Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill

The door leading to the bridge opened with a heavy creak.

The outside air hit them immediately. Colder and cleaner. Very different from the suffocating heat of the tower.

Max stepped out first.

And stopped.

"...Huh?"

The scene in front of him... was not what he expected.

Neros and Sophie were sitting on the edge of the bridge, their legs dangling over the red lake, completely relaxed. As if nothing had happened.

Sophie held a canteen, calmly drinking fresh water.

Neros, beside her, stared at the horizon.

Relaxed. As if they were having tea.

Both turned their heads when they heard the door.

"Ah, you’re finally back."

Neros greeted them, barely raising a hand.

"Everything good over there?"

Sophie gave a slight smile.

"Took you long enough."

Moonlight blinked.

"...Huh?"

Then she frowned and pointed upward.

"Hey, isn’t that one of the guards?"

At the top of the tower, embedded against the stone, there was a motionless body. A glowing seal kept it stuck there, completely unconscious.

Sophie nodded casually.

"Yeah."

She shrugged.

"He wouldn’t stop being annoying."

Max exhaled through his nose, somewhere between amused and tired.

"...Of course."

Meanwhile, Neros jumped to his feet.

"Hey, check this out!"

He raised a hand.

He was wearing a rather elegant metallic glove. Dark, with engraved details.

"...I got new gear."

He moved it a little.

"...But it doesn’t fit."

Abby tilted her head.

"...Aren’t those the guards’ gloves?"

Neros grinned.

"Yeah."

He lifted his other hand. Empty.

"I tried the right one, but the left..."

He paused.

"...I couldn’t take it off him."

He pointed behind him, at a fallen guard’s body.

"...It was completely stuck."

He shrugged.

"And I didn’t feel like cutting his hand off."

Without another word, he took the glove off.

He held it for a second. Then tossed it.

The object spun through the air, descending toward the red lake.

It touched the surface.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Four.

Five.

And disappeared beneath the water.

Sophie let out a small laugh.

"...What an idiot."

Then she looked at the group.

"So?"

She tilted her head.

"Did you finish everything?"

Azael stepped forward.

"...Yeah."

His voice was firm.

"Dante is no longer a problem."

He paused briefly.

"...But now we have another one."

His gaze hardened.

"...We need to find my father so he can let us leave this place."

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

"Lucifero."

Neros tilted his head.

"...Can’t we just do what we did before?"

He pointed at the lake.

"We jump, cross the forest, and that’s it."

Azael shook his head.

"No."

His tone was sharp.

"You can’t do that anymore."

Moonlight frowned.

"Why not?"

Lamia spoke before Azael could answer.

"...I felt something."

She crossed her arms.

"A strange pressure in the air."

Dorian nodded, leaning a bit more on his staff.

"...Me too."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Like a barrier... dense magic."

Azael looked at all of them.

"...Exactly."

He gestured to their surroundings.

"My father deployed his magical dome over the castle."

The wind blew softly, as if echoing his words.

"It’s an invisible barrier. It covers the entire perimeter."

He gestured toward the lake.

"It reaches almost to the edge of the red lake."

His expression turned more serious.

"...And only he can decide who enters and who leaves Morningstar Castle."

Max tightened his grip on the hammer.

"...We’re not in condition to fight right now."

Neros snorted.

"Speak for yourself."

He stretched a little.

"I’m perfectly fine to keep going."

SLAP.

The sound was sharp.

Sophie smacked him on the head.

"Stop saying stupid things."

She glared at him.

"We don’t need to risk our lives again."

Neros rubbed his head.

"...Ouch."

He looked at her.

"Sorry, sis."

Sophie crossed her arms, still annoyed.

Azael stepped forward.

"...Don’t worry."

His voice was calm.

"This isn’t something you have to carry."

He looked at each of them.

"...I’ll handle it."

His gaze hardened, but there was no fear in it. Only resolve.

"...I’ll face my father."

The wind blew again, stronger this time.

"...And I’ll open the way so we can leave the castle."

