Case 03: The Arachne with Mourning Silk Syndrome
Case 03:
The Arachne with
Mourning Silk Syndrome
The Arachne with
Mourning Silk Syndrome
Sheep Sleep.
The illness running rampant through the city was perplexing.
At first, it hadn’t seemed like such a big deal, but there were more and more new patients every day. And there was also absolutely no sign of Sapphee waking up anytime soon.
The real mystery was that, although patients remained asleep, they moved spontaneously, eating when hungry, and going to the restroom when they needed to relieve themselves.
The number of palm-sized sheep in Lindworm was also increasing.
As Glenn examined patients with the sleeping disease, he continued searching for a way to cure it. Even some of his regular patients had been struck with Sheep Sleep and were unable to move. Glenn went out making house calls as often as he could, running through a town gone silent as many of its inhabitants slept.
However, one patient had made an appointment.
“Doctor…”
“The princess’s condition?”
“There is nothing wrong with her body.” Glenn had come to the Scythia Manor to examine Tisalia.
The bedroom’s owner lay on a luxurious canopy bed. As far as Glenn could see, she was sleeping lightly. She might have been somewhere between the real world and the dream world. Kay and Lorna, who always accompanied Tisalia, were in the room with her. Glenn had seen their worried looks before, on the faces of Tisalia’s parents. Her mother had worn an especially dark expression, frightened that her only daughter hadn’t woken up for a whole week.
According to Glenn’s tests, Tisalia had fallen victim to the Sheep Sleep. However, she spoke multiple times during the exam.
“Doctor… No…”
“Mmm… I know it’s our honeymoon, Doctor, but still…”
“A hot spring? Just the two of us?”
Tisalia wore a thin nightgown, and whenever she rolled over in her sleep, it exposed her voluptuous breasts.
“The poor princess…”
“As you can see, she’s dreaming about marrying you, Doctor.”
Kay wiped her tears with a handkerchief.
Lorna seemed to have been keeping track of Tisalia’s sleeptalk. “It’s been a week since the princess fell asleep. In that time, she’s had a formal marriage interview, introduced you to her parents, held a huge wedding, and inherited Scythia Manor. Now she’s dreaming of your honeymoon at a tropical resort in the monster regions.”
“Huh…” Glenn didn’t know how to answer. He was certainly pleased to be so admired.
Both humans and monsters dreamed. But there were two types of sleep. Dreams only occurred in light sleep. Sleepwalking happened during deep sleep.
“Mmm…”
While Glenn contemplated this, Tisalia stood up. Her eyes were half-open, and her face had a distant expression. She looked around and picked up the pitcher beside her bed.
“Is this…?”
“Could it be?”
“No, it’s not.” Glenn held the attendants back. Tisalia gulped down the water she poured for herself and staggered back to bed. She seemed to be dreaming again right away, hugging a pillow tight.
Glenn nodded. “So, she gets things for herself.”
“That’s right.”
“Doctor, is this a type of sleepwalking?”
Glenn was already shaking his head before Lorna finished her question. “Sleepwalking is a condition that takes place during deep sleep. During that time, the sleepwalker has no dreams, and doesn’t remember what happens. I don’t think you can transition between deep sleep and light sleep this quickly.”
“Then…”
“What is this condition?”
“I’m sorry. I’m still trying to figure that out.” It was all Glenn could say.
Tisalia seemed relaxed, but she had work to do as a warrior. If she was unable to participate in competitions, it would hurt both her income and her reputation. She needed to get back to normal as soon as possible.
“Doctor, don’t work too hard.”
“Huh?”
At some point, Lorna had moved next to him. She slipped something into his coat pocket. There was a subtle floral scent, like potpourri.
“I heard that Sapphee is also sleeping. Dr. Cthulhy may be on a business trip, but that doesn’t mean you have to take on everything.”
“But…aren’t you worried about Tisalia?”
“The princess always trains so hard. A little sleep won’t kill her.”
“We are worried about you, her future husband, as well.”
“I-I’ll be careful.”
It was true, Glenn was alone right now. He was used to relying on Sapphee and Cthulhy without a second thought. It felt nice to be encouraged by Kay and Lorna.
“The only thing I can say is that I’m not convinced Sheep Sleep patients are safe. It’s possible they could wander off somewhere while sleeping. Please make sure that someone always watches her.”
“Yes, of course.”
“We are always with the princess.”
He couldn’t let down his guard with those two whispering in his ear. He might get seduced again. Glenn thanked Lorna for the potpourri and left Tisalia’s room.
“Mmm… Doctor… Come closer…”
Tisalia’s parting words seemed to speak to Glenn directly, and he felt embarrassed.
Although he wasn’t proud of it, Glenn was completely incapable of doing household chores. The fairies cleaned the house regularly, and Sapphee cooked. Glenn sanitized his medical tools, but anything else—like washing his clothes—he usually left until Sapphee started complaining. He didn’t know how to be independent in his daily life. Now that Sapphee was sleeping, when it came to meals…
“Ummm…”
“Hm?” Arahnia sat across from Glenn at the dining table, staring.
“Sorry, can you not look at me so much? It’s hard to eat.”
