NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 4
It is a universal truth that everyone has some bad habits that persist despite the best intentions to correct them.
In my case, it was a weakness for small temptations and the unfortunate habit of becoming overly complacent whenever my wallet grew a little fuller.
“Damn it, can’t find him anywhere…”
“Where the heck did Erich go?”
“Just one more and we’re done…”
And right now, I was fully indulging in these less-than-admirable tendencies.
Who would have thought that a simple game of hide-and-seek would lead me to acquire skills like [Stealth], [Presence Concealment], and [Ninja Step]?!
No, seriously—I was just an idiot. To lose so badly that I reflexively learned skills out of frustration was embarrassing.
At least these skills, which fell under the [Martial Arts] category and were relatively inexpensive compared to occupational skills or traits reserved for hunters or assassins, were somewhat practical. Still, the reality that I might eventually go broke from impulsive decisions was far from amusing.
This forest, located on the outskirts of the estate, was a safe area used for forestry. Though the trees weren’t ancient, they provided a verdant canopy perfect for summer games. It’s a place where the children of the estate often played, shielded from the dangerous parts of the forest where logging took place.
Ever since I turned six and gained permission from my parents to venture farther from home, I had joined the local children here. Our current game was a variant of hide-and-seek, locally called “Fox and Goose,” where players gradually become “foxes,” expanding the number of seekers.
The rules were loose, allowing players to change hiding spots whenever they wished. Thanks to my [Listening] skill, another lower-tier Martial Arts skill, I detected the approach of a group of foxes and, without making a sound, shifted my position using the delicate movements of [Ninja Step].
This stealth ability was genuinely impressive. Despite the numerous prerequisites and experience requirements for more advanced traits, even simple games like this could unlock certain occupational categories related to stealth. Moreover, simply activating my skills as I moved around accumulated experience points at a surprising rate.
You could call it a serendipitous discovery. Perhaps the intensity of my engagement was influencing the speed at which experience accumulated. Given how seriously I was taking this game, the rapid progress made sense. In just a few hours of play, I might recoup my investment.
But to be honest, admitting that I—a man well into his forties—was getting seriously competitive with children at a game of hide-and-seek left me feeling somewhat hollow. Still, I tried to rationalize it as an opportunity to build up points, reminding myself that numbers don’t lie.
Still, I knew I had to exercise caution. Allowing myself to get carried away could lead to financial ruin. Past experiences, where unexpected packages of supplements arrived long after I’d forgotten ordering them, were sobering enough to keep me vigilant.
While I attempted to maintain some discipline and distance myself from the estate’s children, I suddenly sensed a presence behind me. It wasn’t a clear sound, merely the faint rustle of leaves.
“Gotcha!”
That was the last thing I heard before being tackled from behind, causing me to lose my balance and fall forward. Thankfully, I’d invested in durability upgrades and advanced my [Breakfall] skill to [Proficient], otherwise, the fall could’ve been much harsher.
“Hehe, I beat you, Erich!”
The face that appeared above mine was that of a cute young girl with round, charming features and hazel eyes. Her plump little nose framed a visage that radiated friendliness—this was Margit, a fellow estate child, though two years my senior.
“Ugh… when did you…?”
“Well, I figured you’d hear me if I made any noise, so I quietly sneaked around to your back. Humans can’t see behind them, so it’s kind of inconvenient, right?”
She grinned, flashing a row of pearly whites. Her long, lustrous auburn hair was tied into two neat braids. But Margit wasn’t human—or at least not entirely human. While her upper body resembled that of a normal child, the impact of her tackling me betrayed a weight far greater than an eight-year-old’s. She pulled away, and a hand extended, reaching for me from what would’ve been a rather low angle for an ordinary child.
Her shout rang out across the forest: “Hey everyone! I found Erich!”
It was then I realized why her hand seemed unusually low. Standing at roughly the height of a child’s waist, Margit wasn’t short—she was a spider-woman, or arachne. She belonged to a race with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a spider, one of the key elements that reminded me I was in a fantasy world.
In this world, humanity was categorized into three distinct types: humanoids like ourselves, or “Human Race”; magic-infused beings known as “Magical Species”; and hybrids like Margit, who combined human traits with attributes of other creatures—termed the “Subhuman Race.” Within the Threefold Empire of Rain, all three classifications enjoyed legal equality, coexisting harmoniously in mixed communities. In fact, one of the three royal houses was rumored to be populated by “vampires”—a fertile and biologically complete variation of the vampire archetype.
“Oops, you’re all covered in leaves. Sorry, Erich. Here, let me clean you up.”
“Thanks…”
Here in this estate, Margit—despite her distinctively spider-like lower body—was treated as an entirely normal member of the community. While I had initially been surprised (“Whoa!?”), the acceptance of others allowed me to adjust fairly quickly. After all, when she wasn’t leaping onto people’s backs, Margit was just a kind and caring older sister—albeit one I tried not to think too much about in terms of actual age differences.
Not that I would ever deny my peculiar fascination with spider-women from my previous life.
