CHAPTER 19……………………………………………..
“Lately, even keeping my body in shape has been quite exhausting. I tried to regain energy by drinking Mepar tea, and ended up losing consciousness immediately. Luckily, the cup fell to the floor, or I might not have survived.”
On the flat wooden floor, in the narrow gaps between the planks, drops of a pale liquid began to gather.
The misty substance wriggled and pulsated, gradually forming the shape of a woman in a blue dress.
“A human form.”
Pale skin, jet-black hair with deep blue undertones, and a chilling, almost inhuman sharpness to her features.
Overall, she was strikingly beautiful. In a past life, could a woman so stunning have been seen on TV or the internet?
“Still… nothing like this on TV.”
My gaze kept drifting toward the witch’s chest. The buttons of her neatly fastened dress seemed perilously close to bursting.
It was truly impressive.
Having grown up in a country where an A-cup is average, I couldn’t even begin to estimate her size.
—Eve, I was worried since I didn’t see you.
The tanuki, suddenly drawn to the folds of the woman’s dress, rubbed its face against her. The woman gently stroked the tanuki’s head with delicate fingers.
“For something like that, you’re quite reckless with your hands.”
—Th-that wasn’t me! It was this one!
The tanuki pointed at me. The witch’s gaze followed her fingers, and I flinched.
“Despite her appearance, she’s surprisingly strong.”
After encountering giant wolves and dinosaurs, my senses had become sharper. I could instinctively gauge the strength or “caliber” of a creature. Perhaps a survival instinct for recognizing strong beings had developed in me.
And now, facing this woman, I felt something overwhelming and majestic, as if gazing at a massive ancient tree.
“What a cute little one.”
The woman—likely Eve—smiled at me, letting out a soft “hohoho.” Her tone was aged, yet her voice was gentle and beautiful.
A shiver ran down my spine, making all my fur stand on end.
“No need to be so wary. If you’re Leaf’s friend, then you are as much my friend too.”
—I-I’m not her friend! That one was trying to eat me!
Leaf growled at me, waving her paws.
“Is that so? Trying to eat Leaf, you say? Then I suppose a little discipline is in order.”
The witch approached me slowly. I froze as her hand reached out to stroke my rigid head.
“Such lovely fur. With hair this white and full, one could make curtains. Soft and plush. Perhaps better suited for a cushion?”
Her hands caressed my face and jaw, seemingly inspecting the quality of my fur. Yet she handled me gently, as though accustomed to animals.
Scratches under my chin and behind my ears sent a pleasurable sensation racing down my spine.
—Grr… wha? Ah, no!
I accidentally let out a low, happy purr. I stepped back quickly, shaking off her touch.
“Just teasing. I only meant to play a little. This is the first time Leaf has brought a friend.”
—I’m not a friend! Anyway, that’s not the important part, Eve. This one claims to have five talents. She doesn’t even seem to know what kind of creature she is. Do you perhaps know what animal she is?
“Hmm… seems Leaf’s curiosity is piqued.”
The witch paused briefly, then circled me, examining me thoroughly.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
She grasped my front paw, pressing and inspecting the soft pads carefully. With skilled hands, she extended my claws.
“For such a young beast, these are excellent claws. Likely the talent ‘Strong Claws’ is present, yes?”
—I-Is that something you can tell just by looking?
I spoke politely without realizing it. Even in a human guise, etiquette seemed proper, and her extraordinary beauty demanded respect.
“I don’t know everything, but yes, this much is clear. Also, seeing your soft pads without calluses, I’d guess you have the talent ‘Stealth Maneuver’ as well.”
Her slender fingers pressed gently into my paw, massaging in a way that oddly relieved tension throughout my body.
“And if we look further…”
She held my jaw and opened my mouth wide, inspecting my teeth up close. I felt slightly embarrassed, but she seemed entirely unconcerned.
“Even and sturdy teeth. This must be the talent ‘Omnivorous.’ You can eat and digest anything.”
She released my mouth, massaging my cheeks gently with her thumbs.
