There came an age where one began to take notice of the opposite sex more keenly than usual. For Reina, it occurred when her body started developing. Although she had always been particular towards Neeks, it was impossible to ignore changes in the boys around her. As a young adult woman, Reina also had her own needs and innate natural desires.

So to be in the company of seven naked male elves, all young and at their prime, made it incredibly difficult for her to focus.

Reina was fighting a battle inside her body and mind.

She had them all enter the atelier and strip so that she could… properly inspect their penises. That might have been a mistake, because seeing their junks kept distracting her. If anyone walked in on them now, it would sure to stir some rumors among this side of the city. Fortunately, she had closed shop early to provide the elven men her full attention.

"An alchemist, but not a witch. I've never met an elf like you before," Rahja said, coming up behind her as she looked through her notes at the counter.

"Aha… It wasn't easy. I spent two years studying catalyzing agents alone, don't get me started on the difference between non-magical ingredients and reagents… er, I might be the first elven alchemist!"

What in Vessyra's bosom was she saying? As if a bunch of elves cared to hear about alchemy.

 She began to sweat bullets with Rahja looking over her shoulders. The amount of masculinity in the room was making her woozy.

They were all sorts of curious, inspecting baubles and trinkets on the shelves. Some of them were too scared of the unknown to move from where they stood. One elf gestured to his friend at Perrwyn, who was dormant inside her large bulb, and were about to put their hands on it.

"Don't touch her— I mean, that!" As she moved to stop them, her feet caught on the leg of the table and fell forward.

Rahja grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling. The kick on the table sent several of her notes tumbling into the cauldron, which instantly incinerated the papers, fortunately the two elves didn't wake the sleeping alraune.

Never had Reina been more of a bumbling mess than at that moment.

"M-My research…" She sighed, then blushed hard upon realizing who was holding her.

The two of them separated and cleared their throats.

"Right, well… uh… Let's try this first." Reina grabbed a number of potions from the potion rack and handed it to Rahja.

First was a restoration potion. He was hesitant at first, but after enough convincing he tipped the contents of the liquid down his throat.

"How will I know if it works?" Rahja asked.

"I could…" She cleared her throat and pointed to his crotch.

Rahja nodded to give his approval. She sat on her knees and slowly stroked his cock, hoping that it would get hard in her hand. Even limp it was veiny and had quite the heft to it, a whole nine inches of meat that could impregnate her at a moment's notice.

"It doesn't appear to be working," he said.

"Try the next one."

As he moved onto the stamina drought, Reina continued to try and stimulate his member. Eventually, the batch of potions and elixirs she had given him were finished. Alchemy was a bust. Rahja's penis remained soft.

Disappointment…

In more ways than one.

Only one person was getting turned on, and she couldn't exactly relieve herself in this situation.

"Ahhh! Okay, forget the notes. There's a faster way to determine whether or not you guys have erectile dysfunction."

Without saying another word, she walked to the center of the room and stripped down to nothing. Her breasts might not be the biggest pair around these parts, but she still had a body to be damned proud of. Due to her bronze complexion from being under the sun often while in Grathir, it had left the skin covered by clothing a lighter tone. A look that made the elven men swallow hard and stare with interest.

Unfortunately, the only part of their body that mattered wasn't reacting. None of them were.

The youngest of them who looked to be Reina's age, shifted uncomfortably where he was standing and blushed. She might be the first woman he had ever seen naked.

If they truly had trouble getting it up, that would mean…

"Ah! Miss Reina…!"

He squirmed as Reina grabbed his flaccid member at the base. It must be a good seven inches, of decent girth, and was rather well-cleaned for one living in the wild.

Holding it elicited no reaction.

Reina spat into her hand and used the saliva to stroke the penis. No matter how long she went at it, changing up the rhythm and technique, it wouldn't get erect.

"Sorry," he said. "I'm sure you're good at it, but this isn't working."

