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

Max sighed and placed a hand on his necklace.

A glow ran through the jewel, and two magical circles appeared on the floor.

From them emerged two skeletal knights.

They stood motionless, awaiting orders.

Max pointed at the drow trapped between roots and moss.

"Pick her up."

The two knights obeyed immediately.

One grabbed her beneath the arms.

The other took her by the legs.

Thara grimaced in disgust.

"This is revolting."

The skeletons did not react.

"What is?"

"Being touched by these soulless bones."

Max looked at her with a serious expression.

"If you don’t like it, I can ask Dorian to carry you."

Thara turned her head.

The elf was standing several meters behind them.

At that exact moment, he was picking his nose while staring at the ceiling.

"Huh?"

Dorian blinked.

"Did someone call me?"

Max pointed at the drow.

"She says she doesn’t want the skeletons carrying her."

Dorian smiled.

"I wouldn’t mind carrying her."

Thara stared at him for a few seconds.

Then she looked back at the skeletons.

"This is fine."

Max nodded.

"That’s what I thought."

Dorian crossed his arms.

"How cruel."

The three of them started moving down the corridor.

Well, technically five.

Because Thara was being transported by the two skeletons like a particularly grumpy package.

Max walked at the front.

"We need to move quickly."

"The scream came from somewhere nearby."

Dorian nodded.

"And if it was Vesper..."

"We need to find her."

Thara remained silent.

Max couldn’t help glancing at her from time to time.

He still didn’t trust her.

But after everything she had told them, and considering they had found Vesper’s broken glasses, it seemed increasingly likely that she had been telling the truth.

The corridors remained empty.

Until they turned a corner.

And something slammed directly into Dorian.

"AAAH!"

"AAAH!"

Both screams echoed at the same time.

Dorian was sent flying backward.

The other figure was as well.

Both ended up sitting on the floor.

Max blinked.

"That was incredibly convenient."

The figure raised its head.

It was Don.

The butler’s hair was a mess, his clothes were disheveled, and his face was the picture of absolute terror.

"Dorian!"

"Don!"

The two pointed at each other.

"Watch where you’re going!"

"You watch where you’re going!"

Then Dorian started laughing.

"It was both our fault."

Don thought about it.

"...Yeah."

Max quickly approached.

"What were you running from?"

The faun pointed behind him.

"Everything!"

"That’s not an answer."

"This horrible dimension!"

Max rubbed a hand across his face.

"Where’s Seraphine?"

Don swallowed.

"Fighting the drow."

Everyone froze.

"With Vesper?"

Max asked.

"I suppose."

Don replied.

"I’m not sure. Everything got strange."

Max frowned.

"Strange how?"

The faun shuddered.

"The space around us warped."

"What does that mean?"

"I don’t know."

Don shook his head.

"There was magic everywhere. Lights. Explosions. Then I started running."

Dorian nodded slowly.

"That part does sound like Seraphine."

Don finally noticed something.

His eyes drifted down to Thara.

The drow was still being carried by the skeletons while mossy roots covered her arms and legs.

He blinked.

"Normally I wouldn’t ask. But I’m going to."

Max already knew what was coming.

"Why do you have Miss Thara tied up like that?"

Dorian laughed.

"It’s a long story. And a very confusing one."

Don looked at Max.

Searching for a more useful explanation.

Max sighed.

"It’s a precaution."

"A precaution?"

"We thought she was responsible for all of this."

Don’s eyes widened.

"Responsible for the monsters?"

"The rituals."

"The mirror dimension."

"The androids."

"And several other things."

Don looked at the drow again.

Then at Max.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

Max crossed his arms.

"But considering her sister, Vesper, is probably the one fighting Seraphine..."

He looked at Thara.

"It seems she was telling the truth."

The drow smiled faintly.

"It took you long enough to reach that conclusion."

"Don’t get excited."

Max replied.

"I still don’t trust you."

"The feeling is mutual."

Dorian raised a hand.

"I trust her a little."

Nobody paid attention to him.

Don cleared his throat.

"Well."

Everyone looked at him.

"Now that we’ve cleared that up..."

"Yeah?"

"Could someone escort me to the exit?"

Max sighed.

Dorian smiled.

A smile that made Don take a step backward.

"Oh no."

The elf placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That’s going to be impossible, dear faun."

"What?"

"Your moment has arrived."

Don turned pale.

"No."

"Yes."

Dorian’s smile widened.

"The time has come for you to become a hero."

"I DON’T WANT TO BE A HERO!"

"And an adventurer."

"I DON’T WANT TO BE AN ADVENTURER EITHER!"

Max laughed.

"Too late for that."

Don looked on the verge of tears.

"I don’t want to go back there."

He pointed toward the corridor he had come from.

"It’s too dangerous."

Max patted him on the back.

"That’s exactly why we have to go."

"That doesn’t help."

"Seraphine is alone."

"That doesn’t help either."

"The more people we have, the bigger our advantage."

Don finally gave up.

"I hate this castle."

Dorian smiled.

"That’s a lie."

"Yes."

"You love it."

While they argued, Thara spoke again.

"Since we’re clearing things up."

Max looked at her.

"What?"

The drow raised an eyebrow.

"If you already know I’m not the culprit."

She moved the roots restraining her.

"Why am I still tied up?"

Max crossed his arms.

It was a good question.

Dorian answered first.

"I find it kind of exciting."

Max turned so fast he nearly hurt his neck.

"What?"

The elf shrugged.

"I’m being honest."

"DON’T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!"

"Why not?"

"Because you’re a pervert."

Thara closed her eyes.

Clearly, she was losing patience.

Max rubbed his temples.

"This can’t be happening..."

Then he looked back at the drow.

If Vesper was really the one fighting Seraphine...

And if the entire story Thara had told them was true...

Then they didn’t have many reasons left to keep her prisoner.

Well.

They still had a few.

But far fewer than before.

"I don’t like the idea."

He admitted.

Thara smiled.

"What a surprise."

"But maybe..."

Max sighed.

"...maybe it’s time to let her go."

Dorian’s eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"No."

"Oh."

"But we can’t keep carrying her around the castle forever."

The skeletons seemed to silently nod.

Or maybe Max imagined it.

Thara raised an eyebrow.

"Finally, a reasonable decision."

"Don’t even think about trying to escape."

"And what will you do?"

she asked.

"Tie me up again?"

Dorian raised a hand.

"I can help with that."

"Quiet, Dorian."

"Fine."

Max approached the roots and began cutting them away one by one.

The moss-covered vines gradually released her arms and legs.

Thara finally regained movement in her shoulders.

Then her hands.

And finally she stood up.

She straightened her clothes with dignity.

As if she hadn’t spent the last several minutes being carried around by two skeletons.

Max watched as she recovered her mobility.

"Don’t make me regret this."

The drow adjusted her oval glasses.

"I could say exactly the same thing."