Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill-Chapter 43: A Warning Before Sleep

Max stopped in front of Elanor’s door.

He took a deep breath.

Raised his hand.

Knock.

The door suddenly opened.

She was standing on the other side.

The moment she saw him, her eyes widened.

And the next instant—

She hugged him.

Max froze completely.

"Max!"

Elanor held him tightly.

"I thought something bad had happened to you!"

Max felt his face heat up immediately.

"U-uh..."

Elanor lifted her head to look at him.

Her cheeks were red too.

"You were incredible in the duel," she said quickly. "I always believed you would make it."

Max looked away, still blushing.

"Well... I told you I had a plan."

He paused for a moment.

"Although... to be honest... I still can’t believe everything actually worked."

Elanor let out a small laugh.

Then Max looked at her again.

"Hey... thanks."

She tilted her head slightly.

"For what?"

Max raised his hand and pointed at his finger.

"For using your magic to get the ring to me."

Elanor blinked.

Max continued.

"If it weren’t for that... I’d probably be dead right now."

Elanor watched him for a few seconds.

Then she smiled.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Max stared at her.

For a second.

And then both of them started laughing.

"Yeah, sure," Max said. "Total coincidence."

"Exactly," Elanor replied with an innocent smile.

At that moment—

A voice appeared right behind Max.

"It is not appropriate for him to be up."

Max jumped slightly.

He turned around.

Sophie was there.

She had appeared without making the slightest sound. Arms crossed. Staring directly at him.

Max sighed.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Since before both of you started blushing."

Elanor raised a hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Sophie sighed.

"Dorian said he should be resting."

Max raised his hands in surrender.

"I only came to talk for a moment."

Elanor immediately stepped in.

"It’s fine."

Sophie looked at her.

Elanor smiled calmly.

"He’s not exerting himself much."

Sophie seemed to consider it for a few seconds.

But before she could answer—

Footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Three castle guards were approaching quickly.

When they reached them, one of the guards spoke.

"Sorry for the interruption."

He looked at Max, then at Elanor.

"Have any of you seen Lord Taniel?"

Max felt his heart jump slightly.

Elanor shook her head.

"No."

The guard continued.

"We were going to give him the medicine Dorian left for him, but his room is a mess."

He frowned.

"And he’s not there."

Sophie shook her head too.

"I haven’t seen him."

The guard then looked at Max.

Max took a second before answering.

"I heard some strange noises in his room when I passed by the hallway."

Everyone looked at him.

Max shrugged.

"But I didn’t think much of it."

The guard nodded slowly.

"I see."

He adjusted the sword on his belt.

"Anyway, we’re trying to find him."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

The guard answered seriously.

"We’re investigating where he got his connections."

"Connections?"

"The two criminals he brought to represent him in the duel."

The guard shook his head.

"They’re not simple mercenaries."

He paused briefly.

"And we want to know how he managed to bring them here."

He looked at the three of them once more.

"If you remember anything, let us know."

Max nodded.

"Of course."

The guards walked away down the hallway.

Silence returned.

Elanor looked at Max.

"Strange noises?"

Max shrugged slightly.

"Maybe he broke something."

But in his mind, the image returned.

The blade.

The smile.

And those eyes staring at him from beneath the hood.

Max clenched his fists slightly.

’Something definitely isn’t right.’

Elanor watched him for a few more seconds. Then she sighed softly.

"It’s late, Max."

He looked up.

"The duel was today. Your body is still recovering."

Elanor gestured toward the hallway.

"You should go to sleep."

Max scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah... you’re probably right."

He took half a step back.

But before leaving, he looked at her again.

"Uh... Ela."

"Yes?"

Max hesitated for a second.

"Be careful tonight."

She blinked.

"Careful?"

Max pointed toward her room.

"Make sure your windows are closed."

Elanor frowned slightly.

"I don’t understand why you’re saying that."

Max shrugged.

"It’s nothing."

He made a small gesture with his hand.

"Just... take care."

Elanor looked at him for a few seconds longer.

Then she smiled softly.

"I will."

Then Sophie spoke from behind him.

"If you want, I can bring your dinner to your room."

Max turned around.

"Really?"

Sophie nodded.

"Dorian said you shouldn’t exert yourself too much. And you need to eat well."

Max smiled.

"Thank you very much, Sophie."

Then he pointed down the hallway.

"In the meantime... I’m going to check on Gawain."

Sophie nodded.

"But don’t take too long. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes."

Max raised his hand as he started walking.

"Promise."

Elanor stayed in the doorway, watching him walk away down the hallway.

Until he disappeared around the corner.

Then she slowly closed the door.

***

Max walked down the corridor for a few minutes.

