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Chapter 5: Changing Equipment 

The thirteenth level— 

“The Demon Lord’s Chamber” 

“Hm.” Diablo surveyed the room, nostalgia filling his heart. 

“...Disgusting.” Rem grimaced. “The place feels like we’re inside some huge creature’s body...” 

“It really does...” Shera looked frightened, too. 

Horn refused to move from the girls’ sides. She had covered her torso with a large cloth that Rem had carried along to serve as a blanket. Diablo was naked above the waist while Horn was completely naked. Explaining the circumstances behind that was pretty hard. The fact that Horn was actually a girl was without a doubt the most surprising part of the story...If they hadn’t been in the middle of a dungeon, and in a hurry to cure Lumachina’s Death Knell disease, they would no doubt be subjected to some rather ruthless questioning. 

For having brought upon such an impressive miracle, Lumachina was exhausted, and had to borrow their shoulders to walk. Her good nature was beyond belief. 

She had healed Gewalt, who came for her life, from grievous wounds. That same Gewalt had disappeared at some point while Rose and the dragon were fighting. 

—Will a villain like him really repent? 

There was still a chance he would come to kill Lumachina again. Staying vigilant of him would be wise. 

Rose had taken the lead, leading them further into the chamber. 

“Rose believes she just heard you criticizing the Master’s aesthetic choices, but...” Rose smiled ominously at the girls. “No, surely Rose’s ears are playing tricks on Rose.” 

“...When you say ‘Master,’ you’re talking about Diablo, correct?” 

“Why, of course.” 

“...So this place is...designed by your tastes, Diablo?” Rem asked, visibly baffled. 

Keeping it hidden any further would be difficult. But how was he supposed to explain this? If he could have come up with a convincing explanation, he’d have done so days ago. 

“This dungeon was located elsewhere before,” Rose began explaining, “but it was transported here, by some inexplicable power.” 

“...Is that even possible?” 

“Given that it actually happened, Rose would surmise it is. And when this dungeon existed in its original place, it was my Master who created it.” 

“What!?” Rem fixed her gaze on Diablo in surprise. 

Diablo felt cold sweat wash over him. He also felt smiling smugly over the achievement of conquering his own dungeon would only make this awkward. 

They’re probably disgusted with him now. They no doubt think he’s a complete idiot, a cringy idol otaku. 

“I see...” Rem nodded with a pensive, serious expression. “So that’s how you knew about all the traps... Yes, it makes sense.” 

“You made this dungeon, Diablo!? That’s amaaaaaazing!” Shera exclaimed enthusiastically, her eyes positively shining with excitement. 

He never expected them to react like that. 

“But weren’t you lost earlier...?” Horn asked with a curious expression. 

—Awww crap, they’re poking holes in my story now! 

Diablo was flustered on the inside, but kept a straight face. 

“The Master specified the internal design and the placement of the traps for each floor,” Rose explained. “It stands to reason he would not know of every single little passageway. Rose should have welcomed him at the entrance and transported him to the lowest level, in the first place...” Rose hung her head and ground her teeth in frustration. “Rose cannot believe Rose has failed to notice the Master’s joyous return... Rose is a defective failure of a maid. Please, dispose of Rose in any way you see fit.” 

“Pay it no mind, Rose,” Diablo replied with a calm, collected tone. 

This world was different from Cross Reverie. There was no login screen or menus to navigate, so he had no way of starting from his personal space. 

“Such kindness! But it is fine, my Master!” Rose said, swaying and wiggling where she stood. “If it will quell your anger, Rose will gladly subject herself to any punishment! Tear off Rose’s arms, crush Rose’s head; whatever you see fit! No matter what my Master desires, Rose will, Rose will!” 

Rose’s expression took on a more flushed, ecstatic expression than one would probably expect out of someone discussing their own punishment. Her breathing was erratic, too. 

Diablo was a bit creeped out by her behavior, but a Demon Lord would never falter at the words of a maid. He shrugged with feigned composure. 

“Didn’t I tell you not to pay it any mind?” 

“Y-Yes! Of course. Pardon Rose for her behavior. Punish Rose however you see fit for this transgression! Preferably physically!” 

—Why is she so fixated on getting punished!? 

“Hmm, Diablo...” Rem asked, eyeing them suspiciously. “May I ask what type of relationship you have with her? Forgive me if this is, hm, a personal question...” 

Her words seemed uncharacteristically cold. And just as he was trying to think of a good way to explain, Rose answered the question with her index finger held up. 

“Hehehe... Why of course, Rose exists to service the Master. Every finger and digit, every nook and cranny of Rose’s body, each and every strand of hair—all of it exists to satisfy the Master.” 

“...I’m sure we can all see how...earnest, your loyalty is. But I asked Diablo, not you.” 

Even though she had seen how powerful Rose was just moments ago, Rem still faced off against her unflinchingly. Diablo was impressed with her courage and nerves. The two glared at each other. 

“If she weren’t one of the Master’s guests, Rose would have carved her to bits with ?Asterismos?...” Rose whispered under her breath. 

“...You are Diablo’s servant, while I am his companion. It goes without saying which one of us is higher, no?” 

Rose clicked her tongue sullenly. The Asterismos she mentioned was the giant, dual-bladed sword she had wielded earlier. The sword had twelve unique techniques that traced the constellations... Or so the setting went, but it was unreleased in the game proper. 

