Chapter 542 I Need To Name Them
?Stepping out of the Dungeon, I found my loot from the earlier boss still waiting there in the snow. The fact that I don't see any other footprints leading out of the cave meant that those three were most probably still inside.
If the hole ended up separating each of them, I doubt any of them would be able to survive, especially with their legs cut off.
I felt a little unsatisfied but whatever, I can still say this was a rather fruitful Dungeon dive with how my summons got upgraded.
Speaking of which, they are all inside my shadow now.
I didn't even need to order them to go inside my shadow either, when I thought about it, they automatically melded into my shadow and disappeared.
Very cool.
I stuffed the bones that I had left here into my Pack of Folding before spreading my wings to fly in the direction of the training camp.
It was already quite dark so I estimated the time to be early evening, which means I should be just in time for dinner.
As the camp came into view, I realised there was a very familiar Inugami maid waiting at the entrance and I instantly knew who it was.
Was she waiting there all this while?
I descended in front of Katsuki and she didn't even look surprised to see me, simply bowing when I appeared before her.
"Welcome back, Mistress."
"Mmm~ I'm back Katsuki~ Did anything happen while I was gone?"
"Not at all Mistress. Although I fear that Head Butler Sebastian has stayed true to his word and our training would resume, so we would not be allowed to accompany you for the next two days."
I thought about it for a moment, "Hmm... In that case, let me join you all as well. There's some things I would like to test out too."
Katsuki straightened herself, "There is no need for Mistress to worry yourself over this though?"
"Oh, I really just have something to test out~ In fact, could you lead me to Mother? I want to ask her something."
"Of course, Mistress. This way please."
Katsuki led the way into the training camp with perfect poise. Just by looking at her, I could not even tell that she had just underwent a whole day of training under Sebastian's instructions.
We soon reached the building that Mother was staying in and Katsuki opened the door for me to enter before stepping aside.
I found Mother seated on a rocking chair while reading a book in front of the fireplace.
Mary was, as usual, standing by her side attentively.
Mother immediately looked up and smiled when she saw me, setting her book aside to stretch out her arms towards me.
"Ara, ara~ There you are my little one~ How was your day today?"
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Katsuki stiffen from the sight of the Shadow Guard but the action was so quick that I thought it might have been a trick of the light.
Mother looked at my summon up and down before reaching her hand out to her.
My Shadow Guard did not even react to her and continued to look at me, clearly waiting for me to give her instructions.
"How interesting~" Mother muttered to herself. "Have all your summons turned into Shadow Guards?"
I nodded and called up two more, the both of them standing beside the first one in the same exact pose with their eyes focused on me.
"Ara, ara~ And my little one can summon more of them?"
"If I use all my mana, I can summon one each time, yes."
"Ufufufu~ If my little one would like to know, these monsters are usually found in high level Dungeons though they would look like a blob of darkness that can transform themselves into the person they are fighting against. I don't believe anyone else has managed to turn them into a summon."
I felt a little concerned by that fact, "Is this a problem?"
"Ara, ara? Why would that be a problem, my little one? This is just proof that my dearest child is the best in the entire World, does it not?"
Of course Mother would say that.
I gestured to them, "But... What if others could tell that I have a Shadow Guard too? Wouldn't that bring a lot of attention to me?"
Mother giggled, "Ufufufu~ Unless the person is on the same level as Mama, they would not be able to tell that this is a Shadow Guard, my little one~"
Mother turned to Katsuki and my Inugami maid seemed to understand what Mother wanted.
"Indeed Mistress, had Madam not mentioned it, I would not have know. I believe there should not be anyone else who would normally be able to realise that they are monsters."
"But... What about someone using the [Analyze] skill?" I asked.
"Ara? I suppose that would indeed reveal them~ But that's simple, all you have to do is give them names~ Then all the person would see is the name you have given them instead of the race of the monster~"
Eh? Really? Is it that simple?
I pointed at the first one I summoned, "Umm... How about you're now named Eins?"
Unexpectedly, the Shadow Guard got onto a knee with her head bowed low, "I respectfully accept this name, Master."
When I checked her stats with [Screened], I realise that under her name, instead of being called "Shadow Guard" it was now "Eins" instead.
Even more curious was that her titles had now been removed and was left empty. Even her race had changed to show "Shadow Summon (Shadow Guard)" instead of just showing that she was a Shadow Guard.
I'm guessing that under the normal [Analyze] skill, the race will not show up?
I then tried to use [Screened] on the other two and I made a face when I saw that their names were still the same as before.
Ah crap... Does that mean I have to name every single one of them now if I wanted them to hide their identity as a Shadow Guard?
Well... I guess I better get started then...