Back at the door to Cy’s dining hall Mia instantly readied herself, jumping back and gathering mana for a spell. This was the biggest gamble; just how far did Cy remember? If at all.

She waited, expecting her to burst through the wall, blow down the door, anything.

[And what will you do if she doesn’t remember? Just run?]

“Try a different path.” Mia answered, perking up when the door opened, surprised when a butler was on the other side of it.

“Come in, please.” The familiar voice of Cy rung out, inviting her in.

Mia’s tension dropped, releasing the mana in an icy storm behind her “…Guess she does?” she walked into the hall, seeing Cy in her human disguise sitting at the end of the table, in deep thought.

Cy looked up and gave a faint smile, motioning to the same chair at the opposite end of the table where Mia had sat before “If you would…” A maid was at the chair, pulling it out for her.

“Right.” Mia carefully walked over, eyeing all the dolls at the table. She glanced back at the door, watching the butler shut it and bowed towards her, stepping off to the side afterwards.

She approached the chair, sitting down and gently pushed into her seat.

Silence.

Neither spoke to each other, leaving Mia to stir in her own thoughts ‘she remembers right? Why isn’t she saying anything?’

[She isn’t attacking you, so it’s a start.]

Mia agreed, but the silence was getting to her “Cy?”

She looked up from her deep thought “A moment…if you would” She gave her a wry smile, going back to her thoughts.

‘Is she angry?’ Mia asked ‘Why would she be angry… aaah….’ The anxiety was killing her, so much so she did not notice when something clattered on the table in front of her. “Ehp-!?” she jumped, a maid had just placed a plate down in front of her, Mia looked up at her, the maid giving her a smile before leaving.

‘oook…’ she looked at the plate, atop of which was a steak. Crooking her head to the side in confusion at the sudden appearance of food, she didn’t know what to do.

“Do you need it cut?”

Mia perked up, Cy catching her off guard “ah, no.” Mia shook her head.

“Then please, eat.”

She sat there, confused beyond belief ‘Is this safe?’ she looked down at the steak, noticing the fork and knife next to the plate, she picked up the fork and poked the steak with it.

“My apologies, I never got your name?” Cy asked.

Mia glanced up, taking the knife in her free hand, her gluttony winning out “Mia.” She answered, stabbing her fork into the steak.

“Ah, lovely name… you know Mia, as a long lived creature such as myself, I often forget about my own…mortality.” Cy leaned forward, her elbows on the table as she wistfully watched Mia.

‘Must be nice’ Mia cut off a piece of steak, inspecting it a bit too closely, then shoved it into her mouth, surprised when it tasted good.

“Sure, there have been times when someone comes and roughs me up a bit, but I cannot remember the last time I was mortally wounded.” She shook her head, looking off into the distance “I am ageless, you see, lived longer than most dragons, oh the life I have lived…”

‘This is a good steak.’ Mia happily chewed.

“The people I’ve fought, the places I’ve been, oh my ever-growing collection of adventures.” She held out her hands towards a male doll “this one here, twenty years ago came to challenge me seeking treasure, or this one…” she swayed to female one “wanting my chitin for armor… this one for the thrill of good combat, while this one wanting adventure!”

‘Juicy and chewy, good temperature, tasty.’

“But-“she swayed back, putting her the back end of her palm against her forehead in dramatic fashion “As I laid there in agony, separated from the rest of my body and dying to toxic I remembered…my mortality…” she fell atop the table.

Mia went for another bite of steak, saddened once she saw she had finished it all, but her happiness returned once a maid placed down a new dish in front of her, some sort of pasta. Without a second thought, she dug in.

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“What have I lived my life for, what was the point of it all? It made me consider what was most important in my life… the thing’s I’d leave behind…” She sat up, then suddenly rose into the air “My clothes!”

“Ack-ak-cau-“ Mia choked, coughing as she struggled to recover as Cy continued.

“Dresses! Suits! Ties! Skirts and pants! Shirts! Shoes! All of it I have perfected with my art! That which joy I wished to spread to the world and all who have entered my dungeon!” she spun around “These people, dolls! Nothing more than mannequins!” She paused, putting a hand on her chin “In fact now that perspective has been thoroughly established it is quite abhorrent what I have done to them…” She shrugged “oh well, all is fair when fighting for one’s life.”

She moved towards Mia “Which brings me to you, little Mia.”

Mia stopped eating, slowly looking up at Cy who was grinning ear to ear “Y-yes.”

“You, my dear, have spared mine.” She reached out, grabbing Mia’s hands and shaking them up and down, lifting Mia from her seat “I thank you, you have spared this great wrym’s life, you really shouldn’t have.” She let Mia go, letting her to fall back down onto her seat “And in return, I shall spare yours.”

Mia, who was a bit dizzy, perked up “R-really? No chase?”

