As if on behalf of the demon's will, Sophie turns her fierce hostility towards us.

I wanted to feed Georg first, but he wouldn't come back and.......yes, he called you guys. That hot and bothered man with nothing but a sense of justice was an afterthought.
Mrs. Georg is trying to help you and your friends.
'Kyouka, don't get all hot!　Sophie is just being controlled by a demon. If only the grass wrapped around that body could be reaped, it would be back to normal.......
'Hmph..................... What are you talking about?　It's such a wonderful thing to be nurtured. Now, let's be one. Or will you guys listen to me if I take that man in first?

　The enemy has roots in the ground and can generate "puppet grass" from anywhere. When I remembered that, I went full speed ahead to find out what the best response would be.

"--Rear-kun!

　Current Situation

　The Puppeteer of the Vine invokes 'Rampant Blooming' → Target: Aricht.

　Around me, "Puppet grass" rose up in all directions. If I did that, I wouldn't be able to escape, which is what the enemy seemed to be thinking.

(Just as well........it's a risk to be divided, but I've been wondering about Sophie's "back".......!

　When Sophie found out that she was being controlled by a demon, where did the vine weeds that wrapped around her body originate from?

　--Yes, it should have been 'from her back'.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Arihito activates Backstand → Target: Sophie
　Eight Puppet Grasses activate "Marionette" → Target: None

　I activate my skills and transition behind Sophie. And I find a flower on her back, a different color than the rest of her.

　A white flower - I didn't think that such a pure-looking flower was the body of a vicious demon.

(After all, it was behind........if I aim for this one.......!

Eat it!

　Current Situation

　Arihito activates 'Force Shoot' → Target: 'Puppet Master of Vine Grass'
　Hit the Puppet Master of Vine Grass
　The Puppet Master of Vine Grass activates Emergency Leave.

"--Gishaaaaaah!

　The magic bullets hit the white flower and the petals scattered - then a huge plant, which seems to be the main body of the puppet grass, appeared from the ground in the center of the square. The white flowers on Sophie's back wither and die for some reason, then move to the body and bloom again.

　However, the puppet state has not yet been lifted. If you look at the back of Sophie, you can see puppet grass growing from the ground and twisting around her whole body - the original equipment already had lost its original form, and she was almost naked.



d*mn... what power...!

　She teams up with Sophie from behind and stops moving - her puppet state has not yet been released. Maybe it's because she's being controlled by a demon, or maybe it's because she's strong to begin with, but it's pretty tough to hold her down as she rages with all her might.

''Everyone, attack the main body while you still can!

　Even if the support as the 'rear guard' is blocked, it shouldn't be an opponent that can't be defeated with the concentrated fire of the party members centered on Elitia - if you just look at the level, it's lower than the 'named' we've encountered so far.

''--I'll eradicate them!
'Kyah........don't stop at my feet, you coward!
.........
Whoa!

　With Elitia as the cutting captain, the four of them set up simultaneously - Rising Zapper, Double Attack, Double Throw, and Power Rush. Furthermore, Suzuna applies 'Minnaka' and shoots arrows, aiming at the white flower, which is probably the weak point.

''A little more........if I could just make one more attack.......!

　After performing 'Rising Zapper', Elitia quickly connects to 'Blossom Blade' - it's a big move that requires tame, so it seems that she aimed to derive it from another move.

''It's always like that, but since I'm here too.......Lucky Seven!

　Misaki, who couldn't join the general attack, throws two dice - the eyes that come up are invisible to me, but her strong luck activates the skill.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Misaki activates Lucky Seven and that's it!
　The rare drop rate of "Puppet Master of Vine Grass" increased.

Did it work?
It's okay, Misaki, it's working!　So stay back!
　If this was going to happen, I should have been a cheerleader!

　At the same time as Misaki pulls, Elitia unleashes her 'Blossom Blade' and slams countless slashes into the rampaging plants.

''--Disperse!

　Current Situation

　Elitia activates the Blossom Blade.
　Attack the Vine Puppet Master 12 times.

"GISHAAHH...!

　The red sword flipped like a dance, and twelve slashes cut the vine grass puppeteer to pieces. With that final push, the nightmarish plant monster finally stopped moving and sank in front of us.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Defeat the Puppet Master of Vine Grass
　Sophie, Jake, Mikhail and Tyler's puppet status has been lifted.

.........
Whoa ... look out! Oh, the grass is dead.........

　The grass that was wrapped around Sophie's body begins to die at the same time as the main body dies - it falls apart in tatters. Even though it's this situation, it's not something I can look at directly, so I close my eyes.

''.........hmm......''
Good, because it looks like you'll be back on track when you get the body down.


　I look at the trees in the forest - how about hiding them with leaves? I'm sure he'd be offended if I actually said such a thing, so I picked up the equipment scattered about and asked everyone to try to hide it with it.

'If we tie this place up with a handkerchief, can't we at least mend the appearance of the clothes?'
I'd like to have a needle and thread for things like this and maybe some bandages.
'You're going to bandage your whole body?　They say samurai can be like that...
I've been known to roll up my parchment and so on, so I can roll it up.

