Chapter 06: “The Money-Grubbing Witch’s Financial Report and the Unvanishing Curse” ③
That night.
In the underground laboratory of the Third Research Building at the Royal Magic University‚ an unusually serene stillness hung in the air. Outside the broken window‚ the street lamps of the royal capital began lighting one by one with their regular magical twinkles.
In the adjoining room of the laboratory‚ the rescued people who had returned from the abyss were sleeping in relief. The specialized medical team that had rushed over upon receiving the report had already arrived and was carefully rechecking the condition of the seriously injured priestess.
The white-coated staff member of the medical team‚ after finishing the ritual‚ blinked his eyes wide in astonishment.
“...Truly magnificent emergency magic. The wounds have closed cleanly at the cellular bonding level.”
“Her vitals are fine now‚ but please keep her on complete bed rest for a while.”
“Yes...”
The female priestess nodded weakly yet firmly and smiled faintly.
“Truly... thank you for saving my life.”
Her grateful gaze was directed straight at Charlotte‚ who stood a short distance away.
“Even as a specialized medical team member‚ I alone could never have perfectly restored those deep claw marks.”
“There is no need for thanks.”
Charlotte‚ still wearing the same oversized men’s T-shirt that left her bare legs exposed‚ smiled with unwavering nobility.
“As a proud mage of a prestigious noble house‚ I merely fulfilled the duty imposed upon me (noblesse oblige).”
While completely tuning out that touching post-survival cleanup as pleasant ambient noise‚
I sat alone at the cold laboratory desk‚ confronting the ultimate truths of the world head-on.
The raw balance sheet with which I had brainwashed the young ladies with golden magical power until moments ago was already closed into the darkness of my notebook. Now‚ what lay before my eyes was—data logs from the abyss of magic‚ far more important than that.
“...”
A well-worn research notebook. And the “waveform log of equivalent exchange magic usage” recorded by my ring during this labyrinth distress incident.
I gripped my favorite pencil again and coldly verified each multidimensional magical energy value one by one.
“...Strange. The consistency of the calculation formula doesn’t hold.”
“What’s wrong‚ Louise?”
Toto hopped lightly onto my shoulder.
“The attenuation rate of the ‘conversion efficiency’ from matter to catalytic magical energy in multidimensional equivalent exchange.”
“Stayin’ up late again playin’ with complicated otaku math formulas‚ huh?”
“Yes. There is a possibility of an extremely serious bug.”
I flipped through the notebook pages with a soft rustle.
“During the chaotic battle on the fourth floor‚ the experimental birch staff worth three hundred krona that I first threw onto the floor. The first one. Magical conversion efficiency: approximately two percent relative to its total mass.”
I wrote that figure into the notebook.
“Next. The second staff thrown into the fire without a moment’s delay. Exactly the same type. Same material. Mass-produced in the same magical workshop‚ of nearly uniform quality.”
“...”
I furrowed my beautifully shaped brows in displeasure.
“This one also had a conversion efficiency of two percent.”
“...?”
Toto tilted his round daifuku-mochi-like head.
“If they’re the same cheap sticks‚ then of course the total amount of magical energy converted by equivalent exchange should be the same down to the millimeter‚ right?”
“No. From the perspective of magical geometry‚ that is absolutely impossible.”
I immediately shook my head coldly.
“The problem is the ‘time interval’ of the timing when the clothing or items were purged (consumed).”
“Timing?”
“Yes.”
I neatly rearranged the causal law log data engraved in the notebook in chronological order.
The first purge. The second purge. The physical time difference that elapsed between them. The precise wave quantity of magical conversion. The success rate of the four-element composite ritual. I high-speed comparison-calculated (simulated) all those values on my internal hard disk.
“...Just as I suspected.”
With eyes full of conviction‚ I narrowed them at the holographic mathematical waveform.
“Continuous consumption of ‘catalysts of the same system’ imposes a certain period of magical reuse restriction (penalty) from the laws of the world.”
“...”
Toto fell completely silent for several seconds‚ at a loss for words.
“So‚ in summary‚ what does that mean?”
“Even if you prepare multiple items of the same type (clothing or magical staves) in advance‚”
I explained the absurd specification matter-of-factly while running my pencil.
“If you continuously purge (consume) them at short intervals‚ the conversion efficiency of the second and subsequent catalysts will drop sharply‚ or they will be unable to add any output at all.”
“...”
“This time‚ in actual combat‚ we selected two cheap birch staves in succession and threw them into the furnace‚ didn’t we?”
“Yeah. Three-hundred-krona firewood each.”
“Both of them‚ when calculated independently‚ remained unchanged at a uniform conversion efficiency of approximately two percent.”
“...”
“In other words—”
I wrote a single cold new concept into the well-worn research notebook.
‘Catalyst Conversion Cooldown (Reuse Waiting Time)’
“To fully draw out the latent magical energy of catalysts of the same type‚ a certain spatiotemporal interval must be allowed.”
Toto slowly stared at me with a face of despair‚ as if realizing the end of the world.
“...Hey‚ you.”
“Yes‚ what is it?”
“Does that mean...”
Toto’s voice trembled slightly.
“...Girls’ panties and underwear are subject to exactly the same system rules?”
“Probably one hundred percent the same‚ even from a probabilistic perspective.”
“...”
“There is no reason why only the mass of organic matter called clothing should conveniently be specially exempted from the physical laws of the world.”
From Toto’s round face‚ all variety-show-like laughter cleanly disappeared.
“...Wait a minute‚ Louise.”
“What is it‚ with that serious face?”
“In other words...”
Toto admonished me in an unprecedentedly serious tone.
“If we‚ for future combat survival‚ to prevent the absurdity of going naked‚”
He raised one short finger‚ trembling.
“Even if we stocked up on a hundred pairs of cheap sale panties in advance and layered them...”
“—It would be completely meaningless.”
“Don’t instantly deny our life wisdom (layering) with that lightning-fast answer!!”
I continued matter-of-factly while staring at the rows of formulas engraved in the research notebook.
“No matter how large a stock of clothing of the same material and shape you carry around‚ you cannot expect any efficient output increase (firepower boost) from continuous purging.”
“...”
“Material (silk‚ cotton‚ linen)”
“...”
“Shape (bras‚ panties‚ or skirts)”
“...”
“The magical structure contained within”
“...”
“You need to continuously purge those completely different‚ diverse catalysts (outfits) at fixed intervals‚ rotating them beautifully according to the battle situation.”
“...”
Toto clutched his head violently with his short front legs.
