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***
Eventually, we moved to where Rem sensed the living. Of course, I guessed that there were probably monsters there, and I wasn't surprised when I reached the turn to the right and peered around it, seeing an archway with a misunderstood monster beyond that stood lonely in the centre of the path, about fifteen metres away from me.
It looked like a jerk tree, only with wooden legs, long arms to the floor, and an extensive bush on its head - and now this ancient thing was waiting for something, standing still and rarely moving its arms.
'Mmm, master... he's alive,' Ram spat out the obvious, pointing her tenacles in his direction. Making me wonder. Do they see visually?
'Uh-huh, can you do anything to him with your weapon?' - I asked doubtfully, leaving my question for later.
'I'm sorry, master, but we're not sure!' - replied Ram for both of them.
Just like that, we froze in place around the corner. I couldn't reach it with my appraisal, it was too far away, and I didn't dare to approach it yet. There was a passage behind me, and I wanted to check it too. And it would be useful to scout all the passages. So I did, and quickly made my way back.
On the way Ram asked me:
'Master, are you sure it's safe to leave that wood alone?'
Rem backed her up:
'That's right Master! It must be delicious!'
Who-oh-who, but Rem thinks about food... a new character trait? I'll remember.
'We'll look in there anyway, but not right now. Maybe there's something interesting here too.' - I replied, stepping forwards.
Then I moved towards the corner, at the same time asking Rem if she could smell anything. She licked the wall with her tentacle, and then said she didn't feel anything, but I stroked her and she perked up, and Ram got a little jealous - I had to pet her too, and everyone was happy. This time the passageway ended in two passages and they were both dead ends, literally not even four metres before they came to a dead end in both passages.
'Master, there's something behind the wall!' - Ram suddenly spoke up as I touched the wall of the dead-end passage.
I became curious.
'Can you figure out what?'
'I'm not sure, but something alive, like that one, I think you called it a mimic also.'
'Hoo... call him a freeloader, Ram. If you feel him again, warn me about the freebie, okay?'
'Of course! I'm always happy to help my master!' - she rubbed against my shoulder happily.
Looking round the wall once more, I tapped on it and heard nothing but a thud. The wall was old to the touch, and the assessment revealed nothing of the sort, as had my other checks before. And it was a shame to lose the freebie.
Just an ordinary wall. Putting my ear to it, I heard nothing. There might be a room there, but there's no way for me to get through. I don't even have the proverbial hammer, and I'm not sure I could do anything if I had it. Maybe if I had earth magic... pumped up, I could try to do something. But as it is, I'm back. How does it see, by the way? I didn't see any eyes.
And anyway, is it possible to approach him without being seen? If it wasn't for the faint light in the cave, I'd check with my veil, but as it is, a sudden shadow in the faint light would be scummy, very scummy.
Problems... so, I think I have a sword that's supposed to chop wood, just about to test its growing sharpness.
'Ram, Rem, now hold on to me tightly and prepare to attack!'
'Understood, master!' - Ram
'Alright, master!' - Rem.
But, so just in case, I still covered myself with the cover of darkness, and clenched the sword in my hands, and then rushed towards the monster with a tug.
Fifteen metres - the antiquity is still also sticking into the wall, as if I was not there.
Ten metres - the monster turned in my direction and became wary.
I was just about to run up to him.
Five metres - he swung his arm, intending to strike at me. His strike was quick, but I saw all his movements and cut his arm off with my sword.
*The wood flew away, and the ancient man took a frightened step back. I took advantage of that, quickly making a dash and chopping his chest horizontally and leaping forward a few metres.
Experience +180
*♪ Sound of falling ♪
*Fluff*
The enemy fell, and I looked back. There was a small cloud of vapour and an ordinary stick. And the ancient itself was gone... oddly enough.....
'Wha?' - I froze, not realising what had happened....
'Master is awesome!' - Rem wrapped her arms around my head with admiration.
By the way... the girls never did anything. Yes, and the fight turned out to be fleeting....
