A focus on defense, that is what I wish to achieve.

Maple and the others returned to the surface after completing their long dungeon expedition. Time had passed significantly. Kanade had further business to attend to. They decided to part ways here today.

“How was it? Did you enjoy yourselves?”

“Yes! It was refreshing not having a boss!”

“The previous bosses had their quirks. This might have served as a break before the final battle.”

The ten-layer dungeon was the main objective. With only limited time for Maple and Sally to play, they had pressed on without pause. The pace of their journey felt neither too hurried nor too relaxed—just right between steady exploration and dungeon clearance.

“The next step is using the items we’ve acquired!”

That’s right. From here on, we’ll use these items to open doors. At first, we’ll likely face fish-like enemies often, but beyond this point, we may encounter guardians of ancient ruins.

The Seal of the Sunken Empire functions much like a key to explore underwater ruins. Places we enter with it will change in enemy quality—carelessness is not an option.

“Hmph. Of course, we’ll encounter more ciphers than ever before. Make sure to review thoroughly.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“They were originally used in ruins, after all.”

The exploration of ruins continues from here. Traps will increase. Enemies with complex movements will appear. Having progressed smoothly so far, they resolve to stay alert. The three decide on their next schedule.

Once the schedule is set, Kanade logs out. The remaining two exchange glances.

“Sally, shall we stop here for today?”

Hmm, nothing in particular. Want to go somewhere?

The eighth layer is the last remaining area. No other locations need clearing. Levels are high enough—no need to rush through leveling.

I found a few places that are both interesting and nostalgic. I’d like to visit them while we still can.

I see. Interesting and nostalgic spots… Ten layers, perhaps?

Yeah! Mostly places I just discovered recently.

Ah, probably as more people finish the main route, they’re starting to explore side paths.

Could be! Pain-san and Mii said they’ve finished everything already!

Nice. I’m interested too. Maple, I’ll be waiting—show me the way.

Of course! One tour participant, please!

Please take care of me.

A single rest amid days of conquest. The guild members of 【Maple Tree】 had granted Maple and Sally an environment where the game could be enjoyed until its final moments. That included the leisure to wander, now and then, to places beyond the immediate.

"Destination: the Eighth Layer?"

"Um... it seems they’re scattered somewhere between the First and Third Layers, so we’ll need to teleport first!"

"Okay. Somewhere around there... the layers themselves have little distinguishing features. Hard to predict."

The place Maple had suggested. Sally’s chest swelled with anticipation. Something notable must be there. She followed Maple’s path.

The first layer. The place where the two had first cleared and claimed the Demon King’s power. Still unchanged, it spread out as one might imagine upon hearing the word “fantasy”—vast grasslands, towering mountains, clear lakes, deep forests, and finally, monsters, the ideal first encounter.

Sally looked around as they reached the central plaza of the Town.

“Feels a little nostalgic, but that’s not it, is it?”

“That’s not it.”

“Fufu, okay, okay.”

After racing through ten layers, defeating countless bosses. Exploring the first layer now felt like something from long ago. Even more so, the first layer’s foundation was the original first layer experienced even earlier. To walk through it now and feel nostalgia—nothing strange about that.

Yet Maple’s destination was clearly not the first layer itself.

“First, we prepare!”

“Yes. What is it?”

“First, we enter that shop!”

“Oh… an NPC shop.”

‘First.’ Sally anticipated another step, as Maple had spoken it that way. She followed Maple’s lead into the shop.

“Oh…?”

What awaited Sally was not what she had expected.

“Maple, what kind of shop is this?”

“A specialized insect net shop!”

“????”

Various questions arose—whether such a shop even existed, what purpose it served. But the walls, lined with an array of diverse insect nets, insisted with unyielding force that this was indeed a shop dedicated to insect nets.

“Um… are we buying one?”

“Naturally!”

“Is this… some awakening to insect catching?”

“Fufufu, nope. This is what we need.”