As he got closer to Gawain’s room, he began to hear voices and laughter.

A lot of laughter.

Max raised an eyebrow.

The door was slightly open.

"...and then the elf lunges at me with that arrogant face he always has."

Gawain’s voice echoed from inside the room.

"But I didn’t move a single step!"

Another round of feminine laughter.

Max leaned lightly against the wall, listening.

"I punched him right here!" Gawain continued, hitting his chest proudly.

"BAM!"

One of the women gasped dramatically.

"And then what happened?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Gawain laughed loudly.

"Then two more beasts jumped on me at the same time."

He paused dramatically.

"But I had already decided that day I wasn’t going to die."

Another burst of laughter filled the room.

"So I raised my hands—"

He hit something. Probably a pillow.

"—and I saved the royal pet and a little dragon maid from dying in front of those villains!"

The women applauded.

Max sighed.

’Yeah, right...’

Then he knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

The voices stopped.

"Hm?" Gawain said.

Max opened the door.

"Am I interrupting something important?"

The scene was exactly what he expected.

Gawain was lying back in bed, bandages wrapped around his torso. And surrounded by three of his lovers. One was sitting beside him. Another leaned against the headboard. The third held a glass of wine.

Gawain raised an eyebrow.

"Human."

Max walked a few steps into the room. Without saying anything, he pulled the ring from his pocket.

And tossed it.

Gawain caught it effortlessly in the air.

He looked at it.

Then looked up.

Max smiled.

"Thanks a lot for lending me that jewel."

He crossed his arms.

"Because of you, everything worked out."

Gawain studied the ring for a moment.

Then he put it away.

And looked Max up and down.

"Pet..."

He frowned slightly.

"Are you alright?"

Max laughed.

"Yeah."

Gawain pointed at the door.

"What are you doing up at this hour?"

He shook his head.

"I thought you’d be sleeping for a week."

Max shrugged.

"I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye."

Gawain chuckled softly.

"I must admit something."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"I never thought a royal pet could be so intelligent."

One of the lovers smiled.

"Or so entertaining."

Gawain nodded.

"Exactly."

He adjusted himself in bed.

"In a few hours we return to our lands."

He looked at Max.

"But whenever you want, you’re welcome to visit me."

He winked.

"You must see our natural hot springs."

He made a wide gesture.

"And there are many women, for every taste."

Max immediately turned red.

"Uh—"

The lovers laughed.

Gawain burst out laughing.

"Relax."

He pointed at him with a finger.

"It was a joke."

He smiled.

"You’re a princess’s man now."

His expression became a little more serious.

"I know you’ll take care of her."

Max nodded.

"Of course."

Then he smiled.

"But I plan to visit you soon."

Gawain raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?"

Max paused slightly.

Then he spoke.

"Actually... I wanted to ask you something."

Gawain looked at him with interest.

"Do you know any kind of teleportation magic stronger than the ring’s?"

The lovers exchanged glances.

Gawain tilted his head.

"Stronger?"

Max nodded.

"Something that leaves a green powder trail."

Gawain was silent for a few seconds.

Then he snorted.

"Hmm..."

He scratched his feathers.

"In my lands there’s a story."

Max watched him closely.

"An old cult."

The women stopped laughing.

"They used an ancient teleportation magic."

Gawain raised a finger.

"When they moved, they left traces of green sulfur."

Max felt a small chill run down his spine.

"Sulfur?"

Gawain nodded.

"They said they served the Goddess of Assassins."

He shrugged.

"But it’s probably just a myth from our lands."

Max nodded slowly.

"I see."

Then he extended his hand.

"Either way, the information helps."

Gawain shook his hand firmly.

"Take care, human."

Max smiled.

"You too, birdman."

Then he turned and left the room.

He closed the door.

And walked down the hallway.

His mind was already working.

’A cult...’

He remembered something.

Something he had read before.

The developers of Eldoria’s Entry 3 had leaked information.

The game’s first DLC.

New quests.

New dungeons.

And a main enemy.

A cult.

The cult of the Goddess of Assassins.

But the release had been delayed until the following year.

Max felt a strange mix in his chest.

Nervousness.

And excitement.

’So...’

He smiled.

’Am I about to see new content from my favorite game... in real life?’

He finally reached his room.

Something was on the floor.

A tray.

With food.

Max sighed.

"Sophie..."

He picked it up.

Opened the door.

Inside the room, Moon lifted her head from the bed.

"Papa!"

Max smiled.

"Dinner’s here."

He stepped inside and closed the door.

As he started eating, he couldn’t help thinking about something.

’Tomorrow I’m definitely not going to escape Sophie’s angry face.’

And knowing her...

Probably for good reason.