CHAPTER 56: WAIT, WHAT EVEN IS THE CURRENCY OF THIS WORLD?

I was glad to hear Damar would put up with Fenric, even if it was not from his heart yet.

This was a start. All Fenric needs to do now is raise his competency level in Damar’s eyes. They never know, they might actually be best buddies if they just decide to put their rivalry and jealousy aside.

Although it’s not that easy for men to give up their jealousy towards their fellow man when it involves the woman they like.

Well, I’ll leave the rest to fate then. There’s nothing else I can do.

"Then, are you two ready?" I asked, pressing their knuckles to my lips.

"Y-yes," Damar stuttered, flustered from what I just did.

"Yes, Arinya." Fenric was equally flustered but his words were straight.

"Then," I let them go. "Let the competition, begin."

They both took to the forest as fast as they could in two opposite directions so they wouldn’t share hunting grounds, leaving a trail of dust.

I had to fan my hand in front of my face to avoid the dust getting into my nostrils. They were in such a full spirit.

Well, I can only hope things go well.

Then... I turned to the lake.

I had the entire lake to myself, and I didn’t have to worry about my husbands jumping me when I’m taking a bath since they’re both occupied by the competition.

I hummed happily as I took off my skirt and bra top, my tail swinging excitedly behind me.

Nothing beats taking a bath, I tell you.

It’s no wonder Damar is always in the water.

As a cold-blooded beast, he probably feels more at home inside the water. Then, does he have fish glands that let him stay in the water for so long without oxygen?

I’m not that curious but it is interesting.

I got into the deeper parts of the water and then dipped myself entirely before coming out, spreading the water so far with my hair.

It was great.

I brushed my hands through my hair and then exhaled, suddenly wishing I had soap.

That’s gotta be a luxury product, if it does exist in this world.

I wish I had studied science, then maybe I’d have been able to create soap from scratch, as well as other stuff.

I can only focus on the few I know how to do. The easy stuff that even primitive beasts can manufacture. There’s no telling if I’d even be able to create soap just from knowing how to, since there was no way of procuring ingredients.

Wait, what even is the currency of this world?

Cowries? Shells? Leaves?

I haven’t noticed any such currency in the tribe, so I wonder if they do trades with goods. You know, trade by barter.

You give me rabbit meat and I give you squirrel meat. In the first place, there aren’t a lot of things you’d want to buy either.

Everything is just there, no fun, no new thing, no excitement... How in the world did the stone ages develop so much into what it became in the 21st century, I wonder.

It all seems like a lot of hard work.

I brushed my hands through my skin, washing off the little dirt I had on and then my hair.

Once that was done, I began to return to land.

Nothing beats a healthy and clean body.

Maybe I should make my husbands have the same hobby as Damar. He soaks in the water for so long, maybe that’s why his scales are so shiny, and his hair is so silky.

As soon as I thought of that, I laughed.

Nah. It was probably his genes. The water might’ve played a little part in keeping his hair and body moist, but if he didn’t have silky hair in his genes then it was all for naught.

Just as I reached down to pick up my skirt after squeezing the water out of my hair, I heard a growl.

It made me pause for a second in my position, back bent forward, and hand reaching for the floor.

I literally froze since the growl sounded so close.

That... It was definitely a wild animal.

’Okay, stay calm, Arinya. We don’t know yet if the animal is just passing by. Just stay still.’

But my body had begun to tremble under the pressure. What do I do if it were a wild beast that wanted to attack me?

I know I have Arinya’s strength and muscles, but I doubt even she would’ve been able to take down a full-grown beast bare-handed.

And I was NAKED!

Yes, that is very important because it limits the way I can move. But in the face of danger, I doubt trying to cover up will cross my mind.

I should take a peek.

The rustle from the grass around me became so much that I felt my heart was going to explode.

From all directions... it felt like I was going to be attacked from all directions since I don’t know the exact location the beast was, or even what kind of beast it was for that matter.

I gulped, sweat rolling down my skin and dropping on the grass slowly, like the world was suddenly moving in slow motion.

It’s times like this that I realize that this world is more dangerous, and there’s more to it than handsome beastmen and jealous females.

This world... Is like a battlefield where anyone can become prey.

I gulped again.

This time, I needed to look.

I needed to see what I was dealing with.

If it’s a beast I can avoid by getting into the water, better.

I finally lifted my head, albeit slowly, until my eye directly met the blood red eyes of a tiger staring right at me.

My entire body shook as soon as I saw the huge beast in front of me.

When did it get here?

How did it get so close so fast without me realizing it?

Was it because my body was so tensed that my senses had numbed?

Wait, this isn’t the time to be thinking of this. I... I have to get away. I have to escape, if not... My eyes slowly landed on its dirty, bloody mouth, and I felt my heart stop for a second.

It... It was going to eat me.