Kaguya was bathed in a soft white light, which felt tangible like smooth silk, wrapping around her body. It felt as if she was soaking in a warm hot spring, her entire body feeling incredibly comfortable, and even the hairs on her skin seemed to relax, giving her a lazy sensation.
However, this feeling didn't last long. Everything went dark, and when Kaguya opened her eyes again, she found that the white light that had surrounded her was gone, and she had arrived in an unfamiliar place.
Looking around, she saw an expansive lush forest that stretched endlessly, with no end in sight. All around were towering, verdant trees that blocked out the sun. Sunlight streamed down through the gaps in the leaves, forming scattered patches of light on the ground, adding a touch of warmth to the otherwise gloomy forest.
With a light tap of her toes, Kaguya leapt up like an arrow, piercing through the dense foliage and rising into the air. She gently landed on the treetops, her clothing fluttering in the breeze, and her long silver hair swaying in the wind.
The sun shone brightly, and the blue sky was clear with a few clouds drifting by. Beyond the lush forest was a lake with a clear blue surface, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. The gentle breeze rippled the water, creating a seamless blend between sky and water.
The scenery was as beautiful as a painting, breathtaking and calming.
However, Kaguya gradually furrowed her brows. Although the scenery before her was beautiful, it gave her a sense of discordance, as if something was unnatural or out of place.
It was like a home filled with all the finest and most expensive items, yet instead of feeling comfortable, it felt awkward and out of place.
Suddenly, Kaguya's expression shifted. She finally realized why there was a sense of discord. The forest, lake, and grassland, although lush, did not give off a sense of vitality but felt rather lifeless.
The gentle breeze blew through, and besides the rustling of leaves, there were no other sounds. In a normal forest, besides the sound of the wind and leaves, there would be other sounds, like the chirping of insects or the calls of birds.
But here, there was nothing. Despite the seemingly warm appearance, to Kaguya's eyes, it felt rather chilling.
Everything here was fake.
"Not bad, I didn't expect you to notice so quickly."
"Who's there?"
Kaguya turned around abruptly, her eyes wide open, staring intently at a distant towering tree. Her heart tightened because she hadn't sensed anyone there earlier; it was only the voice that made her aware of it. This was something she hadn't experienced since her power had grown significantly.
"Don't be nervous, I mean no harm."
At that moment, a figure stepped out from behind the towering tree, and Kaguya was slightly stunned upon seeing it.
Before her stood a beautiful mature woman, with shoulder-length hair in the front and long hair that nearly reached her waist in the back, like silk, smooth and shiny. To her surprise, the woman had a pair of animal ears on her head, resembling fox ears, furry and very cute.
She had brows like distant mountains, bright and spirited eyes, a high nose, and full, glossy lips, appearing very charming. Although she wasn't as beautiful as Kaguya, she was extremely attractive, especially with her mature woman's aura, making her alluring.
What was more surprising was her attire, which was quite revealing, almost scantily clad. She wore a small, furry top that barely covered her, exposing a large portion of her fair skin. Her lower half was similar, showing much of her white skin and long legs.
Curiously, she wore little but had a fluffy white scarf around her neck, which seemed out of place. Additionally, Kaguya noticed what seemed to be a tail behind her, but it disappeared when she looked again, making her wonder if she had imagined it.
Although the woman was very attractive, Kaguya was no longer an inexperienced youth. She was accustomed to beauty, having been around people like Mei Terumi and others, who were equally beautiful and with whom she had even shared a bed, so she was not easily swayed by the woman's allure.
"Oh my, I thought you'd be eliminated. I didn't expect you to complete the mission; it's truly surprising," the woman with the mature aura slightly widened her eyes and parted her lips as if in astonishment, then lightly chuckled and said, "No wonder you're the chosen one; very impressive."
"Who exactly are you?" Kaguya frowned slightly, looking at her with a penetrating gaze.
"Don't be in such a hurry." The woman curved her lips into a charming smile.
However, Kaguya was not moved at all. Being new to this place, she was on guard against this uninvited guest whose depths she could not discern. This was a habit Kaguya had developed previously, knowing that in this world full of hidden dangers, being careless could lead to her demise.
"What a boring person," the woman said, having encountered Kaguya's aloofness. However, she didn't seem angry and smiled gently, "My name is Lan. You can call me Lan from now on."
"Lan?" Kaguya was taken aback. It was indeed an odd name; she had never heard of anyone using a color as a name before.
"I know you. Your name is Kaguya, right?" Lan beamed brightly and walked up to Kaguya, grabbing her hand. "Come on, let's go."
"So fast."
Kaguya's pupils contracted. Lan's speed was incredibly fast, so fast that Kaguya, who had extremely keen eyesight, could only see a shadow. Before she could react, her hand had already been grabbed.
If she were an enemy...
Kaguya felt a tightness in her chest.
However, Lan didn't seem to harbor any malice; she seemed genuinely happy. The corners of her mouth curled up beautifully, and her happiness was so infectious that even Kaguya felt affected.
But for some reason, Kaguya had the feeling that Lan's mature and charming demeanor was somewhat affected, or perhaps it wasn't her true nature.
Kaguya's wrist was gripped by Lan, and after struggling a bit, she realized it was like being held by an iron clamp. There was no way to break free, so she gave up on the unrealistic idea.
Another reason was that Kaguya was quite curious about where Lan wanted to take her. Could it be like in many stories, where the protagonist is taken to a marvelous place, such as a beautiful paradise or a majestic castle?
However, as it turned out, Kaguya was overthinking it. The place Lan took her to was neither a paradise nor a majestic castle but an old, shabby wooden hut.
Yes, it was just an old, shabby wooden hut.
The small wooden hut was quite old, with weathered boards showing signs of wear, and a few places were even drafty. The boards seemed to be randomly pieced together, with nails hammered in crookedly. Green vines crawled over the roof, making it a pitiful sight.
Kaguya's mouth twitched; she figured the hut was probably not even as well-built as the ones she made when she was a child.
At that moment, a melodious voice sounded in her ear.
"Fried tofu, would you like some? It's really tasty."