“What a devilishly extreme system specification (bug) against women’s dignity...!”
“No. As a natural defense mechanism‚ it is an extremely rational and beautiful design.”
“Where the hell is that rational‚ you!!”
“If items of exactly the same shape could be unlimitedly substituted into multidimensional magical energy at one hundred percent conversion efficiency‚”
I explained while tapping my graphite pencil‚ with a completely serious face.
“In extreme terms‚ simply buying large quantities of one-krona cheap rags (cloth scraps) at a city bargain sale and stitching them together would allow continuous no-cost use of multidimensional magic at a level that could shake a nation.”
“...”
“In that case‚ the equivalent exchange balance between the ‘market economic value’ possessed by that matter and the ‘magical conversion amount’ brought by causal law would completely collapse.”
“...”
“Therefore‚”
I once quietly placed my favorite pencil on the desk.
“The existence of a penalty called conversion cooldown is‚ as the principle (system) of this world‚ a mathematically extremely natural equilibrium.”
“This ain’t some high-minded academic ethics issue about nature!”
Toto raised a strained voice from my shoulder.
“In other words‚ Louise!”
“Yes‚ what is it?”
“During continuous actual combat‚ we have to take off ‘clothes of different categories (body parts)’ in order‚ rhythmically‚ every single time‚ right!?”
“To correct it academically accurately‚”
I replied discontentedly.
“It is simply the condition that you ‘do not continuously use magical catalysts of exactly the same shape in a short time.’ That is all.”
“No matter how intellectually you rephrase it‚ the resulting scene in this world is the exact same down to a single micron!!”
“For example‚”
I folded my slender post-bath fingers one by one.
“Blouse”
“Panties”
“Skirt”
“Socks”
“Cloak”
“Hat”
“Magical staff”
“...”
Toto’s face grew progressively pale and strained at that terrifying list of purge order.
“In other words‚”
I calmly announced the final conclusion as a scientist.
“If you construct an appropriate ‘catalyst rotation (outfit optimization)’ in advance according to the battle timeline‚ responding to continuous multi-combat in the deep layers is fully possible.”
“A crazy berserker who deliberately takes off her own equipment one by one on the battlefield and goes semi-nude—there’s only you in the whole wide world!”
“From the standpoint of practicality (extreme stinginess)‚ it is extremely rational.”
“It may be rational‚ but the visual at the moment that magic activates is socially and ethically completely finished!!”
Charlotte‚ who had been quietly listening to our lofty multidimensional magical discussion from behind‚ interjected from a short distance by the wall in a slightly trembling voice.
“...Um‚ Louise-san.”
“Yes‚ what is it‚ Charlotte-san?”
“May I ask just one important question that concerns my pride?”
“Please‚ I will calculate anything.”
“According to that cooldown magical theory formula just now...”
Charlotte tightly gripped the collar of the oversized men’s T-shirt and asked‚ her face slightly red from a different kind of embarrassment than the flush from the bath.
“...If we‚ for future use‚ stocked and carried around multiple sets of ‘underwear of exactly the same design and same material‚’ and if we again fell into a life-or-death pinch in the labyrinth... when your ring automatically withdrew from our accounts (underwear)...”
Her words stopped trembling midway under the terror of the approaching future.
I perfectly and highly accurately perceived the intent of the concern derived by her excellent intellect.
“—Yes. In that case‚ it would hit the cooldown attenuation‚ and the conversion efficiency of the second and subsequent pairs of panties would drop significantly. In the worst case‚ the magical energy would fail to activate.”
“...!”
“Therefore‚ as reserve magical catalysts for actual combat—‘in advance‚ layering multiple completely different designs and different materials of underwear (pastel pink‚ lace-trimmed‚ silk blends‚ etc.)’ and going into battle is‚ from the viewpoint of maximizing equivalent exchange firepower‚ an extremely rational and intelligent survival strategy.”
“...”
Charlotte’s beautiful face slowly turned deathly pale‚ as if all a maiden’s dignity had been crushed into a ghost.
“I was not asking in that systemic sense!”
“?”
“Please take into account in your formulas the universal sense of shame that young maidens of our age feel!”
“I refuse. I am a cold magical scientist (mathematician). An intangible uncertain element like a sense of shame cannot be equivalently converted into multidimensional magical energy by even a single micron.”
“Please do not use that scientist position as an inhumane free pass!”
Toto rolled around on the marble floor‚ holding his belly and laughing hard.
“Ahahaha! Give it up‚ young lady‚ resistance is futile!”
“In this naked witch’s brain parameters‚ the high-class panties you girls wear are completely treated as consumables synonymous with ‘hand grenades (magical warheads)’!”
“Toto‚ stop comparing my sacred magical efficiency to such barbaric weapons.”
“It’s the truth!”
Ignoring the noisy conversation of the two‚ I added the next mathematical item to the research notebook.
‘Same-type catalyst: Conversion cooldown occurs (output attenuation penalty in continuous purging)’
‘Different-type catalyst: Continuous use possible (outfit rotation optimization is essential)’
With this‚ another step. The basic structure of the absurd magic possessed by this Erlite ring was scientifically unraveled.
Multidimensional equivalent exchange has clear constraints (bugs). However‚ precisely because there are constraints‚ those uncertain formulas can be most beautifully optimized (hacked).
I relaxed the corners of my mouth just a little into a fearless smile.
“...Truly interesting.”
“What is‚ with that unsettling smile again?”
“The abyss of magic‚ if my calculations are correct‚ is drawing ever closer to pure mathematical truth.”
Toto muttered under his breath‚
“...You’re really‚ at the root‚ a hopelessly crazy researcher (mad).”
In that voice‚ unusually‚ a pure respect mixed in besides exasperation.
Unconcerned with outside evaluations‚ I closed the research notebook with a pleasant snap.
“Well then.”
“What now‚ what’re you plottin’ next?”
“My share of the financial calculations for this labyrinth exploration is all complete.”
“Yeah. Rich enough to build a house in one day.”
“I intend to execute the ‘formal repayment (deposit)’ of the development costs so far to Professor Erlite.”
“...”
Toto’s face once again took on the parameters of the most intense bad premonition of his life.
“What repayment...? Was there a contract log like that?”
“It is a natural obligation.”
I adjusted the hem of the oversized men’s T-shirt and stood up.
“The development and system construction costs of this custom modulation ring and the visible-light-transparent (invisible) dress I am currently wearing.”
“...Ah.”
“This time‚ through substantial exploitation (skimming) from the shared-link account (Charlotte-san)‚ a considerable profit has been recorded in my wallet.”
