"Hmm, I think this is probably the way to go?"
Poyopoyo and I stood in the warehouse, staring at the Porter we'd rebuilt from the ground up, unable to decide on the final design.
No matter what we tried, we just couldn't settle on the crucial last detail.
"How about... something like this, perhaps?"
Poyopoyo was just as stuck. The completion of this Porter — which she kept calling "our love child" — was proving difficult, and we went back and forth exchanging ideas.
Then our ancestors inside the Jewel chimed in.
The Third Generation spoke first.
"Hey, hey — you sure about that placement? That's definitely going to look lopsided."
The Third Generation was more serious than ever.
"Actually, how about putting it on the opposite side instead? It might look odd if you focus on just that one part, but when you consider the overall balance—"
The Fourth Generation weighed in.
"...No, it should just go in the center, right? I can't even imagine any other option."
Even the Fifth Generation, who usually couldn't be bothered, looked invested.
"Hey, Laiel — let's go with cat ears. That'd definitely be the cutest."
The Sixth Generation pushed back against the Fifth.
"What are you talking about?! Horns — obviously it should be horns! Laiel, real men go with horns, right!"
The Seventh Generation tried to strike a compromise.
"Just slap on something that could pass for either horns or ears — doesn't matter, really. The important thing here is those striking eyes, obviously!"
The round cylinder I was holding had two big, adorable eyes on it. Poyopoyo had set glass orbs into them to make them sparkle.
Right.
We couldn't decide on the placement for the head.
In the storeroom, Aria—who had been looking increasingly masculine lately—watched us with a sigh.
I knew she found us ridiculous. But after coming this far, we couldn't afford to mess up the finishing touches.
Aria spoke with a look of exasperation on her face.
"Do you even need a head? It's just decoration, isn't it? Then just stick it on somewhere, already. Actually, do you even need one at all?"
She had a point.
She wasn't wrong.
That was exactly why it bothered me so much.
Poyopoyo let out a scoff.
"With that oversized chest of yours, it's decoration too, isn't it, Aria? These days, the former Viscount's daughter is looking more and more like a man."
She covered her mouth with her hand and let out an exaggerated laugh.
I looked at Aria with a serious expression and said,
"Aria, we're being serious here. Please don't get in our way."
An echo of agreement came from the Jewel.
Starting from the Second Generation.
"Shut it, you brat!"
"Cat ears, huh... I'm rejecting horns, but ears might not be bad, actually."
"I'm telling you, a plain, inoffensive look is best! The point is for people to grow fond of it and find it popular. Don't go doing anything half-baked!"
"Bunny ears would work too."
"Why are horns no good..."
"Honestly, wouldn't it be fine to just keep things simple as they are? If you tack on horns or ears carelessly, those cute eyes of hers won't stand out anymore."
——No, that was wrong.
Nobody besides the Second Generation was actually listening to Aria's words.
I decided to back Aria up. She was starting to look genuinely pitiful. Of course, Aria probably didn't think of herself as pitiful at all.
Right now, she was glaring at Poyopoyo with a vein bulging on her forehead.
"Sorry, Aria. But we're seriously troubled over this. This is important for Porter... for our companion."
At that, Poyopoyo looked at me, raised one hand on the spot, and bounced up and down. Her twin tails bobbed softly up and down.
"Yes, yes! I'm an important companion of the Chickens and the Amazons too! I'm the healing Maid-type Automaton! So, I think the name is important!"
This time, Aria snorted with derision.
"Ha. Poyopoyo is perfectly fine. You junk heap."
Poyopoyo looked at Aria and spoke.
"You've picked a fight with me... Very well. I accept the challenge. Starting today, Aria's meals will be high-calorie, decided. Her weight will gradually increase and she'll start to worry — that's what's best. I'll prepare late-night snacks for her too. Real, thoroughly sweet and delicious treats!"
I tilted my head, wondering if that would even work.
When I looked over at Aria, she wore a frustrated expression.
The Second Generation said.
"That's it, isn't it. Somehow Aria's been getting more into the spirit of things too."
"That's not fair!"
