I checked my status and found another entry—
“Treasure Chest remodeled 3.”
Apparently that was my current form.
Before anything else, I righted myself. “Hup.”
Let’s recap... I have succeeded in growing an upper half, but...this is totally useless. First off, I have no legs, so I can’t even move! I’d just be able to crawl—er, drag myself with my hands—at best! Also, I can’t equip Crimson Rose like this. If I were to take an attack in this form, I’d be done for in one hit! Well, I’m level 100 now, so I’m probably a little tougher...but the difference between wearing the Crimson Rose and not is like heaven and earth. Not to mention that I lost the ability to alter my point of view, since I have a face now. And to make matters worse, I have the feeling that I’d kick the bucket if my head was destroyed in this state.
It seemed to me that my main “self” was contained in the head. So...
This form’s totally worthless!!! It’s too half-assed to pretend to be human. I wouldn’t be able to travel around like this without raising suspicion. Hmmm... Maybe I could use it to lure people in by pretending to be a girl about to be eaten? But I get the feeling that anyone who’d fall for that would be easy for me to beat anyway...
By the way—even though I wasn’t an expert on human attractiveness, I naturally considered myself beautiful.
I wonder how pretty I actually look? I’m pretty sure I’m good-looking thanks to my gift, but...
I was curious, but there was no way to look at myself. I couldn’t change my point of view, and I didn’t have a mirror, so...
*Rustle...*
As I was lost in thought, I suddenly felt somebody’s presence.
Of course this would happen! I was too distracted by my new forms and wasn’t paying attention!
Panicked, I turned around to find a thin adventurer with narrow eyes.
Hm? He looks familiar... Ah, the thief I first met in the Aldora Labyrinth! The one who gave me Crimson Rose! Errmm, not sure how to feel about this. On one hand, Crimson Rose has been doing a lot for me—I would’ve been dead without it. On the other, I can’t bring myself to feel genuinely grateful...
The thief looked like his soul had left his body, as if he’d seen something so unbelievable that he’d just shut down...
Oh, it’s me. Was he surprised because I have an upper half now?
“What’re you doing?” the thief muttered quietly, like the words were just leaking out of his mouth.
“What? Isn’t it obvious? I was trying to gain a human form...”
“What happened to your legs?” The thief advanced on me with eerie directness.
Ahhh, oh yeah... This guy was really into stroking my legs back then, wasn’t he? Just remembering it gives me goosebumps.
“Ah, well... I was testing out a bunch of things because I wanted a human form and ended up like this...”
“Don’t screw with me!”
Scary! Why’s he so expressionless?!
“W-Wait a second! Why am I the one getting treated like this?!”
He just keeps getting closer. Hold on a second, you’re too close! You’re scaring me!
Somehow I didn’t get the feeling I could defeat this guy, even though I’d gained a ton of levels. To be fair, I didn’t have the benefits of Crimson Rose—or any legs, for that matter—in this form. I couldn’t even move. It’d be a comparison of raw strength.
“C-Calm down, okay? I don’t like this form either. I was just wishing I had legs!”
My desperate appeals got the thief to stop in his tracks.
Wait, when did that knife get in his hands?! Holy shit!
At any rate, there was nothing to gain and everything to lose in this form, so I returned to Treasure Chest remodeled 2. My hips and legs quickly grew under me.
“There we go. So, what did you want again?” I asked.
I was talking to a human, but I couldn’t bring myself to attack him. Not only was he my savior, in a sense, but he wasn’t hostile either.
“Oh, sorry. I lost my composure for a moment there. If you can just grow your legs back, then that’s no problem.”
Huh? Wait, what just happened? I don’t get it.
Suddenly, I noticed that the thief had already disappeared. I still hadn’t figured out what he wanted, but—considering he just up and left—he must’ve been satisfied.
It wasn’t like he could move super fast, so he was probably just hiding and erasing his presence from detection.
Seriously, that’s terrifying!
Wait, don’t tell me... Has he been tailing me this entire time?! I didn’t notice at all! Does that mean he’s watching me from somewhere right now?! Ewwww, I hate that... Well, I guess it’s not like I can do anything about it. So...
I’d managed to grow a lower half and an upper half. So all I had to do now was get both at once!
All righty, I’mma do it!