Preparations

That day, Leona was taking a stroll about Succubus Village.

Though I say that, she didnt exactly walk far, seeing as how the place the village was in was just a single dungeon floor. It looked like a spacious meadow, but it had walls and a ceiling.

Theres nothing new to see is what she thought, but then she suddenly found a red button sitting on a rectangular pedestal coming up from the ground.

Oh? Was this here before?

Not pausing at all, Leona pressed the button.

? Nothings happening.

Click. Click, click click.

Leona pressed the button repeatedly.

Cli-click, click, clickity click click click. She even started trying to press it sixteen times per second, but even then nothing happened.

[Oi Leona, whatre you doing?]

And then a Golem appeared.

Oh, Kehma-sa-Golem-san. Well, I was pressing this button here.

[ You pressed it?]

Yeah?

[How many times? Mm, fifty-two times eh? Kay then, here ya go.]

Eh, whatre you gonna give me?

He dropped an eggplant into Leons outstretched hand.

I dont want them!

[Sorry, its one of this dungeons rules. Someone who presses this button here has to eat an eggplant Alright, heres the four others.]

Such a weird rule, change it!

[You want me to change it? Oh well then. Then youll have to give me something in exchange how about five Philosophers Stones instead of the eggplants? You can make them at the drop of a hat right? Id like to experiment.]

Sure, here.

Five Philosophers Stonesalchemic treasurestumbled across the ground.

They werent worth any different than simple rocks to Leona.

[Ah, thanks.]

Seriously, whyd you suddenly make such a weird rule?

[I made it since the Succubi wanted to eat eggplants. Ill just remove this button then~]

With a rustling sound, the Golem removed the button along with its pedestal from the ground. It then slung it over its shoulder like it was just carrying a plank.

[Listen here, if you got discouraged by this, go and try pressing some more buttons whenever. Absolutely press them!] [1]

With the Golem telling her not to press buttons, it left without waiting for a reply.

Leona smiled.

*

She should definitely press the next button she comes across now.

Well, shell definitely press them after you told her to press them like that.

Did it turn into that because of the translation function?

Just to say it, what I told her was to not press them. Its an intentional mistranslation that feels like a scheme. Leonawhos also a Heroshould hear it as-is in Japanese, though.

Eh, what? Shell press them even though you told her not to press them?

Shell definitely press them.

Leonas weak points. That is, [Eggplants] and [Promises] rather, [Clichs]. [2]

She keeps her promises, all the more so when they are clichs. In that case, its a definite thing.

While on the topic, my saying [Absolutely press them!] was a [Clich] to the point that the translation function mistranslated it. With that, Leonas pressing of the next button she comes across is virtually a sure thing.

With this, the foundation for Leona catching herself in the trap has been laid. Next is making the instakill trap well, it wont kill her, but it should at least drive her out.

Still though, I wound up getting a hold of these Philosophers Stones in the preparation stage.

I was expecting for it to blow over as a joke, but it looks like Leona really does treat them as the same worth as pebbles

Maybe I shouldve asked for fifty-two of them? Well, no point in crying over spilt milk.

Should we try turning one into DP?

Oh, wait. Dont I get the feeling that theyd be 10 DP at most.

Rokuko stopped me when I tried to convert a Philosophers Stone into DP as a treasure.

Shes gotten to the point of being able to know how much DP a treasure is before crushing it? Just when did that happen

Hm? The heck, is it a fake?

I dont know, but I get the same kind of feeling with Kehmas Ring? Its just a guess, but I think it might be because it didnt take much time or effort to make? Like you get proportional DP to the effort it takes.

I see, so its the same as the DP-light magic sword blade golems I made Conversely, when I raised those beets and turned them into sugar, the value of those cheap seeds went up after I put so much time and effort into them. Its that kind of feeling.

Ooh, now that I think of it, that DP-raising method about raising a Jewelled Turtle that Haku-san taught me did take up quite some time, didnt it?

Leonas able to make them from any old rock right? But they still function normally. Its like that.

I see

In that case, maybe I should give one to Nayuta? is what I thought, but I dont really have a reason to actually give her one.

I got it from Leona after taking great pains to do so myself, so I should use it for my own sake. Just giving it away is no good.

But Nayuta doesnt have anything I actually need. Even her gun is a defective prototype maybe some freshly used socks?

Eh, wait. You tried crushing the ring I gave you?

Hueh!? N-no, Kehma! Haku Ane-sama said she wanted to buy the ring for 100,000,000 DP, so I was like I wonder how much its worth~ and just started thinking aboutah, I obviously turned her down though, you know that right!? Dont worry, I really definitely absolutely wouldnt betray your love and trade it in for money or DP! So, umm, right! Lets sleep together tonight!

Wait wait wait, STAHPPU, STAHPPU. [3]

I calmed down Rokuko, whod started panicking for some reason.

100,000,000 DP though, woah. But Rokukos also amazing for actually turning that down. If it were me, I wouldve sold it. I couldve used that to buy a bed and a luxurious life of indolence.

I wouldnt have minded if you sold it for a 100,000,000 DP though, I couldve made another.

Its the ring I got from you though! Theres no way I could sell it. Dont say something so mean Muuu

Rokuko pouted.

And now Im thinking this girls naturally adorable.

Its just a ring to me, but for Rokuko, I guess its something important she got from me.

Hey, Kehma I wonder, umm, a Dungeon Core and a human, they can make kids, right? Taking Setsuna as an example, they can, right? How do they make kids?

Thats not a story for right now, alright? Oookay, lets change topics~!

Ask Haku-san about something like that no, actually please just forget about it and never ask anyone. Itd get me killed.

But still, Rokukos in this state did Leona do something to her? I really do have to rush Leona out of here or Im not going to live for long.

Really Kehma, you dont have to get shy. Were in a relationship, arent we?

Yeah, were partners.

I once again strengthened my determination to drive Leona out.

So you made that Leona-use floor after all? There are a lot of things you made that I dont understand though.

Yeah. I made sure to prepare a chance for Setsuna to get an attack in on Leona too.

With that, my preparations are in order.

Next, Ill be sending Leona to the specially-made floor and do something to her.

As soon as Setsunas preparations are ready, its go time.

Nerune, hows going on their side?

I gave the weapons I got from Master to them~, theyre probably ready whenever~? They were practicing with the weapons they got~

In that case, well start the operation tomorrow.

I decided to do one last look-over of the Leona-use floor.

I really just wanted to sleep to prepare for tomorrow, but it looks like Rokuko would get into my bed if I tried sleeping now, so I dont think Id be able to sleep in more than one meaning

Footnotes:

Keima is actually saying [DONT press them] by using Japanese wordplay that doesnt work in English at all. Return

He adds the this is important O modifier to Promises, causing it to gain a second meaning: clichs. It might be a bit of a spoiler in English, but understand that this meaning isnt used much in Japanese. This is meant to be wordplay that becomes apparent in the next chapter. Return

Keima started speaking English here, so I put Engrish.