Isekai’d then kidnapped?

‘You mentioned that I am the only human to exist here that doesn't have any animal form?’ I asked as I give my disguise a quick check.

This place could use a toilet with mirror.

‘Yes. Well, with what I’ve encountered so far, it seems like the case.’

‘No talks from other folks about other sightings?’

’Nope. It is only you who have this case. Huge percentage of the living creatures here are unmagical animals who can’t transform, which makes for a good resource for us who can transform.’

‘So am I also good as food here for the wider population?’ I asked with a straight face but I was a little bit scared on the inside.

’I will kill anyone who dares think of it.’ Celphi looked serious.

He picks up my energy and intervenes without hesitation. One time is fine, but constantly is not fine. How is this possible? Is it a skill of his?

’But, you are known to be the most alluring and bizarre creature to ever exist in this world, so you are more seen as a symbol of perfection. Like the ideal beauty. Not food.’

‘Excuse me?’

That can’t be a good thing. Forget ‘‘a-little-bit-scared’’, now I am terrified. He may not consider me as prey, but other creatures might do.

‘See, magical beings like me, when we take on our human forms, we still carry on some of the animal traits, such as eyes, skin, horns, wings, tails, or any part’, he gestured to his trailing tail.

 ‘That is, we can never be plain human. When engaging in relations, it can be off-putting for some to see the partner they have is of another kind.’

‘Ah. So me being not having any percentage of animal or creature, just pure human, makes me non-disgusting? Got it.’

So this is their form of discrimination here. Seems like any world is bound to have some sort of favoritism towards certain looks. Surely if there’s any ape type of creatures here then we would share traits?

‘Um, wait. Huh? How does that work? What? How do you even determine what the offspring between interspecies is going to be like?’

*grumble*

Celphi could gracefully avoid my insatiable hunger for facts, but he can’t avoid my hunger for food.

‘I will take you to a river bank beside a fall to cook your noisefowl. We can continue talking then.’

He had a look over my outfit, eyeing my serpentine shaped birthmark a second too longer for my comfort, then gently nods with satisfaction.

Right. He also studied my birthmark closely after I woke up in the cave. And some frequent glances every now and then. Does it bother him that much? Does having a small discolouration on my skin make my beauty imperfect?

He held the now skewered bird on stick, closed basket of what I presumed to be more cookware and hopefully seasonings, on one arm. He opened up his free arm to me as if instructing me to hold on to him.

I reached out back to him expecting him to hold hands with me but instead his hand passed by my hand, caressed my arms gently and planted his sturdy arms snug and quite well around my body, lifting me.

‘It is not safe to bring you down like that’, he informed plainly, while looking at my hands. ‘You aren’t strong enough.’

‘Yeah? I can still hit you with this weak hand of mine’, I pretend to pout and tease.

‘Well, I did die, or almost died, falling off the railing from a height. I can’t argue with you on being weak.’ I backtracked. I wrap my arms around him in compliance. ‘Let’s go!’

Celphi giggled and avoided my lingering gaze for a good while. His ears turned red as he controlled his breathing.

‘I won’t let that happen to you here’, he said while looking away. Of course. He had to look at where we were going. Another chance to study him without him returning the attention to me.

Through his clear jewel-like eyes I saw the vast forest he was viewing. Long and straight nose. Upturned corner of his lips. Defined jawline. Tied up glossy white-silver hair that showed drops trickling from his nape down his back. I was enthralled by his looks up close that only the stomach churning dropping sensation of falling down brought me back to reality.

‘Kyaa!’ I screamed as I felt the sensation of falling suddenly so deeply in my stomach. I felt that my grip was loosening from the sudden change and I hesitated to close the gap between us. My heart suddenly stopped, then raced a million times. I wanted to close my eyes but I also wanted to see if we would fall into the traps he set up on the ground.

Celphi had his upper torso remained in human form to hold me and my uncooked meal but he let his lengthy snake-like tail out and used it to crawl down from the hole. Seemed like falling but we were actually gliding down at a high pace.

Whew. I absolutely thought the worst just now.

A warmth grew on the side of my face.

‘Oh. Sorry.’ I pushed my face away from Celphi’s face. I did not realize I had squeezed my face onto his. My heart was already starting to calm down when I noticed another racing heart. Celphi’s. 

The look on his face shows a cool uncaring aura. Not minding that I notice his heart is beating fast. Not minding, or shall I dare say, even enjoying that my arms are around his shoulders and by instinct from the fall, that my legs are then also wrapped around him.

