episode_0035

The evening sky painted beautifully in crimson hues.

Due to a nightmare of being tormented by spider legs, I woke up later than usual and immediately began preparing to meet the Arachne guest.

Thanks to deliberately setting the meeting time late, there was still about two hours left, but I couldn’t consider this as leisurely time.

With many weaknesses typical of vampires, it takes over an hour just to get ready to go out. There’s also a lot more to prepare for since becoming a woman.

“…Every time I wash, I envy other races. I can’t wash lightly because of my aversion to running water.”

I sincerely hope not.

Let’s not ask the absurd question of whether I could just not wash.

Of course, everyone is different, so I won’t say anything if someone chooses to wash every two days… or even stretch it to once every three days.

Wouldn’t it feel uncomfortable after a day? Body odor starts to become nauseating.

Even though I’ve become a shabby body that can’t touch running water, I couldn’t give up washing.

It wasn’t as unbearable as when I was human, but it became a basic habit.

Once it’s been over two days without washing, I start to miss the cozy feeling of warm water.

Along with the uncomfortable feeling and nauseating smell.

So what did I do?

Naturally, I found a loophole in my weakness and then utilized the greatness of modern civilization.

‘I cannot cross running water.’

The loophole in this weakness is that as long as water doesn’t touch my body, it’s fine.

It’s okay if the water flows inside my body or even just above my skin.

You might argue that the effectiveness of the weakness is greatly reduced due to the loophole, but that’s a really poor joke.

Considering how much we rely on ‘running water’ in modern times, saying that the weakness is ineffective is like chewing on grass.

“…If you lived as a vampire for just one day, you wouldn’t make such comments.”

After enjoying a half-bath as usual and spending a long time rinsing off.

I dressed lightly and started moving to the meeting place with Jaehyuk.

On the way to the meeting place.

As the summer seemed to be approaching slowly, even at a late hour, I looked up at the dark indigo sky and spoke.

“…Oh, it’s already the end of April? Why does time pass so quickly?”

“Yeah, before you know it, it’s already May. It doesn’t seem to pass this quickly last year.”

“Heh, maybe it’s because of me? How enjoyable it must have been to not realize time passing while being with me, right?”

“Nonsense, time probably passed faster because it was tiring. When you’re doing military drills, time flies, right?”

…Well, he might have felt that way.

How difficult must it have been to live accommodating a race worse than cockroaches, practically trash?

I suppressed the awkward emotions deep in my heart and playfully slapped his back firmly with a bright smile.

“Just endure for another month and a half. I heard this semester ends early.”

“…Right, only a month and a half left of cohabitation?”

“That’s right! In a month and a half, even if you want to see me, you won’t be able to. Enjoy looking at me now. When else will you ever get to see such a beauty?”

“Beauty my ass, it’s filled with muscle-bound men inside.”

As we chatted and walked as usual, we arrived at the meeting place in no time.

Standing in front of the quite expensive-looking office building, we both let out quiet admiration.

“Oh, when will we ever get to live in a place like this?”

“Well, if we combine our salaries, we might barely be able to afford the rent, don’t you think?”

“Is that so? Oh, suddenly the trust in that guest is skyrocketing? Jaehyuk, you can go back to your place now.”

“…Do you think so?”

He hesitated for a moment with a blank expression but soon decided to stay, citing ‘just in case…’

Feeling sorry for wasting his precious break time because of me, I couldn’t just send him away either.

I was in a state where I couldn’t even trust myself.

[Ding ding ding ~ Ding ding ding ~]

After an awkward conversation, when we buzzed the intercom, not long after, the connection was cut off, and an urgent voice came through the speaker.

“I-I’ll open the door right away!”

Like a child meeting Santa Claus at Christmas.

Feeling burdened, I momentarily stopped walking, but Jaehyuk pushed me forward from behind.

“It’s the path you chose. Endure it with grit and determination.”

“…It’s a choice I had to make, damn it.”

“Regardless of the reason, it’s your choice, idiot.”

Rather than offering support, he was pushing his friend onto a thorny path!

Are you really a friend for doing that?

