CHAPTER 143: CHAPTER-143

Coming back to the point, she asked him, "Can you take everyone’s measurements? And then make clothes for each of them?"

Kyuu quickly nodded. "Of course. I can do that."

Kaya smiled faintly, her tone casual but clear. "Good. Then start tomorrow."

And honestly, how could he say no?

He looked at her, determination flickering in his eyes, and nodded again—ready to work.

Now that things were settling, Kaya knew the next step wasn’t rest—it was planning.

The immediate danger had passed, but food was still limited. There were a few wild vegetables and fruits, but not nearly enough. And this—right now—was the ripening season.

They had to act before everything spoiled or disappeared with the cold.

So the next morning, Kaya gathered everyone.

It was time to divide the work properly.

She organized the beastmen into four main teams:

The flyers

The hunters

The heavy lifters

The stitching team

Of course... Sparrow was not in any of them.

He looked offended, but Kaya didn’t even glance at him.

First, she turned to the flyers. "I want you to fly out and scan the area. Look for anything—fruit trees, useful plants, strange leaves. If it’s something edible or suspicious, bring it back. If it’s a fruit, bring the fruit. If it’s just leaves, bring those. Just one of each. Got it?"

They nodded, wings already twitching, ready to take off.

Then she looked at the hunters. "You’re not hunting for food today. I want you to scout and hunt only if necessary—to clear the area of threats. Keep your eyes open. If anything feels off, report back."

Next was the group built for strength—strong arms, tough backs.

"You’ll be in charge of gathering materials. I need large stones and wood—thick, solid pieces. We’re going to start building stronger shelters before winter hits."

Finally, she turned to the stitching group.

They already looked half-exhausted just from standing near Kyuu’s energy.

"You know what to do," she said. "No need to explain further."

And with that, the meeting was done.

Everyone scattered into motion—except Sparrow, who stood in place with his arms crossed and a dramatic sigh, hoping someone would ask him what he wanted to do.

No one did.

And Kaya? Kaya had already moved on—her mind ten steps ahead, already thinking about long-term food storage, shelter insulation, and where in the world they could find more resources again.

There was still so much to do.

After everyone left for their tasks, Kaya made her way to the pond.

Fishing.

Why fishing? Well... it was simply easier. Easier than chasing something through a forest. Easier than setting traps or skinning anything. And right now, her body needed easy.

She stood at the edge of the pond, watching the water gently ripple under the early morning sun. It was clear—surprisingly so—and filled with small, darting fish.

They were already drinking this water daily, of course, but Kaya had never been comfortable with the idea of drinking it as is. Her mind was already working on an old solution—a basic purification tank, just like in the old days. Layered stones, sand, maybe charcoal, if she could find the right kind of wood.

Still lost in thought, she crouched near the edge.

That’s when something caught her eye.

Her breath hitched.

Wait... how had she missed this?

Maybe last night it had been too dark, maybe she hadn’t been paying attention—but now, in the daylight, she could see it clearly.

Lotus.

Well, not full blossoms anymore. The petals were already gone, scattered into the water or blown away by the wind. But that wasn’t the important part.

What mattered was what lay beneath.

The roots.

Kaya stood up at once and quickly made her way around the edge of the pond. It took her almost twenty minutes, cutting through the tall grass and muddy banks, to reach the other side where the lotuses were thickest.

She stepped carefully into the shallow water and bent down.

There, floating delicately in her hand, was the green, flower buds and also lotus root.

The lotus root.

A small, surprised smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Kaya looked at the lotus fruit in her hand and grinned.

She didn’t rush. Instead, she slowly pulled back from the view, careful not to disturb the water too much.

She wasn’t foolish.

Where there’s water, there are snakes.

And where there are snakes... there’s danger.

So she wasn’t about to dive in headfirst. She planned to check only the nearby area, just enough to see if it was worth the risk.

From what she could already tell, these weren’t ordinary lotus roots. They were bigger—much bigger than anything she’d seen back in the human world. But that also meant they were valuable.

Kaya grabbed a sturdy stick, took out her knife, and tied it tightly to the end using a strip of cloth.

A makeshift spear. Crude, but effective.

Then, with steady steps, she waded into the shallow part of the pond, using the spear to gently probe beneath the surface, searching for the roots.

It took a few tries.

She slipped once, cursed softly under her breath, and then tried again.

Eventually, her spear hit something solid—and thick.

She dug around it carefully, then used both hands to pull it up.

It didn’t come out easily. The root was deep, heavy, and clung to the mud like it didn’t want to leave. Kaya leaned back, bracing her feet against a stone, and gave one hard tug.

Schlurp!

It finally came free—thick, muddy, and much heavier than it looked. The sudden release almost sent her sprawling backward into the water.

She stumbled, caught herself with a grunt, and stood there for a moment, panting.

"Damn thing weighs like a baby hippo," she muttered.

Still, she smiled as she slung the root over her shoulder.

On her way back, she also gathered some lotus leaves and the few petals that hadn’t fully fallen. They were soft, pale pink with a faint fragrance—familiar and comforting.

Maybe she could use the leaves as wraps for storing food. They held a lovely scent, and might even help mask stronger smells.