Never let your guard down, the words my master once told me came to my mind.
　I now understand that it was a warning from my master's heart.
　If the master's words are true, then the Mist will be the one who isolated the labyrinth city.

　...... After all, it must be a mistake to let the Mist and others go free, I contorted my face at the thought.
　The idea of suggesting that I should go after the mists to my mentor once, I let that thought enter my head, and that's when Narsena opened her mouth, unable to hide her doubts.

'Branch Chief, Elf ......?　What the hell is going on here, brother?

　At Narsena's words, I looked around and remembered, after all this time, that I hadn't reported to Narsena and the others about the branch chief.

'Sorry, I hadn't reported yet,'

　I apologized to Narsena and the others and started talking about the chapter leaders.
　From where me and my mentor found the chapter leader's hideout, that the chapter leader was an elf.
　And that he was going to be working with Mist and that he was now completely free to move around.

'That the chapter leader is an elf of Larma-san's master!

Such a ......!

　After I finished telling them all, Zeke and Narsena muttered that in a daze.
　In the indescribable air, all I could do was awkwardly tuck in.
　I hadn't spoken, having been driven completely out of consciousness by the adventurer's escape, but maybe I should have told them when I remembered.
　I regret revealing troubling information at a time when my mind was full of stories about my mentor, even if it was just for the sake of it.
　In such a room, Aamir, who looks most upset, raises his voice.

'Well, wait!　What do you mean, an elf of a race that didn't find favor with the gods survives!

　It was then that I noticed a certain discomfort.
　When I looked around again, both Zeke and Narsena had impatience and agitation on their faces.
　...... but for a reaction to the fact that a race that was supposed to have perished was still alive, there was a sense of calmness on their faces.

'...... Can I have a few words from me, too?'

　For a moment, that bothered me, but Laila-san opened her mouth, and I was distracted by that.
　Laila-san seems relatively calmer than Aamir, but she still tells me with concern.

''Indeed, I find it troublesome to be an elf with lost technology, but do we really have to fight together?　If you have this much strength, it would be better to restrain them. ......

　That was something I had been thinking about at one time too.
　Even now, I don't think I'm inferior to Mist in terms of strength now that it's not just me and Narcena, but also Zeke and the others have their mentor and Ronald.
　Still, once I faced Mist, I didn't think I should compete.
　It's not just about strength, but I couldn't help but think that Mist seemed to have something more than that.

　...... That's something that shouldn't be antagonized.

　Under that decision, I would try to admonish Lila and the others.
　But there was no need for that.

'Lila, don't ever think of fighting it.

'Yes, sir!　I can't believe we're fighting in a castle of the elves!

What?

　Before I could open my mouth, Zeke and Narsena looked impatient and tried to persuade Laila to join them.
　Laila's eyes were blackened by the swordsmanship, and Zeke tried to fold her up further.
　It was then that Mr. Ronaldo stopped Mr. Zeke.

''Zeke, I'll explain the rest to you.

I understand.

　I see that Zeke has honestly pulled back, and Ronald turns the thread to me and Lila.

'Come to think of it, I didn't tell you guys about the elves.

　I realize from Ronald's words the reason for Zeke's and Narsena's attitude, which clearly knew that the elves were present.
　Yes, Ronald-san was teaching them both about elves.
　I've heard that the master has known Ronald-san for a long time, and it's not surprising that Ronald-san knows about the existence of the mist that trained his master.

'Well, it seems that Roust has heard a few stories from Larma.

　I was thinking about this when Zeke smiled at me.
　I felt uncomfortable with Zeke's attitude, as if he could see through my thoughts, and I jerked away.
　Without mentioning me further, Mr. Ronald began to speak.

'Well, first of all, I'm going to have you all make certain assumptions in your heads.

　It wasn't just me, Laila-san, and Aamir that Ronald-san was looking at as he said that.
　He also turned his gaze to Sieg-san and Narsena, who should have known about the elves, and told them.

''──The head of the Labyrinth City Branch, the elves, Mist is a monster. Enemies should not be considered.

......!

　The words, announced in the same calm tone as usual, make all of us except my master's face tense.
　Without paying any attention to our situation, Ronaldo-san continued, "But when it comes to ability, it's about the same level as me and Larma.

But when it comes to ability, they're about the same level as me and Larma. It's not weak, but with this group, we can win in pure combat.

　That ability is not on the level of not being weak.
　These words are rising to my throat, but I swallow them, deciding that it's not important right now.
　I'm sure Ronaldo is right when he says that if Mist is as good as his mentor and Ronaldo, he can win with this group.

