ã€ŠArachneã€‹


 Chapter 1

    "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

    Hurried steps rush in the direction of my room while I try to escape the horror that just manifested itself within a space that is supposed to be safe.

    Yet it is here, staring at me, forcing me to press further against an unforgiving wall that just won''t budge.

    If I''d be able to think straight I might opt for a dash to the door, but at this level of terror I experience in my peril, my body won''t move as I want.

    The spawn of horror meanwhile does nothing, seemingly satisfied to relish in my apparent panic.

    Finally, the steps reach the door and rescue arrives.

    It''s my father, Devon, whose gaze wanders around the room for a moment before settling on me.

    "Neri, what is wrong?" (D)

    "The-, the-, there." (N)

    I point towards my bed, more precisely the nightstand directly to the right of it.

    On it, the nefarious demon stares at us, probably happy that more prey delivered itself towards its vile maw.

    But it underestimated my father''s strength and won''t stand a chance against him.

    "Seriously, Neri. The spider is barely the size of a marble." (D)

    "Make it go away!" (N)

    "Sigh! I never understood how you can be so afraid of them and at the same time always want me to throw them out alive." (D)

    Really?

    The reason is quite simple.

    If you anger them, more will return to exact their revenge.

    That''s a saying everyone is aware of here in the eastern wilds.

    Gratefully, dad manages to catch it with a cup, that I certainly won''t use anytime in the future, and transports the scary intruder away.

    As we agreed in the past, no less than seventy-five meters.

    Why that odd number?

    Well, I wanted a hundred, he said fifty, and we met in the middle.

    After all, he knows that I''m no fun if I only focus on the possibility that this nightmare spawn may return.

    Or worse... touch me!

    However, now that I''m associating my room with this spawn of my worst nightmares I can''t stay here anymore and leave for the kitchen.

    There I find my mother, preparing today''s dinner.

    "Considering your father came through here while holding a cup, I''d say you had an unwanted visitor again."

    "I just sat on my bed and when I looked up it was there. Why is it always me?" (N)

    I was always deeply afraid of these creatures.

    Since forever, they¡¯ve given me a feeling of dread and I can¡¯t come close to them.

    I''m sure I won''t be able to sleep well tonight now that I found one in my room.

    Even if I, as usual, check twice that there are none.

    "I guess you''re going to find more if you''re actively searching for them. But you''re already twelve. You should learn to handle such things."

    "Tsk." (N)

    I look away, trying to somehow circumvent this talk while brushing one of my dark-brown curls out of my face.

    My shoulder-length hair is starting to get bothersome and I think I might shorten it to my neck soon.

    "Well, Mirene, you know how she gets whenever she finds one." (D)

    Father enters again, after successfully having done the deed.

    "In this regard, living next to a forest might not exactly be ideal. Maybe we should work on this issue." (M)

    "Oh, please no. I don''t even want to imagine how much she would scream before we would make any kind of progress. (D)

    I turn away since the nature of this talk is not to my liking.

    "Sigh, whatever. Seems like your future husband will take over this problem." (M)

    "Mum!" (N)

    "Yes, okay. It''s still some time till then." (M)

    Finally, it seems like the whole situation, caused by this eight-legged terror comes to an end.

    "Mum, can I go out and play?" (N)

    "Okay, but stick to the farm. We''re going to eat soon." (M)

    "Sure mum." (N)

    I move through the exit and enjoy the scenery of this nice summer day.

    While we call it a farm, I think it''s a bit small to deserve that name.

    Mostly, we make a living by cutting the wood and gathering plants that seem to ever regrow so close to the forest.

    Also, we have a small field with vegetables and other small crops that we can harvest several times a year.

    This is because our country, Ceranis, is blessed by the goddess and the reason why we pray before every meal to her.

    I walk around a bit and enjoy the light.

    The sun slowly starts to set.

    It''s still bright yet but I like it when everything turns golden.

    Just to say so, I have no issues with being out here in the open.

    While it''s quite wild here there''s nothing dangerous.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Also, I''d like to clarify that I''m fine with most insects.

    I even find bees to be cute.

    Yes, there are some bad ones.

    If I had to give a rule of thumb, those with the long legs are bad.

    But none of them can cause even close to the same reaction as a spider.

    Fortunately, they seldom leave the forest.

    Behind me, I see that dad as well leaves the house with a plow.

    I guess he wants to tend to our field before it gets dark.

    "Hey, Neri. Having fun?" (D)

    "Uh, yes?" (N)

    Actually, I don''t know how to answer this. Am I having fun just because I like the air and the atmosphere?

    Yet an answer is better than nothing.

    "Nice to hear. But you know, don''t get too close to the forest while wandering around." (D)

    I wouldn¡¯t even want to.

    They¡¯ve been saying this since the time I was young.

    "Sure, I don''t want to get eaten by a monster." (N)

    Mum and dad always tell me that this forest is famous for being inhabited by big bad monsters of all kind yet I¡¯ve never seen a single one.

    Everyone knows that it''s totally safe to settle here.

    Yet apparently, the forest is really big and expands much farther than I can see.

    So they still insist it is extremely dangerous and that at other places there are frequent attacks.

    When I asked them why there are none here they told me that this is another blessing of the goddess.

    So I guess there is another reason to be grateful.

    I move around and am glad that there isn''t another encounter with a spider.

    When I reach the hillside of our house from where one can see everything below, I notice that there''s a group of five people walking in our direction.

    I can''t see them very well, but they look weird, all of them carrying stuff.

    "Dad!" (N)

    He comes over, but when I show him the men he doesn¡¯t react for a while.

    But then he speaks to me.

    "Neri, get into the house." (D)

    "Dad..." (N)

    "NOW!!!" (D)

    I never saw him like this.

    What is going on?

    The men are quite close when I reach the door, where mum already stands.

    Dad puts himself firmly in their way, on the path to our house.

    They seem to start talking, but I can''t tell what they''re saying over there.

    Then suddenly, one of them lashes out at him with his club.

    He intercepts the strike with his plow, but while he does so, one strikes with an axe from the side and injures his leg.

    He tries to defend against the next strike, but once again they attack him at the same time from the other side.

    And then all of them hit him together on the ground.

    "Whack"

    "Whack"

    "Whack"

    I can''t process what I''m seeing.

    They, they''re killing him!

    And they won''t stop.

    Why won''t they stop!?!

    "Okay, boys, you know the drill. Take everything of value and be careful not to damage the merchandise. And after that we''ll make a nice little fire."

    They''re coming in our direction!

    Mum locks the door with the simple latch that prevents it from opening at night to prevent animals from entering, but that won''t hold these men off.

    "Neri, come here." (M)

    Mum?

    Why is she holding a cooking knife?

    I don''t think that she can win with this against the men.

    She''s looking at it for a short time, while they start to pound against the door.

    "Wham"

    The moment she hears it her gaze settles on me.

    "Mum?" (N)

    She stares at me while her hand grasps the knife so tight that her joints turn white.

    Then she moves in my direction, walks past me, and opens the window.

    "Neri, you need to escape. Climb through the window and run as fast as you can!" (M)

    "Wh-Wha-..." (N)

    "Neri! There''s no time for this! Run away and whatever you do, don''t stop!" (M)

    "Mum." (N)

    "Neri!" (M)

    She shoves me to the window.

    Then she almost violently forces me to pass through it.

    "Crack"

    The door just broke!

    They''re entering!

    "Neri, I love you. RUN!" (M)

    I do as she says.

    Yet after a short distance, I look back.

    I see that she doesn''t even try to escape as well.

    Instead, she blocks off the window.

    One man approaches her, but she stabs his neck with the knife she hid behind her back.

    Then the others try to grab her, but she wildly slashes at them.

    One of them raises his hatchet and...

    "Whack"

    NO!!!

    No, no, no.

    This can''t be true.

    This is a nightmare

    "Fucking bitch!"

    "You idiot! You weren''t supposed to kill her!"

    "What else could I do? She stabbed Greg!"

    "We can''t sell corpses! Now squeeze your ass through that window and get the girl to make up for it! And don¡¯t you dare return without her!"

    H-He''s coming!

    I need to get away from here!

    The forest!

    Maybe I can shake him off behind the trees.

    But what about the monsters?

    No, there''s no other way.

    The real monsters are behind me!

    Run!

    Run!

    Run!

    I need to get away!

    Mum wanted me to escape, so I have to run with all I''ve got.

    And I know what they do to girls like me.

    If they sell me as a slave for manual labor I would be lucky.

    But slender girls with long hair don''t have it that easy.

    My life is already over.

    They''re going to burn down the house and I don''t know how I''m going to live from now on.

    Yet, one of them is directly behind me to catch me back.

    I don''t want him to get me, no matter what!

    "Stay where you are! Where do you even want to run to? If you stop now I will be gentle!" (B)

    Run!

    .

    .

    .

    He''s still behind me!

    I tried to get away in the woods but can''t outrun him.

    He''s so close!

    I don''t know what I can do.

    It gets darker and darker in this forest.

    I am so scared!

    Help!

    Please help me!

    Anyone!

    .

    .

    .

    After a short while longer I grow too exhausted.

    I can''t keep up my pace.

    Only a moment after I slowed down the slightest bit I get tackled from behind.

    He got me!!!

    "Now that was it you nuisance! You will have to make up for this." (bandit)

    I think I hurt my leg and my face is scraped and bleeds.

    I try to squirm away, but a stone is blocking my escape.

    I can just press myself against it.

    He comes closer!

    "No more running, little girl!" (bandit)

    He''s directly in front of me.

    I sob and whimper, but he just smirks and slaps me in the face.

    I can''t get out a single word and it wouldn''t change anything.

    Suddenly I freeze in shock.

    Not because of the man, who is absolutely intimidating.

    On his shoulder is a giant spider.

    As large as a rat.

    Ohmygod, just why?

    How can this be?

    Normal spiders are already bad enough, but this one is so much bigger!

    It¡¯s terrifying!

    The man noticed my gaze and subsequently finds the spider.

    "Damn, what is this shit!" (bandit)

    He rips the spider from his shoulder and stomps it.

    This squelching sound gives me the creeps.

    He turns back to me.

    "You''re coming with me now even if I have to drag you! Which will be necessary judging by the look of that leg. Though, at least you won''t run away a second time with that."

    He''s laughing as if there''s something funny about this situation.

    I''m so afraid.

    But then I see something that frightens me even more.

    There are more spiders!

    And they are running in our direction, as if on purpose.

    "Aggackakk!" (Neri)

    I try to point at them, but can''t squeeze out a single word.

    But he figures out what the gesture means.

    "Fuck! What is going on here?!" (bandit)

    Not only two or three but a whole army comes at us.

    The man stomps some of them, but soon they are all over him.

    Crawling up his legs while covering the whole ground, jumping from the trees onto his body.

    "Aaaahhh!" (bandit)

    He screams and I can''t move, paralyzed by terror.

    They bite him and after a short time he falls down.

    But I''m still here.

    And now they come at me as well.

    From all sides!

    I fail to catch my breath and cough.

    They crawl along my legs, but I can''t do anything coherent aside from squirming.

    My vision gets blurry and I feel them all over me.

    Please, let this end!

    Stop this!

    "Sstk"

    Suddenly I feel something sting my back and the world gets dark.

    "A good hunt today!"

    "He killed some of my little ones."

    "I always tell you not to grow so attached. They already have such a low life expectancy!"

    "Shall we dig into this one right now? There''s not much to feast on her!"

    "This bulky one here is more than enough. Do we really need more?"

    "But just leaving her here? That''s such a waste! This cub will never make it by itself."

    "However, don''t you all think that she''s quite cute?"

    "You¡¯re right!"

    "No opposition from me!"

    "I''m with you!"

    "So, do we eat her? That''s a waste too!"

    "Ehm..."

    "Yes?"

    "There is something I would like to try."

    "Try?"

    "Yes! It would require quite a bit of effort and burn a little of our resources, but could I still try?"

    "Tell us first!"

    .

    .

    .

    "That sounds nice! I''m in!"

    "Me too!"

    "I don''t mind."

    "Now we just have to explain this at home."

 Chapter 2

    "Nngh!" (N)

    I wake up again.

    But when I open my eyes it''s pitch black.

    My senses are tingling, but I can figure out that I am in some kind of sac.

    Did the men catch me back and put me in here?

    It''s so tight, I cannot move at all.

    It even hurts a bit the way it forces me to curl together.

    When I try to move, the sac begins to swing.

    I''m hanging in the air!

    And the material is extremely sturdy!

    The surface is very smooth, yet somewhat wet.

    Like this, I have no idea what is happening on the outside.

    "Clik, clik, clik, clik"

    I hear something.

    Some kind of clicking sounds.

    "H-hello? Is anybody there?" (N)

    "Clik, clik, clik"

    I can''t pinpoint where this clicking sound comes from.

    Seemingly from all sides, even above me.

    "Slurp"

    Suddenly I feel something.

    From over me, the wet sac becomes even wetter.

    It slowly flows downward till the whole sac is soaked.

    And it lies so tight that I feel it everywhere on my body.

    I am totally drenched!

    "Zcchhh"

    "Aaaahhhhgh!" (Neri)

    It burns!

    It burns on my skin!

    This hurts!

    "Please let me out of here! It hurts so much!" (N)

    Yet instead of complying, more is released.

    "Slurp, Zcchh"

    "Aahhgghh!" (N)

    The pain intensifies and I have problems staying conscious.

    There is no new fluid added, but the stuff around me stays and burns all over my body.

    Breathing it in hurts my throat.

    "Clik, clik, clik"

    "Please, whoever is there, let me go! I have never done something bad! Please let me out here!" (N)

    I am now convinced that this clicking sound is due to some action and not just some background noise.

    So whoever made it should hear me.

    "Ssstk"

    But then I get stung.

    It stabbed my torso a bit above my stomach, but the sac is so tight, I can''t see anything.

    And it''s all so wet, I can''t say if I''m bleeding. Or how badly.

    "Scscscscscscscscscscscscscscsc"

    The next moment I hear some strange sound.

    It''s a bit like rinsing sand, but not quite the same.

    A moment later I feel something on my still-burning skin.

    The pain never stopped, but I was getting accustomed.

    But now there''s a new sensation.

    My whole skin starts to itch and it''s crawling beneath in addition to the pain.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.This feeling is unbearable!!!

    "Pl-please make it stop! Just stop!" (N)

    It won''t stop!

    This crazy crawling itch gets even stronger the longer it lasts, while the burning of the liquid stays.

    "Slurp"

    "NO! No more! End it! No more! Sob!"

    I begin to whine, but it doesn''t help against the pain.

    After I spent some time in agony, the pain not only remains, but I also develop something like a fever.

    My innards feel as if they''re getting cooked!

    The crawling feeling is settling deeper inside my body but also remains around my skin.

    Meanwhile, my breathing makes my throat hurt so badly.

    "Sstk"

    Another sting.

    I barely notice it with all the other things happening to me.

    But soon my insides feel even worse.

    It feels like my innards are going to melt.

    Who does something like this?

    "P-p-please. Ssstop. I... cannot... endure more. Just end it!" (N)

    I start again to sob and tears fill my eyes.

    "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!" (N)

    My eyes!!!

    They burn!

    It''s burning my eyes!

    Worse than searing coals!

    This is madness!

    How have I deserved this?

    What have I done?

    Life is not fair!

    I don''t want to live anymore!

    "KILL ME! LET ME DIE! Please. Please." (N)

    "Sstk"

    Instead of receiving any mercy, I get stung again.

    But this time I become sleepy.

    Even through all this pain, whatever happened makes me lose consciousness.

    .

    .

    .

    Everything is blurred.

    I don''t even know if I sleep or am awake.

    Whenever I gain consciousness I get overwhelmed by the pain.

    Shortly after this, I get stung again and directly fall back asleep.

    But all this pain follows me there.

    Even in my dreams it is present.

    Am I having a nightmare?

    Is this hell?

    Why am I here?

    I never had the chance to earn a place here.

    But the pain is everywhere and I can''t escape from it.

    Yet I feel so dizzy.

    I''ve lost track of time and even reality in this sac.

    The occasional stings are an indicator, but not a safe one.

    And they are so irrelevant in comparison to the rest.

    The prickling itch around my body, the always renewed liquid burn, and my insides which I can barely feel anymore through all this searing pain.

    I stopped trying to beg to end this, as all I get is this sleeping sting when I do so.

    Yet I doubt I could do so anymore even if I''d want to since the burn settled in my throat and it hurts to use it.

    "Sstk"

    Oh, it seems I''m supposed to sleep again.

    So was I awake?

    .

    .

    .

    I think I''m awake.

    Yet, I don''t know how to be sure about that.

    It''s just hard to concentrate on anything, but I think that the pain decreased

    I''ve got quite numb to the agony which I constantly experienced.

    My back hurts very much. Totally strained.

    But the prickling feeling is only an afterimage and the burning stopped a while ago.

    My insides are no longer in heat as well.

    Maybe this release is a dream. I can''t be sure, but even with the occasional renewing of this liquid it doesn''t really worsen the feeling anymore.

    After some time I notice something strange.

    Below my feet the sac somehow shifts, gives in, and a hole opens up.

    Wait!

    Am I sliding down?!

    My feet are gliding out of my sac!

    Am I going to get free?

    Do I want to be free?

    Wait a moment!

    How high above the ground does this sac hang?

    I don''t want to have gone through this hell only to fall to my death.

    That would be unfair.

    But life wasn''t fair to me in general.

    The surface of my sac is too smooth and greasy so I can''t get any hold and slide down.

    After a moment, I separate and drop to the ground.

    "Bump"

    "Akckh!" (N)

    The fall wasn''t too deep, but it still hurt.

    Did it hurt?

    I am not very good at recognizing pain anymore.

    When I look up there is my sac.

    It is a white thing somehow glued with a string to the ceiling.

    It doesn''t look very sturdy and is much smaller than I thought.

    I was never on the tall side.

    But slightly below average isn''t small.

    However, this thing is so tiny; I wouldn''t know how I fit in there.

    I can''t pursue this trail of thought, as there are more pressing matters now.

    Where am I?

    What should I do?

    Can I get anywhere now?

    But before I can pursue these issues something different comes up.

    My skin!

    I was worried about my condition.

    I think I am awake right now.

    So I wanted to check how bad my burns are.

    My skin was constantly burning, so it should be in a pretty bad state.

    Yet the condition differs from my expectations.

    I am pale!

    Ghastly pale!

    I had rosy, tanned skin and callouses from working outside.

    But now it looks like I''ve never seen the sun in my life.

    And what¡¯s more, it''s so soft and smooth to the touch.

    Not a single irregularity.

    I feel no freckles, no pores, just an even surface.

    While I am gasping at this strange happenstance, I pull the hair away that got into my field of sight.

    However, I notice something else disturbing.

    My hair is white!

    Silver-white!

    I¡¯ve heard that people''s hair can turn white after they¡¯ve experienced something terrible.

    And I definitely think that would include me.

    But silver?

    Shouldn''t it be more of a sickly, unhealthy color?

    But it looks fine.

    Do people know about this?

    I think some women in the capital would go that far, just to get in such a state, but surely not me.

    Also, the composition is so lithe.

    I can perfectly glide a finger through it.

    My hair was thick, wild, and a bit curly in a bad way.

    This is entirely different.

    Not a single knot, no stray strand.

    Is this called silky?

    I don¡¯t know how silk feels, never came in contact with it, but this sensation makes me think so.

    While I glide through it with my finger, I notice something else.

    Were my nails always this long?

    How long was I inside that sac?

    I had the bad habit to nibble at them, so they never got very long.

    But these are!

    And why are they so pointy?

    They look more as if they''re made to gouge someone¡¯s eyes!

    And they also have this silverish color!

    For a while, I kneel like this on the ground.

    Fiddling with my hair, staring at my skin, looking for any irregularity.

    As soon as I can spare a thought to anything else, I find that I''m in some kind of cave or rather a circular stone room.

    It''s quite bright in here and the stone is of a light grey color.

    How couldn¡¯t I notice such a bright environment through the sac?

    I mean, regarding what I see from it, it¡¯s quite thin.

    So some light should have gone through.

    By the way, my clothes apparently didn''t survive the ordeal.

    While I am thinking about all those weird things, I start to hear something.

    I don¡¯t think I can move very well right now and there''s no hiding spot here in this room.

    So I can just stare with growing anxiety at the opening where the sound comes from.

    And then a woman enters.

    I think she''s beautiful.

    Extremely long black hair, dark-grey, almost black eyes, some kind of black robe and she is tall with a well-defined face.

    But she also makes the impression of someone you can¡¯t talk back to.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake. Good to see."

 Chapter 3

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake. Good to see."

    Awake?

    So this all is no dream, right?

    But what does she mean?

    Why is she so casual?

    My thoughts are in turmoil.

    I want to know what is happening here, but I''m afraid.

    I only know this place as hell and the ones who dwell there are surely no benevolent spirits.

    "Would you please come with me?"

    I want to ask my questions!

    Where am I?

    Who are you?

    What is going on here?

    Why was I hurt?

    "Chrark!" (Neri)

    But all I get out is this crackle, as my throat is too dry to talk.

    "I know you might be pretty confused and have questions, but I would prefer to head to a more appropriate place first. I prefer to talk while having the chance to sit down."

    I don''t really know what I want to do, but she offered answers.

    I think this is the best I¡¯m going to get and I can''t see much good coming from staying here.

    So I try to stand up.

    I¡¯m a little wobbly due to my lack of practice after the unknown length of time in the sac, but since my condition should be much worse than this, it''s fine I guess.

    But my back still hurts so much.

    I thought I got through all the pain, yet it feels so strained.

    Maybe because of my constant bowed posture in this sac?

    "Does it work? Can you move?"

    This question is a little difficult to answer.

    And that not only because of my inability to speak.

    While I think I can move a small distance, my legs feel too weak to keep me going any longer than this.

    It''s still far better than I anticipated.

    When I was tackled I hurt my right leg.

    If I think about it, it was quite bad.

    Nothing one night of sleep would heal.

    On the other side, I don''t know how long I slept.

    My track of what happened to me is very blurry.

    So I have no other choice but to look in the direction of that woman and try to walk whatever distance I have to.

    But already after two steps, I lose my balance and fall.

    I thought I would fall, but surprisingly I find that this woman is supporting me from below my arms.

    "You are in quite a weakened state it seems. Then let me guide you to our destination."

    This startles me a bit.

    Not just because I don''t know how she could get to me so fast without me noticing.

    What truly surprises me is that I wouldn''t have thought that she has a caring side.

    But she helps me walk now, carefully paying attention to match my pace and gently helping me move.

    I am very confused, as she seems to know something.

    Does she also know how I was tortured here?

    If she knew, why is she now so awfully nice?

    Is this a trap?

    But that wouldn''t make sense since I can''t even run.

    There''d be simply no reason to deceive me.

    We walk through some kind of white-marbled corridor.

    Not like I know how marble looks or feels, but I''ve heard that it''s a white, very even, high-quality kind of material, and this here seems to fit this description.

    While the floor''s shape is strangely round, it looks overall well made.

    Instead of torches, there are glowing stones that illuminate the way.

    They are very small in numbers, but the white surface helps to make it brighter here, so I can see clearly.

    After a while, I am led through an open doorway.

    The room we enter is quite empty.

    The walls and ceiling are made of the same marble as the floors.

    Noteworthy is the center of the room.

    There is some kind of round stone table in the center.

    It''s not extremely large and seems more like its appropriate usage is rather for tea than for dinner.

    The other noteworthy feature is that it looks like it was melted into this shape, but with great precision.

    The beautiful lady guides me to a round stool next to it.

    As soon as I sit down I notice the extremely soft padding.

    "Wait a moment, you must be cold."

    Not too much, since it''s not freezing in these halls.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.But well, I am naked.

    The woman leaves and after a short moment enters again with a white sheet of fabric.

    She wraps it around my shoulders and then takes a place opposite me at the table.

    Giving me a friendly expression.

    "You are surely confused, but don''t fret, I am here to sort things out. The others acted rather rogue on this matter, but now that we are in this situation we have to deal with it."

    "What is the situation?" I want to ask, but my throat is still so hoarse. If it just wouldn''t be so dry.

    "Waatahh." (Neri)

    I need to drink something if I want to speak normally again

    So I ask for water and point at my mouth.

    "Ah, yes! You are surely very drained. Here take this."

    She hands me some kind of pouch which I know is used to transport drinks.

    It''s white and looks tailored.

    I know from the weight that there''s something inside it and when I find the plug I down the content as soon as I am able to bring it to my mouth.

    To my surprise, this isn''t water.

    But it has a pleasant sweet flavor and feels rather rich to my hungry state.

    The liquid is grey, with a bit of yellow and orange mixed in.

    Is this broth?

    Some kind of pumpkin?

    I just noticed how hungry I was.

    I don''t know how long I spent in there.

    But in my sac, I got nothing to eat, so I just realized that I was starving.

    I quickly down the contents.

    "I am glad that it''s to your liking."

    The woman smiles courteously at me.

    When I drank this broth my throat started to prickle a bit stronger, reminding me of this terrible itch, but it soon settled down.

    All the other inconveniences remain the same.

    "Can you talk now?"

    I think I should answer.

    I don¡¯t want her to be angry at me and my throat feels much better now.

    "Y-yes!" (Neri)

    My voice seems mostly fine, but somehow a bit off.

    As if it''s not quite the same as before.

    Also, it''s a little difficult to immediately form words again, but I think I can manage.

    "Great! Then let us get started. First, what is the last thing you can remember?"

    "I-I was ru-running! There, there were evil men at our home and... and they killed them. My parents." (N)

    "And then?"

    Noticing my mood she presses me to continue before I get too caught up in my emotions.

    "I ran and was chased. He got me. Then there were spiders and... I don''t know, I fainted. After that I was in that sac." (N)

    "I am sorry for your loss, yet there is nothing I can do about this. However, I would like to make an offer to you."

    "A-An Offer?" (N)

    I become uneasy, due to my lack of knowledge and the fear because of what happened to me until now.

    "Yes, is something wrong with that?"

    "N-no. It''s just, I don''t even know your name a-and what happened before..." (N)

    "I can''t change what happened before, but I can promise to you that it won''t repeat. And if you need a name, mine is Talisa, yet you should state yours as well. That''s the polite thing to do, isn''t it?" (Talisa)

    "N-Neri, my name is Neri!" (N)

    "Hm. You look more like a Nerysi to me, I''ll go with that." (T)

    I stare a little in disbelief, asking myself why she just changed my name.

    It sounds a bit foreign and strange, like everything here.

    And it''s not like I have a need for a new name.

    "So, as I am sure that you have questions, it might be best to simply ask them." (T)

    "What did you mean by having an offer?" (N)

    "Ah, that. It''s quite easy. If you want you can stay here. We are something like a community. Rather family. Sisters to be precise. And I would like to invite you to join us. And due to your circumstances, we would fully provide for you for the time being." (T)

    My confusion doesn''t decrease.

    Why would they do this for me?

    There is nothing to gain by taking in a recent orphan.

    I had quite a lot of time to think and cry in my sac and there is not much hope for me to survive alone.

    "I think it''s a good offer. It''s not like you have many options and then there are your circumstances to take into account. Like your condition." (T)

    She''s right.

    Nothing but cruelty would wait for me in the city.

    And as hard as it was to even walk the distance to this room I know I wouldn''t last through a far journey.

    But exactly because of this, this offer feels so suspicious.

    "Y-you would really take me in! J-just like this?" (N)

    "Just like this." (T)

    "I-it''s just, that sounds too good to be true. I mean there''s no catch? No string attached?" (N)

    "String? pfft-Kekekekekekekekekekeke!" (T)

    I think she just burst out into laughter.

    But it sounds rather unnerving.

    Mechanical, as if you would pluck nails into a wall.

    Yet, she quickly manages to get a hold of herself.

    "No, no. There is no trap if you meant that. However, one could say there are countless strings attached. Pfft!" (T)

    Somehow I get the feeling I missed a punchline.

    "I think I don''t understand." (N)

    "Yes, we were getting to this. The following could be a little disturbing for you." (T)

    Now I am becoming anxious.

    What does she mean?

    She says this isn''t a trap, but something that will make me uneasy?

    How does this add up?

    I prepare to form a question, but before I can manage to do so I see something terrifying.

    Directly in front of me, a black spider lowers itself on the table.

    This one is large, gigantic! I mean almost as big as my hand and judging by the looks I am certain this monster is poisonous.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" (N)

    I shout and topple backward from the stool in shock, but after this crawl still further backward.

    "What are you doing here? I''m occupied right now! So go back to the others, shoo, shoo!" (T)

    Did she just talk to the spider?!

    And more importantly, did the spider actually comply?

    It just scuddles away.

    "Are you still feeling weak? You fell from your seat. And why this scream?" (T)

    "Th-there w-was th-th-this s-s-spider!" (N)

    "And? It''s not like he pushed you down from your stool. He was actually quite far away." (T)

    "I-I''m n-not good with spiders! They terrify me!" (N)

    I say while trying to climb back on the stool.

    "Arachnophobia, really?" (T)

    I look down, embarrassed.

    I know as well that I''m a bad case. Always was and always will be.

    .

    .

    .

    "ke...

    keke...

    kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke..." (T)

    Now it''s her turn to fall from her seat.

    Laughing, holding her stomach, and cringing on the ground.

    Her disturbing way of laughing is like this and in this quantity less frightening.

    Especially as it''s completely contradicting her dignified demeanor.

    But for sure I feel dejected.

    It takes a whole minute before she gets a hold of herself, but eventually, she does.

    "Arachnophobia; really, that''s too good!" (T)

    "Sorry, but it''s not like I can do something about it." (N)

    "No I don''t blame you, but I need to say like this you will have quite some problems." (T)

    Now I''m seriously anxious!

    What kind of problems could I get regarding spiders?

    "What do you mean? I don''t understand." (N)

    "Then let me ask you this. Do you know what an ''Arachne'' is?" (T)

 Chapter 4

    I stare in utter confusion at her.

    "A-Arachne?" (N)

    "Yes, do you know what the term Arachne is referring to?" (T)

    "No, I''m sorry." (N)

    "Hmm, that''s surprising. I thought the term was well known. It refers to a kind of monster. You know about monsters, right? Giant bears, bothersome wolves, goblins, and so on?" (T)

    "Y-yes, I know what monsters are, but why are you asking me this?" (N)

    "You know, an Arachne is, as you might''ve guessed by now, a kind of monster, one based on spiders. You could say that it''s a very big one." (T)

    "A-and what has this to do with me?" (N)

    "Oh, very much. What would you say if I tell you that I am a very big spider?" (T)

    Failing to process what she just said I stare at her.

    "What... What are you saying? I mean..." (N)

    "It''s a not so well known fact that an Arachne can look almost human. Your sisters are the same, by the way. If you decide to join the family that is." (T)

    I continue to stare, but my look turns more and more into horror.

    I squirm back, only to tumble off the stool once again.

    "Are you alright? As I said, there could be some issues for you." (T)

    I can''t calm down.

    The way she says it so seriously I know that it must be the truth.

    She doesn''t seem like the type to joke around like this.

    So I form a question, quivering and with tears in my eyes.

    "A-a-are y-you g-g-going to e-eat m-me?" (N)

    "Keke... Why would I bother with such a talk if that would be the case? As I said, there is no trap. You are absolutely welcome here." (T)

    "But why? Why you would take in a human? I don''t understand!" (N)

    "Why don''t we say that I have a soft spot for cute little orphans? And the others were rather determined. So I couldn''t say all that much as their big sister." (T)

    I still stare, almost disabled by the shock.

    And what is this about these "others"?

    "Just as promised we would provide for you for the time being, without a need of contribution from your side for the close future. By the way, do you want to see?" (T)

    "See?" (N)

    "How I look. Otherwise this discussion stays weirdly abstract and we are just talking about unconfirmed possibilities, if you understand." (T)

    No!!!

    I don''t want to see what a giant spider monster looks like!

    This is scary!

    And my face tells the same.

    "You know, if it works better for you I can only partly transform. As long as you think you can endure this. Yet I would suggest you get used to this, sooner rather than later." (T)

    Why is she going out of her way like this?

    But now I definitely want to avoid earning her ire.

    I can''t have a huge spider being angry at me.

    I am almost stiff, but I managed a squeak and maybe a nod.

    "I¡¯ll take that as a ''yes''. Good. Then look closely." (T)

    I can''t process what happens next.

    In a blink eight limbs pierce out from her back, her eyes wholly turn as black as the void and her mouth grows fangs.

    The appendages that can just be giant spider legs are reaching each end of the room.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.Black, thick, and threatening, some support Talisa¡¯s correspondingly small frame while the rest stretch into the air.

    I cannot breathe, my body won''t do anything but tremble, while my eyes fill with tears and maybe I peed myself.

    And as fast as it happened it''s over.

    The legs retract back inside Talisa''s back and her looks go back to normal.

    "And? Was it as you expected?" (T)

    I can''t speak and just stare in paralyzing terror.

    "You are a worse case than I thought. There could be problems for you to live here." (T)

    How does she think this shall work?

    Even without taking my fear into account, how am I supposed to live here?

    "H-h-h-how d-d-do y-you think y-you can pro-provide f-for m-me?" (N)

    "We provide food, shelter, a place to sleep, clothes, I think this is very generous." (T)

    It is if you think about it and if she really means it.

    Especially, for someone like me, who has no other way to survive.

    But I can''t do this!

    Living with monster versions of the creatures I fear the most!

    How could this be possible?

    "H-how could I live here? Humans don''t even eat the same stuff as you, right?" (N)

    "We eat mostly this liquid you had earlier. That wasn''t so bad, right?" (T)

    It wasn''t.

    Honestly, it tasted good.

    But what was it?

    "Y-yes I think that is okay, b-but what is it made of? Some kind of milk?

    "Keke... Do you really want to know? You mentioned you were chased before we found you, right? Those men sounded awful. Do you really want to go back out to them as an alternative?" (T)

    Immediately I feel dread.

    Thinking about those men, what they did to my family, what they will do to me if they find me.

    And I quiver.

    "Don''t worry. They can''t do anything to you here. In fact, the one who chased you will never do anything to you ever again." (T)

    "R-really? You will even protect me?" (N)

    "That too. But I meant that he won''t do anything to you, because you just drank the last bit of liquid we could squeeze out of him." (T)

    She smiles at me.

    A completely honest, friendly smile that shows affection and vows all her words to be true.

    And this makes it just so much more terrifying.

    The urge to vomit rises but instantly goes into nothing, due to the fact that my stomach is almost empty and I continue to be hungry.

    Still, I try to scrape it out of my throat but stop when I notice that these nails are dangerously sharp.

    "Just for you we are sharing our provisions. This soup of liquified organs from our prey is the normal meal for us." (T)

    This is the normal food?

    So this is what they will provide?

    "And it looked like you liked it." (T)

    What scares me the most is that she''s right.

    It tasted sweet, like milk with honey or something like this, but still different.

    Like something you can drink without ever getting tired of it.

    "But it shouldn''t taste like this! W-why would organs taste sweet? You couldn''t have changed it this much." (N)

    "Don''t take this as a breach of trust, but maybe there is a slight catch to my offer." (T)

    My panic intensifies and I don''t want to know what she might tell me from the sound of it.

    "Here take this. This belonged to your chaser." (T)

    She hands me a knife, but from what I have seen before it wouldn''t even count as a weapon against her.

    "W-what do y-you want me to do?" (N)

    I ask anxiously.

    "This is something you should learn by self-confirmation. I want you to try to cut a tiny bit of your hair. Well, you could also use your nails, but I suppose a familiar tool will better serve the purpose." (T)

    Her look stays serious, despite this ridiculous request.

    I still look questioningly at her.

    "Go on." (T)

    Pressed like this I do so.

    I lay the sawing part of the blade against my hair which has this new weird color and rip the blade.

    Yet when I try to cut the strands I chose they stay firm.

    I increase my effort, but the hair is simply not cuttable.

    Even after I reduce the number of strands, the resistance is still unbelievable.

    In the end, I take one single hair and hold it tight.

    Then I use all my strength and with excessive sawing with the serrated blade and great effort it gives in, while I slump down exhausted.

    Heavily breathing I ask:

    "What... was this? This isn''t... normal! Why is it... so resilient?" (N)

    "I wonder? But if you want to have confirmation, why don''t you try to draw a tiny bit of blood? Not much; a drop is enough." (T)

    Her voice indicates that she doesn''t wonder at all.

    But should I really cut myself?

    And what will happen?

    Will it be like the hair?

    This pale skin?

    I want to know and she won''t tell me.

    I feel pain when the blade meets the skin of my arm.

    But no blood comes and I can''t pierce it with the knife.

    I haven''t applied any force to cut myself, but it shouldn''t be so hard to break through.

    Yet this is too strange.

    And I want to know why this is so.

    So I push harder.

    I know the skin gets scraped, but as a whole, it stays resilient.

    Finally, I can pierce a bit and manage to draw liquid.

    I stare in shock.

    The tiny hole leaks a white, thick substance.

    Maybe my blood is somewhere else and this is some different fluid?

    I try to cut some more, but it still won''t give in.

    But what disturbs me the most is what prevents me from going any further.

    Right now I noticed strings beneath my skin.

    They are everywhere!

    Not just some, but a whole wall of white strands.

    I try to catch one and pull it out, but it is as sturdy as my hair.

    I can manage to raise it a bit, but stay unable to hold it with the blade.

    When I let go the string slings back and threads itself into this web beneath my skin.

    "WHY ARE THERE STRINGS!!!" (N)

    This is crazy!

    "And why is my blood white!?!" (N)

    I know this is my blood!

    But this isn''t my blood!

    "I wonder?" (T)

    "No, you don''t wonder! You know exactly what is going on! Tell me!!! (N)

    I have no idea what this means.

    What is she playing at?

    "I don''t think you want to know this, especially with your arachnophobia." (T)

    "You knew exactly what I would see! Now tell me!!! (N)

    I grow desperate and panic grasps me.

    "Please!" (N)

    I start to sob and can''t control the flow of tears anymore.

    "You shouldn''t cry so much. It was an arduous task to etch the stone table into its current form and you could ruin it with your tears. They are extremely acidic." (T)

    "Acid?!" (N)

    "Yes, quite a strong one. So be careful." (T)

    "Please, just tell me what is wrong with me." (N)

    "Nothing; really! You''re maybe a little malnourished, but we will feed you." (T)

    "I need to know, please!" (N)

    "Fine, it''s very simple." (T)

    She circles the table and leans over to me until she is too close to be comfortable.

    Her breath meets my skin and I start to feel like I''m a fly in her web.

    A very ironic viewpoint if you consider what she is.

    Her exhalation vibrates in my ear, but what makes me lose it is what it carries.

    "You are an Arachne, my dear." (T)

 Chapter 5

    "You are an Arachne, my dear." (T)

    I don''t know what to make of this.

    "N-no that''s wrong." (N)

    I say, feeling completely overwhelmed.

    My body might be strange, but I am still me!

    "It isn''t. You are an Arachne." (T)

    "No... no, I''m a human. This is a mistake." (N)

    "You aren''t. The others were very diligent. It reaches to your innermost being. Your insides completely changed, the reproductives too if you want to know. There are those so-called genes, it''s not a well-known concept; however, Kyroki is quite proficient in this subject." (T)

    "This can''t be! You are lying!" (N)

    "Says the girl whose tears are currently etching a hole into the ground." (T)

    I look below myself and there''s truly a part of the ground missing.

    "But I have something else to convince you. Say, do you feel some kind of pressure at your back?" (T)

    Yes, there was this discomfort since I came out of this sac, but what does she mean?

    She lays her hand on me and glides them to my back, where the pain is the strongest.

    "There is a point you can press for stimulation. You were calling it a sac, but it was made of spider silk and more of a cocoon. And you know what happens in a cocoon, right?" (T)

    Her fingers slide to a place where the touch feels almost unbearable.

    "It is the place where you grow beautiful wings!" (T)

    The moment she says the last bit, she presses at this weird spot at my back and suddenly I feel something pushing from inside me to the outside.

    It hurts!!!

    The pressure increases and something pierces out.

    My skin rips!!!

    It breaks through and I feel how it''s rushing out.

    I fall forward and need a moment to gather my wits.

    When I regain my senses, I try to perceive what happened.

    Foremost, I try to feel if my back is still okay.

    But when I touch there I notice that something is protruding out.

    Not just one but several things and they are huge!

    I look behind me and see...

    SPIDERLEGS!!!

    Eight delicate silvery spider legs are there!

    "AAAAAHHHHH!!!" (N)

    I scream and try to move somehow.

    Promptly I get sent flying.

    What''s happening?

    Before I reach the ground, I realize what happened, these legs just catapulted me through the room.

    They move!

    I can move them!?!

    No, this isn''t true!

    I start to panic and crawl on the ground, while these legs are flailing around me, shaking my body.

    Are they reacting to me?!!

    "Make them go! Make them go away!" (N)

    "If you would calm down for a second, I could explain it to you. And are you aware that you are ruining the floor?" (T)

    "Help me, please!" (N)

    I sob and whine while failing to find control.

    "Just think for a moment about nothing." (T)

    Easy for you to say!

    My panic won''t let me think straight and I fail to form any coherent thought while the giant spider legs are flailing around me.

    Still, eventually, I grow exhausted, so the movement slows down and I become able to think straight again.

    As soon as I can do so, I try to empty my mind and at least these legs stop moving after a moment.

    "Good, now just pull them back in. Imagine it and try to find the muscle." (T)

    "No! I don''t want them inside! I want them gone!" (N)

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "That''s the best you can get. Just try to focus here." (T)

    I try to do as she said, but get distracted by the sensation that I feel these new appendages completely as a part of my body, now that I can be aware of anything at all.

    Yet a moment later, when I concentrate on the part where they are emerging, I think I find the spot Talisa was talking about.

    I try to focus on it and quickly the legs pull themselves back inside.

    The pain I felt before has now decreased considerably, but there''s still a pressure, reminding me that there''s something that wants to get out.

    Then I feel a touch at my back, right where they retracted.

    "See, it went smoothly when you tried. And now that the exit was opened once it won''t hurt when you extract them the next time." (T)

    I never stopped sobbing, but I feel more devastated than ever before.

    Everything is wrong!

    "I don''t want to be a spider!" (N)

    I say through my tears.

    "There might be similarities, but we are more like spider matriarchs than normal spiders. This isn''t directly comparable!" (T)

    That doesn''t help!

    "Don''t worry. I think you will settle in eventually." (T)

    Settle in?

    In the spider den?

    Are you insane?

    "But, keke... Now you see how funny this is? I mean an arachne with arachnophobia! Kekeke!" (T)

    This isn''t funny!

    Not in the slightest!

    I can''t cope with this situation.

    I am too scared to even think straight.

    I hug myself and try to find a way out of my misery, but there is none.

    I don''t even know what happened to begin with.

    "H-how is this even possible? This cannot be! I-I mean... I don''t know what I mean!!!" (N)

    "Regarding the ''how'', it was a group effort. I didn''t really participate but contributed the cocoon. Akasia first applied a special acid which made your body more prone to accept the changes. Eritu sent her familiars so they would help your body to adjust to the transformation. And Kyroki, who came up with this, created the serum that seeped into your very being and applied it until it fully converted you. All the while Masiabi watched over you, provided food for the familiars to nurture your body, and put you to sleep to ease your pain. As I said they were very into it and each of them is an expert of some kind. And as you might have guessed; I''m a weaver. The fabric you wear was made by me, but now it got rather ragged, so I should soon give you something more appropriate to wear." (T)

    I am still in denial, but those sisters she mentioned sound as frightening as her.

    I mean four more giant spiders! That simple thought terrifies me.

    "And guess who''s waiting for us right now?" (T)

    "Is she there?"

    "Does she look fine? I hope she''s alright."

    "You d-did a great job s-sister, I believe in you."

    "I am so excited! I get a new sister!"

    The voices gather at the doorway, just hidden enough to obstruct the view.

    "And? Do you want to meet your new family?" (T)

    I can just manage to shake my head unsteadily, my view fixed on the doorway where I sense the danger coming from before averting my gaze when I realize that I don''t want to catch sight of what lurks there.

    "That is sad. But maybe I should grant you a bit of space to gather yourself." " (T)

    It is impossible to deal with any of this.

    I''m in a spider''s lair, there are monster spiders, and I turned into a monster myself.

    I don''t want this!

    This can''t be true!

    I''m dreaming!

    This isn''t real!

    But why does it feel so real?

    The pain I felt, the sensation of touch, how clearly I am aware of everything.

    A dream feels different.

    Not like in that sac.

    Cocoon?

    "And? How is she?"

    I feel how they''re watching me.

    This isn''t good!

    "Hey you lot! She''s still confused, so give her a bit of leeway." (T)

    Should I be thankful for this postponement?

    "You really don''t need to fear them! They are all eagerly waiting and devotedly cared for you." (T)

    I really don''t want to meet the spiders who did this to me.

    Who tortured me!

    I curl myself together and try to forget what happened.

    This is too much to face!

    Talisa, the giant black spider in human form moves towards the doorway with the voices.

    "Yes, girls, I know you are all dying to meet her, but she''s still a little bit scared, so show some compassion." (T)

    "Maybe if we introduce ourselves one by one?"

    "It''s more a general problem with our kind and especially her current state." (T)

    I perceive a bunch of "Ohs" and other exclamations of surprise.

    "But if she has problems, this is bad! I don''t want her to hate us. But we cannot revert it. Can we?"

    "No, we can''t. Things only go one way. There is no possibility that wouldn''t kill her. The changes are too deep, there is nothing that can revert how her innermost being changed. I don''t work this sloppily!"

    "I-I know Kyroki! It wasn''t meant like this, but you know she might hear you from this distance?"

    "Oh!?" (K)

    I heard it!

    I didn''t want to hear it!

    I didn''t want to know there is no hope!

    What can I do now?

    I remain unresponsive for who-knows-how-long, trying to block out whatever else might come to me, yet get startled when a hand touches me shortly below my neck.

    It''s not the spot for the legs, but I am very conscious now of this whole region.

    So it throws me out of my daze and makes me notice Talisa, with a smile that''s probably supposed to ease my mind.

    As if that''s possible!

    "I don''t know how much you could think over everything, however, you should''ve realized by now that leaving and going back to the humans wouldn''t lead to anything good for you, right?" (T)

    This much I can grasp even in my sorry state.

    This world and especially towns aren''t nice to young girls.

    But I guess even less to young spider monsters.

    I can''t leave if I don''t want to die.

    "I prepared a calm chamber for you, where you can sleep. I presume you are very tired. Each one has her own way to sleep, yet I assumed you would be more familiar with a bed and prefer it over a cocoon. Meanwhile, I will talk to the others." (T)

    Well, I managed to sleep in that sac, but that might''ve been more because of the sleeping stings.

    Nonetheless, I had no issues.

    But a bed sounds good.

    Even if it''s here.

    By now I am on a logical level convinced that they aren''t going to hurt or kill me.

    My personal feelings are a different matter entirely.

    I am not good with spiders!

    So she guides me through those weirdly marbled, round floors until we apparently reach our destination.

    However, there is nothing to see here, especially no room.

    Yet Talisa pokes against the wall and a moment later a hole opens up.

    Just now I realize that this isn''t marble.

    The whole surface of all the floors consists of countless strings.

    A web so fine you cannot differentiate it from an even marbled stone.

    This is the reason why there are no torches.

    The opened hole gives way to another white room.

    It looks fine, but now I know what the surface is made of.

    "There is not much here for now, but we can surely furnish it a bit. The bed is already there. It might lay a little low, but you don''t need to be concerned about insects here." (T)

    Haha, sure.

    No insects.

    Because the spiders eat them, right?

    The giant monster spiders!

    Wait small ones too!

    There was this rather big one!

    How many are here?!!

    I need to know this!

    "E-Ehm. Will spiders come in here?" (N)

    I won''t be able to sleep when they could enter any time.

    "You mean our familiars? That''s what I call them. Servants wouldn''t really fit, as they are more like family. But you don''t need to worry. This is your lair, so none of them will trespass your territory. They are very committed to these rules." (T)

    My lair?

    That sounds wrong.

    That sounds like I would foster spiders in here.

    Isn''t this just a chamber to sleep?

    This is all too much and I feel so tired.

    I can barely keep myself on my legs.

    My normal ones that is.

    Before I fall, Talisa catches me and guides me to this bed.

    It is more of a thick, large white sheet on an even rock I think.

    But it feels so soft when I touch it.

    And I''m so sleepy.

    Before my consciousness drifts completely away, I notice that Talisa comes near me and a moment later a sheet appears from somewhere and covers me.

    It feels warm and cozy and it is difficult to stay awake like this.

    So I fall asleep.

    "Good night and sweet dreams, my little spider princess." (T)

 Chapter 6

    "Nnghnn... Just let me sleep a little longer, mum. This bed is so cozy. Only five more minutes. Don''t pull at my back. I am sensitive there and the spider legs are out." (N)

    .

    .

    .

    Spider legs?

    No!

    No, no!

    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!

    I have spider legs!

    They extend from my back and surround me.

    This isn''t real!

    This was a dream!

    I didn''t turn into a spider!

    I try to pull those legs away from my body.

    But they are so strong!

    It would probably be easier to rip my normal legs out.

    They are simply too firmly attached to my body.

    "Aaahhhhhh!" (N)

    I scream and get flung around in my sheet.

    While I experience terror, I lay waste to my bed.

    Please legs!

    Go back to where you came from!

    After I grow too exhausted to flail anymore everything slows down, and I manage to remember the muscle that pulls them back inside.

    I know there isn''t enough space in my back for these huge things, but I think it has something to do with the magical nature of monsters.

    Goddess, I''m a monster!!!

    The sorry condition of the bed concurs.

    Even my tears still fizzle a bit on the surface.

    This is all real.

    I''m here with those Arachnes.

    Was that the right term?

    Not important!

    What should I do now?

    I can''t act like nothing is wrong.

    Nonetheless, I have no means to really do anything about my situation.

    So to say, I''m naked in a shut-off room with nothing in it.

    Wait that''s not true; there at the entrance.

    I move to the spot and find a meticulously displayed set of clothes.

    Besides some weird undergarments that look far too slim, there is an especially beautiful one-piece gown.

    Everything is in a glistening white.

    Since my panic made the sheet I used before unwearable and I cannot see any ill intent with this I try it on.

    The only problem is, I am quite sure I know what it is made of.

    Nonetheless, the composition is entirely different from the spiderwebs I know.

    It is far cleaner and not the slightest bit sticky.

    I start with these odd undergarments, hoping that I was right with my assessment as foreign as they look.

    Because I have a sense of shame I don''t want to stay naked, so I need to put them on.

    These undergarments are far smaller than those I''m used to, but they should still be better than nothing, I hope.

    Strangely, they''re quite comfortable once I put them on.

    The fabric barely leaves an impression on my skin, so fine are the threads.

    I don''t know how to react to this, but I assume that creating these pieces should require an incredible effort.

    Could a human tailor even come close to creating something like this?

    Eventually, I also put the gown on.

    Appalled, I notice that the gown leaves the back free.

    And I know exactly why this is so.

    I am distressed by this accommodation of my condition.

    Now that I''m done, I don''t know what else to do.

    I am scared to leave this room and encounter whatever is out there.

    Can I leave?

    The web is closed at the place where I entered.

    Maybe I just need to press there?

    I try, but can''t find the right spot.

    Am I trapped?

    No, I don''t think that after all they did to me, I would now get killed.

    Still, I grow uneasy and this little itch beneath my skin gets a little worse.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.When I was in my sac, it was unbearable.

    Now, however, it settled down so much that I am able to ignore it completely.

    But in moments like this, the stress makes it very present again.

    Lacking other options, I lean myself back against the remains of my bed.

    I don''t know how long I''ll stay like this but I have nothing else to do.

    .

    .

    .

    I wait for a while and get quite startled when I suddenly hear a voice.

    "Ehm, hello? Are you awake? Y-you might not know me, but Talisa said you should be hungry, so I brought you a bit."

    I am starving!

    All I had yesterday was this broth, which wasn''t enough.

    And it wasn''t broth!!!

    I''m so hungry, but they''ll surely bring me the same as yesterday and I don''t want to feed on humans.

    What can I do?

    "Please let me come in. I know you might be angry at us, but at least let me help you! You need to eat!"

    I am more scared than angry.

    This whole situation goes beyond my comprehension.

    Besides my itch got a little worse with the hunger and I can''t stand to starve any longer.

    In addition, there is this girl desperately pleading with me to let her in.

    Although I don''t know how to open it.

    But she should know.

    I cannot see her, so I might be able to speak to her without succumbing to my fear.

    "I don''t know how to open it." (N)

    "Oh, ahh!! Yes, of course. How would you? I-I''ll enter now!"

    Did I agree to this?

    The wall pulls itself apart in the middle and forms a circle where the doorway is.

    Right after this, she enters.

    To my surprise, I encounter a frail girl.

    She has red hair of a very dark tone, dark green eyes, and wears a violet gown.

    As I said she looks quite frail while carrying this liquid sac, which seems like it was as well sewn with threads.

    However, that''s not saying much when she can turn into a huge spider at any moment.

    Which is something I cannot ignore!

    Yet surprisingly she seems to be the shy one.

    "H-Hello I-I''m Eritu. Sorry b-but I''m not good at talking. Talisa said you might prefer to eat alone, or drink, rather, eheheh." (E)

    The hunger wears me out but there''s something I have to know.

    "I-Is this from humans?" (N)

    "N-no! S-sorry that''s an issue, right? Deer, if I am right, mostly. The last h-human was emptied yesterday. P-please don''t hold it against Talisa. She j-just judged that it might be best for you to overcome this a-as soon as possible." (E)

    The way she''s speaking she sounds very insecure and fidgets with her hands.

    I think I can drink deer, even if it''s this weird organ soup, under the assumption that it tastes like yesterday.

    But the way she speaks about eating humans as something completely normal is scary.

    She hands the sac she¡¯s carrying to me from the greatest possible distance and scurries back as soon I manage to bring myself to grab it.

    I decide to drink it with the utmost caution, wary of what I ingest here.

    However, the taste is pleasant and despite the disgusting ingredients my hunger takes over and I gulp it down.

    Meanwhile, Eritu, the frail red-haired girl, has walked to the wall beside the hole.

    "Ehm, you should know this. The part with the doors is not very complicated. If you want to open it, you just need to find the vertical strands and pull at them. And to close it, you pull the horizontal ones." (E)

    She pushes her nails into the wall, which are as long as mine, and pushes down.

    Immediately the hole closes.

    I feel trapped with her, despite knowing that she just showed me how it works.

    This causes me to look at my elongated nails.

    I nibbled at them in the time I waited by my bed, but they are too hard for my teeth to damage them.

    Still, am I trapped if they break, unable to open any rooms?

    Apparently, Eritu noticed how I stared at them and speaks up.

    "Oh, you don''t need to worry about your nails! They grow back immediately should something happen to them." (E)

    This revelation is distressing.

    What¡¯s even worse is that she came closer while saying this.

    Then she notices the state of my bed.

    "Oh, did you have a nightmare? Don''t worry, we will rearrange it for you." (E)

    No, I didn¡¯t have a nightmare.

    Reality is far more terrifying than any dream!

    And it¡¯s only made worse by what I notice next.

    "Gaahhh!" (N)

    There is a huge spider on her shoulder.

    Hairy, in a reddish-brown color.

    Eritu doesn¡¯t look like a spider right now, but this is the real deal.

    "Are you alright?" (E)

    While she says this, she leans forward and another spider comes into view on her other shoulder, marginally smaller in black.

    Cold shivers are rushing down my skin, the prickling itch grows stronger, and I try to squirm away on the bed.

    "What is wrong?" (E)

    She asks with concern in her voice.

    "S-s-spi-spi-spiders!" (N)

    "Do you mean Sora and Toru? Y-you don''t need to worry. They are so friendly! Aren''t they cute?" (E)

    As she speaks she starts to pet those monsters.

    First the red then the black.

    Wait a moment!

    She is the monster!

    No, this isn''t good.

    This isn''t good!

    "They aren''t going to do anything to you." (E)

    "T-then they sh-shall stay w-where they a-are! Or better yet, leave!" (N)

    I need a breather.

    Some space for myself.

    "Are you really alright? You look so pale!" (E)

    "I''m always pale since you all did this to me!!! Please can you go now?" (N)

    "F-fine, i-if you want. But a-actually I came because I had a question on my mind." (E)

    "A qu-question? Then ask i-if you must, as long as you leave afterwards." (N)

    These spiders must go!

    "I became a bit worried, especially when Talisa told me about your issues. So I wanted to ask, are they still alright?" (E)

    Huh?

    They?

 Chapter 7

    Eritu sounds deeply worried, nonetheless, I can''t tell what she means.

    "Alright?" (N)

    "Yes. Normally they are self-sufficient, yet they are still so young. And I cannot feel them anymore." (E)

    "Who are you referring to?" (N)

    "O-Ooohhhh! You don''t know! What am I supposed to do now?" (E)

    She ponders for a moment but ultimately faces me again.

    "Let me ask it like this: Do you have some kind of prickling or squirming feeling inside?" (E)

    I don''t like where this is going.

    This is one of the things I surely don''t want to hear, but eventually will be confronted with.

    Just ignore it for now, answer the question and dismiss it.

    "Yes, I have!" (N)

    Now please, go away!

    Go away!

    Go away!

    "Huff, I''m so glad. Then the fact that I can''t feel them anymore just means they properly bonded to you. This is good. So they are still fine with you." (E)

    No!

    I didn''t want to hear anything!

    But now I have to ask before my imagination kills me.

