"What?"

Lin-Lin was truly wondering if her master was joking right now.

"Master, should I...take care of it?"

Maximilian opened his eyes wide as he looked at her.

"What? Why?"

"Well...it's a spider, like the ones before and..."

Maximilian got a sorry look on his face.

"Oh, Lin-Lin. It's not because she is the same species that she is dangerous for us, she... where is she?"

While Maximilian was talking to Lin-Lin, the spider had gone away. Looking around, Maximilian found her slowly going for his plate, this made him laughed a bit.

"Look, she's only hungry."

"Master, isn't it spider meat? Wouldn't it be a bit strange for her to eat that?"

He thought for a bit.

"I don't think so. It's not that rare for a spider to eat another spider, so..."

Maximilian got near his plate, facing the spider who stopped in her movements, looking right at him. In an instant, Maximilian scanned her.

*Level 1...I didn't expect much more but...isn't she a bit too intelligent?*

Her stats weren't anything special, except for the intelligence stat, higher than the giant tarantulae Lin-Lin had fought before.

* I wonder if...*

"Hello."

Trying something, Maximilian tried to reached his hand to touch the little spider, but she crawled back, her two front legs crossed before her head in fear, protecting herself. Seeing that, Maximilian pulled back his hand.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you, here..."

He took a piece of meat he put a few centimetres before the creature, then waited a bit. She slowly put down her legs, came and took the piece of meat before crawling back and quickly eating it, still looking at Maximilian. He could not be sure, but he could have sworn he heard he sighed.

"That's good, isn't it?"

The spider, having finished the piece of meat, looked at him for a moment before slowly nodding, Lin-Lin gasped at that while Maximilian smiled.

"She...she nodded? Does she..."

"I think so Lin-Lin. Do you understand me, little one?"

The white spider looked at him before nodding again in agreements, making Lin-Lin gasped again.

"How? How can that be, The others weren't...Did I kill pacific creatures?"

"I don't think so Lin-Lin, this one has an intelligence far superior to the one you fought before, and also...I don't know, I don't feel any danger from her. The others were clearly hostile, they wanted to kill us and eat us, here..."

He made a little plate out of stone and put pieces of meat on it before putting it before the white little spider, who looked at him, clearly wondering what to do.

"Go on, it's yours."

The little one started to eat again, clearly enjoying what was on her plate.

"This one is different. While she eats, let's look through the chemist bag."

"Yes, master."

Doing as told, Lin-Lin took out several potions and poisons. There was two dozen health potion, one dozen mana potions, the poisons were not very strong, just enough to paralysed an enemy with.

"Master, one of the flasks is broken."

"Oh? Let me see that Lin-Lin..."

Scanning the remnant of potion on the glass, Maximilian understood.

"Oh, that's why..."

"Is something wrong, master?"

"Not really, this is an intelligence potion, used to clear your mind. It works like an antidote for confusion. Our little friend here clearly drank it, and the result is an abnormal intelligence for her species..."

While talking, he looked at the spider to realised she was looking at him too. He showed the piece of glass to her.

"You drank what was in there, didn't you?"

She nodded.

"See, Lin-Lin, she confirms it."

"Master...couldn't she be lying?"

"Even so, lying is a proof of intelligence, so it doesn't change anything."

"But what if she attacked us while we sleep or..."

The little one came between them, shaking her head left to right, her eyes pleading. Lin-Lin was looking at her, visibly hesitating now. Maximilian got an idea.

"You know what, Lin-Lin? How about I let you choose for me? Choose what we should do with her..."

At his words, Lin-Lin looked at him, clearly surprised.

"Me? But, master, I am not the one who should decide, I'm just a slave and..."

"So consider this an order. I am going to finish my meal, I trust you will make the right choice."

The little spider looked at him, not sure what would happen to her. Maximilian winked at her before turning his back to them.

...........................................................................................................................................................

From his seat, Maximilian looked at the two, Lin-Lin crouched to face the little white spider. He didn't try to listen to them, just looking to be sure everything was alright. For minutes, Lin-Lin talked to the spider, and the spider nodded to agree or denied.