I proudly puffed out the chest of the invisible dress.
“Final net profit: a surplus of over five hundred fifty thousand gold krona.”
“Yeah‚ it was the work of a devil‚ though.”
“Therefore‚ without missing this opportunity of holding a large sum‚ let’s properly and smartly settle the past debts (liabilities) with a lump-sum payment.”
Professor Erlite was at his desk‚ intently reading some ancient magical treatise with a difficult expression.
“Professor Erlite.”
“Hmm‚ what is it?”
“May I have a little of your time for an important asset-management confirmation?”
“What is it‚ Louise-kun? Did you privatize and break my experimental equipment again without permission?”
I wore a cloudless‚ full smile.
“In the deep layers of the dungeon this time‚ I earned a vast amount of krona far exceeding calculations!”
“...I see. If you returned safely and managed to earn that much return‚ as a teacher it is the height of satisfaction.”
“Therefore‚”
I adjusted the hem of the oversized men’s T-shirt and puffed out my chest.
“The original development costs of this ‘Invisible Magical Dress’ I am currently equipped with and the modulation ring—I will pay the full amount in a lump sum!”
“...”
“Come‚ please tell me without reservation. How much is it?”
Professor Erlite raised his white eyebrows slightly in surprise and rounded his narrow eyes.
“You... are?”
“Yes.”
“That extreme miser and money-grubber of a you is volunteering to pay?”
“Yes‚ I split the bill with my friends (shared link) and have over five hundred thousand in surplus on hand!”
“...”
The professor’s once-strict mouth softened a little‚ as if relieved at his beloved disciple’s growth.
“I see... so you have grown to the point of possessing proper economic sense.”
“Yes!”
“In that case‚”
The professor wore a mild smile as a teacher.
“There is no particular need for you to dig into your own pocket to pay.”
“Really!?”
“Yes‚ both that dress and the ring are the results of my research and development. If I skillfully process them as ‘next-generation space-interference experimental equipment’ for the university upper management as expenses—”
“—So‚ what is the exact development cost‚ Professor?”
“No‚ as I said‚ you need not concern yourself with—”
“Professor...? Why will you not look me straight in the eyes?”
“...”
The living legend of modern magical science somehow averted his gaze to the floor diagonally below for a moment and fell into an awkward silence.
Piercing that strange spatial quiet‚ a cold voice rang out.
“—Exactly five hundred thousand krona.”
“............”
I stopped all calculations in my brain and froze like a Greek statue.
Professor Erlite also stiffened on the spot like a child whose secret had been exposed‚ looking awkward.
Charlotte in the oversized T-shirt‚ and the two hangers-on as well‚
All focused their gazes on Toto‚ who was looking down from my shoulder with extremely cold‚ half-lidded eyes.
“...Toto‚ a question.”
“What is it‚ Louise?”
“Why do you know the exact development cost figure?”
“This‚ this.”
Toto pointed with the tip of his short front leg at the usual empty stomach-medicine glass bottle carelessly placed beside the desk.
“It was crumpled under the old man’s stomach-medicine bottle‚ used as a coaster and fallen there.”
“...?”
Toto skillfully moved his small front legs and pulled out a single tri-folded piece of parchment that had been crushed under the bottle.
“Here‚ old man.”
Toto handed it to the professor. The moment the professor lowered his eyes to the paper‚
“...!”
The living legend’s complexion instantly turned ashen.
“...L-Louise-kun‚ this is...”
“A formal ‘development cost invoice’ with handwritten signatures from the university’s finance and accounting department‚ right?”
“...”
The professor slowly‚ extremely awkwardly‚ and while sweating oil‚ turned the parchment over.
There—
‘Magical transparent attire (highest-grade silk special magical processing)’
‘High-precision optical concealment protection ritual (implementation cost)’
‘Multidimensional equivalent exchange system compatibility (ring catalyst hack modification cost)’
‘Durability‚ magical conductivity‚ visible-light refraction rate control set’
And—on the very bottom line of that parchment.
‘Total’
‘500‚000 krona’
“...”
I continued staring at that merciless invoice from the finance and accounting department‚ my retinas completely out of focus.
Just a moment ago‚ what should have been in my hands. Five hundred fifty thousand gold krona. The funding for my dream next-generation magical research. State-of-the-art experimental equipment I had never seen. My own secret dedicated laboratory.
My brilliant. My unprecedented‚ glorious future roadmap.
All those astronomical hopes. In just an instant. In zero-point-zero seconds of operation. Everything.
Was pulled back at once into the merciless capitalist reality of mere ‘debt repayment (minus withdrawal).’
“...Exactly five hundred thousand krona‚ is it?”
“...Yes‚ I’m sorry.”
Professor Erlite answered quietly‚ and a little apologetically‚ while fidgeting with the sleeve of his white coat.
“Combining the rare multidimensional spacetime materials used in the core of the ring and that special transparent dress clinging to your bare skin‚ the actual cost billed to the academy side comes to about that much...”
“...”
I once again stared at the proud confirmed balance sheet (data) engraved in the notebook.
‘Final confirmed net profit (net): 559‚767 krona’
And the cold accounting scrap of paper.
‘500‚000 krona’
“...”
I confirmed the lined-up figures by going back and forth in my brain over and over.
No mistake. It is simple subtraction. I can easily do it. I am a genius mathematician who entered the Royal Magic University as the top of the written exam.
Therefore—the balance (answer) waiting after that withdrawal was also instantly clear in zero seconds of brain calculation.
“...Fifty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-seven krona.”
“What is it‚ Louise?”
“...That is all that remains in my hands...”
“...”
Toto quietly‚ deeply like the deep sea‚ and this time with eyes of genuine sympathy‚ looked straight at me.
“...Yeah‚ Louise.”
“...”
“In this world‚ not going into the minus (debt hell) is still a level where you can thank God for it being manageable.”
“—!! (It is not manageable at all!)”
I finally completely filled my eyes with large tears and became teary-eyed.
“I’ll pay...! I’ll just pay‚ right‚ for the professor’s pitiful stomach-medicine costs!”
“O-oh‚ I didn’t think you’d collapse into tears that hard.”
“With all the assets I earned with my blood and underwear (shared inventory)‚ I’ll smartly pay in a lump sum...!”
“So don’t cry while soaking the collar of the men’s T-shirt‚ it’ll make me sad too.”
“My once-in-a-lifetime five hundred thousand kronaaaaaa...!”
“...”
“I’ll pay the full amount in cash right now‚ every last coin!!!!!!!!!!”
