Chapter 60: Childhood Fiancé Love

Sora felt that ever since Damien had appeared, the amount of shock she had experienced in a single hour had surpassed everything she had gone through in the past month.

First, the filthy, ragged black bear had transformed into an unbelievably handsome man after a simple bath. Before she had even recovered from that revelation, he had calmly announced that he intended to sleep in her room.

The pace of events was enough to leave anyone dizzy.

Across the table, Lucas had already folded his wings and was preparing to fly home.

The moment he heard Damien’s declaration, however, he immediately sat back down.

His golden eyes flicked between Damien and Sora.

Surely... Kaelira wouldn’t actually agree?

If she did, tonight would become the biggest piece of gossip the tribe had seen in years.

Xavier also looked genuinely bewildered.

He studied Damien’s flawless face before glancing at Sora.

The black bear’s eyesight had to be questionable.

Could Sora truly be considered beautiful in the black bear tribe?

Ace, on the other hand, was enjoying every second of the spectacle.

He rested his chin on one hand, the corners of his lips curling upward with obvious amusement.

If Sora hadn’t been sitting right there, he would have applauded the newcomer.

Ryan silently shook his head.

To him, Damien looked like a rare flower about to be planted in a patch of mud.

It was a pity.

With that appearance, he could have chosen almost any female in the beast world.

Why insist on honoring a childhood engagement?

Only Lukan remained as calm as ever.

His jade-like eyes quietly rested on Sora, patiently waiting to see how she intended to resolve the situation.

As for Sora...

She wanted absolutely nothing to do with this development.

It wasn’t that Damien lacked charm.

On the contrary.

He was ridiculously handsome.

But she couldn’t afford another complication.

She still had a mission hanging over her head.

Five beast husbands.

Five affection targets.

If she failed to complete the system’s objective, she would lose everything—including the second chance at life she had fought so hard to obtain.

After surviving the apocalypse once already, there was nothing she treasured more than being alive.

No matter how attractive Damien might be, he wasn’t worth gambling her life over.

Putting on the most polite smile she could manage, Sora looked at him.

"Not every beastman and female sleep together."

She paused deliberately before continuing.

"Besides... although we were betrothed as children..."

She let the sentence trail off.

The meaning couldn’t have been clearer.

A childhood engagement didn’t mean they actually knew each other.

They were practically strangers.

She thought Damien would understand.

Instead...

He nodded with complete seriousness.

"I know."

"But that’s exactly why we should sleep together."

"We’ve been apart for so many years."

"We should spend more time together and rebuild our relationship."

"..."

Sora stared at him.

Was there something wrong with this man’s way of thinking?

Everyone in the tribe avoided her like the plague.

Yet this man kept trying to move closer.

It felt strangely ironic.

Back in the original owner’s memories, Sora had always been the one desperately chasing after others.

Now...

For the first time...

She was the one trying to reject someone.

Unfortunately, Damien seemed completely immune to hints.

Seeing that subtlety wasn’t working, Sora decided to be direct.

She coughed awkwardly.

"I’m... on my monthly cycle."

"So it isn’t convenient."

"I think it’s better if we don’t share a room."

That explanation was straightforward enough.

Surely he would understand now.

Damien blinked once.

Then he smiled warmly.

"That’s alright."

"We can simply sleep under the same blanket."

"..."

Sora nearly choked.

"No!"

"I mean..."

"I don’t want to share a blanket with you."

She rubbed her forehead.

For the first time since arriving in this world, she genuinely felt defeated in a conversation.

How could someone so intelligent-looking completely fail to understand rejection?

Unable to continue alone, Sora silently looked toward the other five men, her eyes practically pleading for assistance.

Someone.

Help me.

Ryan noticed her gaze.

He calmly looked away.

As if he hadn’t seen anything.

Xavier suddenly became fascinated by his own fingers.

Lucas lowered his head and pretended to inspect the floor.

Ace stared up at the sky with exaggerated interest.

"The weather today is quite nice."

Sora’s eye twitched.

Traitors.

Fortunately...

One person still possessed a conscience.

Lukan smiled gently before speaking.

"Sora’s room isn’t very large."

"It would be uncomfortable for another person."

"If you don’t mind..."

"You can stay with me tonight."

Sora’s eyes instantly brightened.

As expected...

Lukan really was dependable.

She silently made up her mind.

Tomorrow’s chicken leg would belong to him.

Damien turned toward Lukan politely.

Then he smiled.

"Thank you."

"But I came here to stay with Luo."

"So I’ll sleep wherever she sleeps."

Lukan’s smile froze ever so slightly.

"..."

For perhaps the first time in his life...

He didn’t know how to continue the conversation.

The atmosphere became awkward once again.

Sora let out a quiet sigh.

She decided to change tactics.

"How did you sleep while traveling here?"

Damien answered honestly.

"I usually slept in trees."

"Oh."

Sora immediately pointed toward a large tree beside the courtyard.

"That one looks sturdy."

"You can sleep there tonight."

"..."

This time, it was Damien’s turn to be speechless.

He slowly looked toward the towering tree.

Then back at Sora.

"You... want me to sleep in the tree?"

"Yes."

Sora nodded as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

"The females live inside the houses."

"The beastmen usually find their own places to rest."

She pointed casually toward the five men.

"They’re the same."

Damien looked at them with surprise.

Earlier, while washing at the deep pool, he had already heard that these five were Sora’s beast husbands.

Naturally, he had assumed they all lived together.

Now...

Judging from Sora’s words...

That wasn’t the case at all.

He turned to the five men.

"You don’t sleep with Luo?"

This time, no one denied it.

Ryan crossed his arms.

"We each have our own places."

Lucas scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"We’ve never shared a room."

Xavier answered just as calmly.

"It wouldn’t be appropriate."

Ace lazily added,

"She’s never invited us."

Lukan simply nodded in agreement.

Damien looked genuinely confused.

"But..."

"Aren’t you her husbands?"

Lucas gave an embarrassed laugh.

"We are."

"But things are... complicated."

Ace smirked.

"You’ve only been here for half a day."

"Give it another week."

"You’ll understand."

Damien fell silent.

His Black eyes slowly shifted back toward Sora.

For a long moment, he simply observed her.

The woman before him was completely different from the cheerful little girl he remembered.

Back then, she had followed him everywhere with bright, innocent eyes.

Whenever he returned from hunting with his parents, she would happily run over carrying flowers or fruit she had picked herself.

She had laughed easily.

Smiled often.

And insisted that when they grew up, they would build the biggest house in the tribe together.

Now...

There was still kindness in those same eyes.

But there was also distance.

Caution.

Almost as though she were speaking to a complete stranger.

A trace of disappointment flashed across Damien’s face before disappearing just as quickly.

Even so, he smiled gently.

"If that’s how it is..."

"I’ll sleep in the tree."

Sora quietly let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for understanding."

Damien nodded.

"But tomorrow..."

"I’ll continue trying."

Sora blinked.

"Trying?"

He smiled so naturally that it almost caught everyone off guard.

"Trying to become familiar with you again."

"We’re childhood sweethearts."

"I believe you’ll remember me eventually."

"..."

The courtyard fell silent.

Ace slowly turned toward Lucas.

"I suddenly feel..."

"This guy is harder to deal with than Ryan."

Lucas nodded solemnly.

"I was thinking exactly the same thing."

Even Ryan, who rarely commented on anything, looked at Damien for an extra second before quietly reaching the same conclusion.

This black bear...

Was far more persistent than he appeared.