"The selection is quite good. I like it."
"Thank you very much. Please come again."
Meteora turned around, modeling her new outfit. The clothing that met her exacting standards was found surprisingly close by: the same cosplay shop where Ren had previously bought Mei's maid uniform. The shop was run solely by a female owner and they had utilized it several times since.
Although it sold maid outfits, the shop carried non-character costumes as well; essentially, any non-everyday attire was categorized as cosplay. The owner paid close attention to design and tailoring, making the prices a bit high, but the clothes genuinely suited beautiful girls like Mei and Iris. The Dark Elf Princess, Meteora, wearing a frilly white Lolita-style dress, was undeniably adorable.
The contrast between her dark skin and the white garment was striking. Her naturally refined mannerisms made her truly look like a princess when wearing a dress like this.
"But this is a little surprising. I thought Elves and Dark Elves preferred clothes that were easier to move in," Ren commented.
The girl shrugged. "Well, that's true," she conceded.
"Royalty doesn't constantly run around the forest. When necessary, we just change outfits."
"Right. You're a princess, after all."
"I'm unhappy about the lack of a maid, but I suppose I can tolerate that."
Though Ren had helped her change this time, Meteora seemed capable of dressing herself. She mentioned that one couldn't fulfill one's role during hunting or combat if they couldn't take care of themselves.
Ren purchased a few other outfits the Princess liked. Putting the price aside, Ren also bought several sets of underwear. The surprisingly shrewd proprietress seized the opportunity to pitch a custom-order service to Meteora. Since she offered a discount for being a regular customer, it wasn't a bad deal.
"Now, Ren. Let's go home. You must escort me properly."
"Understood, Your Highness. Then, please allow me."
Ren stored the shopping bags in her storage, scooped the girl up in a princess carry, and soared into the sky. Flying meant the trip home wouldn't take long.
"This isn't bad at all. When I use my own magic, I'm too busy controlling the flight to take a leisurely look at the scenery."
"I'm glad to hear that. Flying is free, so just ask anytime."
"Yes. After all, you have a duty to keep me in good humor."
The Princess seemed to be in high spirits. Her way of addressing Ren had even changed from "you" (お前omae) to "you" (あなたanata), suggesting she had warmed up a little.
After gazing down at the city for a while, she mused:
"But it's strange. Judging by that shop, setting aside the skill, the culture seems quite similar to my world."
"Ah. The clothes in that shop are considered specialized in our eyes. People don't usually wear things like that," Ren explained.
"Is that so?"
Ren's everyday life was fantasy to Meteora, and vice versa.
"Then, what is Ren's hometown like?"
"Hmm... A common description would be a place where 'steel and gear horses' run on the roads, and flying vehicles soar without using magic, I guess."
"Steel horses? Flying without magic? What are you talking about? If something like that attacked us, I don't think we could win."
"Don't worry. Only a small number of people are summoned from our world once a year."
After Ren briefly explained their circumstances during the flight, the girl was silent for a while before saying, "I see."
"You all are going through hardships, too."
"Yeah. That's why we'd like to go back home, if possible."
"Home, you say."
Meteora gazed at the sky—at the darkness that severed the worlds.
"If the world I was in was destroyed, I wonder what year and month that happened."
-----------------
Meteora's world—which was likely the same as this world before it was destroyed—seemed to have been one where humans and demons constantly clashed.
Humans and Elves were on the side of the people.
Dark Elves and Succubi belonged to the side of the demons.
The conflict had recently intensified, triggered by the enthronement of the being who ruled the demonic faction—the Demon Lord. Demons valued chaos and rejoiced in destruction. The previous Demon Lord had been relatively moderate, acknowledging the existence of humans, believing that "creation is necessary before destruction." However, the new Demon Lord sought unlimited destruction.
Since human influence had expanded during the long stalemate, the demonic faction welcomed the new Demon Lord's policy. Meteora's clan was among them.
"We didn't exactly wish for the destruction of the world itself. Dark Elves merely wanted to destroy order and stand above humans, adhering to the principle of the survival of the fittest."
Most of them probably never thought they could truly exterminate the human faction. Meteora had heard rumors that the Demon Lord was planning the advent of the Evil God, but she hadn't believed it would succeed.
"The history of conflict between humans and demons is long. I thought this time would also end in a stalemate, with a hero emerging from the human side. That's what I thought."
