Chapter 52

Update ('ω')

I also quietly mentioned it in the title, but the book publication and comic adaptation have been decided!

"──……Uh"

I open my eyes, dazzled by the sunlight streaming through the window.

The familiar ceiling and the bed that has finally become comfortable.

This is my room at the base.

"Good morning, Yuke."

Silk, who had been taking care of me, peers into my face upon sensing my presence.

Her gentle eyes make me feel relieved.

"Good morning, Silk."

"You look better."

"What happened to me?"

"After jumping into the Great Cavity, you fainted from magical exhaustion. You pushed yourself too hard. At one point, it was quite dangerous."

Both the 【Sanctuary Scroll】 and the 【Ejection Scroll】 are special magical items that ordinary people can't use.

Using them consecutively in such a fatigued state, it's no wonder you collapsed.

Still, as long as Silk and the others are safe, my judgment was correct.

"How many days have passed?"

"Two full days. I've already compiled and submitted the records of the stream and the journey. However, from the moment we entered the stair area... When I came to, I was surrounded by orcs, and the next thing I knew, we were in the Great Cavity."

The four of us were put to sleep or knocked out by magic.

The situation is unclear.

"Do you remember anything?"

"After Yuke fell asleep, a little while later... Nene noticed someone's presence. Someone was on the stairs, and she issued a warning... That's all I remember."

They probably used magic like <Stealth Steps> or <Invisibility>, or perhaps a magical item with a similar effect.

The illegal magical items provided by the sponsor might not have been limited to the 【Subjugation Collar]. Given how Simon and the others caught up to us so easily, it's likely they had plenty of such items.

"Good morning! I'm here to take over! How's Yuke?"

While lying in bed, lost in thought, Marina enters the room without knocking.

Could she be a bit more ladylike?

"Oh, you're awake!"

"Are you okay, Marina?"

"Yeah, everyone's fine! I'll go get Rain and Nene."

Marina's footsteps fade away, leaving the door wide open.

From the looks of it, everyone really is okay.

The effects of the 'Gray Field' don't seem to have affected anyone else but me.

"I need to report to Benwood... The ones who attacked us were from 'Thunderpike'."

"Right, I thought so. I saw their faces just before we escaped."

"But they're probably dead. I don't think anyone could have survived that situation."

Simon's voice just before we escaped keeps echoing in my head.

He was an old friend and once a comrade. I left him to die.

I discarded the option of saving him from the start and fled with my companions.

My judgment was correct.

There was animosity, and he was a scoundrel who didn't need saving.

Still, a bit of regret lingers in my mind, like the echo of a dying scream.

"Who was the mage, do you think?"

"The mage?"

"Yes. I felt that they were a bit different from the others."

Indeed, Jamie was a bit strange.

So strange that I still don't understand what was going on.

We weren't in a situation where we could have a calm conversation, and there's no way to verify it now.

"They helped us at the end. When I woke up, they had undone the magical restraints and used some spell to divert the orcs' attention."

Jamie... what was their intention, even now?

However, perhaps I need to reassess my feelings and evaluation of Jamie.

At the very least, they saved us from danger twice, maybe even three times.

<Controlled Fall>.

Undoing the magic and diverting the orcs' attention.

And, based on my speculation... avoiding combat with a sleep spell.

If it were the 'Thunderpike' members I know, they would have launched a more aggressive surprise attack.

Using a sleep spell to incapacitate and bind us doesn't seem like something the flashy Simon or the war-loving Barry would suggest.

Perhaps Jamie was trying to help us.

At the very least, we were saved twice for sure.

"..."

As soon as I realized this, a chill and nausea washed over me, and I couldn't stop sweating.

I feel like I'm going to vomit from my own mistakes and misunderstandings.

"Yuke?"

"I messed up... I messed up! I...!"

"Please calm down. What happened?"

If I had noticed it then.

If I had analyzed the situation more calmly.

If I had even slightly considered Jamie as a 'comrade'...

I killed them.

I left Jamie, who saved 'Clover' from danger, to die based on past grudges and misunderstandings.

I abandoned them in that dangerous maze.

"…! Yuke, what's wrong?"

Rain rushes over and grabs my hand.

"I, I..."

"It's okay, calm down. Here, take a deep breath. We're all here."

I look up to see Marina, Nene, and Silk looking at me with concern.

No, this won't do. Losing it over this.

It's not befitting of a leader.

"Sorry. I just lost to a mistake I made."

"About Jamie?"

"How did you know?"

In response to my question, Rain pulls something out of her magical bag.

"This was embedded in Yuke's belt holder."

"In the belt holder?"

"Yeah. I found it while cleaning it, as it was quite dirty."

She hands me a magic stone for the stream and a folded letter.

The letter is written in Jamie's distinctive handwriting: "To Yuke, from Jamie."

"The stream hasn't been checked yet. This is addressed to you, Yuke."

"...I'll open it here, now. Can you all stay, please?"

Everyone nods slightly in response to my weak request.

How was it ('ω')

If you found it "interesting" and are "curious about the next part," please change the ☆☆☆☆☆ to ★★★★★ to support me.

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[About the Book Publication and Comic Adaptation]

It is scheduled to be published by Kodansha.

The book will be published by K-Light Novels, and the comic adaptation will be serialized on MagaPoke.

The details are still being decided, but I will inform you as soon as they are finalized!

Thank you very much for your continued support!