Over a year... ago.
I've... been dead for over a year? Wait, does transmigration have a delay? Or has the transmigration army become so overpopulated that we have to wait in line one by one?
"Anna-chan seems shocked..."
"Speaking of which, why does Anna-chan care about things from our side?"
NPCs of Lemoria Continent won't proactively ask adventurers about major content from the real world—this is one of the few common characteristics officially added. However, there's no strict prohibition against NPCs and players discussing the real world; it's just that if players don't bring up the topic first, NPCs will never show interest in it.
They made no attempt to hide the confusion on their faces. They probably hadn't encountered an NPC asking about the real world before.
"Be-because I once met an adventurer who mentioned the Neumann family... something like that... so I wanted to ask about her whereabouts."
"Anna-chan might be remembering wrong."
The bespectacled male player didn't dwell on my clumsy excuse.
"The young lady of the Neumann family was indeed an adventurer in Lemoria... but after that attack incident, she gave up continuing to protect Lemoria."
"After something like that happened, there's no helping it."
"Wealthy families have many hardships we don't know about."
They began discussing it among themselves.
Did the Young Miss stop logging into the game?
That makes sense. After experiencing an assassination attempt, no one would be in the mood to play games anymore. The Young Miss had initially chosen the highly free The Eternal Pacificus with a relaxed mindset precisely because she could pick it up and put it down at any time.
"..."
Have the Young Miss and I... become entirely people of two different worlds?
An unprecedented feeling of melancholy and sharp pain intertwined in my heart. I knew very clearly that if the Young Miss no longer actively logged into the game, I might never see her again. How could an NPC in a game possibly persuade a wealthy family's young lady from the real world to specifically come to meet me? Even asking other players wouldn't be possible—the Neumann family would strengthen their vigilance and would never allow people of unknown origin to easily approach the Young Miss again.
Moreover...
Even if we met, what then?
Just to tell the Young Miss that I'm still alive? I no longer have the ability to continue protecting the Young Miss in the real world.
"...Anna-chan?"
"Hmm? Ah? Just now... sorry, I was a bit distracted..."
I took the Bacchus wine handed to me by the bespectacled male player with both hands, inexplicably feeling the urge to get myself drunk.
But that would cause trouble for everyone in Anna's Support Group, so I continued taking small sips.
I wanted to dispel that melancholy and depression, but the strong Bacchus wine tasted no different from plain water.
My [Drinking] level is Lv. Max. Having reached the maximum level, I possess the [Never Fall After a Thousand Cups] skill that allows me to adapt to any alcoholic beverage. Alcohol is no longer my enemy—stomach capacity is.
As a maid, my duty is not to get drunk but to help my thoroughly intoxicated master to bed.
I had fantasized that I could still accompany the Young Miss in this virtual world. Still, now, that possibility had become infinitely close to zero.
After I had downed the sixth cup of Bacchus wine, Misaka 10086 chose to crouch on the log to reduce the stimulation of the alcohol.
This round was my victory. I continued asking the bespectacled male player about the current state of the real world.
"Could you tell me... about the current situation of the Neumann family's young lady?"
"After that assassination incident, the Neumann family searched with all their might for the perpetrator. At first, everyone was paying attention, but later, there was no follow-up."
"Rumors say it was an assassin hired by a confidant of a branch family."
"Even though they're all family, to go to the extent of attempted murder... Even if the Neumann family patriarch only has one daughter, isn't that going too far?"
Hearing their discussion, I began to worry about the Young Miss's situation.
The Neumann family was never one to rise through gentle means. With only one direct heir in the main family, branch families would harbor some dark thoughts.
A servant's duty is to solve problems for their master. Sometimes, when the master doesn't speak explicitly, one has an obligation to take independent action.
The assassination order didn't come from distant branch relatives but from their confidants—a "personal arbitrary action" without any superior's command. From the standpoint of position and status, I understand this way of thinking.
"There are many street rumors, but no one knows the truth. As for the current situation of the Neumann family's young lady... I heard she had conflicts with her father in earlier years, but it seems they reconciled after that incident. Now, she's completing her studies while getting involved in Neumann family enterprises. Our speculation that the assassination was ordered by confidants of a Neumann branch family isn't completely fabricated—after she got involved in the family business, she always seemed to intentionally or unintentionally target a certain branch of the family."
The bespectacled male player's summary was rather general. Unless one was an outsider involved with Neumann family enterprises, their understanding would be limited to what was reported in the news.
The Young Miss has... already reconciled with the Master.
While I'm happy to see the father and daughter patch things up, from their description, it seems like the Young Miss chose to compromise?
The Young Miss had absolutely no interest in the enterprises her family was involved in, which often led to explosive arguments with the Master. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been only one servant like me by her side when the Young Miss was in danger.
For the Young Miss to choose compromise... the assassination incident changed the Young Miss significantly.
But this way, I can feel at ease.
The Young Miss has returned to the Neumann household, where many servants will be no less capable than me by her side. I know that the Young Miss is actually a delicate person who would feel sad for a long time over a small pet's departure. She might feel grief, but after so much time has passed, she must have long since regained her usual sunshine and willfulness.
Please take good care of yourself, Young Miss...