chapter04 · 101-ep101
Episode 98: The Rookie-Training Helper Stream
The matter brought to Karin via Mitsuki from the Dungeon Bureau—a request for a rookie-training video stream.
To explain the outline briefly: it was a request to instruct and stream this year's newly debuted fourteen-year-old fledgling explorers.
Rookie training was an administration-led event extending the dungeon seminars Mitsuki had previously held, a well-received program staged every year, and they wanted both Karin and Mitsuki to serve as lecturers and streamers.
That such a request came at all was no mystery.
At the earlier joint training for new police officers, Karin had displayed precise instructional ability born of exceptional observation, to the point that the police hoped to make it a regular thing.
What was surprising was that this project had come through Mitsuki.
After all, the requesting body, the Dungeon Bureau, was right in the middle of having its connections to Black Tiger—the source of the recent turmoil—called into question. If Mitsuki alone were taking the job, fine, but there was no way they would bring it to Karin as a joint project.
Yet Mitsuki had cheerfully proposed the matter to Karin (setting aside her ulterior motive of getting to collab with an ojou-sama again) for several reasons.
First: thanks to Black Tiger's suspiciously smooth confessions, the Dungeon Bureau's personnel refresh was proceeding rapidly. The director-general had also been dismissed to take responsibility for everything, and the new director-general was already swinging the baton to rebuild trust.
And this project was part of that.
With a meaning of apology and purification toward Karin, the Dungeon Bureau had consulted Mitsuki—who had originally accepted the instructional assignment—and brought this project over, thinking it would be a plus for Karin as well.
"I see. As Mitsuki-sama says, an instructional stream for juniors does seem ideal for dispelling that mistaken Genocide Ojou-sama image, desu wa."
Yes. The Genocide image currently troubling Karin.
The Dungeon Bureau and Mitsuki judged that instructing fledgling explorers would be perfect for wiping away that dangerous impression. Thinking it convenient for all parties, they had brought this offer to Karin.
And Karin herself thought the same—
"Very well, desu wa! I had been feeling rather sorry, hearing the Dungeon Bureau was having a rough time of it due to the influence? of my recent deep-layer stream... I am myself still far from mature, but guiding one's juniors is without question an 'Elegant' activity. And above all, it seems the Prime Minister and the commissioner-general and other outrageous personages will not be present, so I probably won't be that nervous... Yes, I shall accept this assignment, desu wa!"
—and so, for various reasons, Karin gladly accepted the request.
She had already been quite selective about which jobs she took, so her schedule had room; after consulting with Mafuyu once more, she formally accepted the assignment from the Dungeon Bureau.
The rookie-training project was to be held at the remarkably early point of one week after Karin accepted. Since it had originally been Mitsuki's assignment, preparations and participant recruitment were already well underway; all that remained was to recruit the additional rookie explorers anew.
And then, the day itself.
"Good day to you all, desu wa~. As announced, today is an instructional stream for rookie explorers, desu no. Though I myself am still lacking, I would be glad if I can be of help to you all in whatever ways I can, desu wa!"
"This is Mitsuki, honored to be able to collab with Karin ojou-sama once again. Honoka-san, who says strange things, is not here today, so rest assured."
【Good day to you, desu waa~!】
【A Karin ojou-sama stream on a weekend afternoon—bliss, desu wa~!】
【Karin ojou-sama teaching rookies... let's just hope another monster isn't born】
【W-well, the police rookie training went fine, so it'll be okay...】
【Wait, what are you saying, Mitsuki-sama lol】
【Isn't she just fully leaning into it now lol】
【No, Honoka-sama! Don't let go of Mitsuki-sama's leash!】
¥1,000 Anti-Dungeon Division trainee who wishes to remain anonymous
Mitsuki-san... my schedule didn't work out today... but my seniors are properly "checking" the stream, you know...
【lol】
【There they are!】
【Lmao at the completely pointless anonymity label】
【Mitsuki-sama, you're seriously on the Anti-Dungeon Division's radar lol】
【The Anti-Dungeon Division has nothing to do now that shady elements like Black Tiger got wiped out wholesale by the ojou-sama effect lol】
【Watching over Mitsuki-sama is a legitimate job, so...】
【Also, I'm quietly glad Honoka-sama now has enough spare cash to send superchats, desu wa~!】
Being a weekend stream, the comment section was lively from the opening.
This stream was being broadcast simultaneously on the Dungeon Bureau's official account, Karin's channel, and Mitsuki's channel, so viewers should have been dispersed to a degree, but even so, on Karin's video—pulling the largest viewership—the comments were overflowing.