“Oh, I apologize! I’m just so glad you’re eating, Doc. Really.”
“N-no, the pleasure is mine. Thank you for going to the trouble of making me food.”
Arahnia wore her normal attire under an apron she’d borrowed from Sapphee. She’d made miso soup with a stock base, a uniquely eastern white rice, and grilled freshwater fish, all garnished with pickled mountain vegetables. That type of meal was normal in the east, but most Lindworm residents didn’t know how to make those dishes. If Glenn were being honest, he would have loved some fermented soybeans as well, but he wasn’t sure Arahnia could handle the smell.
“I didn’t realize you were so good at eastern cooking, Arahnia.”
“I acquired the taste during my designer apprenticeship in the human regions. I’m so glad that eastern ingredients have become cheaper with the expanded trade.” Arahnia drank eastern Ginjo sake as she spoke.
As soon as she’d heard that Sapphee caught the sleeping disease, Arahnia had come to visit. Glenn had mentioned that, without Sapphee, he was having trouble with daily meals. Arahnia offered to cook for him, since he couldn’t manage it himself.
“It’s delicious, Arahnia.”
“Isn’t it? Whenever you want eastern food, just let me know.”
The whole meal tasted like home to Glenn. With Sioux in town, he’d been thinking of home more and more. He would have loved to make a trip back, but it was impossible when the Sheep Sleep had grown into an epidemic.
“I hope I’m not bothering you. You must be busy at the clinic.”
“It’s fine. You’ve really helped me out.” Glenn often went without food when he was busy. He’d even passed out from overwork once. He was grateful that Arahnia had taken over his meals.
“They say there’s a labor shortage everywhere in Lindworm. How is Loose Silk Sewing?”
“Well, our branch manager fell asleep immediately. We aren’t taking new orders, and we’re somehow getting by with the employees who are still awake. I mean, we have to keep up with the orders we already took… But I have no idea if we’ll make the deadlines.”
“Is it too much work?”
“No, no, that’s not it. The orders within town are fine, but the orders outside Lindworm are handled by Scythia Transportation. They have a labor shortage, too, so I don’t know if they can deliver the orders in time.” Arahnia sighed.
If the Sheep Sleep cut off the transportation web that served as Lindworm’s lifeline, it would hurt businesses like the workshop and sewing factory.
“Have you heard anything from Aluloona? I understand that the patrol team was trying to find the Sheep Sleep’s cause.”
“Yes, that’s right. And I was told to figure out a treatment.”
“That makes sense. How is it going? Do you think you can do it?”
“It’s not going well at all.”
Glenn didn’t have a clue how to solve this problem. The Central Hospital researchers were falling victim to the Sheep Sleep one by one. When a patient was infected, stimulants became ineffective. Glenn wanted to look into the tiny sheep themselves, but that meant he would risk succumbing to the disease as well.
“How did Sapphee fall asleep?”
“She was researching the palm-sized sheep. I owe her an apology, but I went into her room and found her notes.”
“Oh, no. I’m sure she’ll be angry with you.”
Glenn had already prepared himself for that.
According to Sapphee’s notes, she had been trying to make an antidote for the sleeping disease. In the process, she absorbed whatever component caused it.
“When the sheep’s wool is disturbed, it seems to emit a powder. That powder affects the brain, and knocks people unconscious. Even a light touch can scatter the powder everywhere.”
“Oh, that’s horrible! Is it similar to Aluloona’s pollen?”
Glenn nodded.
Alraune pollen had aphrodisiac effects on other beings, making pollination easier. But what was the sheep powder’s purpose? What was the advantage of making other beings sleep?
“The number of patients is increasing, right?”
“That’s right, and so is the number of sheep. The Sheep Sleep has become an epidemic, and it seems as though the powder’s sleeping effects are only growing stronger. At first, Sheep Sleep patients woke within a short time, but the symptoms are getting more severe.”
Lindworm now contained so many sheep that somebody walking down the street would come across one every few steps. The sheep formed flocks, moving together. Glenn needed to figure out where they came from, and why they were multiplying.
“Sapphee’s notes also contained a recipe for the antidote. We’ll have to experiment to see whether it will work, but I think I could at least put together a test batch.”
“If you do, then the problem is solved, right?”
“No, I don’t think that simply making the medicine will be enough. Even if the victims wake up, it’s very possible that they will go back to sleep if they absorb the sheep powder again.”
“It’s so complicated,” Arahnia sighed.
Glenn felt the same way. He had to be careful not to contract the disease, but he also wanted to catch the sheep. He couldn’t even imagine the issues Aluloona would face if he didn’t solve this problem right away.
“Thank you for the meal. It really hit the spot.”
“Of course.” Arahnia’s face had a calm smile.
The arachne designer used to have an annoying habit of stealing other people’s things, but Glenn hadn’t heard any complaints about her lately. In fact, he’d heard that she was working hard supervising the staff at Loose Silk Sewing. She was also getting along with younger monster women, like Lulala and Memé.
“What are you staring at me for? I’m getting flushed.”
Arahnia had even saved Glenn from Aluloona the other day. There wasn’t any hint of the bad girl she used to be.
