...... Master, can we let you do what you want?

　Feeling tired in my body, I asked my master that question after I left the chapter leader's hidden room.
　There was no sign of either of them around, neither of them, the chapter leader Mist and Banzam.

　...... The moment those two left the room, they told him that there was something that had to be done in order to survive the labyrinth runaway, and then they disappeared.

　Still, the master didn't even try to stop them from complaining a bit.
　I questioned his attitude.

''How could you let those two tricky people go unchecked......''

　Branch Chief Mist, that elf was a much more tricky person than I had imagined.
　Fortunately, we didn't get into a battle, and I didn't have a chance to know what his abilities were like, but there was no doubt that his wisdom alone was a threat.
　I couldn't understand my master's intentions for allowing such an uncertain man to act, and I couldn't hide my frustration.
　However, no anxiety existed on Master's face in response to me.

''There's no need to be even that hypersensitive about it. I don't know about that Hanzam guy, but there's no way Mist would act in a way that would be harmful to us in this situation. Besides, if the Mist can't stand on top of us, we're better off letting it move freely.

...... Huh?

　I couldn't hide my confusion, but my teacher explained calmly.

I told you. I told you that the Mist has lived for six hundred years. You can't compare our knowledge to that of the rest of us. There is no way we can't make use of it.

　That was something I could agree with.
　That Mist was equipped with something that would convince me even if I was told to train my master.
　It would certainly be something of the kind that could not be demonstrated by taking away Mist's freedom and monitoring him.
　If the Mist can use its wits for us, things will be a lot different.

　...... Yes, as long as we have the assurance that he will use it for our benefit.

'I see.'

Yeah. But don't let your guard down from the Mist. If you're not careful, they'll take you in before you know it.

...... Yes.

　The warning master reveals a disgust that he has no intention of hiding.
　Even as I watched his expression, I knew that he disliked Mitos and trusted him.

　Master is disgusted by the Branch Chief Mythos, but at the same time, he also has trust in him.

　That he had no doubt that Mist would use his wits for their own good, and that he assured us that he would not harm us in this situation.
　It was an indication that there was a strong trust between the Master and Mist.
　It was enough to convince me that Mist was my master's teacher.
　A sense of distrust was created in me as I understood that.

　But I didn't point that out to my mentor.

''Listen. Don't ever let up on the mist while you're in the labyrinth city.''

　Master repeatedly reminds me of the dangers of mist.
　Nodding at his words, I am convinced that the trust in Mist that my master showed was unconscious.
　Besides, Master's dislike for the Mist never seemed to be an act either.
　Even if I pointed out the discrepancy, it would probably only confuse my master even more.

　Hence, I push the question born of the herd to the back of my mind.
　I hope that once I'm a little more relaxed, I can ask my mentor what the hell happened with the Mist.

　...... I had no way of knowing at the time that the peace I desired was still a long way off.



　◇◆◇



What?　The God of War's greatsword has escaped with an adventurer in tow?

　...... What awaited me when I returned to the guild was a report I hadn't even imagined.
　My shocked voice was transmitted to the people around me, the faces of Marnell and the other adventurers in the city were twisted, and the faces of the adventurers trapped in the ropes were tightened.
　And Narsena, who told me that the adventurers had escaped, twisted her face to the point that she was about to cry and bowed her head to me in front of her.

''I'm sorry, brother. I had to lose so much manpower in this situation ....... If only I had been more attentive ......

Narsena, put your head up. This is not Narsena's fault. ...... Rather, you should be proud of yourself for stopping all these adventurers.

　I shook my head at such a narcena, a bitterness on my face.
　When I suddenly turned my eyes to the side, I saw an unusually large number of adventurers trapped in a rope.
　There were more than a few hundred of them.
　From what I've heard, it seems that these adventurers were captured by Narsena and others when they tried to escape.
　I'm sure there's no one to blame for stopping such a large number of adventurers from being captured by Nalusena and his team.

But ......

　I told Narcena, who still hadn't gotten rid of the guilt from her face, with regret on my face.

''More importantly, it's me who is to blame. I was the only one who could have imagined ...... the Great Sword of the God of War taking these measures.''

　I knew that the Great Sword of the God of War is a means to an end, and that he abhors me because of his selfishness.
　And in fact, I knew that he was so unthinking that he would challenge me to a fight.
　The best way to do this is to be able to have a good time with your friends.

