2 Chapter 1: I finally set out and met an ice-cold prince

I woke up by the sound of a rooster's morning crow.

"Ahhhhh. Munya, munya. What time is it?"

Inside the room, a big ball of cotton is faintly glowing, lighted by the morning sunlight coming from a window nearby.

The fluffy cotton briefly wiggles and my head pops out.

It should have been nice if that's what happened.

When I said "the sound of a rooster's morning crow", it resembles those that I've heard before but that one just now should have been a huge ass-hell-of-a rooster, or should I even call it that?

It was too deep and loud that my house made out of earth violently vibrated and some dust fell on my sleeping face.

That's what woke me up.

I wipe the specks of dust off my face and spit out the ones that entered my mouth.

My eyes are half-closed and my face is moist and smooth, free from yesterday's bruises.

I got a new skill, "Regeneration" after muttering some stuff before sleeping.

Actually, I decided last night to "research" all the isekai skills that I know as much as possible, so my status screen is filled with "researching" and "new" right now.

It was a very satisfying thought that I will get stronger overnight.

Altho, it's very annoying when I kept waking up in the middle of the night from the "completion announcement"

Is there some way to mute this thing?

I also worry about how to keep tabs on all these skills from now on.

I blink a couple of times and rub my eyes before my consciousness fully awakened.

Ah, sleeping in big cotton and getting wrapped from head to toe might be a pleasure only I can experience.

I crawled out of the cotton ball and move to another room that has a sink.

I then use "water magic" to produce a water ball and soak my face in it while it's floating.

"Okay, today I will start my first goal and set out to find a village. It's time for some adventure!"

Truthfully, I'm still a bit bothered by the whole thing that happened to me.

About Scarlet Dripping, a witch and seem to have a deep connection with the demons.

She loved one after all. She also seems to have become their mage or something.

Wait, did she got loved back?

Speaking of demons, it's "that" right?

Humanoid creatures, that have cute horns and tails?

A lot of isekai mangas depict them like that these days after all.

Or is it the truly grotesque monsters that only think about bringing humanity to hell?

"Just why the hell did she summoned me? Did some error happen? But the look on her face yesterday while calling me "My Lord" and acting all familiar with, looked so sure! I also have that bothersome "returnee" title which seems to be connected. Do I have some connection to the "lord" Scarlet Dripping was calling out yesterday?"

I'm scared to get to the bottom of it but I'm a bit curious after all.

But, thinking about these things right at this moment is completely useless.

Plus, I already vowed to myself yesterday not to bother thinking about deep and disturbing thoughts.

But maybe I could also get some leads along the way later on. We never know.

I still have a lot of adventures ahead of me after all.

"So I should head out and venture my fate in this world as soon as possible! I will go find a village and if it's possible, settle there for a while"

Honestly, I also want some salt and pepper on my meat.

"Open status"

Skimming my status till the bottom, I nod.

"Umn! Everything looks broken!"

The new skills look strong and useful.

The new words in the magic section also now include some dark-sounding ones.

But scrolling through all that seems endless and very tiring.

I wonder I should be glad or troubled about it?

I walk out of the earth house and look up and down.

I actually thought of its design as very minimalistic and modern so I'm going to imprint it in my "photographic memory"

I could probably use the same design or improve it when I settle down later on.

I then ready myself to finally start my adventure out in the world.

As for the house, there's no reason to keep it standing here so I returned it to the ground.

After that, I was also about to take down the plant and earth wall before remembering something.

"Wait, altho I don't want to do it, but as expected, I can't leave the body of Scarlet Dripping like that"

I left it as it is yesterday and even sealed the entrance of the underground base since I'm scared, but thinking about it now, I won't be able to settle my mind after leaving it there lying on the ground rotting while I go around adventuring.

It would definitely keep bugging my conscience.

At least, I should make a proper burial for Scarlet Dripping as respect, and thanks for summoning me in this isekai.

I reopen the entrance of the underground base and started descending the stairs.

