Unrequited Love, Lost for the Better - Chapter 15

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※ This work contains depictions of coercive relationships, explicit language, and other graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

“When we heard a buzzing sound like insect wings, it was safe to move. But when the sound stopped, everything that moved was attacked. It was hard to tell where the attacks came from.”

“A sound… What about the difference between dark and bright areas?”

Ronald Woodrow thought for a moment.

“It was easier to defend in brighter areas. Attacks also landed better.”

At his answer, Valerian clicked his tongue and muttered.

“…A Shadow Puppeteer.”

“A Shadow Puppeteer? Isn’t that a parasitic-type magical beast?”

“Yes. They hide within inanimate objects, so they wouldn’t have been caught in the preliminary sweep.”

“Damn… Of all things, we had to run into such a troublesome beast.”

Ronald Woodrow scratched at his singed hair roughly.

Normally, once Team 1 eliminated the magical beasts, the Labyrinth would stop its activity. Then Team 2 would mark the points where the beasts’ corpses lay and create a map—since those spots usually yielded high-quality byproducts.

But sometimes, even after exploration was complete, the Labyrinth wouldn’t stop and would keep changing its terrain. Like this time, when a beast remained hidden.

“We’ll have to mark the points again. The terrain will have changed by the next entry.”

As Woodrow grumbled beside him, Valerian rubbed the hilt of his sword at his waist. Now that they knew what beast was hiding, all that remained was hunting it—yet for some reason, his unease wouldn’t fade.

Why? Frowning, Valerian suddenly sensed an unfamiliar presence. Turning his head, he saw a group of people gathered near the tents. Unlike Teams 1 and 2, who wore different identification bands on their arms, these people bore no markings at all.

Outsiders? Valerian’s eyes sharpened. He stopped a team member heading toward the group.

“Who let them in?”

“Ah, Commander. They’re additional support sent from the Tower.”

“…Additional support? On whose authority?”

“Sent by the Tower Master.”

At the team member’s reply, Valerian frowned and clicked his tongue. Deploying personnel he hadn’t requested. The Tower Master was at it again.

I’ve already brought everyone with exploration experience… Surely he didn’t send inexperienced people?

Some of them even looked like researchers. No matter how much authority the Tower Master had, sending inexperienced researchers into an active Labyrinth just to show off his power was reckless.

Even experienced explorers were lost when entering a new Labyrinth. If the Tower Master had sent the inexperienced as “additional support,” it only meant more heads for Valerian to manage.

The Exploration Squad didn’t just pick anyone when accepting applicants. They selected only those with experience collecting byproducts. Occasionally they brought in inexperienced people, but usually only after confirming the Labyrinth had completely stopped its activity.

But this expedition was several times more dangerous than usual. If a beast remained after exploration, the Labyrinth would detect the threat and create a new environment.

The Tower Master sits around theorizing without ever setting foot in a Labyrinth—no wonder the higher-ups are useless.

Thinking of the elders who had never entered a Labyrinth themselves but never stopped talking, Valerian clenched his jaw. First, he’d send those clueless people back to the Tower. That should shake off this uneasy feeling.

“…So, if I wear this band, I can enter the Labyrinth right away? Ah, not immediately, you say?”

But as he got closer to the group, a voice that shouldn’t be heard here made him stop.

“What about a map? Huh? Not yet? But you said exploration was already completed once. Then shouldn’t there be at least a rough one?”

There was no mistaking it. That clear, canary-like voice. That lovely tone belonged to someone he knew well.

“What…”

Impossible.

Why, of all times do I hear Collette’s voice?

He had made sure—she, at least, would never be approved. He’d pulled strings to block every one of her applications. He was certain of it. Yet here, of all places, he was hearing her voice.

Could the Tower Master have deliberately sent Collette?

At the worst possible assumption, Valerian’s face hardened.