Diablo couldn’t believe it was capable of slaying a Large Black Dragon. If this was ever implemented in-game, it would have totally broken the balance of personal dungeon raids. 

Diablo suddenly recalled how Rem and Shera would argue all the time when he had only just met them. They still quarreled, but by now it had become less “actual” arguments and more friendly little squabbles. 

“Enough of this foolishness,” Diablo said, cutting between Rem and Rose. “We haven’t the time to discuss the past; we have more pressing issues to attend to. Rose, does my treasure vault still exist?” 

Her explanation was convincing enough, so he decided to stick with that. Rem and the others looked like they still had plenty they didn’t understand and wanted to ask, but they didn’t cut into Diablo’s words, for they realized what Diablo was trying to prioritize at that moment. 

They had to dispel the Death Knell disease from Lumachina’s body. If they didn’t get the item, there was no point to coming this far. 

“Of course, the treasure vault is perfectly intact. Please follow Rose.” She motioned deeper into the chamber. 

† 

The door behind Diablo’s throne led to a vast, empty void that seemed to spread out endlessly. No one would believe something like this was buried beneath the desert. Maybe this place operated on the same logic as Diablo’s pouch, where It was magically connected to somewhere else, or maybe the void itself was created by magic. 

Countless rows of stone pedestals were lined up in the void, spreading out as far as the eye could see. An item was placed over each pedestal. 

Rem narrowed her eyes. “...This place looks like a graveyard. Did you make this, too, Diablo?” 

He shook his head in response. “In the other world, all I had to do was specify what I wanted and it would be delivered to me immediately.” 

“Wooow, that sounds like you were a king!” Shera exclaimed. 

“Of course. I am a Demon Lord, after all.” 

In other words, in the game, all he had to do was pick an item from his storage’s list, but he had no intention of going into the specifics of that. 

Looking at the countless items, Diablo was overwhelmed by the sheer number. There should have been some feature to sort them by their type and their rarity... 

“Hmm...” 

“Are you looking for something in particular, Master?” 

“I need the White Ox Statue.” 

It was a prize from a limited-time event, and was categorized under “Important Items.” 

“That should be over there, then.” Rose nodded. “Please follow Rose.” 

—All right, she remembers where it is! Rose, you’re so useful! I’m sorry for calling you a Roomba when I only just got you! 

“I permit it. Show us the way.” Dancing a little victory dance in his mind, Diablo nodded in a solemn, Demon Lord-esque fashion. 

“As you wish, my Master.” Rose bowed respectfully and began leading them through the vault. 

Soon enough, Diablo detected a familiar item resting on one of the pedestals. It was an ivory-colored statue of a calf, shining with a faint light. He wanted to rush forward and grab it, but... 

—No, I can’t. A Demon Lord would never do that. Calm down. 

Diablo was role playing as a Demon Lord. If he didn’t pretend to be someone else, he would be unable to talk to anyone. If he tried to talk with his own voice, he would only stutter and choke on his words. The memories of all his past failures would rear their ugly heads, taking away his ability to think properly. 

—Right now, I’m the Demon Lord Diablo. Keeping up appearances like this is important. 

Only a novice adventurer would be jumping for joy after finding the treasure vault. Diablo was above that. He put all his will into not hastening his gait as he approached the pedestal. 

“Heh... All this trouble for this foolish item.” He snorted with the haughtiness one would expect from a Demon Lord. 

“Is this it, Diablo?” Rem asked. 

“Indeed.” Diablo nodded. “This is the White Ox Statue.” 

Finally! Everyone raised their voice in a cheer. Shera and Horn’s eyes shone with excitement, while Lumachina got on her knees and brought her hands together in thanks. 

“...How are we supposed to use it?” Rem asked. 

“Hmph, you don’t know?” 

—I’m actually just as clueless as you are. 

In Cross Reverie’s story, all the White Ox Statue did was glow. As it often happened in games, the screen flashed white which served as substitute to the cutscene, and after that a dialogue with the NPCs that were healed of the plague popped up, where they thanked the players for their heroism. 

“Hm... I think I know how to use it.” Lumachina stepped forward. 

“I would expect no less of you. Go forth and use it. I allow it.” 

Not letting the surprise show on his face, Diablo stepped aside, allowing Lumachina to approach the statue. Lumachina placed a hand on the White Ox Statue’s head. 

“I can feel it... This warmness... It is of the Lord’s power.” 

Lumachina closed her eyes. What went through the depths of her heart right now? Diablo had no way of knowing. 

A white glow emanated from the statue. 

“Wow...” Shera leaned forward, gazing at the spectacle before her with wide open eyes. 

Rem, in contrast, took a step back and observed the ritual cautiously. Horn hid behind her, visibly frightened. 

Diablo observed things unfold with an air of composure, trying to stifle his anxiety. 

—I’m pretty sure it’ll go well, but I’m still nervous. 

Would the statue have the same effect as in the game? 

“Ngh...” A pant escaped Lumachina’s lips. Her cheeks gradually became more flushed, and beads of sweat appeared on her pale skin. “Ugh... Aaah... Aaah... Nnngh...” 

A shiver ran through her body. Her free hand, that wasn’t touching the statue, cradled her abdomen. 

“Nnngh... Aaah...” 

“Are you all right?” Diablo asked. 

Lumachina nodded. “Yes. I can...f-feel God’s presence... He is very close by...” 

“I see.” 

So she can feel His presence... 

A black fog began seeping out of Lumachina’s body. 

“Aaah... Hng!” 

