Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill-Chapter 54: Campfire Stories

The carriage moved slowly along the forest road.

The sun was beginning to set.

Inside the carriage, everything was quiet. The group was exhausted.

Max was leaning back against a crate of supplies.

Dorian looked out the window with a calm expression.

Sophie was checking some of her seals.

And in front of them, Neros sat upright. Arms crossed. Completely motionless.

Moon leaned forward.

She tried to look inside the knight’s helmet.

She couldn’t see anything.

The dark metal completely hid his face.

Moon tilted her head to one side.

Then to the other.

Neros didn’t react.

She made a gesture at him.

Then another.

She stuck out her tongue.

Nothing.

Dorian was watching her.

After a few seconds, he let out a small laugh.

"Little dragon, what are you doing?"

Moon frowned.

"I’m trying to see if he’s alive."

Dorian laughed again.

Sophie looked up.

"He probably fell asleep again."

Moon blinked.

Then she smiled.

"Ah..."

She leaned forward.

Slowly raised one finger.

And brought it to her mouth.

She covered it with a bit of saliva.

Dorian raised an eyebrow.

Moon pointed the finger toward the slit of the helmet.

"I’m going to check."

Sophie immediately looked at her.

"Don’t do that."

Moon ignored the warning.

Her finger was inches away from the helmet—

Then the carriage suddenly stopped.

CRACK.

The wheels halted abruptly.

Everyone jolted.

Max stood up immediately.

Neros opened his eyes inside the helmet. In a second he was already on his feet.

"What happened?"

Max grabbed his hammer.

"Bandits again?"

Moon jumped from her seat.

Dorian opened the door.

The group quickly stepped out of the carriage.

The forest was silent.

No one was there.

The horses stood still, calm.

They breathed slowly.

Max looked around.

"Where’s Varis?"

Moon looked toward the front seat.

Empty.

"Huh?"

She frowned.

"Where’s the dwarf?"

Then a noise came from the nearby bushes.

Everyone turned at the same time.

Neros drew his sword.

SCHING.

Max raised the hammer.

"Get ready."

Moon created a small flame in her hand.

The group slowly approached the bushes.

The noise came again.

Max tensed his arm.

Neros raised the sword.

At that moment...

Varis stepped out of the bushes.

"Sorry—"

He wiped his mouth with his arm.

"...ugh."

The dwarf was breathing heavily.

There were still traces of vomit in his beard.

Max slowly lowered the hammer.

"...Seriously?"

Moon looked at him.

"Were you throwing up?"

Varis sighed.

"Yeah..."

He wiped his mouth again.

"Nerves."

Dorian tilted his head.

"Nerves?"

Varis looked at the ground.

"I was thinking about Thog."

He ran a hand over his face.

"That idiot."

He sighed.

"I almost introduced him to my sister."

Moon’s eyes widened.

"What?"

Varis shook his head.

"I loved him like a brother."

He looked down the road.

"And now it turns out he betrayed me."

He took a deep breath.

"And I have to keep doing this job alone."

For a second there was silence.

Then Max started laughing.

"You made us think more bandits attacked you!"

Moon laughed too.

"I was already ready to fight!"

Dorian shook his head.

He took out a small bottle from his bag.

He handed it to Varis.

"Here."

The dwarf looked at it.

"What is it?"

"Anti-nausea potion."

Varis drank it in one gulp.

Sophie took a small step toward him.

"You’re a brave man."

Varis looked up.

Sophie continued.

"Don’t worry. We trust you."

The dwarf lowered his head slightly.

"...Thanks."

Max looked at the sky.

The sun had almost completely disappeared.

The shadows of the forest were growing darker.

"Hmm."

He crossed his arms.

"It’s getting late."

He looked down the road.

"Traveling like this isn’t a good idea. This is when the forest gets more dangerous."

Dorian nodded.

"I agree."

Moon raised a hand.

"Campfire!"

Max smiled.

"Yeah." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

He pointed to a tree beside the road.

"Let’s camp there."

Varis climbed back onto the carriage.

The horses moved forward a few more meters.

The group prepared to spend the night in the forest before continuing their journey toward the Kingdom of Devils.

***

Max, Varis, and Neros began setting up the tents.

The knight hammered the stakes with precision, as if he were in the middle of military training.

Varis tightened the ropes while muttering something under his breath.

Max held up a tarp.

"More to the right."

Neros pulled the rope.

The fabric became firm.

"Like that."

A few meters away, Moonlight was busy gathering dry branches.