After a moment, Lin-Lin reached a hand, holding out her index. The spider did the same with one of her front legs and they touched tips, the closest thing to shaking hands they could do. Maximilian suppressed a laughed with his fist, the scene as funny as cute for him. He got serious again as the two came back to him, the white spider walking next to Lin-Lin.

"So? I see our little friend is still here."

"Indeed master. I trust your judgment and I think too we should give her a chance."

"Was that all you talk about?"

Lin-Lin fidgeted a bit.

"Is...is Lin-Lin obliged to tell all the conversation, master?"

Maximilian arched an eyebrow. The reaction of Lin-Lin was intriguing him.

"Is that a problem?"

"No...if it is an order, Lin-Lin will tell...but I would prefer to keep the rest of the conversation between us...for now."

Maximilian scratched his chin, wondering.

"I told you already, I don't consider you a slave, the only orders I'm willing to give are those who will help you grow...you can have your secrets, as long as you're not endangering yourself."

She smiled at him, visibly happy with his words.

"Thank you, master."

"You're welcome...now about you..."

He turned his attention to the little white spider who was calmly waiting for them to addressed her.

"You realised we have killed spiders before, right?"

She nodded in agreement.

"Isn't it bothering you?"

She thought for a bit then shrugged with her two front legs, a funny scene, but Maximilian had to stay serious right then.

"I see...not very family like I suppose?"

She shook her head no. Maximilian took a look at Lin-Lin who simply nod.

"My friend here and I are looking for an exit, you are free to go away, or to come with us, but I must warn you. She and I are quite powerful, you seem intelligent so understand this, we won't hurt you, and are welcoming you if you desire it, but if you try to hurt her or me, we will kill you, do you understand that?"

He didn't look away, letting the eight eyes of the little spider looking at his as if confirming he was serious. She then looked around, examining the place, at least the bit she could see at the moment. She finally looked back at him and lift a leg like she did with Lin-Lin. At that, Maximilian finally smiled at her as he touched the tip of her leg with the tip of his index.

"Glad we agree, welcome to the group..."

He was going to call her by her name but realised he didn't know her name.

"Do you have a name?"

She shook her head left to right.

"Oh...okay, I'll think about it. For tonight, you two get rest, I'll guard the camp."

"Master, shouldn't I be the one who...?"

"It's alright Lin-Lin, your body must recover from your efforts today. I don't need a lot of sleeping time and had plenty last night, so I'm okay. Sleep well, we don't know what tomorrow will bring us."

She hesitated a bit but, surprising herself more than the others, a spontaneous yawn she made convinced her.

"Alright, thank you and...good night master."

She got to her bed of animal fur and laid down for the night. The little spider was still watching Maximilian with her red shiny eyes as if pleading.

"You know, you have an intelligent look, but your eyes make me remember a little puppy...you want something, don't you?"

The little spider pointed at Lin-Lin, then looked at Maximilian again.

"What? Lin-Lin?"

She shook her head left to right, then crossed her front leg under her head and lay on the ground, imitating a sleeping animal.

"You want a bed, is that it?"

She nodded in agreement, making little jumps to significate he was right.

"Okay, okay, give me a minute."

He took out a piece of beast fur he folded in some kind of nest, he put it on the ground, not to close to the fire, so she won't be bothered by the heat.

"Here you are, your own little bed, sleep well now."

She tapped the ground rapidly with her legs, surely her way of applauding or something like that, then got to bed, letting Maximilian alone.

*So...while I keep guard, I should meditate a bit, find something to help us advance.*

He sat on the ground, facing the darkness of the abyssal hole separating them from the other side.

*I could use earth magic to build a bridge...but to be frank I've never done it before and if something should happen, I don't want Lin-Lin to be hurt...or our little new friend to be frank. Ice maybe? hum, same problem.*

He stayed there for a while, thinking about the situation.

*One thing is strange, though...This was clearly a way to defend the civilisation living down here, the bridge too small to let more than one soldier come at the same time, some kind of obstruction bridge. If my memories about castles, mechanisms or even fantasy, in general, is right, those who built this should have a way to pass on the other side even if the bridge was taken or destroyed. I mean, they would not block themselves on this side, it wouldn't be very bright of them. Let's see...*

Using fire magic, he made a flame appeared, like a torch without any wood. He stood and went near one of the sides, examining the wall with a palm, enlightening his surrounding with the flame.

