Phantasm Deliverance

Divergence I

The 6th floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was a huge, densely forested area. In the center of the forest was the Amphitheater, and a few minutes of flying away from that was the Gigantic Tree.

The 6th floor was mostly designed by Blue Planet, with a lot of assistance from Bukubukuchagama and some assistance from Lumière. Blue Planet had a deep fascination and love for fantasy wilderness. He was a warm and gentle giant who meticulously planned out every aspect of the 6th floor so it could be a forest fantasy come to life.

It was a demanding task and required a lot of farming. Lumière did not have much say in how the floor was created—she was given the hidden tower to create—but she so adored Bukubukuchagama and Blue Planet, so she helped them farm.

By consequence, Lumière was as familiar with the 6th floor as she was with her hidden tower. She also knew Aura and Mare's stats and flavor texts as well as she knew Jack's and Cheshire's because of how close she was to Bukubukuchagama.

It would not be an overstatement for Lumière to call Bukubukuchagama her best friend.

It didn't matter that Bukubukuchagama stopped playing. They did not have such a fragile friendship that the two needed to be in constant contact with one another. No matter the distance, nor the time spent apart, the two remained close.

Lumière loved her, really. She wished Bukubukuchagama nothing but happiness. She could still remember the day Bukubukuchagama announced she got into Oxford. Lumière was so elated for her that her heart monitor spiked an alert and a doctor had to come to check on her.

The Gigantic Tree was over twenty meters in height and hollowed on the inside. It had three floors connected with a spiral staircase in the core. The first floor had utility—kitchen, bathroom, studies, etc—with the second floor designated as Aura and Mare's living quarters. The third floor was intended as a guest room, but in truth Lumière and Bukubukuchagama frequently used it to privately gossip about otome games and shoujo anime. Sometimes Ankoro Mocchi Mochi and Yamaiko would join them and the four would stay up throughout the entire night gushing over whatever their latest hyper fixation was.

Lumière admired the girls in the guild, but she had to admit she had a very special spot for Bukubukuchagama.

Ankoro Mocchi Mochi had a passion for convincing other players (primarily men) to farm for her, and Yamaiko constantly reprimanded Ankoro Mocchi Mochi for it. The two would bicker anytime it was brought up which made it hard for the four of them to hang out.

Unless a new anime dropped that all four of them liked.

Still, Lumière spent a huge portion of her time with Bukubukuchagama. It was Bukubukuchagama that she met in the early levels, and the two leveled up from 2 to 100 together.

It was her love of Bukubukuchagama that carried over into her love for Aura and Mare.

While Bukubukuchagama did not birth Aura and Mare, Lumière was at Bukubukuchagama's side the entire time her friend crafted them. From the long nights of sketching concept art; to the even longer nights of farming dark elves to harvest their hearts; spending all her reroll points not on upgrades for herself, but for rare ingredients, she could use for Aura and Mare.

Bukubukuchagama dedicated months of hard work into their creation. She adored them.

It took a lot for Bukubukuchagama to leave YGGDRASIL, and it broke her heart. She had to give up a lot of her current happiness to pursue a life-long dream.

Lumière could never begrudge Bukubukuchagama for her choice.

While she did wish Bukubukuchagama could be with her, Lumière thought that at the very least she was happy she got to have Aura and Mare.