When I opened my eyes, Monica's face was right in front of me.
"...Hey?"
No, her face was too close.
"To wake a sleeping Chicken, it's only fitting for the adorable Monica to give him a kiss... Oh my, you've awakened already? What a shame."
Monica straightened her spine and moved back slightly, standing nearby with a cheerful expression.
Having challenged Ceres numerous times, it seemed the Automaton's loyalty was indeed high.
(Knowing that doesn't stop me from feeling happy about it.)
I pushed my upper body up and moved my limbs, and just as the Successive Heads had said, my body appeared to have finished healing.
The wounds were closed, but my entire body ached.
The injury on my left arm had apparently left a scar. It was from when I was pinned to the wall and relentlessly beaten.
But perhaps it was better that it remained.
(Seeing this wound should help me not forget Ceres's threat.)
"I'll rest my body for a while. This was the Fonbeau mansion, right? Why did you save me?"
When I said that, Monica looked puzzled.
"How did you determine it was the Fonbeau mansion? When the Chicken was brought in, I believe you were unconscious?"
I gave a small smile, then stood up from the bed and moved my body slightly.
"There are various reasons. Various... Also, Monica."
"Yes?"
"Thanks. I should at least say that much."
When I thanked her for saving me, Monica suddenly started wriggling around, shaking her twintails back and forth, looking delighted.
"Oh! You've finally warmed up to me! You're late getting to the fluffy stage, you big Chicken! Today we're sleeping in the same bed. I'll get it ready."
"There's no need. You can sleep standing up, right?"
With a smile, I declined the invitation. Monica sat right down on the spot and started pretending to cry.
"I was worried, you know! The Chicken wouldn't wake up, and you were in Sleep Mode!"
"I wasn't asleep! Well, that might have actually been more convenient for me."
Monica had a Line with me, through which she supplied magical power.
She was an Automaton capable of regeneration, but conversely, that meant she was continuously drawing my magical power. When recovering stamina was the top priority, Monica moving around would slow down the recovery.
"...What about Novem and the others?"
Monica stood up, her expression blank.
"There's a falling out among them. The vixen is preparing hot water. Well, with that, the nuisance is gone. Now then, Chicken! Accept my care!"
I sat down on the edge of the bed and spoke to Monica.
"Before that, I have a request."
"How extravagant. Say whatever you like. I'll handle it perfectly. Go on!"
As Monica waited for my order, I said—
"Could you gather all the party members? I have something important to discuss."
Saying that, I looked up at the ceiling.
Everyone was assembled in the room.
Just as the successive heads had said, things had grown delicate between them because of the harem purpose Novem had revealed.
In the room, everyone stood at a distance from Novem.
(Figured I was just being treated like a pawn, huh?)
I had no intention of blaming Novem for setting up this harem on my behalf.
Come to think of it, she'd probably wanted to surround me with people who wouldn't fall under Ceres's influence.
Whether we fought or fled, she'd determined that kind of talent was what we needed.
Everyone was looking at me as I sat on the edge of the bed.
Aria looked like she wanted to say something.
Miranda was keeping a wary eye on Novem.
Shannon was glancing around, looking bewildered.
Clara was also letting her gaze wander.
Monica stood by my side.
Novem was—
"Lyle, what is it you wanted to talk about?"
I stood up and looked at my companions.
"...I've decided to disband the party. I want you all to decide whether we dissolve here or in Baim. Going all the way to Baim and doing jobs together as this same group until we find other parties might not be a bad idea, though."
Novem heard my decision and simply nodded in silence.
Then.
"I will follow you to the very end."
I smiled.
"Is that so? But could you at least hear me out before you decide?"
Aria looked at me and raised her voice.
"Stop just deciding things on your own! And what exactly are you trying to pull? Dissolving the party, seriously?"
Miranda looked at me the same way.
"Aren't you the one who said he'd make sure no one regrets it? That's just abandoning your responsibility, you know."
I gave a bitter smile.
"That's right. I did say I'd make sure no one regrets it. But if we keep going like this, you'll end up regretting it. I've set a goal for myself now. It's too big — honestly, I haven't even figured out how to achieve it yet, let alone the method. But if I drag everyone along with me as things are now, I'll definitely regret it. I can't achieve it on my own, and I don't intend to. From now on, I'm going to reassemble the party and work toward a specific purpose."
I had decided to fight.
But when the time came, I couldn't drag along allies who weren't prepared for that.
What I had decided was to dissolve the party and reform it.
"That's so selfish..."
Shannon looked at me accusingly, and I smiled and apologized.
"You're right. It is selfish. I'm selfish no matter how you look at it. Besides, my goal is to defeat Ceres."
When I said that, Clara adjusted her glasses and spoke.
"Are you talking about assassination?"
"I considered that too, but it comes with all sorts of problems. So once I get to Aramsass, I'm going to reassemble the party and build up our strength. Clara, are you going back to Central? I'll split the funds we earned through the party evenly, and it might be enough to make your dream come true too."
