The moment Tyler and Kaeya stepped into the red sandalwood region, both of them halted at the same time.

The forest here felt wrong, heavy in a way that had nothing to do with humidity or shadow. Giant webs stretched between the towering red sandalwood trees, layered thick enough to look like translucent walls. Some hung lazily between trunks, others were woven high above, disappearing into the canopy. Caught within them were goblins, forest beasts, and other unlucky creatures, their bodies wrapped tightly, frozen mid-struggle. Some were long dead. Others were still alive, eyes wide with terror, faint sounds trapped in their throats.

Tyler’s brows furrowed. For a brief moment, a familiar thought crossed his mind.

Did Gailo return?

Before he could dwell on it, something whistled through the air.

A strand of web shot toward them with violent speed.

Both Tyler and Kaeya reacted instantly. Kaeya stepped aside and drew her blade in one smooth motion, while Tyler twisted his body mid-step, narrowly avoiding the sticky thread as it slammed into the ground behind him.

Tyler’s gaze flicked upward, and his status window surfaced in his vision for a brief moment—an automatic habit now.

---

Name: Tyler White / Richard

Age: 20

Species: Human

Occupation: Level 12 Farmer

Skills:

DNA Fertilizer

Slash

Eye of the Jungle

Familiar: Serena (A Sexy Cat)

MP: 2300 / 2300

Strength: 2500

Stamina: 2400

Vitality: 2500

Speed: 2300

EXP: 100,000+

Points: 0

---

He barely registered the numbers. Something else had already taken priority.

Eye of the Jungle activated on its own.

The forest sharpened.

Shadows thinned, outlines grew clearer, and the layers of trees no longer blended together. Tyler’s vision pierced through leaves, bark, and silk, tracing disturbances in the environment that normal eyes would miss. He saw it clearly now—a presence perched high above, concealed not by darkness, but by clever use of already-existing webs.

Another web shot out.

This time, Tyler saw it before it fully formed. The web didn’t come directly from a body—it emerged from a dense knot of silk already attached to the tree, as though the web itself were alive and producing more strands.

He shifted his weight and dodged effortlessly, the thread brushing past his shoulder. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Below him, Kaeya moved with calm precision. She didn’t chase the source. She simply cut down the incoming strands, her sword flashing as it severed the silk cleanly. She stayed grounded, watching Tyler from the corner of her eye, trusting him to handle whatever was above.

Tyler bent his knees and leapt.

His jump carried him far higher than a normal human’s should have, propelled by raw strength rather than magic. The forest floor dropped away beneath him as branches rushed past.

Then he saw her.

She sat upon a massive, ancient branch near the heart of the canopy, surrounded by drifting strands of spider silk that shimmered faintly in the filtered moonlight. The forest behind her was deep and layered, trunks fading into mist, the air unnaturally still.

She did not panic when she saw him.

She simply watched.

Her skin was pale—almost luminous against the dark bark—and her long white hair spilled freely down her back, catching the light like spun silver. A thin robe of muted violet clung loosely to her slender frame, worn and soft, hanging open at the front as though modesty had never been a concern in this forest. The silk around her moved gently, responding to her presence like an extension of her will.

She looked unreal.

Too still. Too perfectly placed.

For a brief moment, Tyler forgot the trapped monsters, the webs, even Kaeya below. Beauty caught him off guard—not sharp or overwhelming, but quiet and consuming, like something that had always belonged to this forest and simply chose now to be seen.

"You look familiar..." Tyler muttered, his voice barely louder than the rustle of leaves.

His eyes flicked to the webs around her, to the way they pulsed faintly, alive but obedient.

Realization hit him all at once.

"You’re Dia?"

The woman nodded.

Just once.

It was her.

Dia—the spider. Gailo’s daughter.

Tyler’s mind raced back to the moment he had left the forest, to the massive cocoon suspended in silence. It seemed she hadn’t merely grown stronger while he was gone. She had changed entirely.

"So you really transformed," he said quietly, more to himself than to her.

Without hesitation, Tyler reached out, wrapped an arm around her, and jumped back down.

They landed smoothly on the forest floor.

"False alarm," Tyler said casually, setting Dia down beside him. "Just a friend playing pranks."

Kaeya’s eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Dia. She could feel it—the pressure, the density of mana, the quiet danger beneath that calm exterior. Whatever this woman was, she was no ordinary forest creature.

Still, Kaeya said nothing.

She simply nodded once, accepting Tyler’s words, while keeping her guard up.

