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

The air was still cold, but the sun had started to warm things up enough to move.

There was no time to waste. Max gathered the group beside the extinguished campfire.

"Alright."

Max crossed his arms.

"We’re going to have to split up."

Everyone looked at him.

Varis raised an eyebrow slightly.

Max pulled out the jar. The dark ashes shifted faintly inside the glass.

He held it out to the dwarf.

"You’re going to take the women to Bloodleaf Village."

Varis took the jar carefully.

"And you need to find Abel."

Max looked at him straight in the eye.

"He’ll know what to do with this."

Varis observed the contents for a second. Then nodded.

"...understood, boss."

But he didn’t move.

"Will you guys be okay without me?"

Dorian let out a short laugh.

"Don’t start playing the hero now."

He crossed his arms.

"You’re going off on a trip with a group of beautiful women..."

He grinned.

"And you’ll even get to check on your horses in peace."

Varis smirked.

"What can I say..."

He shrugged.

"It’s finally my time to enjoy myself."

Dorian clicked his tongue.

"Then maybe I should go with the lovely ladies instead."

He stepped forward.

"Someone has to make sure they get there safely."

Max raised his hand.

"Enough of the nonsense."

His tone cut through everything.

"We need to be serious."

He looked at Dorian.

"You’re more useful in this fight."

Then at Varis.

"And someone has to escort them."

A pause.

"This is how it’s going to be."

Varis nodded without issue.

"Works for me."

Dorian shot him a glare.

Varis stuck his tongue out at him.

Dorian frowned even more.

Moonlight, seeing that, copied the gesture.

She stuck her tongue out at Varis, thinking it was a form of greeting.

"...bye."

Varis blinked, confused.

"...uh..."

He smiled.

"Bye, I guess."

Lamia stepped forward. She looked at the women.

"Listen carefully."

She pointed toward the forest.

"Follow that path until the terrain starts to slope downward."

Her tone was clear. Precise.

"You’ll see a dry red river. Follow it east."

A pause.

"Bloodleaf Village is hidden within a forest even larger than this one."

The women nodded, attentive.

Lamia looked at them one last time.

"And be careful..."

She turned her head toward Varis, giving him a fake smile.

"With that pervy dwarf."

Varis smiled back.

"Relax."

He placed a hand on his chest.

"I’m a true gentleman."

Dorian scoffed.

Lamia didn’t reply. Instead, she stepped forward.

She hugged one woman. Then another. And another.

Without saying much. But the gesture said everything.

"Take care..."

Her voice was soft.

The women hugged her back.

Tighter. More trusting than before.

Finally, they separated.

Varis took a step back.

"Well, we’re heading out."

He looked at the group.

"Don’t die without me."

"Just go already," Dorian muttered.

Varis laughed. And without another word, he started walking.

The group of women followed him.

Little by little, their figures disappeared among the trees.

Until they were completely gone.

The forest fell silent again.

Max exhaled.

"Alright."

He looked at the rest.

"Now it’s just us."

He crossed his arms.

"We need to find a way into the castle."

Neros raised his hand.

"I’ve been scouting."

He adjusted his stance slightly.

"With Sophie, from the treetops."

She nodded beside him.

"Lucifero already knows we escaped the castle."

The atmosphere tensed.

"They’re expecting us to come back."

Neros frowned.

"There are guards at every entrance."

He paused.

"They even sealed the wall we broke."

"...it’s going to be tough."

Max smiled.

"Actually..."

He looked up.

"That works in our favor."

Everyone looked at him.

"If there are more guards outside..."

He looked completely confident.

"There are fewer inside the castle."

Abby narrowed her eyes.

"...that smile."

She crossed her arms.

"It always comes right before one of your big ideas."

Max looked at her.

"Tell me..."

He tilted his head slightly.

"Do you know where the castle’s sewers run?"

Abby froze.

"...no."

She already knew where this was going.

"...tell me you’re not thinking that."

Max’s smile widened.

"I know it might be traumatic."

He shrugged.

"But it’s the best option we have."

He looked at her intently.

"In fact..."

His smile grew even more.

"It’s perfect."

Abby closed her eyes for a second. Exhaled.

"...great."

She opened them again. Resigned.

"Follow me."

She turned around.

"I know a drain."

Without waiting for a response, she started walking through the trees.

The group followed her.

The castle awaited them.

***

The red lake appeared between the trees, thick like stagnant blood.

The castle rose above it, connected to the forest by several stone bridges.

High. Guarded.

And full of soldiers.

The group moved in absolute silence.

Crouched. Sticking to the shadows. Beneath one of the bridges.

The sound of footsteps echoed above. Metal. Armor. Voices.

But below... nothing. Not a single sound.

Max’s ring glowed faintly. Its effect was active.

They passed right under two guards.

One was yawning. The other leaned against the railing.

Not noticing anything at all.

Max raised his hand. They stopped.

They waited a few seconds, then kept going.

The edge of the lake led them to a stone structure.

Dark. Damp.

A drain.

A steady stream of dark water flowed out of it...

And a rotten smell.

Like accumulated death.

Sophie grimaced instantly.

"...ugh..."

She covered her nose.

"That’s coming from inside..."

Abby didn’t say anything. But her expression changed. She recognized it.

Max stepped closer to the entrance.

Rusty bars blocked the way. Thick. Old. But weakened.

He studied them for a second.

Then spoke.

"Abby. Moon."

He pointed at the metal.

"Heat it up."

Both nodded. They stepped forward. Raised their hands.

And then—

FIRE.

A combined burst of flames slammed into the bars.

The metal heated instantly.

The rust darkened... then turned red-hot.

Neros didn’t wait.

"Excuse me."

They stepped aside.

Neros moved forward. His hands moved quickly, making multiple precise cuts.

The metal couldn’t hold and gave way.

The bars fragmented...

And fell. Reduced to dust.

The path was open.

A wave of rotten air poured out from inside.

Worse than before. Much worse.

Sophie stepped back.

"No..."

She shook her head.

"I should’ve gone with Varis."

She covered her nose tighter.

"I’ve gotten wet enough for one day."

Abby let out a short laugh.

"It’s not that bad."

She shrugged.

"I was in there for days."

Sophie looked at her, incredulous.

"...I can’t believe you’re still alive."

Abby smiled faintly. Glancing at Max.

"Thanks to him."

Max didn’t respond.

He was staring into the interior. Dark and deep.

They heard voices coming from above.

Guards. Getting closer.

"...did you hear something?"

"...no, but we should check anyway."

Max turned his head.

"No time."

His voice was low. But firm.

"Go in."

No one hesitated for long.

Abby went first. Without thinking. She stepped into the darkness.

Moonlight followed her. Without complaining.

Neros went in next. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Sophie hesitated for a second.

She looked at the opening.

"...this is disgusting..."

But she went in anyway.

Dorian scoffed.

"If I die down there..."

He shook his head.

"...that’s not a dignified death."

And he went in.

Lamia was the last before Max. She stopped for a second. Looked up at the castle.

Her gaze hardened.

Then she went in.

Max was the last.

He slipped inside.

And the darkness swallowed them.