I watched as Mei Wu hesitantly grab and wear her clothes with an expression and mannerism that felt more like an reserved kid being told they have to actually test something new. Which, is kinda fitting, I assume.
Since she probably thinks I'm just going to torture her and force her to tell me all her secrets for my amusement, which I fully understand.
I mean, you get captured by someone, and wake up naked then your captor tells you that they want to 'talk' with you. And if that was not terrifying for women (everyone) in my previous world, then it isn't wrong to think that it would be the same in this world, even more so since being a pretty woman here guarantees that she would likely be targeted by unsavory people.
I would be more surprised if she didn't give a damn after all of that.
It didn't take more than a minute for her to finish wearing everything, and allowed her to hold her daggers, though I of course didn't give her access to her crystals. The daggers, while ineffective against me, might probably help me convince her that I don't have any interest in harming her.
Moments later, after her body stopped trembling, though she still was looking pale and terrified, I moved the vine holding the healing nectar in front of her. I didn't need to speak for her to realize what I want, and she shakily took the vine and consumed the nectar on it.
"...!" her eyes widened as tension seemed to leave her body, and I noticed that her Qi was now full, probably, from what my senses told me.
She looked completely shocked for moments, her mouth opening and closing as if she couldn't believe what just happened, before her body dropped to the ground, not from pain, but apparently from the sheer anxiety that was leaving her.
"D-delicious..." I heard her mutter in a low voice, and I would admit that I felt strangely proud of that admission of her, and I felt my heart brimming with pride and joy.
My nectar was of course delicious and sweet, and I knew it. But hearing someone else admitting it really did inflate my Alraune ego just a little bit.
Now, behold, world! I, Kasumi Ai, will monopolize all honey products and make everyone addict to them! Or so I would probably do if I was as much of a jerk like the casual Ranker or warrior.
Instead, I enjoyed the moment before I realized that I took too long basking in my own happiness that she was looking at me with confusion.
"Um..." she trailed off, and I got the feeling that she was looking at me like I was a lunatic.
Immediately, embarrassment filled my face, cheeks reddening like I was caught daydreaming, which was exactly what happened!
Damn it! I didn't completely forgot how awkward it would be to be judged in actual (not!)human interaction that involves actual talking instead of just killing people or eating their corpses!
Even my lower face was a bit darker and trying not to look at her from sheer humiliation!
And worst of all, these sweet Worker Bees who were with me and I thought were my friends seemed to enjoy this as their buzzing seemed to mock me.
I felt myself fuming at them. Traitors, all of them! Just because they couldn't talk and were quite nice I didn't expect them to like my misery. Oh, when I see the Queen Bee, I will file a complaint! Do you hear me!?
Unfortunately, they didn't hear me as they buzzed louder, and much to my chagrin, I heard another voice that seemed to bring my shame to a new level.
"He, hehehe, hehehehehe!" Mei Wu, the girl who was sobbing like a baby and so terrified from me that she fainted, was now laughing at me.
Is this the "the public changes their opinions about a powerful person the moment they look just a bit more miserable" trope? Did I really fall into it?
How unfair, how cruel, I lamented as I felt the weight of this mocking in my heart, and gave my audience a half-hearted glare, though the only one who picked on my change of mood was the pretty woman as she flinched for a moment before calming down, probably realizing how her actions aren't exactly amusing to me.
The bees though took a couple minutes more before their buzzing became more neutral, though they still enjoyed my torment.
Condescending friends, they are. I thought, miffed.
Still, now that everything calmed and only the sounds of water or the occasional animals and beasts being heard, I took a long breath and looked at Mei Wu.
Though, since my upper face was quite above, I was technically looking down at her, and I have no interest in talking with her using my lower, and monsterous face...
Okay, I will just raise her to my level, if she doesn't mind. Literally.
With that, I created a makeshift web with my vines and branches, and I motioned her to stand on it.
"I..." she bit her lips, worried, clearly not liking the idea. I felt a tick mark appearing on my face.