“Your demeanor has changed, Arahnia.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You’re nicer.”
“If that’s true, it’s all thanks to you and Sapphee.”
“Huh? What did I do?”
Arahnia folded her four arms. “Doctor, you can’t just ask a girl anything that pops into your head.”
“I-I’m sorry…?”
“Good girls have to keep some secrets.”
“Wh-what?!”
Arahnia gently stroked Glenn’s lips. The next instant, her white silk covered his mouth like a gag. He was able to remove it easily, however. It didn’t have the characteristic stickiness of arachne silk.
“Teehee…” Arahnia giggled, having successfully stopped his questions. “Well then, I’ll do the dishes and visit Sapphee before going home. Feel free to work on the sleeping disease investigation, Doctor.”
“N-no, Arahnia, you don’t have to do all that.”
Glenn tried to protest, but Arahnia brushed him off.
“No, it’s fine. I want to help you.”
“But…”
“When there’s a problem, we need to help each other out. Are you not interested in relying on me the way you do Sapphee? That would make me sad.”
Glenn couldn’t protest anymore. “Well, okay then. Thank you very much.”
The town was in crisis, but Glenn had to continue with his work. Lindworm’s fate rested completely on his shoulders. Arahnia was right; when there were problems, they needed to help each other. And Arahnia had hands to spare.
“Goodnight, Doc.” Arahnia called to Glenn as he returned to the examination room.
She was so different from before. It was a composed and dignified goodbye.
***
Thanks to Arahnia, Glenn no longer had any trouble with his daily activities, but that didn’t make it any easier to discover a solution for the Sheep Sleep. Still, he had Sapphee’s research. According to her notes, he could extract an antidote from coffee.
The problem was that medication alone wouldn’t solve the problem. If he didn’t figure out where the palm-sized sheep came from, and how to get rid of them, then the epidemic might never go away.
***
“Hey, Memé, do I really have to go?”
“O-of course you do! Do you think I can meet that wild boar, Sioux, on my own?!”
“I could always deliver the sword to Sioux alone.”
“B-but if it isn’t delivered by the workshop employee who received it, that might cause problems later. So, Doctor, please come with me to the patrol team guardroom!” There were tears in Memé’s eye as she gripped the cloth bag containing Sioux’s beloved sword. “If I go alone, she’ll definitely rush me and give me a big hug… It’s scary…!”
“Hmmm. She might.” That sounded like something Glenn’s sister might do. Sioux would be so excited about having her sword back that she’d probably express her gratitude with her entire body.
Glenn and Memé were mid-conversation when they arrived at the patrol team guardroom, where Aluloona had attacked Glenn.
A number of patrol team soldiers milled about. After Memé showed them the sword’s claim check, they let her pass. For once, she didn’t appear the least bit timid. Glenn also made it through easily.
“How do you know the patrol team so well, Memé?”
“I-I’ve delivered weapons and equipment to them before…”
“Damn… We probably should just have asked you.”
“What are you talking about?”
Glenn shook his head. Memé would certainly be surprised if he told her about Sapphee and Arahnia dressing as prostitutes, and their adventure in the entertainment district.
In the back of the guardroom, they saw Sioux pouring well water over her head.
“Oh! Brother! And you, Tatara-maker!”
“Who are you calling Tatara? Is that an eastern word? I’m Memé!”
“Oh, sorry! If you’re here, Memé, does that mean you finished polishing my sword?!” Sioux wiped her wet body dry. She looked ready to rush Memé and give her a hug.
Memé hid behind Glenn.
“I-It should be well-polished, but it’s my first time, so please check. The process for swords from the east has a lot of steps!”
“Yes, ma’am! Let me look at a cyclops’s work!”
Sioux took the cloth bag and removed the sword. It reflected the evening sun like a mirror. Glenn didn’t really know anything about weapons. From the way Sioux kept nodding, though, he saw that Memé had done a good job, worthy of the cyclops name.
“There are no more nicks in the blade! They have been repaired well. When I was working as a guard, I once took down a bear, and it left this huge dent…”
“Th-that’s all well and good, but can you please give me your claim check and pay the fee now?”
“Yes, of course.”
Sioux’s voice was very loud, and Memé looked as though she was about to cry. There was nothing for Glenn to do, so he observed his sister. She wasn’t wearing her equipment, just her thin undergarment. She gave the coins and claim check to Memé.
Glenn heard yelling from the back of the guardroom.
“Sioux, were you in the middle of training?”
“Yes, I was. But when I exercise. I get steamed up. Ooohh… I’m so slow.” Sioux made fists and flailed her arms. Water droplets flew everywhere, spraying Glenn and Memé.
“The captain said she cannot have me fainting again, so I have to keep cool. She also told me to move as little as possible when fighting. However, that is difficult. I am not sure what to do,” Sioux muttered as she resumed pouring water over her head.
Unfortunately, there was nothing Glenn could do about that. Sioux would just have to come to terms with her new body.
“Th-that sword is heavy.”
“Hm?”
Memé almost sounded like she was talking to herself, even as she hid behind Glenn.
“S-so, I mean, it’s too big for your body. There are swords that would be easier for you to handle… Swinging that one around could make you faint again!”
