“Oh, you’re awake. Good to see."

Awake?

So this all is no dream, right?

But what does she mean?

Why is she so casual?

My thoughts are in turmoil.

I want to know what is happening here, but I'm afraid.

I only know this place as hell and the ones who dwell there are surely no benevolent spirits.

"Would you please come with me?"

I want to ask my questions!

Where am I?

Who are you?

What is going on here?

Why was I hurt?

"Chrark!" (Neri)

But all I get out is this crackle, as my throat is too dry to talk.

"I know you might be pretty confused and have questions, but I would prefer to head to a more appropriate place first. I prefer to talk while having the chance to sit down."

I don't really know what I want to do, but she offered answers.

I think this is the best I’m going to get and I can't see much good coming from staying here.

So I try to stand up.

I’m a little wobbly due to my lack of practice after the unknown length of time in the sac, but since my condition should be much worse than this, it's fine I guess.

But my back still hurts so much.

I thought I got through all the pain, yet it feels so strained.

Maybe because of my constant bowed posture in this sac?

"Does it work? Can you move?"

This question is a little difficult to answer.

And that not only because of my inability to speak.

While I think I can move a small distance, my legs feel too weak to keep me going any longer than this.

It's still far better than I anticipated.

When I was tackled I hurt my right leg.

If I think about it, it was quite bad.

Nothing one night of sleep would heal.

On the other side, I don't know how long I slept.

My track of what happened to me is very blurry.

So I have no other choice but to look in the direction of that woman and try to walk whatever distance I have to.

But already after two steps, I lose my balance and fall.

I thought I would fall, but surprisingly I find that this woman is supporting me from below my arms.

"You are in quite a weakened state it seems. Then let me guide you to our destination."

This startles me a bit.

Not just because I don't know how she could get to me so fast without me noticing.

What truly surprises me is that I wouldn't have thought that she has a caring side.

But she helps me walk now, carefully paying attention to match my pace and gently helping me move.

I am very confused, as she seems to know something.

Does she also know how I was tortured here?

If she knew, why is she now so awfully nice?

Is this a trap?

But that wouldn't make sense since I can't even run.

There'd be simply no reason to deceive me.

We walk through some kind of white-marbled corridor.

Not like I know how marble looks or feels, but I've heard that it's a white, very even, high-quality kind of material, and this here seems to fit this description.

While the floor's shape is strangely round, it looks overall well made.

Instead of torches, there are glowing stones that illuminate the way.

They are very small in numbers, but the white surface helps to make it brighter here, so I can see clearly.

After a while, I am led through an open doorway.

The room we enter is quite empty.

The walls and ceiling are made of the same marble as the floors.

Noteworthy is the center of the room.

There is some kind of round stone table in the center.

It's not extremely large and seems more like its appropriate usage is rather for tea than for dinner.

The other noteworthy feature is that it looks like it was melted into this shape, but with great precision.

The beautiful lady guides me to a round stool next to it.

As soon as I sit down I notice the extremely soft padding.

"Wait a moment, you must be cold."

Not too much, since it's not freezing in these halls.

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But well, I am naked.

The woman leaves and after a short moment enters again with a white sheet of fabric.

She wraps it around my shoulders and then takes a place opposite me at the table.

Giving me a friendly expression.

"You are surely confused, but don't fret, I am here to sort things out. The others acted rather rogue on this matter, but now that we are in this situation we have to deal with it."

"What is the situation?" I want to ask, but my throat is still so hoarse. If it just wouldn't be so dry.

"Waatahh." (Neri)

I need to drink something if I want to speak normally again

So I ask for water and point at my mouth.

"Ah, yes! You are surely very drained. Here take this."

She hands me some kind of pouch which I know is used to transport drinks.

It's white and looks tailored.

I know from the weight that there's something inside it and when I find the plug I down the content as soon as I am able to bring it to my mouth.

To my surprise, this isn't water.

But it has a pleasant sweet flavor and feels rather rich to my hungry state.

The liquid is grey, with a bit of yellow and orange mixed in.

Is this broth?

Some kind of pumpkin?

I just noticed how hungry I was.

I don't know how long I spent in there.

But in my sac, I got nothing to eat, so I just realized that I was starving.

I quickly down the contents.

"I am glad that it's to your liking."

The woman smiles courteously at me.

When I drank this broth my throat started to prickle a bit stronger, reminding me of this terrible itch, but it soon settled down.

All the other inconveniences remain the same.

"Can you talk now?"

I think I should answer.

I don’t want her to be angry at me and my throat feels much better now.

