Waking up to the restless hum of spiritual energy.

"Hmm... what...?"

"Ah, I'm awake."

"Whoa!"

Right in front of me was Refrea's face.

Her wide-open eyes were staring straight at me.

Honestly, I was startled enough to snap fully awake, but I didn't show it, and instead spoke.

"…Now that you mention it, we did sleep together… good morning."

"Good morning. Hikaru… are you really an otherworlder?"

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

"…Well… you never actually reach out your hand, you know. Not to mention you fall asleep right away."

I sat up. Refrea was still in her pajamas.

She must have just woken up too.

I wasn't unable to sleep due to nervousness last night—or rather, I fell asleep fairly quickly.

I'd been practicing horseback riding, so I was probably just tired.

It probably helped that I focused on getting to sleep as soon as possible.

My younger sisters were always clingy toward me, often wanting to sleep together, so being used to sleeping with someone might have played a role too.

Even though I was supposed to be sleeping alone, I'd often wake up to find Serika or Karen lying beside me. This wasn't just a thing from elementary school—it continued right up until right before I was transferred.

They're smart enough, but emotionally they're quite childish. Maybe it's just because their parents are like that; there's not much to be done about it.

Still, I can't say I wasn't startled by Reifia's morning greetings.A slightly curly platinum blonde strand fell across her cheek, shimmering.

If I hadn’t managed to go to bed early yesterday, I might have been in trouble.

"I told you, we're being watched by the entire population over there. Honestly, sharing a bed like this was a little unpleasant for me."

"I've heard that story so many times already... Maybe we could just cover ourselves with a blanket?"

"Alright, alright, let's stop talking about this. Where's Jeanne?"

"Huh? Well... I haven't left the room yet either. But she probably hasn't come back, has she? There's no sound at all."

"I see."

I checked the time on the status board.

6 a.m. The usual wake-up time.

The spirits' murmurs continued.

"Is there something special today? The spirits feel different somehow."

"Wait, really? I don't feel anything at all."

"……This sensation. It's similar to when the Fire Great Spirit came out of the temple before. Is that the plan?"

"The Great Spirit going outside...? That can't be right."

Something felt wrong.

The Great Spirit was like an archenemy to me.

Just sensing its presence was enough to keep me from calming down.

"Let's go out there for now."

I reached for the buttons of my nightwear to change, but Refreia remained seated on the bed, staring at me.

"……Um, I'm changing clothes."

"Don't worry about it."

"I'm the one who should be worrying!"

I tried pulling and pushing Refreia to get her out of the room, but she showed incredible stubbornness, unmoving like a massive boulder.

So this is the kind that won't budge even with a lever...

Giving up, I decided to just change clothes as is. Well, there's nothing particularly embarrassing about it anyway.

　

I took off my nightwear and adjusted my gear.

Either way, I was planning to go look for Jeanne today.

By the way, Reflia had been staring at me the whole time I was changing, not blinking, not moving a muscle—maybe she was just sleeping with her eyes open.

"Wait, what about Reflia?"

"……"

"Reflia? Seriously, is she actually asleep with her eyes open?"

"……Oops, sorry. I didn't expect you to actually change clothes—I froze up. Thank you."

"Well, you don't have to thank me..."

Now that I've been living with her, I've realized Reflia's kind of a weird one.

Whether it's due to cultural differences between the person from the other world and Earth dwellers is unclear. There's not quite enough of a mismatch to require precise alignment, but still.

"Well, whatever the case, go change into something else, Reifrea. I'll find something to snack on while you do."

I check Jeanne's room anyway, but she hasn't returned yet.

The living room and kitchen show no signs that anyone has come back.

She must really be staying somewhere else for the night.

The spirits' murmurs continue,

almost as if they're growing slightly louder.

For now, I boil water and prepare tea.

I glance at the neatly cleaned kitchen. Though we've only lived here for a short time, it hasn't been bad.

Once I find Jeanne, I'll apologize and leave as planned. I should also contact the mansion to cancel the contract.

I don't know whether Ferdinand the transmigrator was telling the truth or lying.

It's impossible to say I don't care about Nanami.

But I've already made up my mind.

"Still, what on earth...? If the Great Spirit isn't out there, then maybe another Great Spirit has appeared, or perhaps the Demon King has shown up?"

I don't think the Demon King is likely.

After all, if the Demon King had appeared, we'd have been summoned immediately by the guild.

　

Then it must be a new Great Spirit.

Great Spirits appear as a natural phenomenon, and humans can't influence their emergence.

Then it wouldn't be surprising if a great spirit suddenly appeared somewhere in the city.