“Hmm. I understand. But Duke Auchraw of the elder statesmen presented me with this weapon, so it is not easy to give up. I want to become a martial arts master worthy of this famous sword.”
Glenn hadn’t expected that. The elder statesmen were an eastern political organization that basically ruled the human regions. Duke Auchraw, in particular, was known for his hatred of monsters. Yet he had given Sioux this sword. Perhaps that was before her demon characteristics appeared. She must have been an extremely successful senate guard.
“You’re very learned about weaponry, Memé!”
“I-It’s just my job…”
“No, no! I am incapable of caring for my sword properly. I admire people like you. If only I were so skilled.”
“Y-you just need to be calmer! If you could just…quiet down for a minute, and concentrate…”
“My life would be much easier if I could do that.” If Sioux possessed a tail, it would certainly have been wagging. “Ugggh. I…I will not lose!”
“Lose to who?!”
“To myself!” Sioux yelled as she dumped more water on her head.
Memé cowered. “Th-that’s all you needed from me, right? I’ve decided not to accept new orders at the workshop, so if you ask for anything more, it will be a challenge.”
“That is all! Are you so busy due to the sleeping disease?”
“Well, that’s one reason…”
Memé’s big eye looked at Glenn. She probably wasn’t trying to glare, but her gaze was extremely forceful. Glenn had been tasked with resolving the Sheep Sleep epidemic, and he had nothing to show for it.
“Th-there are a lot of jobs in the workshop, but…we also need outside help to do a lot of things. We have the tools required for blades, metal, and leather, but for cloth work, we need Loose Silk Sewing… They are having a tough time, too…”
“Tough time?”
“Y-you don’t know?”
All of Lindworm was having difficulty, but the way Memé put it, Loose Silk Sewing was in pandemonium. However, Arahnia hadn’t said anything about that when she came to make Glenn’s dinners.
“Arahnia and her new recruit are the only ones who haven’t caught the sleeping disease. They must be running around like crazy. Arahnia said that she can’t finish her sewing work during the day, so she’s taking it home with her.”
“Really? Yesterday, when she came to make me dinner, she seemed fine…”
By the time Glenn realized what he’d let slip, it was too late. Memé’s overbearing glare and Sioux’s narrowed eyes focused on him.
“Brother… Were you with that spider woman yesterday?”
“How could you make Arahnia cook for you when she’s so busy?”
“That makes me sad, Brother… Even I am cooking for myself…”
“Fr-freeloader…”
The two young women glowered.
Glenn wasn’t very good at defending himself. All he could do was accept the criticism they dished out. He mentally swore that he would do more chores.
“No, it’s not like that! Arahnia came on her own!”
“Whooooaa…”
“Ugh, sorry,” Glenn mumbled.
“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to Arahnia!”
Memé was right. It was more than Glenn could bear to be told off so forcefully by the cyclops, who was normally timid.
“I get it. I’ll apologize to Arahnia.”
“It’s not that simple. Arahnia is ready to pass out!”
“What do you mean?”
“Lately, whenever I go to the sewing factory, Arahnia is pale and unsteady… You didn’t notice, Doctor? Didn’t you see her yesterday?”
“I did see her, but nothing made me worry…”
Wait a minute. During dinner, Arahnia had been more composed than usual. Maybe she hadn’t been feeling well. Maybe the difference in her behavior wasn’t due to a change of heart, but illness.
“Her silk…”
“Huh?”
“Arahnia’s silk wasn’t very sticky. I pulled it off easily. Arachne silk is supposed to be stronger than steel, but…”
Of course, arachne could control how adhesive their silk was. Glenn had assumed that Arahnia was just teasing, and had weakened the adhesive on purpose. At the time, however, Arahnia was serious about not wanting to continue the conversation. As a doctor, he should have noticed that right away.
“Memé!”
“Eeek! D-Doctor, now you’re yelling, too?!”
“Do you know where Arahnia lives?”
“I-I know…” Memé answered quietly. She averted her eye, but she seemed willing to show him. Glenn took her hand and ran out of the guardroom.
“Be careful!” Sioux called after them nonchalantly as she continued to play in the cool water.
***
Arahnia’s mansion was close to the entertainment district, and built in the style of the human regions. Like her taste in food, Arahnia’s taste in architecture seemed to hail from the east.
They heard the sound of a loom from within.
Gachung-gachung.
The night was dark, and the lanterns throughout the house were lit. The illuminated loom cast an image on the wall like a shadow picture.
“S-so, she is inside…”
“Oh, good. Now I can examine her.”
“But…do you smell that? Like something is rotting?”
“Actually, that’s the food I brought. I think Arahnia could use it right now.”
“Hmm…” Memé looked doubtfully at the straw bundle Glenn held.
He didn’t think the food smelled bad, but apparently, monsters didn’t care for its scent. He hoped he could get Arahnia to eat it.
“What are you going to do, Dr. Glenn? Arahnia lives here alone, and I…”
“I’ll go directly inside. Please take this.”
Glenn thrust the bundle into Memé’s hands and approached Arahnia’s house.
