Arc of Turmoil
Side Story: Core Number 666 (Aidi)
—There is something known as the Divine Armaments.
Collect them all, and you reach godhood. They are that kind of item series.
Aidi, the Dungeon Core known as Number 666, decided on a whim to try collecting them.
"I believe I shall start a collection. The Divine Armaments."
In the courtyard of her home in the Demonlands, elegantly sipping a deep-red tea, Aidi said as much to Sebas.
Sebas, waiting attentively at her side in his capacity as butler, asked back, "I beg your pardon?"
He was merely asking her to repeat herself; there was surely no "what on earth is this woman going on about" nuance to it.
"The Divine Armaments, you say?"
"Indeed. Speaking of armaments, I too am but a single blade forged by Father. In that sense one might even call me a divine armament in my own right, but it seems there are Divine Armaments apart from myself, are there not?"
Sebas had heard of them as well.
Having once had occasion to encounter the Divine Bedding, he had looked into whether other such things existed.
If he recalled correctly, he had heard that a single Divine Sword lay in the Empire.
"That said, no matter how many armaments I gather, the finest blade of all remains myself. I am simply collecting them."
"… Ojou-sama, then why collect them at all?"
He asked Aidi, who was going out of her way to take on such a bother, for her reasoning.
There was surely no "if the reason turns out to be idiotic, I shall thrash her" sentiment behind the question.
"Because I should like this butler of mine, whom I so painstakingly disciplined until he could even manage polite speech, to last me a good long while. Something like that, I suppose?"
"Ah, so I'm to be the one using them, then."
"Haah," Sebas sighed.
In other words, did this not mean he would never be relieved of this post for the rest of his life; no, for all eternity?
… Still, it did not feel bad to know that Ojou-sama thought no ill of him.
"Well, I do understand how you feel, Sebas, not wishing to equip anyone but me. Ah, though armor you might make use of."
"I see. 'Armaments' would encompass armor as well, would they not."
"But armor that is too sturdy rather spoils the fun, wouldn't you say? A fight is only worthy of the name when both sides shed blood. Don't you agree?"
"Just as you say, Ojou-sama… And yet, the Divine Armaments, is it. Given how much more familiar the Divine Bedding is to me, that would seem the quicker route, though."
"That would only get in Rokuko's way, would it not."
You simply don't understand, Aidi said, wagging a finger.
"Oh my, how unusual. I had humbly presumed that an Ojou-sama such as yourself would sooner pick a fight with your dear friend Rokuko-sama."
"I am not so boorish as to meddle in my arch-rival's love life. Besides, it seems she has essentially finished collecting them already."
To snatch away the treasure a friend had labored to gather would be far from elegant. Unless, of course, one were to duel her, slay her, and inherit it by rights.
If, for instance, that elder sister of hers were the one holding a Divine Armament, she would not be averse to going off to duel her in order to take it.
"So that is the long and short of it. First, I think I shall set out on an expedition to plunder this so-called Divine Sword, whose whereabouts we already know."
"I see. Understood… And when do we depart?"
"Now. This very instant."
"You have got to be kidding me," Sebas may well have wanted to say.
After all, unlike Aidi, who as a Dungeon Core had no need for food or drink, Sebas was a mere human who would die if he did not eat.
On top of that, there was a mountain of matters to see to regarding the dungeon domain, Aidi's territory.
Any ordinary person would, without the slightest doubt, be well within their rights to be angry.
But Sebas was a well-educated butler, and surely he would never entertain such thoughts.
"… Supposing we procure food and the like along the way, which monster shall I leave in charge in our absence?"
"Decide as you see fit. I shall grant you but a single hour for it."
"Your mercy, most gratefully received."
A "tch" much like a click of the tongue could be heard, but it was most likely the sound of him drawing his sword at a passing mosquito, or something of the sort.
"There is a reason to hurry, too, Sebas."
"Haah, and what might that be. I happen to be terribly busy just now, thanks to a certain someone."
"Kehma, that is. Rokuko's Master seems to have come somewhere nearby."
"…"
"It is information I heard from Rokuko by mail, so it is reliable, you know? Today, Rokuko's Master is apparently at that rabbit dungeon."
"… You say 'that rabbit,' but I am afraid I cannot make out your meaning."
"Oh?"
Come to think of it, I had you mind the house that time, Aidi murmured to herself.
"The place is a grassland near the Empire, mind you."
"And you believe that a distance we can cover in a single day??"
"If we run at full tilt, we might just barely make it, I should think."
"For Ojou-sama alone, that would do splendidly."
"But of course I shall take you along too, Sebas."
Of course you will. I knew it, damn it all. Sebas's brow seemed to furrow, but it was most likely only imagination.
And even if it did furrow, it was surely because his back had happened to itch.
"Might I suggest you quietly ask Rokuko-sama, by way of this 'mail' business, to kindly wait a few days?"
"Oh my. When I am about to ask a favor of her, going and asking a favor beforehand would be, well…"
You really don't understand, Aidi sighed, ever so prettily.
"And why is it you must meet with Kehma-dono in the first place, Ojou-sama?"
"It is a simple matter. I cannot offer Haku-sama any price, but Rokuko I can offer a price. So I shall have Rokuko ask her Master Kehma to negotiate with Haku-sama in my stead."
"I see. You have actually put your head to use, for once, Ojou-sama."
Incidentally, the "price" spoken of in the Demonlands also carries the sense of the stakes wagered in a duel.
It is a "price" one need not actually pay should one win, but one must nonetheless have it duly prepared. Were one to lose and then prove unable to pay, that would be the most contemptible conduct imaginable.
(That said, so long as you win, there is no problem.)
Even bearing this in mind, against an opponent like Haku she could offer no price after all, whereas to Rokuko she could.
"Rokuko is my arch-rival, so if I make coaching her in the Demon King style my price, it should work out."
"I see. So that is how it is."
As for whether that was truly all right, Sebas decided not to think about it.
Since thinking it over would be pointless anyway.