"But that wasn't the case?" Ren asked.
"Probably not. I don't think history changed drastically just because I destroyed one Elf settlement."
The accumulation of small victories must have gradually threatened the human faction. There was no knowing how long it took for the world to be destroyed. It might have taken decades, or even a century.
"But still, it must have been during my lifetime. Since the world's memory, or whatever you call it, retains the details."
Dark Elves have long lifespans. Ren wondered what this girl had felt when she realized the world was truly going to be destroyed.
"Even if you tell me the world would have been destroyed if things continued as they were, I honestly can't grasp the reality of it. Even though I know your conjecture is probably not far off."
They recorded the girl's account and decided to give it to the Sage. Ren wondered how useful information about the world before its destruction would be for dungeon conquest, but the Sage would surely come up with some idea.
"Mii-chan, since you survived like this, let's live a long life, okay?" Fūri said.
"Yes. I suppose I will... wait, what is this 'Mii-chan'?"
"Huh? Meteora-chan is long, so Mii-chan. Is that bad?"
Fūri tilted her head and asked. Ren thought it was cute, but the Princess gave her a subtle look of displeasure and whispered, "What is up with this child?"
"Ah, Fūri is a bit mischievous. But she just wants to be friends, and I don't think she means any harm."
"I can tell that much... But we are, in a sense, enemies, or rivals, aren't we? It throws me off balance when you approach me like that."
"Why think of it as enemies or rivals? We like the same person, so let's be friends. Okay?" Fūri insisted.
"Is that how it works...? Wait, I only decided to marry Ren due to custom; it's not because I like her!" Meteora exclaimed.
"Yes, yes, Tsundere, Tsundere," Fūri teased.
"Stop using words I don't know!" Meteora demanded.
It seemed that even with the translation function, conveying concepts the other party didn't know was difficult.
"By the way, Ren-sama, Meteora-sama. Since Meteora-sama is currently conversing with us through translation, I presume," Mariabelle began.
"Yes," Ren replied.
"Yes," Meteora affirmed.
"If Meteora-sama were to accompany us into the dungeon, would communication still be impossible? ...And if we were to go to the 35th Floor again, would Meteora-sama be present there?" Mariabelle asked.
"..." Ren was thoughtful.
Ren had considered this. If the dungeon's obstacles were automatically generated each time they used it, like an Instance Dungeon in an MMORPG, there was a possibility that if they challenged it again, Meteora would simply be there, and they might even be able to capture her again if they tried hard enough. The proliferation of Unique NPCs. If that happened, it would be too much like a game. While he couldn't rule it out entirely:
"I don't think Meteora will appear on the 35th Floor again. At least not on the 35th Floor we are going to," Ren said.
Even from a game design perspective, the flag for "bringing Meteora back" has been set. For Meteora to appear in the dungeon in this state would be a sign of poor craftsmanship, so to speak.
The girl herself sighed at this.
"I suppose so. ...In fact, it would be troubling if that weren't the case. At worst, I might end up talking to myself."
"You might lose your self-identity and go insane," Fūri commented.
"No, that is genuinely a serious problem," Ren said.
"Even if we Golems had individuals with identical performance, we would simply dismiss it as 'just how things are,'" Mei said.
Even so, Ren wondered if even Mei wouldn't be flustered if an individual with identical memories appeared.
"Hey, that 35th Floor is the battlefield I was on, right? Are you going again?" Meteora asked.
"We are. We can't proceed to the 36th Floor without protecting the Elf village," Ren replied.
"I see. ...So, we are the bad guys."
"We are on the side of recreating the destroyed world. It can't be helped that we side with those trying to protect it," Ren said.
For Meteora, it meant overlooking the slaughter of her subordinates. It was certainly not a pleasant feeling. Of course, Ren had no intention of taking her to that floor, but still.
Sensing Ren's inner conflict, the girl gave him a glare that said, "Don't misunderstand me."
"I didn't want the world to be destroyed either. If the Demon Lord had truly gone ahead with the summoning of the Evil God, I might have turned against him. ...Moreover, the place you are going to is merely a temporary creation, isn't it? I know there's no point in being overly emotional about it."
"But can you completely detach yourself?" Ren asked.
"It might be difficult," she admitted.
That was only natural. Ren thought for a moment and said, "We don't have to go immediately."
"We can't put it off forever, but we can delay it for about a month. In the meantime, we can tackle other floors."
