Yuri was in communication with her little sister, the Area Guardian of the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary. Usually, she would know the movements of all of the Seven Sisters.
『Shizu-neesama? I understand…Ah, she’s on the 6th Floor…Do you need me to send out one of my servants, the Uka-no-Mitama, to lead the way?』
The Uka-no-Mitama was a level 85 monster who was adept in the use of mental-type magic. She had two forms — a short-haired girl in a fox mask, and a bestial form which sacrificed the ability to use all magic in exchange for a tremendous boost in her physical combat ability.
There was also a young man who wore a sun-motif mask within the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary, a servant known as Ootoshi.
(TL Note: Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami is a Japanese god of food and the patron of Inari Taisha, while Ootoshi-no-Kami is Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami’s elder brother)
“No, there’s no need for that. I just need to ask the Guardians of the 6th Floor, Aura-sama or Mare-sama, and I’ll know where she is.”
『I understand. Then, if they don’t know either, please contact me again.』
“Mm, I shall leave it to you when that time comes. Still, the Uka-no-Mitama are your servants, so do they not have the sacred duty of defending your domain? While you’re only lending out one of them, is that really alright?”
『Yes. When Ainz-sama graced me with his presence, I received permission to send up to two of them outside the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary at any one time.』
“Is that so? Then that should be fine.
Her youngest sister was currently on the 8th Floor, and she could not go there directly. Even the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown would not be able to travel directly to the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary. Instead, it would teleport one some distance away from it. With her servants as shields, she ought to have enough time to flee to the 9th Floor.
『Thank you for your concern. However, I have other defenders in addition to the Uka-no-Mitama, so it is fine.』
“I see.” Having said this much, going on any further would just be rudeness instead. “In that case, I’ll be counting on you when the time comes.”
『Yes, please leave it to me.』
Her giggling voice made Yuri think of her littlest sister crossing her arms with an adorable smile on her face.
With a smile that cut through all her previous unease, Yuri ended the conversation.
“Now then — let’s go.”
Yuri permitted the demons to escort her through the searing-hot world of the 7th Floor, and then she passed through the door leading to the 6th Floor.
Right after that, a Dark Elf came towards her, back facing the arena.
It was Aura.
Floor Guardians could sense the people who entered the floors which were their responsibility. However, it would be more accurate to say that they could sense the activation of the teleport gates, but there were conditions which had to be met and some restrictions.
After learning that the person teleporting over was Yuri, Aura slowed her pace. Still, even though she had slowed down, she was still a level 100 NPC and thus far swifter than Yuri.
“Are~ what’s wrong, Yuri? Heading out to the first floor to work as usual? Or did you come to play?”
“No, I came here today to find you, A—”
I can't do that, Yuri scolded herself.
“—Aura-sama.”
Aura’s eyebrows shifted. The change in the way she was addressed told her whether or not Yuri had come on personal or official business.
Aura, Mare, Pestonya, Eclair and Yuri were close enough that they could refer to each other with nicknames outside of work. That was because the Supreme Beings who had made them were close to each other, and they felt similarly close to each other. They would occasionally gather on this floor. The fact that she had not addressed her by a nickname meant—
“I see. So its work today? Were you passing through? Or is there something important you have to do here? Oh, and sorry Mare isn’t around.”
While she was curious as to where Mare — who rarely wandered outside — had gone, that was not the first question Yuri should be asking when she was carrying out a task.
“Yes, it’s fine. I did not come here to seek out the two of you, but I have business with Shizu, who should be here.”
“…Shizu? Ahhh, yes, she’s on this floor.”
The tone with which she said those words turned Yuri’s mood dark.
Had her little sister been causing trouble for people here too?
Yuri felt her gut ache again. How many times had she experienced this sensation in less than an hour? Perhaps she ought to gather all her sisters and train them up properly.
Yes — I have to be strict!
Yuri struggled to to keep her eyebrows from knitting up, and she asked Aura a question with an unnatural-seeming smile on her face. While she did not want to ask it, she had to. Then, if it turned out that something had happened, she was prepared to apologize on behalf of her younger sisters as their eldest sibling.
“Eh, ah, d-did something happen?”
“H-m~ well, I suppose we do have something to talk about. Could you come with me for a while?”
I hate this, Yuri thought as she followed Aura’s lead.
They left the Colosseum and entered the forest.
Walking in primeval jungles was extremely annoying. In particular, Yuri’s long skirts meant that she had to slow down in order not to get them caught onto things. Of course, the maids’ uniforms were magic items and would not be torn by mere branches. Even so, she had to take care of the clothing which the Supreme Being Yamaiko-sama had bestowed upon her.
Aura seemed to have understood this, given that she was leading the way at a pace slower than her usual speed.
We would be fine if we were riding Fen…
The mighty beast with the comfortable pelt had the ability to pass through the earth, so he would not get caught up on thorny paths or environments like this forest, and that effect also extended to his riders and their possessions. She held the idea in her heart but did not give voice to it, because that would be too wilful.
Eventually, she was led to a corner of the forest, where was a lifeform which looked like a two meter-wide ball of white fur, in the shadow of a tree. There was no sign of Shizu at all. There was nobody else besides the furry ball lifeform. However, Aura had brought her to this place, which meant that there was something here which was connected to Shizu.
No—
If it was Shizu, isn’t it possible that she could be hiding? Or is she invisible?
Shizu was not on the level of a professional, but she could conceal herself and turn invisible. In addition, there was also—
Yuri took off her ornamental glasses and changed them for another pair.
These glasses could see through invisibility.
“—Ggh!”
Yuri’s eyes went wide as she discovered Shizu.
Aura must have seen Yuri’s expression. She went “Mm, mm” and nodded, her expression seeming to say, “that’s how it is.”
“I am very sorry,” Yuri apologized.
Shizu was on top of the white ball of fur — a Spear Needle. She was buried face down in the fur of what resembled an angora rabbit. If one considered Shizu — whose arms and legs were spread wide open — to be a giant hand, it would be tightly gripping the white ball of fur.
“Yup, that’s how it is. This poor kid was calling for help, saying ‘ahhhh, she’s doing it again’ or something.”
“Doing it again? Ah, no, has it always been like this?”
“Always, Well, this is the first time she’s clung so tightly, though.”
“I shall immediately recover her.”
Yuri reached out, grabbing Shizu by the collar and planning to pull her out of the Spear Needle’s fluffy fur. However, she could not budge her. Shizu was clinging tightly to the Spear Needle, as though she were hugging it.