“…The first person to find this must’ve been something. I mean, something’s probably there, but…”

The shop, sharp and out of place, might suggest an event to a player with sharp instincts.

“Sort of divided by type, but which one do we get?”

“This… the best one!”

“Eh… a million!? Well, I suppose we can afford it, but…”

Two who’ve slain countless monsters and hoarded vast quantities of materials and sellable items could buy anything in the shop. Still, a million gold for a single insect net was staggering.

“Buy it if we need it. That’s what makes the expectation grow.”

“Good thing we’ve been killing monsters nonstop!”

“Even just after reaching the tenth floor, we made quite a bit, didn’t we?”

“Yeah! I was already feeling quite smug.”

Maple’s purse had grown noticeably warmer since she’d thrown herself into exploration and conquest. She was no longer the Maple who once built a guild home or had Iz craft a great shield. That was a different person entirely.

The sum was not insignificant, but not beyond reach. The two left the shop, each carrying a single net of the highest grade.

“Just this net, then?”

“There’s one more thing we need… um, you know how there are small towns scattered across the field from time to time? That’s where we’re going next!”

Though not a base, these small towns lacked guild homes. Still, they offered access to consumables like potions and provided support useful for hunting in the field. They dotted the land at irregular intervals.

Maple and Sally did not expend resources during combat, nor did they require buffs. Their style limited their use. Still, there were indeed several places that could be called Towns.

This was what Maple had said she must go to. She opened the map and showed Sally the location.

"Place… here!"

"Not so far. Direct approach seems best."

"First, preparation."

"Uh-huh. Continue guiding me."

"Yessir!"

Maple activated the flying machine and flew into the sky with Sally.

At the entrance to the vast grasslands, a few houses stood as if to recommend resupplying there before entering.

They entered one of them. Purchased the necessary items first. Then exited.

"A white ticket… indeed a meaningful item. Feels like it should be used somewhere."

The two had purchased a white ticket, quietly sold in an item shop. Without knowing its name, it would seem no more than a scrap of glossy paper. Yet an item with no effect would seem all the more suspicious. The first player to discover its connection to the bug net likely searched with bloodshot eyes, convinced it was no mere trinket.

"Thank goodness it was here. Sometimes it's not stocked, or you have to find it in another shop!"

"True. The shopkeeper even asked what it was when I bought it. So it must be a strange item that slips in from somewhere... might even give a hint about where Maple wants to go."

"Fufufu, as always, you're quite perceptive."

"Whether it's right or not won't be known until we go there."

"Ticket’s in hand. Now it’s straight to the destination!"

"Then we head toward the destination."

"Make sure to bring the insect net!"

"It cost a fortune—so it better earn its keep."

They take flight again, insect nets in hand. Maple lands before a forest thick with dappled sunlight, small flowers blooming sparsely in the undergrowth.

"Ah—this looks promising for the target insect."

"Exactly! But there are monsters here too... [Predator]! [Toxic Fission Form]!"

A monstrous thing writhes from the ground, splitting into three forms before Maple.

Those who obstruct are devoured or dissolved. No mercy for those who block the path.

"Ah—"

A dazzling beetle darts in at once. [Predator] crushes it with a single snap.

Sally feels the presence of a carnivorous plant in the scene. Another prey is crushed, vanishes.

I should be fine not doing anything for a while. Hmm, but what if I catch it with a bug net and accidentally eat it?

The predator is voracious, much like its master. If something wanders into range, it will consume it without hesitation.

It’s fine! The one catching it isn’t a monster. It won’t come out near the entrance. Let’s just keep going deeper.

Maple describes the appearance of the target insect to Sally, so they won’t miss it. Both stare intently, like plates, as they advance toward the forest’s inner depths, where the insect lives.

Insects as monsters are weak even among the ten layers. With the predator and the toxic fissioner present, they were manageable opponents. Maple and Sally reach the forest’s farthest edge without issue.

Oh…

Beautiful!

