I led Ageha through the dungeon, having decided that my best course of action was to seek out Vampire Eudite for help.
"Ageha, stay here and keep out of sight for a moment."
"Okay, I understand."
Ageha nodded and pressed herself against the wall, trying to make herself small.
A Werewolf was prowling just past the corner ahead. This was a problem. I couldn't reach the area where Vampire Eudite resided without getting past that beast. Currently, I only had the <Provocation> skill, and I was completely unarmed. In this state, defeating even a single monster would be a daunting task. Since Ageha was suffering from amnesia, I couldn't exactly expect her to jump into the fray, either.
I was at a dead end.
No, wait. There might be a way through this. An idea took shape, and I turned to Ageha to put it into motion.
"Ageha, can you use your <Item Box>?"
I remembered her making full use of the <Item Box> during our previous dungeon trek together.
"Huh? <Item Box>? What’s that...?"
"It’s a skill you have. It lets you store weapons and food and pull them out whenever you want."
I was betting on the fact that even if her memories were gone, she wouldn't have lost access to her skills. I did my best to explain it to her.
"Um... hold on. Is it... maybe this?"
A magic circle suddenly manifested in the air before her. I recognized the phenomenon immediately; it was the same one I’d seen when she used the skill before.
"Is there a weapon inside? A sword would be a huge help."
"Let me see... is it this one?"
With those words, Ageha drew a Pale Blue Glowing Greatsword from the <Item Box>. I recognized the weapon—she had used it herself in the past.
"Please. Let me borrow that sword."
"Sure, I don't mind."
"Thanks."
I took the greatsword from her. It was heavy and substantial, yet the moment my hand closed around the hilt, an inexplicable surge of power welled up from deep within me.
With a weapon in hand, I had a chance. I didn't have the <Swordsmanship> skill yet, which made me uneasy, but I had to make do.
"Ageha, stay hidden there for a bit."
"Okay, I understand."
Once she was safely tucked away, I leaped out into the corridor.
"Hey, bottom-feeder. Come and get me."
I used <Provocation> on the Werewolf.
"Kugaaaaaah!!"
The enraged Werewolf let out a blood-curdling roar and charged with singular, violent focus. I had successfully baited its attack. Now, all I had to do was counter.
With a wet thwack, the greatsword carved a clean line through the Werewolf’s body.
"Wait, what?"
I stood there in shock, not expecting to drop it in a single blow. It wasn't my own strength that had done it; it had to be the power of the sword.
"Wow! That was amazing, Kiska! You're incredible! You took down such a scary monster so easily!"
Ageha came running over, practically hopping with excitement.
"No, the only reason I could beat it was because of your sword. It wasn't my own strength."
"That's not true! It was all you! I didn't know you were so reliable, Kiska."
I gave a wry smile at her excessive praise. It really wasn't me, but there was no use arguing.
We encountered a few more monsters as we progressed, but thanks to Ageha's sword, I managed to dispatch them all without any trouble.
"It should be around here..."
"What are you looking for?"
"A switch. There’s supposed to be a hidden passage nearby."
Right as the thought crossed my mind, my finger found a button and pressed down with a satisfying click. A low rumble echoed through the corridor as a section of the wall slid aside to reveal a hidden passage.
"Whoa, Kiska! You're so knowledgeable! How did you know that was there?"
"I have my ways."
I brushed off her compliment. Vampire Eudite was the one who had taught me about this passage, so I felt like a fraud taking credit for it.
"Ageha, we're about to meet someone. There's something I need you to be very careful about."
"Something to be careful about?"
"Yes. This person is extremely difficult to deal with. If we offend her, it’ll be the end of us. She'll kill us in an instant."
"Wait... do we really have to meet someone that scary?"
"She's incredibly knowledgeable. As long as we don't mess up our introduction, she should be able to help us."
"I-I understand. If you say so, Kiska, I believe you."
Ageha looked nervous, but she nodded in agreement. She seemed to trust me implicitly. Her willingness to trust so easily made me worry that someone would take advantage of her in the future, but for now, her obedience was a blessing.
"So, what should I do when we meet this scary person?"
"Just stay quiet. I'll handle the talking."
I finished explaining the necessary precautions for our audience with the vampire.
"Hehe."
"What? Why are you smirking?"
I found it strange that she was smiling after I’d just told her we were walking into a life-or-death situation.
"Oh, um, it’s just that you're so reliable, Kiska. I was just thinking how glad I am that you're here with me. Sorry if that was weird."
"No, I was just curious. You don't need to apologize."
Still, I suppose having her relaxed was better than having her paralyzed with fear.
We walked until we reached the inner sanctum where Vampire Eudite was supposed to be. Along the way, we ran into more monsters, but the sword made quick work of them.
I saw a figure in the distance. That had to be her. My chest tightened with nerves; Eudite was the type to kill guests over a minor breach of etiquette. However, I had dealt with her many times in other timelines. I knew how to handle this.
"Ageha, wait here."
"Okay."
I whispered to her and then approached the figure. I dropped to one knee and bowed my head in a show of deep respect.
"Great Vampire Lady Eudite, it is an honor to make your acquaintance."
I offered the most formal, exaggerated greeting I could muster. She usually appreciated the deference. Now, I just had to wait for her to speak.
"........................"
The silence stretched on.
This was wrong. In every other loop, she had at least acknowledged me. I risked a glance upward.
"Hey."
It was Ageha’s voice.
To my horror, she had ignored my instructions and walked right past me. She was standing directly beside the figure.
I nearly screamed at her to get back. If she provoked Eudite, we were dead. I frantically tried to think of an apology, a way to salvage the situation.
"Please ex—"
The words died in my throat. Ageha cut me off with a single, devastating sentence.
"This person is dead."
It was true. Vampire Eudite was already a corpse.