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The girl was dreaming.

Actually, it might not even be a dream.

In her blurred vision, the “Black Sword” was continuing its struggle to protect her.

Spiders were attacking from all directions.

And the Black Sword was stretching itself in all directions, intercepting the spiders.

As the number of spiders increased, the Black Sword found it harder to eliminate them in order to protect the girl.

Thus, the vicious cycle of the spiders multiplying even faster began.

Just when the moment came that it could no longer hold off the spiders, it seemed as if the Black Sword was staring at the girl intently.

Like a puppy secretly trying to steal a snack while checking its owner’s gaze.

After staring at the girl for a while, the Black Sword transformed in an instant.

A cute fairy with eyes shining a little larger than the girl’s palm.

Without wings, but to the girl, it felt like it had them.

At that moment, a scene flashed in the girl’s mind.

The unidentifiable black object that had fallen from a flowerpot long ago.

That object had also cried out in a cute voice.

Beep— it had made a sound.

So that’s what had been following me all along.

And just like that, the dream ended.

The Black Sword, which had turned into a fairy to protect the girl, was eaten by an even larger gray monster, and with that, the dream came to an end.

*

On a snowing day.

No, on a day so cold that the snow seemed to rise into the sky, the girl and the Deviant Reaper embraced each other, sharing warmth as if they were cold.

How should I torment the Deviant Reaper to spread rumors about how well I tortured it?

As I pondered this extremely serious dilemma, I observed that the girl’s state was quite alarming.

She looked partly like an object, so I thought she would be sturdy, but she was emitting an immense amount of heat from her body.

First, since a person was dying, I guess I should prioritize treatment.

Trying to call the Blue Reaper for healing, I felt a strong resistance, as if something was blocking me because we were in a labyrinth.

But I forcibly tore through the space and created a gate to the Mini Reaper Garden.

As the connection between the Mini Reaper Garden and the labyrinth was established, the bashful Blue Reaper popped out, followed by cheerful Golden Reapers pouring out.

[Heal all the pain, please.]

The Blue Reaper was taken aback upon seeing the injured girl and quickly cast the healing incantation string.

Once it confirmed the girl’s breathing was stabilizing, the Blue Reaper seemed displeased with the labyrinth and returned to the garden in an instant.

The Golden Reapers, who had hastily come out through the open gate, raised their hands and rushed toward me with determination.

“Mommy!”

The Golden Reapers had only been away from me for a short while, yet they clung to me with very happy expressions.

“Yes, yes, it’s Mommy.”

After patting each of the Golden Reapers one by one, I hurled them into the Mini Reaper Garden.

“!”

The Golden Reapers flew away with expression of betrayal, rolling over the Mini Reaper Garden.

Sorry, but Mommy has to continue on her adventure.

I closed the Mini Reaper Garden while hoping the Golden Reapers would understand.

“Mommy!”

Desperate faces appeared on the Golden Reapers as they rushed toward the dwindling gate, but they couldn’t make it over the rapidly closing gate.

Well, now that the girl has been treated, it’s time to torment the Deviant Reaper.

I slowly pulled the Deviant Reaper out of the girl’s arms and began to rub its cheeks until they squished, waking the sleeping Black Sword.

It seemed quite tired and didn’t wake easily, but as I kept rubbing its cheeks, it blinked its eyes in a dazed manner, waking up from sleep.

Still, with the White Firewood remaining on its body, the Deviant Reaper’s eyes shone in an odd mix of colors.

One side was white, while the other side was yellow.

Eating different colored firewood can lead to such changes.

It was fascinating, looking somewhat distinctive.

“Mommy….”

Seeing my face, the Deviant Reaper smiled as if relieved.

Was this a ploy to cover up its deviance with a smile?

I wouldn’t be tricked by such emotional manipulation; I opened my mouth wide and bit down on the Deviant Reaper.

Nom nom, as if I were going to eat it.

The Deviant Reaper began to squirm in surprise.

The weak Mommy was devouring us like a strong Mommy, it thrashed about wildly, but eventually slumped down as if resigned to its fate.

“Bye bye, Mommy.”

Suddenly exuding a very sad atmosphere, when I pulled it out of my mouth, the Deviant Reaper kept its eyes tightly closed, waiting for death.

Tap, tap.

I knocked on the head of the closed-eyed Deviant Reaper, expressing my feelings of disappointment.

I might torment it, but I wouldn’t hurt it….

Actually, I have hurt it before.

Anyway! I never intended to hurt it, but the Mini Reapers had way too little trust in me.

While I was tapping its head, the Deviant Reaper opened its white and yellow eyes wide, relaying a message.

“Mommy, aren’t you going to eat?”

“Not eating!”

At my response, the Deviant Reaper laughed like it was happy.

What on earth had the giant laying inside the Unchanging Sphere done to the Mini Reapers?

I should probably halt the tormenting of the Deviant Reaper here.

For some reason, when I torment the Black Sword, it always turns into a desolate atmosphere.

As soon as I let go of the Deviant Reaper, the other Black Reapers rushed over to it and started playing together.

“Does it hurt?”

“No, it’s fine!”

The Black Reapers exchanged concerned glances while looking at the shining eyes.

“Um.”

As I watched the Mini Reapers frolicking, I felt the girl, who had previously collapsed, beginning to regain her composure.

“Black Reaper Armor!”

I hurriedly opened my arms wide and called for the Black Reapers.

As if it was a scene from a movie, the Black Reapers transformed into armor parts and attached themselves to my body.

The Deviant Reaper looked upon the girl, who was starting to wake up, with a happy expression and dove into her embrace.

Then it squirmed and transformed into a sword made of black.

It was a little amazing that unlike the Golden Reaper, it could stick with an Attached Human without mental pollution, but it had transformed into a weapon and stuck together.

