chapter01 · 014-ep14

Episode 14: The Generous Ojou-sama

"As I said, if you destroy the skeleton-sama's weapon solo and barehanded, then beat it after its defense falls and it enters that fast-moving form, it drops fairly often. If you'd like one, do try it, desu wa! You'll clear the middle layers faster too!"

After Karin's unwittingly impossible suggestion brought chat together in mysterious unanimity, the comments calmed a little and took on a more serious tone.

【Some top explorers could beat the gatekeeping skeleton solo, sure...】

【But break that sword without a weapon and then fight a FASTER Knightbone...?】

【To put it mildly, that's impossible, desu no】

【Still, the conditions for an unknown drop from the gatekeeping skeleton? That's seriously rare intel...】

【It won't be that useful, so it'd sell for a bit less, but it's the conditions for a boss rare drop—and one without any official record. Just the information alone could be worth a fortune...】

【I never expected new information like that to turn up in the middle layers of a long-explored Tokyo dungeon... The lower or deep layers, sure...】

【The more I think about it, the crazier this gets...】

【Actually, this is late to ask, but Karin ojou-sama, people are making tons of clips. Are you okay with them spreading it for free? Shouldn't you set a licensing fee or something?】

The question about clips appeared amid the serious discussion.

Some streamers demanded a share of revenue for clips. They entered formal agreements so the original video's creator received money according to the clip's views.

Especially in this stream, people were clipping footage and explanations of discoveries whose information alone could sell for a fortune. It was only natural for viewers to worry about letting them spread freely.

But—

"It is no problem, desu wa!"

Karin's answer was clear.

"An ojou-sama would never be so stingy as to demand video licensing fees! You may use it completely free of charge, so please spread the sight of my Elegant self far and wide!"

Of course, money would be nice. But for Karin, streaming was about becoming like Setsuna from Dungeon Alive. She had begun because she wanted many people to watch her Elegant dungeon runs, to enjoy them as she herself once had.

The spread of clips was also extremely important for growing her channel.

She didn't want to slow their spread or reduce their number by charging fees.

【Seriously!?】

【You're committing to that right now!?】

【YEEEEEEEEES!】

【NO WAAAAAAY!】

【Letting clips with all this information spread for ZERO licensing fee is insanely generous...!】

【You said it! I'm clipping EVERYTHING, desu wa!】

【As expected of a natural-born ojou-sama!】

【I'll follow you for life, desu no!】

【You can tell she's a broke student sometimes, but her spirit is pure-gold ojou-sama. It's a problem (it's not)】

【With a video like this totally free to clip, how high will her concurrents and subs end up...?】

As chat erupted again at Karin's declaration—

【Karin ojou-sama! Look at the viewer count! It's gotten incredible!】

"Eh? ...!? O-one hundred thousand concurrents, desu no!?"

Karin stared wide-eyed at the unbelievable number.

She counted its digits again, thinking something had surely gone wrong... but the figure didn't change.

Before even entering the lower layers, she'd passed the milestone of a hundred thousand concurrent viewers.

Even top dungeon streamers with one or two million subscribers couldn't easily pull off numbers like that. And hers was still rising.

【That was FAST!?】

【Wasn't she at eighty thousand before the gatekeeping skeleton fight!?】

【It went up ten thousand when she cleared the middle layers, but now TWO times that in this little time...?】

【Well, after they saw footage THAT ridiculous... (third time)】

【Holy crap... I checked Twiitter, and after 'Tea RTA' and 'Dungeon Boar Cannon,' related terms like 'Unknown Special Behavior' and 'New Drop Item' are trending one after another...】

【Trending at the speed of light lol】

【Well, yeah (after a discovery like that)】

【By the time Karin ojou-sama clears the lower layers, will she have every trending spot to herself...?】

【And now some weird piggyback hashtag's been born: '#SkeletonYoureStillHidingNewIntelInYourPocketsJumpForMe' lmao】

【Famous explorers on Twiitter were making a fuss, so I came to see why, and there's a previously unknown boss drop being thrown away like garbage lmao!】

【I heard she was crazy, but this is beyond lmao. It's a whole forest】

【This stream's going down in legend】

【It's already a legend, desu wa】

Passing a hundred thousand concurrents on top of announcing free clips sent chat into a frenzy.

Apparently her viral fame had caught the attention of well-known figures in the scene, bringing even more people in. Plenty of comments seemed to be from newcomers.

"This is thanks to all your support and sharing, desu wa! Thank you all so very much, desu no! Now then, let us continue into the lower layers!"

Swept along by their enthusiasm, Karin clenched a hand in front of her chest and proceeded toward the lower layers—her final goal for today.

【Here we go, the lower layers】

【This is where things really start...】

【Her run so far and the Lord Vomit insta-kill prove her strength, but a high school girl really is going down there barehanded in a dress...】

【And with tea...】

【At this point I'm not worried, but what'll actually happen...?】

The lower layers were said to be 'another world.'

Looking at Karin in her dress as she plunged into that deadly place without a moment's hesitation, her viewers couldn't quite hide their apprehension.