The party hunting for cottontails at the first level told me that the entrance to the second level was not a particular staircase, but rather two large trees that grew on the plain, and if you walked through them, you would be on the second level.

　I thought that a labyrinth would be a place where you could go down and up the stairs, but this common sense didn't seem to apply to this "Akebono's Field".

　We found the big tree we were looking for. The air between the big tree seems to be hazy for some reason - it seems to be like a gate to transition to the next level.

'Before we go to the second level, why don't we get some food?　I think it's better to snack in between than to take time to eat well.
'Right. Well, let's have some food and then go.

　The grocery store sold a whole range of foods that were dried to last longer. The one that the clerk recommended that the explorers buy first was a mixture of nuts and dried fruits mixed with nuts and dried fruit, hardened with wheat or some kind of flour and baked - like crackers, or biscuits.

　It was pretty hard, so I heard there were many ways to eat it, including putting soup in a water bottle and soaking it to soften it up, but I peeled off the wrapping paper and bit into it anyway. It wasn't stubbornly hard, and the inside was a bit moist, so it wasn't difficult to bite off.

''........Ugh, I'm so thirsty. It looks like we should be more careful about the amount of water left in the labyrinth than food.
'We can't just drink the spring water as it is, and it's going to be a challenge in the long labyrinth. There's magic, so I suppose you could come back from the middle of it after you've made some progress, or you could escape wherever you want and come back to the same place, or something like that.
'People with those skills would be quite popular, so it would be difficult to scout them.

　Theresa has an appetite, too, and when I asked her to choose what she wanted at the grocery store, she chose jerky. She was told that that alone would make her malnourished, so she was instructed to also feed her an assortment of dried fruit-like items and tree nuts.

''Hmmm........''

(He doesn't speak at all, but only subtly when he eats... no, he just swallows.)

I won't say a word about it, but it's........
'Sub-humans can't communicate with each other in words. But it's not going to stay that way forever. If only we could somehow get the lizard's equipment off...
To that end, you wanted to make Miss Theresa an official companion.
'There's that too. The best thing I can say is that I explored with you yesterday and you were very reliable.

　When we met Redface, if it weren't for Theresa, we would have been wiped out.

　The 'rear guard' would not be possible without the 'vanguard'. Without the use of supportive skills, the strengths of the 'rear guard' won't come out at all, so you must always maintain a good relationship with your companions.

''Igarashi-san, we've been hunting for about an hour, are you tired?''
No, not at all. No, not at all. When you are behind me, sometimes my body gets warm and I get rid of my fatigue. Is it because of your skills, too?
'Yeah, well. It just makes you feel tired, but nothing else weird, right?

　I'm going to ask you something I've been wondering about in the process. 'I know that 'Supportive Attack' and 'Supportive Defense' make you feel better, but what kind of feeling does it feel like to have your trust increased by a supportive skill?

　After taking a bite of the portable food bar, Igarashi-san couldn't reply right away, and she blushed and concentrated on chewing.

''Hmm.......sorry, I just put it in my mouth.
Okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for interrupting. Enjoy your meal.
'It's a weird feeling... it's like... it's like... it's like I'm being 'protected'...'
I'm glad to hear it then.

　In fact, I'm protecting them from behind, so it's not a mistake in that sense, and it's not that they're getting more and more favorable to me - not without, it seems.

''..........It's tasteless to have only portable food, I'll make a lunch for you sooner or later. I've been told I can use the kitchen in the inn, so I can make something reasonable.
'Oh, that's good. Oh, did Igarashi-san know how to cook?
'The girls in our section are half bento. We don't have time to go out and buy one for everyone, and the canteen has too much to offer, so we inevitably end up with lunches.

　I did see many times a female employee having lunch in the meeting space with a homemade lunchbox.

...Well, well, my mother often made them for me.
She's a good mother, isn't she? So the bento you make tastes like your mother's?
'Hmmm, if you have the right materials. Can you stop by the market today when you're done exploring?　It seems like there's a lot going on up there.
'Fine. So that's what we're going to do after the search... Teresia, are you happy now?

　Theresia clears her throat. She's just finished eating the dried meat.

　She looks at me intently. If she's satisfied, she'll nod, which means she's still hungry.

''There's dried meat or the one Igarashi-san is eating, which one do you want?
..........

　Theresia points to the meat and moves her fingers to the solid food bar. I can't help but be pleased at the thought of the emotion in that movement.

