c1-c20 · 018-ch18

Episode 18: Dungeon Sisters (Dungeon Sœur)

The two girls who appeared suddenly—a tall one with twin tails carrying a long spear on her back, and a small one with curly hair wearing iron gauntlets—called out Negomin-san's name without hesitation. In that instant, I raised my guard.

These people knew Negomin-san's name. But going by their reaction, they didn't seem to be her acquaintances.

They didn't seem particularly friendly either. Which meant their likely goal was to target Negomin-san...

What came to mind was the unreported explorers mentioned in this morning's email from the Management Bureau. Failing to report monster kills means, ultimately, that there's something shady going on.

Maybe these people were...

"That battle with the Shotgun Rabbit was magnificent! We were cheering from the shadows, it was so fun!!"

"I-It's the real deal... amazing, big sis."

"...?"

Wait, what kind of feeling is this? Atmospherically they're definitely suspicious, but the direction of the suspiciousness feels different. To put it in comparison terms, not like criminals lurking in the shadows, but more like mysterious food products you can buy at a Chinese trade fair.

While I was thinking unnecessary thoughts, Negomin-san stepped forward.

"Who are you people?"

"Fufu, I'm glad you asked!"

As if they had been waiting for those words, the two of them lined up vertically for some reason.

"I am Mayoi! And this is..."

"The younger sister, Kyuu."

"Together, we are dungeon streamers, the 'Dungeon Sisters'!"

BAAAAAM!

When the two struck a pose, a cheap sound effect started playing from somewhere. Looking closely, the younger sister Kyuu-san was holding a small device in her hand, so she probably played it herself.

Come to think of it, Negomin-san was also a streamer or something like that. I glanced at her face, wondering if hearing the name might jog some memory.

"...? 'Dungeon Sisters'... never heard of them."

She didn't seem to know them at all. Well then, let me ask Maika-chan.

"Maika-chan, do you know who those people... 'Don't know'... ah, never mind."

She didn't know them at all either.

"You say you don't know us? Then you can just get to know us starting today!"

"Please subscribe to our channel~"

Meanwhile, the two of them didn't seem particularly bothered that we didn't know them. But seriously, what even is a streamer? Well, I'll leave this to Negomin-san since she's in the same line of work.

Negomin-san spoke with a puzzled expression.

"So, how did you get here?"

"Eh?"

"We came to floor 30 at top speed... it was seriously fast. But if you were lying in wait here ahead of us, that means you came even faster than that."

"What, just that? Very well! I'll tell you, so prepare to be surprised---"

Mayoi-san suddenly struck a dramatic pose.

"---My sister and I have been standing by here since yesterday!"

......?

"We watched the stream you broadcast yesterday that we love so much, and thought 'this is it!' so we climbed to floor 30 yesterday!"

"We've been waiting ever since."

I don't really get it, but I can tell they have incredible initiative.

"...What's your goal?"

"Obviously, a streaming project! The title is..."

"We waited for Negomin and the uncle on floor 30."

"We have cameras too, and we've been streaming the whole time."

'Wow, they really are streaming. 24 subscribers, 16 hours of streaming time...'

On the other end of the incam, Maika-chan was speechless. Apparently this is pretty unusual. Negomin-san was also frowning with a difficult expression.

"...I see. So you hid in the shadows and sent the Shotgun Rabbit after us."

"Fufufu! Unfortunately, we weren't hiding!"

"Then what?"

"We couldn't defeat it normally, so we were hiding."

"..."

These two are, how should I put it, troublesome people. I'm almost impressed by this style of being approached that I've never experienced before, but if this keeps up, trouble is definitely going to happen.

"Kuh, this is bad, Shibasaki-san."

"Yes, quite bad."

"...These people are kind of interesting...!"

"Eh... excuse me? Negomin-san?"

Hm? What? Isn't Negomin-san getting swept up in this weird atmosphere too?

"Um..."

"Please don't misunderstand! It's just a little, just a little!"

"Haa."

She says "just a little," but how exactly is that different?