Still, Margit wasn’t exactly what I’d picture when imagining an arachne. Her six thick, dark armored legs (eight limbs in total, including her arms) were squat and bulky, quite unlike the long, slender appendages most people associate with arachnes. Even considering her youth, her proportions seemed off compared to what one might expect from spider biology. That’s because Margit wasn’t descended from web-spinning spiders like the golden orb-weavers but rather from ground-dwelling spiders like the wolf spiders. To use a loose analogy, it was akin to the physical differences between Caucasian and Asian humans.
“Oh well, Margit’s too good to compete against…”
“It’s experience, silly.”
“Even though you’re only two years older…”
“Saying anything is pointless when you’re still a half-formed kid who only pays attention to what’s in front of you.”
Chuckling smugly, Margit puffed out her chest—well, as much as an eight-year-old could manage. The black orbs perched atop her braids glinted in the afternoon sunlight. These weren’t mere ornaments but compound eyes, a testament to the impressive visual acuity arachnes possessed. Combined with two primary lens-like eyes and their wide peripheral vision, arachnes were natural scouts and rangers, excelling in hunting and tracking. If trained in grappling or fencing, their unparalleled agility could make them nearly unbeatable.
Margit came from a lineage of hunters. It made perfect sense that her species, with their exceptional sensory capabilities and athleticism, would be ideal for managing wildlife populations, ensuring forests remained balanced and safe.
“I won’t be found next time…”
“Oh really? Let me show you how I catch you first then!”
As she beamed at me like a ray of sunshine, I couldn’t help but plan—already succumbing to childish impulses—to invest in a skill like [Detect Presence] for the next round…
It is commonly understood that numerous creatures possess potent race-specific traits. Even within the same species, racial differences can result in vastly different appearances.
In the Threefold Empire, it’s said that the human race, magical species, and subhuman species maintain a ratio of 5:1:3. Despite the lack of institutional or cultural barriers between the races, this distribution persists primarily due to the reproductive efficiency of the human race.
Yet this doesn’t necessarily signify superiority. Humans thrive thanks to their adaptability, allowing them to flourish in almost any environment, hence the predominance of humans, especially the Human Race.
Ironically, compared to other intelligent species, humans could be considered a basal race. They’re outmatched in magic by the long-lived magical species, outclassed in resilience by the tunnel dwellers, and generally lack standout stats when compared to magical species or subhumans.
Thus, in a child’s game where even minor age differences matter, it’s no surprise that subhumans, like spider-women, can dominate. Consider: how many humans could outrun a centaur or outmuscle a minotaur? And how many could keep up with a spider-person, renowned as hunters, scouts, and assassins, during a game of hide-and-seek?
Margit, a hunter’s daughter, had recently grown frustrated. Even with restrictions like “no tree climbing,” she had become too powerful—children began avoiding her in games like “Fox and Goose.”
Spider-women mature early, a tendency common among insectoid subhumans. For spider-women with lifespans similar to humans, this period marks the physical culmination of their growth. In comparison to her peers, the gap between them was becoming increasingly apparent.
Though physically adult-like, her mental maturity remained that of a child. Defined as adults at fifteen in the Threefold Empire, spider-women raised in human cultures develop a corresponding level of maturity.
This combination of youthful spirit and adult-like physical prowess posed a challenge for Margit. She yearned for playmates, yet her favorite game, “Fox and Goose,” had become one-sided. Other children grew bored or frustrated as they were eliminated too quickly, or conversely, when Margit couldn’t catch them efficiently.
Among these developments, Erich joined the group, a boy with no extraordinary traits, simply a Human Race child. His inclusion, facilitated by the familiarity he shared with an existing member’s younger brother, was seamless.
Erich quickly bonded with Margit. Whenever they met, he’d approach her with a smile, sparking conversations. And he was surprisingly proficient at “Fox and Goose.”
Initially clumsy, like any young child, Erich dramatically improved overnight. His movements became swift, his stealth uncanny. One moment he was visible, the next gone without a trace. Moreover, once hidden, finding him proved daunting.
As a fox, he’d sneak undetected; as a goose, he’d outlast the others. Beyond his physical abilities, his tactical thinking also stood out.
Erich introduced strategies to the others, proposing group efforts to corner opponents, a method that could even handle Margit. The collaborative effort allowed the children to balance the game, keeping the fun alive while still challenging all players.
Margit was delighted. Having someone who understood her unique strengths and still found ways to engage in fair competition was refreshing. She admired Erich’s golden locks, his occasionally adult-like gaze with azure eyes, his calm demeanor, and his warm voice. Even his relatively high body temperature, typical of humans, added to her admiration.
Most importantly, Erich treated her as an equal, never excluding her from the group. And so, Margit grew fond of him.
Whenever she played against him, she’d tackle him head-on, knocking him down—an unorthodox move she reserved only for him. Unknowingly, it fulfilled some innate desire within her, a characteristic of her race where females tended to hold advantageous positions.
Thus, driven by instinct, Margit continued to leap toward Erich, unaware of the underlying implications.
Unbeknownst to her, this was merely the beginning, a prelude to a developing connection with the boy who accepted her wholeheartedly.
It is also worth noting that humans are renowned for their high compatibility in crossbreeding, enabling them to produce offspring with most closely related species. This trait partly explains their widespread proliferation worldwide, as such couplings typically bypass the creation of half-breeds.
In their innocent naivety, the seeds of destiny were being sown, a tale of childhood camaraderie destined to bloom.