Reunion with Master!
"Mashteew!!"
My voice echoed across the icy wasteland. The massive ice dragon's head whipped toward me in an instant. The moment those enormous eyes locked onto me, it felt like the world had frozen still.
Master...! Finally...!
My heart pounded like mad. The moment I'd dreamed of even in my sleep over the past three years was unfolding right before me.
The colossal silver ice dragon's body began to glow. Dazzling light enveloped the giant form, shining as brightly as condensed moonlight. I squinted to peer through it, watching the dragon's shape shrink smaller and smaller within the radiance.
Suddenly, the light faded, and a single woman stood in its place.
Master!
Silver hair fluttered in the gentle breeze, and a moonlit silver dress hugged her perfect figure. Her skin was as white as fresh snow, her pale eyes sparkling like ice crystals.
"Ricoris..."
Master's voice rang in my ears, smooth like ice gliding over glass. The instant I heard that soft tone, something inside me crumbled.
"Ma, Mashteew...! Hueeeng!"
Hot tears burst from my eyes. They gushed out like springs, streaming down my cheeks. All the pent-up emotions exploded at once.
Pat-pat-pat-pat!
My little legs kicked off the ground, and I ran. Arms flung wide, I charged straight toward that one person, even through my tear-blurred vision.
"Huaang! Master!! Haaang!"
My mind went blank; words wouldn't come. I'd rehearsed what to say when I saw her... but all that escaped were sobs.
Tears poured so heavily I could barely see, but Master filled my entire view.
Master spread her arms too. A mix of emotions I couldn't read crossed her pale face. I leaped into her embrace.
My small body crashed into the silver-haired woman. I clung tight to her waist, burying my face in her belly.
"I-I was all alone... huaang... Mashteew, h-hueee..."
I couldn't string words together. Just sobs and broken fragments.
Then Master's hand gently settled on my hair. That cool, soft touch stroked slowly through my locks.
Uuung... This feeling... It's been so long... First time in human form, huh...? But it's exactly the touch I remember...
Shivers ran through my whole body. Master's hand was refreshingly cool yet warmly comforting, as always. I hugged tighter, tears flowing freely.
"At first, I thought maybe something urgent came up... or something scary happened to you..."
My voice came out choked with sniffles.
"But... as time dragged on... I wondered if you'd come to hate me... if you'd abandoned me... Hiiing..."
The raw truth poured from my heart. The fear and loneliness of those three years alone. All the questions I'd hurled at myself.
"Thank goodness Michael told me... that you and Nis had drunk the Golden Wine and fallen asleep... That's why I was heading to Desmeer..."
Master's face twisted. That was... definitely guilt.
Flap-flap!
Miel fluttered her tiny wings on my shoulder. Was she happy to see Master too? Or worried about my overwhelming emotions?
"Ricoris... I'm sorry..."
Master knelt to my eye level. Her hands cupped my face, wiping away my tears.
"I never stopped liking you. I drank the Golden Wine with Nis... but I had no idea we'd sleep for three whole years like this."
Master's hand stroked my hair. The firm yet gentle fingers weaving through brought a wave of calm. My chest warmed.
"Michael told you? ...Well, I'm a little grateful for that."
Master's voice trembled faintly. She still harbored unease toward Michael, but knowing she'd helped me seemed to soften her a bit.
"But really... you didn't come to hate me, right...?"
I was still anxious. Was it truly just sleep, or had she really abandoned me? I needed to hear it clearly.
Master smiled softly, warm as moonlight. Her hand stroked my hair again.
"How could I ever hate you? Ricoris, you're my precious pet, the most special being in my world."
Hihi... Special being... Master always says that...
Hearing it stopped my tears, filling my chest with joy.
"Hueee... Hehe... Me too! I like you the most, Master!"
My voice cracked, but my lips curved up. Master's hand stroked my hair longer, softer this time.
"I'm truly sorry for leaving you alone... Thinking of how worried you must've been..."
Sadness shadowed Master's eyes. Her silver hair brushed close as she pulled me into a tight hug. Her embrace was cool and firm as ever—the most comfortable place in the world to me.
In that honey-sweet moment, my barely stopped tears began flowing again.
"Hueeng... It's okay... I met you again, Mashteew... Huaang..."
Master patted my back, soothing me. Nis watched from a short distance away. Normally, she'd tease, but this time she stayed silent.
Master slowly pulled back and looked me over closely. It was the first time she'd properly seen my human form.
I wonder what she thinks...?
My heart thumped. Would Master like my polymorph? What if she didn't?
"The bugs in the labyrinth said you'd polymorphed... but I never imagined it'd be such a pretty form..."
Master's fingers traced my black dress, my blood-red hair, then met my crimson eyes with a smile.
"My goodness, what a beautiful polymorph. The black and red suit your colors perfectly... And your voice is so sweet..."
Master's hand stroked my hair again. That cool touch gliding from crown to nape melted my entire body.
"Hehehe!"
My face flushed hotter. Master's praise warmed me through. No more tears, just joyful tremors.
"Master! I've learned sooo much stuff! Wanna hear?"
My voice brimmed with excitement. So much to brag about—Heaven, the Demon Realm, Michael and Bellona, nearly becoming an SS-rank adventurer on national power level...
Master nodded with a smile, her hand stroking my head again.
"Yes, Ricoris. Tell me everything."
As her hand continued, all my anxiety and loneliness from three years vanished in an instant.
"First! My polymorph succeeded thanks to the orb from that human mage!"
I launched into the tale eagerly, words tumbling out. How I'd gotten the orb from Liandel, how the polymorph worked—I spilled every detail.
Master kept stroking my hair, smiling. God, I'd missed that smile.