    "W-what do you mean? Who is fine? Who belongs to me now?" (N)

    "My little ones. They are still so young and small and react poorly to stress." (E)

    "I don''t understand. Who are these ''little ones''? And what does this have to do with how my skin fee-... No... No, no, no, no! You aren''t going to tell me that... NO!!!" (N)

    "Yes, your familiars! You completely took them over, and now you can grow and spawn them inside you. Isn''t that great?" (E)

    "Y-you mean this crawling feeling is..." (N)

    "All your little familiars, playing and spawning inside you." (E)

    I look at my arm and press it a little, trying to trap this crawling feeling.

    Then I notice for a moment a bulge that travels beneath my wrist.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.My vision narrows down to that spot, then goes black.

    "Waahh! Nerysi!" (E)

    .

    .

    .

    "Ungh!"

    I wake up again.

    The first thing I see is Talisa with a concerned expression.

    After this, it takes only a moment for me to realize that I''m tied up with strings, hanging in the air in a way that there is no strain on my body.

    Nonetheless, I panic.

    "What is going on here?! You said you wouldn''t eat me!" (N)

    "Calm down! No one is going to eat you, Nerysi. In fact, these bindings are for your sake. We will release you as soon as you can promise that you won''t do anything reckless." (T)

    "My sake? What are you talking about? What would I do? And my name is Neri!" (N)

    "Eritu told me that you immediately lost consciousness when you learned about it, so it was only right to assume you would react in an unpredictable way when you wake up again." (T)

    "I-I''m s-sorry! I didn''t want to scare you, but they were my little ones before, so I was worried!" (E)

    "W-what do y-you mean?" (N)

    "We are talking about your familiars. Your spawn. The countless existences residing inside your body which you can create and order at will, and which will spawn infinitely from you." (T)

    "You aren''t saying..." (N)

    "Yes, I am telling you that there are spiders inside your body. You are a spider matriarch, so you have them. And this group has successfully linked to your body, so you can control them at will! (T)

    "They are really friendly and would do anything for you! They even take care of your body and mend your wounds or make it sturdier with their webs. Aren''t they lovely?" (E)

    THERE ARE SPIDERS UNDER MY SKIN!!!

    My body cramps and I want to rip this ridiculously sturdy skin away!

    I struggle against my bindings, trying to break free, but to no avail.

    "Before you ask. It wouldn''t help to expel them now. They are maybe too young to live easily alone, but now that you are linked to your brood you will produce them on your own in your body. You would eventually replace them. So there''s no way to get rid of them." (T)

    Terror grasps me, tears fall down my face and sizzle on the ground, and foremost this crawling feeling intensifies.

    And now I know what it is!!

    This simple thought accelerates my panic and intensifies like this the crawling.

    And then something happens that scares me stiff.

    My skin opens without resistance at several places and great numbers of tiny spiders escape from there.

    They are of a white-silverish color and mostly just slightly bigger than ants, they squirm all over me and my breath gets rigid.

    They gather at several places where the bindings are located.

    "Zcchh"

    I feel the known sensation of acid around my body, yet without experiencing the painful reaction to it.

    However, the strings are affected by the burn and soon the first one rips.

    The bindings start to loosen and unperceivably quickly the spiders vanish.

    Back into my body!!!

    The web that bound me disintegrates at the points the spiders gathered and I get lowered to the ground.

    I tremble and stay unable to move despite now being freed.

    "Oh, your little ones thought you didn''t want to be bound and commenced to help you! So young and already so considerate, And Talisa, have you seen the color? They were all silver-white, so they really are her brood! When they were mine they were different, I spread much differently in the specifics!" (E)

    "Eritu get a hold of yourself! I know that you have the strongest passion for your brood, but now is not the time to discuss this. We first need to make sure that Nerysi doesn''t do anything stupid." (T)

    Stupid?

    Why would I do anything stupid?

    Ehehehehe...

    "I''m not a spider."

    "There are no spiders inside me."

    "Everything is fine."

    "There is nothing wrong."

    "Hick."

    "I''m okay."

    "I will just, go home, and eat dinner, with mum and dad."

    "Hick. Hick!"

    "E-everything is okay."

    "They''ll tell me, they love me, and there''s nothin to be scared about."

    "Hick. Sniff. Hick!"

    "Waaahhhh!" (N)

    I can''t process this and lose control over my mind and feelings.

    "Maybe we should bring her back to bed?" (E)

    "Might be for the best! There was much to take in for her today." (T)

    I cannot walk on my own, but get princess carried back into my room by Talisa.

    The bed is like new and both of them put my trembling body gently into it.

    I stay unable to move and get covered with a sheet.

    I don''t sleep, but instead, look hollowed at a blank point at the ceiling.

    "Do you think she will be able to adjust?" (E)

    "She might be a bad case, yet I think there is no need to worry. It could be an issue that she is very non-violent, but this is good for her brood for now as she won''t harm them. If she lives with them she will eventually get used to their presence." (T)

    "I see! This sounds good!" (E)

 Chapter 8

    After a while, I slept.

    I don''t know what I dreamt, but with my state of mind, it wasn''t surprising that it was a disturbed night.

    When I woke up again, I didn''t know what to do.

    This is scary!

    I know they won''t harm me, but they are there.

    Countless spiders crawling inside me.

    This is more than I can endure, yet it doesn''t work to cry and scream and plunge my nails into my skin.

    Which are all things I did after I woke up that didn''t help at all.

    The revelations from yesterday were still present to me, but I had no way to react to them.

    I can''t rip off this skin and get them out.

    And I cannot tell them to leave me with this link.

    I felt them when they came out.

    A presence!

    Thoughts or at least a ground attitude.

    They are there!

    A part of me and it got clear that they wanted to protect me as their center which they don''t intend to leave.

    And because of this, I can''t make them go.

    Now I just try to ignore it, block it out to no avail.

    They are still there!

    Even more present than before, now that I''m aware of them!

    I think they are worried.

    At least this is how it feels.

    But I can''t react in any way to them.

    They are the source of my problems.

    How would they react if I tried to kill them?

    Yet I wouldn''t know how and don''t think I could manage to do so.

    I was never able to attack any living creature.

    Even the spiders, which I feared so much, my parents had to take care of.

    And now they''re inside me.

    But far more frightening is that I continue to produce these creatures.

    How am I supposed to deal with this?

    Am I really breeding more of them right now?

    Can I stop this from happening?

    It didn''t sound like a possibility when Talisa told me about this.

    How can I react?

    "Uhm, are you there?" (N)

    I ask into the empty room and the only ones able to hear would be the spiders inside me.

    I am a bit disenchanted right now after all my other attempts to get them out of me proved to be useless.

    So I have just one way to figure something out.

    And for this reason, I call out to them.

    "I-I''m not going to hurt you! C-can you h-hear me?" (N)

    At this moment the crook of my arm twitches and right after a small spider emerges.

    I almost fail to keep the insides of my stomach where they belong.

    This is so frightening!

    The spider looks at me as if it''s waiting for something.

    "H-h-hello! I-I''m N-Neri a-a-and it s-seems we a-are so-somehow stuck together. I-is that r-right?" (N)

    I''m talking to a spider!

    This is crazy!

    Even more crazy is that I think she has understood me and nods.

    "W-w-would i-it be po-possible that all of y-you leave my b-body?" (N)

    Did the spider just tilt her body at me?

    "They will leave on their own as soon as they are big enough!" (T)

    "Talisa?" (N)

    I throw her a surprised look and find this woman there, without knowing where she came from.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    "Did you really think I would leave you alone in this state? When you started to claw yourself I was close to intervening! Fortunately, you stopped soon, but your nails might have been able to cut through the webs. After all, they are the same material." (T)

    I still look at her, unable to find anything to respond.

    The spider on my arm seems to have noticed that I don''t pay her any attention anymore, so she moves back to the place at my arm and enters!!!

    "No, no, no, no! Don''t go back in! No!" (N)

    There is nothing more horrific than seeing how my most feared creature intrudes into my body.

    I immediately try to press there, rub the area, and attempt to squeeze it back out, but she''s already inside and there are countless more.

    "Calm down, there is nothing wrong!" (T)

    "How is this not wrong?! A spider entered my body! What do they even want in there?" (N)

    "They are nurtured by what you take in. You are nursing them. You will act as their hive till they have sufficiently matured. This is practically your job and in return, they''ll take care of you once they are grown. Because of this, you should consume a little more or you will look like Eritu. Who is seriously taking her breeding too far." (T)

    I hug myself, she said in fact that I am a breeding stock to spiders.

    "Th-they will grow?" (N)

    "Don''t worry, at a certain size they will eventually leave to make space for the new ones.

    I apologize, yet your entry was rather surprising, so we can only provide you with this chamber for now. When they emerge we can designate two rooms for you and your brood, but we have still some time till that happens. However, don''t misunderstand. They will still belong to you and are your responsibility!" (T)

    I don''t want to be responsible for countless spiders!

    Wait a moment!

    How many are we talking about here?

    Through tears I ask:

    "How many will there be?" (N)

    "Hmm. It depends. If we are talking about your first brood, I think it will be between fifty and a hundred. But this is just one season. The permanent stock you will have to survey will encompass several thousand entities. This is under the condition that you don''t allow them to breed with themselves. We prevent this, as the resulting spawn will be less healthy and such great numbers bring problems to supply them. Yet, there are those like Eritu who has trained herself to breed greater numbers. She is somewhere between twice to thrice the average amount, at the cost of her condition and that of her brood." (T)

    Thousands!

    Thousands of spiders are going to come out of me!!!

    This is so scary!

    And the first hundred will soon emerge.

    "You don''t need to be scared. If you eat properly you will note nothing." (T)

    The fact that they are there is enough!

    "I know you have much to deal with, nonetheless, I want you to know that you are not a prisoner. If you want, I can show you around here." (T)

    Wonderful. A tour through the spider horror house.

    "You could also stroll outside, as long you don''t go too far. It might be dangerous if you encounter other monsters since you don''t want to fight. And meeting humans would have other issues as you might guess." (T)

    I can see the problem.

    I might look human right now, but one slip up, like for example spiders emerging out of my body, and people will see that I''m a monster.

    I mean I grow giant spider legs!

    This is just wrong!

    I can''t live around humans anymore.

    Only here with those spiders.

    This thought is too dire for me to process and make any decisions.

    I would certainly have died after those men killed my parents.

    However, is this better?

    I don''t know.

    If not for the point that I was tortured they are now awfully nice to me.

    I mean shelter, a bed, fine clothes?

    I don''t want to think about the food, nonetheless if not for my fear, this might be the best that could have happened to me after I lost all I had.

    Despite the part where I have to breed spiders.

    But there is certainly no escape from this and the only thing I could do to change that would be to kill myself.

    If I don''t do that, this might be the best I can get.

    So I need to decide now if I want to die or choose to live here.

    This all is cruel, but I don''t feel bad right now.

    If not for my general situation one could say that I am healthy and in good condition.

    On the other side, I am a monster.

    Is this reason enough to kill myself?

    This life is terrible, yet it''s something I have.

    Death would be worse, I think.

    I don''t want to die.

    "If you want I can introduce you to the others. They are all quite fond of you, the way they engaged themselves till exhaustion. But in regards to your issue, we might skip Eritu''s territory. It''s rather cramped there." (T)

    I can imagine this, even if I don''t want to.

    She also takes them out with her, so she might sit the whole day in a lake of spiders.

    Frightening!

    "Or we just make a small tour, so that you get an idea of the environment. For today we could also ignore the places you might not like, even if you should get used to them, like the food storage or the gathering halls. Nonetheless, you will certainly see spiders. That won''t change." (T)

    I''m in a spider den.

    How should I be able to avoid them?

    But they still scare me.

    "Can you keep them away?" (N)

    The only ones who care for me are those who transformed me.

    Can I really turn to them when I''m in need?

    But I need help if I want to make it through this.

    Without help, I will lose my mind here.

    "Sure, just stay close. We have every authority here." (T)

    Involuntarily, I press myself against Talisa, which surprises her, and she offers me a smile and a pat.

    I know it might be inconsistent of me, but I have no one else to lean on.

    Like this, we walk further down the hallways.

 Chapter 9

    I learn that we are located in one of the innermost parts of a gigantic structure which they call the sanctuary.

    She informs me that there are some precautions against fires with the fine threads which make up the walls.

    For example, some are drenched.

    There''s even an underground river she shows me was made so that it separates the structure.

    At some points, they simply left the space free, so that fire can''t spread on the stone.

    She seems very concerned about this, which is understandable when you imagine how the walls would start to burn.

    Also, I sometimes get startled when we encounter stray spiders on our way.

    I became especially frightened when there was one as big as a dog.

    Talisa could possibly become far bigger, yet I instantly threw myself at her face first.

    It took just a wink of hers and the monster left at a fast speed.

    She looked quite delighted and stroked my hair till I could walk again.

    The farther we go the rougher the surface of the wall becomes.

    Now it is visible that they are made of thread.

    "I thought this room might interest you! And I wanted to go first to the outskirts. Ironically most of the spiders are located at the entrances and not in the inner sanctuary, so we can directly head back after this." (T)

    Well, if we can get away from the spiders as fast as possible then I''m glad.

    She leads me again to a point at the wall.

    This time I can see that there is a room behind the web, as crude as it is.

    "Eritu showed you how the doorways work, right? You should try it yourself." (T)

    I am a bit anxious, but there should be nothing that could go wrong.

    She guides my hand to the door.

    "Let me explain it in a little bit more detail. You put your nail in here at the door like this. Then you follow the string from the door to the point where they gather. We want to open it, so pull the vertical ones." (T)

    When I pull I feel a small resistance, yet at short notice, the door spreads itself apart.

    We enter through the now quite large opening.

    Inside there is... "stuff".

    Sorry, I don''t know how else to describe it.

    It''s a vast collection of random goods.

    From furniture to tools, to things you can just consider trash, everything is here assembled.

    "It might be a bit disordered, but I thought you would like to get some commodities. Or maybe you would like some other things? We let our brood bring everything they find with a human scent to this place since there is often something interesting among them. Kyroki for example is very fond of dolls, while Akasia has a fascination for tableware and Eritu takes all the brushes for her familiars. I think at least a chest and a wardrobe might be good for you." (T)

    It''s strange to learn about the private life of entities who are to me terrifying monsters.

    I can search around this place that looks like a dump.

    Nonetheless, there are some things that still look good.

    I manage to find a wooden chest that looks usable, without too much mold.

    There was also a wardrobe, but it was too damaged.

    Yet, close to the end I find a small treasure, in the form of a slightly cracked mirror.

    Despite the broken glass, it''s still usable.

    So for the first time since this happened to me, I can take a look at my face.

    .

    .

    .

    I cannot recognize this person.

    Besides the new hair color and my pale skin, it seems my features became more delicate.

    There might be a hint of who I was before, but it''s distant.

    Yet more importantly, my eyes weren''t deep violet before.

    I''m glad they aren''t black, but that happened when Talisa transformed and might include me as well.

    This view is a bit disturbing, nonetheless, this mirror is something precious.

    "You can just put this piece into your box. I will arrange that it will be brought to your room. And for a wardrobe, it might be better to spin you a new one." (T)

    She''s going to make a web in the form of a wardrobe?

    While we are heading out I ask:

    "Can you really sew that fast?" (N)

    "You might have forgotten, but I''m still a spider! So this is my proficiency. You still don''t know how to make your own webs, right? If you have time I will show you how to produce and use your own silk." (T)

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    I know she wants to be considerate of me, but this sounds so disturbing much like things spiders do when they have time to spend.

    And I still can''t bring myself to say that I am one.

    So I stay silent.

    Yet suddenly the silence gets broken in a very disturbing way.

    I hear a voice.

    "I can smell it! It''s here! Sniff. Close! Sniff, sniff. The scent is unknown. Or? Sniff. No, no, it isn''t. Sniff. I think I''m familiar with it. Isn''t it..."

    This creepy voice which rambles nonstop about finding the scent''s source as if it would be her prey draws closer.

    "I''m sure I''m nearly there! I can almost taste it. Sniff. So close! I know what it is. I remember..."

    I feel frightened as I can more and more fathom that she is talking about me while she comes closer.

    I feel that there is no way to run and she''s almost here.

    "It''s... YOU!!!"

    I hear a shout and perceive something rushing in my direction.

    Before I know what is going on, I lose contact with the ground.

    "Sister!!!"

    A girl has embraced me and holds my body aloft.

    She''s a bit larger than average, while I am shorter.

    Her hair is a disheveled blond, kept at neck length and her eyes are a light brownish-red.

    Since I can assume what she is, her rough look and utility clothing is a surprising contrast to the other Arachnes.

    Arachnea?

    Arachni?

    Whatever, the most distinguishing feature of hers is that out of her mouth two strange tooth-like, black objects are protruding.

    Since I am far closer than I want to be, I see how they are dripping some greenish liquid, so I think these are poisonous fangs.

    Yet she cuddles me against herself.

    "Sister! I am so happy to get to know you. I mean, we spent time together when you were in your cocoon, but I guess that doesn''t count. But I''m so happy we can meet now. And you look healthy! I''m so happy!"

    "Masiabi! Didn''t I tell you to approach her with care?" (T)

    "But she''s here and I couldn''t wait any longer!" (M)

    Even for someone being taller than me, she''s amazingly strong, so I have no way to escape her grasp.

    Those fangs make me extremely nervous, as I feel that a deadly weapon is pointed in my direction.

    "Could you let go of her? She''s startled!" (T)

    "Just a moment longer!" (M)

    Help!

    Please!

    She is holding me tight and presses my body against her side.

    "My sister!" (M)

    "S-sister?" (N)

    From where did she get that we are related?

    "Oh! Haven''t you explained to her yet, Talisa?" (M)

    She turns to Talisa while still maintaining her far too-tight embrace and presses my face against her cheek.

    "We had more serious issues than this until now." (T)

    "More serious!!?" (M)

    She sounds very exasperated.

    "There is nothing more serious than telling her that we are now sisters by blood!" (M)

    What!?!

    When did that happen?

    I am sure I would have known about giant monster spiders in my family.

    "Preventing her suicide was a bit higher on my list!" (T)

    She isn''t denying it!?

    "Fine then... now tell her!" (M)

    She settles herself sitting down against the wall.

    WHILE STILL HOLDING ME!

    She forces me to sit on her lap and presses my head against her chest directing us at Talisa.

    "And you really think this will soothe her?" (T)

    No!

    No, this isn''t soothing me!

    "Why not? We are just having some skinship! This is nice! And she isn''t complaining." (M)

    "That might be because she''s scared stiff." (T)

    That''s exactly the point!

    "Nah, we are just bonding right now, so don''t dim this moment and tell her!" (M)

    How deep can you live in your own world?

    "You are such a blockhead, but if you promise to let her go after this. Okay, try to listen now Nerysi, even if you''re currently occupied. For the changing serum, it seems that Kyroki used a mix of the essence from each of us sisters. And I really don''t know how she got mine. So in fact this brings your body as close to us five as possible. And because of that Masiabi sees you as a blood-related sister, since to be true we share the same blood." (T)

    I''m very sure this is not the way you would usually make a new family member, yet I also can''t completely deny that logic.

    This might be outrageous, but all the other things that piled up had quite an impact on me until now.

    So I''ve gotten a little numb to this kind of revelation.

    Nonetheless, I might look very perplexed.

    If you could notice it through the panic because the other one still cuddles me.

    "Masiabi! You said you would let her go now. Why are you so eager? It''s not like you had no sisters before." (T)

    "Mmhm, this is more pleasant! When I would try this with Kyroki she would paralyze me with her poison to get rid of me. Akasia would burn after some time in my arms. And when I engage Eritu her familiars get all agitated and aggressive. And about you, I don''t need to get started." (M)

    So I''m convenient, defenseless, and an easy target?!

    "And isn''t she cute?" (M)

    My eyes form a pleading "help me".

    "Stop, right there! This is enough! If you let her go I¡¯ll make a deal with you." (T)

    She ponders a moment, but then her grip loosens.

    I crawl away immediately and hide behind Talisa.

    I am safe now, but what was that about a deal?

    "And now?" (M)

    "Sigh, fine! You know I was busy showing Nerysi around. However, I have some work to take care of. So if you promise not to engage her like you just did I would let you take over. Just take care not to go to places with too many of our brood and keep them away from her. Is this acceptable?" (T)

    Her face is practically beaming with joy, but not mine.

    I''ve got sold out!

    "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES! A stroll with my sister. Awesome! This will be so nice!" (M)

    I cannot trust anyone here!

    Like this Talisa circles me in a fluid movement and leaves me completely exposed in the open.

    She leaves with a wink and a smile.

    TRAITOR!

    Now I remain alone with the girl with the fangs.

    I wonder why her smile looks so terrifying to me.

    In fear, I slowly retreat step by step, not trying to provoke her predator-like demeanor.

    It doesn''t work.

    In the blink of an eye, she crosses the distance between us and now holds my hand, giving me a cheerful smile.

    Which gets messed up by the fact that the fangs are continuously dripping venom.

    Of all the Arachnae I encountered until now, she is the one who shows her inhuman nature the most.

    She feels aggressive, ready to jump at her prey at any moment, in this case me, and now she holds my hand to take me with her.

    Help me!

 Chapter 10

    "Where do you wanna go first?" (Masiabi)

    Far away from you?

    Wouldn''t work, I know.

    And I would be alone and lost in the spider hell if I''d opt for that.

    "I-I d-don''t k-know this p-place!" (N)

    "Okay, then a place that won''t make you scared!" (M)

    Every place with you is scary!

    But maybe I can help my troubled mind with a request.

    "E-ehm, c-can you s-somehow retract y-your fangs?" (N)

    "Oh! Are they out? Sorry, I use them so often that they are just natural to me and always slip out. I could try, but think they would eventually extend again." (M)

    She''s using them frequently?

    So she is a killer!

    "I know this is not to your liking, but everyone is already making concessions to you, yet I would try to force myself to keep them inside if you''d say: "Please for me, big sis!" (M)

    Was that her plan?

    That sounds awfully desperate!

    "Y-you''re m-making c-concessions?" (N)

    "Yes! Normally we would far more frequently stay in our spider form. Human bodies are helpful for interaction, but they are not our natural state. But for your sake, most of us are staying like this right now." (M)

    It''s hard to reply to this.

    It sounds inconvenient for them, but it is not like they left me much of a choice for being here in the first place.

    So I''m not sure if I''m truly obliged to be complaisant towards them.

    "You know, you could try showing a bit more of this too." (M)

    "Sh-show w-what?" (N)

    "Your spider parts! It¡¯s not like you need to immediately start walking around on your spider legs, but you should get a bit accustomed to them. Or for example, you could show your fangs as well!" (M)

    My fangs?

    It''s not surprising that I also have something like this, but it just didn''t occur to me.

    Nonetheless, I am now urged to poke in my mouth and really, right before my upper teeth I detect two small bulks with something hard.

    That must be them!

    I have fangs!!!

    My appearance with these things sticking out is one of the things I literally don''t want to face.

    While I probe my mouth we continue walking.

    "I think at this time of the day I can show you the gathering hall." (M)

    What?

    Didn''t Talisa say that this is one of the places I wouldn''t like?

    Why is she dragging me there?!

    Wait!

    She''s smiling!

    Is this a trap?!

    I think she wants to scare me so I need to rely on her.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Devil!

    And far worse, it might work.

    While she snuggles against me she starts to explain.

    "The gathering hall is something like the main entrance. Well, it lies on the inside, but it connects our private dens and the sanctuary to the outer areas and like this most of the ways out." (M)

    The designation gathering hall makes sense like this.

    If I understand it right the whole structure is constructed like a cone.

    The rooms of the Arachnae are positioned deeper inside the earth, the outer areas are closer to the surface and the gathering hall is the place where all the passages to the inner sanctuary connect.

    So all the spiders that are heading inside need to pass through this single spot.

    HELP ME!

    She relentlessly forces me to accompany her and soon we enter an area where the hallway widens.

    And then we are traversing a giant hall.

    You might think that we just went outside from how wide it is.

    Numerous passageways in the walls lead in every direction.

    Some even through the ceiling and the ground.

    If I think about it, the sanctuary, which I think refers to the part with the marble web, should be located downwards.

    However, now my mind is occupied with something more urgent.

    Spiders of all different colors and sizes cover the floor, walls, and even the ceiling while traversing this place.

    Some are visibly carrying things, mostly dead animals.

    What is even more terrifying is that some of those that walk around here are as big as horses or even bigger.

    They are at least, for sure, far larger than I am.

    "Oh, it seems there are more than I anticipated." (M)

    She looks at me and notices that my eyes are filling with tears.

    This is all too much for me and I''m so scared.

    "S-sorry! I didn''t want to make you feel this bad! Uh, just wait a moment!" (M)

    She lets go of my hand and positions herself in front of me.

    As scared as I am, I¡¯m not able to run in the opposite direction and it would probably be the wrong decision anyways.

    I see her pulling herself together a bit before me before erupting out.

    "SCRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCHHHH!!!"

    Suddenly a sound bursts through the room.

    I cannot even begin to describe it.

    Nails on glass might be pleasant in comparison, for sure far quieter.

    It is reverberating everywhere and the good two thousand spiders are immediately scattering in all directions.

    In seconds the giant hall is empty.

    Masiabi turns around and gives me a grin.

    She literally told all the spiders here to piss off, just because of me.

    She can do this?!

    "Is it good now?" (M)

    It is.

    The spiders are gone, yet I have a completely new evaluation of the monster before my eyes.

    And it isn''t the slightest bit less distressing.

    This monster is at the top of the realm here with all these other frightening creatures.

    "This might have been hard, but this is a very important place. Mother used to live here in the past and I wanted you to see it." (M)

    Do I want to know about their "mother"?

    I mean a spider they originated from sounds even more disturbing.

    Yet, curiosity takes over!

    "Mother?" (N)

    "Yes, she was great and so big! I am glad she didn''t eat us. This was so nice of her! But many years ago she just left, saying it''s gotten too cramped for her. Since then this place was just a passageway." (M)

    She seems to love her mother, but to me, this relationship of not getting eaten seems a bit problematic.

    Now I''m asking myself if they were left on their own here and how that must have been.

    "And your father? Did he leave too?" (M)

    "Kekeke. Father? You know when they are old enough an Arachne mates with one of her familiars. They need to be at least around one hundred, better yet, three hundred years." (M)

    This sounds so incomprehensible foreign to me.

    And isn''t this incestuous?

    Aside from that, the truly disturbing thing is the evil smile Masiabi has now put on.

    "And you know, when they are mating an Arachne always kills her partner." (M)

    This puts me off.

    They are far more frightening than I thought.

    Looks are deceiving in this regard, as despite their looks, it is now clear to me that there is next to nothing human about them.

    But what makes me far more anxious is the realization that I am now like them.

    I am one of these monsters who kill the father of their children because nature prescribes it.

    My blood runs cold now.

    Or whatever this thick, white substance inside me is.

    And apparently, Masiabi noticed my dread because of her talk about killing.

    "However, you don''t have to worry! Big sis here promises that nothing will ever happen to you! I will kill anyone who would harm ya!" (M)

    And she embraces and cuddles me again!

    This is the most disturbing kind of affection I''ve ever experienced.

    It takes a while until she''s satisfied with holding me in her grasp, which was unsettling me deeply.

    Finally, she lets go.

    "Now that we are done here we can visit some other places! You might not like the dissolving halls where we liquify the prey, right?" (M)

    My face immediately turns into horror.

    "That''s a ''no'' then. Hmm, we could go to the poison and acid storages, but they are boring, there''s only enough of it stored in the vats to let the whole forest die, nothing too interesting. The crafting rooms could be nice, but I think Talisa wanted to show these to you herself. That leaves the feeding grounds for the brood, our dining room, or the dens of the others. I guess within the first option, there are too many familiars for you to handle. Also, I don''t want to share you yet. So let''s have dinner!" (M)

    The point that she''s possessive of me is a problem, however, I am hungry.

    Yesterday I had just this one pouch and apparently, the spiders in me are draining me in addition.

    So I need food.

    ¡°Uh, I-I guess I am a little hungry.¡° (N)

 Chapter 11

    We traverse the corridors and subsequently reach another open hall with a large table inside.

    "This is also something like a meeting hall, but it isn''t really used as such since we are sisters and can meet normally." (M)

    She urges me to sit on a web-covered seat.

    "I will get us something." (M)

    She tends to one of the doorways and I can detect another large spider.

    Not as huge as a horse but far bigger than a dog.

    I shrink down into my chair as soon as I perceive this creature, but it quickly leaves.

    Masiabi then heads back to me, carrying two stone flasks.

    "Did the s-spider bring this?" (N)

    "Yes, I told her to. She''s one of mine, so I could order her to bring us some from the facilities!" (M)

    "But when? You were always with me!" (N)

    "Huh? You are always connected to your brood, wherever they are. Didn''t you know? You can control them with your mind without issues." (M)

    Wait!

    I suspect she''s been doing this breeding for a considerable time now.

    Does this mean this carefree girl has thousands of obedient big spiders to do her bidding?

    That''s crazy!

    "The next order is already out. So dig in! We make these flasks by etching the stone with our acid. This is Akasia''s hobby and she always tries new ways, so that we have a great selection of tableware like this." (M)

    I take the flask and the known taste of the liquid fills my mouth.

    It helps very much against my hunger and it really is easy and pleasant to drink.

    Yet some questions come up for me.

    "Do you only drink this liquid? Wouldn''t it be possible to eat meat or plants normally?" (N)

    "We can eat meat but no plants, those wouldn''t be digestible." (M)

    "Is there really nothing? You always need to kill to get food?" (N)

    "Well, some plants can work as a substitute, but not too great. Also meat includes insects too." (M)

    "Insects!?" (N)

    "You don''t like them? Don''t worry, you won''t notice when they''re dissolved in acid." (M)

    This isn''t reassuring!

    "To come back to the topic some plants can be eaten in small numbers, but not to cover our nourishment. On the other side, it''s possible for us to eat meat. However, eating raw meat is tedious, and a bit hard to digest, so it''s preferable to liquefy it first. Also to cook it we would need to make a fire here and you see what that would trigger." (M)

    "Yes, a fire might be bad." (N)

    "And Talisa would be furious!" (M)

    It seems that this is her main reason, instead of a flaming hell of webs.

    "In addition, none of us can cook." (M)

    "Uh, I can cook." (N)

    I was often in charge of making the dishes at home.

    And I helped mum to prepare meat for the feasts we had on special occasions.

    "Huh, really?" (M)

    "Y-yes, I  know how to prepare meals." (N)

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "This is so cool! My little sister can cook for me! Now you have to! No backing off!" (M)

    "How? You just told me that we can''t make a fire here." (N)

    "I will figure something out! You will get your kitchen!" (M)

    Wait a moment!

    When did I tell you to build a kitchen for me?

    I notice that I start to calm down a little in the presence of Masiabi.

    She might give off a sense of danger, but she hasn''t done anything bad to me, yet.

    Also, she appears to be very affectionate, which might be more of a reason to be wary of her.

    Not to forget, she remains a man-eating monster.

    Although I should ask about this.

    "Ehm, Masiabi! Do you really eat humans?" (N)

    "You can call me big sis or just sister. And sure. When we catch them. Why?" (M)

    "Don''t you feel bad about this? I mean they are people. Isn''t this different from animals?" (N)

    "No, it isn''t. They are just prey like the others. And it''s not like we are related to them. We are completely different species and we need the flesh. To distinguish what you eat on the question if it walks on two or four legs would be hypocritical to those you kill because of this. Especially, if you walk on eight legs! Besides, they all agreed to it!" (M)

    "Agreed?" (N)

    "Yes, we have marked our territory with webs and the scent of our acid. No predators are allowed to hunt in here besides us, so it could even be considered safer than outside, in general. Who enters agrees to be part of our hunting grounds. All the prey knows these rules, with the exception of the humans." (M)

    It''s unnerving to get a lecture regarding why it''s okay to eat humans.

    I mean all of this was concerning me as well before.

    And now it''s concerning me in a different way!

    "I was chased when I entered. Was I prey too?" (N)

    "At least you were in our territory and here we decide what happens to those who enter. We had a discussion regarding what to do with you. I said the big one was enough and we shouldn''t thin out the grounds. Kyroki made the proposal to take you with us. And we all agreed on her idea." (M)

    So basically, I stumbled into these monsters'' jurisdiction and got judged to become a monster myself.

    This is cruel.

    "But now you are one of us, so you can decide as well. And you are certainly not a human anymore! We will need to expand our territory a bit in due time. Yet, you will get your share! No worries!" (M)

    I feel extremely down to hear that they don''t even consider me to be human in any way.

    How deep were those changes?

    It can''t be possible to take this much of my identity from me, right?

    "I-I don''t want to eat humans." (N)

    I may not be able to refer to myself as one after what happened, yet it feels nonetheless wrong.

    This would be as if I eat my family.

    They still were humans.

    "This is a bit unfortunate. I mean, we are hunting and giving our best to bring you some food. So it''s a little rude to say that you don''t want what we provide. But if there is no other way, maybe I can try to lay a bit of food from other sources to the side when we have a feast. But in general, we simply mix all of it in the nurturing liquid together." (M)

    She apparently tries to be considerate, but I feel dread.

    It seems wrong to play along with this.

    "A-at least y-you aren''t e-eating children, or?" (N)

    "I avoid it. Bad for the development of the grounds. Just those who would die anyway. Besides that, they are no fun to hunt down." (M)

    All this hunting is based on logical thoughts and maybe I am the weird one here.

    However, that they can kill someone just like this seems not right to me.

    Still, I believe I should get to know her better.

    "You... seem to have much experience with hunting." (N)

    After all, she said that her fangs are regularly in use.

    "Yes, I love it! There is no greater thrill than chasing down an opponent. There are so many different ways to go about it and sometimes they even try to fight back! Sometimes you need to get creative or you can just have fun. And most importantly you can claim your prey for yourself if it''s not desperately needed to feed the others! Then you can look if the flesh tastes different. This is almost as great as cuddling with my new sister!" (M)

    Another disturbing embrace from the spider monster.

    And the way she gets this excited about killing things makes me no less wary.

    Her main reason to let me live this way might have been to have a cuddle toy for herself.

    This makes me feel a little uneasy.

    Also, I just remembered what Talisa said about her contribution.

    She was the one who continuously stung me to make me sleep.

    Does that make her compassionate or cruel?

    At least the reason is not clear to me, so I would like to know this from her.

    "You, you made me sleep when it happened, right When I... changed?" (N)

    "Yes, I did. Why do you ask?" (M)

    "Why did you do it? I understand that the other things probably were important for what you did. But why making me sleep? Was I too noisy for you?" (N)

    "No, no! I did it because you were in pain!" (M)

    "Huh!? Because of that? But you are hunting and killing so much." (N)

    "There is a difference! I don''t hunt to cause pain and I would never unnecessarily prolong a death. There is no reason to do such a thing. That is wrong! Maybe Kyroki would do something like that, but she''s a weirdo." (M)

    I don''t know what makes me more perplexed.

    That Masiabi has a moral code or that this spider monster has someone she calls weird.

    This Kyroki makes me now a bit anxious, yet what do you expect of someone who comes up with the idea to turn human girls into spiders?

    I will eventually meet this troublesome person and simply imagining it gives me the creeps.

    If not for Masiabi''s overly affectionate behavior, the time we spend together goes by without incidents.

    She lets her familiars bring new flasks to us several times and I can finally completely overcome my hunger.

    It was noteworthy that my "itch" almost completely settled with this.

    As it seems, the spiders don''t want me to be hungry or it''s something about getting their share.

    I don''t need to say how much I loathe to think about this, which ironically triggered the itch again for some time.

    When we are done she guides me without issues to my room.

    I stand there absolutely astonished.

    My empty room got filled to the brim while I was away.

    Besides the chest that I chose, there is a new set of clothes and a nightgown, a table made of etched stone, wooden chairs with silken padding, a strange construction that could be a hanging wardrobe stabilized with a complicated system of threads, and also a very foreign looking wooden thing.

    It has some needles, a spinning wheel, and many notches, so I think it''s probably a tool for tailoring.

    Is this part of some kind of spider education?

    I can''t make much out of it at the moment, so I decide to ignore it and go to sleep.

    I had enough near-death experiences today to earn me this.

 Chapter 12

    To my dismay when I wake up my spider legs are out.

    Naturally, I''m extremely startled, but manage to pull them back without destroying anything.

    It seems they extend whenever I get too comfortable and let my guard down against them coming out.

    They aren''t really ugly, but more like metallic spears ready to pierce something, which is extremely intimidating.

    And the fact that they are spider legs is troubling me in addition.

    Also, it''s simply distressing to wake up in an embrace of your own legs.

    Because this happened, I need to think about how Talisa said that this is only a partial transformation.

    I could turn completely into a spider if I''m not careful.

    This might just be appearance, but with my fear of spiders, I might lose my mind if this happens.

    I put the clothes on I detected yesterday.

    This time the colors are a light silverish grey and a light violet.

    It is a layered piece of clothing just for the upper body, which looks like from a warm country, and a long skirt with embroidery and frills.

    All these clothes have something princess-like.

    Maybe this is Talisa¡¯s hobby?

    Now I am properly outfitted, however...

    I am still not confident enough to leave and wander around on my own.

    The probability to encounter spiders in the sanctuary is quite low, as they simply have no tasks here, but the chance is there with those numbers.

    Since my mind is constantly strained by this whole situation, maybe I will calm down with time, yet for now this is too much.

    Things being like this, I can only stay inside.

    Also, I have to take care of another urge.

    I need to pee!

    Fortunately, there''s something like a toilet installed in this room.

    Or more a heightened position with a hole where you cannot fathom the end of it.

    There is also some threadwork for cleaning, so I am sure about the purpose of this place.

    The disturbing thing happens during the usage.

    First, it''s astonishing that I just now have to go, as it seems that my intervals got extremely lengthened with the transformation, but the reason could be the second part.

    It sizzles!

    My pee sounds like it would deepen the hole down there by burning straight through the stone!

    Everything I take in gets first dissolved with an extremely nasty acid and this is inhuman!

    Maybe I shouldn''t wonder about a lack of normalcy, yet this feels so wrong to me.

    My pee shouldn''t be a weapon.

    Not this dangerous something, you need cautiously get rid of!

    This isn''t right!

    A little downtrodden I sit back on my bed and try to calm down.

    "Good morning Nerysi! Can I come in or are you occupied?" (T)

    Talisa!

    She''s very intimidating, yet courteous, and has a caring side, as you can see with all the things she brought to my room yesterday.

    "I-it''s fine!" (N)

    She might have left me yesterday, but at least she''s not showing as much of her monstrous nature.

    So I can feel somewhat calm around her, as she drives the other monsters away.

    "It is good to see you''re in a good state. Did it work out yesterday with Masiabi?" (T)

    Do you mean after you sold me out to her?

    "She did not really keep her part with not assaulting me and brought me to the gathering halls. Besides that we just ate something in this hall with the big table." (N)

    "It seems I need to talk with her about that. Anything else?" (T)

    "Ehm, are all of you sharing her thoughts about killing and eating humans?" (N)

    "Well... look: It''s not like we specifically hunt them down. But to us, it is a waste if we leave the corpses to rot when they die in our territory. And we can''t talk it out with them. Humans as a society tend to take advantage of you if you don''t hold against it. We cannot allow others to hunt in our territory or we''ll lose our prey. And they will come and stay if they notice that it works out for them. Despite that, too many of them already died here to hope that they will ever think positively about Arachnae." (T)

    "So you want to kill them?" (N)

    "If you ask me, I would rather avoid them without getting noticed. Eritu harnesses deep aversions, which grow with every dead familiar to add to her grudge, so she''s rather hostile. Akasia is oddly fascinated by them, but never complained about our general direction. And Kyroki is foremost into her experiments, yet would possibly poison a village or two, if only to study the effects." (T)

    "I don''t know about the other two but Eritu didn''t look like she would hate me." (N)

    "Keke... Because you''re not human! She''s directly distinguishing at this line and besides this, I doubt you ever killed anything, much less a spider, regarding your little issue." (T)

    "I... I killed flies!" (N)

    "Mhm. Yes... Good for you?" (T)

    I feel like I''m looked down upon.

    In addition, it seems I cannot convince anyone here that there is a difference between me and a normal Arachne, which is making it harder to convince myself.

    "So, I wanted to tell you that I made myself free today, so I have time for you. You should learn how to use your silk I think. Maybe you can by the end of the day make something to catch flies, kekeke!" (T)

    I''m certainly looked down upon!

    Why am I even competing about killing here?!

    "We can go to my place if you like. I''ve driven all the brood out, so there shouldn''t be any issues." (T)

    She seems very eager to do this with all those preparations, but I still feel quite uncomfortable with the idea.

    However, I glance down at my current outfit.

    Based on her creations, she is an incredible seamstress.

    There would be people willing to pay to be her apprentice, if she were human.

    And it would be nice to be able to make beautiful clothes.

    Maybe I could avoid certain spiders by sewing in my room?

    It may be worth it to at least try once.

    Eventually, I nod in admission.

    We walk through the sanctuary, yet sometimes there are spiders.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.However, they leave as soon as Talisa comes close.

    "Can you really control all these spiders?" (N)

    "I directly control my own brood with simple thoughts, and to all spiders I can communicate my will at a certain distance and even make them permanently mine. Though, the brood of the others only listens if they have no different orders and can''t be controlled. You did the same. Your familiars initially belonged to Eritu and she freed them of her will. So you claimed them subconsciously when they entered your body." (T)

    A shiver runs down my spine when I think about them.

    Especially, when I think about my time in the cocoon.

    The simple thought of them digging into my body makes my skin crawl.

    Or is it them, crawling inside me?

    Nonetheless, I can take as a good thing out of her explanation, that I can now tell spiders to leave me alone.

    This might be the first good side-effect for me.

    After a short while, we reach her place.

    The room turns dark, with far fewer light stones in here.

    "Sorry, I don''t like light so much. One of the reasons why I stay inside here. But the work area is properly lighted." (T)

    So she prefers darkness.

    Not surprising, considering everything about her is black.

    The construction is alike to the one in my room, yet far bigger with many more adds and modifications.

    I can''t even imagine how something like this is used to its fullest.

    "Sit down please! We are starting with the basics." (T)

    "Uhm, basics?" (N)

    "First, you need to learn how to produce silk." (T)

    Produce silk!?

    That mere thought makes me uneasy.

    "You, you mean I have to make something come out of my body? That sounds dirty." (N)

    "It isn''t! The silk will be extremely clean. And as far as I know, even the humans hold our silk in high regard. It is something very precious and you should be proud of it. I''ve heard there are even occasions where countries are accepting the losses of human life, just because they instead gain a steady supply of this resource. Such petty beings!" (T)

    I didn''t know this, but it makes sense.

    Although I trampled with my spider legs through the bed it was rather worn out than ripped.

    Also, the material feels extremely fine.

    Such a resilient material that is so light and of such high quality should be special.

    I probably should at least try to understand how my own body works, even if I feel bad about it.

    Maybe I only feel bad because I associate webs with spiders.

    However, a single thread is different from a web and so I can dodge with this way of thinking, I guess.

    In the end, it is just some kind of white cord!

    Okay, I can do this!

    "Okay, how can I make the silk?" (N)

    "There are two possibilities. We start with the simple one before you tie yourself up by mistake. You just pull it out of your navel." (T)

    I can''t do this!

    "My navel? Such a thing. I mean it isn''t meant for this and I will feel weird. My navel should be a weak spot I mean..." (N)

    "Calm down! Your senses adjusted with your transformation. It won''t hurt and you can do it without being anxious." (T)

    "But what am I supposed to do if I end up with strings protruding out of me?! That would be bad! And I don''t want this!" (N)

    "You simply stop producing the silk. It will just end the thread then and nothing bad happens. Your body is able to clean itself from such things." (T)

    This sounds assuring, nonetheless pulling something out of my navel is like a foreign horror in my eyes.

    "Just concentrate on that place and think about silk. Think about the place directly behind it, relax it, and apply pressure in repetition till you get a special feeling you need to hold onto." (T)

    I don''t want to and feel bad thinking about this.

    My thoughts on how something like silk gets produced at this place behind my navel make me stressed out.

    I cramp my muscles a little and can''t look away from my, in these clothes, exposed waist.

    So that kind of revealing design was intentional!

    And then it happens.

    A substance emerges from my navel.

    It seems my dread and unwillingness in fact just triggered what I feared.

    "You''ve done well! Now pick it up with your fingers!" (T)

    There is this odd feeling in my stomach and more is released.

    I take it before it becomes too much.

    "Good! If you think you have too much to handle, put it on the hooks at the station and wrap it around." (T)

    I don''t really want to hold it in my hand with where it came from so I put it on the construction.

    The strands are thick yet even and remind me of the clothes I''m wearing, which are still much finer.

    As more gets released I can barely manage to put it away, threatened to become overwhelmed.

    "Now you cut it! Just avert your thoughts a moment!" (T)

    As if I can! I''ve lost control!

    Suddenly there''s a stinging pain coming from my forehead.

    I need a moment to realize that Talisa flicked her finger against it.

    "Stay focused and clear in mind! This thread can be dangerous if you get tangled up in it. There''s only a limited number of ways to get you out again." (T)

    I look dumbfounded at her, but then I notice...

    It stopped!

    Her snap brought me out of my daze and averted my mind.

    She helped me!

    "It was good to do it like this. You are apparently prone to lose your concentration. Your navel makes the thickest and strongest threads but is the easiest to work with, as it is more rough work with a single big strand. You can also make them sticky if you adjust the production in your mind, however, we should postpone this until you can work with the normal one." (T)

    I feel a bit dejected, yet when I look up I notice that the construction is almost overfilled at the parts where I stored the silk.

    This is a crazy amount and I lost control.

    "But now to the second way to produce the silk. It''s very simple. Under your nails are glands that produce the strands. All ten of them. Those threads are far thinner, so it''s more difficult to work with them. Also, you would be more prone to get tangled up since you can''t get rid of it from your fingers. Just try one finger and concentrate as well as possible or you might trigger the others. And if that happens you would surely again lose control. This is too advanced for you yet." (T)

    My fingers!

    It might be interesting to work like this.

    The ultimate tailor, having the material always at hand.

    I concentrate on my index finger and call the feeling from before back to my mind.

    Soon the thread comes out.

    This time I feel more comfortable with the process and can control it.

    "Good! Use your nails to guide the strand and lay it on the construction. When you get better you can make just the tip sticky to fix it in place. This is a little trick that helps getting started." (T)

    This feels far more professional than before and I can cut the thread without problems when I want it.

    We continue for some hours and I think I get better.

    I attempted to use some sticky strands, but was just allowed the tiniest amount.

    I could in the end use one finger on each hand simultaneously and got instructed in the right manner to move them and hold the threads.

    Actual sewing was not really part of it. Just some knotting and such.

    "That''s it for today. You can use your own device to train by yourself, but never more than your navel or one finger, and always be extremely careful! And don''t overdo it, since it costs you energy and you might overextend yourself." (T)

    This seems far more dangerous than anticipated.

    She has great respect for the thread.

    And I can understand her way of thinking, this stuff is nearly impossible to sever.

    Also, those threads from the fingers are so thin and stable that they can easily cut through flesh.

    So I should respect it as well.

    Talisa leads me back to my room and I note that I''ve got tired.

    The flow of time is really hard to follow without daylight.

    I realize that I don''t even know if I am nocturnal.

    That wouldn''t be the most outrageous thing for me.

    I mean, what does it matter to me during what hours I rest compared to all the rest?

    But I have nothing against digging into my bed.

    This is one of the only nice things I have for myself.

    Yet I need to say that the threading was, apart from the distressing parts, a bit fun.

    Maybe I can make it through all of this.

    "Ah, I wanted to tell you that Akasia has asked to meet you tomorrow. She seems to be a little jealous that she was left out after all the others, except Kyroki, met you already. So she asked if you could come to her place. She even said that she''d drive out all her familiars for the time being." (T)

    This is a difficult request.

    It would mean meeting another monster.

    However, this is inevitable anyways.

    It might be better to get along with all of them instead of drawing hostility and I was told that none of them has bad feelings for me.

    "O-okay, I will go!" (N)

    "I will tell her later." (T)

    At least she asked properly unlike certain others who just jump me down.

    When we arrive I find a new sac with liquid on my table.

    "I thought you might prefer to eat here instead of in our dining hall. By the way, you can dine comfortably, we caught not a single human since we found you." (T)

    This is very considerate of her.

    I prefer being here to outside, where spiders and certain overly affectionate apex predators might be, so eating at the table I got last time seems preferable.

    But this tableware I find on it is new!

    "Oh, it seems Akasia brought her own welcome gift for you." (T)

    You can see that it is made from etched stone, but the craftsmanship required to do such a thing must be incredible.

    Nonetheless, any sane person should be wary of people who work with acid, especially to dissolve living beings, and are so extremely fond of it.

 Chapter 13

    Last night, I was exhausted from my first lesson with Talisa so I went to bed shortly after eating.

    However, thoughts of my most recent gift and my meeting with Akasia the next day kept running through my mind.

    Even though I was tired, the anxiety wouldn¡¯t let me sleep for some time.

    At least this circumstance let these legs of mine stay inside so that waking up was more pleasant.

    And after all, this is a really nice bed!

    Once again I find a new batch of clothes next to the door.

    Am I getting a new set every day?

    How much is Talisa into this?

    It''s a light tender gown that was dyed a bright blue.

    It feels a bit different than the others, but it¡¯s not worse and I cannot really put my finger on it.

    There lies a note on a piece of parchment next to it, but I cannot read it.

    Never learned how.

    It''s already astonishing that they even have paper here.

    Not so much that Talisa can write, I mean, she looks mature and well-educated.

    And they said the male needs to be around three hundred years old to enable giving birth to them.

    That means her mother should have had enough time to become knowledgeable enough to teach them.

    Wait a moment!

    Three hundred years?

    This isn''t a normal timespan.

    And this is just an indicator.

    How old can an Arachne become?

    Will I still be around in a thousand years?

    No, no, no.

    It''s better to ignore this for now.

    Otherwise, stuff like the progression of time will only drive you mad.

    Still, a thousand years.

    "Nerysi! Are you ready to go? Akasia is waiting and she seemed to be very eager!" (T)

    I really wish that she would use my real name.

    All of theirs have something exotic to them.

    Fitting for spiders, but disturbing.

    And this "Nerysi" she came up with sounds awfully close to those.

    Which was surely the plan behind it.

    Pushing this new identity a bit more on me with a respective name.

    Nonetheless, I am not really able to talk back to Talisa and this name is apparently now commonly acknowledged by all of them.

    So it is hard to say something.

    And she anyways ignores my remarks and keeps on calling me so.

    "Yes, I am!" (N)

    "Fine, I''m coming in then!" (T)

    She enters and smiles when she sees me using the new dress.

    This is apparently important to her.

    "Did you read my message?" (T)

    "Uhm, no. I... I cannot read!" (N)

    I feel slightly flustered about admitting this, but there''s no way around it in the long run.

    "Oh, I''m sorry. Hadn¡¯t considered that. I didn''t mean to pick on you. My apologies!" (T)

    She seems even more troubled than me about this revelation.

    "However, we should do something about this. I will make a schedule next to your weaving sessions and we will teach you in mother''s library." (T)

    "You have a library here?" (N)

    "Naturally! Mother was very fond of books and assembled them here. It''s not surprising that Masiabi didn''t think to show you. She''s not really into books. Or any kind of learning in the first place." (T)

    Truth be told; Masiabi looks more like an outdoor person than a bookworm.

    "I need a bit for the preparations so tomorrow we can get started with teaching you how to read. But for now do you want to know the contents of the message?" (T)

    I nod in response.

    "It wasn''t anything important. I just wanted to inform you that the clothes you¡¯re wearing now I made with your silk. You left enough material behind for that." (T)

    That strikes me and I look down at the gown.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.The different feeling might have been that more thick strands were used since I''d lost control of producing them.

    But that something like this was made with something out of my body is causing a difficult mood of strange pride and uneasiness.

    "I need to say that your quality is good to use for clothing. There are often differences between individuals. For example Masiabi''s is often too crude to weave something fine." (T)

    Getting praised for the spider silk coming out of me doesn''t make it any easier to make up my mind.

    "Shall we get going then? I will just bring you there. You don''t need to worry. Akasia is very calm and well-behaved." (T)

    So you will leave me to fend for myself again??

    This time with the acid monster?

    The worst is what her contribution to what happened to me was.

    She literally doused me in acid!

    That''s just cruel!

    Passing those completely white floors is eerie as always.

    And I simply can''t overcome the panic I experience when we encounter spiders.

    Even more, the giant ones are scaring me to the bones.

    They are sometimes bigger than me and I can just think of how they will decapitate me.

    They leave when we come close, but this squirming at the borders is frightening in its own way.

    I realize that my ability to detect them is not normal.

    Before, I blamed my paranoia on it, but if I have to be honest with myself I feel them around me.

    This shouldn''t surprise me anymore, yet being more aware of them than I was before is not making it easier to cope with my fear, and it is something else to add to me not being human.

    In the end, we reach another of those web doors.

    I start to be able to distinguish the patterns in the walls.

    My weaving lesson might be helping too.

    Talisa lets me open the door.

    Like always, the wall pulls itself apart, yet when I look behind me she is gone.

    This isn''t funny!

    At least come in with me!

    Traitor!

    Since I''m already here, I don''t have much of a choice but to enter.

    The good thing is inside here it''s far brighter than at Talisa''s place.

    However, the decorations are strange.

    This place is pink!

    There are curtains on the walls despite the fact that there are no windows under the earth.

    Also, the commodities are bulky with etched carvings of quite some artistic value.

    And I can see a large canopy bed.

    Everything I see tells me this is the room of a noble lady.

    Or at least it''s supposed to look like one.

    Like something that shall resemble such a room, since I doubt any lady would use this amount of pink.

    And behind one of the curtains, I can see a pair of feet.

    "Miss Akasia?" (N)

    I ask in the direction.

    "Yes?" (A)

    A question?

    From behind the curtain, a person you could consider a lady comes into view.

    She has a fine build, strangely alluring dark-blue hair, yellow-green eyes, and wears a dress in pink and yellow with many layers and frills.

    Not a perfect composition and it looks like she''s desperately trying to create a style.

    "Ehm, nice to meet you? (A)

    Another question?

    "I heard you wanted to meet me? Do you have a special request?" (N)

    "Ah, no. I mean, yes. Well, I wanted to spend some time with you, maybe talk and have a cup of tea. Before that, I would like to know how you are. Are you fine for now?" " (A)

    She seems a little flustered and the whole attire looks more like a role a child would play.

    Something like "let''s play princess".

    I remember her contribution to my torture and her part was one of the worst at that time.

    Well, in hindsight it would have been the spiders under my skin if I would have been aware of them, but from the general feeling I''d put the acid before this.

    "I-I am surprisingly good for now. You know, apart from the fact that my humanity was ripped away from me and dissolved in acid it seems." (N)

    This part is quite a sore spot of mine.

    "Oh, yeah... that. It was really not with ill intentions." (A)

    I can understand that I might be dead now or worse if not for this development, but the way she did it feels wrong.

    She hurt me and is now acting as if there''s nothing to it.

    "I begged you to stop and you just pumped in more!" (N)

    I don''t know where I found the bravery to say this.

    Maybe it''s the fact that she''s acting so timidly or that I''m really angry about all the pain she inflicted and it all rushes back to me again.

    "I-I had no real choice! Doing it just halfway would have been bad on its own. It''s not like I liked it, but Kyroki instructed me to do so. Otherwise, the serum might''ve broke you if it couldn''t do its work properly." (A)

    "And why not just put me to sleep right at the start?" (N)

    "That would have made you weaker at a crucial point and your life was already at risk. It was not really a safe thing to do. You just had a natural ability to adjust as Kyroki said. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have contributed. But she said it would improve your chances and she already had claimed you." (A)

    My memories from that time are a bit fuzzy, yet now I can have her clear this up for me.

    "So this Kyroki hunted me down?" (N)

    "She directly sprinted towards and sedated you as soon as she got sight of you. This was unnatural reckless of her since despite her strong poison she is bodily quite weak." (A)

    So it seems for her I was a valuable specimen for her experiment and Akasia wanted for some reason to make it a success.

    "Why was it so important to you that I survive?" (N)

    "You became my sister. Isn¡¯t that reason enough? Despite..." (A)

    Now for the interesting part.

    "Yes?" (N)

    "You are a former human! I never had the chance to talk with one and this is the closest I can ever get! How do towns look? Can you explain why fire is so important? How do you live together? Do you have a favorite food I could try? Does my tableware look right? I tried so hard to make it good! And do you know any stories about royalty? How does dating work? Is..." (A)

    Has somewhere a dam broken?

    For the next five minutes, I am flooded with in an ocean of questions about human trivia without the chance to answer.

    She appears a bit odd to me now rather than malicious.

    This Kyroki instead sounds more and more like an evil experimenter to me.

    But Akasia seems very tame in comparison despite her lacking common sense for humans.

    However, this is nothing you can''t change.

    It might be good for my mind to have someone a bit more human around me to feel more normal.

    That¡¯s a soothing thought.

    But to make it calming this stream of words first has to end.

    "Ehm, Akasia could I ask you to stop?" (N)

    "...do plants taste different for humans?... Did I talk too much?" (A)

    "You''re stating too many questions to answer them like this and you don''t give me the chance to do so in the first place!" (N)

    "Oh, I''m sorry! I was a little too excited, but maybe we could still try to talk?" (A)

    This seems to be fairly important to her and like I said, there is a benefit if I can educate her a bit.

