◇ ◇ ◇
After saying goodbye to the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky and stepping outside, the sun had already set. A full moon shone alone in the sky. Thanks to advances in magic tool technology, streetlights now illuminated the darkness all across the city, so the nights were no longer pitch black. Even so, the moonlight felt warmer.
"Haha… Why am I getting all sentimental?"
I had known this moment would come. Still, I had chosen this path.
Even then, emotions were troublesome things. What kept floating through my mind were the happy days I had spent with everyone in the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky.
I would fight so that all of them could keep living those ordinary, peaceful days. Even if I could no longer be there with them.
"—All right, let's get started."
After reaffirming my purpose, I crushed down the sentimental feelings with logic and started walking.
◇
For me, today was a major day—the day I left the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky.
But for most people, it was just another ordinary day. There were no big events or major incidents.
Tsutrail was known as a city of explorers. That was probably why its nights were lively with explorers who had returned from the labyrinth. It was the same everyday scene I had seen so many times I was sick of it.
I was in a place that stood in stark contrast to that ordinary life. I headed toward the main entrance of the detention facility where Oliver was being held, checking the surrounding situation as I went. Two soldiers stood guard there.
"Hm? Who's there? It's dangerous to be wandering around a place like this at this hour."
One of the soldiers guarding the detention facility spotted me and gave a warning.
"Yeah, you're right… Nights can get pretty rough."
I gave a vague reply and approached them.
"Huh? Wait, aren't you Orun Dura from the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky?"
One of the soldiers seemed to recognize my face and realized who I was.
"Yeah, that's me."
"What business does the kingdom's hero have in a place like this?"
"I'm just here to free my precious comrade, Oliver. If you get in my way, I won't hold back—I'll cut you down."
I gripped Schwarzheze as I issued the warning, closed the distance at a speed they could barely react to, and swung my sword wide.
"Wha—!?"
The soldier blocked my blade with his own, eyes wide with shock.
"Freeing Oliver!? No way in hell! Last year that guy went on a rampage and nearly caused a huge disaster! What are you thinking, letting a dangerous person like that out!?"
The soldier condemned me with perfectly reasonable arguments.
"I just want to save my best friend."
He probably didn't know that Oliver had been helping Marquis Forgas. Well, Oliver had been operating in secret, so there was no way low-ranking soldiers would know about it.
While I kept my sword locked with the first soldier and continued talking, the other one raised a magic tool overhead. When it activated, a streak of light shot into the sky and burst apart. It was probably a signal flare to alert the other soldiers.
"Stop right there! No matter how much of a kingdom hero you are, if you raise your hand against us any further, you'll be charged with a crime!"
The soldier who had fired the flare gave me a stern warning. It was kind of him to worry about someone causing this much trouble, but if words like that could stop me, I never would have started in the first place.
"Charge me with a crime? Go ahead and try if you think you can. As if people like you could ever judge me!"
I rampaged dramatically while taking care not to actually injure the two soldiers. Gradually, more and more soldiers began to gather—one, then two at a time.
"What's going on!?"
Eventually, even soldiers from the central army stationed in Tsutrail came rushing over.
(…About time.)
Once I was surrounded by a large number of soldiers, I acted as if I had gone berserk and shouted, "More and more of you keep showing up. Ugh, this is such a pain! I'll just blow this whole area sky-high with all of you in it!"
A massive magic circle appeared above my head.
"W-what is that magic circle!?"
One of the soldiers looking up cried out. While noting in the back of my mind how clearly the glowing circle stood out against the night sky, I used Aerial Perspective to check the condition of everyone within the affected range.
"Hey, knock it off, Orun Dura! You're supposed to be a hero of this country!"
A man who looked like a central army commander shouted angrily.
I had no rebuttal to that. After all, I was about to launch an attack that would drag in innocent people too.
Even so, I could only allow property damage. I could not cause any injuries.
With the utmost care to ensure no one got hurt, I constructed the spell formula and activated the magic.
"Who cares if I'm a hero or whatever! Super Explosion—Explode!!"
An explosion erupted centered on the detention facility and spread outward. At the same time, I used multiple spells to protect the people inside the blast radius in a way that looked completely natural. Then I leaped into the cloud of dust and smoke that had risen up around the facility.
◇
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Oliver."
I called out as soon as I reached him.
"You really went all out, just like you said you would beforehand. Are the other prisoners trying to escape okay?"
"Yeah. I already told Marquis Forgas everything in advance, including the state of the detention facility after the explosion, so he'll handle the cleanup properly."
"Any injured?"
"I didn't hurt anyone. They're all unharmed."
"I see… There's no turning back now."
