The guild is still crowded with explorers today. Me and Theresia are almost face-passed, and Louisa-san's juniors show us to a private room at the far end of the room that we've been in before.

　We don't have to wait for any amount of time before Louisa comes in and serves us tea. Then, as usual, I looked over the record of activities left on my license, using my monocle (a monocle) to look through it.

''The names of these people........are the members of the 'Arctic Star', aren't they? To rescue them before the Guild Saber....


　The results of this search
　We've entered the first floor of the Calling Forest. 10 points.
　We're in the Calling Forest, second floor. 10 points.
　Misaki's level is now 4. 40 points.
　Defeated 2 Fiathrent, 80 points.
　100 points for killing 5 "Dirty Mash".
　Defeated the Puppet Master of Vine Grass, 1200 points.
　Party members' confidence in each other has increased by 300 points.
　100 points for rescuing Georg.
　100 points for saving "Sophie".
　100 points for rescuing "Jake.
　100 points for rescuing Mikhail.
　100 points for saving "Tyler.
　50 points for bringing back a "Black Treasure Chest".

　Searcher Contribution ・・・ 2,290 points
　Eighth Ward All-Time Contributions Ranking 1
　Seventh Ward Contribution Ranking 294


'The contribution is unquestionable. Congratulations, Atobe's party has been granted passage to the Seventh Ward. We will register the 'allotment' on your license.
The ticket?
'Yes, as you can see on the license screen, the permit that tells you which wards you can travel to is called an 'allotment'. If you don't have a ticket, please be aware that if you enter a ward without a permit, you will be forcibly excluded.

　The way it works, you can't infiltrate the top wards with skills beyond the wall, etc., I guess that's how it works.

　I'm not sure there are any loopholes, but I can't think of any at the moment. Breaking the rules would raise karma, and we wouldn't want to be restrained if possible.

'You've contacted the Guild Saber, Louisa-san, and she's contacted me. I met Seraphina-san in the labyrinth, though.
''Yes, normally it's not easy to be dispatched to the labyrinth in Ward 8, but this time it's special. The girls were dispatched during the Stampede and stayed in the Eighth Ward.

　Does this mean that they are usually in the higher wards, rescuing searchers? If you're that busy, you don't have much opportunity to meet each other.

You will be paid for your rescue.
Thank you. Could you use that to pay for Georg and the others' treatment?
''Is that ... correct?　I'm sure they, too, have some reserves for the cure.
It's just for the pleasure of sharing your quarters for a short time. I'd like to help you, if I can.

　Louisa-san looked a little confused. But I hoped that I could help Georg with something, even if it was called hypocrisy.

　I don't know if I would be able to recover easily if I had to flee because of the manipulation of my party members by the puppet master of the vine grass.

　Even Georg was frightened and exhausted. It would be difficult to be an explorer again, to the point where one could tell just by looking at him.


'There's also the fact that they were attacked by a demon, and that's what we got. It's not a fisherman's gain but that's why I want to do something. It's not like we're atoning for our sins, though.
''You mean the 'black box'. It is indeed a precious treasure, but the demon who possesses it has attacked many searchers... the one who defeated it should be praised. It means that he or she has defeated the enemies of the many searchers who have experienced regret.

　It makes me feel better to hear that. Maybe my feelings were more sinking than I thought after seeing Georg's party destroyed and messed up in tatters.

　If his friends were controlled by a demon and attacked. What if I couldn't save them and could only escape? I would never want to have that thought.

''I'm going to visit the 'North Star'. Louisa, when you're ready to go to the Seventh Ward, will you celebrate with us again?
'Yes, sir. I hope that by that time, Atobe-sama will be feeling better.

　　　◆ ◆ ◆

　We headed to the medical station near the guild and headed to the sick room where Georg and the others were. The four male members were sharing a room, and all but Georg were still sleeping. It was said that the "Puppeteer of the Vine Grass" had sucked out their strength and they were in a state of extreme weakness.

''........Aricht. You've come.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the next few weeks.

It's a good thing. A little earlier, when we........

　If only I could go to the rescue. Before he could say that, Georg softly raised one hand to control it.

'After everyone else was killed by that grass monster, I was stuck on the second level for a while. You're going to laugh I was too scared to move my legs. I could hear Sophie's voice from the forest, manipulated the whole time. You're going to have to feed, too, you know.
''Well that was quite a vicious demon. If I didn't have to take the test in a labyrinth with that thing in it, I might as well have gone somewhere else.
''That's right. But even if you avoid that labyrinth and go to the seventh district, it doesn't mean that the same kind of demons won't appear. If we avoid the 'weaknesses', we'll be stuck one day we weren't qualified to go to the Seventh Ward yet.

