Chapter 14: Conquest Festival III
“Ah, Anon, I truly appreciate your feelings to the point where it almost brings me to tears, but I need a moment to think.”
“…I figured you would say that.”
“Hey, hey…”
Even though it’s Anon, I didn’t expect him to predict that much───
“What would happen if it were recognized that all seven of the Newly Constructed Ultimate Labyrinths were conquered thanks to your efforts? It’s clear just from a little thought.”
“…”
“If it’s acknowledged that all the achievements of the Hero Party originally belonged to you, then the four who have been claiming all the credit until now would be guilty of false reporting.”
That’s exactly right.
“As a result, the reputation of those four would plummet. No, that would be the least of it. In the worst-case scenario, they could be branded as criminals for boasting about others’ achievements and deceiving the nation and its people.”
Anon’s eyes see through everything. I already knew that.
“So, did you hold off on my offer thinking about those four?─── In that case, your score is half.”
He does not allow for lies.
“Now, let me change the subject a bit. There’s something that’s been bothering me.”
“What is it?”
Saying something is bothering him─── I knew he had already reached his own conclusion.
“I have an acquaintance who once explored the Labyrinth of Time alongside the Hero Party. Her name is Eliza, and she serves as the leader of the S-rank Clan With Love, a Bouquet (Sherry Fleur) and its party, Caduceus.”
He asked me if I had heard about her before. Without waiting for my reaction, he continued.
“According to her, it was obvious that the Saintess and the Sage were following Hero Ryuguin’s orders, acting as he commanded. The Saintess was particularly severe, refusing to use Healing Magic even when there were seriously injured people, maintaining a cold expression as she did so.”
I know those girls well enough to say they would never do such a thing.
“I’ll say it again, Eliza does not tell lies for self-preservation. I can tell that much. This means that the members of the Hero Party, who were previously regarded as virtuous individuals, committed such foolish acts. So, why on earth did they do that?”
I don’t have all the answers, but I do know some things. Their drastic change is all───
“I’m sorry, Ichiro… for making you wear that expression. But I will continue. I hope that this moment will benefit you in the future.”
I gazed into the depths of his hood, where his eyes should be hidden.
“Go ahead, continue.”
“When you returned from the Sealed Labyrinth and were bedridden in the Guild’s medical room, I went to speak with the three of them about the Sealed Labyrinth. They all lamented that it was entirely their fault. They even said they would confess their sins at the next summons from the kingdom.”
I didn’t look away from him. He slowly raised his right hand in front of his face.
“First, the reputation of the three before they joined the Hero Party. Second, the stories I heard from Eliza about them. Third, the impressions I gathered from seeing them with my own eyes───”
He raised three fingers in succession.
“By comparing these three, the sense of discomfort I had long harbored grew larger than ever.”
Then, he clenched his fist suddenly.
“There is only one answer that can explain this discomfort. Simply put, the behavior of those girls during the exploration of the Labyrinth of Time was abnormal. And what caused that? Currently, they have returned to normal. If we don’t think that way, it just doesn’t add up.”
He raised his index finger to the sky again. I felt as if I could hear Anon’s footsteps drawing closer to the truth, step by step.
“So, what does ‘abnormal’ mean? Who brought it about? The timing of the formation of the joint party with Eliza was close to when you went missing. So let’s look at the four who remained after you left.”
That day, I turned my back on them after the Blade Labyrinth.
“To begin with, the three who were considered to have excellent character began to show numerous abnormalities afterward. The most common information was that they waited for the Hero’s orders and behaved like obedient servants to him.”
I recalled the murky eyes of those girls from that time. But… I would no longer look away.
“So, what about the Hero, the key figure?”
To be honest, I despise Ryuguin.
“He is shameless enough to claim your achievements as his own. I haven’t heard a single good story about him since then. The specifics are too shameful to mention. It could be said that he consistently displayed a proud, arrogant, and haughty demeanor.”
Anon snorted derisively.
“You understand now, right? No, you must already know the truth. Who were they waiting for orders from, and to whom did they show such servile behavior? And who remained unchanged throughout this situation? And who benefited the most from this matter?”
Anon let out a breath, “Hoo.” And then───
“This is the answer, Ichiro.”
He declared to me.