I followed the paved path, paved not with stone, brick, asphalt, cement, or even cobblestone, but spiderweb, until I reached the end of my forest where the webbed pathway met the space between the two plantation fields. What would they be besides plantations, with fenced in areas that wide?

I had been out here a few times now, but never saw any trace of anything intentionally growing. Growing there at all, actually. Sure, the grass went to the edge of the forest where the moss started, but it didn't go into the fields.

The sun was going down, and since I had planned my timing badly, I just camped out in the enclosed growing area on the western edge. Well, maybe not west, but to my left. I figured showing up in the middle of the night might not be the best idea.

...

I couldn't sleep. Instead, I just kept watch over the fields, but didn't see any animals snooping around, not even fliers. Once the sun came up, I went into the village.

I looked inside the woman's yard, but she wasn't there tending herbs as I expected. Walking in further, there were a couple people who noticed me, but they were used to me, even though they were still wary.

Inside the tavern, which I assumed might be where she was since it was a meeting place, even if I was wrong and it wasn't a tavern or general store or lodge, or... I don't know. Anyway, she wasn't there. I asked the man at the counter since he gave food out sometimes and should therefore know a lot, if he had seen her.

"I forgot her name, but have you seen the old woman that knows how to use herbs?"

"There is no old woman with herbs. That's men's work."

That was odd. I knew this guy, I'd seen him a few times. "Uh, the woman that lives at the end? She tends an herb garden there. I know you know her."

"There is no woman that works with herbs or helps people."

"I didn't say anything about helping people. Do you know anyone that works with herbs here?"

"The thaumaturgist is down the rek'vyk."

Damn it. Another word I hadn't encountered that didn't translate, or something. Either way, I already knew where to go, the guy knew that. Then again, it wasn't like I had never encountered such an unhelpful person in my previous life before.

"Thank you." I didn't want to thank him.

At the healer's house, I stayed back. I figured I should stay behind the rock fence like Sun unintentionally did when we first arrived. Not knowing we were giant spiders was probably a good thing for first impressions. After a short while, a man with black hair and a black gem in his sternum came out of the building.

The door closed, but not very well. It showed signs of wear, with the crudely fashioned planks showing obvious signs of termites and weathering, with large holes on both the top and bottom of the door itself. It wouldn't be able to keep wind, insects, or small animals from coming in, that was for sure.

"Greetings!" I waved at the man. He looked at me, without friendliness.

"What do you want?" He asked in a rhetorical dismissiveness.

"My daughter is sick. She was bitten by a monster, and I came here to see if someone could help."

"Incinerate the body so it doesn't spread."

"She isn't dead."

"I've done all I can."

"Right", I told myself. Thoughts from my peasant me swirled to mind. "It was cheaper and easier to produce another child than it was to heal one. Even if they were needed for a betrothal agreement, a new one could still be born for that purpose. Plus, it was a female- not valuable in this era."

I thought of the jumi conscripts that I had left torn apart and decaying all over the lumberman's forest where we killed the hermit spiders. Maybe one of them had some sort of healing item in one of their pockets? I could go over there and loot them, and maybe find something useful.

But where was that nice lady that helped us and befriended my daughters? It seemed like no one remembered her or wanted to talk about it. Then again, even if I had found her, most alchemists (even of the pharmacist variety), if not all of them, needed the original venom in order to create antivenom.

Going somewhere else, especially somewhere that would take nearly a week round-trip, and without telling anyone since I couldn't psychically send messages through my hivemind anymore, was not the best option. I did use my unique skill in hopes it would help, so I guess just going back and doing what I could would have to be enough.

Sometimes it was better to focus on one thing only, no matter how much else is going on, and concentrate on what you can do by yourself at the time. Just accept that the universe is NOT in your hands, and all anyone can do is the best they can do at the time, while also trying to increase exactly what that 'best' is, for the next occurrence.

"Thank you. I will do just that." I didn't want to thank this guy either, and I didn't plan on doing what he said.