After arriving at the bottom, I bow, thanking this place as I was saved when I fell here after getting attacked by the Boul boars yesterday.

I then started casting light magic and summoned four "light orbs".

The pitch-ball-sized glowing orbs then positioned themselves around me.

Two in front and two at the back, and are floating a few centimeters below the ceiling.

It lighted up the previously dim corridor and it is the first time I'm finally able to see the creepy paintings on the wall.

Bloody-colored writings, which resemble the same things I saw yesterday on the floor where I was summoned, fill my sight from left and right.

They are very creepy as they are drawn very crudely and are dripping all over the place.

I also noticed some things that might be flesh stuck on them, which crept me to a whole new level.

"A-are these made from human flesh and blood? I-it can't be, right?"

It must be some animals that unfortunately got used as a blood sacrifice right?

"Oh, would you look at that! A human eye and that is a human thumb, right? Bluergheee..."

Now I'm regretting coming back here.

"Urrghb"

I try to swallow the sour thing that's welling on my throat.

I can't believe I was stuck on these walls while trying to find my way out yesterday.

"Now that I think of it, I also felt something wet and gooey yesterday"

My face turned blue while thinking about that.

But then, I notice that there is no bad smell contrary to its looks at all.

In exchange, there's a faint medicinal scent that seems to have been used to mask what will become a death smell later on.

Well, that must be a must considering this place is underground.

Smelling that plus the already dry and thin air will surely kill anyone.

I slowly make my way to the room as I remember yesterday while making sure not to touch the walls.

"Oops, wrong room... Humn?"

After thinking that I arrived, I found myself reflected on a full-sized mirror right when I opened a door.

"...?"

I move closer to get a clear look at myself while my face has visible signs of shock.

In front of me, a young man with a petite body, perfectly V-shaped jaws, slim nose, big round eyes that were adorned by a pair of slightly thick eyebrows, and attractive plump, pinkish lips is looking back at me.

Yes, that's how I look like.

I always get mistaken as a pretty girl wherever I go back home.

Altho I would prefer to be called "handsome" and did a little skincare to look as "manly" as possible, but my skin still stays fair and flawless.

Which is troublesome for me since I always want to hide my feminine aura.

Nothing seems to work tho, since both boys and girls swoon over me, calling me adorable and pretty.

It's not that I totally hate being "pretty", it's just that, I have a secret that I want to keep.

I'm still not ready to say it after all...

But enough about that. That's not what shocks me right now.

It is actually by the fact that my eyes and hair look different now!

My hair looks white as snow and my eyes are colored in vibrant red.

"A bunny?"

I mutter so as I recall the white bunny I kept as a child.

Altho my eyebrows are still black but it never looked odd at all. It even made my eyes more defined and stand out.

This is quite a shock!

I was originally a normal black-haired, dark-brown-eyed Asian before.

Now I look two times more feminine!

I then remember those pretty boys with vibrant colored hairs in K-pop

"What happened to my hair and eyes?!"

I pulled my face closer to the mirror.

"...huh?...wha?...heeee?!..."

It took a while for me to accept my new appearance.

"..."

But then again, my goal in coming here is to make Scarlet Dripping a proper burial instead of pulling my hair or gouging my eyes out.

I then slowly take a walk outside the room while still taking some glances at the reflection of myself in the mirror.

A little later, I then entered the correct room where Scarlet Dripping's corpse is lying, which is right next door.

Thankfully, there are still no maggots or flies and the smell is still bearable.

I then reach out my hands in my pockets and took out a handful of grass that I prepared beforehand.

I focus for a bit and my eyes started gleaming in green color.

The grasses wiggle stretched, and slowly wrapped the body of Scarlet.

I securely wrapped her whole body with a few centimeters thick of grass covering every nook and cranny.

"Hooof..."

I breathe the tension out of my body and pick up the corpse.

With this thick wrapping, the smell is now completely blocked from entering my nose.