"…Nope. But I was prepared for that. Let's meet up with Aneli and the others and get out of here."
"Got it."
◇
"You actually did it…"
"There are even flames rising. Are you sure this is okay?"
Once we had moved up onto the outer wall and looked down at the city, Derrick and Aneli spoke up.
During our visit, Oliver had asked me to bring Aneli and Derrick along as well. The fact that the two of them weren't panicking despite the suddenness of it all probably meant Oliver had already told them what was going to happen.
"It's exactly the amount of damage I told Marquis Forgas about beforehand. I checked with Aerial Perspective, and I don't see any injured people. All the other prisoners who tried to escape have been recaptured."
"Good. I know I'm not one to talk since I tried to escape in the chaos myself, but I'm glad no one was hurt."
Aneli murmured with clear relief.
Right after last year's martial arts tournament, Titania had stopped her, so it ended in an attempt, but Aneli had been about to unleash magic on a large number of civilians. Despite that, she was now relieved that no one had been injured. That incident must have been caused by Philly Carpenter's Recognition Alteration, making her act against her own will.
It also looked like there were no aftereffects from the Recognition Alteration. That was good.
"Hey, Orun."
"…What is it, Derrick?"
While I was analyzing Aneli's behavior, Derrick called out to me.
"…Uh, well… how do I put this…"
Even though he had been the one to speak first, Derrick averted his eyes and stumbled over his words. It was unusual for someone who usually charged forward following his emotions, so I tilted my head and waited for him to continue. Then, as if steeling himself, he looked straight at me.
Slowly, he lowered his head.
"When I kicked you out of the party… and afterward… I said a lot of horrible things. I'm sorry!"
Before I could even process his unexpected action, Aneli lowered her head as well.
"I made fun of you for being a jack of all trades and hurt you. I'm sorry!"
The development was so unexpected that I froze, completely at a loss for words.
"…I never thought I'd get such a direct apology from both of you."
The words slipped out before I could stop them. Hearing my murmur, the two looked uncomfortable and turned their faces away. Seeing that, my cheeks softened into a smile.
"But I can tell your apologies are sincere. …So—I forgive you both."
They must have been bracing themselves for complaints or insults from me, because when I accepted their apologies, both of them looked stunned.
"Is it… really okay…?"
"Yeah, it's fine now. You gave me your apologies, and the fact that you came with me means you're willing to cooperate, right? For me, that's more than enough."
I spoke my honest thoughts without holding anything back.
"Man, I can't compete with that."
"Yeah. You've grown even more over this past year, Orun."
Now that the tension had left them, both sounded somewhat drained.
"It's not just you two who've changed. Looking forward to working with you again."
"Yeah!"
"Looking forward to it, Orun!"
Aneli and Derrick, now comrades once more, both wore bright, refreshed expressions.
"Still, it feels pretty moving to have four members of Golden Dawn back together like this."
Oliver, who had been watching our exchange, let out a relieved sigh. Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps reached us.
"Then aren't you forgetting one person?"
We all turned toward the voice.
Standing there was Luna—the final member of Golden Dawn, who should not have been here.
"Luna, why are you…?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to follow you, Orun."
When I asked, she answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I had planned for her to stay with the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky.
"What do you mean…? What about the clan?"
"You're the one who left the clan, and you're asking me that?"
"…When you put it that way, I can't argue. But you don't have to come over to this side—"
"I'm the one who decides that!"
Luna cut me off sharply when I tried to press the issue.
"You were the one who showed me the way when I was lost in the darkness, Orun. I do feel sorry toward everyone in the Twilight Moonbow, but ever since that moment, I've decided to follow you. If you're going to fight the church as a member of Amuntsāsu, then I will fight too!"
Luna poured out her feelings, her eyes filled with strong resolve.
"Luna sure can be stubborn."
"You can say that again."
Aneli murmured, and Derrick nodded in agreement.
"Orun, Luna's made her feelings this clear. Shouldn't you respect her decision?"
Oliver added his support as well.
"You might regret this, you know?"
"I don't mind. In fact, if I stayed behind, I would definitely regret it."
"…All right. Luna, you're coming with us."
"Yes! Please take care of me!"
When I gave permission, Luna broke into a huge smile.
◇
After spending a little more time gazing at Tsutrail—a place we would probably never return to—we turned our backs on the city.
"Let's go."
At my signal:
Oliver narrowed his eyes happily and said, "Yeah!"
Luna answered with a serious expression, "Yes!"
Aneli wore a bold smile and replied, "Of course!"
Derrick gave a challenging grin and said, "You bet!"
Each of them responded in their own way.
It reminded me of the scene right before Golden Dawn had challenged the Great Labyrinth.