I honestly wasn’t in the mood for any more drama today, but... Jorō’s expression was firm. She wasn’t backing down.
"Alright," I sighed. "Let’s et this friend of yours."
The mont I said that, Jorō’s face lit up. She smiled so warmly, so innocently, I almost forgot she was the sa dignified noblewoman she always acted like.
"Good for you!" she said suddenly, looking off into the distance. "Now you too shall be graced by the presence of God!"
"..."
God, as in ...?
...Uhhhhh, maybe Jorō MIGHT be a psychopath.
Maybe I broke sothing in her brain when I ate her?
Well, I probably did.
Then she turned back to —quickly.
And her expression softened again. Calr. Innocent, even.
Her crimson eyes, wrapped in black web patterns, began to shift. Like before when she carved the Gleipnir stone like butter with her webs.
The red bled into darkness, and soon her entire eyes turned a deep, obsidian black—laced with fragnted white webs.
It looked... kind of aweso, actually.
She blinked, surprised, then her pale face flushed red.
And before I could ask anything, she jumped forward and hugged tight.
"Master Ravenswood!!"
"Eh? Wai—Jorō?!"
My face ended up smushed into her chest. And I hate myself for enjoying the sensation, that I didn’t resist so hard.
She cupped my face with both hands, her face way too close for comfort. Her lips were definitely aiming for mine.
I panicked and shoved her face back with my palm.
"What’s gotten into you?! Jorō?! GASP! So you were one of them, after all?!"
One of her eyes suddenly turned red again.
"Oh no! Please forgive , my Lord!" she cried out with a serious expression. "Apologize. Right now."
...Eh?
"Geez, you worry too much," she replied—to HERSELF—now giggling like nothing happened. "Master Ravenswood isn’t that stiff."
...Eh?
"Still!" she snapped, now scolding HERSELF. "Have you no respect?!"
"You know, I rarely get the chance to show myself, what with my soul being so weak. So I must make the most of this opportunity. Don’t you think so, Master Ravenswood?"
"Huh? Uh, mhm." I nodded quickly, keeping eye contact just in case she decided to launch herself at again.
"My Lord, no! Don’t look at like that!" Jorō covered her face with one hand, her cheeks burning red.
Adorable.
"C’mon, stop that! I can’t see his beautiful face!" she pouted, her other hand tugging at the one hiding her blush.
Alright, it’s becoming painful to watch. I guess it’s ti to beco involved now.
"Jorō, calm down." I said I’m my most gentle voice, as I held her hands. "It’s not your fault at all. It’s mine. And I promise to take full responsibility for you, okay?"
"My Lord, please do not say that like I’m ntally unwell."
"...Even if I said you were, you wouldn’t believe , huh?"
"Ah! Master Ravenswood is holding my hands!!" Her mood flipped once more—troubled no more, now smiling with the bright-eyed joy of a child.
And weirdly enough...
I think I liked it.
I think this can work.
"My Lord, I believe there’s been a misunderstanding," she said, pointing to her right, red eye. "This is Jorō I—the Jorōgumo you fought."
Oh no. I think I’m going to cry.
Then she pointed to the left, black eye. "This is Jorō II... Arachne. My other half.... My Lord, please stop trembling! I tell you no lie! And are you weeping?!"
"It’s fine, Jorō. You can stop now. I already said I’d take responsibility. I love you despite all your flaws."
Her body shook in what seed like embarrassnt.
"Okay," I said. "Let speak with Arachne first, then you, in turns. Sound good?"
"As you will, your Lordship," She nodded, on the edge of tears, and then her red eyes turned fully black.
"Hehe... Master Ravenswood is too nice," she said, hugging tightly again.
So this is the bubbly one. The playful, childish half. It’s actually a nice contrast from the usual cold, dignified Jorō.
"You said your na was Arachne, right?"
"Yes! I’m so happy you rembered!"
Yes, since you just said it few minutes ago. How could I forget?
"And why don’t you show up more often, Arachne? You’re adorable. I’d really like to see you around more."
"...Really?" Her wide eyes blinked up at like a puppy’s, her face slowly inching closer.
"Wait a sec—Arachne, you’re the one who’s been trying to kiss this whole ti, right?!"
"Hehehe." She gave a toothy smile—one the original Jorō would never dare make. "That’s because Arachne loves Master Ravenswood very much!"
(Note: Arachne’s "Hehehe" is very different from Ruben’s and Levina’s "Hehehe." I believe you know the difference.)
...Okay, now I’m blushing.
"W-why do you, erm... you know, l-like ?"
What?! I needed to know! For intel gathering! So I can seduce enemies with maximum effectiveness by flaunting the suitable appeal!
Arachne’s mischievous grin softened.
"Many, many years ago—"
Oh no. Another folk lore?
"—I got carried away," she continued, voice gentler now. "I loved Goddess Athena so much, I challenged her to a weaving contest. I thought... if I won and proved my worth, we’d be close friends. But... it didn’t go exactly as I hoped."
She smiled, but it was bitter. "I lost. And Athena, apparently angered by my challenge in the first place, cursed —she turned into an ugly, monstrous spider. And just like that, I was alone.
No more friends and family. All other monsters tried to kill —I tore them apart, though—but... I spent my life in loneliness. Always running from conquerors, or killing others to survive. I truly hated it."
Her voice trembled as she buried her face into my chest.
"One day, I t a man nad Sarvest. He tricked . Lied sweet things to ; he said he’d fix everything—that I’ll be happy
Before I knew it, I was fused with another human woman—her na was Jose. That was the na of my other half, Jorō. Her soul was surprisingly stronger than mine, so she took over."
She paused, clinging to tighter.
"I could only watch as we destroyed villages and murdered many people. For so reason, Jose was always obsessed with finding treasure. She was always searching, and always taking. We never stopped moving, day and night—until we t you, one faithful day."
She looked up at , her eyes subtly wet.
"I recognized your na. Swanir called you ’Raven,’ and with your wolf-like powers... I started to rember. In Jose’s cloudy past, she adored a dark beast. A Fenrir. His na was Ravenswood. So... I did the math."
Her voice cracked, although she smiled—
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