Spreading before them was a meadow bathed in dappled sunlight. Flowers in every hue bloomed thickly, butterflies fluttering through the air. The scene was beautiful. Enough, one might say, to justify the journey. Yet Maple’s true purpose lay beyond this place.

“A blue butterfly sometimes appears among these flowers. I wish to catch one.”

“A blue butterfly. It’s easy to see when it rests on a bloom… hmm. Not here?”

“If we wait, the one that was here will fly off. Another will come in its place.”

“Right. Then we just need to keep watch and not miss it.”

The task was clear. No monsters appeared. No distractions. Sitting side by side, they focused, watching the fluttering insects. No failure would come if they stayed alert.

“…Maple! That one— isn’t that it?”

“Indeed it is!”

Beyond Sally’s pointing finger, two blue butterflies fluttered together in gentle motion.

“Only one each—so we must not fail.”

“Understood. Maple, you mustn’t miss either!”

“Mm-hmm!”

They raised their insect nets, stepped forward, and swiftly brought them down. The targeted blue butterflies were caught firmly within the net’s mesh. A moment later, they settled as items into each of their inventories.

“Got it!”

“Yeah! We did it! That was close!”

“Seems they came out faster than expected.”

“Mm-hmm.”

They checked the butterflies they had safely captured, retrieving them from their inventories.

“[Butterfly of Dream Guidance]… So this is the one we must rely on in the end?”

“Exactly! I was worried we’d never find it.”

“So… we use this butterfly… like this?”

Items have a usage section. If not the right moment, attempting it might result in failure and the need to restart.

"Alright! Ne-ne, shall we use it—ready?"

"Fine. Then…"

"Ready!"

Both press the usage button simultaneously. Two butterflies, just caught moments ago, appear before them, scattering blue effects.

"Chase them…?"

"Good!"

"Got it. Keep an eye on them, don’t lose sight."

Dealing with monsters remains the task of the creatures lingering nearby. They push through the undergrowth, slip between trees, and the insects fly ahead, biting into them. Naturally, it is the predator that bites.

How long have they walked? The two butterflies ahead lead them into a natural tunnel formed by entwined trees and vines.

"Could we just come here normally?"

The tunnel won’t open unless I’m brought here by a butterfly.

I see. So entering by chance is impossible, then.

Without an entrance, there is nothing to be done. Through the dim tunnel, stepping forward with gratitude toward the unknown stranger who had firmly established the necessary conditions. Light poured down abruptly.

"Is this it?"

Destination reached!

Oh… a shop?

"Correct!"

Sally had imagined a scene like a flower garden where she had just caught a butterfly, beautiful and serene. The building before her was unexpected.

A massive tree, so tall it seemed to reach the sky, bore a single dark brown door directly upon its trunk. A second floor, perhaps, with several windows set into the bark. The door was familiar, though the script upon it was unknown. Yet the two of them could just barely read it—ciphered characters from the Eighth Layer, marking the door with a sign that read OPEN.

This place feels unlike an ordinary shop.

You can read the letters now, can’t you?

Certainly. Just as clearly remembered.

Let’s go in!

Yeah.

Maple pushed open the heavy door, and the two glanced inside.

Beyond the worn wooden counter stood bottles of coffee beans, and other items—blue, white, their contents unknown.

But what truly caught their eyes was not the goods behind the counter, but the master seated beyond it.

A figure clad in a black suit. A solid-black humanoid, like a human shadow given form. It had four long arms, moving with precision as it worked, facing the shelves. It turned at the sound of Maple and Sally entering.

No contours on the face. No parts where they should be. No ears, no nose—yet glasses sat upon it, strikingly present.

“Wah!?”

"This is what it’s for, then."

A white ticket, ejected without permission from the two’s inventories, floats through the air and soars toward the master. They have prepared thoroughly. The qualification to enter is secured.

The master’s side, a small black shadow appears—likely a shop attendant.

Guided by the shadow, the two take their seats. They unfold the menu placed before them.

"Still all cryptic characters, I see."