And of course, it wasn't only the comment section that was buzzing.
"Whoa! The real Karin ojou-sama!"
"Getting to receive Mitsuki-chan's instruction alone would've been the best already, but Karin ojou-sama coming too... I'd die happy even if she beat me to death by mistake!"
"She really wears a dress...!"
"She's really insane...!"
A flat expanse spreading around the Kasai Dungeon.
One of the few areas where explorers could wield their power aboveground without issue. At that instruction venue, where the 300-meter construction-restricted zone around the dungeon met the sea, roughly eighty of this year's debuted fourteen-year-old rookies were gathered with shining eyes.
They were the middle schoolers who had applied hoping for Mitsuki's instruction, plus those who applied for the slots expanded by Karin's participation.
And among them, at a fair ratio, were children with different-colored skin.
【Everyone's eyes are sparkling lol】
【Well, they're in front of a monster hero who looks straight out of an anime lol】
【Middle schoolers these days are amazing, desu wa... If it were me, even knowing what a good person she is, I'd be a little scared face-to-face with the real Karin ojou-sama】
【The kids who'd be scared probably didn't apply...】
【Incidentally, lots of parents apparently kept their kids away because "Karin ojou-sama might teach them outrageous things," so the application count wasn't in another dimension or anything】
【lol】
【Hang on, aren't there quite a lot of foreign kids? Gotta ask—is it really okay to put foreigners close to the ojou-sama right now?】
【↑No, if anything this is probably for the ojou-sama's sake】
【This training stream isn't just for dispelling the Genocide image; it looks like it's also an appeal to ease tensions with foreign countries】
【Ahh, gotcha】
【Karin ojou-sama will teach without any distinction—the 'Elegant' way is just her natural way—so her impression overseas should improve quite a lot】
【True—if she's not just stupidly strong but kind to everyone regardless of race, that goes way beyond 'hard to lay a hand on her,' desu wa!?】
【By the way, recruitment was limited to naturalized second-generation and later, with parents asked to refrain from attending, so while the scene looks multinational, they're properly on guard against worst cases too】
【Then we can relax, desu wa! Not that the ojou-sama would probably be safe regardless】
【Huh, so government people really do think of everything】
【They must be insanely busy cleaning up after Black Tiger, and they still ran all the checks with other ministries and politicians for this project】
【Could the new Dungeon Bureau director-general actually be competent?】
【Well, no incompetent or graft-seeking person would be assigned to a post that's nothing but wiping up someone else's mess】
【Learning things from the comment section before the instruction even starts】
【Why does a minor streamer's video naturally feature politics and diplomacy talk, I wonder】
As the middle schoolers and comment section buzzed in tandem, Karin surveyed the venue once more.
(I-I had thought I'd be fine so long as the VIPs weren't here, but standing before everyone as an official instructor is nerve-racking, desu wa... And to be the star while sidelining Mitsuki-sama, who is so very good at this... even with the Dungeon Bureau people helping with hosting and operations... And everyone is looking at me with such sparkly eyes like I'm the strongest in the world—I've started fearing whether I can live up to their expectations...!)
But she was one who had received an honor far beyond her station from Setsuna-sama: a message and a hair ornament.
To guide her juniors, who had set out as explorers at real risk to their lives, as thoroughly as possible—she could not cower! she told herself, gathering her resolve anew.
"Now then, as announced beforehand, today's flow is Mitsuki-sama's group instruction followed by my individual instruction via sparring practice... but before that. Please allow me to make today's opening greeting into a truly vital mindset for going forward as an explorer, desu no."
And Karin coughed deliberately, with an extremely serious air.
Opening her mouth toward the middle schoolers gazing up earnestly, determined not to miss a single word of the mindset the great Karin ojou-sama deemed important—
"Listen well, everyone. The most important thing as an explorer is caution. Understand firmly that reality is different from fiction, and always act with the awareness that your life is in danger, desu wa."
【Huh?】
【Huh?】
【Huh?】
【Huh?】
【Huh?】
【O-oh, Karin ojou-sama can make jokes in settings like this now, desu no!】
【Nice joke, desu wa!】
【She's grown as a streamer too, desu wa ne! ...Eh? She's serious?】
In an instant, the comment section was buried under a flood of "Huh?"
Even the middle schoolers gathered at the venue wore confused expressions like "is this the part where we laugh?" Even Mitsuki had a "?" floating over her head.
The one confused by their confusion was Karin, who had meant every word in utmost seriousness.
"Eh!? Wh-what is with that reaction, everyone!? I have said nothing strange at all, desu wa!"
