The ones they were confronting were none other than the Church clerics sent to supervise them!
The Church was the one who summoned them to this world, so they could and would only trust the Church, but this incident made this group of high school students lose their trust in the Church.
The reason, naturally, was that the Church could not possibly have been unaware of such a powerful monster beneath this underground Great Labyrinth, yet they still sent them to conquer this Labyrinth!
Wasn't this behavior sending them to their deaths?
It was only natural for them to feel angry.
"This is the decision of His Holiness the Pope; you only need to obey."
One of the clerics said with his usual arrogant expression.
"Hey, hey, hey, aren't you guys going too far!"
"Exactly, exactly, we're in danger for your sake!"
"I've had enough!"
"You owe us an apology!"
"Yes! That's right!"
The students voiced their dissatisfaction, and the situation seemed to be escalating.
However, the clerics watched the students' dissatisfaction with cold eyes. They considered themselves servants of God; how could they apologize to a group of naive children?
Chapter 29: Blackened!
"Everyone, calm down!"
"Please believe us, we didn't know about this monster beforehand either!"
Meld, the Captain, seeing the situation getting out of control, quickly stepped forward and shouted.
As someone who had saved these students multiple times, he had established considerable prestige among them, and many still listened to him.
The students gradually quieted down.
"I know you were all scared, but shouldn't you be grateful for this matter?"
Meld, the Captain, slowly brought the situation under control.
"Now, the inside of the Orcus Great Labyrinth has collapsed, which means that powerful monster is also buried within it, isn't it?"
"No matter how powerful it is, it no longer poses a threat to us!"
"You should be happy!"
Meld, the Captain, waved his hand and said excitedly.
"....Yeah, Meld, the Captain, makes sense."
"Indeed, it's already buried underground; it can't possibly still be alive."
"And since the Orcus Great Labyrinth has collapsed, that means we won't have to go down into the Labyrinth anymore!"
After understanding what Meld, the Captain, said, the students' moods gradually shifted, becoming excited.
They looked like children the day before summer vacation.
"That's right, let's go back to Horayad and have a banquet to celebrate our victory!"
Meld, the Captain's passionate voice infected this group of young men and women.
"A banquet! Can I ask for beautiful older sisters to pour drinks?"
"All boys go to hell!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Seeing this group of teenagers regain their spirits, Meld, the Captain, finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"I really don't want them to know that there are six more Great Labyrinths waiting for them."
Meld, the Captain, said with a bitter smile.
"Kouki, don't be so down anymore! This isn't like you!"
From not far away, Ryutaro's voice came.
Amanogawa Kouki was sitting blankly by a small river, watching the water flow, ignoring Ryutaro's persuasion.
"Sigh, am I a general of the kingdom, or their babysitter?"
After seeing this scene, Meld, the Captain, could only stride over to do some psychological work for the "Hero."
"I wonder if the King will accept my resignation when we return?"
....
After finishing the treatment of the lightly injured, Shirazaki Kaori sat alone on a small hill, gazing at the collapsed Orcus Great Labyrinth.
"Still thinking about him, Shirazaki-kun?"
Someone's voice rang out.
Kaori turned to look at the person who had come and couldn't help but be surprised.
"Why are you here, Nagumo-kun?"
The reason for her surprise was naturally that Nagumo Hajime had never initiative spoken to her before.
In the past, she was always the one who initiative went to talk to him.
"You're thinking about Hiyama-kun, aren't you?" Although Nagumo Hajime spoke in a question, he was very certain in his heart.
"How did you know?" Kaori said with a bitter smile.
"I... I'm also Hiyama-kun's friend, so I know."
Nagumo Hajime told a lie.
"Is that so..."
"....."
A silence fell between the two.
"What kind of person... was he before?"
Just as the atmosphere was getting awkward, Shirazaki Kaori broke the silence first. She asked softly.
Although they were all classmates, Kaori realized that she didn't understand Hiyama at all.
"He..." Nagumo Hajime was speechless for a moment.
He also didn't know what Hiyama was like before!
If he had to say... he should have been a villain!
Of course, he wouldn't and dared not say that in front of Shirazaki.
"He... should be a good person." Nagumo Hajime felt stifled in his heart.
"Is that so?" Kaori's eyes lit up, and she said happily, "I knew it."
Seeing her like that, Nagumo Hajime felt even more choked up.
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why are you always thinking about Hiyama!?"
"What's wrong, Nagumo-kun?"
Kaori was a little flustered; the Nagumo Hajime in front of her seemed to have become a different person.
"Hey, Shirazaki-kun, you like me, don't you!" Nagumo Hajime's voice was almost a plea.
"I... I don't know."
Shirazaki Kaori's tone was hesitant.
"Then I'll tell you, I like you. Will you go out with me?"
Nagumo Hajime gritted his teeth and said, as if giving up on himself.
"I...."
Shirazaki Kaori's expression changed uncertainly. Logically, this was what she had always wanted.
But at this moment, the image of that person gradually appeared in her heart.
"I'm sorry, I can't do it."
Shirazaki Kaori's voice drifted on the wind. Nagumo Hajime's body trembled, and his face was already as pale as snow.
"Is that so... I understand."
Nagumo Hajime, as if his soul had been drained, slowly walked away.
.....
"Why is this happening!?"
Nagumo Hajime, who had left Shirazaki Kaori, came to a forest, feeling immense grief in his heart.
"Oh, rejected a confession?"
Suddenly, a voice sounded behind him.
"!? Wh-who is it!?"
Nagumo Hajime quickly turned his head.
There stood a familiar classmate.
"Y-you, why are you here..."
"That doesn't matter. I'm asking you, how does it feel to be rejected after a confession?"
"And by a girl who liked you, oh... sorry, I was wrong, who used to like you...."
That person chuckled softly, a joyful expression on his face as if watching a comedy.
Although he had just escaped death, that person seemed to not care at all.
Until just now, that person had been as tired as the other students, but now there was no trace of fatigue.
"...Is this your true nature?"
Nagumo Hajime whispered, dumbfounded.
That person mocked him with a disdainful attitude, saying:
"True nature? It's not that exaggerated. Generally speaking, everyone acts a little good, more or less... Rather than that, do you want to make a deal with me? The subject of the deal... oh, it's Shirazaki Kaori, right!"
"!? Th-this kind of thing...."
Probably no one would have imagined that this guy could say such a thing.
It was more likely to be a dual personality, sending shivers down Nagumo Hajime's spine.
"W-what do you want to do!?"
"Don't you want Shirazaki Kaori?"
"!? Wh-what did you say...?"
Nagumo Hajime stared at that person with wide, astonished eyes. That person scoffed, looking down at Nagumo, and continued to utter tempting words.
"As long as you cooperate with me... sooner or later, you will get her."
"What's your goal? What exactly do you want to do!?"
Faced with this inexplicable situation, Nagumo Hajime couldn't help but speak roughly.
"Heh heh, that's none of your business. I can only say that I have something I want... So, what's your answer?"
Seeing that person's consistently contemptuous attitude, Nagumo Hajime felt increasingly anxious.
Furthermore, that completely changed demeanor filled him with deep fear. However, he ultimately succumbed to his inner desire.