After finishing dinner, I logged into the game and headed to Ketsey's village with Lily, Aeon, Love Fire, Noah, and Waxxie.

''Oh, you're a matador!　I've been waiting for you!

D'Artagnan is coming. I'm a matabyte guy... and yet the village is in a totally festive mood.

"Did you bring the watermelon?

Here you go.

Thank you!　Well, I've got some firewood in the middle of town, and I want you to put the cattails in it!　I'll show you around!

D'Artagnan led me to the site where the firewood was being assembled in the shape of a well. It's a common way to assemble firewood in a campfire. You know what I mean.

I put in the firewood and d'Artagnan took the lead.

We're going to have a festival!　Guys, please!

Meow!

The ketsies all lit the sowing at once and the festivities began.

That's what it was supposed to be... currently the Ketsies are rolling around on the ground.

'Happy nyah~'

D'Artagnan has also been eliminated. Apparently the Mata Tavern Festival is a festival where Ketsey and her friends are happy with the smell of Mata Tavern. I don't see any advantage to us at all. It's more like Love Fire and the Japanese foxes are being harmed by the smell of Caterpillar.

Now, I'm sure nothing is going to happen as it is, but as I'm thinking this, a strong wind blows and a lot of fire sparks rise up. For a moment, I was worried about the fire, but then the sparks became a line and gathered in the sky.

''Beautiful...''

It was a fantastic sight, so much so that Lily and the others would say so. And the lines that were gathered drew an entity I was familiar with. It's a divine beast, famous in ancient Egypt and elsewhere.

It was the guardian of the pyramids, which were the tombs of the kings, and the power to defeat the enemy.

Its name was the Sphinx.

In case you're wondering, there are many different forms of the Sphinx. I've heard that there are male and female, and some kinds have wings.

The drawn sphinx takes on its original form and comes down in front of us.

'I am the Sphinx. My name is Able Hall. I am Able Hall, protector of the great Pharaoh, and a divine beast.

Apparently the model is the Great Sphinx of Giza. But is it okay for the protective divine beast to come here?

You performed the ritual and called it in, didn't you?

It was a ritual to summon the Sphinx.

"You wish to enter the desert?

Yes, sir.

Well, you're going to have to go through the trials.

There's a famous story in the Sphinx about the trials.

"If you can answer my riddle correctly five times in a row, I will consider you eligible to enter the desert.

I knew it. The info is coming.

'A special quest 'Trial of the Sphinx' has occurred.

Special Quest "Trials of the Sphinx": Difficulty Level E
Reward: Sphinx's Medal
Answer the Sphinx riddle correctly for five consecutive questions.

That's a low difficulty. Well, it's only a riddle, so maybe it's low.

What do you want to do?

I challenge you.

I understand. One challenge per person. Whoever answers incorrectly will be punished.

So there's a penalty... but this one misses the mark. I don't think Lily or Love Fire are good at riddles. No, they might have a hidden talent.

"Tact, what's a riddle?

...let's start with the riddle.

Who would you like to challenge first?

'Yes, sir!　From Lily!

Okay. Now the first question.

Now, what kind of riddle is coming?

'Lily took 100g and went to buy a 50g one. I lost 80g on the way. What's missing for Lily?

It's a simple question.

No, not really.

It's a famous riddle, you see.

"Uh... uh... uh... 50g!

We and the Sphinx freeze at Lily's answer.

This is a tough one. It's wrong from a normal answer. The Sphinx will have a hard time saying the right answer.

'Za, unfortunately it's incorrect. The correct answer is Lily's attention span.

Really?!

I'm dazzled by Lily's honest acceptance... and by the way, there are many answers to this riddle. There must have been normal money, luck, etc.

Then it's your punishment.

Lightning strikes Lily.

'Caaaaah!'

Lily?

We ran up to it and there was Lilly in her cat-mimi and cat-tailed form.

'Huh?　Are you all right?

Even the endings are in cat language. Wait a minute, I'm going to be like this too?

Lily, you're ending things wrong!