The group fell silent.

Because they all understood what that meant.

***

The group wasted no more time. They crossed the bridge and returned to the interior of the south tower. The echo of their footsteps rang through the stone stairs as they descended, slower than before, but with a clear goal.

The air inside the castle had changed.

It felt like even the walls were watching them.

Azael walked at the front, guiding them without hesitation.

"...This way."

He turned into a wide hallway, lit by torches.

"This leads straight to the royal hall."

Max looked around, alert.

"...It feels different."

Dorian nodded, leaning on his staff as he walked.

"...Yeah... like something is watching us."

"I don’t like it at all..." Moonlight muttered.

But they didn’t get far.

A figure appeared at the end of the hallway.

Tall. Elegant. Unmistakable.

"Well now..."

The voice was smooth.

"...What an interesting scene."

William.

The butler observed them with a faint smile, standing perfectly straight as always.

Abby didn’t hesitate for a second.

"William!"

She ran forward and threw her arms around him.

The butler slightly opened his arms, surprised... but he received her.

"...Miss Abigail."

His voice softened.

"I’m glad to see you safe and sound."

Abby hugged him tighter.

"...Thank you..."

She looked up.

"For helping my friends."

William inclined his head slightly.

"...It was the right thing to do."

Then his eyes shifted. They landed on Azael.

"...Young master."

A pause.

"...How is it that you are with them?"

His eyes sharpened slightly.

"...And what happened to Lord Dante?"

Azael stepped forward.

"...We fought him."

His voice was firm.

"They saved me."

He glanced at Max and the others.

"...That bastard is no longer a problem."

The silence tightened for a moment.

"...Dante’s false empire has ended."

William watched him closely, as if weighing every word.

Finally, he closed his eyes for a second.

"...I see."

When he opened them again, his composure had returned.

"...That explains many things."

He slightly turned his body.

"...Including why His Majesty ordered the dome to be deployed."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"...You already knew?"

William nodded.

"...The king rarely acts without reason."

Then he looked at all of them.

"...Please, follow me."

He turned around and began walking.

"...I will take you to His Majesty."

He paused briefly.

"...Although I cannot guarantee he won’t decide to tear your heads off the moment he sees you."

Max grimaced.

"...Great."

He sighed.

"...I don’t think he’s going to be very happy to see me."

He scratched his head.

"...I still haven’t made his map, and I’m not planning to."

William slowed slightly and turned his head, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"...In that case..."

His tone became more serious.

"...It would be better if you did not enter."

Silence fell for a moment.

"...Ideally, only the young master should go in."

He looked at Abby.

"...And at most, Lady Abigail."

Lamia raised an eyebrow.

"...I don’t think I should get too close either."

She crossed her arms.

"There are quite a few posters with my face all over the kingdom."

She smiled to the side.

"...I don’t think the king is a big fan of The Phantom."

Max nodded.

"...Yeah, better not."

He looked at Dorian.

"Go with her to the guest room."

He gestured behind them.

"Get some rest."

Dorian blinked.

"...Huh?"

He blushed slightly.

Lamia winked at him.

"...Looks like we’ve got some alone time, healer."

Max frowned.

"...Why are your minds always so dirty?"

Dorian raised his hands nervously.

"Hey, no, no!"

He shook his head quickly.

"Don’t get the wrong idea."

He adjusted his staff, acting injured.

"...I really do think it’s for the best."

He looked at Lamia.

"...She can help me finish healing."

Lamia smiled, satisfied.

"...That’s for sure."

Without saying anything else, the two separated from the group. They took a side hallway, walking away calmly.

The rest remained silent for a moment.

Then William resumed walking.

"...This way."

Azael followed without hesitation.

Abby, still a bit tense, went after him.

Max watched them go. He tightened his grip on the hammer. And took a step forward.

Moonlight moved to his side.

"...Come on, Dad."

Max nodded.

And together, they followed the butler.

Straight toward the king’s hall.

Where Lucifero was waiting for them.