She arranged them in a small pile.

Then she snapped her fingers.

A small flame appeared in her hand.

She dropped it onto the wood.

The campfire slowly began to burn.

Moon sat down in front of the fire, satisfied.

Meanwhile, Sophie and Dorian took some supplies out of the carriage.

Sophie placed several jars of water on the ground.

Dorian took out a large iron pot.

He placed it over the campfire.

"Alright."

He rubbed his hands together.

"Believe it or not..."

He looked at the group with a proud smile.

"...I consider myself a great chef."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Chef?"

Dorian nodded.

"I’m good with potions."

He pointed at the pot.

"And also with seasoning."

Varis approached.

He took something out of his large bag.

A big piece of meat.

"Northern boar."

He lifted it slightly.

"I was saving it for a moment like this."

Moon’s eyes widened.

"Food!"

Dorian took the meat. He pulled out a knife.

With quick and precise movements he began cutting it into cubes.

"Perfect."

The pieces fell into the pot of boiling water.

Then he grabbed two onions.

He chopped them quickly.

Then two carrots.

Three cloves of garlic.

Everything ended up inside the pot.

Dorian uncorked a bottle.

The aroma of wine spread through the air.

He poured it into the stew.

"Now..."

He took out some small white stones.

"Salt from the great southern sea."

He dropped them into the pot.

Then he looked at Max.

"By the way."

He pointed at the campfire.

"Was the oil you used earlier all of it?"

Max shrugged.

"I think so."

Varis raised a hand.

"I have more."

He rummaged through his backpack.

He took out a small jar.

"Is this enough?"

Dorian looked at it.

"Perfect."

Varis poured it into the pot.

Dorian took his staff and began stirring the stew.

As if it were a giant wooden ladle.

Moon stared at the pot.

Her eyes were shining.

A small line of drool appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Max noticed.

Then he looked at the staff.

"One question."

He crossed his arms.

"Was that staff clean?"

Dorian looked at him.

He smiled.

"Where do you think all the flavor comes from?"

Neros let out a deep laugh.

Varis started laughing too.

Sophie covered her face with one hand.

"I can’t believe I’m going to eat that..."

Moon looked at her.

"What’s wrong?"

Varis took some deep bowls out of a bag.

He passed them around the campfire.

Sophie sat down next to the fire.

She had a piece of bread in her hand.

Dorian served the stew.

One by one they received their bowl.

The smell was strong, but pleasant.

The group began to eat.

The silence of the forest surrounded them.

The fire crackled softly.

Max looked at his bowl for a moment.

Then he looked up at the dark sky.

He thought about Elanor.

He wondered how she was.

It was the first day since he arrived in that world...

That he hadn’t seen her.

Moon watched him from the other side of the fire.

"Dad."

He looked up.

Moon smiled a little.

"I miss Mom too."

She looked at the flames.

"But I’m sure she’s fine at the castle."

Sophie heard that.

She looked up.

"If you want..."

She reached into her bag.

She took out a small paper seal.

"I could lend you one of my message seals."

Max blinked.

"Really?"

Sophie nodded.

"You could tell her you’re safe."

Max smiled slightly.

"Thanks."

Then he shook his head.

"But tomorrow will be fine. It’s too late now."

He raised his bowl.

"If you can tomorrow, I’d appreciate it."

Sophie nodded.

"Of course."

Moon suddenly raised her hand.

"Idea!"

Everyone looked at her.

The little dragon pointed at Neros and Dorian.

"Everyone should tell a story."

She smiled excitedly.

"From their adventures!"

Neros crossed his arms.

"I’m not good at telling adventure stories."

Dorian raised an eyebrow and then smiled.

"I am."

He adjusted himself closer to the campfire.

The flames illuminated his face.

"A few years ago..."

He looked up at the night sky.

"...I was traveling with another group."

He paused.

"One time we had to face a dragon."

Moon’s eyes widened.

"A dragon?"

Dorian nodded.

"It was huge."

He moved his hand to show the size.

"Black scales. And a breath capable of melting steel."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds problematic."

Dorian smiled.

"It was."

He leaned forward.

"But one of my companions..."

He took something small from his bag.

A small mirror.

"...had an artifact with reflective magic."

He held it up in front of the fire.

The campfire light shone on the glass.

Dorian smiled.

"And that little mirror... ended up being the key to defeating the dragon."

Moon was completely fascinated.

"And what happened next?"

Dorian smiled even wider.

"Well..."

He looked at the group.

"That’s a long story."