"A trip?" (N)

  "Sure, if this object is all there is to this issue, we go, fetch it, and bring it here. Afterward, everything will be fine. Just one short visit to this human town." (A)

  Could this be an option?

  But suddenly, Talisa bursts out.

  "No, Akasia! No! Just no!" (T)

  "Why not? Wouldn't it be a good solution? We shouldn't treat Neri's familiar badly. I just go there with Neri, fetch the item, maybe tour a bit with her through town..." (A)

  "Forget about it! Ban this thought! And never speak again about it!" (T)

  Turning to Masiabi, I ask her the question that seems so pressing here.

  "Why is Talisa so upset about the suggestion?" (N)

  "Because Akasia is banned from visiting human settlements. Especially the larger ones." (M)

  "Why is that so?" (N)

  "Every single time she tries, it always ends in a huge mess that we barely get contained." (M)

  "That's not true! Merely minor incidents." (A)

  "How about that one time when we had to eradicate the whole soldier camp?" (T)

  "That was so long ago! And I still don't quite understand where I went wrong there. At first, they were all so nice, and then they became weirdly violent." (A)

  "Akasia, you went into a camp that consisted solely of rough men, fully nude." (T)

  "Nobody had told me clothes were necessary! And it was still an unfathomable reaction! Their behavior was in crass misalignment with the complex courting rituals I read about..." (A)

  Is she speaking about her romance novels?

  "Also, it happened just once. Now I regularly wear one of my outfits." (A)

  "You mean one of those you wore while wandering right into a district full of worn-down humans? You even asked them to point you in the direction of the market for your purchases!" (T)

  "That was again totally unforeseeable!" (A)

  "Unforeseeable? You told us yourself that they looked at you like starving direwolves! You knew at that time how materialistic humans can be. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have brought all that money to purchase things." (T)

  "They could've just told me they wanted my dress. I would've given it to them." (A)

  "Which brings us back to the first..." (T)

  Oh, White Lady.

  Akasia, even living on a farm, I know better than this.

  "Then what about that one time you riled up a whole town, and got guards and adventurers looking for you? Any idea how narrowly you escaped? All of this only because you, and I quote you here, 'went shopping'." (T)

  "How should I have known that I was supposed to scrub off the blood from those coins first?! Nobody told me!" (A)

  "You cannot pretend to be prey while still carrying the blood of their kin, Akasia." (M)

  "But I wasn’t hunting! I was shopping!" (A)

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  I possibly have to agree that there is a pattern here.

  In hindsight, it's a miracle of the White Lady that the Arachnae weren't already exposed.

  "Or that one time you walked straight into that noble's mansion because you wanted to 'take a proper look at the interior'?" (T)

  "If it's not free for everyone to enter, they shouldn't leave the gate open!" (A)

  I can't quite believe what I'm hearing here.

  It's just so ridiculous!

  "Neri! Help me out here!" (A)

  She looks almost pleading.

  .

  .

  .

  "Ki..."

  "Kiki..."

  "Kikikikikikikikikiki..." (N)

  My throat hammers weirdly, the chirping gasps coming in sharp, rapid bouts, but I just can't stop laughing.

  Akasia looks so helpless right now.

  The big scary spider monster, begging for help, because she's just so much of a mess.

  "Kikikikiki..." (N)

  Ehm, why is everyone looking at me?

  Did I do something wrong?

  "That..." (A)

  "THAT WAS SO CUTE!!!" (M)

  And I get hugged.

  "I need to admit, she got an adorable laugh." (K)

  "It's delightfully pitched. Imagine if she'd do it in her spider form!" (E)

  "Awwh..." (A)

  "What about you, Talisa? Don't you have anything to add?" (M)

  "I, I think that's the first time Neri ever laughed." (T)

  At this, everyone grows silent, looking at Talisa and then at me.

  ...

  "Okay, I get it! Punishing her familiar is off the table! That was such an event, I don't dare ruin it." (T)

  Oh no, I'm so embarrassed!

  Maybe I can divert the attention.

