244 - - a beastly woman

"This guy's a problem."

Thor put his hand on his chin in contemplation as he looked at the chains hanging down behind the bars.

He had checked the room under the stairs on the tenth floor before he left, but there was no such mechanism involving the iron grating.

The only way to raise the bars was to pull the chain inside the staircase or the chain in the room on the ninth floor.

In other words, if the iron bars of the staircase were to come down by themselves during the search for the tenth floor and beyond, the way back to the ground would be blocked.

However, as long as the Tianrashi Alliance continues its search without worrying about the situation, there is no doubt that there is some way to deal with the situation.

We had planned to check the tenth floor including that area, but it was unexpected that the bars were closed so quickly.

The chains are located a few steps up the stairs, so we could reach them from here.

However, the gap between the bars was too narrow for Thor's thick arm to fit through.

"A sword is just barely out of range..."

"I can get halfway with the cane, too. I can get the cane halfway, but at this hump, well, I can't..."

"I can get in with my hand, too, but it's a little out of reach.

As the three of them gathered their foreheads and pondered, Moe, with a cage of insects on top of his head, came running out of the room.

"Oh, no!"

"I'm busy right now, so go play over there for a bit."

"Mwah!　Say please!"

"Please, sir. Is this okay?"

"Yes, that's fine."

The child raises both hands this time.

It's a pose that says, "Give me a hug.

Thor, unconsciously reaching out his hands, picks up Moe and puts him on his shoulders.

The child, now with a clearer view, smiles happily and opens the insect cage that was still on his head.

He reaches in and pulls out a beetle and deftly ties a string around it.

"Go, Kurosuke!"

As if obeying the child's command, the shiny black insect flies up lightly.

With a rustle of its wings, the beetle slips easily through the bars.

It heads straight for the chains, and then swoops down with a brilliant flourish.

"Whoa!"

"Oh, you did it!"

When the child tugged on the string, the beetle clung to it, not wanting to leave, and the chain shook.

When the child pulls the chain further, the whole chain comes closer to the bars.

"Hang on, Kuroseke!"

"Okay, we're almost there."

"Keep it up, Kuro-suke!"

However, the beetle seems to have run out of energy at the last moment, and it takes its feet off the ground.

The group sighs heavily as the chain recoils back.

"Too bad!"

"Can you do it again?　Moo."

"I'll reach out to you next time."

"Oh, come on. Shut up!

Suddenly, someone's voice, sounding lazy, joins the conversation of Thor and the others, who are all talking at the same time.

At the same time, a figure appears at the top of the stairs.

Coming down with leisurely steps were the women of the Purple-Eyed Tribe whom we had seen before.

"What are you making a fuss about?　If you can't get in, why don't you just call them?"

The woman in the lead pulled the chain carelessly.

Immediately the bars lifted with a creaking sound.

"Oh, thank you. I'm sorry for interrupting your rest.

"Not really. Well, you're the guy from ......, right? Thank you, Nene.

That's a nickname. Thor.

"I am Kikiriri. This is Nenemimi. You don't have to say hello.

When Thor finally met her at close range, he looked at the woman in front of him sullenly.

Her face, as Thora had said, would certainly be classified as one of the beautiful women.

However, Thor had a different impression of her.

Her large purple eyes, which turned heavenward at the corners, were sharp, as if she were a beast looking at its prey.

Combined with the prominent pattern of her hair and the canine teeth peeking out from her slightly lifted lips, the woman in front of him looked as if there was a big cat in front of her.

Thor casually suppressed his cheeks, which were about to relax at the thought of Black and Shimmer, and moved his eyes behind her.

This one looks just like her sister, but there is not the slightest hint of intimidation in her air.

He just stands there quietly like a shadow.

He made momentary eye contact with Thor, but was quickly averted.

But he could not ignore the presence of his countryman clinging to Thor's head.

As soon as he moved his gaze to Moe, his purple eyes opened wide.

At the same time, a similar change occurs in the older sister.

"Is that ......!"

The twins were not staring at Moe, but at the golden ring circling above his head.

They looked frightened for a moment, and then glared at us strongly.

The next moment, the ring of thunder was in Kikiriri's hand.

It was a frighteningly fast move.

Or rather, it is better to say that he did not see the movement happen at all.

Thor could see that the arm had moved.

However, the trajectory of the movement completely caught Thor off guard, and if he had been holding a weapon in his hand, he could have delivered a fatal blow.

Not only in appearance, but Kikiriri's movements were just like those of a supple cat that finishes off its prey.

Kikiriri lifted the ring in his hand in disgust, as if to spit it out.

"I don't wear this hideous collar with pleasure!"