Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 160: Episode : Are you the one named Roxy?

After giving in to Ren last night, Roxy felt oddly satisfied.

Roxy stirred, stretching her limbs across the vast expanse of the silk sheets. Her body felt strangely light, humming with a surplus of energy that tingled in her fingertips.

She let out a long, contented groan, rolling over to find the source of the warmth beside her. Ren was already awake.

He was propped up on one elbow, his head resting in his hand, watching her with an intensity that would have been unnerving if his eyes weren’t so soft.

The black veins that had plagued him for weeks were gone, erased completely from his pale, flawless skin. His nine tails were visible in the morning light, fanning out behind him like a peacock’s display, waving lazily in the air.

"Good morning, darling," Ren purred, remembering a word the last human taught him, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through the mattress.

Roxy blinked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "How long have you been staring at me?"

"Long enough to count your eyelashes," Ren teased, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I did not know you drooled when you slept. It is... surprisingly cute."

"I do not drool," Roxy protested, swatting his hand away and sitting up, instinctively wiping her mouth. "You have bad eyes."

Besides! Zarek or Kaelen never complained about that!

Ren chuckled. He grabbed her waist and pulled her back down until she was sprawled on top of his chest.

"You look beautiful," he whispered, his smile turning wicked. "Messy hair, sleep marks, and all. Shouldn’t we go again? I feel energized."

"That’s good," Roxy smiled, tracing the smooth skin of his neck where the rot used to be. "You feel energized, but I don’t."

That was a fucking lie. We could keep fucking all day, but I have plans.

She looked around the massive room. Usually, waking up involves untangling limbs from Zarek, Torian, Kaelen, and Syris. Today, the bed felt emptier, though no less warm.

"Where are the others?" Roxy asked.

"They slept in the guest wing," Ren explained, running his hands down her back. \

"That was nice of them," Roxy murmured. "I expected Torian to at least scratch at the door."

"He did," Ren smirked. "Kaelen dragged him away."

Torian would never change.

He tightened his grip on her, his hips shifting beneath hers. The playful atmosphere shifted instantly into something heavier. His violet eyes darkened with renewed hunger.

"The sun is up," Ren whispered against her lips. "But we do not have to be. The door is locked. The children are with Syris. We could stay here. I feel I have not yet fully expressed my gratitude."

"No," Roxy groaned, rolling off him despite his protest. "No way, Fox. I have a schedule."

"Schedule?" Ren whined, reaching for her. "The schedule can wait. I am the King. I command the schedule to wait."

"That’s not my fucking business," Roxy retorted, standing up and wrapping the sheet around herself. "I promised Mara and the females I’d teach them how to make soap today. If I don’t show up, they’ll think I’m sick, and Zarek will lock the manor down."

Ren sighed dramatically, flopping back onto the pillows with his tail drooping. "You are a cruel mistress. Denying a healthy male his rights."

"You’ll survive," Roxy laughed. "Now, help me get ready."

Ren’s mood brightened instantly at the prospect of styling her. He sprang out of bed, naked and unashamed, and strode to the wardrobe.

He pulled out a set of garments. It was a tunic made of soft, bleached doe skin that cinched at the waist, paired with leggings that allowed for movement.

He added a fur mantle that draped over one shoulder and, as a finishing touch, fastened the silver anklet he had given her months ago.

"Perfect," Ren decided, stepping back to admire his work. "You look primal. Like the goddess of the river."

Roxy laughed at his words. "Whatever you choose, my king."

***

The stream was bustling with activity.

The sun beat down on the grassy banks where dozens of females had gathered. The air was filled with chatter, the smell of lavender oil, and the crackling of fires under large iron pots.

"Keep stirring!" Roxy called out, wiping sweat from her forehead. "If you stop, the fat will separate! You want a smooth paste, not chunky soup!"

"Yes, Luna!" the females chorused.

Roxy moved between the stations, checking the consistency of the lye mixtures. Ren sat on a high rock nearby, fanning himself with a large leaf, looking effortlessly elegant as he "supervised" (which mostly meant winking at the blushing Rabbit girls and keeping the children entertained with small illusions).

"This batch is ready to pour," Sera announced, lifting a heavy ladle.

"Good job, Sera," Roxy praised. "Pour it into the wooden molds and let it set in the shade. Do not touch it until tomorrow, or it will burn your skin."

The lesson went smoothly. The women were eager to learn, fascinated by the alchemy of turning grease into something that could be cleaned. Roxy felt a sense of accomplishment. At least she was turning the world into something she could be comfortable with, without changing them into humans.

After an hour of intense instruction, the heat of the fires and the crowd began to get to her.

"Mara, take over for a second," Roxy said, handing the stirring spoon to the Wolf Mother. "I need to check something in the bushes."

"Do you need a guard?" Mara asked immediately.

"No, I’m just going right there," Roxy pointed to a dense cluster of berry bushes about fifty yards upstream. "I saw some aloe vera plants earlier. I want to grab some for the soothing balm."

"Go," Mara nodded. "We will watch the pots."

Roxy walked away from the noise and the smoke. The further she got from the group, the quieter it became. The sound of the rushing water grew louder, drowning out the chatter.

She reached the cluster of bushes. Sure enough, thick, succulent aloe plants were growing in the shade.

"Jackpot," Roxy muttered to herself.

She knelt down, pulling a small knife from her belt to harvest a few leaves.

When all of a sudden, Roxy paused. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She felt she was being watched.

System? she queried mentally. Is there a beast nearby?

[System Scan: Interference Detected.]

[Error: Signal Blocked.]

Roxy frowned. Blocked?

A twig snapped behind her.

Roxy spun around, her knife held ready in a defensive grip. She expected a rogue wolf. Or maybe a curious deer.

Instead, standing just a few feet away, parting the branches of a willow tree, was a girl.

Roxy blinked.

The girl didn’t look like she belonged in the Iron-Wood. She didn’t have animal ears. She didn’t have a tail. She wasn’t wearing fur or leather.

She was petite, with long, tangled blonde hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall of gold. She wore a dress that was tattered and stained with mud, but the fabric was strange; it looked like white cotton, cut in a style that resembled a hospital gown or a nightdress from Earth.

Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and she was barefoot, her feet muddy and scratched.

She looked fragile. Pitiful. Like a gust of wind would knock her over.

But it was her eyes that froze Roxy in place. They were big, blue, and wide, innocent, tear-filled, and utterly disarming.

The girl stared at Roxy. She looked at the tiger-skin clothes, the knife, and the confidence radiating from Roxy.

A slow, confusing smile spread across the girl’s face. It wasn’t a friendly smile. It was the smile of someone who had found something they were looking for.

"Excuse me," the girl said. Her voice was soft, melodic, and sounded unnervingly polite for a person lost in a monster forest.

Roxy lowered the knife slightly, confused. "Who are you? Are you lost?" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

The girl took a step closer. She tilted her head to the side, her blue eyes locking onto Roxy’s face with a strange, calculating intensity.

"Are you the one named Roxy?"

[END OF VOLUME ONE]