Since Dubisk, the Cursed One, had already exposed the issue, it was better to address it openly than let suspicion and unease spread.
Gelman immediately woke Shizuku.
"Mm... What's wrong? Is it morning?"
She rubbed the corners of her eyes and sat up in a daze like a baby, then sluggishly put on her Black-rimmed Glasses.
Gelman summoned everyone and had them sit around the campfire. No one was allowed to leave, not even for a step.
Dubisk's icy voice came again:
"Since when do we need your permission just to decide where we stay?"
"You must have noticed something's wrong, right?" Gelman's dark eyes beneath his tricorn met Dubisk's. "If you want to figure out what's going on, follow my lead for now. If my method doesn't work, then we'll listen to you."
Under Gelman's gaze, Dubisk chose to back down. Without a word, he walked over to the campfire and sat down.
The others also realized that something serious seemed to have happened. They gathered around, their expressions grave.
"Shouldn't someone stay nearby to keep watch?" The voice of Renard, the "Crusader," came from inside his helmet, strangely echoing.
"No." Gelman made the decision at once. "Sit down. We'll stay together and deal with the situation at hand first."
Everyone took their seats and looked toward Gelman.
"My Teleport Lantern is the key to traveling between the Ancient Labyrinth and this rainforest. I can only bring three people at a time."
"At our recent meeting, we all agreed to keep the team at four members and not add anyone else. Those are the facts."
"But when I realized something was wrong, there were already seven people in the team. And just now, one more person appeared, bringing us to eight."
"In other words, four uninvited guests have infiltrated