The fog seemed to be seeping quite thickly from the slit of Lumachina’s dress. 

“Aaagh... I-It’s hot!” Her moans were mixed with anguish. 

“Are you OK, Lumachina!?” Shera rushed to her side, lifting her skirt up. 

Death Knell disease was a fatal condition. This was an emergency, and could be considered a sort of medical treatment, so it would be crazy to see this as indecent. 

Calming himself at the sudden change in the situation, Diablo kept his gaze fixed on the two, swallowing his saliva in anxiety. 

Shera flipped up Lumachina’s skirt, exposing her inner thighs, where the marks of the Death Knell disease had surfaced. 

“Oh... I think they’re getting fainter!” 

“Ngh... Aaah... Yes... This statue is...filled with God’s power... Nnngh!” 

Lumachina’s body twitched and writhed. Shera supported her back, keeping her from collapsing. 

“Keep going, Lumachina!” 

“Y-Yes!” 

“Look, you can hardly see the marks anymore! Just a little more and you’ll be cured, I’m sure!” 

Shera stroked Lumachina’s thigh, near where the marks were fading away. Lumachina’s body reacted immediately, jolting as if it had been struck with electricity. 

“Aaah! Th-That place... It’s sensitive...right now!” 

“Oh, sorry!” 

“B-But I think...it’s starting to feel...better...” 

“Really? Th-then, how about this? Does this hurt?” Shera caressed Lumachina’s skin gently. 

Lumachina inhaled sharply. As if concentrating on the touch of Shera’s fingers, she stabilized her breathing. 

“Ngh... Mgh... Aaah... Aaah... Ngh!” 

“How’s that, Lumachina?” 

“When you touch me...it tingles...really hard...” 

“That kinda sounds what it feels like when someone is sending magic into you.” 

“I am... Aaah... Receiving God’s power...after all... Ngh...” 

“Yeah! I can tell, the light is going inside you, and it’s flushing out all the icky dark stuff!” 

Shera could see the flow of magic in things. While it was hard to tell from her usually slow-minded conduct, she was actually a genius when it came to these matters. 

Her fingers combed Lumachina’s skin gently, and each time they did, the High Priest moaned coquettishly. 

 

“I-I can’t stand...anymore...” 

Unable to maintain her balance any longer, Lumachina’s knees looked like they were about to buckle, but Shera embraced her from behind, supporting her. 

“Just a bit more, Lumachina! Just a little, teeny bit more and all the bad stuff will go away! It’ll all go far, far away!” 

Shera’s slender white fingers gripped Lumachina’s inner thigh, where the marks of the disease were, squeezing on the skin forcefully. 

Lumachina’s back bent like an arch, then— 

“Aaah! Ngh! Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!!” A high pitched scream escaped her lips. 

Diablo could see it clearly: A lump of black magical energy escaped Lumachina’s body, as if driven out by the white light. The White Ox Statue absorbed the ominous lump of magical energy, then the statue’s glow gradually waned. 

It was over. 

Lumachina lay exhausted, her limbs outstretched. Even Shera, who had supported her, looked completely drained of strength. 

† 

Diablo caught the two, supporting them. 

“Are you all right?” 

“Lumachina fell asleep. I think she’s fine now.” 

Lumachina’s breathing was calm and relaxed. Diablo couldn’t detect anything wrong with the flow of magic in her body. 

“I see. So it is done.” 

“Yep! The curse is all gone now,” Shera said happily, pulling up Lumachina’s skirt. 

True enough, her inner thigh was white and unblemished. The dark purple marks were all gone, which meant the Death Knell disease had been completely dispelled. 

—We can breathe easy... 

It had taken a lot of hardship to achieve this, and Diablo perfectly understood how happy this must have made Shera, but... 

With Lumachina’s skirt pulled up, he could see not just her inner thighs, but her panties, too. If she wasn’t asleep, she would probably be screaming in a panic right now. 

Soon after she had moaned like she did, her panties were right in Diablo’s line of sight. Maintaining his calm was incredibly difficult. He’d been traveling with Rem and Shera ever since he arrived in this world, but he had no prior experience when it came to interacting with girls. Frankly speaking, this was far too stimulating for him. But blushing like an inexperienced boy was something no self-respecting Demon Lord would ever be caught doing. 

Diablo turned to Rem, trying to hide his embarrassment. 

“We’ve finally sorted this out.” 

“Oh... Ah, yes. I knew you would come through for us, Diablo,” Rem replied. 

Her face was red as a beet, and she was rubbing her thighs together. Maybe she was embarrassed from seeing Lumachina, too. 

Horn, who was standing next to her, was in a similar predicament, with her eyes more moist than usual. 

“U-Um... C-Can you tell me where the toilet is?” 

—The toilet!? 

Diablo never thought of adding one to the dungeon when he planned it in the game. He didn’t think a Demon Lord’s dungeon would require such a thing. 

—A toilet over here, a bathroom over there...and a kitchen would be nice right around here... As if! That’d be a Barbie doll house, not a Demon Lord’s dungeon! 

But he couldn’t say that after all this time, now could he? But he’d probably need to use a toilet himself at some point, too. 

He turned to Rose; a Magimatic Maid would probably be the right person to ask about this. 

“Heh... A foolish question, isn’t it, Master?” Rose smiled coldly, looking down on Horn. “Such a filthy facility has no place in a Demon Lord’s dark abode.” 

“Whaaa!? Demon Lord lairs sound pretty scary to live in!” 

