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The Fourth Girl Finally Discovers the Truth – Part 09

It was almost midnight when Hikaru returned from the great pit.

“That took quite a while.”

Getting to the bottom of the pit was a long trek in itself, so it was inevitable.

“I’m back.”

Hikaru wearily entered the hotel room he shared with Paula. He was completely exhausted. Not only was he lacking sleep, he had to go up and down a very long set of stairs.

I’m just gonna hit the sack, he thought as he opened the door.

“What’s going on?!”

A girl with disheveled black hair lay collapsed at his feet.

“H-Hikaru… water.”

Her outstretched hand plopped to the floor. That was the Japanese language just now. Not that he didn’t instantly recognize her. Serika.

Sara, clutching a bottle of alcohol, was sprawled by the table.

“Saint Rusalka is…”

“I didn’t have time… to review the interpretations.”

In the adjoining room, Paula and Sophie were nodding off on the bed, surrounded by stacks of Church books.

“I guess it’s pretty late.”

It seemed like everyone had fallen asleep.

“Yeah. Paula said she would stay up until you arrived.”

Selyse appeared from another room.

“Oh, you’re awake. Sorry to keep you waiting. Actually, I didn’t expect everyone to gather at this hotel.”

“…”

“Selyse?”

“O-Oh, it’s nothing. So, uh… Wh-What’s up?”

“Should we talk about the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas? Maybe it’s better when everyone’s awake.”

“No! Let’s talk now, just the two of us!”

“What? Sure, I guess.”

Hikaru wanted to sleep, but it looked like the Four Eastern Stars were going to stay the night, so he didn’t even know where to sleep.

“So, uh…”

Alcohol had spilled on the chair, and Sara was sleeping next to them. The atmosphere wasn’t conducive to a conversation.

“L-Let’s go outside!” Selyse suggested.

“Huh? Outside?”

“You don’t want to?”

“I’m fine with it.”

Hikaru sensed Selyse was acting strange. He could never quite read her, but this was a first.

He picked up the Research Notes on the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas from the shelf and left the room with Selyse.

The streets were dark and empty. Streetlights provided some illumination, but once the moon was obscured, complete darkness would fall.

They settled at a table in the square outside the hotel. Selyse nervously twirled her hair.

“What’s wrong?” Hikaru asked.

“N-Nothing.”

“Talking outside at this hour does seem weird. Should we do this tomorrow?”

“Tonight is fine!” Selyse half-rose to her seat, breaking the quiet of the holy city with her voice.

“Let’s keep it down.”

“R-Right.”

“Okay, I’ll start with my report.”

Though curious about Selyse’s demeanor, Hikaru was exhausted and eager to wrap up the conversation.

“First, about the great pit underground. There were signs of someone entering. I’m positive it was Soaarunay.”

Selyse instantly turned serious. “She left the dungeon and came all the way here to the Holy City?”

“Most likely. She must’ve been very curious about the pit. There was no surveillance down there. The Tower must’ve thought a magic lock was enough. But it clearly didn’t stop Soaarunay.”

“She’s incredibly skilled with sorcery.”

“Yeah. But she doesn’t know how to fight, so they should have stationed soldiers there.”

Hikaru shared what he found at the great pit.

“Soaarunay seemed to have reached the deepest part. There were no monsters along the way, likely because the Church had done a thorough cleanup.”

“And that backfired.”

“Exactly. Soaarunay easily reached the innermost area and seemed to have examined those large standing stones. There were many unfamiliar footprints and traces of sorcery.”

The footprints were from Japanese shoes, which Hikaru had recognized immediately.

“She used some kind of a spell down there?”

“Yes, and that might have caused the tremor. But that’s all we know. I couldn’t really tell if anything’s changed, since I don’t remember every detail from when we were previously down there.”

“She must have used the spell for a reason.”

“I think so too. It’s just speculation, but it has to be related to the dungeon taking off.”

“Hmm.”

Selyse, with her legs crossed and hand on her chin, looked like a figure in a painting. Hikaru noticed the red sword at her waist.

“Oh, that sword… so you decided to use it.”

“I-I did. It still feels strange accepting something so valuable.”

“It’s fine. I’m not going to use it, and I think you’ll put it to good use.”

“Of course. I am your sword, after all.”

“Huh?”

Hikaru thought she just said something weird.

