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

The cloud of dust still covered the road.

Max narrowed his eyes, trying to see something.

Then a figure ran toward them through the dust.

"Sophie."

Max threw the carriage door open.

Sophie stopped in front of them, breathing a little heavily.

"I’m fine!"

Max frowned.

"What happened?"

Sophie wiped her forehead with her hand.

"My brother..."

She sighed.

"I think he went crazy."

The cloud of dust slowly began to fade, and then they could see it.

The carriage ahead was split in half.

The wheels were scattered across the road.

The planks were shattered.

The horses were gone.

In the middle of the wreckage stood Neros.

He held his sword drawn in one hand.

The tip of the blade was pointed at Thog.

In his other hand he held a small green gem.

Thog was on the ground with his hands raised.

"W-wait!"

Dorian looked at Sophie carefully.

He frowned.

"Hmm."

Sophie looked at him.

"What?"

Dorian raised a hand.

"You seem to be under a magical effect."

Sophie blinked.

"Huh?"

"Let me heal you."

A soft light appeared in Dorian’s hand.

The energy flowed through Sophie’s body.

She sighed.

As if suddenly waking up.

Max looked at him.

"What kind of effect?"

Dorian pointed at the green gem in Neros’s hand.

"Sleep magic."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Sleep magic?"

At that moment, Varis jumped down from the carriage and ran forward.

"Sir Neros!"

He approached quickly.

"Please lower your weapon!"

Thog pointed dramatically at Neros.

"He’s crazy!"

Neros didn’t move.

His voice sounded cold inside the helmet.

"He tried to enchant us."

He lifted the green gem.

"Using this."

He paused.

"If it weren’t for my spell-resistant helmet, I wouldn’t have reacted in time."

Thog shook his head fiercely.

"I don’t know where that came from!"

Varis glared at him.

"Really?"

He clenched his teeth.

"Then you’re still working with those bandits."

Thog stayed silent.

Varis continued.

"You were guiding us into a trap."

He pointed down the road.

"That’s why you insisted on carrying the map."

Neros’s sword moved.

The tip lifted Thog by his scarf.

The dwarf was half suspended in the air.

"How dare you betray the kingdom?"

Neros’s voice sounded dangerous.

"During a rescue mission."

Max raised a hand.

"Wait."

He looked at the gem.

"Let me see that."

Neros tossed it to him.

Max caught it.

At that moment, the system appeared before his eyes.

[Dream Gem]

[A magical gem that releases a scent capable of inducing sleep after several minutes of exposure.]

[Enhanced Effect: Anyone who inhales the scent immediately falls into a deep sleep.]

A smile slipped across Max’s face.

He put the gem into his backpack.

Then he looked at Thog.

"So."

He crossed his arms.

"Those bandits are on the road to the Devil Kingdom?"

Thog spat to the side.

"I’m not talking."

Neros’s sword moved closer to his neck.

"You’re gambling with your life."

His voice was cold.

"Talk."

Thog stared at him.

"Then cut my head off."

But before he could finish—

Neros’s sword moved.

No one even saw when.

A huge lock of beard fell to the ground.

The dwarf froze.

His face turned completely pale.

Moon watched the scene with sparkling eyes.

She moved closer to Sophie.

"Your brother is amazing."

Varis smacked Thog on the head.

"Idiot!"

He pointed at the sword.

"Talk!"

Thog swallowed hard.

"T-the road is clear..."

He took a deep breath.

"But a few kilometers ahead, there are some bandits."

He looked at Max.

"They work with me."

Max smiled.

"Perfect."

Everyone looked at him.

Max pointed at Varis’s carriage.

"Then we’ll pretend nothing happened."

Then he looked at Thog.

"We’ll all ride in the same carriage."

He paused.

"And if you betray us again..."

He smiled.

"...you’re a dead dwarf."

Neros nodded.

"I think that’s a good idea."

Max stretched.

"Get ready for the ambush."

He looked at the road with excitement.

"Instead of avoiding the fight..."

He grinned.

"...we’re heading straight into it."

Thog frowned.

"I didn’t think you were that strong."

Then he added,

"But those guys aren’t weak."

Max smiled like a mad genius.

"Perfect."

He opened his backpack.

"I bet they have good loot."

Varis punched Thog hard on the head.

"I’m very disappointed in you."

Meanwhile, Neros pushed the remains of the carriage off the road.

Max took his shield and equipment out of the backpack and calmly put them on.

Everyone climbed into Varis’s carriage.

A little cramped this time.

Varis grabbed the reins.

Thog sat beside him.

The carriage started moving again.

Straight toward the ambush.

The carriage rolled along the dirt road.

The forest grew denser.

The trees became taller.

And the sound of the wheels was the only thing that could be heard.

A small lake appeared beside the road.

The water was perfectly still.

