Chapter 66
22. Magical Beasts, Evolution, and the Great Escape #2
“Hey, where’s the nest owner? And who’s this unfamiliar character? An egg thief, maybe?”
There it was, strutting down a towering tree trunk as if it owned the place.
With long, slender limbs enveloped in a hard, black exoskeleton, it looked impressively tough.
Additional legs were sprouting from its waist, four on each side!
With those eight limbs moving about as it pleased, I could only guess its identity.
“It’s a spider! A spider that looks somewhat humanoid. Great… my fond memories of entangling with spiders aren’t exactly numerous…”
Its shockingly white hair, as pristine as spider silk, swayed cleanly just below its ears, chopped off as if by a sword.
Beneath its straight bangs, splashes of crimson adorned its forehead like the trademark spots of a fancy monk.
“Why the silence?”
Yet despite its overall appearance being more reminiscent of a ghostly creature or spider overlord than a monk, I sensed no hostility in its sultry voice.
It was as calm as a teacher casually questioning a student.
But with those sword-like tips on its waist-length legs and the occasional flash of fangs, I was on high alert.
As I scowled, raising my spine-covered back, it came to a halt, maintaining a reasonable distance.
“Can’t speak, huh?”
With a sound like a faint buzz, the spider tilted its head.
It didn’t seem afraid of me—perhaps it was just overly confident in its own ability.
“They say beasts with human-like features are generally powerful.”
I recalled my light-hearted chats with Salome while flying. I had asked her about her kind, the Harpies, wondering how they resembled humans without having eaten from the Fruit of the World Tree.
Salome had explained that the ancestors of human-like creatures included the Forest Guardians who had obtained the fruit.
Like many long-lived beings, mythical creatures had a low reproductive drive and a correspondingly low chance of producing offspring. Yet occasionally, their descendants would be born.
Those offspring supposedly bore some semblance of power from their mythical lineage, resembling a mash-up of beast and human.
“They exist somewhere between the Forest Guardian turned mythical being and the ordinary beast, huh? They’re probably stronger than I expect. In this tight spot, I’d really be at a disadvantage in a fight.”
If I were to battle the Spider Woman, who could maneuver freely among the tall trees, it was painfully obvious who would have the edge.
Besides, I needed time to adapt to my evolved body.
“I’ve never seen a wingless beast successfully ascend this tree before. Must have put in some serious effort. But raiding Salome’s nest? That’s a bit reckless.”
At the mention of Salome, I momentarily lowered my bristling defenses.
“Do you know this nest owner? That Harpy with the long tail feathers?”
“Oh! You can talk!”
The spider chuckled, flashing an irresistibly charming smile.
However, its long, vampire-like fangs contrasted sharply with its pale skin, raising my alarm.
The creature had been laughing heartily like it had just heard a great joke, but it soon nodded as it sobered up.
“Of course, I know her. She’s my friend.”
“Friend…”
How could a harpy and a spider ever be friends?
In that split second, I could swear I heard the raspy sound of Raccoon Leaf echoing in my ears.
Well, if I, with the soul of a magical beast, could be friends with a raccoon, it wouldn’t be entirely impossible for those spider-like creatures to befriend each other.
As I scratched my ears with my paw, the Spider Woman pointed her finger at the tree.
“We live nearby.”
Following her finger, I spotted a massive spider web that sent chills down my spine.
I’d been too busy looking down to ever notice it before—now I realized there was a giant spider web overhead.
Inside the web, several cocoons lay rolled up, their contents a mystery.
I was curious about what lay within, but I had a strange feeling that knowing wouldn’t be a good idea.
“So, I came over to play as neighbors and friends, and I found you. Who are you?”
The Spider Woman tilted her head quizzically.
The two pairs of legs floating by her waist crossed over each other like they were hugging.
I responded nonchalantly, “I know Salome too. She’s… uh…”
I was at a loss for words trying to explain my relationship with Salome.
As I fumbled for something to say, the spider’s red eyes widened.
“You know Salome? Are you her friend, too?”
Although she seemed skeptical, I could see her demeanor soften.
The proof that one pair of legs had uncrossed from around her waist was a sign that her wariness of me was, at least, somewhat fading.
According to the assorted tidbits of knowledge I’d picked up, crossing one’s arms typically expressed a desire for distance or rejection, a kind of defensive stance.
With one pair released, it likely meant she was easing her guard.
“Hmmm, it’s the first time Salome has brought a living beast home. Must really be a true friend.”
I told her, scrutinizing the one pair of slim legs that tightened around her more than necessary.
If I could bypass any potential confrontation and not fight in an unfavorable location, that would be fortunate.
What’s more, if I could sweet-talk this spider, maybe I could even plan my escape from this nest.
“To be honest, I’m more than just a friend. I’m… her, uh… partner.”
