Chapter 167: The Return of the Spooder

- Central Abelis, Marcobus City, The Next Day – Rose's POV –

That night passed with little fanfare… is what I would like to say, but now that we knew the Church wouldn’t be launching any surprise attacks in the middle of the night Karen went a little bit too far in our nighttime “fun”. I was still a little sore the next morning when, the second I threw open our tent flap, I was greeted by a familiar face.

[Dadadada! As I’m sure you have been anxiously waiting, I have arrived to relieve you of your burden!] – Zhizhu

[Oh? I was wondering if you were here as well, glad to see that you made it. It’s been… 3 years, right?] – Rose

[W-Well, after Nainai retired from her position as the Head Priestess I was unable to leave Riyuegu Xiamen to come visit. Y-You did miss me… r-right?] – Zhizhu

Ah yes, I’ve been wondering where the Arachne I’d met had gotten off to. After we’d left, they’d attended countless training sessions with Amchier military forces, but I’d never seen anyone I recognized with them. I hadn’t even been sure if she’d be able to leave considering her new position, but I’d still always gone to see how the training was going as an excuse to look for Zhizhu. Even the short time we’d gotten to know each other in had left an impression on me and I saw her as a friend, even if she wasn’t quite among my inner circle. Still, she was someone that I could see becoming even closer to if given the chance. Although she had a tendency to hide her insecurities behind prideful lies even that was endearing, something that all of my friends agreed with.

[Of course we did, little miss boobie spider. I see you’re as stacked as ever… maybe even more stacked than before actually… hmm…] – Karen

[E-Eek! Y-You w-w-were both in your tent? Alone?!? Together?!? Awawawawa!] – Zhizhu

And there it was. Despite growing up physically in the years since we’d seen each other it seemed that her mentor, Undine, either hadn’t gotten the opportunity to help with training her in the ways of an adult or it hadn’t stuck. Although even Urz was similar and she was in a relationship, so maybe it was just her natural state? Either way it was still adorable, especially with the contrast between her extremely mature look that seemed to have graduated from slightly older looking than she actually was to full-on milfdom. I’m sure Veronica would be literally dying of thirst with her looks now as even I had to admit her appeal transcended all but the most beautiful individuals in my close group. Luckily her looks were distinctly of a different type than anyone I knew so none of them were likely to get jealous (not that it was likely since, for the most part, we were all pretty confident with ourselves).

[Oh? Oho? Did you want to join us? Is that why you’re here so early? Perhaps hoping to get a little snake action before the big meeting with the Church?] – Karen

[N-n-no! I-I’d never steal someone else’s mate fro-] – Zhizhu

[I’m fine with sharing, you know? Just let me join, or if not, at least watch the action. I’ll enjoy it either way… heh.] – Karen

[-f-f-fr…! AHHHHH! I-I just came to s-see my dear friend! I-I swear I had no untoward thoughts about Rose! Even if she is more beautiful than anyone I’ve seen in my life, with great style, and a merciful heart I’d never dare to sully her with my unworthy self no matter how much I want her to take my hand…! Ah!?! D-Did I just say all of that out loud?] – Zhizhu

[You did.] – Rose

[Sure did.] – Karen

[…closet pervert.] – Shade

Are all my friends also secretly lesbians?!? I mean, I’m not complaining but quite a few of the people I know seem to find me attractive? Oh well, it’s not like this world is created by a writer that has inserted their own fantasies into it as a way to live out their power fantasy… I mean sure, that’s basically the entire purpose of isekai as a genre but that’d be a ridiculous thing to think could actually happen…

Either way, I wonder when Shade got here? I never even noticed her sneaking up on us and even more than that, following closely behind her were three others that I recognized.

[I see that the perverted spider is here as well, good, I was going to guide Rose to find you this morning… unfortunately…] – Annabelle

[She means, good morning, it’s nice to see you again.] – Argent

[…fool.] – Annabelle

[S-Stop fighting! U-Umm i-it’s nice to see you again Zhizhu. I’m glad that you’ve been staying safe.] – Urz

And of course, the resident innocent Kappa is here to save the day from the bickering of friends. It was this type of scene that made what Zhizhu asked next hurt so much. Especially when it was asked with no malice.