The scream of despair released from the deepest part of my soul echoed emptily‚ and yet utterly shamelessly‚ through the night sky of the silent Third Research Building.
Charlotte peeked over worriedly while holding the collar of the matching oversized T-shirt.
“Louise-san... are you all right?”
“—I am fine‚ I am the top-ranked scientist after all.”
I roughly wiped away the large tears with the fabric of the ungainly long-sleeved men’s T-shirt.
“According to my precise internal household account book (data)... there are still fifty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-seven krona of surplus remaining in the account...”
“...”
“With parameters of this magnitude‚ we can still live sufficiently in this world.”
“Your adaptability to absurdity is truly abnormally strong...”
Charlotte muttered small‚ exasperated yet filled with deep sympathy.
“...But‚ you.”
Toto quietly climbed back onto my shoulder.
“Louise-han.”
“Yes‚ what is it‚ Toto?”
“With this‚ our survival life for a while‚”
After a beat of cruel silence.
“Is completely forced into a ‘bean-sprout-only life’ that makes you spit blood (route).”
“...”
Feeling the void-like cold air blowing from the depths of my lower body‚ I slowly nodded.
“Yes. From tomorrow‚ my staple food is bean sprouts. It is the ingredient with the strongest cost-effectiveness.”
At that moment‚ Kamekichi looked up unsteadily from the marble floor with his small red eyes.
“Kyui? (...Then what about the high-class feed (magic stones) for my comfortable retired NEET life where I never want to work?)”
Toto looked down slowly at the green turtle at his feet. And—as if understanding everything‚ he floated a full‚ devilishly evil smile.
“It’s fine‚ newcomer.”
“Kyui...?”
“Your feed from tomorrow as a glorious myth-class magical beast is‚”
A beat.
“Digging up the soil in the university courtyard with your short claws and the infinitely emerging ‘earthworms’!”
“Kyuiiiiiii!!? (That’s a genuine black company completely ignoring labor standards!!)”
Kamekichi rattled his sturdy shell grandly and retreated at high speed in terror.
Faced with that absurd harassment‚ I couldn’t help raising my voice.
“Toto! No matter what‚ don’t treat Kamekichi-san‚ who supported our logistics‚ with such primitive and crude wild handling!”
“No‚ you‚ there’s no actual balance (krona)‚ so biologically it can’t be helped!”
“My precious remaining funds are still over fifty thousand krona!”
“That’s the next-generation magical research fund (lifeline) more precious than your life‚ right! Are you planning to dissolve that valuable asset on feed costs for a turtle that just eats!?”
“...”
Confronted with cold economic logic‚ I fell completely silent. Toto also crossed his arms in victory and fell silent.
Unable to watch our near-bankruptcy stingy debate any longer‚ Charlotte muttered quietly.
“...Louise-san.”
“Yes‚ what is it?”
“After all‚ I‚”
She softened her face a little troubledly‚ yet with the deep kindness of a prestigious young lady.
“Rather than going all-in on advanced magical research‚ I think it would be better to first properly buy at least ‘ordinary clothes and underwear’ at a specialty shop in the royal capital.”
“...”
At that pointed remark‚ I quietly looked down at my own all-too-miserable and unguarded body.
The rough‚ oversized men’s T-shirt borrowed without permission from Professor Erlite’s drawer. Sleeves that hung loosely.
And—beneath that thin fabric‚ other than the invisible magical dress that merely refracted visible light (※ the contents completely pantyless)‚ there existed not a single physical defense line.
My clothing situation‚ which had not yet fully returned to normal‚ was still fatally and overwhelmingly well-ventilated as a woman.
“...”
At that precise observation‚ I drove my brain cells for a few decimal seconds and thought deeply.
And then.
“Indeed‚ Charlotte-san is correct.”
I nodded in complete seriousness.
“It is an indispensable ‘advance investment (necessary expense)’ to maintain the minimum social dignity parameters and maximize cold-protection efficiency.”
“—My‚ so on that point alone‚ you are honestly accepting the opinion of the prestigious family this time...”
Seeing me unusually willing to buy clothes‚ Charlotte finally relaxed her face a little in relief and smiled.
—However.
Immediately after that moment of relief‚ I once again wore the eyes of a cold scientist and ruthlessly opened the research notebook on the desk with a snap.
“However‚”
“...Eh?”
“If we are going to purchase clothing‚”
I solemnly declared with a serious poker face that never wavered by even a micron.
“As ‘fuel (catalysts)’ for future spacetime equivalent exchange‚ let us mathematically rigorously select and bargain-hunt the ones with the best ‘cost-performance and firepower’ from the royal capital’s market.”
“............”
The young-lady smile that had been floating on Charlotte’s face until moments ago slowly‚ and thoroughly‚ dyed itself in the color of despair and vanished with a crackling sound.
“...L-Louise-san?”
“Yes‚ what is it‚ Charlotte-san?”
“You‚”
The slender fingertips gripping the collar of the oversized T-shirt trembled slightly with fear.
“Just now... on what basis did you say we would go shopping...?”
“As I said‚ to fulfill the avoidance conditions for the ‘cooldown attenuation penalty’ derived earlier.”
I answered instantly with eyes of pure magical research curiosity that held not a single micron of doubt or cloudiness.
“As catalysts for continuous multi-combat in the next deep layer‚ we will go on a rampage within the remaining fifty-thousand-krona balance to capture the outfits that are ‘exceptionally cheap in price‚ and can efficiently purge (undress) to activate special-grade composite rituals.’”
“—That is exactly what I was worried about aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!! (You’re still fully intending to use panties as explosives!!)”
In the closed space of the underground Third Research Building‚ the prestigious young lady Charlotte’s soul-tearing scream of blood echoed with the most overwhelming volume of the day.
Toto‚ seeing that‚ could no longer endure it and rolled around on the marble floor holding his belly laughing hard.
Kamekichi‚
“Kyuiii... (My NEET life is over...)”
froze in the corner of the room with distant eyes‚ thinking of the cruel earthworm survival life starting tomorrow.
And I‚ faced with the all-too-cruel and lonely new capitalist reality of the mere fifty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-seven krona remaining in my hands‚ quietly yet coldly began assembling the next latest magical research plan (shopping list) on the notebook.
—Conveniently usable for my equivalent exchange magic.
—Unit price per piece abnormally cheap.
—And yet‚ when purged‚ the multidimensional magical conversion efficiency is the highest.
—And possessing variations that perfectly correspond to that cursed cooldown (rotation) regularity.
