Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Something Interesting
With the restoration of the dungeon railway finished, we held a party like a celebration.
The main attraction was the braised orc horn that I made.
As a special guest, I also invited Onoda-san.
It was quite a lot of work since I made so much, but I was glad it was well-received by everyone.
While we were having the party, I received a call on my smartphone.
A buyer had been found for the Emerald Dragon that was still inside my Item Box.
Since Sana and Iroha wanted to watch as well, we headed together to the warehouse complex at Haneda.
We brought out the dragon at the site where the monster was being disassembled, but what appeared there was the Princess's older sister -- Kako.
"You finally arrived!"
She was standing tall in a flashy suit.
"Did you buy everything? Did the Yaegashi Group buy the whole thing?"
"That's right! Ah! We don't need the meat or the internal organs inside. Just the outer emeralds."
"It is certainly large, but since it's from a dungeon, does it have some kind of rarity?"
"Don't you remember? Darling gave me this stone."
She pointed at the dragon.
Beside its massive body, Sensei was doing something.
Was she collecting samples?
"Wait a minute, why is Kako-san called Darling?"
"Because she gave me a big emerald."
"He is MY Darling!"
The Princess was protesting, but it wasn't like she had fallen for me or anything like that.
It was probably just like sticking saliva on it because I pick up so many rare things from the dungeon -- that kind of feeling.
"Did you check the sample of the stone I gave you?"
"Yes! It was a stone with a composition unlike anything before."
"So, even though it looks green, it's not an emerald..."
"That's exactly right!"
She placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.
"So, since it's a newly discovered material, there might be some new value in using it."
"You're quick to understand. Maybe it could be a groundbreaking material."
"Heh~"
It wasn't an impossible story.
In fact, magic stones coming out of dungeons are already used as materials for semiconductors.
"Darling, do you mean this green color can be used for something?"
Iroha was pointing at the mountain of monster corpses.
"If that were a magic stone, it could store mana. For now, it's not very useful, but it might be usable as a new energy source."
"If it becomes the source of mana, it can be used even inside dungeons."
That's what the Princess said.
"Ah, um..."
Sana pulled at my clothes.
"Oh! This person is the Princess's twin older sister."
"Oh, is that so... She looks -- exactly like her."
Well, they are twins.
You can tell immediately because their hairstyles are different.
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. Please take care of me."
Wow, she seems to be able to greet people properly now.
Did Kirara teach her various things?
"It doesn't matter, but Darling. Are you getting involved with someone this young? You pervert!"
"Don't say such unkind things. This girl -- Sana is also an adventurer, so she is an adult."
"Of course she is!"
The Princess cut in there.
"Why are you calling him Darling too!"
"It's fine? No problem."
"It's not fine!"
"Grunt grunt..."
"Amazing~!"
This time it was Sensei.
"How about it?"
"To think such an amazing creature exists... I'm moved!"
She put her hands together in front of herself and her eyes sparkled.
Does it feel like a scholar's greatest joy?
On Earth, finding a huge new creature is becoming very rare.
But if it's a dungeon, new creatures keep appearing one after another.
"Dragons breathe fire, but how does that mechanism work?"
"Well... Fermentation of gut bacteria accumulates flammable gas, and then it ignites with something."
"I heard a story about electrocautery igniting gas in the intestines during surgery."
"Or perhaps special bacteria inside the body create and store chemical substances..."
What was it? I saw on the news that there are people who synthesize alcohol inside their own bodies and get drunk themselves.
If alcohol can be synthesized, can other organic substances be made depending on the bacteria?
"Speaking of flammable -- is it like gasoline?"
"There are substances that ignite just by mixing multiple chemicals."
"Now that you mention it, I think I saw on the net that there are insects that spray gas at hundreds of degrees from their rear ends..."
"That is an organic substance and water vapor created by a chemical reaction inside the insect's body! Since the temperature is high, I think it can be used as an attack."
Organic substances seem to corrode proteins.
"Regarding electric shocks, there are things like electric eels, so electric attacks are not impossible, is that right?"
"That is correct!"
Sensei was talking proudly.
"The other large monster inside the Item Box was burning at first, you know."
"Eh?! Burning?!"
"Yes, it was emitting flames from its entire body and burning."
"Is it a creature that emits flammable gas from its entire body? Or is it a supernatural phenomenon like magic?"
"Well, that could also be magic..."
