Villainess is being pampered by her beast husbands-Chapter 280 --

The Capybaras themselves barely did anything—they ate, they slept, and whenever they wanted food, they just got it themselves. Kaya hadn’t seen a single one hunting or struggling. It was... almost surreal.

Veer filled her in on the details: Capybaras had a particular love for fruits and leafy vegetables. Thanks to that, Kaya discovered lettuce, spinach, and a few other greens growing wild here. She collected as much as she could, proudly showing Veer her finds. "If we see more later," she said, "we’ll know exactly where to find it." Veer just nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips, clearly amused by her enthusiasm.

Eventually, it was time to leave. Kaya and Veer lifted off from the Capybara tribe, the wind rushing past them as they flew northward. Kaya’s mind buzzed with possibilities. What would the next tribe be like? Would it be as serene as the Capybaras—or wildly different? She glanced at Veer, her curiosity barely contained, and felt that familiar thrill of adventure stir in her chest.

The world felt vast, strange, and full of surprises—and she was ready to see it all.

.

.

.

But now, standing here, Kaya seriously wished she could take back every single word she had ever said. She wasn’t ready for this. Not even close.

Before her stretched an endless sea of bamboo, swaying slightly in the wind, and she just... froze. Her mouth opened, closed, opened again—no words came out.

Veer, of course, was entirely unbothered. He looked back at her with that infuriatingly smug smile. Kaya’s blood boiled. She could feel it creeping up her neck, her fists clenching, and she seriously contemplated punching that smug little grin off his face.

"Veer," she hissed, trying to keep her fury in check, "what kind of tribe is this?"

Veer tilted his head, gave her a lazy grin, and chuckled, clearly amused by her flustered state. "Oh, you’ll see," he said with a teasing lilt in his voice.

Kaya’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "No. You’re not helping. Tell me!"

Veer laughed outright now, shaking his head. "Fine, fine... of course, it’s a panda tribe."

Kaya’s jaw dropped. Her fury spiked even higher. Pandas? Really? After Capybaras, pandas? She felt her sanity fraying already—but all she could do was glare at him, realizing that this journey was only going to get stranger.

As they stepped into the bamboo forest, Kaya’s jaw nearly hit the ground. The place was alive, but not in the way she expected. Everything moved slowly—painfully slowly. The bamboo swayed gently, the leaves rustled softly, and then... there it was: a panda lounging on a log, staring at her. And not just staring—staring like she had personally offended it.

Kaya froze. Veer, of course, was already laughing under his breath. "Relax," he whispered, "just don’t blink first."

"Don’t blink first?" Kaya hissed, incredulous. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Veer smirked. "Pandas don’t talk much. They judge. That’s it. And if you blink first... you lose."

Kaya gaped at him, but before she could retort, another panda lumbered into view. And then another. And another. They moved slowly, almost ceremoniously, their black-and-white faces blank, their dark eyes unblinking. Every step was deliberate, and every glance was judgmental. Kaya felt like she had accidentally walked into some kind of panda tribunal.

She wanted to yell, to run, to demand answers—but Veer nudged her shoulder. "Shh... just go with it."

Kaya’s eyes flicked around. The pandas weren’t just staring—they were communicating through sheer presence. One would shift slightly, another would tilt its head, and suddenly, Kaya could feel the weight of a thousand silent opinions pressing on her. She shivered.

Veer, of course, seemed to thrive in this tension. He waved casually to one of the pandas. "Hey, don’t glare too hard at her," he said. The panda blinked once. Veer smirked. "See? Negotiating."

Kaya groaned, planting her hands on her hips. "Negotiating? She—they—aren’t even speaking!"

Veer shrugged. "Exactly. Actions speak louder than words. And right now... they’re saying ’you better behave, or leave.’"

Kaya’s shoulders stiffened. She was about to snap when suddenly a tiny panda cub waddled up and stared straight at her. Its round black eyes, so large and oddly expressive, seemed to pierce right through her. Kaya froze, her mind blank for a moment... and then it blinked.

Veer snorted. "Ah, you blinked first. Rookie mistake."

Kaya gaped at him. "This is insane!"

Veer grinned, obviously loving every second of her misery. "Welcome to the panda tribe. Don’t worry—they won’t hurt you... much."

Kaya clenched her fists. "Much? That’s reassuring. Really."

As she looked around at the slow, deliberate movements of the pandas, she realized something terrifying. This tribe wasn’t lazy—they were calculating. Patient. Judging everything. Waiting. Watching. And somehow, somehow, they were already making her feel like she had committed a crime she didn’t even know existed.

Kaya groaned. "I’m going to regret this... aren’t I?"

Veer laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Probably. But admit it—you love it."

Kaya shot him a glare so fierce it could’ve split bamboo in two. Veer just laughed louder. And somewhere in the distance, a panda blinked.

The pandas walked forward with slow, deliberate steps, their black-and-white eyes fixed on Kaya. Then, almost imperceptibly, they nodded. It wasn’t a gesture of friendliness, but more like... a command. Kaya understood instantly—they wanted her to follow.

Cautiously, she did. Her feet moved over the uneven forest floor, the rustle of bamboo leaves echoing in the quiet morning. Veer’s presence behind her offered some comfort, though he didn’t say a word, letting the pandas lead the way.

After a short walk, the bamboo forest suddenly gave way. The dense stalks opened up, revealing a wide clearing. Kaya blinked, trying to take in the sight.

And then she saw them.

There were dozens of figures scattered across the clearing. Some were in human form, their black-and-white markings faint but visible on their skin. Others were fully transformed into pandas, moving with the same slow, deliberate grace as the ones who had guided her. The contrast was mesmerizing—human elegance mixed with animal poise, all blending seamlessly in this strange, quiet tribe.