Chapter 118
I was thoroughly outplayed. It was lucky I noticed at the last possible second, but I felt completely blindsided.
We had been distracted by the statues, while the trap was under our feet... The "blade" had seemed like a "hint," but it was actually a mechanism designed to mislead us.
I couldn't just think, "At least we dodged it," or, "It's fine because no one got hurt."
One mistake meant instant death—that was what a dungeon was, I realized then.
"There's one mechanical presence ahead. I'll go on ahead and fire off some magic!"
Before the enemy could approach. Before we could be struck by the emotion of "awe."
By then, I had taken out three Automatons with preemptive attacks. I'd used "Firestorm" each time, but that was a necessary expense.
When it was time to rest, I leaned against the wall and let out a deep breath.
My remaining magic power was dangerously low. But when I weighed that against the risk to our lives, I couldn't afford to hold back.
"Reiji-kun."
A cup appeared in front of me.
"Please don't make such a frightening face."
Non-san held out the cup to me. It contained a drink made by diluting black sugar in water and adding a little rock salt. It was something like a sports drink, and one that adventurers favored.
When I took a sip, the balance between sweetness and saltiness was perfect, and I felt the fatigue melt away from my body.
"Thank you. ...Was I really making such a strange face?"
"..."
Smiling warmly, Non-san sat down beside me. This was a small, circular room, and the walls were carved with an ancient language once used by the Leff people. Muge-san was trying to read it, hoping to decipher even a little. Dantes-san and Mimino-san were chatting farther away, while Zelly-san was dozing off despite the short break.
"There hasn't been anything particularly dangerous since that trap."
"..."
"Reiji-kun has been paying such close attention and taking down every Automaton that appeared along the way, but it's not good for you to wear yourself down so much in the process."
"I'm sorry... I'll be more careful. It would be a problem if I couldn't concentrate when it really mattered, right?"
"That's not it."
Huh? It wasn't? As I wondered, Non-san placed both hands against my cheeks.
"We're a party. Your troubles are my troubles. God once told a saint, 'When you are lost, speak to your neighbor. Even if they are immature.' So please consult me too—even if I'm not capable enough to help, I still want you to talk to me."
Ah...
(Warm.)
Warmth flowed from Non-san's hands into me.
That's right.
I was a member of the Silver Scales party. And yet I had been trying to handle everything by myself.
(—I had been conceited.)
After gaining a power called 【All Creation】, I had come to believe I could do anything. Magic, combat—everything. That was why I had been frustrated at failing to see through this trap and ended up advancing through the labyrinth while taking far more care than necessary.
Looking back, I had gotten angry when people mocked Muge-san in town, and irritated when Leon of the Golden Troupe spoke to Dantes-san. Even if those feelings had come from the deepest roots of my heart, I had let myself be swept too far toward anger.
In other words, I had been getting carried away.
"Ah... s-sorry..."
I felt ashamed. I had convinced myself I was strong because of the power I'd gained through 【All Creation】, even though it wasn't truly my own.
True strength wasn't visible might.
—Farewell, little brother—.
On the day the riot broke out in the Six Heavens Mine, I hadn't taken my sister Lark's hand.
More than four years had passed since then. What had I become?
Had I grown stronger?
Strong enough to take Lark's hand that day?
(No. Not nearly.)
I didn't have a heart like Dantes-san's, one that wouldn't falter no matter what powerful enemy appeared. Nor did I have Mimino-san's broad heart, which accepted everyone, or Non-san's devoted heart, which would sacrifice everything for her family.
"—Reiji-kun?"
The corners of my eyes began to blur, but I gritted my teeth and fought the tears back.
I was frustrated. It felt as though I had been forced to confront my own immaturity.
I took Non-san's hands and lowered them. What an idiot I was. Why was I realizing things on my own, getting frustrated on my own, and about to cry on my own? Instead of wasting time on that, shouldn't I tell everyone everything I knew and consult them?
"Thank you, Non-san. You opened my eyes."
"No—"
Non-san looked bewildered, but—
"—Reiji-kun really does hear one thing and understand ten, don't you...? It makes me feel a little lonely. I'm a cleric who guides lost lambs, you know?"
She gave me a slightly disappointed smile.
"No! You've taught me so much, Non-san. I'm truly grateful!"
"Not at all. All I can do is quote words from the Bible."
"No! I think even that is wonderful. Being able to quote words from the Bible at a time like this means you've studied it so thoroughly, Non-san."
"No, no. It isn't much of a study, and knowledge this basic is elementary."
"No! Even your ability to be modest like that—"
"—Ahem."
At the sound of someone clearing his throat, Dantes-san was standing beside us.
"Reiji. You and my daughter seem awfully close, don't you?"
"Huh...?"
By the time I noticed, I was talking with Non-san at a distance close enough for our knees to touch. More importantly, I was still holding her hand.
"I'd like you to run things like that by me, her father, first. Even if you're party members?"
Eek!? A blue vein was throbbing on Dantes-san's forehead!?
Oh, right! This man lost all sense of reason whenever it came to his daughter, Non-san!
"Father. There's nothing wrong with party members being friendly, is there?"
"Nope, Non. If you want to get friendly with Reiji-kun, you'll have to beat me first!"
This time, Mimino-san stood in our way with her arms crossed!
"W-wait a moment, okay? Both of you, calm down—"
As I tried to buy time while thinking about what I should say next,
"Hngh."
"Pfft."
Dantes-san and Mimino-san burst out laughing at the same time.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry. Don't get so flustered. I was only teasing you."
"Ahaha, sorry, you two. It just seemed unfair that you were having some important conversation without Dantes and me."
"Oh, come on, you two..."
Non-san's shoulders slumped as all the tension left her.
What, they had been teasing me? I'd had a feeling—but really, I knew it. I did. Yeah. Though Dantes-san had seemed just a little serious. Yeah.
"That aside, I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts."
I decided to tell everyone everything that had been bothering me.
We had yet to encounter the Labyrinth Strategy Division, which had gone on ahead—in fact, we hadn't found even a single trace of them.
We had also stopped running into Leon and the others, whom we had been traveling with earlier.
Zelly-san had said that "the air had changed."
And finally—the mechanism behind that Automaton, which had controlled our emotions with nothing but the words "BE IN AWE."
These all seemed like unrelated factors, and perhaps, as Dantes-san had said, we could simply leave it at, "That's just what dungeons are like."
But I didn't think that was the case.
Every phenomenon had a reason.
And I had formed a single hypothesis.
"We're adventurers. But we're also a party. So isn't this dungeon, in other words, that sort of thing as well?"
When I said that, Zelly-san, who had apparently woken up partway through, rolled over to look at us and furrowed her brow as if to say, "I don't understand a thing."