Memé called after him. “What? Dr. Glenn?! This stinks…”
The garden was also eastern-style. It was a very familiar scene to Glenn. He took off his shoes on the veranda and opened the shoji door, revealing Arahnia behind the loom.
“Hey!” Arahnia screamed.
Of course, anyone would react that way if somebody just barged into their house. Glenn was surprised for a different reason, though.
Arahnia’s face, illuminated by a paper lantern, looked nothing like it had only the day before. She was extremely pale, her lips dry. If she’d shown up looking like that yesterday, Glenn could have done something right away.
“D-Doc…! You can’t just show up here unannounced!”
“Arahnia, your face…”
“I thought I could keep you from noticing a bit longer. I guess that was wishful thinking. Memé? You don’t have to hide.”
Arahnia motioned for Memé to come inside, but the cyclops remained where she was. Maybe she felt guilty.
Arahnia’s house was designed so that an arachne could live there comfortably. Many of the paper doors had been removed, and wooden hooks hung from the ceiling and walls, probably so that Arahnia could attach her silk to them easily.
Glenn thought that living alone in such a big house must be lonely, though.
“I’m sorry. I asked Memé to tell me where you lived. Actually, I forced it out of her.”
“No need to be sorry. I knew you’d figure it out sooner or later.”
“So, you’ve been hiding how poorly you feel?”
Glenn held Arahnia’s face in his hands. She’d concealed her poor health with makeup. Sapphee had sensitive skin, so she didn’t wear many cosmetics, but a designer like Arahnia probably spent a lot of time on her appearance.
“Heh. Can’t fool you, Doc.”
“Will you let me examine you now?”
“I’m working at the moment…”
It looked as though Arahnia was making some sort of tapestry on the loom.
The arachne could weave just about anything from their silk, and having four arms made them incredibly skilled at the loom. They could work at impressive speeds, no matter how complicated the pattern.
“I’m more worried about your health.”
“Me, Doc? I’m flattered.” Arahnia went back to the loom’s gachung-gachung sound.
“Huh? Oh.” Glenn had anticipated that she wouldn’t stop, even if he told her to.
“You were right,” Arahnia mused. “I definitely changed. Long ago, I stole things from people. I thought that was the perfect life for a bad woman like me, but…”
“Arahnia?”
“But on some level, I hated that version of myself. Sapphee and Tisalia were always so straightforward. I envied them.”
Glenn was silent. His eyes darted back and forth as he listened.
The colored silk Arahnia was using for the tapestry looked like it had already been dyed. There were large quantities of more than ten different colors. If the Loose Silk Sewing employees had all fallen to the Sheep Sleep, then the remaining employees must have generated this silk. In other words, it was probably mostly Arahnia’s.
How much of a burden was she bearing?
Although arachne could generate a lot of silk, there was always a limit.
“I even tried to be like them. When you told me I had changed, Doc…it felt like I had done something right.”
“That’s great news.”
“It is. So, won’t you let me keep mimicking them? I want to help you, Doc, since Sapphee can’t work. I want to be a good person.”
Glenn couldn’t believe how much Arahnia had changed. He didn’t see even a hint of scheming in her gentle eyes. Still, she was saying that she wanted to work herself to exhaustion for Sapphee, Glenn, and Loose Silk Sewing.
“Arahnia.”
“What is it?”
“You’re not a bad person. You’re always thinking about the people who will wear your clothes. Lulala and Memé always talk about how grateful they are to you. In fact, it was Memé who told me about your poor health.”
Glenn wondered whether Memé was listening from her hiding spot.
“You just had the poor luck of getting stuck with a nosy doctor.” Glenn had been hospitalized due to overwork before. He knew that he was the last person who should give this advice.
“Well, if you insist, Doc. I figured I’d be forced to take some time off sooner or later. Should I just get under the covers and rest?”
“No, that won’t work.” Glenn shook his head. “Arahnia, I’m afraid you might have Mourning Silk Syndrome.”
“Huh?”
“The silk that you produced the other day was fairly weak. I think you’ve been making too much. You might even be losing nutrients. If untreated, Mourning Silk Syndrome can be fatal. We need to take care of it right away.”
“Ergh…”
Arahnia lay down on the spot. She didn’t even care that the kimono she wore exposed her body. Her eight limbs made her look like a spider.
“The floor is hard and uncomfortable,” she complained.
“How do you usually sleep?” asked Glenn.
“In a silk hammock, of course.”
In other words, she couldn’t even spin enough silk to make herself a hammock.
“I see. Well, let’s begin the examination.”
“How exactly do you examine for Mourning Silk Syndrome?!”
The lower half of an arachne’s body was spider-like. At its tip was a kind of hole called a spinneret—the most important arachne organ, which spun silk.
“By looking at your spinneret.”
“Er… Ahh… Ooooh… D-do what you must.”
Arahnia covered her face with two hands, as if embarrassed to have her spinneret examined.
“Hmm…”
Her abdomen was huge. On the bottom were five claw-shaped organs, and in the middle, a small, open hole—Arahnia’s spinneret. The claws made it possible to shoot the fluid she generated in a specific direction.
“I’ll start by touching the surrounding area.”
