When I woke up in the morning, Mineha was there, and she flicked me on the forehead, calling me a sleepyhead.
We ate breakfast together.
While we ate, I heard about how worried everyone had been.
I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused.
I also learned that the Kuun Hunt headquarters had been attacked and left half-destroyed.
When Mineha heard it was the witches' doing, she gave a wry smile.
She told me that during these four days, while they worried over me as I slept on, the investigation into the commission had also progressed.
Apparently, they were close to making contact with the chimera subspecies.
Also, the day after I was nearly kidnapped, she had taken a day off from the investigation for my sake.
I'm truly sorry.
Juishii, Rel, Axe, and Hoss had come yesterday.
This morning's mixed-meat soup was one of Hoss's batch-cooked meals. Delicious.
Juishii said she comes every day, but couldn't make it today because she had work at home.
Sorry for breaking my promise about archery practice.
"Still, I can believe it happening to me, but for you to nearly get kidnapped…"
"Ha ha… yeah, I know."
"And by the 'Ruin Breaker,' no less. So what are you going to do from here?"
"I'll be staying at the witches' place for a while."
"Is that so…"
This place isn't safe either. There's a chance Alverd could attack.
At least at the witch's house, we'd be able to respond even if we were assaulted.
"Sorry. Could I leave the house to you?"
"Sure."
"And Dagaa too, please."
"Right."
"Nah?"
"Wait. Don't just casually ignore me."
"...Sorry. Same deal as this one."
"Geez, honestly."
"Hey!?"
Mineha-san looks at me. She stares, clearly wanting to say something.
"You. Get stronger, okay?"
"Yes."
Right after breakfast ended and I finished packing, my ride arrived.
In place of the witch, the one who showed up to escort me was Munieka-san.
Same as always — the standard black-and-white maid outfit, without a single wrinkle.
Combined with her strikingly beautiful features, the overall picture was nothing short of perfect.
"Shall we be going, then?"
"I'm counting on you."
We headed toward the witch's house.
"Well, don't worry. That prideful man will never attack you again."
"Do you know him?"
"We're only acquainted as fellow First-Class delvers. Master."
Muñieka is a First-Class delver called an "Auto Doll"—wait, hold on!?
I looked around.
Countless men were staring at Muñieka, but she hadn't been recognized.
"Wh-what-what is that—'Master'!?"
"I am a maid."
"Is— is that so?"
"Why do you sound so doubtful? From any angle you look at it, I am a maid."
"...On the outside, maybe."
"On the inside as well."
She flashed her silver eyes at me. She's an Edda, so her eyes are supposed to be purple.
But she had changed their color with her Legendary skill.
Apparently, there's something problematic about an Edda—who are invariably nobles—working as a maid.
For the record, there is an Edda who works as a sister at an orphanage.
But since she kept her purple eyes, it apparently wasn't an issue.
Or maybe they just don't like the fact that Muñieka is an Edda working as a maid.
"...So, why do you call me... 'master' and all that?"
"At first I thought about calling you 'young master,' but somehow it didn't feel right. And truthfully, 'master' came in second for what felt natural."
"Second place? What's first?"
"'Husband.'"
"Absolutely not."
"Understood."
My head started to hurt. Even so, though.
"You called Leold by his name normally, didn't you?"
"That just felt the most natural."
I could see why. I use bare names too.
"Oh, by the way—what about Leold's guard duty? Is that taken care of?"
"Yes. Yesterday I sent a massive contract termination over to Kuun Hunt's headquarters."
"...Ahaha..."
"I won't tolerate despicable acts. But Leold seems to have known nothing about it."
"Alverd did say it was a designated request, after all."
"There are quite a few things about Alverd's behavior that bother me. For him, this attempted kidnapping was awfully sloppy and spontaneous—there's a lot about it that doesn't fit."
"—Now that you mention it, it doesn't really add up, does it."
I was curious about that too.
Alverd von Rutebelt.