　Georg didn't mock himself, but was nonchalant. There was even a smile on his profile.

'To tell the truth, our party was already on the verge of breaking up. We had another companion besides Sophie - she was severely injured and retired as an explorer when we became number one in the pecking order. Mikhail and Tyler had taken a liking to her. You'll laugh, it took four men to take two women and use that as motivation to explore.
''Well that's what happened. But even though you were being manipulated, I didn't feel good about using color on our members.
'Well Mikhail and Tyler are both womanizers in different forms. If my friends have been rude, I apologize. I'm sorry.

　He says it jokingly, but Georg looks apologetic as if it were his own business.

''Well it was Sophie who was manipulated in the first place. Then there was nothing we could do about it. If we let that guy die, it would have been the end of everything.
But you're safe. Then you can start again as many times as you want. It would be irresponsible to say that simply.
'No it's not true. I'm grateful for the words 'give up' right now, but it's also the hardest thing I've ever heard. It's still more helpful to have your encouragement.

　Like a retired comrade, we retreat from the searchers and turn to the supporters. That would be a way of life.

　I don't necessarily think we should do that. But I can't give them empty encouragement to "go for it," either. Still, I don't want them to end up like this.

You don't have to push yourself too hard. It would be strange not to get stuck in a labyrinth like that all the time. I might look good, too, but there's a lot of things I don't feel like living in a fight.
...Even you, who defeated that monster, can't you ever be afraid?
Yes, I am. But I can't say I'm afraid of being in front of my people.

　Georg laughed for the first time in a long time when he heard my answer. It was the same friendly smile he had when I met him in the inn.

''Thank you so much, Aricht. After all that you've done for me, I'm sorry to say this, but there's one more thing I need to ask of you.''

　Georg was hesitant to continue. But with intent, he squeezed his voice out of his throat.

'I want you to go and visit Sophie. I'll talk the healer through to the doctor.
...What's wrong with her?

　I was able to help - or so I thought. But looking at Georg's expression, I had no choice but to realize that it was only my optimistic imagination.

'If it's Aricht who saved her... or maybe she'll be heard.
Georg.

　There was no more words to say to him now. What did it mean to be defeated by a demon? I still hadn't been able to understand it with any real feeling.

　　　◆◇◆

　Even though Georg introduced us to him, I wondered if it would be an easy visit, but when the healers at the medical station found out that we were the party that had defeated the Puppet Master of the Vine Grass, they showed us to Sophie's hospital room.

　When we open the door, Sophie is in bed - her upper body is up, but her eyes are empty and she doesn't react when we come in.

'Explorers whose consciousness has been hijacked by demons sometimes never fully recover. That's how burdensome the act of coming into contact with a demon's consciousness is for humans.

　The healer was an older woman, about the age of a mother and daughter to Sophie. Perhaps that was also the reason, but I could see that she was terribly distressed at the sight of Sophie.

''........I thought that if I defeated the demon, then I would be freed. My thinking was naive.

　My chest felt tight and I couldn't speak well.

　If only I had been able to help them sooner. But such tragic events are probably happening all over the labyrinth country that I just haven't seen.

''Is there anything I can do to help?''
''I can't be sure. However, if your party has defeated the demon that manipulated her consciousness, it is possible.
The possibility of... what does that...
'It's still possible that she is being controlled by a demon. A plant demon may leave a 'seed' behind. Fearfully, that seed may also retain consciousness, and for one purpose only: to use the host to accumulate nutrients for germination.

　The only purpose - that being said, I could imagine it.

　What would the demon think of the explorer who defeated him? There was no way they would think that if they were defeated, there was no way they had no choice.

''Yes ... although it's dangerous. If Sophie-san is approached by someone the demon sees as an enemy, there is a possibility that the demon's seed will react.''
'That's... if it germinates, Sophie will be the one to do it this time...'
'It would have been nice if we had someone with the skills to safely extract the seeds from the body... but someone with medical skills is now in a higher ward as an explorer. And they will not readily comply with our request.
'....What's going to happen to Sophie if she keeps going?
'The seeds will suck out the 'nutrients' and someday ... if you let them germinate early enough, you'll get away with it. And there's a chance we could remove the seeds.

