"Am I dreaming?" Ethan asked himself in alarm. "There is no way I am a female!"

He checked his body again and again to confirm the transformation. It was true. Undoubtedly, the erstwhile Cromwell heir now had breasts and a vagina. His body structure was different, with slender curves and shoulder-length hair.

What really happened? The last thing Ethan remembered was being rescued from the deceptive Archangel Michael, who wanted control over his system. The mysterious journal, Grimorium Lustra, intervened and sent him back to Promiscua.

Ethan didn't expect to wake up in a different body, that too female! The boy had had weird fetishes of becoming a woman momentarily. But it was not a dominant one, nor did he wish it to be permanent.

'System, are you there?' Radio silence. There was no reply.

Crunch! The sounds of twigs snapping indicated someone or something was nearby. Ethan's heart skipped in panic. Was it an Orc? Hope not! Getting caught by a hungry, horny Orc, while he was a vulnerable girl, was the worst consequence possible.

The boy spun around towards the source of the sound. However, it was too late. The thing had already spotted him in the darkness. Ethan felt something collide with his torso. He fell backward, a weight pinning him down to the ground.

Dirty, bloody fingers wrapped around his neck, choking him. "Get off me, you monster!" the boy screamed in his new feminine voice.

The attacker's grasp around his throat slackened for a moment. "Are you a human girl," a boyish voice asked.

Ethan pounced on the chance and scampered from under the stranger's weight. At this point, the sky lightened a bit with approaching daybreak.

The boy squinted to see the entity that attacked him. It was a young boy, no taller than five feet. He had distinct green hair and wore a dirty animal-skin tunic. It looked like the boy hadn't washed himself for days.

"Of course I am human!" Ethan fired back. "Why did you attack me?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" the stranger replied, lowering his eyes to the ground. "I thought you were something else."

Ethan remembered suddenly that he was a girl and was completely naked. He had pearl-like skin and a rather attractive body. No wonder the stranger boy was overcome with shyness.

Instinctively, Ethan covered his groin with a hand and his breasts with the other arm. "Who are you?" he asked a series of nervous questions. "What is your name? Where do you live?"

"I'm Artis Lupine. The forest is my home."

"What are you doing here—" Ethan began, but the boy scampered away from him and disappeared into the bushes. "Huh, that was a short meeting. At least he wasn't dangerous."

Rustle! Artis reappeared a minute later. His eyes were still fixated on the ground, but there was a rag in his hand. He threw it at Ethan's feet.

"It's made from deerskin and wild lily leaves. The fabric is quite durable even though it may attract bugs."

Ethan was dumbstruck by the strange boy's kindness. Even though the rags were dirty, he put them on. Clothed was definitely better than naked any day.

"Thanks," he said in his female voice. "You can look at me now."

Artis did as he was told and smiled warmly. "Are you hurt? Are you hungry?"

Ethan wanted to ask a few questions first, but he was indeed starving. "I'm fine, but do you have anything to eat?"

"Follow me…" the boy said and scampered away, slower this time. His guest followed him on foot.

Even though the rags were loose, they felt durable. Skilled hands had made them. Who was this mysterious kid?

The duo went down a beaten forest trail and took a few turns. Ultimately, their path opened into a clearing under the foliage of redwood trees.

Ethan saw a moderately-sized fire, a sleeping hut made of leaves, and a pile of fruits and nuts. A red rabbit-like animal was roasting over the fireplace. The smell was intoxicating.

Artis dismounted the animal and broke off a cooked leg. "I don't have anything better to eat," he apologized. "If it were known I would be having a guest, I would have hunted something larger."

"It's okay," Ethan replied, accepting the food gratefully. He wasn't even sure the rabbit was palatable for his constitution. Only raw hunger made him take a reluctant bite. It was surprisingly delicious.

"How is it?"

"Mmmm… This is really good! Your cooking is marvelous!"

"It's a spice rabbit," Artis said with a giggle. "They aren't very nutritious but cook quite easily, and you don't even need to add spices."

Ethan nodded and quickly finished his leg before accepting another. "Do you live alone in this clearing?" he asked curiously. "How old are you?"

Artis shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know my age, nor do I live here. It's a temporary place."

"Then—"

"The forests are my home. Right now, I'm traveling through the hill forests towards the North because it is getting chilly in the South."

Ethan wondered how such a young boy was forced to live in nature. He was dirty and wild, but there was something exotic about him. Green eyes and hair with a surprisingly athletic physique. He could grow up as a strong, handsome warrior if he tried.

Ethan was full after two rabbit legs. He remembered having a bigger appetite. 'I guess this is all the nutrition a young girl needs,' he thought, tucking his obtrusive black hair behind the ear.

Artis observed Ethan's movements and blushed around the ears. He kept staring at his face and then shyly looking away when caught.

"You're pretty," the boy finally managed to speak freely.

The Cromwell heir nodded and suddenly remembered that he was a girl. Was he good-looking as a female? Yeah, his body was probably around his original age—eighteen. He was slim with perfectly-sized breasts that barely bounced due to their perkiness.

