Chapter 2:My husband?!
1432 Words
Just then, the door of the thatched hut was pushed open.
Mianna instinctively poked her head out from beneath the animal hide and looked toward the entrance. A figure walked in against the light. It seemed to be a woman.
“Mia, you're awake?”
The woman's voice trembled slightly, yet there was something strangely familiar about it.
She hurried to the bedside and crouched down, reaching out to feel Mianna's forehead. Only then did Mianna get a proper look at her.
The woman appeared to be in her thirties. She had long brown hair loosely pinned up with a white hairpin, with a few wisps falling around her temples. Fatigue was etched across her face, but the moment her eyes landed on Mianna, they lit up.
Mianna froze.
That face.
Those eyes.
That careful, heartbroken expression.
And the warm, gentle hand caressing her forehead...
The woman looked so much like her mother who had passed away.
----
Except this woman's features carried a slightly more exotic beauty.
“Thank the Beast God... Thank goodness...” the woman murmured, her eyes turning red. “Three days... I thought... I thought...”
Mianna's throat suddenly tightened.
【Host, host!】 Quad's voice rang inside her mind. 【This is your mother in the Beast World! Your original body's mama! Matriarch Liora, chief of the Stonehorn Tribe! She's been holding the entire tribe together all by herself for thirty years! The original Mianna was withdrawn and isolated since childhood. Then she failed her awakening and went crazy over the past two years, but Liora never once gave up on her! She's such a good mama! (￣▽￣)ノ】
Mianna said nothing.
The woman called Liora continued to ramble on.
“You silly girl, how could you be so careless? That leopard really has no idea how to control his strength! ...But it's all right. You're awake now, that's what matters... Are you hungry? Thirsty? Azari made some soup. I'll go bring you a bowl...”
She was about to stand when, almost without thinking, Mianna reached out and caught her sleeve.
Liora froze in surprise and looked down at her.
Mianna parted her lips, wanting to say something.
But her throat was too dry.
In the end, only two words came out.
“...Mama.”
Liora's eyes instantly reddened.
She blinked hard, nodding repeatedly.
“Yes, yes! Mama's here. Mama's right here!”
Then she practically ran out of the hut.
“Azari! The soup! Bring the soup quickly! Mia's awake! She called me!”
Mianna watched her flustered figure disappear through the doorway before slowly lying back down.
Her heart was a tangled mess of emotions.
She never thought she would get to see her mother again...
Quad floated cautiously in front of her.
【Host... do you still want to die? (｡•︿•｡)】
Mianna was silent for a long time before finally answering.
【...I'll stay alive for now and see how it goes.】
She couldn't bear to lose Mama again.
Quad nearly burst into tears on the spot.
Thank heaven!
Thank earth!
Thank the Main System!
Thank my very first host!
(＾∀＾●)ノ
Not long afterward, Liora returned carrying a bowl of steaming soup. A tall, powerfully built man followed behind her, carrying an even larger stone bowl.
A pair of thick, curved, brownish horns grew from the man's head, impossible to miss. One of them was damaged, with only about half of it remaining.
He was shirtless, his body covered in sharply defined muscles. His shoulders were broad, and his powerful chest was particularly eye-catching. His skin was a beautiful bronze color, though unfortunately, it was covered with scars of various sizes. His left arm was bandaged, while a simple piece of dark animal hide was wrapped around his waist.
His entire body radiated a wild, primal strength.
His hair was a muted milk-tea gray, slightly wavy and lacking much shine. His bangs hung low enough to partially cover his eyes, making it difficult to see them clearly. There even seemed to be a faint bruise on his exposed cheek.
After entering the hut, the man glanced at Mianna.
Then he lowered his eyes, placed the bowl on the small table beside the bed, and silently stood off to the side, keeping watch.
Mianna was startled.
Looking at this rather gloomy, grayish-looking man, she couldn't help wondering if he was some kind of slave here.
Quad's voice immediately sounded in her head.
【Host, host! That's your husband! Your First Mate! Azari, a mouflon beastkin, fifth-rank Earth ability user, twenty years old! He and the original Mianna were childhood sweethearts with a betrothal arranged when they were little. He's taken care of her since they were children. He took the most beatings, but never once complained! Young, strong, and with an absolutely wonderful personality! ( ᐢ ᴗ ᐢ )】
【My husband?!】
【He took beatings?! Don't tell me those injuries were caused by “me” too?】
【The original owner really was sick... She hit him way too hard...】
【Wait. You're so loud! And you're floating right here! Can they see you? Hear you talking?】
Quad replied smugly.
【(‾◡◝) Relax, relax! Our conversations are on a private channel, of course! Nobody else can see or hear me! From now on, whenever you call me Quad, we can communicate telepathically~】
【The injuries Azari has now were caused by your other male mate, the snow leopard, when Azari tried to protect you! But his other old injuries were caused by the original Mianna when she went crazy~】
There was a lot to process.
So this was my cheap slave—
No.
My cheap hus—
No, wait.
My male mate.
Mianna had read a few transmigration novels set in beast worlds before, so she had at least a vague idea of how this kind of world worked.
Quad had rambled on about a bunch of things earlier, and she hadn't really been listening.
Something about having several male mates...
Which meant...
She had several husbands?
Mianna's brain began racing.
Before she could sort everything out, Liora's voice interrupted her thoughts.
“This is the meat soup Azari made. Drink it while it's hot.”
Liora helped Mianna sit up, then scooped up a spoonful of soup with a wooden spoon. She carefully blew on it to cool it down before bringing it to Mianna's lips.
Mianna's attention immediately shifted back to Liora.
She opened her mouth and took a sip.
Warmth spread through her chest, and her eyes grew slightly misty.
Mama was feeding her.
Whatever.
She'd just enjoy being cared for by her mother for now.
Surprisingly...
The soup was delicious.
The meat had been cooked until incredibly tender, and some kind of herb had been added to the broth, giving it a faint, pleasant fragrance. As she drank, she could feel a comforting warmth settle in her stomach.
She glanced up at the man standing nearby.
**【Ding! You have a new mission! Please check your system notification!】**
Quad's cheerful voice rang beside her ears~
【Beginner's Bonus Mission】
【Mission: Please interact positively with your First Mate, Azari! Complete it to receive a Beginner's Gift Pack!】
【You really know how to seize an opportunity! I'm still sick!】 Mianna complained inwardly before looking at her mission target again.
He stood there with his head lowered, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together.
When he noticed her gaze, he looked up.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
He immediately lowered his gaze again.
After a long silence, the man asked softly,
“Is... the soup good?”
Mianna answered simply,
“Mm.”
The man seemed surprised that she had actually responded.
He raised his head, standing there with an uncertain, almost bewildered expression.
Liora watched the two of them interact, surprise and relief filling her eyes. She didn't stop feeding Mianna, and her eyes grew slightly red.
“Good, good... As long as you can eat, that's all that matters!”
**【Ding! Mission complete!】**
**【Reward: Beginner's Gift Pack!】**
【Congratulations, Host, on completing your very first mission! You're doing amazing! ♡(´ε｀ )】
Quad's voice was accompanied by the sound of tiny electronic fireworks going off.
Mianna almost choked on her soup.
【As expected of a beginner's bonus mission. That was ridiculously easy.】
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