*There must be something, a mechanism, a secret passage, something...*

...........................................................................................................................................................

For the next hours, Maximilian examined the walls, he passed his hand on the every centimetre of stone around the camp but didn't find anything. Disappointed, he came back sitting near the fire, thinking.

*Well, seems like I was wrong, talking about bad luck...*

He sat there for a bit, using magic to play with the fire. He closed his eyes for a bit, drowsing for an hour or so. His danger sensing skill didn't alert him, letting him rest for a bit. Awakening, he started thinking again, but to no avail.

*Well...let's take a bath. Those two are sleeping, I don't sense any danger, and I may have an idea while meditating in the water.*

He went on the side, near the edge, not wanting to wake up his two sleeping companions. He used earth, water and fire magic to made a stone bathtub filled with cool water. He took a look around before undressing and then went inside.

He took some minutes to washed, then closed his eyes for a bit, thinking about the situation.

*Now what? I don't think we have a lot of choices, we will need to cross. The idea isn't pleasant, at all. On the other hand, I could d...*

He was interrupt in his thoughts by some pleasant sounds. Coming from few metres away, near the edge on the same side, was the little white spider doing something Maximilian had troubles believing.

The spider was sitting on her abdomen, her two back pairs of back legs crossed to give her balance. The second pair of legs from the front were arced in front of her, several strings of web outstretched between them. She was using her two front legs to make the strings vibrate, producing music notes.

*She...plays music?*

Maximilian smiled at this scene. The little creature was playing music, using her spider web like guitar's string, her two front legs slowly moving on them. The music she was making wasn't extraordinary, but pleasant nonetheless. The slow tone was kinda sad to hear like she was using music to mourn something.

*God this is sad...let's talk to her a bit.*

Maximilian got out of the water, using fire magic to dry, he then put on his trouser quickly, not bothering with the rest for the moment. Yes, he was half-naked, but he was going to discuss with a spider, not drinking tea with the queen.

He came sitting next to her, simply listening to her for a moment. After a while, the music stopped and she looked at him, her eight red eyes shining.

"That's a sad music you played just now..."

Of course, she didn't say anything, just waiting for him to pursue.

"You know, I'm sorry about your...your peers. Even thought you didn't seem to mind it that much, they were nonetheless your family and..."

The spider, by tapping one of her legs on his, made him stop. She stood and came before him. Using her front legs while walking with the six others, she started to draw in the dust.

*She can draw too? That's an eight legs artist we've got here...*

Even thought what she drew wasn't a piece of art, it was nonetheless understandable. She drew a picture of the big mother spider, looking upon spider eggs. She then drew eggs all hatching one after another, then spiders fighting each other.

"She...your mother made you fight with each other?"

She nodded in agreement, then drew a spider eating another one.

"You...she made you eat each other? But why?"

She looked at him and lift her two front legs, imitating a human flexing his muscles.

"Only the stronger survive, is that it?"

She nodded in agreement.

"Disgusting...but what about you? Did you...?"

She denied, pointing at the alchemist bag.

"You hide...you found shelter inside this bag a bit before we arrived , is that it?"

She nodded, confirming his guess. He sighed, sad for her.

"The least I can say is that your life hasn't been very pleasant until now...oh, I thought of a name, would you want to hear it?"

She nodded at him, seemingly interested.

"Octavia."

She Tilted her head on the side, looking at him curiously.

"Octo, eight, like your eyes, you legs, but more important, an octave. For a musician spider, I think it fits, what do you think?"

She jumped a bit on place, her eyes closed in contentment. This made Maximilian laughed a bit.

"I'm glad you like it. We should tell Lin-Lin we've got you a name when she wak...what was that?"

His sensing danger skill made him feel something, an enemy was coming. Octavia turned in a jump and faced the darkness of the hole before her, from which came noises. Loud and heavy at the same time, coming one after another, and closer each time, those noises made Maximilian remember something very unpleasant.

"Octavia, go wake Lin-Lin up."

He looked at the trembling little spider at his feet and took her in his hand before putting her down behind him. She looked at him, worry in her eyes.

"Go, wake her up, I'll take care of this."