“Hmm… Oof.”
Glenn touched the claws around the hole. They were hard, and felt as though they would break if he handled them wrong. When he brushed their tips, they spread open like blooming flowers.
“Mmmm…”
Just as Glenn expected, the claws were dry to the touch. They were supposed to be sticky at all times. Their dryness was proof that Arahnia was dehydrated, and suffering from Mourning Silk Syndrome.
“Mm, mmm… D-Doc, you’re tantalizing…”
“S-sorry, does it tickle?”
“Mmmm… Uh, y-yes, but… I don’t know.”
Arahnia’s eyes were moist, but she hadn’t lost the laughter they contained.
“This just makes me want to be touched more. Isn’t it strange? Even though it’s…torturous… Why?”
“This is the first time I’ve examined you, Arahnia. If you are uncomfortable, please tell me.”
“Nothing feels uncomfortable… You’re good!”
Arahnia had tried to seduce Glenn before, when she helped him during Skadi’s surgery. Her kleptomania had started to improve around that time.
“I’m sorry. I’m trying not to make this too burdensome.”
“It’s okay… You can…put the burden on me…”
“Arahnia?”
This wasn’t the type of open seduction that Aluloona had tried previously. A woman as strong and capable as Arahnia suddenly showing such a gentle side was endearing to Glenn, perhaps because it reminded him of Sapphee. The two women were probably such good friends because they were so alike.
Glenn shook his head and tried to concentrate on the task at hand.
“Mmmm… I-It’s just a little scary. How many fingers are you going to use?”
“Two.” Glenn disinfected his fingers and slid them inside the hole.
The creased muscle was wet with mucus. The interior of an arachne abdomen was extremely complex, and a network of blood vessels and nerves ran vertically and horizontally. Glenn tried stroking inside the hole.
“Mmm… Eee… Mmmyaaa.”
The hole entrance contracted to tolerate the stimulation, the claws on the outside repeatedly opening and closing. Glenn’s hand tickled, as though it was being lightly nibbled.
As I thought, there isn’t much silk…
Arachne silk existed in the body as a liquid. However, when it left the body, it reacted with the air and changed into string. By adjusting the liquid’s composition, it was possible to generate sticky webbing or silky string, depending on what was needed.
“Oh, aahh, mmm… D-Doc?”
“Sorry. Just a second.”
“Ooooh?! Y-you can’t just pull out without saying anything!”
Glenn had withdrawn his fingers from the spinneret to check the mucus. He tried rubbing his fingertips together, but the mucus evaporated almost immediately.
“It doesn’t change to string when it touches the air. Your mucus lacks important nutrients.”
“Oooh… Ahhh… Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s due to your exhaustion, and the fact that you’ve produced too much string. Are you not eating properly, either?”
“I’ve always been a light eater… I am drinking, though.”
“You need to cut back on the alcohol, too.”
Glenn penetrated the spinneret again with his fingers.
“Mmm! D-Doc, warn me, at least!”
“I’m sorry. I just want to check a little more. This time I will go a bit deeper.”
“M-more?! Eeek!”
There was a squishing sound. Glenn felt fleshy resistance.
“Does it hurt?”
“N-no, but…i-it feels weird when you go that deep…”
Arahnia’s entire body convulsed. Her spider legs, in particular, quivered.
Glenn checked the mucus membrane inside her spinneret. The muscle felt a bit hard and inflamed. That was probably caused by Arahnia’s body producing silk without sufficient mucus, since mucus typically protected the spinneret’s interior.
“Mmmm… Whoooahh.”
Arahnia was breathing hard.
Glenn could feel someone watching him. When he looked back, he saw a bright red face’s large eyeball peeking through a crack in the shoji door.
“Memé, I know you’re worried, but please try not to watch the examination.”
“S-sorry.”
The door closed firmly. However, it seemed as though Memé was still listening. She clearly admired Arahnia.
“Ugh…” Glenn muttered.
“Ahh… Oh. Wh-what happened, Doc?”
“I’m sorry. The membrane is all tangled up… I can’t really get my hand out.”
“Huh? Heee… Mmm!”
“If you tense up too much, it’ll exert pressure on my hand. I know this is very stimulating, but please try to relax.”
“Mmmaaahhh… You’re joking…right?”
Arahnia panted as Glenn fidgeted, trying to free his fingers from the mucus.
“Haaa! Ahhh! Mmma!”
Arahnia bit her own finger in response to the stimulation, but that wasn’t enough to hold back her voice. Her entire body shook, her back arching.
“Okay… Just a little more…”
“Ahhh! Mmaa! Yaah! Yaammm!”
“I…got it!”
There was another squishy sound.
Glenn’s hand, wet with white liquid, was finally free from Arahnia’s spinneret.
“Mmmmwaaa!”
Arahnia’s body seemed to hop. She’d probably reached the limit of what she could handle. Her spider legs twitched, showing how strongly Glenn had stimulated her.
White silk stretched from Arahnia’s spinneret, still stuck to Glenn’s fingers.
“I think I understand now.”
