Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill Chapter 25: Potion of Truth

The city carried on as if it were just another normal day, while Max and Elanor continued searching for Moonlight.

"A little white dragon?" the orc repeated, scratching his beard. "Dressed... like a maid?"

Max nodded for the fifth ti on the sa block, teeth clenched.

"Small," he clarified. "About this tall." He gestured with his hand. "Runs fast. Bites."

The rchant looked at them for another second... then slowly shook his head.

"No, sorry."

Elanor had already moved on to the next person before Max could even sigh.

"Excuse ," she said, wearing a polite smile that failed to hide her urgency. "Have you seen a small girl, white scales, bright eyes...?"

Nothing. Denials. Strange looks. An awkward laugh or two. The city that had seed picturesque earlier now felt like a maze.

"Moon..." Max murmured, more to himself than to her.

"She couldn’t have gone far," Elanor said, though uncertainty seeped into her voice. "She’s small. And very noticeable."

They turned a corner... and ran straight into a wall of armor.

"Ah," said Gawain.

Dangling from one of his arms was a small dwarf with a curly beard and a face painted like a clown. The dwarf kicked the air, hurling insults.

Max looked at him. Then at Gawain.

"Tell ..." he began, "do you have so weird fetish for carrying people around, or is this just a coincidence?"

Gawain burst out laughing.

"He tried to steal my bag," he said, giving the dwarf a light shake. "Pretty agile for such a little guy."

"Let go, you damn bird!" the dwarf screeched.

Elanor frowned. She checked her pockets. Her smile vanished.

"...Max."

He looked at her.

"One of my bags is gone," she said quietly. "The one with the coins."

Gawain raised an eyebrow.

"Now that you ntion it..." He studied the dwarf more closely. "I was wondering why the little one traveling with you was getting along so well with this thief’s friends."

Max snapped his head up.

"What do you an Moon was getting along with thieves?"

"Oh," Gawain replied casually. "His friends were with her. Holding her hand, laughing. They went down an alley that leads straight to the circus. I thought they were just playing."

Elanor closed her eyes for a second.

"You’re an idiot," she said, with a sweet smile and a perfectly asured voice.

"I’ve heard worse," Gawain replied with a shrug.

Max stepped forward and planted himself in front of the dwarf.

"Why did you take the girl?"

The dwarf turned his head away.

"I’m not talking."

Gawain laughed.

"No problem," he said. "I’ve got a truth potion."

"Can I see it for a second?" Max asked.

Gawain hesitated... then handed it over.

"Hold him steady," Max added.

The dwarf laughed, spitting a drop of saliva.

"I’m trained, brat. Not even a shitty potion will get the truth out of ."

Max looked at him. A curious smile spread across his face.

"Oh yeah?" he said. "Then open wide."

He raised the potion.

"And swallow."

The dwarf struggled for barely another second before Gawain pried his mouth open like a vise.

"Relax," the noble said. "This will be quick."

Max poured the potion.

The yellow liquid vanished down the dwarf’s throat with a choking sound. He coughed. His eyes flew wide open.

For a mont, nothing happened.

Then Max saw the system notification. His skill activated, and the consumable’s effect was amplified.

The dwarf stiffened.

"Oh no..." he murmured. "Oh no, no, no..."

His pupils dilated. A shiver ran through his body.

"I’m... I’m poisoned," he said in a trembling voice.

He blinked.

"By the way," he suddenly added, "the bird man is ridiculously sexy."

Gawain frowned.

"What?"

"The feathers," the dwarf continued, speeding up. "The posture. When he hit earlier..." he smiled dreamily. "I liked it. A lot. I’m jealous of the princess, I wish he looked at like he does at her... And when he picked up like that—strong... dominant..."

"Shut up!" Gawain roared, furious.

"I can’t!" the dwarf shrieked. "I can’t stop! This is horrible! I always hated the circus, but I love the sll of wet sawdust, and I steal because I’m afraid of tall clowns, and once I kissed a gno thinking it was a woman—"

Gawain went rigid.

He looked at Max.

He looked at the dwarf.

"This..." he said slowly, "this is not normal."

"Oh," Max replied calmly. "It’s a side effect."

"I like it when people yell at !" the dwarf added. "And when you hit just now I felt butterflies in my stomach!!"

Gawain didn’t think twice.

Thud.

A single punch.

The dwarf’s body went completely limp. Two teeth flew out and clattered across the cobblestones.

At last, his mouth was shut.

Max looked at the unconscious dwarf. Then at Gawain.

"Perfect," he said. "Thanks for the help. Now we can’t interrogate him."

Gawain shook out his hand.

"It was for the good of everyone."

Elanor sighed.

"That won’t be necessary," she said. "We already know where to go. We head to the circus and look for answers there."

Max nodded slowly.

"First, let’s turn this in."

Gawain grabbed the dwarf by one leg and started dragging him along the ground like an old sack.

***

In the plaza, a guard turned when he saw them.

"This clown was stealing," Elanor said naturally, pointing at him. "In the na of the crown, I request that you lock him up."

The guard straightened imdiately.

"For the princess, anything," he replied. "I’ll make sure he doesn’t see the light of day again."

Gawain dropped the dwarf in front of him.

"Good luck," he muttered.

Max decided to check the dwarf’s condition.

[ Status: Poisoned ]

[ Status Duration: 23:30 ]

He chose not to say anything, knowing the guards would have to deal with that madness when the man woke up.

Elanor was already looking toward the alley that led to the circus.

Moonlight was still out there.

And ti was running out.