I finally looked down when we reached the ground. Celphi navigated around the traps just fine.

‘Did you make those traps?’

‘Yeah, before your arrival.’

‘To keep me safe?’

‘No, it's to prevent you from escaping.’ He looked ahead unsmiling.

’Kyaa! Help!’ I let go of my strong grip. I started to throw a fake tantrum, playfully hitting his chest and kicking about. His grip on my waist hasn’t budged whatsoever.

Celphi looked ahead with no expressions, until he started to smile, then accidentally let out a giggle.

‘I thought you didn’t want to be disturbed in your sleep so I put a few traps around the place in case anyone bothers us, you. I mean you.’

’Is that right?’ I looked at him judgingly. ‘Thank you.’

I do not know how much I can trust what Celphi says but I know I feel safe with him.

I held on to him once more, only arms and no more legs this time, as we slithered through rich soil and lush grasses. If these are even grasses? Usually grasses on earth have sharp edges, but the ones I saw carpeting the forest ground had smooth edges and had orange stalks.

After looking closely at the trees, I saw some differences as well. The leaves tend to have the same smooth edge, and the tree barks were still brown, but having a shade of purple. I especially noticed the small plants coming out of the roots.

’Are those baby plants? Is that the way of propagating the plants here?’ I point out the small plants taking root on the mature trees.

’No, those are parasitic plants, they’re consuming the host trees from the inside.’

I was being lifted a few feet above the ground as Celphi was in his half human, half reptile form. His muscular torso carrying heavy baggages and his reptile tail giving us a bit of height and helping us navigate smoothly. I was technically out of the reach of the parasitic plants but I wrap my legs around him again for good measure.

’I can protect you from other beings but you’re right in thinking that there’s not much I can do about plants ‘, he admitted, giggling weakly.

I leaned my head on his shoulders, stayed silent and continued to take in my surroundings for a good while.

Seems like I have a bit of learning to do in order to survive this world until I can find a way back. If what he says is real, I won’t even last a second on here on my own.

The skies seemed to be illuminated by only one sun. I reached my arms out and felt the warmth.

Is this the same sun? Or daystar?

‘Why haven’t I seen another creature? Are you keeping me away from everyone else?’

There, I finally said it.

‘This area is dangerous. There is a huge predator that most animals are trying to steer clear of.’

‘A what now?’ I terrifyingly and also annoyingly asked, as I perked up and looked around us.

‘Why are we even here then? Why did you select a base that is surrounded by dangerous plants and already having a predator situated in it?

‘Do you think not think I am strong?’

’I do not know that yet. I haven’t met another one to compare you with. What are you planning anyways? Are you going to return me to my world or escort me to the king you mentioned?’

Ha! You thought I was going to be distracted huh? I do not know the timing system of this world but if would assume, I would be awake two daystar rotations now. If he really meant to escort me then why isn’t there anyone else around.

Celphi didn't respond and kept his head looking forward. Suspicious.

’Have you decided to just keep me? How did you manage to get me transported in this world to begin with?

Still no response.

‘Celphi, if you tell me how to get back, I will reward you with a kiss on your cheek, even maybe take you back to my world with me, if that is something you would want.’ I felt like this was playing with fire but future-me can’t say, ‘Why didn’t you try hard enough?’

I notice a faint smirk on his face, a hint of disappointment, but still no response.

‘I admire your strength, take the offer before I change my mind.’ I jokingly said as I patted his shoulder.

Celphi stopped on our tracks, turned his head to me, a look of a person with multiple things going on inside his head. He turned his head forward and continued on our way but with apparent preoccupation stirring within him.

’Ina. If someone you trusted with your life failed to do a task you entrusted them with, a very easy one at it, won't you be furious?’

’If it’s a life or death situation, then I would want it to be seen through, yes.’ I said while thinking of my patients at the hospital. ‘But that has nothing to do with you taking “care” of me, does it?’

Celphi looked conflicted.

Did I get it right? Is this really happening? Not only am I in a bizarre new world, I am also being held captive?

‘If I remember correctly, I got teleported, summoned, whatever you folks did, into an area with open skies, and then I started drowning. What happened there?’

Celphi turned his head at an angle where our eyes won’t meet.

‘Please give me some time to be with you. Then I will be able to explain. I will tell you everything from the beginning. Just give me time.’

His reaction left me with more questions than answers. Surely there are reasons deeper than just wanting to keep me beside him? Is there someone else I can speak to? With me in his arms, we move deeper into the forest as one, but our minds can’t be any more separate.