Horn wasn’t the only one complaining; Shera and Rem looked horrified as well. Diablo was also perplexed. 

—I can’t believe this! I should have set a toilet here back when I made it... Next time, I’ll include one on every floor. 

Horn, her face pale as a sheet, looked around desperately...then grabbed a large silver goblet from one of the pedestals. In terms of size, it was more a vase than a cup. 

“This! This! Can I borrow this!?” Horn begged with a severe, desperate expression. 

“S-Sure.” Diablo had no choice but to oblige; he had a feeling something terrible would happen if he didn’t. 

Horn ran off to a distant corner, out of earshot, and hid between the pedestals. 

Rose frowned, knitting her brows. For a mechanical doll, her expressions were incredibly detailed. 

“Are you certain that was acceptable, Master? Wasn’t that...?” 

“I am well aware of what that was. But I have no need of it anymore.” 

—That was an item I got from a collab. It had a pretty flashy name, too... 

The Holy Grail?. 

If he recalled correctly, the item description went something like this: 

“Those who answer the Holy Grail’s query correctly will receive the heavens’ divine blessing.” 

Diablo tried his hardest not to think about how Horn would put it to use. 

“Rose cannot fathom why you would lend your treasures to such a lout...” Rose said, still discontent with the situation. 

“So be it. I’ve been meaning to lend my equipment to these people, anyway.” 

“What!? You will let your precious collection fall to the hands of these miscreants!? Impossible! Your possessions belong to no one but you, Master, and Rose’s role is to manage—” 

“Them having better gear to defend themselves would make matters easier for me. ‘These belong to no one but me,’ no? I am free to use them as I see fit.” 

“Ngh... As you wish, Master...” Rose bowed, grinding her teeth all the while. 

Diablo placed his hand on her head, and stroked her hair gently. It was silky, soft, and pleasant to the touch. 

“I’m grateful for your help, Rose. If it weren’t for you, just finding what I came here for would be a challenge.” 

Rose stiffened, her shoulders jolting as if in shock. Diablo then recalled something he read on the internet once, about how one mustn’t touch a girl’s hair without permission. 

—Wait. Even if she’s a mecha-maid, Rose is still a girl... Would that make this sexual harassment? Then, does that make me a molesting Demon Lord...? Did I screw this up big time!? 

That said, apologizing to a servant for sexual harassment didn’t feel very Demon Lord-like. He’d have to think of a way to talk his way out of this. 

As Diablo was struggling to think of something, Rose raised her head to meet his gaze. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were virtually glittering with elation. 

“Rose will do anything you wish, Master!” she said with a shrill, animated voice. 

Diablo nodded in response. He didn’t really understand what just happened, but it looked like she was pleased, one way or another. 

Having settled matters with Rose, Diablo turned to Rem and the others. “I’ve kept you lot waiting. Now come! I will grant you my treasures.” 

Surprise filled the girls’ eyes. 

† 

“A pity I haven’t any Summons I can lend you.” 

Diablo wasn’t a Summoner, so he didn’t have any Summon Crystals in his possession. While it didn’t quite constitute for a replacement to better Summons, Diablo was able to prepare some light armor that would fit Rem. 

“...Wh-What is this?” 

“It is called a ?Gemstone Gambeson?. It’s a rather rare item.” 

It was an SSR-rank full body armor which provided high physical defense and magic resistance, and also boosted the wearer’s speed. If it were properly upgraded, it would lend even more beneficial effects, but Diablo had simply stored it as soon as he got it, so it remained a “Zerofold.” 

Rem hesitantly took the Gemstone Gambeson. “Can I really have this?” 

“Try it on. You should be able to equip it.” 

Enchanted equipment had level requirements, so characters below a certain level would be unable to equip them. At least, that’s how it worked in the game. 

But he had more items to give her. Rose carried the item he had specified: a ring with a rainbow-colored stone on it. 

“Master, Rose has brought the ?Wilderness Ring?.” 

“Excellent. Rem, this ring will strengthen your Summons. It will triple your MP consumption, but your Summons will be all the stronger.” 

If she were over level 100, he would have been able to give her better items... Levels were a measurement of one’s strength, after all, and honest effort was the only way to raise your level. Neither this world nor the MMORPG were forgiving enough to let weaklings score victories just because they happened to nab good equipment. 

“I-Impossible...” Rem shivered in awe. “If they become that much stronger, they would be almost entirely different Summons.” 

“That is how Summoners become stronger. Your equipment and magic reinforce and strengthen your Summons, otherwise you would be outdone by warriors with superior equipment.” 

Warrior-type classes used weapons and armor that increased their strength and damage several times over. A Summon without any sort of enhancement couldn’t hope to match it. Because Summons were so useless unless they were enhanced by magic, Summoners were ridiculed as a “Gimmick Class” in the game. 

But this world wasn’t an exact copy of the game. 

Rem was skilled in close combat, but that didn’t mean she was well-suited for a defensive role. Even if she wouldn’t necessarily die, she could still get severely injured. That’s why Summons were a safe alternative for her. 

Finally, he handed her a pair of gauntlets. 

“These are called the?Beast Bracers?. They, too, boost your speed, and inflict extra damage against beast-type enemies. Wild beasts, Summons, magical beasts... Frequently encountered enemies.” 

“...Right.” 

“For now, just try putting it on.” 

“...Understood. Thank you very much, Diablo.” 

“Don’t think too much of it.” 

“...Um...” 