"It's lighter than I thought... She was practically skin and bones after all"

I then easily found my way outside and cracked open the ground beside the hill using "earth magic".

I put Scarlet Dripping's body in there before closing it.

I harden and elevated some earth to make a burial vault.

I'm hesitant to put a cross on it since there might be no such practice like that here, so I decided to just carve flowers and vines all over it.

I also put her name on the cleared space on the top of the Burial Vault.

Bellow the feet, I put a small table and set up some Boul boar meat as an offering.

"Wait, do these letters even exist here?"

I mutter while looking at the engraved name of Scarlet Dripping.

"L-let me cover it up with some flowers"

I was a bit hesitant but then decided so.

"Done... This should make her soul at peace..."

I once again pray my thanks to Scarlet dripping for summoning me here.

After all that, I finally started leaving outside.

I also decided to keep the walls to protect the grave while only leaving a small entrance.

I put on a wooden door while I'm at it.

Honestly, I don't want to leave some traces here but I still did it to my satisfaction.

Scarlet's corpse might hunt me considering her being "demonized" after all.

I made sure to lock the door properly from the outside.

"That won't really happen right?"

After convincing myself with few excuses like "I already buried it pretty deep" and "I even made a proper burial" I was finally able to let loose of my locked eyes away from the door.

I look at the dense trees behind me.

"Open status. Great! I finally obtained the "presence sensing" and "erase presence" skills!"

I activated the two skills and started walking when I detected no threats nearby.

I trot into the woods with a bag on my back that is filled with camping necessities that I got from the underground base earlier.

I'm also holding the knife I used to prepare the Boul boars for safety and satisfying reasons.

The sun is high up in the sky but it's still cool because of the thick trees.

It's just that, the woods is awfully quiet and creepy.

I stumbled on some creatures but they were very cautious and are hiding.

I then perchance stumbled upon a horned squirrel that got separated from its friends as they were climbing up a tree suddenly get eaten by a snake-like plant.

"That's maybe why it's so quiet here. Making yourself exposed and you'll be eaten!"

Well, I'm fine because I have an "erase presence" skill which literally means my presence is completely erased.

I continue my walk while imagining things.

"....."

A few days later...

I finally realized that setting out without any proper direction is a freakin' bad idea!

I'm currently up on a tree while resting.

"Arrrrgh! I have been seeing nothing but trees! trees there, here, everywhere! This is not good. I will climb that mountain as my goal for the time being!"

I pointed at a random pointy mountain while setting it as my goal.

It then took me a whole week to get near, where I can see the base of that said mountain.

Altho I never experience that much threat and also had no discomfort resting, I was very impatient and bored the whole time!

On the good side, my hunting and cooking skills improved quite a bit. I also keep improving in setting a house.

But I still eat meat without any seasonings.

"Haaah, how I miss the

food back on earth"

I reminisce those times while looking at a distance.

I also learned a few things while traveling.

Altho, it was a bit late when I got to say "Wow, there were two moons?!" Since I sleep very comfortably inside a house all this while.

I also realized that there are a lot of fruits that resemble the ones that I know back home.

I tried eating quite a lot of them thanks to the assurance once I obtained "poison immunity"

The same goes for the animals.

They are practically the same. Just that, they have horns, different colors, or bigger compared to the ones back home.

Some have some extra body parts or some were even glowing, but if you disregard those, you can still recognize them as somewhat familiar.

Well, I also encountered some things I consider "monsters"

Like the green-skinned-ugly humanoid beings that resemble a "goblin", I usually see in isekai stories.

Something like an orc holding a club, slimes that are very common, while there are also some unknown grotesque-looking moving things.

Also, I once spotted a dragon-like flying creature from a distance which sparked my fantasy fanatic heart.

But other than hunting and eating some familiar-looking animals, I never touched any of them or anything like that.

There was no need for a "level up system" after all.

Usually, isekai heroines have to defeat monsters and level up to get skills but that doesn't apply to me since I keep obtaining new abilities even without moving one bit.

