Ray had never run so fast in his life.
Branches slapped his face, roots tried to trip him, and the distant screams of three very determined women echoed through the forest behind him.
"RAY! COME BACK!" Amelia shouted, her armor clanking with every step.
"YOU AREN'T READY TO BE ALONE!" Claire yelled, sounding both angry and embarrassed.
"Ray, please slow down!" Ellie cried. "You might fall and get hurt—then I'd have to heal you forever!"
Ray did not slow down.
He didn't even breathe. Survival mode had taken full control.
"I JUST WOKE UP IN THIS WORLD FIVE MINUTES AGO! CAN I HAVE A MOMENT?!" he screamed while sprinting.
Behind him, the Comedic Attraction Aura flashed again.
AURA REACTION: Panic detected. Attraction level increased by 8%.
"WHY?!" Ray shouted at the glowing notification. "WHY DOES PANIC COUNT?!"
But escape was impossible.Because waiting right ahead, standing in the middle of the forest path with a patient smile, was—
Lyria.
Her violet robe fluttered in the wind. Her silver hair glowed softly. And her calm expression said:
"I knew you'd run. I prepared for this."
Ray tried to change direction.
Too late.
With a small gesture of her hand, several glowing symbols formed beneath his feet.
"Oh, come on—don't be–!!"
A magic circle lit up.
A flash of light.
Ray face-planted into the dirt.
"Ow… my everything…"
Lyria walked over, knelt beside him, and brushed the leaves off his hair with motherly precision.
"You should be more careful," she said softly. "There are dangerous monsters in this forest."
"More dangerous than you three?" Ray muttered into the ground.
Before Lyria could answer, Amelia burst through the trees.
"There he is!"She grabbed Ray by the waist like a sack of potatoes.
"Put me down!!" Ray flailed helplessly.
Claire appeared next, bow drawn.
"Amelia, he is not a potato sack!"
Then she paused.
"…He's more like a fragile golden egg."
Ellie arrived last, panting and red-faced.
"R-Ray…! Don't run off! I—I was so worried…"
Ray stared at the four beautiful women surrounding him.
Each one looking at him like he was a rare artifact.
A very breakable one.
A very kidnap-able one.
He gulped.
"Okay… okay… let's calm down," Ray said, raising his hands. "Let's talk like civilized—"
Amelia cut him off."We're taking you to Verania. They'll treat you well. Probably."
Claire glared."No. He goes to my clan. He'll be safe—and properly cared for."
Ellie held Ray's sleeve."He should stay with me… I'll heal him, feed him, and keep him warm…"
Lyria placed a hand on Ray's shoulder."He is coming with me. Scientific research requires privacy."
"PRIVACY?!" the other three shouted.
Ray took advantage of the chaos.With a desperate twist, he slipped out of Amelia's grip and stumbled backward.
"All right!" he shouted. "ENOUGH! I'm not an object!"
The girls stopped arguing and looked at him.
Four intense stares.
Four different types of affection.
Ray's heart pounded.
"Look… I don't know anything about this world. I don't even know the rules. Can't we just… slow down?"
The girls exchanged glances.
Then, surprisingly—
They nodded.
Lyria stepped forward as the unofficial spokesperson.
"You're right. We overwhelmed you."
The others nodded too, though reluctantly.
Claire stepped closer, smiling softly for once.
"We'll give you space. Just a little. Enough to breathe."
Ellie grabbed his hand gently.
"We'll help you learn everything about this world…"
Amelia grinned and punched her palm.
"And if any monsters show up, we'll beat them into fertilizer!"
Ray let out a long exhale.
"Okay… thank you. I… appreciate it."
For the first time since arriving, he felt almost safe.
Almost.
Because then—
A deep growl echoed from the trees.
The ground trembled.
The leaves shivered.
Ray froze.
"…That's a monster, isn't it?" he whispered.
Amelia drew her sword.Claire readied an arrow.Ellie gulped and raised her staff.Lyria's eyes narrowed.
A massive creature stepped from the shadows—eight eyes glowing, sharp fangs dripping venom.
A Forest Widow.A giant magical spider known for capturing prey alive.
Ray screamed.
The girls smirked.
Lyria said calmly:
"Ray, welcome to your first real danger."
Amelia cracked her knuckles."We got this."
Claire loosened her bowstring."Stay behind us."
Ellie squeezed Ray's hand."I'll protect you!"
Ray gulped again.
He had survived the women.
Now he had to survive the monsters.
End of Chapter 2