❝𝖧𝖮𝖶 𝖳𝖮 𝖫𝖨𝖵𝖤 𝖸𝖮𝖴𝖱 𝖡𝖤𝖲𝖳 𝖧𝖠𝖱𝖤𝖬❞ 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗵𝘂𝗮 𝗙𝗙

001 ━━ 𝐐𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝗜𝗧 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 since Esmeray first awoke in the beasts' world. Slowly, she learned the societal dynamics: males held the jobs while females mostly stayed home and bore children. Though she wasn't close to any of them, she couldn't help but notice one who seemed particularly obsessed with a leopard beastman named Parker. Kaiser, too, aided her adaptation by altering her former clothing into the style of the beastmen.

Currently, Esmeray was wearing a boar skin top that barely covered her chest, along with an animal hide skirt. Kaiser had fashioned leather boots for her, mirroring what she wore upon her arrival. She had learned his name, and he, hers.

It was still afternoon when Parker returned, carrying a female on his back. Many males were drawn to her, their eyes filled with desire and speculation. Esmeray glanced at Kaiser, who remained indifferent, his eyebrows raised inquisitively.

"I've told you, I have no interest in mating," Kaiser reminded her. Esmeray understood what the female on Parker's back was thinking as he warned others to back off and claimed her as his. Eudora, the female, huffed in frustration, unsatisfied with Parker's behavior and his failed attempts to make her his mate.

"Parker, you brute! How could you act this way?" Eudora yelled, clenching her fists and glaring at Parker as he departed with the girl. "Hmph, I refuse to be treated worse than that unworthy female!"

"Let's go. You said you wanted to talk to our clan doctor," Kaiser invited Esmeray, leading her away as Eudora's mates rushed to calm her down. Esmeray followed Kaiser to a small hut where the local doctor resided. He knocked on the door, and a male beastman answered.

"Kaiser? It's unusual to see you here. Is something the matter?"

"Harvey, this female wishes to speak with you," Kaiser said, gently nudging Esmeray toward Harvey, who seemed momentarily captivated by her beauty. "Sure, come in," Harvey replied.

After finishing his examination, Harvey declared, "I don't see any injuries or wounds on you. Kaiser, your female seems fine." Kaiser narrowed his eyes at him. "She is not mine. I happened to see her with two dead beastmen, who might have been her mates."

"I see," Harvey replied before muttering to himself, "It's not like any female would care if their mates died, especially when they could easily replace them."

Just as the conversation was about to continue, a loud knock echoed through the room, causing the trio to turn their attention towards the door. Harvey sighed and went to open it, engaging in a brief conversation that Esmeray couldn't quite make out before Parker entered the room with the female he had brought.

"Is it her face?" Harvey asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "She was stung by a bee, so you applied mud?"

"No, she twisted her ankle," Parker interjected, the girl remaining silent on his lap. Harvey slowly reached for her ankle to examine it.

"Ow~ that hurts," she whimpered, and Parker comforted her. Harvey was about to fake a cough to redirect their attention, but Kaiser beat him to it.

"Harvey, Esme needs some of your supplies. We'll take them and return to our home," Kaiser announced. Esmeray sheepishly smiled and handed the bag to Harvey, who nodded in acknowledgment. The two left, returning to their shared hut.

As night fell and the crackling of the fire filled the air, Esmeray watched Kaiser as he skillfully roasted the meats over the flames. The aroma of the cooking food tantalized her senses, but she knew she had something important to share with him-the truth of her origin.

"Kaiser," she called out softly, catching his attention briefly before he returned his focus to the task at hand. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "What if I told you I'm not from this world?"

Silence enveloped them for a moment as Kaiser paused in his movements, his golden eyes meeting hers with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"I'm from a place called Earth," Esmeray continued, her voice steady as she began to unravel her story. "There are many continents there, but I'm from America. My family used to travel frequently, but it wasn't as enjoyable as it might seem. You see, I have an illness. My days are numbered, and last week was supposed to be my last. I should be dead since that day-I chose to go to the beach and sink into the ocean."

"You're still alive to me," Kaiser said softly, handing her a stick with pieces of cooked meat. He pulled her closer to him, ensuring she was warm as the night grew colder. "Yeah, I don't know why either. Those two beastmen you saw, they're not my mates. I don't know why they were there either."

Esmeray nodded, grateful for his understanding. She knew she could trust him with her secret.

"Whatever it is, it's probably best if fewer people know about it," Kaiser suggested, and Esmeray agreed, realizing the potential danger of revealing too much to others. As the conversation wound down, Kaiser transformed into his leopard form, allowing Esmeray to use him as a pillow. They shared the meal together, with Kaiser devouring his portion raw while Esmeray enjoyed the cooked meat he had prepared for her.

After cleaning up, Esmeray nestled into the warmth of Kaiser's fur, feeling safe and protected in his presence. As she drifted off to sleep, he remained vigilant, standing guard against any potential threats lurking in the darkness beyond the edge of the forest.

©𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐌