74 Taking The Lead

"Well, duh."

Ritzy looked at the mosquito as if she were stupid.

*You knew?!*

The mosquito covered herself with her hands in embarrassment.

"Of course, I knew. I know everything. I'm also a necromancer. Isn't that why you came to me, mosquito?"

*What? No! I came to you because you are the only one who has been able to see me when not even my kin could!*

"Huh."

Ritzy couldn't even be bothered to feign interest or concern.

*Argh! I can't believe this! Why is a filthy necromancer the only one that can see me?!*

The mosquito clutched her hair and tried to trip it out in frustration.

"Rude. If you don't want my help, get outta here! Also, how did you not notice that I'm a necromancer?"

Ritzy pointed around at Mognog, the newly summoned and confused Man-Eating Flesh Slime, the Deathbeds, and the Deathbeds' contents. He once again looked at the mosquito like it was a wonder she even managed to remember to breathe. Well, now that she was dead, it wasn't like she needed to do that. Maybe that's how she died.

The mosquito noticed something as Ritzy assumed a posture of deep thought as he pondered on how likely it was that she died by forgetting to breathe.

*You! You better not be thinking anything strange!*

"Me? I would never. Now, start getting outta here!"

Ritzy tried to shoo away the mosquito again. It didn't succeed.

*W-wait just a moment. There's no need to be so hasty, right?*

"Of course not. I've been very patient. Get outta here!"

Ritzy continued his almost ritualistic anti-mosquito chant.

*Didn't you agree to help me?*

The mosquito gave Ritzy a cutesy, pleading look as she realized he really might be her only hope, even if he were a necromancer.

"I did no such thing. I said I would hear you out. I've done that. Now, it's your time to get outta here!"

The mosquito backed off a little and began turning around. Pleading for help or mercy with Ritzy when he was heartless was clearly not working. She would have to change tactics.

*I guess that's true…I ought to take my leave.*

She turned around and glanced at Ritzy over her shoulder.

*But it's a shame…I would be willing to pay anyone who can help me handsomely with treasure.*

Ritzy snook a peek at Mognog. He gave the skull a wink and a thumbs up, completely forgetting that Mognog couldn't hear the mosquito's buzzing.

"Treasure, huh? That reminds me of the old adage that one mosquito's treasure is another necromancer's trash. Supposing there really were treasure to be had, one such as I might be inclined to accept, what to call it, advance payment, perhaps? To verify the value of these treasures:"

The mosquito raised an eyebrow as a vein popped on her forehead. She could tell at once that Ritzy was both mocking her and asking for stuff without doing anything to earn it.

*Fuck this. Fine. I'll give you all the treasure I have if you can help me. And if you just come with me and try to help me, I'll let you pick one item from my treasury.*

The mosquito gave up. She had already spent too long without seeing her kin or her kin seeing her. Even if she had to ask such a problematic and annoying necromancer as the white-haired kid she had found, she would. He was the only one who could see her within leagues, and she didn't want to wait until another person with the same ability came around.

Fortunately, Ritzy was weak. Another person capable of seeing her might not be the same. At that point, she might lose all her treasure without getting any help.

"Excellent! Now, this is what I am talking about!"

Ritzy smiled as he gestured for the mosquito to lead the way while he packed up. He sent the Man-Eating Flesh Slime onto a Deathbed and then underground. Mognog ended up on his shoulder, and Unholy Avatar, while conspicuous, grew stronger with each passing moment. Putting him on a Deathbed would only halt his growth.

The mosquito didn't like Unholy Avatar walking with them since he was apparently hideous. Ritzy didn't understand how anyone could find such a cutie-pie less than a masterpiece, which further solidified his opinion that the mosquito was a mosquito and not anything as cool or legendary as a fairy.

Mognog was more than a little confused. But he managed to clue together that Ritzy and the mosquito, whatever it really was, had come to an agreement of sorts. In exchange for Ritzy's help, the mosquito-like being would hand out treasure. Still, he asked Ritzy to fill him in as they followed the mosquito.

Mognog listened intently to Ritzy so that he didn't miss anything and so that he could sort out the truth through Ritzy's somewhat unreliable retelling. But he didn't stop paying attention to their surroundings. Neither did Ritzy.

With a glance from Mognog, Ritzy spoke.