Then Poyopoyo laughed. What an awful grin she had.
I thought to myself.
(I can't believe... she can make expressions like this too. The ancients really are something.)
Poyopoyo flicked one of her twin tails aside and declared flatly.
"Cowardly? If anything, I'll take that as a compliment! I'll use whatever it takes for that Chicken! —Ouch!"
I bopped Poyopoyo on the head with Porter's headpiece. It made a satisfying crack.
"Don't blame me for that. More importantly, where did Porter's headpiece even..."
That was when Aria spoke up.
"Why not just around there? You two are still fussing over every little thing, even after all this time..."
Poyopoyo and I both looked at the spot Aria indicated and were stunned.
"That's amazing, Aria! That settles the position of Porter's headpiece. Thanks!"
When I flashed her a grin, Aria made an awkward face. Was she happy, or was she exasperated... her expression was hard to read.
"O-oh? If you're happy with it, then that's... huh?"
Poyopoyo nodded as well.
"I hate to admit it, but I dare say... compared to the front side or even the dead center, that position really is brilliant."
The ancestors chimed in too.
*'Not bad — she's got more talent than I expected.'*
*'If that's settled, all that's left are the ears...'*
*'Magnificent! Appearance really is the key to making money! This is going to win us customers!'*
*'Who cares about the position? The real question is what kind of ears we put on it!'*
*'Horns are a no-go, I'm assuming...'*
*'We don't need anything extra. If the headpiece is already shifted toward the edge, gaudy decorations would just get in the way!'*
I attached the head section together with Poyopoyo.
When operated by magic, Porter's head would move. I had attached a ball joint near the neck area to make it work.
The head Poyopoyo had spent an entire day working on turned out magnificently.
"Perfect!"
"Porter… you look so impressive."
As I praised the result, Poyopoyo shed tears. Aria watched this with a complicated expression on her face.
The Porter, designed specifically for delving into Aramsass's Dungeon, had a low chassis with large wheels extending outward on the sides.
The wide wheels were wrapped in rubber that Poyopoyo had brought along. The main body was rectangular when viewed from above, sized just right to navigate the Dungeon's turns with a bit of extra room.
The cargo area had a roof overhead, and the side panels could be folded out to serve as shields.
The front was equipped with thick armor plating, which could also be used to block off corridors. The legs for descending staircases had been shortened compared to before.
However, if you unfolded the shields outward to the sides and braced with your legs, it became a formidable wall.
The lantern hanging from the ceiling could also have its brightness adjusted.
He had gone above and beyond for no reason.
Poyopoyo said.
"I did want to make the shields separate, honestly."
I agreed, but it had been rejected for practical reasons.
"There's no helping it. Clara and I take turns operating it, and while I'm fine with it, Clara..."
One unit was manageable, but anything beyond two was beyond Clara's capabilities.
She had apparently been practicing with a small borrowed doll, but it wasn't going well.
"I'll be participating in combat too. Depending on the situation, I may also use magic. When that happens, well, you know…"
I'd drawn up a plan to make up for our numbers shortage with Porter, but fundamentally we were still lacking people who could actually fight.
While Poyopoyo and I were having a serious conversation, Aria spoke up.
"...Seriously, how can you take a cargo-carrying doll that can only be used in a place like this so seriously?"
Hearing that, Poyopoyo and I — and all of the ancestors in unison —
"It's Porter!"
"At least remember his name! He is Porter, the proud fruit of the love between me and Chicken, and a name far more magnificent than my own!"
"'It's Porter,' I'm telling you!"
Maybe it was because we'd been so absorbed in dealing with Porter lately, but even the ancestors had started to grow attached to him.
He really was something, Porter.
At the Aramsass Guild, Novem had come to submit paperwork in order to challenge the Dungeon.
Miranda was with her, and Shannon too.
Shannon was biting her fingertip, eyes brimming with tears.
For adventurer registration, you pricked your fingertip with a needle and had the Guild Card memorize your blood. She was trembling during the whole procedure.
It seemed she was frightened.
"Why do I have to become an adventurer?! I'm only thirteen! I'm weak, and..."
