- Aya Sasaki's Point of View -

How's that?　Sa-san, do you think you can use secrecy?
　Takatsuki-kun asks me.
　'I'm currently practicing my 'covert skills'.

Yes, I think I'm starting to get it. But it's difficult.''
　This is a subterranean lake in the middle of the Great Maze.
　The plaza behind the giant waterfall.
　It's my favorite, but lately it's been a sad place that reminds me of my family.
　But I'm not feeling too sad now.

'...........
　When I looked next to him, I saw Takatsuki-kun spreading his hands in the air and talking in a whisper about something.

'What are you doing?'
I'm talking to a genie around here. We're going to get to know each other.
''Um, when you get along with a spirit, does spirit magic become more powerful?''
Yeah, it's just a bit of old-fashioned magic.
Do you think you'll get along with the spirits?
'Ah, the spirits of the Great Maze are so flippant. Easy to talk to.
"Hmm.

　I can't see the spirits, so it doesn't feel right to me.
　Takatsuki-kun seems to be enjoying himself.
　Whenever he was here, he looked exactly as I thought he would be happy to have him in this world.
　I continued to practice my skills while I watched him blankly.　


'Shh!　Saa-san, there's a harpy.
!
　Tension sets in.
　I was a little buoyant, my heart goes cold.
　I look through the gap in the waterfall toward the cavern vault and see a few harpies circling.
　Maybe they're looking for prey.

　
　You care so much, I'll send you all to hell!
　Perhaps sensing my feelings, Takatsuki-kun speaks to me calmly.

''Sa-san, do those guys always come from that area?''
'Yeah, as far as I can tell, the light is coming from that big hole in the ground.
Well, I guess we better figure out where the nest is, then.
But we can't fly and we can't get there and...

　I also think their nest is near the ceiling of the subterranean lake, but there was no way to get there.
　But there was no way to get there.

We'll figure that out later. .... They've gone somewhere.
　Just like Takatsuki-kun said, the Harpy disappeared deep into the subterranean lake.

'It's all right now.'
Yes.
　We go back to work.
　It's basically quiet so that the demons don't find us.
　But what a calming experience compared to the solitude of being alone in the dungeon.

(But hey!)
　It's not all that peaceful.
　There are things that bother me.

(And an opportunity for just the two of us might actually be valuable.)　
　Be as casual as possible.
　I call out to him as if we were having a natural conversation.

"Hey, Takatsuki-kun. What's your relationship with Lucy?

　Oh, maybe I was a bit straightforward in my asking.
　I hope you didn't think it was weird.
　But, I'm curious.

　A beautiful red-haired elf girl.
　She seemed a bit pointy, but when I talked to her, she had a crisp personality.
　And for some reason, she was very revealing.
　I don't know why, but even I, as a woman, get a kick out of it.

I said, "Don't be silly. I was a buddy of mine who partied with you about six months ago.
It's a private party, right?
I'm with Fujiyan, or with other adventurers, and the lineup changes from time to time. The most common one is solo.
Are you going on an adventure by yourself?
It's easy. I'm a pro at hunting goblins and stuff.

　I don't know why he has a smirk on his face.
　He had the same look on his face as he did in junior high school when he was playing the game alone at recess.

(He hasn't changed!)

But it's a party of three, including you, right?
What?
'Huh?　No?
'No!　Sure, fine!

　Surprise.
　I was going to ask him to join the party one of these days.
　Oh well, I'm already part of the party!　

'Oh, but I haven't talked to Lucy about it yet.
....
But you'll be fine.

　Lucy, call her out.
　As far as I know, I have never had a female friend that Takatsuki-kun would call me by my name.
　When I think about it, I feel very close to Lucy.

(But it seems that name calling is normal in this world...)
　Lucy called me "Aya" out of the blue.　

Maybe I should call her "Makoto" too, but it's weird to change the way you call me. But it's strange to suddenly change the way you call me....

　Hesitantly, he continued his training and exploration for the day.


　◇

- Lucy's point of view.

So let's practice controlling the flames.
　After dinner, I started training with Makoto on the outskirts of the adventurer's town.
　I was with Fujiyan-san and Nina all day today.

　We had been gathering information about Queen Harpy from the Adventurer's Guild and the merchants, but the results were not good.
　Everyone is only talking about 'The Abominable Dragon', 'The Order of the Sun' and 'The Brave Men of Light'.

''It seems that in a few days, the Sun Knight Order will be on a mission to defeat the Abominable Dragon.
Oh, so the demons in the Great Labyrinth will calm down once the defeat is over?
'That's the rumor. Adventurers and merchants alike were bemoaning the lack of business in the upper levels because of the dragons and the loss of explorers.
Well, I guess so.

　While saying that, Makoto is making a small dragon with water magic and sending it flying through the air in a fluffy manner.
　A little while ago, they were water bullets.
　The trick is getting finer and finer.

"Lucy, how many rock bullets can you produce now?
Just three....
Ooh, nice. That's good.
　There are nine miniature water dragons flying around you.
　I feel like an idiot.

'How can you have such fine control over what?
If your water magic proficiency is over 120, you can do it.
I'm done.

　I was an idiot for asking.
　It's not helpful at all.
　What's the proficiency level: 120?

　My fire magic proficiency is 15 and my earth magic is 11.
　However, earth magic is easier to use because of my staff.
　To be exact, it's thanks to the magic staff that the giant gods put on me.　

　The current training is the training to increase the number of 'meteorite drops' combining earth and fire magic.
　The enemy this time, the harpies, are numerous.
　I'm sure you're not the only one.

(The Harpy Queen.......of the Lamia tribe, Sasaki Aya's family Kataki)

　This adventure is caused by a Lamia girl he recently met.
　A girl who was reincarnated into Lamia from another world.
　And a true acquaintance.

(What kind of acquaintance is that?)

　I've heard that they are friends who studied at the same school.
　He used to be a quieter kid," she said, and as she laughed, Aya tapped Makoto on the head, "What do you mean?

　We're close.
　Not only are they close, they're close.　

(Today, we were exploring the Great Maze, just the two of us.... And she said she was going to invite me to a party.)

　He invites Aya Sasaki to a party.
　That's nothing to complain about.
　She is a friend of Makoto and Fujiyan.
　I don't know anyone else over here who is from another world.
　And since I'm reincarnated as a demon, I can't be with someone who doesn't know what's going on.
　It's only natural that he would try to help.
　However, I'm curious.

(Maybe Aya likes Makoto...)

　Have you always been in love with him?
　Did you fall in love with him when you met him again on this side of the world?
　I don't know.

'By the way, Lucy. It's tomorrow and I was wondering if you and Sa-san could take me on a tour of the town?
'What?　Yikes!
　Suddenly, the real thing talked to me and dropped the rock bullets I was controlling.
　Heated by fire magic, the rock scorched the ground.

''Are you okay?''
Uh-huh. Is it just me, by the way?　What are you going to do about the truth?
I will continue to explore the Great Maze and communicate with the spirits.
Are you going to be okay on your own?
'All the loopholes I've mapped out, so you'll be fine on your own. I need Sa-san to teach me how to shop and how to spend my money.
Okay.....

　Just the two of you and Aya...
　I don't know what to say.

　The training is over.
　I ended the day in a bewilderment.