One of the guest rooms on the second floor of the witch's house was now Munieca's room.
Munieca Eldorado. First-class delver, "Auto Doll."
She led a maid squad of eight Minos units.
Golden short hair.
Slender brows above sharp, piercing blue eyes.
A face too perfectly refined to be real.
She wore a black-and-white maid outfit without a single crease.
Tall. And an incredible figure.
Even through the loose maid outfit, the curve of her chest was unmistakable.
She had the most alluring body a woman could possibly have.
Her icy beauty and bearing made her look like an exquisitely crafted doll.
She possessed only Auto-type Relics.
Combined with her appearance, she earned the title "Auto Doll."
Her race was Edda, but she changed her eye color with a hair accessory.
And for some reason, she was my maid. For some reason.
"Master. Welcome back."
"I'm home, Munieca."
When I said I had something to discuss, she pulled me into her room.
This was only the second time the two of us had been alone in this room.
I was made to sit on her bed.
"How was the dungeon?"
"A lot happened."
Really, last time was the same, but this time was even more eventful.
Ah, right. The majority of my past-life memories preferred vegetables piled high, light on fat, average flavor, firm noodles.
But last time's was vegetables piled high, normal oil, rich flavor, firm noodles.
And this time's was vegetables piled high, fat piled high, rich flavor, extra-firm noodles.
This was a preference held by a tiny minority of my past-life memories — or rather, only one of them actually liked it that way.
In other words, it was that intense.
Especially "Death Abstract" — without Reivorm, I couldn't have won.
Even if we'd all gone at it full force, I don't think we could have won.
That thing's very premise was different. What "fighting" even meant was different.
A materialization of negative energy, with death as its core. In other words, something like fighting death itself.
To put it in terms from my past life, the Grim Reaper.
There's no way you could win against something like that. That's why it was sealed away.
It's complicated, but I'm grateful to Alverd von Lautbert.
Munieca bowed her head to me.
"The fact that Master has returned safely is all that matters to me."
"Thank you. Actually, there's something I'd like to give you, Munieca."
"The bracelet?"
"Huh, you didn't know?"
"Of course. Shardina and the others go on about it every day."
"Ah... uh..."
I was at a loss for words.
Munieca continued with a sour look on her otherwise blank face.
"They don't brag about it directly, technically. But there's no rule against it, so they all wear their bracelets at all times, and whenever they have a spare moment during work, they just sit there gazing at them. As if they'd received something precious from someone they love. Even Shardina — even she looks at hers with this soft, almost bashful expression. So please consider how those of us who don't have one of our own — me being their leader and all — must feel. Master."
"I-I'm sorry. I really am."
Feeling awful, I apologized. I nearly did a Soil Under the Altar right then and there.
I honestly never expected them to cherish it that much.
I'm happy they feel that way, really, but... well, I feel terrible toward Munieca.
If she wants, I'll do a Soil Under the Altar right now.
That's why I've been ignoring her "Master" bit.
"So then, Master. Might I receive one as well?"
"Y-yes. Of course. I have one. I made sure to set aside a bracelet for Munieca too. It's a token of my daily gratitude."
I pulled a bracelet from my pouch.
Her hand reached out naturally. I took her hand and slipped the bracelet on.
Not gold, but platinum — and rather than a purple gem, this one held a blue-violet stone.
"So this is my bracelet?"
"Yes. The band's color generally matches the recipient's hair color. Your hair is gold, but yours is a gold that's close to silver. So I went with platinum."
"I see. And the blue-violet gem is...?"
"Purple for Edda and blue for my maid."
"I'm so happy. Truly... thank you so much, Master."
Munieka was gazing at the bracelet.
I had one more thing for her. I wasn't sure if it could even be called a gift, but it was something I wanted to hand over.
Even now, I still wasn't sure if I'd done the right thing bringing it.
But I'd already brought it. So I might as well hand it over the way I'd planned from the start.
"Actually, Munieka, I have one more thing to give you."
"Something besides the bracelet?"
"Yes. This was... found in the dungeon's ruins."
"Ruins?"
Munieka tilted her head, looking puzzled. I pulled a small wooden box from my pouch.
My hands were trembling a little. I handed the box to Munieka.
She took it without hesitation and asked if she could open it.
I nodded, she opened it, and then froze.
"Munieka?"
"Master... where did you get this?"
I told her everything.
About the ruins.
About the seal of the Death Abstract. About defeating it.
And about her—the part of the story I hadn't yet told Arance.
'Runierika = Eldorado'
Munieka listened in silence.
When I finished speaking, Munieka suddenly reached into her chest and pulled something out.
"Th-this is..."
It was a silver pocket watch on a chain. Exactly the same one.
"It's been passed down through the women of the Eldorado family for generations. My grandmother passed it to me. It's the same one an ancestor from ages ago gave to her mother as a birthday present."
"..."
The card said 'Happy birthday. From your daughter.'
So she had the same pocket watch as her mother.
"I never imagined we'd meet again like this."
Munieka gently cradled both pocket watches close, as though they were precious beyond words.
"I think so too."
I was glad I'd brought it. Some part of me relaxed.
Munieka took off the pocket watch hanging around her neck—not the one she'd been holding in her hands.
And she actually held it out to me.
"Please, take this one, sir."
"W-what? But that belongs to the Eldorado family—"
"Yes. It's something precious to me. Very, very precious."
"Then why would you—"
"And besides... I've been thinking it would be a shame to separate these two pocket watches again after they found each other by such a miracle, wouldn't you agree?"
"Of course. Yes. Why"
And yet why to me?
"———According to legend, this pocket watch was a present from a daughter who once worried about her mother. She believed that by both having the same item, their hearts would remain connected even when they were apart. But the result was..."
"That's..."
It hit me hard. I know it couldn't be helped, but I was the one who killed her.
I looked down. But then Mounieca said something I never expected.
"But my lord, you saved her."
"W-what? No, I... I killed her."
"No. You saved her. She was a researcher, but she had become part of a monster and had been sealed away for who knows how long. If she had been set loose upon the world, death would have spread everywhere. That was something she... Runierica never would have wished for. My lord. No— Wof, you saved her heart. On behalf of the Eldorado family, thank you."
Mounieca bowed deeply and gracefully.
I... felt a little bit saved hearing her words.
"My lord. I too have been thinking of you, and I believe that even if we're far apart, our hearts remain connected. Please allow me to give you this pocket watch. With gratitude and all my heart—from Mounieca Eldorado."
She smiled softly.
"...All right. I'll accept it."
After hearing all of that and seeing that smile, I couldn't possibly refuse.
I stood up and took the pocket watch in my hand.
"Don't just keep it tucked away—use it every day."
"Y-yes."
The pocket watch I had received was still lukewarm.
I suddenly realized Mounieca's face was close. Our noses were nearly touching.
"And this is my thank-you for the bracelet."
Whispering that, she kissed my... not my lips — my forehead.
I felt like she'd hesitated for just a split second. But, um… that was long. Wasn't it long?
I stared at the two swells drooping right in front of my face, draped in their fabric, and thought.
Mounieca didn't move, her lips still pressed to my forehead.
"Mwah. I really wanted to do it here, but I'll settle for this."
Saying that, she lightly tapped a finger to my lips and pulled away.
I boiled over.