That was quite a letdown and I felt a bit lacking in my new isekai life.

But this is my reality after all! Convenient things are convenient! And having a convenient and comfortable life is good!

Well, It actually made me very glad since I'm quite an animal lover way back then.

All's good! life is perfectly peaceful!

Sigh, even I, myself gets puzzled by my complicated feelings.

"..."

As for my entertainment, I keep trying to "research" or "create" isekai skills this whole time.

Now I get tired and stop halfway while scrolling my status screen.

And the "announcement" is seriously getting annoying.

I keep getting lost in my dreamland while ascending the mountain.

I set up a "house" every now and then whenever I get tired, eating, or when the night covered the sky.

It was a bit steep but I'm already very good at earth magic this time.

I keep using earth magic to stabilize the earth and create a footing while walking, and also flatten it wide enough to setup a house.

"Finally..."

Before I know it, I arrived at the tip of the mountain.

"Grrgrr...c-cold..."

It is actually very cold and unexpectedly spacious.

Spacious enough to set up a big house.

"I decided. Let me rest here for a bit!"

The view here is just breathtaking.

The whole scenery just screams "isekai"

Looking around, there are no tall buildings or any man-made structure that's usually seen on earth.

That actually gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my heart, but just seeing this pure nature buried that with a relaxing and a new pleasant feeling.

"Sigh, If only I could take a picture of this"

[Image imprinting researching...]

I was lost in a daze but this announcement woke me up.

I then struggled to scroll the status screen before seeing how much time it will take to research.

"Well, I want the image or scene that I memorized through "Photographic memory" to be able to be imprinted on some paper... or anything at all!"

[Creation successful. "Image imprinting" obtained]

I now have grasped "research and creation" so you can often see me like this.

But why the hell did I have to scroll again? I could have just explained it and get the skill right away!?

"...whatever..."

I then decided to imprint this amazing scene in my house once I settle down.

"A nice fire magic could do something about this cold..."

Using fire magic I conjured six floating fires that are slightly bigger than candle light around me.

I sit on a chair made out of wood and soft pieces of cotton that I made using "plant manipulation" right outside my house and bask in the scenery until I witness the amazing sight of the sun setting behind the horizon.

The surroundings turned warm-orange as they reflected the color of the sun.

"Humn? What's that? A manmade structure?"

Because of the angle of the sunlight hitting the ground quite low, it created a big shadow when it hit the... what I think a castle?!

"Wow! And here I am starting to worry that there might already no longer be any civilization around! I started imagining the worst thought that Scarlet Dripping must have summoned me from longing a fellow intelligent creature after surviving the apocalypse alone! I mean... All I've been seeing were trees after all... Thankfully, that seems to be wrong!"

As the sun is getting lower and lower over the horizon, some other shadows of manmade structures got revealed.

"Wow, I can't wait to enter a town and possibly see some "isekai" races. I could also try to become an "adventurer" if that occupation actually exists..."

I then started imagining things while thinking about the adventures of the isekai heroines.

It's just that, I got further away from the closest town instead when I decided to head this mountain.

It was actually pretty close to Scarlet dripping's base if only I headed westwards.

"W-what a mistake... Who am I to blame now?..."

Well, I won't cry over a spilled milk.

Not anymore, now that I successfully obtained the "space-time" magic while ascending this mountain.

I can now teleport somewhere my eyes can see, or take in and take out things on a special space I created that I call "item box"

I can just teleport there if I want to right now since I can see it.

But...I'm not that excited about going there right now, especially since I'm very tired and the surroundings finally turned dark.

"Based on my isekai knowledge, going inside a town should be pretty troublesome, with guards asking for an "ID" and all. I also don't have any currency with me to rent a room at the moment..."

So I decided to go there after sleeping the night here.

It started getting very cold after the sunset so I head inside.

I ate some fruits and a "chicken" meat I hunted earlier.