“Yawn.”

The girl propped herself up, rising with an expression that suggested she had slept very soundly.

*

The first two things the girl saw upon waking were:

The Black Sword cradled in her arms.

And an unidentifiable being clad in black armor from head to toe.

She was still in a drowsy state, but she remembered a fair amount.

The struggles and rampages of the Black Sword and the appearance of the black armor, along with the resolution of the rampage.

Though she couldn’t see clearly, she vaguely remembered that the black armor had helped both her and the Black Sword.

However, as she saw the yellow light emanating from the helm, she became tense and distanced herself from the black armor.

It was so powerful that it felt like nothing compared to the monsters she had met in the labyrinth.

Logically, she knew she should say, “Thank you for saving me,” but the aura emanating from the black armor was too intense, and her mouth wouldn’t move.

The black armor was looking at her, as if expecting something, but as the girl continued to tremble in fear, it lowered its gaze and remained still.

Seeing this, the girl felt as if the black armor was disheartened by something.

I need to greet it!

The girl clenched her teeth, trying to express her gratitude, but her mouth wouldn’t open.

Grrr.

Perhaps it was due to her nervousness; not only did her mouth not open, but a sound came from her stomach.

As she grasped her belly and offered a shy smile, the black armor clenched its tiny fist and then opened it.

Boom!

In its empty palm, a large pudding appeared, looking delicious.

Grrr.

“Pudding! It looks really tasty.”

The Labyrinth City didn’t lack food, but it seemed to have a deficiency in desserts.

The girl had hardly eaten snacks since entering the labyrinth.

I want to eat it, but I’m scared.

The ongoing battle between fear and hunger ultimately ended with hunger’s victory.

As she absentmindedly gobbled up the pudding handed to her by the black armor, the scene around her transformed.

Countless snacks and cookies.

A campfire burning something white, round, and large.

Flamingo torches made of transparent candy.

A bowl filled with hot cocoa floating with round marshmallows.

The chilly second floor of the labyrinth now had warmth, and a sweet aroma began to fill the surroundings.

“Wow!”

The girl gasped, looking at the suddenly appearing wonders, and started devouring the delicious-looking snacks.

*

After wolfing down tons of food, the girl no longer feared the black armor.

From the glowing yellow light inside the helm, she could sense intelligence that was uncharacteristic of an object.

Furthermore, the yellow light from the helm felt somewhat similar to the yellow of the Black Sword.

“I don’t remember exactly, but you’re the one who saved me and this child, right? Thank you!”

Having shaken off her fear, the girl stood up, bowed her head, and expressed her gratitude.

The Gray Reaper didn’t understand Japanese, but it read the emotion of gratitude and slightly nodded.

After a considerable time expressing thanks to the black armor, the girl began to hold the Black Sword in her hand and softly spoke.

“This isn’t your true form, is it?”

The girl exuded an aura as if she had figured everything out.

Seeing her, the Black Sword melted and transformed into the Black Reaper.

Then, it began to tremble, scared like a small puppy caught in fear.

As if it feared being abandoned.

Watching this, the girl hugged the Black Reaper tightly and said.

“Thank you for protecting me!”

And then, like she was petting a cute creature, she began to rub the Black Reaper affectionately.

The Black Reaper, being petted, wore an expression of receiving recompense for all its struggles.

Once the praises and strokes came to an end, the girl turned the Black Reaper back into a sword and said with a serious expression.

“Now that I’ve healed you, I’m going to explore the labyrinth to find the exit. Will you come with me?”

Though I had neither a map nor experience, the girl resolved to wander through the labyrinth and asked.

*

The girl was saying something with a meaningful expression.

Since it was in Japanese, I couldn’t understand, but I could sense various emotions, so I could roughly grasp the atmosphere.

Determination and courage.

An invitation and hope.

It might be my hopeful circuitry, but it felt like a request to “adventure” together in the labyrinth.

Finally, I had a party for an adventure!

An adventure in the labyrinth!

I got up from my spot and nodded.

Thus, the girl and I began the exploration of the second floor of the labyrinth.

Thud thud.

I walked out, hearing the armor tap tap against the floor.

“Ugh, it’s uncomfortable.”

No matter how much armor I wore, the discomfort wouldn’t go away.

I wouldn’t have worn it unless it was for the labyrinth exploration.

When I wasn’t wearing clothes, I had a 360-degree view, but now I was restricted to seeing only through the holes in the helm, which felt stifling.

I could sense everything precisely using the unique sensations of an object, but I couldn’t do so now.

If I could at least stick my tentacles out of the helm, it would be better, but that would look strange….

Still, thinking of it as a labyrinth exploration put a smile on my face within the helm.

Moreover, having a companion made it twice as enjoyable.

If I could gather more people to form a four-member party, it would be four times as fun, right?

Hehe.

As I walked through the second floor of the labyrinth, plagued by a myriad of thoughts, thick fog began to settle around.

By the time I sensed something suspicious about the fog, no one remained around me.

“No! My first companion has disappeared!”

Thud thud thud thud.

I dashed through the fog at high speed, searching for the girl.

“Ahhh!”

In the midst of my search, the girl’s scream pierced through the thick fog.

Upon following the sound of her scream, an eerie scene welcomed me.

The girl, wielding a Black Reaper sword, was kneeling and crying profusely.

A middle-aged man bleeding from a gash in his abdomen, seemingly pierced by a large blade, was in a protective stance for the girl.

And the Black Reaper lay decapitated on the floor.

“Ahjussi! Ahjussi!”

The girl kept shouting, looking at the bleeding man.

And the severed neck of the Black Reaper was oozing glowing yellow flames like blood.

Something feels off here?