　While the four of them were saying ah-ha, I asked Sion to keep an eye on the surroundings to make sure the other three were still alive. All three of them are debilitated, but they seem to be in a life-threatening condition.

''........''
Hmmm... what's the matter?

　Theresia stands beside Mikhail and looks at me. Theresia clenches her fist and makes a gesture to drop it on Mikhail.

'You mean I'm not mad at that man?　Well, it's not like I was being manipulated... what?

　Theresa shook her head. What does it mean - does it mean that Mikhail, and Tyler, were hungry for women even if they weren't being manipulated, or something like that? If a woman's intuition could tell her such a thing, it couldn't be easily denied.

''Not all male explorers are the same.............but we must always think about protecting everyone. I don't want my party mates to look at me that way just because I'm equipped to be more exposed.
..........

　Theresia lowers her fist and moves closer to me. And then she stares at me in silence - does that mean that Theresia is going to affirm my thoughts?

'Did you hear that, sister?　Your brother says he'll protect you.
It's more like I'm trying to protect you, or shield you, or maybe I'm just trying to be a shield.
'I don't know if he was manipulated and his true nature came out, or if he was saying things that weren't in his mind... but I guess there aren't many people who are as calm as Arihito, after all.
"Behind.........no, it's a great relief to have Arihito-san near me. I shouldn't rely on him, but really, he's like a big brother...

　Everyone was probably relieved after the fierce battle, but it was an unsettling feeling to be praised for sounding so normal.

''..........''
'Yeah, I'll have to check and see if anything has fallen out... Theon, what's up?'

　Theon is sitting up and wagging his tail with a flap.

(.........this........!

　When I got closer - after the 'Puppeteer of Vine Grass' withered away, the 'Black Box' had fallen.

(For a long time, it was not defeated and was slowly increasing its victims... so the black box was generated just like the juggernaut. (So that's what happened.)

　The members of the Arctic Star did not join those victims. Our party is also safe - since Theon has his back to us, the 'support recovery' has been activated and now everyone has fully recovered.

"Rear, you found something........oh, that box.......the 'black box'.......?
It was a strong opponent, and unconfirmed, so it's possible but it's really upsetting to be in this party.

　Elitia smiles at me even as she says that. I'm the same way - the rare box that surprised Falma-san so much was obtained with hardly a pause. I'm both happy and surprised.

(The black box - the one the juggernaut dropped contained the key to the hidden hierarchy. (If it had been in there this time too...)

　There is a hidden level in this labyrinth, and if you are able to enter it, you might find the 'parts' Ariadne mentioned, or you might meet another secret god.

　After the rescue of the 'North Star', I'll have this black box opened. The unexpected discovery made my heart dance in my chest now.

''Oh..... Come to think of it, you've been flying all along. Good job, come on down.

　I call for the demi-harpies, who were still in the air when the battle ended, and they land in front of me. The girls, who were naked, are now wearing clothes, so I don't have to worry about where to look.

　The three girls, who are the smallest of the three, seem a little nervous, but although they are hiding behind the second girl, they don't seem to be that scared of me.

''Rear-kun, did you give these girls names?''
'Well I don't have a good sense of naming, so I'd like everyone to come up with a name if possible. Or do you have a name that was originally chosen?

　The eldest of the harpy girls shakes her head, shaking her long brunette hair. At the same time, her breasts, which aren't wearing any underwear because she's only wearing a thin piercing robe, shake loudly - I can't say that about Mikhail, either, if he's reacting to something like this.

'Since you're a girl with wings, how about Asuka (Asuka)?'
'Asuka then, Yayoi (Yayoi) sounds good too. It's a bit old-fashioned, though.
If that's the case, the other one would be Himiko........ Only one of them is named after a queen.

　In the twinkling of an eye, the name was decided upon - the three of us are cunning, or maybe it's just the wisdom of Monju.

　Starting with Harpy, who seems to be the oldest, Himiko, Asuka and Yayoi. This one should be easy to learn.

''Shall I ask Elitia to name another demon some other time?
'That's a lot of responsibility to name them but I've been looking at them and if Aricht says so, I'll think of something.

　Since Harpy's 'Sleeping Song' was very useful, I'd like to move with an eye toward capturing the demons that use special attacks in the future.

''Hmm...?　That was....

　I can hear the sound of group footsteps from the street leading to the first floor.

　At the front is a heavily armed female warrior holding a huge shield - I've seen the symbol in large on the shield before. That's the imprint of the guild.

　She has short, greenish, smooth hair and wears a bowl of gold on her head. She looks a lot younger than I am, but her vibe is clearly that of a handcrafter.

　They are led by a female warrior, followed by three men and two women. They are wearing helmets that cover their faces and their expressions are not visible. In the stuffy atmosphere, my companions show a little nervousness.

''........You guys are the 'North Star'?''

　She said in a voice so small and whispery that it was unbecoming of her heavy equipment. That made me realize what was going on, somehow.

'No, we're a different party. We just defeated the demon that attacked the 'North Pole Star'...What about you guys?
We are guild sabers. We have just received word from our observers on the North Star that they are no longer able to continue their search. That's why we're here to help.

