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Following my directions, my partner heads towards the presences I found . We’re about to make contact .

I’m begging you, partner . Even if you feel hungry, don’t sneak a bite from the village . I’ll let you eat to your heart’s content later .

“I got it~”

She replies sloppily, humming as she walks . I’d prefer it if she was just a bit more cautious… No, I guess it’s fine that she’s seen like this . It’s fine, but… Her complete lack of tension is somehow suspicious .

Is there anything we can do about the contrast between the elegance of her appearance and the sloppiness of her speech? It’s a part of me, too, so maybe it can’t be helped .

The three presences I noticed earlier don’t seem to be reacting to us at all . I thought it was the ones we ran into earlier, but it seems the miko hasn’t noticed us . Since we’re humanoid, perhaps she thinks we’re a fellow villager, or maybe she’s not paying much attention because they’re so close to the safety of the village .

This miko also has a telepathy-type skill, so we need to be cautious . [Telepathy] involves an exchange of thoughts . If her skill level is high, she might be able to pick up on our emotions and be able to tell we’re lying . Next time I see her, I should check her status .

With [Presence Perception] and [Telepathy], she makes for a very troublesome opponent . How everyone was saying miko-sama, miko-sama earlier makes sense . She’s probably saved the village countless times .

Even if the other side is aggressive, please act with restraint, okay partner? Even if you make a mistake, don’t go biting them or hitting them . If you use too much power by mistake, we could end up with a mountain of corpses . That’s what I’m most afraid of .

In the worst case you aren’t able to endure it, please say something . If that happens, I’ll suggest an escape route, or maybe even undo the humanisation .

“No need to worry so much…”

I have no idea what the situation is in that village, nor what their numbers are . I have to assume it’s the worst .

“From my point of view, I can’t see why you’re willing to stick your head so far when you’re so scared . ”

She says that without any sort of deep meaning, as far as I can tell . It seems like she doesn’t quite understand, but is just going along with it because it seems fun .

“Isn’t it fine? We get to eat the foods those humans bring, go hunting every now and again, and raise the spiders as a way of killing time . ”

…That’s fine and all, but I’m still nervous about it .

She might be more draconic in her way of thinking than I am . She eats what she can eat and satisfies her curiosity where she can . In that way she’s like a wild animal, or rather a monster… She’s cooperating with me for now, but I’m worried that one day we’ll disagree on something .

“I only said it, there’s no need to think so hard . It’s your body after all . ”

If she’s willing to do what I want to an extent, then that’s a relief . Though making her do something she doesn’t want to would feel bad . I’m sure the reason she’s so excited because she’s gets to move her body around by herself for the first time . Perhaps I should try and find more opportunities for her to be in charge of our humanised body like this .

…For that matter, next time we evolve, what’ll happen to her? Will we still be a two-headed dragon next time? What would be ideal would be getting two separate bodies, but remembering that shitty god, I can’t imagine it’d go so well . I wouldn’t like it if we combine in the next evolution… If that happened, it’d be just like she disappeared .

Either way, I need to focus on what’s in front of me . We’re getting close to the three presences, so I need to brace myself .

Perhaps hearing her humming or her footsteps, the lump of presences stop moving . Thanks to my partner straining her eyes, I’m able to make out the figures of three people in the distance . It seems they’re waiting to see who we are .

Alright, I’m counting on you . If they seem suspicious, please retreat right away . I don’t know how they’re going to react to the horns after all .

Perhaps thinking it would be bad if they hear, she nods her head in assent . She seems to have at least some sense of caution, then .

What should she say to start with? At a minimum, she needs to convey that she’s a traveller . The fastest way to get in would be by pretending to be injured like the manticore, but they’d notice she’s not right away . Besides, any minor wounds would heal right away .

Should we try begging for food, saying she was attacked while bathing and lost her supplies? With her pretty face and slender frame, they shouldn’t be too suspicious . It’s clear she doesn’t have any weapons, too .

