Harvey was terrified. He realized today that the female he decided to pursue might be crazy.

At first, he wondered why she wanted to go to Black Wind Valley; to sightsee? To kill scorpions? For fun?

Of course, he didn't say that. He wanted to understand her more, but the more he thought about it, the less he understood.

Curtis was in the same boat. Why was she so hell-bent on returning the scorpion personally? But as long as it made her happy, he was okay with going.

"Fine, if they make any unnecessary moves, they will die," Korrin conceded grudgingly.

"Tsk tsk, what a nasty piece of work you are. Do you know what happens to rude little boys? They get spanked."

Harvey was on edge. Rhea's calm demeanor in the face of such hostility was unnerving. He had never seen anyone handle a situation like this with such ease. He wondered if she was truly aware of the danger they were in.

Korrin's face twisted with fury at her words. "Enough of this!" he snarled, lunging at her with his stinger raised.

Curtis and Harvey moved to intervene, but Rhea stopped them with a sharp glance. "Stay back," she commanded, her voice steady and authoritative.

The two males hesitated but obeyed, watching as Rhea easily dodged Korrin's attack. She moved with fluid grace, her movements precise and controlled. Korrin swung his tail again, but Rhea caught it mid-strike, twisting it with such force that Korrin cried out in pain.

"Is this all you've got?" Rhea taunted, her grip tightening on his tail. "I expected more from the leader of Black Wind Valley."

The scorpions around them gasped, their eyes wide with disbelief. Korrin was a three-mark beast, known for his strength and ferocity. Yet here he was, being overpowered by a single female.

With a swift motion, Rhea threw Korrin to the ground, pinning him with her knee. "Do you yield?" she asked, her voice cold and unyielding.

Korrin struggled for a moment before nodding, his face contorted with pain and humiliation. "I yield," he spat out.

Rhea stood up, looking around at the gathered scorpions. "I have defeated your leader. By your laws, that makes me your leader now, correct?"

There was a moment of hesitant whispering among the scorpions. They looked at each other with uncertainty in their eyes.

Rhea's gaze hardened. "I said, am I your leader now?"

Finally, one of the older scorpions stepped forward, his voice trembling. "Yes, by our laws, you are our leader now."

Harvey and Curtis watched in stunned silence as the scorpions bowed their heads in submission. Rhea had done the impossible; she had taken control of Black Wind Valley with sheer force of will.

The Black Wind Valley tribe wasn't large, and now they were about to be taken over by a crazy powerful female.

"I've been traveling for days, what kind of subjects are you to let me stand here? Welcome me properly," Rhea demanded.

Harvey swore he heard Curtis laugh, but he couldn't see his face. Harvey's own face was just stiff because what was happening right now?

.

Rhea definitely preferred living in a hut to living in a cave. And it just so happened that scorpions had too much audacity for the bugs they are.

For the first time since she had come to this world, she was having a hot bath in a bathroom with what looked like a sponge.

It felt so good; she wondered why she didn't just land here originally.

Scorpions are surprisingly high tech. Because soap??

What?

There was a knock on her door, and Harvey came in with a towel.

"Rhea?"

"Hmm?" she said, her eyes still closed.

"Is this where we're going to live now?"

She turned in the bathtub to see Harvey. He looked worried.

"Do you hate it here? It's a bit scary, isn't it?"

He nodded, hating to admit it, but being surrounded by poisonous ferals was scary, especially for other beastmen.

"Do you want to join me, Harvey?"

He hesitated for a moment but then decided to join her in the bath, even offering to wash her hair for her.

She agreed, and now she was sitting between his legs while he massaged her scalp slowly. It felt good. So good she started to doze off.

Harvey watched her feel safe with him. This was... a new feeling.

"Hey Harvey?"

"Hmm?"

"Tell me a story?"

It was a bit embarrassing to ask for a bedtime story, but right now she felt a bit vulnerable.

Since she had come to this world, she had never really slowed down to relax. This was relaxing enough to let her feel homesick.

"Once upon a time, there was a rabbit..."

"Really? A rabbit?" Rhea asked, a small smile playing on her lips. Was he calling her a rabbit?

Harvey chuckled. "Yes, a rabbit. But this rabbit was special. She had a knack for finding the most delicious carrots in the entire forest."

"Oh, a gourmet rabbit. Sounds fancy," Rhea teased, her eyes still closed as she leaned back against him.

"Well, he was quite popular because of his talent," Harvey continued. "One day, the rabbit found a carrot patch so incredible that she decided to keep it a secret."

"Greedy little bunny," Rhea murmured, her voice soft and relaxed.

"But you see, she wasn't greedy. She just wanted to make sure there was enough for everyone during the winter. So she quietly gathered carrots and shared them with those in need," Harvey explained, his hands gently working through her hair.

"That's sweet," Rhea said. "I guess she was a smart and kind rabbit after all."