Cy nodded, going back to her end of the table “Yes, while I would love a model fox beastman, I will have to wait.” She turned towards her other dolls “Or maybe try golem crafting… I don’t think I will get anymore visitors with that cult camping at my doorstep….oh but I do hope they send that one girl in…freckles are so rare…”

Mia sighed, she was unsure how to think about saving this monster but, forget it, she decided to just feel happy about it.

[You sure? There is no telling how many more people this monster has and will kill.]

‘But I also stopped the nuke from being used, so it works?’ Mia continued to eat ‘oh, speaking of…’

“How leave?” Mia asked.

Cy paused “Well, I suppose the way you came. I am sure someone as competent as you at running and hiding can manage that.”

“Attack again?” she asked, if Cy went ahead and attacked them again for revenge and the nuke went off again, all of this would be for naught.

“The church above? No, they seem to have plans to move eventually anyways.” She waved her off “More importantly, I can’t have my savoir leaving empty handed…”

“No clothes.”

“Why?!” Cy threw her hands up “Do you not know how you look?”

“Runaway slave.”

“Worse! A street rat!”

“Fox.”

“Don’t push it.” Cy said, sternly.

“…sorry.” Mia at her paste.

“Holes in the robe, filth clinging… it drives me mad as a seamstress!” her whole body rattled “So much potential ruined by the rags that hold it down!” A thud resounded as she fell on the table “But fine, fine! That was not the reward but my selfishness.”

“Oh?” Mia looked up “What?” curious what she was planning.

She held up one finger “as a dungeon master, I can create many a thing. For you I offer one skill orb of a-“

“Inventory.”

“-that was…fast…” Cy sat up, a puzzled look on her face “Are you sure you don’t want something more fitting for your magic? Something that complements your stealth? Boosts your ability? A skill exclusive to dungeons?”

“No, inventory.” Mia had placed down her fork, now thoroughly invested.

[Mia, if I may… this is a very rare opportunity to gain a number of skills impossible to get with just training. What would be best now-]

‘No, inventory.’

[Mia, you can get inventory later, right now you could get so much mo-]

‘Shut up, inventory’ Mia stared at Cy expectingly, her eyes sparkling with desire.

“Are you sure?” Cy asked, put off a bit by her enthusiasm “Only one, no take backs, this will be the one skill you get from me, outside the crafting ones outside, for free.”

[Mia please, you can ge- Assist mode disabled]

“Yes!” Mia said, now standing up in her seat.

“Ok…” Cy rose up, snapping her fingers, clittering and clattering could be heard throughout the room, like tiny skittering. After a few moments a bulge progressed through Cy’s lower half, leading up to her sleave where a skill orb rolled right out from “Ok, as requested, one skill orb with inventory in it.” Cy handed the orb to the excited child.

Mia grabbed it, and instantly used it. She excitedly opened her status.

[Skill: Item Box, LVL 1: A private subspace has opened up for you, allowing you to store nonliving items. The size of the space is affected by skill level, time passes as normal within the box.]

‘Heey’ She glanced up at Cy “Not inventory.”

Cy shook her head “Of course it isn’t, Inventory is the evolved form of item box. Just keep using it and level it up and you’ll get the skill.”

She was a bit dissatisfied with that, but on the other hand she was extremely happy.

Finally, no more hauling everything around, she could keep weapons with her without having to sacrifice her clothes! And most importantly, food! She could carry food now! It may spoil but she didn’t care, food! No more starving!

She made an ice dagger and activated the skill, a small black hole opened besides her and she tossed in her knife, her face brimming with satisfaction as it vanished. She reached in and pulled out her dagger, simply overjoyed. She tossed it back in, making a few more daggers and shoving them in as well, but only five would fit. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

“Thank yo-“ Her face soured, her moment ruined. She had faced Cy to earnestly thank you, and in return what did she see? Cy holding a bundle.

“Now I know you said no clothes, but I am selfish, and~ I’ll settle…” She sighed, her eyes downtrodden “you do not have to show them to me, but at least take them. Surely my clothes are better than walking into a town like that. Yes?” Cy presented the bundle to her “I even threw in some jerky?”

“…” Mia gave up, taking the bundle and emptying her item box of her knives so she could shove the bundle inside. “Thanks.” She said dryly, her mood slightly improved having used her item box again.

“Good, now. Be off! Out! Before I change my mind!” all the dolls stood up, motioning for her to leave “I am a fickle woman! Leave! Out! Shoo!”

“Wait food!!” Mia was picked up, looking back she saw 5 dolls had surrounded her “Eh eh?” she was carried to the door.

“Goodbye Mia! Thanks again for my life, now get out.” She watched the flailing Mia get thrown out of the room, followed by a splash and a confused scream. Cy chuckled, watching as the door shut, she gave a small sigh “You really shouldn’t have…”

Cy moved back to her place at the table, wordlessly a maid placed a piece of paper in front of her “Haaah~” she breathed out heavily, “what to include…”