Hey, why are you now scared of me? Didn't you laugh at my misery just a few minutes ago despite me having the power to cut off your head in a single swing? Be a bit more consistent with how you react to me will you?
"I- f-forgive me..." oh, great, now I scared her. Again.
I sighed, pinching my nose in exhasperation. "Just sit, damn it." despite clearly not understanding me, she did as I asked, and I raised her to meet me, face-to-face.
I looked at her in a pouty manner before I started my question with simple question: "what's your name?"
Sounds simple, except I and her are talking two different languages. I'm basically gambling on her weird Qi sensing skill would work like a freaking telepathy and make her "understand" what I ask her.
She blinked, before she hesitated. "Uh, I... didn't understand that...?" she flinched as she finished her answer, most likely expecting me to be angry and lash at her.
I honestly was more disappointed than angry at her. I mean, it would be unreasonable to hit her just for not being magically able to ignore the language barrier between us.
I feel quite sad about it, really, and I barely resisted having my body slumping down as to show my disappointment.
"Okay, what should I say... Ah!" I pointed to myself, and she paid attention to my movements.
"Kasumi Ai. Your name?" I stated, before pointing towards her, and her eyes shone with recognition.
"My name?" I nodded, much to her surprise, and I wasn't even being deceptive towards her. I wanted her to be honest with me.
"... Mei Wu." she answered, and I could feell she was being truthful. I mean, I knew what her name was when the two guys called her, but it might have been a pet name or something.
I next pointed to that axe-wielding guy still bound and asleep. 'I might have underestimated the potency of my sleeping poisons...' I thought with a bit of embarrassment.
Oh well, his turn will come when he wakes. The guy was named Xie Yu, which, okay... kinda weird since I recall a girl called Yue Yu from the original novel, but that's why they usually use both names instead, I guess.
Though I don't think I would give him the same hospitality for being such an idiot. If your team's sensor tells you something is dangerous, you listen to them, and either GTFO, or be as cautious as possible, unless it's literally a do-or-die, which their situation was not.
Then again, I might be biased and I am simply relating with the clearly female person who probably had traumatic experiences regarding sexism more than that random dude that only gave the impression of a fodder.
My vines moved and twisted, and she tensed before relaxing as they imitated crude symbols of multiple houses, and I tried my best to make my point clear with my body movements that I wanted to know about something very important right now: the political situation of the Soaring Dragon Continent, or more precisely the people who are generally ruling over the population.
Tragically, the curse of language barrier struck again...
"You want to create multiple houses?" Mei Wu asked, uncertain. I shook my head, and I tried to make it clearer by creating a large house surrounded by a large circle as to indicate a piece of land, added smaller houses, with their own circles, and even smaller houses, and I spoke in Japanese (stupid nonfunctioning cosmic translator!) that I wanted to know who the king, or monarch, or emperor, is, and who rules, the clans and all that.
"... You want to make a city with you as the City Mistress?" she asked again, looking a bit more confused.
I facepalmed, and she squeaked for a moment.
Okay, a better method is needed. Now, what should I do to make her understand what I want to know...? Hm, maybe...
I pointed at her. "Mei." I spoke, before I pointed to myself, then to Xie Yu, "Kasumi, Xie. Clans, clan, group. Names."
I was probably trying too hard, but that was fine with me.
Mei Wu looked at me in surprise, before her eyes widened in shock. "Y-you want to know about clans?"
"Finally!" I muttered to myself, and I knew that she probably understood my word just from my reaction, and nodded at her.
"Why though?" her question was answered with a flat look at her with my hands pointing at her and her still unconscious friend.
"Oh, yeah..." she had the decency to look sheepish. Good to see you going from being so terrified from me to outright asking me about my motivations in less than a couple of hours.
"F-fine... I will tell you... but can I ask you some questions first?" she asked me. She was looking guarded, but she apparently trusted me enough not to kill her just for the heck of it by now, and I had no reason to object.
Shifting uncomfortably, she asked me her first question. "Are you... a Holy Beast? Or close to it?"
