A few hours ter, the girls were back at the dining hall, sitting at a long table. Soi was on Nicole’s right; to her left sat a stranger.

  Everyone around Nicole chatted loudly as they ate. She noticed them gncing at her from time to time when they thought she wasn’t looking.

  Nicole stared at the pte in front of her

  a piece of fried meat, probably from the monster she had seen earlier. There were also some fruits she obviously couldn’t recognize.

  Looking around, she saw the natives eating the creature without a care.

  Well, if everyone seems okay with eating it, it shouldn’t be dangerous, right? Though the st time I had a thought like that, I got fucking drugged and raped…

  Despite her doubts, she tasted the food.

  Hm, this isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Surprisingly, it’s slightly sweet. The meat’s tough, but I’m way too hungry for that to stop me.

  Nicole bit into the meat. Its juices dripped down her chin, but neither she nor anyone around seemed to care. Seeing her eat, Soi asked:

  "So, how do you like your first Rubropecto, hm?"

  "It tastes surprisingly good. Oh, by the way, is it really safe to eat those fruits? After everything that happened, I’m not exactly eager to eat something unknown."

  "Don’t worry, I can assure you these fruits won’t have that effect. Look, the ones you ate back then are called Zyrell. They’re mainly used as a strong aphrodisiac. Usually, two or three are enough, and eating them too often reduces their effect. It can even make it hard to get aroused without them. Anyway, there’d be no point in serving Zyrell at dinner - they’re usually kept at home and eaten when needed."

  Nicole nodded and picked up one of the fruits. It was oval-shaped, pink and light green in color. Its taste was a mix of sweetness and sourness.

  Well, looks like there’s more or less normal food here after all.

  Once it seemed everyone had finished their meal, the elders - seated at a nearby table - stood up. Despite appearing old and frail, Izab's voice was loud and clear.

  "As most of you probably know already, we have a unique guest in our vilge."

  He pointed at Nicole. All eyes turned to her.

  "This is Nicole. She does not belong to any tribe, but I ask you to treat her as one of our own."

  He paused and picked up a blue fruit, the size of a small apple and shaped like a strawberry. Clearing his throat, he continued:

  "As the elders of this vilge, we want to offer her this Virelon, as a sign of peace."

  Nicole stood frozen, slightly shocked and unsure what to do.

  "Come on, go take it."

  Soi whispered, giving her a gentle push forward.

  With a sigh, Nicole approached the elders and accepted the fruit. Now that it was in her hands, she noticed it had scales and was cold - strangely cold, considering how warm the air was.

  Do they have a fridge or something?

  "Um… thanks."

  Nicole returned to the table, holding the gift.

  "You have to eat it," Soi whispered again. "It’d look rude otherwise."

  Nicole started peeling the scales, surprisingly finding it quite easy. The flesh inside was white, and she ate it in a few bites.

  Shit… why is it even colder inside? Well, at least the taste is… is…

  Her eyelids grew heavy. Thoughts became foggy.

  Again?! I will murder those fucking bastards…

  Her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.

  * * *

  Nicole woke up back in the same hut as before.

  Ugh, really? Again? How many times have I bcked out on this isnd already? Strange… I don’t feel angry. My thoughts feel so clear too. Alright, no time to just lie here - I need to find out what that was about. What’s the point of making me pass out in front of everyone?

  She was about to head out when Soi walked in.

  "Oh, you’re already awake. Good. How do you feel?"

  "Actually… not bad. But it feels weird. What happened?"

  Soi sat down on the bed.

  "The fruit the elders gave you makes people fall asleep pretty fast. But that’s not the most important part. You noticed how cold it was, right? Its temperature is dangerously low for Lamias and most reptiles. Also, it temporarily boosts resistance to heat and cold, and calms your mind. But that st effect fades pretty soon."

  "So… it was another test to check if I’m a Lamia?"

  Soi nodded.

  "I know it might be frustrating, but they need to be sure. And hey - free Virelon, right? Not a bad deal."

  "Oh, right. If that fruit made me stronger, I guess there are more like it?"

  "Of course! Not all have effects, and even fewer have permanent ones, but yeah."

  That means I should try to get as many of those as I can.

  "Are there any drawbacks I should know about?"

  "Hmm… none I can think of. Just, the more of the same fruit you eat, the less it affects you. Oh, and it’s not just fruits! Some meats, vegetables, even rocks have effects! Though I’ve never seen anyone eat rocks, haha."

  Nicole took a deep breath.

  Soi stood and csped her hands. "Right! I came to check on you because it’s breakfast time. Just promise me you won’t attack the elders once the effect wears off, okay?"

  After breakfast - the same dish as the day before - vilgers began leaving the dining hall. Soon, only Nicole and Soi remained.

  "Well, I’ve got to go. My mentor’s probably waiting," Soi said as she walked away.

  Before I go looking for a job, I should really clean myself. Last time I did was on the ship, before the storm.

  "Hey, uh… one question. Do you guys wash in the ocean, or is there a proper pce to bathe?"

  The catgirl stopped and turned.

  "What do you mean? Oh, waterfalls? None nearby, at least none close enough to use."

  "Alright. Thanks."

  Nicole sighed as her friend disappeared.