I said chicken but it has two heads which were very entertaining after I stumble upon them while fighting over a portion of food.

I took a warm bath and after that, entered the big ball of cotton that I have already gotten used to sleeping in.

"Haaaaay, yet another peaceful day ended. I should prepare to set out in the town and brace myself to meet the locals. Wait, will I be able to understand their language at all? Please give me a skill that lets me speak with the locals' miss "Creation..."

[Creation successful. Language comprehension obtained]

"Comprehension? It might make me be able to understand them but will it make me be able to communicate with them? I wish to actually communicate with the locals as soon as I meet them tho..."

Is there no "local civilization language speaking" skill or something you can give me? I thought.

[Creation successful. Telepathic communication obtained]

"Grrrr. You don't get me at all! I already pointlessly fought with you like this before! I wish you could somehow get some human intelligence and understand me even for a bit at all!"

It must be because of the lack of communication with other intelligent beings or some other reasons but a fit of anger started to boil and I said that while screaming at the announcement lady.

[Insufficient mana. Voice of the world researching....]

"You did not get it in the end.... Whatever! I'm gonna sleep now! Goodnight miss announcement!"

[...]

"Grrr. I wish to get some sort of reply you know?! I feel like going crazy not being able to communicate with anyone after being transported here! Instead, I always receive this monotonous woman's voice! Whatever! I will be able to talk to someone after arriving at some town tomorrow! I'mma sleep now! Good night "Siri"... Well, I wish you at the very least, turn into someone like Siri who can reply about this kind of thing at all!"

I huffed after pointlessly getting angry at the announcement voice.

[Artificial intelligent companion researching...]

"Whatever! I don't wanna hear you anymore!"

I blurted out before sleeping.

"..."

The night sky turned dark to its peak as the sun hides on the opposite side of the world.

Two full moons, one that is glowing in yellow and one that is blue that has a ring are lighting up the pitiful ground below.

Beside them, a slant galaxy and countless blinking stars filled the sky.

If someone were to look at it, they would get entranced by its beauty.

But not this one.

A humanoid figure is standing still covered in the darkness.

Its eyes are gleaming in green and eerie color.

The two moons in the night sky could be reflected on its pupils but its focus is somewhere else below it.

Its eyebrows knitted.

"Hisss!"

Suddenly, a giant black snake came out of nowhere and decided to attack the humanoid figure from behind.

A pair of something on top of the humanoid figure instantly flinched.

The humanoid figure showed no big reaction after the snake suddenly created a loud hissing sound and a bang on the ground when it jumped its upper body, so the snake saw this opportunity and open its wide mouth that could definitely swallow the whole humanoid figure down in one go.

Slash! Before it could come in contact with the humanoid figure, five straight lines instantly glisten when the moonlight reflected something shiny and fast.

No sound came from the giant snake before its head keeps flying in pieces.

Then, the humanoid figure slowly returned its hands behind its back.

It seems like the humanoid figure was the one who did that to the giant snake, but nothing that much reaction came from him.

Except that, he was already facing the direction the snake was sneak attacking him.

"Thud!"

The snake's lower body lifelessly falls on the ground, making a big thud.

Blood keeps seeping from the snake's remains.

Behind the humanoid figure, a shiny black tail is swaying left and right while being reflected by the moonlight.

The humanoid figure then slowly returned to his previous position as if nothing happened at all.

His physic looks slim. But it also looks fit and strong as he's standing in a firm manner.

As his face looks up at the peak of a mountain, the moonlight slowly reveals a pair of cat-like-black ears on top of his head.

Then his glowing flawless skin reflected his facial features.

Slant, cat-like emerald eyes. His sharp, slim nose got more obvious from the shadow the moonlight created, chiseled jawline and plump lips that are slightly glistening, reflecting a bit of moonlight.

Overall, his face is perfect and good-looking, albeit cold and emotionless.

"It's true what the others said they saw at our lookout spot... Did humans finally started their stupid games once again?"