“What is it? Do you need anything else?” 

“...No, of course not, you’ve given me so much already. It’s just that... Umm...” 

“Hm?” 

“I can’t change...if you keep looking at me,” she answered, going red in the face. 

“Oh!?” 

Diablo hadn’t realized because to him, he just saw it as equipment to be equipped. But full-body armor was essentially pieces of clothing, so Rem would have to strip down to her underwear to put it on. 


“...I’ll go try it on.” 

Rem scurried away, holding the equipment Diablo gave her in her arms. Diablo turned his gaze away from her retreating back. 

“A-All right. Shera’s next.” 

† 

“Yes!” Shera raised her hand enthusiastically. 

Diablo examined her from top to bottom. 

“Hmm... I see... All right. I’ve got nothing to give you. Next!” 

“Huuuh!? That’s so mean, Diablo! You gave all that stuff to Rem, but you’re giving me nothing!? Give me clothes or something, too!” 

“But what you’re wearing is an Elven royal heirloom, isn’t it? It must have many enchantments on it already.” 

“Probably!” 

“If you were over level 100, I could get you better armor than that, but at your current level, that’s the limit.” 

Rose nodded, standing beside Diablo. “According to Rose’s superior appraisal skills, that full-body armor is the ?Coat of Princess?.” 

Diablo never heard of that armor; it was probably never implemented into the game. 

“Rose, can you tell how many times it was enchanted and enhanced?” 

“Of course, Master... Her Coat of Princess was enhanced seven times. It was enchanted to increase all physical attributes, as well as increase magic defense.” 

—So, this is EX Rank equipment, too. 

It was the same rank as Diablo’s Curtain of Dark Clouds, though there was probably a difference in terms of the level required to equip it. 

Needless to say, none of the equipment he had here, which was unenhanced given he had just thrown them into the vault as soon as he obtained them, would match it. The same held true for her weapon. 

“Your bow was originally strong, but it’s been enchanted by Klem. I doubt you’d find a stronger bow at your level.” 

According to Rose’s appraisal, Diablo also learned the bow was called ?Silvestre Bow of Darkness?. It had an increased firepower and accuracy effect, and it also had a high chance to Petrify each time it dealt damage. 

The shocking part, though, was that it required a level of 70 or above to equip, which meant Shera’s level as an Archer was over 70. Rem would be mortified if she heard that. 

“Oh, phooey,” Shera said, hanging her head in disappointment. 

“You hopeless little fool. Shouldn’t you be happy knowing you’ve been blessed with powerful equipment?” 

“But I’m sad only Rem gets presents from you, Diablo...” 

—That’s what’s bothering her? 

“Troublesome girl... Well, come to think of it, I should have some arrows. Use them well. There should be some ?Tempest Arrows?, as well, around a hundred or so.” 

“Whoa! That’s amazing!” 

Diablo instructed Rose to bring over several types of enchanted arrows, which should have been a step up from the ?Evergreen Arrows? commonly sold in shops. 

“Can I really use these!? Wooow, which should I pick...” Shera grinned widely at the sight of the quivers full of colorful arrows. “Which ones should I take...? Oh thank you, Diablo!” 

“These will surely help you grow stronger...” 

“Yep!” 

“As an Archer.” 

“Ugh... I’m not sure if I should be happy about that... Should I really use these...?” 

All her excitement was gone in the blink of an eye. She wanted to become a Summoner, after all. But Diablo thought it would be better if she focused on being an Archer. 

Diablo shifted his gaze to the next person. 

“Time for you, Horn. Let’s start with getting you some clothes.” 

Shera’s gaze suddenly fell on an item sitting on one of the pedestals: a silver-colored ring. 

“You gave Rem a ring, right? I want a ring, too! Can I have this one?” 

“Do as you wish.” 

There shouldn’t have been any cursed items in the vault, and there was plenty of useless collector’s items in here. That was why Diablo didn’t bother to check what she took. Either way, he wouldn’t use it since he wore the Demon Lord’s Ring. 

Shera happily slid the ring on her left ring finger. 

† 

“Why is this Grasswalker naked? Rose does not understand the meaning of this.” Rose tilted her head curiously. 

“Because I took her clothes off.” 

Diablo replied bluntly, but that explanation didn’t clarify the situation any, and Rose’s head remained tilted. 

“You could have at least left my pants on!” Horn complained, her face red. 

“You should be thankful I saved your life. Besides, I have prepared clothes for you.” 

“Ah, then thanks, Boss! I wouldn’t be able to go back to town like this!” 

“You are a Thief, right?” 

“This might sound like nitpicking, but I’m a Seeker, not a Thief!” 

Ignoring that comment, Diablo sorted through the items he had, trying to think of what would be best for her. With Horn being level 20, there weren’t many options to pick from, but Diablo nonetheless instructed Rose to bring a few items. 

Since Horn couldn’t see above the pedestals with her height, the items were spread out on the floor. 

“This one is called the ?Treasure Mini?. It increases your speed, and also grants a bit of magic resistance. Of course, it’s also enchanted to increase your physical defense.” 

It was equippable at level 20, but was a superior SR-rank piece of equipment. But while all that was fine and dandy, it had one important difference compared to the clothes Diablo had burned. 

“A skirt!?” Horn’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “And a mini skirt, at that!?” 

“So you’ve noticed. Impressive.” 

“Of course I did! Anyone would!” 

“Don’t let that bother you.” 

“You can bet your bottom frith it’ll bother me! What if we have to climb up a ladder, or I have to bend over... What if I fall!? Everyone’ll see my panties! What kind of pervert goes dungeon crawling in a miniskirt!?” 

—Okay, Missy, that’s enough of that. Do you have any idea how many people you’re picking a fight with right now? 

Diablo folded his arms menacingly, so as to stop Horn from making any more potentially catastrophic statements. 

“It can also raise the morale of any male party members.” 

“I don’t want to form a party with anyone who gets all cheery looking at my panties!” 

She was twelve years old, after all. 

“Say what you will, but this is the best gear I can offer someone who’s level 20.” 

“To find fault with my Master’s generosity...” Rose gave a thin, joyless smile. “Rose ought to abandon you to rot on the fifth floor. I’m sure that’ll teach you the extent of your foolishness.” 

“Isn’t that the snowy level!?” Horn screeched in terror. 

“Heheheheh... Don’t worry. Rose guarantees that within ten minutes you won’t feel the cold at all...” 

“Yeah, because I’ll be dead! Please no! I don’t want to die!” 

—Wait just a second, why don’t you... 

“If you’re that against it,” Diablo cut into their exchange, “I can find something else for you. But this may help you dodge a fatal hit, or soften a deadly blow. Are you sure you don’t want it?” 

Horn’s breath got stuck in her throat with an “Ugh,” and she stood still for a long moment. All the moments she imagined she was about to die were probably going through her mind right now. 

“Nnng... F-Fine. I g-guess an Adventurer should prioritize her life over having her panties seen...” 

“That’s some sound judgment.” Horn was the type to put her life on the line often, after all. 

Next, he handed her a cloak and a dagger. 

“This ?Transparency Cloak? should boost your Stealth skill. And here’s the ?Shadow Knife?. It’s a weapon, but also boosts your evasion, for some reason. It’s priceless for a low-level weapon.” 

“Hmm... Do I really have to throw away my old one?” 

Horn stroked her old dagger affectionately. It was a normal dagger, without any enchantments or enhancements, the kind of item any player would just shrug off as scrap metal and have it broken up into Enhancement Materials. 

“Is there any particular reason you want to keep it?” 

“It’s, uh...a memento from Teach,” Horn said forlornly, a lonely expression on her face. “A trap made the ceiling collapse on him. He was totally squished... The dagger’s all I have left of him.” 

It was hard to believe a Thief would get killed by a trap like that. And if that useless of piece of scrap was his only weapon, he probably wasn’t at any level to be taking on apprentices. 

“Hm...” Diablo was at a loss for words. 

“It is absurd he would call himself a teacher when he was that weak,” Rose said coldly. “Empty bravado at its worst.” 

She mercilessly said what Diablo knew shouldn’t be said. 

—But I guess that makes sense, for a Magimatic robot... 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Horn said, scratching her head dejectedly. “I never thought Teach was some amazing person, either... But still, he did what he could to take care of us, and I’m grateful for that.” 

“Oh...” Rose faltered. 

Diablo held back a sniffle. He always was a sucker for heartwarming stories. 

“Pick whichever you like,” he said, placing both hands on Horn’s shoulders. “I’m sure even without any enchantments, that dagger will keep you safe.” 

“Th-Thank you so much, Boss!” Horn grinned. 

Her smile had a brilliance that had nothing to do with what race she was or whether she was an Adventurer or not. It was simply the pure smile of a twelve-year-old girl. 

† 

Horn ran off between the pedestals, cradling her new clothes, this time not to make...use, of the Holy Grail, but to change into her newly acquired gear. 

Rem was also still in the middle of changing. Shera headed deeper into the treasure vault to check in on her. 

Diablo, in the meantime, turned his gaze to Lumachina. There wasn’t anything that could serve as a bed around here, so they had spread out a thick cloak for her to sleep on. She still hadn’t woken up. 

“Hmph, we’ll find something to give her later. All that remains is my equipment... Hm? What is it, Rose?” 

“Please do not misunderstand...obeying the Master’s will is the greatest joy Rose could ever know, but...” Rose hung her head. “To see so many of your precious treasures in the hands of those louts...” 

“There is no point collecting them if I cannot find a way to put them to use.” 

He had gathered them when he played the game out of a desire to make a collection of sorts, but having someone he could share them with was pleasant in its own way. If the girls could pull their own weights, it would surely make things much easier for Diablo. 

Rose nodded, but joy and sorrow seemed to be mixed in her expression. 

“All is as you say. Being able to obey your orders fills Rose with more delight than she knows how to process. But at the same time, Rose can feel her heart being torn asunder by jealousy...” 

“H-Hey, now...” 

“Before all this, Rose was the only one master cherished...” 

—Because I never had any friends to bring to my personal space... 

Looking back at his past, he came to realize he was the sort of lonely person who would talk to his own furniture. Those weren’t pleasant memories to reflect on. 

Diablo shook his head, trying to shake off those negative thoughts. The present and the future were all that mattered, so dwelling on the past was pointless. Right here, right now, he was the Demon Lord Diablo. And that was most important. 

“I had found solace in loneliness, but that’s all it ever was.” 

“And you are different now, Master?” 

“No, that’s not quite it.” 

He did enjoy being around Rem and Shera, but he still found it easier to relax when he was alone. 

“If silence is what you desire, Master, Rose can completely erase all sources of noise in the vicinity,” Rose said with a smile. 

“Don’t.” 

