The Predator Targeting the Predator: Haruna, Mother of Two
"Wow..."
The deepest part of the jungle was truly beautiful. Like a scene straight out of a movie I'd watched back on Earth, massive ancient trees, exotic flowers, and tangled vines formed a cascading waterfall of flora. The sheer scale of it was enough to inspire a profound sense of awe.
"Well, shit..."
A beautiful view was just a view. I had been looking for the tree with orange blossoms that Eruka told me about, but while admiring the strange animals and flowers along the way, I had completely lost my bearings. One wrong turn was all it took to make me a stray in the heart of the jungle.
Rustle.
Small, squirrel-like creatures leaped and glided through the canopy above my head. Though I hadn't encountered any dangerous beasts yet, being out here without even a sword was a recipe for disaster.
"If worst comes to worst, I can always summon Undine."
The only reason I could remain so calm was because Undine was training somewhere in this very jungle. Whenever a grim thought crossed my mind, I shook my head to force it away and focus on the positive. Right, if anything happens, I'll just call Undine... I tried my best to ignore the setting sun and the growing rustle of wildlife around me. But just as I took another step, a soft laugh echoed through the trees.
"My, my. I came to see what kind of lost child we had, and look at this~ A veeeery precious little stray has wandered in~?"
I looked up toward the sound and saw a woman perched on a thick branch, smiling down at me. Wearing a beast's skull on her head and a necklace woven from fangs and claws, she slowly descended to the forest floor.
Her long, ebony hair cascaded down her back, and as she tossed it over her shoulder, a sweet scent of roses drifted through the air. Her eyes, a deep crimson like freshly spilled blood, swept over my entire body. Tracing a finger along her ample cleavage, she slowly sauntered toward me.
"Fufu... To think I'd actually get to meet the man I've heard so much about~?"
She was practically naked, her voluptuous breasts and hips swaying with every step. She turned slightly as she approached, flaunting her rear as if inviting me to take a good look. Her toned, brown body was partially covered in animal furs, her supple skin glistening as if coated in oil. It was a sight designed to stir the basest desires.
"Ah, are you..."
She looked less like a conventional witch and more like a high priestess of some primitive tribe. Flashing a wild, feral smile, Minerva gently placed a finger under my chin. She wet her plump lips with her tongue before speaking.
"It's a pleasure to meet youuu... I am Minerva~."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Casano."
"Fufu... I already know all about you from Dine, you seeee~?"
Dine. Minerva chuckled as she used the cute nickname. She slowly trailed her finger down my neck and collarbone before offering her open hand. As if possessed, I took it, and our bodies gently began to float into the air.
"I knew the moment you stepped into my jungle, but I never expected you to get lost~"
"How adorable~" she added. Her lips seemed dry, as she kept darting her red tongue out to wet them. I suppressed the lust rising from her seductive gestures, squeezed her soft hand, and asked:
"The scenery was so beautiful that I lost track of time."
"Uhuhut... Thank youuu. I'm the one who looks after this place, after allll~"
"No wonder it's so beautiful. It takes after its master."
"Uhuhut! Dine was right. You really are a pervert."
Boop. Minerva tapped the tip of my nose with her free right hand, wearing a mischievous grin. What did I even do to be called a pervert? As if reading my mind, she teased:
"I can feel it when you look at me with such lewd eyes, you knowoo...? Women are very sensitive to a man's gaze~"
I suddenly remembered how I had stared at Haruna's bursting chest yesterday, looking like I wanted to lick it clean. I hope she doesn't hold a grudge about that, I thought. As I held tightly to Minerva's hand, we slowly began to descend.
"We've arrived~ Dine is going to be so happy to see you."
The jungle from above was breathtakingly vast. Even though we flew high from the start, some branches still brushed past my ears. I gasped in admiration at the ancient trees stretching out below, the tangled vines, and the brilliantly colored birds soaring through the canopy.
"Right down here~"
As we descended, a wide clearing came into view, with a peculiar structure standing solitary in the middle. It was a house built from layers of purple and black bricks, with puffy white smoke rising from its chimney.
"It's still under construction, so it looks a bit empty, doesn't ittt~?"
"It has a mystical vibe. It's beautiful."
"Uhuhu, thank youuu... Dine~ Where are youuu~?"
Minerva cupped her hands around her mouth and called out for Undine in her lazy voice, staring into the empty clearing. The pose reminded me of an old Japanese movie. As I waited, a tear ripped open in the space beside Minerva, and Undine popped out with a soft foomp.
Standing straight with her back perfectly erect, Undine rattled off her report in a crisp, clear voice, looking exactly like a graduate student reporting to her professor. But as she finished and took her place neatly beside Minerva, she finally noticed me and jumped in shock.
Her eyes widened to the size of fists as she scanned me up and down. Her face instantly flushed a bright red, and she shrieked:
If I said, "I didn't come to see you," she would definitely get embarrassed and sulk. But if I said, "Okay, I'll go back," then the whole point of my visit would be ruined. A true dilemma. Trapped in this hellish double-bind, I parted my dry lips and spoke quietly.
"Undine..."
"Casano is here because I invited him, you knowoo... Undine, what did I always tell youuu~?"
A stiffened Undine rattled off the mantra while nervously eyeing Minerva. I was used to her being bright, childish, and playful, so seeing her frozen in fear and acting so disciplined was quite a novel sight.
"Looking at you now, it seems you were only pretending to behave when I was around~ And here I was, constantly reminding youuu."
"Didn't you say you wanted to learn things that would be useful to your master? As punishment, go to the Lake of Silence and gather some Star-bud Flowers..."