Such—a convenient perfect outfit that satisfies all of us.
Does it physically exist somewhere in this vast royal capital’s commercial market?
The answer to that absurd equation. At that time‚ I had no way of knowing even a single thing about it.
—However. Only Charlotte‚ who was freezing in the matching oversized T-shirt while pantyless‚
Clearly felt with her survival instincts only the tremendously unpleasant‚ shameless‚ and worst premonition of what would befall her own body from now on.
And. That worst ominous premonition held by the noble young lady.
—The next day. At a certain extremely niche clothing specialty shop located in a corner of the royal capital.
Would become a cold reality in a form that far transcended our imagination‚ and in the worst way.
The morning of the royal capital began peacefully‚ as if the hell of yesterday’s abyss had never happened.
The aroma of freshly baked fragrant black bread drifted along the stone-paved main street‚ and lively merchants began arranging colorful goods in front of their shops. At the magical tool shops‚ final checks of magic crystals before opening were being performed‚ and students heading to the Royal Magic University walked the streets while yawning sleepily.
Yesterday—deep underground beneath these peaceful feet‚ there were those who had engaged in a fierce life-and-death struggle against a terrifying goblin army.
As the cost of that equivalent exchange‚ high-class clothing had been mercilessly purged into catalysts for multidimensional magic‚ and ultimately a suspicious group wrapped in squid-smelling rags stained with dried-squid oil had spacetime-transferred into the university professor’s laboratory.
Such a shameless fact like a bug in the world—not a single person in this peaceful royal capital knew of it. The royal capital remained unchanged and peaceful today as well.
—At least until this self-proclaimed calm and collected genius witch resumed today’s economic activity (shopping).
“...Fifty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-seven krona.”
Still in the oversized men’s T-shirt borrowed from Professor Erlite’s drawer‚ I muttered with a grave face as if cursing the entire world.
“...”
“No good‚ the worst loop is starting again from morning.”
Toto on my shoulder let out a long‚ weary sigh.
“Fifty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-seven krona...”
“Enough already‚ Louise! Don’t keep chanting it like an ominous sutra before breakfast!”
“Until yesterday‚ in my internal hard disk‚ a beautiful five hundred fifty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-seven krona had certainly been recorded‚ you know?”
“So even after paying the accounting department’s devilish invoice (five hundred thousand) in a lump sum‚ you still have fifty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-seven krona remaining as balance!”
“As construction funds for my future great private laboratory‚ the initial investment parameters are far too few.”
“As temporary ‘bean-sprout survival living expenses‚’ it’s more than sufficient beyond your station!”
I shook my head sideways with a serious face‚ with the coldness inherited from my mentor.
“Toto‚ you must not compare different vectors of research funds and living expenses on the same scale.”
“Why not‚ both are money for living!”
“Research funds are a sacred ‘investment’ into the unknown that leads to the truth of magic.”
“Living expenses are also absolutely indispensable to survive until tomorrow!”
“The consumption sector of living expenses can be limited to the intake of the minimum life-sustaining calories (bean sprouts).”
“Your ‘minimum’ is just dried black bread crusts and academy tap water‚ isn’t it!”
“It is economical and extremely rational.”
“It ain’t rational! Just a severely malnourished money-grubbing otaku!”
While listening to our barren stingy debate from behind‚ Charlotte was staring at me from a short distance with a complicated gaze.
Yesterday—I had fought using advanced fluid dynamics calculations to save us from the brink of death. As the price‚ I had purged even my own clothing without hesitation into the far reaches of spacetime.
And yet. What I was deeply concerned about today—was not the whereabouts of the lost clothes‚ nor dignity as a maiden‚ but solely and persistently “the research funds (five hundred thousand) reduced by the accounting department’s deduction.”
“...”
Charlotte let out a small breath filled with deep exasperation as a prestigious young lady.
“Louise-san.”
“Yes‚ what is it‚ please do not interrupt the recalculation of assets‚ Charlotte-san.”
“A little‚ as one woman‚ if I may.”
“Please‚ I will answer anything with formulas.”
Charlotte suspiciously dropped her gaze to the hem of the rough men’s T-shirt I was wearing‚ which hung down to around my thighs.
“How long do you intend to continue spending completely unguarded in that shabby oversized T-shirt borrowed from Professor Erlite?”
“Until the professor legally demands laundry and immediate return of the asset.”
“And... it is very difficult to say‚ but... You‚ right now‚ under that T-shirt... are you wearing anything?”
“Young lady‚ as an adult‚ don’t dig deep into that and just sense it with wild intuition!!”
Toto slapped his own forehead with his short front legs on my shoulder and hurriedly interjected.
“—As I thought‚ I am worried without a single millimeter of leeway...!”
Charlotte couldn’t help raising her voice under the blue sky of the royal capital.
“Giving a hundred steps and accepting the oversized T-shirt on top as emergency evacuation (fine)‚ as a young girl of tender age‚ do you not think even a single millimeter of wanting to go to a shop right now and stock up on new underwear (panties)!?”
“In the current distress simulation survival parameters‚ the physical necessity of underwear is extremely low.”
“It is not low! That is not life support‚ it is a matter of minimum sociality!”
“I always prioritize the increase of future research funds over the presence or absence of immediate underwear.”
“...”
Charlotte continued staring at my expressionless face for a while with eyes of deep pity‚ as if facing an unmanageable severe lost child. And then—as if resolving something firmly upon her prestigious pride‚ she nodded powerfully.
“...All the inconsistencies have become clear.”
“What is it‚ Charlotte-san?”
“Please leave all of today’s shopping survival to me.”
“What are you leaving to me? It is a probabilistically wasteful consumption of resources.”
“‘Shopping’!”
“Unnecessary‚ I am sufficiently fine in this oversized T-shirt—”
“There is absolutely a need!”
It was a sharp instant reply carrying the young lady’s pride. Charlotte‚ as befitting her prestigious bloodline‚ proudly puffed out her ample chest from over the oversized T-shirt.
“Louise-san‚ yesterday in the fifth layer of that abyss‚ you saved our lives‚ and the absolute defense line of maidens by a hair’s breadth. That debt of gratitude was still unsettled.”
“Therefore—”
She softened her cheeks a little with a gentle emotion different from embarrassment.
“At least the full set of new underwear‚ please allow me to gift it as thanks from my assets.”
“...”
At that illogical yet attractive economic proposal‚ I brought my internal thought process to a complete stop.
“—Underwear‚ is it?”
“Yes‚ that is so.”
“Not hand-me-downs or used items from the family home‚ but completely brand-new‚ correct?”
