Operation Eject Leona, Begin

Setsuna and the others had collapsed in an indecent state and were retrieved by the inn. They woke up that afternoon and regained their senses.

The first adventurers to find them were Gozoh and Roppu, so it was a stroke of luck amid misfortune that the exposure was kept to a minimum. Well, I'm the one who guided them there though.

So, Setsuna and Nayuta had been thoroughly worked over (in a suggestive way) by the Succubi, but when they woke up they were like "Uwaaah! Ah, haah… damn, they got us again…" and seemed rather used to it.

They didn't seem to care at all about being assaulted by Succubi or being seen in such an indecent state. I don't know if this is just normal for them or if Leona got them used to it.

Just to be safe, I gave them a day off from their part-time job, and since the timing was right, I sent Nerune to visit them under the pretense of checking in on them. Naturally, it was to discuss dungeon-related matters.

"Setsuna-san, I'm actually a spy from the dungeon side."

"Ah, I thought so."

And just like that, the conversation went through anticlimactically smooth.

After all, Nerune was the one used to first introduce Setsuna to "Uuma." Because of that, Setsuna had apparently picked up on a slight sense of something off about how Nerune navigated the dungeon, enough to start thinking "maybe."

Nerune had brought a stone (Stone Golem) that could greet them in Uuma's voice as proof just in case, but she didn't even need to use it.

"So the thing is, we can't handle Leona and want to kick her out… I already let you meet her once, so you'll cooperate with us, right?"

"… I was planning to go see her two or three more times and land a hit on her this time for sure, but… is that not okay?"

"You'll cooperate, won't you?"

"Um…"

"You'll cooperate, right?"

"… If possible, I'd like the kind of cooperation that involves direct contact with Grandma, where I'd get a chance to hit her. If I can land one hit on Grandma's torso or head, she'll grant my wish… that's the promise we have."

"Then I'll consult with my superiors about going in that direction."

It seems they hadn't been planning to settle things in a single encounter, but rather to challenge her multiple times.

For now, let's take her input into account and prepare a trap accordingly.

"By the way, what about Nayuta-san?"

"Nayuta was told that if she found Grandma, Grandma would teach her how to cure Papa who's been sleeping nonstop… so it seems like that wish has technically been granted. Though it sounds like it'll be a lot of work."

I see. She really did teach her how to cure him… Though she said it requires a Philosopher's Stone.

"So, what are Leona's weaknesses or things she's bad with?"

"Ah, yeah. Those would be…"

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

Several days passed.

Leona hadn't really made any moves. Rather, she was basically just lazing around and flirting with the Succubi. Since I couldn't let Rokuko watch that surveillance feed, I left it mainly to Nerune and Kinue-san, who wouldn't bat an eye no matter what they saw.

Oh, Rei was covering her face with her hands but staring through the gaps between her fingers, so I relieved her of that duty.

And since no adventurers had reached Succubus Village yet, it was basically just an ordinary village receiving food support from us.

I tried having them carve "wood sculptures" as a side job to use as dungeon drop items, but for some reason they kept enthusiastically making things shaped like matsutake mushrooms. Those would only be junk items… though apparently they can double as massage tools.

Anyway, despite the situation, I'd been verifying information from Setsuna and preparing traps, getting everything ready for "Operation: Eject Leona from the [Cave of Desires]."

The operation's outline was simple.

――Make Leona voluntarily leave this dungeon.

Taken to the extreme, it all came down to that one point. Since we can't force her out, we'll get her to leave of her own will. Like, you know, finding some leverage over her. Also, using Setsuna.

It was a rather vague plan, but thanks to Setsuna's information, it became much more realistic.

"And so, I had Nerune ask Setsuna, the Leona specialist, what she's bad with… eggplant? She hates eggplant? … Well, I'm not a fan of it either, but… eggplant, really?"

"Being picky is bad for you, Kehma. You won't live long, you know?"

There were various other things, but apparently the thing she hates the most is eggplant.

When I actually tried mixing one eggplant into the supply shipment, Leona flinched and jumped back the moment she saw the eggplant in the wooden crate, and without getting any closer, had the Succubi dispose of it (properly, as in eating it).

And the Succubus who ate that eggplant wasn't allowed near Leona for the rest of the day.

According to Leona,

"I don't hate eggplants, I actually love them. But I'm 'abstaining from eggplants' as a prayer for world peace. So if I eat an eggplant, the world will be in danger, you know? Oh, sorry, but kissing a mouth that just ate eggplant is seriously impossible for me, so could you please back off?"

… is apparently how it is. There was a world here that could be saved with eggplants.

By the way, the Succubi happily ate the eggplant. It seems Succubi love things like mushrooms, eggplants, and cucumbers. Ring Succubus Neru said so, so it's probably not wrong.

"She really hates it that much, huh. But she didn't throw it away, so in a way, that's… conscientious of her?"

"Not wasting food is probably part of her handicap play too… a Japanese sensibility, maybe?"

She's been in another world for five hundred years though… oh wait, maybe it's because the food situation here is worse that she doesn't waste food? Japan was a land of plenty, after all.

"But Leona is also a Dungeon Master, so couldn't she just use DP to stock up on as much food as she wants? … Hm? Come to think of it, can Leona even use DP?"

"She hasn't been spotted using it… What do you make of it?"

"No idea. She did say it's been a while since she's had rice though."

She was throwing around those [Super XX]-type hero skills left and right, yet she doesn't use any dungeon functions… is there some kind of malfunction? Or is this also part of her handicap play?

Hmm, she's got way too many mysteries.