“As you wish...” She nodded, seemingly disappointed. 

—What a handful. 

Her own mental state was shaky as it was, so he couldn’t expect her to take care of someone else’s anxieties. She said something or other about jealousy, but he didn’t have any equipment he could give to a Magimatic Maid... 

But then... 

—In Cross Reverie, you couldn’t give equipment to a Magimatic Maid. But this is another world. Magic can change the terrain, and dragons and Magimatic Maids can talk. This place is more realistic than a game that took seven billion yen to develop. It’s like another reality. 

Diablo reached out to one of the pedestals and picked up a blue-colored hair ornament. 

“What is it, Master?” Rose said, her head tilted curiously. “That’s the ?Hair Ribbon of Water?, an N-rank item with no level restriction which grants the wearer a 3% resistance to water atta—” 

“This is the first item I got in Cross Reverie... Ah, sorry. Do you understand what the words ‘Cross Reverie’ and ‘game’ mean?” 

“Forgive Rose, Master...” 

It appeared she didn’t. She understood the dungeon and herself weren’t originally from this world, but she couldn’t grasp that she was originally part of a video game.

It seemed Diablo was the only one who knew about Cross Reverie.

Diablo decided to word it differently. 

“This is the first item I ever obtained.” 

“Huh...?” 

He put the hair ribbon on Rose’s head. He didn’t prepare for this, and it felt bad just giving her whatever was nearby, but he wanted to show his gratitude to her somehow. If seeing the other girls get something made her jealous, hopefully this would make her feel a little better. 

Diablo wasn’t witty enough to put those feelings into words properly, so he simply pinned the ornament to her hair silently. Rose just stood there, rigid and stiff as a board. Diablo let go of the ornament, with the same caution and gentleness one would have when trying to balance a coin on a table. 

He had no way of knowing if its effect was working, but the Hair Ribbon of Water was attached firmly to Rose’s hair. 

This world really was too realistic. 

“I don’t think this’ll do you any good, considering how strong you are...” 

“Is Rose to keep this safe?” 

It appeared she didn’t understand why he had put it on without a word, so Diablo considered his next words carefully. 

“No, this isn’t for safekeeping. This is... If you don’t like it, I won’t force you to put it on. But this is a p...pre... It’s a tribute for your services to the Demon Lord!” 

His embarrassment forced out his Demon Lord role-play. 

Rose had frozen in shock. In-game, he couldn’t talk to her or give her presents, so this felt kind of...weird. 

“Master is...giving this...to Rose?” Rose’s shoulders trembled. 

“It may not be of much value, but this item carries its share of memories.” 

Maybe a Magimatic doll wouldn’t be able to understand the value such a thing held. It seemed he gave her the wrong gift. There it was again, his communication disorder rearing its ugly head... He couldn’t help but be disappointed in himself. 

Any trace of anger left Rose’s face, and she returned to her mask-like expressionlessness. 

“Thank you very much, Master... Forgive Rose for causing Master any concern. Rose will be fine now.” 

“I see.” 

Diablo sighed with relief. He never would have imagined he’d have to give a girl a present to quell her jealousy in a world based on Cross Reverie. 

—This isn’t a dungeon crawling RPG, this is some sort of dating sim! The game balance is ruthless, too, just like the oldies... 

Doing things he had no experience with exhausted him, but Rose seemed to be feeling better, if nothing else. 

Changing gears, Diablo gave Rose the names of the items he needed for his new getup. Rose nodded wordlessly. 

† 

“Nnn...” 

“Oh? Ah, you’re awake.” 

Lumachina opened her eyes. Noticing Diablo, she hurried to her feet, but lost her balance and tripped. Diablo caught her, mildly forcing her to sit down. 

“You shouldn’t move so soon. Even if it’s been dispelled, the fact remains you’ve been afflicted with the curse for days. It’s only natural you’d be exhausted. And I heard you used a great healing miracle, too... You reckless fool.” 

—And you used it on a person that tried to kill you, too... You really are too kind for your own good. 

Lumachina gave a little nod and sat atop the cloak, hugging her knees. There was something odd about the way she did it; maybe people in this country weren’t used to sitting on the ground? It probably wasn’t customary for girls to sit crossed-leg. She was sitting as if she were on a chair, with her buttocks lowered, hugging her knees with her arms. 

Lumachina adjusted her disheveled clothes, hiding her exposed thighs, her cheeks flushed. 

“Please forgive me. My conduct earlier was...shameless.” 

“Not at all, it was a treat for the—” 

“Huh?” 

He was just about to let something indecent slip... 

“Ahem!” Diablo coughed, trying to change the topic. “You needn’t worry about it, that was all because of the curse.” 

“Thank you so much... Hearing you say that puts me at ease.” 

“Just now I’ve shared items in this vault with Rem and the others, but you’re like Shera, no? The gear you have on is already quite remarkable.” 

“Huh? You mean my clothes? Batutta prepared this outfit for me... I believe this is fitting for a High Priest, no?” 

It appears it had some significant physical defense and magical defense to it, and was well-made and elegant, too. But there were better items with superior effects to what Lumachina was wearing in the vault, and since Lumachina’s level as a Healer exceeded 100, she should be able to equip them. But she had her position as a High Priest to consider, and the Priest’s Garb she was currently wearing would be ideal in that regard. 

No matter how well enchanted it was, a revealing outfit that exposed her navel or cleavage would be unacceptable. 

—For some reason, female outfits become more revealing the higher their level is... 

