A giant corpse lays before me, it's presence only second to the witch's mana.
"…Oh, ya' interested?"
The glanced in my direction, her silver hair falling to the side.
*nod*
"… Oh." She repeated. " I honestly didn't think that you would be."
Her eyes went wider than normal, a brief show of surprise.
She cleared her throat.
"Ahem! This–" She pointed to the enormous corpse. "– is what you call a Guardian."
She spoke in a tone clearer than normal, most likely in consideration of me. I as thankful for that.
The witch continued.
"They're creatures who have made a pact with higher beings like great spirits, devils, or angels. As their names suggest, they exist for the protection and serve, almost like a knight."
She gave me an uncertain look, as if she just said something bad.
I waved it away, not paying any mind.
"The Guardians live to do their master's bidding, albeit a specific one. Their power equates proportionally to the value of what they sacrificed. These sacrifices can be anything, from one's ability to speak, to their very soul. Not every sacrifice is the same for everyone, though."
She gave me an inquisitive look, curious if I was following properly.
I nod once more.
"Good." She praised. " For example, if two fathers were to sacrifice their daughters. One loved and cared for her own offspring; the other one who loathes and disregards his."
Urk…!
A light pang hits my head. I ignore it, trying to hide it from the witch.
For a moment, I thought I saw anguish appear on her face.
"… The former would gain more power. Why? It's simple."
Goosebumps made my hair stand on end.
"Sentimentality, that is what the higher beings desire. Though it varies depending on who you choose to make a pact with, it is commonly accepted that the higher your attachment is to something, the higher it's value will be. Of course, this means that the caring father would gain more power had he sacrificed his daughter. There's on problem with that, though"
The tension rises.
"Why would he do that?"
I swallow the saliva stuck in my throat, nervous.
"If the father truly loved his daughter, why would he sacrifice her? Of course, there could be circumstances involved… like, the father could be in a pinch, and the only way to resolve the situation is to sacrifice her daughter. That could be one of the reasons, or it could be that the father was just forced into it. Either way, you get what I'm saying... right?"
*nod*
"People don't just 'let go' of things that easily, especially things that they care about."
She seemed… sullen. Like she just remembered some dark memories.
I waited, letting her recover.
"… Which is why THIS guy is such an enigma to me."
She looked back at the giant spider's corpse, her face a mix of confusion and amazement.
The spider's corpse's presence was prominent, even in death. It towered mine, and the witch's had it not been shadowed by her enormous mana.
Mana was seeping out of the corpse, dissolving in the air.
"… Oh?"
「Your attribute 'Absorption' is activating」
I activate my attribute, the fallen spider's mana seeping into my skin, enhancing the recovery of my magic circuits.
"That's a cool trick."
The witched eyed me with curiously, examining the way the dark-brown mana is attracted to the circuit-like array of black lines on my arms.
I cross my arms, embarrassed.
Why does this somehow feel worse than being naked?
The witch continued her spiel.
"This guy is so strange. To somebody who has seen many Guardians before, I could tell for certain that this guy is definitely one of them. That strength of his is one thing, but the fact that he's a guardian is a much bigger concern for me."
She out her hand on her chin, stroking it.
"I mean, in theory, it should be possible. Getting a desperate being to make a pact with an unknown entity is feasible under the right circumstances, sure, but not like this. The arachnid race isn't very smart, so they shouldn't have the knowledge or equipment to make a pact in the first place. Especially with somebody so powerful."
The witch's eyes narrowed.
"Who did this…?"
The witch looked skeptical, a little paranoid, even. If I did not know any better, I might gave thought that she is a crazy person.
The witch continued her speculation, suggesting this name and that. I did not know any of them, of course, being from another world.
Ahem!
"…!!"
The witch flinched, getting caught off-guard seems to be rarity for her.
"A-anyways!" She nervously changed the subject. "You should watch out for creatures like this one, ESPECIALLY this one." She emphasized. "I'll try to accompany you as much as I can in this labyrinth, but I can't be with you always. If you ever run into a Guardian, just run. It's for your own good. Their enhanced physical abilities, along with the ability given to them by their contractor makes them a tough enemy to fight."
I just gave her simple nod.
"Excellent!" She beamed
Then, we were walking again.
The trickling of water and faraway howls could be heard as we made our way out of the pit.
"By the way…"
The witch suddenly stopped, flashing me a curious look.
"… Where did the dagger I give you go?"
Ah!
"Don't tell me…"
Sweat trickled down my cheeks.
Come to think of it, where did that dagger go?
"…You lost it, didn't you?!"
She shouted at me, more of accusation, really.
If I'm remembering correctly, the last time I had the dagger was when I threw it to the Night Beast mage. It was an odd thing, too. Just when the dagger was about to be hit, a gust of wind emanated from it's cross-guard. Then she appeared, fighting the giant spider. Then an explosion happened – one I barely survived – sending everybody(and thing) present flying.
Who knows where that dagger is now?
The witch continued.
"Ya' idiot! Do you even know how long it took to enchant that thing? I had a bunch of spells imbued in it and everything."
I didn't even know you can enchant it in the first place!
I grit my teeth, unable to talk back to her. To think that my disability would haunt me in such a way, life truly is full of mysteries…
The witch continued her one-way argument. She kept asking me questions, knowing fully that I lacked any kind of way to answer her.
"Come to think of it, where did your other sword go? Don't tell me you lost it too–"
It was when the witch started questioning where my other weapon went that IT came.
Tension filled the cavern, making the air feel heavier and harder to breath. A cold chill ran down my spine.
"…"
The witch narrowed her eyes, her cold gaze almost enough to combat the atmosphere. Almost.
She gaze me glance to the side, a hint of curiosity present in her blank eyes.
*nod*
She looked forward, towards the source of the menacing presence, her brows furrowed.
Something was up