[It’s lovely seeing all of you again as well! B-But I have to ask… when are Malaise and Veronica going to join us? I was so looking forward to catching up with everyone again.] – Zhizhu

- Central Abelis, Marcobus City – Rose's POV –

It took a while to explain everything that had happened in the weeks since the war started and, in that time, I was able to work up the courage to get the the actual topic of conversation with our newly reunited friend.

[I see… so their queen has decided to stay out of the conflict with the Church, so they were forced to return home? Am I understanding that correctly?] – Zhizhu

[Yes… they don’t want to antagonize the Church since they’re not actually a part of the Alliance, they didn’t want to leave but had no choice considering the circumstances.] – Rose

[I see… that’s… good. I’m glad that they’re safe. When you avoided the subject, I was afraid that they’d been seriously hurt... or worse. I’m glad they were able to find somewhere peaceful…] – Zhizhu

The serene look of peace on the spider girl’s face surprised all of us, I’d been almost certain that she’d be indignant on the surface while trying to hide her hurt but instead she’d reacted almost exactly as I had done when I’d heard that they wouldn’t be fighting with us. She HAD grown. It was clear with how she carried herself now that she wasn’t constantly on the back foot from being teased by my slime girlfriend.

[That’s… surprising. I honestly expected you to act indignantly while holding back tears… I’m impressed.] – Karen

Gah! How did she voice my inner dialogue almost word for word?!? Luckily though, I had no time to contemplate my mindreading girlfriend as a smirk, followed by a serene smile crossed the beautiful spider’s face.

[A few years ago, after you’d first met me, I probably would’ve reacted like that. I would’ve thought it unfair that I didn’t get to see all of my dear friends again and would’ve thrown a tantrum that would’ve made my Nainai flush with embarrassment. I still feel sad that I couldn’t see them of course but the relief from knowing that they’re safe is far more important to me than any short-term satisfaction I’d get from seeing them now. I’ve experienced first-hand the lack of mercy this surface dwellers Church has for our kind, I’ve lost… so many… If I could I’d send each and every one of you away from the front lines so that I was the only one that had to experience that loss again…] – Zhizhu

The silence that followed her words could’ve been cut with a knife. I’d heard of troops coming upon horrible scenes of brutality, Arlen’s being one, and other’s that had lost all of their number except for a few that were able to escape, and both had eyes similar to those that the normally cheerful spider was showing right now. Each of them had a sort of haunted look that spoke volumes of the things they’d seen. I didn’t know what Zhizhu had experienced in this war, but I didn’t need to unless she wanted to tell me herself. What I did know is what I could do to help, at least a little.

[W-Wah! Wh-What are you doing?] – Zhizhu

Luckily, I wasn’t the only one to have the same thought as we all pulled the down spider into a group hug. Even Annabelle joined in without uttering a word, perhaps because of some kind of understanding or respect as a fellow warrior.

- Central Abelis, Marcobus City, Several Hours Later – Rose's POV –

We spent the next few hours catching up with Zhizhu; asking about her hometown and how it had been doing, hearing stories of her training with Undine, the works… Notable, however, after joking around with the, sometimes nervous, Arachne, was the fact that she never brought up her grandmother, not once. She never talked about how she was doing or whether she was even still alive, a fact that every one of our group seemed to catch onto as we shared a look. Finally, though I worked up the courage to ask about her, it was sort of my fault she was “incapacitated” as it were, despite the events leading up to her being left broken by Love.

[Hey, uh… S-So how’s your grandmother doing? Is she… recovered?] – Rose

[N-Nainai?!? She’s… well… um… She’s doing… better?] – Zhizhu

A question. Not only that but the, sometimes too honest, Arachne, refused to meet my eyes. It was obvious she was lying. Was she trying to hide how bad she’s gotten?

[What’s going on? She’s okay right? I mean, I know we didn’t exactly get along with her what with her attempt to kill us and all but she’s your precious family right? It just wouldn’t sit right with me if our actions led to you losing someone so important to you. After all no one as beautiful as you should ever have to cry for someone else.] – Karen

Ugh… the return of the lady-killer slime. Why’d she have to look so gorgeous when she was flirting? It wasn’t even any kind of smooth but somehow, she did it with so much charisma that it didn’t matter if the line was so cringy it would make an adult go into a cringe induced coma years after the actual pickup attempt.

The content of the flirting however was more important than the embarrassment though, so I focused on the now blushing spider.

[B-Beautiful? Me?!? B-But aren’t you with Ro-Rose? Wait! Does this mean I also can g- Wait no! Focus Zhizhu! Focus! Ahem! N-Nainai is fine. She’s a little… different… from before but she’s healthy and… happy? Well, she says she is anyway.] – Zhizhu

[Excuse me but what exactly does that mean? I’m assuming she’s still alive from your words but what do you mean, “different”, is she okay?] – Argent

[Yes? I mean, she seems happy, a little too much if I’m being honest, her behavior has been causing all sorts of problems back home…] – Zhizhu

Okay now I was even more confused? Based on her words it sounded like her grandmother was healthy and, ignoring her slip at the beginning it seemed like she’d changed somehow? I mean, that wasn’t surprising considering what Love had likely done to her, especially after I’d experienced his mental attacks personally, but the way she said it was less like she was worried about her and more like she was… embarrassed?

What was going on?

[Huh? What’s that mean?] – Rose

[Ah! Oh, um Rose, well… umm, how to say this… uh…] – Zhizhu

[Zhizhu, please tell us, we’re all worried about her. She’s your precious grandmother after all.] – Argent

[That’s right! U-Umm, I mean… me too?] – Urz

[I have to admit I’m worried too.] – Karen

[…a little bit.] – Shade

[Hmph…] – Annabelle

The look of panic that grew on the adorable spooders face only increased our worry as everyone started grilling the increasingly flustered girl. Even Annabelle seemed to participate in spite of her pretending to be uninterested. Finally, though, Zhizhu cracked, as she deflated almost immediately.

[F-Fine! I’ll tell you! She’s… well she’s moved herself to one of the retirement suite’s on the outskirts of Riyuegu Xiamen. It’s traditionally used by the older Head Priestess’ after they pass the mantle onto a younger member of the tribe. She relaxes in the hot springs and is doted on day and night.] – Zhizhu

[Okay? So, what’s the problem?] – Rose

I didn’t get it. The way she avoided the question I’d been worried that she was braindead or in a coma or something but from the sounds of it she was enjoying her retirement and currently living her best life?

[W-Well she’s… ahem! She’s had many… visitors… to see her on a regular basis. S-Sometimes several at once! M-Many of them much younger than she is!!! Ahhh!] – Zhizhu

[Huh? Okay so she’s meeting with frien… oh. Oh! Wait, really?!?] – Rose

[Holy shit, Grandma Spider’s got it going on! Didn’t see that coming but you go GILF!] – Karen

[…lewd.] – Shade

[Ahhhh!] - Argent

[…] – Annabelle

[I-I don’t get it?] – Urz

Oho?!? Sounds like the former Head Priestess was REALLY enjoying her retirement! Pfft! Now I get why talking about it was so embarrassing for the poor spider girl. It was embarrassing enough to think about when it was your parents doing it, I can only imagine how much worse it was when it came to grandparents. Especially with her other partners being in what sounded like a harem situation. Or maybe it was just a lot of one-night stands? Either way, it sounded like her brief brush with death might have awakened her sex drive. Assuming she wasn’t always a horndog and was just hiding it better before. A distinct possibility considering her former position… Either way… Noice.

[G-GILF?!? What’s that?!? Do I want to know?!? Ahh! Nainai, why?!? WHY?!?] – Zhizhu

[Hehehehe! You know I’ve always wondered if the quote from that one assassin game about older women was true, you know the one Rose. Heh…] – Karen

[Okay Karen I think that’s enough fo-] – Rose

[Am I interrupting something?] – Arlen

The mortified look on Zhizhu’s face despite her not understanding even half of what Karen was saying was enough to reassure me that she wasn’t hiding anything about the wayward older woman. Karen, in her excitement, had taken it a bit far, but at least we’d gotten reassurance that she was okay.

However, before I could reign in my horny lesbian lover a familiar face interrupted our fun, and his face spoke of the news that he brought with him.

[I’m sorry but we’ve just wrapped up the meeting with Church leadership. If you’re ready now, I’ll tell you what happened?] - Arlen