''No way!　I can't believe that your brother, who was with the branch manager and wasn't in this place, had to be responsible for this!

　I can't hide my regret, but Narsena is desperate to tell me so.
　But I can't help but feel responsible for the current situation where nearly five hundred adventurers, many of them talented individuals, escaped.
　I'm sure there is no one who can match us among the adventurers who escaped.

　...... Nevertheless, the unprecedented situation of a labyrinth run amok required a large number of people.

　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　In fact, it would not be impossible for us to wipe them all out without suffering a single injury.

　However, it will take a lot of time to defeat all 100 of them.
　The more you are aware of the margin as much as possible.
　And if we're on the verge of a labyrinth run, if we're on our own with these bobgoblins, the labyrinth city will be overrun by magical beasts before we can defeat them all.
　The people of the city won't stand idly by.

　Moreover, even if they are hobgoblins, if they are attacked during a battle against a mutated ogre or a mutated super-difficult monster, even we could be fatally injured.
　Now that we are in such a situation, we need someone else to deal with it so that we can focus on our powerful enemy.

　I've let the adventurers who were to be that important handful of adventurers escape.

...... d*mn it!

　I bite my lip at what I've done.
　At the very least, I was about to open my mouth to apologize when someone ...... put a hand on my and Narcena's shoulder and forced them to stop apologizing.

'It's all well and good to be responsible, but you're not the ones chasing the blame,'

...... Mr. Ronald.

It's simple. The criminals are the worst offenders, not the victims who didn't take action. Isn't that obvious?

　So Mr. Ronald laughed, and the next moment he turned his narrow eyes toward the adventurer trapped in the noose and opened his mouth.

'You know that we are the ones to blame. The ringleaders, the members of the Great Sword of the God of War, Warrior-kun and Healer-kun?'

......!

　Out of the corner of Mr. Ronald's eye, there was the warrior and healer of the Great Sword of the God of War that Narsena had knocked out.
　The warrior was not the leader of the Great Sword of the God of War, but he was indeed the face I had seen in the Great Sword of the God of War.
　As they stared at Ronaldo-san, their faces were tense with tension.

　Now, Ronald is not intimidating these adventurers; rather, he is the same as he always has been.
　It is this attitude that gives the adventurers a sense of inscrutability.
　Or perhaps they are intimidated by Ronald's position as a top-notch adventurer.
　Still, the two of them, who were top-notch adventurers, didn't become quiet because of that alone.

''Taking responsibility?　If you're wondering what I'm going to say to you, you're just an adventurer in your own right!

　To Mr. Ronald, the warrior man shouts frantically, but it's clear that it's only a false flag.
　In contrast to the warrior, the healer with a cold smile on his face opened his mouth.

'You're getting too carried away just because you're a superb adventurer, aren't you?　I don't think it's the right choice to hold us accountable.

　And he tells it not to Mr. Ronald, but to Marnell and the others standing around him and the people of the city.

''Think about it. Are you sure you want to punish us for our ability as first-rate adventurers?　We could be the key to dealing with a labyrinth runaway, us!

　At those words, Marnell and the others did not break their grim faces, but I could see the anxiety on the faces of the townspeople and other adventurers.
　Seeing that, I understood what the healer was trying to do, and I couldn't help but let the words slip out.

'...... cowardly,'

　Now that the unprecedented situation of a labyrinth runaway has occurred, the people of the city and the adventurers are anxious.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.

　...... even though they made the situation even worse.

　It's a good thing that you're able to do that.
　I'm sure you'll find a lot of people in this group who won't stand up for their crimes if they are allowed to commit so many crimes in this situation, no matter how talented they are.
　The words of a healer are nothing more than sophistry and can never be forgiven.

　So I was about to shout to the Healer of the Great Sword of War, but before I could do so, Ronald-san opened his mouth.

'Is that all you want to say?'

　Ronaldo-san's expression and mood were no different from before the warrior and healer of the Great Sword of War God shouted.
　With that calm expression on his face, Ronald-san laughed as if he was troubled - and drew the magic sword from his back.

''I'm sorry, but I guess that story isn't even worth considering.

............ Huh?

　The next moment, the face of the healer, who had been desperately trying to make room for it, instantly turned pale. ......