    And we would maybe get along better.

    And maybe I''m too forgiving to people who tortured me.

    But it seems like Kyroki is the one who¡¯s truly responsible.

    "Fine, we can have a talk if you want!" (N)

    "Really! You don''t know how much that means to me!" (A)

    I have an idea.

 Chapter 14

    I''m still with Akasia in her chamber.

    "Wait! I will make us tea!" (Akasia)

    Tea!

    Real tea!

    We often made some at home and to have some now would be wonderful.

    I mean, I thought everything I enjoyed in the past was taken away from me.

    This would be nostalgic in a bittersweet way.

    She has a table like out of a picture book depicting a tea party.

    Yet it is etched out of stone.

    To be honest, if you look closer everything is etched stone.

    She must really have a liking for working with acid.

    However, she soon comes back, carrying two cups.

    And those are real cups!

    She must have found them in that storage room or have her familiars specifically look for them.

    "I brought the good cups! It''s a shame that they break so fast." (A)

    Is she clumsy?

    "I think this batch turned out well! I''m still starting, but my results get better and better! However, the others don''t want to join my teatime." (A)

    She hands me a cup, yet the scent is off.

    Nonetheless, I want to try it.

    "BWUUAAAAHH!"

    What is this?

    This tastes awful!

    Not even spoiled or gone wrong in the preparation, but completely undrinkable.

    What can go this wrong with tea?

    "Is something wrong? I thought it''s good. Better than last time." (A)

    What was that last thing?

    Did it burn through the cup?

    I have problems getting the aftertaste away, but nothing worse happens.

    At least it''s not poisonous.

    Is it because I''m too poisonous?

    Is this the reason?

    Has my sense of taste changed this much?

    I need to confirm this.

    "Was there anything wrong with the ingredients?" (N)

    "No, I read it in a book! The leaves I used are a possible ingredient." (A)

    "Can I have one?" (N)

    "Sure, I had some leftover!" (A)

    Leftover? Why not just give me the used ones from the pot?

    She hands me one and I recognize it.

    Darkleaves!

    They are useable for tea and valued for giving dishes a mild, calming flavor and being good for the stomach.

    I know this leaf and the scent is like I remember it.

    I nibble at it and it tastes...

    Normal!

    Not a hint of this awfulness before.

    What has gone wrong?

    "Could have anything gone wrong with the preparation?" (N)

    "No, I just dissolved them like always in the teapot!" (A)

    I don''t really know what could have gone this wrong with such an easy task.

    But then I notice something.

    Remember when I joked about this stuff burning through the cup?

    Well, this comes to mind when I see my cup starting to leak.

    It is losing its contents.

    And it fizzles.

    Wait!

    Did she just say she "dissolved" the leaves?

    ...What has she done?

    "How are you dissolving the leaves?" (N)

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Like always! I fill the pot with acid and put the leaves in!" (A)

    Ah, yes!

    That seems reasonable!

    ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!!

    "Akasia, how much water do you use for your ''tea''?" (N)

    "Water? Is not enough in my saliva when I produce the acid?" (A)

    Aha, so the acid is contained in the saliva of an Arachne, good to know.

    Now excuse me!

    Urbh, Urbhh!" (N)

    I start to retch, but cannot get anything out of my stomach.

    "What is wrong with you?" (A)

    "What is wrong? You cannot let your guests drink your saliva! Especially not if it''s acid!" (N)

    "But it''s in all our meals. I mean we use it to dissolve the flesh." (A)

    Does that mean I continuously drank saliva with my meals?

    I didn''t want to know this!!

    "Was there something wrong with my tea?" (A)

    Oh, where to start?

    "You don''t make tea with acid! You use water!" (N)

    "Water? But then the leaves would just swim and nothing happens." (A)

    "That''s why you boil it! Make it hot so that the fluids from the leaves enter the water and the residue is taken out after!" (A)

    Tea!

    I will introduce you to tea if it''s the last thing I do!

    She seems quite perplexed by my revelation about culinary common sense.

    And a bit dejected.

    "But how shall I boil water? I have no fire here." (A)

    "Masiabi is already voting to turn a room into a kitchen. If we two put our voices in too it should be possible, right?" (N)

    "Are you sure about this?" (A)

    "If you say yes I will show you how tea works!" (N)

    "YES!!!" (A)

    Ouch!

    That was loud and clear!

    That was pure determination!

    After this, we chatted for a while.

    The "tea" was maybe not enjoyable, but it is not hindering a proper conversation in general.

    While I may not know this much about nobility, it is safely more profound than her fantasies of princes and princesses.

    I mean it is a bit hilarious to imagine her waiting for a prince to save her.

    Nonetheless, she has an amicable character.

    There is just the general monster problem.

    Still, I am able to tell her about human interaction and it appears that her knowledge already ends at the differences between males and females.

    Still, she listens deeply interested in each of my words.

    She looks quite mature.

    Coming from her appearance she might be the same age as Talisa, but her demeanor is that of someone much younger.

    I still don''t know how old they are!

    "Akasia! Could I ask how old you are?" (N)

    "Oh. You don''t ask a lady for her age!" (A)

    Don''t give me this attitude!

    "Shouldn''t I know something like this when I shall live here?" (N)

    "Yes, you are right. Fine. I am fifty-four years old, Talisa is sixty-eight, Masiabi thirty-seven, Eritu forty-six, and Kyroki twenty-eight." (A)

    That surprises me.

    They all don''t look that old

    "You really appear much younger to me." (N)

    "Oh, my! The human body we chose is not really bound to time in appearance. Also, our real body doesn''t age the way you know. It''s more just growing. We only become bigger with time." (A)

    There is again the point of immortality.

    "So you are saying I will never grow old and become more mature?" (N)

    "Uh, well... I can''t say for sure. There are individual differences. You just turned and might still adjust a bit. But if I may say so, you''re looking fine. At least, you''re much better off than Kyroki." (A)

    I have this small frame of a white body right now.

    A little like a fairy one could say.

    It is not ugly, you could even say that it has something ethereal how I am glistening when light hits me and envelopes my frail body.

    That doesn''t mean I wouldn''t like someday to grow a bit.

    At least as tall as my mother.

    That height would be enough for me.

    "It is a bit surprising that you are so far apart in age from each other. Masiabi said that your mother would need to kill an elder male each time, so I assumed this was a special occasion." (N)

    "You weren''t wrong. But after doing it once our mother could use the genetic material for several uses." (A)

    This sounds again so foreign.

    "By the way, how old are you?" (A)

    This is no real sore point, but I feel a little inept compared to these ages.

    So I mumble quietly:

    "Twelve." (N)

    And this is exactly the reason why.

    Her look screams "how cute!" and this makes me feel embarrassed.

    "Twelve years! You are basically a baby! Oh my! So young!" (A)

    You are the last one to tell me I am infantile Miss "Pretend-princess"!

    "Is this really true? This must be so hard for you at such a young age!" (A)

    And then she hugs me!

    Is this a spider thing?

    Like an instinct to take hold of something defenseless?

    And to be honest, I doubt there is an appropriate age to deal with what happened to me.

    And yes, it is hard!

    Still, she''s not evil.

    And unlike certain others, she has no deadly bodily weapons out while invading my private space.

    So I let her do it and she also releases me much faster than Masiabi.

    And it feels more like affection and less like self-interest.

    After this, it seems the visit draws to an end.

    I ask Akasia to bring me back to my room.

    The floor patterns are still very complicated for me and there are spiders out there.

    On the way, we shortly revisit the idea of setting up a kitchen and the possibility to have real tea continues to spark her interest.

    But as we had the talk already, we keep it short.

    I think it¡¯s still some time before bed if my inner clock is right.

    Because of this, I would like to try practicing with the strings again.

    I want to follow the safety limits as I was instructed since I know how resilient this thread is.

    Also, the strings from my finger are really extremely thin.

    These are the ones I will solely use, not the thicker one from this other place, that still makes my stomach churn if I think about it.

    They''re almost invisible so it''s a wonder I can see them.

    Almost unnatural, as if I have a special sense for this.

    Or rather, another point of this Arachne thing.

    They are so thin, that you could easily cut something off.

    Running into a thread at head height might end with you getting beheaded.

    And ripping it is close to impossible!

    But this is a good reason why I should become familiar with it.

    It''s not like I can run away from my body.

    So I use this weird construction to get used to the feeling of the silk coming out and how to cut it.

    I repeat it with every finger at least once, but never two at the same time.

    It wouldn''t be in my favor to cut myself by accident because I fail to control them.

    Time passes smoothly and I grow tired, so I head into my bed and sleep.

 Chapter 15

    I deliberately took an uncomfortable sleeping position when I went to bed.

    This prevented the legs from coming out, and I could wake up completely normally.

    I look around the room in search of any new things they added while I was out, as they have this kind of habit.

    But then I suddenly stop.

    In the center of my room stands a girl!

    A very small, very young girl!

    She has shoulder-length black hair and wears a deep red dress.

    Also, she''s pale.

    Not as white as I am, but there''s a certain lack of sunlight to her complexion.

    "Hello!"

    The girl speaks to me, but this whole incident is hard to comprehend.

    "How did you end up here? Did the spiders catch you? Are you hurt?" (N)

    "Are you still sleeping? Your demeanor shows that you are slightly confused. Your processing works fine I hope. There shouldn''t be side effects, but you might never know. Your existence was quite a while in limbo."

    I freeze up.

    The way this girl speaks isn''t normal.

    But she looks so young!

    I need a moment but eventually, I realize...

    "Kyroki." (N)

    "It seems your cognitive abilities are operable." (K)

    "Why are you here?" (N)

    "Shouldn''t I check how my little sister fares, after I invested so much energy in all of this? You haven''t shown yourself the whole time, so I thought I should be a little proactive. Isn''t this right?" (K)

    I heard many things about this person.

    Kyroki is apparently an extremely dangerous, mad scientist.

    Yet I would''ve never guessed she looks like this.

    My height is below average, but she doesn¡¯t even come to my shoulders.

    However, what makes her still look dangerous, are the piercing red eyes I just now noticed, which almost seem to glow.

    She makes me uneasy.

    And I fear what she might do to me.

    Suddenly, she closes the distance and touches my hair.

    "It is very interesting to see how much your body has changed! I had my doubts that it might be just superficial, but your insides, your very being transformed completely, fascinating!" (K)

    She is scary how she seems to dissect me with her eyes.

    "Could you bring out your legs? It would be interesting to see how they are growing out of you. They should be directly linked to you and the hereditary information should be the same there as the rest. It would be great to see you one day give birth to an Arachne. I heard you are already producing brood on your own. Would you submit a specimen to me?" (K)

    Creepy!!!

    "Ehm, no? I mean I don''t want to! This is all wrong! Why did you do it in the first place?!" (N)

    "Curiosity! This is one of the main motivations of a conscious being. Understanding of one''s own existence. Don''t you think you have now a different perspective on things like your species, and what you are identifying as yourself? This is knowledge! And you looked like you were in need of a new perspective, so battered like you were. Aren''t you glad?" (K)

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    She seems to look directly through me, her gaze is piercing and stunning.

    And the most frightening part is, she is right!

    When they found me I was done for.

    I pleaded for help and it was granted.

    In the most twisted way possible.

    She at least gave me a way to live on, instead of certain death.

    I would for sure be dead by now if not for this.

    And I could always have killed myself if this was really my wish.

    But I didn''t.

    I want to live.

    At least I can manage for now.

    Nonetheless, she is frightening and for sure has no benevolent character.

    "So you look as if you got accustomed. Are there any needs you had as a human you retained?" (K)

    "What do you mean?" (N)

    "I don''t know. Any food you miss? Water? The urge to clean yourself? Human company? I¡¯m just trying to figure out if you still have to follow any subconscious cognition, remnants of your old existence so to say, or if your mind changed profoundly enough to overcome this." (K)

    "Are you saying that you changed my mind?!" (N)

    This is scary.

    If she can change even that how shall I know who I am?

    "Not your personality. Only your instincts. You have now the innards of an Arachne, which includes the brain. You are not human my dearest. Be honest. When did you wash yourself the last time? And do you have the urge to do so?" (K)

    "Two days before I woke up here I washed myself and no I haven''t, but what are you implying?" (N)

    "Would you consider yourself negligent in your sanitation?" (K)

    "No! This is rude! I just haven¡¯t had a chance to do so!" (N)

    "The truth is, you didn''t even consider it. You don''t have the urge because you don''t need to wash yourself anymore. An Arachne doesn''t sweat and while you sleep your brood comes out to take care of any residues on your body. So it is completely unnecessary for an Arachne to take time for such tasks. And because of this they have lost the urge and you now too. What a development!" (K)

    This feels wrong!

    Not just my body changed, but my mind as well?

    It cannot be this easy to change me!

    Right?

    Wait!

    Did she just say the spiders in my body come out when I sleep and clean me?

    This is nothing I wanted to hear!

    "This was a nice talk and I am glad that you are healthy. I would be very sad to lose you. You are my greatest achievement and I see you as a little sister, so tell me if something feels wrong. I might know you better than you do! Bye!" (K)

    And thus, the creepy horror girl leaves.

    I need some time until I can move again.

    The meeting with that girl was the level of scary I anticipated, yet not exactly the same as I thought.

    Her way of speaking to me was unbelievably distressing.

    And she has such a convincing attitude.

    I begin to doubt myself that my mind is still human.

    And maybe she is right.

    However, I hope that I don''t deteriorate into becoming a frightening monster.

    Please let me stay myself, if only a little bit!

    Please!

    "Good morning, Nerysi! Are you up?" (T)

    A call from the door breaks me out of my thoughts.

    It''s Talisa who apparently every day comes to look for me.

    She said she is in charge of the sisters and like this might feel responsible for me as the youngest.

    "Is everything alright? You are shivering! You shouldn''t feel cold here, right? Did something happen?" (T)

    "I had a visit." (N)

    "A visit?" (T)

    "A frightening little girl who said disturbing things." (N)

    "Kyroki! Sorry, she can be very callous. It''s not that she is evil. To be honest, those she likes have her attention even if it is not necessarily in their best interest. She might come again, but she would never harm you, that much I can promise." (T)

    "Right. It''s just that I am a little shaken now. Was there anything you want?" (N)

    "We have a reading lesson today! You are supposed to come with me to the library. Is that still fine?" (T)

    "Yes, sure!" (N)

    Learning to read would be a fine thing.

    And it is a really generous act of hers.

    I am glad about this kindness.

    We pass along the hallways until we reach another big gateway.

    Talisa opens it up and we enter.

    Inside are... well, books.

    This much was to be expected from a library.

    The point is the presentation.

    The books are lying in coves up to thirty meters high in a round room with a large pillar in the middle.

    Both the outer walls and the pillar are used to store them and the entire room is made of webs.

    Is the pillar just one massive thread?

    How are you supposed to take a book from the top?

    This question gets answered by Talisa in a disturbing way.

    Her spider legs break out of her back, and in only a moment, she climbs the threaded surface of the pillar and casually takes a book from above, securing herself with just those legs.

    Naturally, I panic a bit.

    But because it is the second time, I can keep control over my body.

    Also, she''s not directly in front of me, yet I gulp when she comes back.

    "I apologize, but this is the only way to reach the books and you would have reacted like you just did one way or the other." (T)

    She''s not wrong, but I feel bad.

    Still, it is fascinating how she could climb with her legs all the way up there.

    That they bring such possibilities.

    Not that I want to have mine out, nonetheless she was so fast.

    The book she brought is apparently something like an easy textbook.

    We settle at a table in this room and she explains the individual patterns and makes me read them while directing my efforts with tips and corrections.

    Its content is about the history of some country.

    I''m not entirely sure, but I don¡¯t think it¡®s my country.

    We spend the whole day, or at least I think it was a day, like this and I am dead tired when I¡¯m returned to my room and go to bed.

 A Rough Welcome 1/2

    Ten minutes after Neri''s capture.

    - Masiabi -

    Ohmy, ohmy, ohmy!

    I''ll admit that I''m a tiny bit excited.

    Okay, I''m often excited after I''ve hunted, but this time is different.

    If what Kyroki said is true, she could add this girl that right now dangles from my torso, secured by a string, to our family.

    It sounds so easy, coming from her.

    And I''m certainly not against it.

    She''ll be far greater in this role than as fodder.

    To be honest, I don''t like eating the young ones.

    There''s no spice to them, they''re bony, and there''s not much on them in the first place.

    Also, it goes a bit against the hunters'' codex.

    You shouldn''t kill the young ones as it isn''t sustaining for the flock.

    Instead, you go for the old and sick, and if there aren¡¯t enough of them, the males first and then the females.

    Something like this girl would be quite low on my target list.

    If not for our rule that they''re not allowed in our forest, as it would only bring trouble if they''re allowed to scout our territory, I would¡¯ve left her alone.

    So Kyroki''s solution sounds really great.

    Finally, we reach the entrance to our nest.

    Once we''re deep enough I turn back to human form.

    There are some narrower passages and my huge frame would get stuck.

    Yet now I have to think closer about how to carry the girl.

    "You seem to be in an awfully good mood, Masiabi." (Akasia)

    "I guess I am." (Masiabi)

    "Don''t you worry that she might wake up if you swing her around like that?" (A)

    Oh, I didn''t consider this.

    "There''s no reason for concern. The poison I applied will knock her out for the remainder of the day. We have time." (Kyroki)

    "Do you really think this will work? I can barely imagine it." (M)

    "Don''t get your hopes too high. This is purely experimental. Yet from my first quick check-up, I can tell that this girl has some traits that will support the process and if we all work together I can further improve the rate of success." (K)

    "There are traits that are beneficial for what you''re planning to do?" (A)

    "Sure there are. She''s somewhat frail, has no magic of her own from what I could gather, and is still early enough in her development that there are no solid features." (K)

    "And this is good?" (M)

    She''s saying she''s weak and regarding what I know, Kyroki''s poisons are quite hard on humans.

    "Didn''t you listen? Sure it is. The smaller the expected resistance the easier it will be to force some changes onto her. And as there''ll be barely any resistance at all this leaves her open for massive changes." (K)

    "Forcing... That doesn''t sound pleasant." (A)

    "Oh, she''ll be in a waking hell. You can be sure of this. Which makes it all the more important that you complete your parts without fail." (K)

    Hm, that could make her a bit reluctant to get along with me.

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    "What about you, Eritu?" (A)

    "Wh-what about me?" (Eritu)

    "You didn''t say all that much about this plan. Are you fine with it? You hate humans more than any of us." (A)

    "Y-You know, my little ones went all over her. Climbing all around her body, however, not a single one got even as much as injured. I can appreciate such a thing. Also, she won''t stay one, r-right?" (E)

    The last part went to Kyroki.

    "Naturally not." (K)

    "Will you also be able to get rid of that human smell?" (E)

    "Sure. If you do your job well enough." (K)

    "Then I have no reason to complain." (E)

    We progress a bit deeper into our nest.

    Now the critical part starts as the walls of stone get replaced by our web.

    And Talisa has set up hers in a way that the tension on them informs her of any movement around the nest.

    Which means she''s probably already aware of our presence.

    And unsurprisingly, she''s already waiting at the big junction when we arrive.

    Now we just shouldn''t look too secretive or she''s going to assume we''re doing something forbidden.

    "Ahem, what exactly is going on here?" (T)

    "Hello, Talisa. How nice of you to welcome us." (A)

    "Don''t try to cover it up. It''s already strange that you''re all coming at the same time. Especially Masiabi who would still hunt for several more hours. Yet as I know that your familiars brought already a grown human, I need to ask myself for what reason you''d all go out of your way to personally transport this human girl. It leads me to believe that you don''t intend to deliver her to the storage halls." (T)

    This isn''t good.

    She''s already in scolding mode.

    I''m not sure if we should tell her everything if she''s like this.

    "Eritu, please tell me. What is going on here?" (T)

    Damn, Eritu was never able to withstand our big sister.

    "I-it was Kyroki''s idea." (E)

    "What exactly?" (T)

    "You really had to snitch on me, huh?" (K)

    "S-sorry." (E)

    "What are you up to?" (T)

    "Kyroki said she could turn her into an Arachne!" (M)

    It just blurted out of me. But I really want to see this.

    Now Talisa stares at us with a bewildered, disbelieving expression.

    "From all the things you could have said... If we weren''t talking about you, Kyroki, I wouldn''t give it any further thought since it wouldn''t matter if you''d fail. However, the simple idea that you''re even pursuing such a thing." (T)

    "Sure, whatever. I already have the others on my side, so by rule of majority vote I declare we''re doing this!" (K)

    Actually, Kyroki is right and Talisa can''t do much here.

    While we let her boss us around, as this is a job that none of us really wanted to do, we long ago decided that we would always vote together about the important stuff.

    And getting a new sister is plenty important.

    "Really? You''re all supporting her?" (T)

    "Getting a little sister sounds so great. I could show her all the tricks for hunting and safely killing your prey." (M)

    "Akasia?" (T)

    "You know that I kinda like humans? I mean not excessively, but it would be kinda nice to have someone to talk to about this. I mean, we could have shared interests, right?" (A)

    "Even you, Eritu?" (T)

    "I-I''m not say-saying that I''m particularly supporting this, but I''m not against it either. Can I abstain from the vote?" (E)

    "Even without her, that makes three to one, which means I win!" (K)

    "Do you have any idea how much trouble this could bring? You don''t even know her character! What will you do if she doesn''t turn out as you imagine?" (T)

    "She will be our sister. Family. You do what''s necessary for family, right?" (M)

    She''s still young.

    I''m sure, even if it''s difficult, we can help her adjust.

    I certainly will.

    "Tskch! Do what you want." (T)

    "Uh, one more thing." (K)

    "What is it now?" (T)

    "I would need something to contain her during the process. Something stable that will keep her together. Would you mind weaving her a cocoon?" (K)

    Wow. I need to say, you have to be bold to ask this in such a situation.

    "Why don''t you just assign your familiars?" (T)

    "Because I need an impeccable one. Nothing can drip out from the inside, but it should still be accessible from the outside. And it has to be tight enough that she won''t be able to move, which might cause severe damage during the transformation. Also, naturally so stable that nothing will shift out of place. You''re still the best of us at this. Would you mind supporting your sisters? That little one there as well, while we''re at it. You really don''t want to know what''s going to happen to her if anything goes wrong." (K)

    I''m glad that I''m not in Kyroki''s place.

    The kind of response she''s about to hear should be enough to drive away even the greatest of beasts

    .

    "Sigh! Hand her over." (T)

    What!?!

    "You''re doing it?" (M)

    "If this goes wrong, I don''t want to hear anything about this ever again. However, you had a majority vote and I submit to the rules. The least I can do is make use of my specialty." (T)

    Seriously, I didn''t think it would turn out like this.

    But Talisa isn''t so low as to lie to us here and do something like snapping her frail little neck while she''s in her possession.

    So I hand the string I tied around the girl''s wast to Talisa, who quickly snatches it and walks off to her chamber.

    "She''s not going to wake up, right?" (A)

    "The poison should still last for around sixteen hours." (K)

    Let''s hope so.

    I don''t even want to imagine what would happen if she disturbs our big sister while she''s working on her.

 A Rough Welcome 2/2

    - Masiabi -

    I''m so excited!

    Talisa should be done by now.

    Since I wanted to help I cleaned out one of my trophy rooms in the inner sanctuary.

    Here it will happen.

    Kyroki told us all to gather at this place to go over our different roles in this.

    "I can still barely believe that you can make this happen just like this." (M)

    "Not ''just like this''! Do you have any idea how complicated the creation is? How I had to ingrain the hereditary samples of each of us to map out a proper foundation construct that would be applicable?" (K)

    "No!" (M)

    "Sigh! What did I expect." (K)

    Finally, Talisa arrives.

    Though, I''m a tiny bit confused.

    Where''s the girl?

    "Didn''t you say you would bring her?" (M)

    "What do you mean? She''s right here." (T)

    Huh?

    I really can''t see her.

    She only has a small ball of spider silk that she fixed with a single string around her wrist.

    "Where is she?" (M)

    "Are you doing that on purpose? Right here." (T)

    At this, she raises her arm and the tiny ball dangles down from it.

    Is she serious?

    This thing is barely a third of that girl in diameter.

    How could she fit in there?

    "This surpasses my expectations." (K)

    "You wanted it tight enough that she won''t move. I made sure of this. There''s no space in there to do so." (T)

    "Is she still alive in there?" (A)

    Huh, Akasia sounded really worried just now.

    She must be very into this project.

    "Sure. I only bent her a little at the joints. Starting with a basic setup that would keep her in the center, I slowly applied more lines and each of them increased the tension to constrict her a bit further. This is truly the simplest basics of weaving." (T)

    I worry deeply for the girl.

    "Alright, then we just have to place her. Would you please do so, dear sister?" (K)

    Kyroki uses this more than phony speech.

    However, Talisa slips out of her clothes and grows to her full size.

    It¡¯s at these moments we are all reminded that there''s a reason she''s the boss.

    Regarding pure size, she surpasses us all, though she''s a bit more slender than I am.

    With a few quick movements, she climbs up the walls and establishes herself in the upper part of the room.

    There she prepares some more strings around the area that will allow for easier access and ultimately attaches the string she held the cocoon with to the center of the ceiling.

    A moment later, she''s back on the ground and shrinks back to her human form.

    She grabs her dress and turns away from us.

    "My part in this is over now. Don''t expect any more help." (T)

    And she leaves.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "I suppose the facilities should now be sufficiently prepared. I can only hope you all know what to do." (K)

    "Uh, about that..." (M)

    "Seriously?! Alright then I''ll once again explain it to you. Once she''s awake I first need you to do your part, Akasia." (K)

    "You said something about needing a special acid? Uh, I''m not too sure about this. Using acid on a living being for anything but self-defense isn''t a very nice thing to do." (A)

    "If I didn''t know better, I''d say you''re all out to sabotage me the moment it counts. Listen, as I told you, the acid isn''t supposed to be strong enough to kill her. I need something that can seep inside her without completely destroying the structure. It shall just destabilize her integrity a bit. Or in other words, make her a bit more malleable. If you don''t do this her body won''t be able to adapt to the changes. You''re saving this girl''s life." (K)

    Akasia doesn''t look too convinced.

    As long as she has no reason to do differently, she kills quickly or dissolves dead or stunned prey for our food storage.

    "Now to you, Eritu. Do you know your part?" (K)

    "About this... Do you really want me to give her my familiars? Can this even work?" (E)

    "It has to be yours. Only your brood is small enough to squeeze from outside through the gaps, if Talisa didn''t mess up her part, and it needs your diversity. If you assign them with a clear enough command they''ll willingly join her in the cocoon. Akasia''s acid shouldn''t be strong enough to seriously harm them and once they avoid the brunt of it they''ll be safe inside the body. The girl, on the other hand, won''t have such luck. I need them as a stabilizing measure. Their silk should be able to keep her together and prevent complete disintegration. But even if it doesn''t work, they''ll be fine." (K)

    "If you say so. I trust you here." (E)

    Now it''s my part.

    Though, I''m not sure what I can even contribute.

    I''m only our hunter.

    I don''t have any specialty like the others except for my strong body.

    "What about me?" (M)

    "Yes. There''s something only you can do. Once I inject the serum inside her the girl will go through unbelievable agony. When this happens I need you to put her to sleep." (K)

    "You want me to use my paralyzing venom?" (M)

    "You''re proficient at avoiding harm you don''t intend to cause and applying the right dosage. This might actually be the most difficult part. You''ll have to stay with her and numb her whenever she starts to react. Any form of excessive movement her condition might cause will be detrimental. However, you should only use it if you have to. I''d like to avoid adding too many different substances to the mix. Do you think you can do this?" (K)

    "Sure." (M)

    It sounds easy enough.

    And so it begins.

    The only indicator that the girl has regained her consciousness is the slight wriggling of the cocoon since not a single sound manages to escape from Talisa''s prison.

    Akasia doesn''t waste any time and moves in her spider form into position.

    "Clik, clik, clik, clik, clik"

    Once she''s directly above her she regurgitates the prepared acid on the cocoon, so it seeps inside.

    "Good. We''ll need some more applications later on. Please stay ready." (K)

    It doesn''t take long and the cocoon begins to shake stronger.

    "Now?" (M)

    "No. She can take a little more. But Eritu, you should get started." (K)

    "I really hope they''ll be fine." (E)

    It''s not like this girl is in any state to harm them.

    At once, a small army of premature familiars emerges from all of Eritu''s pores.

    They move along the walls, to the ceiling, down the string, and ultimately vanish inside.

    Kyroki observes this a little longer.

    Then she as well transforms into her own, cute, tiny spider form.

    I guess the girl barely notices her when she climbs onto the cocoon.

    However, while she might be the smallest of us, her poison is unparalleled.

    And without any mercy, she pierces her stinger into the web.

    "Sstk"

    A moment later she''s again next to me.

    With increasing worry I see how the cocoon swings stronger and stronger giving an indication of how much agony this girl is experiencing at the moment.

    "Not yet... Not yet..." (K)

    I can only continue watching, barely able to imagine how it must be in there for her.

    "aaaaaahhhhhh..."

    Then a muffled scream is heard.

    If it''s audible even through the silk it must''ve hurt.

    "Okay, now." (K)

    I don''t waste any time, climb up there and give her a good sting to knock her out.

    "Sstk"

    This should at least help her to calm down.

    "Good. Now we need to continue this for at least twelve more hours and after this, it''s on Masiabi for two more days." (K)

    Excuse me?

    What!?!

    .

    .

    .

    This is really not a pleasant job.

    Inflicting such pain goes against all principles of hunting.

    I spent all the time beside her, trying to soothe her a bit with my presence, occasionally hugging the cocoon a bit.

    But in the end, only applying my paralyzing venom into her helped.

    However, at least her struggle seems to have eased by now.

    It was about time.

    The good thing is, according to Kyroki the mere fact that she''s apparently still alive in there means that we can expect this to be a success.

    This will be really great.

    Only a little bit longer.

    I guess I was really the best for this endurance job.

    The others lack my stamina for such long periods.

    Suddenly, I notice how Talisa enters.

    She walks past me and cuts a single strand.

    "What did you do there?" (M)

    "I cut the holding string. The cocoon will open now. Kyroki told me that your endeavor was a success. So it''s now on me to get her out of there. You can go now." (T)

    What!?

    But I was the one who cared for her the whole time!

    "Masiabi, I can very well assume what you''re thinking. We can''t assault her all at once. I have no idea about her mental state, but it won''t be pretty. Do you really believe that you have what it takes to guide her through this difficult phase?" (T)

    Damn, she got me.

    Talking is more her thing than mine.

    "Grumble. Fine, but I get to meet her as soon as possible!" (M)

    "If you say so. But now let''s get out of here. I''m sure she''ll appreciate some moments of respite." (T)

    While we''re moving out I turn one last time to the wriggling cocoon that I spent so much time with.

    In there is my new younger sibling.

    Welcome to the family, sister!

 Chapter 16

    This night my sleep gets disrupted.

    Some pulse rushes through me and my eyes fly open.

    "Aaahhhh! What is this?!" (N)

    My itch grows as strong as the first time I had it.

    My body cramps and to my dismay my spider legs extend.

    The pain itself is manageable, but the feeling that permeates my whole body is too much.

    I¡¯m confused and terrified and my body won¡¯t listen.

    Someone help me!

    I think I gonna lose it!

    How am I supposed to keep my mind like this?

    .

    .

    .

    I shall not.

    I am not supposed to stay sane.

    The most terrible thing happens to me.

    My skin opens at several places and out of every opening my body has spiders emerge.

    "No! Stop it! No spiders!" (N)

    A seemingly endless stream of them emerges and they just keep on coming.

    They soon cover my whole body and I am paralyzed and cannot react, while they are squirming all over me.

    I¡¯m also still cramping a little which only makes me more unable to act in any way.

    What is going on here?!

    After a length of time that felt like an eternity, the stream finally stops.

    There are still those on my skin, but the itch settles down.

    Please spiders, don''t do anything to me!

    They are everywhere!

    What can I do?

    I am so exhausted.

    Not a single muscle will move.

    Please help, anyone!

    Help!

    .

    .

    .

    "NO!!" (N)

    I wake up from the nightmare, bolting upright.

    I look around, but can''t see any spiders.

    My body feels awfully strained, but there''s not the slightest hint of my experience.

    A dream?

    This must have been a dream!

    Those spiders were too many and too large to have fit inside me.

    I mean the room is clear.

    There is nothing to fear!

    Or?

    A feeling overcomes me.

    I couldn''t see anything in the room, however, there is one place I didn''t inspect yet.

    Slowly and carefully I lift the sheet that covers me.

    I was right.

    Spiders!

    Countless spiders are nestling there between my legs!

    "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" (N)

    My spider legs rush out due to the panic and throw me out of my bed to the other side of the room.

    Disturbed, the spiders are scattering in all directions.

    My flight got them away from my body, but they are so many, they nearly reach me.

    Help!

    "No, no, no! Don''t come close! STOP!" (N)

    .

    .

    .

    Huh?

    They stopped!

    Not just that they ceased to advance on me, but they are all now stock-still.

    What is going on here?

    The whole ground is covered with silver-white spiders of significant size.

    Most are at least half as large as my hand, some bigger.

    And none of them even twitches!

    So many!

    They shall leave!

    "M-m-move b-back from me!" (N)

    Immediately they all settle to the other side of the room and gather there in a giant bulk, surely as big as me.

    This is too much for me!

    Doing the appropriate thing in this situation, I crawl to the doorway, open it and close it behind me.

    Then I rush away as fast as I can.

    The direction is unimportant!

    Just away!

    Away from the spiders!

    I even forgot to retract the spider legs.

    This causes me to fall several times.

    Yet at the same time, they catch my fall and keep me upright.

    Wait a moment!

    Am I running with these things?!!

    No!

    Stop it!

    I retract the legs and continue running the normal way.

    Sprinting at top speed, my "own" legs soon grow tired.

    It doesn''t take long and I am unable to move onwards.

    Completely exhausted and with the leaving of my panic I slump down.

    I curl up into a ball and stay like this.

    Trembling and sobbing!

    .

    .

    .

    "Nerysi? What are you doing here?" (E)

    Eritu!

    "Nerysi, did something happen? My little ones became agitated all at the same time, so I followed the signal to the source. They all refused to come here." (E)

    I am too shaken to answer and remain quivering on the ground.

    "Are you okay? You''re shivering! What happened that you put out such a strong mental scream?" (E)

    Hah, so it was like that!

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "You look really finished. Let me help you back to your room!" (E)

    She bows to help me up, but she wants to bring me back to my room.

    The place with the spiders!!!

    I start to whine and Eritu seems to be lost on how to handle me in this state.

    "Please, tell me what is wrong! I cannot help you if I don''t know." (E)

    All I can manage to bring out is:

    "Spiders." (N)

    "I''m sorry, but I don''t know what to make of that." (E)

    She helps me back up and I fail to gain enough thought to react to us moving.

    We walk along the passageways, while Eritu supports the unsteady me.

    I just get dragged along and cannot bring my mind back into order from my breakdown.

    Still, what I am able to discern, is that we in the end arrive back at my room.

    "No, no, no! I need to get away from here! Don''t open it!" (N)

    "I''m sorry, Nerysi, but my chamber wouldn''t help you I think. You say there is something in there?" (E)

    She opens the door, enters a bit, and stops in her tracks.

    "You had..." (E)

    No!

    Don''t say it!

    Don''t say it!

    "Your first breeding! So early!" (E)

    NO!

    I didn''t want to hear this!

    They aren''t mine!

    "What a great event! We-" (E)

    "No! This can''t be! This isn''t true!" (N)

    "You can''t just run away like this!" (E)

    She turns back to the swarming horrors!

    "Hey little ones! Are you all okay? Did mommy leave you? It''s fine! She is just a little overwhelmed that is all. You all look healthy. Don''t worry, mommy will stay with you all!" (E)

    She starts to tend to the spider army scattered in the room and pets some of them.

    And did she call me a mommy?

    This isn''t true!

    I haven''t given birth.

    This isn''t it!

    This isn''t right!

    "No. I need to get away here. Before they come close." (N)

    "No, don''t go! They are still so young! They need their mommy!" (E)

    "I am not their mommy! These are spiders and I am..." (N)

    "An Arachne! This is your brood! Don''t you feel the connection to them?" (E)

    She cut me off!

    How am I supposed to respond to that?

    And yes, I can somehow feel them.

    I am totally aware of their presence.

    One of the reasons why I couldn''t calm down.

    I thought it was just the remaining panic, but it is the fact that they are on my mind.

    Every single one of them!

    "I... cannot! This is too much. Please help me." (N)

    Tears stream down my face and fizzle on the ground.

    "Sigh, alright. You are seemingly not in a state to tend to your little ones. Maybe I can bring them to an empty nursing room first, but we will have to talk about this!" (E)

    She seems frighteningly serious about this matter.

    "So can you all come?... Hmm, that''s strange! Nerysi they aren''t listening properly, did you give them any superior orders?" (E)

    Orders?

    "N-no, I mean..." (N)

    "Have you said anything to them?" (E)

    "J-just to stop moving and stay away from me!" (N)

    Huh, I had never thought that she could make such a displeased face.

    "Not only something this cruel but also confusing orders. These poor things! Don''t worry I will teach your mother how she has to treat you!" (E)

    This doesn''t just sound terrifying, but her tone is also so serious.

    "You need to revoke your orders!" (E)

    "What?" (N)

    "Just tell them they are free to do what they want. Now!" (E)

    "But then they will keep coming again!" (N)

    "TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID RIGHT NOW! THEY ARE IN AGONY EVERY MOMENT THIS KEEPS ON!!" (E)

    This emotional outburst was unexpected and I am too shaken to react properly.

    I just want this to end and if complying will help...

    "R-right... u-uhm, you c-can all do w-what you want." (N)

    There is not much change in my eyes, yet I suppose while they don''t walk around they grow a bit more relaxed.

    "Good! I¡¯ll take them with me and feed them. Also, I think I will send Talisa to you later. Right now, I am a little too loaded to talk." (E)

    She sounds really angry.

    However, my mind is more centered on the fact that they are going away.

    I put as much distance between me and the door as possible and soon Eritu leaves with an entourage of a horde of spiders.

    This view distresses me deeply.

    I don''t know where to go now, so I anxiously enter my room, checking every little corner... twice.

    I can''t make out any spiders, nonetheless, I am not able to go back to my bed with these vivid memories and instead sit quivering on a chair, hugging my legs.

    After this traumatic experience, I''m a terrible mess.

    It''s impossible for me to calm down and the whole time I''m scanning the walls for any remaining spiders.

    As much as I''m on edge I get totally startled when my name is suddenly called out.

    "Nerysi?" (T)

    Well, she said she would send her.

    And I didn''t bother to close the door or whatever you call this obstructing web.

    "Are you alright?" (T)

    No, I''m not alright!

    Do I look alright?

    All of this is just too much!

    My mind is still too disturbed to answer properly, while I recollect what happened.

    "I calmed down Eritu a little. She expects maybe a bit too much from you. It happened earlier than I thought and you aren''t ready yet to properly nurse them." (T)

    Nurse them!?!

    I can''t even stand their presence!

    Don''t talk about things like feeding!

    "The good part is that they all are healthy and that helped Eritu. She cares very much for them and is prone to take their side." (T)

    "They all came out." (N)

    "Hmh? What was that?" (T)

    "They all came out of me! Squirmed over my whole body! I can''t take this! This is too much! You cannot expect me to do this! How am I supposed to handle this? Those are spiders! They are scary! And I am close to losing it! They were everywhere! It is not right! I can''t stand their presence! I don''t understand anything about them. Why me? That is just not right. It''s not fair!" (N)

    "Let me ask you two questions!" (T)

    "Questions?" (N)

    "First! Where is your brood right now and how is their current state?" (T)

    I know exactly where they are and feel how they crawl in a distressed way.

    They are agitated from being brought there, but they were fed, and that helped them to settle down it seems.

    I point in their general direction.

    "They are confined there and... don''t like it." (N)

    "And you say you wouldn''t understand them. You know exactly what is going on. You are perfectly aware. All you need is some time to get used to them. It''s not like their presence will vanish, as long as you don''t tell them to drop dead. They might do it for you! But you wouldn''t take advantage like this, right?" (T)

    "I don''t want to get used to them! Is it not possible to let Eritu have them?" (N)

    "Second question! How is your condition? More precisely, is your skin better?" (T)

    "The itch and crawling got better without them, but it always gets worse when I''m stressed, so it is around normal now." (N)

    "And what does that tell you?" (T)

    "That the spiders had caused the itch and now without them I am better?" (N)

    "And the fact that it''s still present?" (T)

    I realize!

    "T-that there are still spiders inside me." (N)

    "Yes! If Kyroki didn''t mess up, you should be clear for a month, but they will emerge eventually. They are all yours, so it isn''t an option to push them to someone else. In fact, you should use this chance. You won''t lose the link between you and your brood, so it might be better to get used to them now. Especially as you have for now just one batch to deal with. This will be easier than ten times the amount!" (T)

    She isn''t wrong, yet I cannot bring myself to come close to them.

    "I am too afraid. They terrify me!" (N)

    "The only way to deal with this is to face your fear. You certainly don''t have to worry. They are your brood! They would never act against you! So objectively you are safe. The only problem is your reaction toward them!" (T)

    "S-still!" (N)

    "I¡®ll tell you what! We¡®ll install a room for them, and from now on, every day you will stay at least one hour inside. But one of us will always accompany you, to make sure you can handle it or stop it if it gets to be too much." (T)

    This mere idea makes me tremble all over.

    This sounds endlessly terrifying and the mere prospect makes me anxious.

    I look pleading at her.

    "Sorry! But there is no room for negotiations. This is for your own good! You don''t even need to touch them. It''s just staying in the same room." (T)

    "Gulp!" (N)

    "No way around this! Yet for today it seems you had enough, so we start tomorrow." (T)

    She leaves after this and I stay alone in my room.

    I feel very tired and my body is strained.

    Likely in part caused by my sprint, and partly this incident itself.

    I felt weak as soon as I woke up, so it seems that the process of those spiders emerging is exhausting on its own.

    Yet, I have problems laying back in my bed.

    I can''t forget the experience of lifting this sheet and seeing them.

    Since I initially slipped out of my sac the temperature down here has been fine, so I might be able to sleep without a sheet.

    Or I could simply use the chair.

    But the bed sounds better.

    I lay myself down after throwing the sheet to the side and fall fast asleep.

 Chapter 17

    My rest was no rest at all.

    I had constant nightmares of getting crawled on by spiders.

    And to be honest, that¡¯s exactly what¡¯s happening, just under my skin.

    When I wake up, I feel awful.

    I¡¯m still tired, but I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve slept far more than usual, or at least tried to.

    And I had no food which contributes to the strain put on me.

    I get up and put on the white dress, the first dress I was given here, for today, then sit back on my bed and contemplate if I shouldn''t just try to make a run for it, to escape the future of getting locked in a room together with "my" spiders!

    But all the things I experienced until now are speaking against the feasibility of this approach.

    Still, I¡¯m scared.

    And starving.

    A state the remaining spiders inside me don''t like very much.

    "Hello, Nerysi!!!" (M)

    This sound of approaching forced privacy intrusion is easy to recognize.

    "Masiabi?" (N)

    What does she want?

    "Talisa said we shall go today to your brood, but I thought you would first like some food! Those idiots didn''t give you anything yesterday, right? This is inexcusable. Hunger is the enemy!" (M)

    She entered without bothering to ask and hands me a large sac full of this liquid.

    "Don''t worry it consists only of forest creatures. You must be very hungry. I could always drink the reservoir empty when I have mine." (M)

    There is no reason to hold back and my hunger drives me to empty this sac.

    And so I do!

    It empties fast, but as soon as I''ve finished, Masiabi hands me a second one from who knows where.

    She seems to have anticipated my state and brought some extra portions.

    And I need them.

    After the third, I grow full and stop gulping it down.

    It is strange how I don''t grow tired of drinking this stuff.

    I mean, it''s normal to have enough of a dish if you don''t have any variety, yet I have no problems satiating my hunger with only this liquid.

    Apparently, I don''t really crave any different food.

    The only thing is, I would like to try some of my favorite dishes again.

    The encounter with Akasia''s tea leaves told me that my sense of taste still works like before, so they should be enjoyable.

    "I thought of something." (M)

    That''s a bad sign!

    "We need to do this thing with the room, but I promise I¡¯ll try my best to help you endure it. What I thought of is a little reward for your efforts." (M)

    "Reward?" (N)

    "How about today we go out together?" (M)

    Outside!

    That sounds to me now like a far and distant world.

    I could go back out.

    "Just a little stroll, but I thought you could feel a little entombed inside here!" (M)

    I really want to!

    "I... I would like to." (N)

    Why does Masiabi have such a strange expression?

    "C-... CUTE!" (M)

    And she embraces me.

    "What a wonderful look you just had! Absolutely precious! So adorable! So sweet!" (M)

    I nearly forgot how she is.

    Thanks for the reminder.

    So it is more of a stroll with a walking source of offenses.

    It takes a while, but finally, she settles down and I get free.

    "Okay, I''m ready now! We can get going!" (M)

    Who said that I am ready?

    But the problem is that she is not just taller, but also stronger than me by far.

    So she simply drags my reluctant self with her.

    Since I cannot get my arms free from her grasp, I am forced to stumble along behind her, while I give my all to go against her pull.

    I am absolutely aware, with my new sense, of where this room full of horrors is located and how we get closer with each of her steps.

    "You know, if you don''t like to walk by yourself I can also carry you in my arms!" (M)

    .

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings..

    .

    I''m going!

    I''m going!

    It was not far in the first place, as for some reason they wanted to have them close to me.

    But directly in front of the room my fear again overcomes me.

    "Can... Can we not just say we were here and go to another place?" (N)

    "No can do! Talisa can be very gruesome if you ignore her." (M)

    That she has a sadistic side was clear to me when she told me I will get locked in a room with spiders.

    "I really don''t want to go in there." (N)

    My fear grows uncontrollable and my itch starts.

    At the same time, I notice how the spiders in this room are starting to run wild.

    "Huh, you really must hate this. Even your familiars can feel it." (M)

    "So I can stay out?" (N)

    "Nope!" (M)

    She pulls the threads to open the doorway and gives me a push from behind.

    I stumble forward into the room and instantly feel how all the attention is centered on my person.

    All entities inside here are gazing at me.

    I fall down on my knees, grab my shoulders, and can just look scared around.

    Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder and notice Masiabi behind me.

    "And? Do you want to say something to them?" (M)

    "Talk to them!?" (N)

    "Yes, they understand far more then you seem to think. It''s not like they are angry at you for neglecting them. To be honest, they can just love you. They might not like your attitude towards their kind, but they would do absolutely anything for you." (M)

    "I don''t want them to! They should just leave me alone!" (N)

    Promptly all the spiders retreat to the walls of the room.

    "See! But you should take this back. They try to fulfill your orders, yet when they are opposed to their natural desires, they become seriously disordered. Right now your order to stay away from you stands against their instincts to protect you." (M)

    "But I don''t know what I''m supposed to do!" (N)

    "Just say you take it back for now." (M)

    "Okay! I take it back." (N)

    The spiders immediately start moving again.

    They come a little closer, but feel my aversion and don¡¯t approach me directly.

    "So, we should just maintain this distance. There is a table there." (M)

    I try to focus on the table and ignore the swarming horrors around me.

    If I''m right they have grown a bit.

    And that doesn''t help at all!

    I come to the table and notice a book on it.

    It is the book I started learning how to read with.

    "Talisa said while you¡¯re just sitting here you could also proceed with your reading lessons and that I should use this chance too. Such a tyrant!" (M)

    Taking any possible distraction I try under these distressing circumstances to read the book.

    Masiabi is helping and obviously, she had a thorough education.

    She can read fluently and points out any mistakes I make.

    Still, I don''t know what makes me feel more threatened, the spiders, or Masiabi and her occasional approaches on me.

    Things being like this I cannot concentrate at all.

    I feel constantly threatened and the spiders become wilder with my growing fright.

    After ten minutes, I become nearly unresponsive and just try to blend everything out.

    However, this weird sense makes me frustratingly aware of what happens around me.

    After twenty minutes I start to shiver and my eyes are tearing up.

    "Are you alright? You look really bad." (M)

    "It''s too much for me! They¡¯re looking at me and will come any moment to tear me apart! This itch is driving me crazy and I''m locked in here!!!" (N)

    "They wouldn''t do such a thing! They are-" (M)

    "My brood! I know! As if I could forget when everyone is constantly reminding me! I am no spider! I am not made for this!! Why is everyone trying to turn me into someone else when I am not suited for this?!" (N)

    "You are suited. You have a very gentle side and all you need to do is to share it with them. If you can just hold out a little longer, it will be a great help to you!" (M)

    It doesn''t get any better and after half an hour Masiabi aborts it and pulls me out of the room.

    The spiders became too distressed by my feelings, and I was past my limit and about to break.

    I couldn''t take any more.

    "Huh, you really have some issues! But today was just to get started, so it should be fine." (M)

    "I can¡®t do this! It was terrible! It¡®s just too much to force me to do this! Sob!" (N)

    Now that the pressure is gone, my bottled-up feelings gush out all at once.

    I sob, cry and shout and shiver all over.

    I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m more relieved that it¡¯s over for now, or terrified because I have to do it some more later.

    "You gave your best and more isn''t necessary. Just don''t give up. You did well for most of the time and it will gradually become better. Also, even if you didn''t make it fully through I promised you a reward. It might calm you down to get out." (M)

    Yes, outside. That would be great.

    "Let me just quickly send a note to Talisa or I''ll get into trouble." (M)

    She quickly writes something on a piece of paper that she took from the table where I just trained to read, and puts a bit of distance between us.

    I instantly see why.

    A large spider carrying a bag comes and Masiabi gives her the note without a word, takes the bag, and the creature leaves again.

    Then we get on our way.

    Considering my current state, Masiabi avoids the gathering hall and leads us along a smaller passageway.

    She also drives the occasional spiders, of all different sizes, immediately away.

    I get a hunch about how vast this place is.

    And ask myself how this system of ways came into existence.

    To distract my strained mind, I ask the question out loud.

    "How did you get such a home?" (N)

    "This is easy. Many spiders are able to carve into the sand and for the stone we use acid. There are constantly spiders tasked to expand this place." (M)

    After some time, I perceive how the walls are starting to get less covered and the grey structure behind becomes visible.

    In some places, I can see roots growing through the ceiling.

    Finally, it becomes brighter than before.

    I think this is the exit.

    Yet before I can walk through there I get grabbed by my shoulder.

    You¡¯ve been inside the entire time, right?" (M)

    "Yes, why do you ask?" (N)

    "Then don''t forget to avoid looking into the sky and by no means should you look directly into the sun." (M)

    "Why?" (N)

    "It will hurt your eyes!" (M)

    Isn''t she exaggerating a little? I mean, yes, when you are accustomed to dark places your eyes will hurt when you suddenly change to places with much light, and especially when you go outside.

    But to be this concerned?

    It was always rather bright in those caves with all the white and these shining stones.

    There shouldn''t be more than a slight sting.

    I move to the exit and truly some light enters.

    Real sunlight!

    Yet the passage leading out of here is rather small.

    "I thought the entrance would be bigger to such a large place?" (N)

    "This is just a small one. The tunnels extend through the whole forest and beyond! There are far bigger ways out!" (M)

    This underground network more and more appears to be like a kingdom.

    Queendom?

    Queendom with multiple queens?

    In anticipation, I move closer to the light before me.

    It is really bright, but that might be the contrast to the cave.

    Nonetheless, I eagerly start to rush forward into it.

    "Wait!" (M)

    "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" (N)

    God!

    This hurts!

    Even closing my eyes isn''t completely cutting the pain off!

    Why does sunlight hurt so much?

    I''m grabbed from behind and get pulled back.

    It becomes a little darker and my pain-tearing eyes start to recover.

    "Didn¡¯t I just say you should be careful? After all this time below you need to adjust first to the light outside!" (M)

    "Why does it hurt this much? It¡®s just sunlight! It shouldn''t be like this! I was used to going out!" (N)

    "Wait! You... you don''t know?" (M)

    "What don''t I know?" (N)

    "Your eyes. You were in dark vision mode the whole time. It''s very dark in our place compared to the outside and your eyes strengthen the bit of light in here." (M)

    "Dark vision? My eyes? When did that happen?" (N)

    "Maybe when they started to leak acid?" (M)

    Right!

    Yes, I''m a spider monster.

    I forgot for a moment.

    Searing pain is not good for your thinking ability!

    "So I cannot go out?" (N)

    "Nah! You just have to wait until you are accustomed. Might still hurt a bit, but nothing excessive." (M)

    So I wait at the border where the sunlight enters and find the process a little painful.

    However, I am now accustomed to the sensation and can handle it.

    After five minutes I think I am able to go out.

    Finally, I can leave the spider nest!

    "And? Ready for our trip?" (M)

    Right, the giant hunting spider is coming with me.

 Chapter 18

    I''m finally back on the surface.

    The real world, not this strange world in the cave.

    The stinging pain in my eyes is uncomfortable but bearable and I judge it will become better with time.

    Masiabi is apparently more frequently out here than me and has fewer issues.

    "Now that we are out, what shall we do? Just take a stroll? I don¡¯t believe you would want to hunt with me." (M)

    No, I really don''t want to see how a deer gets ripped apart by a Masiabi in giant spider form!

    But now that I am out, there is something really important.

    "There is something I would like to do." (N)

    "What is it? I will try to fulfill your wishes to the best of my abilities." (M)

    "Can we... visit my home? My old home?" (N)

    "Huh, the place we found you is right at the border of our territory. That''s quite a distance. In spider form, it''s no problem, yet like this we would need most of the day to make it." (M)

    I know there''s nothing waiting for me there.

    It¡¯s probably burnt down, but I really want to go there, if only to say goodbye.

    My face shows my dejection.

    "It might be too early for you to transform yourself, but you know I could carry you if you can bear it!" (M)

    I immediately begin panicking, nonetheless, I really want to go there!

    Or rather, it is important that I do so.

    I need to visit my old home, where my parents died, and... and say goodbye.

    Quivering I answer:

    "O-okay!" (N)

    "Alright! This seems very important to you, so let''s not make this harder than necessary. Just climb on my back and close your eyes. We will be there in a blink!" (M)

    Before she comes to me she lays down the bag she carried and...

    GETS NAKED!?!

    "W-w-why a-are y-you..." (N)

    "Oh, because the clothes would tear." (M)

    I become anxious about how big she will grow and think about canceling this whole idea.

    She stuffs everything inside the bag and fixes it to herself with silk.

    Then she presents her back to me.

    "Now come!" (M)

    I don''t know what is more distressing.

    Climbing on a naked person or the fact that it won''t stay like this.

    However, I have no choice and reluctantly I move to her.

    Yet the moment I touch her, Masiabi¡¯s hands grab my waist and apply sticky silk, and then attach the short strands to her own body.

    She bound me to herself!

    "Wh-What..." (N)

    "Sorry, but the trip might become a little wild and I don''t want you to fall. Now it would be best if you close your eyes!" (M)

    Knowing what''s coming, I do as she says.

    I don''t want to see it!

    However, I still feel how something shifts below me.

    Even with closed eyes, I feel how I am lifted up high.

    Masiabi''s bare back grows hair and my position changes from vertically at her back to lying somewhat horizontally on a padded surface.

    I am still fixed on her back and can''t get off, even if I''d want.

    Spider!

    Giant spider!!

    Don''t look!!!

    We start to move.

    Or rather she starts.

    I don''t need to see to know that she''s fast.

    I feel the wind on my face, the pounding of her steps (from all eight legs!), and the shifts in direction.

    This is an extreme speed!

    Even horses might lose to her, not to mention humans.

    I bottle up my fear and try to silence my screaming mind.

    Though, I won''t be able to keep this up forever.

    Gratefully, it takes just a short time span and after around fifteen minutes she slows down.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.I feel how she shrinks back and when I open my eyes I see how she treats the sticky part of the binding thread with acid.

    While she''s putting her clothes back on she speaks.

    "I really wouldn''t have thought that you would do this, but I am so happy that you trust me so much!" (M)

    Naturally, I¡¯m trembling all over, but I can manage a nod.

    This was a rush through hell for me.

    "So here it is! This is where we found you!" (M)

    I can recognize the stone that I pressed myself against, where the man stood when the spiders overwhelmed him.

    Thinking back to that moment, I still feel very conflicted about what happened here.

    Especially, regarding my current situation.

    After looking around, I recognize the direction I came running from.

    I point there and Masiabi supports my trembling self to walk that way.

    I don''t know if it helps since she''s one of the reasons why I''m trembling in the first place.

    Soon the trees get scarcer and a clearing opens.

    I ran as fast as I could at that time, but my condition allowed only a certain distance.

    So it doesn''t take very long.

    Though all I find are ruins.

    It was some time ago.

    I don''t even know how much time I spent in that sac, but you can see the fire died out a long time ago.

    However, the shocking reality lies before the remains of my home.

    "Dad!" (N)

    A corpse, already in a very decomposed state lies there.

    We lived far away from most of the settlements, so no one bothered to come looking it seems.

    Nonetheless, I know it''s my dad.

    I can even see the wounds that killed him.

    Immediately, tears begin falling down my face.

    I run to the ruin and look for my mother.

    The fire should have destroyed her body, yet when I look at the place I can see a bit of difference in the color of the ashes.

    This is all that remains of her.

    There''s nothing I can do, but I try to gather as much as possible with my gown and bring it to dad.

    Tears are continuously flowing and I try not to hit the ash with them.