I was fairly certain Clara had said she wanted to open a bookstore someday.
The amount would be enough seed money for a small shop.
Aria weighed in on my idea.
"Fight Ceres? Are you insane? You couldn't beat him! And you want to challenge him anyway... Weren't we supposed to find somewhere to hide and live quietly?"
That was genuinely appealing too.
As adventurers, we could earn money, and eventually — based on the advice of the Successive Heads — take on pioneering work and ensure the survival of House Walt. That was another path I had considered.
That might have been the better choice after all.
I'm sure the Successive Heads would have supported me with everything they had if I'd chosen that path. But I'd already made my choice.
"I can't just leave it be. That's why I decided to take on the challenge. Sorry, but this party ends here. Don't worry—I'll make sure there's a decent preparation period, and once you get to Baim, you'll have no shortage of people willing to join, right? That's more than enough for a proper team, if you ask me."
Miranda spoke on behalf of everyone.
"Give me time. Besides, I can't leave Central right now."
I nodded.
"Right. You'll need time. What about you, Novem?"
Novem looked surprised at my decision. And perhaps a little pleased—though there was probably some dissatisfaction in there too.
Her expression was complicated.
"I'll see this through to the end."
When I came to, I was sitting across from Lianne.
She was settled into a sofa, drinking tea.
"Thank you for saving me. But more importantly—why did you help me? I don't see what you'd get out of it."
Lianne, her long pink hair tied back, offered a faint smile.
There seemed to be some fatigue in her—something shadowed about her presence.
"I don't think there's anything in it for me either. But, well, there's such a thing as intuition. Both meeting you and saving you—I just felt it."
As I sipped my tea, I studied her with quiet wonder, wondering if she too possessed that sharp instinct—like the First Generation, who'd been raised in the wild.
"Do you trust that kind of intuition?"
"I do. You've actually saved me several times now, after all."
She said "I see" and drank her tea.
I suppose she thinks I've been getting into dangerous situations because I'm an adventurer. She's not wrong, but even if I corrected her, it would be hard to explain.
(Explaining how the will of the First Generation or Second Generation Jewel resides within... No good. It would take too much time to convince her.)
She's busier than I am with all sorts of things.
She seemed to be preparing to move out of the estate while also investigating the inner workings of Banseim.
She must have discovered us in the process of doing that.
"There will be a formal announcement tomorrow in the square before the Royal Palace in Central. It's official—Ceres is engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince, and will become the next Queen in both name and reality."
I already knew this, so I wasn't surprised.
"That sounds about right. Although, I think it's a bit early for the announcement."
"She couldn't wait, apparently. You see, Ceres is so captivating that the Crown Prince rushed to prevent any strange insects from buzzing around her."
Lianne laughed softly, but I wondered what she really thought about her former fiancé being in such a situation.
She was laughing, but inwardly she probably wasn't amused.
"He's fickle. He wouldn't hesitate to lay his hands on other men, you know."
Lianne nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. Still, I believe the Crown Prince... Rufus will keep Ceres by his side. In the worst case, even if a child of unknown parentage is born, he will have her seated on the throne."
That's how insane things have become.
Since Ceres arrived in Central, her surroundings have rapidly started to go awry too. The thought that this might be the power of a monster sends a chill down my spine.
"Your Highness, what's your take on Banseim? Do you think it will last long?"
In response to my question, she looked at me and said:
"...It depends on you, doesn't it? You were quite fortunate to come out unscathed after standing before that Ceres. That it ended with just that was lucky. You see, I thought you would be the key. This is my thirst for revenge, but I wanted it to be you who destroyed Banseim... After all, it sounded interesting for blood relatives of the same House Walt to devour and crush each other."
A voice came from within the Jewel.
It was the Fifth Generation's voice.
"In any era, women are strong, aren't they?"
It was an answer I could accept more readily than being told I'd been saved by pure goodwill alone.
If anything, I was the same.
There are noble sentiments too, but I have my own small pride and thirst for revenge. I want to beat Ceres. I want to prove myself.
Dark emotions are part of me as well, and that's what makes me who I am now.
"I'll do my best to live up to your expectations. Is it tough to handle Banseim with just Fonbeau?"
Lianne stopped mid-sip of her tea and fixed me with a serious expression.
"No neighboring country can go head-to-head with a great power like Banseim. Even if we somehow won, a single nation couldn't govern the aftermath. To have any chance of winning, we'd need to form a coalition or an alliance, but..."
The Seventh Generation spoke from within the Jewel.
"Fighting over scraps, and then having the coalition or alliance turn on each other... It'd turn into a murky mess, no doubt. Besides, I don't think it could be done."
Lianne gave voice to the reason the Seventh Generation said it was impossible.
"You can't explain Ceres's threat to people who haven't seen her with their own eyes. Even if you showed them, there's a chance they'd fall under her sway. Worst-case scenario."
By the time the threat became widely known, it might already be too late.
"...What do you plan to do from here, Your Highness?"
