Published: January 22, 2026
No one spoke, and it felt as if a long time had passed.
(I really messed up... I ended up blurting out my emotions, but what am I supposed to do about this atmosphere now...)
“Orun-kun, I understand how you feel, but may we continue with our discussion first?”
Just as I was pondering how to break the cold silence, the Guild Master spoke up.
“Y-yes. Of course. I’m sorry. I’ve shown a rather embarrassing side of myself.”
My face must be bright red right now, isn’t it?
It’s been a while since I exploded with emotion like this.
I do feel a bit refreshed, but right now, embarrassment is overwhelming.
“I think this is the first time I’ve seen you get so emotional. You’re usually so calm and composed that Eleonora-kun was worried you might have lost your emotions. Looks like you do have feelings after all.”
“Hey! Guild Master!”
Ms. Eleonora suddenly blurted out a flustered retort to the Guild Master’s unexpected revelation.
Is this the Guild Master’s way of lightening the mood?
The hero party members remained gloomy, but the guild’s side seemed to have loosened up a bit.
“Well then, back to the matter at hand. Orun-kun, just to confirm, did you defeat that black dragon all by yourself? Selma from the silver rabbits of the night sky said you did.”
The Guild Master asked me.
Honestly, I wanted to say we defeated it together with the silver rabbits of the night sky, but since Selma has already reported it, there's no point in lying.
From the looks I received when entering this building, the news must have already spread among the explorers.
“…Yes. I defeated it alone.”
“D-defeating a deep floor boss alone is practically impossible! Did you use some special magic!?”
When I confirmed I defeated it alone, one of the guild executives present excitedly asked me.
“How I defeated it is something I cannot disclose. I can only talk about the black dragon’s combat abilities and weaknesses.”
There is an unspoken rule not to pry into explorers’ fighting styles or original magic, since such details could be disadvantageous if conflicts arise between parties.
Moreover, original magic is something each explorer painstakingly develops on their own.
Few would willingly reveal such personal work indiscriminately.
However, explorers are required to report information obtained in the dungeon to the guild.
That report is made public.
Therefore, explorers are not obliged to report their fighting style or original magic.
But often, from the report, people can guess how someone fights.
Ah, earlier I almost reported that the black dragon was not defeated solely by me, but that’s beyond the reporting obligation.
The report focuses on the characteristics of the demonic beasts encountered and the locations where materials like ores can be found, not who defeated them or how.
“Of course, I understand. Now then, please tell us more about the black dragon.”
The Guild Master accepted that I could not answer the guild executives’ questions.
I reported the new attack patterns I learned from this fight, compared them with the previous battle, and pointed out commonalities.
“As usual, your report is concise and to the point.”
The Guild Master murmured with a complex expression.
“Did my report have any deficiencies?”
“No, Orun-kun, your report was perfect. It’s just that reports from other explorers often provide more about how parties fought together. Compared to their fame, there’s little personal information about the hero party. You’re as good as ever at keeping things under wraps.”
“Information can sometimes outweigh force. Sorry, but I won’t give in here. If there’s no more to add, I’ll refrain from further reporting.”
“Hard to deal with... Ah, one last thing. I don’t mind if it’s within your limits, but I’d like to hear your plans moving forward. Despite your strength, having defeated the black dragon alone, you left the hero party and are now free. Countless parties and clans must want you. There could be conflict over you, so the guild wants to keep track of your movements.”