Mina’s plan to set up a base camp at the foot of the mountain and focus on mining operations yielded results far exceeding expectations.

This was not only due to Mina’s excellent ore prospecting skills and the efficiency of large-scale mining using seismic crackers, but also because of the perfect conditions—abundant mineral resources and densely concentrated veins.

Every time she set off seismic crackers, high-purity minerals poured out by the basketful, and the sight of Mina instantly converting them into ingots with her crafting tablet was no less impressive than the production-cheat protagonists of typical web novels.

Just the first day’s mining alone secured enough ingots to easily craft one steam engine with plenty to spare, but on the second day afternoon, another unexpected stroke of luck came their way.

While blasting seismic crackers along a copper vein, they discovered a gold vein!

Mina’s eyes practically turned into gold unit symbols, and she looked ready to dig up the entire mountain to take all the gold, but after Jessica and I desperately talked her down, she finally regained her senses.

After two days of mining, Jessica filled the work reservoir with water and returned to the campsite with Seti.

Mina and I worked on creating a small steam engine, going through trial and error to complete a vehicle that could pull our carriage.

If we were traveling on smoothly paved roads or rails, simply copying a late 19th-century steam automobile or locomotive would have been sufficient, but the path we needed to traverse was bumpy and unpredictable off-road terrain.

To make the vehicle run stably, we needed our own approach, so combining my modern knowledge with Mina’s engineering expertise…

“Finished~!!”

“Whoa…!”

The completed steam vehicle ended up looking like a six-legged walking combat machine resembling an ant.

It was a form specialized for off-road travel, with six wheeled legs nimbly adjusting their height to move the steam engine-equipped body stably.

“We’ve finished the test run on the miniature road, so now we just need to make this bigger?”

“Yep! According to our calculations, it should be able to reach speeds of up to 30km/h even while pulling the carriage with expandable cargo compartments.”

“Hmm, in terms of transport capacity, it might even surpass the Ancestor.”

“That’s true for short distances, but to reach Moon Lake, we’ll need to inspect it once every two hours due to parts wear and the problem of maintaining high temperatures for extended periods. We’ll also need to replace parts multiple times.”

“Well, we still have plenty of metal ingots left, so that part should work out somehow. It’s a shame I won’t get to see the completed full model before heading back.”

Today is the fourth day since we left the campsite and moved here.

As a dwarf, Mina can stay here for a few more days without issue, but I need to return to the campsite this evening to purify the black magic.

It’s currently 4 PM, and Seti is scheduled to come with Jessica to pick me up at 6 PM, so there’s not enough time to complete the full model.

“Should I try to build a bit more until Seti arrives?”

“No, no. The full model needs to be built with proper checks from start to finish, so I’ll begin tomorrow morning. I’ll drive it over when it’s done, so go back and get some good rest today.”

“Alright. I suppose it’s safer to leave the full model entirely in the hands of an expert.”

“Hehe~ But Will, you were quite the expert yourself when it came to design and structure.”

Mina and I fist-bump lightly as we exchange these words.

We’ve collaborated several times before on gun modifications and carriage improvements based on Earth knowledge, but this steam engine project was particularly rewarding.

After all, we’d created a steampunk ant by combining modern steam engine concepts with the multi-legged mobile weapon designs I’d seen in robot documentaries and sci-fi.

“So once we go to Anastasia and resolve the issues with Phyllis’s sister and the Ancestor, we’ll move on to the next city, right?”

“That’s probably how it’ll go. I don’t think we’ll be escorting them all the way to Willow Sanctuary, but we’ll likely have them stay at Westpoint or Chestnut Sanctuary while contacting Willow Sanctuary, and one of the Guardians will probably come to meet them.”

“Hmm~ So you’re not after Phyllis’s sister too?”

“Hey, even I wouldn’t go that far. She’s not Seti’s father, and they’re blood sisters… Besides, elves can only marry one man in their lifetime.”

“Oh? So does that mean you’re planning to add more non-elf women?”

