WORLD OF BEASTS: A Girl For The Beasts

Emotions

Chapter 028: Emotions

After everything Halvir would bring for tomorrow's journey to the Lion Kingdom had been sorted and packed away, dusk slowly began to descend. Sunlight slipped through the gaps between the giant trees, reflecting off the towering trunks stretching toward the sky.

Halvir soon led Anindira out of the treehouse. Their steps followed a dirt path that was already familiar to Halvir but still felt foreign to Anindira. The sounds of leaves, insects, and small animals became the backdrop of their walk.

Anindira walked slightly behind him. After remaining silent for a while, she finally started a conversation.

"Kak, how many children does the Village Chief have?"

Her tone sounded casual, as though she were simply making small talk.

"Eight."

Halvir answered without hesitation.

"Wow, that's a lot..."

Anindira let out a small chuckle, imagining a lively household.

"Yes, quite a lot. For someone his age..."

Anindira frowned.

"How old is the Village Chief?"

"Ninety-seven."

"Oops, then I asked the wrong question!" Anindira blurted out, her eyes widening.

"I should've asked how many grandchildren he has!"

She grinned awkwardly, trying to laugh at her own mistake.

"None. He doesn't have any grandchildren yet."

Halvir said it seriously, as though it were an ordinary fact. His expression remained as flat as ever.

"Um... I see."

Anindira murmured softly.

Then she lifted her head again.

"So, the girl you said is around my age... she's his youngest daughter?!"

Halvir gave a brief nod.

"Oh!"

Anindira nodded repeatedly as she tried to process the information.

"Kak, what's the Village Chief's daughter's name?"

"Zia."

One name. Short. Clear.

"What's she like?"

The question slipped out before she could stop it.

Even Anindira didn't know why she wanted to know. She tried to keep her pace and breathing steady, though her chest was beginning to feel strangely uncomfortable.

That name—Zia.

Halvir had mentioned it several times before.

For some reason, this time felt different.

"A talkative woman. Her behavior is also similar to yours, though she's sharper-tongued than you."

Halvir answered plainly, without a hint of teasing.

Anindira swallowed.

"Is she pretty?!"

Halvir nodded again without hesitation.

"Is she attractive?"

Anindira's steps slowed for half a second as the question escaped her lips. She noticed it herself and immediately forced her feet to match Halvir's pace again.

"Yes."

Halvir's answer was firm and calm.

"There aren't many women with a personality like hers. That's why I've always said you resemble her."

The words fell naturally from Halvir's mouth, carrying no hidden meaning.

But to Anindira, it felt as though something was pressing down on her chest.

"Kak Halvir, do you like her?"

She turned to look at him.

Her gaze was probing, her voice lowered as much as possible despite the slight tremor within it.

The question felt far too personal, even to herself.

A sudden irritation rose inside her, mixed with something far more difficult to understand.

Her chest felt tight, as though something were lodged inside it.

"Yes."

Halvir answered with the same proud, expressionless face.

No pause.

No hesitation.

Halvir noticed the seriousness in Anindira's attitude, but he ignored it.

To him, it was merely ordinary curiosity—nothing more.

But Anindira's eyes widened the moment she heard his answer.

It felt as though blood rushed to her head.

Her heart began beating faster.

An emotion she didn't fully understand suddenly surged inside her chest, squeezing her breath and making every step feel heavier.

She lowered her head, trying to hide her face.

And for the first time since arriving in this world, Anindira experienced an unfamiliar feeling she could not name—sharp, hot, and painful despite leaving no wound.

Halvir, who was carrying Anindira, immediately reacted.

Not through words.

The first thing he noticed was the change in her body temperature.

An unusual warmth spread rapidly through her body.

Then came her heartbeat, suddenly irregular and pounding loudly within her small chest—too fast, too chaotic.

Anindira's aura had changed.

Fast.

Sharp.

Abnormal.

The change made Halvir abandon his intention to ignore it.

He stopped walking.

"What's wrong?"

"What?!"

