I slammed my hands on the table, raising myself.
"Excuse yourself?! You're resigning from Party 1?!"
Trudy nodded immediately.
"I think it would be best for our climb effort if I were to be excluded from the raid team."
My frown deepened upon her words.
This would explain the mood on my comrades earlier.
"Why in Dunia would you think that way? Trudy, you were very helpful in the Quintal Trial. We would suffer a loss, a great loss, if you step away from us."
Trudy shook her head. Eyes were as unwavering as ever.
"I'm not a valuable member, Serafina. I helped, yes. But I'm not someone who deserves to be in Party 1."
"What are you talking about?"
"I almost got killed by the guardian at the temple. Because of my weakness, I put your life in danger when I was supposed to be protecting you. It would never happen with Jonah or Shanny."
My slight pause in replying her only confirmed her words to be true.
I did think either Jonah or Shanny would be able to offer a better resistance against the guardian in place of Trudy.
They both did take over her role after she lost her arm and kept the guardian at bay until I was done dispelling the barrier.
But that did not mean Trudy failed to serve her party.
"You did very well considering the situation. Not everyone would be able to withstand such strong opponent the way you did. You will become much stronger, Trudy. I know it. You have the potential."
I did not just say this because she was my comrade.
Trudy did have what it takes to become strong. Very strong.
She might not have enormous innate talent like Jonah, Shanny, or Tarran.
But she was hardworking and smart.
Each night she always recorded her training in her diary and evaluated what she did right and wrong.
She often studied the skills of all of the heroes in the lobby, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and how she could benefit from knowing them.
She paid much attention whenever we were discussing combat tactics, thoroughly questioning whenever she did not understand something right away.
She was also very diligent in learning swordsmanship under Zecht's guidance, and her better peer, Shanny's.
The woman tried to learn anything she could from every hero whom had more experience in combat than her. Even Jyrgil.
With the existence of the experienced 3-stars, Trudy now had mentors who could guide her to become stronger.
And every time I saw her, she kept getting better, even just slightly, very slightly. But she always improved nonetheless.
Given time, Trudy would develop into a formidable hero in the lobby.
"But I'm too slow to grow, Serafina."
Trudy denied my words. She went on.
"Given Party 1's crucial role in the Quintal Trials and in the climb effort in general, the team deserves the best heroes the lobby has to offer. Each member has to be someone who excels in what they do and able to fulfill their role more than adequately. Not just someone who simply helps."
Trudy had studied the formation I planned and applied to Party 1.
The five roles which made a party in the trials. Each role was as important as the other. All must collaborate in no-less-than-perfect synergy.
I had assigned each of my comrade with a role. Including Trudy.
After facing a Quintal Trial, she must had seen how well she was fulfilling her duty in the party.
"Whatever happens to 'I don't plan to just sit and watch you guys do it for me. That's not how I was raised.'? Does those words still mean anything to you?"
I repeated the words she said to me back when I was questioning everyone's determination to climb the tower.
Back then everyone said they were willing to face the trials, no matter the difficulties.
Trudy sighed and smiled after being reminded of her own words again.
"This climb effort is bigger than me. What I do won't just affect myself, but others as well."
She turned her head to the side.
Somehow I knew it was in the direction to the checkroom on the first floor square.
"If I failed in fulfilling my role, even though I knew I was trying my best, others could lose their lives. Others who did not deserve such fate, Serafina."
She must had been referring to the conditions of clearing the tenth floor. Knowing how each party had its own role to fulfill and failure of one would spell the deaths for the rest.
The former maid went on.
"Now that the tenth floor has been cleared, master will summon more capable heroes like Darius and the other 3-stars through the advanced summoning chamber. You yourself said master would. One of those new arrivals should be more than a proper replacement for me."
"I was only assuming, Trudy. I don't actually know when master will perform another advanced summoning."
"But if master does summon another advanced hero, will you promise to replace me with them?"
I sighed at her request.
She somehow knew how to make such an absurdity make sense.
But it was not enough to make me give in to her will.
"Trudy, I can't dismiss you from the party just because you're worried that you would commit a terrible mistake in the future, which might not actually happen at all. I need a better reason to let you go."
I stated to the woman.
There. She would not be able to give me a better reason than that.
The matter would be settled.
But, to my surprise, it did not.
Trudy actually smiled after I said those words to her. As if she was waiting for me to speak them.
"The deaths of the entire Party 3 as well as Maddock and Luan in Party 2 are a considerable loss within our ranks. It would take some time to replace them, unless master summons seven high-ranked heroes from the advanced summoning chamber soon."
"If my prediction is correct, master would summon five more 3-stars before our climb to the eleventh floor. No use expecting another 4-star like me since the fairy said the chance of their arrival is next to nothing. And even much less for a 5-star. Either way, we should have enough to recover our ranks before the next Quintal Trial."
I replied warily. Probing where the former maid was directing the conversation.
"But what if the third Quintal Trial requires more than three parties, Serafina? What if the fifteenth floor requires four or maybe five parties to clear it? Or perhaps ten?"
Trudy asked.
The thought had crossed my mind ever since I discovered two more parties were required to clear the second Quintal Trial.
I had considered the possibilities that more and more parties would be needed the higher we climb.
My gaze fell back on the research table. On the grimoire, the other books, and the notes sketched with my formula simulations.
My head started to throb just looking at them.
I did not have time for more riddles right now, if I could help it.
"What are you trying to say, Trudy?"
I asked her finally.
Trudy's smile vanished. She was aware I wanted her to drop the guise and be frank.
The woman cleared her throat and spoke in a firm voice. Her tone was pleading, though.
"Appoint me as the combat instructor for the heroes on the first floor training ground."
My frown loosened. My brows rose in surprise and curiosity.
"You want to teach the newcomers how to fight?"
I asked.
"I still don't wish to just watch you guys climb the tower for me. I want to keep contributing to the climb effort by training the newcomers. I would be helping you by turning them into strong comrades that the raid team could rely on."
"But how did you come into this decision? What made you want to be a combat instructor instead?"
"You said the newcomers living on the first floor could become much stronger if they're properly guided. I think so too. Sometimes, I thought if the newcomers also learned everything I learned from you and the others, they would become much better fighter than me."
She still insisted that she did not have the potential to be a great warrior.
"Trudy…"
I called soothingly to her.
"Serafina, you said the reason why we could not appoint a combat instructor was because everyone in the raid team were all too busy. If a new 3-star replaced my spot in Party 1, then I will have time to fill the position."
It was a very good point. But I hesitated to make a decision.
Trudy noticed my hesitation and went on.
"The Quintal Trial is getting more dangerous the higher we climb. There will always be casualties to the raid team. The lobby MUST be ready to cover the losses every time."
She turned to the window for a moment, looking toward the festivities still going on at the second floor square.
But Trudy was staring beyond the square, toward the advanced summoning chamber.
"At some point, the losses will be too huge that not even advanced summoning could fill the gap. We will need a combat instructor, sooner or later."
Indeed.
So far, master only summoned five people at most through advanced summoning.
Even if master do it again, we would still have two vacancies in the current raid team.
It would be direr if the next Quintal Trial required more than three parties.
If we could improve and speed the development of the heroes training on the first floor, we could recover our number and even enhance the strength of our ranks before our climb to the fifteenth floor.
Damn it!
It was a good reason. A better reason.
I sighed once more and looked at Trudy.
"I will ask master to appoint you as a combat instructor if there is a suitable and available 3-star hero to replace you."