It stung, but as the losing party, I had to admit—
Was he really the clan master of Kuun Hunt?
It was frustrating, but he was... ugh, I didn't want to give him credit, but he was close to perfect.
He was the same type as Munieka.
That was probably why she had felt that sense of unease.
"By the way, Master."
"Y-yes."
I still wasn't used to that.
"I've heard from the witch that you possess an auto-type Relic."
"Yes. I do."
"I've also heard it's an unconscious-type."
"Yes. It's hard to control."
"Yes, [Silent Move] — I myself used to possess one."
"Wait, really?"
She did too? Hang on, but she'd said it in past tense.
"Yes. It has since evolved into [Auto Move]."
"...[Auto Move]... evolved...?"
"[Auto Move] is not an unconscious-type."
"What!?"
My eyes went wide.
In other words, there was a chance that my [Silent Move] could do the same.
Munieka pressed a finger to her crimson-stained lips and let a faint smile cross her face.
"You said you wished to become stronger, Master. If it pleases you, I would be happy to assist."
"T-thank you. I appreciate it."
"As you wish, Master."
My face flushed from the unfamiliar exchange. Munieka let out a soft giggle.
...I wasn't being toyed with, was I?
The witch's house.
I'd assumed the witch would be there, but she was out.
There was luggage in the living room — though it was just a single backpack. I set it down and headed to the courtyard.
Munieka was already waiting there.
Hm? There was something... floating... a white sphere?
"Very well, Master. Allow me to explain the curriculum. First, every day, you will use [Silent Move] a minimum of ten times."
"Ten times!?"
"Yes. You will be fighting against—"
Munieka snapped her fingers, and the side of the floating white sphere glowed red.
A blue minotaur appeared.
"!? A Minos Unit!?"
"As expected of Master. You are quite perceptive."
"That sphere... it can't be... infinite replication... a Core System?"
"Indeed. I commissioned it from Lord Hiyarn — that is, the Perverted Rabbit. It is a limited-replication Core System for Minos Dolls."
"Minos Doll?"
"Yes. This is just a sample. The real ones are—"
She snapped her fingers with a sharp crack. The blue minotaur vanished, and what appeared next was a maid.
"…Um."
A woman with snow-white skin, long golden hair, and a face that resembled Munieka.
She had blue bull horns and wore the same black-and-white maid outfit as Munieka.
"This is a Minos Doll. I served as the base model."
"…Did Hiyarn commission this?"
"No. I gave all the instructions myself."
"Will it… fight?"
"Of course. Minos Dolls range in strength from standard Minos Units to the newest models, and even the older-style Minos Guardians. In terms of monster threat level, that puts them at the upper end of Silver tier. The newest Minos Guardian model falls into Gold tier."
"…Upper Silver tier."
"There is no need to be surprised. The Alveld that my master intends to subdue is equivalent to upper Gold tier under normal circumstances, when measured by monster threat level."
"I'm not planning to subdue it."
That thing is a monster.
It's that strong? I'd steeled myself, but was it really that strong?
Wait.
"Under normal circumstances?"
"If it were serious, I believe it would reach mid-Gem tier."
"…That's not even human anymore."
"So it would seem."
So that's what I'm trying to win against.
No. I'm going to win. Right. Maybe Muneika-san knows something about this.
"Um, Muneika-san. There's something that's really been bugging me."
"What is it?"
"Averld told me that my Relic and his Relic are the same type, and that mine probably forms something but I'm not using it visually and I'm not calling its name... or something like that."
"That sounds like a riddle."
"I thought so too. It's frustrating, but I think... that's probably a hint."
My Relic, Banish, was neutralized by his Crush, but he didn't do anything special. He just chanted, and that alone was enough to erase Banish.
If they're the same type, I should be able to do the same thing.
And if I can't master that, I don't think I'll be able to stand on the same stage as Averld.
In other words, if I don't decipher this hint and master it, I can't beat him.
So I'm absolutely going to figure it out and master it.
To fight him, and win!