Anindira replied flatly, trying to hide her irritation.

"Your emotions changed..."

"How does Kak Halvir know that?!"

"Of course I know when it's about you!"

Halvir looked up, studying her carefully.

Meanwhile, Anindira looked down at him with a sulky expression.

The two fell silent, each trapped inside assumptions neither voiced aloud.

"Please don't give me false hope..."

"False hope for what?!"

Halvir shouted, offended.

"What do you mean?"

"If you already like someone else, then focus on her!"

Anindira shouted.

But inside her heart, another voice was screaming.

Dira, why are you acting like this?!

What's wrong with you?

Why are you getting angry at him?!

Once again, her mind and heart refused to agree.

Stop distracting yourself by giving me extra attention!

The thought forced its way out through her mouth.

"Stop distracting yourself by giving me extra attention!"

Anindira shouted even louder.

She no longer seemed to care about the warnings inside her head.

Stupid Dira,

what did he do wrong for you to complain to him like this?!

You're just a pitiful child he picked up from the roadside.

Of course he's kind to you—you're too pitiful to abandon.

The words in her heart and the words leaving her lips no longer matched at all.

"I could misunderstand things if you do that!"

Too many things had happened since morning.

Not long ago, Anindira had finally calmed down and accepted Halvir's decision to leave.

Now her emotions had exploded again without warning.

Thought after thought churned through Halvir's mind as he stared at how emotional Anindira had become.

"Are you angry?"

Halvir asked without looking away.

"When was I angry?"

Anindira answered while meeting his gaze head-on.

She desperately wanted to deny it.

But her heartbeat couldn't lie.

Even Anindira could almost hear it herself.

"Right now!"

Halvir shouted firmly.

"You're angry right now!"

"No."

Anindira immediately denied it, her expression challenging.

"What part of me looks angry?... Is there even anything I should be angry about?!"

"I don't know."

Halvir answered firmly.

"But I know you're angry right now."

"Why does Kak Halvir have to care about that?!"

"Of course I have to!"

"You don't need to. You should just think about Zia instead. Poor Zia if Kak Halvir acts like this..."

"What does Zia have to do with this?!"

Halvir's voice rose.

Then he suddenly fell silent.

As though he had just realized something.

"Dira, you're angry right now..."

Halvir deliberately provoked her.

He wanted to confirm the suspicion that had been growing stronger in his mind.

"I'm not angry!"

Anindira snapped irritably.

"Yes, you are!"

Halvir shouted while nodding.

"You're angry... right now!... here!... just now!... Even your heartbeat is unbelievably loud."

Anindira instantly covered her chest with both hands.

At that moment, she realized just how chaotic her thoughts and words had become.

I've messed up...

Stupid Dira, how could he possibly not notice...

Is this because I'm being hypocritical?!

The complaint echoed through her mind.

There's no mistake...

It's not just Kak Halvir... but also Zia.

What did she ever do wrong for me to drag her into this?

You're a hypocrite, Dira!

Anindira could no longer hide her feelings.

But this time, what showed on her face wasn't jealousy.

It was naked embarrassment.

"Um... sorry. I'm not angry... it's just, um..."

Anindira stammered.

She didn't even know what she was supposed to explain.

She herself didn't understand what was happening.

Her heart felt heavy, as though a giant stone were pressing down on it, while her thoughts remained empty and confused.

"You've been angry ever since we started talking about Zia."

Halvir's reply startled her.

Once again, he brought the issue back, staring at her as though searching for the answer directly in her eyes.

"Yeah, I know!"

The answer slipped out unintentionally.

Anindira was too busy regretting her own behavior—and too irritated by the fact that there had to be a third person standing between herself and Halvir.

"Has Zia become a threat to you?"

"Why would she be a threat? I don't even know her..."

"Precisely because you don't know her... how many times have you already misunderstood me?"

Halvir reaffirmed his conclusion.

Now he was certain.

Anindira's reaction had given him an answer that didn't need to be spoken aloud.