The Strongest Onmyoji and the Shikigami With AI are Unparalleled in Another World ~ A Second Life Properly Enjoyed Using Artificial Intelligence ~ - Chapter 236

We left the plaza and, checking the signs, made our way toward the 5-5 labyrinth.

Soon, we came to a plaza similar to the one in front of 5-1.

But ahead, though there was clearly a cave that looked like a labyrinth entrance, not a single person was around.

“No one’s here…”

“……Feels kinda lonely.”

Yeah, it did feel lonely.
Guess it just wasn’t a popular spot.

“AI-chan, what’s the deal?”

“5-5 is the hardest labyrinth. Hardly anyone ever attempts it, which is why it looks like this. But… many high-rankers have died there, and it’s said to drop some very high-quality items.”

Well, traps weren’t an issue with Tama-chan, and monsters weren’t exactly a threat to me either.
We could take it on—but I’d have to discuss it with everyone first.

“If nobody’s here, guess there’s no helping it. Let’s hit the guild, cash out, and head back.”

“Yeah, let’s.”

“……Mhm, this place feels a little scary.”

Since both Natalia and Alice nodded, we turned back and started walking toward Guild Five.

On the way, I spotted a familiar woman with bluish-black hair, browsing the goods of a street vendor.

“Yo, Rosalia.”

One of Ilva’s party members.

“Ah… Yuuma-san. And Natalia-san, Alice-san. And AI-chan too.”

Looked like she remembered us.

“Hello~”
“……Yahho~”
“Hey there~”

The three of them greeted her as well.

“Heading to a labyrinth? You’re hard at work, I see.”

“You guys had the day off, right? I ran into Ilva this morning.”

“Ah… was she by herself?”

Hm?

“Yeah, she was alone… Why? She seemed kind of down, though.”

“I knew it… We had a bit of a spat last night.”

A quarrel, huh.

“You all looked pretty close, though?”

“Not that kind of fight. If I may say so myself, I think we’re a really close-knit party.”

Even from the little I’d seen, that much seemed true.

“Then… a difference in direction?”

“Exactly.”

Yeah, if they’re close, that makes sense.

“Can I ask what about?”

“Sure… it’s nothing bad, just something that happens. Shiela and Felicia said they want to retire after this expedition.”

Shiela was the red-haired swordswoman, Felicia the brown-haired mage, right.

“Retire, huh… but they’re still young, aren’t they?”

“Depends? They’re both twenty-five.”

Twenty-five… that’s not old enough to be stepping down from age.

“Marriage, then. Those two both have boyfriends.”

“Something like that… wait, how do you know!?”

Rosalia looked surprised.

“I just had a hunch.”

“Fweeeh! As expected of Master! That crazy sharp nose of his, that only reacts to women!”

Shut up, you little fox.

“That’s kind of scary, honestly…”

Rosalia leaned back slightly, looking a little unsettled.

“I’ll say this now—it was just a hunch. There’s still a lot I don’t know.”

I couldn’t say about Merell.
Or even about Rosalia.
Ilva, though—I could tell she wasn’t doing well.

“I-I see… Well, in any case, that’s why the two of them said they wanted to retire. And that’s what led to the quarrel.”

“Ilva was talking about the next expedition… So this is my fault?”

It kind of felt that way.

“No, not at all. The two of them had been meaning to say it, but just couldn’t bring it up. This just gave them the opening.”

Really?
They’re still going to be diving into labyrinths, so if things get tense, that’s bad news.

“You guys been together long?”

“I’m a newer addition, but the three of them… they’ve known each other since childhood.”

Ah…

“Then of course Ilva can’t accept it. And with it being two against one, that just makes it worse.”

That’s rough.

“Exactly… I sided with Ilva-san, but honestly, I was just background noise.”

It wasn’t really a party issue—it was a childhood friendship issue.

“So the discussion didn’t go well?”

“Right. Though, I don’t like saying it… the decision is already made. The only question is whether Ilva-san will accept it.”

You can’t stop someone from retiring.
Not in this line of work, where danger is always around the corner.

“And you? Are you okay with it?”

When I asked, Rosalia shook her head.

“I loved that party. I want to keep going with them. But at the same time… I want Shiela and Felicia to be happy. They accepted me, a newcomer, with open arms, and were always good to me.”

So she had accepted it.
She just couldn’t nod outright because of Ilva.
Proof was in her words—she’d already started speaking in past tense.

“Tough spot to be in.”

“Yes… And honestly, I envy you all. Even if you were forced to retire, you’d still stay together. You’d still be comrades.”

Could you not put it as “forced to retire”?

“So the party’s breaking up, then?”

“Hard to say. I’m not retiring, so maybe Ilva and I will keep going. Or maybe Ilva’s spirit will break. At this point, it’s just a matter of waiting.”

Rosalia gave a wry smile.

“I see… then you’re on break for a while.”

“Seems that way… You don’t have any advice, do you? Yuuma-san, you strike me as someone good at resolving conflicts like this.”

Not that I’m particularly good at it.
The real trick is making sure conflict never starts in the first place.

“Stop making it a two-versus-one. Have each of them talk to Ilva separately. Two-on-one just makes it feel like betrayal. Each of them should express their will and hopes directly, one on one.”

“I see… Understood. I’ll tell the two of them that.”

Rosalia nodded firmly.

“Then, good luck. And make sure you don’t let any bitterness stick with you, either.”

“Yes… I’ll do that.”

After parting ways with Rosalia, we headed for the guild.