　That's just a gamble, and the healer woman knows that. Still, she brought me here - to keep any chance of Sophie's survival.

'All right. Could you leave me alone and leave the room, please? Perhaps the 'germination' won't happen in the presence of others.
''I'm ... sorry. Even if you just rescued me, your act is a noble one. Forcing you to risk even more is not a good thing for a forward-thinking adventurer...
'No, don't worry about it. I'm the one who struck the main body of the enemy first. Probably because I'm probably the one who's most hostile to them.

　A terrific scream when he used the "Backstand" and shot the sling into the main body of the "Vine Grass Puppeteer".

　Even plants have intelligence if they're demons. They must have remembered me well and are waiting for the time of revenge now.

(.........I want to eliminate the risk as much as possible, but.... It's not like I'm leaving Sophie to die here.)

　The healer woman was asked to step outside. But Theresia remained in the room.

'Theresia, the demons might not respond if I'm not around. Once you get out...

　She shakes her head. I think she understands the danger of what's about to begin, and she's trying to stay away from me.

　You don't have to stay in the enemy's favor. I'm sure it's better if your friends are close by.

All right. Theresa, stay where you are. If something happens to me, you're going to have to go outside and get help.

　Theresia nodded her head in a persistent nod. I move closer to Sophie - shaking her white hair and she moves her face to look at me.

　Lifeless eyes. Can I really make her back to normal?

　The moment I thought that. Faster than I could perceive, Sophie's hand moved and grabbed mine.

(..................huh?

　A simple shirt worn by the patient. The vine grass that appears from its cuffs and twines itself around my hand.



　Pale lips spun the words. In the next moment, my vision is distorted and my consciousness is taken away.



　The next thing I knew, I was kneeling in the pitch black space where no light could reach, and I couldn't move a single muscle.

(Wha.........this grass......what is this......this place......is it the spiritual world.......?

　I couldn't move because the vine grasses were wrapped around my whole body. The white thing that appeared in front of my eyes was the figure of Sophie, who was entangled in the vine grass and crucified, just like me.

"Sophie...!

　I call out to them, but they don't respond. Instead, the ivy that stretches around the area moves like a living thing, tangling together to create what looks like one giant bud in front of me.

　The bud opens in front of me - a white flower, the same as the main body of The Puppeteer of the Vine Grass. A girl emerges from the flower.

　A figure worthy of the expression "flower incarnate". It's a figure that covers only part of the body with something like flower petals and looks at you with emotionless eyes - if you can call it plant-like.

''You.........are you.......the true identity of the puppet master of the vine grass?''
"...By merging your consciousness with Sophie's, I have formed 'this me'. By submitting you to this place, I bring you under my control.
You can talk normally....I've never heard a demon talk before.
'Just shut up and let your nutrients be sucked out. Your spirit is quite worth sucking up, so I'll keep you alive for a while. As long as it works well, you can use it for a long time.

　She has increased a lot - she looks like a girl around ten years old, but she's a demon.

''Well that one just now was painful. More than being chopped up with a sword, pierced with a spear, or shot with a bow, your attack was the most painful.
Ggh...!

　The tangled grass tightens around his entire body with the force of a vise - it's as if he's being tightened up by a giant snake.

'Now ... accept my control. Or do you want to experience the pain of having your spirit crushed?　There isn't a creature that doesn't break with that.

(After all, it's my spirit that's under attack right now.......if I don't free Sophie here, she won't be able to return to normal......!

　We have no equipment and no friends who can 'support' us. In this state, what can you do - if you think it's naive to accept control and look for opportunities, that's the end of a roll.

''Quite........demons have an insidious way of doing things.......''
"So do men by any means. There were those who wanted to burn the whole forest down, and they said, "Do you know what it is to be burned alive? Do you know what it's like to be burned alive?
Well that's just a guess. I wouldn't choose to do it that way.
"...Why are you laughing? I told you what would happen if your body was crushed. It's not a threat.

　After being told, I realize - I'm smiling. My whole body is clenched up and I'm in intense pain, but still no whining comes to mind.

'If I do say so myself, I'm not only a hard quitter but I'm also very good at being skinny.
"...then good. I'll shatter one of your arms. Even if you regret it....

　--slow. So before the 'Vine Grass Puppet Master' could say it.

''---!

　What broke in front of me - that is.

　A naked woman partly covered in scales and with a lizard's tail. Theresia, who couldn't possibly be here, was kicking out at the vine grass puppet master.

