Dawn broke over the village, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold. Minerva was already awake, her mind racing with plans for the day ahead. She had four days left before the battle, and every moment counted. As she reached the edge of the forest, memories of her past life flashed through her mind.
Just a month ago, she had been Dr. Minerva Thorne, a 28-year-old prodigy in the field of entomology and botany. Despite her youth, she had already made a name for herself at her university, known for her innovative research and tireless work ethic. Her days were filled with lectures, experiments, and endless hours in the lab studying insect behavior and plant-insect interactions.
In her rare moments of free time, Minerva had always found solace in books. Her small apartment had been crammed with shelves upon shelves of novels, scientific journals, and ancient tomes on folklore and mythology. She smiled wryly, thinking how those fantastical stories she'd read for fun now seemed all too real in this new world.
Minerva had been on the verge of a breakthrough in her research on using insects for pollination in challenging environments when everything changed. The accident in her lab - a strange combination of chemicals, an unexpected power surge, and an inexplicable burst of energy - had torn her from her world and deposited her here, in this medieval-like realm of magic and danger.
She had awoken in the forest, confused and disoriented, only to be found by Takeshi and brought to the village.
Shaking her head, Minerva pushed away the memories. There was no time for nostalgia or regret. Her scientific background, voracious reading habits, and passion for insects had unexpectedly prepared her for this new world, where she could control insects with her mind and channel energies she never knew existed.
As she stepped into the clearing where she usually trained, Minerva found herself wishing for a good book on magical insect control. Her fingers itched to take notes, to document her experiences and experiments as she'd always done. But paper was scarce here, and she couldn't risk leaving evidence of her true abilities.
The pre-dawn air was crisp as Minerva made her way through the sleeping village. She had four days left before the battle, and every moment counted. As she reached the edge of the forest, a familiar voice made her freeze.
"You're up early again, Minerva."
Hana stepped out from behind a tree, her expression unreadable in the dim light. Minerva's heart raced, but she kept her voice steady.
"Just getting some early practice in," she said casually. "What brings you out here?"
Hana shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "I couldn't sleep. Thought I'd take a walk." She paused, her eyes searching Minerva's face. "Mind if I join you?"
Minerva hesitated. Her planned training would have to wait. "Of course not," she said, forcing a smile. "I was just going to gather some herbs."
As they walked deeper into the forest, Minerva's mind raced. She needed to find a way to continue her training without arousing suspicion. An idea struck her.
"Hana, I've been meaning to ask you about some of the local insects," Minerva said, trying to sound casual. "I've noticed some unusual behavior patterns. Do you know if there are any plants in the area that might affect them?"
Hana's eyebrows raised slightly. "Unusual how?"
Minerva described some of the patterns she'd been creating with her insect control, disguising them as natural phenomena. As Hana listened, Minerva subtly reached out with her abilities, gently guiding nearby insects into the patterns she was describing.
[Skill: Insect Control - Novice (52%)]
Hana watched the insects with keen interest. "That is unusual," she murmured. "I've never seen anything quite like it."
For the next hour, Minerva continued her covert practice, disguising her control as a discussion about local flora and fauna. By the time they returned to the village, she had made some progress, but not as much as she'd hoped.
[Minerva's Status]
Level: 7
XP: 4,800 / 5,000
Race: Human (Fairy heritage undiscovered)
HP: 130 / 130
Mana: 85 / 85
Stamina: 95 / 95
[Skills]
Combat Mastery: Novice (57%)
Herbalism: Adept (67%)
Entomology: Adept (77%)
Insect Control: Novice (55%)
Plant Manipulation: Novice (15%)
Healing: Novice (37%)
Strategic Planning: Novice (32%)
As the day progressed, Minerva found herself constantly aware of Hana's presence. The other woman seemed to be everywhere, always watching with those keen, curious eyes.
That evening, during a strategy meeting with Jiro and the other warriors, Minerva presented her progress on the "herb-based insect control." She spoke confidently of pheromone mixtures and plant extracts, all the while feeling the weight of her deception.
"Impressive work, Minerva," Jiro said when she finished. "But will it be enough for the battle?"
Minerva nodded, pushing down her doubts. "It will be. I just need a little more time to perfect the technique."
As she left the meeting, Minerva overheard Hana speaking quietly to Jiro. "She's making remarkable progress," Hana was saying. "Almost... unbelievable progress."
Minerva quickened her pace, her heart pounding. She needed to be more careful.
That night, unable to sleep, Minerva slipped out to the river. The moon was full, casting a silvery light over the water. Perfect conditions for training with her light insects.
She began with the fireflies, guiding them into intricate patterns above the water. Then, feeling bold, she reached out to the moths fluttering nearby. To her surprise, they responded almost as easily as the fireflies.
[Hidden Trait: Affinity for Light Insects activated]
[Skill: Insect Control - Novice (60%)]
Exhilarated by her progress, Minerva pushed further. She attempted to control a small swarm of water striders, guiding them to create ripple patterns on the river's surface. It was challenging, requiring intense concentration, but slowly, the insects began to respond.
[New Skill Unlocked: Water Insect Control - Novice (5%)]
Just as Minerva was reveling in her newfound ability, a twig snapped behind her. She whirled around, dispersing the insects in a panic.
There, at the edge of the trees, stood Hana. Her eyes were wide, fixed on the dissipating swarm of insects.
"Minerva," Hana said softly, her voice a mixture of awe and something else - fear? Suspicion? "What are you doing?"
Minerva's mind raced, searching for an explanation. But as she looked at Hana's face, illuminated by the moonlight, she saw something that made her pause. There was a glimmer in Hana's eyes, a faint, otherworldly shine that seemed... familiar.
Before Minerva could respond, a horn blasted from the direction of the village. The alarm - they were under attack!
As both women turned to run back to the village, Minerva caught a last glimpse of Hana's face. For a split second, she could have sworn she saw pointed ears poking through Hana's hair.
But there was no time to dwell on it now. The battle they had been preparing for had come early, and Minerva was about to face her greatest test yet.