Her sexual confidence was now at stake.

"Gods damn it," she muttered, then moved onto the next man.

Instead of using her hands, she lathered the next penis wet with her tongue. No healthy man could resist fellatio. Rubbing the thick member against her inner cheek and teasing the glans yielded no results. Normally, that would get anyone to cum instantly. That was obviously not what happened here.

"Hahh.. shlrrp… shlluurrp… Howsh it?" she asked, making sure to be extra loud and erotic sucking on the flaccid cock.

But it was for naught. The elf whose limp dick she had in her mouth shook his head.

Reina was left with a punch to her confidence and a wet pussy gone to waste. The disappointment plaguing her now couldn't be more palpable.

Erectile dysfunction… There could be a whole slew of causes. Stress, diet, underlying health conditions, it could happen to any man at random and without warning.

There was one sure way to cure whatever it was that ailed them— an elixir of panacea or greater panacea.

Regrettably, a concoction as potent as that required the highest quality of sephalothanes worth a small fortune, among other ingredients. The petals of the plant typically came in colors of purple and orange. In its highest possible quality, which was required for brewing an elixir of panacea, the petals were red and blue.

If she made a requisition, the academy might send a very small quantity. Not enough for their entire tribe and would take weeks to arrive.

Reina recalled in her studies that the best way to learn about an environment and its ingredients was to live among it. She could apply it to a group of people. There might be something she or they missed that would become clear by visiting their home.

"I'd like you to take me to your people," she said to Rahja. "It would be easier for me to help there than if I were to mull over it in my atelier."

"Very well. We have encamped somewhat far from the city but have no intention of leaving until our… issue is resolved." He nodded to Reina, then to his companions to get dressed and prepare to leave. They exited the atelier one by one and agreed to wait for her by the city's exit.

She prepared by packing a few necessities, alchemical ingredients, and brews for herself. Neeks was still sound asleep upstairs when she checked on her. She kissed the slumbering harpy on the lips and smiled.

"Where are you off to?" Perrwyn asked, at last emerging from her leafy cocoon.

"I'll be gone for a few days to help Rahja and his people, maybe up to a week," she replied.

"You wish to lay with the elven men. Especially that young fellow."

Reina blushed up to her ears. "N-No! I want to help them!"

After leaving a hastily written note for Neeks, she fed Perrwyn some magic crystals and exited the atelier.

"I'm impressed that your people made camp on this side of the forest. These hunting grounds are dangerous. We've had plenty of hunters return injured or worse, but your group appears unscathed," Reina said as they ventured out.

"The game is plentiful here, and we want for nothing. Fortunately for us, we have had no run-ins with larger predators. Dangers may still present, but you have nothing to fear while I'm here." Rahja winked, sending Reina's heart aflutter.

From what she remembered, there were manticores running amok. Those weren't the kind of beasts one should try to be brave against. Even in the company of armed hunters, they were still fragile elves against giant flesh-tearing fanged monstrosities.

Given that manticores were highly aggressive and territorial, it was odd that they had yet to come across one.

"Wait." An elf at the front put his hand in the air to stop the group.

Everyone scanned the surroundings, ears on high alert.

From the branches, a large creature fell to the ground with a hard thud and splattered blood at their feet.

"Is that…" Reina put a hand over her mouth.

Rahja and two other hunters inched closer to inspect the unmoving, mangled corpse. A large hand appeared to have crushed it. It had the mane of a lion, leathery wings of a wyvern, and a tail with a spiked protrusion at the end of it.

"The body of a manticore…" he said, confirming her suspicions.

"What in Vessyra's name could have done this?" another hunter asked.

Their eyes turned to the canopy above. Hanging on the upper trunk of the trees, a large lizard creature with thick gorilla-like arms for legs stared back.

"I think I know why you haven't run into any large predators lately," Reina remarked.

The monster let out an ear-splitting shriek and dove right for Rahja.