Volume 4 Chapter 32-2 The Command Bracelet and Innocent Eyes
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A new monster seems to have shown itself.
Perfect timing.
Glancing over, a slender, silver shimmering shadow, like something from an underwater dungeon, undulates closer.
It’s covered in silver scales, with a sharply split mouth, moving gracefully──it’s a demon cuttlefish.
As usual, I named it on a whim.
”Alright, go!”
I channel magic into the Command Bracelet, sending orders to the demon sardines.
A swarm of dark shadows surge forward.
Countless tiny fish merge into a single mass, charging at the demon cuttlefish.
The demon cuttlefish fights back with sharp movements, twisting its body like a spring.
It swallows the demon sardines whole.
But compared to the whole group, the number it takes down is minimal.
The sardines are toying with it.
The demon sardines dodge the demon cuttlefish’s attacks with swift moves, biting into its body one after another.
The sound of scales being scraped away, dry and harsh.
Countless tiny bites pile up, slowing the demon cuttlefish’s movements.
”Oh, it’s incredible!”
”It’s fighting better than I thought it would…”
Kéa and Yomi exclaim in surprise.
I’m internally amazed too.
This Command Bracelet isn’t just a tool──it’s a real force to be reckoned with.
The demon cuttlefish tries to resist by contorting its body, but it’s already too late.
Its body is being whittled away, until finally, it stops moving.
”Alright, that’s enough”
I send magic into the bracelet, returning the demon sardines to standby status.
The school of fish turns back into a calm, gigantic shadow, leisurely drifting between the waves.
Lowering my arm, I feel a definite sense of accomplishment.
This thing is pretty useful.
The battle to take down the previous boss, the red individual, and now the demon cuttlefish has reduced their numbers significantly.
But there are still hundreds left.
And on this 5th Floor of the dungeon, I can always get more.
As a monster of the deep floors, it’s more than qualified to guard Tifi.
That said, I’m still not so sure these things are gonna be our go-to fighters from here on out.
Let’s be real──they’re basically the weakest trash mobs on the entire 5th Floor.
After they got decimated in the cutlass fish fight, I’ve got some serious doubts they’ll stand a chance against whatever’s waiting for us up ahead.
And then… a new problem floats to the surface.
Are these guys even able to leave the 5th Floor?
We’re talking about fish-type monsters built for deep-sea levels of weird.
Can they swim through the air anywhere else?
Or is it just here?
If they flop onto the ground and start wriggling like actual fish, we’re in for a world of embarrassment.
We swing open the Love Hotel’s door and step inside.
With a little wave of my hand, the demon sardine swarm glides in behind us, perfectly obedient.
Into the lobby we go.
Even without water, the demon sardines drift gracefully through the upscale décor──almost like the place was built for them.
They swim around just like they’re in a giant aquarium.
Not even a hint of awkwardness.
Guess that answers that.
They’re adapting just fine.
”So… we’re keeping these guys in here or what?”
Yomi shoots me that question, eyes fixed on the demon sardines drifting overhead.
Fair point.
The lobby’s spacious enough and all, but with this many of them, it’s getting cramped real fast.
”Maybe I oughta set up a special room for our new tenants.”
”Also──they kinda smell…”
Now that she mentions it, there’s this faint fishy stench starting to hang in the air.
Less “fresh ocean breeze,” more like we’re chilling behind the seafood counter.
”Should I, uh… try cleaning them?”
The second I suggest it, the whole swarm clams up.
They flinch, all scrunched in──just like cats and dogs about to get hit with the shampoo bottle.
Total pet panic.
Can’t say I blame them.
I open the laundry room door with a dramatic sweep.
”Alright, in you go.”
The demon sardines glide into the laundry, dragging their fins like prisoners on death row.
Even their movements are tinged with tragic resignation.
The laundry box is barely big enough for a normal basket of clothes.
Honestly, I was ready to break this into 5 loads, minimum.
But somehow──shockingly──every last sardine fits inside.
I poke my head in, confused.
The inside’s way bigger than it should be.
’Love Hotel’ magic at its finest.
I shut the door, tap the “wash” button on the menu.
A little hourglass pops up on the display.
After a short wait──ping!──done washing.
I slowly crack open the door, bracing myself… and there they are.
A bunch of squeaky-clean demon sardines.
Yep.
Still alive.
I was honestly nervous about what would happen if you washed a… creature──or monster, rather──but it seems there were no issues.
”Alright, come on out.”
As I instruct them, a whole stream of demon sardines start pouring out.
Good, the stench is gone.
But that wasn’t the only change.
”Whoa, Master!”
”Milord, this is…!”
”Wow…”
The girls’ eyes are sparkling.
I can’t help but stare, wide-eyed.
The demon sardines’ appearance had changed.
They’ve got rounded silhouettes, with cute, expressive eyes.
They look just like mascot characters now.
Who’d have thought that washing a monster would make it cute?
I’ve purified cursed items before, but I never knew monsters could be purified too.
Can’t hide my surprise at this hidden ‘Love Hotel’ function.
And then──
”I’m home──what the heck is this!?”
Tifi’s voice echoes through the room, her eyes bulging at the swarm of demon sardines swimming around.
She’s got a look of sheer astonishment on her face.
”Welcome back, Tifi. This is just…”
As I’m trying to explain…
”Cute!”
Tifi shouts, snatching one of the nearby demon sardines.
”Gulp?”
The demon sardine doesn’t even try to resist, just looking up at Tifi with its big, round eyes.
Just like a pampered pet.
* * *
After that, we conducted some tests on the demon sardines.
The conclusion: the purified demon sardines only got cuter to look at, but their combat abilities remained unchanged.
However, there was a clear change in their nature.
Even after the control was lifted, they didn’t attack us.
But getting them to listen is out of the question.
They swim around the Love Hotel’s interior however they please, just like free-range ornamental fish.
But with the Command Bracelet, we can make them follow orders without a hitch.
So, I equipped Tifi with the Command Bracelet.
Apparently, she’s started stashing a few demon sardines under her skirt to act as her personal bodyguards.
For town patrols, that’s more than enough.
Honestly, any more and she’d be begging to get found out.
The rest──yeah, all several hundred of them──got their own private suite inside the Love Hotel.
And not just any room, but, well…
”The pool. You know, that pool.”
”That pool? Wait… what’s that supposed to mean?”
Guess that joke flew over Yomi’s head.
Can’t really blame her──she’s just a high schooler.
Anyway, the demon sardines are loving their pool life──darting around above and below the surface, free as can be.
Just watching them zip through water and air is weirdly entertaining.
Of course, if anything goes down, I can unleash them straight from here.
”So… what do we feed these little guys?”
That question came from Tifi, looking kinda concerned.
She’s got a point.
There’s no way Love Hotel room service could keep up with this many demon sardines.
”Wanna just toss ’em a few monsters from the 3rd Floor?”
Turns out, that works just fine.
Even the weakest demon sardines from the 5th Floor are juggernauts compared to anything on Floor 3.
They dove right in──hunting and gobbling up monsters left and right.
Angler Grass, Blur Bunny──it’s all just food to them.
Honestly, they might even be able to take Hitchcock down.
Anyway, with that sorted, Tifi’s safe now.
One less thing for me to worry about──I can finally move a bit more freely.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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