Exiled Villainess: They Threw Me Out, Now Every Beastman Wants Me novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27: New Frontier

Tera startled, her breath catching as she realized Xavi had shifted back to his human form and moved up behind her without making a sound. His chest was nearly touching her back, and his body heat radiated through the few inches of cold air between them like a promise.

He leaned over her slightly, peering through the gaps at the flooded landscape outside.

"It was a lot," he observed.

Tera’s body reacted before her brain could catch up. A strange, fluttery sensation shot through her chest and settled somewhere in her stomach before going even lower.

She was suddenly very aware of how close he was, how little clothing either of them was wearing, and how his voice sounded when it was right next to her ear.

She scooted sideways, putting a safer distance between them before her thoughts started going haywire.

"I will go check on everyone else," she mumbled, not looking at him.

She didn’t wait for his response and crawled toward the upper chambers with a speed that was entirely unjustified by the situation.

[Agility +1]

’Oh, wow.’

[Host’s heart rate has increased by 34%]

[From proximity alone]

[(¬‿¬)]

[Interesting development]

’Say one more word, and I will find a way to uninstall you.’

[( •̀ ᴖ •́ )]

- ※ - ※ - ※ -

They waited for the water to recede further before moving on.

And this had led to them staying in the shelter for another full day to wait for the floodwaters to recede enough for safe travel.

Tera learned something new during that waiting period. Beast-folk didn’t get hungry as fast as humans did. Their bodies could sustain themselves for longer stretches without food, conserving energy when resources were scarce.

And most of the clan had been in a sleep-like hibernating state that conserved their warmth and strength. Each time Tera had checked on them, she had been consistently met with a snooze fest.

Tera’s body seemed to function the same way regarding the food. She should have been starving after nearly two days without proper food, but the hunger was a low, manageable ache rather than the screaming desperation she would have expected from her old body.

It still hit eventually. By the second night, she was starting to feel the weakness creep in.

Xavi had offered to hold her again that night, and Tera hadn’t protested. She had curled against his chest and slept better than she had any right to.

She was especially grateful that he had not once asked about her crying.

The day after, the clan finally left the shelter.

The journey to the plateau had taken longer than the system’s estimate. They had to take a winding route to avoid the steepest section of the hillside. A direct path would have required climbing a near-vertical rock face to reach the plateau surface, which the beast folk would not have even been able to manage in their animal forms.

So instead they walked the long way around, following the natural curve of the land as it gradually sloped upward.

This had added nearly a full day to the trip, but the path had been kinder. They had found fruit along the way to eat.

The terrain was different there as the flooding hadn’t reached that far, and the ground was also firmer.

When they finally reached the top, the wide expanse of plain land opened up before them.

It was beautiful.

A vast, flat expanse of open land stretched beneath a sky that was slowly reaching evening. The plateau was ringed on all distant sides by dense forest.

Tera almost wept as she was faced with the clear land.

[Ding!]]

[Host has discovered unclaimed territory]

[Resources: Fresh water, fertile soil, timber, stone deposits, natural defensive elevation]

[Danger Rating: Medium]

Tera’s eyes widened.

’Medium? Wait. What do you mean by that?’

[( ◕▿◕ )]

[This location is suitable for permanent settlement]

’Hey! Don’t ignore me!’

Suitable for permanent settlement with a medium danger rating? What the actual fuck?!

[New Major Task Unlocked!]

’That’s... a lot.’

’Oh.’

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