatever you do but casually speaking that person's name is unacceptable. I warned you before, didn't I? Or are you perhaps a bird-brain who forgets things after taking a few steps?"
"Bird b never in my life have I been insulted like this. You won't get away with it!"
"My, getting angry over something so minor truly a pampered greenhouse boy. Know your place, inferior creature."
She didn't yield an inch to the Marquis. In fact, the atmosphere alone made it feel like she overwhelmed him.
But this was dangerous. He was at the very least a Marquis, a high-ranking noble. Disrespect could lead to punishment…
"H-Hey, Philly calm down a little…"
"Fox borrowing the tiger's might…! Without Berias Sans's prestige, you're nothing!!?"
The moment Marquis Forgas spoke the name 'Berias Sans' the one Philly had forbidden he released a dense wave of killing intent.
The instant it touched me chills ran through my entire body.
(This level of killing intent… I've never felt anything like it… Who is Philly?)
Luna standing beside me also gasped at the killing intent.
Yet even now, Aneli and Derrick didn't move a muscle.
What was happening?
The sudden development left me unable to keep up.
"As expected a bird-brain. If you're this hopeless, you'll interfere with future plans. Let's dispose of you here."
Philly muttered ominously as she stood.
"Y-You're going to kill me!?"
Being looked down upon combined with her killing intent sent the Marquis into confusion.
"Yes that would be quickest. But fortunately you have considerable influence. Erasing you here would cause complications. So I won't kill you physically, that is."
"Hii…! D-Don't joke! I won't end in a place like this…! If that's your intent!"
As he spoke, Marquis Forgas produced something golden.
A magic stone?
I'd never seen a golden one before.
What was he planning to do with it?
"! That's!? Stop!"
For the first time Philly showed panic upon seeing the magic stone.
Was it that dangerous?
"Oliver! Burn this magic stone into your eyes!!"
Marquis Forgas thrust the stone in front of my face.
"Oliver Cardiff! Close your eyes right now! Don't look at it!"
Philly said not to look.
But my eyes wouldn't leave the stone.
As I stared my heart pounded violently.
"U-Ugh…"
My strength drained I could no longer stand and crouched on the spot.
"Oliver-san!? What's wrong!? Are you okay!?"
Luna's voice right beside me sounded incredibly distant.
(What is this… what is this…! My body feels hot)
"Guh… my head…"
Next came a splitting headache as if my skull would crack open.
At the same time memories I didn't know flowed in.
"Guaaaaaah!!"
Those memories were completely unfamiliar yet somehow my intuition told me everything until now had been false.
And power surged throughout my body.
In the midst of confusion I couldn't control the overflowing strength.
And then I
With the determination to 'destroy the guild' lost consciousness.