'Sorry master, we didn't mean to deprive you of your prey!' - Ram apologised.
Fuck. I suddenly remembered that I forgot to invite them to the harem guard group! And I wondered why that experience didn't count against me for mimicry.....
'Nothing, I'm glad you're alright... that ancient man could be tough. I didn't want you to get hurt...'
'H-master... you...' - Ram was embarrassed.
'Master! You shouldn't belittle us! We are not weak girls and are capable of handling such an enemy!' - Rem was indignant.
'I know, sisters, and the next ancient will be yours, I promise,' the girls cheered, 'Now, I need you to agree: Ram, Rem, will you join my harem guard?'
They fell silent for a second, and afterwards they gave out:
'Of course, master!' - with glee.
Ram and Rem joined the group!
'Good girls!' - I rejoiced as I stroked them, to which the sisters threw themselves at my head and it accidentally detached.
*cough*
'Fuck...'
Suddenly my grey vision faded... and all I could see was my head. It wouldn't have been anything if it wasn't for the fear reeking from the sisters.
'H-master! Don't die! Noooooo!'
'Noooo, master!'
My head was floating in their bodies, the sisters panicked and tried to put my head back together, but there was no way it would go back together. They were so confused after realising what they had done that they roared in horror and despair... mentally.
'Master... master... master... no... master...'
'Master!'
Raising my hand, I stroked them, conveying a sense of calmness to them. Simultaneously mentally chuckling from the situation itself. However... it was news to me that my fire could be extinguished and deprive me of my extensive vision.
'H-master? E-is it really you?' - Ram asked hopefully, clutching her hand as if it were the most precious thing in her life.
'Is it really you?' - Rem didn't differ from her sister, and clung to her hand.
'It's...you wouldn't mind putting my head back...otherwise it's kind of uncomfortable,' I faltered a little...I was too...uncomfortable. It was like something in me had been... extinguished....
Rem immediately moved to my arm, feeling embarrassed and hurt.
'Ah, and-sorry, master. We didn't do it on purpose... honestly...' - Shyly Rem moved over to my shoulder, and the tenaklei returned my head to its place. I had to return the sword to its scabbard and then use my free hand to pin her back, and after making sure she was holding on tight, I continued:
'It's nothing, sisters, it's not your fault! - they cheered up a little, but the guilt they felt still hung in the air, making me shrug, 'it's really not your fault, I forgot to warn you about my race...' - I stammered, remembering who I was.
Ram and Rem were surprised.
'Eh? Isn't the master a human? But... you told us otherwise,' Ram said confused, stroking my shoulder with her tenacles.
'Of course I was human before, but now... heh...'
'Ahem, that's right - I was once human, but now... er... become a half-living undead, sort of.' - I hesitated, remembering my erection.
Rem pressed herself against my arm, engulfing it up to her elbow in her body.
'Master, you're not undead! Are you alright?' - She worried, questioning my sanity.
I let out a chuckle, patting her... body. However, am I considered crazy? Hey, I'm not and when did I have time to teach you that word?
'Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, girls! You don't need to worry so much, and anyway, you promised to prove yourself in battle, didn't you, or are you already reneging on your words?' - I tried to distract them from their bad thoughts and it seemed to work.
Both sisters were confused and then exclaimed indignantly:
'Э? Certainly not, master! Ram will show you his power!'
'No way! Master, I will show you my strength! You will be proud of us! Ram will not back down!'
Just like that, the sisters were burning with a fiery desire to show me their skills. True, the guilt still lingered in them, but not as strong as before. By the way, the wood that fell out of the... mob was most likely an ordinary item. And the evaluation read as follows:
Twig
Strength - 100%
Quality - low
Material - ordinary wood
Value - impossible to determine
'Yep... this kind of... drop? Surely this is the world of the goblin killer?' - With doubt, I moved on, stroking my sisters to reassure them both. A few more passageways awaited me ahead... which suggested - this was definitely a labyrinth....