Itai no Wa 209



Defense Specialization and the Tower’s Second Floor 2

Maple and Sally keep going through the huge library.

The library feels almost like a maze. With the scenery to the left and right looking exactly the same, one cannot really tell if they are making progress or just walking in circles.

Maple changes her equipment into the green dress that she found at the 6th layer’s mansion simply because she’s feeling like it.

“Just how big is this place?”

“Hmm, who knows? We’ve been walking a lot… Ah, here they come again.”

Sally calls out to Maple to warn them of several books that are flying towards them from the other end of the dark corridor.

Maple gets herself ready, taking aim with her weapons without saying anything. Then…

“Hehe… ‘Commence Attack!’ ‘Poltergeist’!”

After Maple says that, the laser she had shot changes its trajectory according to the movements of Maple’s hand, chasing after the book, and causing one of them to catch fire.

Since this tower is one of the most difficult places to go, the book does not die so easily from the burns. Out of the many lasers that Maple had shot, only one of them manages to reduce the book’s HP.

These straight corridors, however, are very advantageous for Maple when it comes to battle.

“Oh… you’ve gotten good at this! It feels a bit different…”

“It’s easy since I can get them one after the other! It’s like swinging a sword!”

Maple keeps moving her hands as if wielding an invisible sword.

The HP of the books which were flying towards them in a straight line drops gradually until eventually they turn into light and disappear.

“Long range attacks are really something, huh?”

“But this attack doesn’t do that much damage and I’m still not good at hitting fast monsters with it.”

“Well, keep practicing with it then. It looks like an attack that you can easily hit monsters with.”

“Yeah… oh, are they all gone now?”

Maple squints while looking hard at the other end of the corridor.

Sally does the same, and both confirm that there is nothing else there.

“Okay, perfect.”

“Great, let’s carry on!”

The two of them keep advancing while kicking about any books that appear before them.

Every time they have to turn at a corner, Sally carefully looks ahead, trying to avoid fighting as much as possible.

“All right, let’s go. …Maple?”

“So? Do I look smart?”

As Sally turns around, she finds Maple wearing some glasses she had taken from her inventory, and is holding a thick book she had picked up from the floor.

Then, Maple reaches for the bookshelf-like wall and takes one of the books from it.

“…What’s it about?”

“Oh… Let’s see. Hmm…”

Maple mutters to herself while flipping through the book she had pulled from the shelf.

Sally gets closer to Maple and looks into the book as well.

“It’s completely white? There’s nothing written in it…”

“Shall we write something on it? Ah…?”

Just as Maple finishes saying that, the book turns into light and disappears from her hand.

And after a little while, it reappears in its original position, back in its shelf.

“We can’t take it home with us… Too bad.”

“If people were able to take these with them, they could be misused. Don’t you think?”

Sally says while and looking closely at Maple.

Maple realizes the true meaning behind Sally’s words and quickly turns her eyes away.

“Ah… Umm, well, sometimes things happen. Uhh… I might or might not have wanted to take it with me… ”

“Yeah, right.”

Sally nods, realizing Maple’s actions and their results so far.

Might or might not want to take it, huh?

Surely that’s exactly what it is.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry! Umm, shall we go on then?”

“Ah, yeah. Sure. There doesn’t seem to be any enemies nearby. But it looks like it gets darker and darker from here on.”

After a brief discussion, they decided that Maple would carry a light.

If needed, she could also carry more shields and weapons, so she’s the most suitable one to do that job.

Maple takes her lantern out of her inventory and illuminates the corridor.

“Hey, Sally… don’t you think this light is a little too weak?”

“…I wonder if this place has anything to do with that? I’m not sure, but… ‘Fireball’!”

The fireball that Sally sends flying towards the other end of the corridor is smaller than usual.

“Some kinds of magic seem to be weaker here. Things like fire and light… What about your attack skills, Maple?”

Sally suddenly remembers about Maple’s skills.

Maple’s skills are either light or dark, but Sally doesn’t know for sure because her skill’s attributes cannot be clearly known just by their names.

“By the way, ‘Dedicated Affection’ doesn’t seem to have changed at all, why do you think that is?”

Maple’s ‘Dedicated Affection’ doesn’t show any signs of changing, even though it’s been active since before reaching the second floor.

“Maybe it’ll change as we get farther ahead. Let’s keep it active so I don’t receive any damage.”

“Can you do it?”

“Of course. Still, make sure to block any incoming ranged attacks with that shield of yours.”

“Leave it to me!”

The two of them continue through the dimly lit corridors, being extra careful to avoid danger as much as possible.

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