(That could be bad...)

Great spirits detect those who are loved.

Since this place is somewhat away from the temple, we should be fine, but there's a risk of being detected if a freely moving great spirit comes near.

"Reflia! I'm going to check outside for a moment!"

"Eh? Oh, okay!"

I stepped outside after calling from below.

(I can feel it...!)

Though I've rarely approached a great spirit before, the dense, pure spiritual energy is unmistakable.

The distance is still some way off, but it's definitely coming closer.

(What should I do? Run away? But Reflia...)

I'm the one who is loved. Great spirits are my natural enemies.

Since it can't see me from the street, I think I'm still undetected so far.

After a brief pause, I pulled out the barrier stone from the pouch at my waist and cracked it open.

One point is precious, but I’d already decided we were in an abnormal situation.

The barrier stone repels adversaries.

It creates a barrier that physically blocks intrusion and renders the user invisible. It’s nearly universal in utility.

However, it’s not flawless against opponents as powerful as the Great Spirit.

I’ve used it twice before against the Great Spirit, and in both cases, the Great Spirit still seemed able to see my form.

Perhaps because the Great Spirit is akin to a deity, it lacks hostility altogether.

"……At least this should offer some safety. But why is the Great Spirit wandering around? Is it really a new one…?"

I could see people on the other side of the street growing increasingly agitated.

It's similar to when the great spirit of fire appeared before. If that's the case, the great spirit must have escaped somehow.

Since the barrier was already erected, it couldn't flee, so I just stood outside the house, staring at the scene.

"Huh? Hikaru, what's going on? That's a barrier, right...?"

Refrea, having prepared her equipment, stepped out and said.

She must have noticed immediately, having seen the barrier stone placed just moments ago. The barrier is translucent, designed so that anything inside becomes obvious at a glance.

Incidentally, no one can enter or exit. To someone without hostile intent, the inside is visible, but to someone with hostile intent, the barrier itself becomes invisible—apparently, it's perceived as if "there's nothing there."

"Over there. Probably the great spirit is coming. I don't know why, but..."

"Eh...? It does seem to be causing quite a stir, but... that direction is toward the shrine of the Water Great Spirit, right? Could it really be...?"

"Is there something special about water?"

"The shrine of the Water Great Spirit isn't a fully artificial shrine. It was built by modifying an existing natural shrine, which is why the Water Great Spirit is more composed than the others."

To construct a labyrinth city, at least three Great Spirits must be gathered.

The power of the Great Spirits spirals outward, and at the center of that spiral, a labyrinth—the dungeon—appears.

In most cases, labyrinth cities are built based on the original locations of the Great Spirits—natural shrines. In Meltya's case, that was the shrine of the Water Great Spirit.

Conversely, the other great spirits that have been brought in from outside, installed in artificial sanctuaries, and put to use seem to suffer from psychological instability.

It's strange to think that a great spirit—something more like a deity or phenomenon—could have mental stability or instability, but if that's what it is, then so be it.

"My hometown's great spirit was originally one who resided in a natural sanctuary, so they're quite calm—so detached, in fact, that they don't even eat those favored by love."

"Then maybe it's safer?"

"……No, the sanctuaries in the labyrinth city are supposed to maintain stability by offering up those favored by love. Hikaru, if the water great spirit is the one we're dealing with, that might be… problematic."

As they spoke, the noise grew louder, and the figure at its center came into view.

"……Is that… the great spirit of water…?"

A woman of roughly the same height as the Great Fire Spirit.

Clad in a deep navy-blue robe reminiscent of the deep sea, her pale skin was so translucent it appeared bluish-white, and her hair, lips, and eyes all shared the same hue—her very form a vivid testament to her nature as a living embodiment of water.

"…Anyway, Hikaru. Isn’t the one standing beside you the human from yesterday?"

"Huh?"

Indeed, it was the second-wave transmigrant Ferdinand, the very one who had given me information about Nanami yesterday.

Ferdinand glanced at us, a faint smirk lifting the corner of his mouth, raising his right arm and pointing meaningfully toward me, as if delivering a message to the Great Spirit.

The gaze of the Great Water Spirit locked onto mine.

The navy-blue robe and long, silvery-green hair lifted slightly as if buoyed by the palpable presence of spiritual power.

The great spirit's emotions surge forth as sound and waves, drenching every part of his body.

— Unbelievable,

— This fragrance!

— Such a fully ripened essence!

— After traversing the boundless expanse of eternity,

— To feel such an intense longing in one's heart,

— Could such a day ever come?

This is insane.