Chapter 58 - Second Floor — Labyrinth (1)

Nathaniel Hailstone's life had been a series of success.

At age 10, he instinctively used healing magic, awakening his natural talent for divine magic.

The following year at 11, he entered a school and registered as a formal Explorer in just 4 years.

At 20, he earned a promotion by playing a major role in treating an unknown mana plague that struck the Third Floor.

Now at 35, he was one of the Serapaion School's leading figures, participating in the recent Sixth Floor grand expedition.

A perfectly clean path to success.

However, even Nathaniel had his worries.

It concerned his disciple standing beside him.

Of all times, when I was away...

The incident occurred while he was away participating in the Sixth Floor exploration expedition.

An unexpected incident from a usually quiet disciple.

While Nathaniel was away, a catastrophe was born from the cute yet admirable intention to surprise him by secretly entering the training center and earning an Explorer license.

The Abyss Worshiper training center raid.

That incident completely changed his disciple.

A child who loved people and was beloved within the school.

Though of average skill, they were always surrounded by people who liked their warm atmosphere and constant smile.

But now it was different.

The smile disappeared.

The warm atmosphere turned precarious and cold.

Since then, his disciple ceased interacting with others.

They didn’t cut off any existing relationships.

Rather, they seem to care for those even more carefully than before.

But deliberately refused any new connections.

Instead, the disciple obsessively devoted themselves to training.

Previously, they would only stop playing with others and practice when told.

But now, without intervention, they would push themselves to the brink of collapse, heal themselves, and continue training relentlessly.

While healing magic could solve physical issues, mental ones were different.

This was more self-harm than training.

Nathaniel considered it his responsibility.

Surely if he'd thought a bit more, he could have prevented it.

If he'd noticed the burden his disciple bore from being under a brilliant master's shadow, the anxiety hidden behind smiles, then perhaps they wouldn't have taken such rash action.

His first disciple had been a genius like himself, sometimes slow but always meeting expectations.

It was his fault for assuming this disciple would be the same.

"Haa."

Nathaniel sighed almost inaudibly so his disciple wouldn't hear, trying to ease his troubled mind.

If only they'd accept Mind Mirror.

Mind Mirror, a healing-type divine magic.

A magic that healed mental wounds rather than physical ones.

Like induced hypnosis, it created a dreamy state to face trauma and build resistance, but since one couldn't cast it on oneself, the caster inevitably saw the subject's trauma.

His disciple refused to show even him, their master.

So he chose to borrow power from a special place on the Third Floor, but even that yielded no results.

What exactly happened? If only they'd tell me everything clearly.

His disciple wasn't completely secretive.

But for truly crucial core matters, they would either dodge with various excuses or clam up when directly asked.

The problem wasn't just with his disciple alone.

He understands.

Traumatic things weren't easy to talk about.

The Grand Duchy wouldn't tell outsiders—even a trainee's master was an outsider to them—about what happened to their young lady.

He even suspected the Grand Duchy might have silenced all the trainees.

But he couldn't help feeling frustrated.

Right. Think positively. I should be grateful they survived.

His disciple barely survived when over half the trainees died.

They say they survived thanks to healing magic, but couldn't save their companions.

Facing companions' deaths for the first time seemed to bring too great a change to his young disciple's worldview.

"Good work. The First Floor is familiar, right? Let's take it slow from here."

"Yes, Master."

"How are you feeling? We can rest here if you're tired."

First Post, located at the gate between First and Second Floors, had lodging facilities.

Though expensive, it was pocket change for a successful Explorer like Nathaniel.

As a divine magic user, he could even get free lodging in exchange for charity work.

"No, I'm fine. I want to return quickly and learn more."

"...Alright. Let's do that."

It would have been enough if they'd just grown up healthy.

Nathaniel's disciple had grown far too much during his few months away.

You could rely on Master a bit more.

Would time solve this?

Carrying this uncertain hope, Nathaniel was just entering First Post's town area when…

"Huh?"

His disciple's voice rose differently than before, as if discovering something.

Nathaniel shifted his gaze to where his disciple was looking and saw it.

What in the...

It was absurd and unlike anything he had seen before.

