After confirming Silica's nod, I stepped back and ushered Silica into the room. Then, I asked Celica to sit on the chair next to me, moved the chair next to me and sat down, and then took a small prop from the prop library and placed it on the table.

When he quietly clicked on the item, a pale blue ball of light appeared above the object, and Sirika's eyes lit up.

"Wow, that's beautiful...!"

"This item is a phantom orb, an item that can confirm the structure of the layers that have been there before, just like a three-dimensional map, so what you see now is the structure of the 47th floor." ”

"I just got this thing recently." It's called the Phantom Ball, I don't quite understand it, I started it when I didn't know what it was for, and I remember being surprised when something like this came along.

Celica's eyes lit up, and I put my hand on the three-dimensional map and began to explain.

"In the center of this is the town of 47 floors. If I'm not mistaken, there's a somewhat scary monster here, but ...... Well, I'll re-run it with me, so it's okay-"

"Kirito, eavesdropping! Someone eavesdropping at the door of the room!! “

Suddenly I heard Lilan's "voice", and at the same time as I was surprised, I turned my eyes to the door and began my search skills. As Lilan said, I can sense the player's presence right outside the door.

"Who's there!?"

I got up from my chair, ran to the door, and pried open the door to look around. The hallway of the inn was empty, but if you listened closely, you could hear the sound of someone running away. After all, it seems that someone is eavesdropping.

"Damn, I was asked and ran away......"

Celica's uneasy voice rang in his ears.

"What's wrong, Kirito-san? Suddenly stood up. ”

"Maybe it's a bad thing, someone is eavesdropping outside the room, and the information is being stolen."

"Well, but the other players shouldn't be able to hear the sound from the other side of the door......"

In this game, the sound outside the inn door is inaudible to other players. However, among the many skills, if you improve your listening skills, you can ignore that specification and hear the sound on the other side of the room.

"I guess it's a player who has improved his hearing, but if he improves his hearing, he can hear the sound outside the door...... I thought no one had improved this skill, but it didn't seem to be. ”

"That player asked me for information on the 47th floor." The culprit is likely to be a member of the group. Celica went to the forty-seventh floor, and she must have listened carefully.

"Sirika, be careful tomorrow. Be prepared for anything. From "

Looking back, Sirika was dumbfounded. There was one person who improved his hearing, and he might have been surprised that he was eavesdropping. …… But my face was a little red.

"Okay, Kirito-san. See you tomorrow. ”

"Yes.

With that, I opened the message window and started typing on the holographic keyboard. The destination, of course, is the man who told me to crusade against the hand of the giants.

The content is that tomorrow will be a battle with the Titan's Hand. Probably, but the guy is a member of the Titan's Hand now. They should appear after aiming for Sirika on floor 47. That's when we have a chance to catch them, put them in jail, and it's time to fulfill that person's demands. Besides, he said that the hallway crystal was all he had spent all his possessions, so I had to bring him a souvenir and maybe make some money.

While thinking about various things, I typed the message, pointed the address to the man, and pressed the send button.

Then, a window with the words "Sent" appeared and the HoloKeyboard and Messages window disappeared immediately.

"Tomorrow is definitely going to be a troublesome day." I must protect Celica from endangering me.

When I thought about it, my eyes turned into dots. Before she knew it, Sirika was lying on the bed and sleeping peacefully. What's more, that arm was still tightly hugging Lilan, and Nalilan was also sleeping.

"Ah...... Did you sleep......"

Looking at her sleeping face, it seemed to be very reassuring and comfortable. If it was true, I should have woken him up and let him go back to his room, but with such a good sleeping face, it would be difficult to wake him up. Besides, since it was Celica's business, the room must have been locked. I didn't have lockpicking skills, so I had to let Celica sleep here.

“……”

Celica hugged Lilan tightly and fell asleep comfortably. Lilan's furry appearance is very similar to Sirika's enchantment and Pina's furry appearance. I was worried when I heard Lilan say I wouldn't be able to sleep because I didn't have my Family tonight, but before I knew it, Lilan had worked it out.

…… My bed was gone, but seeing Sirika's sleeping face, it didn't matter. I'll sleep on the floor today. In the real world, if you sleep in a strange position, you will feel muscle pain, but in this world, there is no such thing as muscle pain because it is played in a game.

"No way, let's sleep on the floor."