"I’ll read from the bottom up. Sally, you go from the top. Let’s order something interesting."

"Okay. Let’s do that."

They divide the task of deciphering the menu. Soon, they recognize that most of the listed items are unknowns—unimaginable in taste.

"Lower down… drinks? Probably."

"Top section… sweets? Maybe. Not certain, though."

"‘Lunar Eclipse Coffee.’ ‘Meteorite Crater Tart.’..."

“Starsea Moon Jelly” and “Rabbit Dumpling”—these seem vaguely harmless. The flavors come to mind, at least.

“Right! This one’s called ‘Celestial Vault White’—it’s drink-like, but…”

“Let’s order one drink at a time. Same with food.”

“Agreed.”

Maple ordered ‘Celestial Vault White’ and ‘Starsea Moon Jelly.’ Sally ordered ‘Lunar Eclipse Coffee’ and ‘Meteorite Crater Tart.’ They waited, speaking as the dishes prepared.

The shop’s master moved with four arms, each working with effortless precision, as if this were the natural order.

“Mai and Yui—they do something like that, right?”

“‘Hand of Salvation,’ yes. You have it too.”

“When I use it, I only use it as a foothold. Not much complexity in the motion.”

“I do have multiple arms, though. ‘Ruthless’—”

“That one might move more naturally.”

She adapted quickly. Different build, yet she fit.

Thanks to you, I was of great service.

From combat to transport. The matter shifts, but why did Maple come here?

I thought it looked interesting! Don’t you want to try eating something that only exists in games?

Indeed. Unlike reality, there is no need to concern oneself with money or calories. It would be fine to have Izu prepare it, but when it comes to unusual things, one can only find such events through chance.

Even within the game, shops that produce such strange things are few. Not the kind found in the Town, but more often hidden areas like this. Maple seemed to enjoy these experiences unique to games.

As the two speak, the prepared dishes are set before them.

A plate and cup set down with a soft clink. The food before them was unfamiliar, not like anything they had heard of before.

“Oh… this is…”

“Looks fairly ordinary. Taste… can’t say until we’ve tried it.”

Before Maple lies ‘Sky’s White’ and ‘Stellar Moon Jelly’. Before Sally lies ‘Lunar Eclipse Coffee’ and ‘Meteor Crater Tart’.

‘Sky’s White’ is a milky, opaque liquid with something shimmering mixed within. ‘Stellar Moon Jelly’ is a transparent gel resembling the clover pattern of a sea jelly, shaped into stars. When Maple tilts the plate, it wobbles in response.

Before Sally, ‘Lunar Eclipse Coffee’ is closer in hue to black tea than coffee—darker than red, yet not quite black. Its opacity confirms it is not tea.

The 'Meteor Crater Tart' features a crust resembling a crater, with a bright yellow fruit used in its preparation. Upon closer inspection, however, the fruit does not appear to be a yellow peach.

"Enjoy."

They begin with the drink. Both take up their cups cautiously and bring them to their lips.

"...Sweet, maybe?"

"This one is清爽—clear coffee... not too bitter. Maple might find it easy to drink. And this one, milk?"

"Yeah! It's close to hot milk."

"Feels like a gentle sweetness."

"How about the jelly?"

"…………"

Maple brings the jelly to her mouth and chews. A crisp jelly releases a refreshing citrus flavor across her mouth, occasionally punctuated by a fizzy, popping sensation, like carbonation.

"O—this is intense."

"……?……Wah!?"

Looking where Sally points, Maple notices the change immediately.

Yellow star effects burst from around Maple, transforming into jellyfish that drift lazily through the air. Each time she contracts and extends her body, she leaves behind a trail of star-shaped light, like a shooting star—adorable, tiny, and fleeting. When Maple reaches out to catch it, the light pops and vanishes.

"Too bad. Can't bring it back."

"Ah… could we take it out? Maybe?"

"Would be nice if we could carry home a jelly. Let's check later."

"What about the tart?"