“Well… I was in a position where I swore I wouldn’t add more when I was dating Jessica and Seti, yet here we are.”

“Hehehe. Man with no principles~ Lower-body berserker~”

I gave Mina a warning look as she teased me with that smug expression, but honestly, when it comes to relationships with women, I can’t really argue against criticism.

Just a few days ago, when Mina got thoroughly drunk on Spiritus and made physical advances, my body had responded honestly.

As I was thinking about this, Mina looked at me intently with all playfulness gone from her face and spoke.

“Hey, Will. I did pretty well this time, didn’t I?”

“Ah, of course. Anyone would agree that you’re the MVP of this investigation.”

Fixing the broken carriage wheel, swiftly pursuing the teleporting dark elf with the Magiascope, completing a steam engine to replace the broken Ancestor for pulling the carriage, and even acquiring a large amount of gold in the process.

If we include the spirit extermination operation at Willow Sanctuary and the iron plate grill table sales at Moon Lake, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that our party’s recent achievements were possible thanks to Mina’s contributions.

“Don’t you think I deserve a little reward for all that?”

“A reward… Should I pour you another glass of Spiritus? Though I’d rather not deal with the same drunken behavior as last time.”

“Ah~ That was delicious. I’d like to try it again sometime…”

Mina licked her lips as she recalled the Spiritus experience, then looked straight at my face again and said:

“…ss”

“Hm?”

“I want to kiss you.”

With Mina’s sudden bombshell declaration, two scenes flashed through my mind:

The innocent peck she gave me before I left to obtain the Emperor’s Mark, wishing for my safe return, and the erotic kiss we shared when she was drunk on Spiritus in front of my other lovers.

The latter is probably what Mina wants now.

“…Is that not okay?”

“It’s not that it’s not okay, but… isn’t this rather sudden? In this kind of atmosphere.”

“W-well, I couldn’t figure out when would be the right timing to bring it up. Seti will be here soon too…”

There’s still about two hours until Seti arrives… just how long is she planning to do this?

Suppressing such thoughts, I ask Mina one final confirmation as she fidgets.

“Just to be clear, there’s no guarantee it will end with just a kiss, you know?”

“Eeh!? W-what do you mean by that?”

“Well… this clearly crosses the line of ‘friendship.’ You saw how I reacted the other day—if things heat up, I might not be able to hold back.”

“Ah, um…”

Mina shifted her gaze around with a bright red face, then asked in an almost inaudible voice:

“…I-if you can’t hold back… do we have to go all the way with me…?”

“What do you mean?”

“W-well, you could stop at the prototype stage with me, and then ask Seti for the real thing a little later…”

“You little…”

Is this the mindset of an engineer who prioritizes results?

It was a mind-boggling suggestion, but it helped me regain some composure.

“Alright. Let’s set aside asking Seti and establish clear boundaries before we start. This time, only kissing and hugging are allowed, and touching or kissing is limited to above the shoulders. That should be enough, right?”

“Y-yes. But kissing is just done with lips, isn’t it? What do you mean by ‘above the shoulders’?”

“…You’ll understand once we start.”

After saying that, I patted the seat beside me, and Mina scurried over to sit down.

Hmm… why am I unnecessarily nervous?

“Well then… I’m starting.”

“Y-yes! Come at me anytime!”

Mina faced me with her eyes tightly shut, answering like that.

Her desperate expression made me chuckle, but I composed myself and slowly pulled her shoulder closer, gently pressing my lips against hers.

*flinch*

As I savored the sensation of Mina’s small, soft lips while slowly caressing her cheek, her tense body gradually began to relax.

Making small kissing sounds, I stroked her hair and gently caressed her ears—not as long as an elf’s but still pointed at the tips—causing her to let out a small moan: “Mmm…”

‘I guess she’s getting comfortable now’

*lick*

“!?”

When I lightly licked between her slightly parted lips, Mina flinched in surprise, but soon slowly opened her mouth to accept my tongue, eagerly responding by moving her small tongue.

