Ray rushed over, unable to utter a word in response to Viola’s declaration.
Seeing her standing rigidly, it was both pitiful and amusing.

“Hey, relax.”
“T-this is relaxing…”

What on earth did training mean to Ray?
It seemed like Arthur had really drilled them with an intense Spartan training regimen.

“You said your team consists of three, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Hm…”

Viola casually asked that and then rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
Muttering softly to herself, she added, “Should I just take everyone with me?”
“I’m fine with….”
“Really? Either way, I’m definitely taking you. You discovered this incident, so it makes sense for you to be there.”

The “you” she referred to was me.
Viola pointed at me with her free hand, the one not resting on her chin.
As if my choice didn’t matter, her tone implied it was a given that she would take me along.

“Wait, are you serious, Roman?”
“No. I haven’t said anything.”

Despite my words, Ray glared at Viola as if to say, “See? I told you!” But her defiance was quickly suppressed by a brief stare-off.

“No way. No matter who else is involved, you have to join. This is your team’s discovery. You need to be there.”
“But there are more of us.”

Luke and Elowen are also on our team, and there are three of us.

“The romanticist is injured. Elowen? I don’t like that elf. So, since you’re the most interesting one from your team, you’re coming with me.”

Viola grinned confidently, as if that was a perfectly logical conclusion, leaving me with no will to argue.

“But, since we have Lyancup, let’s just take everyone. Go and bring back the last member. It’s a hassle to say it more than once.”

Ray and I exchanged glances.
What should we do?
What do you mean, we have to go first?
And just like that, Leif quickly joined us.

“Ah, hello.”

The once resolute and firm demeanor she had when sending off Elowen had vanished, replaced by a nervousness.

“It’s you?”
“…Yes?”

The thick tension was evident in her voice.
Viola chuckled and said, “Don’t be too nervous. I’m impressive, but I’m not someone who just goes around harming anyone.”
“…You’re good at beating people.”
“Was my training lacking back then?”

Seeing Viola lightly clench her fists made Ray shiver as if static electricity was running through her.
“But let’s get back on topic. Time’s short, so I’ll keep it brief.”

Viola covered her face with her clasped hands, taking a pose that suggested she was preparing to climb something.
“A search and destroy order for the second layer has been issued by the alliance. I’m in charge of it, and I’ll be leading an expedition to carry it out. The goal is to locate and close the paths suspected to be in the Sentinel’s territory.”

When she reached that point, Viola paused for a moment.
In that silence, I asked, “Can we close it?”
“No.”
“I can’t destroy the paths either.”
“So…?”
“I’ll cast a magical barrier to block the path and collapse the area, effectively making it a dead end.”

Ah, so that’s how it works.
If you combine magical treatment with physical treatment, it would be incredibly difficult to restore that path back to its original state.

“Don’t worry. With the second layer, once I step in, it’s as good as done. Consider it an experience.”

Viola’s confidence wasn’t just a facade to inspire us or put our minds at ease.
It was a simple statement of fact stemming from her absolute prowess.

Pioneers.
They are the ones who expand the horizons of awareness in the depths of the Abyss.

To date, this world has reached the seventh layer after sending countless challengers into the Abyss.
The Threshold.

That’s where the primary activities of the Pioneers take place.

To deploy a Pioneer for an operation on the second layer is like using a knife meant for slaughtering cows to kill a chicken.

The rage of the city towards the Abyss Worshippers, who have been acting up lately, had led to the emergence of someone like Viola.

“It will be a valuable experience. It’s worth seeing at least once.”

Viola stood up, concluding her speech.
“The peak that foragers strive to reach.”

That statement pierced through my core.
There was a goal.
I knew how to achieve it.
But I didn’t know how far away that peak was.
So Viola’s words, suggesting that it was worth seeing, were enough to stir my heart.

“Three days from now, at noon. We’ll be setting out then, so be there by then. We’ll start from the main point of the first layer. If you’re late, you’re on your own.”

She offered us a chance.
It was up to us whether we would accept it.

Viola said that and then turned away without hesitation.
Leaving a strong impression behind, she left the Telema Academy…
“Ah, but why doesn’t the academy offer guests water? There are some excellent drinks on the shelf. Hecate, be prepared for that display to be raided when I return.”

