The troublesome girls were repelled, and the subsequent guard duty concluded without issue.
Occasionally, an impolite person would appear, but they were all opponents the Guild members could handle. None of them were a match for me, unlike those girls earlier.
In my office, I continued my wood carving while watching the members disperse.
Alongside developing 《Dimension》 and wood carving, I pondered the matter of those girls.
Who were they, and what was their objective?
I had to figure it out.
Currently, Snow and Palinkron were the likely sources for information on this.
I tried asking Snow first, but she simply stated, “Everything I said on the first night is all there is,” and ended the conversation. Regarding those girls, she only replied, “Just acquaintances,” and wouldn’t delve deeper.
While it might be out of sheer annoyance, she genuinely seemed to know no more.
I stopped probing Snow and decided to wait for Palinkron, my next potential source.
Snow had also recommended asking Palinkron. However, after suggesting it, she started dozing off, which I found a little irritating.
I sighed and continued to ponder.
I would likely encounter those girls again.
And then, I would have to fight them.
I had a premonition of it.
I had to prepare for that moment.
To do that—
“You’re troubled, Kanami.”
As I was carving wood with a troubled expression, Palinkron entered the office.
Of course, I had been aware of his approach through 《Dimension》.
Snow, who had been sleeping by the window, jolted awake at the sudden arrival. She then pretended to start working with an embarrassed look.
“At least knock. Snow will get startled.”
“For you, Kanami, someone entering this building is like a knock, isn’t it?”
“That’s true, but…”
Palinkron knew my abilities better than anyone.
Yes.
He knew them better than anyone.
Palinkron truly knew so many things…
Therefore, I asked him directly.
“Palinkron, are you hiding something from me?”
“Oh? Did Snow tell you something?”
It was a blunt question, but Palinkron responded without a hint of panic.
“Snow mentioned it, but I also met someone in town who called me ‘Christ.’ He was looking for Palinkron.”
“Wow, that was fast. They’re already here.”
To my surprise, Palinkron smiled—happily, and with a touch of nostalgia.
“Never mind that, answer me. What is ‘Christ’? Are you hiding something?”
“I can’t answer that. Even if I say I’m not hiding anything here, I can’t prove it. No one can prove their honesty. Someone who is hiding something wouldn’t say they are, would they?”
“That’s true, but…”
As always, Palinkron answered with a smug tone.
His words were roundabout, but they were logical.
There was no point in asking the person I suspected.
However, I wanted to hear it from Palinkron.
Why? Because he was my savior and one of the few trustworthy adults I knew.
That was precisely why I wanted Palinkron to answer—no, I felt I had to confront Palinkron.
“…Hey, Kanami. Is that really that important?”
Seeing me stare intently, Palinkron asked with a serious expression.
“Huh? Of course, it’s important!”
“Aren’t you happy right now?”
“Happy…?”
“Maria is recovering. You’re starting to be respected as Guild Master, and your dungeon explorations with Snow are going smoothly. If things continue like this, a prosperous life without any hardship awaits you. Yes, Maria will have a happy life with her beloved older brother, and you will have a happy life with your beloved younger sister. — Right now, without a doubt, your and Maria’s wishes are being fulfilled. Even so, will you search for lies?”
With an expression I had never seen before, Palinkron continued his questions.
There was no playfulness in his gaze.
Only absolute seriousness.
“I… I—”
Faced with repeated questions, I felt a strange sensation, as if my brain were melting sweetly.
Palinkron was right. All my wishes were fulfilled. All the desires that remained unfulfilled in my original world had come true since coming to this other world.
My sister was alive and by my side. I had a fulfilling job, and I didn’t struggle with living expenses. All my companions were good people, and I even had someone I could call a partner. There was nothing to fault.
That should be a very happy thing.
It should be.
And yet—
My heart was restless.
Every cell in my body screamed that I couldn’t go on like this.
Something that rejected this happiness lurked in the corners of my mind, refusing to accept it.
On instinct, I voiced my thoughts.
“Still, I believe lies must be exposed. ‘No one can be saved by lies.’ I don’t know why, but I truly believe that… Even if I lose my happiness after exposing them, I will find happiness again… That’s why I want to know everything…”
I translated the lurking feeling into words and conveyed them to Palinkron.
Upon hearing this, Palinkron confirmed with a solemn expression.
“Even if it’s a kind lie?”
“Yes.”
I nodded without hesitation to his question.
It wasn’t an answer born of rational thought.
It was a deeply instinctive answer.
I was not confined by the cage of logic at that moment.
It was incredibly liberating. And the fact that this instinctive answer was correct was proven by that liberation.
“Heh heh, as expected. Truly, Kanami, as expected.”
Then, Palinkron praised me.
I didn’t know what he was praising me for. However, it seemed to have struck a chord with him.
“So, Palinkron. If you know something, please tell me…”
I left the moved Palinkron behind and pursued the truth.
“However, you don’t need to tell me now… You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Find out soon?”
Palinkron answered indirectly again.
I knew he was that kind of person, but at that moment, it was only annoying.
Those clinging words made me uneasy, as if they were corroding my body.
That’s right.
I felt like something was clinging to me… constantly…
“Yes, I’ll make sure you find out. So you don’t need to worry.”
Palinkron declared with a bright smile.
