Right as Lilia-san was settling in for her break, another visitor arrived. This was Roze-san, a slime who served as the manager of the Six Kings Dungeon in the Forbidden Land and was a member of Kuro's Family.
"Roze-san, you actually came! I'm happy to see you, but you certainly caught me by surprise."
(Ehehe! I kept it a secret because I wanted to see the look on your face, Kaito-kun!)
"Is everything all right back at the dungeon?"
(Yep! Even from this far away, Roze can tell exactly what’s going on back home. Besides, I did a lot of prep work this time, so I brought a guard along to make sure things stayed safe. Not that I really need one since I’m so strong, but Chrome-sama insisted on it just in case I left the grounds.)
I could understand where Kuro was coming from. Roze-san was certainly Count-class and possessed enough magic power to floor Amel-san and Lilia-san, but her childish demeanor made it difficult to perceive her as a threat. At first glance, she just seemed like a high-mana slime.
"A guard?" I asked, looking around. Aside from Roze-san, I didn't see anyone.
(Yeah! Right now, Roze’s body is covered in all sorts of special spells and Barrier Magic... Come on out!)
At Roze-san's call, her shadow began to ripple and expand across the ground. From the shifting darkness, a black jester emerged.
...It was Sneering Moonlight Luminax. And not just any version—it was in its Final Phase. I remembered hearing about this one. It was a terrifying golem capable of moving at speeds that even a top-tier Count-class couldn't track with their eyes. Excluding the ones Kuro had personally crafted, this was likely the strongest golem in the entire Six Kings Dungeon.
"Um, Kaito-san?" Lilia-san started. "We cannot understand Roze-sama’s words... but just what is that presence? That magic power is extraordinary."
"An Abyssal Jester from the Shadows," Amel muttered, her eyes fixed on the golem. "Such despair in that magic, and that jet-black aura... it almost reminds me of the Phantasm King."
"You hit the nail on the head, Amel-san. That thing behind Roze-san is called Sneering Moonlight Luminax. Apparently, it’s a golem modeled after Alice. I'd heard it was nearly impossible to operate outside the dungeon, though..."
According to Roze-san, bringing a Six Kings Golem out into the world was a massive undertaking. It required layering complex spells and Barrier Magic onto her own body to act as a tether.
(It was a huge pain! It took about ten days just to prep the formulas to bring Luminax along. And even after all that, I can only keep it out for one day.)
"That is incredibly inefficient. But I suppose when the power is that overwhelming... Wait, Lilia-san, it just occurred to me. Luminax has an insane amount of magic power, doesn't it?"
"Yes. I couldn't feel its presence at all while it was hidden in the shadow, but now it’s radiating a staggering amount of pressure."
"Do you think... the ceremony security has picked this up?"
The Six Kings Golems were monstrosities that even top-tier Counts—or even most of the current Duke-classes—couldn't hope to defeat. Their magic levels were correspondingly massive. Specifically, since Alice was constantly updating Sneering Moonlight Luminax, it was the strongest golem in existence, save for its ultimate form, the Black Emperor Class of the End.
If such a thing had suddenly manifested in the capital, it stood to reason that the authorities would be in an uproar. I turned to Lilia-san for her assessment. She took a moment to think before answering.
"They've likely sensed it. The security detail is probably panicking over a powerful, unknown magic signature appearing out of thin air. However, a report will definitely reach Her Majesty Chris. At that point, either the World King-sama or the Dragon King-sama will likely provide an explanation. And even if they don't, since the signal is coming from your stall... 'Ah, it's just Kaito again.' I expect that's how they'll react. It shouldn't turn into a major incident."
"That is... a somewhat depressing reaction to hear."
"It's the result of your own reputation, Kaito-san. You are officially recognized as a Walking Anomaly."
"I really don't want to agree with that, but I'm in no position to argue..."
I wasn't particularly fond of being called a Walking Anomaly, but I was self-aware enough to realize I’d given them plenty of reasons to think so.
Regardless, I was just glad it wouldn't cause a riot. Chris-san was probably dealing with a fresh stomach ache, though... I'd have to make sure I went to apologize to her once the festival was over.
Serious-senpai: "Never misses a chance to inflict a long-distance stomach pain. Truly a master of the craft. Poor Chris, getting hit by a stray bullet like that. What a nightmare."