    I let it fall on his corpse.

    After all, they really loved each other as much as they loved me.

    I know this.

    "Here! There you are back together. I''m sorry. I couldn''t come back earlier. And mum, you don''t need to worry. My life is a little crazy right now, but I am safe. Hick. You saved me and don''t have anything to grieve over. Your little girl is alright! Hick!" (N)

    I sob uncontrolled while speaking to them and after I''m done saying what I had to the tears continue to fall and I wail without holding back.

    It takes some time, but eventually, I am able to gather myself.

    "F-nd th-m!"

    Huh?

    Was there something?

    I turn around and see Masiabi.

    She wears a slightly forced-looking smile and gives me a clumsy wave of her hand.

    "I just wanted to say... thank you for this. It means so much to me." (N)

    And in honest gratitude, I embrace her.

    And this might be the first time that I get sincerely hugged back by her and not just for cuddling.

    "You are welcome, little sister! I will always be there for you!" (M)

    My existence right now has some very dark sides, but I think that having someone who cares this much about you is not one of those.

    At least I am glad to have someone who is there for me in times like these.

    Everything we had is now ash and charcoal, but Masiabi promises me she will let her familiars seek through what remains.

    And that she will have them bury my parents.

    There¡¯s nothing left for me here and the chance to say goodbye was enough for me.

    We again turn back to the forest and she opens something like a hidden passage.

    It''s a web covered by earth.

    "This way is connected to our home. Should be faster like this." (M)

    "Why are there so many passages?" (N)

    "Security. It''s safer to spread far. For example, there are many points where threads were woven in a way that we''ll notice if they get disturbed. Or mostly Talisa as she set them up. So we have great knowledge if someone would enter. Through this, we are safe from any kind of threat. It would need unbelievable military effort to drive us away! And for that case, there are also many fortifications with sealed food. I think we have a map! Maybe I will show you next time." (M)

    This really is some kind of kingdom.

    It''s clear that they are very powerful and it should be hard to oppose them.

    I mean there are tens of thousands of spiders, some of them giant ones, if I break down Talisa¡¯s past explanation.

    I can''t even fathom how they''d organize this.

    They said they would dissolve all the food into one large amount of this liquid somewhere.

    So the spiders hunt in the whole forest, bring it here and after the sisters eat their share, it gets distributed among the brood.

    This simple thought is disturbing and should throw my old kingdom into chaos if they would know.

    And I''m now a part of this!

    We enter the main structure after some time and again avoid the main hall.

    Yet on our taken route suddenly Talisa is in front of us.

    "It seems you stopped early!" (T)

    "I sent you a message." (M)

    "Yes, and intentionally left before the answer could reach you." (T)

    "It was really not manageable! We need to grant her a bit of leeway!" (M)

    "That is for her sake! How will she manage to control them when the next spawn comes in a month?" (T)

    "She will eventually! She just needs some time! It is not fair to demand this much from her right from the start." (M)

    "I know there are problems, but she needs to learn to care for them on her own!" (T)

    "They can be very self-sufficient! They don''t need much help!" (M)

    "Only if you teach them!" (T)

    "And how is Nerysi supposed to teach them things she can''t do herself?" (M)

    "That is exactly the problem! And because of this Eritu needs now to step in for her." (T)

    "You can''t demand from her to know how to hunt, control them, guide them, make them care for the swarm! She''s too young to know it herself!" (M)

    "And because of this, I¡®ll give her one more day to get accustomed to her brood. After that, Eritu will start lessons. She will need to learn to interact with her brood. There won''t be any tolerance for her problems after tomorrow!" (T)

    "Isn''t this too harsh? Eritu can be quite strict when it comes to them." (M)

    "She''s instructed to stay within the limits. She asked me herself and her abilities are the greatest in that regard, so she makes the best teacher." (T)

    "She will drive her until she''s satisfied!" (M)

    "Then so be it!" (T)

    I wasn''t able to say anything during this talk.

    I have no idea what is coming for me once these "lessons" start.

    My memories of Eritu''s outburst are vivid and I doubt she will be lenient with me.

    This makes me fearful.

    As things stand now, I have only one more day to be able to endure the time in that room and after this, I''m supposed to interact with those eight-legged horrors.

    This simple thought makes me shiver all over.

    How am I supposed to make this happen when I cannot endure a single hour in this room?

    Masiabi already unsuccessfully tried to speak for me, so my pleas won''t find an open ear.

    There is nothing I can do so I remain silent.

    It is rather late now and I''m guided to my room.

    I let myself fall into my bed as soon as it is possible and try to sleep.

 Kitchen Day

    The good thing about sleeping with troubled thoughts is that I wake up without having my legs out.

    The downside is that there are things that do trouble me.

    One is that I will get locked with a horde of spiders in a room that is seemingly far darker than I perceived until now.

    The second is that it might become worse by tomorrow when a fanatic shall teach me to like them.

    I mean she is taking them on strolls!

    It is okay to be disturbed!

    So how shall I make it through this?

    Well, today is just about surviving being in there.

    I just need to stay in that room and try to endure it as well as possible.

    Who am I trying to deceive here?

    This isn''t possible!

    I notice that my clothes from yesterday seem to have been cleaned, and on the table is some of this liquid food.

    The food itself is not bad, but my perception of what it contains is.

    Yet the last time I had something was yesterday morning from Masiabi and because of this I¡®m hungry now.

    It''s not like it is difficult to ingest and so I can down it without greater thought.

    I take the same clothes as yesterday, following the odd thought they might remember them and behave less hostile.

    This doesn''t make sense in the first place, as logic predicts they should be friendly to me by nature.

    But it still gives me a strange sense of assurance.

    As it shouldn''t take long until someone comes, I get ready and wait.

    And soon someone enters.

    "Good morning, Nerysi, I hope you are fine! I heard yesterday was troubling for you!" (A)

    Akasia?

    It seems she is in charge today.

    She wears a blue dress that apparently fits her fine lady image.

    "Yes, It was too hard. I can''t really stand them. It wears me down to see them squirm all over. And I feel bad just thinking about that room." (N)

    I speak quietly as I cannot muster much strength to bring those events back to my mind.

    "That makes me feel sorry for you. But I will do my best today to help you feel better, okay?" (A)

    "I don¡¯t have much of a choice. Talisa is relentless, it seems." (N)

    "She certainly is, yet I doubt she wants to torture you. This is the first time I''ve seen her taking on so much work. She usually is very busy with organizing everything, but has doubled her efforts to be able to have time for you or, for example, to assign me to you. She has taken my workload at the acid facilities right now. You don''t do something like this if you don''t like the person!" (A)

    I didn''t know that taking care of me is making things difficult.

    But it seems so.

    I just wish that there would be another possibility to show me affection than throwing me into the spider pit.

    That''s twisted!

    "If you can hold out today, I have a little surprise for you!" (A)

    I am rather sure now that baiting someone is a spider thing.

    "What is it?" (N)

    "That''s a secret!" (A)

    To escape the awkward following silence I make myself ready to go.

    The way to the room is without issues, yet in front of the room, dread overcomes me once again.

    Part of the reason is that I can feel how the spiders inside become restless in my presence.

    I stop in front of the entrance.

    "Is something wrong?" (A)

    "I... I really don''t want to go in there! They are squirming everywhere!" (N)

    "Yes, I''ve noticed! Must be because contact with you is so rare for them. At this age they need more frequent contact with their brood mother, later they become more independent in that regard." (A)

    "I cannot go in there when it''s like that!" (N)

    "If it''s just the movement, you can simply tell them to calm down. Thinking the order directed at them works too, even over a large distance. We can try it from here and enter when it is settled in there." (A)

    Since I need to make some kind of progress, I try it.

    Concentrating on all those spiders in there is hard for me, but as I don''t directly see them, it is manageable.

    I try to think that I wish they wouldn''t squirm so much, and soon they all become much calmer.

    Akasia claps her hands.

    "This was good work! Let''s go in now!" (A)

    The known sight that makes my crawling feeling get stronger appears in front of me.

    In addition, my hunch this feeling connection gave me holds true.

    Some of them grew!

    There are now some spiders as big as my hand.

    They all seem to grow differently, as apparently, age is not the sole cause of their growth.

    I try to make out the table I sat at last time, but there are spiders covering it.

    No revelation, as this room is filled with a large quantity and they¡¯ve grown!

    Talisa said there should be around a hundred, maybe a bit less.

    This is more than enough reason for panic!

    But then Akasia lays her arm around me and blocks the sight of most of the spiders.

    "Let us settle there, alright?" (A)

    I cling a little to her and let her guide me while I avoid looking.

    "Shu, shu! We need this place!" (A)

    Her presence is apparently enough to drive all the spiders away.

    Like this, we can sit down at the table from last time.

    "We''ll take it as easy as possible! Just concentrate on me and you should get this hour done!" (A)

    I try to focus, but this sensation of always feeling their presence is working against this plan.

    They seem a bit displeased with the fact that I ignore them and direct my attention to someone else.

    It is clear to me that they don''t hate me or wish me any harm, however, Akasia is another question.

    Are they envious?

    But until now my aversion holds them at bay.

    "Are you really sure you are safe? They seem angry." (N)

    "There''s no need to worry! Without an order from their Arachne, they are bound to prevent any member of the swarm from harm. So as long as you don''t tell them to kill me, I should be safe." (A)

    "I would never do something like that!" (N)

    "I know. You are a really kindhearted person. Being an Arachne is maybe not ideal on these terms, but as a trait of my little sister, it''s great." (A)

    "Kindness is bad?" (N)

    "Well, are you a predator and can rip the throat out of a living being?" (A)

    "No, never!" (N)

    "See! But these little ones here need to feed and like this must learn to hunt. Otherwise, they would perish eventually. But I simply cannot imagine you teaching them these things. That''s a problem in itself and we need to find a way around this." (A)

    It would be pure madness to expect this from me.

    "I really hope it will work out to let them get instructed by one of us. And then there is also this other issue." (A)

    "What else could there be?" (N)

    "You are weak." (A)

    "I know I am not very big yet, however..." (N)

    "I think you misunderstood me. You aren''t even bodily weak. Your body got much stronger if you would use it right. What I meant is your mentality. We just spoke about this, but this isn''t the problem. The problem is that your familiars are far more intelligent than you grant them. They see that you are an easy target." (A)

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    I look anxiously around.

    "You mean that they might take advantage of me?" (N)

    "Oh, by no means, no! Rather, I mean that they are constantly panicking when it comes to you. The hostility right now is not just envy, a little bit sure, but mostly they are afraid of what I might do to you, as I am dangerous. Like a kitten walking into a pack of direwolfs. You understand how they must feel under those circumstances?" (A)

    Her metaphor was quite striking!

    I try to look at them, searching for this mentioned affection, but soon need to break the line of sight.

    Too many squirming legs!

    This is now really taking its toll on me.

    The more I am aware of my surroundings, the more the panic that I can''t leave grasps me. And my fear starts to gain control.

    "Look at me, Nerysi!" (A)

    "It''s Neri." (N)

    "What was that?" (A)

    "My name is Neri! Can''t I even keep that?" (N)

    "Why would you want it?" (A)

    "Because it''s all that''s left! I have no idea if anything of the person I was is still there! And that''s frustrating!" (N)

    "So this is the problem. But why wouldn''t you be the one you were before?" (A)

    "Because whatever you and your sisters did to me also affects my mind. Humans don''t sense and control spiders!" (N)

    "I don''t think that you should bind all your identity to irrelevant things like a name or being human. As you see, this is all changeable. There is much more to you than this. So you shouldn''t focus so much on that, Nerysi." (A)

    "But you even want me to hunt! I don¡¯t want to hurt anything!" (N)

    "You don''t need to if you don''t want to. As I said, I like your gentle attitude. In the end, all we want is for you to adjust to living here. And if I learned one thing from studying humans, then it¡¯s that one''s character can change. Best friends become enemies, heroes become tyrants. Just try to make the best with what you have and live with the decisions you make. This is the most important part of life, I think. Not to recognize who you were, but to be able to look the person you become in the eyes. And I like what I see of you!" (A)

    "And because of that you need to change my name?" (N)

    "Nah! That''s because I think it fits you more." (A)

    I am committed to the whims of giant spiders!

    The good point is that frustrating yourself about the ridiculousness of spider monsters distracts you from the countless horrors surrounding you.

    Akasia engages in a new discussion about humans and their behavior to distract me more, but it doesn¡¯t help me much.

    Nonetheless, in comparison to yesterday, I think I can endure it slightly better.

    I am still close to collapsing, but this time I concentrate on the free space that separates me and the spiders and the fact it can''t be crossed.

    This helps me to set in my mind the idea of a safe zone for me, where no spiders can enter.

    Maybe this thought on its own makes it impossible for a spider to come closer.

    In the end, it is assuring me a tiny little bit and I can hold myself in the ropes.

    By the way, the spiders themselves aren¡¯t exactly ugly.

    The silver-white coloring makes them look metallic and their bodies are slender and pronounced, with a good balance between the torso and legs.

    The legs look a bit like blades or spears.

    Still, my fear is not just about their looks.

    What makes me scared is what they are able to do, how they swarm around, and the way they move.

    This room is for me some kind of hell!

    However, as long as I have my safe space I might get through this.

    Yet, as time moves on it becomes more difficult to ignore them.

    The constant stress and cramping wears me out, and I am shortly before a physical collapse.

    I¡¯m having trouble breathing, and I fear what might happen if I lose consciousness.

    This throws me into a loop of dread and I ask myself what I can do.

    My fear grows, the itch gets stronger and anxiety takes control of me.

    I cannot do this!

    I am going to lose my mind!

    I...

    "Okay, we''re done! You did very well!" (A)

    "Huh?" (N)

    "The hour is over. I diligently controlled the time and now we can get going." (A)

    Out!

    I can get out of here!

    "P-pl-please, quickly" (N)

    "Maybe you should at least pretend not to be this happy to leave them." (A)

    She''s right, it''s really not friendly and I can feel their agitation, but I need out!

    "Better go now, before something happens!" (A)

    We exit through the web and close it behind us.

    First, I need to take a deep breath to settle my troubled mind again.

    Yet only a moment later, Akasia claps her hands.

    "And now I promised you a surprise!" (A)

    "What is it?" (N)

    "We need to go there to see it." (A)

    "I am not going to cover my eyes!" (N)

    "No need to. I¡¯ve made sure the way is clear of familiars. (A)

    We get going and I notice that we are walking to the outer areas.

    We pass that underground river that has something like a crude bridge of webs to pass over it, despite the fact it only reaches my ankles.

    Yet it seems that the smaller spiders don''t have the luxury of being large enough.

    Shortly after, we come to a strange part of the structure.

    It is strange in that there are no webs on the wall.

    They abruptly stopped and clear stone is now visible.

    What is also noteworthy would be that it looks weirdly new.

    I mean, not like an old cave that formed over time, but a clear, polished surface that seems recently formed, or to be more precise, etched!

    I believe this part was built in a rush and should not contain anything.

    Also, we are rather far apart from the main structure

    So why are we heading here?

    Finally, we come to a stop in front of a room that is not much more than a vacant opening in the wall.

    However, the ceiling is a bit circular, like a dome with a hole in the middle.

    Also, the sides are strangely formed, extending into the room on the ground level.

    They look like a bench but are too high, more like...

    A kitchen counter!!!

    This is a kitchen!

    I look at Akasia and she wears a proud smile.

    "You know; it was a hard piece of work to convince Talisa. She hates fire! Only after I told her it is for you, did she give in. She has a soft spot for you." (A)

    It''s hard to believe that someone I don''t even know a week cares that much for me.

    Talisa always gives the impression of being very hard.

    So that development is a sharp contrast to my picture of her.

    I don''t know, but maybe it has to do with the point that she is the oldest sister and surely had to take care of them.

    It must be hard to parent all of them, and I doubt you would come far without being strict. Especially Masiabi should have been a hard case.

    But now I have my kitchen.

    Yet, it''s quite empty here.

    Foremost there is one problem.

    "Ahem! Akasia, I see that you prepared the room to contain the fire. And the hole for the smoke was a very good idea, but where do we actually make the fire here?" (N)

    "Ehehe, I hoped you could tell me that! I have no idea how making a fire works!" (A)

    Oh right! The giant spider that just liquifies all her food had no need to learn the ground aspects of cooking! I really shouldn''t be surprised.

    Yet for real, is some common sense seriously asking too much?

    "Alright! We need a firepit, something like a small hole to contain the fire where we want to start it." (N)

    "I can do that!" (A)

    In general, you would lay out stones in a suitable shape for the task.

    Like this, it wasn''t part of my planning that Akasia would retch up a puddle of liquid that burns a hole in the ground.

    You know, this really is contradicting your attempts to look like a noble lady.

    Soon, a hole is etched wide enough for our needs.

    Now to the instructions!

    "When we want to make tea here, we need three things for the fire. First, some wood to burn, also something very dry to start the fire, and a fire striker." (N)

    "I understand the first two, but what is a fire striker?" (A)

    "It is simply a special piece of metal. You clank two together and sparks are sent flying. The sparks ignite the dry starter and this ignites the wood. Adventurers often use those to make a campfire." (N)

    "Ah! Then we surely have one in the storage. We catch so many of them there must be one who had something like this." (A)

    Why does always every talk, even about making tea, have to remind me that they are cruel monsters?

    "Sigh! Right, also we need the normal things for tea. You know, a pot, cups, a plate to heat it on it, the leaves, and water!" (N)

    "I just didn''t know!" (A)

    "It really didn''t come to you that there might be an issue with humans drinking acid, especially of an Arachne?" (N)

    "The book said to dissolve the leaves." (A)

    "I am absolutely sure you made a mistake while reading it, or there is something seriously wrong with the author." (N)

    "It''s not nice to make such a joke at the cost of the reader!" (A)

    Seriously?

    Against this level of denial, I don''t even want to bother.

    "Please wait here, I am starting to collect the things." (A)

    She isn''t leaving the room but looks very confident.

    Like this, I wait, and truly, after ten minutes the things we need all magically appear in front of the room.

    Yes, since magic exists that must be it!

    There is no other possible explanation of how the needed items are gathered here!

    Don''t challenge this statement!

    I start with the preparations and Akasia helps.

    First, I fill the fire pit with wood.

    Then I put the tinder for the fire above and around it.

    To my dismay, it consists entirely of dry webs.

    They should burn well, but I still don''t like it.

    A fire striker was gladly found too.

    Please, let this color be rust and not blood!

    Like this, I can successfully ignite it.

    Then I place the plate, which is something like a long, flat, oval stone over the ordeal.

    On top of all this comes the teapot, filled with water from the underground river.

    Like this, the pot will soon get heated, and afterward, I will add the darkleaves to the water.

    I chose them because I wanted to show Akasia the contrast between her "tea" and mine.

    She seems to be very interested in the procedure.

    It soon gets heated, however, I notice I made a mistake.

    And Akasia notices my troubled face.

    "What is wrong?" (A)

    "I forgot something to grab the pot. It''s too hot to touch it bare-handed!" (N)

    "Why not just cover your hands?" (A)

    "And with what? I have nothing here!" (N)

    "You always have something! This!" (A)

    She reaches into her clothes and pulls out...

    a thick string!

    Ah, yes!

    Spider silk!

    How could I forget?

    Well, because I wanted to!

    It seems she uses the navel strands, and soon there is enough to cover her hand well enough to be protected from the heat.

    She takes the pot with this and puts it on the counter.

    Now I just have to put the leaves inside.

    "I wish we would have a way to extract the leaves out of the boiling water. It is not ideal to let them stay inside." (N)

    "Are you really not asking the Arachne next to you if she has a net?" (A)

    With fast movements she knots the thread she spun before into a web.

    "Just put the leaves inside this." (A)

    It is not surprising that she''s good at this.

    I fill the web with leaves and put it in the teapot.

    And finally, I can enjoy the missed scent of fresh tea.

    "And this is tea!" (N)

    A little bit of pride wells up within me.

    But for real!

    I managed to make tea in the spider hell!

    That is an achievement!

    When it has cooled down enough, I fill our cups.

    I take a careful sip.

    Exactly like in the past!

    This is a very special moment for me as it reminds me a bit of home when everything was still okay.

    I am glad to have this moment!

    Nonetheless, I ask myself how my results are received by the other party.

    "And?" (N)

    "This is different." (A)

    "Different good or different bad?" (N)

    "I don''t know. I''m more used to my acid. So this is a very foreign taste for me. It''s hard to appraise, far more to judge." (A)

    "I don''t know what to say. For me it tastes normal! Yet, maybe it''s good that you don''t say you hate it right from the start. Maybe I was looking for some common ground between us. Would be nice." (N)

    "Oh, you''re so sweet!" (A)

    And I get a hug.

    "Then give me another cup!" (A)

    "You don''t need to force yourself." (N)

    "Are you joking? I link this taste now to my wonderful little sister! There couldn''t be anything better!" (A)

    Even if they are all ferocious monsters, sometimes there are moments when I forget about that completely.

    After all, they obviously care for me and this is more than I could''ve hoped for!

    This is a reason to be grateful.

    This is the reason why I smile right now.

    The tea party goes a while and to talk to Akasia with real tea can be quite stimulating.

    I suggested that we maybe could also prepare meat and have a little event with Masiabi.

    She wasn''t completely against it, but it seems she would like to hold private tea times.

    After we are done, the fire has already extinguished by itself.

    Akasia brings me back to my room.

    In general, this day was rather nice, if you forget about the spider containment room.

    Having nothing else to do, I kill some time in my room, mostly with the thread construction, and after this, I go to sleep.

 Chapter 19

    "Wake up!" (E)

    My rest gets violently disturbed.

    "W-what is wrong?" (N)

    "Nothing, but I want to get going. They are waiting!" (E)

    "Eritu? Why? What? I am confused." (N)

    "You obviously are! Today is your first assignment to take care of your familiars. You ignored them long enough!" (E)

    "I was just there yesterday!" (N)

    "And what have you done with them? Did you grant them the slightest bit of friendly attention? Now stand up, we''re going!" (E)

    "Wait! I am not even clothed!" (N)

    "That isn''t of importance to them." (E)

    "It''s of importance to me!" (N)

    "Then hurry up! I don''t want to waste time!" (E)

    I really don''t recognize Eritu like this.

    She was so much shyer and for sure not as aggressive as this.

    Is she this mad at me?

    That''s a little sad since I really can''t do much about my fear of spiders.

    Therefore, it''s not fair to hold this against me.

    I feel that there is no way to talk back, so I go to put on my clothes and find that there''s a new set in bright blue.

    I might just put on the old ones since I''m not sweating which isn''t so bad if you think about it, regarding the fabric.

    However, wearing something fresh should be nicer, so I''m going with this.

    Eritu grows visibly impatient and I start to feel distressed.

    The itch is a very good indicator of that!

    She is almost pushing me out of the door when I''m somewhat done.

    Yesterday, I used a pot of water to wash my face.

    Something that I''m apparently not allowed to do now.

    Like always, my fear grows the closer I come to that room.

    I might know what awaits me there, but this doesn''t mean it''s any easier for me to get by with this situation.

    I slow down the closer I come.

    "Don''t stop now! Keep going!" (E)

    "I-I really don''t want to! I hate it in there! It''s just too much for me!" (N)

    "I anticipated you would say something like this, so I brought a little help with me to motivate you!" (E)

    "Help?" (N)

    "Here it comes! Now it''s up to you what you prefer!" (E)

    She points back in the direction we came from.

    Wait!

    Why is there now a wall?

    We came from that way!

    There can¡¯t be a wall!

    And not in black!

    And...

    Is it coming closer?!!

    Th-th-the wall is moving!

    And somehow vibrating or rather... SQUIRMING!!!

    Those are countless spiders, enough to fill the hallway from top to bottom!

    Panic! PANIC!

    I need to run, but my legs are shaking so much.

    I stumble away as fast as I can and keep on crawling when I fall down.

    Eritu is crazy!

    And where is she?

    I-I think she got just sucked into this wall!

    Away! I need to get away!

    I run through the passages to the best of my ability.

    Despite my meager attempts at running and its obvious inadequacy the spider wall is not closing the distance.

    Still, they are everywhere and squirm along the walls, ceiling, and ground in my direction.

    I come to a junction, but from one of the two other ways another wall is coming my way.

    This is hell!

    There are so many I cannot see even a glimpse of the other side.

    And the most terrible part is that the one way left open directly leads to the room with my spiders.

    But in there isn''t much better!

    And as expected, when I reach the room, on the other side of the hallway is another wall of spiders.

    There''s no other choice but to open the room.

    I rush to the opening, jump, and fall in there.

    Inside, I am on my knees and the panic I felt takes hold of everything.

    Some of my spiders are coming to me agitated by the terror I experience.

    Some crawl along my legs, but I cannot do anything.

    All my strength left me and there''s no escape.

    I whine, fall down, and stay in the fetal position hoping this all is just a bad dream.

    With this stupid sense for the spiders, I perceive that they are gathering between me and the door, directed at the entrance.

    It''s nothing I can process now and I just keep crying.

    Some more are also climbing on me, but they¡¯re also focused on the entrance.

    "Skch! Skch!"

    They hiss in this direction.

    "Hey! I did this for you! I brought your mother here. Don''t be like this! Aren''t you glad? She came here of her own volition and isn''t even backing away from you!" (E)

    This is a bad joke!

    More forced than this isn''t possible!

    So cruel!

    "And Nerysi? What do you have to say for your brave little ones? They are ready to fight an overwhelming opponent for your sake!" (E)

    I cannot answer!

    I''m beyond my limits and lost the slightest bit of control over my body.

    There is nothing!

    I think about nothing and disconnect myself from this evil world.

    "Nerysi?" (E)

    Nothing is good!

    "Hello!" (E)

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Nothing doesn''t hurt!

    "Hey!" (E)

    Nothing isn''t cruel!

    "Answer me please!" (E)

    I don''t even need to cry anymore!

    "Please! Say something!" (E)

    It''s okay!

    I don''t need to be there!

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Is she broken? Please wake up! It wasn''t meant to be like this! I just wanted to show you that you can feel safe here!" (E)

    I don''t want to be there!

    I don''t want to be aware!

    "Please let me through to her! I need to look!" (E)

    I know that when I let myself feel just the tiniest bit, my mind will break.

    I think my body gets shaken, but it feels so distant right now.

    "Please! Wake up!" (E)

    Did someone just pull my eye open?

    There might have been light!

    Yet, I disconnected the input.

    "Please! Help me!" (E)

    Why bother with a painful world?

    "Sstk"

    "GASP!" (N)

    I jump up and find myself on some kind of stone table.

    There''s a weird smell everywhere around me that likely comes from all the potions scattered everywhere on all the stone crevices in this room

    "You are alright! Oh, thank you!" (E)

    Looking around, I find Eritu holding my arm.

    I need a moment to process what I see, but I think she''s totally scraped up.

    Did she roll all the way down a mountain?

    "You are seriously overdoing it with your arachnophobia! To completely shut your mind off. I had to pump you full of stimulant!" (K)

    Kyroki?

    "What''s happening here?" (N)

    "You experienced an extreme panic attack and were completely unresponsive. Eritu brought you here as soon as she could get you away from your familiars." (K)

    "Away?" (N)

    "Ehehe, they weren''t too pleased. Thought I wanted to harm you. They were quite aggressive." (E)

    I look back at her, still remembering this horrible sight of the spiders.

    ¡°You chased me down with all your demons! Just why did you do this to me?! Just why?!¡± (N)

    ¡°I-I was only trying to show you that your familiars are there to help you! That you can rely on them to protect you. Although, it seems they didn¡¯t appreciate me either.¡± (E)

    Wait!

    Those scrapes!

    "They hurt you!?" (N)

    "Oh, it''s not as bad as it looks. I managed to fetch you without hurting any of them. Didn''t have much of a choice. If I would have used my own brood to help, it would have ended with causalities, so I took the responsibility, as it was somewhat my fault." (E)

    I don''t know how to respond.

    I''m now rather sure she set it up so that they wouldn''t catch me, as I was really slow, but that doesn''t make it right.

    However, she got hurt!

    And that in some way because of me.

    "You were in danger, right? I didn''t want this." (N)

    I cannot bring myself to say more to her.

    Not to a small degree because I''m miffed at her.

    "It''s not like my life was in danger. But they are dangerous. I need to say, they are very strong, even for the brood of an Arachne. And extremely overprotective! I think they try to make up for your inability to fight on your own. They didn''t want to let me take you. But I managed to convince them." (E)

    "Was I really that bad off?" (N)

    "You were very far away. There are some interesting points, like that this ability to escape your own body is certainly unordinary. This leads to the question if you could use it for some purpose, like taking control over other entities, if directed. But I digress from the subject! Let''s say, it was unclear when or if you might come back on your own or if your body stays fine during the time you aren''t controlling anything. Yet apparently, chemicals work even in this state, as evidenced by your awakening." (K)

    "Thank you, I guess?" (N)

    "No need! A physical examination was long overdue. I could confirm that there are no anomalies with your body. For an Arachne that is. Did you know that your fangs emit a strong narcotic?" (K)

    "Narc-, narcotic?" (N)

    What is this?

    It seems Kyroki can sense my confusion and answers.

    "Sigh. A narcotic induces sleep. Not necessarily deadly, yet like with everything it depends on the dosage. Too much and your prey sleeps forever, so to say. Yet this is suitable for hunting as living meat remains fresh." (K)

    I seriously didn''t want to hear this!

    I''m not going to eat something alive!

    Just saying "no problem" would have been enough!

    "Well, for me this was an interesting experience and I am glad to have witnessed this! You can go now." (K)

    With this, the creepy little girl moves to the other side of the room to do "something" over there.

    Now there¡®s just Eritu remaining.

    "Ehm, Eritu, I''m sorry that I cannot be to those spiders what you think I should. It''s just too much for me. I know you must hate me for being so useless." (N)

    "I don''t do that! It''s just... it''s dejecting. You and they are family in some way and can''t be together for apparently no other reason than that things are as they are. This feels so wrong! I mean they love you! They would have all given their lives for you! To find something like this is wonderful! And that you hate them makes me so sad!" (E)

    "It''s not really hate, you know." (N)

    "Huh?" (E)

    "I am deeply scared of them, but I think there is a difference. I don''t wish them something bad. I just feel dread when I come close to them. That doesn''t mean I hate them." (N)

    "So you like them?" (E)

    I never said that!!!

    "Y-y-you can''t directly jump to this conclusion!" (N)

    "But you''re not saying it''s impossible." (K)

    You already opted out of this talk!

    "No, I¡¯m not. Well, it''s not like they are evil." (N)

    "Then there is hope!!! This makes me so glad! All I need to do is let you overcome your fear! To somehow adjust you to their presence." (E)

    "Wait! What do you have in mind?! This approach was obviously bad!" (N)

    "Don''t worry! I just need to be more careful and pay attention to your limits!" (E)

    This is a reason to worry!!!

    Since this room is somehow unnerving, as I have the feeling that very sinister things occur here on a regular basis I want to take my leave.

    "Ahem, then goodbye Kyroki!" (N)

    "Yes, yes! Try not to fall out of yourself again. And come again soon, I would like to analyze your magical potential next time." (K)

    As interesting as this sounds I think I will take my time.

    As I was leaving, Eritu urged me to go once more to the spider room.

    She assured me I only need to go for a short visit and can leave directly after that.

    Yet, it seemed fairly important to her, as apparently she promised the spiders that I would be alright if they let her take me.

    And because of that, I have now to confirm that for them.

    I had not much to reply, as battered up as she was.

    We arrive once again at the door to hell.

    Yes, I know that this is not nice to the creatures inside that are seemingly my familiars.

    On the other side, they nearly wrecked Eritu and she has as well this super tough skin.

    They are like living daggers, just that you can put acid, poison, and extreme aggressiveness into that count too.

    But to my benefit, this time there''s still a free escape route.

    I already know that they are waiting when I come close.

    They assembled themselves in a half circle around the entrance.

    I would love it to run away right now, but at the same time, it''s hard to make an exit here with this kind of atmosphere.

    So I open the door.

    They''re all looking at me!

    "H-h-hello?" (N)

    Is this relief?

    They are obviously easing up now.

    Or is it just me who can see this?

    I close my eyes in an attempt to divert my focus from that horrible sight.

    I might sense them still, but it is different to use this perspective.

    "Say ''thank you'' to them for protecting you!" (E)

    I am reluctant to do so, as it would be talking to spiders.

    However, it is not like something bad might happen because of this.

    "F-fine! Y-you k-know that I-I have problems being here. B-but I think y-you all just want my b-best, so I think that..."(N)

    I''m searching for something to say.

    "Maybe you sh-shouldn''t attack e-everyone just because o-of me, I doubt that I''m that important. N-nonetheless, E-Eritu said you were v-very brave o-only for my o-ordinary self a-and so I should say ''thank y-you''!" (N)

    They didn''t like the part where I ridiculed myself, yet the last part made them all excited and they start to make some kind of little celebration here, running left and right, jumping up and down.

    And because of that horrendous sight, I quickly close the room and put as much distance between me and that place as possible.

    Soon I notice Eritu beside me.

    "And? Are you happy now?" (N)

    "Absolutely! They all looked so cheerful! That was very important to them!" (E)

    "I really can''t stay there long! This is honestly the limit of what I''m able to do! And I really don''t know how any of you can believe that I could possibly teach them anything!" (N)

    "Yes, that will be a problem! The only solution I have would be to mix them with our brood. In general, we divide them for better transferring of the orders, and so we can specialize them in the different roles, but like this, they might find out what is important to know. That would need a great amount of autonomous thinking. However, what I''ve seen today indicates that they are very able to act on their own. Still, we need to work on your bonding. It might not be the kind of link you could lose control over, but this is a completely different matter if you don''t even enact control at all. That''s something you need to learn!" (E)

    I really don''t want to!

 Chapter 20

    The next day eventually starts and I''m once again in for another round of facing my worst nightmares, no matter if I want to do so or not.

    As usual, I don''t have much of a choice but to get dressed for the day.

    For that purpose, there''s another light dress in my room.

    This time in bright pink.

    I should probably be more at odds with the fact that Talisa apparently always enters here to bring me new clothes.

    Also, by now, the wardrobe threatens to become overly full.

    And to add another point, I know where the fabric comes from, but where the hell is she getting the dye?

    Do I want to know how the pink was created?

    Please, let it be flowers.

    Anyways, like the other times I don''t have much of a choice but to wait in my room.

    I''m still not ready to wander aimlessly through the sanctuary, dealing with all the giant spiders from the others I''d meet along the way.

    Though this means I don''t have much to do during the day.

    However, this doesn''t mean I appreciate the terror waiting for me in that room as a change of pace.

    Eventually, the dreaded moment comes and I perceive someone outside the web door.

    "Heyah! Nerysi! How are you?!" (M)

    Masiabi!?

    She''s already running in my direction when I see Eritu behind her.

    What is going on here?

    That''s all I can think before Masiabi tackles me onto the bed.

    "Umph!" (N)

    At least, she was careful not to hurt me, with the way she jumped, but now she has wrapped her arms around me so I''m completely unable to wriggle myself out of her grasp and escape.

    "Oh, my sister! Did I already tell you how nice your hair is?" (M)

    Did I already tell you that you''re too pushy?!

    "Masiabi, we agreed to go easy on her." (E)

    "Wasn''t that just for you?" (M)

    "Sigh. No, it goes for everybody." (E)

    It''s certainly not working out for me, the way she''s fiddling with my hair!

    "What are you doing here?!" (N)

    That was quite the outburst for me, but it''s absolutely too much for the morning.

    Is this the retort for saying I was bored?

    "Naturally, this is about your assignments for today." (E)

    The dread I feel at this makes me directly go meek again.

    "You mean the spider room?" (N)

    At this, Masiabi frees me from her grasp and quickly circles around me, as if she''s intending to present something.

    "Nope, not today. We have a surprise for you." (M)

    "A surprise?" (N)

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    What are they planning?

    Now I feel uneasy about my prospects.

    "We... discussed yesterday''s events and came to the conclusion... that maybe I went somewhat wrong about my approach." (E)

    "You were far too forceful! The exercises aren''t supposed to harm her!" (M)

    "Yeah... Anyway, for this reason, we thought about trying something else today. Something that hopefully won''t cause such a reaction." (E)

    Should that soothe me?

    The way Masiabi grins is probably supposed to assure me and she might be much, but not dishonest.

    Nonetheless, I am very concerned, having no idea what could make forced interaction with my familiars even the slightest bit more positive.

    "What do you have in mind?" (N)

    "We''re going on a stroll." (E)

    Huh???

    Are they for real?

    I mean, being outside is nice, even if the sun stings my eyes.

    But how is this supposed to work?

    "It was all my idea!!!" (M)

    Did she have to jump with waving hands at this?

    "Masiabi said that you had a positive reaction to being outside, so rather than lock you in a room with them where you''ll feel oppressed, we''re going for a way that grants you the space you apparently need." (E)

    "I don''t really understand." (N)

    "It''s quite simple. Last time, I tried to push you into relying on your familiars for protection." (E)

    "That didn''t work!" (M)

    "Yeah... So this time, rather than forcing you we''re going to just have you and your familiars outside. You''ll have the space you need, interact with them in a more practical environment, and learn to rely on them for protection. They don''t have to be close to you, but you need to make them stay in the vicinity. It would be a problem if they scatter too far. This will require you to control them. Do you think you can manage?" (E)

    Actually, I don''t know. But I need to say, it sounds far more achievable than my forced stay in the room.

    Knowing that there are oversized spider monsters in the woods, stalking me, won''t be great, but still far better than seeing them all close to me without any chance to escape.

    Aside from this, being outside is nice.

    "I''ll give it a try." (N)

    "See?! I told ya!" (M)

    "It''s encouraging to hear that you''re open for this. It makes me happy that you''re willing to put in some effort." (E)

    Basically, I mostly want to avoid the cramped spider room.

    "Uh, when are we heading out?" (N)

    "After breakfast! It''s important to eat enough and have some energy before you''re going to move." (M)

    "Breakfast?" (N)

    I barely know the time inside this cave.

    "Yes, I brought some with me, so we can all have fun together here while we eat together!" (M)

    Here?

    Did she just invite herself to share a meal in my room?

    "Uh, here? Do you intend to eat with me at my table?" (N)

    At this, Masiabi grins at me.

    "No, not there!" (M)

    "What?" (N)

    Masiabi runs outside and seems to argue with someone.

    "No! Give it to me! She''ll be afraid of you, so this is the better solution!" (M)

    "Hiss"

    Am I right in the assumption that there''s currently a giant spider that made this respective terrifying hissing sound?

    Yet whatever dispute Masiabi has with her, it apparently settles.

    Then she returns.

    And leaves me stunned.

    She''s carrying a round black stone tea table that looks like it was etched into form from a single solid block.

    It has a flat plate, then a narrow pillar, that ends in four even standing legs.

    It must be unfathomable heavy, that thing, but Masiabi simply carries it to the center of the room without even looking strained.

    "Not done yet!" (M)

    She leaves again and returns a short time later with a small boulder, prepared with acid so it stands stable and provides a seat with a shallow dent for the buttocks.

    That one was as well decorated with intricate etched carvings and seems to be intended to pose as a stool in a set with the table.

    "The first!" (M)

    This she repeats three more times till there are four boulders around the table.

    "And here it is! Akasia sends it for you as a ''get-well'' gift. She was very worried about you." (M)

    I look at the setup.

    Just from a short glance, I can tell that this must''ve taken an incredible effort to create.

    The general form is already difficult enough, but the many intricate carvings with their complex patterns are simply too much.

    "Now let''s eat!" (M)

    "Fine, if Neri doesn''t mind." (E)

    It''s thoughtful of her to ask me if I''m fine with sharing a meal in my designated room.

    "I-I don''t mind." (N)

    "Great! Then let''s have some! I brought enough for everyone! This is gonna be great! I don''t even know when we ate together the last time, Eritu." (M)

    With this, she puts three of the usual sacs on the tea table.

    "There''s much more where that comes from!" (M)

    Eritu slowly, but gracefully takes a place on one of the boulder stools.

    "It''s been a while since we sat together like this." (E)

    "And naturally you too, Nerysi! I''m so happy to be with you all!" (M)

    "I guess it''s nice." (E)

    "We really should invite the others next time! I''m sure they''d be totally happy to join!" (M)

    I''m pretty sure at least Akasia would do everything she can to join the next time.

    Which sounds just fair, considering she provided the furniture.

    Talisa might also agree to partake if asked nicely.

    Though, I''m not sure about Kyroki.

    Or if this would even be a good idea.

    On that line of thought, if I prepare some tea this could become a real tea party.

    If I''d then switch this organ soup with cake it would be even better.

    This doesn''t sound too bad.

    It might even become something regular.

    "And how is it for you, Nerysi?" (M)

    Even with all the bad things that happened to me here, I need to admit that I can''t deny their positive feelings for me.

    I feel somewhat welcome here.

    Sometimes, it''s almost comfortable.

    "I guess it''s fine." (N)

 Chapter 21

    After we finished our meal there was no way to stall any longer.

    As much as I tried to by drinking very slowly.

    Masiabi and Eritu didn''t even protest but rather enjoyed every moment of being together.

    "So, are you ready?" (E)

    "I suppose there''s no way around this, right?" (N)

    "I promise we''ll be going very carefully about this. There''s no need for you to worry." (M)

    Eritu has a difficult expression at this.

    "I, I don''t want to experience something like back then ever again. I won''t push you too far, I promise." (E)

    She has no reason to lie to me.

    I believe her on this.

    "So, now that this is settled, we should get going!" (M)

    I seriously can''t deny them at this point, so I walk along, albeit very slowly and reluctantly.

    Different from last time, Eritu isn''t even pushy about this but simply accepts that we''re taking longer with a serene expression.

    Masiabi, on the other side, urges me on in her own way by running forth and back to me several times over, circling around me, and in general, doing everything to encourage me to move fast except anything that involves direct contact.

    "Uh, why do we have to go to the room?" (N)

    "Naturally, to instruct them about today. It was already difficult to contain your brood in this room, but there''s no way they''ll leave the sanctuary with you inside on their own accord. You''ll have to properly tell them that it''s fine to go outside and you''ll be with them." (E)

    And the unpleasant stuff just adds up.

    When we draw closer, my intimate connection to them flares up.

    I know they are always, to a degree, aware of my presence, just as I awkwardly am of theirs.

    Still, being close seems to increase the intensity of our connection, to my dismay.

    A short time later we arrive, and even before opening the door, I know how they all stand behind there at attention.

    Eritu opens it up, and I have to fight the urge to run once I see this silvery mass of eight-legged terrors with multiple eyes staring right at me.

    However, I surprise even myself being able to prevail in this situation.

    Even if I have no idea what to do now.

    "Nerysi, you need to speak to them. Tell them they can accompany us outside." (E)

    I''d rather not, but I probably have no choice.

    "Okay... I¡¯m going outside today, so you can kinda accompany me... At a safe distance that is!" (N)

    Don''t want them to follow behind as if they''re going to hunt me down.

    Nonetheless, they feel excited.

    As distressing as excited spiders are.

    "Hm, a bit crude, but it should work as an instruction." (M)

    "They''re extraordinarily smart. So they should be able to understand this." (E)

    Well, I guess it''s good that the two of them are there.

    At least their expertise is required if I don''t want to mess up and deal with the aftermath.

    True to Eritu''s words, my familiars are doing just as they were told and only follow around ten meters behind me.

    It''s still distressing to be followed by a spider army, but still better than if they would be close on my trail.

    Yet there''s a certain disturbing factor to this.

    "Aren''t they kinda big?" (N)

    For obvious reasons, I didn''t look so close last time, but in fact, many are already the size of smaller rodents.

    At this, Eritu gives them a quick glance.

    "Not so much. It''s normal for familiars to grow quickly in their early days. As long as they receive enough nourishment, they can reach the height of a common wolf. That doesn''t account for all of them, but you can expect that a bunch of them will get quite a bit bigger. After all, we fed them well, so your first batch can protect you." (E)

    For real!?

    I would usually say that it''s the thought that counts and that they meant well, but in fact no!

    Bigger spiders are certainly not better than small ones!

    While we keep on walking there are surprisingly few encounters with spiders in this giant spider den.

    "Uh, did you prepare the route in advance?" (N)

    "Yes. You should memorize the way, Nerysi. We made it so you hopefully won''t encounter too many of our familiars on this path." (E)

    Seriously?!

    "Why would you do this?" (N)

    "So you can go out whenever you want!" (M)

    What!?

    "She''s exaggerating, but we deemed it right to grant you a bit more freedom. You''re still so terribly young, so each one of us is quite worried about you being completely on your own outside, but on the other side it would stunt you to keep you captive." (E)

    Are they really saying I''m allowed to leave by myself and go wherever I want?

    "So I can just leave? You won''t even control this?" (N)

    "Sure, we trust you! You''re family after all." (M)

    Is she serious?

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.I wouldn''t even trust myself on this.

    "However, there''s one condition!" (E)

    Of course there''s a catch.

    I should''ve expected that there would be strings attached, here of all places.

    "Yes?" (N)

    "You can only leave with your familiars." (E)

    What!?!

    I can only go on a stroll if my worst nightmares are with me?!

    Is Masiabi supporting this?

    "B-but..." (N)

    "No offense, but you''re a complete mess if it''s about defending yourself. What would you do if you encounter one of the monsters that still occasionally enter our territory? Or worse, humans?! What then?!" (M)

    I suppose I truly have to worry about being found by humans.

    Even those who aren''t bad.

    That''s quite a depressing thought though.

    Finally, the tunnel comes to an end and I have once again to deal with the stinging sunlight.

    To my surprise, Eritu isn''t faring much better, the way she''s covering her sight.

    Only Masiabi looks quite unfazed.

    Is this because she''s used to being up here?

    That would be reason enough to keep on trying.

    After a short while, I think I''m able to bear the pain.

    It isn''t great but manageable, so we can move on.

    A moment after we''re out, Eritu stops me.

    Before I can ask her what it is, she points back to the cave entrance, where my familiars gather.

    It seems they have similar problems, but nonetheless, they''re keen to follow behind.

    Because of the order from before!

    "Uh, don''t force yourself." (N)

    It''s not much but seems to help make them go a little bit more relaxed about this.

    "Oh my! That was so compassionate, Nerysi! To think that you''d be so mindful of them that you want to spare them the pain." (E)

    Even if I mostly said this so they wouldn''t be so keen on following me.

    "Ehm, sure... What now?" (N)

    Quickly, change the topic!

    "I don''t think we should stray too far away for today. I have a good place in mind we could wander to." (M)

    "I never got what you find so great about the forest." (E)

    "What?! The forest is the most interesting place there is! There''s always something new to see! It''s everchanging!" (M)

    Masiabi always appeared to me to be more of an outdoor person.

    Especially, as her sisters are all shut-ins in comparison.

    "I also kinda like nature. It''s nice to see animals, plants, and other living things." (N)

    "Oh, I also like living things!" (M)

    "You mean to kill them, right?" (N)

    "Well, that''s part of it. But I also enjoy the challenge. Often, I tell my familiars not to tell me anything so I can head out on my own and see if I get something good. And then there are also the different paths! The sense of randomness is really cool!" (M)

    "Really? Shouldn''t you at some point have a general idea about the territory?" (N)

    I still remember how they''d all be grown women in human years.

    If they spent all that time here, Masiabi should have already a good grasp of the area the Arachnae claimed.

    Especially if she heads out every day.

    "Huh? But I just told you that the paths are always different." (M)

    "Wait a moment, when you said the forest is ''everchanging''..." (N)

    "I meant that it always changes, yes. For this reason we have our web marking to find our way back home. You should memorize those. I guess that''s gonna be the next part of your education." (M)

    To some, the idea of a forest that literally rearranges itself while you''re inside so you''re going to lose your way for sure might be terrifying.

    But I''d say that being in such a place and then realizing that you''re in the part with the monster spiders tops it by far.

    "Don''t worry, we know the way and you still have your familiars. There won''t be any danger for you." (E)

    The part with my familiars was intentional, right?

    Then I think about something.

    "Ehm, Masiabi. If the forest changes, then how do you know that the place we''re heading to is still there?" (N)

    "Well that''s simple." (M)

    At this, she jumps several meters forward and turns around.

    She gestures at her surroundings and I follow with my gaze.

    "Because some stuff stays the same!" (M)

    I''m awestruck.

    In front of me is a clearing, with a small brook, some stones, bright green grass, and beautiful rays of the sun occasionally falling through the trees.

    This place looks so mesmerizing!

    "What do you think?!" (M)

    "It''s, it''s beautiful." (N)

    "You think so too?! Yes, it really is. Because of the water, animals often come here. Naturally, it''s not permitted to assault them while drinking, that would be unfair, but there''s nothing against scouting the vicinity. You can also get a sense of which one to choose!" (M)

    She''s totally excited.

    And this while I only wanted to say that I like the scenery.

    If you don''t consider that this place lies in a definite death trap, then it would be the perfect location for a picnic.

    "And you, Eritu? What do you think?" (M)

    "Well, I guess this place is as good as anywhere else for Nerysi to deepen her bond with her familiars." (E)

    Uh, right. I''m quite embarrassed that I almost forgot about the spider army behind me.

    I sit down on a nearby stone and try not to think too much about them while taking in my surroundings.

    "Nerysi, you should be fair. Your familiars are still all huddled together over there. You need to grant them permission to act freely if you want them to enjoy their time here after being cooped up for so long." (E)

    I don''t really want to per se, but I get her point.

    It would be selfish and mean to take them out and not give them permission to move as they please.

    Sigh, I even feel through the connection how excited they are.

    I don''t think I have a choice here.

    "E-ehm, y-you can go away and, and have fun, I guess." (N)

    The moment I say this, I feel vivid elation through the link and they disperse within seconds.

    Gratefully, none of them came much closer, which might be because I subconsciously restrict them from doing so with my fear as I was told before.

    Yet the fact that I now know there are around a hundred big spiders in the nearby bushes and trees puts me in a different mood.

    Nonetheless, it isn''t nearly as bad as in the cramped room.

    I can even calm down a little while dangling my feet into the brook, occupying my mind like this.

    "And? How is this Nerysi?" (M)

    I''d seriously wish they would finally stop with that name.

    Yet while it bothers me I learned by now that complaining about this is an exercise in futility.

    They would simply ignore it and just address me the same.

    At least, the situation isn''t so bad.

    "This place is nice." (N)

    "Great to hear! I really hope this time will help you with your familiars." (M)

    "I still think we shouldn''t completely forego your sessions in the chamber, or you''ll settle down to the bare minimum. However, if this works out, then we could talk about shifting to a freer schedule." (E)

    I''d like to completely forego those sessions, but if I learned one thing about Eritu then it''s that she''s not going to give in on this matter.

    But before I can retort, Eritu jerks kinda weirdly.

    Then she turns to Masiabi.

    "Masiabi, something''s coming." (E)

    "For real? I thought I cleaned this place out!" (M)

    "Uh, what is going on?" (N)

    I''m becoming increasingly nervous now.

    "Oh, Well, I like this place for a reason. It''s a good hunting ground. Yet now it seems something big is coming in our direction." (M)

    "I have an idea." (E)

    Instead of elaborating she just whispers to Masiabi.

    "Well, you''re the expert. If you say this will work, I¡¯ll believe you." (M)

    "Just what are you planning?!" (N)

    "You don''t need to worry. Don''t forget that we are here." (E)

    Is Eritu concerned about me?

    Hate to break it to her, but having giant spiders around me is not exactly a soothing factor for me.

    And then it comes!

    I can barely even make sense of what I''m seeing there.

    It''s like a giant dog, but every part of its body is covered in pitch black fur.

    It''s almost as if it''s smoking.

    This is the first monster I¡¯ve ever seen.

    Well, apart from the obvious ones.

    The creature easily spots us and starts moving in our direction.

    "Okay, it''s time for the show!" (M)

    What show?!

    As if to answer my question, suddenly my familiars jump from the tree tops onto the beast.

    They don''t waste any time and dig with their claws into the flesh.

    "Groaaar!"

    It didn''t like this and effortlessly shakes the still far smaller spiders off.

    Yet for some reason, they don''t fall far.

    "Interesting. That''s clever." (M)

    Just then I see what she means.

    They''re using their silk!

    The moment they made contact, they attached a small thread of spider silk that directly connects to their bodies.

    The beast still thrashes wildly around, but every single movement only serves to entangle it worse in the strings.

    The spiders don''t stay idle during this and resume clawing the creature whenever they get back on it again.

    I don¡¯t know what to think!

    This is a monster, a creature that would kill me if it could, but what I witness right now is so frightening that my mind gets blank.

    The beast¡¯s struggles become feeble, until after only a short while, they slaughter it, which seamlessly transitions into enjoying their first fresh meal.

    ...Of their first prey.

    Did I mention that this thing was bigger than me and surely I wouldn''t pose as an opponent to it?

    "Hm, their poison glands don¡¯t seem to have matured yet, but all in all that was a promising development. They can clearly serve as your guards. We could even agree that you won''t need someone to look after you when going out, Nerysi." (E)

    That would at least be a welcome change.

    By now my familiars left nothing but a bloody pulp.

    "They seem to be quite eager, but I think we should slowly pack up. Who knows what else might be drawn to this bloody mess." (M)

    I agree.

    Mostly because there''s not much serenity here anymore, not after this episode, but more because the remains aren''t too great to look at.

    So I don''t want to stay here.

    This means that after only a short while we''re already back inside the tunnels on our way to the sanctuary.

    Yet if there was ever any doubt about it, it now became clear that my familiars are as protective of me as they are deadly.

    I just hope they won''t have as much of a chance to live out the second trait as much.

    I really don''t want to imagine what they would do to a human.

 Chapter 22

    - Koros -

    Tsk.

    Business is going poorly.

    One would think that a life of raiding houses, robbing those well-off, and selling them to any interested parties would at least pay off on the financial side, but screw it!

    Recently, we¡¯ve just had no luck.

    The last haul, especially, was a complete flop.

    Not to a small degree because my men are fucking imbeciles.

    We could''ve had some use for that man, but they didn''t even try to immobilize him.

    No, just wreck him like rabid dogs!

    Well, just coming from the look in his eyes it was quite clear that he wouldn''t step down, so I''m not too upset about this.

    However, the woman was completely unnecessary.

    As if that would''ve been the first rabid wench we had to subdue!

    Well, it certainly looked like it was.

    Seriously, is it so hard to get into your head that you''re stronger and could have just held her arms?

    No, apparently not!

    But the worst was that they let the girl escape.

    Not only because she had quite the value.

    Some nobles have peculiar tastes after all and will pay quite a lot to scratch that itch.

    But on top of missing out on the money, Bron never returned from chasing after her.

    Despite the rumors that the forest is safe on the western side, I can''t think of a better explanation.

    It certainly wasn''t the girl, and Bron has some experience in chasing down runners.

    I know better than to go looking for him.

    So this left us down three usable slaves.

    Quite the loss.

    And would you think that there''d at least be something in the house one can sell to make money?

    No!

    Poor like beggars!

    Even the earrings of the woman were fake.

    The plates were wood, even the cutlery was literal trash!

    Just for this, I wish I could kill them a second time!

    No, things are certainly not looking great.

    We could really use a change of pace.

    It wasn''t always like this.

    We started out as a well-organized mercenary unit, taking all kinds of jobs for the different lords in the warring states directly south of Zeranis.

    It''s basically paradise for mercenaries, with the varying lords sometimes getting replaced on a daily basis.

    One day you fight for one side only to change your employer the next day.

    We had a stable income and simply couldn''t complain.

    Naturally, I made sure to always take the best offers.

    Someone is always willing to pay after all.

    Sadly, they came to the conclusion that terrorizing the locals isn''t going to help secure their position in taking over territory.

    That and our growing reputation of being "undependable" made our prices drop so hard that it just didn''t make sense anymore to continue.

    One lord even tried to get rid of us for good.

    Luckily, we got out there in time after setting a nice little fire to his town as a distraction.

    Now we switched to making small raids in Zeranis and once the deed is done we return to Diroen.

    A small city in the closest neighboring principality.

    This way, we don''t need to worry about any repercussions, as for a little hush money the authorities look away regarding stuff that didn''t happen in their jurisdiction.

    Yet this is another factor hitting our treasury.

    I can barely divert anything to my own purse.

    So it seems like we should get ready for a bigger thing.

    Maybe I should call all of our group together so we can raid a village or two.

    Yet for something like this to happen, we need to all be in the same place.

    However, Darren''s group is already long overdue, so I''ll have to find out what happened to him before suggesting such a thing.

    At least our hideout is a good place to dwell as of now.

    Located in the red light district, there are barely any controls.

    We can do as we please with no one coming after us.

    So after a good day, I''m returning from a session with my favorite girl in the nearby establishment.

    The price I paid bothers me a bit, but sustainability is a factor.

    What else would I use my money for if not something pleasant?

    A professional still bests a slave, after all.

    So I''m in a somewhat good mood when I return to the base.

    A nice little barrack building that is spacious enough to accommodate everyone.

    However, once I arrive I can''t shake off the feeling of being watched.

    But when I search the environment there''s nothing to spot.

    After some time I give up and move to open the door.

    "Hsss"

    Wha-

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Shit!

    There''s a huge spider next to the door knocker.

    Half as big as my fist.

    But the strangest is the coloration.

    It''s bright red with black stripes and thin black legs.

    This kind of spider is totally out of the ordinary in this realm, so it''s quite the riddle how it got here.

    Something as exotic as this might be valuable, yet the way it''s hissing at me I shouldn''t be reckless.

    This creature is very likely poisonous, so reaching out with my bare hand would be stupid.