"Hope something interesting happens…"

Sally brings the tart to her mouth. The fruit, resembling a yellow peach, has the texture of an apple and tastes like a different fruit with every bite—a strange, unknown fruit.

"Amazing. Grape… strawberry… want a bite?"

"Yep! Swap it for jelly!"

"Alright… huh!?"

"Wah!?"

At the moment she tried to scoop a bite with the spoon, small meteorites began falling onto the table one after another, striking and shattering into nothingness.

"O-oh…"

"Ahh, nice smell!"

As each meteorite shattered, a sweet, pleasant scent spread through the air. Dazed, they watched until the falling ceased. The two were left wrapped in the lingering sweetness.

"These meteorites… could they be the true nature of the fruit atop the bowl?"

"Ahh, that’s probably why!"

"Let’s check if we can take some of these out too."

"Okay!"

"Maybe Iz could recreate them?"

"I wish she could."

"Iz can craft items others can’t, using her skill. It’s possible. I haven’t developed my production skill, and I don’t fully grasp the recipe system. So I can’t say for sure."

"Let’s ask about the others too."

"Since it doesn’t fill the stomach, we can try them all."

"We have plenty of coin!"

"Then let’s go all out."

"Right!"

The two ordered the unknown pastries and drinks lined up before them, each taking a bite with clear delight.

The flavors defied expectation, the effects played out in vivid displays—each one a unique experience exclusive to the game.

"Tasted wonderful. Was so much fun!"

"The first place we want to go is clear."

"What about you, Sally?"

"Very entertaining. I kept being surprised with every bite. Still, exploring off the main path is just as good as following the guide."

"Next time, tell me the places you want to go."

"You said you found a few spots you wanted to see, didn’t you? Why not go there first?"

As Sally said this, Maple let out a soft hum, her eyes fixed on Sally, as if considering something.

Because if I don’t say anything, Sally will just say the place I want to go is the place I want to go, right? I want to go to the places Sally wants to go too!

My… that’s what I mean…

Even something I want to do?

…………

She didn’t fully grasp it. Still, as the final moment drew near, Maple vaguely sensed something Sally was thinking.

The second time in a row, Maple’s question had confirmed it for Sally.

Though always floating in a soft haze, Maple still had sharp intuition. Sally thought this as she searched for the right words.

I’ll think about it. It’s fine. I’ll decide properly… when I find it, I’ll tell Maple.

Got it! Promise?

Yeah. Promise.

You’ve already found it, haven’t you? The thought pressed against her, growing stronger—something she wished she could tell Maple, but couldn’t quite bring herself to ask.

It’s about time we go out.

"Yeah! We ate it all, after all."

"Good thing it wasn’t the real world."

"Outside, it’d be a disaster."

Monetarily and calorically. Calories were zero. The gold earned from slaying monsters covered the full menu. They left the shop, satisfied.

They opened the heavy wooden door, same as when they entered, and stepped outside. Sunlight filtered through the trees—bright, sharp, forcing them to squint.

The dim, gentle light of the shop had made the return to daylight feel intense after so long.

"Let’s come back sometime."

"Agreed. I’ll buy a ticket next time I see one."

"Mmm, better buy it when I find it… Today was lucky."

Maple turned back for a final photograph. Her eyes widened. Only an ordinary forest stretched ahead. The shop beneath the great tree—where the two had just been—was gone. No trace remained.

“Truly, a shop like a dream. If even the shop vanishes, not being able to take out food makes sense.”

Dreams exist only in dreams. Without shared experience, everything could seem like illusion. Yet the memory of what they had eaten remained clear.

“Now then, we couldn’t take out food… but since we’re here, let’s tell Izzy about it. The master of the café—Maple Tree—shouldn’t be outdone.”

“Yeah! Hehe, let’s open a second branch!”

“Good idea.”

They did not get the final souvenir photo. But the sweets and drinks they had received were clearly captured in the pictures. That should be enough to spark Izzy’s imagination.

Thus the two passed through the deep woods and returned once more to the familiar field.