Defense-oriented and prolonged engagement.

It became twice as long as usual while being written.

Why, I wonder?

Maple sat motionless, gazing into the spirit’s eyes for a time, until Sally gradually calmed.

"Maple... still here?"

Sally spoke without lifting her face.

"Yeah, still here."

"Uuu... can't you go somewhere already...?"

Sally’s voice still trembled slightly, but returned to her usual tone.

"Better now?"

"Calmer, yes. But it’s mortifying. Don’t look at me..."

She had been caught in full view of Maple, tears streaking her face.

Maple could imagine the redness spreading across Sally’s ears, her cheeks flushed even more deeply.

"Understood. But... was that skill really worth all this effort?"

She regretted not having stopped it earlier... truly. She wanted to strike herself for thinking, just for a moment, that it might have been alright...

Sally said she had been dazzled by the skill.

Unusual, for Sally to misjudge.

So many things I wanted lined up—just couldn’t help it. But it’s fine. Calm down. Cooling my head, I’ll manage even without them.

In the end, what skill did Sally actually want? I didn’t listen properly, did I.

Maple speaks, and Sally begins to speak of the skills and items she has desired, of everything that has happened here.

Maple heard it and understood there was little she could use for herself.

There is no need to retrieve what is unnecessary. Efficiency in future exploration will improve.

Yet Maple took pleasure in the act of exploration itself, making it impossible to say she would not go.

She might go, if it seemed interesting.

Maple had hoped the spirit would vanish somewhere during their conversation, but the spirit refused to move.

"Leaving the throne would be unwise... Can't attack, can't even harm it?"

When Maple reached out to use an item, a gust of wind sliced through the spirit’s form.

The spirit staggered back slightly.

Maple understood immediately—no HP gauge, no concept of damage. It could not be defeated.

The spirit moaned, covering its face with both hands. After a moment, it approached again, reaching toward them.

"Escape while it's unsettled... Sally, can you do it? I’ll likely be caught."

Maple suggested leaving with only Sally.

"Um... probably not."

It wasn’t just that 【AGI】 was zero.

"What should I do... huh?"

The spirit, which had lingered close to Maple and the others, suddenly drifted away from both and stepped directly out of the room.

Maple could only stare blankly as the change unfolded.

"Chance now! Let's go, Sally!"

"Eh? Eh? Y-yeah!"

Grabbing Sally by the hand, her face still lowered, unable to grasp the situation.

The two ran for the first time at the same pace.

From behind, the sound of someone else being taken by the spirit reached their ears.

Hearing the voice of another now targeted, Sally flushed again, as if realizing she had nearly been that one.

"Ah—! Not again!"

Maple retraced the path she remembered, moving at the shortest possible speed, until she finally returned to a place where logout was possible.

"Thank you, Maple."

"Hehe... you're welcome!"

The two rejoiced at their return.

From behind them, a cold arm reached out and wrapped around both, pulling them close.

"Ah—!"

"Mmm!"

The two froze in surprise when the skill acquisition notification arrived.

"Uh... [Edge of the Underworld]? Ah, that's the skill Sally said doubles item effects."

Maple checked the skill details.

Sally, who had slumped to the ground, seemed to have acquired the same skill.

A flavor text described an odd connection with someone who quietly offered a hand from behind.

"U... I don't need such a connection."

"What now, Sally? I can still accompany you on the next exploration."

"Logging out. Going home."

Sally answered without hesitation.

"Yeah, okay then. Bye?"

Maple waved a small hand.

"Thanks today. I'll make it up to you."

"No, no, you've helped me so much already! I finally got to return one favor, I guess."

Maple smiled. Sally's expression eased slightly.

Thank you. Then, perhaps when the Seventh Layer appears again.

She said it and returned again.

I won’t… not even for that.

After concluding the conversation, Sally logged out and departed.

There is a saying: once the heat has passed the throat, the warmth is forgotten.

Whether it passes the throat is another matter entirely. Yet in most cases, mistakes are repeated.

Risa returns to the real world. She rises from the bed. She shuts down the game and cleans up.

