Lazy Dungeon Master

e a conversation, please press against the wall beneath the hourglass.] Looking like she’d figured it out with that, Setsuna didn’t looked worried in the least and pressed against the wall.

The wall shifted backward.
Once it had moved around twenty centimeters back, it started sliding sideways.
The wall with the hourglass on it was a Golem, so it could move on its own.
The gimmick was just so that I could operate it from here and see Setsuna’s reaction.
The other side of the wall had a passage, followed by a stairway after a little while.
It was originally a passage meant for employee-use only, but I redecorated it a bit for appearances.

[I guess it wants me to advance?]  

She advanced slowly.
Then, Setsuna arrived in the small room that I’d ran the Golem back to wait on standby in.
It’s the Messenger Golem with the ability to talk that I’d made a while back.
I put it there to stop her in the off chance she went to destroy the Dummy Core.

[A… Golem?]  

Setsuna tilted her head upon seeing the golem sitting with its back against the wall.
Activating the golem, I used it to talk to her.

“Yo.
Nice to meet ya, how’re you?”

Hearing the thick voice that sounded like it had been run through a voice changer, Setsuna reacted with a start.

[The Golem talked!?]  
“Hahaha, what’s so weird? You came to talk yeah? Wouldn’t it be impossible if I couldn’t talk?”

[Ah, un… I guess?]  

Setsuna nodded in doubt.
She was wary, but it looked like she did intend to have a talk with me.

[What are you?]  
“I’d like to check with you first, what do you think I am?”
[… … A Golem?]  
“It’s as you see, but is that all?”
[Umm… a dungeon monster?]  
“That’s also correct… is that all?”

When I emphasized that last part, Setsuna thought for a moment before speaking like she was having to squeeze her voice out.

[… Are you—a Dungeon Core?]  
“Well, it’s that kind of feeling.”

It looks like Setsuna concluded that the Golem was a Dungeon Core.
Cores and bosses being one-in-the-same is a commonly known ‘fact’, so I still can’t make a judgement on her identity… nn? Weren’t they called dungeon bosses? I could narrow it down further if she’d said Dungeon Master, but… yeah, this is taking too long.
I’ll try asking her myself.

“Please, call me Euma.
So, what are you?”
[I’m Setsuna.
Just an ordinary adventurer~!]  
“Let’s try asking again—what are you?”
[Asking again? A Wakoku spy!]  
“That’s not all, is it?”

[That’s right, I’m actually…! A certain Dungeon Core’s child!!]  

Setsuna declared it with an unnecessary pause.
Ah, so she was connected to a dungeon after all—wait, did she just say… child?
Oi hold up, Dungeon Cores can reproduce?
I looked toward Rokuko.
Realizing my thoughts, Rokuko blushed and started banging her hands against me.
Judging by her reaction… she can? Or not? Which is it?
… I take it Haku-san knows? Yep, can’t ask her.
She’d kill me.
She’d said that the Emperor had the founder’s bloodline, but I don’t know if that meant Haku-san’s bloodline since she didn’t say.
Alright, let’s ask clearly.
Can Dungeon Cores have children?

“Ummm, was that a metaphor?”
[It was literally.]  
“While we’re on the subject, what’s the core’s name?”
[… Ummm, Core 410—I think that’s how you all say it? He’s my papa!]  

A number I don’t know.
I’d thought that she was definitely involved with Core 4, but I just heard it from Ontentoo.
I guess the timing was just too good.
Incidentally, she said that she had a different father than Nayuta, but I’m convinced this is the reason she’s worth 0 DP.

“Rokuko, do you know about Core 410?”
“Nn~… nope, sorry!”

Yeah… there’s not even much known about the famous cores.

It was clumsy, but the self-introduction ended like that.
I already learned the gist of what I was wondering though.
Ah, I still haven’t asked what her goal is.
Well, she’s talking with me like this, so although I don’t think it’s going to be a violent goal—let’s try asking bluntly.