Volume 7 Chapter 2 Interlude – ② Pape and Kram
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Pape is a Mannequin of a special sort.
That she’s a monster is beyond doubt. She’s the boss of the shallow layer of the Commercial District—the only one of her kind in the vast Commercial District dungeon.
You might think the other monsters respect a boss, but honestly? Not really.
If anything, the monsters living in the same dungeon don’t exactly consider each other allies.
Monsters often form groups to kill Sorcerers who enter the dungeon. But that’s just teamwork based on a shared goal. For that reason, even if an attack would cause significant harm to fellow monsters, they won’t hesitate to use it if it seems effective against Sorcerers. And when there are no Sorcerers around? Conflicts between monsters aren’t exactly rare. They’re just temporarily teaming up under the “enemy of my enemy” philosophy.
That said, when a monster is captured, subdued, and commanded by a Sorcerer, its way of life becomes less about monster instincts and more heavily influenced by the Sorcerer’s will.
Take Pape, for example. Back when she was waiting to be tamed as a Torso—well, let’s just say she was the lazy sort, perfectly content to stay motionless for hours, days, even weeks at a time. But now? She’s evolved—or something—into a Mannequin who considers it her highest duty to clean every nook and cranny every single day and spend her time in a spotless room wearing immaculate clothes.
Ever since Master Minoru tamed her, she’s been influenced by her senior monsters—who display all sorts of un-monster-like camaraderie and ambition—and she’s challenged herself with all kinds of new things. After all, Hinoki had personally bestowed this power upon her. She was expected to live up to that. She couldn’t just coast along on Hinoki’s strength, living as a half-baked monster without a care in the world—that would only disappoint Master.
Fortunately, by changing her outfit, Pape could handle most tasks at an average level.
To become a monster who could always provide the little things that were needed, she’d been trying her hand at all sorts of roles.
The days Pape was busiest were the ones when the overnight guests were away.
Today was exactly that kind of day—the kind where Pape felt her existence had the most meaning.
She handled the morning meal prep, the dishwashing, and all the other chores the overnight guests would usually take care of.
Her first goal was to become the monster who served her master best not in combat, but in daily life. So far, that goal was accomplished.
Master Minoru had said he had business in the main house today. He’d left the annex just a little while ago.
Pape saw him off as she hung the laundry, then came back to the dwelling.
Inside the water tank, Clam was being scolded by Tempura.
She had been caught secretly reading Master’s manga instead of doing her sorcery training. She wouldn’t get in trouble if she just finished her training first—but somehow, she always waited until she was caught. From Pape’s point of view, Clam’s behavior didn’t make sense.
Hinoki also looked at Master’s books and videos from time to time. Pape figured Clam was just imitating Hinoki’s behavior.
Monsters couldn’t read, so the idea of gathering information from books simply didn’t occur to them. Neither did the notion of learning about human movement from videos. If they had that kind of time, they’d train their own sorcery. After all, what was expected of them was to master their own abilities.
Clam, though still young, had interests that set her apart from other monsters. Rather than fixating on her master’s orders, she was fascinated by written information. Tempura was always scolding her now, but Pape had a feeling that once Clam learned to prioritize things properly, she might grow into a great monster like Hinoki.
Lately, Pape had actually started imitating Clam.
She figured being able to read would be useful in all sorts of ways. What began as monkey-see-monkey-do had proven valuable for learning homemaking knowledge, and she was now actively studying.
She’d once considered learning sign language to become an interpreter for the other monsters in place of Hinoki. But on second thought, she realized she’d need Master to understand sign language too, so she dropped the idea. The last thing she wanted was to burden Master. The arrival of Lady Asunaro as a second interpreter was another factor that lowered the necessity of Pape taking on that role.
”Pape, you know so many different string tricks—and you’re so good at them! That’s amazing~”
”Thank you.”
The scolding had ended. Pape was playing cat’s cradle with Clam, who had transformed into human form and fled the water tank, when Clam suddenly said that.
Manipulating a single string to create the desired shape. Cat’s cradle was often used as an analogy for Sorcerers converting Mana into different attributes and activating their spells. Pape had a wide variety of sorceries at her disposal, so she regularly practiced activating different ones to keep from forgetting how.
Clam, on the other hand. She, like Pape, had received a fragment of Hinoki’s power.
But she was the type who competed not on the variety of spells, but on the perfection of each one.
If she could make others mistake her for the master—for Master—that would be a big advantage. When she created an opening against Shadow the other day, she could make many illusions at once. Clam, who had only been a monster for half a year, was getting stronger. Pape, who had been a monster ten times longer, couldn’t afford to fall behind.
She’d even been picking up new cat’s cradle techniques from books.
Pape felt a little better after showing Clam a new trick and receiving her praise.
And then Clam asked her a question.