"Y-yes!" (Neri)

My voice seems mostly fine, but somehow a bit off.

As if it's not quite the same as before.

Also, it's a little difficult to immediately form words again, but I think I can manage.

"Great! Then let us get started. First, what is the last thing you can remember?"

"I-I was ru-running! There, there were evil men at our home and... and they killed them. My parents." (N)

"And then?"

Noticing my mood she presses me to continue before I get too caught up in my emotions.

"I ran and was chased. He got me. Then there were spiders and... I don't know, I fainted. After that I was in that sac." (N)

"I am sorry for your loss, yet there is nothing I can do about this. However, I would like to make an offer to you."

"A-An Offer?" (N)

I become uneasy, due to my lack of knowledge and the fear because of what happened to me until now.

"Yes, is something wrong with that?"

"N-no. It's just, I don't even know your name a-and what happened before..." (N)

"I can't change what happened before, but I can promise to you that it won't repeat. And if you need a name, mine is Talisa, yet you should state yours as well. That's the polite thing to do, isn't it?" (Talisa)

"N-Neri, my name is Neri!" (N)

"Hm. You look more like a Nerysi to me, I'll go with that." (T)

I stare a little in disbelief, asking myself why she just changed my name.

It sounds a bit foreign and strange, like everything here.

And it's not like I have a need for a new name.

"So, as I am sure that you have questions, it might be best to simply ask them." (T)

"What did you mean by having an offer?" (N)

"Ah, that. It's quite easy. If you want you can stay here. We are something like a community. Rather family. Sisters to be precise. And I would like to invite you to join us. And due to your circumstances, we would fully provide for you for the time being." (T)

My confusion doesn't decrease.

Why would they do this for me?

There is nothing to gain by taking in a recent orphan.

I had quite a lot of time to think and cry in my sac and there is not much hope for me to survive alone.

"I think it's a good offer. It's not like you have many options and then there are your circumstances to take into account. Like your condition." (T)

She's right.

Nothing but cruelty would wait for me in the city.

And as hard as it was to even walk the distance to this room I know I wouldn't last through a far journey.

But exactly because of this, this offer feels so suspicious.

"Y-you would really take me in! J-just like this?" (N)

"Just like this." (T)

"I-it's just, that sounds too good to be true. I mean there's no catch? No string attached?" (N)

"String? pfft-Kekekekekekekekekekeke!" (T)

I think she just burst out into laughter.

But it sounds rather unnerving.

Mechanical, as if you would pluck nails into a wall.

Yet, she quickly manages to get a hold of herself.

"No, no. There is no trap if you meant that. However, one could say there are countless strings attached. Pfft!" (T)

Somehow I get the feeling I missed a punchline.

"I think I don't understand." (N)

"Yes, we were getting to this. The following could be a little disturbing for you." (T)

Now I am becoming anxious.

What does she mean?

She says this isn't a trap, but something that will make me uneasy?

How does this add up?

I prepare to form a question, but before I can manage to do so I see something terrifying.

Directly in front of me, a black spider lowers itself on the table.

This one is large, gigantic! I mean almost as big as my hand and judging by the looks I am certain this monster is poisonous.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" (N)

I shout and topple backward from the stool in shock, but after this crawl still further backward.

"What are you doing here? I'm occupied right now! So go back to the others, shoo, shoo!" (T)

Did she just talk to the spider?!

And more importantly, did the spider actually comply?

It just scuddles away.

"Are you still feeling weak? You fell from your seat. And why this scream?" (T)

"Th-there w-was th-th-this s-s-spider!" (N)

"And? It's not like he pushed you down from your stool. He was actually quite far away." (T)

"I-I'm n-not good with spiders! They terrify me!" (N)

I say while trying to climb back on the stool.

"Arachnophobia, really?" (T)

I look down, embarrassed.

I know as well that I'm a bad case. Always was and always will be.

.

.

.

"ke...

keke...

kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke..." (T)

Now it's her turn to fall from her seat.

Laughing, holding her stomach, and cringing on the ground.

Her disturbing way of laughing is like this and in this quantity less frightening.

Especially as it's completely contradicting her dignified demeanor.

But for sure I feel dejected.

It takes a whole minute before she gets a hold of herself, but eventually, she does.

"Arachnophobia; really, that's too good!" (T)

"Sorry, but it's not like I can do something about it." (N)

"No I don't blame you, but I need to say like this you will have quite some problems." (T)

Now I'm seriously anxious!

What kind of problems could I get regarding spiders?

"What do you mean? I don't understand." (N)

"Then let me ask you this. Do you know what an 'Arachne' is?" (T)