Aidi and Hotpot, and the End of Studying Abroad

Today's dinner was hotpot at the kotatsu in the employee lounge.

As for why we were having hotpot… no particular reason. If I had to say, I dunno. I kind of just wanted to eat a meal at the kotatsu.

Rokuko, Aidi, and Nerune joined me in the gathering.

As for why they were the ones joining me… again, no particular reason. I guess it was just that I'd thought about doing hotpot and they happened to be there.

The hotpot consisted of fish from Pavera. Mmm, warm and delicious. It went well with ponzu sauce.

"The technology involved seems simple… but this is a good magic tool. A mobile stove… I want one."

"Ehehehe～, it's part of our dungeon drops～, buuuut you know～, I made it～"

"I want one of these heaters too."

"Ehehehe～, I made that too～"

"Village Chief, I think I want this girl too. May I?"

She's our valuable technician, I'm not handing her over. I'll sell you the portable stove and kotatsu, though.

"Ah～, don't misunderstand me though～, the ideas for both of them came from Master, you know～?"

"… Rokuko, I think I want your master."

"Nope, he's mine."

Rokuko claimed her ownership… she's not wrong, though. I'm her Dungeon Master.

"By the way, this sauce is called ponzu, it's also from the dungeon."

"Hmm. It goes well with hotpot, or at least with fish."

I guess it's fine to call it a sauce? I mean, soy sauce is called a sauce, so…

"The way you eat from a hotpot is great, everyone has to fight to eat from the same pot, so there's less chance that it is poisoned. Ah, I'm not saying that doesn't mean no one could add poison though! Like you could serve some on a small plate."

"… So you don't eat like this in the Demonlands?"

"We don't pick at a shared pot at the table. Maybe out camping? Well, it has nothing to do with demons anyway — we have our servants prepare a proper meal."

By the way, the Demonlands' aristocracy were demons. Practically all of them were Dungeon Cores. Their territory was basically whatever their dungeon's domain was.

Aidi, who was part of the 600 series, also had a territory. She only seemed to have two [Villages], but… ah, each of them were human ranches. Yeah. Rokuko, no going to visit.

Somewhere in the middle of all that chatting, she also bought a portable stove and a kotatsu from us.

"Still though, my trip here has been very meaningful."

Having finished eating her hotpot, Aidi spoke with a deep exhale.

"Ah, heading back already?"

"What do you mean [Already]? My term is up. It feels like I've stayed a little too long, if anything."

"Oh yeah, huh."

Rokuko thought back.

… Honestly, it had already been another month since Aidi arrived… It still felt like the time passed by quickly, though.

"Which is why Haku-sama will be coming to pick me up tomorrow to head back."

"So sudden — isn't exactly right. I totally forgot about it."

"Life here wasn't bad at all, Rokuko! It was the opposite, even. Rokuko, I'll do my best to welcome you to the fullest when you and everyone come to the Demonlands, so prepare yourself."

"Okay, yeah… By the way, Kehma, when are we going to go to where Aidi lives?"

Oh yeah, I hadn't asked about that at all.

"? Aren't you coming with us?"

"Huh?"

"… Mmm?"

Aidi tilted her head to the side.

"Well, even if we went right away, I'll have to prepare for a few days before we go. I'll go ask Haku-san for a more concrete timetable. I'd appreciate it if you could prepare for our reception in the Demonlands in the interim."

"Oh, alright. I'll be waiting, Rokuko."

Going through the imperial capital would be good. From our dungeon to the imperial capital, the fastest route would be via [White Beach]. Since it's a route unique to [Cave of Desires] that Haku-san and Aidi couldn't use, we'd be able to use it to get there a day sooner than what Aidi's return would take.

"I suppose you will take two, no, three people since that puppy is also going to the fighting competition? Three in all, then?"

"Ah… right. I'd like to take Ichika as well though…"

I'd like to take Ichika as well as Niku, but the cost of our stay would be increased accordingly. How troublesome.

"It'd be different if they were contestants, but for an ordinary slave, you just don't count them as a person, right? Go ahead and bring her without worrying about it, I can do you that much of a favor."

"Not going to happen. They're our important comrades."

"… How lenient. So Beddhism-like, good grief."

It looked like Aidi finally understood what Beddhism was like.

Was it alright to count this, too, as her having properly studied abroad and learned all sorts of things?

"By the way, what would happen if we brought someone along who wasn't to be treated as a person?"

"They'd be tools. You would be compensated if they were damaged, but if there were anything too extreme, it would be Rokuko and everyone else's fault."

"Sounds like trouble… what should we do, Kehma?"

"… It looks like it would be bad to bring something who isn't to be treated as a person."

"Isn't treating slaves as people strange from the start though? Is it different in the empire?"

"Ah, yeah."

Now that she mentioned it, I couldn't say she was wrong. Rather than treating them as people, treating them as something like pets seemed fairly common.

… Huh? Isn't it like that for me, too? I treat Niku as a hug pillow, even…

"Now that I think about it, Niku is Kehma's hug pillow, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she's treated as a tool."

Rokuko even said as much.

"… I'm a dungeon monster who exists for my master～, you could use me as a hug pillow too～? Okay～?"

Nerune, you've been worried about that?

"… Right. It'll be a little lonely not being able to do rat races at the game room anymore."

"Oh, you liked the rat races that much, Aidi?"

"Yeah, I'll probably be making one of my own when I return to the Demonlands… right. Could I borrow a slave with some knowledge about that? You could bring it when you come to study abroad. I'll take care of it."

"Oh… What should we do, Kehma?"

In other words, I could bring Ichika along, since she's familiar with the rat races… It seemed Aidi was being considerate of me.

"In that case, I guess I could take Ichika along as well. She already knows everything about the rat races."

"How delightful, I'll be looking forward to it."

Aidi grinned.

The next day, Haku-san came to pick her up, but decided to stay overnight, making it so that Aidi stayed another day… A simple trap to exploit her wallet for another day.