    But having it run around our place could end up being bothersome.

    So I unsheathe my sword, but before I can act the spider scampers up the building and is gone.

    So much for this.

    I finally enter and look for my second in command, Rodin.

    That idiot is hot-headed and not very competent, but at least he does as he''s told.

    More I can''t demand from my assets, given the limited options I have in this regard.

    "Boss?" (R)

    "Rodin, is there anything to report?" (K)

    "No, sir. Everything''s calm. Some of the men got a little rowdy after drinking too much, but I had them beaten up. They won''t act up anymore." (R)

    "And the others?" (K)

    "Well, either sleeping, drinking, or playing dice." (R)

    "What about guards?" (K)

    "Uh, guards?" (R)

    It''s not too surprising.

    Usually, we don''t do shifts, as it''s safe enough in town.

    I only demand from my men that they be ready when the next raid comes.

    But those who can''t even meet this most-basic requirement get severely punished.

    However, today is a bit different.

    "Get some on the lookout. I''ve got a bad feeling." (K)

    One of the advantages of being the boss.

    My whims matter.

    "Sure. Anything specific we should watch for?" (D)

    "No idea. Suspicious people, crawling in on our shack. Passerbies staying a bit too long. Oh, and I saw a strange spider. Looked poisonous. Tell them they should look for that as well. Might be worth some coin. But if anything I don''t want our people to drop out from this." (K)

    "A spider? Okay." (D)

    I''m not sure how dutifully the men will follow their orders, but it''s not like I care if one dies from something like this.

    But if it gets them, they shouldn''t expect me to spend any money to save them.

    With this out of the way, I walk to my quarters.

    In all my time in this business, I gathered quite an assortment of fancy stuff.

    Also, I can''t complain about my lodgings.

    Maybe I can rest a bit. I put myself on the bed and try dozing off.

    Yet the moment my gaze drifts along the ceiling, it¡¯s interrupted by a red spot hanging directly over me.

    The spider!

    Instinctively, I lash out and hit it.

    It flies to the wall.

    Yet before I get there it''s gone.

    Is it behind the stash?

    I push it away, but can''t find anything.

    Damn, now I won''t be able to rest anymore.

    Just good that I''m somewhat paranoid.

    As it''s required in my position.

    "Dong, dong, dong"

    The bells?

    But there''s no sermon.

    This means...

    It''s an alarm!

    What is going on?!

    Is the city under attack?

    In that case, we should look out to stay uninvolved.

    But maybe this could also be an opportunity.

    However, first and foremost we need to assemble and figure out what''s going on or this is all just guesswork.

    I rush out of my quarters, only to find the appointed watchman sleeping while standing even through all this noise.

    Not caring in the slightest for his sleep balance I shove him awake.

    "Hey, asshole! Get up already you lazy pig!" (K)

    "Whump"

    Okay, that''s a deep sleep.

    At least if it leads to dropping on the ground without any attempt to mitigate the fall.

    Shit, what is happening?

    I walk to the main floor only to find more of my men sleeping.

    "Rodin! Where are you?! What is going on here?!" (K)

    Once I find him I get almost overwhelmed by the urge to end him for good.

    That asshole lies with his head on the dice table, together with the others.

    He probably didn''t even notice how everything went to shit here.

    While I try to wake him up, I notice a small wound on his neck.

    Like two tiny stabbing wounds.

    After quickly checking the others, I realize they all have the same marks on their skin!

    Forget it, I''m not staying a second longer in this shit house of a situation!

    With quick steps, I advance to the exit.

    Yet shortly before I get to open it, my instincts spark up and I jump to the side.

    "Thud"

    Just in time to dodge whatever landed where I was a moment before.

    At first, I only see red, but then my excitement fades and my sight narrows down.

    That''s fucking the same spider as at the door and in my room!

    "Hiss"

    And just as unamicable as before.

    Wait, that can''t be a coincidence.

    This spider must be responsible for my men passing out.

    But how could a single spider...

    Oh, shit!

    "Thud"

    Another one just jumped at me.

    This one is yellow, with black stripes.

    This isn''t good.

    I have no idea how many there are and why they''re so fixated on me, but it''s clear I need to get away.

    About the sheer ridiculousness of this situation, I can ponder later.

    "Aaaaahhhh!"

    That came from outside the door.

    While it''s certainly not a good idea to run towards the screams, staying in here isn''t any better.

    I jump to the door and smash it open, only to find myself face to face with the biggest spider I ever saw.

    It might even be as long as I''m tall, but this is no time for me to contemplate measurements.

    I draw my sword, ready to strike.

    "Splotch"

    Shit!

    This fucking thing just spewed some gluey stuff at me.

    I can barely move now.

    "Sstck"

    "Ackhh!"

    My ankle!

    I look down there and find one of the yellow spiders, that quickly scampers off.

    Fuck, it got me.

    Now, I should probably...

    probably...

    Probably go back to bed.

    I''m so fucking tired.

    "Whomp"

    .

    .

    .

    "Skreech"

 Chapter 23

    - Masiabi -

    Took me long enough.

    Finding the traces, identifying the smell, and not losing the track again.

    I sent so many of my familiars to make sure it would succeed and ultimately it paid off.

    I finally found them.

    The same men who killed my little sister''s parents and burned her home.

    I have to admit that I don''t really care about the fate of some random humans.

    However, the point is, they made my precious little sister cry.

    They injured and traumatized her.

    So they will die a very gruesome death.

    It''s as simple as that.

    Yet it was troubling that they split up.

    While those camping in the wilderness were no problem to fetch, some traces led deeper into human territory, ultimately into a medium-sized settlement.

    The issue is that I am not allowed to venture close to human settlements.

    Talisa put down that rule, saying things like our spider form is too big and would gather unwanted attention.

    And while we don''t have any issues dealing with even bigger troops of humans, we might still be in trouble if they concentrate everything they have on us.

    After all, they don''t even hesitate to use something as dangerous and uncontrollable as fire.

    In the worst case, we''d have to change locations after all the effort to settle in and secure our position.

    This means I had to find a way to bring them to me.

    Fortunately, I was not alone in this.

    Convincing Kyroki was not a problem, as soon as she heard that she might get a specimen for her poisons.

    And Akasia is as much into Nerysi as I am.

    Just a shallow summarization of what they did to her was enough to create a look on her face I''ve just seen two times in my life.

    One was when Eritu''s first familiars got killed by humans and she couldn''t stop crying.

    The other was when humans invaded our territory and burned down great parts of our home.

    Nerysi might not know, but if Akasia¡¯s motivated, she can be the most cruel of us.

    Kyroki just wants her results and I have rules I follow while hunting.

    Akasia in this state wants to inflict pain and despair.

    And so it was she who pointed out that we should also capture those they met up with.

    As she explained, this isn''t just a hunt, but also retribution.

    For this reason, we''re working on taking out their whole group.

    So nobody will survive this.

    Only Talisa and Eritu were left out.

    Eritu might escalate and attack the whole settlement when something goes wrong and a familiar dies.

    And Talisa could feel obliged to turn this into another lesson for Nerysi.

    But this is exactly what this isn''t!

    I only wish to punish those who hurt my little sister, nothing else.

    While my smallest brood had no problems tracking these humans down by their scent, following them all the way back to a town, there is now the problem of how to get them out of there.

    It seems like they found shelter in a building close to the southern wall which makes getting hold of them all the more difficult.

    Fortunately, we have Kyroki for that.

    She devised an effective sleeping poison, which will make sure everyone there won''t wake up.

    And since many of her familiars are quite tiny, they don''t even have issues with sneaking in there.

    Now the biggest problem is figuring out how to enter the town and transport the captured humans out of there, as this requires much bigger familiars.

    This is Akasia''s part.

    She makes her familiars in the north randomly shoot acid from a distance.

    This causes the humans, as predictable as they are, to deploy troops and more guards to this side.

    At least it posed enough of a distraction that no one bothered with what happens in the run-down part on the other side of the town.

    As soon as there is no one to guard or even witness what happens, my familiars start.

    They enter the building, capture the identified individuals with basic webs, and bring them out.

    Like this it was no problem to drag the sacs back out, over the wall.

    This ended satisfactorily, even if it was a problem that the humans had split up.

    It was such a hassle to have them hunted down.

    And far more to bring them here after they got captured.

    After all, I''m not done yet.

    But before I do anything else there is another party to inform.

    One who will be heavily involved in what is to happen.

    And so we head to the room where Nerysi¡¯s brood is located.

    The problem is that due to Nerysi''s lacking education, they are rather wild, which makes it difficult to put them to use.

    They mostly stay to themselves and become instantly hostile to everything that isn''t Nerysi but dares to enter their den.

    On the other side, I believe they are very smart.

    They¡¯re able to quickly catch on to any of Nerysi''s confused and panicked orders and show signs of self-sufficiency, independently organizing their group for the sake of their mother.

    They''re extremely loyal to Nerysi, despite her disposition.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.However, today we will make them participate in our ploy.

    "Hiss"

    The moment we enter, all of them turn toward us and demonstrate that they don''t want us here.

    Yet we have to tell them something.

    "Would you please listen to us?" (A)

    "Hiss"

    And Nerysi asks why she has to spend more time with them.

    They seriously need interaction.

    "Okay, I know you don''t like me, but please listen for a moment." (M)

    While they don''t seem to welcome us, they still stay where they are.

    That''s good enough.

    "You see, there were these humans... Oh, you don''t know what humans are yet, right? But you should be able to discern their scent from the food you had, right?" (A)

    Akasia speaks calm and gently, like the big sister she is.

    Yet the familiars don''t seem keen on listening.

    They might associate us with their mother being troubled whenever we do the training.

    Then Kyroki steps forward.

    Which is unusual for her who prefers looking from the sidelines.

    "Let me Akasia." (K)

    Kyroki steps in front of her with clear determination.

    "You know. Those creatures did awful things to Nerysi. She still isn''t over it. They killed those dear to her, drove her out her home, hunted her... hurt her!" (K)

    "Scrchhhh"

    The last part she spoke as if she would enjoy it.

    She knew that this would make the biggest impact on Nerysi''s brood.

    They are devoted to her like one would expect it and their life is Nerysi''s for all they care.

    The mere idea that someone might dare to even offend, not to mention harm, their mother is unthinkable.

    Yet it happened and clear agitation is the result.

    "But don''t worry, we found them. Yet as it would be selfish to kill them ourselves we would like to include you." (K)

    "For this, we play a nice little game of hunting! They run and you chase behind. Totally simple!" (M)

    "But it is important that none of them get away. You need to catch them all! How you kill them is your decision." (A)

    They become silent.

    It''s clear that they show understanding, proving their high intelligence.

    Then the biggest of them separate from the crowd.

    That doesn''t mean much, as they are fairly young and the tallest one only reaches to my hip.

    Yet they are many and should be able to do this.

    Those who left the group line up in front of us and then lower themselves to the ground.

    There are many meanings for this gesture, but in this context it means compliance.

    As I thought, they perfectly understand.

    Even for familiars, they are very smart.

    With this, it should be no problem to have them kill these humans.

    While I would love to do this myself, this is very good training for them.

    They were always holed up here and don''t really have experience with the outside world or sustaining themselves.

    Together with Nerysi''s inability to sustain herself, this is a serious issue.

    So while it is not as satisfying as hunting those who harmed my cute little sister down myself, this is for her sake so I can step back.

    For the rest, Eritu is explaining everything to them, while we return to our "guests".

    Everything apparently works out.

    Nonetheless, I am feeling kinda bothered.

    "Grmph." (M)

    "Is something wrong, sister?" (A)

    "You know, I am fine with having her familiars doing the deed. They have the same right as we do. But some of them killed her parents." (M)

    "And? What does it change?" (K)

    "You haven''t seen her. She looked... wounded in a way. It hurt even to see her that way. It was more than bodily harm. Deeper. If we leave this to her familiars, they might merely kill them. I don''t feel like I''d be satisfied with just this. I want them to writhe in agony!" (M)

    "So you want special treatment for one of them? That should be possible." (K)

    "I don''t know who did it." (M)

    "Leave this to me." (K)

    I guess I can.

    Kyroki knows about such things.

    And about pain.

    She knows very much about pain.

    We go to the room where we left our guests.

    By now they should wake up, so we can introduce ourselves to them.

    However, at the junction to the outer nest, we are suddenly blocked off by Talisa.

    "Did you really believe you could keep your little excursions away from me? What were you up to? Akasia?" (T)

    Well, taking Talisa''s information network into mind, denying everything won''t help much.

    "We brought some humans here to feed them to the familiars." (A)

    "Then why all this effort to hide it? Masiabi?" (T)

    I hate it when she does that.

    Calling us out so that we are forced to speak and drag the others with us.

    "It wasn''t much. We just sent our familiars behind them." (M)

    "You all sent considerable numbers out together, just to get those humans. Tell me why!" (T)

    "They are the ones who hurt Nerysi! I want them dead!" (M)

    "Can you explain this in more detail?" (T)

    "The men who made her run into our forest. Bandits who killed her family." (M)

    "So all this effort was to get them?" (T)

    "Isn''t it right? Even if she wasn''t an Arachne at that time, the fact remains that they did something unforgivable to our sister. We can''t let this pass." (A)

    We are family in the end and who hurts one of us hurts us all.

    "I see your point. Well, at least this might pose a good lesson for Nerysi to fight human opponents." (T)

    "NO!!!" (M)

    "What?" (T)

    "I won''t allow you to turn this into a lesson! You haven''t seen her when she was confronted with what they did! I never want to see her like that again. And whoever causes such a thing will suffer! This is something personal!" (M)

    "Masiabi. I understand that you''re upset, but to take such a chance from her to grow would be a waste." (T)

    "Actually, we all already agreed to do it like this. Kyroki is also partaking. We don''t even intend to tell Nerysi. This confrontation will only cause pain to her." (A)

    "Sigh! I can''t go against the group vote but know that I disagree." (T)

    "If it helps, we''ll at least use this chance to train Nerysi''s familiars." (M)

    "A hunt. I see." (T)

    "Do you want to accompany us? We''re working out the final touches." (A)

    "I think so. After all, someone has to keep an eye on you." (T)

    "Great! Then let''s greet our guests." (A)

 Chapter 24

    - Koros -

    What the fuck happened?!

    The last thing I remember is how we got attacked by spiders in our headquarters.

    A large one spewed webs at me and then I felt a prick in my calf.

    Directly after this, I lost consciousness and now when I wake up, I find myself in a weird cave.

    It''s weird because there''s some strange padding on the walls.

    Once I start taking in my surroundings, I find my men scattered on the ground.

    Still sleeping, probably drunk, maybe drugged.

    If by our captor or through their own efforts remains unclear.

    Yet whoever got us here must have had some way to be sure to keep us sleeping during the transport.

    But how is this possible?

    I''m not exactly surprised that it happened.

    In this kind of job, you''re bound to offend someone.

    I wouldn''t be surprised if there''s a bounty on our heads.

    Yet this is exactly why we keep guards and I would never touch anything someone else provides me.

    But the real riddle is how this happened.

    We were in the middle of the town.

    Who could possibly manage to bring so many people to this place?

    Who could control monsters and transport so many people at once?

    Wasn''t there a country researching this?

    But this doesn''t explain how these monsters could even enter.

    If not for the current situation, I would almost believe it was just a feverish dream.

    However, it''s clear that whoever got us is resourceful enough to perform such an action.

    Also, they must be quite full of themselves.

    We weren''t even tied up.

    So, if we get some discipline in here, there might be a chance to overwhelm the guards and escape.

    Might be that I have to sacrifice a number of my men, but if that''s what it takes, so be it.

    Yet I can''t see a way out of the room.

    There must be one since we''re here, but nothing catches my eye.

    Gradually my men regain consciousness.

    "What happened?"

    "Where are we?"

    Hm, I count a dozen of us.

    I can barely imagine how they were able to pull off transporting us all.

    "Guys, you hear me?! We''re in a bad situation, but if you all listen to my orders there''s a chance you''ll make it out!" (K)

    "What is going on?"

    "I have not the slightest clue, but we can''t afford to freak out now! Keep it together if you want to live!" (K)

    That''s naturally a lie.

    Our captors wouldn''t keep us like this if they''d believe it would be easy to get out of here.

    However, if I remain in charge I''ll be in a better position to either throw them under or make a deal.

    Or both.

    Both might work as well.

    Suddenly the wall at the far end of the room spreads itself open.

    This is an unexpected spectacle, but what is even more surprising is that the one who enters is a young woman in an expensive-looking noble dress, shortly followed by a blonde teenager and a child.

    Are they begging to get taken as hostages?

    I give my men a short hand sign to stay ready, which we usually use if we prepare to kidnap someone on the street.

    They should know what it means.

    "Hello, you worthless scum! Welcome to our humble domicile. I know you must have many questions regarding your current predicament. Just know, you are here because you hurt someone we dearly cherish. For that reason, we''re about to play a fun little game. Well, fun for us. You will probably regret many of your lifetime decisions very soon." (A)

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    It''s absolutely creepy how she''s smiling at us while saying this.

    She feels superior but I can''t figure out why she maintains this attitude while opposing our group of relatively strong men.

    Could this be just sheer naivety?

    But that sounds a bit too farfetched.

    Nonetheless, I contemplate if I should order my boys to attack.

    Yet this decision gets taken from me when Rodin loses his nerves and attacks them.

    "Don''t fuck with us! I''ll teach you some manners!" (Rodin)

    He punches in her direction, yet before he can reach her, the blonde one jumps towards him in a single ridiculously far and quick leap and grabs his arm with both hands.

    "Crack"

    "Aaaaahhhhh!" (R)

    She just snapped it like a twig!

    "Oh sorry, I damaged that one. I always forget how easy they break." (M)

    "Masiabi! It isn''t on you to punish them. We all agreed on the method. How is this one supposed to partake now?" (A)

    "Does it really matter? Okay, this will slow him down, but it''s not like we care about his chances." (K)

    What are they?!

    They''re far too casual about inflicting harm to be ordinary girls.

    We, we should still try to overwhelm them.

    I prepare the sign, yet before I get to the movement, the blonde jumps in our direction, only a short distance away from me.

    She looks me straight in the eyes and then something happens that makes my blood freeze.

    Her eyes shift from one moment to the other, their brown color turning to a deeper shade which expands over her entire eye, and out of her mouth grow fangs that drip a greenish substance, while she hits with her fist into her open palm.

    "Don''t try this shit with me." (M)

    This thing is not human! It''s... something far worse.

    Do we have a chance against literal monsters?

    "I wouldn''t recommend going against Masiabi or this will end far sooner than planned." (K)

    "Especially, as you don''t have to. After all, you can just pass by us now." (A)

    Did I really hear this right?

    Did she just say we can leave now?

    I need to confirm this.

    "You''re saying... you''re letting us go?" (K)

    "But of course! This might be a punishment, but we''re not unfair. You''re still left with a chance. It will commence in this way: You all are free to escape into the forest. But once you''re out of this room you''ll be chased. If you manage to escape our territory, you get to keep your life. If not... well, let''s say I''d recommend trying to die quickly." (A)

    They''re playing with us!

    Do they get a kick out of this?

    "Oh, but don''t think this is going to be easy. We deployed various little obstacles in your way. You''ll have to be creative and give it your all to overcome them. But I''m sure you won''t let me down. It''s human nature to stay alive after all, am I right?" (K)

    This is all just a sick game for these monsters!

    My men look equally panicked and distressed.

    "Mhm, it seems you still lack the proper motivation. Well, why don''t we show you your opponents?" (A)

    At this, they move away from the entrance and gesture at it, as if to present to us whatever is coming from there.

    And there is something coming.

    A short moment after she finished talking I hear a sound that''s closing in.

    "Scscscscscscscscscscsc"

    A weird sound that can''t just come from a single source.

    No there''s a cacophony of impacts.

    And then I look at pure terror.

    Spiders!

    A swarm of huge white-grey spiders, some of them as large as a dog, crawl into the room.

    "Oh, my goddess!"

    "How can this be?!"

    "This is a nightmare!"

    Rodin, who''s still sprawled at the entrance is the one closest to them.

    I don''t envy him that position.

    "So, these are the ones responsible for making your matriarch suffer so much. You know this, you feel her sadness. For this reason, I doubt I have to tell you what to do." (A)

    I''d like to know what she''s talking about, but before I can even gather my thoughts the spiders completely freak out.

    "Screeeeehhhhh!"

    Suddenly they jump forward, all on Rodin, and slaughter him.

    Albeit I saw and partook in my fair share of cruelty, I''d like to look away, yet can''t do so or I''d leave myself exposed.

    "SCRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!" (M)

    The blonde monster shouts out an ear-piercing scream and suddenly the spiders stop and focus on her.

    "This wasn''t the deal. A bit of patience please." (A)

    They''re actually retreating, the blonde guiding them out of the room again!

    The gory remains they left of Rodin don''t resemble him in the slightest.

    They just took him completely apart.

    Naturally, all of us are completely freaked out.

    "Ahem, I''m sorry. They''re a bit overeager. We''ll now guide them to their start position. You''ll be given a head start, and after some time they''ll follow behind. Naturally, without holding back this time. Let''s just say they have some personal grudges. Which means you probably shouldn¡¯t let them catch you, right?" (A)

    They''re serious about this.

    A death race.

    And something tells me the conditions won''t be in our favor.

    "So without further ado, I hereby declare that this game starts now. And for those who that was a bit too subtle for, I''ll formulate it a little more clearly: Run!" (A)

 Chapter 25

    - Akasia -

    Hm, so these are the humans who traumatized my cute little sister.

    I''m honestly a little bit of two minds about them.

    On one leg, they scared her, killed those she held dearly, hurt her, made her cry!

    Oh, I can barely contain myself thinking about this.

    However, on another leg, they''re also the ones who drove her toward us.

    They cut all her former ties and hunted her directly into our web.

    Thinking about it, I only have her as my sister now thanks to them.

    This might be the only reason why I agreed to this game instead of torturing every single one of them till they''d beg me to die, only to continue a while longer for the fun of it.

    And I¡¯m not speaking about a single session.

    I mean that I would''ve slowly dissolved their bodies over the course of days.

    Maybe even a month, as my record is quite close to this.

    There are three important things to mind about this.

    First, you need to supply them with enough water.

    And regarding food, the liquid from their own dissolved body or that of their comrades will suffice.

    Second, you have to pay attention to what parts you destroy, as to make the most of every little pain receptor.

    This requires a great amount of patience since if you act too eagerly you might kill them too quickly.

    And the probably most important point is to restrain their movement so they won''t be able to end their own life.

    However, as I said, I have a debt of gratitude to these men, so this race must suffice as punishment.

    After all, it''s not like I''ll just let them walk out of here.

    "Sister, when do you think we should let Nerysi''s familiars go? They''re starting to get snappy." (M)

    "We''ll wait till they''re past the first obstacle. Otherwise, it would be over directly. Those two-leggers aren''t the fastest." (A)

    "If you say so. I''m just getting a little twitchy as well when I see them running." (M)

    I suppose I should instruct them once again about their task.

    "Stay calm! You can hunt them down in a moment. But don''t forget, those humans did awful things to her. So it''s on you to make sure that they won''t suffer too shortly." (A)

    I have no idea how well Nerysi''s brood can understand this, but I think they just became the slightest bit calmer.

    This is promising, as you need a cool head if you want to torture someone properly.

    Yet while I already abstain from doing this myself, I want to at least witness their demise.

    For this reason, I quickly transform into spider form and rush ahead.

    Any moment now, our guests should be reaching the hall directly in front of the exit of this cave and thus the first obstacle.

    I reach them just in time to gain sight of their lost expressions.

    "What is this?!" (Koros)

    "Holes filled with liquid?!" (bandit)

    "They''re churning!" (bandit)

    And then they see me.

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    "Aaahh!" (bandit)

    "Oh, goddess!" (bandit)

    "This is the end!" (bandit)

    Damn, they''re panicking.

    If this continues they''ll already fail directly at the start.

    So I transform back to give them some pointers.

    "Wha-, wha-?" (Koros)

    Hmm, is this because of my naked form?

    It''s not like I could stay clothed after I turned into my spider form.

    Yet since they stopped in their tracks and now ogle me, this might be the reason.

    I once read something about how some humans can only think about reproduction.

    Yet I really hope this won''t be the case here, as that kind isn''t much different from animals and as such not very interesting for my research.

    "Don''t mind me. But you should seriously get going if you don''t want to get eaten. So please, show me how you''re going to overcome the acid pits." (A)

    As if to support my words, Masiabi and Eritu come up behind me, which motivates these people enough to run further down to my prepared obstacle course.

    I intentionally left some small lines of ground between them, so it''s more of a question of how quickly and well they can balance on those.

    The acidic gas, which is destructive to human respiratory systems, should add another level of difficulty to this.

    Not to forget the biting sensation it causes to their eyes.

    Yet they''re quite determined, carefully setting one foot after the other, while trying to cover their mouths and noses with their hands.

    Though, this isn''t how it works, my dearies.

    As long as you''re still breathing you''re going to inhale more of the gas.

    "Cough"

    "Don''t touch it!" (bandit)

    "Cough"

    "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" (bandit)

    "Aargh! It burns!" (bandit)

    Huh, it seems like one of them slipped and dunked his foot into the acid.

    That was to be expected with how the others were pressing from behind.

    After all, with so few legs it''s not easy to maintain your stability.

    However, now it''s getting interesting.

    "Hey, you should hurry. I think I can already hear the hunting pack!" (M)

    Masiabi knows surprisingly well how to push those humans. Some of them look anxiously backward.

    Yet more important is what the others are doing.

    "You''re too slow! Get out of the way!" (Koros)

    "I hurt my foot! I can''t move faster!" (bandit)

    "Then you''re a liability!" (Koros)

    "Splash"

    "Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" (bandit)

    Hah, this is why humans are so funny.

    Different from animals, they''re aware of their decisions.

    Not just driven by instinct and the wish to flee, this one made the intentional decision to push the other into the acid.

    Selfish, surely, but so much more directed in their ways, which makes them so much more interesting.

    The others aren''t complaining either and quickly step past the dissolving mess of flesh that was once their acquaintance.

    Acquaintance, because I am very sure that the word "friend" marks a relationship where something like this wouldn''t happen so easily.

    Anyway, the first of them reach the other end and rush as fast as they can towards the exit.

    Those not as far don¡¯t want to be left behind and try to move away from the acid pits a little quicker.

    Yet one is too overeager, stumbles, and pulls his foreman with him.

    "Aaaaahhhhhh!" (number one)

    "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" (number two)

    Funny enough, the former uses the body of the other to climb out of the last pit.

    Yet considering his burnt legs, I''d say he''s as well out of this race.

    From what I see, the rest managed to reach the exit into the forest, right to the next part of our little challenge.

    Since I want to continue watching, I quickly transform again into my full spider form and simply avoid the pits by walking along the intentionally webbed wall.

    I might be acid resistant, but not completely immune to it.

    And now here come their competitors.

    Nerysi''s familiars are extremely fast on their legs.

    Showing a strong sense of eagerness, but also giving credit to a very effective body build.

    Naturally, the bigger ones have a little higher speed than those with shorter legs and soon they reach the acid pits, going for the straight way toward their prey.

    But different to those humans, they can traverse the pits far more nimbly, aiming their steps perfectly for the thin barriers between the pits.

    Also, the slight acid resistance comes in handy as well.

    This way they reach the other side in a blink.

    "No, no, no! Aaahhhh!" (bandit)

    Oh right, there was still one of them.

    Well, I doubt they''re going to leave much of him.

    On another leg, this buys time for the others.

    Speaking of which, I follow along behind them, into the forest.

    Due to my greater size, this doesn''t take too long.

    Also, they''re already impeded by the next challenge.

    I can''t wait to see how this plays out.

 Chapter 26

    By now, the humans have made it to the second challenge.

    "Shit, what is that?!" (bandit)

    ''That'' refers to a carefully laid out system of sticky threads on the ground.

    They aren''t thought to cause any harm but instead, allow for live capture.

    After something is caught, you just have to put them down with some sleeping poison and then drag the prey back to the nest where you web them in until further processing.

    A great way to preserve the meat in a fresh state.

    "It''s on the ground! Guys, avoid those patches!" (Koros)

    Naturally, we made sure that they''d have to confront our meticulously prepared obstacles in this challenge run.

    For this reason, we spread guiding threads all around the course.

    This was a wise decision, as those humans directly try to circumvent the area with the ground covering.

    If only to get stuck in the other web.

    Maybe I should give them some pointers.

    For this reason, I transform back onto my human form.

    "Ah, ah, ah! No cheating. There''s only one way out. You''ll have to watch your step." (A)

    I made sure to leave some places free to step through.

    Yet this is going to slow them down, and the hisses of Nerysi''s familiars are already audible.

    By now, I¡¯ve noticed that there''s one of them which is the most directed and loudest of the bunch.

    That might be their leader.

    If he deserves that designation that is.

    I observe how he''s intentionally waiting for someone else to step in front of him.

    Which is a good individual tactic to clear the way.

    Yet as I said, this careful stepping is quite slow.

    "This is taking too long!" (K)

    "Wha-" (bandit)

    Oh, once again he pushed someone.

    Yet this time, the one in question isn''t dying directly.

    He just got stuck to the threads on the ground.

    "You asshole! You scum! Piece of shit! If I ever get you!" (bandit)

    "Yeah, yeah! Quiet down! Or better, make as much of a racket as you can. That''s going to keep them on you." (Koros)

    "Urgh!" (bandit)

    Ahaha!

    He just stepped on him and uses him as a platform to leave the rest of the webbed ground behind himself.

    Now those who''re remaining do the same.

    Yet as he''s not too pleased about this treatment, he throws one of them down.

    That one gets his leg stuck on the ground.

    "Hah! You had it coming!" (bandit)

    "You have this coming!" (bandit)

    "Whack"

    Now he''s punching him!

    The other can barely move but shifts his body as much as he can to bring the other further out of balance.

    My oh my, humans can be so funny!

    Such pettiness at the edge of death.

    I don''t mind them and simply pass by.

    Different from the common belief, we aren''t immune to our own stickiness, instead, we simply have a good sense for the threads.

    And to be safe, I regularly douse my feet in my acid.

    The probably only thing that can dissolve the threads in case we get caught up in them.

    When I reach the other side, Nerysi''s familiars finally arrive.

    They directly walk up to the nearest tree and simply move along the branches in the canopy.

    Yet naturally not without some of the smaller ones rappelling themselves downward onto those left behind.

    Stolen story; please report.And once again screams sound through the forest, inducing the remaining eight to run a little faster.

    That is, until they come to a sudden stop.

    "Wh-what is this?" (Koros)

    He looks at the probably greatest challenge.

    The thornwall!

    A thick hedge of thorny greenery.

    With a nasty little feature to it.

    "Beware, the thorns are coated with a hefty poison. Avoid touching them!" (A)

    "B-but this isn''t fair! There''s no way we can get through this!" (K)

    Once again the loud one.

    "Oh, don''t be like this. You could simply cut a path through it for yourself. We even left you some tools." (A)

    I point at an assortment of rusty weapons we took from their predecessors who dared to enter our forest.

    "Screeee!"

    The sound of Nerysi''s brood approaching is enough to motivate them to get started and stop saying pointless things to me.

    They frantically hack at the vines in their way, yet soon one gets too eager and brushes his hand against the thorns during one of his swings..

    For a moment, he just continues.

    Then he seems to notice something, remembers my words from before, and his face slowly distorts in horror.

    "Gorel! Don''t stop we need to push further!" (Koros)

    While the other is saying this, the man''s arm already starts to cramp.

    It jerks in uncontrolled patterns and actually dislocates his elbow.

    The pain throws him backward, right into more of the vines.

    Kyroki mixed a particularly nasty concoction there.

    I doubt she would openly admit it, but aside from wanting to test out the fruits of her research, I''d say she''s especially motivated to let them suffer particularly hard because of Nerysi.

    The way their own muscles are ripping them apart is certainly not a painless way to go.

    Though, that''s well-aligning with my intentions for them.

    That little display of the meaning of suffering not only distracted our group of humans but made them all warier of the thorns, which in practice slows them down severely.

    But then Nerysi''s brood comes into view from behind them.

    Different from their prey, they just climb along the trees and draw closer at an astonishing speed, the smaller ones following swiftly behind, each at their own pace.

    They''re becoming now very aware of what they have to expect if they idle further like this.

    "Goodamnit! Cut through!" (K)

    "I don''t want to die!"

    "They''re coming!"

    They almost made it when finally the broodlings reach them.

    "Half of you! Defend the chokepoint! The rest presses further on!" (K)

    That''s not too stupid.

    The poison on the vines is impartial to who gets killed by it.

    The broodlings can''t just overwhelm them.

    "Raaaaahhhh!"

    "You won''t get me! You won''t get me!"

    They''re swinging the iron hatchets and blades wildly in the direction of the broodlings, yet without the coordination to actually achieve anything while the spear-like legs of their opponents poke at them.

    With their poor weaponry, I don''t think they will be able to hold them off for too long.

    In addition, they have another disadvantage.

    It''s totally possible to get past our little thorn wall.

    Especially if you can climb like Nerysi''s little ones.

    So the humans can''t afford to stay for too long as they''re about to get encircled.

    And I believe then the race can be considered finished and it should be fine to send in the acid throwers.

    Finally, the humans break through to the other side.

    However, once again they''re too overeager and those on the outer edges of the group scrape against the thorns.

    Not only this, but the ones in the skirmish with their pursuers realize that they can''t just turn around and run from their faster chasers.

    Once again, panic proves to be a poor advisor for survival, especially in their current environment.

    Though, I doubt that there have been other ways to live much longer.

    Once the broodlings overwhelm them it might actually be considered a mercy when they deal with the twitching poison affected.

    I''m not even sure if the poison kills in any other way than by the inevitably caused injuries.

    Yet now there are only four of them left.

    They run as fast as they can in a straight line.

    But it seems one of them can''t keep up and collapses.

    This makes him easy prey for the broodlings but it buys more precious time for the others.

    They''re running on and on, their chasers close behind them.

    Suddenly, the leader throws his hatchet at the one in front of him.

    "Aaaaghh!"

    "Sorry, Jin! Can''t have you running faster than me!" (K)

    Truly, this human has a very interesting perspective on survival.

    Such a fascinating concept.

    I know why I like studying them so much.

    "Koros, you asshole!" (Jin)

    Yet now there''s only one other left in the race.

    "The others are all on you! Am I to be next?!"

    "Only if you get in my way! Just run somewhere else!" (K)

    And so he does.

    Might be better, as a fight would have slowed both of them down.

    Now both of them are running with the broodlings behind them.

    Suddenly one of the fastest, which was the first one to climb past the vines, jumps the boss one from the side.

    They grapple, yet the man didn''t retrieve his weapon.

    Instead, he suddenly throws his hand into its mouth.

    "Eat this!" (K)

    Yet instead of biting it off and killing him, the little one jerks, cramps, and ultimately desists.

    Oh my, it seems he picked up one of the vines while they had to wait at the last obstacle.

    The boss who''s the focus of my interest runs further through the forest towards a light.

    A light that grows, promises freedom, and ultimately grants sight on the area past the trees.

    Our territory''s largest clearing where I''ve stationed all my acid throwers.

    I move a short distance ahead of him and turn around.

    "Congratulations for making it this far! I''m very curious how well you''ll survive the acid onslaught next!" (A)

    "You, you can''t be serious! This isn''t fair!" (K)

    Huh?

    What has fairness to do with this?

    "Well, you can choose to just give up here. Or you can keep on trying to escape. It''s up to you." (A)

    "Is there even an end to this?" (K)

    "Sure. Just a couple more miles in this direction. Though, the other traps might pose an impediment for you." (A)

    "But... you said you''d let us off if we escape!" (K)

    "Sure, but I never said anything about your chances to make it." (A)

    "Screeeeeee"

    Oh, here they come.

    "Seems like it''s dinner time." (A)

 Chapter 27

    - Neri -

    Ugh, I didn''t sleep well last night.

    Or today?

    I still believe my sense of time might be a little screwed in this regard after all the time down here.

    Anyway, I think I had a nightmare.

    It''s quite fuzzy, but I guess nobody is surprised that it involved spiders.

    Spiders and a sense of... violence?

    I think there was some fury involved.

    I think I was hunted in the dream, the spiders directly on my heels.

    Argh, this is so confusing.

    Recalling dreams is difficult.

    While pondering, I realize that I''m a tad bit hungry.

    Should I try going out by myself?

    Uh, but there are spiders out there.

    What would I do if I encounter one?

    Could I talk to it and ask it to go away?

    Do I want to talk with spiders?

    I could probably at least check if the door works as intended.

    While bringing my elongated nails to the spot where the locking mechanism is supposed to be, I wonder why they don''t disturb me more.

    After all, they''re a bit like claws and by all means, as clumsy as I am I already should have poked myself several times.

    Yet weirdly, it seems like I instinctively know how to avoid this.

    Maybe this also translates to my weaving ability.

    I''m still practicing, but I guess I make good progress.

    And just as easily, I can slide my fingers into the gap and push the door open.

    Before I get out I carefully look left and right down the hallway, to check if everything''s clear.

    Okay, no spiders anywhere close.

    That''s a good thing by itself.

    I walk through the webbed corridors and only realize on the way that I have no idea where I would even get some food.

    I probably should have waited for one of the sisters to come, but after this nightmare, I felt somewhat restless.

    You know, like if you''re hunted you don''t want to hide out in the same place.

    But it''s not like meeting any spiders on the way would be better.

    Oh no, there is one.

    Okay, it''s small, and from the brown color I can tell it belongs to Eritu, but it''s still a spider!

    "Pl-please, go away!" (N)

    Oh, it does.

    This could be related to my weird spider monster abilities.

    Which might be the only positive thing about this change.

    Okay, now I can breathe easy again and continue on my way.

    In hindsight, it might''ve been wiser to ask it for directions, yet this is still slightly beyond me.

    Oh no, another one!

    Sure, this should be kinda expected in the spider nest, but for obvious reasons, I avoid thinking about how many of them are around me.

    The ones I can feel in my mind are already bad enough.

    It almost requires effort to ignore my familiars.

    Speaking of them, now that I had the corresponding thoughts, I realize they''re not in their room.

    But why?

    Before I can think closer in that regard, something wraps around me from behind and lifts me up.

    "Hey, Nerysi!" (M)

    Masiabi!?!

    She squeezes me tightly against her for a moment but then lets go.

    "Sorry, couldn''t resist." (M)

    "How did you find me?" (N)

    "Well, you''re not exactly inconspicuous. Actually, you emitted something like a strong signal to all familiars to not approach you. That''s quite perceivable for anyone closeby." (M)

    So that means all the spiders relay my position.

    And if I remember it right, Talisa even has some other means to locate me in the sanctuary.

    "But what are you doing here?" (M)

    "Uh, I, I got hungry and no one came." (N)

    "You shouldn''t go where we store the food right now. There''s currently some ''processing'' going on, if you understand." (M)

    Oh god, they''re dissolving some poor creature.

    "Okay, but... I don''t really want to be alone at the moment. I, I had a nightmare." (N)

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    I''m slightly embarrassed to say something so childlike, but on the other hand, I suppose her perception of me can''t get any worse.

    "Oh, no! A nightmare? Are you fine?" (M)

    Wow, she sounds seriously concerned.

    Which is more than I would''ve expected from her.

    "I-it''s no big deal. I just thought I was being hunted." (N)

    "Uh... being hunted you say? By spiders, I suppose? That... must''ve been terrifying." (M)

    What is with her?

    Why is she so obviously avoiding my gaze?

    Does she know more about this?

    "Did... something happen?" (N)

    "Something? Ehm, what should have happened? Ahaha... Ehm, no?..." (M)

    Right...

    At this point, I become aware of a very disturbing fact.

    Which is that right now, all my familiars are currently heading in our direction.

    Just to mention, the bond works both ways, so the spiders can perfectly make out my position.

    I suppose it¡¯s obvious how I feel about this state of affairs.

    I need to say, the fact that they''re rushing in my direction is already inducing a mild panic that almost makes me forget about Masiabi''s suspicious behavior.

    But what makes it worse is that some of them are also incredibly fast.

    "They''re coming!" (N)

    "You''re aware that they''re your brood? It''s not like there''s any risk for you." (M)

    "That''s not the point!" (N)

    I''m scared.

    Should I run?

    But there''s no way I would even make it to the end of the corridor before they''d catch up.

    But what then?

    Forget it, there''s no time!

    They''re here!!!

    Sharp silver legs emerge from the next corner.

    Metallic carapaces glisten in the shallow light.

    Some of them are already larger than the average dog, but the smaller ones are just as bad.

    A scream gets stuck in my throat and my shaking legs simply won''t move.

    There are so many and... Is that blood!?!

    Oh my god, they killed something!

    They murdered a living being, the remains of the deed still splattered across their bodies.

    I feel sick.

    It only gets worse the closer they are, but shortly before the moment where I think I would faint they stop.

    Yet now they are jittery and jump up and down.

    It''s certainly a horror show, but as much as I''m terrified, I grow in equal measure confused.

    This is because through the bond we share their weird behavior translates to something like "Praise me! Praise me!".

    "Wh-wh-what is going on here?" (N)

    "Nothing to grow concerned with. You can believe me. Ehehehe." (M)

    Is she aware of how super unbelievable she appears?

    She''s even actively looking away to avoid my gaze!

    I need to clear this up.

    But first things first!

    I turn to my brood.

    "Could... Ahem, could you please retreat a few steps?" (N)

    Or rather many, given that the number of legs makes a small distance quite the ordeal already.

    They feel a bit disgruntled for not being praised, but do as I asked them to.

    Now I feel a bit more secure interacting with Masiabi.

    "They''re covered in blood and somehow think I would be happy about this! What did you do?!" (N)

    "Uh, just a little hunt. Everything''s good now, I promise!" (M)

    "You hunted!? Made them hunt?! What?! Why?!" (N)

    "They, they need the practice. You, you could just tell them it was a job well done. It''s not important what they hunted, really!" (M)

    Then why are you so actively distracting me from it?

    I, I should calm down.

    I know, I will try asking nicely.

    She''s weak to this.

    "Would you please tell me? I can see that there''s something you have on your mind." (N)

    "I-I don''t think I should." (M)

    Okay, then let''s resort to more extreme measures.

    "Please, big... sis?" (N)

    "Oh... Oh my! Ehm, well, you see. But please don''t freak out!" (M)

    If the giant spider monster says not to freak out that''s kinda a reason in itself to grow increasingly concerned.

    "What happened?" (N)

    "It''s not a big deal, really. We dealt with some humans. Some real baddies, just so you know." (M)

    Humans?

    That means they just killed people.

    They probably eradicated them all or she wouldn''t be so relaxed about it.

    That''s like daily business for her, isn''t it?

    "How do you know that they were baddies?" (N)

    It''s not like she made them write down all their sins before doing the deed, right?

    "Uhh... That''s maybe the slightly problematic part about this." (M)

    "Could you please just tell me?!" (N)

    I''m growing distressed.

    She''s clearly holding back something and I want to know what.

    It''s obviously concerning me if she still doesn''t want to tell me.

    "Sigh, fine. We dealt with the guys who killed your family." (M)

    The words hit me like a shock.

    They, they dealt with them?

    How can this be?!

    The people who brought me all this pain are now gone?

    Just like this?

    I drop to the ground, unable to think anymore.

    "Nerysi! Wh-what is wrong?" (M)

    I feel her awkwardly putting a hand on my back, but it seems she doesn''t know what else she can do.

    "C-can I help you somehow. What is wrong? Aren''t you happy that they''re gone now? They can never hurt you again!" (M)

    I can''t answer this.

    Am I happy?

    If my many nightmares weren¡¯t about spiders, they were of that day.

    How everything happened.

    Their faces.

    Surely, I was angry at them, but mostly I was just devastated.

    Too shaken to really process what happened.

    Now that I hear that they''re dead I, I don''t feel glad or happy.

    There''s just... nothing. nothing at all.

    I feel empty.

    "I-if it helps. In some way you killed them. Well, your familiars. But that''s basically the same thing." (M)

    No, it doesn''t.

    Maybe I thought about how it would be to take revenge, it would''ve been possible, probably, but my parents would still be dead.

    I''ve got nothing back from this.

    And now there''s nothing left that relates to my old life.

    It''s all lost.

    "Everything''s gone. There''s nothing left. I feel... lost. Hick!" (N)

    "Wh-what do you mean? You''re still in our nest, right? I''m here for you, Nerysi." (M)

    This isn''t enough!

    I''m not just what they want me to be.

    Not just an Arachne!

    I-I''m not...

    "I''m not Nerysi! I''m Neri!" (N)

    "Nerysi, please calm down." (M)

    "Please don''t. Stop it! Please!" (N)

    "Ner-" (Masiabi)

    "Please... Could you please just once call me Neri? Just one single time?" (N)

    "Uuhhh. Talisa said I shouldn''t. That it wouldn''t be good for you to cling to the past." (M)

    "Please. Hick! Please! Just once!" (N)

    I need to hear it. I need to hear that I''m still there.

    I need to hear that I existed as a human.

    As the daughter of my parents!

    "Urgh. Fine. For you... Neri." (M)

    She said it!

    She truly said it!

    This, this makes me feel better.

    I lay myself against her, burying my face into her chest.

    She lays her hands around me but isn''t squeezing as she would usually do.

    Just holding me gently.

    "Hick. Thank you." (N)

    "Don''t worry. I''m here for you. And I will eradicate whoever bothers my wonderful little sister." (M)

    Okay...

    Should this concern me?

 Chapter 28

    After my little episode, things might''ve gotten better for me.

    Masiabi is currently trying very hard to please me.

    Which is still worrisome, considering I know what she is, and I barely can fathom how many people she has already killed.

    Still, she''s trying to make time for me and spend it the way I like it.

    Last time, we even went to the surface together and encountered a deer.

    I could see how much she had to fight the urge to hunt it down, but she prevailed and stayed by my side.

    I... Sometimes I think she really likes me as a person.

    On the other side, she¡¯s starting to get a little too pushy.

    I mean, it''s nice to have someone comforting you, but once this need is satisfied, you also want to have time for yourself.

    "Uh, Masiabi, it''s not like I don''t appreciate that you''re there for me, but don''t you want to spend some time by yourself? What about your hunting?" (N)

    "Well, we don''t really need to hunt much right now. It depends on your age, but if you''re not very active, you can go quite a long time without food. But I need to admit that I was never in human form for so long. I¡¯m kinda itching to get back to my normal one." (M)

    Normal... right.

    Giant terrifying spider.

    "Not to forget, your familiars just completed their last hunt. So the storages are full." (M)

    Right, there was "that".

    "With the last hunt you mean..." (N)

    "Well, the baddies we caught for you. To be honest, I hoped you''d be a bit happier about their deaths." (M)

    I seriously don''t know how to answer this.

    It''s not like I want to be ungrateful, but I now had time to think about it, and I need to say that the knowledge they died isn''t giving me much.

    I could barely process what happened to my family.

    When I think back to what they did, it''s sad, and painful, and I am troubled to dwell more on this event.

    Though, I suppose it''s a good thing that people such as these won''t be able to harm others anymore.

    Also, maybe I won''t have as many nightmares regarding that in the future.

    But my number one fear is still about spiders, and the fact that number one gruesomely killed number two isn''t all that soothing.

    Wait a moment!

    Masiabi was talking about our food reserves before.

    If the spiders caught them...

    Oh my god!

    "M-Masiabi, h-how are they going to be processed?" (N)

    "We just finished with them today. You know, same as we usually... Ohhh! Ehm, sorry. We already mixed some of them into today''s meal. I kinda forgot. Would it really be that bad to eat those who were mean to you?" (M)

    I knew it!

    My face instantly contorts in horror and disgust.

    I''m certainly not willing to eat humans.

    Not if I can help it.

    "Well, I don''t really know what to do about it now. Maybe I could go out again and hunt something else? Yet this may take a while." (M)

    I, I think I have another solution.

    "Masiabi, could I please go out alone for today?" (N)

    "Uh... Okay... If you want to. But you know the drill. Only if you take your familiars with you. I couldn''t forgive myself if something were to attack you." (M)

    She seems slightly disappointed about me leaving her behind.

    But my familiars...

    She means the murder spiders who just proved that they live up to that name.

    However, as things stand I don''t have much of a choice.

    At least, I could tell them to keep some distance.

    The thing is, I think it''s time to try cooking something today.

    It''s not like I got anything against our organ soup.

    Well, aside from knowing about its contents.

    Or that it''s basically innards mixed with acidic spider saliva.

    Well, aside from this, I got used to the taste.

    It''s even weirder if I consider that I''m not even getting the slightest bit tired of it, no matter how long I keep on solely consuming this stuff.

    However, once in a while having a normal meal would be nice instead of the soup.

    Especially, since Masiabi just told me that they put the murderers of my parents into it.

    So yeah, I need to find a way to get my own meals for times like this.

    But first things first.

    "Masiabi, could you please guide me to the room with all the human stuff?" (N)

    "Sure. But why would you want to go there?" (M)

    "To get stuff? I thought I could find something useful for being outdoors." (N)

    "I still don''t understand what an Arachne would need." (M)

    "Could I please just look around there?" (N)

    "Okay. It''s not like there''s a rule against it. Mostly, it¡¯s just stuff we took from trespassers." (M)

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Along with the trespassers themselves, I guess.

    However, I need to hand it to Masiabi that she''s dutifully leading me to the place.

    I do my best to memorize the way as well, so I won''t have to rely on any of the sisters in case I want to fetch something.

    If I¡¯m going to live here, I should at least know how to get to the rooms I may use.

    I step in there and rummage through the contents.

    It might look like a huge trash pile at first, but it''s almost ironic how many valuable treasures are mixed in here.

    Ripped fabric next to a perfectly pristine tent.

    Though, I''m sure Talisa could make a better one.

    Also, broken and rusted pieces of metal next to weapons that look as if they consist of high-grade materials.

    Or some nice-looking trinkets next to artifacts I can''t figure out yet.

    However, while I''m sure that this place might be for some adventurers the big treasure room at the end of their quest, I''m looking for something different here.

    All the treasures in the world and I fetch for myself a camping pot and a fire striker.

    These are also found in the kitchen, but it needs to be of a size where I can transport it in a bag.

    Speaking of which, I just saw one that might be only slightly too big for my size.

    "Huh!? Why are you taking that?" (M)

    "Because I wanted a bag?" (N)

    "Why don''t you just ask Talisa? I''m sure she would make you one. And it would be much better than this." (M)

    That''s probably true.

    But Talisa was recently kinda hard on me.

    I mean, I know she may have good intentions.

    I''m, for example, probably not freaking out as much about my familiars anymore as I did at the start, yet on the other side, she''s always forcing her point.

    Sometimes, I wish I could just ignore her.

    But then I''m reminded again that she''s a spider of unfathomable size.

    At least, I''m rather sure that the leg length of five meters wasn''t her all yet.

    "Uh, for today I''d like to use this." (N)

    "Well, suit yourself. But don''t complain if it rips. Human stuff is so fragile after all." (M)

    That might be a specific issue that entirely revolves around Masiabi.

    As far as I know, she kinda possesses super strength.

    "Okay. But I think with this I''m ready." (N)

    "Alright. Then all that is left for you to do is to call your familiars." (M)

    She''s phrasing that a bit weirdly.

    "Call? You mean I should go to their room and ask them, right?" (N)

    "No. I meant you should call them to your side through the link you share with them. I mean, this is a prime example for what it''s there for." (M)

    The mental link...

    I''m not too sure about that.

    Until now, I only used it to keep track of their location or to make them stay away from me.

    Calling them here seems like the total opposite of that.

    What concerns me most about it would be that I worry that I might open up some kind of door by doing so.

    If I use the mental link to call them that''s like asking to speak to them.

    I''m certainly not ready for continuous talks with spiders through my mind.

    That would be a bit much.

    "Is there a problem? Do they not answer to you?" (M)

    "Uh, if I call them, will they as well want me to hear them out through the link?" (N)

    "Huh, good question. I think Eritu can do this. It requires you to closely listen in on them with concentrated focus, but yes, it should be possible to receive more detailed information from them. Naturally, in correspondence to the complexity of the thoughts they''re even able to perform. Mine usually only tell me stuff like if they''re hungry or bored." (M)

    "And mine will talk to me too?" (N)

    "You don''t need to worry. They love you, but they would never selfishly force themselves onto you. Rather, I think it''s the opposite. From what I observed they seem very inclined to do everything they can for ya. You have very good familiars, Nerys- Neri." (M)

    For a moment, I look at her with astonished eyes, gathering myself again and thinking about what she told me.

    I guess she means I should just call them.

    It would be unfair and mean of me to constantly ignore them if they on the other side care so much.

    Also, from the explanation it seems like I don''t need to worry about them trying to talk with me if I can''t deal with it.

    "So, what are you going to do now?" (M)

    "Alright. I''ll... try." (N)

    Naturally, I''m still reluctant, but I want to go out and cook.

    So this is a necessary step.

    Also, I should be aware that we''re here in a monster forest.

    It would be stupid not to think the slightest bit about my safety.

    Especially, if my familiars already freak out because I''m such an easy target.

    But it''s still hard.

    I''m not sure if I can bring myself to call them.

    While I mentally focus on the link, I notice how all of them perk up.

    However, I hesitate to truly send anything through the connection.

    It''s like I''m standing in front of someone, they''re eagerly waiting for me to speak up, but I just can''t say a word because I''m too nervous.

    Alone the thought of calling them to me...

    Oh, forget about it!

    They''re already on the way.

    It seems they were so on edge to hear from me that already the thought of calling them to me was enough to serve as the real deal.

    A bit like reading my wishes from my mind.

    "They, they''re coming." (N)

    "Good job, Neri! Then I''ll be on my way!" (M)

    "Wait, you''re going?" (N)

    There''s a spider horde rushing here!!!

    "Didn''t you tell me you wanted to go by yourself? I think that''s good for you. Also, I feel like your familiars don''t appreciate me very much. I think they don''t like how close we are." (M)

    With this, she gives me a tight squeeze and leaves through the doorway.

    Meanwhile, I am left to wait for the horrors which I know are right now swarming in my direction.

    .

    .

    .

    Help!

    <hr>

    - Masiabi -

    Oh my!

    Nerysi is doing something of her own volition!

    This is such a big step for her, I''m sure it will do her much good.

    However, we shouldn''t forget to take some precautions.

    After all, we need to make sure that she''ll have a pleasant time.

    And that while I''m rather sure that she has a thing for drawing trouble.

    So yes, this is important!

    With this thought, I send my familiars in all directions so they may contact my sisters, and I walk to the meeting hall.

    We have an efficient system, thanks to Talisa, so it doesn''t take long for them all to arrive.

    "Why did you call for an assembly today, Masiabi?" (T)

    "Neri is going out today!" (M)

    "Oh, she is!?" (T)

    "With her familiars!?!" (E)

    "I''m so proud of her." (A)

    "Well, whatever." (K)

    Okay, what now?

    I honestly didn''t think further than this.

    "We should make sure that our dear sister is safe on her excursion. Who knows what she may encounter?" (A)

    "Should we look after her? She could be attacked! What if she meets humans?!" (E)

    "We don''t have the time to always look after her. Also, it would counter the point of encouraging her to go by herself." (T)

    "Learning a bit of independence will be good for her." (K)

    "But what if she''s attacked? There are so many dangers out there!" (A)

    "She has her familiars with her for this very reason." (T)

    "You might be right. They''re capable. But still so young." (E)

    "How about this? We send our familiars out to help her in case she needs it?" (M)

    This sounds like a good compromise to me.

    "Naturally, I already have my scout brood out. They''ll tell me every little thing they know about what happens out there." (E)

    "And I have my web system. The strings will tell me about all the movement in the forest." (T)

    "Then my acid throwers will stay ready to help if needed." (A)

    That sounds like a plan!

    "Good, so I''ll let my familiars scout in a wide area around her, to intercept the more dangerous prey." (M)

    This leaves one.

    "You''re so ridiculous! As if I don¡¯t already have my familiars shadowing her." (K)

    She has problems showing her true feelings, but Kyroki cares just as much about Nerysi as each of us.

    With this, it seems like we have formed a strategy.

    Together we will make sure that our sister has a pleasant time!

 Chapter 29

    After a moderately short period of screaming, I can finally manage to calm down again about the fact that all my familiars came for me.

    It didn''t help that they formed a ring around my person to protect me from whatever is currently upsetting me so much.

    Fortunately, they soon realized, that it might be better to grant me a bit more space and expand their encirclement a bit

    As I have successfully overcome this fit, I can now start introducing them to my plan as I originally intended to.

    "Ehm, I wanted to go out today. But the others say I can only go if there''s someone to protect me from monsters and stuff. Would, would you do that?" (N)

    "Scrcheeeehhhhh"

    Maybe I spoke a bit quietly, but the hisses I hear in response, which chill my blood, sound very enthusiastic about it. A bit too enthusiastic in a certain sense.

    "B-but please, please avoid killing as much as you can." (N)

    I don''t want them to eradicate everything in the vicinity and they felt to me like they would do just that given the chance.

    Also, Masiabi told me once that there are peaceful animals in this part of the forest, which come here so they won''t be hunted as much.

    In a sense, it''s basically working like a farm.

    A big, foresty one.

    Yet it would defeat the purpose if my familiars would go on an all-around killing spree.

    However, at least it''s no difficulty to convince them to accompany me.

    They''re just all too eager to do so.

    Yet before I can go anywhere, there''s an important matter to address.

    "Pl-please, can you give me a bit of space? You-you''re too close." (N)

    That dampened their excited mood, but they comply nonetheless.