"Tsk...!"
Minerva scolded her with a sharp look, placing her hands on her hips. With a tearful face, Undine finally floated up and drifted away.
Leaving me with a quick farewell, Undine vanished in the blink of an eye. Watching her disappear, I turned back to Minerva.
"You're quite the strict teacher."
"I'm not actually that strict~ You have no idea how much she pestered me, saying she wanted to be of help to you, Casano..."
Since our contract wasn't formed through the proper channels of an official Spiritist, but was rather a custom, makeshift bond, we couldn't do what normal Spiritists could. Minerva, who kept watch over the jungle, had sensed our unusual connection and summoned Undine because of it.
"Studying her actually helped me solve a problem I've been stuck on for a very long time~ In return, I'm teaching her the basics of being a spirit."
Minerva explained that Undine, having been born as a lake spirit and living an isolated life, was different from other spirits. She assured me that once Undine learned everything, I would be able to draw upon her mana to cast magic, reinforce my body, and even summon her from anywhere.
"Thank you for your immense help. If there is anything you desire, I will gladly repay you."
"Uhuhut, I'll let you know about that later~ More importantly, you have a reason for seeking me out, don't youuu?"
Minerva probed my intentions with her slow, drawn-out voice. Despite her lazy gestures and lethargic tone, her glowing crimson eyes seemed to pierce right through me.
"I have to fight the Beastkin Chief soon."
"Since you are the Chief of the Moderate Faction, that means you'll be fighting Haruna~"
"You know her?"
"We've helped each other out a few times~ Hmm, yes. Knowing Haruna's personality, I figured you two would have clashed at least once by now?"
"Actually, she beat me like a dog yesterday."
Minerva chuckled, her hands sliding over my body in a sticky, sensual caress. Kneading my muscles with suggestive movements of her fingers, she gave a lazy smile and said:
"Haruna is the strongest beastkin in the Forest of Illusion~ It can't be helped."
"I plan to duel her for the position of Village Chief."
"Hmm... Is there a reason you, an outsider, are so attached to that title, Casanooo~?"
It was a sharp question that pierced right to the heart of the matter. I hesitated, struggling to find the words, before finally organizing my thoughts.
"It's not in my nature to just nod and agree when someone tries to force their way. And for the sake of my women, I don't want to back down so easily."
"Mmm~ I know what's going on. There are many things neither of you fully understand yet—"
Minerva gripped my shoulder with a lazy smile and pulled me closer. Guided by her touch, I slowly walked with her toward the center of the clearing.
"In fact, if you were to step aside, the three of them might be able to resolve it through dialogue~ Do you still have no intention of yielding?"
She was hinting at something hidden with a sly undertone. But I answered her confidently.
"Yes. My women gave me this position, so I must defend it with my own hands."
"Uhuhut, no wonder those girls adore you~ Defending the leader's throne is the duty of a true male."
"I want to train so that I won't be pushed back when I fight Haruna."
"Mmm~ Hold on a seconddd~"
Slide.
Her warm palm slipped under my clothes, rubbing against my abdomen. Concentrating with her tongue slightly poking out, Minerva kneaded my stomach before slowly pulling her hand back, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"To think you've accumulated this much mana when you've barely started—how surprising~"
"You can tell just by feeling?"
"Witches and mages always have a specialty~ Mine happens to be observation."
"Mmm~ At this level, perhaps a mana cultivation method... or maybe some practical applications..."
Withdrawing her hand, Minerva placed a finger on her chin and began to mutter to herself, completely lost in her own world. I stood there waiting, watching her ruby-like eyes dart around as she whispered endlessly.
"Fufut, I've found a way for you to defeat Haruna, Casanooo~"
"Really?"
After waiting for nearly an hour while she was lost in thought, she finally looked up with a bright smile. I stepped closer to her.
"To accumulate this much mana without a proper cultivation technique... both you and Dine are truly peculiar~"
A mana cultivation technique. It was a method used by proper knights and high-ranking mercenaries to accumulate mana in their bodies. For someone like me, who had spent five years scraping by in this world, such a thing was as distant as the stars in the sky.
"I just started feeling it without realizing..."
A mage I had run with during my mercenary days had pointed out that I had a tiny speck of mana in my body, but I had never used it for anything other than when I was taking Undine. To think it had been steadily growing without my knowledge...
"I will teach you the principles of cultivation and how to circulate your mana~ I trust you'll handle the actual fighting yourself, Casano."
"Just teaching me that is more than enough. I want to repay you somehow..."
"Uhuhut, I'll collect my reward once everything is settled~ For now, let's train every day until the eve of your duel."
"Understood."
I steeled my resolve and looked at Minerva. I had to seize this opportunity; who knew when a chance like this would come again?
"So, when is the duel~?"
"We haven't set a date yet."
"Pardon~?"
Minerva's lazy eyes widened in an instant.
"What do you mean by thattt~?"
"I figured Haruna would eventually challenge me to a duel, so I wanted to learn beforehand."
"But you said nothing is set~ You're telling me you're preparing for a fight that hasn't even been declared yet?"
"I suppose so."
Minerva's eyes narrowed. She gave me a look of utter disbelief, and a long sigh escaped her plump lips.
"I'll have to make sure you pay me back handsomely for thisss..."
Sighing, Minerva spun around. Her voluptuous rear swayed enticingly with every step she took, leaving me staring blankly at her retreating figure.
"Follow meee~ Today, we start with the theory."
Without looking back, Minerva led the way into her house. I followed her inside, stealing glances at her firm, brown skin. Her ears were flushed a deep red, and she didn't utter another word until we were both safely indoors.