The forest remained silent, the webs trembling faintly, as if aware that something had just returned home.

---

They moved deeper into the forest, past the thick webs and the trapped monsters, and the atmosphere gradually shifted.

The red sandalwood trees thinned out, replaced by orderly fences woven from wood and reinforced with faintly glowing silk. Beyond them stretched wide flower fields, vibrant with color—deep purples, golds, soft blues—each patch arranged with surprising care. The air here felt lighter, warm with the scent of nectar and fresh soil.

Above the fields, giant butterflies drifted lazily, their wings wide and iridescent, catching sunlight in slow, graceful arcs. Massive bees hummed as they moved from flower to flower, unbothered by the world below. None of the insects showed any hostility, yet their sheer size alone was enough to make most outsiders hesitate.

Tyler and Kaeya noticed a small group of people near the outer fence. They were carefully placing baskets and wrapped bundles on the ground, keeping a respectful distance from the boundary. Their movements were cautious, eyes constantly flicking upward toward the insects, clearly wary of provoking them.

The group froze when they noticed Tyler and the others approaching.

For a brief moment, tension hung in the air. Most of them had never seen Tyler before—only a handful in their village had. To them, he was still a rumor, a name spoken quietly, tied to fertile land and strange miracles.

One of the men stepped forward, raising a hand in warning rather than aggression.

"Don’t go any closer," he said firmly. "This land belongs to someone else. Entering without permission isn’t wise."

Another nodded in agreement. "The insects won’t forgive mistakes."

They didn’t ask who Tyler was. They didn’t challenge him either. After delivering their warning, they gathered their things and quickly retreated, clearly relieved to put distance between themselves and the fence.

Tyler watched them leave, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Kaeya glanced at him. "Are those tribe people?"

Dia lifted her hand slightly. At once, the webs woven into the fence responded, moving as if alive. Thin strands extended, gently lifting the offerings the villagers had placed outside and carrying them over the fence. The baskets were set neatly on the other side, unharmed, before the silk retracted back into place.

Tyler nodded. "Yeah. They moved closer recently. That’s the Fruit Village tribe. They’re probably offering gifts."

"Offering?" Kaeya echoed.

"It’s their way of showing respect," Tyler replied casually. "They’re living near my territory now."

Kaeya gave him a long look, clearly processing that statement.

They reached the main gate.

Before Tyler could move, Dia slipped free from his grasp, leaping effortlessly over the fence. She landed lightly inside and pulled the gate open from within, the silk mechanisms responding smoothly to her presence.

"Thank you, Dia," Tyler said with a genuine smile.

They stepped inside.

The moment Tyler crossed the threshold, something orange blurred through the air.

A figure with orange cat ears and a long, swaying tail practically tackled him, wrapping herself around his torso with alarming enthusiasm. She was dressed in an outfit that barely qualified as clothing, all straps and fabric placed with deliberate confidence.

"You’re back, nyaa~!" she purred, licking his cheek without hesitation.

Tyler froze for half a second before laughing. "You too, Serena?!"

"Nyaa~" Serena winked, her tail flicking happily behind her.

"You have way more expressions now," Tyler said, genuinely amused.

Before Kaeya could fully process what she was seeing, two more figures rushed forward.

"Welcome back!"

"We missed you!"

Chole and Kristina practically collided with Tyler, clinging to his arms from either side, their faces bright with relief and joy. Their voices overlapped as they spoke, excitement spilling out in every word.

Kaeya stood there, stiff.

A memory surfaced uninvited— corridors of polished marble, silk curtains, and her father’s harem palace. She remembered visiting as a child, watching girls her own age and younger fawn over a man old enough to be their grandfather.

The resemblance was... uncomfortable.

"All men are the same," Kaeya muttered under her breath.

She hadn’t meant for anyone to hear.

Every head snapped toward her.

Serena tilted her head. Chole blinked. Kristina frowned slightly.

Tyler cleared his throat quickly. "She’s our guest. Make sure you all treat her properly."

The tension dissolved almost instantly.

Smiles returned. Serena straightened, suddenly composed. Chole clasped her hands politely. Kristina gave a shy nod.

"You’re welcome here," Chole said warmly.

"Please make yourself at home," Kristina added.

Serena grinned. "Anyone Tyler brings is important, nyaa."

Kaeya exhaled slowly. Whatever she had expected upon entering the forest, this wasn’t it. It was just this guy’s Harem.