Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill-Chapter 45: The Devil Princess

Max left the dining hall with the strong taste of liquor still lingering in his mouth.

The king was still asleep on the table.

Don had stayed behind to deal with the situation, which basically meant making sure no one discovered that His Majesty had lost the battle against breakfast.

Max walked through the castle corridors with a clear destination in mind.

Elanor.

’She’s probably finishing breakfast by now...’

He wanted to see her.

Talk to her.

Maybe actually eat breakfast, because technically his breakfast had consisted of tea with alcohol and a strange conversation about summoning humans.

He turned down one of the side corridors.

And then—

Paf!

Something slammed into his chest.

Max took half a step back.

Abby stood in front of him.

She was breathing heavily.

Her hair was messy.

She glanced back down the corridor with obvious panic.

Then she looked at him.

"Little mascot."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Running away again?"

But before Abby could answer—

A calm voice echoed through the corridor.

"Thank you."

Max looked up.

Azael was walking toward them with complete calm, his hands behind his back. His demonic tail swayed slowly from side to side. When he got a few meters away, he slightly inclined his head toward Max.

"I truly appreciate it."

Max frowned.

"Why?"

Azael smiled.

"For stopping her."

Abby immediately stepped backward. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"No—"

But Azael raised a hand.

"I’m tired of playing hide and seek."

His red eyes shifted toward her.

"Abigail."

Max blinked.

Azael continued in a calm voice.

"It’s time to go home."

Abby shook her head.

"No."

Azael sighed.

"I expected that."

Then he snapped his fingers.

Clac.

Two black magic circles appeared on the ground.

From them, two skeletons slowly emerged.

Old bones. Rusted armor. Curved swords in their hands.

Before Abby could react—

The skeletons grabbed her by the arms.

"Let go of me!"

Max immediately raised his hands.

"Hey! Hey! Hold on!"

Azael completely ignored the shout.

Instead, he pulled a small leather pouch from his coat.

He tossed it.

Max caught it on reflex.

Coins clinked inside.

Azael smiled.

"A small reward."

Max looked at him.

"For what?"

Azael answered with complete calm.

"For helping me retrieve my sister."

Silence.

Max blinked.

Then he looked at Abby.

Then back at Azael.

"...Your sister?"

Azael tilted his head slightly.

"You didn’t know?"

His red eyes gleamed with amusement.

"Then it seems our dear Abby hasn’t shared much about her origin."

Abby clenched her teeth.

"Azael! Don’t say anything!"

The devil sighed.

"It’s a bit late for that."

Then he looked directly at Max.

"Allow me to introduce her properly."

He gestured elegantly toward her.

"Abigail Morningstar."

He paused slightly.

"Daughter of the King of Devils."

His eyes narrowed faintly.

"Lucifer."

Max froze.

"...What?"

Abby avoided his gaze.

A faint blush appeared on her face.

"...Hi."

Max opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

"...You?"

Abby shrank a little.

"I was planning to tell you eventually..."

Azael adjusted his coat.

"In any case."

He looked toward the end of the corridor.

"We should leave."

He looked back at Max.

"The Devil Kingdom thanks you for your assistance."

He gave a slight bow.

"But it’s too late."

His eyes settled on Abby.

"We should have departed before breakfast."

Max finally reacted.

"Wait!"

Azael raised an eyebrow.

Max stepped forward.

"You can’t just take her like that."

Azael tilted his head.

"Oh?"

Max pointed toward the castle.

"Does the king know about this?"

Then he added,

"Does the princess know that one of her maids is the daughter of the Devil King?"

Azael stared at him for a few seconds.

And his smile disappeared.

"That’s none of your concern."

He snapped his fingers again.

Clac.

Another magic circle appeared.

A third skeleton rose from the ground.

Before Max could react—

The skeleton lifted him off the floor, grabbing his arms.

"What—?!"

Max struggled.

"Hey!"

Azael had already turned away.

The two skeletons dragged Abby down the corridor.

She turned her head toward Max.

For a second.

Her expression looked... guilty.

Max shouted.

"Guards!"

His voice echoed through the corridor.

"GUARDS!"

But Azael and the skeletons were already turning the corner.

Max kept struggling.

"Let go of me!"

And then—

The skeleton vanished.

Puf.

