After Leaving the A-Rank Party, I Aim for the Deep Part of the Labyrinth With My Former Students

“…?”

My thoughts froze for a moment, followed by an immediate wave of confusion.

(What the hell is this guy saying? Go back? Me?)

“Barry and I were talking about it. You want to come back to Thunder Pike, don’t you?” Simon said.

What kind of twisted logic led him to that conclusion?

Did he get his brain scrambled by a Mind Flayer in a dungeon?

If I had been kicked out for some reason, I could almost understand his reasoning.

But the truth was, I had left Thunder Pike of my own free will.

I had evaluated the party and its members, determined there was no future for me there, and made the decision to walk away.

Sure, dissatisfaction with my treatment and rewards had been a factor. But it wasn’t the primary reason.

For a long time, I had felt it deep down:

If I stayed with these guys, I’d never reach the Abyss Gate.

That certainty, paired with a sense of resignation, had pushed me to leave.

I had no regrets. In fact, I felt completely liberated.

Go back? Not a chance.

This was a ridiculous and unsolicited proposal.

Still, I wasn’t about to let my emotions get the better of me.

I’d put aside past grievances and irritation, and respond calmly and diplomatically.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested,” I said.

“What?” Simon looked genuinely surprised.

“I’m the leader of Clover now. I have no intention of returning to Thunder Pike,” I stated plainly.

“What’s with that attitude…!”

…Huh?

My response had been perfectly reasonable.

Getting hysterical when things don’t go his way—that’s one of Simon’s worst traits.

“You know, your departure really messed things up for us! Don’t you feel any guilt?” Simon demanded.

“You told me you wouldn’t have any problems without me,” I reminded him.

“Stop nitpicking! Are you even listening to what I’m saying?”

Honestly, throwing a tantrum in the middle of a tavern?

What if the other adventurers start laughing at you?

Both of us have parties to lead; you should be more composed.

“Look, the truth is that we’ve been struggling because of you. You have a responsibility to fix this. That’s what any proper adventurer—or adult—should do,” Simon said pompously.

The arrogance and self-righteousness were staggering.

Seriously, did a squid shove its tentacles into his brain?

If this is a curse, he’d better get it lifted sooner rather than later.

“Simon, exactly how are my actions causing you problems?” I asked.

“We’ve been failing our requests because you left!”

“Then recruit new members. You always said I was dead weight. Isn’t a lighter load easier to carry?”

I let out a sigh and glared at Simon.

I rarely bother with this sort of thing, but glaring was surprisingly tiring on the eyes.

“After treating me like garbage for so long, what makes you think I’d come back? Do you think being childhood friends gives you a free pass?”

“Wha—!”

Simon looked completely caught off guard, staring at me as though he hadn’t expected any pushback.

He’d always looked down on me from the time we were kids, never imagining I might one day speak out against him.

“I have no intention of returning to Thunder Pike. This conversation is over,” I said firmly.

“You’re being used by those rookies! They’re taking advantage of you—”@@novelbin@@

“The only ones who treated me like a convenient errand boy were you. Goodbye, Simon.”

I brushed past him and headed toward the request counter where Marina and the others were waiting.

“Don’t get cocky! You’ll regret this!” Simon shouted after me, his face red with frustration.

I ignored him and left.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I said as I rejoined the group.

“Who was that?” Marina asked, her voice tinged with concern as she glanced toward Simon in the distance.

“He was the leader of the party I used to be in,” I explained.

Before I could react, Marina, still in her armor, dashed forward and hugged me tightly.

“Gah!”

Why does she always do this while wearing armor?

“You’re not going back, are you?”

“Don’t worry. I’m not.”

“Promise?”

“Of course.”

As I brushed some dungeon dust off her red hair, I chuckled.

Man, I must be a terrible leader if my members are this anxious about losing me.

I should’ve just ignored Simon altogether.

“Did you finish the request report?”

“Yes. Everything is settled, and the reward has been added to the party funds,” Silk replied with a smile.

“Thanks,” I said, feeling some of the tension ease.

“Alright, let’s go grab a drink. Marina, weren’t you planning to drink yourself into a stupor tonight?” I teased.

“Yup! And I’m taking you down with me this time!” she shot back, grinning.

“Give me a break,” I sighed.

Still, I couldn’t deny that I was in the mood for a drink.

I’d finally said everything I’d wanted to say to Simon. It felt like the perfect way to end the day.

“Don’t worry. I’ll use magic to sober you up afterward,” Rain said with a serene smile, handing me back the magic bag.

Her expression and tone gave me pause.

…Wait, did she use magic to eavesdrop on my conversation earlier?

Not that I’d said anything incriminating, but still—not exactly an admirable habit.

“If you want to vent, I’m all ears. Drink as much as you want,” Rain added softly.

“…I’ll take you up on that,” I replied.

For someone with such a childlike appearance, she could be surprisingly mature at times.

You can never underestimate Rain.

“Alright, let’s go!” Marina exclaimed cheerfully, giving me a playful shove from behind.

“Hey, stop pushing!”