Yuki glanced up, confused. Something in Jenny’s demeanor had changed, and Yuki hoped for the better. Jenny didn’t look that scared anymore and was even talking back when she usually ignored all the attempts at conversation.
Nose met hand, and the nuzzling started once more. Guilt prickled at Yuki’s ears, she knew her ears would be tomato red in shame if she could blush. Teasing Jenny was just too funny, but Yuki hadn’t realized the girl was scared. It took the outburst to finally connect the dots.
“Status, share,” Yuki said once more. She was sure Jenny could see her status. The way Jenny kept glancing at the air and then at Yuki again was obvious.
Jenny nodded, still scratching Yuki’s ears.
“Status shae.” Jenny repeated.
“Sha re,” Yuki enunciated again, slowly this time. Rabbit talking was so tricky.
“Status share,” Jenny said.
An elegant parchment appeared in front of Yuki. She glanced at the chained-up Jenny in a maid outfit with the pet collar and Succubus-Yuki holding the imprisoned woman possessively, the smug smile broadcasting how she had tricked the gullible human into a contract. Yuki covered her eyes with her paws. Oh god, why? She peeked again at the parchment; the image was hot. She covered her eyes once more.
It had been idle musings and silly thoughts to distract herself from the nightmarish pain and all the blood and gore. It tied Jenny down with an unfair contract, and now it even objectified Jenny with the maid outfit and the collar. It was horrible for Yuki to think about Jenny like that. Somehow, she would need to apologize.
Yuki glanced at the tablets in front of the Duo. Succubus-Yuki’s heart-shaped tail moved away from Jenny’s leg and propped the tablet up. Yuki read the information and noted the differences between her own character sheet. Jenny’s had no experience counter or even evolution tier. Jenny’s also didn’t have heroic abilities. Her skills were a mix of different things that reflected how she was raised. She noticed Jenny also had the same magic skills; they were at forty-three, which Yuki guessed was what her skills were at the time of the ritual. Jenny had no magic, which was Yuki’s fault. In her delusions, the contract would give Jenny knowledge, the attribute power, but not spells.
She found the combat-related skills down the list. Jenny was trained to use the crossbow, dagger, and short spear. Yuki looked at the long metal monster at their side. It wasn’t a short one, but maybe some of the principles transferred over. Lastly, she looked at the detailed description of Jenny’s magic points.
Magic Points: 9.
Additional Magic Points: 2 (Familiar Contract).
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Total Magic Points: 11.
Usable Magic Points: 11.
Current Magic Points: 5.
Magic Regeneration: 1/day.
Regeneration from Familiar: -1/day.
Current Magic Regeneration: 0/day.
Another thing Yuki had to apologize for. She gave Jenny more power but took away her magic regeneration. That contract was too predatory, but she didn’t even know if it was possible to cancel it or what would happen if she did. The strange bundle of something in her core was still there, and Yuki did her best to not even think in that direction. She had made enough mistakes already; no need to rush headlong into others.
Jenny had gone silent, but the petting hadn’t stopped, so everything was right with the world.
Yuki dismissed Jenny’s landing page after ogling Succubus-Yuki again. It was very narcissistic, but the demonic girl was pretty. If it wasn’t straight out of her imagination, she would never think of that woman as another version of herself.
“What do you think we should do next, Jenny?”
Jenny’s fingers stopped, and the woman looked down, head tilting in question. “What is it, Biscuit?”
How to bypass that barrier? Yuki got on her legs and pointed at the path they came from, which led to the garden. After ensuring Jenny looked there, she pointed at another path, the next one to the right of the garden passageway.
Jenny furrowed her brows. “Maybe we can explore a little more before we go back and gather berries. We also need to find water.”
Yuki nodded, she had no idea what Jenny said, but like usual, she would follow wherever the girl decided to go. After all, they were — self-proclaimed — adventurers, so they needed to adventure.
----------------------------------------
Jenny sipped from the bitter ale, then tucked the water skin down in the bag. She placed the broken crossbow near the forge, intending to take it out with her when they found a way out of this place. If she switched the tiller and string, the weapon could be repaired. She hung the bag over her shoulder and picked up the spear.
The heavy weapon was almost too much to wield, but it would have to be enough. Jenny glanced again at Biscuit’s spell list. There were ten spells there. Of those, Jenny knew three: the contract, the evil bunny magic, and regeneration. Maybe a fourth as well. Jenny suspected the white-haired girl was Biscuit all along, given the fourth spell: Shapechange.
After confirming everything was packed and ready, Jenny set out toward the following path.
The passageway tilted downwards, but it wasn’t the twisting maze of the garden path. Instead, it curved gently to the right. The tunnel’s walls held the same texture, like something had created the path by melting the stones. Jenny didn’t want to meet anything capable of that. She doubted that even Biscuit’s evil magic could harm a monster capable of that feat.
Out of the illuminated forge hall, Jenny had to rely on the lantern again. For the minutes they walked in silence, nothing accosted them. Even Biscuit wasn’t rushing ahead this time. After a while, the path opened into a large room.
A circular, open space with tiers of stone seating surrounding a central pit. Jenny stepped inside, and like the forge, rolls of torch lit around, casting the strange arena into brighter light. The ground was blackened and scarred. It looked like an amphitheater or an arena. A row of weapons was arranged along the wall on the far side of the room, illuminated by the flickering light. In the center of the arena, a suit of metal armor crumpled to the ground, a large sword fallen on its side.
Biscuit sneezed again.
Jenny debated if she should continue. From the entrance, she couldn’t see any other passage leading away from this room. She looked at the weapons on the far wall. She took another step inside.
The crumpled armor moved, a rust covered gauntlet grabbed the huge sword, and with creaking movements it stood. Then the armor bowed and took a fighting stance.