'What?　What's a baby's ending?　Aeon Nyan

Who is Aeon?

Lilly's guy doesn't seem to notice it at all. But it doesn't feel like a very bad punishment. Then the Sphinx says.

'Have you forgotten what's going on in this village right now?

The Sphinx says this and Lily falls over and rolls out.

'Nya-ha-ha!　It smells so good!　Happy meow.

It's the effects of matrimony!

So, shall we continue with our riddle?

I'll just have to get this over with before the damage spreads. As I turn to go, Aeon stops me.

'No!　You're a summoner, Takuto-san, so let me take care of things here!

I wouldn't do that, would you?　Aeon. You don't want to be like Lily, do you?

That's all right!　I know what it's like!

I think it's a good idea to stop. This kind of thing would be the worst match for a type like Ion. But the surprisingly stubborn Ion challenged and answered with a brilliantly straightforward answer.

So what happened?

'Tact-nyan~. I want you to touch my tail~

He started sticking his butt out and begging me for it. When Aeon finds out later, she's going to explode.

"Aeon sister... you are so bold!

We can't do that.

But since Lily and Aeon challenged me, I had to go and challenge myself, so Koibibi challenged him, and naturally, he answered incorrectly.

Then Koibito came hugging me and started licking my face.

''Nya~. It's delicious, Tact-nyan. Pero pero.''

Come to think of it, cats don't lick hands and such. But love fire, I want you to remember what you said earlier.

Since Love Fire challenged me, my sister, Kazuoxu, decided to challenge me as well...I don't have to tell you the result.

I'm pushed down by Wa Fox, who has turned into a cat, and Wa Fox curls up on my chest.

'Tact-nyan, warm-nyan...rumbling'

My chest isn't an electric carpet. And your sister character is falling apart, okay?

Finally, Noah. He reluctantly tries, then quickly gives up and becomes a cat. It's very Noah-like.

The one who became a cat comes in front of me.

"...nyah.

That's all I had to say, and I curled up away from him. The most cat-like thing in me, I thought, was Noah.

'You're the last one,'

Yes, sir.

Now, question number one, we have 200 grams of 300 g. How much is a kilogram of meat?

No, sir.

It's not salmon eggs. It's a common riddle.

Correct. Now for the second question. Where do you always wear your shoes?

"Foot.

I'm about to answer, like the front door or something, but usually it would be my feet.

Good answer. Now for the third question. How can I use an ink brush to draw a red house and a blue house?

'You can write the red house and the blue house and the letters.

The ink may be colorful in this world, but my answer should be correct, too.

Correct. Now, it's on to the fourth question. A tulip, a rose, and a cherry tree. Which of these flowers has thorns?

No.

None of the flowers have thorns.

'Correct. I'll do it...now for the final question. There are blue, yellow and red houses. What's in between the blue and yellow?

And.

Between the blue and yellow is the hiragana "and". I knew this kind of riddle.

'Brilliant. You deserve to move on. Let me give you this.

The info comes.

'You have completed the special quest 'Trial of the Sphinx'.

I receive a medallion with a sphinx on it from the Sphinx. Appraisal.

The Sphinx medal: an important item.
If you have it in your possession, you can enter the Sandwall Desert.

As I appraise it, the Sphinx fades away.

'If you keep it in your possession, you will enter the Sandwall Desert. But be careful. The Sandwall Desert is the land where the gods sleep.

I still feel like Egypt is the model.

'If you continue your adventures, you may eventually meet them... until then, farewell.

The Sphinx turned invisible and disappeared. Wait a minute, Lily and the others!

When I looked at him, he was back to normal. But he's acting weird. He's scurrying around.

'Oh, that?'

You okay?

I'm fine...but...

What's going on?　Mr. Takuto?

I don't remember this one...I see...I don't remember that one...I say to Aeon.

"I don't know what to do.

Why are you speaking one language?　There was definitely something there!

Aeon... there are some things you're probably better off not knowing.

What did you do?　I...I'm terribly scared!

Ion pursued me, but it was too difficult for me to say.