Moon leaned out the window.

"How pretty..."

But then Varis frowned.

"Tsk."

He pulled the reins.

The carriage stopped.

In the middle of the road lay a small figure.

A child.

Face down.

Hands and legs tied.

Moon’s eyes widened.

"Is he... hurt?"

Max saw him too.

"Looks like it."

But before anyone could step down—

The air filled with sharp sounds.

Fiiiiiuuuu.

And then—

Dozens of arrows rained down from the treetops.

"Ambush!" Varis shouted.

But just before the arrows struck—

Max’s shield shone.

An invisible barrier appeared around the carriage.

The arrows crashed against it.

CRACK.

They shattered in the air.

Pieces of wood and metal fell to the ground.

And then something else fell from the trees.

Figures.

Gray-skinned elves.

They had fired from the branches, but the recoil and surprise made them lose their balance.

Several of them fell directly onto the enemies surrounding the carriage.

Goblins.

Dwarves.

One after another rolled across the ground.

Around ten enemies were already knocked out.

Moon kicked the carriage door open.

"Let’s go!"

She jumped down with her sword in hand.

Neros also stepped down from the carriage.

His sword was already drawn.

Moon looked at one of the gray elves lying on the ground.

"Why is their skin that color?"

Neros let out a short laugh.

"Incredible."

He looked at her.

"Even in combat, you don’t lose your curiosity."

Meanwhile, Varis opened a small chest under his seat.

From it he pulled out an axe larger than himself.

He lifted it with ease.

Thog looked at him.

"Uh..."

He scratched his head.

"Got another one for me?"

Varis looked at him coldly.

"Sorry."

He closed the chest.

"You’re not participating."

Thog frowned.

"What?"

Varis crossed his arms.

"I don’t trust you anymore."

At that moment, Max approached.

He showed the green gem.

"I’ll handle this."

Thog barely had time to react.

Max brought the gem closer.

The dwarf inhaled.

And the next second—

PLOP.

He collapsed onto the ground, completely asleep.

A goblin pointed at the carriage.

"It’s a trap!"

Max stepped down from the carriage.

Smiling.

"Actually..."

He looked around.

"...you set one for us first."

Sophie pulled some papers from her pocket.

They had magical seals drawn on them.

She threw them toward a dwarf.

The papers stuck to his armor.

The seal glowed.

WHOOM.

The dwarf was launched into a tree.

He stuck to it.

Completely immobilized.

Moon’s eyes widened.

"That trick is amazing!"

Sophie smiled.

"Thanks, little dragon."

At that moment—

Neros disappeared from where he stood.

He leaped toward a group of goblins.

SHING.

A spinning slash.

The enemies fell to the ground with deep cuts across their torsos.

Moon raised her sword.

Wind began swirling around her.

Two goblins were lifted off the ground.

"Now!"

The sword shone with white light.

Cold flames shot forward.

The goblins froze midair.

But then—

A dwarf appeared behind her.

Sword raised.

Ready to strike.

Moon didn’t see him.

But something flew through the air from behind.

WHOOSH.

A hammer.

It slammed straight into the dwarf’s face.

CRACK.

The dwarf was sent flying.

The hammer bounced off the ground.

And then—

It disappeared.

Reappearing in Max’s hand.

Max looked at it curiously.

"Hmm."

He smiled.

"I wanted to test it."

Moon looked at him with shining eyes.

"Thanks, Dad!"

She gave a thumbs up.

"I was counting on you!"

Nearby, Varis was fighting two goblins.

Both had daggers and shields.

The dwarf tried to block and attack at the same time.

But the goblins were fast.

Varis hesitated.

"Damn it..."

Then a light appeared above him.

Dorian raised his staff.

"Support magic."

The light wrapped around Varis.

His body felt lighter.

His movements faster.

Varis grinned.

"Oh!"

He spun his axe.

SLASH.

One strike.

Then another.

Both goblins fell to the ground.

Varis looked back.

"That felt good!"

He gave a thumbs up.

"Thank you very much!"

Dorian smiled calmly.

"It’s my duty as support."

The fight lasted a few more minutes.

But it wasn’t long.

When everything ended—

The forest fell silent again.

Goblins, dwarves, and gray elves lay scattered across the ground.

Moon took a deep breath.

"We won..."

But then everyone looked toward the road.

The child was still there.

Tied up.

Lying on the ground.

Neros walked toward him.

He sheathed his sword.

He stopped in front of the small figure.

"You can stand up."

He said calmly.

"These bandits were using you as bait."

He paused.

"We’ll let you go."

The figure didn’t move.

Then—

The body began to change.

The skin melted.

Turning into a gelatinous, viscous mass.

And suddenly—

A tentacle shot forward.

It grabbed Neros’s free arm.

The "child" had transformed into a giant slime.