"Hi, Naaza."
Waving, I walked up to the counter. Naaza was, as always, in her usual clothes, her tail wagging behind her.
"Hello, Kopii."
"I see you're as busy as ever."
"I need to work."
"Yeah, I get it. But know that I'm not lagging behind either."
Putting a bag of money on the counter, I added:
This time I put all the money I earned from selling equipment, but that's not so important. The most important thing was to create the appearance of work, even if it wasn't so necessary. After all, even if I bring very little, she won't say anything to me, because every penny counts. But Kopii never spared money for Miach and always gave everything he had.
"And that's what I hate him for. I planned to play the perfect role, how I gradually change, so there wasn't such a large sum there, but still. There's no need to overwork yourself like that."
As always, the same phrase, it even started to annoy me somehow. But I didn't show it on my face in any way, I maintained a positive attitude, just as Kopii would. After all, if they believe that everything is okay with me, then there will be no one else, and there will be no chance to figure me out.
"They were the closest people to Kopii, whom he trusted completely, and then comes Ais. But that's another conversation, and I still have plenty of time to think about how to screw her."
Hee-ha.
Unable to contain my laughter, anticipating the future. But, catching Naaza's strange look at me, I cleared my throat and continued:
"Don't worry, Naaza, I'm all neatness myself. But there's something strange…"
"Strange?"
"Yes."
"And what is it?"
Seeing a hint of interest in her sleepy eyes, I replied:
"Just look. Black eyes…"
Taking off my glasses, I looked directly at her. Her eyes widened, but she immediately returned to her normal state. But she couldn't hide the tension in her body from my eyes, but I pretended not to notice it. I knew that her reaction would be like this because of her fear of monsters, and these eyes could only remind her of one thing: the horrors that she had to endure in the dungeon. But she had to be the very first one to say it.
After all, if she believes in it, one mention of the dungeon evokes horror in her, even if it's the weakest monster, she won't be able to defeat it. That would mean my game is perfect.
My smile faded, I adopted a more confused state.
"Yeah. I don't know how it happened. One day I woke up and, taking my shower, I noticed that my eyes had changed. Without thinking for long, I came here. I assume this has something to do with my skill, so I came to talk to Miach."
"…I see."
"Oh, and by the way, is he even here?"
"He's here."
"Well, okay, I won't distract you from your work any longer. Don't overwork yourself!"
I shouted, walking up the stairs, feeling her gaze fixedly following me. But it was normal, she just needed to be given a little time, and work wouldn't give her so much time to think about it, probably.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I knocked before entering. I saw Miach sitting in his place and reading something. But immediately after my appearance, he put the book aside and turned to face me.
"Oh, hello, Kop…ii?"
"Hi, Miach."
"I'm busy." That's what snapped him out of his former state. His gaze studied my face, but it still had the same light smile as always.
"As I see, you've noticed… Well, how to say it, I don't even know myself."
Scratching the back of my head, I shortened the distance and continued:
"But I have a guess."
"A guess?"
He strained with interest, carefully watching my every move.
"Yes, a guess. My eyes changed because of my skill."
"Yes… it seems possible to me."
"And I think so too, Mr. Miach."
"I wonder how it happened."
"Huh? Yeah! Of course! I should have started with that."
I told him my fictional story that I told Naaza, but in more detail. His face twisted in thought. Scratching his chin, I pretended that he was thinking very hard about it or not. I didn't know exactly.
But when time passed and Miach remained silent, my disappointment in him grew and grew like wildfire. Maybe I overestimated the abilities of the gods too much? I just couldn't believe it. After my story, he should have immediately guessed what happened to me, but he continued to waste time, and my mask began to crack a little, and irritation began to appear on my face.
"Yes, Kopii, you're right. Your skill has become something that has changed you."
"No way!"
"Finally!" I thought, regaining control over face, returning my serious face.
"That's what my skill is capable of!"
He nodded.
"Well, actually, it's logical."
"It's even very logical."
"Well, it's better not to be happy about this, Kopii."
"…What? Why?"
I guessed what he would say next. But I showed with my whole appearance that I didn't understand. But in my soul, I smirked.
"If your skill has copied physical properties, let's say. And, according to you, it happened at an unexpected moment."
But, seeing how Kopii's face is filling up with incomprehension more and more, he could only sigh and rub the bridge of his nose. He continued:
"Look, Kopii, if you wake up and realize that the color of your hair has changed, or, on the contrary, you can become bald. Or worse…"
"Worse…?"
I never thought about the skill in this key. And what if this is true? But if I even notice that the copying skill doesn't copy the appearance of others, why do I think so? Because he never did that, the skill never copied something that could change my appearance. And if the skill develops over time? And when will he be able to copy the appearance of another creature? Imagining myself as a bald, toothless, low-level freak, goosebumps ran down my skin.
"Yes, Kopii, worse. Well, for example, if the skill changes your gender."
"Gender? Become a woman?"
Understanding this didn't evoke anything. Kane didn't care who he was - a man or a woman, but the main thing is that they are beautiful. That's all. If he even becomes a woman, then that doesn't cancel my fun.
"Yeah. If you think logically, it's possible. But this is just an assumption."
We both became silent, each thinking about his own thing. Kane was thinking what would happen if he became a woman, what he would do then. If he could change gender, then will he be able to change his appearance? For example, become an elf or, on the contrary, copy a dog and become it.
Kane definitely didn't want to become a stinky dog. Giving a glance at Miach, I understood from his face that Miach was in deep thought. And then I asked a question that interests me not for the sake of the game, but just to ask, to rely on the many years of experience of the gods.
"And will I be able to control it, Miach, myself?"
I asked the question that had been tormenting me since the very beginning when they started this conversation. This question was the main goal of stay, well, of course, after instilling that I am still the same friendly Kopii.
I froze, waiting for Miach's answer. My eyes filled with anticipation.
"I don't know."
But all his expectations from Miach were quickly broken by Miach's simple answer, who looked at me with a dull face.
"Maybe I overestimated him?" Kane thought, becoming more and more disappointed in Miach. "Maybe he's not even an isolated case, maybe all the gods are like this? They are mired in their fun and pleasures that they have become stupid because of this, or have they been so stupid from the very beginning? but, of course, maybe it's true that Miach is an isolated case, that he is so stupid, and other gods may be smarter."
"And are the gods really the best beings?" For the first time, I thought about this.
.