Diablo presented the items he had prepared for her. 

“There are bracelets and necklaces, too. Pick whatever suits your fancy. These will come in handy, should you intend to keep fighting to reform the Church.” 

“There are so many... Thank you, Lord Diablo.” 

Lumachina’s gaze wandered around restlessly. 

“Hm? Is something bothering you?” 

“No, but...where is everyone?” 

It made sense that’d be the first thing she’d think about. 

Diablo realized it was weird of him to bring up the gear before explaining where everyone else was. His bad habits as a loner were surfacing once again. 

If he wasn’t role-playing as a Demon Lord, she would probably doubt his common sense. What a close one. 

“They’re fine. They’re all pretty exhausted, so they’re resting in the Demon Lord’s Chamber.” 

“Oh, that’s good to hear...” Lumachina said, her expression turning softer and kinder, but continued the discussion of items immediately after. “Hmm... There’s actually an item I would like for you to lend me.” 

“Oh?” 

Diablo was surprised. Judging from her personality, he assumed she wouldn’t ask for anything. 

“Would you mind giving me the White Ox Statue?” she said, fixing her gaze on him. “There are still many people suffering from the Death Knell disease at Zircon Tower.” 

“Ah, I see. That’s very much like you. As always, you put others over yourself.” 

“I can only see myself as another, normal person... Is it really so odd?” 

“It is. But you should stay that way. Should any hardship befall you for it, I’ll be there to drive it away. Never change, Lumachina.” 

In a world where monsters roamed, racial discrimination ran rampant, and the Church was corrupt, Lumachina remained pure and unblemished... Diablo found that to be oh so very precious. He wanted to help her. 

“I’m so glad...” Lumachina wiped a tear. “To hear such words from God himself...” 

“No, uh...” 

She believed Diablo was God. Taking the form of an adventurer claiming to be a Demon Lord, God had descended to this world... That was the story Lumachina convinced herself of. But since Diablo had seen her in her most...vulnerable state, she would have to marry him if he was just another member of the races! That was the logic Lumachina seemed to work under. 

Lumachina was virtuous, beautiful and had quite a body, to boot. But someone as socially inept as him could never become a High Priest’s groom. Pigs would fly way before that would be possible. 

And just like that, Diablo couldn’t deny her claims to him being God. 

—Lumachina’s smart, though... She would see through my lie, wouldn’t she? 

Diablo gazed at her and she gazed back, not daring to blink. 

—She’s cute. 

She was incredibly cute...but Diablo, who couldn’t stand feeling people’s gazes upon him, broke eye contact first. He felt like her gaze would see right through him. 

“Hm, my Lord...” Lumachina parted her pink lips to speak. “Could I receive the White Ox Statue now?” 

“Huh? O-Oh, that. Of course, you may take it... Wait, no. It’s pretty heavy, you’ll need a wagon to carry it...” 

“Oh, I could not ask for more of you. I will do all I can to carry it back myself. I want to deliver it to the town as soon as possible.”

“...We would love to help you.”

A voice spoke suddenly behind them, prompting Diablo to turn around. 

It was Rem, a wry smile on her face. 

“...You always go to the craziest lengths to help others, Lumachina.” 

“Oh my, Rem...and everyone else is here, too...” 

“You’re all better now, Lumachina! I’m so happy!” Shera exclaimed, running up to her. 

Shera threw her arms around Lumachina in a hug. Lumachina happily returned the hug. 

“Oh, thank you so much... You were such a huge help to me earlier, Shera.” 

“No biggie! Companions are all about helping each other!” 

“Companions... It makes me so happy to know you consider me to be your companion.” 

“That’s bordering on blasphemy, Shera.” Rem shrugged. “Calling someone as important as the High Priest a mere companion... Oh, that’s right... You’re royalty, aren’t you?” 

“Oh, who cares about titles? You, Lumachina, Horn...and Diablo and Rose, too! You’re all my companions!” 

Shera’s words made Rem blush, while Horn seemed shocked. 

“Me, too? Really!? Ah, you mean only until we get out of here, right...?” 

“No, silly. We’ll always be companions! We worked so hard together on this adventure, after all!” 

“Rose didn’t participate in any adventure...” Rose said with a slightly displeased expression, standing a short ways away. 

“Then how about we go on one now?” 

“No...” Rose said, visibly baffled by Shera’s words. “Master put Rose in charge of the thirteenth floor...” 

A thought crossed Diablo’s mind. 

“Are Magimatic Maids unable to leave their stations?” 

“Rose does not know. Rose has never left this dungeon.” 

“I see... In that case, it’s worth checking if you can. We will be heading back to Zircon Tower soon. Lumachina wishes for us to bring the White Ox Statue to the afflicted townspeople.” 

It was hard imagining a Demon Lord working hard to save others. That said, he was at odds with that image from the moment he began cooperating with a High Priest... 

But Diablo’s honest feelings were, if it was possible to save those in need, he should do so. Diablo was, at his core, an ordinary person raised in a country that valued helping others. 

“Zircon Tower, you say...” Rose said, knitting her brows. “Rose doubts carrying the statue over now would do them any good.” 

“What? What do you mean?” 

Could it be the Death Knell disease progressed faster than they expected? 

Lumachina held her breath in fear, and the other girls’ expressions hardened. 

Rose answered his question in a plain, matter-of-factly tone:

“Because the Demon Lord’s army is marching on Zircon Tower right now.” 



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