“Her massage skills are impressive… reminds me of how my sister used to massage our dogs. Ah…”
I melted under her touch. Lying on the wooden floor, she climbed onto my back, kneading my shoulders and neck. Muscles stretched and relaxed, eliciting a purring sound from me. Then her palm pressed down hard on my back.
Crack.
—Ack!
Pain shot through me as joints seemed to pop and shift. I struggled, but she continued, adjusting my back and spine with precise force. My thick fur did little to buffer the pain.
“The first time always hurts. But soon, you’ll feel good. Your muscles are tense and joints uneven—typical for creatures of this forest.”
—Y-yes!
I screamed as her hands contorted my body. By the end, the sharp slaps of her palms against my hide brought tears to my eyes. Truly, her strength was extraordinary.
“That’s enough. Your fur is so soft, just stroking it lightly unwittingly loosened your whole body.”
—No, I’m fine.
I rose, feeling as light as if my stiffness had vanished. This refreshing feeling was unlike even healing from a level-up—it was full-body recovery.
The witch sat at the table, sipping tea. After a brutal, thorough massage, not a drop of sweat appeared on her forehead.
“Three talents are visible from the outside: Strong Claws, Silent Steps, and Omnivorous teeth. Each alone could make you a forest master—assuming survival to adulthood, of course.”
—Really!? One alone could make me master of the forest?
“Have you ever caught me lying?”
The tanuki asked, bewildered. Even I felt stunned. Realizing my abilities were incredible, I felt proud.
“I can only say you were immensely blessed by the World Tree. But what kind of creature you are? That remains unknown. Looking piece by piece, you resemble several, yet overall… it’s a beast I’ve never seen.”
—Even you don’t know?
“Even I don’t know everything. I’ve lived longer than most, so I have more experience. Still, there might be a way to find out what kind of creature you are.”
She placed her teacup on the table.
“A fair price is expected for a worthy task.”
She seemed to expect compensation. I felt the blue crystal in the vine bag at my waist, carried by Leaf.
‘A precious stone to repel insects… Is discovering my identity more important than this stone?’
Weighed against the crystal, my own identity felt insubstantial and light. The scale clearly tipped toward the crystal.
‘I had hoped to learn it for free, but if there’s a cost, maybe it’s not worth it.’
Leaf held out a paw.
—Here’s the payment.
In her palm lay a small gold nugget. The witch’s blue eyes widened.
“A gold nugget! Where did you get this?”
—Picked it up by a stream. Will this be enough, Eve? You like shiny things, right?
I was impressed by Leaf’s initiative—she was paying for me without being told.
‘Was she really curious about what I am… or…?’
“I do love shiny things. Let’s see.”
Eve examined the nugget, biting it slightly as if to check its purity, then swallowed.
Gold… swallowed! I was shocked.
“Tasty, though insufficient. The magic isn’t fully activated.”
—Insufficient?
Leaf wagged her tail anxiously, indicating the vine bag at my waist.
—Give her this. My payment wasn’t enough, apparently.
“Anything else?”
Her gaze fell on the blue crystal. I hesitated, then reluctantly took it out and handed it to her.
Her eyes, matching the crystal’s hue, widened in astonishment.
“…This is…”
Eve carefully accepted the crystal, exhaling deeply, shrugging.
“This is too great for me to possess. May I ask where you found it?”
Her piercing gaze made me incapable of lying.
—I got it from the tomb of the Snake Queen El—gasa. It must have fallen near statues that were once human.
—The Snake Queen!?
Leaf recoiled in shock. Eve merely closed her eyes and nodded.
“Humans… I see. What happened to El—gasa?”
—She… died. I ate her.
A hush fell over the hut. Only the wind howled outside.
Eve placed the crystal on the table, speaking with a hint of bitterness.
“Ah… the spiders and scorpions had been gossiping for days about a strange beast. They said a previously unseen creature felled a giant snake. That must have been you and El—gasa.”
—You ate the Snake Queen!? No way! She had venom strong enough to dissolve most beasts!
Leaf’s expression was one of pure shock.
“Seems to be true. Indeed… El—gasa is truly dead.”
Tears welled in Eve’s blue eyes. Seeing such a beautiful woman suddenly cry startled me.
—You knew her well?
“Of course. She was once part of my family. I even gave her name.”
