I was stumbling through an explanation of the current situation, completely unaware that Reffreia had appeared.

　I was caught talking to thin air.

　I wonder if they thought I was strange...

"Yeah, you were muttering something, so I wondered what it was..."

"Ah, no. I was talking to you. Good morning."

"Yeah, good morning."

　Dressed in silver armor, with a massive sword slung across their back.

　Their platinum blonde hair shimmered softly in the morning sun, and their skin, as white as snow, was flawless and translucent.

　Their wide, amber-colored eyes were crystal clear, radiating a purity that seemed to see right through my ill intentions.

(So beautiful)

　I suddenly felt the urge to hide my form instinctively.

The courage to appear before her shrinks in an instant.

Last night, I was able to eat and talk with her as if we were equals.

But perhaps that was just the magic of night.

Maybe the darkness was simply on my side.

Under this sunlight, I’m exposed for who I truly am.

Wearing a shabby, unevenly dyed black outfit, my black hair unkempt and untrimmed, my eyes puffy and swollen from lack of sleep, my pupils dark. The short sword at my waist is the second cheapest weapon from the armorer’s shop. I’m not tall, nor do I have a striking face.

(…No, it’s fine. Even if things go badly, that’s okay. It might even boost the viewership.)

It’s fine if it’s laughably pathetic.

What the audience wants is to see me suffer.

It doesn't matter how battered I become—I'll do whatever it takes to become number one.

I clenched my fist and spoke.

"Reflia, did you sleep well yesterday? I'm a bit sleep-deprived."

"Hikaru too? Me, I'm kind of sleep-deprived... maybe."

Blushing slightly and darting her eyes around, Reflia was undoubtedly the same girl from yesterday, and I felt a little relieved.

Standing beneath the sunlight, she shimmered—she looked like an inviolable goddess.

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?"

"Eh! Y-yes... of course. I couldn't forget. It was a promise, right?"

She said, her cheeks flushing.

She must have thought I was the one who'd reserved my "thanks."

Incidentally, I've postponed the "thanks" part by putting it off as a reservation, but I certainly have no intention of actually carrying it out.

It's something that can be seen in all of humanity on Earth. No matter how much one strives for the number one rating, that line must never be crossed.

While I don't mind if I get hurt, I could never expose and defile this beautiful person at my own whim.

Right now, in this very moment, and from now on, by traveling with me, she will unknowingly be seen by hundreds of millions of people.

To use her without informing her.

If I were to tell her, she'd become aware that she's being watched, and would likely refuse to travel with me.

That's why I've decided, despite knowing it's cowardly, not to tell her.

After these two weeks are over, I'll make up for it in any way possible.

I'm not saying that will grant me forgiveness, but even so, for me, Nanami was someone I truly wished to see come back to life.

"...Let's go into the labyrinth together. I'm really a beginner, so please teach me everything

." "Of course, leave it to me!" "Then, let's go. Is the second

floor okay?" I started walking without delay, but was

stopped with, "Wait, wait!" "You can't just go without showing up at the guild first, can you

?" "The guild...?" "...Hikaru... You really are a Mo-Gu-Ri, aren't

you..." A Mo-Gu-Ri refers to

someone who conducts business without proper qualifications or( permits. In other) words, it's( me—someone who) sneaks into the( labyrinth in secret) every time, sells whatever they find at the

black market... There's no way to deny it. In fact, the truth is already known in

Refreia—they already know I deal in the black market.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even know what a guild was to begin with. What exactly is this place supposed to be for?"

"It's the Labyrinth Administration. Explorers conduct monster exterminations and gather spirit stones under contract from the guild. You have to register properly as an explorer and apply before entering the labyrinth—you can't just walk in."

"Oh, really? I didn't know that. I've always snuck in secretly. Haha."

It might not be funny, but I can't help laughing anyway.

"Well, I'm fine, but you really shouldn't tell anyone else about this. In the worst case, you could get arrested."

Looks like I was walking a pretty dangerous line.

Anyway, let's just forget about it now.

"So, can I register as an explorer too? I don't have a fixed address or anything—I'm just staying at a cheap inn."

"Anyone who isn't a registered criminal with a prison mark can join. You start at the lowest rank initially, but rankings automatically rise as you contribute spirit stones—someone as skilled as Hikaru could quickly reach the Gnome level."

"Gnome level...? What level am I, Reflia?"

"I'm currently at the 'Silvastor' level—just one below Gnome."

Saying this, Reflia pulls out her silver identification card from her chest and shows it.

The names are admittedly hard to remember, but the material of the identification card itself makes it easy to distinguish, she says.

We arrived at the Labyrinth Administration, commonly known as the Guild, located just about three minutes' walk from the labyrinth.

The guild is a sturdy stone facility located not far from the labyrinth, its spacious lobby filled with rough-looking adventurers.

As Reflira entered, I could feel the eyes of the men on her, even though I was walking behind her. Indeed, it's no wonder no one would want to look for party members here.

"Hey, Reflira-chan. What's this little one? Did you start leading a club now?"

A clearly rough-looking man spoke to Reflira.

Given her long experience as an adventurer, she might occasionally be greeted by acquaintances at the guild.

Reflira stopped walking.

"No. He is my party member. I won't tolerate such disrespect."

"Huh? You're telling me you're pairing up with a kid like that? Silver rank, huh? Hey, kid, what's your rank?"

The man flares up at Refraya's words.

Those around him, who had been eavesdropping, now clearly turn their attention toward him.

Hey now.

I can't believe something this cliché actually happens in real life!

Well, Refraya was indeed an oddball even among the guild members.

Just enough of a spectacle to catch the attention of other explorers.

She's stunningly beautiful, wields a massive weapon, and stands out in every way.

The complete opposite of me.

Either way, this is an absolutely delicious setup for the audience watching me.

Even if I get beaten up right here, it'd still be worth it.