【Yeah, what she's saying is correct. WHAT she's saying, that is】
【What she's saying isn't wrong—it's the person saying it that's the problem】
【Those are not words that should come from the mouth of someone who drowned out a deep-layer monster's hypnosis soundwaves with her own voice or blew away hellfire to the rhythm of Happy Birthday】
【That's not the line of someone who dove into a dungeon in a dress aiming to be Setsuna-sama and then fought monsters while sipping tea???】
【Mitsuki-sama being at a loss for how to react says a lot, desu wa!】
【"It's not what you say but who says it that matters"—so that's truly real, desu no...】
【Karin ojou-sama saying "let's learn to distinguish reality from fiction" ←depending on the moment, that's a kind of taunt】
The comment section's response was brutal.
This stream was instruction-focused, so she hadn't planned to respond much to comments, but the venue's odd reaction spurred Karin into a furious rebuttal.
"Nothing is strange about it at all, desu wa!? B-because, you see, in real dungeons, someone doesn't always rush to your rescue when you're in a pinch, and you don't just luckily survive—such things don't happen often! So proceeding without optimism about all that is important, desu no! I am often misunderstood... or rather, the internet's mischief has turned me into a meme, but even I can properly tell reality and anime apart, desu no yo!?"
【A-ah, so you meant that reality doesn't do convenient plotting for you...】
【No, even so what she's saying is still strange, desu wa!?】
【"I can properly tell reality and anime apart, desu no yo!" ←this might be the single most shocking line in the entire Karin ojou-sama corpus】
【Why does she understand that reality isn't convenient, yet not understand that her own strength is abnormal...】
【Genuinely insane people have no awareness they're insane...】
【Well, even crazy people aren't crazy about everything—they can still do money math and put on clothes... So that's what Karin ojou-sama's statements amount to, desu wa ne】
【Could it be that Karin ojou-sama, precisely because she's been able to grow like an anime protagonist, has only that one part of her yardstick left broken, desu no...?】
"W-wait, everyone, your mischief is going too far, desu wa!? Mitsuki-sama! You understand me, don't you, Mitsuki-sama!? I have said nothing strange, desu wa!"
"...........................Yes! In any case, be cautious in dungeons. That mindset is a truly essential fundamental. It is something I want all the rookies to engrave firmly into their hearts."
"Something had a very strange pause just now, desu wa!"
And so, with Mitsuki internally thrilled at Karin's Karin-ness while unsure how to react, and the comment section roasting her, and various other commotions—somehow or other, the rookie instruction stream began.
As Karin had said at the start, instruction opened with Mitsuki's group lesson.
Centered on body movement fundamentals useful regardless of aptitude—close combat, magic, crafting—or weapon of choice, she taught physical technique and training methods, correcting each person making slight errors along the way. An orthodox instruction method for groups.
And once that finished, at last, the day's main event.
Practical-format instruction by Karin.
"Now then, it seems everyone has warmed up thanks to Mitsuki-sama's careful instruction, so next is my turn, desu wa! Presumptuous as it is, today's main event: the 'Everyone Try to Land One Hit on Karin Ojou-sama' corner, desu no!"
【There it is, desu wa】
【The instructional content that had the internet buzzing since recruitment】
【Lmao at how it went stupid viral on the recruitment notice alone】
【The impossible-game vibe of the phrasing is insane】
【Bring like ten of those abyssal bosses】
【W-well, look, she did sparring-while-instructing with the rookie officers before, so it's that style】
【For teaching nearly a hundred people, it is efficient, admittedly】
The comment section buzzed slightly at Karin's instructional method.
It was simple and clear: the participants would challenge Karin to mock battles one after another, and Karin, observing how each one fought, would give advice to each individual.
The slightly gag-flavored corner name was partly to chase viral buzz, but in essence it was a mildly toned-down version of the sparring practice she had demonstrated at the joint police training.
"Karin ojou-sama, question! Is it really okay to hit you!?"
"Of course, desu wa!"
A participant asked about the instructional content again, and Karin answered brightly.
"Naturally, as I am an 'Elegant' ojou-sama, I shall dodge everything... but if you think you can land one, feel free to hit my hair, my dress, my body, anything at all! Rather, I would be truly delighted if someone energetic enough to land a hit on me were present, desu wa!"
