Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 76: Late Night Conversation

Afterward, Lavayla washed Vai while Mirek washed the newly hunted meat.

Once the child was clean and content, she turned toward breakfast preparations.

As expected, there were no leftovers from the previous night. Mirek’s appetite ensured that every meal disappeared completely.

However, today’s ingredients were noticeably different.

Mirek had surprisingly gathered forest eggs from a cliff nest, tender young fern shoots, thick honeyfruit, and a cluster of pale cave mushrooms with of course some other useless weeds and barely edible fruits and plants.

Lavayla’s eyes brightened.

"Now this," she murmured, "looks like a proper breakfast." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

She began by boiling sliced tubers in water until soft. While they cooked, she diced meat into small cubes and crushed garlic with salt from the system mall.

Using a heated flat stone, she lightly seared the meat until fragrant fat rendered out. Into that, she added mushrooms, chopped fern shoots, and crushed peppers, stirring everything with a carved wooden spatula.

The aroma quickly filled the air.

Next, she cracked the forest eggs directly into the mixture, scrambling them together with the meat and vegetables until fluffy and rich.

For Vai, she mashed softened tubers with a little honeyfruit pulp, creating a naturally sweet and gentle meal suitable for him.

Finally, she sliced the remaining meat thinly and roasted it over an open flame, brushing it lightly with melted animal fat for extra energy.

By the time they finished eating, the sun had already climbed high.

⸻

By evening, the cleaned hides had dried completely across the stones.

Together, they returned their attention to the furs.

Lavayla expected stiff leather.

Instead, the fur felt astonishingly soft beneath her fingers.

The material had dried incredibly fast, transforming into something thick and plush, softer than wool yet dense enough to trap warmth efficiently. The strands were smooth and springy, almost like layered velvet, capable of insulating against cold without retaining moisture.

After Mirek explained, she learned that this species of beast produced naturally adaptive fur. Once washed with mineral-rich stream clay and rinsed in running water, the fibers aligned themselves, becoming lighter, cleaner, and remarkably flexible.

Apparently, this was completely normal in the beast world.

Lavayla stared at it.

"...Right. Of course it dries fast and turns luxurious on its own."

Honestly, she was no longer surprised.

At this point, reality itself seemed optional in this world.

She spread the dried fur across the ground while Mirek flattened each section carefully.

Between layered hides, Lavayla inserted thick sheets of cloud silk moss.

The white moss compressed easily, forming soft natural cushioning while retaining warmth.

Mirek pressed his palm into the layered surface and paused.

The material sank slightly before springing back into shape.

"It is comfortable and it holds warmth," he said, faint approval in his voice.

"Also absorbs moisture," Lavayla grinned as she added. "Perfect insulation."

They worked side by side stitching the layers together. Lavayla guided the needle while Mirek held tension on the heavy fur, keeping it steady whenever she pulled the sinew tight.

Occasionally their hands brushed.

Neither commented.

The rhythm became strangely peaceful. Fire crackled beside them while night slowly deepened outside the cave.

By the time the final seam was tied, both of them sat back.

Lavayla lifted the finished blanket with both hands.

It was heavier than she expected, yet flexible enough to fold easily. The layered beast fur draped smoothly, the cloud silk moss hidden within giving it gentle thickness without stiffness. When she shook it lightly, the surface rippled like a soft animal down, trapping warmth almost instantly.

She dropped it over her shoulders.

A surprised laugh escaped her.

Warmth wrapped around her body at once, sealing in heat. Even the faint chill carried by the waterfall breeze could not penetrate it.

"...Okay," she admitted, gripping the edge. "This might be the best thing we’ve made so far."

Mirek watched her reaction before reaching out to press the fur again, testing its density.

"It will hold through cold seasons," he said after a moment. "Even mountain winds."

Lavayla’s brows lifted.

Mountain winds.

Right. This world probably had winters capable of freezing people solid overnight.

Her expression turned satisfied.

"Then all that work was worth it."

She folded the blanket carefully and spread it across their sleeping area. The thick padding beneath combined with the soft fur above transformed the once hard cave floor into something shockingly comfortable.

Vai immediately crawled forward, patting the surface with curious hands before collapsing onto it with a happy sigh.

Lavayla laughed, crouching in front of him. "Do you approve? Hm?"

"Ah! Bah! Lah! Ba aah!"

Vai babbled loudly, clenching his tiny hand into a determined fist as he struggled to sit upright. His entire body swayed with effort, legs kicking uselessly against the soft bedding.

Lavayla burst into laughter.

She made no move to help him. Instead, she crouched nearby, resting her chin on her palm as she watched him fight bravely against gravity itself. Vai growled in baby frustration, swinging his fist as though challenging an invisible enemy while continuing his fierce stream of gibberish sounds.