“Mmm… Ahhh… Ahhh…”
Arahnia was still breathing heavily, but she was starting to calm down. Glenn looked at his sticky fingers. The string connecting them to her spinneret broke.
“Arahnia, just how hard were you working?”
“Well, over the past week…”
“How much silk are you making each day?”
She was silent.
“Tell me the truth.”
Glenn moved closer. He was towering over her, but that couldn’t be helped. It was the bare minimum needed to get anything out of the stubborn Arahnia.
“D-Doc, you’re too close…”
“Answer me.”
Arahnia turned beet red. It might have been the first time Glenn ever saw her blush.
“I think around fifty spools…or so…”
“A-are you trying to kill yourself?” Memé’s voice came from beyond the shoji door.
Glenn was thinking the same thing. Even though Arahnia was an arachne, producing that much silk could be life-threatening. If she kept it up, her body’s nutrients would continue to dwindle, and symptoms such as anemia and malnutrition could develop. Arahnia covered her face with her four arms.
“My diagnosis is Mourning Silk Syndrome. You are prohibited from spinning silk. Please, get some rest.”
Arahnia’s condition was serious, but it was treatable with sufficient rest and recuperation.
“Loose Silk Sewing should shut down for the time being. I’ll notify Aluloona. You might receive something from the City Council.”
“From the City Council? That would mean I really can’t work.”
Arahnia lay facedown. She wasn’t even concerned that her voluptuous breasts were pressing into the floor. In a way, it looked like she was sleeping.
“Now, shall we start the treatment?”
“Huh? Treatment?” Arahnia’s voice went up an octave.
“Um, Doc. Haven’t I been secreting too much silk? I thought sleeping would cure me!”
“It will, but you will recover more quickly with a therapeutic diet and nutrient supplements.”
“Therapeutic diet?” Memé opened the shoji door from the courtyard and came in, holding her nose. “D-do you mean this?”
Arahnia also had a disgusted look on her face. Glenn, who was used to and appreciated the food’s smell, had no reaction.
“This meal is a small thank you for all you’ve done. I’m going to prepare it for you.”
“I thought you couldn’t cook, Doctor.”
“I have a few tricks up my sleeves. But, well, only related to treatment.”
Arahnia clearly wanted to refuse. Of course, Glenn wasn’t so inexperienced a doctor that he would let her get away with that. He always put every effort into curing his patients. That was his source of pride.
“To generate silk, you must have nutrient supplements. There are substances your body can synthesize, and substances it can’t. The nutrients that can’t be synthesized have to come from food.”
“I’m a light eater…”
“I know. That’s why I brought you this.” Glenn took the straw bundle from Memé.
The food inside was called natto in the east. It was made from fermented soybeans, and was full of nutrients, although it didn’t keep long. Natto was especially rich in the proteins arachne required for generating silk. However, since it was fermented, it smelled somewhat rotten.
“Ugh…”
Arahnia plugged her nose. The natto’s unique smell grew stronger as Glenn opened the straw bundle and placed its contents on a plate.
“Ew. I’ll be outside.” Memé ran back through the shoji door to the courtyard. Glenn hoped she wouldn’t vomit.
“Ewww… Doc, isn’t there some other food I can try?”
“Nope.” Glenn stepped into the kitchen in the back. It was similar to the kitchen he grew up with, although he never really cooked at his parents’ house, either. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t make anything. He’d made Sapphee eggnog, and he knew how to make dishes for medical treatments.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to eat it like this, so I’ll prepare it for you,” Glenn called to Arahnia.
“Prepare?”
It was important to explain the details of meals to sick patients. If Arahnia ended up liking natto, she could start making it herself, which would help prevent her from developing Mourning Silk Syndrome again in the future.
“Oh, you have steamed rice. Perfect.”
“I like white rice.”
“That’s great. I’m going to start by chopping up green onions and enoki mushrooms. Oh, you have walnuts, too. I’ll grind some and put them in.”
“You’re very skilled…” Arahnia sounded dumbfounded.
Glenn just chuckled nervously. If only he could apply this skill to normal, everyday foods—Sapphee was always telling him that.
“Once I chop the ingredients, I’ll put them in the natto container.”
“Oh.”
There was nothing Glenn could do about the natto’s unique smell, but he could make it somewhat easier to eat.
“Natto tastes better when eaten with other food, rather than straight out of the container. The nutrients don’t change, but mixing increases the umami flavor.”
The natto’s stickiness and stringiness increased, and it started to turn white. Glenn added more seasoning.
“After mixing, I’ll add a bit of olive oil.”
“You can put that in?”
“It will improve your blood flow and mitigate the kick of the natto flavor. You have fish sauce, too, so I’ll add a few drops. And…done!”
“I really want to eat your cooking, Doc, but…”
“It’s not exactly cooking, but go ahead and have some.”
Glenn put steamed rice into a bowl and piled the natto on top.
Arahnia sat up, taking the bowl from him. She narrowed her eyes in doubt, but lifted the chopsticks and took a bite.
“Mmm…”
The stringy substance stuck to the chopsticks as Arahnia brought them to her lips. She closed her eyes and rolled the natto around in her mouth.
“It’s…good.”
“Really? That’s great! Get lots of nutrients so you can recover quickly.”