“A prestigious young lady would never gift used items to another person; of course!”
“...Understood. In that case I will gladly accept them. However‚ Charlotte-san‚ regarding the underwear (inners) I wear on my own body‚ I have an extremely firm and non-negotiable ‘unique preference (obsession)‚’ you know?”
“...”
Charlotte blinked her eyelashes in slight surprise at my unexpected assertion.
“My... that is an unexpected parameter‚ isn’t it?”
“It is a natural conclusion. Since a genius of multidimensional magic such as myself will be wearing them daily‚ the specifications of those inners are mathematically extremely important.”
“Is that so... I had completely assumed that as long as there was fabric mass‚ even the worst rag would do...”
Then Toto hopped down from my shoulder onto the stone pavement‚ put his short front legs on his hips‚ and twisted his face into a mischievous grin.
“Young lady‚ you still completely fail to understand the crazy ecology of this money-grubbing naked witch (Louise).”
I continued matter-of-factly with the face of a cold mad scientist.
“Yes. Even if it is a free gift (gratis) from Charlotte-san‚ the comparative verification of the magical conductivity conversion performance possessed by that fabric and the cost-performance against market price is an absolute top-priority item that I‚ as a scientist‚ can never concede.”
“—Normal girls of our age do not start choosing underwear from such a weapons-performance-evaluation perspective aaaaaah!!”
Charlotte cut off my sophistry and forcefully grabbed my white‚ slender arm.
“Anyway‚ we are going without further discussion!”
Pulling me along forcefully‚ Charlotte stepped out onto the lively main street of the royal capital. Behind us‚ Toto‚ Kamekichi who had somehow joined up‚ and the two hangers-on trailed along in their suspicious T-shirt appearances.
“Kyui... (Cold sweat is pouring...)”
Kamekichi moved his short legs with a patter-patter while giving a small cry from uneasy wild instinct.
(...Somehow‚ the radar for my comfortable retired life where I never want to work for a lifetime is detecting nothing but tremendous bad premonitions...)
“What a coincidence‚ Kamekichi.”
Toto also shook his round head and looked up at the blue sky of the royal capital with distant eyes of complete resignation.
“—Same here. It feels like I can see the catastrophic bug future that will arrive after this in real time...”
The place we were forcibly escorted to by Charlotte was—
One of the top three ultra-luxury lingerie shops in the royal capital‚ patronized by prestigious nobles.
A refined and beautiful exterior of white stone. A large single-pane glass show window as if displaying works of art. Inside the shop‚ a sweet and soft floral fragrance drifted elegantly‚ and on the ebony shelves along the walls‚ colorful garments were displayed with the solemnity of jewelry.
Rather than a mere apparel store selling fabric‚ it was a high-class space closer to a royal-warrant jeweler.
“My...!”
One of the hangers-on girl students let her eyes sparkle rapturously.
“What a wonderful space overflowing with luxury...!”
“Charlotte-sama‚ look! This item embroidered with pure gold thread is so adorable and would absolutely suit Charlotte-sama!”
The other also forgot her haughty elite face and began enjoying looking at the products.
Charlotte too finally regained her original bright expression befitting a noble young lady and smiled.
“See? Louise-san‚ forget that shabby T-shirt and choose any design you like—”
“...”
I maintained complete icy silence. With the utmost serious gaze of a researcher‚ I stared holes into the product shelves in front of me.
However—the observation coordinates (points) captured by my retinas differed from theirs on a fundamentally different dimension.
Not the design of pretty lace. Not the cute floral embroidery suitable for a girl. Not the beautiful color tones popular in the royal capital this season.
The merciless prices engraved on the price tags‚ and the material cost ratios derived from them. The durability limit values of the seams under intense movement. The physical total mass (weight) that would tip the scales during multidimensional conversion.
And above all—the weaving patterns of the fiber structure that could become pathways (circuits) for magical energy during emergency forced purge (undressing).
“...”
Perhaps noticing the extraordinary money-grubbing aura emanating from me‚ a professional female shop assistant approached smoothly with an elegant smile.
“Welcome‚ thank you very much for visiting our store today. If there is any item that suits the customer’s preference‚ please do not hesitate to let us know anything.”
“Yes‚ then I will perform a scientific confirmation.”
Toto looked up at that refined female shop assistant from my feet and secretly admired her on an instinctive level.
(But still‚ the professional shop assistants at the royal capital’s highest-class lingerie shop are impressive. They’re cleanly ignoring Louise’s ‘completely size-ruined oversized men’s T-shirt (and the contents completely pantyless)’ which is a public-morals-violating‚ thoroughly suspicious appearance‚ without wrinkling their brows even a millimeter.)
“Kyui... (Good service...)”
Kamekichi also nodded with wild instinct while shrinking his green neck in the farthest corner of the room.
(Even when mysterious magical beasts (pets) like us that are clearly shopping nuisances come barging in‚ they accept us with a smile. A good shop assistant like a mirror of capitalism.)
I smoothly pinched up one glossy silk-blend item from the shelf with my fingertips.
“As a molecular structure‚ what material is this primarily using?”
“That one luxuriously uses one hundred percent of the highest-grade special silk that is a specialty of the south.”
“The selling price?”
“For the top-and-bottom set‚ eight thousand gold krona. It is finished with very careful hand-sewing by top-class craftsmen of the royal capital—”
“I see‚ the calculation formula has connected.”
I confirmed the thin high-quality fabric by plucking it with my slender fingertips like a musical instrument.
“The purity of magical conductivity and the thermal conversion efficiency (firepower) when exploded via equivalent exchange are‚ in terms of cost-performance‚ about average.”
“...Eh?”
The female shop assistant of the luxury store physically froze her previously perfectly maintained invincible sales smile with a cracking sound.
The shop assistant looked at Charlotte’s face with strained eyes as if wanting to report to the military police at any moment‚ seeking help.
Charlotte‚ with the pride of her prestigious house in her chest‚ smoothly averted her amber gaze to the floor diagonally below.
“...Shop assistant‚ please do not mind it.”
“This person has had her internal magical circuits a little multidimensionally bugged and strange since yesterday.”
“Just a moment‚ Charlotte-san? I am merely calmly appraising ammunition (panties).”
“—You‚ be quiet! It is nothing‚ shop assistant!!”
I smoothly picked up another item with an even more alluring silk luster.
“This one?”
“Th-that is... our shop’s highest-peak silk product. The price is ten thousand gold krona.”
I rubbed the smooth fabric with my slender fingertips and executed a high-speed simulation in my brain.