She departed.
“...That’s all water.”

With the resentment of not having been given water, she left a remark about coming back to fill her belly with it.

§

“Phew~ Now I feel alive!”

Ray cheerfully drank the rare beverage known as "Telema Academy Water," which even the Pioneers couldn’t have.
“Is it that good?”
“Of course! Ah… just thinking about it makes my body tingle. I can’t believe how much I got hit.”

Well, if she still had her limbs intact after being hit by a Pioneer, that would mean they managed their strength exceptionally well, wouldn’t it?
On top of that…

“Arthur’s here too.”
“Ah, no. I understand. I was similar.”

Arthur’s face darkened, and his voice dropped.
Seeing Arthur, who always showed a strong demeanor, react that way made me wonder just how intense the training was.

“Is it that bad?”
“Don’t even mention it.”
“I wouldn’t know; I’ve only learned from my master.”

That was a bit surprising.
“You’re a mage, aren’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“The Guild Master of the Frontier isn’t a mage.”
“That’s also true.”
“Then where did you learn your magic?”
“My magic is Blood Awakening. It focuses more on instinct and experience than the conventional learning methods of mages. While it’s best to learn from someone who shares the same magic, it’s not feasible for me due to my circumstances.”

At that, we fell silent.
Typically, Blood Awakening is passed down through family lines or between very close master-disciple relationships.
Our team may have inherited magic from the altar on the affluent island, but that was an exceptionally rare case.

In other words, Arthur meant that he had lost the ancestors (parents or mentor) who would have passed magic down to him.

“You don’t need to make that face. I don’t remember anything.”
“Is that so?”

After all, how many foragers come from normal families?
Just looking at our team, we are all orphans.
I suddenly found myself in another family, separated by dimension due to my teleportation.
Ray had witnessed her parents and brother being killed by her uncle, while Leif only knew that she had parents who may or may not be alive.

Sharing similar pains probably meant our team had to rely on each other even more.
In that sense, it’s only natural that I feel closer to Arthur among my peers.
Especially since we’re roommates.

“You’ve had a tough time.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“Therefore, are you going?”
“I guess so. At least I’m his previous disciple. Personally, I’d like you to join as well.”

Could it be camaraderie?
While I felt a desire to roam the Abyss together and fight again, the stronger sentiment was my earnest wish to help them.

“Your master is strong. Just as you said, I recommend you confirm that with your own eyes.”

Ray seemed unable to refute that statement, muttering quietly instead.
“Then I’ll go as well. Although my master has given me time, I shouldn’t stay too long. Thank you for the water, Headmistress Hecate.”
“Uh, uh-huh.”

Hecate’s pupils shook violently.
It seemed like a fundamental mystery was consuming her brain: how could such a solid disciple arise under someone like Viola?

Arthur politely returned the empty cup and immediately began to move.
I called out to his back.
“I’ll see you in three days.”
“…Yeah. I’ll see you then.”

With those who needed to go having left, it was now our turn to converse.
“It’s a bit awkward to go to the inn… Headmistress, is it okay if we borrow the underground training room?”
“Sure. No problem.”

Having received Hecate’s permission, we descended underground.
“Ah~ this underground training room reminds me a bit of the training center.”
“You didn’t say much about the second layer?”
“It feels different from that.”

As Ray and I engaged in that trivial conversation, Leif remained silent.
She usually spoke the least among us, but she had been particularly quiet since earlier.
Perhaps the topic she planned to discuss today was difficult.

“Leif.”
“...Ah, yes?”

Leif responded a beat too late.
She seemed deep in thought.

“If it’s hard, you can save it for later.”
“Ah, no! That’s not it… It’s just that I’m wondering where to begin…”

Once inside the training room, we sat on the chairs provided.
I was relieved to find three ready in case Hecate came.

Sitting in a triangle, Leif removed her hood and fiddled with her ears.
Her pointed yet short ears—the hallmark of a half-elf—were caressed as Leif began to speak.
“I’m… a High Elf.”

Hmm?

That means she’s of royal elf lineage…?
“And I might be the last High Elf left in this world.”