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

The guest room door slammed shut.

The group was already inside, fully alert.

The elf lay on the bed. Bound.

Dorian stood beside him, his hands glowing faintly.

"...stay still..." he murmured.

Magic flowed.

The elf’s hands returned to their proper place. They began to move again.

Bone and flesh stitched themselves back together.

"...that’s it. He’s fully healed."

The elf’s eyes snapped open.

His breathing was ragged.

His gaze—desperate.

"...wait!"

He struggled suddenly, but the restraints held him in place.

"...please, let my wife go!"

Silence.

"...she didn’t do anything..."

His voice trembled.

"...if you want to kill someone..."

He clenched his teeth.

"...kill me."

Max stepped forward.

"...calm down."

The elf looked at him. Suspicious.

"...we don’t know what you’re talking about."

The elf shook his head. Hard.

"...no."

His gaze hardened.

"...you won’t trick me again."

He struggled even more.

"...you work for him."

Silence.

"...all of you..."

He looked around.

"...you’re devils."

No one answered.

Max sighed.

"...no."

He crossed his arms.

"...not really."

The elf frowned.

Max turned slightly.

"...guys."

He looked at them.

"...take off the bracelets. We need him to trust us if we want information."

The group hesitated for a second.

Then, one by one, they removed them.

A faint glow. Their forms shifted.

Horns vanished. Red skin faded. Their eyes returned to normal.

There were no devils in the room anymore.

Just them.

Max looked back at the elf and gave a small smile.

"...see?"

He smiled faintly.

"...we’re undercover."

He crossed his arms again.

"...in a castle full of devils."

The elf stared at them, confused, processing. His breathing slowly calmed.

"...so..."

He swallowed.

"...you don’t work for him..."

Max shook his head.

"...on the contrary."

His eyes hardened.

"...we’re looking for him."

The elf hesitated. But something in his expression changed.

Hope.

"...then..."

His voice lowered.

"...there’s still a chance..."

Max stepped closer, serious.

"...that depends on you."

He looked him straight in the eye.

"...tell us everything you know about Dante."

The elf lowered his gaze. Took a deep breath, as if gathering strength.

"First of all... my name is Vimel."

He looked at the group.

"...I used to live in a quiet forest..."

He exhaled slowly.

"...on the outskirts of the northern lands."

His eyes drifted.

"...with my wife."

He hesitated.

"...she’s a devil."

Varis raised an eyebrow.

Vimel continued.

"...we had to leave my village."

He clenched his teeth.

"...in my land, they don’t accept that."

Pause.

"...they don’t accept an elf being with someone from another race."

Moon frowned.

Vimel went on.

"...but we were happy. Living together in a small cabin in the woods."

Everyone watched him closely.

"...until one day..."

His voice dropped.

"...he appeared."

He took a deep breath.

"...a carriage... pulled by skeletons in black armor."

He swallowed.

"...and inside... was him..."

His hands trembled.

"...Dante."

Silence.

"...he was covered in jewels."

His expression tightened.

"...he wanted to buy my wife."

Pause.

"...he said he had seen her in the forest."

His eyes hardened.

"...that he had fallen deeply in love."

Max frowned.

Vimel shook his head.

"...I refused."

A tear rolled down his cheek.

"...there’s no amount of money..."

He clenched his fists.

"...that could pay for what I feel for her."

He exhaled.

"...but he didn’t give up. Not once."

He raised his gaze.

"...he kept coming back. Again and again. Every day. For months."

His voice darkened.

"...until one night..."

Silence.

"...he entered our home."

His eyes trembled.

"...he said he always gets what he wants... and that he wanted her."

Pause.

"...that the money..."

He shook his head.

"...was just a favor he was offering me."

A second passed.

"...and then..."

His breathing broke.

"...he pierced my torso."

Silence.

"...with his entire arm."

Moon covered her mouth.

Vimel closed his eyes.

"...I’m sure I died right there."

Pause.

"...I know it."

Silence.

"...I remember the floor covered in blood... the burning in my stomach..."

His hands trembled.

"...and her..."

He clenched his teeth.

"...asleep."

His voice cracked.

"...while he carried her away over his shoulder."

Absolute silence.

"...the last thing I saw..."

His eyes opened.

"...was one of those black-armored skeletons."

Pause.

"...carrying me like a sack of meat... toward his carriage."

Silence.

Moon wiped a tear away.

"...that’s horrible..."

She lowered her gaze.

"...I’m so sorry..."

Pause.

"...for you and your wife."

Vimel didn’t respond. He lowered his head and broke into tears.

Max stepped forward, serious.

"...wait, Vimel."

He grabbed his shoulder.

"...if you died..."

He looked straight at him.

"...how are you alive now?"

The elf lifted his head.

Dorian crossed his arms, thoughtful.

"...I felt something strange."

Everyone looked at him.

"...when I was healing him."

He pointed at Vimel.

"...his body..."

He frowned.

"...isn’t... fully alive."

The group exchanged uneasy looks.

"...it’s like..."

He hesitated.

"...he’s undead."

Varis glanced at Vimel.

"...is that why he’s so pale?"

No one answered.

Max spoke again, calmer.

"...Vimel, thank you for telling us your story."

The elf looked up.

Max continued.

"...but there’s something you need to know."

His eyes hardened.

"...a few hours ago... you weren’t yourself."

Silence.

"...you looked different. You looked like a devil."

Vimel tensed.

Max went on.

"...you were pretending to be Dante."

Pause.

"...I put you to sleep with a magic item. Then your appearance changed."

He stared at him.

"...don’t you remember anything from the other room?"

Vimel hesitated a lot. His expression turned confused. He started to feel dizzy.

"...no..."

He shook his head slowly.

"...the last thing I remember..."

His eyes trembled.

"...is what I just told you."

Sophie clenched her fists, her expression tense.

"...then we have nothing. No new information about Dante."

She lowered her gaze.

"...healing him was pointless."

The atmosphere grew heavy.

Max sighed.

"...easy, Sophie."

He looked at her.

"...this is just getting started."

Sophie looked at him, annoyed.

Max continued.

"...if that guy was impersonating Dante..."

He pointed at Vimel.

"...then the real one will probably come looking for him."

Sophie sighed.

"...besides..."

She frowned.

"...we don’t even know if the real one is in the castle right now."

She lowered her gaze.

"...or when he plans to take Abby."

Sophie looked up again, more serious.

Max turned to Vimel. His eyes locked onto him.

"...tell me something... are you willing to help us?"

He smiled slightly.

"...to face Dante."

A second passed.

"...and maybe get your wife back."

Vimel didn’t hesitate. His eyes shone.

"...of course."

He clenched his teeth.

"...I’d do anything to find her."