  "Hey, ehm, weren't we talking about Akasia?!" (N)

  "Yes, hmm, now that we lack other options, I think her plan to retrieve said object may be a course of action to consider, in absence of alternatives." (T)

  Liana is still on edge, but her shoulders slumped down a bit, showing a sense of relief.

  "Alright, then it's settled! We'll have a tour!" (A)

  "Akasia..." (T)

  "Oh, come on! I promise I will be well-behaved. You are always cooped up here, never truly wanting to travel anywhere, Masiabi is too unhinged, and Eritu hates humans. And don't let me get started on Kyroki. I learned as much as I can so that such incidents as in the past wouldn't repeat. Also, Neri will be with me! Who else to better guide me than a former human? I'm the best possible choice. Also, I really want to!!!" (A)

  Somehow, things are developing a bit too fast for me.

  "... Sigh. Okay, we can't let Neri go by herself, so someone has to accompany her. But don't you dare stray in any way from her side!" (T)

  "I would never!" (A)

  "Akasia!" (T)

  "Yes, okay, I mean it. I won't abandon her." (A)

  I really can't quite keep up!

  So we're now really going to visit a town together?

  But what about...

  "Ehm, what about Liana?" (N)

  "What about her?" (T)

  "I mean, it's about her stuff. Shouldn't she be with us? We, we would need someone to identify things." (N)

  Also, I really think it would help her to get out of this place for once.

  "Neri, do you have any idea how likely it is that she's going to betray you at her earliest convenience?" (T)

  Liana is still too intimidated to actually say something.

  "Liana wouldn't do this." (N)

  "You are too trusting." (E)

  "She wouldn't do this!" (N)

  "Well, if you are so convinced about this, then why don't you simply ask her?" (K)

  Kyroki?

  "What do you mean?" (N)

  "You just proved to us that you can look into the minds of your familiars. So ask her and see for yourself if she truly, honestly means it. I trust you to have sufficient self-preservation instincts and interest to not lie about this, knowingly leading us into a situation that is certain to turn out badly for you and everyone who trusts you, as well as an indefinite number of others." (K)

  "You and your ideas. But well, you do have a point." (A)

  So Kyroki basically says she trusts my judgment here.

  And she can, I won’t lie to them about this.

  After Akasia went out of her way to support me so much, it would be terrible if my decision led to her getting attacked.

  So it depends on Liana.

  Whether or not she was truly honest towards me.

  "O-okay. Liana, we can go together to your home and take what is so precious for you. Would you want this?" (N)

  "Yes! Of course I would! Thank you!" (L)

  There!

  She's just glad!

  Not a hint of any hostile sense!

  "Neri!" (T)

  What was wrong with this?

  "Ask her really. Make her answer in a way that there's no doubt." (E)

  Did I ask wrong?

  Well, maybe I avoided being too sharp.

  "Right. Liana, if we bring you along, would you at any point try to expose us? Tell anyone about us so we might get attacked?" (N)

  "Uh..." (L)

  Liana!

  "I knew it!" (E)

  "Li-Liana?" (N)

  I can't quite tell what her mind is on about.

  She seems, and also feels, hesitant, but I'm not sure if there's really a sense of betrayal, yet something is there.

  "Uh, I'm not fine with you reading my mind, you know? But... if you truly were to do all this for me, then, then, it would be wrong to go against you. Okay, you have my word. I'll not betray you and afterwards come well-behaved back with you." (L)

  I guess it was the second thing I felt.

  The idea that after coming so far, reaching her old home, her acquaintances, only to avoid them and return to the spider cave...

  "Thank you, Liana!" (N)

  She's honest, I know it!

  She really means that she's going to stick with me.

  "Well, I guess that is our answer." (M)

  "That means city tour!" (A)

  "I didn't say that I would allow it." (T)

  "Awh, come on, Talisa. We got everything settled." (M)

  "Sigh, fine. The way I see it, you already outvoted me anyway." (T)

  It seems like this is really going to happen.

  I'm going to a big city, for the first time in my life.

  "Yes! City tour!" (A)

  ...

  With an escort of a gigantic monster spider.

  "However, if you plan to head out, preparations are due now." (T)