''Guh........!

　The vine grass puppeteer, even in the spirit world, can only exert his physical strength as he appears, and he stumbles back, unable to take Theresia's kick.

''Theresa... how did you get here...''
Thrusting my body into itself, tracing the connection of the 'mark'........

　Theresia, who was watching over me, voluntarily pierced the vine of the 'vine grass puppet master' into herself, causing it to erode and enter the spirit world.

　On the back of Theresia's neck, even in the form of her spirit body, there is a 'Slave Mark' engraved on the back of her neck. It forms a solid bond with me - she must have traced this to come to my rescue here.

''.........!
Do you resist your spell and help the humans? You can't even be a monster, and what can you do?

　Theresia turned her back to me. She was in spirit only form, and she was not wearing her characteristic skull mask.

　-- black hair that was long enough to hang around her neck. Even though she is protecting me, I almost lose consciousness at the sight of her, knowing that this is not the case.

''The 'Unarmed One' can't defeat me. When I was drawn in here, you guys were bound to lose.

　A number of vine grasses stand up. In this space that was stagnant in the darkness, there was not a single place to escape - yet Theresia spread her arms and did not take a step back.

''--Don't interfere with me any longer!

　A whip of vine grass strikes Theresa. If it is struck down, it won't be justified - but.

　That was if there was nothing to 'protect Theresa'.

'Theresa, 'support'!
Huh...!

　I'm behind Theresa. Even if it's a mental body, if the position is behind it, it's 'rear guard'.

　The invisible wall plays the 'attack' of the vine grass. If I had tried to restrain Theresa, my supportive defense would not have worked.

　I don't know if they were aiming that far, but Theresia successfully guided the vine grass puppet master's actions and made him 'attack'. Hence, it was the perfect and only opportunity that arose.

'--Please, Theresa!
.................

　For the first time in a long time, I heard Theresia's breathing. The kick that was delivered was strengthened by my 'Support Attack' and 'Support Damage 11' was added to the body technique by the mental body.

''Kuu...!

　The vine grass puppeteer was blown away by the kick.

　It was only supposed to be a mere 11 damage - but for an enemy who would have thought it couldn't possibly take damage, it was the blow that decided the game.

　The vine grass that had entwined me and Sophie with it withers away. Theresa quietly approaches the remaining puppeteer of the vine grass - the white haired girl.

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

　The vine grass puppeteer didn't twitch. It seemed to be extremely fragile to blows, just as her main body, the flower, was.

　The human form that the vine grass puppeteer had created by touching Sophie's consciousness. It also looked like Sophie was a year younger than she was.

　I didn't expect support attacks to be so effective. Even if the magic attack doesn't get any support, it works for a 'direct attack by the spirit body' - I don't know if it will be useful in the future even if I get this kind of information.

　Thanks to Theresia's arrival, I was able to escape the predicament. The vine grass that had been invading my arm is gone, and although it hurts a little bit, it's not a problem.

　Sophie and the vine weed puppeteer's bodies begin to glow and fade - and then disappear. All that's left to do is pray that Sophie wakes up safely. Our mental bodies are beginning to fade as well.

"Theresa. I'm so grateful you came to save me...

　I try to express my gratitude. Theresia hesitates a bit before looking back at me.

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

　In my fading vision, I did indeed see Theresa move her lips as if to say something.

　But before I could see her true face, my consciousness was pulled back to reality - and I found myself back in Sophie's hospital room.

　Theresa's hand was laying on top of Sophie's grasping hand as she leaned forward from behind. Sophie is lying face down on the bed - she seems to be unconscious and I can't be sure if she's back to normal yet.

'Well thank you. I'm sorry I had to worry you.

　When I apologized, Theresa pulled her hand away - and just like that, she hugged me from behind.

　I was surprised, but strangely calm, and now I put my own hands on Theresa's hands as she grabbed the clothes at my chest and held on to them.

　Thank God she was safe. Even without words, I thought she was telling me so.

(.........hmm?)

　Suddenly, I see something in my vision that wasn't there before I was drawn into the spiritual world, and I turn my attention to it - and then I see something.

　On the bed, something like a seed has fallen on the bed. I just passed out in the spirit world, which means that the Puppeteer of the Vine Grass is still alive.

　I'll decide how this will be treated. You're free to do that much. I had several ideas on what to do with this powerful enemy that had grown to the size of my hand.