“Mmm… I think I could even make this. Doc, thank you so much.”
If Arahnia had a high protein intake, the recovery time for Mourning Silk Syndrome would be far shorter.
“Doc, do you like this food?”
“Yes. I ate it often when I was growing up.”
“Hmm…”
Arahnia looked thoughtful as she pulled the natto strings apart with her chopsticks. Before Glenn could even ask what she was thinking, she popped a bite of natto into his mouth.
“Mmm?! Argh!”
“Doc, you have to chew and swallow.”
“Mmm. Arg…”
The natto had a subtle sweetness, and the olive oil reduced its strong smell perfectly. The onion and walnut textures accented the flavor as well. Glenn thought he had made a good combination.
But…
Those chopsticks had just been inside Arahnia’s mouth.
“Teehee…” Arahnia flashed a bewitching smile. Her cute tongue licked the tips of the chopsticks Glenn had just eaten from. “I think I would get in big trouble if Sapphee knew about this…”
“Heh.”
Glenn’s face grew red. He and Arahnia hadn’t touched lips directly, but it was similar. It was actually a bigger deal that their mouths had been connected for a moment by natto string.
“Teehee. Let’s just keep it at this for today.”
“Looks like you have some willpower, Arahnia, even though you’re sick.”
“Women are stronger than you give them credit for, Doc.”
Glenn didn’t have a comeback.
Memé, watching from the other side of the shoji door, muttered, “She’s so mature…”
“Well then,” Glenn said, “I’ll just have to work harder so all the strong women around me don’t overpower me.”
“Ohh… Have I awoken a monster? I happen to love the weak you, Doc.”
“Thank you. But this town is dangerous. There are things I need to do.”
Glenn turned his attention back to the sleeping disease. It wasn’t contagious, people didn’t die from it, and it had no severe side effects…
However, it was serious.
One indirect effect of the Sheep Sleep was that Arahnia had worked herself into a seriously dangerous state. Even Memé’s body would start to show signs of overwork if things kept up like this.
Glenn couldn’t expose Lindworm’s workers to any more danger.
“I want to become strong, too.”
“I look forward to it.” Arahnia laughed. “Oh, regarding that mouth-to-mouth feeding stunt… Let’s not tell Sapphee. She’s really scary when she’s mad.”
“Yes, I know.”
No matter how often she tried to play the bad girl, Arahnia just wasn’t cut out for the role.
“U-umm, Arahnia?” Memé opened the shoji door.
“Hmm? What is it, Memé?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask… If you can’t produce silk right now, then where did the silk on the loom come from? You didn’t…”
“Oh, no. You’re so sweet to think of that, Memé.” Arahnia smiled weakly.
As far as Glenn could tell, Arahnia’s attitude was a bit different with Memé. Perhaps she felt some sort of empathy for the cyclops.
“The yarn on the loom isn’t arachne silk.”
“So, where did you get it?”
“Arachne silk might be the highest quality material, but there are many others, like cotton and wool.”
Glenn suddenly understood.
There were monsters that produced wool, but if you excluded them… Since none of Lindworm’s ranches had any sheep…
“No! From the tiny sheep?!”
“Bits of their wool are scattered everywhere. I made it into yarn. It’s quite durable and easy to weave. Doc?”
“Wool… Sheep wool… But… No.” Glenn had the flash of an idea. He didn’t want to let it get away.
The palm-sized sheep. Their bizarre appearance. The sleeping disease.
“What are you muttering about? It’s creepy.”
“Memé, don’t talk to the doctor like that. That’s a very handsome look for him.”
Memé seemed confused.
“Teehee. I guess you’re still a bit young, Memé. But I can tell a good man when I see one.” Arahnia chuckled to herself. It was an innocent, childlike laugh that no one ever would have expected from the “bad girl” Arahnia. Anyone would fall for her if she gave them that smile.
Unfortunately, Glenn was engrossed in his own thoughts, and didn’t even notice. He left Arahnia’s house and went home alone. Memé stayed to look after Arahnia.
On his way to the clinic, Glenn saw a tiny sheep walking alongside the road, swaying back and forth as if buffeted by the wind.
This was his chance to catch it.
“Okay.”
Glenn pulled a mask out of his medical bag and covered his mouth and nose. The moment he touched the fluffy sheep’s wool, though, his head got heavy, and he felt sleepy.
“Ugh.”
Somehow, despite his mask, the sleep-inducing powder had gotten into his body. Glenn stumbled back toward the clinic, dizzy with drowsiness. It was clearly the Sheep Sleep. If he hadn’t protected himself with the mask, he’d probably already be unconscious in the middle of the street.
“Oomph. Don’t run away now.”
The sheep fit perfectly in Glenn’s hand. It didn’t show any sign of wanting to run away, but it hopped around a lot. If Glenn didn’t hold on tight, the sheep might disappear into thin air.
“Let me take a look at you.”
Of course, the sheep didn’t answer. The only sound it made came from the mechanical movements of its four limbs. Still, Glenn was sure that this was an important piece of the puzzle for curing the sleeping disease. He arrived at the clinic feeling like he might pass out at any moment.