At my question, Lianne let a thin smile surface.
"A princess whose engagement has been broken off doesn't have the best reputation. Who knows what kind of treatment I'd receive if I went back. Though, really—"
I confirmed the sensation of the other party activating their Skills, then checked that the handle of the cup I'd been holding had cracked.
I caught the cup with my left hand, so the contents didn't spill.
"Oh my, what a shame."
It seemed Lianne had a Skill.
As I wondered what kind of Skill it was, Lianne said with a smile.
"It's my Skill, 'Trick.' It can only do something like a prank, but that's more than enough. Those who treat me coldly will meet with misfortune, thanks to this Skill."
Watching Lianne laugh softly, I placed the cup on the table.
Her eyes held no resignation.
She was planning something.
"…I'm going to fight Ceres. Though I haven't decided on the method yet."
Lianne murmured "I see" and drained her tea.
——In Miranda's room, Aria and Clara had come to visit.
Even though there were rooms available, people other than Rael, Novem, and Monica were gathered in Miranda's room.
Miranda looked at Aria, Shannon, and Clara with a mix of exasperation.
"So, you want to talk about what happens next? Do you none of you have your own minds?"
Aria complained.
"After coming this far, disbanding is infuriating! Our plan was suddenly thrown into chaos, and now we're supposed to disband after going to Baim? That's just asking for trouble!"
Miranda explained.
"That's why I said Rael would spend some time active over there. You should just find the next party, right? With the skills of Aria and Clara, you'll find one in no time."
Indeed, each individual's strength could be considered high.
Rael's party was lacking in coordination, but they made up for it with individual prowess.
If they were to join another party, they would still need to polish their coordination.
Clara asked Miranda.
"So, Miranda, we're heading to Baim to disband the party?"
Miranda placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest, nodding without hesitation.
"That's fine by me. I'm going with them."
Shannon gasped in surprise.
"Huh!? But Lady Ceres..."
Miranda snapped at Shannon, who still insisted on using "Lady" when referring to Ceres.
"Drop the 'Lady'! She's the enemy now. Besides, you've got a massive target on your back from her already—flattering her now wouldn't help even if you tried."
"I wasn't planning on flattering her... But there's no way we could win anyway."
Shannon's gaze dropped to the floor. She understood Ceres's threat more acutely than anyone else in this room.
Because she couldn't see, her Skills had granted her mystic eyes.
With that power, she was able to gather far more information than anyone else.
"I'm taking Shannon with me, but Aria and Clara—the decision is yours. Rael has chosen to fight Ceres. That's how this party operates. So don't come crying later saying 'I never signed up for this'—you won't be able to use that as an excuse."
Miranda intended to follow Rael. Even if the party disbanded, she could simply rejoin when they reformed.
She didn't care much for Novem, but she had already made up her mind to go along.
Because Novem was acting on Rael's behalf—and that meant she understood they would be cast aside if they proved useless.
She had finally grasped that everything Novem had done, all the unsettling behavior up to now, had been consistent and purposeful—all for Rael's sake.
Aria looked slightly taken aback.
"A-Are you okay with that? Do you really think you can beat Ceres?"
"A head-on fight is out of the question. The gap in power is too wide... which is exactly why we need to prepare ourselves to win. Rael isn't stupid. He never said he was going to charge in expecting to die—he seems willing to prepare."
Clara remained as composed as ever. She had probably already reached her conclusion.
Miranda watched Aria wavering.
"Make your own decision. If you want to become a top-tier adventurer, you have to take responsibility for your own actions. It's on you."
The party had gathered for various reasons.
They were drawn by Rael's presence, but Shannon saw that Aria, who lacked a clear will, was still uncertain.
Though she thought it was inevitable, Miranda still pointed the way for Aria.
"It's not like if you leave and join another party, I'll call you a coward for running away. If your goals differ, it's perfectly normal for a party to break apart."
Clara nodded in agreement with Miranda.
"Actually, Rael is quite kind. He confirmed Aria's intentions before letting her join, unlike how one might gather members just to use them, like with Novem, and then trap them in a situation they can't escape from."
Clara, who understood the adventurer life better than anyone here, said this with a nod.
Aria...
"You... saying that now! After getting my hopes up so much!"
Miranda understood that Aria had feelings for Rael.
So she said it.
"Exactly. Then, you're leaving, right? That's fine, isn't it? I'm sure there are plenty of other good men out there."
Aria ran out of the room.
Watching her retreating back, Clara said to Miranda.
"Weren't you a bit too cold?"
"About what? I have no reason to comfort or encourage a rival. I don't intend to bully her maliciously, but I'm not going to look out for her any more than a fellow party member."
Miranda brushed back her light green hair and spoke to Clara.
"If someone does something to me, I'll pay them back. If I'm helped, I'll repay the favor. But, you know, if she can't follow her own will, she's just a hindrance to the current Rael. You understand, right?"
Seeing Clara nod, Miranda looked toward the door Aria had opened when she left the room――.