Sensei seemed very interested in disassembling it to see what kind of monster it was.
Just then, an old man arrived.
Disassembly had already begun.
The green stones were separated, washed, and then put into containers.
"Brother, are you really sure you don't want the meat?"
"I forgot something."
"What is it?"
"-- This time I didn't use depleted uranium rounds, so everyone can use it."
"Now that you mention it, there were no holes in the body."
He was looking at the mountain of monsters that was being disassembled behind him.
"You can have the meat as your share. Also, as I said before, I only want the magic stones."
"I understand -- so, the selling price goes entirely to you, and I can recover my commission and such with the meat and other materials, right?"
"Sure, take as much as you want."
"Whoa! This guy is generous! This will be a big help!"
The old man was licking his lips.
"How is the meat quality? I assume you checked beforehand..."
There is a specialized agency that checks if monster materials are poisonous or harmful to the human body.
"It's quite good. The fat is low, though."
"Then I'll take a little bit of the meat. Hmm, about 50kg."
"Understood! Wahaha! Since I started dealing with you, I've been making so much profit!"
My first purchase, when the old man approached me, was probably the turning point.
He went back to work.
Knowing that it would make quite a profit, the workers' movements became even more energetic.
They are cash-oriented people.
"Haa~ I don't understand any of those difficult things at all."
Iroha, who had been listening silently, looked a bit bored.
"I didn't understand any of it either."
"Well, maybe it's knowledge not necessary for adventurers."
Adventurers don't need math or national literature, but they might need a little scientific knowledge.
Biology and such.
"Darling knows a lot."
"I was an old man who liked biology, insects, sci-fi, and things like that. Before the world stopped, such things were overflowing in the streets."
"Heh~, is that so?"
Iroha was impressed at a strange place.
Well, the internet has only been usable again recently, and it's unavoidable that the next generation has a bit of a knowledge gap.
"Anyway, Kako-san."
"Just Kako is fine."
"How much did you buy that dragon for?"
"50 billion yen."
"50 billion~!?"
Her eyes went wide at the huge amount.
Sana didn't seem to understand the situation, her mouth hanging open.
"No, no, if you can make a groundbreaking invention using unknown materials, you can monopolize the market."
"That's right -- considering that, a 50 billion yen investment is cheap."
"Well, even if it's useless, if it's a gemstone that doesn't exist anywhere else, it has rarity value."
"I see, that's true."
The Princess, who had been listening, nodded.
I explained the situation to Sana, who still didn't understand.
"Great job, Sana! Even if we split it, that's 25 billion yen in income."
"..."
She was still frozen.
"Hey!"
"How much is 250 billion yen?"
"25 billion yen is 25 billion yen."
"......Eeeee?!"
She looked like she was about to collapse.
She finally seemed to grasp the situation.
"Great! With this, you can retire as an adventurer whenever you want."
"I-I didn't intend to..."
She was confused -- well, of course.
A young girl suddenly got a huge sum of money.
"Oooo! That's amazing! So, if I fight alongside Darling and have a chance to defeat a dragon, I could get rich quick too?"
"Normal dragons don't go up to that price, but this one is a special individual covered in gems all over its body."
"That's true. Well, if that dragon trap hadn't caught it, and if Darling and Sana weren't there, we would have been stuck at that stage."
"That's right."
The Princess nodded at Iroha's grumbling.
"Sana! Even if money comes in, don't spend it all! First, half will be taken by taxes -- hm? Is that wrong?"
Since this is a transaction as an adventurer, it should end with withholding tax.
I think there was no progressive tax on that.
"Darling, isn't it a flat 20% deduction like normal monster transactions?"
"Hmm? I think so. 20% of 25 billion will be deducted, so 20 billion will come in."
"Eeeee?! D-Does that much come in?"
"With this, I can even put your grandfather in a good facility or hospital?"
"That would be nice, but... well, somehow..."
"When you know you have money, suspicious people will gather like G, so be careful."
"That's undeniable."
The Princess, with her arms crossed, nodded.
"W-What should I do..."
She was quite agitated.
"It's okay, don't worry. If anything happens, you can consult with me. If it's investment, Kaorulko is there."
"I'm fine too."
Kako, who had been listening, volunteered.
"See, Kako-san is even willing to consult."
"Please take care of me."
"Leave it to me."
"She is the Princess's older sister, so her trustworthiness is perfect -- ah! That's it."
"What is it?"
I thought of something good, but...