“Slurp… lick… mmm…”

Once the door was opened, Mina’s kisses became increasingly aggressive and bold, and she wrapped her arms tightly around my head and neck, fully immersed in the deep kiss.

“Mmm, mmph… phew… hah, hah, hah…”

“Breathe slowly while you do it. There’s no rush.”

“Mmm! Chu… mmph… mmmmm~”

At first, she was content with eagerly sucking on my tongue that had invaded her mouth, but now she was actively invading mine, licking every corner.

Whenever I gently touched behind her earlobe or the top of her neck, she would flinch and pause, trembling slightly and leaning her weight against me—unbearably cute.

“Chu… mmm, are we stopping now?”

When our lips finally parted after being together for quite some time, Mina asked cautiously in a voice dripping with disappointment.

Instead of answering, I gently caressed her lips with my finger and brought my lips to her ear.

*kiss*

“Hyaaah!?”

When I lightly kissed her earlobe as if nibbling it, Mina jumped in surprise and let out an adorable scream.

“W-what, what? What did you just do? Why does my ear feel like this?”

“You really don’t know anything. Come up here.”

“Hueeeek?”

I lifted Mina’s small body and placed her on my lap, then buried my face in her neck as she sat facing me.

Thanks to her side ponytail hairstyle, Mina’s neck was fully exposed.

I showered that defenseless area with kisses, moving gradually downward from her ear.

*kiss, kiss, chu, kiss*

“Hi, hiaaaa…??? What is this, what is thiiis…”

*lick*

“Hyaump!? Mmph! Mmmmm!”

When I licked up along the line of her neck, she let out a loud moan and covered her mouth.

Yet she also pressed my head firmly against her neck with one arm, suggesting she didn’t dislike the sensation.

*kiss, kiss, chuuu*

“Mmm! Hmm! H-hmmmm~~~~!!”

After being overwhelmed by the kisses on her neck and ear, as soon as my face appeared before her again, Mina wrapped her arms around me and roughly entwined her tongue with mine.

As if she couldn’t take any more of the ear and neck stimulation and needed to keep me occupied with her mouth.

“Mmm! Slurp! Hnngh… chuuu, hnaa…”

“Chu… mmph, chu…”

“…Phew! Hah, hah! Will, I… I…”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

“Huh?”

Just as Mina’s eyes were becoming hazy and her arms were tightening around me, I stopped the kiss and lightly held her in my arms, patting her shoulder.

“Now you understand, right? Why I said what I did earlier.”

“Ah…”

Mina looked at me with a hint of disappointment, but understanding the meaning of my question, she nodded shyly with a blushing face.

My warning that it might not end with just a kiss, that I might not be able to hold back and go all the way.

Indeed, just before I stopped the kiss, Mina was preparing to overpower me like she had done the other day.

“So, how was it? Your impressions of crossing the line with a sober kiss?”

“Ugh… this is dangerous. I thought I was going to pass out. It was much more amazing than I expected.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“To think you guys have been enjoying something this good all to yourselves…”

“Mina could join us anytime if she wanted. Or do you still prefer a relationship closer to friendship?”

When I asked with a mischievous smile, Mina hesitated for a long time with a troubled expression before shaking her head.

“Urgh~~~~! Okay, okay! I give up! I, I want to be Will’s lover!”

“Hmm~ Then to celebrate us officially dating, let me do something you really hate.”

“Eek? W-what are you going to do?”

“This.”

I pulled Mina’s small body close once more and conveyed my honest feelings into her ear.

“I like you, Mina. Your small, cute, and attractive body, your healthy skin, and how you put your heart into the things you love.”

“~~~~~~!!”

When I threw this direct confession at Mina, who had claimed she couldn’t stand lovey-dovey romance, she buried her bright red face in my chest and couldn’t move a muscle.

“Our relationship may have been all over the place in terms of order, but I’m counting on you from now on.”

Only after I said that did Mina reluctantly nod and answer in an ant-like tiny voice:

“…Yeah. I’ve liked you all along too. Please take care of me.”

It was the moment when our relationship, which had taken such a roundabout path, finally found its proper place.