But in the first place, it's impossible to challenge Mist to pure combat. The realm of the elves is not in pure combat.

　When I heard those words, what flashed through my mind was a word I had heard many times but didn't know what it meant.
　I didn't know what it referred to, but I was certain that it was an important word.

'...... The residence of the elves, is it?'

'Ah. That's the essence of elves and the reason why they are so awe-inspiring to the elves who have taken up residence. As for their abilities, to put it simply.

The elves can set up magic, I suppose, or something like that.

　It was then that the master, who had been quietly watching the proceedings until now, opened his mouth.
　Mr. Ronaldo, who was suddenly interrupted, smiles bitterly, but he closes his mouth without saying anything, as if he has decided that it would be better to let someone in his line of work explain to him about magic.
　Without paying any attention to Mr. Ronald, the master continues.

''Well, since you can't possibly imagine it with just words, I'll demonstrate it to you.

Nah!

　Immediately after that, the sound of an explosion rang out from behind us.

　We were stunned, and when we turned around, we found a scorch mark about ten centimeters in diameter.
　As our eyes were transfixed by it, our master continued to speak calmly.

As I have just demonstrated, I can activate my magic from a distance. And if the installed sorcery is nearby, the elves can do the same.

　I roll my tongue inwardly at the words my master tells me in a light tone.
　Honestly, my master says it sounds easy, but the level of difficulty he tried was extraordinary.
　In particular, Aamir, who only knows magic that is activated by using skills, is stunned.
　However, without paying any particular attention to such Aamir, the master continued to speak.

''The principles are as if different, but do you have a general understanding of what the elves can do?　And, by the way, it's not on this small scale that the elves can activate.

　Saying that, Master creates a fireball in his palm.
　That, too, is something that could be comparable to Phoenix's fireball in terms of power, regardless of its size.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this," he said, "The elves can put magic on the wall or the ground in advance, so they can activate it later on with no risk. For example, this is why they can do this.

　With those words, multiple, even more than ten, fireballs appear around Master.
　They are the same fireballs that are floating in the palm of Master's hand.

'With magic in place, the elves can do this same thing without the need for any magic at all. However, without the magic installed, the elves are no better than mere magicians. However, if you fight the elves in a place where there is a lot of magic installed, the threat is far greater.

　I fell silent, unable to say anything as my mentor added an explanation.
　I understood which one the Mist was, not to mention Master's words.
　Now I could also understand what the term "Elf's residence" indicated.

'Is ...... elven dwelling place a term for a place surrounded by installed magic?'

'Oh, yes. So instead of walls and soldiers, it's a castle that's guarded by buried magic. I wouldn't be surprised if Mist had a tactical grade magic inside the labyrinth city.

......!

　I don't know exactly how long it had been since Mist had become the head of the Labyrinth City Branch, or exactly how long it had been.
　But I am certain that he was the head of the Ten Year Anomaly Branch, which meant that there was a period of ten years during which Mist was able to set up magic in various places.

'That's not a fortress: ......'

　I bite my lip at Lila's dumbfounded muttered words.
　In Mist's lair, my master's words come back to me when he told me that the situation was finally quintupled after building magic.
　I now know that those words were not an exaggeration.
　If only the magic installed inside that small hidden room had been activated .......
　A chill runs down my back at the imagination that pops into my head.
　As we are stunned, Ronaldo-san opens his mouth to hand over to his master.

''If we become hostile, the Mist could crush the Labyrinth City. Of course, if we flee the labyrinth city, the Mist's threat will be lowered, but we'll have to deal with the labyrinth runaway with no base. We shouldn't let the Mist distract us, but we shouldn't antagonize them either. That's the situation we're in now.

　In the silence of the room, Mr. Ronaldo points his finger at his head and tells us, "This is the reason why Mist is a monster.

'This cunning is what makes Mist a monster. He's too old to be compared to me and Lalma, let alone Zeke and Lila.

　A silence reigns in the room as Ronaldo's abominable words are announced.
　...... That's why that voice, which came from behind the next moment, echoed well in the room.

'That's quite a way to put it,'

...... Huh?

　The voice is so strong and memorable that it's impossible to mishear it.
　Still, I can't believe the person is there, and I look back in the background, dumbfounded.
　I look back, praying that my imagination is wrong.
　But my wishes were not heeded.

'You're a monster enough. Ronaldo.'

　I'm not going to be able to say that I'm in enemy territory, but seeing the figure standing in the room laughing, I finally realize that my imagination was correct.

　I'm going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to get the best out of it.