What? I Actually Reincarnated As Stepping Stone In Another World?

"Runa?" Arthur exclaimed in surprise and immediately rose from his chair, making his way towards the door.

"May I come in, young master?" Runa asked just as Arthur opened the door to his room, revealing a young girl with long, flowing purple hair standing before him.

"Young master?" Runa expressed her surprise upon seeing Arthur open the door.

However, Arthur greeted her with a gentle smile, instantly captivated by the ethereal beauty of the young girl before him.

It could be said that Runa had truly blossomed into an exceptionally beautiful young woman, as described in the novel.

Her straight, flowing purple hair and her black eyes held a hint of mature charm.

Her body had matured, boasting a well-developed and voluptuous figure from several angles.

"Young master?" Runa called out to Arthur once again, tilting her head in confusion.

Hearing her voice, Arthur snapped out of his daze and gently caressed the girl\'s hair with affection.

"It\'s nothing; I\'m just surprised to see that my adorable little maid, who always trailed behind me, has transformed into such an extraordinarily beautiful young woman."

He sighed, reminiscent of a proud father witnessing his daughter\'s remarkable growth.

Though these words were sincere, Arthur couldn\'t help but feel a pang of unease, considering the fate that awaited Runa in the novel—her tragic demise at the hands of Abel and his accomplices.

The realization only deepened his wariness about this altered future, leaving him uncertain about the significance of his actions.

"You, young master, are truly becoming adept at the art of seduction," Runa remarked, her smile growing as she delicately took hold of Arthur\'s hand and pressed it against her cheek.

Locked in each other\'s gaze, they immediately embraced.

Their connection had surpassed that of a typical master and maid; Arthur sensed a familiarity with Runa, reminiscent of his bond with Mira.

However, he couldn\'t help but wonder if it was merely his obsession with his previous life that caused him to mistake Runa for Mira.

Nevertheless, that was his conclusion, unaware of what might truly lie ahead to surprise him.

After their embrace, they reluctantly separated, and Arthur noticed Runa\'s face flushed like a ripe apple.

After all, she possessed little experience in matters of the heart.

He chuckled softly and asked, "Is there anything important?"

Runa immediately regained her composure and nodded slightly.

"Yes, there are two important matters to report," she replied, adopting the demeanor of a secretary presenting company data.

"Oh?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. His curiosity was piqued as they entered the room and settled on the sofa.

Runa handed him some papers and began explaining.

"As you requested, young master, I have thoroughly searched the entire Rozen territory to find the individuals you mentioned."

"So far, I have managed to locate only three of them," she said softly.

"I apologize, young master, but I haven\'t been able to find the remaining two. I\'m truly sorry," she added, bowing her head with a hint of sadness.

Arthur, upon hearing this, took the papers and carefully read the information about the few individuals.

A slight smile formed on his lips.

"Good job, Runa," Arthur praised, his voice filled with pride as he affectionately caressed her hair.

However, instead of happiness, Runa\'s expression conveyed a sense of discontent.

"I\'m your incompetent assistant, young master," she lamented, her tone filled with gloom.

"I couldn\'t even find the remaining two people with the resources you provided." Her head hung low, and tears involuntarily streamed down her cheeks.

Observing her distress, Arthur chuckled softly and embraced her, gently soothing the crying Runa.

"It\'s okay; you\'re my most reliable assistant, and no one can replace you, you know?" Arthur whispered softly.

\'Indeed, there\'s no one I can trust more than you.\' 

\'Even in the novel, you were the one who constantly got Abel into trouble, almost to the point of his demise,\' Arthur thought to himself, recalling the intricate plot.

\'But it was solely the damn plot armor that saved him,\' he added in his heart.

Runa, who had been crying, suddenly halted her tears and gazed at Arthur with a tremor in her voice.

"Really?" she asked, her tone filled with vulnerability.

"Of course," Arthur assured her, gently caressing her face and soothing her.

"But as for those two individuals..." Before Runa could continue, Arthur interjected and clarified.

"Those two individuals happen to be in the Imperial capital, Arkham, not in the southern region."

"I simply wanted to confirm, and it seems my assumption was correct," he explained casually.

Upon hearing this, Runa\'s tension dissipated, and she relaxed, leaning her head against Arthur\'s chest and closing her eyes.

In that serene moment, the two of them remained silent, finding solace and warmth in each other\'s presence.

"By the way, what\'s the second news?" Arthur asked, his curiosity piqued.

Runa, still resting her head lazily on Arthur\'s chest, responded promptly, "Lady Carina requested that I inform you that she wishes for you to visit her in her room."

"She has something important to discuss."

"Oh?" Arthur\'s eyes brightened at the news, and a faint smile curled his lips.

"Is she finally unable to sit still?" Arthur chuckled, his mind filled with thoughts of the woman who happened to be Alicia\'s mother.

In the novel, this woman played the role of a minor villain but possessed considerable influence.

Initially, she was portrayed as a spy and assassin disguised as a servant, sent to kill David in the story\'s novel.

Whether David eventually uncovers her disguise or not remains unclear, as the novel\'s setting and events following that point are not extensively explained.

In any case, the novel\'s story truly begins when Abel arrives at the Balka emperor, serving as the starting point for the novel.

However, Arthur speculated that Carina might have been held captive by David and forced into submission; thus, Alicia was born.

Contemplating this possibility, Arthur shook his head at the enigmatic nature of David\'s actions.

In the novel, Arthur was aware of this situation and, believing that Carina posed a threat to Alicia, made the fatal mistake of killing her.

He believed it to be a well-intentioned act, but it only fueled Alicia\'s growing resentment toward him.

"This bloody drama is truly horrifying," Arthur sighed internally, reflecting on the consequences of his actions in the story.

Of course, in reality, he didn\'t make such a foolish mistake.

Instead, he dealt with the situation in a different manner, avoiding the tragic outcomes of the novel.

"Alright, I\'ll go to her room," Arthur said with a soft smile on his face.

Runa nodded, understanding their next steps, and they promptly parted ways.

"Oh, by the way, young master," Runa called out to Arthur, as if remembering something.

Arthur turned to her, curiosity evident in his voice. "Yes? What is it?"

"I have a feeling that the seal on my core is about to be released," Runa explained, clutching her chest.

Arthur nodded, a similar realization dawning on him.

"I feel the same way," he confirmed.

"It should be either tomorrow or in two days that the seal will be released, and we will regain our ability to use elemental arts," he said, a gentle smile forming as he playfully pinched Runa\'s cheek.

"Hmm~" Runa nodded, a smile gracing her features.

Shortly after, Runa requested permission to leave.

"Very well, young master," she replied, bowing her head respectfully.

Arthur nodded and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for all your efforts, Runa."

"You\'re welcome, young master~" she replied softly.

With that, Runa left the room, leaving Arthur to silently gaze at the closed door.

"She finally gave up, didn\'t she?" Arthur chuckled to himself before making his way toward Carina\'s room.