We’ve only got about fifty minutes of humanised time left . If we get delayed too long we’ll have to run away when there’s a chance .

Partner, please focus on getting across that you mean them no harm, and that you’re a traveller .

“Gaa?”

I feel her expression becoming tense . A bead of sweat trickles down her cheek .

…This feeling, she doesn’t know what to say, does she? Should I do it after all?

A-anyway, just try not to look hostile . I’ll tell you what to say later .

The trio come close enough for me to see their faces . All three of them are half-naked, well-built men . Two of them have their bows ready, the leader his spear .

Seeing my partner, the spearman lowers his weapon, visible relief showing in his expression .

“It’s a woman . She’s unarmed . Drop it . ”

Persuaded by the spearman, the two bowmen lower their weapons .

“…That’s good timing . ”

“Yeah . ”

The two bowmen whisper between themselves . Good timing? What’s that about?

“Hey, shut it . I’ll talk to her . ”

The spearman glares at the two of them . They shudder, their mouths snapping shut .

“Girl, why have you come to this forest?”

“Umm, I’m…on a journey . ”

Probably from nerves, she stutters a bit in her reply . She was talking loads earlier, but there’s none of that fluency any more .

The two in the back leer at her, doubts clear in their eyes . I start to panic, but the spearman glares at the two, and their faces become expressionless, their shoulders trembling .

“How many are with you? Where are they?”

Who’s with us, huh . He would ask that, right . This area is way too dangerous for solo travellers .

I think it was a group of two that came across my home way back . But this area is a hundred-fold more dangerous, so a group of eight would be about right . Abysses are crawling all over this area after all . If she says she came here as a pair, they’ll question just how strong she is .

“…Umm, I-I came here with my partner, the two of us . ”

She’s no good, I’m at my wits end . Maybe she half-picked up on my thoughts and relayed them as-is .

“Just the two of you?”

The spearman frowns, looking around my partner’s body for something . This is bad . Now the leader’s suspicious too .

Ah, I’ve got it! Let’s say she’s a famous white mage! I think Miria had a white mage title skill . Probably, that’s a mage who specialises in healing magic .

This way if they ask for proof we can use [High Rest], and if that goes well they might even feel in debt to us . If they think her personal combat strength is low, then that should get them to lower their guards .

“I-I may look like this, but I’m[1] quite famous as a white mage, you know . ”

Ah, you should also say that your partner has died . If they think he’s still nearby, they’ll be on their guard .

“My partner… Umm, he got eaten by a big bug and died . ”

The abyss suddenly shows up . It became a trauma for her after all, didn’t it .

“An abyss? I see . That’s quite unfortunate . You must be tired – you should come rest in our village . ”

Not only does he lower his guard, he also invites her into the village .

Eh? N-no, I’m grateful for that and all . But didn’t that move forward a little too fast?

Ah, it must be the beauty effect . I thought this guy was ultra stiff, but he’s unexpectedly smooth .

“Girl, come this way . Rest your body in our village, then we’ll guide you to safer parts . ”

The spearman turns around and starts heading back to the village . This guy, he’s so cool . It’s great that they’re being kind, but that also means that it would be just as easy for the manticore to get in .

The two bowmen stand up straight, their backs rigid . However, when the spearman passes between them, they exchange a glance and raise a hand to their mouths, calling out to him .

“Hey, Y-Yarg…”

“Later . I told you, I’m doing the talking . Until we get back to the village, neither of you are to open your mouths . ”

It seems the spearman’s name is Yarg . The two he called out to frown, as if they find something difficult to accept . But Yarg walks on in silence, and the pair soon follow .

“Girl, come quick . If you stand around like that, you’ll get eaten by an abyss . ”

It seems they’re the natural enemy of this village, too . Those guys are all over this forest after all . I never want to meet one again, but I doubt I’ll be so lucky .

“R-right . ”

She nods her head and sets off after Yarg .

…I’m a bit suspicious of them, but there’s no reason not to follow . That was our objective from the start, anyway .

[1] She’s still referring to herself with ore .