Hearing that, Miranda placed both her hands on Shannon's shoulders.
Her smiling face looked like an older sister comforting her younger one. The beautiful sisters together truly made for a lovely picture.
Around them, some adventurers watched the pair with warm, gentle expressions.
But —
"Were you planning to stay like that forever? No good... If you don't work, you don't eat, right?"
Shannon desperately shook her head up and down as Miranda dug her fingers into both of Shannon's shoulders with a smile.
"Y-yes, that's right, Lady! I was wrong!"
Novem held two documents.
One was for the real thing a week later.
It was a form filled out with the goal of reaching the thirtieth underground floor, and the other was the paperwork for bringing Shannon along into the Dungeon.
She had no intention of making Shannon fight.
However, leaving her alone as a permanent house sitter wasn't really an option either. For what it was worth, it was Miranda who had decided this while considering Shannon's future.
The daughter of a viscount's family — but her publicly known standing was that she had been pushed out to Aramsass because her eyes were impaired.
Novem spoke to the two of them.
"Both of you, once you've submitted the documents today, we'll be entering the Dungeon for Laiel's party and Porter's examination. You're all prepared, right?"
Shannon wasn't accustomed to the Dungeon.
It had a unique kind of suffocating pressure.
She was being brought along today so she could get used to that.
(If I see that it's not working out, I can't just leave her alone at the manor, so maybe I should have her stay somewhere else?)
You couldn't leave a girl alone at the manor.
The supplies needed for tackling the Dungeon were already prepared. They had pre-ordered the food too, so all they needed to do was pick it up.
They'd check on Porter's condition, and if Shannon didn't look like she could handle it, they'd leave her behind.
Well, everyone intended to leave Shannon behind. The only one who wanted to bring her along was Miranda.
"I'm all ready. Shannon, you listen to what your support senior says. Got it?"
Shannon gave Miranda her answer.
"I don't want to be a luggage mule. And I don't want to be all clingy either... There's no bath, is there? Eek! I'm sorry! I'll do exactly what that glasses person says!"
When Miranda clenched her fist and flashed a smile, Shannon cowed into submission.
Novem felt a pang of unease watching Miranda insist on dragging Shannon along along.
After submitting the paperwork at the Guild reception, they headed out to rendezvous with Laiel.
Along the way, adventurers who recognized them as members of Laiel's party called out.
Near the stairs leading out of the Guild, they ran into a trio.
That jogged Novem's memory of Rondo and the others she had met in Darion.
"Oh, you're companions of 'Pack Mule'? Hey, when are you gonna do the Porter gig again?"
"'Pack Mule'? Seriously, his whole party is nothing but beauties. No wonder he doesn't bite when people bring that up."
"Hey, don't mind us. Sorry about that. Would you tell Laiel we're counting on him again next time?"
Novem exchanged pleasantries with the adventurers and parted ways, only for Shannon to pipe up.
"What? He's really called 'Pack Mule'? Suits him perfectly, if you ask me."
In response, Miranda's fist came crashing down onto Shannon's head.
Shannon writhed in pain.
Watching this unfold, Novem looked troubled, and Miranda spoke up.
"So popular, aren't you? 'Pack Mule Laiel'... I mean, he carries adventurers and luggage for a living, so what a weird nickname."
Novem replied.
"It's the adventurers' way of being wry, I imagine. Besides, the impression of Lord Laiel — who had broken through the fortieth floor — being carried back must have really stuck with people."
As Novem offered her diplomatic answer, Miranda's expression turned serious for just a moment as she scanned the surroundings.
When Novem caught on, she instantly spotted the suspicious figure Miranda had been looking at.
(……So that's why Miranda-san was trying to take Shannon away)
Over the past few days, Novem had noticed she was being watched as well.
She had assumed it was because Laiel had become the talk of Aramsass, but there seemed to be genuine malice behind it as well.
(……I should avoid moving around alone. I'm worried about Aria-san, though.)
Aria was receiving instruction from an adventurer.
That seemed to have wrapped up, but she was still meeting with that adventurer just to talk.
