I guess this is the last thing I’m ever going to see, I thought to myself.
Just as I’d given up all hope, a glow bright enough to illuminate every corner of the deepest part of the Abyss burst forth.
“I shall not take kindly to any creature who bares its fangs at my master, even if the creature in question is a mere pup.”
In the light, I could just about make out locks of raven hair fluttering. A moment later, the Level 1000 monster was minus a head and the rest of its body had been sliced and diced, as if the creature had already been carved into chunks from the moment it had wandered onto the scene.
The speaker, who didn’t have a single speck of blood on her, stood between me and the dead monster. She had long, jet-black hair tied up into a ponytail and adorned with a long ribbon, and she was wearing a maid’s outfit, like the kind you’d see worn by servants in upper-crust households. She was also wearing pristine white gloves and stockings, and even her shoes were spotless.
She was somewhat taller than the average human woman, and long eyelashes framed her large, round eyes, while her rose-colored lips were accentuated by a nose with a straight bridge. All of her features were perfectly proportioned, and her skin was so pale it was nearly translucent. It was as if a divine power had put every last effort into creating an exquisite doll.
Her statuesque face alone would’ve been more than enough to attract attention, yet she was also very well-endowed, and the considerable chest area of her maid uniform billowed. No man would be able to resist trying to steal a glance at that bust. Yet her hips were so narrow, she looked like she might snap in half. Her limbs were long and slender and matched her stature perfectly. In short, she had a truly incredible physique.
She turned to me, and her eyes trembled with pain as they landed on me. She then dropped to one knee, like a knight in the presence of a monarch.
“Forgive me, master. I have taken it upon myself to heal your wounds. I was unable to endure the sight of those injuries to your precious skin and face. I hope you can pardon my presumptuousness.”
“Wh-What? Ah! The pain! It’s gone?!”
I checked myself over and found that someone or something had pulled the arrow out of my leg. In fact, I wasn’t wounded anywhere, and I wasn’t in any pain.
“Master, may I ask to hear your name in your mellifluous voice?”
“Huh? Uh, my name?” I said. “My name is Light.”
“Master Light, Master Light, Master Light... What a remarkably distinguished name.” The woman clasped her hands tightly over her chest while repeating my name. “As is demanded by my honor as a maid, I shall live only to serve you, to devote myself to you, and I am prepared to die for you,” she continued. “On my honor as a maid, I swear absolute fealty to you, Master Light, and I pray that you will retain me.”
“Uh, yeah...”
“I thank you immeasurably, Master Light. As a bird can never be without its wings, and a tree never without its branches, you shall never be without me by your side, from now until your dying day.”
The “yeah” I’d uttered had been more out of confusion than consent, but it felt too awkward to correct her after that.
But never mind all that. Who was she? And what was she doing at the bottom level of the Abyss? What had that huge magical seal been about? When did she heal my wounds? And wouldn’t it be a good idea to leave this spot since the ground was drenched in the blood of that monster and the smell of it might attract other creatures?
So many questions swam through my mind, but I was so disoriented that a single word didn’t pass my lips. The maid must have noticed my confusion at the situation, since she picked that moment to introduce herself.
“Forgive me for not introducing myself before. I am the Super Ultra Rare card: Level 9999, Ever-Seeking Maid, Mei.”
“A Super Ultra Rare card? Level 9999?”
“Correct,” said Mei. “I am a Super Ultra Rare card that was brought forth by your Gift, the Unlimited Gacha. As long as I am here, I promise that the hordes of monsters dwelling in this dungeon shall never lay a single claw on your lovely skin.”
Well, it had taken her less than a second to dispatch that Level 1000 monster, a creature so terrifying it was almost mythical, so I was probably safe with her, but I was still having trouble believing what I was seeing.
“This is impossible. My Unlimited Gacha only ever produced junk items before. It’s never given me someone as amazing as you, Miss Mei. I mean, first of all, are people even meant to come out on gacha pulls?”
“Master Light, you need not call your maid ‘Miss.’ You may simply call me by my given name, Mei.”
Before I was betrayed, it was natural for me to use “Mr.” or “Miss” whenever I was talking to other members of the party. I wasn’t used to calling people by just their first names. “Wait, I can’t—”
“I implore you.”
Her firm voice and sad-looking eyes made it impossible for me to deny her request.
“Okay, M-Mei.”
“I thank you for accepting this humble request from your servant,” said Mei. “Your magnanimity befits you, Master Light, for you possess the magnitude of a ruler. And as such, your Gift, the Unlimited Gacha, should not have produced any failures. If you will allow me, I would like to examine your Gift using my Appraisal.”
“A-Appraisal?” I replied. “Miss—I mean, Mei... You have the Gift of Appraisal?!”
People with Appraisal were able to “assess” the attributes of other people and items, and the higher the level of the one possessing this Gift, the more that would be revealed to them. Among humans, Appraisal was a highly sought-after Gift since it guaranteed you work for life.