Suzuna came over to the seat next to me and everyone else went back into the room to get ready to explore, as if they didn't want to watch the whole time.

　Suzuna's license includes the growing skill of being a priestess, which is exactly what Suzuna's license is. As a profession in the labyrinth country, it seems to be a strong auxiliary aspect, after all.


　◆Skills learned ◆.

　The purification of everyone.
　Spiritual Sensing 1

　Skills that can be acquired

　The arrow is shot upwards, hitting the enemy on a parabolic path.
　The Eight Verses 1: Shooting the bow as described in the rules of attack multiplies the blow.
　The Demon Arrow: When using the bow, the arrow will have the sacred attribute added to it.
　Cleansing: Adds the sacred attribute to those who are immersed in water with you.
　Prayer: The success rate of the entire party will increase slightly.
　Hand Water: Water drawn with your hands will be purified.
　Hand water: the water will be cleansed. Required Skills: Purification.

　Remaining skill points: 2

Chouzu is the water you wash your hands with when you enter a shrine.
'Yes, it is. It's amazing how clean the water becomes when you draw it... it's like magic.
'It's not what I originally meant, but it looks like it could be used to secure drinking water. But it seems to be a strong song shot too so I'm not sure about this one.

　You can take it for now, but all of them are useful, so you might want to take them as appropriate, just like the heaping salt. Now that I've figured out what skills are available, I'll hold off for now.

　It would be best if I could get all of the skills, but I'll never catch up unless the number of skills that increase with level eventually decreases, etc. Even if there is a way to gain skill points, even Elitia doesn't seem to know about it, so it's not as ostensibly known as the existence of the Secret God.

''Rear-kun, we're ready to go.
I'm done with my checklist, too. Then I'm going to go get dressed.
'Suz, look at that. They've added some reinforcement to the chest. We're getting a little closer to Kyouka's sister and Ellie's armor now, aren't we?
'Gamblers only seem to be able to cover themselves lightly, so don't continue to push yourself just because your armor is getting stronger. There's a limit to how much I can cover.
Okay, I'll be careful.

　Elitia may be saying this with good intentions, but Misaki in her own right lacks a sense of urgency - she's a little worried.

''Are you sure you're okay........?　Don't make me retire after I've come this far.
''Ehehe I want to be with your brother, so I'll do my best to be with you as much as possible.

　I was just saying how far he was serious, but everyone didn't make fun of Misaki's words and subtly blushed.

''.........''
Well does that mean that Theresa feels the same way?
'So do we. I'm sure we'll need to stay on as reserves, but I'd still rather fight with you than stay home.

　Having only chosen the War Maiden (Valkyrie), Igarashi wasn't scared of fighting, even after all the battles she's had to fight against strong enemies.

　I think I can understand why she can learn the 'Brave Mist' which disarms the fear of her allies. The war maiden must be resistant to fear - if such a hidden ability existed, that's exactly why there is still a great deal of potential lying dormant in each and every profession in the Labyrinth Country, though.

　　　◆ ◆ ◆.

　There are currently seven party members, and the guard dog Zion has been added to the search team. As for Melissa and Madoka, they will be asked to join the second party and stay in town.

　Even if you have one leader, you can increase the number of parties you can manage to a maximum of 16, so my license can show the members of the second party as well. Right now, I'm a 2-star adventurer, so 2 parties seems to be the limit.

　The knife Melissa is equipped with is a powerful melee weapon called 'Meat Slicing Knife (Butcher's Knife)', so I want to see how powerful it is, but I'll leave it for this time.

''Brother Alihit, everyone, I wish you good luck.
''Well take me with you when you get a chance again. I'd like to dismantle it on site once in a while.

　With that said, Melissa had decided to stay with Madoka. It looks like she's going to work at the Rykerton Demolition Station while we're in the labyrinth.

'If you can hunt a rare demon, bring it back immediately.
Yeah, sure. Say hello to Mr. Rykerton for me, too.

　The two of them saw us off and we headed to the Demon Farm. To get to the Demon Farm, just like the warehouse, we had to fly through a transition door.

　There was a sign for 'Ranch Information Center' about five minutes' walk from our quarters. The building was a bit cramped for everyone to enter the shop, so I decided to go in alone and ask everyone to go to the Calling Forest to complete the formalities and meet me there later.

'Hello, my name is Atobe,'

　I knocked on the door of the shop, and after a short pause I was greeted by an old man with white hair, but who looked magnificent. He was wearing a hat and a kind of leather tuna, and he was tucking in his beard.

''Welcome, Mr. Atobe. My name is William Christensen, I'm the manager of the Seventeenth Demon Farm. Are you here to register the demi-harpy that you entrusted to me a moment ago for summoning?
'Yes, I'd like to sign up right away if possible, does it take a while?'
''Demi-harpy is already submissive to Atobe-sama, therefore. As long as you have her wearing a costume that corresponds to the summoning stone, she can be summoned at any time. My granddaughter at the farm will explain the details to you. Well then, please follow me.

