Mr. Dylan seemed to have more to tell us than just handing over the medallion.

'I believe you've already been notified, but from now on you will be allowed to stay in the Fifth Ward for seven days by special exception. You have the right to go to the Sixth District, but please consider your visit to the Fifth District as a special case and only by request. I understand that this is an outrageous thing to say to the most meritorious person in Stampede suppression. But rules are rules.

　Seven days - a week. In those days, we have to help Luury.

'We need permission to enter the five-star labyrinth, sir. I've discussed this with Louisa, but Commander Dylan, if you have the authority to give us that permission...

　Mr. Dylan shook his head. 'The rules are the rules - that's what the Guild Saber's position is.

''You guys will get a special contribution from Stampede Suppression. If you add that value to the contribution figure you raised in District Five, you'll have permission in a few days. I've already fulfilled the requirement of defeating the 'named' in the fifth district.
A few days...

　The sooner the better. As soon as we're in position, as soon as we're ready - then.

　If only we could get Commander Dylan to sign off on our presence here.

...Aricht.

　He pulls back his sleeve and looks back. Elitia shakes her head - as if to admonish me.

'You have the ability. It's an exceptional power as a party you can develop it and go on as far as you want. Eventually, you will officially go further through the Fifth Ward. With faster steps than any other party.
Yes.
'I understand that Herr Atobe, Czerka, Khoselka, Khosrow and the others will be staying with us for a few days. They said that if they needed anything in the meantime, they could always contact me.
'I understand. Thank you for telling me.

　Commander Dylan and Nayuta walk away. Elitia lets go of my sleeve and smiles - it doesn't look like she's in a hollow spirit.

'I'm terribly happy for Aricht's feelings... but we shouldn't be in too much of a hurry. I know because I've seen 'The Monkey Prince'. If you push it too far, someone else will........so.......
..........

　Theresia approached Elitia - as if she was not worried. But Elitia shook her head.

'If everyone isn't safe, then it's useless.......so. If we can get stronger and come here in turn from the sixth ward.......''
''No ... we could fight in the Fifth Ward. If we were able to defeat the 'Death Stalker', then it shouldn't mean that we wouldn't be able to work at all in the labyrinth of the Fifth Ward. There might be labyrinths where he could dive with three stars. There's also a way to level up there.
'I think I'd be better off that way, too, since I need to make a contribution in the Fifth Ward. I'm one step closer and I'll probably regret it if I spend the last seven days in another ward.

　After receiving Igarashi-san's words, Elitia still hesitated - but eventually, she nodded quietly.

　She continues to be conflicted. The desire to help Ruury more than anyone else, and the desire not to hurt her friends - but that's not something that Elitia is alone in holding.

''We should be able to gain some experience here in the Fifth District. Our level is probably about the lowest in the Fifth Ward right now... if we only have to raise one level, we'll probably fight in this ward faster than in the Sixth Ward.
''Alright then. I'll also try to gather some information about a suitable labyrinth to level up in the Fifth Ward.

　Elitia said, trying to walk not in the direction of her quarters, but to a busy street with one street.

''Elitia, it's better to rest well now. From the fight earlier, you also got injured........

　Elitia turns to call her back, but she doesn't stop. Controlling her friends who try to follow her, she says - with a smile.

'I'm not sure I'll be able to return to my quarters yet, because I'm feeling too upset to rest any time soon. Don't worry about your injuries I'll be back before it's too late.

　As long as the time period is limited, the time we can devote to gathering information is also limited. I think I should respect Elitia's decision, but I'm still concerned about her condition.

''........Elitia-san has experience of being in the Fifth Ward, right? She might know more about this ward than I do.
'Well ... yes. We'll go back to our quarters and wait for you to return.

　Elitia is no longer visible around the corner of the alley.

　As soon as possible - I can understand that feeling. But that's why I have to remain calm. I have to believe now that Elitia understands that, too.

　◆ ◆.

　When I first came to the Fifth Ward, I was part of the third party of the 'White Night Brigade' and entered the labyrinth called 'Mysterious Lakeside'.

　That labyrinth is not the easiest in the Fifth District. But even I, who was level 7, was able to participate in the battle and rose to level 8.

　At that time, Lurie was with me. She healed my wounded wounds with her healing skills.

　--Ellie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you like this and my recovery was so slow...

　--That's not true. I have to work as hard as I can to become a swordsman that people can rely on.

　--I still rely on Ellie. I've been like that since the first time we met.

　Loury used a skill called 'Heel Wind' to heal my wounds. The wind gently wrapped around my body and healed my wounds - Loury's skill was like magic.

　Many reincarnated people want to choose such a profession because they want to use magic. But only a small percentage had the aptitude for it, and it was said that very few people were able to become 'healers' who could also do magical things in the profession that could heal.

　However, his brother - the Commander did not try to heal his own wounds with the skills of a lurie.

　I don't know why my brother did that. He had said that the profession of 'healer' was useful to the brigade, but even in places where he could borrow Ruury's help, he would use potions to heal.

　Ever since my brother changed, I don't know what he was thinking. He wasn't that close to me even before his reincarnation - but he wasn't the kind of person who wouldn't listen to other people's ideas at all, like he is now.

　--Is Elitia a 'swordsman'? On balance, I would have been happy to have her follow me to the rear guard position.

　Maybe the signs were there from the beginning. My brother began to try to make everything around him do what he wanted in order to capture the labyrinth - after my father, who was the leader, was injured and my brother became the leader of the group, my father, who used to admonish my brother, was less and less likely to give his opinion.

　I could barely keep up with everyone else. My level was always lower than the party's average, and I was dragging my feet - in order to change that situation, my brother gave me the Scarlet Imperial Sword.

