Chapter 222

222 – Bones

For the time being, I’ll search each nook and cranny of the shrine for something to eat . On top of the legless spider (now crushed) and the egg sacs (currently my partner’s hat), there’s also a few rotting corpses covered in flies… And some human bones .

The bones are quite small, so I think they were a child’s . It looks like they died a long time ago .

It’s probably a Lithovar child that the manticore captured . Maybe the manticore has a thing for capturing children .

“Gaa…”

I regret not being able to kill the manticore now . It was too fast at running away; I should have finished it off while it still had its guard down . At this moment, the manticore could be eating children or mothers with eggs without me knowing . That’s a depressing thought .

“Gaah gaah!”

Oblivious to my feelings, my partner giggles, playing with the egg sacs on her forehead . Well, I suppose there’s no need for her to feel sad too . She’s a monster after all . I am too, but, well… She listens to what I ask her and heals humans with magic… but that’s all .

Hey is that actually fun? Maybe it’s a game where she’s trying to roll it into her mouth to eat .

“Gaah! Gaah!”

The moment I think that, I understand that that isn’t the case . Even with the [Mutual Understanding] skill, there’s a lot I don’t get about her . Though I do get occasional insights like this .

When I raise my foreleg to take the egg sacs, my partner pulls her neck away and glares at me .

“Gaah!”

She lets out a shrill cry . It sounds a bit like a threat . It seems I was mistaken .

What is it? You want to keep them?

“Gaah”

My partner nods her head . Ah, we understood each other . Wait that’s not what’s important here! What do you want to keep spiders for?! Looking after an animal isn’t a game you know?! Do you have any idea what to do when they hatch??

My partner turns her head away from me, refusing to hand them over . Damn she’s stubborn .

I suppose I’ll appraise the dead spider’s species . If it sounds dangerous, then I’m sorry, but I’ll have to dispose of them via incineration .

【[Araenie]: C-rank monter】

【A species of large furry spiders . 】

【Usual rather docile, but becomes fierce when it is carrying eggs . 】

【For a spider, it is particularly skilled with its thread . 】

…Docile, huh? Well, if it’s only C-rank then I suppose it doesn’t matter either way . I suppose we can look after them until she’s satisfied . I can imagine them being a pain later, but I suppose I’ll protect them until they’re hatched . It kinda felt like the mother spider was entrusting them to me, so it’d leave me with a bad aftertaste if I were to kill them .

For now, I’ll bury the corpses and the bones . Wait . Maybe it would be better if I returned the bones?

Somehow I feel like that would create a misunderstanding though… If it was me and a dragon approached with the bones of my friend, I’d get angry .

I’ll bury these bones outside the shrine then… Hmm, perhaps I can use [Soul AppendmentFake Life]? If I remember correctly, it’s meant to give a corpse false life, so it might be able to revive them . I can’t say anything without trying it, but it should be a revival-type skill . It’s worth trying . It might even restore their body .

[Soul AppendmentFake Life] [Soul AppendmentFake Life]!

Huh, nothing’s coming out .

Perhaps only my partner can use it? Let me have something, please… All my new skills seem to be going to my partner . It might be that all the skills I acquire as an ouroboros my partner’s? I’m going to cry .

Hey partner, do you mind using [Soul AppendmentFake Life] . I’m not going to try and take the eggs away from you anymore .

“Gaah”

With my partner’s cry, a black light envelops one of the monster corpses .

【Normal Skill [Soul AppendmentFake Life] has risen from level 1 to 2 . 】

W-wait up, that’s not the right one! My bad for not specifying the target, but that’s just wrong!

The corpse swells with a squishing sound . Strange tentacle things start stretching out of it .

Without thinking, I pummel the corpse, scattering it around . A black fluid squirts out .

【Due to the difference in rank being too large, experience points were not acquired . 】

Phew, that was dangerous . I almost created some horrible monster . I totally forgot that I was an evil dragon . Of course a monster would be produced .

That must be how it is . [Soul AppendmentFake Life] isn’t a nice revival type Skill at all . It’s just a monster mass-production Skill .

“Gaa?”

My partner twists her neck strangely . No, she’s definitely not someone I can let do as she pleases .

But I suppose revival is impossible then . If the skill level were to rise… No, it’s probably impossible . The false life it gives looks nothing like revival . Even if I were to max out the Skill level, it would just perfect the monster it creates . Let’s seal this skill .

These bones, I’ll bury them outside… No wait, maybe it’s better to keep trying? Nonono, If I keep failing then I’ll just be playing around with a corpse . If it’s not properly revived, I’ll have to crush it again . There’s no way that’s allowed . I really don’t think it’s at all likely to succeed anyway .

… Although the skill level did rise . It’s not like there was zero gain . If I choose to bury the bones but later find out that revival was possible, I’ll definitely regret it .

Hey partner . This time, please target those human bones .

“Gaah”

With my partner’s cry, a black light envelops the human bones . They float in the air and connect together . Then, with a clatter, they come alive .

Th-this guy’s flesh didn’t return . I doubt that their memories and reason from their past life have returned . What should I do? As expected, I’ve done something that shouldn’t be allowed . Would it be better if I were to destroy it . B-but…

【Title skill [Mean King] has risen from level 7 to 8 . 】

Uwa, I’ve gone and raised a nasty title skill . I feel overwhelmed by disgust and regret, like I’ve profaned . Wasn’t I supposed to be able to control life and death…?