The Forest Widow stepped into the clearing like it owned the place—eight hairy legs, a swollen abdomen glowing with sickly green light, and fangs long enough to barbecue Ray in one bite.
Ray screamed.
Then screamed again.
Then screamed a third time at a higher pitch he didn't know he could reach.
"WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT WANTS TO EAT ME AND MARRY ME AT THE SAME TIME?!"
Ellie tugged his sleeve."That's… actually accurate. Forest Widows are known for picking a mate before devouring it."
Ray screamed a fourth time.
Amelia, however, grinned with the enthusiasm of someone who had absolutely no fear or self-preservation.
"Perfect warm-up! Claire, cover me!"
She dashed forward, sword raised.
Claire let out a breath, calm and elegant as ever."I was planning to. Try not to run directly into its mouth this time."
She loosed an arrow—clean, swift, controlled.
It struck the spider right in one of its glowing eyes with a crack.
The creature shrieked.
Ray felt his soul leaving his body.
"WHY AM I HERE?! I WANT A REFUND ON THIS WORLD!"
Lyria stepped forward, staff in hand, her violet eyes glowing with mana.
"Ray, hold still."
"HOLD STILL?! FOR WHAT—"
A soft magical circle formed at his feet.
His legs stopped shaking.
His heartbeat steadied.
His mind cleared.
Ray blinked.
"…What did you just do?"
"A calming spell," she said. "You were… vibrating."
Ellie nodded."Like a sad little hummingbird…"
"I DON'T WANT TO BE A HUMMINGBIRD," Ray protested.
Meanwhile, Amelia was already in battle.
She swung her sword downward, slashing one of the spider's front legs clean off. Black blood splattered across the ground.
The Forest Widow lunged.
Amelia ducked.
Claire shot another arrow.
Lyria cast a barrier to block falling debris.
Ellie healed a cut Amelia got on her arm when she said "Oops" mid-combat.
They moved together like a perfectly synchronized team.
Ray watched, stunned.
"W-Wow…" he whispered. "They're… amazing."
He didn't have long to admire them.
Because suddenly—
The spider turned toward him.
Its eight remaining eyes locked onto Ray's body.
And it began to advance.
Slowly.
Intentionally.
Lovingly.
"Oh god," Ray whispered. "It wants me."
Claire's voice echoed from across the clearing:
"Of course it wants you! You're the rarest thing in the whole forest!"
Ray ran.
He didn't think.He just RAN.
He sprinted past trees, over roots, under branches—
Until he tripped over absolutely nothing and fell face-first into a bush.
Behind him, the Forest Widow skittered closer.
"I DON'T WANT TO BE A SPIDER'S BOYFRIEND!!"
His Comedic Attraction Aura flickered.
AURA REACTION: Extreme panic detected. Nearby entities attracted: 1 spider (romantic interest) Attraction increased by 12%.
"NO NO NO NO TURN THAT OFF!!!"
The girls reacted instantly.
"RAY!" Ellie cried, sprinting after him.
Amelia leapt between Ray and the spider, sword raised.
Lyria cast another barrier.
Claire fired a rapid set of three arrows.
They all hit the spider's body—one in the head, one in the thorax, and one between the eyes.
The creature shrieked.
Amelia took the chance and slashed downward with both hands.
CRUNCH.
The Forest Widow collapsed, legs twitching before finally falling still.
Ray peeked from his bush.
"…Is it dead?"
Amelia flicked spider goo off her sword.
"Yep! Extra crispy."
Claire walked over, sighing elegantly.
"Ray, please don't run into danger."
"Danger ran after ME!" Ray argued.
Ellie helped him up, hugging his arm tightly.
"You're safe now… please stop scaring me…"
Lyria inspected Ray carefully, brushing dirt from his shoulders.
"You are… surprisingly good at attracting catastrophic things."
Ray threw his arms up.
"I DON'T WANT TO ATTRACT ANYTHING!"
Silence.
All four girls stared at him.
Their eyes sparkled.
Their cheeks flushed.
Their expressions softened.
Ray's Aura pulsed.
"…Uh oh."
Claire smiled sweetly."I think he meant monsters."
Amelia grinned."Yeah, because he definitely attracts the good kind too."
Ellie nodded eagerly."Ray is… very attractive…"
Lyria touched his cheek with her gloved hand."Extremely."
Ray screamed again.
At the edge of the forest, something else watched the group.
A hooded figure.Quiet.Studying.Taking notes.
"So… the new male has awakened," the stranger whispered.
"Interesting."
The figure vanished.
Ray, meanwhile, had no idea yet that his life was about to get even more complicated.
Much, MUCH more.
END OF CHAPTER 3