The Pitch-Black Abyss (3)
The Super Neo Ultra... whatever it was called. It didn't matter what the full name was. What mattered was that Della Objet, who up until now had stubbornly clung to her uncooperative attitude of 'I want to go back' and 'how tiresome,' suddenly flipped and came lunging toward me.
What in the world was this thing that could make her react so strongly? I needed to understand that first before I could even begin to make sense of the situation.
"Della Objet."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."
"Once is enough. Just what is this thing that made you change your attitude so completely?"
"Huh? You don't even know what this is? Carrying something like this without understanding its value is honestly too good for you. I'll specially take it off your hands. Something this valuable belongs with me rather than with someone like you..."
"No."
Della Objet shamelessly reached out to snatch the rod from my hand, so I quickly pulled it behind my back, keeping it out of her grasp.
"I'll decide whether to give this to you based on your answers. So don't even think about giving me some half-hearted response."
"That's dirty. So cheap!"
"Isn't that a compliment? Does the Cezar of Ravilis need to bother with fairness and honesty?"
"Ugh... I guess that's true, but..."
I still had no idea what this rod actually was. It simply looked ordinary, if a bit more golden than usual. But if it had managed to capture Della Objet's interest, then the situation had changed completely.
"I think we need to start this conversation over."
"I already answered you!"
"Answered? No, what you did was throw a tantrum, not answer. You know that too, don't you?"
"Ugh...! Fine. Ask me. Anything."
"I think you've misunderstood. First, you need to fix that pathetic attitude of yours."
"What! You want me to bow my head like the other legion commanders? Should I kneel or something?"
"I don't expect that much. But I also don't want you casually using 'you' while speaking down to me."
It wasn't as if I had some grand ambition to become a ruler worshipped with the highest honorifics. If people didn't care about formalities, they didn't need to use them with me. But I had come here to place her beneath me. That meant I needed to correct her attitude first.
"Save that kind of thing for your lover. Why did you even drag me into this? And what's with that stupid-looking thing? It looks exactly like a he—wait a second. Isn't this the same one I saw last time?"
"I'd appreciate it if you stopped there. It's not exactly a pleasant memory."
"Ha, are you showing off to me? Is that thing on your finger some kind of keychain?"
"Della Objet."
"Ooh, scary voice. Like that's going to make me—mph!"
She kept grating on my nerves, and without realizing it, I channeled my power and slammed her head down onto the bed.
"I am the Cezar. I assume you know what that means."
"Mmph—! You think I'm doing this because I don't know?"
"If you know, then show some proper respect. I'd rather not have to test my patience any further."
"Ha, that's hilarious. Shouldn't you be the one showing gratitude? If it weren't for that Super Neo Ultra Very Very Rare Unique Strong Legendary Bamboo Shoot Stick, I would've blasted you away immediately. You don't want to see that keychain of yours turn into a bloody pulp either, do you?"
"Try it then."
"...What?"
"I said try it. The moment you do, Ravilis will have six legions instead of seven."
"Are you seriously saying that?"
"Do I look like I'm lying?"
"......"
Della's eyes flickered as she studied my expression, but after confirming there was no falsehood in my words, she let out a long sigh.
"Ugh, this is ridiculous. Fine. What do you want?"
"Show proper respect."
"That's it? How petty. You came all the way here yourself just to demand I speak politely? To someone hundreds of years younger than me?"
"Age without value is worse than not aging at all."
"Are you saying I act like a child?"
"Don't you?"
"......"
Even she couldn't deny it if she was being honest with herself. No matter how you looked at it, a being several hundred years old sulking in the corner because she didn't want to work was hardly reasonable behavior.
"Sigh... Fine. I understand. No, I understand. I'll answer you, so please release that disgusting power of yours, Cezar. It's so unbearably hot that my precious belongings feel like they're about to burn up."
"I haven't even used my power properly yet."
"What the... never mind. Fine. So what do you want to know? About the 1st Legion Commander? I already told you. I told them to either join your side or stay neutral. That was it."
"No, I doubt that's all there is to it."
"Huh? You don't even know anything, so how—"
"I'm certain that you aren't the type of person who would waste several hours on such a simple exchange. That's what I saw."
"Then what? Did you think I slept with him or something? That kind of messy entanglement is too annoying. I'd rather spend that time gaming."
"If you were Gini Luxury instead of Della Objet, I might have considered that possibility. But since you are Della Objet, I never entertained such a thought."
It felt a bit unfair to Gini Luxury, who couldn't even hear this, but... well, it was only natural. That was simply the image everyone held of the Legion of Lust.
"Then what exactly are you suspicious about? I mean—ugh, honorifics really don't suit me. Can't I just speak casually?"
"You refused the 1st Legion Commander's proposal. That much is clear. But you must have granted some request. In exchange for payment."
"Wow, you're not even listening to the part about manners? Whatever. And I didn't grant any request. Why would I bother with something so tiresome?"
"No? You did grant it. Trivia, bring that here."
"Th-that? Yeeeees—."
