第１９２２堀：説明しよう！ (Part1)
Floor 1922: Allow Me to Explain!
**Allow me to explain!**
**Side: Labyris**
Right now, two screens are displayed before my eyes, split top and bottom.
The top shows a group of about thirty adventurers intercepting a horde of over five hundred monsters bearing down on the town of Uesa. The bottom shows Vilia, having slipped away from her water-gathering chore, busily making secret preparations.
"I don't know why... the battle on top should be a heroic struggle, but it looks so underwhelming compared to the bottom," I muttered involuntarily.
Hiiro, who was watching beside me, let out a giggle. "That’s because Big Sis Vili is frantically changing clothes right under the same monitor. It’s just weird!"
She was right. It was weird.
Normally, I’d stop the recording given the circumstances, but since lives are on the line and Vilia is technically vulnerable while she changes, keeping the drone's eyes on her isn't exactly a mistake. We have barriers up, but still.
"It’s that thing, right? When the serious and the ridiculous get mixed up, it becomes funny. Or maybe not 'ridiculous,' but just a total mismatch?" Dressa chimed in, sipping on a glass of juice.
A mismatch, indeed. On one side, people are putting their lives on the line in a desperate struggle; on the other, for the sake of maintaining her cover, Vilia is putting on a costume that looks like a joke at first glance. The situation was so incongruous that it was hard not to laugh.
Yet, amidst this slightly comical scene, there was one group of people looking on with absolute gravity.
"That is not true! A hero must prepare!" Firia declared.
"Exactly," Agil added. "That is the true form of a hero! One who fights to ward off threats to the people while remaining hidden from their sight!"
"Indeed," Zargis intoned. "It only seems farcical to those who do not know the mission she carries on her shoulders. No matter how strong the suit or the person inside, it means nothing without a heart that can face terror."
"You actually said something good for once," Narjia noted. "But yes, that is a hero for you."
"Precisely!" Comet exclaimed. "And for us researchers who provide the support, this is our greatest moment to shine!"
Firia, Agil, Zargis, Narjia, and Comet—the entire magical and technical research team of Weed—were watching Vilia change with dead serious expressions. Well, they were the ones who had researched heroes the most and built that suit, so I suppose it was important for them to see it in action...
"Labyris, would you like a refill on your tea? You too, Hiiro?"
"Oh, Big Sis Asu. Yes, please."
"Yes, thank you."
Before I knew it, Aslin had prepared more tea. She really is a capable girl.
"So, what kind of transformation is Vilia going through?" Aslin asked.
"She seems to be pulling it out now," I replied. "I have no idea what it is, though. It looks like... armor?"
What Vilia was pulling out looked like a rather shabby, generic set of iron plate. If anything, it was so devoid of decoration that it looked strangely smooth and featureless. I didn't think a "transforming hero" would wear something like that, but before I could voice my doubt, Wazufi—who had been staring at the screen—shouted the answer.
"That’s it! That’s the all-weather, all-range 'Nightman' that Narjia and the others were collaborating on!"
"Uh, you know about that, Wazufi?" Nairua asked her companion, unable to keep up with the sudden spike in tension.
"I don't know if it was called 'Nightman,' but I did help with the development of armor meant for hand-to-hand combat. Right, Lady Deryu?"
"Umu. We did. Though it was mostly for mimicking combat patterns and calculating durability. I spent quite a bit of time punching rocks with those gauntlets. I believe what Vilia is wearing is the same model."
"Oh, I remember that. So it’s a brawler type?"
I see. Perhaps the simplicity was for the sake of mobility in a fistfight?
As I pondered this, the developers suddenly shoved their way to the front.
"I wouldn't call you fools, but you are in the way. Move," Samantha complained.
"Mm. Don't block Vilia's big moment," Cleena added.
I felt the same way. However, the research geeks simply shifted to the side and brought up a new monitor. I wondered what they were doing, until...
"""Allow us to explain!"""
Ah, I see. They were just too excited to contain themselves. Well, I suppose it wasn't a bad thing. I needed to confirm whether the gear they’d given Vilia was dangerous or not anyway.
For context, Vilia is a beautiful girl who stands just over 150 centimeters—the kind of girl the word "cute" fits perfectly. But the figure on the screen was now a person standing nearly 190 centimeters tall, encased in full-plate armor with a closed-face helm, sprinting at incredible speed. No one would ever guess there was a young girl inside.
"By the way, what’s the difference between using a Doppelganger and that armor suit? Since the size changes anyway, isn't it basically the same as using a Doppel?" Seraria asked while watching the footage.
She had a point. Whether you use a Doppelganger to take another form or use a suit that changes your silhouette, the time and effort felt roughly the same.
"Ah, that is a valid question. In terms of time, there is little difference. However, this time, we had a specific request from Yuki," Comet began to explain.
"Part of it is cost. Creating a new Doppelganger requires not just the physical manifestation, but training for the host to get used to the new form, and education so the Doppel can act independently. You have to transfer knowledge, and most importantly, you need a separate set of living expenses and a management system for that 'person.'"
"Oh, I see. If you don't treat a Doppelganger as just a piece of equipment, the cost of living literally doubles," Seraria noted.
"Exactly as Seraria says," Comet continued. "Our Weed does not bind the free will of monsters. That applies to Doppelgangers as well. Though we do have to synchronize consciousness after an operation to keep track of what was done, their thought patterns remain similar to the original. Still, they are individuals."
That was true. Even my own Doppelgangers aren't just tools to stand in for me; I don't deny them the right to relax and live their own lives. Yuki always said that those "extras" are what make a person a person. He said if you strip all that away, eventually you stop being treated as a human being.
Incidentally, while we were resting here at the inn, our Doppelgangers were staying at a different inn we’d set up as a decoy, taking it easy. It was as if another version of us was just living a normal life. Aslin, Firia, and Hiiro often dropped by to play and hang out with them.
But moving back to the topic at hand.
"In short, the merit of this suit is that it allows for a perfect disguise and a massive performance boost without all that extra baggage."