Mmm... sweat... bath... no, wait—fine, I can wait. Eat dinner first.

Risa opens the door more gently than usual and descends to the first floor.

She walked straight to the living area and found her mother preparing dinner.

"Risa? Dinner's ready, isn't it?"

Yes, I came to watch the screen for a moment.

Reisha said that and turned on the television, then sat on the sofa.

She did not seem particularly interested in the television. Her gaze drifted over it, half-hearted.

Reisha sat in the living room, waiting for dinner, when the phone rang.

She turned her head sharply toward the sound.

"Ah… yes, this is Shiraumi. Yes."

...

Her mother spoke with someone for a while. Then, after hanging up, she turned to Reisha.

"Reisha? Mom has a sudden errand to run. Dad’s going to be late too… Eat your meal before it gets cold."

"…Eh… uh, yeah…"

Reisha’s reply came slow, hesitant. Her mother had already risen, hurrying toward the door to prepare.

"I’ll try to get back as soon as I can."

"...I understand."

That was all she said before leaving.

Outside, night had fallen. The house was quiet. Only the sound of the television filled the silence.

"…I, I’ll eat dinner now."

After seeing her mother off, Risa returned from the entrance hall and began eating dinner.

……

Risa picked up the television remote and turned up the volume.

Sitting on the chair, her feet shifted restlessly, her eyes slightly narrowed.

Her chopsticks moved slowly.

"Thank you for the meal."

Risa cleared the dishes and flipped through the channels at random.

The weather report said it would rain tonight.

She passed the time without purpose. No one came home.

"I should take a bath… but…"

A pulse faster than usual. A feeling unsettled.

She knew the cause.

"Just… scared…"

Saying it aloud made it feel worse.

Risa closed the curtains and doors tightly, then hugged the cushion lying on the sofa, curling her body inward.

……That's right!

A faint light returned to her face, as if she had recalled something.

Elsewhere, Maple, like Risa, had logged out and was studying in her room.

Then the ring of a notification sounded.

“Could it be…?”

Holding her phone, Maple saw Risa’s message displayed.

“Hello?”

“Ah, Maple? Are you alright right now?”

“Hmm… I’m fine. What’s up?”

“No, I’ve been thinking—sorry for troubling you today. Can we talk for a moment?”

Maple sensed, vaguely, the real reason behind Risa’s call, but said nothing, continuing the conversation as before.

“Hm?”

As they spoke, Maple noticed a sound of water, distinct from Risa’s voice.

“Bath or toilet… she’s so afraid of those things… ah.”

Maple let the thought slip out before she could stop herself.

Risa could have pretended not to hear, but instead fell silent.

"Ri… Risa?"

And after a brief silence, Risa’s voice comes again.

"...Maple, no one’s home with me right now."

"Uh-huh."

"Just... a little lonely, I guess..."

"Uh-huh."

"S-sorry... I’m scared... can I keep talking on the phone?"

Maple has no reason to say no. The conversation continues.

As they speak, Maple recalls something.

"Once before, we did this."

"Was that right?"

"Yeah. Back then, I wasn’t in the bath, though. The next day, I was exhausted."

"Ah, elementary school? Wow... I haven’t grown up at all."

As they talk, the fear begins to fade.

Stepping out of the bath, the conversation brightens. By the time they climb into bed, Risa’s mood has lifted considerably.

"Good night, Risa."

"Uh-huh. Thanks. Good night, Maple."

Risa climbed into bed earlier than usual.

She turned off the light, pulled the blanket up to her chin, and closed her eyes.

Rain began falling outside. The sound drifted in.

Going to bed early did not mean she would fall asleep sooner.

Thirty minutes passed. An hour passed.

With each passing moment, the fading sensation returned.

—Nn… nnn…

Risa shifted restlessly in bed. After a pause, she made her decision. She picked up the phone.

There was only one person she would call.

She woke Maple, spoke with her again, then sat up and turned on the light.

—Ahaha… we’ve done this before, haven’t we?

—Really… sorry, Maple…

And the next day, Maple’s sleeplessness was inevitable.