    It doesn''t make me completely relaxed, but it''s barely enough to not freak out anymore and be able to breathe again.

    This enables me to finally get on my way to the surface.

    I try following the path I was shown before that should lead me safely to the outside, aided by some of my familiars in front of me which guide the way.

    Yet the whole time I''m walking, I have a crawling shiver on my back because they''re also directly behind me.

    However, even if there shouldn''t be so many along the line, the inevitable happens, and I encounter the brood of the other sisters.

    I can''t help but panic a little and immediately my familiars catch on to this distress and engage.

    "Skcchhhh"

    They start hissing at the ones present, ready to start a fight.

    Yet none of the other spiders seems inclined to this.

    Instead, they give way, while my familiars aggressively push forward to clear a path for me.

    Well, at least that means there are no other spiders I have to deal with.

    There''s also another advantage.

    The thing is, I don''t know the way through the tunnels that well, but they do.

    So I only need to follow them.

    I mostly use the inner link instead of sight to orientate myself here.

    For obvious reasons.

    Eventually, we reach the surface.

    Once again, I need a moment to adjust, but the light is not as harsh anymore as the first time.

    Now I need to start foraging for food.

    We lived next to the forest, so I know a bit about what kind of stuff is edible, yet it''s still the forest and no farm, so there''s a decrease in the variety of ingredients I''m familiar with enough to cook.

    For today, I think I should keep it simple.

    In this sense, a mushroom soup or stew should be fine.

    I only need the mushrooms and some additions.

    As before, every little step I make is accompanied by hundreds of eight-legged ones behind me.

    Just to mention it, this isn''t great for my focus.

    It would help if they wouldn''t always stalk directly behind me.

    "Pl-please. You don''t need to always be so close. I''m looking for food and can''t concentrate that well with all of you around." (N)

    Once again, it seems like I underestimated my control over my familiars, as they comply without hesitance.

    Some even move directly out of the close range where I''m completely aware of them, probably to do their own thing.

    At a longer distance, I can still make out their position, but I don''t hear every single thought if I don''t concentrate on the specific ones.

    Which I''d rather abstain from.

    So I continue looking for mushrooms for a while.

    Then something unusual happens.

    Suddenly, I perceive something like a call from some of my familiars.

    It feels urgent, so I reluctantly follow it to the source.

    There I find several spiders gathered around a spot.

    Did something happen there?

    I can¡¯t really see past them.

    Immediately after I think this, they shift aside and make room, revealing what made them gather here in the first place.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Mushrooms.

    That means they must''ve watched me, determined what I was doing, and decided to help me with this task.

    Oh my, they must really be as smart as Masiabi told me they are.

    I''m not the slightest bit sure if supersmart spiders make this in any way better for me.

    Obviously, I''m still scared.

    However, they did something for me.

    It would be simply wrong not to honor that.

    "Ehm... thank you." (N)

    Once again I become distressed when they happily celebrate my praise.

    Those jumping around are the worst of the bunch.

    I politely distance myself a bit, before I start gathering the mushrooms in my bag.

    At this point, I''m already quite strained mentally and hope there won''t be more events like this.

    Yet apparently this hope was for naught.

    Because soon I again feel the presence of my approaching familiars and the moment I turn around I see them gathering in front of me.

    They brought mushrooms.

    A bundle wrapped up in silk that one of the bigger ones got bound to its leg.

    They bite through the connecting strand with their fangs and spread the contents on the ground in front of me, before backing away.

    With the awkwardness that comes from the terror I experience looking at them together with receiving this present, I am troubled to know how to react.

    I guess I should take it?

    I mean, the spider silk on them is a bit of an issue, but it''s not like I can''t clean them and it''s well-meant.

    You can''t be mean if someone tries being nice, as much as they frighten you.

    However, there''s another issue.

    "Th-thank you. But this is too much. I can''t eat such an amount by myself." (N)

    That''s more like a family-sized meal and I would probably not even count for a full portion.

    However, it would be a waste to throw them away.

    When I look closer, I see that not all mushrooms the spiders brought are edible.

    So I rummage through the lot and have to sort those out that are poisonous.

    I''m not even sure if that poison would have any effect on me at this point, but it''s not like I intend to test it.

    The dare if I can solely subsist on mushrooms is already good as it is.

    The spiders feel dejected that I reject some of their gifts, which is reason enough for me to apologize, as some of them are really big and intimidating.

    "I-I''m sorry. But I can only use certain kinds." (N)

    It doesn''t seem to be very appreciated. I guess the respective familiars are sulking.

    At least, they rush off.

    Which is nothing I will complain about.

    Now I need to clean the mushrooms I got at that one water trail.

    If I would just remember where it was.

    "Ehm, e-excuse me. Do any of you know where I could find water?" (N)

    I was told that there are webs to guide the way, but I would lie if I''d say I understand the system.

    So I''d be utterly lost on my own in this forest.

    For this reason, I require help from my familiars.

    It seems like they understand everything all too well and directly respond to my request, moving in front of me in a way that I ought to follow.

    This distresses me deeply, but being lost with spiders around wouldn''t really be better.

    So we eventually reach the small waterway.

    Now I need to wash the mushrooms, make a fire, fill the kettle with water, and cook everything.

    Sounds easy enough.

    I start carefully cleaning the mushrooms.

    I''m somewhat confident in my skill, so this should be easy enough.

    But then something unexpected happens.

    The spiders that earlier went sulking further away are returning.

    Yeah, I can somehow tell them apart.

    And they''re bringing... More mushrooms.

    This time only the ones I told them I could use.

    Didn''t they listen before when I said this is too much?!

    I think they wanted to prove that they can do it right.

    This is how it feels to me.

    What am I supposed to do now?

    I will never be able to eat that many.

    Not to speak of preparing them here in the open.

    If I remember it right, the kitchen Akasia and Masiabi established for me had a bigger kettle.

    That should work better.

    I continue cleaning the mushrooms to stuff them later into my bag when once more something happens.

    The ones which separated before when I told them I need a bit more space for myself return.

    Once they''re closer, I feel like they''re somewhat elated about something I can''t really make out.

    However, it becomes apparent once they''re here.

    They brought a deer, proudly presenting it to me.

    The thought I receive feels a bit like "here, food".

    Because I told them I''m looking for food before!

    Those thought they''re especially smart and directly went to bring what they perceive as food.

    Namely, a deer.

    Then some more trickle in with smaller rodents, or bunnies, putting them on an increasingly growing pile.

    They apparently feel my apprehension and send something in return that roughly translates to: "not enough?"

    "No, no, no, no, no! Please, don''t bring me more animals!" (N)

    Now they''re confused.

    "I-I said to avoid killing..." (N)

    And now they feel like they think that this is still within the limits.

    There¡¯s also a sense of amusement coming from them, as if I said something silly.

    What am I supposed to answer to this?!

    They still want me to take their gift.

    "I, I don''t even really know how to take apart animals for meat." (N)

    I shouldn''t have said this.

    I really shouldn''t have said this!

    My spiders start biting into the corpses, ripping and clawing them apart.

    They separate skin, fur, flesh, and organs in a most messy way.

    It''s a traumatizing horror show of blood and gore.

    The only thing keeping me from running away is the fact that there are more directly behind me and I''m simply too terrified to move.

    Eventually, they are done and somehow managed to pile up a small hill of meat.

    Yet at this point, I''m not so sure if I still feel like eating.

    Rather, I''m a bit nauseous.

    On the other side, I just know too well that after that wears off I''ll be just as hungry as I''m now.

    Also, Masiabi said that the food might for some days consist of humans.

    I should think ahead and make a bit more to last me some time.

    But I didn¡¯t come prepared to make this much, and I have no idea how to transport this literal mess my familiars created.

    "Ehm, would any of you help me with the transport? I only need the meat." (N)

    Those terrific nightmare creatures don''t waste any time and start... making silk?

    Okay, they have now some strands laid out.

    Those smaller spiders weave together and soon, there''s a net that is big enough to fit the entire meat hill.

    That one quickly gets shoved on the makeshift net and then fastened to the bigger spiders.

    Is it just me or are my familiars vastly outpacing me in practical thinking and coordination?

    "Uh, good job?" (N)

    They''re so proud of it.

    If the bleeding pile they''re transporting would just not awaken so many distressing associations.

    But now I think this was enough for a day.

    Not like I''d be mentally able to endure another of those interactions with my familiars.

    I don''t want to speak ill of their efforts, but it doesn''t change that this little adventure had some pretty terrifying events.

    So our whole group walks back to the nest.

    At least, my familiars seem to know the way.

 Chapter 30

    We clean the meat and the mushrooms in the little underground river that travels through the nest.

    Conveniently, it''s right next to the kitchen.

    A bit of a concession to it being a fire hazard.

    Naturally, I''m trying to keep my distance a bit, but they have the net with the meat, so I can''t really abandon them.

    The big advantage now would be that the meat starts looking palatable after the majority of the blood got washed off.

    Less like the result of savage violence and more like something that can actually be used for cooking.

    The same should go for the kitchen.

    Last time we were able to produce some halfway-decent tea, so I guess heating up water should be possible.

    I take stock of the kitchen.

    Fortunately, it''s too small for all my familiars to follow me, so most wait at the entrance and the others aren''t really coming in.

    Albeit a bit rustic, I think that it should be usable for what I have in mind.

    After our tea time, Akasia asked me what items would normally be in a kitchen and had it added to the room, so there¡¯s now a large pot under the counter.

    Also, I notice that there are still some darkleaves left.

    I think I can work with this.

    If I want to make stew, first I''ll need some water.

    The issue is that I lack buckets for that purpose.

    Promptly, some of my bigger familiars enter the kitchen.

    I can just jump away before they''re too close and might''ve touched me.

    However, they ignore me, head to the other side of the room, and carry the pot out.

    They might''ve caught on to my problem.

    Seriously, do I really have to mind even my own thoughts?

    It seems so, as these mind-reading spiders start to even follow up on my unfinished ideas.

    Now they''re transporting it to the river, dunk it once, and bring the whole thing back here.

    Okay, I can''t deny that they were nothing but supportive.

    Maybe they do some things wrong or are overeager, also naturally still creepy and scary, but they''re supportive.

    I can barely stand to look in their direction, but it''s hard to treat them harshly just for this reason.

    "Th-thank you, I guess." (N)

    Now I got a kettle with water.

    The next thing I need to do would be to chop the ingredients.

    Especially the strips of meat my familiars ripped away somewhat crudely require more delicate care.

    Also, there are still organs mixed in.

    At this part, my familiars feel a bit lost regarding how to help me.

    Their claws might be sharp, but they''re more for piercing than making accurate cuts.

    This, and they''re trying to hold the pieces with their fangs.

    Which is simply no way to handle food.

    Which doesn''t keep them from trying anyway.

    Sigh.

    Still, we somehow get through that part after another thorough cleaning session at the river.

    Now I need to put everything into the water and then ignite the fire.

    Sadly, all I have for a fire are dry webs that were stacked there as burn material.

    And I need a whole lot of them if it''s supposed to be enough to heat the big kettle.

    It''s a bit weird to use them like this, but they do the job.

    The main problem is all the smoke here underground.

    It''s still manageable, but a little hard to breathe.

    My familiars don''t like it the slightest bit.

    "Screeech!"

    What the fuck is going on!?!

    This is the loudest and most-terrifying sound I ever heard since I came here.

    And it sounded disturbingly much like a spider hiss.

    What is...

    "Splop"

    Before I can finish that thought, I find a wet, white clump of something gluing to my side.

    The next thing I feel is a quick tug before being yanked out of the only entrance of the small kitchen.

    There...

    There''s simply too much at once to catch up with.

    I''m getting hauled in, I think, but every coherent thought stops once I learn where I''m being dragged to.

    A spider.

    A black spider.

    THE LARGEST BLACK SPIDER I¡¯VE EVER SEEN!!!

    "Waaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"

    It''s pulling me in!

    This one is so much bigger than any I¡¯ve seen!

    So much larger!

    There''s no hair on it, it has completely black eyes, and such stupidly long legs that I can''t even begin to compare them to anything that would make sense!

    Stolen novel; please report.Those it uses to pull on the string that attaches me to it, as I now see.

    It''s gonna catch me!

    It''s gonna eat me!!!

    "No, no, please no! Waahhh!" (N)

    With quick movement I''m pulled in, then some quick turns and I''m already wrapped up in silk, unable to even twitch.

    It fastens me to its body and starts off at the speed of the wind.

    We''re so fast that even my familiars don''t have a chance to get in its way.

    I can''t think straight.

    I''m screaming in panic, breathing rigid, acidic tears streaming down my face, burning holes into my clothes.

    This is just too much, too sudden!

    Only a while after we crossed the underground river, does the giant looming creature slow down.

    I feel how I get lowered down, but my weak, bundled-up legs immediately give way.

    But before I hit the ground, two strong arms wrap around me, keeping me from falling.

    "Don''t worry, Nerysi! I got you!" (T)

    Wh-what?!

    Talisa!?

    I''m too perplexed to even mind that she''s currently naked.

    Just where did she come from?

    And where did the enormous spider go?

    Wait... I''m here in the spider den.

    Arachnae are giant spiders.

    Talisa is a giant spider!

    Oh my god, Talisa just abducted me!

    I''m still so much on edge, but I think I need to somehow get this question out.

    "W-wh-wh-why? Wh-why d-did y-you d-do t-th-this?" (N)

    "To save you from the fire, of course!" (T)

    Fire?

    What fire?

    There was only a bit of smoke.

    I feel right now reminded of a joke my mother made after I had a small mishap in the kitchen.

    "Talisa! There you are!" (A)

    "You rushed away so quickly that we couldn''t even talk to you!" (M)

    "What was there to talk about?! You know, for a fact, that fire is such a threat in the sanctuary, and you would''ve wasted precious seconds leaving Nerysi in such peril?" (T)

    Never mind the name, but I was only cooking!

    I''m not that bad at it!

    "But we told you that we built a place where Nerysi could cook. We even were careful to establish it outside the sanctuary, where there are not as many webs that could catch fire." (A)

    "You never said anything about fire!!" (T)

    It seems like Talisa has her own phobia to deal with.

    Seeing the oh-so-great weaver like this would be almost funny enough to laugh out loud if I wouldn''t be so terrified at the moment.

    Also, a naked lady embracing me sets a difficult mood.

    "There you are! My familiars reported everything to me that happened. I think you went too far, Talisa." (E)

    "But it''s fascinating how she directly went to take Nerysi, despite her known apprehension of fire. She seems to be fully committed to protecting Nerysi. This is interesting, as I never planned for such an effect for her transformation." (K)

    Now the last two are joining in as well.

    Wait, did Kyroki just say I''m bewitching people... Errh, giant spider monsters?

    "The most important thing is that Nerysi had permission to use that room for its purpose. If she wants to make food as she likes it, this is her decision!" (M)

    Masiabi can be extremely supportive at times.

    "She made food!?" (A)

    "Yes, what else? She told me she wouldn''t like the usual which we made with the humans." (M)

    "Shouldn''t we address this issue? It sounds like a problem that has to be remedied." (E)

    Remedied?!

    No, I''m not going to eat people!

    Never!

    "There are things that can be remedied and others not. In this case, I''m sure that Nerysi''s opinion wouldn''t change, no matter how much we''d pressure her. Personal preferences can''t be changed so easily." (T)

    If even Talisa is on my side here, then I don''t think I have to worry about it.

    "Yes, yes, whatever. But what about this Nerysi-made food that was mentioned?" (A)

    Oh no, she clearly wants it for herself.

    There''s quite a lot I made, but I need at least enough for myself.

    "Isn''t it obvious that it should be still in this kitchen room?" (K)

    "That''s right! You''re so smart Kyroki!" (A)

    "I know it''s yours, Nerysi, but could we join?" (M)

    "I know that her familiars worked together with her on this. I want to see the result!" (E)

    "I wouldn''t mind." (K)

    "Sigh, if you all insist on it." (T)

    "Please, sister! Please!" (A)

    Just one look at those giant pleading eyes suffices to make me forget my own purpose.

    So it happens that our whole group begins moving back towards the kitchen.

    Partway there, we run into my familiars who aren¡¯t all that happy with my earlier abduction, and I spend quite a long, awkward while calming them down.

    When we finally get inside the kitchen, Masiabi''s gaze instantly falls onto the pile with the remains of the forest creatures.

    "Oh, it seems like you had a really good hunt!" (M)

    "I, I didn''t really hunt." (N)

    "Well, your familiars surely did." (M)

    I can''t deny that they did most of the job.

    The smoke got better while we were gone and the kettle now smells like real food.

    "I, I think it''s done." (N)

    "What you''re waiting for?! Gimme, gimme!" (M)

    Fortunately, there are even some smaller bowls here that should serve well.

    It doesn''t even look all that bad.

    So I start handing it out.

    "Human cuisine! How fancy!" (A)

    "I guess it''s nice." (E)

    Akasia is the first to dig in.

    "Hm, this is not like my acid meals. It''s entirely different. But I wouldn''t say it''s bad." (A)

    "If she likes it, then there''s no reason to stop her. Though, I doubt it has the same nutritional value." (T)

    "Ah, on that matter, Nerysi, you don''t need to worry. I''ll prepare a bit of our usual liquid for you without humans." (A)

    "Uh, thank you." (N)

    This really helps me with my concerns.

    "Hey, while we''re speaking about it, would it be possible to put some of the food in here?" (M)

    Ehm, is that a liquid pouch?

    She wants me to make transportable soup!

    "I, I guess this should be possible." (N)

    "Yay! We have our own little cook!" (M)

    "Seems like you found something you can do, Nerysi. That is good." (T)

    That kinda figures.

    Cook for giant spiders.

    That''s just my life.

    "Now that this is established, what about recipes for cooking humans?" (E)

    I stare in utter trepidation at her suggestion.

    "What?! We still have some of the corpses!" (E)

 Chapter 31

    - Garon -

    Just one quiet day.

    Is that really asking too much?

    Apparently, the answer is "yes" if you''re guild leader in the branch located in Verdanis, the biggest city of the warring states.

    From hunting requests of scared, and therefore difficult, people, to last-minute requests for stuff that can "only be completed by our members", to political quarrels in a land that is so notorious for being a constant free-for-all that they even named it accordingly, the guild is basically responsible for every little thing.

    So, right now we¡¯re incredibly busy with the latest ¡°crisis¡°

    This recent monster attack on the city of Diroen raised all kinds of alarms, and now people call for adventurers because of every little shadow they see.

    I mean, I get them.

    We''re talking about giant spiders, after all.

    If I could choose, I would prefer a direwolf to gut me alive.

    Or a rager.

    One claw strike and I would finally find sweet release from all this stress.

    However, while I have some sympathy for those living out on the land, what we got here is basically pure hysteria.

    People are calling us for any slightly-bigger-than-average spider they find in their sheds.

    I''m almost tempted to send our troops, have them squash the critters they find, and then demand the usual monster-slaying payment.

    But unfortunately, the guild has rules against such a thing, as taking on unreasonable requests solely to claim money would tarnish our reputation in the long run.

    And I certainly won''t be found causing trouble so close to the paid retirement I¡¯ve definitely earned for myself.

    Come what may, I''ll somehow get over this.

    "Knock, knock, knock"

    Damnit.

    Someone knocking this urgently on my door is never here to tell me that it''s time to take a break.

    "Come in." (G)

    "Sir! You got an invitation from the lord. They summon you at your earliest convenience." (guild clerk)

    That was so clear.

    From everything that could befall me, it had to be him.

    The local lord of the town, Zoren Temere, is a difficult man.

    While he to some degree accepts the guild''s neutrality in political matters, he still sees us as his personal assets.

    For the guild, the political situation in the south is a nightmare, as each of the local lords does their own thing.

    So, despite his difficult demands, we need to appease him or we might lose our foothold in the area.

    In the case of Verdanis, this would be quite a blow to the guild, as it''s the commercial center of the south.

    I certainly won''t take responsibility for such a thing.

    So yes, I have to answer that call.

    As I''m well-known, the guards in front of his spacious mansion don''t make things difficult for me, and point me towards the salon.

    Upon entering, I quickly cast my gaze over several items existing solely to emphasize my host¡¯s wealth, before settling on the man in question.

    "Lord Zoren!" (G)

    "Ah, my friend! Wonderful that you could find the time to spare me a visit!" (Z)

    I''m not a friend of such dishonest pleasantries, but hell will I point this out to the most-powerful lord in these lands.

    "Ahem, naturally I came the instant I received your personal summons. It sounded like a dire subject. May I ask for the reason?" (G)

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Please, don''t let it again be about hunting a rager solely for the purpose of putting it on display.

    "Yes, it is a dire subject. Sir Garon. Are you familiar with the recent sightings of spider monsters in the vicinity of our neighboring town of Diroen? They''re said to be gigantic! I¡¯ve heard they even overcame the wall!" (Z)

    "Y-yes. Gossip about this incident is making its rounds at the moment. Why are you mentioning this?" (G)

    "Why am I mentioning this?! Spider! Monsters! Brrr. I don''t even want to think that such disgusting creatures could dwell so close to our great city!" (Z)

    Oh no!

    He''s one of "them"!

    For now, I need to stay polite.

    "Of course, your lordship. But if I may ask, how is the guild involved in this? There is no branch in Diroen. To be honest, the whole town is a lawless hellhole." (G)

    "This is exactly the problem! I can''t rely on Lord Vrakos to solve his own mess. So naturally it''s our duty to get rid of the monsters for my-... ahem, the people''s sake. Before they may spread." (Z)

    Sigh. I don''t even know what to say at this point. Honestly, going after those fiends without any real need to do so sounds like a huge pain in the ass.

    "This is a complicated request, your lordship. As far as I''m aware, the creatures retreated soon after they were sighted." (G)

    "That won''t be an issue. I''m in contact with Lord Vrakos and he relayed to me that the monsters retreated to the northeast." (Z)

    Northeast! He couldn''t mean...

    "The Evergrove?" (G)

    "Yes. You seem unhappy about this information. What about it? You adventurers regularly head in there, don¡¯t you?" (Z)

    "I''m sorry, your lordship, yes, it''s true that our teams often scour the outer layers. It''s full of magical plants and rare monsters. However, there are barely any adventurers so reckless as to go deeper. We even warn them not to do so, as the risk spikes up enormously after a certain threshold. If the creatures went too far inside, then I don''t see much hope in finding them anymore. In addition, wouldn''t it be quite redundant to hunt them down if that were to be the case? The Evergrove is full of monsters, and the idea of completely cleansing it is a practice in futility. If the monsters are there this shouldn''t bother us anymore." (G)

    I say let them all be there and hunt each other.

    Why send good men into such a death trap?

    "Oh no, I don''t think so. If the creatures came once, they might feel emboldened to try so again. I''m not taking chances on such a matter, so I want your guild to hunt them down. That''s what it''s there for, after all. Can I trust you with such an assignment?" (Z)

    A rhetorical question.

    He doesn''t plan on taking no for an answer.

    "As you wish, your lordship. I''ll put a troop together." (G)

    "A single troop won''t cut it. As you said, the Evergrove is dangerous. We''ll need a considerable effort if this is supposed to have a chance to succeed." (Z)

    "Are you suggesting deploying a whole expedition?" (G)

    This is a terrible idea.

    The Evergrove is not a normal place.

    It reacts violently to intrusion.

    A small troop, no problem, but too many...

    There was once this attempt to establish a big lumber camp at its borders.

    At first, they were happy about the almost instantly regrowing trees.

    Then the growth started to target equipment.

    Then it damaged any structures they built.

    People got tangled inside their beds and worse.

    And then, shortly before they would''ve left by themselves, came the monsters. Barely anyone lived to tell the tale.

    Yet pointing that out if he''s already so determined might end poorly for me.

    Nonetheless, I should say something or I might get blamed afterward.

    "Your lordship, this is still a very risky venture. Pardon me, but there is a great risk of failure, as always if it involves the Evergrove." (G)

    Who knows, suddenly ten ragers might show up, the plant life could eat them alive during their sleep, or slimes destroy their weapons.

    I won''t take responsibility for such a thing.

    "You don''t need to worry about the costs. Of course, I''ll finance the expedition myself. Nobody shall say that Zoren Temere would do things half-heartedly! I can provide everything that''s needed. The only thing that I need is your men. After all, there is no feasible replacement for professional monster hunters." (Z)

    "I understand. As there is no violation of the guild rules, I''ll support your proposal and hang out your expedition as a major assignment on the blackboard. However, please understand that the guild members are free employees. I can push them a little, but the ultimate decision is on them." (G)

    "Of course. But the reward, as well as the initial payment, will surely be tempting enough." (Z)

    He''s surely not bluffing.

    If there''s one good thing about him then it¡¯s that he''s not stingy when it comes to paying.

    Though, that doesn''t really make up for his unreasonable attitude that makes any attempt at a discussion with him a futile effort.

    "Fine, then I''ll leave now to prepare." (G)

    "One more thing, Sir Garon." (Z)

    What is it now?

    "Yes?" (G)

    "Around Diroen, they found many samples of the monster¡¯s spider webs. I would want the expedition to gather them. Apparently, they have extraordinary properties. It would make for a good proof of subjugation. A dress of such kind would surely allow me to conquer Lady Mirea''s heart, or other things, if you understand." (Z)

    Oh damn.

    It is a fetch quest!

 Chapter 32

    - Garon -

    Wonderful!

    Now I have to set up an expedition to the Evergrove.

    That''s gonna be a pain in the ass.

    The dangerous missions aren''t all that popular with the members, which honestly, isn''t surprising.

    I mean, it''s not like the members apply to go on adventures.

    Since a long time ago, I''ve been thinking that the name, Adventurer¡¯s Guild, is misleading, and calling us mercenaries would be far more fitting.

    Okay, I suppose it makes sense from an advertising standpoint and there are already enough mercenary groups out there, serving in the small and big quarrels all around the south.

    Still, it''s misleading.

    This means I need to figure out how to convince those folk that foremost serve themselves.

    Though, at least I got one convincing argument.

    "Sir Garon! You are back!" (guild receptionist)

    I appreciate receiving a welcome befitting my position.

    Also, it''s good that she''s directly present.

    The guild receptionists are our greatest administrative assets, after all.

    "Yes. We got a big assignment from the lord. I need you to do the formalities of assigning a group of at least eight, the more the better, for an expedition into the Evergrove, Janet." (G)

    "The Evergrove? That might be difficult. Many members are currently on missions and won''t return anytime soon." (J)

    "That doesn''t matter. Call out to them that they have to gather. I want them to assemble as soon as possible. Please prepare the assignments." (G)

    "As you order, guild leader." (J)

    That should do the trick.

    Janet is the good soul of our guild and I know I can rely on her.

    As for some others...

    "Liana! There''s some work coming in! Set everything aside and help me prepare." (J)

    "M-me? S-sure. But wasn''t I supposed to..." (L)

    Sigh. Liana.

    The... I don''t really know how to say it.

    In theory, she''s currently in the guild program to learn the healing craft.

    Not just anyone can use healing magic.

    Only one in a hundred is able to tap into their magic element at all, and one of five to six-hundred might have the convenient life element used for healing.

    Though, I don''t have the official statistics ready yet.

    But Verdanis isn''t a town where just anyone can open a shop.

    Especially, if they have no experience.

    Or if they have other, problematic, circumstances.

    Luckily for her, in the guild program, up and coming healers can start out by using their magic on all the little ailments our members return with.

    However, Liana is just... not very good at it.

    This is a huge waste, in more ways than one.

    Because she''s extraordinary.

    One of the only dual magic users in the country.

    Water and healing.

    Basically, the best support a party could wish for on a journey.

    And she sucks at both.

    As far as I know, honing a magic element requires dedication and she lacks it.

    Liana can barely heal a minor scratch without breaking into a sweat.

    Maybe it''s the fact that she''s dual-compatible.

    Usually, the affinity is reflected in the practitioner''s personality.

    Kids with healing magic, for example, often can''t help but treat every sick flower they find, or whatever else.

    This practice helps them circulate their magic in certain patterns, which helps them develop and improve their magic.

    Not only in skill, but also in quantity.

    According to the theory in the guild library at least.

    Yet for Liana, it seems like she can''t concentrate on only one.

    She simply lacks the focus to properly develop her elemental attunements and for this reason, just won''t improve in either.

    This, in combination with her timid, fearful personality, makes her quite unpopular with all available teams.

    And so she''s stuck in the receptionist area, doing minor jobs she''s, honestly, not so good at either.

    "Liana! It doesn''t matter what you''re doing now. This is important! Now come!" (J)

    "S-sure. Coming." (L)

    So much for this.

    Now I''ll take my well-deserved break.

    .

    .

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    .

    Seems like it''s time.

    I shouldn''t let them wait for too long.

    Some groups already started ordering from the guild bar, and past examples have shown that after a while they won''t be able to take in any information anymore.

    So I walk up in front of them.

    "Welcome, fellow adventurers! Thank you for coming!" (G)

    "Not like we had much of a choice!"

    "Hahaha!"

    Sigh!

    That''s typical for Edward.

    And naturally, Connor just had to encourage him.

    Yet I shouldn''t lash out.

    It would sour the mood and certainly not make them more favorable toward my proposals.

    "You all are surely asking yourself why I called you. Well, the reason is simple. Opportunity presents itself and I was going to ask who of you is willing to grasp it!" (Garon)

    My introduction doesn''t have as much effect as I would''ve liked, but at least it''s not taken negatively.

    "Ahem, Garon. Would you be so kind as to elaborate on what kind of opportunity you had in mind?"

    This is Robert.

    The possibly only B-rank we have in town.

    The other parties of that rank are currently out on missions, and the A-rank barely ever shows up at all.

    He might be the most important factor here.

    Everything else might raise the lord''s ire.

    "Naturally, I was getting to that part. As you might have heard, there was a recent sighting of spider-based monsters. It''s not the first time we¡¯ve heard about something like this, but it''s certainly a first that the more exotic variants of the Evergrove leave its confines." (G)

    "So you''re saying we should hunt them? I don''t have to mention the issues that lie with such a course of action, right?"

    And now John.

    One of the best trackers we have.

    Is there anyone present I can afford to offend here?

    "Please, please! Yes, I''m aware of the problems we''re facing. However, I''m not talking about a small hunt. Lord Temere himself decided to host an expedition into the Evergrove to get rid of the creatures for good. You''ll be equipped with everything you need to fulfill the task." (G)

    It seems John isn''t quite ready to stop it at this.

    "While this might be, it''s not even clear how many spiders there were. Are we seriously supposed to fight a whole spider swarm and whatever else the Evergrove might throw at us?!" (Jo)

    "Goddamnit! Do I have to tell you every little thing?! Yes, nobody knows how many spiders were there. And for this very reason, it''s completely fine if you make up the number. Just bring some packs of the spider silk back with you and enough proof to show that you seriously were at it. And once you return, you can just say that those were all you found. Seriously, since when are you into doing more than the absolute minimum?" (G)

    It seems understanding now dawns on them.

    Yes, this whole expedition is basically only appeasement for Lord Temere.

    From the get-go, it''s kinda impossible to find all the spiders.

    The mission is already, by default, far too vague.

    "So it''s a ruse. At least partly. For what reason would any of us want to take part in this?" (R)

    Hah, Robert. One could misinterpret his wide frame as him not caring enough for his body, but I can assure you, those are all muscles.

    Though, while it may appear as if he''s challenging me here, anyone who knows us should be informed that we actually get along quite well.

    In truth, he gives me an opportunity to convince the others here.

    "Ah, yes. You need a reason. Well, I don''t have just one, but a hundred for you. One hundred shiny golden reasons those of you who are ready to brace the Evergrove may distribute among your party." (G)

    Lord Temere was quite generous in that regard.

    It''s not a simple matter to convince adventurers that a quest is worth their time.

    With this reward, most qualms about this endeavor should be gone.

    The general mood suddenly got much better.

    Edward and Connor are whistling, John looks interested, and the slasher brothers apparently already celebrate.

    I hope they won''t go celebrating too much again, and spend the money they have yet to earn.

    Sigh, sometimes I feel like a glorified babysitter.

    I put the official assignment for the expedition on the blackboard.

    Anyone interested can go look and then ask at the counter for details.

    If everything works out, they may sign up and the receptionists do the paperwork.

    Now that everything''s out of the way, I can step away to the sidelines again.

    However, Robert approaches me before I can completely excuse myself.

    "Garon, can I talk to you?" (R)

    "Sure. Is there a problem?" (G)

    "Well, not really a problem. I just have a bad feeling about this expedition of yours." (R)

    "You know, I agree that we could use more intel. All missions into the Evergrove hold a certain risk. Yet we can''t afford to risk our good relations with the lord and the reward is pretty good." (G)

    "I know, I know. But from what I saw mostly the usual ruffians are applying. On this kind of long-term mission, the members need support in the field. Who knows what they might encounter? This kind of mission at least needs a healer. And as far as I know, most dedicated ones are currently out of town. I doubt there''s anyone going to be available at short notice, no matter how much we offer." (R)

    He''s got a point.

    Damn, this is an issue.

    "Liana, not like this! You have to fill the sheets correctly!" (Jane)

    Hm... if life sends you incompetent employees...

    "How about you take Liana with you?!" (G)

    "Wha-" (L)

    Oh no. She heard me.

    "Liana? Are you sure? She has barely any practical experience." (receptionist)

    "She''s still a healer and the practice will be good for her. She needs to work on her craft." (G)

    "I''m not sure. Taking someone who can''t handle themselves in a fight into the Evergrove is inviting trouble." (R)

    "Just keep her out of the fights and pay attention to her. She''s certainly good enough to mend a scratch. Maybe she''ll improve on the way. Also, it should probably be fine to lower her share of the reward." (G)

    I turn to the girl in question.

    "That''s fine with you, right Liana?" (G)

    "Mieeph, ahh, I... I don''t..." (L)

    "Great. Then pack for tomorrow." (G)

    "B-b-but I-I-I... I don''t think..." (L)

    Sigh, I didn''t want to use this.

    "This assignment will at least greatly help to reduce your debt with the guild. I hope you can perform well on it." (G)

    Her debt isn''t all that great.

    If she had her own shop, she could pay it rather quickly.

    However, at the moment she''s using up guild resources, as she receives board and lodging here.

    So I need to force her to improve and this mission poses to be a good opportunity.

    So there simply isn''t much to do.

    Yet now she looks completely paralyzed.

    So I turn back to spare me that sight.

    "Just don''t completely screw her please. I don''t want to hear later that anything questionable happened." (G)

    "Who do you take me for? We''re adventurers, not criminal mercenary scum." (R)

    "Then everything''s settled. Now excuse me, but I need finally a break." (G)

 Chapter 33

    - Liana -

    Oh goddess, oh goddess, oh goddess!

    How did I get myself into this?

    I was perfectly fine with doing receptionist work in the guild.

    That and taking care of the occasional injured adventurer is really all I can do.

    If they make it back to the guild it can''t be so bad after all.

    Seriously, what are they thinking bringing my mediocre self along?

    I''m not supposed to go on missions, not to speak of an expedition!

    Especially not with a group of twenty seasoned adventurers!

    What am I supposed to do if something happens?!

    My magical power is, at most, enough to heal one or two smaller injuries, not a whole troop.

    There''s another healer with us that they got at short notice, but I don''t think I can rely on him to do everything by himself.

    Just why did they insist so much when I tried so hard to decline?!

    "Liana! Get going! You''re holding up the whole group!" (R)

    What am I supposed to say?

    I just can''t anymore.

    "S-sorry. I''m not used to traveling. I, I''m exhausted." (L)

    I never had to walk so much.

    Neither at the academy nor in the guild.

    "Then heal it off! It''s gonna be some time till we encounter anything at all. See it as practice!" (R)

    Right.

    Healing magic can be used to mitigate smaller ailments.

    The life element is able to invigorate a body.

    But I don''t know if I can pull this off in an efficient manner.

    Also, mages who deplete too much of their energy will feel their very own kind of fatigue.

    My teacher taught me so.

    I''m not sure if I''ll be able to maintain the balance.

    Okay, okay.

    I need to concentrate.

    Focus on your body and let the energy gather from the flesh to your aching muscles.

    This should alleviate the strain.

    Good, I can feel the flow.

    Just a bit more and I should be fine to keep going.

    Don''t forget the lungs.

    They hurt from exhaustion.

    Oh no, that was too much!

    I feel how I''m depleting!

    "Plock"

    "What now!? What are you doing there on the ground?" (R)

    "S-sorry." (L)

    "What are you waiting for? Stand up!" (R)

    "I, I don''t think I can." (L)

    "God, can this be the truth? Alian, would you mind?" (R)

    Oh, is he a creationist believer?

    Despite seeing him regularly in the guild I never asked.

    This would be impolite after all.

    They might be the biggest religion on the continent, yet in these lands not quite as popular.

    "Fine. I have some to spare." (Alian)

    Oh no, the other healer.

    I''m going to bother him.

    "Seriously, a single invigorating spell and you''re depleted? As a healer you should be able to constantly circulate your magic inside your body." (A)

    "S-sorry." (L)

    He touches my shoulder and soon I feel how the life element coming from him infuses me, quickly restoring my reserves.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "This is it? Seriously?" (A)

    "Something wrong, Alian?" (R)

    "I was trying to replenish her reserves..." (A)

    "Yes?" (R)

    Please, don''t!

    "...Okay, but I''m just saying this because it''s necessary to know before you rely on her healing you up. I was going to refill her life energy, but her body is already at the containment limit. She''s barely above the average human with her shallow capacity. I can''t believe she''s a healer. With this amount, it''s no wonder she''s already exhausted. I doubt she can heal more than a scratch." (A)

    "Sigh, just what was Garon thinking? Is there any chance she is going to get better? Mages can train their capacity, right?" (R)

    "Oh certainly, but only because I have no idea how she could get worse. It''s like she never had any circulation training. So yes, maybe we can double her ability to two scratches. Which still won¡¯t mean much." (A)

    I never wanted to come in the first place.

    Just why am I forced to do this?

    The rest of the way I have to live with the ridicule of the others.

    They''re not directly hostile, yet naturally, I notice their whispers and looks.

    The fact that group leader Robert assigned Alian to do a basic healing training to get me "halfway operational" only stalls us further, which I naturally get blamed for as well.

    The issue is, I just didn''t have very much time to do the practice routines recently.

    The guild work occupied most of my time, which led to a noteworthy decrease in my capacity.

    What aggravates this is that my double affinity not only decreases my connection to the element, making the practice harder, but also messes with my ability to convert the magic in my body into something usable.

    I never figured out how to directly transmute one into the other.

    My teacher wanted to show me, but... that never happened.

    After a long travel, we apparently reach the site of the attack.

    Everything was prearranged, so we don''t face any problems accessing this place.

    John is the best ranger we have, so he''s the one looking for anything of relevance.

    It doesn''t take long for him to find something.

    "Those are traces of acid. It seems we have here a spewing variant." (J)

    "That means we need to be extra careful. Ranged attacks aren''t evaded as easily." (R)

    "Yeah! Especially against a whole group of them!"

    That''s Edward.

    I made sure to remember everyone''s name before heading out.

    "Does everyone have their acid resistance potions ready? I didn''t distribute them for fun." (R)

    Uh, I don''t.

    I raise my hand.

    Yet it seems like Robert can predict what is on my mind.

    "Liana, you''re not going to fight, so you don''t need one. Make sure to stay out of their range." (R)

    Easier said than done.

    How am I supposed to dodge?

    "Will those potions really make a difference?"

    "Don''t forget, they''re not going to make you immune, only mitigate the burns. However, at least our vanguard will probably have to face them. I don''t want to see anyone who should shield their comrades evade the attack. For the resulting smaller burns we have our healers here with us." (R)

    "Hah, at least one of them." (Edward)

    It would probably hurt less if it wasn¡¯t true.

    "John, look and see if you can find out where they went." (R)

    "Sure. Should be no problem with so many. Especially, the indentations in the ground they make with their pointy legs give them away." (J)

    "Great. I wouldn''t want to stay close to Diroen for too long. Who knows, the inhabitants might try something despite better judgment." (R)

    He might be right.

    This town is pretty infamous and merely the equipment of an adventurer is already quite valuable.

    A short time later, we''re already back on track.

    During the walk, I find Robert next to me.

    Naturally, I''m directly nervous again.

    With Alian''s help, I can now keep up, but my performance still isn''t too great.

    "Liana, can you refill the water canteen?" (R)

    Oh, great, a task I can manage.

    Procuring a bit of water out of the air is a doable practice.

    Though, I wasn''t able to conjure it out of nothing.

    Gratefully, the desert is much farther to the south, so it''s no issue.

    As long as I don''t need to do more than a liter at once, that is.

    For filling the water canteen, it''s good enough.

    "Here. Is this alright?" (L)

    Oh no, my anxiety is getting the better of me again.

    "Well, I won''t lie. I''ve seen more capable water mages than you. Some are strong enough to summon concussive blasts that might even take down lesser monsters. You aren''t even getting close in that regard. However, your ability to summon small quantities is convenient. So we can spare ourselves worrying about our water supply. That''s at least something." (R)

    It might not be much, but "walking water tank" means they at least recognize me in some way, right?

    "That aside, I had a question to ask. I need to know if you are afraid of spiders." (R)

    "Not terribly, sir. Though, I don''t like having them crawling on me." (L)

    "Well, that has to be good enough. We''ll keep you in the background. Just don''t panic and run off if we get into a combat situation. You know how to use that staff of yours, right?" (R)

    Uh, it''s not like it needs an elaborate explanation.

    "I have to hit something that''s coming close." (L)

    "Please, don''t try anything fancy. You''re not a martial artist. Just swing it around to keep anything at bay that might''ve slipped through to you until one of the fighters can deal with it. No need to risk anything. That''s basic healer knowledge." (R)

    "S-sorry. I didn''t have very much practice." (L)

    "Sigh, I know. Just to be clear, your share will be halved. Given your performance, I simply wouldn''t know how to explain anything else to the others. This will still be a generous sum. In addition, it might help to mitigate any hard feelings towards you." (R)

    "Y-yes sir." (L)

    "Alright. Good that you understand." (R)

    I didn''t really think about the money until now.

    Hundred gold coins for twenty people.

    That makes five gold for everyone.

    Two and a half, that''s still good.

    He''s right that I can''t expect more.

    I, I mean, I''m quite useless.

    All I can do is sit down while the others do all the work.

    I stop my thoughts when I become aware of the sight in front of me.

    At first, I notice several trees, bushes, and grasses, all far greener, or simply of a healthier color, than is common.

    Yet while they at first are a bit more spread out, some distance behind them the plant life turns into a thick wall of green.

    The Evergrove!

 Chapter 34

    Oh great goddess, I really shouldn''t be here.

    Every step I make feels like it might be my last.

    The trees and bushes get denser by the minute, and I feel invisible eyes on me.

    Whenever there''s a sound I get startled, as I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s some lurking creature, the plants themselves, or merely the wind.

    I tried to read as much as I could about this place, but now I fear this was a mistake, as this knowledge wasn''t the slightest bit more soothing than blissful ignorance.

    "Watch out, dead weight!" (J)

    Before I really know what''s going on a shadow rushes in my direction.

    I know it can''t be anything friendly.

    Not in this place.

    So I have the only reasonable reaction.

    "Iiiieeehk!" (L)

    It seems my high-pitched scream came unexpectedly to the little creature, which I recognize as some cat with extremely long claws.

    That must be a felira, if I''m right.

    "Sstk"

    Before it can reorient itself to jump at me again, an arrow perfectly pierces its neck.

    "Good distraction, dead weight!" (J)

    "Y-yeah. Sure." (L)

    As for the reason why I could stay so calm in this situation.

    We already had four other of those encounters.

    Well, not all of them with my direct involvement, but for some reason, the monsters prefer to single me out.

    It might be because I''m a mage.

    Higher magic makes them prone to attack for greater benefit.

    Though, it¡¯s weird as I''m not that much of a mage, and it doesn''t explain why Alian is only their second-best preferred.

    Maybe it''s because I''m looking weak and like an easy target.

    By the way "dead weight" is the loving nickname they granted to me.

    It refers both to how I can''t contribute very much, and to the fact that I might die any moment.

    At least they stopped saying things to each other about how they should have already abandoned me.

    That''s some kind of improvement I think.

    They even protect me from the monsters that come at me, which is something, I guess.

    "So, how exactly are we supposed to go about this quest? Just kill some spider types and say those were the targets? I mean, they can''t expect us to find the exact spiders that approached the town. Or tell if we got any other." (E)

    "We''re at least required to slay a certain number of them. The lord wants some silk in addition, so we need to make sure that the client is happy. Five to ten should be enough, depending on the size." (R)

    "The main issue is that they like to flock together. One can''t be sure that where there''s one, there won''t be a dozen more. So be careful." (J)

    "Yeah, yeah. If anything happens we''ll just give them dead weight and make a run for it." (E)

    That... hurt.

    "That''s not appropriate. I don''t want to hear something like that again. Not even as a joke. We''re honorable guildsmen and won''t stoop so low as to abandon our own. No matter who they are." (R)

    I know very well that he considers me useless too.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.That''s not nice to hear, but it seems my life won''t be in danger.

    "Yeah, sorry. I went overboard. Won''t happen again." (E)

    "Good. Now be quiet or you''ll alert them if they''re close." (R)

    Well, I''m kinda glad that he didn''t force him to do a dishonest apology.

    That would''ve just been awkward.

    After a while, John suddenly signals our troop to stop.

    "There! Look!" (J)

    We approach the point John pointed at and find a little white strand.

    One that just seems to be draped through the trees and bushes from one side of us to the other.

    I can neither see where it starts nor where it ends.

    "Hah, this is very interesting. This is certainly spider silk. Yet it''s unusual for the regular ones to make a strand this long. You can see it''s going till over there and even further into the forest. A normal spider wouldn''t do such a thing." (J)

    "Is this supposed to be a web? Don''t see how anyone could get caught up in this." (Connor)

    "This looks to me like an alarm construction. I think if we break it the creature that set it up will know about it." (J)

    "We can be rather sure it was one of the spiders we''re looking for." (R)

    "Hey, then we should just break through it! Then the spider will come, right?" (E)

    "Scritsh"

    He just sliced through it with his sword.

    "You idiot! We don''t know how many that''s going to call and I don''t want them to get the jump on us!" (R)

    Does that mean a horde of spiders is now on the way to our position?

    "Well, I don''t think we have much of a choice now." (A)

    "Damn! Everyone! Prepare yourself and move in formation!" (R)

    O-okay!

    That means I should move close behind the second line.

    I need to pay attention not to get into anyone''s way.

    We''re all waiting for the spiders to arrive, but even after what feels like hours to me, not a single one shows up.

    "Well, doesn''t look like they''re coming." (C)

    I think Connor is right.

    There isn''t the slightest sign that anything is approaching.

    "Tsk. Seems like it. John, you''re the tracking expert. What are your thoughts?" (R)

    "The monsters are apparently not coming. I can''t really tell why. The web might be deserted. Now for the question of where they are, they might either be wherever this string leads to or, if this is supposed to be a barrier of some sort, somewhere deeper behind it." (J)

    That means we either follow along the silk strands or move past them.

    "If it''s like this we should split up here!" (R)

    Is he serious?!

    "Boss?" (C)

    "Okay, here''s how we do this. We''ll split into two teams. Half of you will follow the strings. Gather them while you''re at it. Can''t hurt to work on completing this part of the quest. If you find something at the end of it or if you don''t, doesn''t matter, you will return. The rest of us will head deeper into the grove. If we don''t find our targets, we''ll set up the camp for today and wait for the others. Don''t forget, we''re only here to fulfill the minimal requirements of our mission. Nobody plays the hero!" (R)

    With this, the situation is clear for everyone.

    Alian goes with the group that follows the silk, while I go with Roland''s which, among others, consists of John, Edward, and Connor.

    I don''t think that separating is a good idea, but nobody is challenging Roland and I''m the last who could do so.

    Everything is already decided upon.

    So we move past the silk strand, further into the part of the forest it protected.

    Rather soon, evidence piles up that John was right with his second decision, as we find more and more stray strands of silk.

    Roland orders us to gather what we can for the second condition of the mission.

    The further we go the less I think this is a good idea.

    There''s not a single spider to be found, but I kinda feel like they''re aware of our presence.

    We shouldn''t be here.

    Most of the time the forest is too dense to really let light through and the atmosphere is so eery.

    But then we find a clearing.

    It''s next to a small lake with enough light not to freak out the whole time.

    "This here looks good! Chop down the trees nearby. I want you to erect a palisade before nightfall." (R)

    Chop down the trees?!

    Is he serious?!

    I need to say something!

    "S-sir. I-if we do this, what about the forest? The Evergrove might retaliate." (L)

    "Liana? I see you lack experience. The Evergrove doesn''t react to every little fallen tree. It doesn''t like if they''re repeatedly cut down, that''s true, but this is only a temporary camp. At most, it might send some creatures. Which would be perfectly in our favor, considering what we expect to find here. I''d rather fight them here on our terms than have them ambush us while we''re on the move. Understood?" (R)

    "Y-yes." (L)

    "Good. Then stop questioning my decisions, please." (R)

    He doesn''t sound angry, but from his demeanor, I can see that he''s upset.

    Abruptly, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

    "Don''t take it too hard. Your thought process wasn''t completely wrong. However, you shouldn''t assume someone who¡¯s been in the business as long as Roland wouldn''t know his stuff." (J)

    It''s John!

    I didn''t interact with him all that much, but he speaks to me in such a gentle way.

    "Uh, okay. Th-thank you." (L)

    "Great. Don''t worry too much. This mission won''t take all that much longer. Just push through and after this, we can splurge our earnings a bit." (J)

    My, what a smile.

    "Yes." (L)

    "Nice! So that''s a date!" (J)

    A, a date?!

    He''s walking away now!

    "Seriously, John? What do you want with dead weight?" (E)

    "No idea what you mean. She might improve as a healer and doesn''t look half bad." (J)

    "Hah, should''ve known it!" (E)

    "W-well... In some way this is a compliment, right?

    Right?

 Chapter 35

    - Neri -

    The following days were rather hard on me.

    The lessons of getting used to my familiars got a bit more intense but stayed within my limits.

    I can now endure their presence a bit better, but staying close for too long is still tough.

    One time, I even had to touch one of them.

    I nearly lost it, yet I had physical contact with them before and they feel a bit like cold metal, which is preferable to warm and hairy, in my opinion.

    As it was just for the shortest moment, I could directly scramble away after I performed the act.

    I also had to give them basic orders sometimes, like "go there" or "eat", to get used to it.

    By the way, I had to fill a feeder with that liquid and present it to them.

    Eritu said this is important for the bonding.

    I don''t really know about this, but as I could do it without coming close to them, it was a possible action of mine.

    As I said, Eritu''s lessons weren''t pleasant but stayed within the limits, I suppose.

    In this manner, I spent almost a week, in which my familiars grew quite a lot in size.

    Truly frightening!

    I wouldn''t say I''ve overcome my fear, but without having to touch them I can now at least stand their presence and manage to stay rational.

    Since this ¡°sense" of my familiars grew stronger, it now helps a bit as I know what they are thinking so that I can evaluate them.

    Other spiders are a bit harder; however, I don''t come into contact with them much.

    Not all my time was spent near my familiars though.

    That is to say, there were more pleasant things.

    For example, I had a barbecue with Masiabi.

    The kitchen really got filled out and there are now some possibilities of things to make.

    Yet, as an Arachne is more carnivorous, I was limited to meat.

    I think she liked it.

    I even used some seasoning with herbs.

    However, she had an awful strong emphasis on ripping the meat into small pieces instead of eating normally.

    Digging in had a very literal meaning in her case.

    That creeped me out.

    But overall it was rather nice.

    Other things progressed as well.

    I still had to go to some reading lessons with Talisa.

    She is extremely strict, but I think I made good progress.

    I was also able to look at a map.

    To my surprise, we have a map room next to the library.

    I learned that this forest is far bigger than I ever thought.

    I only knew the realm I lived in and that the forest extended on the eastern border.

    But now I see that it extends hundreds of kilometers.

    The spiders'' realm inside the forest is even nearly the size of our kingdom and I can see that at least three other countries are bordering the woods.

    That might be a good thing, as we don''t directly belong to any of them, preventing too much attention on us, whereas if we were in the middle of one, they could send the whole army without a diplomatic incident.

    And my skills with the silk improved.

    I am now allowed to use four fingers at once and even make it sticky.

    I don''t like sticky so much, as it feels as if I would want to catch something, but it is great to fix something in place.

    I bound a shining stone so that it clings to the ceiling, giving a nice atmosphere to the room.

    For now, my newest project is to convince the others to make a heated bath.

    Akasia won''t pose to be a problem I think, but I feel anxious about asking the others.

    Talisa would say it is a waste since we don''t get dirty, Eritu might fear for the familiars drowning under the surface, Kyroki is just too creepy, and Masiabi...

    Oh, shivers!

    Just thinking about being naked with her alone.

    Maybe I''ll put the idea on hold.

    Yet I think Akasia is already etching another room next to the kitchen.

    The others cannot really tell her what she''s to do with her time, right?

    All in all, I think I¡¯ve managed to settle into the nest, in the most generous view of this concept.

    So it comes that I can now sometimes go out alone.

    I like to gather herbs with a basket and mushrooms and berries are nice too.

    I¡¯ve realized that my stomach grumbles about me eating them, but with all this poison already slushing around inside me I doubt they''re truly harmful.

    So sometimes it''s nice to cook my meals out of them.

    Nothing against that liquid dinner, but I like cooking more.

    The problem is I am not really allowed to go out alone.

    Some of my spiders are now big enough to leave their room and get assignments.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.And now it seems like they are following me.

    Their main assignment: "Protect the combat-retarded Arachne!"

    I know where they are, and because I asked them to, they stay at a distance, so it is not that much of a problem.

    The others said it was this or they would send their own with me, and to be honest, that might be more frightening.

    Just remembering Eritu¡¯s black wall causes me to get nightmares of that day.

    So I had to make this deal or there would be no going out, as they feared I could get hunted down by anything that comes here in this forest.

    However, I don''t worry too much about this, since they almost cleared their realm of any other monsters aside from them.

    They say that this is for the animals they prey on so that this part of the forest can contain them despite their presence.

    They hunt what they need and carefully watch that the realm is big enough to sustain them and doesn''t becomes a land of death.

    Masiabi''s big and strong spiders hunt a majority of our supply on the faraway borders and the rest of the animals are allowed to spread around the land.

    A nice concept, as it leads to a good atmosphere around me.

    A horror forest with hanging corpses of cocooned prey would be less pleasant and like this you cannot guess that Arachnae are living here, making it safer.

    In contrast to Masiabi''s explanation that it is marked and you can clearly see who this land belongs to.

    So my strolls are quite nice and are calming my mind since there aren''t as many spiders as you might think.

    Also, my spiders leave me my privacy.

    Are they catching on to my wishes?

    That''s distressingly thoughtful of them.

    I think on the occasion that something like a wolf comes close, they would jump in without hesitation.

    And as they are very strong, based on Eritu¡¯s opinion who has some expertise in this, they would mutilate any threat towards me.

    They aren''t even small in numbers, just well-hidden in the trees and rather distant.

    Though I''m still under continuous surveillance.

    Like you might guess with those overprotective entities.

    Good that only a small part does this security job.

    Yet, 22 of 93 is still considerable.

    Yes, I''ve counted them.

    That happens if you are always aware of their existence.

    Nonetheless, it is very peaceful here and thus good for my strained mind.

    "Hey, who are you?! What are you doing here?!"

    Huh!

    What was that!?!

    "You there, I''m talking to you!"

    Wait a moment!

    That''s a human voice!

    "Show yourself!"

    Humans!!!

    Real humans!

    It wasn''t even three weeks but it feels like an eternity.

    No, no!

    Stay focused!

    First, you need to figure out what is going on here.

    You know perfectly well that there are also evil humans out there.

    "We¡¯re coming to you!"

    The voices weren''t close, but it seems I was discovered and my contemplating extended over the time I could have ran away.

    "A girl?"

    It''s a man!

    He''s holding a bow in his hand and wears a sword at his belt.

    I-is he going to do something to me?

    N-no, I shouldn''t jump to conclusions.

    Armed men might make me nervous, but it''s no surprise that someone would have the means to protect themselves this deep in the forest.

    That one wolf back then was certainly dangerous.

    And well, you know.

    Speaking of which, I think they felt my nervousness.

    <ul>

    <li>"Wait! I¡¯m okay! Don''t come!"</li>

    </ul>

    At least, I think I will be fine for now.

    Yet if anything, I am the odd one here, without anything but my basket.

    He seems a bit surprised by my looks, coming from his gaze and probably the fact of me being here at all.

    The only good part is that I¡¯m wearing utility clothes and not my gown.

    This would look far too strange.

    Yet the light blue shirt might still strain the limits of believability a bit.

    "What is someone as small as you doing here, little one?"

    He treats me like a child, but with no obvious evil intent.

    It is a bit dejecting, yet twelve years isn''t that old and I believe I became a bit slimmer and tender with my new looks.

    There is nothing rough about me, so it might emphasize the idea that I''m only a little girl.

    "G-good day, sir!" (N)

    "John! Found something?"

    "Yes, you could say so!" (J)

    So his name is John.

    And there are others.

    For now, I really would like to know more, before making a mistake.

    Especially, one thing is important now.

    <ul>

    <li>"Please don''t come any closer! Don''t attack them, please!"</li>

    </ul>

    I really don''t want my spiders to rip them apart just like this.