　--If I could use it, I might be able to contribute regardless of my level. Even if I couldn't use it, I'll give it at least one more chance.

　--Even if you're a poorly made sister, it would be nice if you could be of some help.

.........

　I knew that my brother didn't feel it was worth it to have me in the party.

　When I was able to equip the 'Scarlet Emperor's Sword', my brother's eyes lit up like a boy's and he was happy. I felt ashamed of myself for flattering my brother to make a place for me - yet.

　To be able to stay in the brigade. I was glad to be able to stay away from Lurie.

(..........I'm the same as Shirone. I have no right to blame that girl.)

　I was just lucky. I was swept away by the Scarlet Emperor's Sword, and even though I knew it was a dangerous power - I used it many times and relied on it.

　If it wasn't for Suzuna, I might have hurt one of my friends.

　Suzuna was there to stop me - and the fact that we were all able to come to this Fifth Ward together was really nothing but a miracle.

　I don't want to lose it. I don't want one person to get hurt.

　But trying to help Lurie is forcing my friends to hurt. I knew that, but now I was even more scared as I fought the demons in the Fifth Ward.

　This party can go a long way. Avoiding the labyrinths that even guild savers wouldn't touch is something the others take for granted.

　My wish may cause everyone's dreams to cease.

　--I want to make Theresa human again. That's what Arihit wants most, and I want to make that happen for sure.

　I alone can enter the five-star labyrinth. I didn't tell that to Arihito and the others.

　I had qualified when I was in the Brigade. As an individual without a party, I can dive into the labyrinth without raising karma for breaking the rules.



　I know she's alive. We all believed that - and I want to believe it, too.

　But the labyrinth has never been kind to us.

　That's why I have to face it before everyone else. At that time, I couldn't save Luury, but I was alone.

　I can picture everyone's faces in my mind. I know I'm making them worry, and I can't get rid of my childishness forever, and I can't act like I don't want everyone to worry about me.

''Well I'll be right back. So, just for a minute...

　The path to the entrance of the labyrinth seemed terribly nostalgic, and his legs trembled.

　Even after the sun had set, the lights of the streetlights were still twinkling in the area. The guild sabers didn't encourage people to approach, and that permeated the searchers, and there were few people in sight.

　A round pillar of red metal. If you dive between them and descend the stone stairs - that's the 'Red Tower of the Flaming Sky'.

　I stand in the light of the flickering flames of the streetlights. Only my own heart is present, and it beats painfully.

''-- Utterly a bad idea,''

　I come to myself as I hear a man talking from nearby. The two searchers are talking about the 'Red Chamber of the Flaming Sky'.

''An explorer who is subordinated to a demon will be recognized as a demon after a certain period of time. Well, that may be the case according to the guild's regulations, but.......

　--that was one of the least likely possibilities he wanted to consider.

　If the explorer became a sub-human and ever attacked a person, they would be subject to defeat. That meant that they would be considered a demon.

　But there was another thing that was a rule in the guild.

　If a seeker is followed by a demon and turns against another seeker - the license will determine that the seeker who sided with the demon is also a demon.

You can't blame them for that, since they are relentlessly trying to kill you. But if you're trying to get that equipment from a controlled seeker...
And all this in the middle of the night when people don't see you. You're doing the same thing in the night as a burglar or something...
'What you just said ... is it true?　The people who were talking about such things entered this labyrinth...?
What the hell, how long have you been listening to this?

　The two men are surprised that I was right behind them, not realizing that I was right behind them - but I can't be bothered with that, and I corner one of the men who was talking to me.

'Were there any 'healers' among those manipulated seekers?　Please, answer me!
No, no... there's not much information out there, but I'm sure most of the people in this district know that the 'monkey lord' has the searchers under his thumb.
Hey..... Don't tell me this sword is from the Byakuya Brigade...
''Ah, ah ... I see. I've heard that even in that "Byakuya Brigade" they gave up on the complete attack and withdrew. If someone was caught at that time, they might have already been treated as a demon and killed...


　I start to run - before I can run through the red pillars, I hear men behind me calling out to me, but I don't care.

　After the shifting sensation, I see trees with fiery red leaves spread out in front of me - through this forest, there is a fort built by the Monkey King on two levels.

　The unique feature of this labyrinth is that it is free of demons other than those belonging to the Marquis de los Muertos. There is no Stampede, so guild savers will not consider it a dangerous labyrinth.

　If you're qualified, you're free to explore, and anything that happens is at the party's own risk.

　A high level party could conquer this labyrinth - and yet, the 'Monkey Marquis' has survived for a long time. It's a 'named' that should be targeted for its harvest, knowing the risks involved.

　The reason for this is that the force of the "Marquis de l'Aristocrat" includes a searcher - a human being - in its war chest.

(If I activate 'Red Eye' at my level, I'm sure I can keep up with 'The Monkey Prince''s moves. If my friends are targeted I might get hurt again, just like in The Calamity. (But if it's just me.......)

　We'll find Loury. And take him out of the labyrinth - if only we could do that.

　Even if he's being controlled, there is surely a way to free him. If I've come this far, I'll make sure to bring Loury back with me.

(If Loury is found by another seeker, he'll try to kill me... Loury, the 'healer', is an important healer, so even his rearguard equipment was valuable. (Even if it couldn't be used well by others, it was still highly valuable in the market)

.....

　Current Situation
　Elitia activates "Sonic Raid".

　I don't want to regret it anymore. To lose someone I care about in front of me.

　To abandon Rulie, who has been abandoned, and to abandon him again - absolutely, I can't.