Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill-Chapter 101: Side Quest: Failed?

Max and Moonlight ran at full speed, propelled by wind magic, down the same corridor where they had been fighting just minutes ago.

They returned with a strange feeling in their chests, they had won, and they hadn’t killed anyone, yet they had just witnessed Dante’s death.

They passed by the bodies of the guards lying on the ground, but ignored them. They went straight to the room where Abby, Dorian, Lamia, and Azael were.

Max entered first, hammer still in hand, breathing heavily. Behind him, Moonlight slowed down, letting the wind magic gradually dissipate around her.

The air inside the room was no longer the same.

Colder. More... calm.

Abby looked up instantly, still kneeling beside her brother, holding him carefully.

"Max! Moon!"

Her eyes quickly scanned their bodies.

"Are you okay?"

Moon nodded right away, stepping closer.

"Yeah... we’re fine, but we got there late."

She frowned.

"Other guys already took care of what was left of Dante."

Lamia, leaning against a wall, lifted her head sharply.

"...What do you mean, other guys?"

Moon crossed her arms, still slightly out of breath.

"Cloaked figures. They appeared out of nowhere, on the stairs."

Max stepped forward, serious.

"It’s not the first time I’ve seen them."

He tightened his grip on the hammer.

"They used a knife with seals... they made Dante’s blood evaporate without leaving a trace."

He paused.

"And then they disappeared into a portal."

Silence fell for a moment.

"...They left a green powder on the window."

His gaze hardened.

Lamia went completely still.

"...That can’t be..."

She slowly shook her head.

"I thought that was just a story..."

She looked up.

"A simple children’s tale."

Max glanced at her.

"...The cult of the goddess of assassins?"

Lamia hesitated.

"...That’s what the stories said..."

She lowered her gaze.

"...But I never believed they were real."

Max exhaled through his nose.

"Well, now I’m pretty sure."

He crossed his arms.

"This is the second time I’ve heard the exact same thing."

A groan interrupted the conversation.

"...Seriously..."

Dorian’s voice came out weak, filled with pain.

"...I’m surprised you’ve seen them twice... and you’re still in one piece..."

Moon reacted immediately.

"Hey—!"

She quickly moved to him, slipping her arm under his.

"Don’t try to be funny right now."

Max also stepped closer and helped him up from the ground.

"Don’t push yourself, you’re not in condition."

His tone softened.

"Relax, the worst is already over."

Dorian let out a short laugh, even though it hurt.

"...I hope so..."

Suddenly, Azael inhaled sharply.

"—Ah—!"

His eyes flew open and he sat up.

Abby flinched.

"Azael!"

She tried to support him better.

"Easy, easy..."

Azael blinked several times, clearly confused. His hands moved, touching his chest... his neck... his face.

His wounds... were gone.

His horns... had grown back.

"...And Dante...?"

His voice came out tense.

"Is he already dealt with?"

Abby nodded quickly, with a trembling smile.

"Yeah... it’s over..."

She squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"You’re safe, brother."

Dorian frowned, surprised.

"...Wait..."

He leaned slightly closer.

"How did you recover so fast?"

Azael brought a hand to the back of his neck.

"This..."

He moved his hair aside.

A white gem embedded there glowed softly at the back of his neck.

"...My mother gave it to me when I was a child. It was her last gift."

His voice lowered slightly.

"Before... she left this life."

Max narrowed his eyes.

"...That item is ultra rare."

He shook his head, impressed.

"I remember how hard it was for me to get something like that to platinum the game..."

Without thinking, he opened the system.

His eyes quickly scanned Azael’s information.

And then stopped.

"...Huh..."

He blinked.

"Interesting."

Abby looked at him.

"What is it?"

Max looked up.

"You gained poison immunity."

He pointed at Azael.

"For surviving the enhanced Lamia poison I injected into you when Dante was controlling your body."

Azael stayed silent for a second.

"...Sounds fair."

Then he frowned.

"...Elise."

He looked at Max.

"Is she okay?"

Max nodded.

"Yeah. She left with Varis and the other women."

He gestured toward the direction of the forest.

"To Bloodleaf Village, they’re going to see Lamia’s husband. He’s trustworthy, don’t worry."

Azael let out a breath, relieved.

"...Good, thank you for that, but..."

But his expression quickly changed.

"Then we have another problem."

He straightened up a bit more.

"...My father."

The atmosphere tightened.

"We have to face him if we want to leave the castle."

Moon raised her hand.

"And we still need to find Sophie and Neros."

Abby nodded.

"They probably already dealt with the bridge guards..."

She pressed her lips together.

"I hope nothing strange happened to them."

Max looked at everyone.

"...We need to move now."

His tone turned firm again.

"Don’t push yourselves too much, but we can’t stay here."

He turned his body toward the exit.

"...I want to go back to the castle."

A faint, tired smile appeared.

"I miss Elanor."

The group began to stand up as best they could.

Slow and aching. But standing. Step by step, they moved toward the stairs.

The sound of their footsteps filled the corridor.

And then, Max stopped for a second.

"...Right."

He opened a system window.

The notification was still there.

He read it.

And his expression changed.

’...What?’

He frowned.

[Side Quest Failed]

’...Are you kidding me?’

he thought, annoyed.

’We saved all the women... how the hell did I fail the side quest?’

The answer appeared.

[Condition not met: prevent "The Phantom" from completing its objective]

Max clenched his teeth. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

’...What did you expect me to do?’

he thought.

’Was I supposed to keep Dante alive?’

He shook his head, irritated.

’...That was an impossible mission.’

He sighed.

But another window was still active.

[Main Quest: "Save the Maid"][Status: In Progress][Objective: Escort Abigail Morningstar to her royal home]

Max looked at it for a moment longer.

Then closed it.

’...At least I can still complete the main quest.’

He looked up, offended at the system.

The group was already heading toward the stairs.

He adjusted his belongings inside his infinite backpack.

And without saying anything else, hammer in hand and shield equipped, he followed them.