Like dust.

Max fell hard to the floor.

When he lifted his head—

The corridor was empty.

Azael.

Abby.

The skeletons.

All gone.

Max clenched his teeth and punched the ground.

"...Great."

He jumped to his feet.

And started running through the castle corridors.

His footsteps echoed against the stone floor.

Turning corners. Jumping stairs. Pushing doors open.

When he finally burst through the large doors leading to the courtyard—

He stopped.

A black carriage was slowly moving toward the castle’s main gate.

It looked different from the normal carriages.

The wood seemed darker.

And pulling it...

Were four skeletal horses.

Long bones.

Their skulls made a hollow sound as they moved.

Clac.

Clac.

Clac.

Max clenched his teeth.

Inside the carriage he caught sight of a red silhouette.

Azael.

And for a moment, he thought he saw Abby looking toward the window.

But the carriage kept moving.

It passed through the gate.

And disappeared down the road that descended from the castle.

Max stepped forward.

"Max?"

He turned around.

Moon was running toward him across the courtyard.

Her small wings fluttered slightly behind her back.

Elanor walked a few steps behind her.

The princess frowned.

Moon reached him first.

"What happened?"

She looked around.

"Why was Abby screaming?"

Elanor was also watching him with concern.

Max took a deep breath.

"...They took her."

Silence.

Moon tilted her head.

"Who?"

Max looked toward the gate where the carriage had disappeared.

"Her brother."

Elanor frowned even more.

"...Brother?"

Max ran a hand through his hair.

"That’s not all."

He sighed.

"Turns out Abby isn’t... exactly a normal maid."

Moon blinked.

Elanor crossed her arms.

Max continued.

"Her full name is Abigail Morningstar."

Elanor stared at him silently.

Max added,

"According to him..."

"Daughter of the King of Devils."

Moon raised both hands.

"Wait—she’s a princess too?!"

Max shrugged.

"Something like that."

Elanor remained silent for a few seconds.

Then she sighed softly.

"...That explains a few things."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?"

Elanor nodded.

"Abby appeared at the castle a few years ago."

She looked toward the courtyard fountain.

"She said she was looking for work. Sophie accepted her as a companion and taught her everything she needed to know."

Max listened in silence.

Elanor continued.

"We never asked too much about her past."

She paused slightly.

"And she never spoke about it."

Moon crossed her arms, thinking.

Elanor added,

"Although now that I think about it..."

"Whenever a devil visited the castle..."

"...Abby disappeared."

Max frowned.

"Really?"

Elanor nodded.

"We thought she simply didn’t like them."

She looked toward the road.

"...We never imagined it was because of this."

Moon suddenly raised a hand.

"I want to be a queen too!"

Max looked at her.

"...What?"

Moon pointed toward where the carriage had gone.

"If Abby is a princess of the Devil Kingdom, then she’s like Elanor."

Then she smiled.

"And I want to be a queen too!"

Max sighed.

"Moon, that’s not the point."

He looked toward the gate.

His expression turned more serious.

"...She didn’t want to go."

Elanor looked at him.

Max continued,

"You could tell. She didn’t want to go back."

Moon immediately nodded.

"Of course! Abby always said she liked working here."

Max clenched his fist slightly.

"We have to do something."

Elanor stayed silent for a moment.

Then she spoke calmly.

"...I can’t travel that far outside the kingdom."

Max understood.

She was the crown princess.

Elanor continued.

"But we can speak with my father. We can organize a group. A mission to bring her back."

Moon raised both hands.

"I’m going!"

Her wings fluttered excitedly.

"I’m going to rescue my friend Abby!"

Then she thought for a second.

"I’m sure Sophie will want to come too!"

Max smiled a little.

Then he looked at Elanor.

"...Would you mind if I went?"

Elanor watched him for a few seconds.

Then she smiled softly.

"Actually... I was hoping you’d ask."

Max blinked.

Elanor continued.

"It’s part of who you are."

Moon gave a small jump.

"Then let’s go talk to the king right now!"

Max let out a small laugh.

"...I don’t think that’s a good idea."

Moon tilted her head.

"Why?"

Max looked toward the castle, remembering the king.

Asleep on the table.

With the empty bottle beside him.

"...Because right now..."

"...he’s probably too busy fighting a hangover."