“Partner!?”
At my revelation, all her legs except those that were resting against the tree crossed tightly.
The sight was akin to an unyielding fortress.
The Spider Woman’s eyes appeared half-shut.
It seemed my answer might have qualified as a big no-no.
“Salome can’t have a partner! She dislikes males!”
“Oh.”
I remembered back to the day my long-time friend first got a girlfriend, reflecting a similar disbelief in my reaction.
I shifted my gaze away from the suspicious-looking Spider Woman’s glare while scratching the back of my head.
“Destinies can sometimes spring up out of nowhere, you know. That, uh, Salome said she’s been feeling under the weather lately. Have you any idea about that?”
The spider said nothing in response, just continuing to look at me.
She hummed thoughtfully before replying in a small voice.
“Yeah, she mentioned feeling unwell. But why does it matter?”
Her tone beckoned me to explain more—about the reasons behind her discomfort.
I felt the need to be direct, knowing that this world had its own customs and logic, different from what I was familiar with.
“She’s been in heat. So naturally, we got really cozy really fast! You get what I’m saying? Or do I need to elaborate further?”
“Oh!”
The Spider Woman nodded slowly, as if a light bulb had sparked in her mind.
“I see how that could happen, then. If she’s feeling hot and bothered, that must be what it was. No wonder she’s been restless at night lately; now I get it!”
Whether my explanation struck a chord or not, she seemed lost in thought, coming to terms with it all.
Watching the spider’s legs uncross one by one, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Are heat cycles seriously that fascinating?’
Come to think of it, I too had lost my sense of reason when Eve touched my horns.
“Wait a minute… could this be a massive weakness?”
I furrowed my brow as I rubbed my growing horns.
It was unfair that I’d lose my mind just from a touch, especially with how exposed they were. Reflecting on it, these were some seriously unreasonable biological quirks.
“Can I ever get rid of these things?”
Should I consider surgery to remove my horns? It could be argued it was like a form of “horn circumcision” as a means of removing a trigger point for arousal.
While I was mulling over all these thoughts, the Spider Woman—who had been hanging onto the tree—suddenly leaped forward, closing the distance between us.
“Hmmm, so you’re Salome’s partner! A four-legged beast instead of a bird? That’s unexpected!”
Her finger brushed through my fur and spikes as she looked over me with keen interest.
In that instant, her tail began to twitch wildly, prompting me to grab it firmly with my paw.
“I think so too. It’s love that transcends species!”
“You seem sturdy. A bit small, but a fine male. You’ve got that youthful fluffiness about you; funny how Salome seems to enjoy younger beasts. When she goes hunting, she always comes back with the little ones.”
The Spider Woman spoke, her voice bubbling with excitement as she rambled on, seemingly unscripted.
I began to remember that in this forest, spiders were in the position of gossipy messengers.
Could it be that, as another spider, she was stuck in that same biological destiny?
“How delightful it is to know that young beasts are so tender and easy to eat,” she said, her grip on my arm feeling almost like she was checking my muscle condition.
It seemed to resemble what a woman might do to check on a date’s physical state, but to me, it felt more like she was inspecting my meat quality.
I lightly nudged her away, trying to sound proud, “Anyway, now you know that I’m Salome’s partner, right?”
“How did you two meet? What does Salome have that’s so appealing?”
The Spider Woman chirped excitedly, her questions coming fast and furiously, as if it were her own story.
I soon realized that beneath her initial intimidating facade, she had a surprisingly innocent and naive side.
“She looks like she could chew on my liver, but her words scream ‘cute girl’,” I thought to myself, recalling someone’s saying about appearances not being everything.
It felt like just yesterday I’d heard that, but I couldn’t remember who said it.
Maybe it was Lao-Hoo.
“Who confessed first? Given that you met during heat, was it Salome who took the leap first!? ”
With my revelation that I was friends with Salome, the Spider Woman suddenly became hyper-fixated on me, bombarding me with questions.
It was both irritating and somewhat amusing. If I didn’t steer the conversation toward the main subject now, I’d probably be bombarded for ages.
“Salome asked me to pounce on her. But anyway, the important thing is not that. I need to get down from this tree. I can’t get down without help!”
At my question, the Spider Woman shrugged her many legs.
“It’s nighttime right now. It’s probably best not to go down yet. The sun will rise soon; how about we wait a little longer?”
“Soon, the sun will rise?”
“Yeah, the forest will brighten up soon. This time of night, most scary things should be retreating to their dens. But still, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“Darn it, that won’t do.”
I sighed heavily, realizing that evolution had taken longer than I expected.
If the sun came up, it was a given that Salome would swoop in to take me off to Lao-Hoo’s garden.
“There’s no time! I need to escape!”
In a panic, I grabbed her shoulders and shouted loudly.
