Chapter 222: Bones

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…?