"If we give this material, the Yaegashi Group might make something new. Shouldn't we buy stocks in the company now?"
"Stocks? That sounds difficult..."
"Ah, but, does this count as insider trading?"
"It's a bit gray since a new invention isn't guaranteed at this stage."
If it's certain to be made, of course, it's out.
"Does the Princess hold group stocks through stock options or something?"
"Not stock options, but I do hold stocks. It's my family's company."
Well, she is the daughter of the founding group.
Kaorulko probably holds them too.
She should be able to live off just the dividends.
People born with a silver spoon are indeed different.
"Darling knows so many things. I don't understand a word of what you're saying."
"Before the world stopped, I had lots of time to study."
In the following eras, securing food became so difficult that studying and such became impossible.
After all, without wealth, scholarship does not develop.
Since disassembling the dragon seems to take time, I decided to contact me when it's finished.
The disassembly of the Hellhound (provisional) that we talked about earlier is still left.
That one doesn't need a price.
Honestly, I only want the magic stones.
We left the warehouse district and decided to eat at Haneda.
We entered a restaurant that caught our eye.
It seems to be a restaurant of the Yaegashi Group.
Since the young lady came, maybe it won't cost anything?
Well, since I have money, there's no need to say such stingy things.
Anyway, I ordered a hamburger steak and a parfait.
When I come to places like this, I order a parfait.
"It's my treat, so you can order as much as you like."
"Awesome!"
Seeing my order, it seems the girls also ordered parfaits.
Iroha ordered about three servings of food.
"By the way, Sana is suddenly rich!"
When Iroha said that, she seemed a bit confused.
"I still can't feel it..."
"Well, what should I spend my money on..."
"You just talked about stocks."
That's what the Princess said, but there's something more interesting... I'll try to put into action something I've been thinking about for a while...
When the meal ended, desserts with layered beautiful visuals and diverse flavors were brought to the table.
Ice cream, whipped cream, fruits, sauces, cereals, sponge cakes, and more were layered in transparent glasses and dishes, making them look gorgeous.
The thrill of a parfait is that every time you insert a spoon, a new taste and texture appear.
"Actually -- since I have money, I thought it would be fun to invest in a movie."
I continued the conversation while eating the parfait.
The girls also took their spoons and ate the parfait.
"A movie?! Heh~"
Iroha was a bit stunned.
Well, she probably isn't interested.
"I can't do a movie."
-- Even as she said that, the Princess was already intending to be the main character.
That's not it.
"..."
Sana seemed to be looking at me as if she wanted me to start a conversation.
Unfortunately, the concept for the main character is already decided.
"My plan is -- the main character will be Iroha."
"Eh~?! Me?!"
It seems she wasn't expecting to be hit at all; she looked like she was about to fall off her chair.
"Darling!"
The Princess, who thought she was the main character, stood up to protest.
"Wait, wait, if the Princess wants to be in it too, she can be the villain boss, the Demon King."
"Why am I the Demon King!"
"Eh? I think cool villains (villains) become popular... depending on the work, they might become more popular than the protagonist."
"...U, um... Now that you mention it..."
"Let Kaorulko participate too, maybe as the Demon King's right-hand man -- a Demon General or something?"
Just thinking normally, I feel like the Princess as the Demon King and Kako as the General would be more popular.
Visuals are already floating in my head.
"Eh~? Darling, I can't do it."
"It's okay, it's okay. Just make her a taciturn, silent, highly skilled female warrior."
"U, um..."
"Do you know a famous movie from before the world stopped called 'Cyborg O-Tama'?"
"I-I know it -- I watched it on the net."
If she knows it, then the talk is fast.
"Something like that would be good, right? Silently cutting down enemies one after another."
"Um..."
"Daisuke-san, what is 'Mukuchi'?"
Sana raised her hand slightly.
"It means having few words, being taciturn. Mukuchi doesn't mean having six mouths, you know?"
"Ah, I understand."
"But... hmm..."
Iroha leaned back with her arms crossed, holding the parfait spoon in her mouth, looking like she was about to fall over.
She probably has a bit of that feeling.
Anyone, when told they could be the main character of a movie, would think about it a little.
In reality, they might refuse saying it's impossible.
"Iroha."
"W-What is it?"
"You owe me, didn't you say you'd do anything?"
"U! Are you going to use it right here?"
"Hahaha, of course."
"O-Okay..."
She agreed too.
