Kana thrashed wildly in the elf's grasp, her limbs flailing like a cat being carried against its will.
"Put me down! This is illegal! I am conscious and not consenting!"
She yelled, hammering her fists against the elf's back.
The elf barely noticed.
"You're light. Like a startled fawn."
She said in a dreamy voice.
"I'm going to bite you."
"Cute. But ineffective."
The elf murmured.
'System! Why can't I break free?! I have maxed-out strength!'
Kana cried out in her mind.
[Confirmed: Strength stat is maxed.]
'Then why—!'
[Your base strength is extremely low. Effective output is significantly weaker than average.]
"Are you telling me I'm a noodle with nuclear warhead potential, but zero upper body strength?!"
[That is… one interpretation.]
Kana groaned.
"This system is a con."
The elf carrying her glanced over her shoulder.
"Are you talking to your imaginary friend?"
"No, I'm just screaming into the void, thanks."
The elf grinned.
"That's fair."
Kana tried twisting again, only to find herself jostled into a tighter grip.
"Seriously, let me go!"
"You're squirmy. But don't be disappointed. Elves are naturally strong, you know."
The elf commented.
"Oh wow, thank you for the biology lesson and the kidnapping!"
Ignoring her sarcasm, the elf turned into a quiet, cobbled side street.
The buildings here were cleaner, prettier, with soft pastel awnings and potted flowers blooming under the windows.
The people walking by didn't even bat an eye at the scene unfolding before them.
Kana blinked as a baker casually looked up from kneading dough, saw her being carried like a sack of flour, and nodded as if to say ah, another one.
A man sweeping his stoop sighed audibly and muttered.
"Fifth time this week."
Kana gawked.
"Okay, what kind of town is this?! Are beautiful elf women kidnapping strangers just, like, a Tuesday thing?!"
The elf finally stopped in front of an elegant two-story building with ivy crawling up its stone walls and the kind of door that just looked expensive.
She opened it with a key she pulled from somewhere, then carried Kana through a warm foyer filled with plush furniture and silk curtains.
Kana caught glimpses of a grand piano in the next room. A fireplace. Glass lanterns glowing gently on polished wood walls.
It smelled like fresh bread and lavender.
The elf kicked open a door and carried Kana straight into a bedroom so cozy it practically hummed lullabies.
There was a massive circular bed in the middle, covered in a sea of overstuffed pillows and a velvet throw.
Kana didn't even have time to scream again before she was dropped into the bed—sinking a full foot down with an involuntary noise that was definitely not a squeal.
"Oh gods, this is illegal and incredibly comfortable."
She muttered, half muffled by the mattress.
Then came a flop beside her.
Kana sat up fast.
"No. No. Get your elf butt off this bed!"
Too late.
The elf flung herself down with the grace of a cat and immediately latched onto Kana's waist, sighing into her back like they were old lovers.
"WHY. WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS."
The elf rested her chin on Kana's shoulder, blinking up at her with sleepy amusement.
"Because you're soft. And warm. And…"
Her voice lowered.
"There's something strange about you."
Kana froze.
"Define strange."
The elf sniffed her.
"You don't smell magical. You don't look magical. But there's something that makes me want to…"
Her fingers flexed around Kana's waist.
"...do things."
"Excuse me?!"
"Don't worry. I'm holding back. For now."
The elf said with a breezy smile.
"I—! I need an adult!"
"I am an adult."
"A normal adult!"
"Boring."
Kana tried to wrench herself free, straining every muscle she had—only to fail again. She groaned and dropped her head into a pillow.
"System, this is a scam. I have the strength of a god and the body of a soggy baguette."
[Stat interpretation confirmed.]
The elf hummed contentedly.
"Stop fighting. Cuddling is good for the soul."
"This is not cuddling. This is unlawful imprisonment with extra steps."
"Shhh. I'll make snacks later."
"You're insane."
"You'll get used to it. Everyone does."
She murmured.
Kana lay motionless, pinned, defeated, betrayed by her own maxed stats. Her arms were trapped. Her pride? Gone. And the elf beside her? Smiling like she'd won a prize at the fair.
"I should've stayed in the hollow tree. At least that didn't cuddle."
Kana whispered into the pillow.
Kana lay stiff as a board, desperately trying to adjust her body into a more comfortable position without moving too much.