She herself seemed to be enjoying it, so telling her to stop wasn't really an option, but Novem decided she would at least caution her.
Before she knew it, Miranda's gaze had settled on Novem.
"...So you noticed, huh."
Novem gave Miranda a wry smile.
Being treated with suspicion like this made things difficult.
"No, I just happened to see where Miranda-san was looking."
"Is that so... Shannon, how long are you going to keep moping about the pain? We're leaving already."
Miranda's gaze remained skeptical.
Novem showed no change in expression in response. She figured Miranda considered her a candidate for Laiel's harem.
With Shannon, who was still wincing in pain, in tow, Miranda descended the Guild's stairs—
Having ventured into the Dungeon to fine-tune the Porter, I looked at Shannon.
"What?"
"No, aren't you having trouble breathing? Like, doesn't it feel suffocating or something? Normally the atmosphere down here makes it pretty tough at first."
When I said that, Shannon looked at me and scoffed.
Riding atop Porter's head, I let my legs dangle freely.
"Even though the mana density is pretty thick down here, it's really not a big deal, is it?"
Shannon was riding on Porter's head despite having walked herself to exhaustion, yet she was putting on an awfully tough act.
"Hey, stop swinging your legs around like that. And why the heck are you wearing a skirt in a dungeon? People can see right up there."
When I called her out, Shannon raised her voice dramatically.
"Oooooh, big sister! He's peeking at my panties!"
I was thinking that sounded incredibly misleading, but Poyopoyo was busy adjusting Porter's settings and didn't catch a word of it.
Clara, who was watching the process with great focus, hadn't heard Shannon's outburst either.
Aria was stationed at the entrance to the room she'd gone in to perform some fine-tuning on.
"Well, that's what you get for showing up in a skirt. Is she even serious? And that hunk of junk over there is wearing a skirt too, right? Hasn't shown her underwear once, though."
Quite the manly opinion.
Poyopoyo looked at Aria and spoke.
"Why on earth would I need to provide service to the likes of you? The only one who gets to see my underwear is that Chicken over there."
I answered immediately.
"I'm not interested, so just put on some pants or something."
Poyopoyo fired back, practically shouting.
"You want me to take off this outfit and put on something else?! This is my formal attire — my battle suit… I will maintain this appearance even on the battlefield!"
—I had no idea what this girl was talking about.
And then Novem said to Shannon.
"From that position, he wouldn't be able to see anything, so it's perfectly fine, Shannon-chan."
I corrected her so she wouldn't keep getting the wrong idea about me.
"No, I have no intention of looking. Besides, I'm not interested in her underwear or anything like that."
At that, Shannon hurled a shoe right at me. It hit me square in the face and stung a little.
For a brief moment, I actually thought, "Wow, she's got decent aim."
"What do you mean, 'her'?! I was called one of the beautiful sisters back in Central, you know! People told me I looked so fragile they wanted to protect me!"
A voice came from the Jewel — the Third Generation.
"She's good at playing innocent, isn't she, that pair. The second and third daughters should be fun too."
I could picture the Fifth and Sixth Generations staying conspicuously quiet for some reason.
Miranda was on break and drinking from her canteen.
For some reason, the way she drank was riveting — it drew your gaze like a magnet. She was just drinking normally, yet you couldn't help but stare.
Miranda said to Shannon.
"If you want people to look at you, you can't keep wearing kid stuff forever. Why not try something a little more daring?"
She laughed with a muffled chuckle, teasing her as a joke, and Shannon's face flushed red.
Then, as she caught the shoe I'd thrown back, Shannon muttered.
Looking down the whole time, she caught it with her hands — and I could see that she really did have a better view than an ordinary person.
"Someone like that isn't my sweet, gentle big sister..."
I shot back.
"What exactly did you do to that sweet, gentle big sister of yours?"
I'd been feeling irritated by how loud Shannon had been since joining us, but then I glanced over at Miranda and thought.
If Shannon hadn't done what she did, the Miranda standing here today wouldn't exist... Which one would I have preferred?
For just a moment, I found myself lost in thought.