”Hey, Pape. What do you think of Master?”
”Master is the one we should prioritize above all else.”
”That’s not what I mean. Like, do you like Master? Or not?”
”Master is absolute—end of discussion. Having feelings of like or dislike is disrespectful.”
”Dis… respect…?”
”To even think in terms of like or dislike—that’s presumptuous. Master is someone to be respected.”
”Hmm…”
Clam tilted her head, thinking.
”I think respect and like or dislike are different things, though.”
”You think so? To me, they’re the same.”
”Oh, I see…”
Clam answered with a face that clearly said she didn’t believe it.
Did this young monster before her hold feelings toward Master beyond respect—a sense of like and dislike?
”Clam… do you like Master?”
”I like them. I respect them too, of course. But more than that… I want to be eaten.”
”Yourself?”
”Not directly—like, I want Master to eat food I’ve made with broth, and be happy. If they say they want to eat it every day, if they say it’s delicious… I’d be so happy.”
”I see.”
Clam was a Clam Wife.
Rather than thinking of herself as a servant serving her master, maybe she was more influenced by her original nature as a monster.
”If that’s what you mean, then I have my own thoughts too.”
”Pape does too?”
”My goal is to become perfectly capable of taking care of Master. If I could be officially appointed as butler, that would be my greatest joy.”
”You really like taking care of people, don’t you? Is that what Mannequin monsters are like?”
Clam’s observation made Pape start.
Her nature as a monster was to be a fashion leader. When Master praised her coordination, she was happy. When Master wore clothes she recommended, she was happy. When Master looked cool, she was happy. In other words, she was supposed to have nothing but passion for clothing.
But a Mannequin monster wanting to take care of every aspect of daily life—that was clearly abnormal, a deviation from the norm.
So where did this way of thinking come from?
”Mannequins are about dressing up. Taking care of clothing is instinct. This desire to become a butler must come from something else.”
”Huh. Something else? Like what?”
”It must be…”
There was only one thing she could think of.
”Hinoki-sama.”
”Hinoki-sama?”
”I must have become fond of taking care of others under the influence of Hinoki-sama’s power within me. Isn’t it the same for you, Clam?”
Both Pape and Clam had received fragments of Hinoki’s power.
Due to Hinoki’s nature, Pape had become fond of care through clothing, and Clam had become fond of care through food. Could it be that her desire to dedicate herself through meals had grown stronger too?
”I don’t know what a normal Clam Wife is like. I became this way because of Hinoki-sama’s power.”
”Hmph.”
Pape had heard how Clam became a monster. Having been under Hinoki’s power from the very moment she became a Clam Wife, it would indeed be difficult for her to judge her own thoughts.
”I wonder how we could check…?”
”A way to check…”
For a while, the two of them twisted their heads in thought as they played cat’s cradle.
In the end, no particularly good ideas came to mind for how to address Clam’s situation. If they took away Hinoki’s power and turned Clam back into an ordinary clam, that would be disastrous.
That left learning from other monsters.
”How about asking someone in a similar situation?”
”Similar situation?”
”There’s another monster who received Hinoki-sama’s power, isn’t there?”
”…Lady Asunaro?”
Pape nodded in answer to Clam’s question.
”Lady Asunaro has lived with Hinoki-sama’s power fragment far longer than either of us. She should be well-versed in what kind of influence Hinoki-sama’s power has. It would be worth asking.”
”I see. But if that’s the case, couldn’t we just ask Hinoki-sama directly?”
”Hinoki-sama can be shy and contrary. If we said something like ‘we’ve come to care for Master because of your influence,’ they’d probably dodge the question. Better to ask Lady Asunaro first.”
”Hmm… I think they’d tell us, though… But if Pape says so, okay!”
Clam finished the cat’s cradle game and stood up.
”Pape, let’s go!”
”Go? Where?”
”To Lady Asunaro’s!”
”Do you even know where Lady Asunaro is? And even if you did, we can’t leave the grounds without permission.”
”Hehe~♡ Lady Asunaro is in the main house right now. I can tell!”
”Really?”
Clam took Pape’s hand and pulled her to her feet. She kept pushing Pape along, trying to get out of the annex.
”Wait, wait. When we leave the annex, doesn’t Lady Tempura need to come with us?”
”Tempura-san is holed up with Kaname-chan. It’d be rude to bother them. Master said it’s fine as long as we’re with Pape when Tempura-san isn’t around. No problem.”
”Hmm. If that’s the case, I suppose it’s fine…”
Indeed, Pape and Clam together were allowed to play on the grounds. Asking Lady Asunaro a question in the main house shouldn’t be a problem.
Pape changed into a spring outfit in an instant.
”Pape, you look so cool~”
”I’d like Master to wear clothes like these, but… I just can’t get them to agree.”
”That’s too bad~”
Clam opened the annex door from beside Pape’s changed form and dashed outside.