"By the way, what appears on those floors?" Meteora asked.
"Goblins, Orcs, Lizardmen, and so on."
"Ah, well, that's fine then. They're too aggressive, and we don't get along."
"I don't think Dark Elves are in a position to talk about others," Iris muttered.
"Iris-chan, please be patient for a moment. I somewhat agree with you, though," Fūri whispered.
"I can hear you both over there. ...Good grief. I don't think I'll be bored here," Meteora sighed.
Ren couldn't tell if her slightly wry murmur was a good thing or a bad thing. In any case, the Princess seemed to have accepted the situation to some extent, and she looked at Ren.
"Keep me company tonight. Prepare the alcohol and snacks and wait for me."
She issued that command.
-----------------
She hadn't fallen in love with him.
Her answer to Fūri was not a lie. It had only been a few days since they met, and their first encounter was terrible. She had been defeated one-on-one by a Succubus who suddenly appeared and attacked her, and then her lips were stolen.
Yet.
That Succubus—Ren—was frustratingly strong and beautiful. The large wings symbolizing her power, the subtly seductive sway of her tail. Her eyes held an enchanting light. When close, a sweet, inoffensive scent tickled the nose. She wielded common attack magic with unbelievable power and precision, and Meteora, who should have been a formidable fighter among the Dark Elves, could barely manage to stall her.
Therefore, the incident where she was robbed of her freedom and kissed deeply and lengthily was deeply etched in her heart.
"Did you prepare the alcohol and snacks properly?"
When Meteora arrived at the room in a different dress, primarily deep blue, Ren greeted her wearing a loosely fitting room shirt with a large opening in the back. Ren's eyes widened when she saw Meteora.
"I thought you might come in your underwear since it's nighttime," Ren said.
"Of course not. I won't sell myself that cheaply. Who do you think I am?" Meteora countered.
Ren must have been expecting a nighttime visit. Despite that, everything Meteora had requested was properly prepared.
"Do you prefer fruit wine, Meteora? Besides wine, I also have sake," Ren offered.
"Sake?"
"It's rice wine. It has a refreshing taste and is quite delicious."
"Then, I suppose I'll try that, too."
Meteora stopped Ren, who was about to sit on the bed, and sat across from her at the table. The sake poured into the glass was clear, looking just like water. She had been warned that drinking it all at once, thinking it was water, would be disastrous, so she took a small sip.
"This is definitely different from wine," she remarked.
"Didn't you like it?" Ren asked.
"No, I think it's delicious. It's easy to drink because it lacks unnecessary aroma or bitterness."
"Then maybe whiskey or ale wouldn't be good for you," Ren suggested.
"I suppose so. I've tried similar things after hearing that humans and Dwarves favor them."
The snacks were cheese and dried Orc meat. It had been salted and smoked and was an excellent accompaniment to alcohol.
"How old are you? You look quite accustomed to drinking," Meteora asked.
"I'm still seventeen. If I look accustomed, it might be because my seniors have taught me a lot," Ren replied.
"Hmm. Well, human seventeen is an adult, isn't it? Changing into a Succubus after a certain level of mental maturity—that's a rare case, but it explains things."
"By the way, how old are you, Meteora?" Ren asked in return.
"You shouldn't ask a lady her age."
She admonished Ren half-jokingly, but Meteora wasn't terribly old either. She was young for a Dark Elf. Considering they were both long-lived races, the difference in age could be called negligible.
"...It's not bad to have someone to drink with," Meteora admitted.
"Um, so until now?" Ren prompted.
"I hardly had any equal peers. Furthermore, drinking alcohol is like showing a weakness."
This was enemy territory. Considering that, relaxing her guard shouldn't be a good idea, yet she was somehow certain that Ren and the others wouldn't harm her. Despite already possessing near-heroic strength, Ren was too kind-hearted. That might be why she was so easily won over.
"Since we have the chance, why don't we have a competition to see who passes out first?" Meteora challenged.
"You must be able to drink quite a lot to say that, huh? ...I don't want to go overboard, considering my wallet," Ren said.
"I won't say it's free. If I lose, you are free to do as you please with me."
Ren ultimately accepted the invitation.
As for the result, she chose not to elaborate, only saying one thing: she had no idea a Succubus could be such a heavy drinker.
Meteora realized this deeply as she woke up in bed the next morning.
============
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