  Perfect. So to get a proper wash, I have to go far enough that no one sees me. Last thing I need is some perv catching me naked.

  She headed toward the beach. Some natives were fishing - or rather hunting fish with spears, trying to lunge and pierce them.

  Nicole walked in the opposite direction. The morning sun hung low, and the calm ocean view was breathtaking. The sound of waves crashing on wet sand and the soft steps of her bare feet were the only things she could hear, save for the occasional birdcall from the forest.

  Well, at least it’s beautiful here.

  She gnced behind her. The vilge houses were far enough away for her to feel safe.

  That should be enough.

  Nicole took off her clothes and pced them on a tall rock, out of reach of the waves.

  She stepped into the water. It was warm, so she quickly moved deeper.

  I can just pretend I’m on vacation. Which… kind of true, if you ignore the part where I’m trapped here.

  She spent half an hour swimming and rexing.

  Alright, I should finish. I’ve got things to do.

  Then it hit her.

  Shit! There’s no soap. And I’m not even going to start on shampoo. Fuck!

  Nicole took a deep breath.

  Stay calm, Nicole. There’s always a solution - or so they say.

  She swam around, thinking.

  Maybe I can make them myself. Good thing I watched all those random DIY videos. It'll take time to gather the ingredients and experiment, but it’ll be worth it.

  Looking up at the sun, she sighed.

  I should head back. Spent more time here than I pnned.

  As she walked out of the water, her hair clung to her skin. She reached for her clothes on the rock - but found nothing.

  She blinked.

  I’m sure I left them here.

  Looking around - still nothing.

  Then she heard a whistle from the forest. Under a tree sat a guy.

  He stood up and approached, holding her clothes. From the grin on his face, Nicole could tell this wouldn’t end peacefully.

  He stopped a few meters in front of her. Tall, not muscur, with short brown hair, cat ears, and a matching tail. He looked her up and down.

  "You know, I heard your mouth works real well when you’re motivated. And you want those clothes back, don’t you? Hm, but that’d be a waste to ask only for a blowjob. Come on, turn around and show me that ass of yours."

  Nicole clenched her teeth.

  Calm down, Nicole. Py it smart.

  Forcing a smile, she walked closer.

  "Oh really? You know, you didn’t have to steal my clothes. You could’ve just asked."

  She tried to sound as sweet and seductive as possible, though she felt like puking.

  The man grinned.

  "Oh, even better."

  He moved closer - but in that moment, Nicole struck.

  A quick punch broke his nose. The second was a kick to his crotch. Without letting him recover, she punched him again.

  Whimpering, he dropped to his knees, covering both his face and groin.

  Nicole grabbed his hair, staring into his eyes.

  "Don’t ever try that shit with me again. You, or any of your friends. You touch me without my full consent, and I’ll leave you blind. Be grateful I let you keep your eyes."

  She smmed her knee into his face and let go, letting his unconscious body drop.

  Fucking pig.

  She kicked him a few more times, venting all the anger she’d bottled up. It took a while for her to calm down. Before leaving, she checked that he was still breathing.

  That was easier than I expected. Either he’s weak, or I got suddenly stronger.

  Back at the vilge, Nicole found herself a bit lost. Without Soi, everything looked the same.

  Well, guess I’ll just ask around for a job.

  She approached a bck-haired woman in her thirties.

  "Hello, uh… I’m Nicole. The one the elders mentioned yesterday. I’m looking for a job. Maybe I could help you with something?"

  The woman looked at her with surprise, then smiled warmly.

  "Oh, nice to meet you properly, Nicole. I’m Merial. As for work… you seem strong. My brother manages the vilge’s Usa field. He mentioned there are lots of wild weeds. You should ask if he needs help."

  Well, that’s something at least.

  "Could you point me in the right direction?"

  She pointed toward the forest.

  "Just past the vilge gate. Go right and you’ll find it."

  Nicole headed out. The field wasn’t huge, but it was fenced in and clearly cared for. A few men were working, crouched among the crops.

  She approached one.

  "Hey, I’m Nicole. I was told you might need help with wild weeds?"

  The muscur, middle-aged blond man turned to her.

  "Hm? Oh, the strange girl. You want to help? More hands means faster work. See those dark green leaves? Those are the ones we keep. Pull everything else."

  Nicole nodded. She crouched and began tearing out the unwanted pnts.

  After a few minutes, she was already bored out of her mind.

  Fuck, isn’t there a better way to get rid of this grass?

  By noon, the man returned.

  "Hey. Time for a break. Come sit in the shade."

  They gathered under a wooden shelter, like a giant beach umbrel.

  "Name’s Pock, by the way. Here, take this."

  He handed her a pink and green fruit - the same kind from the night before.

  "Thanks."

  She ate in silence while others chatted.

  Later, while pulling another weed, something caught her attention.

  Why does this remind me of something?

  She examined the pnt. It was golden, tall, with a cluster of grains on top that resembled a mane.

  A wheat-like pnt? I haven’t seen bread here… maybe they don’t know how to make it. Maybe they think it’s just a useless weed.

  She gathered as much of it as she could reach.

  Looks like shampoo isn’t the only thing I’m going to reinvent.