His brows slowly pulled together.

His lips trembled.

The warning signs appeared almost instantly.

Lavayla reacted before the cry could escape.

"Hey, baby. It’s okay, it’s okay." She scooped him into her arms and rose to her feet, gently patting his back while rocking him from side to side.

"Don’t cry. Don’t cry. It’s my fault, alright? I shouldn’t have laughed."

Her voice softened instinctively as she walked slow circles around the cave, swaying with ease. Vai sniffled once, then twice, his small hands clutching tightly at her clothes as her comfort replaced his frustration.

Gradually, his body relaxed.

The tension left his face, replaced by heavy eyelids and quiet breaths. Sleep crept over him quickly, and he pressed closer to her warmth, completely trusting.

Mirek watched the scene unfold, a chuckle slipping from his throat.

They truly suited each other.

It was no exaggeration to say that his nephew clung to Lavayla far more naturally than he had to him. With her, Vai laughed easily, cried openly, and calmed without fear.

Mirek’s gaze lingered longer than he realized.

She handled the child with effortless patience, as though caring for him came naturally to her. There was no hesitation, no awkwardness. Only warmth.

She is good with children, he thought.

His attention shifted briefly toward the bedding they had prepared. Even from where he stood, it looked impossibly comfortable compared to the cold stone they had endured before.

Yet his eyes drifted back to her again.

The human was full of surprises.

And he found that he liked discovering every one of them.

Lavayla felt his gaze long before she looked up.

At first, she ignored it. It was not uncomfortable exactly. Still, as the silence stretched and his attention remained fixed on her, awareness slowly crept in.

It grew heavier and more noticeable.

She adjusted Vai in her arms, pretending to focus entirely on settling him while silently waiting for Mirek to look away.

Eventually, he did.

Lavayla released a quiet breath of relief and carefully lowered the sleeping child onto the moss bed. She pulled the fur blanket over him, tucking it gently beneath his small body.

Peace returned for exactly three seconds.

Then she felt it again.

His gaze.

"...Seriously," she muttered under her breath.

•••

The fire nearby cast warm orange light across the cave walls as evening settled fully outside. Shadows danced softly along the stone, blending with the steady roar of the distant waterfall.

After getting dinner ready and gently encouraging Vai to eat when he woke briefly before drifting off again, a sense of exhaustion washed over Lavayla. However, this time it brought with it a feeling of satisfaction rather than weariness.

They had accomplished something today.

Mirek adjusted the edges of the bedding before sitting beside it. Silence settled between them, calm and unhurried.

Lavayla stretched her arms overhead before dropping onto the blanket.

The difference was immediate.

She stiffened in surprise, "...Oh wow."

The moss cushioning supported her perfectly, easing tension from muscles she had not realized were aching. After days of sleeping uncomfortably ever since she arrived, the comfort felt unreal.

"Mirek?"

"Hm?"

"What do you think about the space? And what Shalika said... about us inheriting it?"

For a moment, he did not answer.

Lavayla assumed he intended to ignore the question. She propped herself up on her forearms and turned toward him, ready to repeat herself, but at that exact moment, Mirek turned his head as well.

Their gazes met.

"I think," he said slowly, "that the space is beyond anything belonging to this world. It holds knowledge, resources, and power that tribes would wage wars over."

His eyes shifted briefly toward the fire.

"Inheriting such a place sounds like a fantasy. Yet... I understand the desire."

He paused, choosing his words carefully.

"To possess something that offers safety, shelter, and strength. Something that ensures survival not only for oneself, but for those one cares about."

Lavayla raised a brow, not surprised that he was thinking about Vai.

"The strong survive in this world," Mirek continued. "But strength alone is never enough. Winter, beasts, famine, enemies. They come regardless."

His gaze lowered slightly.

"If the space can protect, then refusing it would be foolish."

Lavayla rolled onto her side, facing him fully.

"And you trust Shalika?"

Mirek remained silent for several seconds.

"I trust what I see," he finally said. "This Space helped us when we needed it the most. It had the condensed primal energy which helped in accelerating my healing. It provided us with what we needed but only if we had the ability to take it."

"Just like when you went to hunt and when we came across the corrupted serpent," Lavayla added, her voice low.

His red eyes returned to hers.

"Power always demands a price."

The words settled heavily between them.

Lavayla stared at the flickering firelight, thoughts turning restless again.

Inheritance, successors, price.

None of it sounded simple anymore.

"...I wonder what the space will ask of us if it really decides to test us," she murmured then frowned, "I would rather the test not involve something impossible because I didn’t exactly sign up to become a legendary inheritance holder."

Mirek huffed softly, almost amused.

"Neither did I expect to follow one."

She blinked and looked at him.

"...Follow?"