He spoke with a confidence that made everyone agree.
I wavered.
And I felt that ‘something’ entering me.
Ah.
If Palinkron, of all people, said so, then further pursuit was—
“Now, that solves the problem. I need to hurry and prepare to head to Laura Via. If I don’t go soon, I’ll run into people I shouldn’t meet.”
—No, that’s not right.
I pushed back the ‘something’ that was entering me.
A different ‘something’ deep within my heart rejected it.
No.
I still haven’t been told anything.
“Wait, Palinkron! Answer me more clearly!”
“Hm, you’re still not convinced, are you…? Your resistance is as strong as ever, Kanami…”
While Palinkron tried to leave the room, I called out to him.
The stopped Palinkron scratched his head with a troubled expression.
“What are you talking about? More importantly, hurry—”
“Alright, I have no choice… How about a trade?”
“A trade…?”
“Yes… If you defeat the Guardian of the 30th floor, I’ll tell you. About ‘Christ,’ and about the girls you likely met today. I’ll tell you everything.”
“Wh-The Guardian…?”
“It’s an exchange. As you know, I’m a wicked man who doesn’t act for free. But I’ll make a deal. If you want something, prepare something equivalent. Kanami.”
With a face that suggested a brilliant idea, Palinkron proposed something outrageous.
“Even so, asking me to defeat the Guardian out of the blue is absurd. The 30th floor is an uncharted territory.”
“No, this is a perfectly reasonable offer. It benefits everyone, and the difficulty isn’t that high. For the current Kanami, it’s a piece of cake.”
“…”
This condition was likely Palinkron’s greatest compromise. The fact that he offered a trade, rather than just talking, was proof of that. Everyone who knew him as an Epic Seeker knew that Palinkron was only honest when it came to business dealings.
With those words, Palinkron moved to leave the room again.
I thought it wouldn’t be wise to push further and let him go. I had gotten a commitment from Palinkron. While it was undeniable that I had just bought time, it was still progress.
If I angered Palinkron here and the trade was off the table, it would be the worst.
I would have heard nothing and everything would end.
More importantly, he was my savior.
I shouldn’t trouble my savior any further…
My savior…?
Seeing me standing still instead of chasing after Palinkron, Snow looked at me with a questioning expression.
“…Aren’t you going after him, Kanami?”
“Ah, yes. It’s fine now. Palinkron said it was a trade. I can trust him when it comes to business deals…”
“…”
Snow replied curtly with a dissatisfied look.
She seemed unhappy with the recent exchange.
And, though I vaguely understood, I couldn’t admit the reason for Snow’s dissatisfaction.
Something was missing to admit it…
Something was still missing…
I was lacking in so many things: the situation, information, my condition.
Slowly, I left the office.
Snow, thinking we were dismissed, exited through the window and headed to her room.
The sun had already set. It was completely dark.
However, Maria, rubbing her sleepy eyes, was waiting for my return.
“Welcome back, Older Brother.”
My beloved sister showed me her most radiant smile.
That was truly a happy thing.
But the sense of unease I had felt since that day continued to torment me.
It ached in my head with a dull throbbing.
“I’m back, Maria. How are you feeling?”
“Yes, I’ve recovered quite a bit. I can even move around—”
“Headache? Are you not experiencing any headaches?”
I asked Maria.
Those girls had called Maria a companion. Palinkron had also spoken a lot about Maria. I had to confirm.
“Headaches? Well, I do have them a little bit…”
“Then, Rustiara Fuziaze. Diablo Sis. Do these names ring a bell?”
“What are you asking all of a sudden…? I’ve never heard of them.”
“I see…”
Maria seemed to know nothing.
However, she was experiencing headaches. It was highly possible that it was the same type of headache I was experiencing.
I began to understand the situation little by little.
Like filling in a crossword puzzle, I was getting closer to the answer.
But it wasn’t enough.
I had only just begun.
Even if I could vaguely grasp the overall picture, I couldn’t be certain.
After all, the trade with Palinkron was the quickest way.
Moreover, striving to fulfill that trade would directly contribute to my current defensive measures.
Preparing for battle against those abnormal girls, leveling up in the labyrinth was essential regardless. If the Guardian of the 30th floor was at the end of it, then making that my goal was a natural progression.
In the end, I would choose the trade.
And I felt that Palinkron knew this.
Resigned, I decided to descend into the labyrinth aiming for the 30th floor.
“Older Brother, is something wrong…? Are those people you just named…?”
“No, it’s nothing… I was just a little curious…”
“I see…”
“You don’t need to worry. More importantly, if you still have that headache, let’s get some sleep.”
“Ah, yes.”
When she heard me mention sleep, Maria happily made space and invited me into the bed.
“A-Are we really sleeping together again…?”
“We’re siblings, of course.”
“…Understood.”
Even though I knew Maria felt uneasy, I still wasn’t used to it.
If I refused now, Maria would be sad, so I could only nod.
And as always, Maria and I held hands and closed our eyes.
Feeling Maria’s warmth, I thought.
What I didn’t understand. What I suspected. What was missing. What was important.
The more I thought, the more my head ached.
However, I didn’t consider stopping.
I knew I would regret it if I did.
So, no matter what pain assaulted me, I didn’t stop thinking until I fell asleep.