Once someone hears his voice, they would be left on tenterhooks.

It is deep and beautiful albeit cold and indifferent.

"..."

His eyes shone for a bit before his figure disappeared, so fast that it left an afterimage.

This cue the faithful meeting of our heroin with his soulmate.

But there's no way he would know this as he's currently sleeping soundly inside a ball of cotton.

"Snooore"

On top of a pointy-looking mountain, a two-story house blocked the early sunlight.

The fogs surrounding it reflected the sun's warm color and created picturesque scenery.

Behind the house, the horizon is filled with almost nothing but green, along with the blinking sparkles when the sunlight reflected water particles on the leaves.

It made the house feel aesthetic whilst lonesome.

In one of the rooms on its second floor, a ball of cotton rhythmically inflates and deflates while a faint sound of breathing is coming from within.

"..."

[I believe you better wake up now or you will engage in combat while looking like "that"]

"Uuuummmn. Munya, munya... What's that?"

I suddenly heard the familiar voice of the "announcement" lady saying something.

I feel like I'm still dreaming while hearing its previous monotone somehow, suddenly got filled with intelligence and a shocking sarcasm.

Now that my sleepy conciseness got shaken, I finally realize that my closed eyelids are somewhat bright.

It seems like it's already morning.

I slowly open them and struggle for a bit because I keep loving the feeling of the soft cotton wrapping my body.

"..."

But I just can't shake the bad feeling from what I heard just now.

[A strong presence is slowly advancing at your location. It doesn't seem hostile just yet, but would you like me to dispose of it for you? If not, there's a very high chance you will engage in battle after three and a half minutes]

"Ummm.... Who're ya?..."

I just feel a bit tipsy from the comfortable feeling and my head is still floating, but something keeps telling me that I'm currently in possible trouble.

[I am "Artificial intelligence companion" that you obtained exactly two minutes and eighteen seconds ago]

"Umm, not announcement lady?"

[Not quite. I'm somewhat an upgraded version. As you wish, I can now converse and also assist on troublesome kinds of stuff for you]

"W-wow... I'm like t*ny st*rk now?!"

[I'm not sure what you mean, but you should wakeup from daydreaming now. To confirm. Would you like me to dispose of the incoming presence?]

As it said that, I finally notice my "presence detection" that keeps bugging me the whole time.

I'm not accustomed to it and almost did not noticed since I've never had an experience of this strong of a presence coming this close to my house before.

"W-what's that?! So strong!"

[I traced its location using "presence detection" and used "appraisal" on it. It's a Pantherian. A beastman with panther traits. Their strong points are their night sneaking ability and speed. But this one seems on another level. His physical strength alone easily surpassed someone who used strengthening magic. He has a bunch of "skills" that increased his speed, strength, reaction and can also use a bit of magic. I suggest you let me do some remote magic and dispose of it right now]

Ah... This thing is amazing. It can give so much info and act accordingly without even being asked to.

But it keeps suggesting some dangerous things. What do you mean by "dispose of"?

"It's the first intelligent being that I encounter after all this time. Stop telling me to dispose of it! I wanna talk in peace with them. I must have unknowingly trespassed their territory or something like that you know?"

[Then, I suggest you use "transformation" and turn into a pantherian right now]

"W-whay is that?"

[There's a chance that the other party will warm up after finding their kind than seeing a different one]

"That's reasonable"

[Although that would only work for an instant for the other party posses a lie-detecting skill. I suggest you refrain from talking so much]

"What's this? I was really looking forward to communicating with a local and you're saying I better not talk or something? Sigh..."

I sigh my defeat. All she's saying should be the truth.

I then activated the "transformation" skill that I almost forgot since I did not have any chance to necessarily use it till now.

"Humnn... A pantherian... Based on g**gl*, Panthers are types of wild cats that inhabit America, Asia, and Africa. ... How do they look again?... looks like a leopard without dots?... They should have black fur and emerald eyes... Right?