"And Master! I became Michael's apostle!"
I watched her reaction closely. Maybe because Michael had helped, her pale eyes lacked their old sharpness.
"I was chosen at the temple in the village near Sia Kalt—everyone was amazed! With apostle powers, I healed the sick too..."
I chattered happily about it. Master's expression was a bit complex, but not as negative as before.
"I see... Michael helped you a lot. As long as you're safe, that's what matters."
Master stroked my head again. Pure bliss.
"And my buggies got way stronger!"
I boasted proudly about them. Flap-flap! Miel fluttered energetically on my shoulder, thrilled at her mention.
"This one's Miel—Nis named her when she came! Smartest of the buggies! Just recently, she wrote letters with my hair!!"
I pointed to Miel's tiny legs.
"A butterfly that can write?"
Master gazed at Miel in wonder. Miel zipped to my head, yanked a hair, and wrote.
Ouch!
Yes! Lady Frostia! Loyalty!
What?! You know polite speech too? You call me dummy and use casual with me! I'm your bug owner!
"Ho... Truly astonishing. Thanks to you, she's become such a special being."
Master stared at Miel's writing in surprise, then cautiously extended a finger to stroke her wing. Miel glowed brighter, fluttering proudly—like she was saying, Yep, that's me, the amazing one!
M-Miel, you rascal! Trying to jump ship from my bugs to Master's direct subordinate! Needs training later!
"And I went to Heaven and the Demon Realm!"
To derail Miel's defection, I switched topics fast. Nis suddenly stiffened, eyes meeting Master's.
"Heaven and the Demon Realm...?"
Master's voice turned serious.
"Yep! I used one of Michael's divine powers and poof—Heaven! Met Michael and Solaris there. Solaris said I could return through the Demon Realm, so..."
Nis cleared her throat lightly.
"Frostia, care to chat a moment?"
Master nodded. "Ricoris, wait just a sec?"
"Yess!"
They stepped aside. Nis looked grave. Probably about Bellona and the artwork... Please, Master, understand...
Straining my ears, snippets rode the wind.
"...Teaching such cruel, horrific beliefs to innocent Ricoris..."
Nis's voice held anger.
"...What does it matter what happens to pathetic humans? ...Your undead are just as gruesome..."
That's my Master! Humans are better as art! My rebellious thoughts resurfaced. Art beats undead any day!
Soon, they returned. Nis's face was subtle, but Master seemed serene.
"Ricoris, go on."
Master stroked my head again.
"Yess! In the Demon Realm, I met Bellona. She taught me the Aesthetics of Murder..."
Master's expression flickered but settled.
"Nis told me. Honestly, what you do with human corpses doesn't bother me. They're insignificant anyway."
Hearing it direct washed relief through me. Master understood—unlike Nis!
"But Ricoris, I'm grateful you returned safely from that dangerous Demon Realm. Looks like Bellona looked after you?"
Subtle emotions laced Master's voice—not full thanks, but a hint of it.
"Yep! Bellona treated me like a daughter! We drank tea every night, chatting..."
A touch of longing colored my eyes, maybe. Her teachings might not be understood by most, but those times were precious to me.
Master's hand rested on my shoulder, stroking gently.
"You're back safe—that's enough. I'll be with you from now on, so you'll be safe."
Her touch wasn't just cool; it carried heartfelt warmth.
"And this is the sword from my journey!"
I drew the blade spewing red mist from my waist, showing Master. But it started trembling.
Bzzz!
Eh? What's up?
It shook harder, mist billowing thicker. A strange sensation climbed my arm—tremors mixed with tangled emotions.
Does the sword like Master too?
Master eyed it thoughtfully.
"This sword... From around 3—no, 4 thousand years ago. One of Nis's subordinates."
Nis flinched. "What? One of my subordinates? Which one?"
The sword quaked violently. Drdrdrdr!
Vibrations intensified in my palm.
Huh? Scared of Master and Nis?
Rattle-rattle-rattle!!!
This felt like... sheer terror? Sweat beaded my hand.
"Aster... Asterix? A lich, I think. Came pledging loyalty, so I just erased him."
Master said it casually. Nis's eyes widened.
"Asterix! That runaway lich! He went to you, Frostia!?"
Nis yelped in shock. The sword's trembling stopped dead. Red mist vanished; it went deathly still. The sensations faded, like an emotional tidal wave receding.
Heavy silence fell.
...Playing dead...? Or fainted!? Consciousness snapped from shock!?
Peering close, it looked lifeless now—like an empty husk without a soul...
"Frostia, why didn't you mention something that important? I searched so hard for that lich..."
"Hm? Totally forgot until I saw this sword."
Master replied innocently.
"Nis, should I give this sword back?"
I asked cautiously. Nis thought, then shook her head.
"No. Keep it, Ricoris. That lich was a traitor... Besides, he..."
Nis's voice trailed off. The sword stayed limp.
Not really dead, right...? Though a living sword's weird anyway... Lote, Crimson Bind... I've got two of Nis's rejects! Hope no more...
Master stroked my head again. That cool glide from crown to nape melted me anew.
"Still, it's a decent sword. Use it well."
"Yes, Master! I will!"
A big grin spread across my face.
"Shall we head back to Sia Kalt now?"
Master smiled back.
"Ack! Not yet!"
My carriage!
"Huh?"
"My carriage is coming here! With my two human companions, Cecilia, Glessia, and Lote aboard!"
And on the way back, the surprise gift from Jenes Kingdom! A rare ice palace of crystal and silver! Master would love it! And there, Master and I...
I slipped a hand into my dress pocket, checking the bra and panties from Michael. Yep, safe and sound!