"Hey, mosquito. Are you sure you know where you're going?"

*Oi! I'm not, 'Hey'! Nor am I a mosquito! Stop calling me that!*

"I can't help but notice how you didn't answer my question."

Ritzy narrowed his eyes as he looked at the mosquito, doing the same as she had done.

*Don't be ridiculous! No one knows these forests better than me!*

Ritzy shrugged.

"Sure. But we've passed the trunk over there three times now."

*Huhum. That's intentional, lowly human.*

The mosquito spoke proudly with her nose pointed into the sky.

*There's no human who can understand our Paths!*

Ritzy looked at Mognog.

"It said it's intentional and that no one can understand her crooked and windy paths since they're incomprehensible. As far as I can tell, she's too embarrassed to admit that she's lost."

*That's not it! That's not what I said! Stop twisting my words!*

"I see."

*No, don't see!*

The mosquito tried to shout and convey the truth to Mognog since he seemed sensible, at least more so than Ritzy. But he couldn't hear the slightest bit of her yelling.

"What do you think, kiddo? Do you want to follow it?"

"Nope."

"That's all there's to it then. Let's just go look for treasure elsewhere."

*No! Don't go! Please!*

Ritzy threw the mosquito a glance.

"I mean…I would love to trust you know where you're going since I don't even know where to begin looking. But a nameless mosquito is at the bottom of any list of individuals I can trust, you know?"

*I'm not nameless, and I'm not a mosquito!*

"So you keep repeating. But saying I'm the greatest necromancer won't make me the greatest necromancer. I have to put in the necessary work for that to happen. See what I'm getting at?"

*I do. But my galére prohibits spreading information about ourselves. It is only in rare exceptions that we are granted permission to show ourselves, much less talk to outsiders.*

"I guess this isn't one of those exceptions. In that case, there's nothing I can do. Unless you can prove that there will be treasure where we're going or that you're not lying to us, this is where we part. I hope you will understand. Otherwise, I won't just try and shoo you away. I'll sic this bad boy on you."

Ritzy pointed at Unholy Avatar, which made the mosquito frown as soon as she looked at him.

*Alright.*

The mosquito sighed.

*I guess my galére might consider this acceptable since we're talking about my life here. My name is Xiotal, and I am a pixie of the  Seven Hundred Leaves Galére.*

"Cool. Let's go."

Xiotal was almost a little disappointed at Ritzy's lackluster reaction to her grand reveal, which she had even staked her life on. But it was fine as long as he followed her to her den. It was just that…

*Hey! How do you know where to go?!*

Ritzy took the lead. He didn't just walk ahead of her in a random direction. He was walking where he needed to go to follow the Pixie Path.

"While we're at it. I'm Ritzy, this guy's Mognog, and this handsome fella is Unholy Avatar, or Avie for short."

*Don't ignore my question like that, brat.*

"I'm not, mosquito."

Xiotal narrowed her eyes as she looked at Ritzy. However, if she kept prying for his secrets, he might just decide it wasn't worth her trouble. And she had already gone to what she thought were considerable lengths.

*Fine. Don't answer. But I lead. I doubt you were more than lucky. It's not like it's the first time something like it has happened.*

Ritzy shrugged.

"Right, Moggy. This is Xiotal, and she's a piece of—"

*Hey!*

"...A pixie."

Ritzy pointed at Xiotal even if Mognog couldn't see her.

After Mognog acknowledged the fact that they were dealing with a pixie, though he did seem to be deep in thought, Ritzy turned to Xiotal again as they continued walking.

"Hey, can you make yourself visible to Moggy as well? Having to repeat everything you say is bothersome."

*Do you think I want you to continue twisting my words? In the first place, I'm only asking for your help since you can see me. If I could make myself visible to others I would have already done so! In the first place, you don't seem like anything special. Why can you see me?*

Ritzy shrugged.

"You are dead, and I'm a necromancer. Do I need to say more?"

Xiotal shook her head while scratching her head.

*Do you think you're the first necromancer I've tried to talk to? This whole region is crawling with them for some stupid reason!*

"I'm just better, I guess."

Ritzy shrugged as he took the lead on the Pixie Path while Xiotal just stared at his back with confusion, disbelief, and irritation clouding her eyes.