The lower body was also well-sculpted with the right curves in the right places. Not a single blemish, scar, bruise, or freckle tainted his flawless pearly skin. Moreover, Ethan had an air of confidence programmed into him that comes with being genetically attractive. A mirror would reveal more about his looks.

"What is your name?" Artis asked.

"E—" he cut himself short before mistakenly revealing his real name.

"E… What?"

"Ermmm… Sorry… I meant… My name is Cassie."

"Cassie. What a beautiful name! I don't like questions myself, but may I ask one more if it isn't an issue."

"Sure."

"What are you doing in the Southern hill forests, Cassie? It is currently swarming with Orcs. Not to mention, there are always monsters of the night much scarier than them. Someone like you belongs to the pearly cities of Promiscua."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't I ask you the same question, Artis? A kid like you would be a midday snack for Orcs. How have you survived in the wild without being eaten or killed?"

Artis shrugged again. "I don't mind being eaten or killed. It is part of the cycle. Now, tell me about you."

Ethan pursed his (or rather her) soft, pink lips. The boy was rather stoic for his age and size. Perhaps living alone in the wild seasoned him into a tough nut? Artis may also have developed valuable skills to avoid running into predator species.

"I… Uh… I was traveling to Gulchtown and got separated from my friends."

"Oh? That's so sad, Cassie! I can help you find them. What do your friends smell like?"

Ethan was baffled by the strange question. Do people usually remember and describe each other's smells? He was reminded of the last person he sniffed.

The pretty little witch with silver hair—Beatrix Galore. She smelled of wild lilies and frankincense. His sister, Gwen, smelled like strawberries and—

Ethan realized his host was waiting for an answer. "I don't know what my friends smell like. But one of them is a short witch with silver hair while the other is a very tall blonde woman. The rest of them were normal humans and Elves."

"A witch!" Artis hissed. "I don't like them!"

"Why?"

"They use funny ingredients. They dabble in the dark."

Ethan wanted to argue that not all witches practiced dark magic, but he had nothing to gain from taking their side. Maybe Artis knew better about witches than him.

" Are they worse than Orcs?"

"Yes. Worse. Orcs are mindless, but witches are wicked."

This was a point the Cromwell heir wasn't comfortable allowing. "Are you kidding me? Orcs are worse. They will rape you and eat you. I don't know how you survived till now, but you should be more careful of Orcs than witches."

"I don't mind my body being eaten," the boy said stubbornly. "But witches will eat your soul…"

"Why—

Rustle! Crackle! Artis scrambled to his feet like an alarmed animal. The sounds were distant, but they were widespread. It indicated a more extensive group was approaching them.

The wild boy put up his nose and sniffed the air. He scowled. "Orcs… They must have tracked you."

Ethan struggled to his feet, his heart palpitating. "I honestly don't know what to do. Can we hide somewhere?"

Artis wasn't even listening to him. He was already running. Within moments, the boy had crossed the clearing and disappeared into the jungle.

Ethan was left behind with a hanging jaw. The very cordial, kind, and polite Artis Lupine had turned out to be a coward. Of course, he wasn't to blame. Who wouldn't be terrified of Orcs?

Ethan could already see a group of the monsters heading to the clearing. They were intensely focused, running haphazardly but definitely in his direction. Damn it!

'I was helpless as a male with a strong body and magical skills. Now, I don't even have a system! This is the worst time for Orcs to attack!'

'System, I need you more than ever!' This time, a reply prompt appeared.

[System is charging…]

'Charging? What the hell? Please help me! I'm going to die again!'

[System is charging…]

'Fuck you, system!'

Aoooo! A howl rang out, making Ethan jump. He saw a large wolf bounding towards him from the East.

'Great! Not only am I being hunted by Orcs, but a real predator is after me! Please! If there are more bidders for my flesh, please have at it!'

The wolf was much faster and reached him in moments. Ethan gritted his teeth and picked up a stick from the ground. He waved the stringy weapon crazily.

The wolf ignored him and rammed into his body. Its gnashing jaw opened, and his teeth grabbed his torso. "Argh!" Ethan exclaimed, thrashing wildly. However, something odd happened.

The wolf picked him up and began running away. Ethan suddenly realized that its fangs weren't actually biting into his body. The teeth merely grazed his torso.

The wolf was not trying to eat him at all. He was helping him escape! The positive feelings of being rescued were short-lived.

Swish! Snip! Two arrows buried themselves in the wolf's neck. The poor animal collapsed to the ground along with Ethan and rolled for a distance before stopping. The latter felt his spine break in the fall.

Ethan tried to get up but failed. The damage was serious.

Within minutes, the area was swarming with noisy Orcs. "Human girl! Human pussy!" they boomed in celebration.

Ethan strained his neck and let out an ear-piercing feminine scream for help. However, it was immediately silenced. A wooden club bashed into the back of his neck, knocking him out.

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