The walk to the village took almost three hours, and Hiroto quickly realized that his new body was not built for endurance.
Sylvara moved with effortless grace, her long legs eating up the distance, while Hiroto was practically jogging just to keep up. Every few minutes she glanced back with that amused smirk, clearly enjoying his struggle.
By the time they reached the village of Silverwood, Hiroto was drenched in sweat, breathing like he had run a marathon, and mentally cursing the Goddess Lunara for giving him such pathetic stats.
The village was lively. Wooden houses with thatched roofs lined the streets, and the main square was full of women — humans, elves, beastkin with twitching ears and tails. Every single one of them was futanari.
In the center of the square stood a beautiful stone statue of Goddess Lunara — a graceful woman with flowing hair, holding a blooming flower in one hand and a sword in the other. But what caught Hiroto's eye was the way the statue was carved: the lower part of her robe clearly showed a subtle but unmistakable bulge.
Hiroto stared at the statue for a second, then whispered to himself:
Even the goddess has one… Lunara, you really committed to the bit, didn't you?
The moment they stepped further into the square, the chatter died instantly.
Heads turned.
Whispers erupted like wildfire.
"Is that… a real male?"
"Look at him! He's so small and cute!"
"Lady Sylvara is escorting him? He must be special…"
A group of young beastkin women started giggling. One fox-eared girl pointed openly and whispered loudly:
"He looks so fragile… I just want to pick him up and cuddle him until he squeaks."
Another tall wolf-eared woman smirked and added:
"Cuddle? I have much better ideas…"
Before Hiroto could react, a curvy fox-eared woman stepped forward with a bold smile and tried to touch his arm.
"You're so soft… Can I—"
Sylvara immediately placed a firm hand on Hiroto's shoulder and pulled him closer to her side, her voice carrying a clear warning tone.
"He's with me."
The fox girl pouted but backed off.
Hiroto felt his face burning.
Charm 16 is working way too well… I feel like a limited edition shiny figurine that just appeared in a room full of collectors. At this rate, someone's going to throw a Poké Ball at me.
Sylvara seemed completely unfazed. She guided him toward a large wooden inn called "The Silver Moon Tavern."
As they entered, the entire inn went dead silent.
The innkeeper — a busty, red-haired human woman with a very prominent bulge under her apron — froze mid-pour.
"Lady Sylvara… and… a real male?" Her eyes widened dramatically. "By Lunara's grace… he's actually real?"
Sylvara nodded calmly.
"We need two rooms. And food. The boy is exhausted."
While they waited, several patrons kept stealing glances. One particularly bold elf woman whispered loudly to her friend:
"He's so tiny… Do you think he's delicate everywhere?"
Hiroto wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
But beneath the burning embarrassment, a spark of determination ignited inside him.
This is humiliating… but I refuse to stay like this forever.
He clenched his fists tightly, jaw set.
I died once as a weak, useless nobody who couldn't even protect himself. I'm not going to spend my second life being treated like a fragile toy or a cute mascot. I want to get stronger. Strong enough to stand on my own. Strong enough to actually become the Harem Lord I always dreamed of — not just the punchline of this world.
Sylvara noticed the change in his expression. She leaned down slightly.
"You're thinking hard. Planning your grand evolution already?"
Hiroto looked up at her, eyes determined despite his red face.
"Yeah… I know I'm weak right now. Pathetic, even. But I don't want to stay this way. If this Harem Lord Road is real, then I'm going to use it. I'm going to get stronger. I don't want to be the guy who always needs saving."
Sylvara watched him for a moment, then smiled — not her usual teasing smirk, but something warmer.
"Good. That's the first sensible thing you've said today."
She flicked his forehead lightly.
"Keep that fire. You'll need it if you want to evolve past 'weak starter Pokémon' stage."
The System chimed softly.
[Quest Progress: Form your First Bond with a Futanari Companion — 42% Complete.]
Hiroto thought with a mix of panic and determination:
42% already… This bond system is dangerous. But if getting stronger means getting closer to her… then I'll take it. Time to grind some levels.
As they headed upstairs to their rooms, Sylvara glanced back with a mischievous grin.
"Don't stay up all night thinking about getting stronger, little male. Or do. Your choice."
Hiroto sighed as he entered his room, still feeling the eyes of the entire village on him.
This second life is going to be equal parts comedy, terror… and a very long grinding session.