    "Say, what is a girl like you doing in such a dangerous place?" (J)

    He sounds interested and looks well off. I don''t think he is someone who makes a living by doing evil things.

    Rather, I think he''s doing something more official.

    He might be an adventurer!

    I show my basket with its contents.

    "I, I was looking for some ingredients for cooking!" (N)

    He looks surprised.

    "And this at such a place? It''s dangerous here!" (J)

    In hindsight, John might be right.

    Me dwelling here is certainly weird.

    If not for the spiders, there would be monsters around, and so they need to judge this place as dangerous.

    "John. What have you found there? Is..."

    Out of the greenery, a second someone comes.

    It''s a young woman!

    She wears a cotton robe, a staff, and has blue eyes and long, even hair.

    However, there''s one thing that strikes me as odd.

    And this is coming from someone living with giant spider monsters.

    Why is her hair pink?!

 Chapter 36

    It''s pink!

    Pink!

    Okay, maybe I''m not one to talk with my silver-white hair color.

    But even so, pink!?

    I would assume she has to be a magician of some kind.

    I''ve heard that those energies can cause weird oddities in one''s appearance.

    Like red hair for fire mages, and brown eyes for earth.

    However, PINK!?!!

    "Oh my god! Are you hurt? You must be lost! Don''t worry we''ll help you! Everything will be alright! Liana is here for you!" (L)

    Why do all women I meet have the sudden urge to squeeze me tightly to their chest?!

    And to rescue me you are more than two weeks too late!

    Now you could say my status is not really threatened anymore.

    It is more along the lines of "to be evaluated", considering certain very uncommon circumstances I found myself in.

    But now I am sure they aren''t bad people.

    Something that makes me eager to not let them get ripped apart by my spiders.

    I should try to calm her down, as she seems very into this soothing.

    "I-I am fine!" (N)

    "You can''t be! Do you know how deep you are in the forest?" (L)

    Excuse me?

    Isn''t it up to me to decide that?

    I know where I am!

    I''ve read a map!

    Yes, I can understand where she''s coming from.

    There are no settlements close by, just trees.

    It doesn''t make sense that I am here.

    And I for sure can''t tell them where I am coming from.

    "Don''t worry we will protect you!" (L)

    I am not the one who''s in danger here!

    In fact, they are in terrible peril without realizing it, as they apparently have no idea where they are.

    Like this, it could turn out very badly when one of the Arachnae finds them.

    Masiabi would hunt them down mercilessly and god beware if Kyroki would get them.

    On the other hand, as I said before, this is not really a forest of death.

    The others usually don''t kill everything that comes in here directly.

    So it should be possible for them to leave.

    "We should bring her to the others!"

    This one who speaks now is a young man.

    I would say in his mid twenties.

    He seems to be a swordsman, wearing a leather outfit and has his crucial points covered in plates.

    So they want to bring me to their group and I have absolutely no idea how I''m supposed to explain to them that this is not necessary.

    And because I stay silent they leave me no choice.

    I am brought to something like a camp.

    Some smaller trees were recently cut and a clearing came into existence.

    They have tents, a big campfire, and some wooden pikes around the perimeter.

    I can see three more at the moment.

    So a group of six.

    A man of large build approaches us, carrying an impressive wooden axe.

    "Ah John, good that you are back! Edward and Connor are taking their sweet time!" (R)

    Okay, eight!

    "Who is this?"

    I am small and was hidden behind John, but there is apparently no way to completely escape this situation.

    "H-hello! I''m Neri!" (N)

    I''m a little nervous because of the situation and the fact that my spider familiars are a little bit agitated.

    <ul>

    <li>"Please don''t come close, I don''t want you to be seen."</li>

    </ul>

    Eritu said they were integrated into the other groups and thus a bit of hunting experience should already have accumulated.

    And in this way also killing proficiency.

    That is enough to make me nervous.

    "What is a small girl like you doing in such a place?" (R)

    "We found her close to the camp, Robert." (J)

    The big man that was just called Robert gives the impression of being the leader but has a very friendly sounding voice.

    I should stay vague and not give details that could lead to a slip of mine.

    "I live here with my sisters." (N)

    That is no real lie if you think about it.

    "You live here!? Here in the forest?" (R)

    "Ehm no, not directly!" (N)

    More like... below.

    "But you know where you live? Can you show us?" (R)

    That''s a definitive...

    "No, I''m sorry." (N)

    Can''t hurt to be polite.

    "She''s obviously lost! We need to help her!" (L)

    This Liana is far too good for this world.

    However, that is quite a problem for me now.

    I should separate at the first possibility.

    There would be far too many problems if they''d take me with them now.

    It''s hard to understand, yet it isn''t that bad here with the others, and trading my life here to go with some strangers into a probably hostile environment would not be in my favor.

    But my attempts to stop this are prevented as she is practically glued to me.

    You aren''t my mom!

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "You might be right, but this contradicts our assignment." (R)

    "There are more important things than a simple guild quest!" (L)

    "That is not up to you to decide! You are new and should know your place." (R)

    This was rather harsh.

    Yet, now it is clear that they are adventurers.

    But what am I going to do now?

    And what do they want here?

    Liana takes me to a chopped tree to let me sit there.

    "Here, you must be thirsty. Wait a moment!" (L)

    She holds out a bowel, yet it¡¯s empty.

    Rather confused, I look at Liana who seems to concentrate.

    Then I detect how drops gather inside and soon a fine amount is there to drink.

    This is the first time I saw magic, as it is rare and even more rarely displayed.

    If you don''t count the weird and difficult-to-understand things that happened to me.

    To have someone like her with you on a journey should be incredibly useful.

    But that doesn¡¯t explain her hair at all!

    Nonetheless, it was something special and I look at her in astonishment.

    "Don''t worry, it''s perfectly normal, so you can drink it without fear." (L)

    I am not thirsty, but it would be rude to reject it.

    Yep, that''s water!

    "You are a water mage!?" (N)

    As I said, she is the first mage I''ve ever seen, and because of that just as special to me as, for example, giant spider girls.

    "To be precise, I am more like the healer of that group." (L)

    "A healer!?" (N)

    This is unbelievable!

    Not only are mages so rare that I never saw one before in my life, but good mages are even rarer.

    However, someone possessing more than one kind of magic, that''s extraordinarily rare.

    Yet, healing magic might explain the hair.

    "What is someone as great as you doing here?" (N)

    Such a person could surely live a pleasant life at some kind of honorable institution.

    "Oh, thank you for your kind words. I''m an adventurer and we are on a mission to inspect certain occurrences relating to this part of the forest." (L)

    Why do I believe to know where this is going?

    Okay, I¡¯ll take the bait!

    "What kind of occurrences?" (N)

    "You know, there was a huge swarm of giant spiders that approached the outskirts of Lindon. We were following the traces till this place." (L)

    What did I say?

    I should try to lure them away from us!

    "But, but there aren''t any spiders here. I''m living close to here and it''s completely peaceful! You must be at the wrong place." (N)

    Oh man, I''m lying so much here.

    I''m totally unused to this and not sure if I''m doing a good job at all.

    "I mean, there ain''t any monsters to deal with at this place!" (N)

    "Not necessarily. It means there is a reason that they are not here. It could be a random situation, but it¡¯s more likely that something is driving them away. Probably what we are looking for." (L)

    Nah, there aren''t giant spider monsters who control everything here!

    "But now about you! You said you are living with your sisters here?" (L)

    There is no reason to lie about anything as long I don''t mention certain details.

    "Sort of. It is a bit complicated. You could say they are relatives of some kind. At least when my parents died they took me in. And I am grateful for this." (N)

    "But where do you live? You don''t seem as if you have been going a very long distance. So are you really living this close to the forest?" (L)

    "Kind of! It was very hard to get accustomed to at first and still is, but it is not unbearable. In the end, I was a totally unknown person to them and they helped, so I should stay a little open, right?" (N)

    "I guess! They sound... peculiar if they decided to live here." (L)

    Oh, dear, you have no idea!

    "But really, aren''t mages with more than one affinity incredibly rare? How are you an adventurer?" (N)

    "I, well, I had some problems at the academy. Unwanted attention and such. Also I''m not so great. Just to have such a trait doesn''t mean you are good at it." (L)

    I feel that this is no funny story, so I don''t inquire any further.

    "However, you are also something. One could think you are a ghost, as pale as you are." (L)

    "Yes sure, but it was not really my decision!" (N)

    It was the decision of a bunch of very abductive spider monsters!

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to offend you!" (L)

    "None taken. But it kinda rubs a bit of salt into the wound." (N)

    She seems to be nice and is very open about her life.

    "No, no! I mean you are beautiful in a special way. There is no reason to be dejected because of your looks." (L)

    "It''s not directly about the looks, there are other circumstances that make it hard on me." (N)

    "Then I should stop now." (L)

    "Might be better." (N)

    All in all this troop looks quite capable.

    Eight trained fighters are already a force to be reckoned with.

    Or rather seven and a healer.

    Nonetheless, they would have no chance if the others decide to attack.

    "But if they retreated, why are you here? It sounds dangerous to deliberately seek out monsters that went back home." (N)

    "You don''t need to worry! The guild purposely sent a large group just to stay safe." (L)

    You ain''t safe!

    "They are all capable adventurers." (L)

    "You must know them quite well to trust them this much." (N)

    "Well, not that long. But Robert has a good reputation and they accept me among them, despite my lack of experience. Healers might only rarely accompany groups, yet they trust me very much with such a responsibility as taking care of them." (L)

    You are far too trusting, lady.

    Telling me all this!

    How old are you?

    I wasn''t sure before, yet with this new evaluation I would say around seventeen years old.

    "And have you fought monsters before?" (N)

    I''ve got the feeling this might be her first mission as inexperienced as she seems to be.

    "There were some encounters, but I am just a healer and don''t fight directly. My water magic is also not really offensive." (L)

    Makes sense, however now I am concerned that someone could take advantage of her.

    I am very soft myself, but apparently, she''s not much better and to top it all off, is also in a terrible situation.

    On the other hand, my situation involves giant monster spiders, so who am I to judge?

    "But you don''t need to worry! The others will protect you if danger should arise.

    And I will stay with you until we are safe again." (L)

    To me, she seems very nice and I wouldn''t want something to happen to her.

    "Hey, Edward and Connor are back!" (J)

    Ah, the last members of this troop!

    I think Edward is a sword fighter of some sort and Connor has a crossbow.

    "What took you so long?" (R)

    "Don''t be like this! We brought our meal!" (Ed)

    They present two large rabbits.

    And I become pale!

    Figuratively; a more bleached state is not possible.

    The reason is clear.

    It is absolutely forbidden to hunt in this forest.

    Or more specifically, Masiabi hunts down all predators to protect the stocks.

    This isn''t good, they are in grave danger.

    And at the moment the atmosphere is growing tense for me.

    The reason being, I don¡¯t just sense my own spiders, but also have an awareness of all familiars in the vicinity.

    So I know that there are some smaller ones around here, watching.

    It was clear that they couldn''t have entered the forest and stayed undetected.

    Too many familiars are watching everything.

    "Neri, what is wrong?" (L)

    This all might soon turn out very bad, but maybe I can fix it if I soothe the waves.

    "Tell them that you all need to go away now and leave the flesh here!" (N)

    "Neri, I don''t understand?" (L)

    "You were right! There is a reason why there are no monsters here! It is forbidden to hunt inside the forest and those who break this rule get targeted! You all need to leave now without the prey, maybe that will calm things down!" (N)

    "Neri, what is the problem?! You know what dwells here? Tell us, so we can prepare for the fight!" (R)

    Our discussion got loud and the others started to listen in.

    Edward and Connor are surprised, asking themselves who I am.

    John and Robert should have both got the most important points.

    "No, you can''t fight it! If you stay everyone will die! You must leave!!!" (N)

    "I know whatever it is that scares you so much must be frightening, but it is our job to face such things, so you don''t need to worry!" (R)

    Why aren''t they listening?!

    "You can''t! They will... they will kill you all!" (N)

    "So more than one! Do you know anything else about the threat?" (J)

    They are completely ignoring what I¡¯m trying to say.

    Even worse, with the tension, my spiders become agitated and draw closer.

    Also, some of the other spiders are creeping nearer.

    "You should tell us! They can''t do anything to you if we take care of the problem!" (R)

    "You don''t stand a chance." (N)

    I say with a flat tone.

    The only one even thinking about my words is apparently Liana.

    "Maybe we should listen to her. Retreat and reassemble. She seems very convinced of it!" (L)

    "Liana, you are still too green behind the ears! Look at this girl, she is so small. What scared her could just be one of the spiders we''re here for, but this is nothing we cannot manage." (R)

    "It''s not like we don''t know how to fight! This will be easy!" (Ed)

    How can one be this full of himself?

    I stare completely out of options.

    Then out of the corner of my eyes, I notice that John readied his bow at something.

    And then, my sense tells me what it is.

    One of the bigger spiders got out of cover and John noticed it.

    Immediately, I rush at him and jump into his side.

    "Zing"

    "Uoh!" (J)

    Too late to deter the arrow now.

    It flies through the air and finds its target.

    The spider dies instantly.

    I stare in disbelief and fall to my knees.

    I just realized something!

    That one belonged to Eritu.

    She won''t forgive this!

    They are all done for!

    "Neri?" (L)

    Liana approaches me in this state.

    "Run." (N)

    "What?" (L)

    "Run as fast you can! You need to get away from here!" (N)

    "Neri, I don''t understand you?" (L)

    "RUN!!! Flee now! Don''t look back! Don''t stop! Just run! Before it''s too late!" (N)

    "She is obviously agitated. Maybe we should wait until she calms down." (J)

    "Please! Leave or they will come and..." (N)

    I sense spiders crawling toward us.

    "It''s too late." (N)

    "Now tell us what¡¯s scaring you! Who¡¯s coming?" (R)

    "My sisters." (N)

 Chapter 37

    "Aaaaaaahhhhh!"

    Not all of the adventurers were close to me.

    Some of the others, who I didn''t know their names yet, were still working at a distance.

    At least they did so until now.

    But now one of them suddenly started to scream.

    The next moment, he takes his axe and rushes at his co-worker.

    This one can barely evade the obvious strike and block the next unaimed attack with a club.

    "Wait! What is wrong with you?"

    I think I know the reason!

    On the man who¡¯s gone mad, I perceive a spider.

    She has a bulky body in yellow and very thin legs.

    The man continues his attacks and the other one blocks, but before anyone can intervene another spider jumps the distracted fighter from a tree and bites.

    "Aagghhchrrou!"

    He lets his weapon fall and starts to make foreign sounds.

    He shakes and white foam comes out of his eyes and mouth, while he seems to be in deepest agony.

    Who would come up with something this sinister?

    Right.

    Why am I playing dumb?

    It''s obviously Kyroki.

    The others started moving to help at first, but are taken aback at that gruesome sight.

    The madman soon breaks down too.

    "Aaaahhhh!"

    Another scream!

    This time one of the other adventurers is completely enveloped by countless small spiders.

    Eritu made her move!

    I don''t look directly at it, as my fear takes over and I kneel on the ground.

    However, as I''m aware of all the entities it is not hard to know what they are doing.

    "Fall back!" (R)

    The rest of the group gathers behind the wall of wooden sticks.

    Connor and John both take out a bottle and empty them in a line.

    Then they set it on fire.

    It must have been some kind of oil!

    But that should only divert them for a short amount of time.

    I''m now detecting bigger spiders closing in on us.

    There are many different colors of spiders in the swarm.

    John is nocking an arrow and proceeds to aim at one of the larger ones.

    It shouldn''t be hard, as nearly every bit of space outside the camp is now covered with spiders.

    He shoots, but the target takes the hit and keeps moving.

    Before he can release another one, some of them line up.

    They are colored in variants of blue and green.

    They all shoot some liquid in the direction of the burning line and the defenders.

    John and Edward get hit!

    "Zcchhhh"

    "Aagghhhh"

    It was acid!

    John is visibly disintegrating and Edward who could evade the most is at least severely injured.

    Then some other spiders come.

    They are large, in colors of beige, brown, and yellow.

    They have thick legs and look muscular.

    I am sure of it; those are Masiabi''s!

    They rush to the remaining defenders and jump over the burning obstacle without any effort.

    "Defend, defend!" (R)

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    There are only four of them remaining and just three that can fight.

    The hunter spiders bring terror to them.

    This is so frightening.

    I don''t know what to do and simply quiver.

    But then I perceive something move just ahead of me.

    "Don''t worry, Neri! I am here!" (L)

    I look up and see Liana who¡¯s standing directly in front of me.

    Her hand cramps around her staff and she shivers with tears in her eyes.

    Of course!

    She must be scared too!

    But she wants to protect me.

    A spider draws close to us.

    Wait, that''s one of mine!

    I don''t want her to die, but if she attacks, her life will be forfeit.

    What can I do?

    <ul>

    <li>"Don''t attack her, please!"</li>

    </ul>

    This all is too much for me!

    But Liana isn''t faring any better.

    She''s clearly not used to violence.

    And now she will die while protecting me, even if it is absolutely pointless.

    I''m not even in any danger, but she will die because of me.

    I need to do something!

    I don¡¯t want her to die!

    I muster all my will and stand up.

    I move my shaking legs and manage to close the short distance between us.

    And then it happens almost by itself.

    My fangs extend out of my mouth and I sink them into her arm.

    "Ow, N-Neri!?" (L)

    Liana just manages a surprised look before her eyes close and she drops down.

    I put her to sleep.

    At least I think I did.

    If she can''t participate in this fight anymore there should be no reason to attack her.

    And maybe I can do something now.

    It sounds so great if I say this, but in reality, my legs give out from terror and I fall on top of her.

    Between the brief sight of large fangs so close to me and the fight around me, I can¡¯t move at all anymore.

    Yet, this is in fact protecting her.

    The reason is the same as why I cannot stand, my fear.

    My fear of spiders is like a standing order to all not to come close to me.

    As long as the spiders have no superior orders from their own Arachne, they shouldn''t come close.

    So the fact that I''m lying on her is creating something like a barrier.

    I also perceive how my spiders are assembling around us.

    It seems like they want to enforce my wish to not let anything come close.

    I am nearly completely disconnected and don''t pay attention to anything around me anymore.

    Soon everything seems to settle down and the screams dim.

    And I hear voices!

    "You can''t leave humans alone. That they could establish such a position on our territory is unacceptable!" (E)

    "Dealing with that other group took us far too long." (T)

    "But they had priority! I mean, they systematically took our fence apart! That''s just rude!" (M)

    "Hmm, the hallucinogen worked, but I am not completely satisfied. The movements of the affected where too crude and sluggish. I want something more aimed. Maybe I should not go for the visual input but rather aim for the memories. If I exchange thoughts about acquaintances with those of hostility. Yes, that could work! So I might turn them much better against each other! Besides, the pain induction in the other was not overwhelming enough. There is too much of a risk that they stay operational till the venom wears them down. I''m contemplating abandoning this project." (K)

    I am getting goosebumps!

    "I think I''ve adjusted the acid wrong! It was too strong, there is not much left of this one." (A)

    "Monster!" (E)

    Did Eritu just kick a corpse?

    And are you really the one to talk?

    "You shouldn''t be so mad Eritu! They killed some of ours, we kill them. This is how it works! All in all, this was a fine hunt!" (M)

    "I know you are all excited sisters, but please focus here, we need to take care of this mess! The bodies have to be gathered and this... structure. I would like to remove it as soon as possible." (T)

    "Hey, why are lil¡¯ sis¡¯ spiders gathering there?" (M)

    I hear steps.

    "Nerysi!?! You were here?! And that..." (M)

    No!

    What shall I do? How do I explain this?

    "Hey everyone, come look at this! It''s unbelievable!" (M)

    "Hmm?" (A)

    "What?" (T)

    No, no, no!

    They''re coming closer!

    What will they do to Liana if they notice her?

    "Nerysi had her first hunt! Look how she embraces her prey! So cute! Just like me after my first time!" (M)

    You''ve got it all wrong!!!

    "No! This is a misunderstanding!" (N)

    "I¡¯m sure it was you! I can see the bite marks on her arm!" (M)

    "I know this must have been much for you to take in, so you can hand her over to me now. (T)

    "NO!" (N)

    "Just like my first prey!" (M)

    "I think you two have it wrong. This one is still alive, just unconscious." (K)

    "Then let''s finish her off!" (E)

    She''s still bloodthirsty!?

    She is really angry about them killing her brood.

    I slowly look back up again.

    There aren''t any spiders directly around me except for mine and the training has helped, so I can manage.

    "Can''t we just let her go? More than enough died here! She doesn''t need to die too! Please!" (N)

    "Nerysi, I am sorry, but they were far too close to us. It wouldn''t be good to just let her go. She would convey our nest¡¯s position." (T)

    "No, I don''t want Liana to die! She was nice to me!" (N)

    "They killed my little ones!" (E)

    "But she didn¡¯t kill anyone! I was with her the whole time!" (N)

    "S-still!" (E)

    "I don¡¯t have anything against it but if the others all disagree..." (A)

    "Please! I don''t want you to kill her! Please! (N)

    "I''m sorry, but this is not just your decision! There would be consequences and we need to decide together to have a common course!" (T)

    No!

    What can I do?

    They will kill her!

    And I made her defenseless in addition!

    She wouldn''t have a chance in a fight, but still, I am at fault!

    First, she was trying to defend me, and then I brought her down!

    It''s all my fault!

    I''m responsible for anything that happens to her now!

    I... I...

    "I claim her!!!" (N)

 Chapter 38

    "I claim her!" (N)

    Did I really just say that?

    "Huh!" (M)

    "Hmm!" (K)

    "Oh my!" (A)

    "I-I brought her down, so I can decide what happens to her, right?" (N)

    "This pertains to things the nest gathers and is thought for food distribution. If you claim her, you are saying that you want to keep her for yourself. To eat her that is, it¡¯s not supposed to be for a pet. I can''t vote for that, she would run at the first opportunity and we would have the same problem, if not greater!" (T)

    "She has my vote!" (M)

    "Masiabi!?" (T)

    "The right to claim is absolute! I won''t allow anything to obstruct it!" (M)

    "If it''s this important to her, I would prefer that we allowed it!" (A)

    "That''s three votes for her. Now what?" (M)

    "It was easier when we still were an uneven number." (A)

    "I don''t like humans! They are cruel to my little ones!" (E)

    "I would vote for her." (K)

    Kyroki?

    Why would she?

    She is absolutely not the type who cares about others!

    The only kind of care she would give is how she can make their deaths especially painful.

    Everyone looks a bit dumbfounded at this sudden remark.

    "You would? That isn''t typical for you." (T)

    Did she just grow a vicious evil grin?

    "I don''t think there is much of a problem taking her in. So I would agree. Under one condition!" (K)

    "Condition? Wait, you aren''t going to do the same to her as you did to me, right?!" (N)

    "Don''t be foolish. That wouldn''t work. Your body was extremely convenient to apply these kinds of changes. You were young, and that helped to transition into a new form. You also had no magic of your own, so you could be filled with any other. And your resistance against outer influences was basically non-existant. That''s not the case for her!" (K)

    "Then... what is your condition?" (N)

    "Simple! We will just make her your familiar." (K)

    This simple statement strikes me hard.

    I don''t know what to make of this.

    Looking at the others, I guess they also have no idea what their crazy sister came up with.

    "I don''t understand." (N)

    "Hmm, I supposed so. It is easy! I just need to change a bit of her. Some small adjustments to the digestive system, maybe the eyes to see underground. Small stuff you see. Maybe a bit more. But the important point is that I''ll change a bit in her brain. Nothing too invasive, just establishing the same connection you have to your familiars. This will make her perfectly docile and safe to wander around at home." (K)

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "No! I mean... you want to enslave her? If you were to destroy her mind like this, she might rather be dead instead!" (N)

    "Weren¡¯t you listening? I said not invasive! Her mind will stay perfectly normal. She will just experience the same bond as your familiars. It''s like an urge that will just go away if she complies." (K)

    This doesn''t sound the slightest bit reassuring!

    "This would be my condition! How you treat her is up to you, but like this, she is sufficiently controlled to stay within our realm. Thus, Talisa should have no reason to complain, right?" (K)

    "Fine, I''ll comply." (T)

    It seems this somehow got solved, but I''m not so sure if I should really be happy with the result.

    With this development, I couldn''t do much.

    Walking next to the spiders that transport the bodies puts a huge strain on my mind, and because of my lack of strength, I couldn''t take Liana with me.

    Kyroki apparently has some stronger variants, despite the fact that her brood is commonly physically weak, yet has a very strong toxin.

    I don''t want to know how she adjusted them.

    My own are still too small and also rather sharp on the edges which isn''t very suitable to carry something as fragile as a person.

    Since I can''t leave her, I have no choice but to follow to the place they take Liana.

    Obviously, it was Kyroki''s lair.

    She places her on that disturbing stone table.

    And takes off her clothes!

    The only assuring point is that I am sure she has no sexual thoughts, despite Liana''s naked form in front of her.

    But this is not really, much considering how disturbing Kyroki looks at her with that manic grin.

    Then she approaches me.

    "I need a bit of your blood! Cut your arm with your nails and fill this vial!" (K)

    I really cringe at the thought of what she might do with my blood.

    Nonetheless, I do so.

    The strings under my skin are a problem, but ultimately I manage to draw a little bit.

    "Alright! Now just wait there or go wherever, as this might take a while." (K)

    "I cannot leave her like this!" (N)

    "Do what you want." (K)

    I don''t understand what I¡¯m seeing.

    Some of Kyroki''s smaller spiders are gathering around Liana''s body and obviously doing "something".

    Kyroki is first busy at another place, mixing some liquid together, and I think she used my blood for it.

    The result is a milky grey fluid.

    "This is the most important step! Drink up my dear! You will feel like a completely new person, kikikikikikiki!" (K)

    Unnerving and totally creepy!

    Now some spiders spread out and enter through her mouth, nose, and ears.

    And did this one just dig into her navel?!!

    I think there''s blood!

    Urbh, I wanna throw up.

    Next, she takes another flask, opens her eyes, and applies it to them.

    "Hmm, I don''t know if that''s enough. Ah, a little bit more won''t hurt. Here drink!" (K)

    She empties another bottle inside her mouth and carefully watches.

    Abruptly, Liana starts to cramp up, but Kyroki grows her spider legs and holds each limb in place, two of her appendages for each of hers.

    Kyroki''s spider legs are even smaller and thinner than mine, but still strong enough.

    "Wh-what are you doing to her?" (N)

    "Kikiki, don''t worry! It''s just her being a little reluctant to accept the changes. I will just push through with force. Yet would you have been as stubborn as her, you would have ended up dead." (K)

    This isn''t the slightest bit reassuring.

    She has this evil grin the whole time she is at it, and I''m not entirely sure anymore if death was really the worst that could happen to Liana.

    Soon, two of her strong spiders come and take over for her, taking hold.

    For a rather long period, she continues fiddling with Liana in, for me, incomprehensible ways.

    Poking, stinging, and other things I¡¯d rather not delve into.

    At some point, the spiders that entered Liana emerge again.

    This whole procedure is pure horror to me, and I close my eyes often and avert my mind.

    However, I can¡¯t leave, as this would be completely unfair to Liana, so I force myself to stay aware.

    After a while, I get nudged awake.

    It seems, despite my willful intent, I lost consciousness for a bit.

    "I''m done. You can take her with you now." (K)

    Yeah, great.

    Glad to hear that.

    And Liana surely would think so too.

    NOT!

    "Ah, right. You can''t transport her. Take Joshua with you, he will help." (K)

    One of the strength-focused spiders steps forward and takes Liana on its back.

    The close presence of another¡¯s spider is hard for me, yet after what I witnessed the past hours, I''m somewhat numbed.

    A little hollowed, I walk through the halls until I reach my room.

    I had no other idea where to take her.

    Surely, I couldn''t put her with my familiars.

    We enter and I request the spider to put her in my bed.

    This is the minimum I must grant her.

    I don''t feel good about what just happened to Liana, but I really didn''t know what else to do.

    Her death was the only other choice.

    My mind is troubled and I am very tired.

    So I place myself into a chair and sleep shortly after.

 Chapter 39

    - Liana -

    I had a nightmare.

    I find myself in a nice bed, and despite the fact that I¡¯ve only a sheet covering me, nothing about myself seems to be out of the ordinary.

    Nonetheless, there is this feeling!

    Not the normal kind, but as if something terrible happened.

    The kind of dread you feel when you jump up in the middle of the night and your eyes fill with tears.

    I¡¯ve experienced this a few times already.

    First, when my parents got killed by robbers.

    After which, I was left on the street until a mage took me in because of my odd hair.

    Then again when my master fell victim to a conspiracy about positions in the academy.

    That my grades got worse after this was good enough of a reason for them to drive me out.

    But things like this can''t be the reason for what I¡¯m feeling now, as I have no one who I am this close with anymore.

    No, this dream wasn''t the same.

    It didn''t feel like something was ripped away from me.

    Rather, it was as if something was slowly and carefully peeled off.

    And I couldn''t awake from it!

    At this moment a terrible thought comes up, but when I look, everything is alright down there.

    Yet another idea does arise.

    I concentrate on my hand and manage to gather a bit of water.

    Without an injury, it''s difficult to ascertain if it works still as it should, but I can at least circulate the energy a bit.

    Neither one was taken away from me.

    But then why do I feel like I lost something important?

    Maybe I''m just paranoid?

    Right then, I notice someone in this room.

    A short distance away from me, on a chair, I detect this frail, white girl.

    I wasn''t sure if she was a ghost when I first saw her, and she really has almost no presence while she is curled in her seat.

    Promptly, I remember what happened after I met her.

    The spiders were everywhere!

    I am not particularly bad with them; nonetheless, it was a horrific experience.

    The others I had just met recently, but something like this shouldn''t happen.

    They are all dead!

    And I don''t know how we got away!

    I rise up and cover myself with the bed sheet.

    "Hello? Neri! Can you hear me?" (L)

    I should first ascertain that she''s alright.

    "Neri!" (L)

    "Nghh! Uhh, oh! Oooohhh! Aaahhh!" (N)

    Is something wrong?

    She looks extremely distressed at my call.

    "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry! It was all my fault! I didn''t want that to happen! I had no other choice! They only allowed this or they would¡¯ve, would..." (N)

    She is completely panicking.

    Her gaze is unsteady and her eyes are tearing up.

    Like this, she won''t convey anything useful at all.

    "Neri, calm down! Do you know where we are? Is it dangerous here? If it is, can we flee?" (L)

    "Dangerous? No, no it''s not! But that is not the point! I''m sorry! I''m so sorry!" (N)

    "Neri! You aren''t making any sense! Stop apologizing and then we can start to make plans!" (L)

    "No, no, you don''t understand! I''ve done something terrible to you! I don''t know how to atone for something like this! Please forgive me!" (N)

    <ul>

    <li>"Forgive me!"</li>

    </ul>

    Ungh!

    What was that!

    That voice came from inside my head!

    What happened?

    She said she did something terrible to me.

    What could she mean?

    I only remember that when the spiders came, I kept her behind me and...

    She bit me!

    Also, something was wrong with her mouth.

    There were spikes poking out of it!

    Was that real?

    But I don''t feel bad or even weak, so what could be so terrible that she is panicking like this?

    Neri saw how I held my head when this sudden noise came and now looks distressed.

    "Alright Neri, can you please slowly explain to me what happened?" (L)

    "Ehm, yes. But please stay calm!" (N)

    <ul>

    <li>"Stay calm!"</li>

    </ul>

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    "Agh! What is that? How are you doing this?" (L)

    "Huh? Doing what?" (N)

    Her look shows surprise, so maybe she really doesn''t know.

    "When you speak, I hear your voice in my head." (L)

    "Oh! No, no, no, no! Sorry! Sorry! It wasn''t meant like this! Please forgive me!" (N)

    <ul>

    <li>"Forgive me!"</li>

    </ul>

    "Please, don''t hate me!" (N)

    <ul>

    <li>"Don''t hate me!"</li>

    </ul>

    "Again! Stop!" (L)

    She immediately covers her mouth with both her hands to prevent herself from speaking.

    "Uh, no, sorry! That''s not necessary. It wasn''t anything you said." (L)

    What was it?

    It came at "forgive me", "stay calm" and "don''t hate me".

    That''s it!

    "Orders! It happens when you want something from me!" (L)

    "N-no, uhh. Sorry. I-I¡¯ll try to keep myself in check. Please... No, don''t say it! Just, it wasn''t intentional! I didn¡¯t plan this! They left me no choice!" (N)

    Apparently, she knows something and I really want her to tell me.

    "Okay, Neri! Now try to focus! Can you tell me slowly what happened and who you are talking about? The latter first I think. Who are ''they''?" (L)

    "M-my somewhat sisters. They are dangerous and cruel and... and kill anyone who comes and stays in their territory." (N)

    I don''t know what to make of this.

    What can these girls do and what does "somewhat" mean?

    "Your sisters? But we were attacked by spiders! How can your sisters be responsible for something like that?" (L)

    "They... they aren''t human! They are monsters! Terrifying monsters! And... and I am too." (N)

    The last part she whispered quietly and shily, but I heard it.

    "You are a monster?" (L)

    "N-not born one! More recently. It happened when... my parents died. They simply decided to do that to me!" (N)

    She doesn''t seem to be lying.

    Her voice is filled with pain and sorrow when she speaks about this.

    "Okay. Assuming I believe you, what are we talking about here?" (L)

    She starts to look unsure around the room and begins to shiver.

    "S-spiders! Giant spiders! Arachnae! They control every one of them! Hundreds of thousands of these squirming monsters!" (N)

    She hugs herself and tries to calm herself down.

    Simply thinking about this seems to be hard on her.

    "Neri, is something wrong?" (L)

    "They terrify me! Spiders are scary, and I don''t want them close!" (N)

    This is a bit surprising, considering she just counted herself as part of the lot.

    But if what she said is right...

    She said something was done to me, so confirming this takes priority.

    I am at the moment mostly confused, yet the fact that she is panicking like this makes it even more necessary that I stay focused.

    "Neri! Could you tell me what was done to me?" (L)

    "I''m so sorry! They said they would kill you otherwise!" (N)

    Unsettling, but not an answer!

    "Please, just tell me what was done! This is important to me!" (L)

    She fidgets, stays teary, and all in all looks absolutely miserable.

    "They... made you my familiar. Somehow bound you to me." (N)

    What?!

    What are we talking about here?

    Mind magic?

    Or something like one of those new collars?

    "Y-you are saying I am your slave now?" (L)

    "No! I mean, I don''t know. I won''t request anything from you!" (N)

    "Is there any way to break this magic?" (L)

    "I don''t know! Kyroki made it, but I think it wasn''t magic. It looked like when my mom made me remedies, but not. She looked evil! I think it is more something like a mental link. She said I am not directly controlling you, more influencing. I don''t understand it!" (N)

    This is disturbing, extremely disturbing.

    If I understand it right, something completely foreign was done to me, and no one but the one responsible knows anything about it.

    Not to mention how to break it.

    The only good point is that this girl in her position doesn''t look like someone who would take advantage of me.

    Nonetheless, I need to know!

    "Okay... then do it!" (L)

    "Do what?" (N)

    "Control me! Give me an order to test out whatever it is!" (L)

    I need to learn how exactly this will affect me.

    Regarding what happened so far, it didn¡¯t seem to force orders onto me.

    Things like "forgive me" or "calm down" had no effect besides the initial voice.

    Maybe because they weren''t further pursued, or she was unfocused, but regardless, I need to know what a proper order will do to me.

    "But I said..." (N)

    "I know what you said, but I want to know myself what will happen. Please grant me this! Just ask for a simple thing." (L)

    "I-if you say so. S-stand up!" (N)

    <ul>

    <li>"Stand up!"</li>

    </ul>

    Okay, there is that mental order.

    Pressing, but no pain or discomfort.

    Just very hard to ignore.

    <ul>

    <li>"Stand up"</li>

    </ul>

    Still there! I can manage to stay in the bed, yet it is straining.

    <ul>

    <li>"Stand up"</li>

    </ul>

    Less like a shouted order, but rather something teasing.

    Like when your mother wants you to leave the bed, calls out to you, steals the sheet, and starts to tickle your feet.

    An urge that you want to make stop, because you realize that staying in bed isn''t sustainable under these circumstances.

    <ul>

    <li>"Stand up"</li>

    </ul>

    God, when will this stop?

    This mental mother is giving it her all in this teasing.

    Poking me, always repeating the phrase, tickling.

    This is unbearable!

    <ul>

    <li>"Stand up"</li>

    </ul>

    Urgh! That something can be this displeasing without directly attacking your mind.

    Like she said "influencing".

    A devil whispering into your ear until you think to yourself that this is what you want.

    <ul>

    <li>"Stand up!"</li>

    </ul>

    Good riddance!

    Shut up!

    I don''t want to!

    Forget it!

    Oh!

    Did it end?

    I don''t hear this voice anymore.

    "Neri! Did you cancel the order?" (L)

    "Ehm, Liana you... you..." (N)

    Wait!

    Why is she so short?

    Okay, she is small!

    But did she shrink?

    No!

    That''s not it!

    I''m... standing?

    I hadn¡¯t even realized it!

    No repercussions, no pain, only a soft and gentle pushing that gets so penetrating that it eventually overwhelms you.

    Even if my mind would break completely and nothing of me remained, I might give in to this.

    Mindlessly following any order that comes into the hull of mine.

    This is really sinister!

    Something that sips your very will away.

    I already have no intention to fight the next order.

    To disobey that one was already so straining!

    It feels like I''m close to breaking out in a cold sweat.

    But I don''t, even though this kind of mental pressure should cause that.

    "Was that really just one order? You didn''t say anything else, or repeat it?" (L)

    "No! I haven''t said anything else! Was it that bad? I¡¯m sorry!" (N)

    She seems really concerned.

    Maybe I am lucky that she is the one in control of me and not one of the others she spoke about.

    There are far too many evil usages for this.

    All I can do is hope she proves herself to be as kind as she seems now.

 Chapter 40

    Neri¡¯s power over me aside, it seems I may have more problems.

    After testing her control over me, I should be drenched in sweat and exhausted, but the lack of response from my body to this strain is concerning.

    "Neri, was this link all that was done to me? Did they do more than this?" (L)

    "Maybe." (N)

    She looks guiltily to the ground.

    "Why didn''t you tell me earlier? And what is it? Please, I need you to tell me everything that was done to me, Neri!" (L)

    "I really don''t know about the details. I can ask Kyroki... but she is scary. I only know a bit. Just some examples. Like your eyes or stomach." (N)

    "Wh-what about them?" (L)

    "It is very dark in here." (N)

    "What? No it isn''t! I can see perfec-... Oohhh!" (L)

    "Yes, this. Be careful when you head out to the surface. It might hurt. Also you can now eat... different things than before." (N)

    I really don''t want to think about this. But... surface?

    So we¡¯re underground?

    More importantly.

    "I''m allowed to go out?" (L)

    "They said you just shouldn''t run away and apparently the link is not bound to hearing or distance." (N)

    Sure, why bother keeping me locked up?

    All they need to do if I run is force Neri to say that I''m supposed to come back.

    I don''t know if that was all I could do to mentally defend myself, nonetheless I would eventually give in.

    Maybe Neri wouldn''t comply, but this would be no real freedom.

    I would be living with the impending weight of an order ready to force me back at any time.

    And it''s not like I have many possibilities waiting for me back there.

    "Oh!" (N)

    Suddenly, I see Neri look at one corner of the room, as if she remembered something.

    "She brought some!" (N)

    "What are you talking about?" (L)

    There is some cloth lying at the point of her attention.

    "Clothes! Talisa is very good at sewing. Well, she is a spider so maybe that''s a given. But your old ones were destroyed. So maybe you could try them on?" (N)

    Maybe I am enslaved, yet they don''t seem to treat me very harshly.

    Neri goes there and takes them up.

    The fact that I am just covered with a sheet is rather convincing for me to try them on.

    "This is..." (N)

    Promptly she starts to blush.

    Not really, as her pale skin does not change its ash-grey tone, but her face shows the respective expression.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "What is it?" (L)

    "I-I''m sorry! They might have misunderstood something! This surely wasn¡¯t my wish. I had nothing to do with this. Please don''t hold this against me!" (N)

    <ul>

    <li>"Don''t hold this against me!"</li>

    </ul>

    "Order! Again! Alright, what do you have there?" (L)

    With an extremely embarrassed face, she holds the clothes in my direction.

    Seriously?

    It''s a maid uniform!

    That they really would do something like this.

    Still, I am naked and this bothers me, so I take it.

    The attire is focused on utility and not too cumbersome, in black and white.

    To be honest, it is comfortable and feels high quality, if not for the looks.

    "And now?" (L)

    "I really have no idea. There is nothing I need to do, if not... Oh no! No, no, no, no! I forgot about my lessons! She will surely come any moment! (N)

    "What are you talking about?" (L)

    "They force me to take lessons, to spend time with the spiders that belong to me! And I completely forgot! Eritu will be furious!" (N)

    "Who is Eritu? And why do spiders belong to you?" (L)

    She becomes visibly nauseous with her expression.

    "They... They are under my skin and will come out, ugh. And after that, I have to take care of them, they say." (N)

    This sounds gross.

    And from the look of it, she thinks the same.

    That must be absolutely horrible for her if she told me the truth.

    But considering the circumstances, she has no reason to lie to me.

    I mean she can control me, why bother?

    Suddenly, a voice enters from one of the walls.

    "Nerysi! Why aren''t you already at the nest? You know I will drag you there if you don''t come by yourself!" (E)

    Who is this?

    And she sounds very agitated!

    Considering the recent talk, I would believe she is this Eritu, yet I did not expect that she would sound this young.

    Also, something else is confusing.

    "Nerysi?" (L)

    I can only think that she means Neri, as no one else would fit.

    She looks a bit down.

    "They gave me another name. Said it sounds more fitting." (N)

    I really don¡¯t believe she is lying.

    It is very difficult to imagine how this all must weigh on her.

    At this moment, a hole opens in the wall, and a girl fitting to the young voice I''ve heard enters.

    "I-I know Eritu. I will come, it was just... I had to be here when Liana woke up!" (N)

    Is she going to get in trouble?

    Yet now this person is measuring me.

    Her gaze is directly aimed at me, filled with grave intent.

    She looks like she is pondering something, balancing it in her mind.

    I get another look aimed in my direction and...

    Did she just sniff me?!

    However, for some reason, her hard expression softens now.

    And maybe there was something akin to a smile.

    Do I smell this good?

    I hope not tasty.

    "Alright, if you want your new familiar to accompany you, it''s okay. But don''t show it off. They might become jealous." (E)

    Who is "they"?

    Nonetheless, I perceive Neri starts to shiver.

    This training must be the cause.

    It is obviously hard on her mind.

    We pass through some tunnels, and it becomes obvious that Neri feels distressed.

    "What is wrong, Neri?" (L)

    "Spiders." (N)

    That was extremely quiet.

    "We are heading to Nerysi''s nest because she needs to attend to her familiars, and she has problems doing so for some reason. It''s nice that you care! You are a good familiar. Kyroki did well. I''m glad!" (E)

    This was a bit much.

    I understand that they are some kind of spider monster.

    The eight-legged army was a good hint.

    However, in which way am I a familiar?

    This is clearly a way to describe the spiders and my body is totally normal.

    "I-I know you established this binding of my mind, but isn''t it a little farfetched to call me a familiar? There are clear differences, right?" (L)

    "Hmm. Well, you can talk with your mouth, but excluding that? No, not really! You might be in denial of what you are, but you don''t even smell like a human anymore. So you are no enemy of the swarm and are instead family. You can at least be sure that Kyroki is very rigorous in these matters. You are surely not human anymore! That was over when you were left to her." (E)

    This girl is crazy!

    I mean, I¡¯m not human because I don''t smell like one?

    How can she get over this just like that?

    This is ridiculous!

    But then I feel a tug at my arm. Neri?

    "Ehm, you need to know, Eritu hates humans. So it''s maybe better if she sees it like this." (N)

    How bad could this be?

    No, it would be bad!

    As far as I know, she was also responsible for the demise of my group.

    I wasn''t really friends with them, and they made me feel like I wasn''t really one of them because of my lack of contribution; still, they took care of me and were fellow humans.

    She''s a killer!

    We arrive at a place where I can detect one of these web doors.

    They are hard to find, but the patterns are a bit different on the surface.

    "Your new familiar can open for you. Vertical strands for opening, horizontal for closing." (E)

    The fact that all this is told to me shows that they really don''t think I can escape.

    And maybe they are right.

    I always notice Neri''s presence now.

    It is hard to ignore, and I can detect her even without seeing where she is.

    And I believe this is likewise.

    But how am I supposed to open this thing?

    Another pull from Neri.

    "You need to use your nails." (N)

    My nails?

    I look at them and am a bit stunned.

    They are long and pointy.

    I''ve let them grow a bit, but not to this degree!

    Maybe I should have noticed before, but waking up after a real nightmare and being mind-controlled doesn''t make checking your nails your top priority.

    And then Neri tugs a third time.

    "Before you open. It isn''t nice in there. There are spiders everywhere." (N)

    Her fear of spiders might exceed the norm, yet I myself don''t like them that much as well.

    Hesitantly, I try to open this door.

    I pull the instructed strand and the door opens by extending in the middle.

    I peek inside.

    Spiders!

    Spiders everywhere!

 Chapter 41

    I expected spiders, but the amount in that single room is quite high and some are huge.

    Before I can ponder much more, Eritu shoves Neri inside.

    "No, no, no! I don''t want to!" (N)

    "Sigh! Just as usual! Please get a hold of yourself. You need to do this! I am trying to be compassionate about your affairs, but you need to make concessions as well!" (E)

    The spiders inside feel excited to me.

    It''s strange, but somehow I can feel this much.

    In the same manner, I know Neri to be incredibly frightened, scared stiff.

    "I don''t want this! I don''t want this!" (N)

    There¡¯s a near physical repulsion from her, and I take a step back almost before I¡¯m aware of doing so.

    "Nerysi! Today I wanted you to shorten the distance to them, so get a hold of yourself!" (E)

    "No! I can¡¯t do it!" (N)

    <ul>

    <li>"Help me!"</li>

    </ul>

    I rush between those two and hold my arms out as if trying to build a wall, blocking out this Eritu.

    She looks confused at first, but then understanding seems to dawn on her face, and she tries to look at Neri through me.

    "Nerysi! It is quite selfish to use your familiar for such reasons." (E)

    Wait!

    She''s right!

    Neri did control me just now.

    It isn''t against my character to help a little girl and I wasn''t defending myself, but she did control me!

    I try to lower my arms and hold my head.

    There is a bit of pressure, but I can overcome it.

    Although it¡¯s building slowly since I¡¯m no longer giving it my all, it seems to help that it wasn''t a direct order, but rather a wish of hers.

    Also, Neri hasn¡¯t renewed it.

    In fact, she stares at me quite shocked.

    "Sorry! I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean to! I''m sorry." (N)

    And the pressure abruptly vanishes.

    This control is dangerous.

    I believe she didn''t even say anything.

    I just reacted to her thoughts.

    Really dangerous!

    Controlled by a little girl.

    This is just so hard to accept!

    For some time then, Neri has to perform various tasks with these spiders.

    Letting them move in specific ways, assigning selected ones to eat, and similar.

    The performance is nothing outrageous, but the simple fact that she can control them is.

    I am sure that she¡¯s using the same kind of control I feel, yet it must be much stronger on them since their mentality has too little individualism to act differently.

    If one considers what kind of power lies here...

    They control an army of silent, deadly assassins who obey their every command.

    The capital has, at most, a population of 80000, maybe around a million in the whole country.

    I am not sure how many spiders there are, but Neri indicated that she is young, so this already decent amount is just a fraction of that which dwells here.

    I can fully understand why she said we have no chance.

    What dwells here is more than one country alone can handle.

    Our only hope is that they don''t become active.

    This might be one of the biggest threats that exist to all humans in the vicinity.

    But something is strange!

    I don''t feel threatened in the slightest.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.These spiders murdered my whole group, but right now I feel perfectly calm.

    At one point, Neri confused them, and accidently had me surrounded by this swarm for a moment.

    Yet, I wasn¡¯t even uneasy!

    This is so weird!

    I really hope this is just due to the fact that they are controlled and like this no threat.

    Yet, something else is more likely.

    They changed it!

    They took from me this fear with everything else they ripped away from me.

    I think this nightmare was just myself screaming while it happened, and even now I don¡¯t know what all is different about myself.

    They may very well have snatched away some part of me that I¡¯m not aware of.

    "Liana, are you okay?" (N)

    What?

    Why is Neri suddenly asking me that?

    "D-did I say something?" (L)

    "No... not really. It just felt that way. You feel distressed to me and I became worried." (N)

    Oh, yes, that slipped my mind.

    I can feel how uneasy she is here, so naturally, it can go the other way around.

    "I''m not sure if I should say this out loud here." (L)

    I glance at our red-haired watchdog.

    But she noticed.

    "I have no problem with it. It is nice of you to talk to your familiars. I just wish you would include the others." (E)

    "Okay, then. Honestly, you are always calling me a familiar, but I don''t feel that different. If not for the fact that my mind is now somehow connected to Neri and that my nails grew a bit, I simply can''t see why you are thinking of me the same as those spiders!" (L)

    "Oh, do you really believe that it ends there?" (E)

    This sounds extremely ominous.

    "I had a small talk with Kyroki to make sure that everything is fine. I was a little worried about taking a human in, but that changed then." (E)

    "W-why?" (L)

    "I got a list of the changes! Transformation of inner organs, production of pheromones, genetical changes, the ability to produce venom and acid, even silk on a basic level. By the way, how well are the fangs growing?" (E)

    "Fangs?!" (L)

    "They shouldn''t be developed yet, still they should form around here." (E)

    She puts her fingers behind the upper lip.

    And I do too.

    Is that a bulge there?!

    "H-how? And pheromones? Genetical change? What do you mean?!" (L)

    "Like I said, it might be difficult, yet it is Kyroki''s favorite subject. Pheromones in fact refer to your scent, you are producing signal-weaving tones that tell others information. At the moment, only that you belong to them, that you are family. And you are influenced by them too. That''s why you can keep your calm in here, together with your family. Yet, Nerysi¡¯s fear is unnatural, so it doesn¡¯t work for her. And while we are on the subject of family, Kyroki described ¡®genetical¡¯ as the following: If you would get pregnant, even by another human, right now, then your children wouldn''t be considered ''normal'' by other humans. Yet maybe you''re fancying one of the other familiars instead?" (E)

    "Eritu, please stop!" (N)

    "Hmm. Why? It''s not that I lied. And she should be aware. These are things you should include in your decisions!" (E)

    Hah, so that is why they are certain I won''t run and return to my people.

    I can''t!

    They made sure of this.

    Not just that, controlled like I am, I have little means to resist.

    I simply have no way to live a human life.

    This is devastating!

    What am I supposed to do now?

    It''s not that I had much to return to, but this prevents even the possibility.

    Neri looks unsure at me.

    She certainly has caught on to my internal struggle and is uneasy because of this.

    As far as I understand, she believes herself to be at fault.

    I don''t know where I stand on this.

    I am certain that she didn''t lie to me.

    So you could say she saved my life.

    Yet, at what price?

    This isn''t good!

    My value is no different here than a spider, even if they have a different evaluation to these monsters.

    "Can we not be a little accommodating to her circumstances? Maybe give her room of her own?" (N)

    "Huh? Isn''t here fine? Your others are okay with it." (E)

    What!?!

    She wants to leave me here?

    "No, we can''t do this! Please, only a bit of help! She needs at least her own bed!" (N)

    "Sigh, alright. I will see if we can do something about that." (E)

    Neri seems to care for me, which is better than nothing.

    Probably even better than what I would have to expect if I returned, now that the expedition failed so distinctively.

    The other adventurers might even blame me for that outcome.

    What kind of excuse would I have if they''d claim that I ran and abandoned my group?

    "Are... Are we done then? Can I go for today? Please?" (N)

    "This early? We have barely done anything at all." (E)

    "Y-yes, but I really need the time today. Is there no way to shorten this?" (N)

    "Shorten? Hmm, one! Pat one, not Liana!" (E)

    Neri becomes extremely agitated, yet moves to the gathering.

    With closed eyes, she stretches out a hand, and in an instant, a spider is under it.

    Her panic is visible, and she quickly stops and crawls back.

    "Fine, it was enough, but you should do a bit more!" (E)

    "Y-yes, but I need to do some things. And I need to find Masiabi." (N)

    "Hm, right now she is in the room for the preparation of the food. Shall I tell her something?" (E)

    Neri instantly becomes nervous at the mention of this room and glances at me.

    Food?

    Oh, right!

    I know what they eat and who gets "prepared" there.

    No wonder she is distressed.

    "Tell her I would like to meet her at the meeting room." (N)

    "Alright, I¡¯ll send a messenger." (E)

    "Thank you." (N)

    Seeing Neri interacting with them is strange.

    It doesn''t seem like they are mistreating her, but the fact that she is different is apparent.

    Still, this is only her mentality.

    They don''t seem to have issues treating her like the monsters they are.

    And me too.

 Chapter 42

    Neri and I are traversing some corridors.

    Considering the room we just left, it is surprising that there are nearly no spiders to be seen.

    "Where are we going?" (L)

    "I really need to talk to Masiabi, one of the sisters. She is in charge of the food. I thought that you¡¯ve had nothing to eat for a while. And at the moment, I don''t know what I could provide. My last gathering tour got... interrupted and the food here is... you need to get used to it. It shouldn''t taste bad, but I need to make sure where it comes from." (N)

    "Where it comes from?" (L)

    Neri looks uncomfortably at the ground and I understand.

    Spiders are predatory.

    And the last income was my group.

    She doesn''t want me to be forced to eat this.

    It would be terrible for me and she is concerned about my well-being.

    In the end, we arrive at a room that resembles something like a dining hall.

    Yet, it''s empty.

    We enter, but no one is here.

    "It might take a while until she comes. Ehm, Masiabi is a hunter. She is not evil and has a soft side if she is not hunting. However, she is... special." (N)

    I don''t know what that means, but I¡¯m not given long to ponder.

    Suddenly, a gust of wind hits me, and the spot where Neri stood just a moment before is vacant.

    I find her some meters away, held tightly by a blonde girl who seems to be considerably stronger than her.

    And probably me.

    "Ah, sister! I''ve heard you wanted to see me?" (M)

    "Y-y-yes, urgh. I ha-had a re-request. Please... breathing!" (N)

    She lets go of Neri and I can take a look at her.

    Different than her sister, this one looks like a healthy girl.

    If not for the protruding fangs at her mouth.

    "And? What do you want, besides breathing?" (M)

    "I really need a little bit to eat for Liana." (N)

    "Isn''t there more than enough? We just had..." (M)

    "I know what we have! Please, anything but this! We cannot do this, it''s wrong! This is the same as if you would eat your familiars. I cannot allow this!" (N)

    "But I do! Food is food! So they still serve a purpose. You are quite fixated on this." (M)

    She got us both with this comment.

    For a creature like this, it doesn''t matter where the food comes from.

    Not consuming it is simply considered a waste, which can''t even be considered wrong from her viewpoint.

    Nevertheless, it''s a very monstrous way of thinking.

    "Please help me! It''s just, I need to make it up to Liana. There are things I need to do to help her. It was all my fault!" (N)

    "What are you saying? We had her group under surveillance the moment they entered our territory. They crossed a line where we agreed that they were done for quite some time before they met you. It was just not expected that you would, of all places, stroll there and meet them. It was your right to claim her. And she would be dead without you. Nobody forbids her to kill herself if she prefers that above the food." (M)

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Their territory? Oh no, the silk!

    That was a fence.

    A fence for where they keep their livestock!

    "I... I don''t know about that, but I really need your help. I don''t want Liana to have to do this. Please!" (N)

    "Hmm¡­ Okay. But only if you pay my price for this, alright? You know what I mean!" (M)

    Neri is disturbed and hesitates.

    I can see and feel it.

    I am afraid to ponder what such a monster would demand.

    "F-fine! I¡¯ll do it!" (N)

    She is clearly distressed but sets herself to do whatever she has to do now.

    For my sake!

    "Uhm, can you please help your little sister? Big sis?" (N)

    I am completely dumbfounded.

    That''s it?

    It is hard to imagine that such simple words are what this monster longs for.

    On the other side, the blond girl is literally beaming.

    Can a mouth really stretch this far?

    She looks as if she would explode in joy at any moment.

    And so she does.

    "Yes!!! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Sure! Your big sister would do anything for you! Oh my! You said it! I''m a big sister! Yeaaahhh! Okay! Okay! There is not much left that was left separated, but I will directly fetch something! Something should be found in this forest! Sure!" (M)

    "Ehm, could I maybe get a little normal flesh for the kitchen as well? Big sis?" (N)

    "Yes! Absolutely! Sure! No problem! I will be directly on my way, and if I need to flatten the forest and everything around it, so be it!!!" (M)

    This girl gives the word affection a completely new meaning.

    And I have a bad feeling the last thing was not just an exaggeration.

    She would invade the capital, only to claim the princess canopy bed for her sister.

    Talk about disturbing characters!

    That girl immediately left to fulfill her task.

    So it''s just the two of us.

    "And now?" (L)

    "I... I don''t know. It is difficult to come up with something. Oh, right! This I should prepare!" (N)

    "Would you let me take part?" (L)

    I try to not be harsh to her, yet the being enslaved part has the potential to poison a relationship.

    "Y-yes. I... There is one of the sisters who I would like to ask for a room close to mine. She is good in making them and I thought you rather would like your own. I already asked Eritu, but she will maybe only do what¡¯s necessary." (N)

    Another one?