Octavia nodded and ran in Lin-Lin direction, while Maximilian faced what was already reaching the edge with her gigantic legs. Looking at him with four eyes, the other four gone with the fire, mother spider was clearly looking pissed.

"Hey, darling, back for round two?"

Opening her mandible wide, the monstrous being let out a sound you could describe as halfway between a roar and a scream, not very pleasant to hear.

"Master!"

Coming next to him, Lin-Lin, spear in hand, looked at the monstrous, and passably angry, big spider in front of them.

"Is that...?"

"Yep, the mama spider I set on fire earlier."

"But how did she reached us?"

"Certainly some kind of tunnel she knows, a secret passage maybe, she came from the abyss so I guess there must be some liaison at some point...Or maybe an exit opened when the rest of the room crumbled, I don't know."

"What do we do now?"

"Kill it I suppose, if she came after us, it's certainly to kill us so...yep, kill or be killed."

"Master, I don't know if I can..."

"Do not worry Lin-Lin, I'm here with you."

He didn't have time to took a step before The mother spider, completely taking him by surprise, spit balls of web at him and Lin-Lin. The sticky balls percussing with the strength of a boxer punch.

"WHAT THE HELL!!"

The spider web was strong, elastic and sticky as hell. Even with his high level, Maximilian was having troubles getting it off him.

"Master, I'm blocked! I can't move!"

Lin-Lin was on the ground, the violence of the impact with the ball of web having projected her a good meter back.

"Are you hurt, Lin-Lin?"

"No master, but this thing she spat on us...I cannot take it off."

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of there...if I can get it off myself first..."

He tried to tear it off, but the material was as elastic as sticky, making it hard to handle.

The monster before him didn't waste any time, lifting one of her giant legs above him, the extremity of it being extremely pointy wasn't reassuring.

"Oh no you don't, wait a bit I'm going to..."

The leg was falling down on him.

*Well, shit...*

A moment before it touch, Maximilian felt something climbed on his back and took position on his head. Emitting something like a scream, Octavia made the mother spider stopped her attack.

*Okay, I'm impressed.*

The little white spider, front legs up, was making small noises like she was speaking to the big one.

At first, Maximilian fought it could work, but then he saw another big leg going off the ground, this time from the side.

"OCTAVIA! FLEE!"

The little spider looked at him then at the incoming attack from the side, paralysed by fear.

*Brace yourself, Maximilian.*

It collided, projecting the man on the wall, setting his hand free from the web at the same time.

Just before he literally flown into the hard wall, he took Octavia in his hands and protected her from the impact.

His head hit the rock hard, making a crushing sound that echoed in the room.

Between the man's hands, the little spider looked at the one who just saved her.

"You okay?"

She nodded at him. Maximilian moved a bit, hissing in pain as a bit of blood was flowing down his cheek from his head.

"Aouch, that hurt. Octavia, I'm gonna have to take care of her, is it alright?"

She took a look at the monstrosity who tried to kill them, finishing her climbing on the platform, not even looking at them, she was advancing in Lin-Lin's direction. Octavia looked back at Maximilian and simply nodded in agreement.

"Fine then, wait here, it won't be long."

He put her on the ground, then look at the web still on him.

*Let's burn it...*

With a snap of his fingers, he created small fire claws on his hands he used to cut/burned the web, setting himself free. Good thing mother spider projected him on the bathtub side, where his equipment was.

"Master!"

As he heard Lin-Lin call for help, he dashed, gripping Falemgeril on his way.

Once again, one of the giant legs was lifted in the air, this time above the terrified panda-girl.

"MASTEEER!!!"

Lin-Lin screamed for help, while Falemgeril scabbard felt on the ground. The big leg began to drop and...

"YOU WON'T TOUCH HER!"

In a slash, the leg was cut and then kicked away, falling on the ground meters away. The seven legs still on the giant body hit the ground furiously as a pain filled scream came from the monster.

Not wasting any time, Maximilian cut/burned open the web around Lin-Lin, who smiled at him.

"Master, you saved me."

"Stand back Lin-Lin, I'm taking care of her."

He waited for her to stood and run away, going near Octavia, before facing once again the seven leg spider.

"Okay, now I'm taking care of you."

