Chapter 94
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: It's Not Like I'm Doing This Because I Like You!
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“Kakagak!”
A Swungswung wearing a crown.
Swungswung had gone and evolved.
And into a Shadow Lace Queen, no less!
【Shadow Lace Queen】
An upper species of Shadow Lace.
A unique individual evolved through an unconventional method, inheriting the traits of Shadow Lace.
It can manipulate shiny objects using the power of the crown on its head, and though it has an innocent face, it's a clever being that knows everything it needs to.
【Skills】
「Ooo LV4」
「Uuu LV2」
「Shwoooong LV1」
【Traits】
「Fluidization」
「Shadowization」
「Levitation」
「Queen of Gems」
“Kak!”
Seeing Swungswung's updated abilities in the status window made my wings flap involuntarily.
Mysterious skills like Ooo or Uuu were impossible to figure out no matter how hard I stared.
Was Ooo the one that zips right at me?
Shwoooong was a first, and I had no clue about that one.
The Shadow Lace Queen species itself was the same.
The description wasn't anything special.
Literally just an upper species of Shadow Lace.
But since it was a unique individual, probably only Swungswung looked like this.
The bit about knowing everything was a tad concerning, but our Swungswung would never.
How innocent and cute of a guy he was.
“Swung?”
Everything else could be glossed over, but there was something worth noting.
Traits.
And one with the fancy name Queen of Gems.
If Sage or Sword Saint name power was a 10, this was about a 7.
Swungswung's black cloth even seemed to sparkle like gems in a weird way.
“Shwoong...”
Plus, his size had grown quite a bit.
From pillowcase-sized to full tablecloth dimensions.
The average size of ghosts in horror movies, maybe?
Still a bit smaller than adult laces, but growing this much was good news.
Swungswung played no small role in our party.
Most physical work was mine, most brain work Moona's.
And everything else was Swungswung's job.
Whether puffing up his cloth for inventory storage or swapping my feathers mid-battle on my signal.
An invaluable comrade we couldn't do without.
“Swung!”
So of course I was thrilled that he'd evolved.
And with the bigger size, he could store even more stuff now.
Sure, Swungswung gobbled up that crown, but I didn't regret it one bit.
“Shwo... Swung?”
Not one bit... regret.
Peck peck.
“Little wind. That's not something you can just peck off.”
“Kaaaak...”
I stopped trying to beak the crown off Swungswung.
Since it was used in the evolution, it had probably become an item only he could use.
Even staring it down with Crow's Eye showed nothing.
“Swung!”
Queen of Gems.
Probably the crown's power had transferred to him, changing it that way.
From manipulating tin to manipulating gems.
Less versatile, but seemed to suit Swungswung better.
He liked shiny things, just like me.
Of course, supplying gems wouldn't be easy.
Adventurers' backs aren't infinite snacks, and finding ones carrying gems was tough.
Still better than no ability.
“Hmm, so this is the journal. I'll take care of it.”
Moona picked up the Tin Woodman's left-behind journal with his beak.
I couldn't read this world's script, so Moona had to do it.
“Caw.”
Maybe learn letters while learning speech?
“Hmm... this prose... like a cold wind passing through the dawn...”
Yeah, pass for now.
Learning script from Moona would pluck all my head feathers.
Swungswung fiddled with his crown this way and that, while Moona focused on the journal.
“Hmm... what is that look, little wind?”
I was scanning Moona's body.
Not much to see on that plump frame, but one doubt arose.
Why hasn't this guy evolved?
Level stuck at 10, probably his max...
During repeated evolutions, I'd seen a few presumed upper kiwi species options.
So he should be able to evolve, but Moona stayed in his initial form.
“Caw caw.”
Well, the Sage has his own thoughts.
Or maybe he needs a specific item?
Like a stone etched with lightning or water.
If I brought a fire-etched stone...
Would performance tank hard? Just a feeling.
Lost in such idle thoughts, Black Wolf's voice rang out.
“Auuu... it's all done now, right?”
