Having fully savored the sight of the stockings, a thought struck me: keeping such a wonderful discovery from the Emperor might actually qualify as Lese-majesty. That was how incredible they were. They were the best. Perfect. Sublime. Exquisite.
If he found out about them later, he would definitely complain about being kept in the dark. It might even lead to a purge of everyone involved.
"Da. Comrades, to the Siberian Gulag with you."
Perhaps the Emperor already knew I was connected to Obaba-sama’s clan and was simply waiting for me to make a move. You understand what is at stake, do you not? Siberia is waiting. Send the tribute, or it is the Gulag for you.
Terrifying.
I decided it was best to hand them over. Secretly, of course. Handing them over openly might be considered a crime of leaking confidential information.
"Stalin, you idiot!"
"You, you are under arrest."
"On what charge? Lese-majesty? High Treason?"
"Leaking confidential information."
Given the kind of man the Emperor was, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. If he hadn't known about the stockings, Obaba-sama might be charged for hiding them until now, but that couldn't be helped. She would just have to pay the price. I wouldn't even mind if Duke Harz was dragged down with her through liability by association.
"Sorry, I’m heading out for a moment," I told the girls.
Even though I wanted to give them to the Emperor, I had no direct line of contact. I had to go through the Empire Liberation Society’s lodge.
"Ah, Michio-sama. Welcome," Sebastian greeted me with a perfect ninety-degree bow. He was as absurdly polite as ever.
"A man named Gaius joined the society around the same time I did, right?"
He was the Emperor, but I was supposed to be ignorant of that. Probably. Most likely. He might think I was failing to read the room, but I was actually reading it by pretending not to know.
"Yes, that is correct."
"I’ve come across something rare. Since we joined together, I thought it would be a nice gift. Could you pass it to him the next time he visits?"
I wasn't entirely sure if I should be giving these away or if it was forbidden. I wanted to emphasize that I was going out of my way to be helpful, even if that was impossible to say out loud. I had weighed the Emperor against Obaba-sama’s clan and chosen the Emperor. I was a loyal subject. Hopefully, he would take that into account and keep any punishment limited to Obaba-sama. Throwing in the Duke wouldn't hurt, though.
"For Gaius-sama?" Sebastian asked.
Sebastian called me "Michio-sama," so the fact that he could say "Gaius-sama" without revealing the man's status felt like a bit of a cheat.
"Yes."
"We will need to inspect the item to ensure it isn't dangerous before presenting it, but if you agree to that..."
Naturally, you couldn't just hand something dangerous to the Emperor. A check was expected.
"That’s fine, but I’d prefer if the contents didn't become public knowledge."
I didn't want a "Crime of Leaking Confidential Information" charge. After dropping that hint, I handed over the stockings. If it got out, the Emperor would be the one in trouble anyway.
"I have received the item. I shall ensure Gaius-sama receives it the next time he visits the lodge."
Even if he didn't visit, he could probably just walk through the side door. But for the sake of appearances, we stuck to the script. The stockings would likely reach him soon. Even if he already knew about the clan’s masterpieces, I was in the clear. If he didn't, he would be grateful to me for the introduction. Either way, no problem.
I had already handed them over, so that was that.
"I’ll browse the shop before I head home. Any new stock?"
"Yes, we have received a few items."
"Let’s see them."
"Certainly. This way."
I visited the lodge shop occasionally to check for bargains. I would hate to miss a good item. After all, I wasn't hurting for money.
I am not hurting for money.
It was a phrase I had always wanted to say. Let me say it again: I wasn't hurting for money. For now.
"Oh?"
An Orichalcum Sword was on display. That was new. However, Appraisal showed it had no empty skill slots. I wasn't interested. Even if it had slots, I might have hesitated. Purchases here required points in addition to gold. To buy high-end gear, you had to sell items of equal value to earn those points. Right now, I was rich in gold but poor in points. I couldn't just splurge.
Money really isn't everything.
I planned to use Substitution Misangas to generate points. I was still buying Caterpillar skill crystals, and with Sherry’s help, I could fuse them with one hundred percent success. I could also bid on Misangas at auctions, but I didn't want to overdo it. My resources were limited, so I had to choose carefully.
Since it was a two-handed sword, the Orichalcum Sword would go to either me or Vesta. I focused on magic and had Durandal, so it would be for Vesta. But was it necessary? I didn't know how much stronger it was, but upgrading her weapon wouldn't immediately revolutionize the party's strength. Unless it was strong enough to replace Durandal, which would require at least an MP Absorption skill, it lacked immediate utility.
