“For me?” I asked.

She nodded without any qualms.

I stared at her in shock. I wasn’t shocked because she had been willing to give me the simulated blue crystal to outsiders but because she could understand me. It meant that she was conscious! It meant that she was a living creature!

She flipped her hand again to face palms up. She resumed her pleading action as before. I looked at her, confused. “What do you want from me?” She looked like she wanted to exchange for something from me using the simulated blue crystal. But, what did I have? I didn’t have anything.

She furrowed her eyebrows in agony and looked around. Suddenly, she pounced at me. I immediately stepped back in surprise....