(...As expected of an ultra-high-purity natural material. The magical conductivity (burst firepower) during equivalent exchange can also achieve the theoretical maximum value. An extremely excellent ammunition (panties).)
“—I’ll take this ten-thousand-krona set.”
“Eh!? Please wait a moment‚ Louise-san‚ there are many other cute designs with frills and ribbons lined up‚ you know!?”
Charlotte was astonished.
“Is it really all right with something so simple with no decoration‚ just minimizing the fabric area?”
“Yes‚ no problem. The silk texture with no wasteful noise is supreme. With this‚ it will not interfere with my advanced computational resources at all‚ and above all‚ the cost-performance of the ‘instant maximum firepower’ relative to this material potential is overwhelming.”
“But...!”
Charlotte’s face clouded a little.
“The cuteness and splendor of design as a girl is overwhelmingly insufficient on a biological level aaaaaah—”
“Fluttering‚ inefficient frills and embroidery”
“...”
“Lace that only uselessly increases air resistance”
“...”
“Color designs that only uselessly inflate the cost”
“...”
I stacked the words matter-of-factly and coldly without mixing in any emotional parameters.
“—All of these make not a single rational contribution (buff) to the ‘magical conductivity’ of causal law during multidimensional equivalent exchange. This subtraction minimalism of pure material mass alone‚ with all decoration stripped away‚ is the supreme functional beauty as a weapon (underwear).”
The smile of the female shop assistant at the luxury lingerie shop cracked and strained with a cracking sound.
“C-customer... um‚ weapon‚ you say... our shop is a proper underwear store‚ but...”
“Don’t mind it‚ onee-san. This naked witch (Louise) has several screws blown out of her brain and is a severe science-side psychopath!”
“Kyui... (I also prefer simple over wasteful fluttering because it’s easier to parasitize)”
Kamekichi deeply nodded at Toto’s retort from the corner of the room.
“I cannot understand even a single micron the reason to pay extra krona for an abstract added value like ‘beauty (design)’ that is not accompanied by practicality.”
“............”
The professional shop assistant slowly repeated blinking as if escaping from the terrifying reality.
“...Um‚ customer. In the first place‚ women... choose underwear lovingly also in order to enhance their own ‘beauty as a woman’ from the inside‚ don’t they...?”
“Beauty (fashion) and the like is an irrational marketing illusion (bug) that capitalist humans arbitrarily created.”
“...Illusion.”
A blue vein of anger twitched at Charlotte’s temple.
“Then‚ you. Are you saying that girl-like‚ pastel pink and lace adorable designs are worthless!?”
“Yes‚ they only uselessly jack up the purchase cost of the catalyst and are completely unnecessary noise in actual combat.”
“............”
Charlotte slowly looked up at the refined ceiling of the royal capital as if lamenting the absurdity of the world.
“...Please‚ Louise-san.”
“Yes‚ what is it‚ Charlotte-san?”
“If you have left the correct values and ethics as a maiden entirely at the bottom of that labyrinth‚ please go crawl back to the fifth layer at full speed right now and pick them up...!!”
While tuning out her noble lamenting cry as ambient noise‚ I coldly stared at the products on the other shelves and muttered numbers into the notebook.
“This one is three hundred krona per piece. Pure cotton?”
“The purchase price is extremely cheap‚ but the rough texture disturbs my thought resources‚ so it would hinder complex multidimensional calculations in actual combat. Moreover‚ the purity of magical conductivity is markedly low‚ so even if purged (undressed)‚ no great tactical power can be expected. Rejected.”
I moved to the next shelf at maximum shuffling-foot speed.
“Linen and cotton blend. Eight hundred krona. Out of the question as an equivalent exchange catalyst.”
Further to another luxury corner.
“Sports-use stretchy special magical fiber (inner). Three thousand krona.”
My eyes shone sharply for an instant like a mad scientist who had found prey.
“This has a very excellent durability value for the entire fabric as physical defense (armor). ...But no. The texture is a little too hard for my delicate soft skin. Skin chafing during long calculations would be inefficient.”
The professional female shop assistant of the luxury lingerie shop had already humanely given up on even uttering any more words.
“I thought that by preparing multiple types of outfits (inners) of different materials and shapes‚ we could operate while perfectly rotating to avoid the output of that ‘catalyst conversion cooldown’ that became clear in yesterday’s actual combat‚ but...”
Beside me‚ Charlotte‚ sensing the worst future‚ furrowed her beautiful brows and approached suspiciously.
“...Louise-san.”
“Yes‚ what is it?”
“You‚ while pretending to speak lofty magical theory‚ just what in the world are you saying?”
“I will explain the results (data) of today’s market research extremely logically.”
I pointed straight with cold fingertips at the many luxury products beautifully arranged on the shelves.
“In yesterday’s multidimensional demonstration experiment‚ it became clear that even if items of the same system are continuously equivalently exchanged (purged)‚ the magical energy conversion efficiency does not rise mathematically—a bug.”
“Y-yes‚ I have been hearing that until my ears hurt.”
“In other words‚ for catalysts of exactly the same category‚ a certain period of reuse restriction (cooldown) exists as a safety of causal law.”
“...Yes.”
“Therefore‚ for continuous combat in emergencies‚ I calculated that if we layered multiple ‘high-class underwear of different materials and designs’ in advance and automatically withdrew from the accounts according to the battle timeline—”
I declared as if stating the absolute truth of the world in a completely natural manner.
“In the case of a genius such as myself‚ if the underwear (catalyst) is anything other than highest-grade silk material‚ the discomfort of that rough texture severely disturbs the internal thought resources for multidimensional calculation‚ so as a result‚ ‘my ammunition is silk only’ has been mathematically proven at this very moment.”
“............”
The shop assistant of the high-class store had her internal thought circuits completely destroyed‚ her beautiful sales smile fixed in place while only her soul cleanly escaped to heaven.
“...Um‚ customer. With all due respect‚ is underwear (inner) something that has special uses other than being worn on the body... such as being burned beyond causality or exploded on the battlefield...?”
“Ah...”
I realized the self-preservation of a scientist too late and hurriedly put my slender index finger to my lips.
“Toto‚ this was a top-secret matter related to national security.”
“Too late!! You’re spouting the absurdity of treating panties as gunpowder (fuel) right in the middle of a proper high-class lingerie shop!”
Ignoring the girls frozen in matching oversized T-shirts‚ I looked around the beautiful shop interior with satisfaction.