Still, you can't always get what you want when you want it. If an opportunity arose, you should take it. But without slots, it was a pass.
The fastest way to power up a party is through weapons, but I also wanted to gradually upgrade the front line's armor. Even if I could only do one person at a time, it would increase overall stability. Specifically, I was thinking about Miria. If she could move freely without worrying about enemy attacks, our strategies would widen.
I was also considering Rutina’s equipment. If her magic became strong enough to reduce the number of spells I had to cast, things would be much easier. That might be asking too much, though.
Regardless, there was nothing else notable—until Sebastian brought out something else.
"We also have this, which arrived just recently."
He produced a pair of dark blue boots—navy or perhaps ultramarine. They were called Enamel High-Heel Boots. They had one empty skill slot. Not bad. Better than nothing.
"Hmm."
Should I buy them? I didn't know much about them, but if the lodge was selling them, they had to be high-tier. They were on the same level as the Orichalcum Sword.
"They are excellent pieces of armor that enhance the wearer's magic. Quite rare, actually, but we happened to have two pairs brought in together."
If two arrived at once, were they really that rare? Still, magic-enhancing gear was valuable. Sebastian brought out the second pair.
Enamel High-Heel Boots | Leg Equipment Slots: Empty, Empty, Empty, Empty, Empty
"Whoa! Amazing. I'll take them," I blurted out.
I didn't even ask the price. This was an instant buy. Five empty skill slots. It was a masterpiece—easily the best I had ever seen.
Caesar’s report from the battlefield was Veni, vidi, vici. I came, I saw, I conquered.
The report I wanted to send was: I came, I saw, I bought.
"You wish to purchase these?"
Ah, crap. I had reacted too strongly. Both pairs were technically the same item, so why had I only gotten excited for the second one? I couldn't say it was because of the five slots.
"Ah... well, I thought about getting both as a set, but I can't afford that. Obviously. Hmm. What should I do?"
What was I even saying? A set? They weren't a left and right pair. I was making no sense. I sounded like a suspect giving an incoherent confession.
"I see," Sebastian said.
Did I fool him? Or was he just too polite to call me out? As long as he didn't press, it was fine.
"But since I'm here, I should get at least one. It is a good opportunity."
While he was still being tactful, I picked up the five-slot boots as casually as possible, pretending I had chosen them by chance.
"Please, examine them carefully."
"Right. These are... quite nice. By the way, can I pay for the points with Substitution Misangas?"
I spoke quickly, trying to change the subject. I was talking at the speed of an equipment otaku. Well, I am an equipment otaku. I can't help it.
"Yes, that is possible. But please, take your time. You are welcome to compare both pairs."
It seemed there had been no need to rush. It made sense; for those who risk their lives in labyrinths, equipment is everything. You don't choose it lightly. Roxanne always checked every inch of her gear. Choosing too quickly was actually more suspicious.
"Right. Thank you."
I stared at them, but what was I supposed to be looking for? Damage? Scratches? These were magically crafted items. Minor scuffs wouldn't affect performance. Balance? How was I supposed to judge that? They looked identical anyway.
"...These will do."
"Understood."
Since I couldn't tell the difference with my eyes, I just pretended to compare them and went with what Appraisal told me. Following Appraisal never failed. Of course, because I relied on it, my own eye for quality was never getting any better.
I paid the gold and the points via Misangas and secured the Enamel High-Heel Boots. I headed home immediately. I didn't want any bad luck to spoil the find.
"Welcome back," Roxanne and the others greeted me.
Her heartfelt greeting was a world apart from Sebastian’s cold professionalism.
"I'm back."
"Good. Now we can head to the labyrinth immediately!"
Her "heartfelt" greeting was fueled by her obsession with floor progression. Her desire to fight was practically vibrating off her.
"Before that, I got something at the lodge. It enhances magic, so I want Rutina to wear it."
"That is a good idea. It will strengthen the party," Roxanne agreed. I didn't think she felt we needed more strength—she was already tearing through everything—but maybe it was just her way of saying she was ready for even higher floors.
Shudder.
"Equipment that enhances magic?" Sherry asked, looking curious.
I had Rutina put them on. The high heels made her look even taller and more statuesque. Her legs seemed to go on forever. She was already beautiful, but the boots took her figure to another level. Now I understood why women back home were so fond of heels. The line from the heel to the calf was stunning—a smooth, elegant curve.