Even in the Abyss, containing endless unknown mysteries, even having gone down to the Sixth Floor, he'd never seen such a wonder breathing there.

Since it was connected through some sort of contract and not in its true form, he hadn't noticed immediately.

An enormous presence.

From the moment he recognized its existence, Nathaniel's breath ceased.

If it had been the true form... no, even if it just possessed a vessel, Nathaniel's heart might have abandoned its duty.

Nathaniel's intuition suggested this might be a gift from now-vanished gods.

That intuition, maximized by becoming a divine magic user, sent him unprecedented warnings.

Beyond just being a divine magic user or Explorer, an instinctive alienness recognized as a being of this world.

He realizes this shouldn't exist in this world originally.

Different from Devil Sorcerers he's seen before.

Nathaniel knew from having teamed up with Devil Sorcerers once or twice when needed…

This Devil Sorcerer was different from the ones he had encountered.

Into his frozen field of vision, his disciple's back came into view as they ran forward.

"Wait..."

Nathaniel moved reflexively.

His master's responsibility pulled at his frozen body.

But his disciple had already moved beyond his reach before he could grab them.

I must stop this.

My disciple still isn't ready to handle that.

Even now, after showing unbelievable explosive growth since leaving the training center, hiding such talent from somewhere, they were still in a far distant realm.

First, he should step in...

Hmm?

Nathaniel blinked blankly.

They were smiling.

His disciple, who rarely smiled even while maintaining comfortable expressions when talking with him.

Who could it be...

Nathaniel withdrew his step.

It seemed worth watching a bit.

Though he couldn't clearly know what kind of being that person was, at least there was no need for complete rejection.

His disciple's only known relationships outside his knowledge were training center classmates.

If that person was also a classmate, it meant the Grand Duchy was aware of their existence.

Grand Duchy... what kind of monster were they trying to hide? What were they thinking...

§

"Roman!"

When my name was called, I instinctively turned to find who called me.

The distance wasn't far.

A boy who had run over while calling me was now just steps away.

Warm golden hair and gentle features.

A boy in his late teens whose face reminded one of a Golden Retriever, his bright smile seeming to warm the entire atmosphere.

Philon Gribas.

From the Serapaion School, while not counted among the Six Great Schools, it was still quite prestigious.

And my classmate, Number 6.

That was his identity.

"Philon?"

"It's been a while! Rei and Leaf are with you too. The three of you should be together."

Are we considered a set now?

Well, we did always stick together for everything.

Rei growled to ward off other classmates' advances.

And Leaf subtly supported that from behind, adding occasional pointed remarks as a powerful deterrent.

"But you've already been to the Second Floor, I see."

Seeing they were clearly on their way out, Philon shook his head.

"No, I just passed through the Second Floor and went to the Third."

"The Third Floor? Aren't Novices not allowed?"

"It's fine with an escort. And well..."

After quickly checking around, Philon spoke quietly, "It's common to secretly visit floors beyond your rank."

Well, that was common knowledge.

Even the training center taught that there were shortcuts to lower floors besides the gates.

"Where's your escort?"

"Ah, back there."

Where Philon pointed stood a man with brown shaggy hair, patchy beard, and green eyes.

As our eyes met, the man who had been watching us from afar approached.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Nathaniel Hailstone, Philon's master."

Nathaniel offered his hand.

I took it and replied, "I'm Roman Sun. Philon's training center classmate. These are my teammates and fellow classmates, Rei and Leaf."

"Leaf Youthglint."

"Rei."

Unlike Leaf who bowed politely, Rei just stated her name.

Nathaniel returned their greetings with another of his own.

"Planning to go to the Second Floor?"

"Yes."

Novice rank could go to the Second Floor if they weren’t alone.

But it wasn’t impossible if they found shortcuts like Philon mentioned.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes as if checking for an escort and asked, "A team of three Novices?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... I won't stop you, but when you go down to the Second Floor, stick to the main roads if possible. The lower floors have been unusual lately. Monsters have noticeably increased."

Though offering clean advice as an excellent senior Explorer, Nathaniel soon took back his words.

"Though such advice probably isn't necessary."

Yes, well... probably not.

After all, we're a team beyond the Novice level.