Now completely on the platform, the mother spider used her four back legs to stood, while she lifted the three others, preparing an avalanche of hits. She tried once again to immobilised Maximilian by spitting web balls on him, balls he calcinated midair.

"It won't work a second time."

A rage scream came from the monster as the three legs started to come down, aiming at Maximilian.

Jumping on the side, He evaded the three hit who collided and broke the ground, passing through it. Not waiting for her to regain balance, he jumped and cut her other front leg, making it fall on the ground.

While the monster stepped back a bit, Maximilian, deciding to not let the fight go on anymore, planted Falemgeril in the ground and joined his hand.

"This time, I'll make sure to not miss you."

The mother spider stood on six legs and started charging at him.

"Fire..."

He separated his hand and made his palms faced the monster, runes of fire appearing before them.

"DOUBLE SPEAR!"

From each palm came a spear, the point looking a lot like a giant tooth, measuring three good meters each, they flow at a speed so high the monster hadn't time to dodged, receiving them right between the eyes.

The gigantic body stopped right there, immobilised. Maximilian let his arms dropped and sighed.

*Well, this is over...I could keep the body to salvage it but...*

He took a look at his two companions, especially Octavia, still looking at the body of her mother.

*No...not this one.*

He pointed at the creature with his palm and set it on fire, before kicking it in the hole, her body disappearing into the abyss.

"Master! You're alright?"

Lin-Lin and Octavia came to him, worries on their faces.

"I'm fine, what about you?"

Lin-Lin came before him and put her arms around him.

"You saved me, she was gonna..."

As if realising what she was doing, she took some steps back, head down.

"I'm sorry master, this wasn't appropriate."

Maximilian laughed a bit at her reaction while petting her head.

"It's alright, I'm happy you're not hurt. Octavia..."

The little spider was near the edge, looking down where Maximilian had kicked her mother. He crouched next to her, not saying a thing for minutes. After a while, Octavia turned to him, her eyes a bit shinier and humid than normal, this was a sad face the little spider was having at that moment. Maximilian reached with an index and slowly caressed the spider's back.

"I'm sorry about her...I would understand if you were angry at me, but know that I did that to protected us, and not with pleasure."

Octavia shook her head left to right before climbing on his hand and along his arm before reaching his shoulder.

In his previous life, this would have been a scene Maximilian wouldn't be able to support, cute spider or not, he had a certain aversion to them at that time. But now, with his skill keeping him from losing cool head, and seeing the little face looking at him, he was glad to say he didn't feel any need to threw the little one away.

Octavia came near his cheek and licked some blood off it, trying to help him heal. This made the man laughed a little, and Lin-Lin gasped as she only then realised her master's state.

"Oh no! Master, you are hurt."

With a gesture of the hand, he tried to reassure her.

"Do not worry, it's nothing much, I heal quickly. This is just a bit of blood...but I should probably wash again for good measure."

He took Octavia in his hand and caressed her back for a bit, getting an appreciative reaction from her.

"Thank you for your help Octavia, I'm fine, really."

He put her down and stood up, getting Falemgeril back before putting it back in his scabbard. He went to the bathtub and use water to wash his face and back, where blood had flown too.

"Good thing I wasn't wearing a lot, it would bother me to have blood stains on my wears so soon."

Maximilian's words made Lin-Lin realised the fact her master was almost naked, to that she blushed a bit.

*Now that I think about it, this is the first time I have a chance to look at him a bit m...what's on his back?*

The panda-girl's eyes rested on her master's naked back, on which she could see, along his spine, what looked like a tattoo representing golden scale.

*That's so pretty. Master must be a very wealthy man to be able to have a golden tattoo like that, it's so well made they almost looked real...I want to see it closer.*

Maximilian was just finishing when he felt a presence behind him. Turning, he faced Lin-Lin, less than a meter away from him.

"Is something wrong, Lin-Lin?"

"Master, if I may...may I see the tattoo on your back?"

"My tattoo? Oh..."

Realising what she meant, Maximilian smiled before showing her his back.

So close to him, Lin-Lin was able to see what was really on his back.

"Are they...real?"

"You can touch if you want."

Reaching a hand, the panda-girl passed her fingers on her master's spine, touching the golden scale.

"They are real...but master, I thought you were human...do humans have scales?"

The question made Maximilian laughed a bit.