"I feel a bit taller," Rutina remarked.
"Can you move okay?"
"It shouldn't be a problem for normal distances. I wouldn't want to sprint across a whole floor until I am used to them, though."
Even if you were used to them, sprinting that far would be a marathon. But Rutina was a rear guard; she didn't need to engage in melee. If they boosted her magic, it was worth it.
We entered the labyrinth with the new gear. It didn't make things magically easy, but it felt a little smoother. That was enough. If it became too easy, someone in the party would get even more over-eager.
"The waiting room!" Roxanne announced.
See? She was already too eager. We broke through the 47th floor and were pushed onto the 48th.
"Before we continue, can we check the entrance?" Sherry asked.
Thank god. Finally, a voice of reason. A break.
"Right. Let’s rest outside."
"No, I want to see if any other parties have entered."
Never mind. It wasn't about resting. You too, Sherry?
We stepped outside.
"The weeds are flattened, but I think these are the ones we bent last time. That leaf there is where I stepped before. The markings are the same. No one else has entered since we arrived," Sherry and Roxanne concluded.
You remember the specific blades of grass you stepped on? That was a little intimidating.
Since we warped inside, we weren't disturbing the entrance anymore. If anyone else came, they would have to walk, leaving fresh tracks.
"Since no one else is here, we can take our time climbing the floors," Sherry said.
Oh, Sherry. My kindred spirit. I knew I could count on you.
"Yes. We can keep climbing," Roxanne echoed.
That is not what she meant, Roxanne.
To be honest, clearing the 47th floor had given me a sense of foreboding. Our party was already at the six-person limit. Levels were becoming harder to gain. I had already bought most of the mid-tier gear that gold could buy. Our growth was slowing down.
Meanwhile, the monsters were getting stronger with every floor. The gap was closing. The day they would overtake us was approaching. I used to think the limit would be at the 60th or 70th floor, but now I felt like we might hit a wall even sooner.
That was the scary part about being the one actually fighting. You could feel the "limit" approaching, even if you didn't know exactly where it was. One floor might be an easy win, but the next could be a disaster. The margin for error was shrinking.
"Well, regardless, no one else is here. I should give this place a name."
I didn't know if this island had a name, and I hadn't been told one. Calling it "that place" or "the new labyrinth" was getting old.
"Oh! As expected of Master!" Roxanne cheered. I didn't know why she was so impressed, but she must have found it inconvenient too.
"I will name it Akishima."
I declared it at the entrance. It was an island near a place that reminded me of Tachikawa, so Akishima fit. It was a deserted island, so I could name it whatever I wanted. If original inhabitants showed up, I would deal with it then.
"Akishima. A fine name," Rutina said. "I see."
What did she "see"?
"Naming the labyrinth and tackling it in earnest for the Council of Lords? I understand."
No, that is not it at all. But the name was set now. I couldn't exactly say I lacked motivation after that.
We re-entered the 48th floor and continued. Luckily, even with Roxanne’s drive, exploration takes time.
"The Duke is calling for me?"
"Yes. He wants you to show your face," Luke, the broker, told me later.
I was balancing my time between Akishima and the Quratar Labyrinth. I was also still buying Caterpillar skill crystals from Luke. I hadn't changed my buying prices despite spending my Misangas at the lodge. It was better to keep things stable and not invite suspicion. I had secrets to keep, after all. I didn't want anyone looking too closely at my business.
I hadn't asked Luke for specific crystals for the new boots either. If I focused too much on Rutina’s gear, it might look suspicious—or worse, the other girls might get jealous. Not that they had shown it yet. Rutina was the newest member, so it was easy to frame it as just getting her "basic" gear sorted out.
"Sherry, fusion time."
"Yes, Master."
She was waiting for me at the table when I got home.
"Here."
I pulled the Body Clip out of my Item Box.
"Wait... this?"
"Yes."
"But isn't this a secret treasure of Rutina’s clan?"
"It is fine."
Obaba-sama only called it a "treasure" to sound impressive. It was probably just a burden no one else wanted to wear. In fact, it was a burden. It clipped onto sensitive areas. It was a strain, which is why I had had Rutina take it off for now. I didn't believe in making my girls suffer constantly. We weren't a black company. They needed to rest.
This was purely out of the kindness of my heart. Definitely not for any other reason.
"Are you sure?" Sherry asked, her eyes darting around.
"I am sure. Do it."
"I... I’ve finished."