I keep murmuring my basic knowledge about the word " pantherian" while imagine myself growing panther ears and tails and the mana slowly wrapped my body.

Altho I closed my eyes, I can feel the glow I'm emitting.

I feel my ears slowly extending above my head and a tail uncomfortably creeping down inside my underwear.

It started to feel very weird so I unbutton my pant, zipped them open, and lowered them along with my underwear to reveal my bare buttocks.

From my tale bone, a fluffy tail slowly grows longer and longer.

I feel the light receding as my "transformation" finally completed.

And then I noticed something.

"This is insane! am I gonna meet a person with my ass exposed? I'm so stupid, I should have just cut a hole at it before it grows longer. Hey, I still have time right?"

[I suggest you also take care of that morning crusting on your eyes and that saliva dripping on your chin]

"What?!"

I hurriedly wipe my face with the cotton beside me.

Her usual monotone just now ticked me off a lot.

[The other party is outside and is standing motionless. It must be very cautious]

"O-okay!"

I took off my pants and underwear, used "fire magic" to burn holes that's enough for my tails to pass through, and hurriedly wear them again.

I struggled to pull my tails for a bit when the furs got stuck on the fabric.

I comb my hair using my fingers and fluffed my clothes before descending downstairs.

I brace myself before the first floor's door when I felt an intimidating aura behind it.

[I will activate the necessary skills for you if something were to happen]

"T-thank you..."

My slightly sweating hands slowly reach the door's handle and unlocked it.

I open the door and gingerly poke my head out.

The spectacle that entered my eyesight right after is something shocking and dazzlingly beautiful.

The first thing that I noticed is the black pair of cat-like ears on top of his head.

A man with facial features that I can only describe as "perfect" looks at me motionlessly.

My heart started pumping harder for some reason.

It beat so loud that I can feel my cloth thumping while my face unconsciously stays in agape.

I spaced out while staring at the man's handsome face.

"..."

We started a staring contest and when I finally got conscious of it, I started slowly feeling awkward.

"..."

"Umm..."

I can't think of anything but smile at him trying to emit a harmless aura.

"..."

He just looks at my eyes, then, upon my hair and the pair of ears on top of my head.

He shows no visible reaction as his face stayed on the same uninterested expression.

He looks quite bored with his slant eyes staring at my face.

"..."

Argh, so cold!

I was in tenterhooks while waiting for him to say something.

"..."

I can't read any feelings from him at all.

He's a few inches taller than me so my eyes are starting to get tired while looking at his face.

He then somehow lost his interest in me and look up and down at my house.

"..."

"Umm..."

I need to break the ice if possible...

I ready to open my mouth and say some greetings before he interrupted by looking back at me and let out his cold voice.

"U-umm..."

"What did you do to my tribe's lookout spot?"

His emerald slant eyes paired with ice-cold voice tingled my spine with a shiver.

I then stutter while trying to apologize.

"I-I'm very sorry, I did not know that this place was something important to you and audaciously set up a camp. Don't worry, I will take this down this instant! I did not mean any harm..."

I plead with my eyes slightly moist and my back getting smaller as he looks down at me.

"Camp..."

He then looks up and down at my house again.

There are still no changes in his facial expression which puzzled me as to what he's currently thinking.

"What kind of creature are you?"

"A-I'm a pantherian too like you! I'm very sorry okay, please let me off the hook this one time"

"Lies!"

[It seems like you have forgotten about the warning I did earlier. This person has a lie-detecting skill so the moment you claim yourself as a pantherian triggered his hostile action. Let me activate "unparalleled reaction speed" for you to avoid instant death]

The man in front of me instantly shook and before I know it, his "claws" are already above my head.

While hearing the announcement lady, the man's claws suddenly looked comparably slower so I was able to instinctively shift to the side and avoided it.

A sound of something smashing then came after as the man's claw gouge out the floor!

"W-wait! Stop! Can't we just talk this out?!"

"You avoided my attack..."