Giving him a stern look, I glared fiercely, but he casually brushed me aside towards the spider’s den.

“Welcome, both of you! I’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

And so, we were face to face with Arachne, who had quite a menacing look.

But it wasn’t as intimidating as yesterday.

Perhaps they were concerned about yesterday’s incident, as there was a thick covering over the spider legs.

…Maybe all my worries and suspicions were unfounded.

Feeling grateful for the unexpected consideration, I decided to let go of some of my worries.

Of course, I couldn’t completely let them go. The gaze of Arachne looking at me was rather ominous.

“Nothing should be wrong.”

After swallowing hard, I entered the spider’s lair with Jaehyuk.

—–

The guest, who introduced herself as ‘Clara Choi,’ had the most unique house we had seen so far.

What should I say? It felt like the interior was tailored specifically for Arachne, right?

It hadn’t even been two months since the species mutation incident, and the fact that there was already a house with such a form was astonishing.

As I briefly looked around with a dazed expression, Arachne offered us drinks.

“I mixed plum syrup with lime soda. You must have had a tough journey, so please have this first.”

“Thank you. By the way, the house is incredibly unique, isn’t it? It feels like it was made specifically for Arachne…”

“Hehe, I hate discomfort. This is a place to rest whenever things get tough; it shouldn’t be uncomfortable, right?”

“…That’s true.”

Wasn’t it natural to endure some level of discomfort in life?

I had a moment of doubt.

Understanding beings living in a completely different world was an impossible task.

Having already experienced enough through the boss, I politely sipped the drink she handed me.

Glug glug.

“Ahh…”

A pleasant sweetness on the tongue, followed by a refreshing sensation tingling down the throat.

Thanks to that, my tension eased, and I started conversing with her more formally, expressing gratitude and delving into the conversation.

“The night won’t last long, so let’s get straight to the point. What do we need to do from now on?”

“First, let’s measure your body size. It’s a basic step for making clothes.”

Swish!

Arachne brought out a measuring tape from somewhere and immediately began taking our measurements.

Even measuring slightly embarrassing areas, she marveled at the figures after jotting them down in her notebook.

“34 – 27 – 38… No, is the waist closer to 26? I suspected before measuring, but your figure is truly unrealistic.”

“Is that so?”

“Are you asking because you really don’t know?”

“Yes.”

I’ve been so preoccupied with surviving all this time, how would I know what my body looks like?

All I know is that it’s a well-toned body that goes where it needs to go and fits where it needs to fit.

Of course, I’m well aware that this shabby body is considered attractive. If not, people wouldn’t even bother approaching me.

But that’s as far as it goes.

Size three? I just found out from Arachne.

Unrealistic body? Frankly, I didn’t care.

It became fun to dress up as my appearance changed, but as I mentioned earlier, I was too busy to enjoy it at all.

When I responded with a quizzical look, Arachne sighed, covering her face with her hands.

“Oh my goodness… Someone who doesn’t realize what a powerful weapon they possess, or rather, that vampires exist…”

With a shocked expression muttering something under her breath, she quickly recovered, mustered her resolve, and vanished somewhere.

What is she planning to do now?

I don’t feel particularly good about this, should I run away?

But without giving me time to ponder, Arachne soon reappeared before me, holding something in her arms.

As I examined the items, wondering what she had brought from the room, I found nothing but women’s clothing.

Momentarily furrowing my brows in instinctual resistance, but that too was brief, as an unfamiliar desire I had never felt before began to surge.

“Why is this happening?”

“Hehe, do you have any issues?”

“No, nothing.”

“Lies. Be honest with yourself. Don’t you want to try them on?”

“…Why?”

“Hehe, do you have any issues?”

“No, nothing.”

“Lies. Be honest with yourself. Don’t you want to try them on?”

“…Why?”

“Majesty.”

Yes, I felt that in those clothes.

Something akin to the devil’s temptation, urging me to wear them right away.

“Just wear them in the room I just came out of.”

Arachne offered me the clothes with a knowing look.

After hesitating for a moment, I eventually accepted the clothes and walked into the room as if entranced.

Just trying them on once.

Just once.