I shook my head. I fully understood her reasoning. I was, from what she knew, a highly intelligent, speech-capable, humanoid beast. It is very logical for her to think I am one, or about to reach it. I am not a Holy Beast... yet.
" Oh... How old are you?"
What kind of question is that? I snorted. Asking a lady about her age is forbidden, you know? Even if said lady is a monster that evolves by eating and digesting corpses.
Still, I decided to humor her and used my vines to 'write' the number 14, and it was a bit amusing that she thought I was 14 thousand years old for a moment before I motioned that it's way down, and she found on her own that I lived for two weeks in this world, much to her shock.
"Two weeks, and you are this strong already! To think you became this strong so fast..." her voice increased in volume as in her awe, she literally jumped towards me and started shaking my body, well, my upper body. Oi, don't scream right next to my ears! Damn, I now hear the ringing in them! And stop shaking me, it's annoying! And your large chest is squishing mine! Get off!
I looked at her in annoyance. Now I remember why I liked my pseudo solitude.
Now, I of course am not interested in harming her, but... a small lesson won't hurt.
I grinned just a bit, as she squirmed in discomfort as clearly her Qi sense noticed the change of my mood.
"Girl, you're getting too comfortable here, you know?" I was asking just teasingly, but I was also having fun giving a little threat. Oh, don't worry, I will even use motions to make sure my words are a bit more understandable.
"I-" I cut her off as a branch of mine quickly went behind her, giving a firm whack on that butt of hers as she yelped and jumped away from me like I was spitting acid at her.
"Good." I spoke flatly, and she cringed. "I'd like you to not do that again, or I'll spank you on the bare bottom." I finished with a glare, frankly half-tempted to make the threat a reality, and she no doubt understood my intent as I had a vine making a swish motion in the air.
"S-sorry..." I huffed at that embarrassed, and strangely grumpy answer and just motioned to her to tell me what she knew about the clans and people of importance.
This is going to be a long discussion, isn't it?
I watched as Mei Wu hesitantly grab and wear her clothes with an expression and mannerism that felt more like an reserved kid being told they have to actually test something new. Which, is kinda fitting, I assume.
Since she probably thinks I'm just going to torture her and force her to tell me all her secrets for my amusement, which I fully understand.
I mean, you get captured by someone, and wake up naked then your captor tells you that they want to 'talk' with you. And if that was not terrifying for women (everyone) in my previous world, then it isn't wrong to think that it would be the same in this world, even more so since being a pretty woman here guarantees that she would likely be targeted by unsavory people.
I would be more surprised if she didn't give a damn after all of that.
It didn't take more than a minute for her to finish wearing everything, and allowed her to hold her daggers, though I of course didn't give her access to her crystals. The daggers, while ineffective against me, might probably help me convince her that I don't have any interest in harming her.
Moments later, after her body stopped trembling, though she still was looking pale and terrified, I moved the vine holding the healing nectar in front of her. I didn't need to speak for her to realize what I want, and she shakily took the vine and consumed the nectar on it.
"...!" her eyes widened as tension seemed to leave her body, and I noticed that her Qi was now full, probably, from what my senses told me.
She looked completely shocked for moments, her mouth opening and closing as if she couldn't believe what just happened, before her body dropped to the ground, not from pain, but apparently from the sheer anxiety that was leaving her.
"D-delicious..." I heard her mutter in a low voice, and I would admit that I felt strangely proud of that admission of her, and I felt my heart brimming with pride and joy.
My nectar was of course delicious and sweet, and I knew it. But hearing someone else admitting it really did inflate my Alraune ego just a little bit.
Now, behold, world! I, Kasumi Ai, will monopolize all honey products and make everyone addict to them! Or so I would probably do if I was as much of a jerk like the casual Ranker or warrior.
Instead, I enjoyed the moment before I realized that I took too long basking in my own happiness that she was looking at me with confusion.
"Um..." she trailed off, and I got the feeling that she was looking at me like I was a lunatic.