Every time she wriggled even a little, the elf's arms clamped tighter around her, like a very warm, very soft set of tree roots with attachment issues.
"Settle down. You're wiggly."
The elf murmured into her back, her voice deep and lazy.
"I'm trying to breathe. You're squeezing me like I'm your childhood plush toy!"
Kana hissed, face halfway buried in a pillow.
"That sounds accurate."
Kana groaned. This wasn't how she thought things would go in a fantasy world.
Sure, she wanted to be held by a busty blond beauty with pointy ears—who didn't?—but she'd at least imagined some buildup. Some dialogue. A name exchange that didn't involve abduction.
"This isn't fair. I wanted this kind of thing, but not like this. Not with zero warning and no personal space and—ugh."
She muttered to herself.
Still…she had to admit, it felt kind of nice. Her scent was soft and foresty. Her arms were strong but not painful. And her chest was...uncomfortably plush.
Kana blushed.
"Body, no! You do not get to enjoy this. We are being kidnapped."
She whispered under her breath.
But her body didn't seem to care.
Maybe this wasn't that bad. Maybe—
The door burst open.
Kana sat bolt upright, only to be immediately pulled back into the elf's arms like a human yo-yo.
A dozen—or more, seriously?—gorgeous women stepped inside. They were all tall. Elegant. Beautiful in wildly different ways.
There were horns and tails and glowing eyes. One had wings. Another had skin that shimmered. All of them stopped and stared directly at Kana.
Oh no.
Kana's blush doubled in heat. Her arms shot up to cover as much of her face as she could manage while still being held hostage.
"Is that…a human?"
Asked one with sparkling green eyes and silver hair.
"She looks so soft. Where did you find her, Irielle?"
Murmured another, her voice low and curious.
The elf holding her—great, that's her name—shifted slightly. Her arms didn't loosen.
"She's a gift. From my precious Lysera. So don't even think about it—I'm claiming her."
Irielle said with a pleased hum.
There was a collective pause. Then a few raised eyebrows. A short-haired demon woman with a wicked grin stepped forward, tilting her head like a curious bird.
"Oh come on, Irielle. Don't be so greedy. You always hog the good ones. Share this once?"
She said, eyes sparkling.
Kana immediately tensed.
"Nope. Nope. This is not how this day gets worse."
The other woman took one confident step forward—and the temperature in the room dropped.
Kana didn't see Irielle move. But she felt it.
A quiet, low hum of power buzzed against her back. Something sharp. Heavy. Possessive. It wasn't violent, but it didn't need to be.
The other woman froze mid-step.
Everyone in the room did.
Kana, caught in the middle of the pressure, felt her body break out in goosebumps. Her stomach flipped. Her heart raced.
The darker-haired woman blinked. Then took a step back, her smile faltering.
Irielle didn't even look at her. She just tightened her arms around Kana and rested her cheek on Kana's shoulder again.
"She's mine."
She said simply.
Kana blinked at the wall, wide-eyed and very, very aware of how this elf's energy felt dangerously close to staking a claim. Like a dragon curling around its gold.
The others didn't argue.
A woman with long antlers raised her hands and nodded.
"Alright, alright. Calm down. No one's trying to take your human."
"She looked like she was."
Irielle muttered.
"I was being friendly."
"You were being forward."
Kana cleared her throat.
"Can someone please explain why I'm suddenly the most interesting thing in town? I'm just a girl with very average—"
"—everything but your face."
Someone muttered.
"—and your aura."
Added another.
"—and your smell."
Someone near the back whispered.
Kana just stared at the ceiling.
"I hate this place."
Irielle nuzzled closer.
"You'll love it once you stop fighting me."
"That's exactly what a cult leader would say."
There was a beat of silence.
Then a second elf snorted.
"She's fun. Can we visit again?"
"No."
Irielle said.
"Oh, come on."
"No."
"Just to look—"
"Out."
The group shuffled reluctantly toward the door, a few of them casting longing glances at Kana as they filed out. One winked. Another mouthed sorry with an apologetic smile.
The door shut.
Kana exhaled like she'd been holding her breath for ten years.
"That was terrifying."
She said into the pillow.
Irielle rubbed her cheek against Kana's back like a satisfied cat.
"You were perfect."
"I'm going to develop a complex."
Kana whispered.
"You're mine now."
Irielle said softly.
Kana let her head drop back onto the pillow.
"Yup. Definitely a complex."
She muttered.