　During the promotion trials, the guild is monitored by the guild. But by the time the report was received and the Guild Saber arrived, it meant that we had finished the rescue.

'We appreciate you carrying out our mission on our behalf. If you apply to the Guild, you will receive a rescue reward. However, from now on, when rescuing a destroyed party, avoid meddling so that the mummies don't turn into mummies. I want you to promise me that.
'That ... I'm sorry, but it depends. So I can't make any promises.
Yeah.

　I thought I would be offended, but the Guild Saber woman only replied briefly.

''........In the Labyrinth Country, every party is in a position to compete with each other. It's best not to forget that. Your first priority should be your party.
'I'll keep that in mind. So, the members of the 'North Pole Star'....
We'll bring them back to town. We've got the men for that.

　In a casual manner, two of the guild sabers, who seem to be sorcerers, begin to draw a magic circle on the ground.　

　Transitional magic - it's very useful when you look at it this way. In the blink of an eye, the members of the North Star who were placed on the magic circle are shifting.

I'm not going to be able to get it right.
'Thank you. I'm late to give my name, but my name is Atobe.
"...Alihit-Atobe. Your name gets more attention than you think. My name is Seraphina. Serafina-Edelbert.

　Thrusting the large shield into the ground, the woman who called herself Seraphina removed her small right hand and held out her hand. When she squeezed it back, she smiled for the first time, showing a slight amount of emotion.

　　　◆ ◆ ◆

　Together with our friends, we were sent to the town with transfer magic - in the blink of an eye, we were back in the plaza in front of the entrance to the Forest of the Call.

　Perhaps Serafina's party had arranged it, but people who looked like a rescue team sent by the guild were carrying the members of the Arctic Star away.

''Arihito-san, it's good that the guild savers have come.
Yeah, that was a lot of help. And I wanted to get out of the house for once.
You must have found a black box... if there is a hidden hierarchy in the Forest of the Calling...

　As Igarashi-san had thought of it, the key to the hidden hierarchy is probably in a black box.

　Her goal was to rescue Georg, but she unexpectedly had a reason to go to the deepest part of the Forest of the Calling. There are many troublesome demons, but if Misaki and Suzuna are there, we can certainly find the hidden staircase - although we will have to discuss with everyone again whether we should enter even considering the risk.

''Well Arihito, the black box isn't something you can aim for and come out of. Even if you keep hunting for a named one all the time, you won't know if you'll get it. But if we've gotten it this way, we've earned the right to enter the hidden hierarchy. And I don't think we should give that up.
''That means the grass monster just now isn't a normal 'named' one either. If you don't drop the black box unless it's named, which has caused a lot of damage... really, the God who created Ms. Ariadne has a mean streak.

　Igarashi says in a complicated way - juggernaut, vine grass puppeteer. The only thing they have in common is the damage they did before they were defeated.

　It is only because Georg and the others were destroyed that we got the black box. When I think about it, the existence of this box itself seems to be a karma thing.

　-- that's why it can't be wasted. There may be a way to go up to the seventh district first and grow up before coming back, but on the other hand, what you get at this stage can be used to attack the seventh district, and neither choice is wrong.

''Arihito-san, Misaki-chan and I will find our way to the hidden hierarchy.
'That is, if there's a key in the black box. But if you're right, Ariadne, it seems like there's a secret hierarchy of secrets in most of the labyrinths.

　You can go to the deepest part of all the labyrinths if you just give it time. But if you do that, forever, there's a world you won't be able to see. And there will be times when not all of the hidden hierarchies are unexplored places, someone has already entered them, and there is nothing to be found if you struggle to get in.

　If that's the case, then our immediate policy is 'only aim for the hidden hierarchy of that labyrinth if we find a black box during our search' - that's fine.

''Okay we've decided on a policy. First of all, I'm going to report to Louisa-san, so everyone go rest in your quarters. We'll open the box tomorrow.
Yes!

　Not only the other members, even Igarashi-san replies together - I know that she recognizes me as a leader, but she still doesn't feel subtly comfortable.

''.........''
What do you mean by 'follow me'?　No, you can take the day off now.

　Theresia seems to want to follow things very badly - I wonder what's going on? Do you have something on your mind?

''........Could it be that you're worried about Seraphina-san earlier?''
"...and...?

　I said it, thinking I was being self-conscious, but it was just a momentary boil. Theresia turned bright red and cowered in place, holding down her lizard mask.

'And in that vein, it would be rude not to shake her hand. It's not like I had a special interest in her or anything.'
..........

　Theresa looks up at me as if to say, "Really? I hold out my hand to Theresia and make her stand up.

　The hand I'm holding is getting incredibly hot. Since she's a lizardman who is vulnerable to heat, I can't keep making her feel this way.

''Well it looks like everyone's been getting worked up about it. Let's go with you, as usual.
..........

　Theresia regained her composure and nodded at me when the blush had settled.

　She walked beside me to the guild, placing her right hand on my chest, which I held, and her left hand on top of it, all the while looking precious.