This time, I can somehow feel that his expressionless face got quite a shock but then, his gaze turned more serious, and started attacking continuously trying to land his claws anywhere on my body.

"Hah!"

I keep dodging on a hair's breadth and keep hearing smashing and banging sounds.

He keeps slashing nonstop and destroyed the floors, while I keep stepping back.

While dodging the chain slash, I slightly noticed his body shifting for another angle so I readied myself for an incoming different attack.

He kicks the ground and suddenly flipped his body upsidedown.

Before I know it, his foot is already coming from above.

I then hurriedly block it with my arms, but then I received an impact on my left side and got thrown outside while smashing the wall.

"Ghaaa?!"

He did a backflip and attacked me with his right claw at the same time.

[I activated a skill, called "protective barrier", before being in contact with his claw]

"Thanks..."

If not for the announcement lady's help my flesh could have been gouged out just now.

Some wall debris fell near the hole that I tore and a cloud of thick dust blocked the visibility inside.

"He's so fast..."

A sweat fell on my forehead when I saw his figure slowly getting revealed inside the hole.

"..."

He looks at me with his brows knitted.

His hands are now behind his back and his tail swaying left and right.

"I'm sorry I lied! But I honestly don't mean any harm... Please stop before anyone gets hurt!"

I yelled at him but he just looks at me coldly while walking outside the hole.

"P-please, I don't want to hurt you! I promise I will never do it again! Please let me off the hook just this once! I-"

"You... you did not even use your true strength and brushed off all my attacks. If you're not a pantherian... what are you?"

It seems as if he did not hear my pleads and coldly started questioning me.

"...ah?"

No good, lying will only do a backlash.

He keeps staring at me as if discerning my origin.

"..."

"I-I'm a human! I'm sorry I disguised! Honestly, I already sensed you earlier and decided to do that so I could lower your guard. But please don't misunderstand, I don't really mean any harm!"

[So you did everything by yourself huh?]

I heard announcement lady in the background but I just buried it.

"Honestly, I've been longing to talk with a person all this while! All I keep seeing are trees and beasts so I even looked forward to talking with you! But then, you did not even let me explain myself and started attacking! I was also just about to leave even without anyone telling me to!"

I blurted out towards the ice-prince while knitting my eyebrows and glare at him.

He went silent for a while then I felt him lowering his guard for a bit.

"It seems like you're telling the truth..."

He muttered something in a low voice that I almost did not pick up and he started wondering for a bit.

Just when I was thinking that he might let me off the hook, he suddenly glares back at me that caused me to flinch.

"What kind of business for a human like you to come here? How did you find this place?"

"Ahhh...About that... To tell you the truth, I'm hopelessly ignorant of this world. When I came to be, I was in the middle of nowhere. I then decided to set out and find human settlement but somehow got lost. I honestly just climb the mountain out of the whim. But if you let me off the hook, I will bring everything back to normal of this place and head out to a human town that we can see from here..."

"..."

I actually expected him to let me go now that he let me explain myself.

Contrary to my expectations, he let out his cold aura and started talking colder than ever.

"I see that you're telling nothing but the truth. But I can't let you go unless you step over my body..."

His face is still emotionless while saying that and made him, even more, intimidating for me.

"A-and why is that?! Can't you see I don't even want any fight?! I did not mean to even stop by here! If only I know this was anyone's "lookout spot", I would not even dare to get close without permission..."

I started feeling angry when I don't understand why he won't let me off the hook despite me telling the truth and don't have any other ulterior motives.

He could detect lies and already acknowledged that I'm telling nothing but the truth.

But so then, why?

I wait for him to reply while he just went silent.

"I can't let you go, so I would ask you to come with me"

"Haaaaaah?"

I let out a stupefied sound.

That's just how much I did not expect that at all.

[Congratulations, you have avoided the fight]

I hear the monotonous voice while the man just stares at me.

This announcement lady, I can't tell if it's congratulating or mocking me.

  - end-