"Actually, what would you two have done if we hadn't come?! We only came to floor 30 by chance!"

"Hahahaha! That was seriously dangerous for real! You really saved us!"

"Guh!"

Negomin-san somehow took damage. Why?

"...Dungeon and Sœur are English and French, and the names are Mayoi and Kyuu... normally it should be either Mei and Kyuu or Mayoi and Miya! Make it consistent! When you came up with that concept! Damn, everything is right on that line where I can't tell if it's all natural or calculated!"

What in the world is Negomin-san fighting against? ...Anyway, let's move the conversation forward.

"Um, Mayoi-san and Kyuu-san. What do you want with us?"

"Eh, want?"

"...Eh?"

Mayoi-san and Kyuu-san looked at each other. Wait, what, did you call out to us without having any business?

"...Big sis, you didn't think about anything?"

"Well, I didn't think we'd actually meet them..."

The two turned away and started whispering, but their voices were so loud we could hear them plainly. I wonder what this is, it's awkward...

While I was suffering through this unbearable atmosphere, Negomin-san stepped in front of them.

"'Dungeon Sisters,' I have a question for you."

"Y-Yes! What is it?"

"While you were waiting for us, what were you doing?"

"Well, nothing in particular..."

"Me and big sis were sitting in silence with our knees hugged to our chests the whole time."

Hearing their answer, Negomin-san let out a big sigh.

"...I have something to say to you two."

Ah, I see. So it really was a nuisance from Negomin-san's perspective too. Yeah, yeah, in times like this it's definitely better to tell them straight.

Don't hold back! Go ahead and say it, Negomin-san!

"---Your content is weak!"

"Um... um?"

Content...? What is she suddenly going on about?

But paying no mind to my confusion, Negomin started talking as if a dam had broken.

"A endurance stream waiting for us to arrive—this project that looks interesting at first glance has a huge hole in it!"

"Huh?"

"I don't think there's a hole, though."

"Sigh... this is why beginners are like this. Meeting is fun, that's a given! But during the time you couldn't meet, while you were waiting—what were you doing? Sitting in silence with your knees hugged the whole time? Do you think anyone would enjoy watching that!? Making effective use of that time that would otherwise be wasted is the important job of a streamer!"

"T-That's true!"

Kyuu-san was nodding deeply in admiration. I don't understand, but maybe there's something they share in common.

"And! You're way too dependent on whether you'd meet us!"

"Dependent?"

"It worked out because we met, but what if we hadn't met? Nothing would have remained! Did you think about what you'd do in that case?"

"N-No, we didn't!"

"And your response after meeting was sloppy! You need to think most carefully about what to do during the most interesting part! Just meeting and ending would only betray the expectations of the viewers who watched!"

"I see...!"

"Got it?!"

"Amazing... I'm learning so much."

When Negomin-san finished speaking in one go, Kyuu-san sent applause like a standing ovation. Meanwhile, the older sister Mayoi-san was frozen for some reason...

"W-Wait..."

"Hm?"

"Don't say all that at once! I don't get it! Waaaaaaaaah!!"

She shouted, then suddenly started running and went somewhere.

"What's wrong with that girl..."

"When my sister's capacity gets overloaded, she has a habit of running away like that."

"T-That's tough..."

...She seems like she has it hard.

As Mayoi-san's back grew distant, Kyuu-san suddenly grabbed me and Negomin-san by the sleeves.

"What are you doing, let's go after her!"

"Eh?"

And because she said that so suddenly, I ended up responding honestly.

"...Why would we do that?"

"Why, um..."

"Isn't there no reason for us to chase her?"

"...That's true! Then farewell!"

Easily convinced by my words, Kyuu-san let go of our sleeves and ran toward Mayoi-san.

"What was with those people..."

"Don't ask me..."

Actually, Negomin-san was getting along pretty well with them, right?

As we were talking, Kyuu-san came walking back for some reason.

With tears in her eyes.

"Waaaah, I can't find my big sis. Sniff Please, help us look for her..."

"..."

She really is interesting, that girl.