【Im. Possible.】
【No way such a monster exists, full stop】
【If a fourteen-year-old who can land a hit on Karin ojou-sama appears, that is genuinely the end of the world, desu wa!?】
【A 14-year-old who can hit the ojou-sama would have to be that abyssal boss reincarnating via possession for revenge】
【Um, isn't the ojou-sama making a face like "I kinda hope a 14-year-old who seriously comes to hit me shows up~" rather than "try and hit me if you can"?】
【That is not the face of a social courtesy to encourage beginners, desu wa!】
【Does she seriously believe there's a 14-year-old somewhere in the world who could land a hit on her...?】
【So she actually CAN'T tell reality from fiction, desu no!】
【Also, lol at the sheer nerve of the participant who could ask her that】
Once again the comment section jabbed at Karin's questionable remarks... but once begun, the instruction itself went flawlessly.
"Y-you—judging from your muscle and mana movement, a somewhat lighter, shorter weapon would suit you better! Let's see, among the loaner weapons there was... this one looks good, desu wa!"
"...!? H-huh!? It seriously just... fits!?"
"My, could it be you have a relative with many leg-technique skills? You also seem likely to develop leg-technique skills yourself, desu wa yo!?"
"How did you know!? Wait, so would I get even stronger if my cousin teaches me?"
"Ah, over here someone's unique skill is up to some mischief! Hmm, with that feel... announcing the ability on stream would be a bit much, so lend me your ear for a moment, mumble mumble mumble... if you do this, you can make much better use of it!"
"...! So that's one way to abuse it...!"
"That middle schooler just got Karin ojou-sama to whisper in their ear...!"
【As ever, what even is the precision of Karin ojou-sama's detection skills...】
【This isn't detection anymore; it's the character-appraisal skill from manga!】
【I wondered what Karin ojou-sama teaching beginners would look like, but other than the opening greeting she's just giving seriously dead-on instruction...】
【Well, she was precise about that part since the rookie officer training】
【Somehow frustrating, desu wa!】
【Rather, what even was that greeting that summoned nothing but confusion...?】
【Other than the speaker being insane, the greeting's content was actually sound!】
【Wait, was there a slightly ominous kid just now?】
【What did Karin ojou-sama whisper into the ear of that kid making that villainous grin, desu no!?】
【Mitsuki-sama is low-key raging, Lmao】
【Lol at the intense face she's making at middle schoolers】
【This is getting clipped under a title like Mitsuki-sama genuinely jealous of middle schoolers】
Perfectly reading the attacks of the fledgling explorers—who came at her one by one, or as improvised parties with whoever was nearby—Karin gave precise advice to each individual.
Unlike the joint police training, this was a seminar for fledglings, some with barely any skills manifested, but with her off-the-charts detection skills and observing eye, Karin fully grasped their aptitudes within seconds of combat. This made instruction that reliably connected to growth possible.
The accuracy and speed of her instruction had risen even further than before; she processed nearly a hundred participants in the blink of an eye.
【Faaaast!】
【Won't this finish way ahead of schedule, desu no?】
【And it's not like sloppy conveyor-belt work—even to amateur eyes every single participant is clearly stronger, so this is...】
【Events that look like they'll end early usually spark complaints, but every participant looks fully satisfied and my heart is warmed, Lmao】
Just as the viewers posted, even though the instruction was on pace to finish early, all the participants wore satisfied expressions.
And so the sparring practice proceeded smoothly too, until no more challengers remained.
Catching her breath in relief at the sight of every instructed participant looking delighted, Karin—
"Phew. We finished considerably earlier than expected, but I am most glad everyone was satisfied. With this, an 'Elegant' performance that does justice to the message Setsuna-sama granted me—... hm? Oh no, that's wrong, desu wa. The person just now was, I believe, the seventy-ninth. One person still remains, desu no."
—Karin suddenly realized this and ran her eyes around the area.
She had assumed it was over since no one was attacking anymore, but that didn't match the count of sparring partners she'd been keeping.
There should be one person still remaining—could this be their potty time, desu no? Just as Karin was about to ask a Dungeon Bureau staffer to check the roster—
"Heh heh. Finished instructing all the chicks, eh? With that, they can hardly claim the instruction was interrupted and hold it against me. Nfufu...! But what perfect timing—this event so convenient for my current identity. The fourteen-year-old ID somehow held up until today, too... As expected of me! I've still got it!"
From among the participants, a small girl with silver hair and brown skin stepped forward in high spirits.
【Ah, one was still remaining, desu no】
【Ohh, the last one is a naturalized second-gen girl】
【African... or Egyptian descent? Cute, desu wa ne!】
【Pretty tiny for fourteen!】
【She's seriously adorable. Actually, she's just outright a beauty, no? Not that I'm a lolicon】
【Looks like a heartwarming finish, desu wa ne】
The viewers watching the overhead feed through the floating camera noticed her first, and Karin too turned back with a smile: "Oh, wonderful, desu wa! Then let's have the final sparring practice—"
The next instant—
"—!?"
Karin's eyes flew wide, and from her bosom—her item box—two sets of armor shot out with tremendous force.
Simultaneous deployment of <Demonic Dragon Armor: Storm Style> and <Demonic Dragon Armor: Lightning Style>: <Demonic Dragon Armor: Swift Wind and Thunder>.
Clad in the off-the-charts magic equipment made from deep-layer boss materials, now auto-equippable thanks to the item box's modification, Karin's hair stood on end.
【Eh, what are you doing, ojou-sama?】
【Swift Wind and Thunder!?】
【Deploying Demonic Dragon Armor simultaneously at a rookie instruction stream is Lmao... Eh? Why?】
【Eh, wait, why are you suddenly going full combat loadout, desu no, Karin ojou-sama!?】
【Another Karin ojou-sama bizarre incident, desu wa!?】
【Eh, wait wait wait—the ojou-sama isn't just serious with her equipment, her expression is dead serious too, what's going on】
【The ojou-sama making this face—we've only seen it during the chat stream when she nearly had a bladder rupture, desu wa!?】
【Making her most desperate face ever on a chatting stream rather than the abyss stream is a bug, I tell you】
【Eh, what? Is she going to sprint to the toilet at blinding speed with Swift Wind and Thunder, desu no?】
The viewers, and of course the surrounding participants, all widened their eyes at the sudden development.
But amid it all, only one person—the silver-haired, brown-skinned girl—leisurely curled the corner of her mouth.
"Ho? As expected, those detection skills of yours are abnormal, ja. I practiced concealing my power perfectly, even while using the translator... and yet the moment I made a move in your direction, you saw through it instantly. Very well—no further explanation or pretense is necessary."
The instant after—BISHAAAAAAAAAAA! GORORORORORO!
The lightning released from the silver-haired girl's palm struck the girl herself, thunder rolling across the surroundings.
At the same time, wind swirled up around the area—"Eh, what!?" "What is this!?" "Somehow this is fun!" "Is this a magic skill!? What mastery...! K-Karin ojou-sama!"—and the training participants nearby, the Dungeon Bureau staff, the guards stationed at the dungeon entrance, Mitsuki, and the rest were all carried away into the distance together.
"You chicks had better go elsewhere—one can never tell what the aftershocks might do to you! My apologies, and I shall pay for the trouble later! And now, hmm. For you being tired from the instruction stream, Karin Yamada, and for me holding all the information advantage, this much self-inflicted damage should make us even, ja."
"...!? You are...!?"
【!?】
【Huh!? What!?】
【Did lightning just strike that girl just now!?】
【She's calmly standing there trailing a bit of smoke—how!?】
【The middle schoolers just suddenly floated up and got carried off somewhere!】
【Why is Mitsuki-sama getting blown away while resisting like crazy!?】
【It doesn't seem like an attack at all, but even so, what is happening!?】
【Wait, did Storm Style have an effect that carries people that far!?】
【No—this isn't Karin ojou-sama carrying them with wind, is it!?】
【Also, why is Karin ojou-sama staring so hard at that silver-haired girl without moving?】
【No, seriously, what is this!? What's going on!? What's been happening!?】
"Now then. This was the 'Try to Land One Hit on Karin Yamada' corner, was it, ja? In that case—"
As the comment section fell into total chaos and the participants too were carried gently far away in their confusion—
"Play with me, Karin Yamada! With the full power I can bring out right here, right now!"
"—!!!"
Whoosh—!
DOOOOOOOOOOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!
At Karin, who had all but reflexively leapt up directly above the construction-restricted zone where magic could be fired without issue—
from the hands of the silver-haired, brown-skinned girl—the African Unification Dungeon Queen—a cannon shot of extreme thickness and speed blew away the clouds as it swallowed Karin's figure whole.
――――――――――――――――――――――――――
The Dungeon Bureau's new director-general, watching the stream: "What IS thiseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?"
※Incidentally, the Queen-sama dutifully applied to the rookie instruction, desu wa. A naturalized second-generation fourteen-year-old who has already debuted as an explorer makes for a very small pool, so it seems she simply won a slot! (Addendum: it's possible there wasn't even a lottery, desu wa ne!) Also, the Dungeon Bureau's new director-general bears no malice, so things probably won't end too badly for him. His stomach will die, though.
※A complete aside, but last time, "search" (検索) came out as "Kenjaku" (羂索), desu wa ne. I'd learned on a certain Jujutsu discussion board that "typing kensaku brings up Kenjaku as the first conversion" and tried it, so it seems my predictive conversion was cursed... to think I'd make that typo during the ass-and-height joke...