　Mr. William led me to the stairs to the basement - there is still a transition door at the end of the hall, but there seems to be only one place I can fly to from here.

'Due to the nature of the Demon Farm in the Labyrinth Country, it is necessary to supervise and guarantee the general life of the demons entrusted to our care. There will be no charge for the first week, but after that, we will charge for the actual cost.
Yes, I understand. So the cost of having a demon take care of you will also change depending on the demon?
''That's true. The giant monsters need a dedicated space for them to live, and they need to be fed appropriately. If there are both males and females, they can breed, but they need to secure an adequate amount of space. Most of all, there are not many people who can subdue demons in District 8, so there is always space available at our farm.
'That's good to hear. If you're not pressuring me with the demons I've entrusted to you.

　Mr. William smiled somewhat happily when he heard my answer. I wondered why, and he told me why.

'When it comes to the cost, some of you still want the demon to be disposed of or released into the wild. If it is not a demon that has beneficial abilities when summoned, it would be useless to keep it. At that time, as much as possible, I'm allowed to take them in for research as a 'zoologist'. If possible, I want to see the demons alive and learn about their biology. That's why I got permission to start the farm.
'So that's what happened...'
''It's really rare to find someone who has the aptitude for a job that allows them to interact with demons in their first job choice, much less a 'demonslayer'. My grandson is one of them, and in the past, he used to join the party as an explorer and would bring back demons.
'So your grandson was an explorer too? Mr. William was also.....
Yes, I'm ashamed to say that I didn't achieve much, but I was hiding in the labyrinth day and night. However, all I did was investigate the ecology of demons.

　Mr. William chuckled, but I'm curious about the biology of it, too - but I guess that means it's time to end the conversation, and he urged me to touch the transition door.

'Oh, William. I've already decided, but I'm going to let all three demi-harpy's be summoned as summoning stones. With only one of them, it would be lonely to live on the farm.
'Oh those girls will be happy to know that. They were a little anxious about what would happen now.

　The way you talk about it, it means that you can communicate with demons - but I'll ask the 'demon user's' grandson again about that.

　I open the door and pass through - and that's the end of the transition. In front of me was an idyllic ranch landscape.

　I was already used to the dramatic change in scenery with the transition, but I didn't know that the ranch was as I imagined it to be - and I looked up at the sky and noticed a strange feeling. The blue sky appears to be expanding, but that seems to be an illusion. I was able to notice it through the situation-grasping ability of the "Eagle's Eye".

　The seemingly endless grasslands are also an illusion, and have a dead end. Rather, this space is a vast rectangular shaped 'room' just like a warehouse.

(That's right ... if this were an open-air labyrinth, the demons would spring up. This place is just made to look like the open air, it's a man-made underground space somewhere in labyrinth country).

　It may have been built with William's personal funds, or it may have been a facility that originally existed.
Either way, the feel of the earth on the ground is so natural, and the air you breathe in is so much clearer than the air in the town that you don't feel like this is a man-made space.

　The cow-like demon that is kept inside the fence - if it is the 'swamp buffalo' that I have heard of before? That cow is being fed by a girl who wears a hat that looks like a cow's horn.

　She's wearing a leather tupe like Mr. William's, but I couldn't help but notice 'that part'.

(A cow's tail growing out of it...?　(Is it a decoration or something?)

　Eventually the girl notices me and comes over to me. Then she bows her head over the fence. I respond to her, and her smile turns into a very calm, gentle smile.

Welcome, sir," she says, "I'm the caretaker of the ranch. I'm the caretaker of the ranch, my name is Millis.
'Hello, my name is Atobe. I'm here to register for a demi-harpy summoning.......
They'll be playing in the woods over there. You'll have to wait a little while, it's time to feed these kids.

　I was at a loss for words in front of the girl--Millis--because I was amazed at the overwhelming size of her breasts, which moved up and down in a big way with the slightest movement.

　I shouldn't say that a cow girl has a cow, but that's exactly what I would say. I let my gaze escape to the blue sky, trying to discourage myself from thinking such a foolish thing.

'Sorry for the wait, I was just about to give it to the last boy. Let's go then.

　Millis puts down the bucket of fodder and shows me around.

　And I immediately notice - her tail is bobbing and weaving.

'Oh, I'm sorry, did I hit you?'
No, no I mean, it's just that I thought he looked like he had a tail.
Grandpa didn't tell you this yet. My father is a human, but my mother is a monster called the Minotaur.
...What?

　A moving tail accessory might be a normal part of the world, since there are magical tools - my expectations of such a thing were completely exceeded.

'My dad was a demon user, and he had a minotaur mother as his companion, and he was an explorer. And... well, it seems that a lot of things happened, and I was born.
Yeah, well no, I'm surprised.
I'm impressed with myself, too. But unlike their male counterparts, Minotaur women don't look like cows. That's why I don't feel like a monster... Oh, I'm sorry, are you uncomfortable with people with horns?

　I thought it was a hat with horns, but the horns are its own, and apparently so is the tail. But except for that - the chest may have inherited the traits of a minotaur, too, but the rest of him is no different from a human.