'You like meat better, don't you?'

　I asked her, and she nodded her head in agreement. I don't know why she refrained - I guess she was worried about me eating the last of the dried meat myself because I was chewing on a portable food bar.

　When I accepted the dried meat, Theresa chewed it off in her little mouth. Then she chews with a munching motion - while looking at me for some reason.

''Theresa-san, you look happy...?''
..........
Well, well, you seem to like dried meat.

　The whole problem with portable food is that it's hard and muggy in the mouth. That's not a problem because it will fill my stomach and I can get the nutrition I need - but sometimes, as Igarashi-san said, a bento is a good idea.

　◆ ◆ ◆

　As I entered the second level, the number of trees in my eyes increased. The difference is about as different as evolving from the plains to the savannah - no, I'm not familiar with the definition of savannah.

'I wonder which way this should go. I heard that the goal was to get to the third level.
I heard that all the way to the northeast, there's a gate thing again, like now.

　If I hadn't gotten the information from Rival-san, if I wasn't lucky, I would have kept going in the direction of the day after tomorrow and would have been exhausted.

(And while I have no way to get rid of my own fatigue, the two in front of me are always at full strength due to... well, fatigue doesn't seem to diminish their strength either.

'Oh, yeah. Rear, I'm only level 1, but I'm taking two skills. Can you give me some advice on how to use them?
Yes, I was shown it yesterday, and it's "Blink Step" and "Thunderbolt".
What does that tell you if you've used it on your rear end?
"There's a page in your license called 'Current Status,' and it will show up there.

　I flipped to the license page. I slide my finger a few times and the desired screen comes up.

　◆Current Status◆

　Arihito and Kyoka talk to each other.
　Theresa is activating "Search Extension 1".

(Does it show up in casual actions? Is it correct that Theresia's skills are always activated without using magic?)

I didn't know that. Thanks to this, your body will feel warm and fuzzy, huh?
'I'm sorry. It seems like a skill that's constantly being triggered it might be unsettling, so I'll see if I can't find a way to prevent it from being triggered.
'........oh. I was hit by a red one yesterday and it hurt so bad, and now it's easier...
''Yes I used this skill. This is our strength and magic power, and my skills can restore this strength.

　I remember using the skill in a position where I had to hug him from behind. Anyway, as a position, I had no choice but to come around to the back.

　Support recovery has always worked for me so far, even when I'm about 5 meters away. I'll have to try to gauge how much, if any, marginal distance, and that too against a safe enemy.

　--then, a little distance away, I could hear the other party engaging in a battle.

　They are just barely grazing the range of Theresia's search, and she is responding. I can see it from a distance - it's Elitia and Suzuna.

(Misaki isn't with them... no, more importantly, the person they're fighting is... what is that... that humanoid... pig or boar? ........?

Bulloo!
'Oh no...'
Suzuna, stay back!　Don't move from there!

　The demon you encountered

　Fang Orcs: Level 2 In Combat Drop: ?
　Dodger Bees: level 1 alert:?
　Dodger Bees: level 1 alert:?

(Orcs........level 2 demons. From the rumors I've heard about Elitia, it doesn't sound like she'd be a good match for her...)

　Her golden hair flowed in the wind. The girl swordsman in silver armor was more than a size bigger than her, and she was completely undaunted by the orcs who were striking at her with a roar.

''-- Scatter!

　From her normal perspective, these words sounded extreme. But it was also an indication that even though she had probably passed through successive battles, she wasn't letting her guard down in this battle.

　Current Situation◆

　Elitia's Slash Ripper activates and hits Fang Orc.
　Defeat one Fang Orc.

　The orc was not even given time to scream. At the moment of contact, all that could be seen was Elitia's hand on her sword, and a moment later, the orc was on the ground with a splash of blood.

(The strongest enemy has been defeated--but still...!

'Igarashi-san, Theresa!　Let's get the bees' attention over here!
There's your answer!
......

　Current Situation

　Theresa activates "Axel Dash".

　Theresia uses her skills to accelerate - she gets into the search range of one of the dwarf bees and attracts the target. However, the other one's position is not good.

　No matter how good a swordsman is, if a randomly positioned bee suddenly becomes hostile - even if it targets Suzuna in the rearguard, he can't immediately respond to it.

''--Alihito-san........!

　Suzuna, who had been keeping low and unmoving, noticed us and called out. Before the bee that was circling in the air could take aim at her, I let loose a bullet of a flaming sling.