Adeline slowly opened her eyes and was instantly greeted by Fang. He looked very different; he was more muscur, his face was more pronounced, and his protruding teeth were no longer there.

  ‘So, it was an orc! I must be in a fantasy world of sorts.’

  Things slowly started to make sense for Adeline as she pieced things together, drawing mostly from her memories on Earth.

  “Master, you’re awake! We were so worried.”

  Adeline was drawn out of her thoughts as she stared at Fang. She silently inspected the monster in front of her, comparing it to what an average orc looked like in fantasy novels. They were simir in most aspects, like skin, eyes, and general shape, but Fang was more human-sized than a hulking brute. Accidentally, her eyes fell on his private region. Embarrassment set in, causing her to sp Fang. Fang flew across the room, then got up and bowed in front of Adeline, pleading for forgiveness.

  “I am sorry, Master! Forgive this humble servant.”

  “Go wear some pants, please. You should not be wandering naked.”

  “What are pants, Master?”

  “Clothes. Just go wear clothes.”

  Adeline pointed across the room where some clothes were neatly folded. Fang, still confused, inspected the fabrics, trying to figure them out.

  “Master, is it this one? How do you wear it?”

  “That is a shirt. The other one.”

  Adeline instructed, with her eyes partly covered.

  “No, Fang, the other way.”

  “Master, like this?”

  “Yes, yes, now button it.”

  After some time had passed, Fang was able to wear some pants, even though they were very tight on his waist.

  “Also, start taking baths and practicing proper hygiene.”

  “If you ask me what hygiene is, I will punch you.”

  Adeline cut him off before he could express his thoughts, and he simply nodded and made his way out of the cave.

  “You should not be so hard on him.”

  A soft, feminine voice could be heard as Adeline turned. She saw a normal-sized white snake slithering on the floor. She had bright red eyes, which were mesmerizing, and her movements were intricate, like a dance.

  “You can talk now. I expected you to grow bigger.”

  “I can now control the size of my body thanks to you, Master, and yes, I can converse more easily now.”

  Scales slowly climbed up Adeline's legs, then wrapped herself around her neck like a scarf. Adeline felt uncomfortable at first, but warmth spread through her body as if she were wearing a bnket.

  “So, what happened to me? Do you know the answer?”

  “To give a monster a name, it needs a lot of magical energy and willpower, something most monsters ck, like me and Fang, but you are a demon.”

  “What else can you do with this magical energy? Can you, like, do spells and stuff, or use it when fighting?”

  “I am sorry, Master, but I do not have much knowledge. I have yet to explore the outside world; all I know are the basics.”

  “How can you accumute this magical energy?”

  “By consuming other monsters’ magical energy. Those who have accumuted enough of it form a core. We monsters accumute the magic around us naturally with time, so the older we live, the stronger we get.”

  “Are there any other methods?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “How old are you?”

  “I have been conscious for more than forty years. I am still very weak.”

  “I see. Well, time to go hunting.”

  Armed with new information, she set out of the cave. The warm sunlight hit her skin, making her appreciate life.

  “Is there a pond or ke nearby?”

  “Yes, Master, it is five minutes north.”

  With Scales' guidance, Adeline made her way to a nearby pond. A wide smile appeared on her face as her blue eyes took in the scene.

  “You are a woman, right?”

  “Yes, Master, I am female. Is there something you need of me?”

  “Not really. Okay, let’s go for a bath.”

  “I have never taken part in this ‘bath’; it will be my pleasure.”

  Adeline quickly stripped off her worn-out clothes and jumped into the pond, with Scales holding on for dear life. She floated around the pond, enjoying every second of it; this was truly heaven for her. Scales simply mimicked her movements, trying to understand this new activity, but after some time, she too came to enjoy the peacefulness of floating.

  “Master, I now understand the joys of this activity. Everything seems so peaceful.”

  “Take it all in, Scales; this tranquility will not st.”

  In her previous life, people would always interrupt her bath sessions with nonsensical reasons, such as infighting or not knowing what to do. The entire gang was dependent on her for decision-making and fights with other gangs. It became burdensome for her over time, but she was not one to shy away from responsibility.

  “Okay, I am full of energy. Let’s go.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  She dried off the excess water as Scales returned to her neck and set off looking for prey. As they made their way through the forest, nothing really seemed interesting to her; by all accounts, it was a normal forest. By noon, she had looked around the immediate area with no luck. That all changed when a cry could be heard in the forest. Racing towards the source, she was filled with great anticipation, but she still remained cautious. Once she arrived on the scene, she saw Fang on the ground, injured, surrounded by small green monsters the size of children.

  “Goblins!”