After finishing Suzuna's experiment, I immediately returned to the capital.
What happened afterward—spending the night with Nao—goes without saying. I'd held back for so long, so long. So the night was fine. As long as it was with Nao, it was fine.
The next day, I headed to the Presidential Mansion—or rather, the castle that served as one. Tsugumi had summoned me the moment I got back yesterday.
When I arrived at the gates, I found a girl in armor waiting with her arms crossed.
Kashiwagi Riri, Tsugumi's right-hand woman and captain of the guard.
"This way."
Her ponytail swaying, Riri led me forward.
"Hey, you're looking better, Riri. I was worried about you."
She was the girl who had fallen into Duke Felix's trap and been controlled. My Mind Manipulation had forced her to obey, and even after being freed, she seemed a little shaken...
"......"
Riri shot me a brief, icy glare before turning away and walking ahead.
Ignored. Got it.
After a while, we reached the office.
When the door opened, Tsugumi was there.
I was about to greet her, but Riri was faster. She completely ignored me, rushing to Tsugumi and clinging to her arm.
"Big Sister! We Should still kill him! Just now, he was looking at me with disgusting eyes! Filthy pervert—a man who forces his classmates to wear garter belts and maid outfits has no right to live!"
Her hostility toward me was blatant, but this time, she wasn't being controlled. This was just how she always acted.
By the way, she calls Tsugumi "Big Sister," but they're the same age. Though Tsugumi does carry herself with a leader's dignity, making her seem older.
"Riri, he's the one who saved you. Don't you think you could at least consider that?"
"Big Sister, you're too kind..."
Riri's cheeks flushed as she smiled dreamily. She could do whatever she wanted, but I'd appreciate not being used as a prop.
Once Tsugumi finished talking with Riri, she turned back to me.
"The reason I called you here today is simple—it's about the ceremony."
"Ceremony?"
"Suzuna's Promoter is complete. We've decided to hold a grand ceremony to unveil it."
"That's pretty extravagant."
"It's a fitting achievement. As president, I must prepare a stage worthy of it."
For Tsugumi, who champions gender equality and has won the people's support, Suzuna's invention is crucial. Celebrating it is undoubtedly an important political performance for her.
"You've assisted with the experiments multiple times. Suzuna personally requested your attendance—she insisted on it. We've prepared a VIP seat for you, so be ready."
"Suzuna did...?"
Ah, so Suzuna did this for me.
Suzuna... you're amazing!
That girl's sharp. She's probably trying to keep me from accumulating too much resentment. That's where she differs from Tsugumi.
"Got it. If Suzuna's asking, I can't refuse. Let me know the details once they're finalized."
"Of course. For now—"
Tsugumi cut herself off as the door opened. Kazusa walked in.
Her uniform and breastplate were slightly dirty. She must have come straight here after diving into the dungeon.
"Kazusa? What is it?"
"Today's haul."
She placed something on the desk.
The Regulus Labyrinth holds rare treasures, some of which possess unique powers.
Unlike magic or holy swords, these don't take the form of weapons but instead produce various special effects.
Some turn everything they touch to gold.
Others make saplings grow into towering trees in a single day.
Some even project images of distant places.
The people of this world call these special items Magic Tools. A handful circulate in the market, but they're treated as high-end luxury goods.
Adventurers and soldiers don't dive into the labyrinth seeking these treasures. The demons under Demon King Leonhardt's command are far too strong—ordinary humans would be slaughtered effortlessly.
Exploring the labyrinth and retrieving magic tools is the job of Heroes—otherworlders who fight the Demon King.
Kazusa, along with two of our classmates, currently bear that role. Originally, I was supposed to dive in alone, but due to the revolution's fallout, I've yet to set foot in the labyrinth.
This time, Kazusa had brought back what looked like a metal tie pin.
"What kind of magic tool is this, Kazusa?"
"Wearing it lets you change your voice freely. Might be fun as a party trick, don't you think?"
In other words, it was practically useless.
Truly useful magic tools are exceedingly rare. Most have amusing but impractical effects.
Yet, these tools are our one and only hope. Finding one with the power to "return to our original world" is one of our highest priorities.
We've heard from the sages that such a thing exists—but whether that's true or not, we don't know.
It's like grasping at clouds. Even me, making a living as an adventurer, or Tsugumi and Suzuna, who've revolutionized this country, have stopped clinging to the hope of returning. We've started thinking about building lives here instead.
Kazusa seems to be the exception, though. Probably because of her boyfriend, Yuu.
"So, Tsugumi. Takumi can finally join us, right?"
"What are you talking about, Kazusa? I've long since stopped objecting. You can even hand over the holy and demonic swords entrusted to you."
Riri made a displeased face, but she had no say in the matter.
So, I'm finally joining the heroes in the labyrinth...? Considering everything that's happened, it feels strangely poignant.
"Sorry for keeping these until now. Here."
Kazusa held out the swords—Grün, the Demon Sword, and Weiss, the Holy Sword. The blades once given to me as the Hero by the nobles.
"Nah, it's fine. The demons in the labyrinth are strong, right? If you handed them to me and then I got wrecked immediately, I'd feel terrible. Keep them until I get used to the labyrinth."
"You're right. Having these does make things much easier."
Right tool for the right job. I'm still an amateur when it comes to demonic and holy swords—I don't expect to perform superhuman feats right away. First, I'll learn how to use them properly by sticking close to Kazusa.
"Besides, I can't just join you guys on the spot."
I've been working at the Adventurer's Guild all this time. If I suddenly ditched them to dive into the labyrinth, who'd fill the gap? I'll need some time to sort things out.
After some idle chatter, I headed home.
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