We enter the rental workshop and everyone goes into the women's fitting room to change clothes. It's nice to know that such considerations have been made in advance for a mixed gender party.

　While the congenial voices of the women can be heard in the fitting room, I put on the Hard Oxmail and the Elminate Mounted Boots, which are reinforced with materials. You can now have "Darkness Resistance" and "Darkness Resistance 1", but whether they are useful depends on who you are fighting.

How do you feel, Atobe-sama? How is the equipment finished?
'Yes, I think it's great. It feels more comfortable than ever........really, thank you for finishing it in one night. Mr. Steiner, I hope you get some rest today.
'I'm a rugged armor, as you can see, so I'll be fine as long as I don't sleep for the night.
You were asleep a moment ago and now you're the only one who's awake. You're a very alert assistant.

　Celes, who had been sleeping in her sleeping bag, wakes up with her mouth agape. And just then Melissa came to the workshop. She must have been busy dismantling it until midnight, but she doesn't feel tired.

''Good morning. I had dinner with my dad and drove him to the guild's transition door. Are my equipment ready too, Arihito?
Yeah, everyone's getting dressed, so you can go.

　As I sent it off, Theresia was the first to finish changing out of her clothes. The appearance of the equipment hasn't changed that much, but this suit should be different from the previous ones.

　◆★Hyde and Seek +2◆

　A leather suit made from the material of Death Comes from the Sky.
　Reinforced with the material from the Light Shade Skinny Suit +2.
　Includes the camouflage stone.
　If you miss your target, you will go undetected for a set amount of time, even in combat.
　Noise generated by actions will be reduced.
　Improve your movement ability.
　Acquire "Light Attribute Resistance 1".
　・You will be able to acquire "Defense Decline Resistance 1".

　You can't compare this to the previous leather suits - and even though it's made from materials, it has a star rating. The same is true of the "Horn of the Sheep God", but equipment made from "named" materials can have a star attached to it.

　In other words, the equipment with a star that you can get in the labyrinth may have been made by someone in the past with a named material.

''This was made in cooperation with Melissa-san and Rykerton-san. I'm the only one who has the skills to combine the equipment with each other. Master and I sewed the lining together.
Thank you again for the perfect job you did in one night, including that task.

　When I bowed my head again, Steiner put his hand on the head of his armor and was embarrassed, and Celes, in her nightgown, turned her head back to her chest with an ahem.

It's a craftsman's way of life.
''Your master is pretty much drained of his magical power, you still need to get some rest.
You can barely move your armor by now, can you?
''I'm sorry that you two are tired, but I just want to make one point... about the exclusive contract, if I may ask you again.

　Celes-san and Steiner-san look at each other. Then they turn to me at the same time and nod - they are breathing perfectly and I can't help but laugh.

It's a good thing that I'm not the only one. As of today, I am your resident workshop...
''........What, what?　'Oh, um, master?'
Kiara is that your real name, Mr. Steiner?
You're signing a contract with me and you keep not telling me your real name. Kiara is not of my kind, but she is from my side.

　Steiner-san seems to be shocked that her real name was revealed, and she looks like she's trembling despite the fact that she's in large armor.

''Ugh........oh, no, it's not that I don't want Atobe-sama to ever know my name or anything. It's just that........''
You gave me your name in good faith when you signed the contract. You may continue to call me Steiner. I'm sorry to tell you this.
'I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't call you by what I think is a good name. Keep up the good work, Mr. Steiner.
"Uh-huh ... thank you, Lady Atobe.

　I shook hands with Mr. Steiner, who was dressed in rugged armor. I continued to shake hands with Mr. Ceres as well - the contract will be concluded if both parties confirm their intentions, even verbally, and recorded on the license.

"Yes, good job. I'm satisfied........... I'm feeling sleepy again after the relief.
Then, Atobe-sama, we're going to rest again. I'll stay with Madoka-san and the others until we return to the eighth ward.''
'Yes, take care of Madoka and Melissa, please.

　Ceres and the others go into the rental workshop's nap area. Perhaps it's because Melissa has arrived, but it's going to take the ladies a bit longer to change.

''.........''
Even with your new equipment, Theresa seems to have a good handle on it.

　I say this with trust, but Theresia tilts her head slightly.

　In a moment of wondering what that means - Theresia's body suddenly seemed to 'melt' into the air.

''.........Te, Theresia, what.......oh my God!

　It's so brief that you can blink and miss it - the suit Theresa is wearing is literally 'transparent'.

　An image that seems to reduce opacity to zero in an instant. After the silhouette of the 'Light Shade Skinny Suit' that seems to stick to her entire body is visible, it becomes completely transparent in less than a second.

'It worked.....................right? But.........

　Unlike the Shimmering Stone, which dazzles the eyes of the enemy, it is so assimilated into the landscape that it's impossible to tell where it is, even if you look hard enough. This is the ability of the 'Camouflage Stone' - the potential of the 'Rogue', which has the advantage of covert action, is likely to be brought out even more.

''.........''
Hmmm...Theresa?　Where.....

　I call out to him, as if the presence in front of me had somehow moved. But I have no idea where I am.

　I'm so completely transparent that I'm afraid I won't be able to return. There's something romantic about optical camouflage, but when you look at it like this, it's also terrifying - and that's where I thought it was.

　With a tap, the right elbow of the suit is pinched. When I turned around, that's where Theresia deactivated her invisibility - she must have decided on her own, as her magic power seems to be draining.

If you go far enough away with them in use, it's going to be hard to find them.
..........

　Theresa shakes her head. Then she grabbed the sleeve of my suit with both hands tightly.

'Well you're worrying again. Seems to be a bad habit of mine.
..........

　This time she doesn't nod or shake her head. I can't help but laugh, as it seems to be her indication that she can't deny her worry.

'Here you go, brother!　My new equipment looks very nice!

　The excited Misaki comes in with a bounce in her step - everyone comes out of the fitting room one by one, too. There were no problems at all with the size or anything else, and everyone was a little shy, but they all showed me their new equipment on.

　◆ ◆ ◆

　The labyrinth located at the northwest end of the seventh district. I'm sure you'll find a lot of people in the room, but I'm sure you'll also find a lot of people in the room.

　I'm not sure if the other explorers are holding back or just watching before the alliance. As I thought about that, I noticed that Seraphina and another woman were there. From the vibe I saw, they seemed to be guild savers like Serafina-san.

''Good morning, Seraphina-san,''
Good morning, Mr. Atobe.
''Ah, this person.......you've talked to Seraphina-senior before, haven't you? It's nice to meet you, I'm a member of senior Seraphina's unit, my name is Adeline.
'It's nice to meet you too, I'm Alihito-Atobe. It's nice to meet you.

　Adeline-san held out her right hand as she greeted me and we shook hands. Just because she calls Seraphina-san her senior, she is a little smaller than her and looks younger than her - she has brown skin, but that in itself doesn't make her stand out, since people from various countries in the labyrinth country.

　He wears his reddish-brown hair down to his shoulders, and his hair is partly in a thin braid. If he was a reincarnation, he was originally involved in a shooting sport or maybe he was carrying a large bowgun on his back.

''Atobe-dono, are you going to enter this labyrinth now?''
Yes, I intend to.
So......... No, we have no intention of interfering with your actions. We, too, are on a mission, and we have come to check out the situation in this labyrinth.
'Seniors, would you like to enlist your help?　And with a group as large as the Alliance for Freedom, there are limits to what we can investigate on our own.

　Seraphina looks thoughtful at Adeline's suggestion. I don't know what the girls are going to do, but I wonder if the actions of the 'alliance' are in question.

''Relying on the power of Atobe-dono and the others at this point is a form of negligence. As a general rule, we must carry out our mission alone.
'If there's anything I can do to help you when we're around, don't hesitate to let me know. Seraphina has helped me many times.
That's right, they're each other's problem. You're always too stiff, aren't you, sir?
...Don't get carried away just because Lord Atobe is on your side.

　Adeline stiffened her back in fear when Seraphina-san nailed her. However, it seems that she listened to my proposal.

''Then........I'll try my best not to interfere with you as much as possible. If it becomes absolutely necessary, may I ask Atobe-dono and the others to cooperate?
Of course. Well, we'll dive after you and you two take care of yourselves.
''I'm nervous because this is my first mission in the labyrinth with a buddy in a long time. If Seraphina-senpai was in the vanguard, I'd be mostly unharmed.

　In the absence of the other members of the squad, only two people can dive into the labyrinth - after all, both Seraphina-san and Adeline-san have the power to distinguish themselves from the explorers of the seventh district.

　The two of us will enter the labyrinth later, so the seven of us will be the first to pass through the rocky entrance and descend the long downhill slope - there is a sense of transition on the way, and the air around us has changed completely.

　Unmistakable, the scent of the tide is unmistakable. Inside the labyrinth, there is the sea - but it wasn't as soon as we entered the labyrinth that we could see the sea.

　We are on a short grassy plain. The cave crag we passed is right in the middle of it, and a little further on is a rock wall that rises almost vertically. It seems to be a natural obstacle, lined with huge, curiously shaped boulders that look like stalactites growing upside down from heaven and earth.

It smells like the ocean, but I can't see the ocean beyond those rocks.
BOW!
Theon said he's over there too. What do you think, Rear-guard?　There's a place we could pass through, we could get to the other side, but... oh...

　I notice it at about the same time as Igarashi-san. There's a place where there's a gap in the rock that could be slipped through, but near it, I can see the searchers. They are part of the searchers we saw earlier who look like the 'alliance'.


'You're not just watching for the demons to come out - give me the toll!　I'm sure they'll say that.
'You won't be able to do that because it will raise your karma, but if you try to force your way through it and get your hands on it, it could raise our karma.
''I'm sure the people of the 'alliance' have their own circumstances... but if they won't let us through, should we avoid a conflict now?'''

　If we give up on going beyond the rock wall, as Suzuna says, and explore the grassland side, the Alliance may see us fighting from a distance.

　Considering that Grey had 'Triceratops' scouting us out, it's highly likely that the other side is marking us - if Grey is rooting around for all of us.

'Though we shouldn't be willing to show them our hand. The grasslands are undulating, and there are some trees, so there is a chance of a battle out of sight from the other side. At that time, we'll fight as carefully and steadfastly as we have in the past.
'And sometimes you have to be bold, right? My explosive card is going to be on fire!
''I think using the power of the 'Explosive Stone' should be done at the right time. Just be careful not to run out of magic power.
Okay, I'll be careful.

　Misaki was still buoyed by her new equipment, and she was somewhat worried that she would really be okay with it, but she shouldn't say anything to slow down her momentum too much.

　Seraphina and the others who had infiltrated later looked at the members of the alliance near the path of the rock wall and breathed in a huff.

''Atobe-dono, if you're saying that we can't move because they're blocking our way, then we'll negotiate...''
''Hmm, it's hard to get through like that. We'd have to push someone with a bigger body to get through, and even we as guild savers could be penalized for doing so.
I'm not saying I'm going to push you away. I'm just trying to convince you to let it pass, and I don't see the problem with that.
Oh, senpai I'm just rushing in, you know.

　Seraphina-san left Adeline-san behind and approached the people of the 'alliance' alone. Then, the one who approached from the other side as well was Daniela-san, who was participating in the operation with her heavy body.

''I'm Daniela-Vorn, I'm the deputy leader of the 'Alliance for Freedom'. What brings you Guild Savers here?
"We have received several reports of you occupying the hunting grounds. There are no rules against such behavior, but we have come to ask you to open your hunting grounds to as many searchers as possible.

　Serafina-san's tone is calm itself, but it's powerful enough to be pushed. Daniela-san still didn't take a step back and smiled.

''The seventh district is said to be a 'foot-cutting' district, and not many searchers are able to go up to the sixth district. Still, we chose this method because we haven't given up our ambition. I hope you understand that about that.
'We understand those intentions. But if we move up to the Sixth Ward this way, will we be able to settle and work in the Sixth Ward? And if we don't find a safe way to hunt again, won't some of our members be stuck?

　There would be a way to qualify to go to the sixth ward and then return to the previous ward when necessary. However, it was also possible that they would not be able to cope with the labyrinth of the Sixth Ward as a result of continuing to hunt in a formulaic manner.

　However, the alliance also seemed to have considered that possibility. Both Daniela and the alliance members behind her seemed to find Seraphina's words painful to hear.

'We have our own place to aim for as explorers. No one should be able to argue that it's wrong to go up to the Sixth Ward in safety. If we die or become sub-humans, we can't get it back. If you make a bet and one of your members loses his or her life, no one is going to guarantee it. Isn't that right?
I understand. But as for your actions, they are also an infringement on the free will of other searchers. Please be aware of that.
Yes. I know it can take up to a month to get rid of him at the earliest.

　The members of the alliance laughed, probably because they were able to talk back somewhat with that reply. Serafina-san didn't get angry, she just turned on her heel.

''........The guild won't easily conduct a review of the contribution rate when defeating demons, it's not set in stone for a month, but the revision won't take place during the time they're here.''
'I won't be able to increase my contribution in the same way they did, though, and no other party will be able to do so. That's a bit complicated, but... what do you think, senior?
'We are only doing our duty. By 'monitoring the alliance' we will provide a check on their actions of 'monitoring the other party'.

　Seraphina-san means that she will prevent the Alliance from interfering in our actions. Just because she's willing to stay here instead of explicitly putting us on her shoulders, the 'alliance' won't be able to probe us either.

''Thank you, Seraphina,''
There is a possibility that demons may come here, so we will fight back. I think it's possible that two people can handle it, so Atobe-dono and the others are free to act as they please.........

　Everyone in the party also bids Seraphina a farewell and walks towards the meadow. Across the rolling terrain, there is a sparsely wooded vantage point.

'Hare?　Brother, there are some white flowers growing in spots.
...What is it with the flowers?

　Misaki and Suzuna are right, there are a number of what looks like white flowers in the meadow. Elitia makes Sion wait and looks back at us - I guess she wants to discuss how to respond.

''Let's put some distance between us and let me guess what it is. I'm sorry if it's just a flower, but...''
How about bringing my 'decoy doll' closer?
'Oh, that's a great idea. Igarashi-san, please.

　Igarashi took the doll out of the pouch and placed it on the ground. Then she began to chant the incantation.

O mud puppet born of the earth! Once born of my magic, rise up and become the vanguard that attracts the eye of the devil.

　The mud doll sucks in Igarashi-san's magic and grows as big as a human. And slowly, it approaches the white flower - nothing happens.

　Once again, it approaches the white flower. What appears to be white is something like cotton, like a cotton flower or something.

'I wonder if this could be used as a material...'
'There's a lot of them, let's pick a few. I'd rather fight a demon and do some minor research than collect materials.

　We split up to collect some cotton. I don't know what they can be used for, but there's no need to be alarmed for now.

　--I was just about to be reassured. Teresia is about to approach one of the flowers when I stop her.

'Teresia, what's wrong?'
..........

　I somehow guessed by her gaze and I took out my license. Then I saw something other than an indication of the availability of "Pure White Cotton" on it.

　Current Situation

　Theresia's "Trap 1" activates, and then the trap is found.

Hey guys, look out for that. Theresa has found a trap.
A trap in the middle of a grassy field?
Are you saying that it was set up to blend in with this white flower...?

　Elitia and Igarashi-san look at the white flowers growing out of Teresia's gaze.

(What should we do........attack it? (No, if it's from a distance, can we make it strike blankly with the 'release trap'?

'Okay let's use Theresa's new skill to trigger the trap. If we're far enough away we shouldn't get involved.
''Wow, that's kind of exciting.......who set this trap?''
I suspect a demon set it up. There doesn't seem to be any reason for the 'alliance' to come all the way over here.
'If it's a demon, maybe it's setting up a trap to ambush us...'

　After forming up, Theresia held her hand over the trap in front - what appeared to be a white flower. And it was the next moment.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Theresa" activates "Release Trap".
　The Spider's Web, set up by Arachnephilia, is activated.

Wow...!

　With a rumbling of the earth, the footing shook - what spread all at once on the ground around the white flowers was a pattern like a huge spider web.

''Heehee........What is this.......what is this......!

　The pit had been dug and then covered with a spider's web and then covered with grass and dirt to disguise it - the camouflage was perfect, probably due to some special skill. If we had been caught, we would have been caught in the ground collapse without a trace.

　And that's not the end of it. Several sharp, claw-like things popped up in the center of the nest, biting towards the center of the nest at a furious pace.

''That's the 'Arachnephilia'...the demon that was called the 'Spider'.......!

　Finally realizing that he had struck out, the demon that had been lurking at the bottom of the pit appeared. Just as Elitia had said, the figure was a huge spider itself, so huge that it could easily swallow at least one human.