Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Chapter 3 - Possession
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I was dragged through the gloomy forest, bound tightly in spider silk, my body scraping against the ground. Every so often, I would hit a rock or a root, and a new bruise would bloom.
“Ugh…!”
Arachne, the youngest spider, showed no concern for my well-being. If anything, she seemed to be deliberately dragging me more roughly.
Her mind must have been a whirlwind of emotions, unlike any she had ever experienced.
The little spider, who had enjoyed the affection of her sisters, was now alone. All three of her sisters were dead.
She had captured two males to avenge them, but one of them turned out to be her father.
Father…
Four meters above the ground, nestled among the branches,
Was Arachne’s nest, built with her sisters.
It wasn't a typical structure. Large, round shapes replaced the usual twigs and leaves…
Each one was a spider’s dwelling. Arachne’s nest, having been shared with her sisters, was particularly large, spanning four branches.
“…”
Now, only she and I remained.
Even Amy was gone.
The spiders had confiscated all of our belongings, storing them in some unknown location.
Only Arachne and I remained in the empty nest, our breaths unsteady.
I studied the nest’s interior. Like the webbing that had sealed the cave entrance, the silk that formed the nest’s walls seemed incredibly strong and resilient.
Breaking through it was impossible.
The only way out was through the small opening Arachne had used to enter.
But even if I escaped the nest, I would still be trapped within the spiders’ territory, a vast network of webs.
There was no escape.
“Did you hear?”
Arachne’s sudden question startled me.
And angering her, while bound and helpless, would be incredibly foolish.
“…Yes, I heard.”
“That lavender-skinned male is my father.”
I responded politely,
Careful not to offend her.
My limbs were stretched taut, pinned to the webbed floor, but I focused on maintaining the conversation.
I had to establish some sort of rapport. If things continued like this, I would die. A less painful death would be preferable. Or perhaps, begging for death would be the best option…
“I don’t know how you’ll take this, but…”
I forced myself to speak, my mouth dry, my mind racing.
This was as bad as it could get. Passivity wouldn't solve anything. Being melted alive or having my eyes gouged out seemed like the default outcome.
Accepting this actually calmed me down somewhat.
Arachne was confused, unsure how to process her emotions, how to behave in this situation.
“I think you should talk to your father. You won’t find answers by dwelling on it alone…”
I spoke, even though it terrified me. My mouth was parched, but I had to finish what I started.
“…”
Arachne stared at me, her mouth slightly open. Her red-rimmed eyes were unsettling.
“What do you know?”
A predictable response.
To Arachne, I was one of the monsters who had killed her sisters.
But one of those monsters was now her father,
So I was the only one left.
“I should gag you too.”
“Wait…! Let’s think about this. I-I couldn’t have seduced your father and convinced him to kill your sisters. How could I possibly orchestrate such a plan from inside that cave?!”
As she crawled towards me, spinning a silken rope, I desperately pleaded my innocence.
“Just l-listen to me… listen to what I have to say… Wouldn’t it be better to understand what happened? Wouldn't that bring you some peace of mind?”
Don't be afraid.
Hide your fear.
Use the information you have.
“This is about your father and your sisters…”
“…”
Even if she considered it,
My role in her sisters' deaths was insignificant.
Now, with her rage and hatred momentarily redirected,
This was the perfect opportunity to calmly explain the situation.
“Fine.”
Her gaze was cold and sharp,
Like she was looking at an animal, something beneath her…
“I have plenty of time. I’ll listen to your story.”
She was filled with questions and a sense of betrayal towards her father.
“…He entered the cave. Carrying a strange-looking knife and a bomb the size of my fist.”
Arachne listened, her sharp fingernails tapping against my chest.
My heart pounded with fear, but the touch of her claws seemed to slow its frantic rhythm.
“He went inside and destroyed the eggs. P-perhaps… that was his original intention. But your second sister arrived before he could destroy them all.”
Arachne stared at me, her red eyes cold and dark.
“He hid me, then waited for your second sister to enter, and then… he attacked her… and cut off her head.”
I had to tell the truth. Embellishing the story wouldn't help.
I had to redirect her attention towards [him].
This wasn't betrayal. I was simply buying time for both of us.
“Then, he planted a bomb inside the cave. He must have anticipated that the others would come to check on your second sister. He set the trap, then grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the cave…”
“…”
Arachne’s expression darkened. Confusion and tears filled her eyes.
In this moment,
My position shifted slightly.
I was no longer just a captive,
But a witness.
“…Th-then, when everyone entered the cave, he detonated the bomb. And after that, as you know, he attacked the youngest spider with his knife, but he was bitten and paralyzed…”
Arachne wiped away her tears. Her grief for her sisters was evident in her tear-streaked face.
“That’s impossible…”
And at the same time,
The image she had held of her father shattered.
“Sigh…”
Perhaps she had dreamed of meeting him. But their reunion had become a tragedy.
“Right...you couldn’t have killed my sisters. My father killed them.”
I had survived. She believed me.
Yes, survival was paramount.
I would find a way to help [him] escape later. For now, I had to survive, no matter the cost-
“Huh?”
…Survive.
Why was she biting me?
“It’s fine. I’ll ask Father why he did it when I get the chance.”
She licked her lips. She had bitten my shoulder and collarbone, injecting something into my bloodstream.
“W-wait, wh-what… wait…”
“That’s a separate issue. We still have business to attend to.”
I was confused, but I understood.
She wanted to take out her frustration on me. But she wouldn't mutilate me. I hadn't done anything.
“W-what is this? What did you do?”
But my body felt strange. The liquid Arachne had injected was causing a noticeable change.
At first, I was simply confused and anxious,
But then…
“Ugh…!”
A wave of heat washed over me. I broke out in a cold sweat. My vision blurred, and I felt dizzy…
“Ugh! Wait…!”
The sensation intensified. My senses heightened, becoming incredibly acute. My body trembled uncontrollably.
Arachne wrapped a strand of spider silk around my neck and pulled.
“Cough- gasp-”
“Just cry. Don’t ask questions.”
Tears streamed down both our faces.
Blood rushed to my head, making me dizzy.
“I’m the only one who’s sad. Who are you? Why are you still alive, looking at me like that?”
She didn't hate me enough to kill me,
But she didn't care enough to spare me.
“Cry for my sisters, for my father, for my mother…! Cry so they can all hear you! You’re my possession now, aren’t you? It wouldn’t make sense if I was sad and you weren’t, right? Right!?”
The last link to her sisters,
Her father’s acquaintance,
A new male…
I wouldn't die.
Arachne couldn't kill me.
“So…! Cry! Scream!”
But,
Being injected with a venom that heightened my senses, then being choked,
“Gasp- wheeze…!”
Was too much for my human body to bear.