Black Wolf slowly walked toward me.
Yeah, as she said, things here were finished.
Encountered the Executioner, fought the Plague Witch.
And finally reached this temple for a fierce battle with the Tin Woodman.
So much had happened; I wanted to crash in my nest right away.
“Hey, you crow. You messing around right now?”
Pababak!
The big bad wolf pounced on me in an instant.
“Kaaaaak!”
The wolf showed no mercy.
“Kak... kak...”
Time to pay the price.
Honestly, even I thought I'd gone too far.
Dragging her out while she was resting comfortably, then making her fight that absurd opponent.
Couldn't complain if she bit me a little.
“I said I'd help, but this is too much!”
“Kaaaaak...”
The wolf's huge forepaw pressed on my body...
Poofin.
“Caw... karong?”
“Aah, look. Thanks to you, I have zero strength left.”
Luckily, Black Wolf in her human form, not wolf.
Felt like I'd gone from death to life.
Of course, that didn't mean the situation was over.
“Ugh, just gotten bigger and...”
Black Wolf grabbed my wing and stretched it, testing.
“Hmm... still kinda...”
What are you even thinking?
“Whatever! If you're gonna call me to a dangerous place like this, at least warn me ahead of time. That so hard?”
“Kak...”
No way to warn ahead, and telling her when I took the tail fur would've made her refuse.
“...Sigh, I'm the idiot for trusting you.”
Black Wolf pulled her hand away, releasing me.
Freedom at last.
“Caw...”
I flapped my wings, trying to soothe her mood.
“What’s that ridiculous dance?”
“Caw?”
Ridiculous?
“Shuuuuwuuung!”
Swungswung's favorite dance.
“Fine, it's over now. Time's up; I'm heading back.”
Hmph.
Black Wolf turned her head haughtily with a huff.
Yeah, she'd really put in the work today.
Without her, we couldn't have taken him down in one piece.
We could even strategize because she bought us time.
“Kak, caw.”
Still, good to see you after so long, Black Wolf.
Not that long, but reuniting with one of our few friendly allies was nice.
“Aish.”
With that, something dropped in front of me.
「Black Wolf's Tail Fur」
A tail fur containing the goodwill of a big bad wolf.
A select few Shadow Wolves who have honed their abilities to the limit can teleport using their tail fur as a medium.
As long as she permits it, you can summon her.
The tail fur I'd thought gone had reappeared.
“Wha, what...!”
Black Wolf continued, head still turned.
“You're gonna charge into some other dangerous spot again, right?”
She was spot on.
Next destination was probably the Cowardly Lion.
Tin Woodman stronger than Scarecrow, so the lion would be ridiculously tough too.
And witches would interfere along the way, no doubt.
Dangerous fights ahead.
“...You might just die pointlessly in a place like that.”
Black Wolf whipped her head away.
“Not like it's for you or anything. To keep in touch with Gretel, I need a connection, right? That's why. Don't misunderstand!”
What to do with this big doggo.
Look at that tail wagging.
Makes me wanna play tug-of-war.
Though playing tug with her would cost me a wing.
“Ugh... Sis warned me about stuff like this... How'd I...”
Black Wolf trailed off and backed away slowly.
“Anyway! Use it when you need to! Not when it's too dangerous! ...But don't go dying needlessly either! Got it?”
“Caw caw.”
“Aish, forget it!”
With that, Black Wolf's form faded away.
Returning to her original spot through the shadows, probably.
What a convenient ability.
Even needing a medium, crossing this distance in one go.
Sigh, maybe ask Black Wolf to teach me the skill?
Or see if there's something in her traits?
Come to think of it, what were the conditions to steal her traits?
「Sturdy Teeth」
「Shadowization」
「Keen Senses」
「Moon's Curse」
Defeat the target or meet the conditions to steal a feather.
Stealing a feather weakens or removes the target's trait.
Condition: Subjugate Black Wolf.
...
“Caw.”
This felt impossible no matter what I did.
Better give up on stealing Black Wolf's traits.