529 – Battle of Words

Aruane jumps on top of the dead fenrir and bites into its neck, revealing the huge beast-like fangs normally hidden inside her mouth. The fenrir’s insides were scattered as a result of my [Dimension Claw], and yet as Aruane bites into it, it rises again with unnatural, jolting movements. I guess she must have sent more of her blood into it to use [Blood Doll] again.

…It seems that, with enough damage, the control of her [Blood Doll] can be broken from a corpse, but that’s only because too much of her blood is lost for her to maintain control. By putting more of her blood inside it, she can regain control.

However… Looking at her stats, even a fenrir that’s been strengthened with [Blood Doll] shouldn’t be as fast as she can run… I wonder if there’s some sort of reason she’s going out of her way to ride on a zombie. Does she want the additional fighting force because she doesn’t know when might have to fight me? Or is it that she simply can’t feel at ease unless she’s using her strongest weapon?

I have Aruane and the zombie fenrir take the lead, while I follow with Aro and the treant on my back.

『…Is Lilixira’s goal [Spirit Servant]?』

Aruane turns around to face me and nods twice.

“Yeah… That’s right, that’s right. Aruane’s [Blood Doll] should have been fine, but Saint-sama said that a [Spirit Servant] that can move on its own is better! That’s why, that’s why Aruane did her best to capture the spider girl!”

Aruane declares with apparent pride. Irritated by her tone of voice, I kick the ground hard, but she doesn’t seem to notice. She probably said it in earnest, not to try and shake me.

…From what she said, I guess a corpse is no good for [Spirit Servant]. Lilixira might have to make contact with a living monster. That explains why she’s still alive.

『…So, why did you leave the atlach-nacha alone?』

“Huh…?”

Aruane tilts her head to the side as though confused. It seems my words didn’t get through. She’s the worst kind of conversation partner. I restrain my urge to bare my fangs. If she’s playing ignorant here, she’s quite the actor.

『I’m asking why you left her alone and went to go ride a fenrir by yourself! Your [Blood Doll] works against living creatures too! Why didn’t you control her and take her with you!?』

Aruane’s shoulders shake as though frightened.

“Umm, you see, umm… Aruane’s [Blood Doll] doesn’t work great against living children. That’s why she stopped the spider girl from moving and hid her away for the time being.”

…It’s true that [Blood Doll] can be resisted by living targets if their stats are high enough.

【Normal Skill [Blood Doll]】
【The user’s blood can be freely manipulated.】

【By placing the blood in the body of a living being, the target can be manipulated like a puppet, but depending on the target’s status, this effect can be resisted.】
【If the target is a dead body, then they can be freely manipulated regardless of their status.】

She doesn’t seem to have said anything that’s an obvious lie. About this, at least.

『Why did you hunt a fenrir and get it to work for you with [Blood Doll]? What were you trying to do after you had captured her?』

“Aruane’s stomach was empty, you see… That’s why she had to do her best to find something to eat!”

My head hurts… I want a reason to believe her, but I can’t understand her thought patterns at all. It might be a mistake to try and understand someone who is neither human nor monster.

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“Dragon-god-sama…”

Aro calls out to me quietly from my back. I strain my ears to listen.

“…This route seems strange. At first it was fine, but… We’re getting further and further from where we left her…”

A sense of unease suddenly presses in on me. As I stare at Aruane riding the zombie fenrir ahead of me, I realise something strange.

Lilixira must want Aruane to quickly return to her since she finished her work. But, if [Blood Doll] doesn’t work against the atlach-nacha, then Aruane can’t move quickly with her.

Thinking about it that way… Then, could the fenrir I thought pointless have been to forcefully carry the atlach-nacha…? If that’s the case, then where is she leading me now?

No… Aro also didn’t seem certain. The idea that the zombie fenrir was to carry the atlach-nacha is just my own conjecture. Besides, everything she’s said is consistent, and I find it hard to imagine she’s capable of maintaining a single story like this.

However… I should try to confirm one way or the other. It doesn’t change the fact that she’s not someone I can trust. If she really is lying, then I’m worried about where she’s leading us.

『Aruane. Isn’t there a fault in what you’ve said? I’ll ask that you don’t try and deceive me. The moment I think I can’t trust you, I’ll tear you limb from limb.』

“……?”

Aruane looks back at me with an expression of wonder.

『If you were planning on switching sides from the start, then you should have known that messing with the atlach-nacha would only worsen my image of you. And yet, why did you obey Lilixira to such an extent?』

I threaten her with more force than perhaps necessary, so that she’s not able to change the subject. Following her any longer is a risk, and I can’t take on any more risks. If I feel her response seems even slightly suspicious, I’ll attack right away.

Aruane opens her mouth and stares at me.

『What’s wrong, answer the question…』

“…Doesn’t look like this can be stretched out any longer.”

The fenrir she’s riding on abruptly jumps at me. I immediately release a [Dimension Claw].

But, I didn’t expect her to move with this timing, so I miss Aruane herself. I slice through the zombie fenrir’s head, and it collapses to the ground.

『M-master-dono, what…!?』

『She didn’t have any plans on helping from the start! She noticed that I’d gotten more wary, and took the chance to act first! She knows how she appears objectively, and acts like that intentionally!』

She’s far from the simpleton I took her for. She’s ridiculously cunning, and the moment things looked impossible for her, she switched strategy immediately.

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