It had been a few days since I’d visited Roze-san. I was currently at home, entertaining a visitor.
"I am... I am so envious!"
"Of my trip to the Six Kings Dungeon?"
"Indeed! To receive an invitation to the Ultimate Demonic Cavern that sits in the abyss of the Demon Realm—the Great Labyrinth of Unrivaled Might, where countless champions have been tried and found wanting... I would expect nothing less of my Sworn Friend, and yet, I cannot help but feel jealous."
My guest was Amel-san. She had come by to discuss the stall we were planning to run together, but the moment she heard I’d visited the Six Kings Dungeon and seen the golems, she had latched onto the topic with incredible intensity.
Now that I thought about it, the golems in that dungeon were designed in a way that perfectly tickled a chuunibyou soul. It made sense that she would love them.
"My own strength is insufficient to even set foot in such a demonic lair, but I hope to one day behold those magic beasts lurking in the Prison of the Earth with my own eyes. You have seen all of them, have you not, Sworn Friend?"
"Yeah, I saw them all, more or less."
"I know of the four... The Volganic Beast, the Fierce Hellfire that Burns All Creation. The "Shouting Earth" Geo Gaialm, the Immortal Giant who Rules the Earth. The "Singing Forest" Frau Chil, the Gentle Melody that Invites Death. And finally, the Frozen Absolute Boundary Kalis Merenade, the Despair that Freezes All Creation. Of course, I have never seen them in person; I have only heard the tales of challengers..."
The four Amel-san listed were the ones that appeared on B1F in a rotating cycle. Even those who couldn't clear the first basement floor could still catch a glimpse of them.
That aside, what was with those dramatic prefixes she added to their names? I wondered if they were officially introduced like that or if she’d improvised them on the spot. Knowing her, it was probably the latter.
"However, I know nothing of what lies beyond. If you are not bound by a pact of secrecy, Sworn Friend, I beseech you to describe the monsters lurking in the deeper shadows."
Since I hadn't been told to keep it a secret, she wanted me to tell her about the golems further down. I’d already cleared this with Roze-san.
When I’d asked her if it was okay to talk about the Six Kings Golems to others, she’d told me it was no problem at all. She wasn't hiding them, after all. If anything, Roze-san seemed like she’d be happy if the word got out and more challengers showed up.
"The Dungeon Master gave me the okay, so it’s fine. Let’s see... on B5F, there’s the Sneering Moonlight Luminax. Apparently, it’s a golem modeled after the Phantasm King."
"The King of Vacant Illusions?! Is... Is it truly as magnificent as I imagine?"
"It’s the strongest golem, excluding the final floor boss. It even transforms through four phases as the battle progresses."
"A four-stage transformation?! Haaaah... how incredible. As expected, Phantasm King-sama is just so cool. Sworn Friend, tell me more! Tell me every—Ahem! I mean, I would have you clarify the further depths for me."
Amel-san was a huge fan of the Phantasm King. Her excitement had spiked so high that her normal voice almost slipped out, but she realized it quickly and covered it up with a cough and a dramatic pose.
The talk about the stall had been completely sidelined, but I figured it was fine. As I explained the details of the Sneering Moonlight Luminax, Amel-san’s eyes sparkled with delight. Once I finished with Luminax, I moved on to the final bosses.
"And finally, the ones on the last floor are the Silver Servant El Criestel and the Black Emperor Class of the End."
"The... The Jet-black Emperor... Oh, that’s so cool..."
I wondered why she’d just casually added "Jet-black" to the name. Regardless, she was absolutely hooked. I suppose a legendary dungeon that no one had officially cleared was exactly the kind of thing she loved most.
Since she was this excited, maybe I should just let her meet Roze-san. I could act as a translator. Given Roze-san’s personality, she probably wouldn't mind Amel-san’s occasionally incomprehensible phrasing.
"...Amel-san, assuming the other party agrees, would you like me to introduce you to the manager of the dungeon—the Dungeon Master—sometime?"
"What?! An opportunity to have an audience with the Ruler of the Abyss?! I... I want to meet her!"
"All right, I’ll check with her next time I see her."
"Yes! Thank you, Sworn Friend!"
As she beamed at me with a happy smile, I couldn't help but feel she had the vibe of an excited chihuahua. Still, I felt like their personalities would actually mesh quite well. Amel-san might even be able to provide some good advice for the new dungeons Roze-san was planning to build.
"Well, we can save that for later. For now, should we get back to talking about our stall?"
"Ah, yes. While time is still on our side, the path we are to be guided along should be mapped in detail."
"Right. I’d like to decide on at least a general direction today."
"Since you themed your previous endeavor around the harvest, perhaps this time we should shift our course..."
We moved away from the idea of a food stall like the one I’d run during the Founding Festival and began exploring other options. Once we had something more concrete, it might be a good idea to look for some helpers.
It would be a lot of work for just the two of us. Amel-san was a bit of an eccentric, so we’d have to be careful about who we asked, but we still had plenty of time. There was no need to rush.
Serious-senpai: "I agree, their personalities do seem compatible. However, since Amel can't understand Roze's language and Roze can't decipher Amel's dramatic phrasing, Kaito's presence as a mediator is absolutely mandatory, isn't it?"