Ichi followed Renya's swishing tails into the back of the machine. As he walked, Renya's cabin disappeared from his view and it all around the front of him he could only see a massive dark cavern. Ichi looked up and saw night stars. Turning around at the sound of waves sloshing, he saw a sea extend into the horizon. Only a small hole showed Renya's backyard filled with sunlight from the cockpit of the robot.

"How is this even possible?" Ichi said.

Renya smiled and hummed as she turned around. She bent her body over, her hand going her cat ears.

"I'll spare you the details. Have you ever heard of Richard Feynman? Lacan? Karl Fristion and the free energy principle?"

Ichi's eyes moved to Renya's chest. He could see through the loose overalls, but the darkness covered everything.

Renya moved her hand down from her cat ears to cover her chest as she unbent herself. Her words cut through Ichi like a katana.

"There's more on the internet than porn, you know?"

Ichi fell to his knees. He cursed as he smacked the sand with his fist.

"I know! I know! I knew it all along! But, I never understood that stuff! It's boring!"

Ichi rose as he drew the orc sword from his sash and shook it at Renya.

"Anyways! All of humanity couldn't do this. You're cheating with that stupid cat! If this Shadow Society or whatever has Spirit Worlds and Druids and moon bases of course a homunculus like you'd have the upper hand with magic!"

Renya walked closer that smile goading Ichi as she pushed the orc sword aside with one finger. Ichi let her.

"No one likes a sore loser. All the heroes I've read about online when I was growing up are all good losers. They have to become heroes, because they value life so highly. The opposite of someone like me. And, if it makes you feel any better, I made this all for your benefit."

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Ichi scanned the cavern hole, avoiding Renya's eye staring intently into his. It was wide, cut into a cliffside that extended for miles. A strong warm light emenated from the depths.

"Really?"

"Really."

"That kiss last night on the forehead?"

"Don't you want to get used to my body?"

"If I have to go to sleep like that every night, then no. Can't you find another way? No, find another way. If you can warp space and time to build a giant robot surely you can figure out how to have sex."

Renya turned and walked towards the cavern hole.

"Who said anything about sex?"

Ichi grumbled as he followed after her.

"For a Maid Knight you're not very maid or knight like."

"It's my first role as an actor. I guess I'll have to improve given the audience's disapproval." Renya said.

Ichi sighed as he followed her back to the opening. Expanding down below him was a massive cavern filled with an entire city. At the center he noticed signs of activity. Small metal beasts moved about, carrying tools and pushing carts. Ichi thought they looked like dwarves.

"Wasn't it barely a day since you combined with that cat? How'd you manage all this?"

"Oh, well, for this place, I actually just opened a portal to it. I doubt my family would approve of me using one of our secret bases, but they aren't around to complain. Usually, we would drop off a few golems in places to make more golems to then build places to escape to, if we ever needed them. Until we were all hunted down and killed."

Ichi had a sense who.

"The Seer's Council?"

"Myon and Syon, actually. Syon told me it was her idea. She wanted me in particular, as part of some plan. The Seer's Council thought she had a deathwish for going after Alchemists, but they managed, somehow."

Ichi scratched his head.

"You don't seem mad about it."

"It was the second best night of my life. Myon is so beautiful when fighting, I almost died at least a thousand times, I counted."

Renya sighed. From her tone Ichi inferred she felt relieved. A lift rose in front of them and Renya stepped onto it with Ichi. Ichi surveyed the city. Renya called him 'my lord' but it really felt like this place might as well be his. His eyes moved to the girl beside him.

"Thanks, Renya. For this."

Renya smiled and crouched, placing her hand on her chest.

"Yes, my lord."

"Please, don't do that in overalls."