Harvey smiled, enjoying the peaceful moment. "She was. And because of her kindness, the forest animals helped her build a warm burrow for the winter. She never had to worry about being cold or hungry again."

Rhea sighed contentedly. "I like that story. It's simple, but it has a nice message."

Lies.

She was just being nice.

Harvey leaned in closer, his voice gentle. "I'm glad you liked it. You know, you remind me a bit of that rabbit."

Rhea opened her eyes and turned to look at him. "How so?"

At least his flirting is pretty good.

"You're always thinking about others, even in this strange world. You want to make things better for everyone, even if it means putting yourself at risk," Harvey said, meeting her gaze.

Rhea's smile faltered slightly, a flicker of something dark crossing her eyes. "Is that what you think of me?" She mmanaged to say.

Harvey nodded earnestly. "Yes, Rhea. You're brave and selfless. You care about others, and that's what makes you special."

Oh.

Rhea's expression hardened for a moment before she forced a smile. "That's... sweet of you to say, Harvey."

Harvey continued, oblivious to the change in her demeanor. "I just want you to know that Curtis and I are here for you. We believe in you and will support you no matter what."

Rhea leaned back, closing her eyes again, her mind filled to the brim with conflicting emotions. Harvey's words painted her as a hero, but she knew the truth.

She wasn't selfless; she was selfish and driven by her own desires.

"Thank you, Harvey," she said, her voice softer now. "That means a lot."

Even if he didn't know her, it was nice to have someone call you kind for once. Maybe she should try to be kind? So she didn't let him down.

Harvey continued to wash her hair, his fingers moving in soothing circles.

She did eventually fall asleep in his arms, her mind drifting to a dream she didn't remember.

.

After Harvey got out of the bath with Rhea in his arms, he took her to her bedroom. The beds were made with wood and padded with wool and fleece. She slept peacefully that night.

"I'm a bit worried, Curtis. If the scorpions decide to attack... if they all gang up, we wouldn't be able to fight back," Harvey expressed his worries to Curtis.

"It's fine, have faith in me. I am strong enough that Rhea can do what she wants."

Curtis was strong, and Rhea was also strong. Harvey felt his chest tighten more than usual that night.

.

The next day, the scorpion tribe was gathered in front of the leader's hut where Rhea was sitting in a newly decorated wooden chair.

"I called you all here so we can talk. As you know, I am a female, and so I don't feel comfortable when you kidnap other females."

Everyone whispered among themselves.

"Due to this, I will be establishing some new rules around here. First, there will be no more forced mating. If you want to continue as a tribe, you will respect females and their choices."

Her words were controversial, and no matter what visual feedback she got, she just kept talking.

"And second," she continued, "we will work together to make this valley a better place for everyone. As I understand it, you ferals have been going unchecked for a while, so no one wants to hang out with you. We should do something about that."

Harvey leaned closer to Curtis and whispered, "I can't believe she's doing this. She's too fearless."

Curtis nodded, his eyes never leaving Rhea. "She is." His voice was tinted with a bit of pride.

Nik, who had been released, kept his head down. He had seen Rhea's strength firsthand and knew better than to provoke her further.

"Very well. We will follow your rules," Korrin, the former Black Wind king, finally spoke.

"But know this, Rhea: you will be watched closely. Any sign of weakness, and we will not hesitate to take back our valley. That is the law, survival of the fittest."

A clear threat, but she didn't care, he was nothing but a king who had lost his throne.

Rhea met his gaze without flinching. "I welcome the challenge. Now, we can start simple. Release the females in captivity unless they are pregnant."

"That's all well and good, but how are we supposed to mate with no females?" another beastman asked.

"Are you allergic to courting? If you court a woman wholeheartedly, you should be able to find a mate."

Easier said than done. Females avoided them since they were violent and had stingers.

"A big problem is the stingers, right? We can mass-produce an antidote."

The crowd murmured again, this time with a bit less skepticism.

Harvey stepped forward, addressing the crowd. "Along with the antidotes, we can also teach you medicine and how to take care of your females properly. Understanding their needs and showing genuine care will make a huge difference."

Curtis then spoke, his voice firm and commanding. "And we will train you to become a stronger, better nation. But let it be clear: anyone who betrays Rhea will be killed."

The crowd fell silent, absorbing the weight of his words. The idea of becoming a respected and stronger tribe resonated with many. They had been looked down on and scorned for years, and this female was offering them a way out. It was a tempting offer appealing to the one thing they wanted most.

Nik, the first to step forward, bowed his head. "I pledge my allegiance to the scorpion Queen, Rhea."

Korrin, still nursing his bruised pride, followed suit. "I, too, pledge my allegiance. We need change, and she is the catalyst." He was egotistical but he wasn't stupid, the faster she fell the better.

Slowly, the rest of the scorpions followed, one by one pledging their loyalty to Rhea. The murmurs of dissent were replaced by a collective sense of hope.

And hope is one heck of a drug.