Defense specialization and haunted mansion.
Arrived at the sixth floor just a short while ago.
Today, too, Maple is logged in.
She is currently at the guild home, maintaining the white set of equipment.
Equipment sustains damage even when she does not.
Maple takes the gear from Iz, re-sets it into the Quick Change slot.
"Good, let's explore today!"
As Maple steps toward the door to leave the guild home, someone unexpected enters through the open door.
"Wha—? Sally?"
"Ah... Maple."
"You really came after all?"
Sally explains to Maple why she came here.
There were things she could not afford to miss.
Yet, upon stepping into the field, she realized it was impossible alone, so she sought help from someone.
"Okay, okay. Then I'll help you! I didn't have anything special to do anyway."
"Truly... thank you..."
Then let’s go right away!
Maple took Sally’s hand and stepped out of the guild home.
Maple led Sally through the field, summoned Shiroppu, and caused it to grow large. She climbed onto the shell, gently stroked its surface, and spoke.
“Please, Love That Offers the Body. Throne of the Heavenly King.”
A throne appeared atop Shiroppu’s shell. Maple sat upon it. Sally sat on the shell ahead, eyes narrowed.
Maple kept Shiroppu hovering in place, waiting.
“Sally, destination?”
“There’s a manor west of town… there.”
“Got it. West it is.”
Maple turned Shiroppu sharply and began moving west.
“Ah… here it starts… I don’t want to.”
Sally covered her face with both hands, curled into a ball on the shell.
Maple suddenly cried out, though the journey had been smooth and steady.
“Ah!”
“Huh? What…?”
Sally lifted her face at Maple’s voice.
Before her, a woman with a pale blue face hovered in the air.
Her hand reached slowly toward Sally’s face, brushing against it.
“…………!!”
“[Barrel Deployment][Attack Initiated]!”
Sally lunged at Maple as the spirit dissolved into mist from a gunshot—nearly at the same instant.
“Pretty close, huh.”
“Ah—wait! No, that’s not good!”
Still clinging to Maple, Sally pointed into the void.
“Thanks to the throne, it’s just touching—safe now!”
“Uwah…”
“But it’s not gone. It’s coming back already. Ah—two more!”
A wretched groan escaped as the spirit staggered forward, swaying.
“Exorcism!”
Sally left the scarf wrapped around her face. Maple drove the spirit away.
After a while, a large, dilapidated manor came into view.
The mist around it was thicker than elsewhere. The structure remained indistinct, hard to confirm.
“Sally! We’re here. Um… probably… check it?”
“Nothing there?”
“Hmm… no. It’s safe.”
Maple confirmed the surroundings and relayed the news to Sally. Sally shifted the scarf aside and peered down through the gap.
“Yeah. It’s right. Good… good! Let’s go!”
“Then we’re descending.”
Maple lowered Shiroppu slowly, pulling Sally’s hand down to the ground.
She erased the throne and returned Shiroppu to the ring.
Shiroppu could not move properly inside the manor.
Sally returned to her usual attire. She could not wear a scarf over her face while exploring, not even for a moment.
“One failure is enough. Empty the mind. Empty it completely…”
“Shall we go? Sally.”
“Wait… I’m not ready yet…”
“I know it took an hour last time and still didn’t end. So I’ll make my heart a demon!”
Maple remembered clearly how Sally had burst into tears and fled after an hour of mental preparation before entering the haunted house.
Maple still had her weapons deployed.
There was no choice but to dive into the half-open door with a self-destructive flight, to prevent Sally from escaping.
Maple’s slight coercion, born from knowing Sally’s nature, was for Sally’s sake alone.
“Boldly, I’m coming in—!”
“Aaaaahhhhh!!!”
And with a thunderous roar, the two plunged into the mansion.