    "How many sisters are there?" (L)

    "Five. They are all rather different, but friendly, I think. I mean you''ve met two of them. Eritu has nothing against you in particular, and I doubt that Masiabi would be unfriendly to you. Then there are Kyroki, Talisa, and Akasia. Talisa is somehow in charge here, yet there are votes. She is very strict, b-but it should be fine as long you don''t break the rules. Akasia is the one I''d like to meet. I think she is the friendliest one. Oh, and she likes humans! I-in the traditional way! Not as... you know. So maybe you could get along?" (N)

    "This sounds a bit odd. I mean isn''t she eating them too?" (L)

    "Y-yes, maybe I was wrong. I mean she is still an Arachne! But she isn''t this much against them. More when it''s convenient. Y-yet she likes acid too and is rather strange. However, please don''t make fun of her." (N)

    Really?!

    Does she think I would provoke some kind of big acid spider?

    "Why should I do something this stupid?" (L)

    "You know she... she likes to play princess or something like this." (N)

    "What?" (L)

    Okay, maybe imagining a spider monster in a princess dress is funny.

    "Yes, she doesn''t really know how to do it and it looks a bit ridiculous, but like I said she is friendly." (N)

    "And this Kyroki?" (L)

    "Well, you already heard a bit about her. She... She is scary. I try not to come too close. After all she did, I doubt she would harm either of us, as this would be contradicting her purposes. But if you see a small black-haired girl, it''d be best for you to get away!" (N)

    A little girl?

    You really shouldn''t let appearance deceive you.

    "So we are going now to Akasia?" (L)

    "Yes, I thought so. Like I said, she is good with acid and could maybe etch a new room." (N)

    What am I supposed to make out of this?

    A room for myself is a rather good treatment for someone who is essentially a slave.

    Like before, we continue traversing those white hallways.

    It''s distressing if you keep in mind that we are literally inside a giant spider web.

    There might not be much to fear right now, but this is distressing by itself.

    This calmness is affecting me.

    Just another point of the changes they forced upon me.

    Yet at the moment, these fangs that grow in my mouth are the most disturbing.

    I can''t stop touching that spot.

    "I-I know it is distressing. I was also very anxious when I was told about them. B-but you don''t feel them that much if you don''t pay attention." (N)

    "It''s just that this is a bit much to deal with." (L)

    "Uh huh, I know. But at least you don''t have legs in your back that threaten to pierce out, as a constant reminder that you could fully turn into a spider. I am so scared that this might happen to me if I don''t stay alert." (N)

    Regarding the changes in physiology, she is far worse off than me.

    It is not really hard to relate to her story when the same things happen to me somehow.

    Like this, it is convincing, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.

 Chapter 43

    After a while, we arrive at our destination.

    Neri opens the doorway like the others before.

    This may seem to be a weakness, but first, well, you would need to know how they work to take advantage of the fact that it is always the same function.

    And those monsters wouldn''t allow someone to come this far in the first place.

    The glance I got of this room indicates that Neri did not exaggerate.

    It looks fluffy and far too overdone for a normal room.

    Decorations without a clear purpose, this overbearing pink.

    More like a toy house than a room you would intend to live in.

    "Hello Akasia! Are you there?" (N)

    "Nerysi? How nice of you to visit me! Is something going on?" (A)

    Stepping into the center of the room, a figure comes into view.

    It is a young woman.

    The shoulder-length blue hair looks fine and her face is delicate.

    Only the eyes are a bit disturbing, sporting this almost burning yellow-green color.

    But what is really disturbing is that dress of hers.

    That a seemingly grown-up woman would wear something this frilly?

    The color is light green with white dots, yet far too light for her skin color and hair.

    And the form is crazy!

    The skirt extends in all directions before it touches the ground, while the sleeves are simply two round puffs.

    Who told her that she should wear something like this?

    I don''t know if our mind connection works this detailed, but I believe I sense Neri thinking the same.

    At least, she averts her gaze a bit.

    "Ehm, I came to ask if it would be possible to maybe make a room close to mine. You know, for Liana. I would like that she has something of her own." (N)

    "Oh, your new familiar?" (A)

    The woman has now noticed my presence and focuses her attention on me.

    "Oh my, I apologize. I am sure this is much of a change for you, but I have no idea how else to refer to you." (A)

    She is rather courteous to me.

    Neri said she is nice, yet I am still alert.

    "This is all a bit much for me, and I don''t really believe I can fit in here." (L)

    "I believe so. I apologize for the attack, but we are always dealing like that with intruders. I guess negotiations would have been out of question and, in the long run, to our disadvantage." (A)

    She might be right.

    We came here with the mission to destroy the threat that showed up at Diroen, and I cannot think that any nation would leave them unattended if they''d learn about what truly dwells here.

    "Surely, I can try to make a room! Yet it might take a day or two to completely etch it out. I apologize for the inconvenience, but Neri''s request came as quite the surprise. We don''t really have any set ways to handle such affairs." (A)

    "It is at least nice that you are talking normally to me. Until now, I felt like I am just a spider to everyone except Neri here." (L)

    "Oh, I assume you met Eritu? She is like this, but she doesn''t mean any harm. In fact, she loves all the familiars deeply. If she calls you one, it means that you are extremely high in her esteem. She would instantly kill any threats to you if the need would arise. But I guess she is bad at conversations." (A)

    This is a very strange discussion!

    She said that as a familiar I have a higher standing than a human to them, yet this means at the same time that I''m only a spider to them.

    "You don''t need to be worried. Nerysi is a lovely child, and you needn¡®t fear getting forced to do anything. It would be nice if you could keep watch over her. She is so non-violent that she makes an easy target and doesn''t let her own familiars close to protect her. That is a bad combination, and we are all deeply worried for her safety." (A)

    This is understandable.

    Neri is no monster.

    She is apparently as human as she looks.

    You just can''t expect that a child like this directly turns into something monstrous.

    At least this is somewhat assuring that my own mind might still be mostly intact.

    "I see. It is nice that you care for her." (L)

    "How couldn''t I, as cute as she is?" (A)

    Neri gets embarrassed at this remark and is apparently in no mood to speak up.

    "But I don''t see that I''m fit for the role to protect her. I can only use healing magic and extremely simple water magic, and am not really good in combat." (L)

    I don''t see a problem with telling her that.

    It just proves that I am weak and have no means to fight.

    It would be worse if they would consider me a threat or want me to fight something, like where this talk was leading right now.

    "Oh, healing magic? That is wonderful! So you can heal any injuries that might befall her. And I don''t think you need to worry about combat. I mean, you are strong!" (A)

    "What? No I''m not! All I can do is swing a staff and that poorly. They have never let me fight, so weak I am!" (L)

    "No, no! You are strong. At least from a human viewpoint. I am rather sure that Kyroki knew exactly what role you had to fulfill. So she made you so." (A)

    "Wait, what?" (L)

    "She told me after she was finished with you. Your muscles got stronger, more spider-like. Faster reflexes, denser structures, tighter tendons, and thicker bones too, I think. I doubt you have to worry about combat, and healing magic may only add to your capabilities." (A)

    Does she mean this?

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.That is another bunch of changes, and I didn''t even manage to get over the first batch.

    And I can''t perceive any of this.

    I feel normal.

    Nothing feels off!

    "You don''t need to look so dejected. I mean, isn''t this mostly a positive change?" (A)

    Is she serious?

    My very mind is subject to the whims of a little girl!

    Not to speak of that I would prefer to remain human.

    Something that apparently drifts farther and farther away from me.

    Who am I kidding?

    I¡¯m growing fangs right now!

    I am obviously no longer human!

    They made me some kind of monstrous killer to protect this girl.

    Maybe I should stop this talk.

    My mood is running low.

    "I think we should leave then, or we would prevent you from completing Neri''s request you so kindly accepted." (L)

    "Oh, that is no problem! I already gave the order! 289 of my familiars are already working!" (A)

    "How? I mean you..." (L)

    "Mental order! We control all of them like this!" (A)

    I forgot!

    It''s the same with me and Neri.

    She just needs think an order and the influence would overcome me, the same as the spiders.

    "But now that we are done with the tedious stuff I would like to ask you some questions." (A)

    "Questions?" (L)

    I''m not sure why, but right now I¡¯m getting very strange vibes from Neri.

    It feels again somehow embarrassed, yet more of a directed kind.

    Something like "Oh, not again!".

    "Do you know any stories about royalty? Or is there anything interesting happening in the kingdom? Scandals? Gossip? Do you know of any princess tales? You are a mage! Was there something interesting at the place you studied? How is the fashion?" (A)

    I think I get it now.

    Neri knew this would happen.

    This woman is desperate!

    Desperate for the tiniest piece of information from outside.

    She was rather courteous, so it is in my interest that she gets no bad impression of me.

    I tell her a bit about the academy.

    How teachers promote their favorite students, ridicule those in the wrong faction, and how the posts are contested, even with deadly means.

    Not in too much detail, as there is no reason to involve my own past.

    Normal gossip is enough.

    Yet, I state some ideas about the fashion there.

    Anything that has the smallest bit of thought behind it is better than this walking fashion disaster in front of me.

    But after a while, it grows exhausting, and I feel that Neri can''t hold out much more.

    I think she is extremely exhausted after this day, and it was really much to take in.

    Mostly for me, but that might be the reason why she doesn''t try to stop us.

    She is very self-conscious.

    I can constantly sense her feelings of guilt for this, and because of it, she is afraid to say her will.

    "I think we should stop here as it¡¯s getting late." (L)

    I glance at Neri and she seems to understand.

    "Alright, but don''t hesitate to come another time for a talk! It was nice, and you don''t need to think that there is something like status hindering you. But please ask Neri beforehand! I can''t steal her familiars!" (A)

    "Goodbye then, Akasia!" (L)

    This last part reminded me of my unpleasant situation.

    Technically, I belong to that girl, and all that keeps me from being treated as no more than property is her goodwill.

    We are leaving and it seems we are on our way back.

    I guess I was right about her exhaustion, as her pace is unsteady.

    I grab her underneath the legs and heave her up onto my shoulders.

    "Wh-what?" (N)

    "You can barely stand. Just stay still!" (L)

    She isn''t going to talk back about our relationship.

    Maybe she thought about it but didn''t want to order.

    She doesn¡¯t weigh much, but on the way I notice that I am, by far, too unfazed by this weight, although I still can fathom it.

    Nonetheless, we arrive without incidents.

    The room is just as we left it.

    It is not utterly stuffed, but the inventory doesn''t look petty.

    It is at least livable here.

    Suddenly, Neri motions to let her down, which I disturbingly quickly do.

    She seems to have detected something and goes to the table.

    I think it''s only big enough for two people, yet then I notice what she had in focus.

    On the table are three rather large sacs.

    Neri takes one and wiggles it.

    It becomes apparent that they are filled.

    And it seems to be liquid.

    Next to the sacs lies a note.

    It reads: "Here it is! I hope this will be to your liking! Two sacs are for you, because you need to take your familiars into account."

    "What is this?" (L)

    "Uhm, yes. Masiabi brought the food. You know, it is enjoyable. I mean the taste, but... don''t try to think about the ingredients. But it is safe!!! She wouldn''t lie to me about this!" (N)

    This much I am sure.

    She is incredibly doting.

    Still, it looks rather suspicious.

    "What is in there?" (L )

    "You see, the spiders are carnivorous. They usually eat flesh and such. This is some kind of broth. But with more innards and acid that dissolves it." (N)

    "Acid?!" (L)

    She expects me to eat something so dangerous?

    "Th-this shouldn''t be a problem for you. And it doesn''t taste bad if you get used to it." (N)

    She hands me the sac.

    And yes, I was told my stomach was turned too, so I should be able to handle that.

    However, to trust in something this disturbing, by drinking something this hazardous is a bit much.

    Yet I feel now the hunger after spending the whole day without food.

    A careful sip should be possible.

    Honey!?

    It tastes so sweet and pleasant and before I know it, I already sucked down all of the liquid in this big sac.

    This was weird!

    I know I was hungry, but to lose control like this?

    Another change?

    This is so disturbing.

    And somewhat disappointing.

    But having an appetite is not the worst thing that happened to me today.

    And Neri was right, it was pleasant.

    I see her now gulping the second sac down.

    An almost unreal sight in regards to her small frame.

    She seems to have noticed my look.

    "Uhm, you know, the spiders in me eat too. I need to eat, this much, or I¡¯ll feel bad." (N)

    She is so embarrassed, you wouldn''t believe it.

    "And now?" (L)

    "I-I''m tired. Can we go to sleep?" (N)

    I feel that she does her utmost not to make it sound like an order.

    "Fine, I think sleeping would be good now." (L)

    She then moves to her wardrobe, opens it, and pulls out what appears to be soft, pink nightclothes.

    "Uhm, please turn- No, don¡¯t say that. Uh, could you turn away while I get ready for bed?" (N)

    "Of course. I won¡¯t peek, don¡¯t worry." (L)

    With her exhaustion, she is now clearly struggling not to give me orders accidently.

    Future conversations with her may be problematic if she¡¯s already having trouble minding her words.

    "I¡¯m finished. But what about you..." (N)

    I turn back to face her, and she seems to be searching the room for something.

    Apparently not finding it, she glances in her wardrobe, then at me, and finally at the weaving table nearby.

    On it is a large white sheet, similar to what is covering the bed.

    Neri walks over, picks up the sheet, and begins cutting a hole in the center... using just her apparently quite sharp nails.

    Once she¡¯s finished, she holds it out to me.

    "F-for you." (N)

    Though her face stays pale, she can¡¯t even look at me from the embarrassment I feel from her.

    "I¡¯m so sorry! But it¡¯s the only thing I have! I promise I¡¯ll ask for some proper clothes tomorrow! I¡¯m sorry." (N)

    "I understand, Neri. Don¡¯t worry. It will do." (L)

    She turns around, and I change into the makeshift robe.

    The cloth feels quite similar to the dress I was wearing.

    Even though this is extremely crude, it should be adequate to sleep in tonight.

    "See, Neri. This is not so bad." (L)

    "But still, I promise to find better for you tomorrow. For now, I am very sleepy. Are you ready for bed?" (N)

    For someone who can control me with a thought, she is quite considerate.

    "Yes, I am tired as well. Let¡¯s get some sleep." (L)

    Yet, at my response, she settles on a chair.

    "What are you doing? The bed is here!" (L)

    "I... I didn''t want to bother you. This all is so much and just because of me. So I thought you should have the bed." (N)

    This girl is almost too considerate.

    "No! Look, this bed is gigantic. There is enough space for both of us inside." (L)

    I estimate that six people would fit in there without problems.

    Pressed like this, Neri moves next to me in the bed.

    If my memory serves me right, it was rather comfortable when I woke up.

    So I lie down in the bed with this girl that would go so much out of her way for my sake.

    It seems she wants me to truly settle in here.

    Yet, this very idea is insane.

    Maybe she feels lonely without any humans, but those spider sisters are frightening at best.

    Can I really live here?

    But what else can I do?

    Maybe I could kill Neri and run.

    The mental bind is not really preventing me from taking immediate action but rather works as a slow and tedious compelling.

    But, I''m not capable of doing that.

    Not only because I surely have no chance to escape on foot and would eventually get hunted down.

    Supposedly, by this Masiabi.

    But, it is simply nothing I am able to make happen.

    Killing a small child to become free is nothing my mind could bear.

    Things being as they are, I see no solution.

    Those spiders are so powerful that there is no chance to escape.

    I can''t see any other way than staying here.

    I''m in a bind.

    These creatures caught me and won''t let me go.

    It seems like they''ve won.

    I have no other option but to stay.

    Nothing else is left for me!

    However, she is cute the way she lies here.

    She immediately fell asleep the moment she touched the bed.

    Being this little girl¡¯s protector may not be the worst fate.

    Then eight silvery legs wrap around and pull me in close.

 Chapter 44

    - Neri -

    I wake up for another day.

    In front of my eyes is Liana who urged me to use the bed.

    Seems like she was able to sleep comfortably even with me next to her.

    The bed surely was big enough for the two of us, yet I am very glad that she allows me to be close to her.

    She would have every right to be mad at me.

    Yet, she is caring.

    And this in her situation!

    Yesterday must have been continuous torture to her.

    That she still has no dark feelings towards me is a nice thought.

    To know this did put me at ease.

    In this manner, I could sleep well in this, honestly, very comfortable bed.

    Truly, my rest was great!

    I slept safe and sound and was completely at peace.

    There was nothing wrong.

    Not a single reason to be strained.

    And because of this...

    "Aaaahhhhhh! No, no, no! Make them leave!!!" (N)

    Yes!

    As you''ve guessed, because I was completely relaxed my spider legs came out of my back.

    They''ve even grabbed hold of her!

    And then immediately release her when I realize this.

    "Neri! You..." (L)

    Naturally, Liana woke up at this commotion.

    I would have tried not to wake her, but I really, really don''t want to turn into a spider.

    Not even partially!

    "Help!" (N)

    "Order, Neri! Order!" (L)

    Oh god!

    Again!

    I just make it more difficult for her.

    I''ve understood that every time I want something I''m going to mess with Liana''s mind.

    And this is unforgivable!

    Yet, it is so difficult to keep track and watch every word you say.

    I''m definitely not suited for this!

    In fact, I''m not suited for anything I have to deal with.

    Luckily, what I said didn¡¯t have much impact on Liana, and she looks mostly flustered at how I fight in panic with my eight legs that poke out of my back.

    With all this chaos I¡¯m enacting around me, I¡¯m a bit surprised that I haven¡¯t hit her, but these flailing limbs seem to avoid her on their own.

    As I know myself that I have to do something immediately, I look for the reaction to retract those legs and manage to find it.

    That this wasn''t the first time that this happened helps me to find it quicker.

    These terrifying limbs are stiff and unwilling, but I finally manage to force them back in, and my panic subsides.

    "Huff, huff, huff!" (N)

    This was exhausting!

    "Neri! What was that? What happened?" (L)

    "I... I let the legs slip out. They are so disgusting and I feel bad that this happened." (N)

    "Well, disgusting might be the wrong word. They didn¡¯t feel repulsive. More unusual. This is really hard for you, huh?" (L)

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    This is exactly what it is!

    Hard!

    No one with a sane mind should be able to just come to terms with something like this.

    "And what now?" (L)

    "I don''t know. The mornings I usually have to myself until I have to go to "that room". Then I¡¯m again free, as long it is not a day with educational lessons, every second day. So today too. I had hoped we could maybe find something for you to do that you might like. The lessons are in the library. I don''t know what your hobbies are, but as long you don''t set fire here you should be free to do what you want." (N)

    She looks a bit skeptical at me.

    "I know there isn''t much here for you and I''m not the best partner for a talk, but please tell me if there is anything I can do for you." (N)

    "Ah, Neri!" (L)

    Not again!

    I just wanted to help her!

    "Sor-" (N)

    "Well, I like books. You said there is a library?" (L)

    "Y-yes, a big one! Yet... you might have difficulties reaching the upper shelves. They are rather high. Made to climb with additional limbs." (N)

    "Oh! Still, am I really allowed to use that place?" (L)

    "I don''t think they will prohibit you from entering it when I give permission. The rules are all important to them." (N)

    That might sound wrong, yet I mean it in the way that none of the sisters will tell me how to interact with Liana, nor will they do something to her.

    That is a sharp line for them.

    Eritu, for example, would never allow something to happen to a familiar.

    So Liana is safe.

    Nonetheless, I am worried that she has nothing for herself here.

    At least I would want there to be something she can look forward to doing in her spare time.

    Pondering like this, I start putting my blue dress on.

    I like the pattern and the fact that I contributed to something this great is somehow nice.

    I''m not particularly hungry since I just ate yesterday, and I think that I am capable of spending a good amount of time without food if I have no emerging.

    This should be linked to this body of mine, which can hold quite a diet.

    But the sisters certainly won''t let this come so far and always give me food when I grow hungry.

    Yet, for Liana, there is still only the maid uniform.

    Though, it looks good on her.

    Nonetheless, I really need to ask Talisa today if she could make her at least something casual instead of this embarrassing thing, as well as some nightclothes.

    However, Liana is now putting it on.

    I would have given her my own clothes.

    Yet obviously they are too small since I am small in size.

    Especially around the chest.

    But on the other side, these clothes still look good on her.

    A moment later I get thrown out of my daze.

    A sudden jolt of pain, originating from my back, spreads through all of my body.

    It''s so intense that I lose my footing and drop to the ground.

    "Neri!" (L)

    Liana is directly next to me.

    If it''s some compulsion from her mental bond I don''t know, but it''s quite likely to play into this.

    "What is happening to you!?" (L)

    I''d like to know that as well!

    Throbbing agony writhes throughout my body and won''t allow for any calm thoughts.

    "It hurts! Everything hurts! I don''t know! Pain!" (N)

    "Wh-what can I do?!" (L)

    If I''d just know that!

    Waaahh!

    I don''t think I can endure this!

    It feels so bad!

    "I, I will get help!" (L)

    Help?

    Does she mean one of the others?

    M-maybe they can truly help.

    But it hurts so badly!

    My whole back is stiff and tender, and I''m so tense that it feels like I would spring apart any moment.

    I can''t do anything at all, but squirm down on the ground.

    The pain becomes throbbing.

    Not the slightest bit bearable, so bad that I can''t get myself to move in a controlled manner.

    However, as I have no idea what I even could do, there''s no other choice but to persevere.

    After an agonizing eternity, I can finally perceive Liana coming closer again.

    She''s rapidly approaching, and while the pain just won''t get away, I feel relieved that someone''s coming at least.

    "Neri! I''m back!" (L)

    Oh my god!

    She sounds distraught.

    I don''t want to think that I''m influencing her mind to feel so desperate about my condition.

    "Neri! Don''t you worry! I''m here!" (E)

    Eritu?

    How did Liana even get to her?

    Doesn''t matter!

    I need help!

    "Uh, close your eyes please. I need to transport you." (E)

    Wh-what?

    Before I can contemplate this any further, I''m secured to Liana with some strings.

    "Follow me as fast as possible. I arranged a room to meet up." (E)

    It seems she intends to use Liana for transport, who doesn''t budge a bit below my weight.

    Despite being in so much pain, the pressure from the touch doesn''t seem to aggravate any of the strained agony from within me.

    We move quickly through the corridors till suddenly Eritu perks up.

    "Alright, she''s almost with us. This way!" (E)

    I''m brought into an apparently vacant room and get lowered to the ground.

    While this happens, I try to contemplate through the pain who might be coming.

    However, it seems like Eritu was rather accurate, as they arrive before I can come to a conclusion.

    "And I was already asking myself what could be the issue this time. Extensive discomfort, but no apparent cause. Well, get ready for your examination." (K)

    Kyroki!?!

 Chapter 45

    "Please, even if it''s difficult, just try to relax. I need to check your body and can''t do so if you lash out." (K)

    An examination from Kyroki?

    Do I want this?

    "Are you capable of telling me what is ailing you?" (K)

    "Is it so hard to see? It hurts! Everything hurts!" (N)

    "Sigh! That much is obvious. What I was trying to get at was, in which specific way does the pain present itself? Is it stabbing? Tearing? Throbbing?" (K)

    "Throbbing! It''s throbbing! Everything''s strained! My back is the worst!" (N)

    "Good to know. I can work with that." (K)

    The small nightmare girl crouches next to me and seems to have brought some tools with her of unknown purposes.

    The one she''s now holding in her hands looks more like a sharp murder weapon than anything that would help people.

    "First, let''s get rid of any obstructions." (K)

    I don''t know how she does it, but somehow Kyroki can drive the blade of this thing through the seems of my dress, even though it was made by Talisa and thus should be terribly durable.

    I think there''s something coating it.

    The sizzling it causes being a bit of a hint.

    "Okay, regarding your answers I have an idea. So let''s get your back free." (K)

    As soon as she cut enough, she pulls the already back-free dress further from my upper body.

    Once all the fabric is gone, I feel her prodding at me there.

    "Now, let''s see. Quite hard to the touch. Concerning at best. How''s it there? Not much better. What about..." (K)

    "AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH!!!" (N)

    It hurts!

    It hurts so much!

    The other places were somewhat fine, but this one spot was worse than anything I ever felt!

    "Okay, I''ll note it down as sensitive." (K)

    This is so far beyond an insensitive understatement!

    "What are you doing to her!" (L)

    "Quiet! I don''t need to get berated by familiars. Especially not about something you don''t have the slightest idea about. Talk to me again when your legs break out." (K)

    "Li-Liana." (N)

    "Neri..." (L)

    No, I can''t force her to support me only because I need help.

    That isn''t fair to her!

    "Snap, snap"

    Suddenly, Kyroki snaps her fingers in front of my face to force my attention.

    "Alright, I think I got the gist of it." (K)

    The gist?

    She doesn''t seem all that worried about my condition, despite all the pain I''m in, though, on the other side, we''re talking here about Kyroki.

    "Wh-what is wrong?" (N)

    "Simple. You got a cramp." (K)

    She says this with a deadpan face as if it wasn''t just absolutely ridiculous to say.

    The last cramp I remember was in my foot.

    It really hurt, but not so much that I''d rather bathe in acid than endure this for a single further second.

    Ahh, it just won''t get better!

    It hurts.

    "If possible, could you tell me? When was the last time you had your legs out? You know which ones I mean." (K)

    My, my legs?

    My spider legs!

    Oh my god!

    "J-just this morning." (N)

    "And let me guess, without any care for them, you directly shoved them back inside?" (K)

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    "Of course! I hate them!" (N)

    "Mhm. And I surmise the recent time was somewhat stressful for you?" (K)

    You mean like when you slaughtered a bunch of people in front of my eyes and made me bargain for the life of someone who was nice to me, but in turn made her life a living hell?

    Not to speak of the still ongoing spider confrontation training and worry about my changing spider body.

    I notice that I''m crying, probably already have been for a while, as there''s a small area below me that my tears burnt free.

    "I don''t want this! I want things to be normal!" (N)

    "Yeah, and that''s the issue. While nothing speaks against being longer in human than in spider form, by no means can you completely forego this without stretching them out fully once in a while. I doubt you currently have the capacity to learn about the intricacies of the folding process, but just know, it puts your inner body under quite some strain to maintain. If this never gets released for a bit... Well, here you have the consequences!" (K)

    "What should I do?! It hurts!" (N)

    "I basically already told you. You need to stretch them." (K)

    Stretch my legs?

    That means...

    "No, no, no, no! Don''t wanna! No! I hate them!" (N)

    "Listen, Nerysi. Your cramps won''t get better if you don''t do it. You can''t keep this up forever. I would press your pressure point yourself, but with as much strain as you are under right now, you might skewer me. And it would suck having to fix this." (K)

    But I don''t want to!

    No matter how much it hurts, those legs... those legs are bad!

    They''re those of a spider!

    And I''m... I''m... Don''t wanna!!!

    "Please no! Please, please, please no!" (N)

    I cry on and on, but that doesn¡¯t help the pain.

    "Sigh. I''m not telling you this to torture you. Please, let me help you. I just want you to get better." (K)

    Is this really Kyroki?

    She sounds truly affectionate.

    I almost can''t believe it.

    Does she seriously care?

    About me, and not just as her project?

    "Please!" (K)

    "I-If it helps you, I think you should." (L)

    I know as well that it can''t go on like this!

    I know that they''re right!

    The pain was already unbearable from the start, and the longer it goes the more it wittles down my mind!

    It feels like I either release it or I''ll spring apart.

    But can I really do this?

    Willingly?

    It already happened in the past, but being so conscious about it makes it hard.

    I can presume the horror I''m going the feel.

    The terror at what my own body has become laid bare in front of me.

    Still, it can''t go on like this.

    Kyroki is right, there''s no way around this.

    Ohmygod!

    Ohmygod!

    Ohmygod!

    I shut my eyes tightly and release the mental constriction that holds my legs inside my back.

    While doing so doesn''t require a strong conscious effort, it still affords constant reaffirmation, which can become difficult to maintain in the long run.

    Something I now stop with.

    Immediately, the feeling in my back changes.

    The strain turns into movement, forcing the spikes through a gap that opens up.

    At first, only the tips, but because I''m under such extreme tension, they rapidly emerge further and further, till their full size threatens to force me up off the ground.

    It''s basically a miracle that I can maintain my sanity despite being confronted with my abnormal condition.

    I feel their movements and even the faintest touch is relayed to me.

    Their scraping on the ground, one brushing againt Kyroki, even the slight shifts in the air on their surface.

    I really don''t want to feel this.

    I don''t want to become aware that those things are a part of me.

    That I''m this kind of monster.

    However, the pain got alleviated, so it seems like Kyroki was spot on.

    "Oh, finally! I was getting worried I''d have to put you to sleep and figure out how to trigger your body safely." (K)

    And there the affectionate Kyroki is gone.

    Though, I guess I can''t blame her for treating me.

    In the end, it was just helpful.

    However, there''s something that makes me anxious about my condition.

    Even now that I have gone so far.

    It still hurts!

    Not nearly as bad as before, but despite extending them to their full length, these legs still feel incredibly stiff and tight, and my back continues to cramp.

    "K-Kyroki. It helped, but it''s not all that much better. My back still hurts." (N)

    "Of course it does. They were under so much constant pressure it''s not even funny anymore. But even worse is that you think after negligently mistreating your very own limbs this severely, you think you can alleviate the strain in your tendons by merely letting them half-assedly poke out." (K)

    What does she mean?

    Before I can contemplate this much further, there''s a bit of a commotion from the hallway.

    "Where is she?! Where is my sister! I need to be at her side!" (M)

    "We were told Kyroki is already with her. I don''t think you could help her as much as she can." (T)

    "Who cares?! She needs me!" (M)

    "Calm down, Masiabi! You should reassure her, rather than make her more upset by panicking." (A)

    Opening my eyes, I look at the doorway, doing my best to ignore these limbs around me.

    I see the others at the door, where Eritu welcomes them.

    "You called us? It sounded grave." (T)

    "Oh, Nerysi was in so much pain. It got better, but..." (E)

    ...But I don''t feel all that much better.

    Not with those things sticking out of me.

    Even worse, now that they''re all here, ogling me in this pitiful state.

    I struggle into a sitting position, and from there manage to get to my feet.

    With the additional weight, I can barely stand, but I don''t want to use "them" for walking.

    "As you can see, there are issues with our sister''s treatment." (K)

    "Ne-Nerysi, are you fine?" (M)

    I guess she doesn''t want to say my name in front of the others. I can relate to a degree.

    "I don''t want this! This feels so wrong!" (N)

    "Only because you''re not used to it. All you need is a bit of practice. They''ll feel natural in no time." (T)

    "I promise, if you just try not to focus on them as much, it''s going to become far more bearable. I know this is hard, but if Kyroki says this treatment is for your sake, I believe her. She wouldn''t make you do anything unnecessary." (A)

    Akasia is, as always, a voice of reason.

    If I''m right, Kyroki wasn¡¯t even the least bit interested in my ongoing training.

    More one to let everything develop naturally.

    I doubt she would suddenly resort to dirty tricks for me to become accustomed to my body.

    However, all of them are looking at me with my legs sticking out.

    The worst is Liana, whose feelings I can directly perceive.

    Although it''s not the dominant emotion, I''m aware of it.

    She''s afraid of my looks.

    Doubtful about my nature.

    Even if it''s only the smallest part of her, that one thinks I''m a monster.

    I don''t want this!

    I can''t stand constantly getting stared at like this, so I''ll just retract these legs.

    The pain decreased, so it should be fine.

    "Mnngh! Wh-" (N)

    Why can''t I pull them back in?!!

    "Neri?!" (M)

    "What is wrong?" (A)

    Masiabi truly said it, here, in front of them all, but despite the fact that I should honor this, I can''t bring myself to it.

    The reason being that something else, something much worse, is overshadowing everything else I can think of.

    "I can''t pull the legs back inside!" (N)

    "You can''t?" (A)

    "Neri." (L)

    "Sister..." (M)

    "I''m so sorry for you." (E)

    "This is concerning." (T)

    "I feared as much." (K)

    From one moment to the other, this statement makes everyone look at Kyroki.

    "What do you mean? You knew she couldn''t retract them after manifesting them outside her body?" (T)

    "I wasn''t sure. Seems like she forced too much onto her body. The cramps are still present and won''t end if the appendages can''t fully recover in a relaxed position. What she¡¯s doing right now relieves it only to the barest extent." (K)

    "Wait, are you saying..." (A)

    "Oh no." (T)

    What is it?!

    What am I not getting about this conversation?!

    What is so bad that even these true monsters can''t help but look at a loss?!!

    I''m scared!

    "It''s just as you assume. If this condition is ever to get better, there''s only one inevitable solution. Our dear little Nerysi needs to fully turn into her spider form!" (K)

    .

    .

    .

    Huh?

 Chapter 46

    Please, white lady!

    I know, I never prayed to you.

    At least not with my heart being into it.

    I know, I might not even qualify anymore to have any right to worship you, the monster that I am.

    However, if you could simply grant me the slightest bit of a blessing in an otherwise completely shitty life, then please, please make it that I misheard those last words!

    Please!!!

    "I don''t see any way around this. The only way for Nerysi''s legs to ease up again is to have them fully emerge during the full transformation. She needs to spend some time in her spider form, no way around this." (K)

    Thank you.

    Thank you for nothing!

    It''s all a scam!

    "But you know how Nerysi is! Not even I would go so far as to force her through this! She''s, by far, not ready yet to face this kind of experience." (T)

    "It might be an important experience for her, but I remember what happened last time she was pushed too far and it wasn''t pretty. I''m not sure." (E)

    "The spider form is intense. It might overwhelm her. I don''t think this will be good." (M)

    "Can''t we do anything for her? Maybe one of your poisons could nullify the strain, Kyroki." (A)

    They''re all discussing my fate.

    Only Liana is a bit out of it with all that is happening around her.

    Yet the general agreement is clear.

    I''m thoroughly not ready for what is about to come at me.

    And I share this opinion.

    It just sounds like a cruel joke.

    Because of a cramp, I''m now unable to get those creepy legs inside and am left with the only option of turning into this one creature I fear above all.

    What kind of sicko even comes up with such a thing?!

    I don''t want to!

    I don''t want to!

    I don''t want to!

    "I won''t do this! Stuff them back inside somehow, but I won''t turn into a spider!" (N)

    Even if this isn''t possible, I''d rather endure these things for who-knows-how-long than fully become such a disgusting abomination!

    It¡¯s not going to happen!

    "I''m sorry, but this isn''t a question of what you want. You see, before, your legs were neatly tucked away in an inwardly folded position. Your inner tension set them under extreme pressure, but from there they couldn''t go anywhere. Now, however, you extended them already. The process is basically already started. The tension has a possible direction to be released now. And it will further drive them forward." (K)

    "Wh-what are you saying?" (N)

    I don''t want to recognize this idea!

    I don''t want to understand it!

    I don''t want to hear it!

    "I''m saying that there is no longer a backward direction. The pressure on your maltreated limbs removed that option. Extending your legs is basically the transition step between your human form and a full transformation. Two directions! In and out! But since ''in'' isn''t feasible anymore this only leaves out. Since the tension won''t suddenly vanish, there''s a unstoppable drive that will force your body to complete the motion. Also, as you are currently becoming more and more tense, I thoroughly see no way for you to get out of this. So I''d rather try to use your ever-decreasing remaining time to get used to the idea of your transformation if I were you." (K)

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    This is so cruel!

    No hope!

    No way out!

    Just the definite horror that awaits me at the end.

    "If you knew this would happen, why did you make me do it?!" (N)

    "Because your condition was serious if unattended. You wouldn''t have done what you absolutely had to do if you knew about the risk." (K)

    She''s right.

    I don''t want to face it!

    But that''s my decision to make, not hers!

    I try non-stop to pull the legs back in.

    Tugging at that place in my back with all I got against the strain, but Kyroki was right.

    There''s no amount of power I can use to make this stop.

    Instead, the legs continue to ever-so-slightly push a bit further out of my body.

    The gash at my back they''re protruding from widens more and more with each passing moment.

    I don''t want to!

    "Nerysi, just try to think about it positively. The spider form isn''t all that bad. You might like it." (E)

    "Shut up! Don''t even pretend to act like you know how I feel!" (N)

    "I know, it''s a bit of a change from being in human form, but this might be good. At last, you could leave this form behind." (E)

    "Goddamnit! Get over your hate for humans! There are good and bad ones, that''s true. But you''re not the slightest bit better! You kill just as cruelly, but then act all superior! You''re not better only because you have six more legs!" (N)

    I don''t care anymore!

    It doesn¡¯t matter if they think poorly of what I say.

    It can''t get worse than this!

    I only have mere moments!

    Soon I''ll be nothing but a spider.

    "Nerysi! You need to stay calm. It won''t help you to become overly conscious of what happens." (T)

    "Don''t talk to me as if you care!" (N)

    "But it''s important. We only have the best for you in mind." (A)

    "Hah, that''s rich coming from the one who tortured me!" (N)

    "Uh... I..." (A)

    "Sister, I..." (M)

    "I am not your sister! For you, I¡¯m just the plaything you found in the forest! Isn''t that so?!" (N)

    "But..." (M)

    "I didn''t want this! I didn''t want any of this! I''m always terrified and nobody bothers to even think about my feelings!" (N)

    "Nerysi-" (T)

    "Stop it!! That''s not my name! You¡¯ve always wanted this to happen to me! You''re cruel, like everyone else! I hate you! I hate all of you!" (N)

    "Ne-" (T)

    "I said stop it!!!" (N)

    "Scritsh"

    "Aaaahhhhh!" (N)

    Something in my back ripped open!

    "Oh my, it starts." (K)

    NOOOooooo!!!

    The legs that before emerged solely from my back somehow extend further, and by doing so, slowly shift to my sides, as if they''re meant to be there.

    The pressure continues from my back, where it spreads out and starts to stretch everything around, growing in mass as well as in size.

    In the center, the strain subsides as it''s released, but it leaves behind a weird kind of surface that feels all too solid.

    While in this manner my back expands, this same action subsequently creates some kind of space that wants to be filled and pulls... and pulls my arms inside!

    A-am I shrinking?!

    No!

    It pulls my legs in too, which are folding inward!

    Acid tears stream down my eyes, only getting worse the more the feeling stretches over the rest of my body.

    At the same time, the fangs inside my mouth grow until they outscale my teeth.

    Ultimately, the spread from my back reaches my head and suddenly it feels as if I''m getting my own skin pulled over my head.

    I want to somehow put my hands there, but they''re already almost completely sucked in.

    All I can do is squeeze my eyes shut.

    "AAAaaackchch!" (N)

    Abruptly, it feels like my face gets ripped off.

    Along with my eyes, nose, mouth, it''s all gone, fleeing down my neck to my stomach, while the spread encompasses more and more of me, till it closes over my underside.

    The next thing I feel is how I''m lying spread out on the ground, with all the individual spider legs stretching as far as they can from my center.

    My neck is stiff, as is everything else.

    Despite all the terror, my blurry vision settles and I start to see.

    Huh?

    How can I see?

    My eyes were shut.

    Wh-why can''t I close my eyes?

    And why can I see everyone all around me!?

    Even Liana who is standing directly behind me.

    What is going on?!

    Aaahh!

    "Skcchh!"

    Huh?

    Th-that came from me.

    But...

    No.

    No!

    I start to feel my body and realize I can see most of it, no matter how hard I try not to.

    Eight really long legs, a slender mid part, a round hind, a head that is fixed in place, and large fangs jutting forward.

    No, no, no, no, no.

    Please no, please no, please no!

    I know what is going on.

    I know what happened to me.

    But I don''t want to admit it.

    I''m a spider!!!!!

    Niaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...

    "Skcheaaaaaahhhhhh!!!" (N)

 Chapter 47

    - Talisa -

    Nerysi just transformed into her spider form.

    I need to say, she''s beautiful.

    Already her human form, despite its limitations in appeal, showed hints of her elegant nature, but now it''s fully revealed.

    Sharp, glistening, silver-grey legs with just the right thickness, and a slender midriff.

    Truly, a picture of aesthetic wonder.

    Although rather small, I can tell that in a fight she would be a reaper of death, each limb its own scythe, with poison that will grant eternal sleep.

    As miraculous as her appearance might seem to me, she appears to be having even more trouble dealing with this.

    She¡¯s shifting around, allowing all of her purple eyes to scan the room, while she''s trying to figure out the weight distribution of her new form.

    After all, this is the first time she truly has to rely on her real legs to lift her up.

    Not just the lacking stumps her human form provides.

    While, according to Kyroki, the understanding of her movement should come naturally to her, she seems to need a bit to adapt.

    However, the thing that concerns me right now is her mentality.

    It''s clear that such a transformation would be a problem for her.

    Her current demeanor and the signals she''s emitting are telling me just that.

    "Nerysi, calm down! There''s no reason to be distressed. The strain should be gone soon. It will wear off!" (T)

    Hm, unfortunately, she''s not reacting.

    I try moving towards her, but the moment I approach too closely, she swings a leg at me.

    Worryingly, the strike manages to slash clean through my sleeves and the padding on the ground.

    Her legs are truly dangerously sharp.

    "Skchhh!" (N)

    "Nerysi! This behavior is unbecoming!" (T)

    She doesn''t seem inclined to listen.

    But how should we calm her down then?

    "Neri?!" (L)

    Her familiar?

    I haven''t interacted with her yet, but she seems appropriately invested in her matriarch''s wellbeing.

    However, now she drops to the ground, holding her head as if trying to block noise that isn''t there.

    "What can we do?!" (A)

    "I don''t know, but we need to act!" (M)

    Masiabi runs towards Nerysi, but the newly formed spider lashes out again.

    Even Masiabi''s focus on strength wouldn''t work to hold this bundle of blades.

    Also, she''s showing great hostility.

    Which is very unusual for our innocent little pacifist.

    "Kyroki, do you know what is going on?" (E)

    Yes.

    Kyroki might be able to grant some insight into this situation.

    "Considering the reaction of her familiar, I''d say they''re dealing with a massive mental onslaught. Or in other words, our little sister is experiencing a mental breakdown." (K)

    "Then what do we do?!" (A)

    "Well, if we could get her under control I might be able to get her in order again." (K)

    "Fine. The goal is set. Let''s overwhelm her together." (T)

    Together we try to drive her into a corner, dodging her frequent strikes in our direction.

    None of us changes into spider form, as this would just make her worse.

    Yet I start to form a web to limit her movements.

    However, her ability to easily cut them is going to make the application difficult.

    So I have to wait for the right opportunity.

    Suddenly, her familiar jumps up and runs at us.

    "Stop it! Stop torturing her!" (L)

    I have no choice but to tie her up with the prepared web, but Nerysi takes the chance to rush through us to the only exit.

    Stolen novel; please report.Masiabi holds her for a moment, supported by Akasia, but she''s acting so wildly that they are thrown off, and a moment later, she''s gone.

    Meanwhile, her familiar just lies sobbing in the web.

    "That was odd. No matter how affected she is, would Nerysi really leave her familiar behind?" (A)

    "Kyroki said she isn''t thinking straight." (E)

    "After seeing that, I''d even go one step further." (K)

    "Like what?" (A)

    "I think Neri''s human mind shut off. All the mental load got too heavy for her and so she simply stopped thinking. Even her familiar is only acting on an instinctual order." (K)

    "That''s too complicated for me. What do you mean?" (M)

    "Sigh! I mean that Neri''s human brain is completely not home anymore, so she''s solely acting on her spider instincts. Right now, those are probably only concerned with escaping." (K)

    This might be the epitome of irony.

    Her fear of spiders is making her fully immerse herself as one.

    "What can we do now!?" (E)

    The others are at a loss.

    I need to come up with something!

    "Masiabi! Get behind Nerysi! Don''t approach her, just keep track of her location and report." (T)

    "Got it!" (M)

    And she''s off.

    Now let''s proceed.

    "Eritu, let your familiars maintain the area around our sister. Stay in contact and block off the routes she shouldn''t take. But avoid upsetting her any further." (T)

    "Sure!" (E)

    This should prevent the greatest harm, but it''s not bringing us any closer to a solution.

    "What about her?" (A)

    Akasia points at Nerysis formerly human familiar.

    "Try getting her back to her senses. Her mental bond might tell us more about Nerysi''s state." (T)

    That leaves one.

    "Kyroki, do you have any ideas regarding how to solve this?" (T)

    "The physical condition that caused her transformation should have worn off by now. Her mentality is an issue though. I might concoct something to calm her down, but I wouldn''t bet on it ending her current state of mind." (K)

    "Then what would?" (T)

    "Reassurance? Not the artificial kind provided by something that forces her body to rest. No, her troubled mind needs serious tender care. So I hope you won''t look at me for this." (K)

    "You''re saying she needs a hug?" (T)

    "Apparently, you aren''t listening to me. No, not just a hug! Nothing that is forced onto her. She¡¯s had enough of that! She needs to feel that she''s safe and that no one wants to do to her anything she considers to be bad. Just so you understand, this includes any kind of training you routinely subject her to. Anyone who does this won''t qualify as a suitably calming influence." (K)

    That''s not good.

    Akasia might work appealing to her human side, but it''s a widely spread web that might not catch on.

    "What if we just wait? Won''t she calm down by herself?" (T)

    "Maybe, maybe not. Her mental state might come to permanent harm from being like this for too long." (K)

    "SHIT!!!" (T)

    "Sister!?" (K)

    "Sorry. I lost my calm. We need to hurry and help her immediately!" (T)

    "If you say so. As I mentioned before, I''m going to concoct something to soothe her nerves." (K)

    Yes... whatever works.

    I don''t know what exactly we can do.

    We aren''t "reassuring" to Nerysi.

    No, Neri, as that''s her human self.

    She sees us as oppressing.

    I look back at her familiar.

    She seems to have recovered a little, though, not by much.

    It''s good that she wasn''t given any concrete orders she still needs to act upon.

    It was apparently only an instinctual sense to aid her matriarch.

    Yet it doesn''t bring us much closer to a solution.

    While she''s the closest we have to a human, she''ll immediately get influenced again once she strays too close to Nerysi.

    Still, Akasia does a good job getting her back up again.

    "Hey, little one. Everything''s alright. Can you tell me something about Neri''s state?" (A)

    I won''t chastise her about using the name we agreed upon.

    Right now, this is what the familiar wants to hear.

    Everything else would send the wrong signal.

    "She, she''s confused and afraid. She wants to get out... Away from here... Away from her fears." (L)

    Just as we thought.

    Though, it''s hard to hear this so clearly.

    This nest is meant to be her home, not something she needs to run from.

    "Please, lead us back to her. I know you can follow your link. We need to help her." (A)

    "Are you really going to help her?" (L)

    The tears in that familiar''s eyes tell just how unstable she is.

    "None of us wants to see her in this state. Yet for it to end, we need to calm her down. Can you accept this?" (T)

    "Y-yes. I think I can." (L)

    Good.

    One hurdle taken.

    Moments later, we are moving to Nerysi''s location.

    Guided by Masiabi''s relays regarding where she went and this Liana familiar''s input about the way her matriarch intends to take, we follow.

    The information of her familiar we also use to have Eritu''s familiars crowd those tunnels.

    Even now, Neri doesn''t want to confront them.

    At the same time, I have my familiars block the tunnels to prevent Nerysi''s familiars from joining her side, or the situation would become uncontrollable.

    By doing so, we ultimately guide her into the main hall.

    Naturally, we cleared it out first, or Nerysi, as I call her spider form now, would go on a rampage.

    This is our only chance since she''s very fast.

    Neri''s familiar meanwhile, gets loaded off and secured at a safe distance, and then we approach.

    Masiabi is the first to get near her, but she''s just as aggressive as before.

    If not worse.

    Masiabi had just enough time to change into her spider form before she would''ve been skewered.

    Now, albeit reluctantly, she fights back.

    It''s a surprisingly fierce battle, given all of Masiabi''s experience and greater strength.

    While she''s far more durable, Nerysi''s legs are all extremely sharp, and she uses them to perform many quick slashes and stabs.

    Once Nerysi grows the slightest bit tired, it''s our turn.

    With prepared webs, we begin to catch our little sister.

    By throwing the lines next to Nerysi and circling around her, we eventually manage to restrict her movements.

    "Sccchhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

    Which she doesn''t like one bit.

    She''s still angry and slicing all the time at the strands, so they have to be continuously reapplied.

    But at least Masiabi can now return to her human form for appearance''s sake.

    Though, this doesn''t help to calm her down in the slightest.

    "Please, sister! Wake up!" (M)

    It doesn''t help.

    Even if I wish it would.

    "Sister! Please!" (E)

    "You need to calm down!" (A)

    Abruptly, Kyroki''s frail form rushes into the hall.

    Her spindly thin legs find purchase on the threads around Nerysi''s spider body, where she doesn''t waste any time and stings her.

    A moment later, her body relaxes in its binds.

    Nonetheless, I can even now feel her distress.

    This just isn¡¯t helping!

    But I want to!

    I want to help this young one.

    This cute spider princess.

    My little sister!

    And that fragile little girl!

    "Neri!" (T)

 Chapter 48

    - Neri -

    I''m constricted.

    These creatures surround me.

    Strings are wrapping around my body and binding me.

    Let me go or feel my fangs!

    Sccch-aaaaaaah!

    Fangs!?

    My fangs!?!

    No, doesn''t matter!

    I must keep fighting.

    If I don''t they will kill me!

    These monsters come for me!

    Kill them first!

    Slashing, biting, slicing.

    Aaaah-scchhhhhhh!

    Kill!

    Kill!

    Kill!

    Wait, no!

    No killing!

    Killing is wrong!

    Killing is bad!

    Argh, thinking hurts!

    I don''t want to think!

    What I want is to get rid of everything that¡¯s in my way and get away from here with my brood!

    Let me go!

    These others smell of family, but they lie.

    They terrify me!

    They trap my brood!

    They won¡¯t leave me be!

    What do they even want from me?!

    "Sstk"

    I was struck!

    I need to defend myself or they''ll kill me!

    They must die first!

    Die!

    Die!

    Die!

    Urgh, whatever that was, it¡¯s making me sluggish.

    But no giving up!

    End the threat!

    Get out of here and escape!

    I, I can''t die here.

    I can''t let them catch me!

    Not after Mum and Dad...

    Mum... Dad...

    Suddenly, I feel something soft on my front.

    Something that won''t put up much resistance to my bite.

    It even wraps its thin, weak form directly in front of my fangs.

    So easy to tear into.

    But why do I hesitate?

    I''m weakened.

    I need to feast or I''ll become too weak to fight these assailants.

    Still, I somehow can''t bring myself to bite and pump all of my venom inside this prey.

    Why...not?

    "Neri! Please stop! Just calm down and hear me out, please!" (?)

    Huh?

    That voice?

    My name?

    How would this creature know my name?

    "Neri!" (T)

    What?

    Is, is that Talisa?

    Nah, it can¡¯t be.

    She always calls for someone else.

    "Neri!" (T)

    Wait, it is her!

    And she¡¯s calling me by name, my real name!

    Since when does she use my actual name!?

    Huh, my name?

    Right, of course I have a name.

    But I''m...

    I''m...

    Oh my god!

    I¡¯m a s-

    "Please, Neri! Come back! I want to talk more with you about humans!" (A)

    Akasia?

    Human?

    Yes, I''m human.

    At least somewhat.

    Not, not just... this.

    "Sister! Snap out of it! I know you can do it! I believe in you!" (M)

    Hah, Masiabi.

    Always so overbearingly supportive.

    "I-it''s okay, Neri. I don''t dislike your usual form." (E)

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ... Guess more I can''t expect from Eritu.

    "Neri, just listen! You can just turn back. No need to stay like this any longer." (T)

    I can?

    I, I can just turn back?

    I don''t need to be like this?

    I don''t need to stay a monster!

    Yes!

    Yes, I want to turn back!

    Make me go back!!!

    Promptly, something shifts.

    My legs pull back up.

    It feels as if something squishy is spreading from my underside, crawling up my body.

    There''s a certain softness to this mass, and the surface tingles while everything seems to pull itself together.

    Then something starts poking out from below me.

    Are those my...

    My limbs!

    My human limbs are growing back!

    They become bigger and bigger, while my other legs slightly retract and move further and further towards my back.

    Then the crawling spreads over my head.

    The tingling there grows more intense.

    Something like a charge sparks there and my eyes rush open.

    I become aware that I''m kneeling on the ground, with my fangs extended and these other legs still spreading from my back.

    Nooo!

    They¡¯re still out!

    What do I do now!?

    I¡¯m stuck like this!

    These limbs begin waving wildly, keeping anyone from approaching.

    "Neri! You already know what to do! You are not trapped in that form, simply put them inside!" (K)

    I already know?

    Oh!

    Quickly hiding these fangs back inside my mouth, I then feel for the point in my back.

    The strange pressure is nearly gone, making it more difficult to find the correct spot, but eventually, I manage.

    Smoothly, without any pain or fuss, the legs slide comfortably into my back, and I can relax at last.

    They¡¯re finally gone!

    I¡¯m back!

    I¡¯m me again!

    Which I can clearly see because I¡¯m¡­naked.

    Uh, now I''m panicking for entirely different reasons.

    Especially, as everyone''s staring at me!

    "Good that it worked out. I really wouldn''t have wanted to forcefully pull you out of that fit." (K)

    Kyroki?

    Is that her way of saying that she''s glad for my sake?

    "Neri! I was so worried about you!!!" (M)

    Urgh, these hugs certainly become weird when I don''t have anything on me.

    And she neither!!!

    "Pl-please, let go. I''m embarrassed and... urgh, my head hurts." (N)

    "That was surely a bit much for you, Neri. But I''m so glad that you''re better." (A)

    Again my name.

    "It''s nice to see that you''re alright. I, I didn''t like seeing you like this. Ahh, I didn''t mean your physical form! That one was really beautiful! But... not if it hurts you, Neri." (E)

    Even Eritu?!

    "You''re all calling me Neri?" (N)

    Is that okay now?

    "Well, the ban is broken. Talisa used your name herself, so this means it''s fine." (M)

    Truly, I remember how she used it.

    I look at her... uh, very mature form, that in a huge contrast averts from me like a shy maiden.

    "I''m sorry." (T)

    "Talisa?" (N)

    "An apology?" (A)

    "Wow! From Talisa?" (M)

    "Sister?" (E)

    "Were you bitten?" (K)

    "Neri¡­ I realize now, I put too much pressure on you. I only wanted you to get used to everything more quickly, but now I see that I was wrong to force it. Changing your name only made things worse. I, I''m a failure." (T)

    Talisa a failure?

    Seriously, in my view, she''s like the very definition of competence.

    "Don''t be so hard on yourself. You tried your best!" (A)

    What am I supposed to say here?

    Talisa was always a bit oppressive.

    However, she also took so much time to help me out.

    She taught me to read and that, well okay, that weaving training was weird, but in total not too bad.

    "Yes, she''s right. Everything can¡¯t always work out. Sometimes you need to adjust. And then we''re all there for you! Right, Neri?" (M)

    They are all there for me.

    I mean, they''re here right now, all for my sake.

    Even Talisa didn''t mean to hurt me with her actions.

    Honestly, I can even stand the presence of my familiars by now.

    It would be wrong to hate her just because she cares.

    "You, you aren''t bad, Talisa. I''m grateful for your help. I''d just wish you''d listen more often." (N)

    "Yep, that would be nice." (M)

    Talisa seems to think for a bit before she answers.

    "I only want to keep our family together." (T)

    "I know. Since mum left, you took it upon yourself to take all the responsibility. Without you we would''ve been in deep trouble. It was you who kept us alive." (A)

    "I don''t know much about this, but I can see that you''re doing your best." (N)

    "This is all very nice, but I''d like to mention that Neri''s familiars are running wild, and she should call them back." (K)

    My familiars?

    Now that she said something, I can feel them.

    They''re almost in a frenzy.

    <ul>

    <li>I''m sorry. Everything is alright. You don''t need to come anymore.</li>

    </ul>

    It doesn''t seem like they''re completely satisfied with that answer, but at least they''ve stopped clawing their way to me.

    <ul>

    <li>For real, I''m better. I''ll come later.</li>

    </ul>

    This seems to at least have convinced them to return to their place.

    "You shouldn''t forget your other familiar. She was quite distraught about your emotional distress." (E)

    My other familiar?

    Oh!

    "Oh, oh sorry, Liana! I... Did I... control you? I''m so sorry!" (N)

    "I-It was nothing." (L)

    Liana seems a little shy.

    Maybe not afraid, but reluctant to approach me in the middle of all the others.

    Then Talisa comes with a big white sheet that she probably made within the last half minute.

    "Here, take this. I know how much you dislike being uncovered." (T)

    That''s very thoughtful of her.

    Quite nice.

    I wrap the sheet around me and suddenly find myself in a big group embrace, as everyone, who isn''t Masiabi, seems to think that now it''s appropriate with this little barrier to my naked form.

    They all are very tender with me.

    Some of them even shed acidic tears.

    Well, foremost Masiabi is bawling her eyes out, but even Talisa seems emotionally affected.

    Then there are also Akasia, Eritu.

    "Better now?" (K)

    ...and Kyroki!?!

    Whoah, this might almost be the biggest event for today.

    I, I feel loved.

    They care.

    They truly care!

    At the start, it was hard to accept this life.

    I even contemplated giving up.

    But I suppose I don''t think so anymore.

    Am I unlucky that fate brought me here of all places?

    The others may all be very peculiar, but they care for me.

    At least in their own way.

    This much holds true.

    Right now, embraced by all of my sisters who I know would fight the world for my sake...

    I feel safe.

    I...

    "I think I''m fine." (N)