Just before she could lie down, I put my hand on Celica's head again. Presumably tomorrow, this girl's life will be targeted. No, I don't know if the purpose of the Titan's Hand was to slaughter or steal rare items. However, Sirika will definitely be in danger tomorrow.

"Anyway...... I'll protect you......"

After muttering a few words, I gently slammed against the wall, turned off the lights, and fell asleep.

◇◇◇

Lilan and I were both woken up by a loud noise that we suddenly heard in the morning. Just as I was thinking about what was going on, when I cheered up, Celica appeared with a red face. When I asked Celica what was wrong, she shook her head and said it was nothing, and didn't even tell me why she was screaming.

It was a strange morning, but Celica and I were able to sleep soundly and felt much better than yesterday. With this, it seems that there is no problem with the 47th floor.

After going down to the first floor for breakfast, checking out and leaving the inn, we went to the tool shop next door to buy some potions. I looked sideways at the players who were ready to take the adventure, and those who were tired from the night's fierce battles, as I walked towards the portal and teleported to the city on the 47th floor.

"Wow!!"

Upon reaching the 47th floor, Sirika screamed with joy.

Around the 47th floor of the city portal, colorful flowers bloom. There is a circular plaza and a narrow passageway, and the rest are red brick-enclosed lower levels, which are filled with countless flowers. It is the wild dance of rich colors, the "Garden of Flowers".

"This floor is commonly known as the garden, not just the city, the entire floor is covered with flowers, so it is very popular with players."

Sirika often watched the flowers swaying and smelled the flowers. Then, as if satisfied, he finally stood up and began to look around. Just when I wondered what he was worried about this time, Sirika turned around and said, "Let's go quickly," and started walking. At the time, my face seemed to be a little red, but it must have been my delusion.

I hurried to catch up with Celica and continued along the flower-strewn 47th floor, and it didn't take long for Celica to stop me.

"That, Kirito-san."

"What is it?"

"Can I ask you to tell me that your sister says you look like me?"

I opened my eyes unconsciously. Here at Ayn Grant, it's basically taboo to ask about real-world things. There are many reasons for this, but it is said that it is to make people feel that the world is the same as the real world, and that they will not be numb to death.

"Even I don't want to talk to anyone about real-world things, and I intend to never give up on them." …… But for some reason, I feel like I can talk to Celica like a sister. After that, my mouth moved.

"I'm talking about my sister, in fact, we are cousins, since we are compatriots, my sister shouldn't know, but...... I don't know if it's because of this that there is a gap between us......"

"Also, my grandfather was a strict man." When I was eight years old, they forced us to learn kendo. But I couldn't adapt, so I quit after two years. ”

I have no impression that you forced me to do this. Even if you do, it's not surprising

"I couldn't help but look down."

"Later, my grandfather got angry and hit me hard, but at that time my sister cried and interjected to protect me from hitting me because I would do my best for both of them. Since then, I've been hooked on "well, computers. On the other hand, my sister's kendo has gradually become proficient, and she has also reached the top level in the national conference. Well, grandpa must be very satisfied. ”

I shook my head in the middle of my sentence. The image of my sister in a kendo uniform came to my mind, and I couldn't help but recall the scene when I was active in kendo.

"But I don't think I'm as good as that guy. Even he has something he wants to do...... Probably because I gave up kendo halfway and held a grudge against me, I started to avoid him......"

Celica looked at me without saying a word.

I muttered to myself as I looked away from Celica's eyes.

"Maybe I want to save you and atone for my sister.

Then Sirika jumped up in front of me and shook her head.

"I don't think your sister has any hatred for Kirito-san. I'm sure she loves kendo from the bottom of her heart. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to travel all over the country. ”

Hearing Sirika's words, my heart warmed as if it were yesterday, and I could feel the regret spreading in my heart disappear. When my mind and heart were refreshed, I couldn't help but smile at Celica.

"You're just comforting me...... Thank you Sirika. Yes, I hope so......"

Celica took her face off me for a moment, then turned her face away and smiled.

Immediately after, Lilan lined up next to me and sent me a voice.

''That's what I'm going to say.'' I'll protect this man, Kirito.

"Oh, of course."

I put my hand on Lilan's face and lined up next to Celica to rush to my destination, the Hill of Memories. You never know what's going to happen, so be careful.