“Well‚ to put it in easily understandable secular words‚”
I declared with a full‚ pure yet evil smile more than anyone else in the world.
“This top-class lingerie shop of the royal capital is‚ for a magical researcher such as myself—completely synonymous with a sacred ‘weapon shop (ammunition depot)’ packed full of highest-firepower magical warheads!”
“............”
“A wonderful weapon shop with extremely excellent performance and high firepower!”
“............”
The female shop assistant looked slowly at Charlotte’s face with eyes distorted by terror as if wanting to call the royal capital military police right away.
Charlotte‚ her prestigious pride completely crushed‚ covered her beautiful face with both white hands and looked up at the heavens.
“...Already‚ with my noble education (pride)‚ it is impossible to restrain this naked witch wearing the skin of capitalism...”
The shop assistant quietly closed the shutters of her mind and fell silent.
On a peaceful afternoon in the royal capital. In the ultra-luxury lingerie shop filled with elegant aroma‚ the completely mismatched lively voices of the girls echoed emptily and shamelessly forever.
◇ ◇ ◇
At the same time. In the great hall of the Central Adventurer Guild Headquarters in the same royal capital‚ filled with vitality and the heat of adventurers.
“—Th-this is terrible!!!!”
The guild’s proud heavy oak magical wood door was flung open with tremendous force as if kicked open.
Three male adventurers‚ covered in mud and the blood of magical beasts‚ their equipment torn in places‚ rolled into the floor out of breath.
“Sp-special transport for rescue...! Please form a rescue team that is a matter of life and death right away!”
“Please calm down‚ registered adventurers. What exactly happened in the deep layers of the dungeon!”
The receptionist jumped up from the counter as if flicked.
“Our important temporary comrades... three young female mages have been left behind in the underground labyrinth!”
The receptionist’s expression instantly changed to a professional face.
“Where are the distress coordinates (location)!?”
“A giant cavern on the fourth underground floor—the deepest part of the abyss‚ far isolated from the normal routes!”
“The fourth floor of the deep layers...!? That’s a forbidden area beyond the student zone for general practical training‚ isn’t it!?”
“Moreover‚ the opponent is a large army (nest) of intelligent goblins! If we don’t go help right away‚ their lives will be trampled without a trace along with their clothes...!”
The three male adventurers cleverly concealed the ugly fact that they themselves had left the female mages as a ‘meat wall (decoy)’ on the front line and fled back for their own safety‚ and raised their voices with desperate expressions.
“Please‚ I beg you‚ rescue them from the abyss as soon as possible!!”
At that tragic cry‚ the vast guild interior was instantly wrapped in chaotic excitement. Immediately a giant magical three-dimensional map was spread on the reception counter‚ and reverse calculation of the fastest emergency rescue route began.
Deep underground‚ fourth floor. With a large army of goblins building a solid nest there‚ the danger parameter was extremely high. Under normal procedures‚ it would be a national-level disaster case requiring emergency assembly of a considerable number of battle-hardened veteran adventurers including silver rank.
“We will form an emergency rescue team immediately at the present time!”
“Hurry the arrangement of high-ranking healing mages‚ every minute and second counts!”
“Gather all the anti-miasma protective equipment for the deep layers and as much antidote as possible from the warehouse!”
In an instant‚ the entire guild began moving like a stirred beehive. It was truly the opening of an ultra-large-scale humanitarian rescue operation rarely seen in recent years.
The guild master muttered tragically while oily sweat flowed from his forehead.
“The highest-ranking holy knights who had been temporarily invited to the royal capital for the ancient species subjugation case—can they no longer be moved!?”
“Yes‚ Guild Master! They completed all their missions and have already returned to the royal castle by yesterday evening...!”
“Damn‚ of all times for the highest combat power to be absent in this emergency... what are we to do in this royal capital...”
“—Hey you‚ it can’t be helped.”
At that moment. Into the guild space where the voltage of the uproar had reached its peak‚ a pure voice that seemed to make everything transparent quietly echoed.
The water high-ranking spirit Riva floated beautifully around a young man in travel attire and opened her mouth.
“Kaito‚ what will you do? Will you strip a layer again to help for those pitiful girls?”
The young man—Kaito scratched the back of his neck lazily and answered with a bitter smile.
“Basically I pass on these troublesome things. Well‚ abandoning girls in a pinch would leave a bad aftertaste. It can’t be helped; as long as we don’t carelessly touch that monster boss on the fifth underground floor‚ even just us should be able to break through sufficiently.”
“Indeed. Even for us‚ only the absolute guardian of the fifth floor ‘Guardian of the Earth’ seems like it would counterattack even if three full parties of silver rank gathered.”
Toward the guild master who was holding his head in despair‚ the hero Kaito approached with an easygoing gait and called out.
“Guild Master-san. It can’t be helped‚ so I’ll also join this impromptu party.”
“Oooohh!!? A-a-are you perhaps... the legendary Western Hero Kaito-sama who established numerous myths at the Western Academy Court!!”
“Shh! I’m currently on a top-secret vacation! If you shout that loudly the military police will find out‚ so stop it.”
“Th-this is a terrible disrespect‚ I apologize!”
The guild master rubbed his forehead on the marble floor while shedding tears of joy at the manifestation of the savior.
“If you lend your sword to this operation‚ it is truly a hundredfold‚ no‚ a thousandfold strength! We can surely rescue those pitiful girls left in the abyss alive this time!!”
Thus. A historic great exploration and rescue team raising the full power of the Adventurer Guild‚ involving even the Western Hero Kaito and the high-ranking spirit Riva‚ was bravely formed.
—However.
That the female mages they were trying to rescue had already been perfectly rescued at the cellular level by the ‘inhumane automatic underwear withdrawal (shared purge)’ of one pantyless genius witch (Louise)‚ and were currently taking a peaceful nap on the fluffy beds of the safe university.
Furthermore‚ that the guardian of the fifth floor they feared as a national extinction crisis had been pulverized along with the return magic circle into the far reaches of coordinates by the aftereffect of Louise’s twelve-thousand-krona panty magic‚ and that its unopened drop box was scheduled to be sold for one million krona without margin.
Naturally‚ from their report who had no way of knowing no matter where they searched in spacetime—the Central Adventurer Guild interior was wrapped in unprecedented justice heat‚ and a large-scale rescue team equipped with the latest defenses was right now taking a glorious step toward the abyss labyrinth and departing.
—Those who do not know are only the allies of justice (themselves).
———(Chapter 06: “The Money-Grubbing Witch’s Financial Report and the Unvanishing Curse” · End)———
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