'I have lizardmen among my people, too. So, like sub-humans, but I guess I'm half demon and half human... I don't get weirdly defensive about people like that either.
'Oh thank you very much. Oh, I see, the lizardman....

　As we talked, we reached the woods. Millis let out a whistle, and the demi-harpy's who were sitting on the tree trunks took off and came over to us.

''..........''

　The harpies look at me and look somewhat frightened. The individual who was threatened by Sion's mother dog was pale and trembling - it seems that the fear of being eaten, the fear of being eaten, hasn't gone away yet.

''Oh I'm sorry, I guess I'm still scared because of what happened when we fought.
I've been rather reckless........I guess it's no good scaring them into following you too much. I don't know.
When humanoid demons are caught, they can be made into a freak show, or only the parts of them that can be used as materials are taken away, so I think that's what they're afraid of.

　I was thinking of training them and taming them to use them as summoned beasts - but if you think about it, the only purpose of this is to use them.

　If possible, I'd like to have them willingly lend me their strength. I can't take so much time to build up trust with them, but I can tell them what I think.

　I gather my thoughts and stand in front of the demi-harpy's. They look at me fearfully, though they are frightened.

'You guys have given me a hard time at times, and at first I thought I had no choice but to beat you. But I know it's my ego, but I can't easily kill a demon that looks like a human being, and I won't do anything terrible to it. I promise that in the future. If I cancel my summoning contract, then I'll send you back to where you were.

　Demi-harpy has differences in appearance between individuals. The demi-harpy we first encountered, and the demi-harpy I fell off the roof with, looked like it would fall in the middle if I were to compare the three of them to sisters.

''Well do you understand what I'm saying?''

　The individual who was seen as the most mature of the demi-harpies - the eldest daughter, if you will - nodded her head in a representative manner.

　The eldest girl was indescribably s*xy, with one eye hidden by her long brunette hair, and only one side of her hair hanging over her chest. She's a demon, so it doesn't help that she's naked, but it's surreal to see that neither she nor Miris cares at all if one of her breasts is visible.

　The second daughter has shoulder-length hair, her body is a little smaller than her eldest daughter's, and her face is more innocent. The third daughter is even younger and has the appearance of a girl of ten or so years of age - as for her body shape, no matter how much of a demon she is, I don't think she should stare at it, so I'll spare you the confirmation.

''If you have any other requests, you can say whatever you want. In return, though, you can help us.

　My second daughter shivered as she wrapped her third daughter in her wings, but she listened to me. The eldest daughter stepped in front of me, put her hand on my chest as if to represent me, and nodded her head in a dignified manner.

''Alright then, the deal is done. When I summon you, you will mainly use the 'Sleeping Song'. Don't miss the voice training.
....
....!

　The eldest daughter nods further. The second and third daughters also look somewhat surprised, and then all three of them bow to me.

　--As I watch them, I suddenly think.

　No words can be uttered, but communication of wills is not impossible. And the name 'Demi (Half)' Harpy.

(Don't tell me.......are these kids sub-humans too?)

Good for you, guys. Do you know what voice training is?　We're practicing our song. Don't let me fall asleep then I'll put on an accessory that corresponds to the summoning stone. Which one do you want, Atobe-san?

　The choices are collars, earrings, necklaces, bangles, and anklets - on the other hand, how about letting three people choose for you? When it comes to accessories, people have their own preferences, and it's better to choose what they like.

　The eldest chose earrings, the second daughter chose a bracelet, and the third daughter chose anklets. All of them are made of silver metal, and the bracelet and anklet are made of leather where they touch the skin.

''The summoning stone is here. This is the one that corresponds to the piercing, and this is the one for the bangles...''

　The summoning stone wasn't very large and was attached to a fitting and worked into a pendant shape, so I was allowed to wear it on the spot. The item's information was displayed on the license, and it looked like this.


　◆Pendant of Summoning Stone, Three Demons ◆

　You can summon "Demi-harpy I".
　Summons "Demi-harpy II".
　Summons "Demi-harpy III".
　Slight improvement in evasion.
　When the contracted demon's trust level increases, additional effects are released.


(Is it also effective as an equipment item? How do you raise the trust level?

Mr. Millis, can I ask you one question?
You can call me Milis. I get embarrassed when you call me 'Mr.'. And you don't have to be so formal.
'Oh, well... um, Miris. How do I increase the trustworthiness of a demon?
'There are many ways to do this, including giving gifts and working together for long periods of time. Different demons please different things, so we'll have to wait and see what happens there.

　If that's the case, first and foremost - I don't know if they'll like it, but I'd like to give them some equipment from me.

　When I talked to Harpy and the others about wanting to give them clothes or equipment that would cover their breasts, Miris replied that she would give them clothes that they could equip even if they had wings for now, so I left the ranch, leaving the price of the clothes behind and left the ranch.

　Now I could summon the summoned beast at any time. If I keep more trump cards, they'll surely come alive later on - and with that thought in mind, I hurried to my companions.