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

Max ran down the corridor alongside Dorian and Thara.

The trail was impossible to lose.

Black feathers, claw marks, and small drops of blood appeared every few meters across the stone floor.

"He’s bleeding."

Max said as he kept moving forward.

"He hit himself way too hard in the head with that pistol."

Thara looked at the red stains.

Her expression grew darker and darker.

"I’ve got a bad feeling about this."

Max nodded.

"Me too."

He clenched his teeth.

"This Will guy seems completely insane."

For a while, the only sound was their footsteps echoing through the empty corridors of the mirror dimension.

Eventually, Thara broke the silence.

"For a long time, I didn’t want to believe it."

Max glanced at her.

"Believe what?"

The drow lowered her gaze.

"That he was really a man."

Dorian looked at her as well.

Thara sighed.

"I always wanted to believe she was still my sister."

Her voice became much quieter.

"That Vesper was still in there. That it was all some kind of misunderstanding."

She clenched her fists.

"But I don’t feel like there’s anything left of her anymore."

This time, Dorian was the one who spoke.

"I’m sorry."

Thara raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn’t expecting to hear that from you."

The elf smiled.

"I’m incredibly handsome and charming."

Max rolled his eyes.

"And incredibly stupid."

"That too."

Dorian replied without taking offense.

But then he looked back at Thara, and this time his smile was genuine.

"I mean it. That must be horrible."

For a moment, Thara seemed unable to respond.

She simply kept walking.

Then Max recognized something.

And so did Dorian.

Both of them stopped at the same time.

"Wait."

Max said.

Dorian frowned.

"I noticed it too."

Thara looked at them.

"What’s wrong?"

Max pointed ahead.

"I know this path."

Dorian nodded.

"So do I."

Then they both said the exact same thing.

"It leads to the caveman’s room."

A chill ran down Max’s spine.

"This looks really bad."

***

A few minutes later, they arrived.

The door was still open.

And the moment they stepped inside, they saw him.

Will was there.

Standing in front of a massive sheet of paper spread across the floor.

Part of a gigantic magic seal had already been drawn on it.

Around him lay the remains of the android Seraphine had destroyed.

Everything had been piled neatly into a corner.

As if he were preparing something.

Against one of the walls, the caveman remained chained.

And guarding everything stood the black bird.

Its enormous wings folded.

Watching them.

Waiting.

Thara stepped forward.

"Will!"

The figure slowly turned around.

Vesper’s eyes.

But it wasn’t Vesper anymore.

"Please."

Thara said.

"Stop. We can help you."

Will let out a laugh.

"Help me?"

His smile looked unhinged.

"You’re really still saying that?"

He pointed at the seal.

"After everything I’ve done. After everything I’ve discovered. After everything I’ve sacrificed."

His voice grew louder.

"You’re going to lock me away! You just want to stop my plan!"

Max stepped forward.

"Don’t be stupid."

Will turned toward him.

"What did you say?"

"I said stop acting like an idiot."

The room fell completely silent.

"You’re losing your mind."

Max continued.

"And you know it."

Will began laughing.

An uncomfortable laugh.

"Crazy?"

He pointed at his body.

"I’m trapped inside the body of a gray-skinned woman!"

He struck his chest.

"I arrived in a world full of monsters!"

He pointed at the caveman.

"I summon beasts from the past!"

He pointed at the android remains.

"I summon machines from the future!"

He pointed toward the ceiling.

"There are mirror dimensions!"

His breathing was ragged.

"This entire world is insane!"

Then he smiled.

"And in the middle of all this insanity..."

He lifted his head.

"It seems I’m the only sane person left."

Dorian looked at the massive sheet of paper.

And something caught his attention.

"Max."

The human didn’t take his eyes off Will.

"What?"

"He’s finishing the seal."

Max looked down and immediately understood.

Will was working against the clock.

Every second he spent talking, he kept drawing.

"We have to stop him."

Max said.

But the moment he tried to move forward, the bird spread its wings.

A tremendous gust of wind exploded through the room.

"Shit!"

Max dug his feet into the floor.

The gale was brutal.

Dorian had to grab onto a bookshelf.

Thara nearly got blown backward.

The bird screeched again, and another wave of wind slammed into the room.

Will continued drawing.

Without stopping.

Without even looking at them.

"Too late."

He said.

"I’m almost finished."

Max tried advancing again, but managed only two steps.

"Goddammit!"

Will looked up at him.

"I really don’t understand."

His expression hardened.

"Why?"

Max frowned.

"Why what?"

"Why do you love this world?"

The question caught him off guard.

Will continued.

"You have a family. You have a home. You have a life. Why don’t you want to go back?"

Max fell silent.

He seriously considered his answer.

And when he spoke, he didn’t hesitate.

"Because my life was shit."

Everyone froze.

Even Will.

Max took a deep breath.

"Do you know what I used to do before I came here?"

He smiled.

But it wasn’t a happy smile.

It was bitter.

Tired.

"Everything was about working, studying, trying to pass exams, trying to earn approval... trying to live up to other people’s expectations."

He lowered his gaze.

"The routine was miserable."

Then he looked back at Will.

"I didn’t even have a good relationship with my parents."

The room fell silent.

"So don’t speak for me."

Max said.

"Because you have no idea what my life was like."

Will didn’t answer.

He simply stared at him.

For the first time, he seemed speechless.

Dorian was staring at Max too, and couldn’t help smiling.

’He really changed.’

He remembered the lost boy who had first arrived in the kingdom.

And compared that image to the man standing before him now.

The same man who had just fought a creature capable of destroying castles.

The same man who protected his friends.

The same man who was about to marry a princess.

’He became a hero. An adventurer. And he’s got some serious guts.’

Dorian let out a small laugh.

Max looked at him.

"What are you laughing at?"

The elf raised a hand.

"Nothing."

He smiled.

Then he placed both hands in front of him, and green magic began to gather.

Max immediately recognized that glow.

"Dorian?"

The elf grinned.

"I’ll cover you."

Magical energy flowed through Max’s entire body.

The sensation was immediate.

More strength.

More speed.

More endurance.

"Go."

Dorian said.

"Before he finishes."

Will sped up the movement of his pen.

"No!"

The seal was almost complete.

Max took a deep breath.

"I’m going."

He clenched his fists and charged forward.

This time, the wind couldn’t stop him.

Dorian’s support magic pushed his body beyond its normal limits.

The bird screeched furiously.

But Max kept advancing.

Will began drawing desperately.

The final section of the seal.

Only a few strokes remained.

Thara’s eyes widened.

"Max!"

Dorian smiled.

"Come on."

The human took another step.

Getting closer and closer.

While Will desperately tried to complete the ritual.