“Uh, I mean, this sword is yours.”

“It’s already yours, though.”

“No… my body and heart are yours too.”

He couldn’t quite catch the last part.

“A-Anyway, I promise to live in a way that doesn’t bring shame to you.”

“O-Okay.”

“So, I want you to watch over me.”

“Huh?”

“You wouldn’t want me swinging a sword in Japan, would you?” She flashed a teasing smile.

I’m sure she wouldn’t do that, though.

“Fine, fine. I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“Great!”

Hikaru didn’t understand why that pleased her so much, but Selyse nodded with a smile as bright as a child’s.

“Anyway, there’s nothing more we can do about the flying dungeon, right?”

“Actually, there’s one more thing I want to look into.” Hikaru tapped the Research Notes on the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas. “Have you read this?”

“Yes, it was fascinating. If I hadn’t seen the real dungeon, I would have thought it was a well-crafted fantasy.”

Hikaru agreed. It mentioned things like the dungeon containing all living things and Golems capable of destroying entire countries with large-scale sorcery.

Both Hikaru and Selyse had witnessed incredible things inside: a dragon, a Golem, and a tremendously vast underground space.

“It mentions a passage leading to the lowest floor of the dungeon,” Hikaru said.

“It does. It goes from outside the dungeon to the inside. Ah, that’s it!” Realization struck. “Soaarunay used that passage to enter and exit the dungeon and head to the great pit.”

“Exactly. So, I want to check if there’s an exit to a secret passage somewhere inside or outside the holy city.”

“But isn’t that too wide of a search area?”

“It’s fine. I know people who can help.”

Hikaru grinned. He planned to let Pope Luvain and Gerhardt do the work.

“Looks like we’ll be busy again tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Selyse cast her gaze down dejectedly.

“What’s the matter?”

“We received a message from the Adventurers Guild today. They want us to return to G. Ponsonia.”

“What?”

“They heard about the floating island and might be worried. There’s a designated commission for us in the capital, so we need to return quickly.”

“So, the Four Eastern Stars…”

“We have to leave the holy city by tomorrow.”

“I see.”

Hikaru hadn’t considered that possibility, but it made sense. It was odd that the Four Eastern Stars were still in the holy city when he arrived.

“You look upset, Silver Face. Do you hate to see me leave?”

Silver Face? I’m not wearing my mask right now. We’re the same person, I guess.

“Yes, I’m disappointed.”

“R-Really?! Then maybe I should stay.”

“What? I don’t think that’s a good idea. You have responsibilities with the Four Eastern Stars. There’s lots of people that need your help.”

“It’s just what the guild wants.”

“But you have a designated commission, don’t you? Someone might really need your help.”

“Ugh… but if you’d be upset if I left…”

“Losing an asset is very unfortunate, yes.”

“Asset?” Selyse muttered dumbly.

“Besides, finding another way into the dungeon will take time. The Four Eastern Stars’ presence doesn’t really change anything.”

“Hmm.”

“Why are you pouting?”

“Nothing. It’s just that you see me as a mere weapon.”

“N-No, I don’t. Treating a Rank B adventurer poorly would earn me the wrath of the guild and other adventurers.”

“S-So, do you see me as a woman?”

She was definitely acting weird today. Was it related to her earlier behavior?

“I suppose.”

If they were to live in Japan, they couldn’t remain adventurers. He wondered how they would live as women.

“I-Is that so. I guess that’ll be it for today.” Selyse stood up. “I’ll master this sword before we meet again. I’ll be an asset then.”

“I sense something in the way you said that.”

“It’s your fault for being dense.”

“Wh-What?” Hikaru was even more confused. “By the way, about the sword’s name.”

Selyse, already walking away, turned around. “Hmm?”

“No, never mind.”

The sword lacked a name, but it was undeniably a formidable weapon, just like the White Ray Blade. He thought it best to leave the naming to Selyse.

Hikaru’s exhaustion was reaching its limit.

The next day, temple soldiers and guards of the Theocracy of Bios, along with the Beastman soldiers of the Confederacy of Einbiest, began actively searching the area around the holy city.

They eventually found that a previously non-existent shrine had appeared in the forest near the city walls. It was protected by a magical barrier that prevented entry.

Hikaru’s hunch said it was the secret passage leading to the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas.