196 195. Start the challenge.txt (2/2)

If Reiner says he despises us, we're going to pamper him even more.

We continue to serve Ryner, who continues to be confused, and we continue to serve him back.

Lord whispers that he will buy you what you want while rubbing Ryner's shoulder. I pour him a dwindling cup of tea and work on Ryner.

Confused, Ryner manages to find his voice.

'Yi, no, you're something different from my sister and brothers, this ......'

I suppose what we are doing is a commoner's family relationship.

But we dare to do so. I wanted to heal Ryner, who had been burdened with the burden of being an adopted child of a nobleman, if only a little.

But there's one problem.

I'm not just talking about Ryner, but also me.

It's a good thing that he's so proud of it.

But I'm in a bind. But the problem is, if this is the case, even me and Lord will become family.

Why the disgusted look on your face there?　Okay, that's fine. I'm not going to go so far as to say that I'm going to take the place of Kanami's sister, so just treat me like a big sister a little bit!

Unfortunately, I want a brother like Reiner, but not a sister like you: ......

'Facts I didn't want to know!　Why? Why?　You're the perfect big sister, aren't you?　Best of sister, right?

I can't honestly say I have a sister who can't cook a single thing: ......

What the hell?　If you insist, let's do it!　Leave dinner tonight to the children!

With a pout and anger, Lord heads out of the castle yard to the kitchen. It looks like he's seriously trying to make dinner himself. You're only capable of chopping vegetables.

''Ryner, take care of that unreliable sister of yours.

d*mn, I can't help it: ......

Lord welcomes Ryner, who follows from behind. He's happy to see his sister and brother in a cooking situation.

Watching the scene from behind me, I breathe a sigh of relief and sit deeper in my chair.

It's not a bad time .......

I can't even guess what Lord's unrequited love is, and I don't have the time to ask for details about Ryner's past, but I can help with this much.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of the time you have to spend with these three in a harmonious manner while you're here.

Somehow, I understand a little bit about how Lord felt.

Indeed, it might not be a bad idea for this kind of time to last forever.

If you are separated from the world, you can live happily forever in 'here', separated from the world. No doubt about it.

But there will be nothing at the end of it.

The Lord can't disappear, I can't help my sister and her friends, and Ryner's twisted way of life can't be cured. Nothing will be solved.

So tomorrow I'm going to the labyrinth.

I'm not going to be able to get it done, even if the Lord doesn't want me to.

That day - we sat around a poorly made dinner prepared by Lord and chatted late into the night.

◆◆◆◆◆ ...

And then the morning of the third day of life in the labyrinth arrives.

【Status】

Name: Aikawa Uzumi HP293/293 MP945/945 Class: explorer

Level 22.

Strength 12.55 Strength 14.12 Skill 18.57 Speed 22.96 Cleverness 18.67 Magic 38.34 Element 6.21

[Skill]

Inherent skill: swordsmanship 3.79

Acquired skills: body arts 1.56 Dimensional magic 5.27+0.10 magical combat 0.73 sensitivity 3.56

Knitting 1.07 Fraud 1.34 Blacksmithing 0.92 Divine Iron Forge (・・・・) 0.44

My blacksmithing skills are growing steadily, thanks to the work I've done to date.

And I'm in great shape and MP. I filled all 【Blank Ring】 with magic power last night, so I'm sure I've accumulated more magic power than the number visible in the 【Indication】.

Even if I use 《Default》 and 《Distance Mute》 wildly, I shouldn't run out of MP so easily.

First of all, I have to tell Ryner about today's plans. I wake up Ryner, who is sleeping on the bed next to me, by tapping his cheek.

'Wake up, Ryner. It's already morning.

'Hmmm. ....... --Huh!

When Ryner saw my face, he jumped up.

I was in such a hurry to use my magic right now that I almost drew my sword too.

''W-what's the matter?''

No, ......, the face of Christ in your sleep is bad for your heart: ......

My face?

It was the first time I'd ever been told that. I've never had a neighborhood kid tell me that my face is scary, nor have I ever been avoided by an animal. I don't think I have a face so distinctive that it's bad for my heart.

Reiner points to my hair and then makes a finger shape of a pair of scissors to appeal to me.

'Christ, it's time for you to cut your hair. It's getting long.

'Oh, come to think of it: ......

It's been quite some time since I arrived in this other world. Even though I hadn't grown in the year I was in the crystal, it's getting to be a worrisome length of time.

This is like--

'Come to think of it, this hair is Yotaki's hair ....... When you think about it, it's tremendously hard to cut .......

Although the shape has taken on a 'whirlpool wave' shape, it belongs to this body's sister. Just the thought of it being Yotaki's hair makes even her hands fiddle with her bangs naturally gentle.

Suddenly, I realize that I was making a narcissistic gesture, and my face turns red. As much as possible, I try not to think about those things.

'So don't say those creepy things ....... I know your body is your sister's, and I know that. And maybe that's why I'm starting to look a little more feminine .......

What?

'Maybe I was just sleep-deprived, but when I woke up, I thought there was a woman I didn't know.

No way. No way. ......

Sure, I've been careful not to hurt myself since I found out that my body belongs to my sister. I may have washed my face more often than usual. But that doesn't mean she looks more feminine.

If there is, it's for a different reason. For example, it's possible that I've become aware of my body's natural gender and that I'm being caught in the act.

If I admit that my 'soul' is a woman, I can't deny the possibility that my 'body' will change to this side.

”-Alright, let's cut it off. Let's cut it off to a manly haircut. Let's cut it off right now.

I'm a man, a man, a man, a man!

So I chant around in my mind that I'm a man.

'Though it might be more convenient to be feminine when I get back to earth, though. Nine times out of ten, the bounty is on the line for Christ in the Hoosiers. You'd be less likely to be found with a different physiognomy, I think.

...... You want me to dress up as a woman and reunite with my sister?

'Yeah, you didn't say that much ....... You're looking amazing, Christ .......

'Anyway, I reject that idea. It's better if we're found the other way around. There might be enemies coming for the Hoosiers, but more than that, I'd like to meet up with my friends too.

'Oh, I see. Well, your original haircut is the best, then. Do you want me to cut it for you, now?　I'm good at this sort of thing because I'm used to it.

...... Yeah. If you'd like.

I felt sorry for him, so I nodded without asking him why he was so good at it.

Then Ryner changed two fingers into scissors with 'Magic Wind Blading' and dexterously cut my hair. I couldn't help but think from his skilled technique that he must have been trimming his arrogant sister's hair since she was a child.

'Okay, now it's perfect. It's the original Christ.

Thanks, Ryner. Well, let's get out of here. Oh, and by the way, I'm going to the labyrinth today.

Ha, you're early. Are you ready to go?

Maybe if we just decide on a new magic, we can take down that dragon in one hit.

”Oh. That's great, Christ. Don't you want me to accompany you on that quest?

I'm just going to go and see how it feels today, that's all.

...... All right. Then I'll have to look at the loaded one in particular today.

Ryner is pleased that things are going well and declares that he will never let the Lord get in his way.

We prepare for today in our room, Ryner goes to watch the Lord as usual, and I head to the labyrinth instead of Rynand-san's house. In the meantime, we leave the Connection in our room for retreat before leaving.

We walked through the city in the early morning and arrived at the door at the edge of the city.

After deploying the ”Dimension Decisive Operation (Gradiate)” with all due care, we enter the sixty-sixth layer.

And the sky world that spreads out.

The sky is dominated by the Elfenries, a giant, free dragon that is even bigger than the clouds.

I walk through the meadow and look at the wind dragon.

It's hard to keep track of the dragon from its head to its tail. It looks like a steeplejack ceiling is wriggling.

No matter when I look at it, I don't feel like I'm going to win at all.

But today, I'm trying to pull a foul on it. For now, as long as you can touch it, you can neutralize it, so the odds are good.

For now, I'm going to try to walk through the sixty-six layers at random. However, as long as I'm walking on the ground, they won't pay any attention to me. Just like Reiner said, they seem to be aiming at things that go between the 65 and 66 layers.

It looked like the only way to fight the wind dragon was to go up the central spiral staircase.

The previously broken staircase had been repaired. The sculptures in the labyrinth will be repaired after a certain amount of time has passed. Probably, it's an application of 'Recall Convergence (Drop)' using magic power.

So, I'll use the stairs just like before.

While going up each step, I will simulate the battle in my mind. The plan is to just cast magic twice and the game will be decided.

I gradually approach the sixty-fifth layer while building the first magic 《Default》 to use beforehand.

In just a few minutes, I will reach the altitude where I was attacked before.

Before that, I declare.

To rouse myself, I swear to myself.

'This is the second time I've killed a dragon: ......'

Unlike the first time, this time he was a lone dragon slayer.

But I can't whine about it. Right now, in The Deepest Pledge (Di Cavernanter), my fears about my sister are gone. But I know in my head that I have to head to the surface as fast as possible.

That's why - today, here, the wind dragon will be defeated.

The entire labyrinth will be captured as fast as possible.

When I made up my mind to do so, my eyes met with the two sun-like eyes floating in the sky.

I'm sure you'll be able to find it. --I'm not going to be able to get it right.

At the same time as the provocation, the warbling-colored giant body that had filled the sky fell down.