"But I don't know if it will really happen. I'm an amateur at movies, so I'll have professionals shoot it, but I don't know if anyone will take it on."
"That's true..."
"Iroha might be half-believing, but a movie with a current top ranker? It's bound to succeed."
"Is that so?"
"For the battle scenes, I intend to use real footage from the dungeon. Real battle scenes, not special effects or fakes."
Thinking about it, this is more like a documentary than a movie.
"Indeed, only Darling could shoot such scenes."
The Princess, who had been listening, grunted.
"There is definitely a film director who will accept it."
"Darling, do you have connections in the film industry?"
The Princess was worried...
"Hmm, I upload videos to video sites, don't I?"
"Yes."
"The person editing those videos is in the film industry. Can't I use that connection?"
If it fails, I can put up a crowdfunding campaign to recruit staff.
My site has many videos that have achieved 100 million views.
That means there is that much access.
If I announce crowdfunding there, it will spread across the net immediately.
Maybe an advertising agency will jump on it...
But I want to pay for everything myself and do it with the story I thought of.
Since I'm paying, I'll also have a say.
I need film staff who will take on such an amateur's selfishness.
Well, since I'm providing the funds, it doesn't matter if we make a bad work and can't recover the costs.
That would be a memory of life too.
"Haha -- well, listen to it half-heartedly."
"But if it really gets decided, I'll have you be the main character?"
"Okay, Darling."
Iroha also seems to have made up her mind, which is good.
A real combat action movie with a current top ranker -- this will sell, right?
Even without a story, it should be able to push through with just the action.
"It's just days of slaughter in the dungeon. I want to try doing something else too."
"I get that. I wonder how long we can keep doing this, I think too."
"Regarding that, I think my retirement will come sooner as an old man, hahaha."
Sana, who had been listening silently, joined in.
"Um, what kind of story will it be?"
"Since it's a movie showing Iroha's battle scenes and action, it can be simple, right?"
Advance through the dungeon, defeat the Demon King and the Demon General in the Demon King's castle at the bottom of the earth.
In the end, a bare-handed fight after throwing away weapons.
It's a classic of action movies.
"Isn't that easy to understand?"
"Is that okay?"
Looking at Sana's reaction, she had a face like "It sounds boring" -- or something.
"People who come to watch this movie will be Iroha's fans, right? They'll be satisfied with her physical beauty and action, won't they? If we add a little erotic scene, they'll be fully satisfied."
"Erotic scene? Don't tell me..."
Iroha turned red.
No, no, if I really put in such a scene, it would become R18.
"No, no, just wearing less clothes for muscle training, or a shower scene after that -- it's a classic, right?"
"Well, that level is not a problem."
She always fights in revealing outfits.
That is her daily life inside the dungeon, but Iroha's fans cannot see that.
Electricity cannot be used in the other space, and filming is impossible.
The only thing possible to film is my cheat using the Item Box.
Ah, that's right.
If I ask Kaorulko to cooperate with the filming, multi-angle filming would be possible.
I'll try asking her~.
"Stare..."
Sana was staring at my face.
"Right -- if there's a heroine, maybe I need a partner for her too."
"If it's a partner, Darling is there, isn't he?"
"Me? If an old man like me appears on the screen, the customers won't be happy, right?"
"I think Darling is fine..."
"It doesn't matter about the sales, but an old man..."
Because if I were the customer, I wouldn't find that fun?
I know that... well...
"Hm?"
A certain man's face floated in my head.
The blonde boy I met before.
If I stretch his ears, he's 100% an elf, and he'll be a hit with customers.
If a handsome boy appears, female customers who aren't Iroha's fans might be drawn in too.
With special makeup, make his ears long and have him come from another world as an elf.
The heroine protecting him -- so, I'll have Iroha fight as a taciturn warrior.
The elf holds an important secret for ruling the world, and the Demon King and the Demon General attack to target it.
In the end, the final battle at the Demon King's castle -- I think it will work.
When I get back, I'll write a simple proposal and script.
Just as I thought that, a message came into my smartphone.
It was a call from the buying old man.
It seems the disassembly of the dragon is finished.
You can disassemble such a huge thing so easily.
We returned to the warehouse district, brought out the remaining Hellhound, and headed home.
Sensei was ecstatic again at the rare monster.
She was very interested in the monster that was said to be burning all over its body.
She seemed eager to dissect it.
Well, I want her to do as she pleases.