"Wait! What are you taking out without permission! Digging through someone else's room like that? Even my dead mother never did something like that! And you call yourself a demon?!"
Trivia headed for the towering pile of junk in the corner of the room at my command, while Della Objet rushed to stop her. I blocked Della's path. After a brief chaotic struggle, Trivia successfully carried out my order, allowing me to bring this situation to a close.
"Hmm."
"Wh-what is it! What?!"
"Didn't you say it was too tiresome?"
"Ugh...! Having sex is tiresome, but that doesn't mean I don't have sexual desires—ah, no, you piece of trash! What are you making me say! You pervert! Sex fiend! Degenerate!"
"Hearing you speak, it's clear you've lived long enough. Though your insults are rather outdated."
"You insane pervert! What the hell are you saying!!!"
What Trivia handed me was truly large and imposing.
"Is this what they call a dildo?"
"You fucking lunatic!!!! Cezar or whatever, get out!!! Get out right now!!!!"
"I can't do that. My purpose here hasn't been fulfilled yet."
"P-purpose?! D-don't tell me! You're seriously telling me to work under you as in under your desk?! You insane piece of garbage! Have you lost your mind? Are you actually crazy?!"
"...I don't recall saying anything like that."
"Then what! You said work under you! You think I wouldn't understand what that means?"
"In your case, knowing too much seems to be poisonous. You should calm down first."
"Huh?"
"Trivia, step outside for a moment."
"If I g-go outside, it'll be dark..."
"...Della Objet, turn on the lights outside."
"Ugh, how tiresome!"
Only after the agitated Della reluctantly turned on the outside lights and sent Trivia away could we speak privately.
"First, I have absolutely no interest in what you've been doing with this. I didn't come here to do anything to you."
"How am I supposed to believe that?"
"If I wanted to, I could have done so right now. However, you're not to my taste."
"Wh-what?! Hey! Are you mocking me for having small breasts?! Even if I look like this, I—"
"Enough with the pointless talk. First, I need to hear what you did for the 1st Legion Commander in exchange for receiving this."
"...Suddenly I don't feel like talking."
"Then I suppose there's no need to return this to you."
"That's theft!"
"To the Cezar of Ravilis, there's no particular reason to avoid wrongdoing."
"Ugh... ughhh...!!! Fine. I'll talk, so give it back."
"I'll return it after you open your mouth."
"Ugh, damn it!"
Della agonized for a long time before taking a sip of her flat cola and finally opening her mouth again.
"It was nothing special. They just asked me to decode a cipher like always. Things related to finances or whatever you might be hoping for, they handle all of that themselves. The 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Legions you recruited are strangely specialized in only certain areas, while the other four—no, the other three excluding us—handle basic tasks on their own. So I only occasionally help with things like decoding ciphers in exchange for bribes like this."
"I see. So what was the content?"
"Do I have to tell you that too?"
"You're not exactly in a position to choose, are you?"
"Ugh, fine. It wasn't anything super important. Tigris, 1001, Peak, Holy Light. That was all of it. The decoding itself was short, but it was so convoluted that it took time."
Decoded Cipher
Tigris, 1001, Peak, Holy Light
"Tigris, 1001, Peak, Holy Light. Good."
"Is that the end? I've told you everything. Now hurry up and give me that and the bamboo shoot stick."
"Here."
When I handed her the large object in my hand, Della Objet tilted her head in confusion.
"Wait, where's the bamboo shoot stick?"
"That wasn't the reward for answering my questions, was it?"
"Huh?"
"As I said earlier, this is the reward for answering me properly while under my authority."
"...Can I get it on credit?"
"That's something I can only do once I truly trust you."
"Ugh... seriously. So annoying."
Della seemed to think for a long time. Only after another lengthy pause did her answer finally come.
"Fine, I'll work. I'll work for you. But you're really giving it to me, right? The condition for my cooperation is that bamboo shoot stick. I'll only work as much as you compensate me. Consider that the down payment. You absolutely have to give it to me. If you don't, I won't do it."
"I still don't understand why you're going this far for it."
"Ha, what an idiot. Not knowing its value. This is a very special bamboo shoot stick made from the shoots of bamboo that grows in extremely small quantities in unknown locations, processed through rigorous management. See? The fragrant scent is already filling the room, isn't it?"
"Your behavior reminds me of a panda, and now it seems your eating habits do too."
"Panda? I am pretty cute, I'll admit. But that's not what this is about. I just feel sorry for you, not knowing the taste of this bamboo shoot stick."
"Now that my business is finished, I'll be going. I'll contact you through the communication device, so enter the main castle tomorrow with twenty of your subordinates."
"You're trusting me with just this? What if I don't show up?"
"If I had truly wanted to, I wouldn't have come here at all. I would have simply burned this place to the ground."
"Ugh... fine."
I handed Della Objet an appropriate bamboo shoot stick and, with Trivia in tow, left the room. The entire way back, thoughts of her didn't occupy any space in my mind.
Tigris, 1001, Peak, Holy Light.
It seemed the cipher had been activated far sooner than I had anticipated.