Immediately, embarrassment filled my face, cheeks reddening like I was caught daydreaming, which was exactly what happened!
Damn it! I didn't completely forgot how awkward it would be to be judged in actual (not!)human interaction that involves actual talking instead of just killing people or eating their corpses!
Even my lower face was a bit darker and trying not to look at her from sheer humiliation!
And worst of all, these sweet Worker Bees who were with me and I thought were my friends seemed to enjoy this as their buzzing seemed to mock me.
I felt myself fuming at them. Traitors, all of them! Just because they couldn't talk and were quite nice I didn't expect them to like my misery. Oh, when I see the Queen Bee, I will file a complaint! Do you hear me!?
Unfortunately, they didn't hear me as they buzzed louder, and much to my chagrin, I heard another voice that seemed to bring my shame to a new level.
"He, hehehe, hehehehehe!" Mei Wu, the girl who was sobbing like a baby and so terrified from me that she fainted, was now laughing at me.
Is this the "the public changes their opinions about a powerful person the moment they look just a bit more miserable" trope? Did I really fall into it?
How unfair, how cruel, I lamented as I felt the weight of this mocking in my heart, and gave my audience a half-hearted glare, though the only one who picked on my change of mood was the pretty woman as she flinched for a moment before calming down, probably realizing how her actions aren't exactly amusing to me.
The bees though took a couple minutes more before their buzzing became more neutral, though they still enjoyed my torment.
Condescending friends, they are. I thought, miffed.
Still, now that everything calmed and only the sounds of water or the occasional animals and beasts being heard, I took a long breath and looked at Mei Wu.
Though, since my upper face was quite above, I was technically looking down at her, and I have no interest in talking with her using my lower, and monsterous face...
Okay, I will just raise her to my level, if she doesn't mind. Literally.
With that, I created a makeshift web with my vines and branches, and I motioned her to stand on it.
"I..." she bit her lips, worried, clearly not liking the idea. I felt a tick mark appearing on my face.
Hey, why are you now scared of me? Didn't you laugh at my misery just a few minutes ago despite me having the power to cut off your head in a single swing? Be a bit more consistent with how you react to me will you?
"I- f-forgive me..." oh, great, now I scared her. Again.
I sighed, pinching my nose in exhasperation. "Just sit, damn it." despite clearly not understanding me, she did as I asked, and I raised her to meet me, face-to-face.
I looked at her in a pouty manner before I started my question with simple question: "what's your name?"
Sounds simple, except I and her are talking two different languages. I'm basically gambling on her weird Qi sensing skill would work like a freaking telepathy and make her "understand" what I ask her.
She blinked, before she hesitated. "Uh, I... didn't understand that...?" she flinched as she finished her answer, most likely expecting me to be angry and lash at her.
I honestly was more disappointed than angry at her. I mean, it would be unreasonable to hit her just for not being magically able to ignore the language barrier between us.
I feel quite sad about it, really, and I barely resisted having my body slumping down as to show my disappointment.
"Okay, what should I say... Ah!" I pointed to myself, and she paid attention to my movements.
"Kasumi Ai. Your name?" I stated, before pointing towards her, and her eyes shone with recognition.
"My name?" I nodded, much to her surprise, and I wasn't even being deceptive towards her. I wanted her to be honest with me.
"... Mei Wu." she answered, and I could feell she was being truthful. I mean, I knew what her name was when the two guys called her, but it might have been a pet name or something.
I next pointed to that axe-wielding guy still bound and asleep. 'I might have underestimated the potency of my sleeping poisons...' I thought with a bit of embarrassment.
Oh well, his turn will come when he wakes. The guy was named Xie Yu, which, okay... kinda weird since I recall a girl called Yue Yu from the original novel, but that's why they usually use both names instead, I guess.
Though I don't think I would give him the same hospitality for being such an idiot. If your team's sensor tells you something is dangerous, you listen to them, and either GTFO, or be as cautious as possible, unless it's literally a do-or-die, which their situation was not.