Pape stepped out through the still-open door, then closed it firmly behind her.
—
Summary:
Pape and Clam discuss their feelings toward Master while playing cat’s cradle, revealing how Hinoki-sama’s power fragments influenced their caregiving instincts. Clam admits she wants Master to eat her cooking, while Pape aspires to become a butler. They decide to seek answers from Lady Asunaro about whether their changed natures come from Hinoki-sama’s influence, and depart together for the main house.
—
Trivia:
Pape was originally a lazy Torso who could stay motionless for weeks before being tamed by Master Minoru.
Monsters in the dungeon cooperate only under the “enemy of my enemy” philosophy and will harm each other if it helps eliminate Sorcerers.
Hinoki-sama’s power fragments influence monsters differently based on their nature—Pape through clothing, Clam through food.
Pape’s desire to become a butler is a deviation from her natural Mannequin instinct, which is solely about fashion and dressing up.
Clam has been a monster for only half a year, while Pape’s monster history is ten times longer.
Monsters cannot read, which is why Pape and Clam’s interest in books and written information sets them apart.
Asunaro has lived with Hinoki-sama’s power fragment far longer than Pape or Clam and serves as a second interpreter.
Pape once considered learning sign language to become an interpreter but abandoned the idea because Master would need to understand it too.
Clam can sense that Lady Asunaro is currently in the main house.
Pape and Clam are allowed to play on the grounds together without Tempura’s supervision.
Notes:
• Mannequin – A newly subdued Aberration that can shift between a doll-like figure and a life-sized mannequin, capable of using defensive abilities.
• Pape – A dedicated mannequin Aberration with a blank face, this shape-shifting butler and Strong-Females member is a loyal ally deeply devoted to its master. It flawlessly handles chores, tricks, and games, becoming invincible when motionless. It uses attire-based magic and creates illusions or decoys—even mimicking Shoji’s appearance to confuse Risa in combat—to perfectly assist others.
• M – A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• S – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• T – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• N – A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• A – A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R’s high school squad.
• B – A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S’s group.
• Hinoki – This non-binary, ancient spirit shares a consciousness with Minoru and manifests as a 30cm metallic white centipede. Speaking in a blunt, warm Northern dialect, this former field leader maintains a playful, teasing bond with the protagonist. They wield fire and lightning, command insects, and possess the ability to shrink to enter and cleanse other beings, though their true form remains separated.
• Minoru – Minoru Tatemiya, a lean, black-haired student and reincarnated mob protagonist, serves as the analytical, pragmatic narrator who secretly rules the 5th District as a Demon Lord. A skilled tactician using shockwave and spatial magic alongside command of snow flies, he ruthlessly protects his group. He manages his estate while mentoring allies like Mai, Mitsuki, and Risa while hosting Hinoki.
• Tempura – A crayfish-sized, shrimp-like Aberration residing in a water tank, this sharp-tongued, comedic Phantom demands high-grade feed. Captured a decade ago, they are Minoru’s loyal subordinate and offensive partner, channeling destructive shockwaves in combat. Now an instructor attending household meetings, they train Clams, mentor newcomers, and assist in caring for other creatures.
• Clam – Evolving from a clam via a stone, this newborn Aberration is a sorcerer specializing in Bewilderment magic. Taking a large mollusk form or a toddler guise with limited speech, this unique Phantom serves as a communication intermediary for water tank entities. Though she often questions others’ abilities, she was educated by Tempura, is deeply attached to Asari, and gets drunk on carbonated drinks.
• R – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has successfully built a squad and added multiple girls, including M and A, into his group.
• Asunaro – An entity serving as a daughter-like protector of Hinoki’s power for over a thousand years. Once a distinct being, she now acts as a medium for that power, currently residing within Risa. With her own consciousness faded, she influences Risa’s ability to understand Hinoki’s speech, bridging the connection between them.
• Shadow – A parasitic entity originating from a jewel as the collective will of past Yukizuki heads, it sought to exploit Hinoki’s power by possessing hosts like Risa and her mother. Responsible for the Oboroka sorcery, this malicious force suppresses its victims’ souls and shows no regard for their well-being. It was ultimately thwarted and expelled from both hosts after failing to create a divine sorcerer.
• Kaname – A catfish-like earth Aberration and off-screen party ally, this high-and-mighty being resides in Minoru’s shadow. Affectionately called “-chan” by Hinoki and others, it belongs to the “Strong-Females” group. It demands high-grade feed, acts as an anti-lightning countermeasure, and uses earth magic to manipulate material consistency, tightening rock to strategically pin enemy limbs to the ground.
• K – A student from East Middle who followed N to National High School out of care, successfully remaining pure through N’s protection until a misunderstanding involving Anonymous Student 0008 led to her capitulation.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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