Unrequited Love, Lost for the Better - Chapter 24

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

But some team members viewed her positively—since she was the researcher who had developed the Labyrinth compass and the goggle-type screening device, she might create even more useful artifacts after experiencing the Labyrinth firsthand.

However, both sides shared the same concern: now that Researcher Collette Verna—whom Commander Wintergreen dearly cherished—was accompanying them, would it affect the exploration?

As expected, their commander was on edge. Though he wasn’t this low-pressure when he was with Collette Verna, now he seemed ready to tear apart anyone who crossed him. Against a Shadow Puppeteer, they needed to watch all directions, yet seeing him wildly unleash his mana like this was unfamiliar.

“Still, he’s the commander. What could go wrong?”

“…True. Let’s not be too scared and focus on finding the others.”

The Shadow Puppeteer was indeed troublesome, but now that they knew its identity, they could handle it. First, they encouraged each other to do what they could—creating light with their staffs. Since the beast moved through shadows, keeping the area bright would at least prevent surprise attacks.

Collette swung her staff along with them. Occasionally the Galaxy Stones above caught her eye, but she kept her focus.

They had already encountered several forks. They searched the cave-like passages as carefully as possible, but still hadn’t found Meliano.

What if something really happened to him?

Anxiety crept up, and Collette shook her head vigorously. Not finding any trace could also mean Meliano Somerset was somewhere safe.

The real problem is something else.

Collette stared at the sparks flashing ahead. They were caused by Valen’s uncontrolled mana colliding with itself.

So that’s why he never showed me his magic.

It was the first time Collette had seen Valen channel mana. No wonder he had never demonstrated it in front of her.

She watched Valen’s back, surrounded by sparks. Those at the front kept their distance to avoid the sparks. Seeing him like that made her heart ache.

Normally, a mage’s mana didn’t produce sparks. But Valen’s did, every time he used it—because the Labyrinth’s curse had tangled his mana circuits.

When her brother Leonhardt and Valerian were still magic students, they had been scheduled to join the Magic Tower right after graduation—just like Collette.

The Tower, which had its eye on the young mages with outstanding academic records, gave them an opportunity to tour the Tower.

Overjoyed at what was practically a privilege, the two showed great interest in the Exploration Squad, and the squad allowed them to observe a Labyrinth expedition.

Their joy was short-lived. During the observation, they nearly died. Just as the squad was about to exit the Labyrinth, they were ambushed by an unexpected beast.

In the chaos, Valerian fell alone into a Labyrinth tunnel, and Leonhardt threw himself in to save him.

That day, Leonhardt damaged his mana circuits. And to escape the Labyrinth with his friend’s life on the line, Valerian had to destroy the Labyrinth’s core. That was how he earned the nickname “Labyrinth Destroyer”—and how the Labyrinth’s curse tangled his mana circuits.

“That incident proved the hypothesis—that the Labyrinth’s core must never be destroyed.”

Valerian was only seventeen at the time. Thanks to his immense mana reserves, he had managed to return alive. If not for that, he wouldn’t be standing here today.

From that experience, Valerian became the overall commander and 1st Team Leader of the Exploration Squad. And Leonhardt, realizing the explorer’s path wasn’t for him, took over the family’s earldom from their mother and focused on managing the household.

Yes. First, we have to survive. Then we can do anything.

So for now, she would focus on finding Meliano and getting out of this Labyrinth. Resolved, Collette gripped the cloak tightly.

How much longer did they walk? As they reunited with the scattered members of Teams 1 and 2, Collette began to see more and more wounded.

“Here.”

“Thank you…”

Collette handed over all her spare bandages. Watching a mage with a leg injury receive help and stop the bleeding with a pressure bandage made her heart grow heavier.

She should have packed more emergency supplies before leaving the Tower. Since not everyone here had been fully prepared for Labyrinth entry, they lacked enough medical supplies for the wounded.