Then again, I might be biased and I am simply relating with the clearly female person who probably had traumatic experiences regarding sexism more than that random dude that only gave the impression of a fodder.
My vines moved and twisted, and she tensed before relaxing as they imitated crude symbols of multiple houses, and I tried my best to make my point clear with my body movements that I wanted to know about something very important right now: the political situation of the Soaring Dragon Continent, or more precisely the people who are generally ruling over the population.
Tragically, the curse of language barrier struck again...
"You want to create multiple houses?" Mei Wu asked, uncertain. I shook my head, and I tried to make it clearer by creating a large house surrounded by a large circle as to indicate a piece of land, added smaller houses, with their own circles, and even smaller houses, and I spoke in Japanese (stupid nonfunctioning cosmic translator!) that I wanted to know who the king, or monarch, or emperor, is, and who rules, the clans and all that.
"... You want to make a city with you as the City Mistress?" she asked again, looking a bit more confused.
I facepalmed, and she squeaked for a moment.
Okay, a better method is needed. Now, what should I do to make her understand what I want to know...? Hm, maybe...
I pointed at her. "Mei." I spoke, before I pointed to myself, then to Xie Yu, "Kasumi, Xie. Clans, clan, group. Names."
I was probably trying too hard, but that was fine with me.
Mei Wu looked at me in surprise, before her eyes widened in shock. "Y-you want to know about clans?"
"Finally!" I muttered to myself, and I knew that she probably understood my word just from my reaction, and nodded at her.
"Why though?" her question was answered with a flat look at her with my hands pointing at her and her still unconscious friend.
"Oh, yeah..." she had the decency to look sheepish. Good to see you going from being so terrified from me to outright asking me about my motivations in less than a couple of hours.
"F-fine... I will tell you... but can I ask you some questions first?" she asked me. She was looking guarded, but she apparently trusted me enough not to kill her just for the heck of it by now, and I had no reason to object.
Shifting uncomfortably, she asked me her first question. "Are you... a Holy Beast? Or close to it?"
I shook my head. I fully understood her reasoning. I was, from what she knew, a highly intelligent, speech-capable, humanoid beast. It is very logical for her to think I am one, or about to reach it. I am not a Holy Beast... yet.
" Oh... How old are you?"
What kind of question is that? I snorted. Asking a lady about her age is forbidden, you know? Even if said lady is a monster that evolves by eating and digesting corpses.
Still, I decided to humor her and used my vines to 'write' the number 14, and it was a bit amusing that she thought I was 14 thousand years old for a moment before I motioned that it's way down, and she found on her own that I lived for two weeks in this world, much to her shock.
"Two weeks, and you are this strong already! To think you became this strong so fast..." her voice increased in volume as in her awe, she literally jumped towards me and started shaking my body, well, my upper body. Oi, don't scream right next to my ears! Damn, I now hear the ringing in them! And stop shaking me, it's annoying! And your large chest is squishing mine! Get off!
I looked at her in annoyance. Now I remember why I liked my pseudo solitude.
Now, I of course am not interested in harming her, but... a small lesson won't hurt.
I grinned just a bit, as she squirmed in discomfort as clearly her Qi sense noticed the change of my mood.
"Girl, you're getting too comfortable here, you know?" I was asking just teasingly, but I was also having fun giving a little threat. Oh, don't worry, I will even use motions to make sure my words are a bit more understandable.
"I-" I cut her off as a branch of mine quickly went behind her, giving a firm whack on that butt of hers as she yelped and jumped away from me like I was spitting acid at her.
"Good." I spoke flatly, and she cringed. "I'd like you to not do that again, or I'll spank you on the bare bottom." I finished with a glare, frankly half-tempted to make the threat a reality, and she no doubt understood my intent as I had a vine making a swish motion in the air.
"S-sorry..." I huffed at that embarrassed, and strangely grumpy answer and just motioned to her to tell me what she knew about the clans and people of importance.
This is going to be a long discussion, isn't it?