"I am human, Lin-Lin. Those scales, they are not something all humans have, they are a symbol of victory. Do you know what that is?"

Still touching her master's back, the panda-girl answered.

"I think...it's a mark on the body when...when you kill a very powerful beast. Some old slaves in the camp talked about it one time. They said it was something rare, even among noble. But, master, what did you kill to have something like this? This mark is covering all your spine..."

Maximilian thought about it for a minute.

*Now what? If I tell her, I take the risk she will be too scared to even look at me, or maybe she's the kind to worship dragon and so she would hate me for what I did...no, I have faith. Faith in my luck...and in her.*

Taking a deep breath, Maximilian answered Lin-Lin.

"A dragon."

He felt the movements on his back stopped in an instant.

"A...dragon?"

"You heard me right. I defeated the black high dragon who was at the end of this dungeon...all by myself."

"But...master, to do something like this is...Please forgive Lin-Lin's rudeness but...defeating a dragon is something only group of legendary hero are able to do, some hero with a level of...I don't know, sixty? seventy maybe, and those are groups of dozen of heroes or so I've heard. What level could you have to do something like that alone?"

"399..."

It was said. For the first time since Dragnïr and Asterife, someone other than him was aware of his level. As he felt the hand leaving his back, he turned around to look at the panda-girl. He found her on her knees, a good meter away from him, facing the ground.

"Lin-Lin?"

"I am sorry, my master. I hadn't realised. For a lowly slave to dare touching someone as high as you....please forgive me!"

As he took a step in her direction, he saw her tremble. This scene made him sick.

*How harsh must have she been treated all her life to prostate herself like that, fearing a reaction I wouldn't dream of having.*

"Why are you trembling, Lin-Lin?"

"I'm...I'm sorry master, Lin-Lin isn't worthy of your presence and..."

"Enough."

With one word, he made her stopped talking.

"Lin-Lin, look at me."

"I am not worthy, master."

"Lin-Lin, please..."

He waited a good minute before the panda-girl finally looked up, her eyes filled with fear, while he had simply a sad look on his face.

"it's me, it has always been me. The way I've been until now wasn't an act to deceive you, nor was it some kind of sick game to finally see you on your knees before me. The power you now know I possess, I already had it before you were aware of it. Lin-Lin..."

Maximilian put a knee on the ground, reaching the panda-girl's level.

"Do you know why I told you the truth about me?"

"I...I don't know, master."

"It's because you are, in this world, one of the people I trust the most. I told you the truth because I utterly believe you, as my first journey companion, should know about me. I want you to know the truth, not because I want you to kneel before me, but because I want you standing by my side. This world, there's a lot I don't know about it. That's why I want someone I can really trust with me..."

He stood up again, then turned his back to her, going to his equipment he started to put on again.

Once finished, he turned to see the panda-girl facing him. Although it was clear she had a bit of trouble being calm, she still was standing and looking him in the eyes, showing her resolve.

"Master...you have been good with Lin-Lin. You gave a lowly slave presents, you took the time to teach me..."

A tear dropped along her cheek.

"...and now you said to me, the one most humans would consider trash or expensive furniture at best, to me you offer your trust, your friendship...thank you."

With her arm, she brushed away her tears, only to have another one replacing it. Maximilian let a slight smile appeared on his face.

"May I know why you are crying?"

"It's because...Lin-Lin is happy with master...Lin-Lin faces danger, monster, she had nearly been killed, but Lin-Lin is happy...I am happy with you like I've never been before."

Seeing the crying panda-girl, hearing her kind words for him, that was all it took to made the sadness go away from the man's heart. He came near Lin-Lin and took her in his arm, holding her simply, letting her cry for a bit.

"Thank you, Lin-Lin...thank you."

He felt something on his shoulder and turned his head to see Octavia walking until she reached Lin-Lin's cheek, cheek she patted with one of her front legs, like a friend would do on your shoulder to comfort you.

This had for results a laughing panda-girl.

"Thank you...Octavia, was it?"

To the question, the little spider agreed with a nod. Maximilian finally let go of Lin-Lin, petting her head for a bit.

"I'm glad you feel better...now we still have to find a way to get out of here."

Lin-Lin's face lightened up.

"Master...I think I may have found something."