CHAPTER 328: CHAPTER-328.

Kaya sighed and ran a hand through her hair, muttering under her breath, "What am I even supposed to do with these people?"

She wasn’t even that angry about them stopping. The stalls were beautiful, she could understand that. The problem was that their "innocent" actions revealed too much. Buying fancy ribbons that no one else could afford? That practically shouted rich idiots passing through.

And Cutie? Oh, Cutie was a walking disaster. Not because he gave a tip — no, that part was fine. The problem was how he gave it. Unconsciously, he had explained to the vendor the perfect way to roast meat with salt and seasoning. Which, to anyone with half a brain, translated to:

"Hi, yes, I’m traveling with a group of people who definitely have expensive ingredients and supplies. Please rob us tonight".

Kaya stared at them for a long beat, then said, flatly, "Whatever. Just—don’t attract attention."

Veer and Cutie both nodded quickly, like well-trained pups. For half a breath everything looked fine—then Kaya froze. She stared at their faces again and felt her patience evaporate.

How could I even say that? she thought. Look at them.

These two idiots looked like they’d just stepped out of a glossy magazine: damp hair, a hint of sweat, that perfect "come-buy-our-underwear" model look you see on seaside billboards. Handsome, smug, absolutely irresistible... and utterly useless.

Kaya pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a short, exhausted laugh. "Fine," she said, voice low and edged. "Listen—three things. Remember them."

She pointed at each of them one by one as she spoke. "One: do not buy anything from vendors who look fancy or flashy. Two: do not pay over the odds—no matter how pretty the trinket. Three: do not give anyone advice about how to cook, talk, or run their stall. If you open your mouths and start teaching, you might as well hang a sign that says ’rob me later.’"

She leaned in, eyes cold now. "And one last rule: do not walk more than five steps away from me. If you do—if you even think about lagging behind—I’ll leave you. I’ll go alone."

Veer and Cutie gulped and nodded so fast their heads spun. "Yes. Yes, Kaya. Understood."

Kaya let them breathe out and gave a short, sarcastic smile. "Good. Now act like you’ve learned something."

They walked off a little straighter — half from relief, half from sheer terror — and Kaya followed, already planning what corners of the city she’d check first.

Thank God those idiots finally listened—well, mostly. They didn’t draw too much attention. Of course people noticed them: a beautiful petite woman walking with two handsome beastmen isn’t exactly invisible. Still, it wasn’t the kind of attention that invites trouble. To everyone else, they looked like a normal traveling couple. Kaya smiled and chatted with them, leaning in now and then, playing the part of a spouse rather than a travel buddy.

It was a good plan. She’d seen how some beastmen’s eyes lingered on her with ugly intent; some even stepped forward like they intended to propose. Kaya wasn’t afraid—she could beat or kill them if needed—but why start bloodshed without cause? Beastmen stuck together; a fight would be messy and dangerous. So she’d play the part: soft smiles, light touches, a little public affection to dampen lustful stares.

From the crowd’s view, Kaya leaned close to Veer’s ear and whispered something shyly. Veer chuckled beside her, looking amused. What the crowd didn’t hear was Kaya’s real line: "You damn bastard—if you dare grab anyone by the collar again, I’ll chop you into pieces, roast you, and feed you to your own family."

Veer only chuckled more. "Ah, sweetheart, you’re really turning into a vulture."

"Laugh all you want," Kaya snapped, grinning. "Keep laughing. Next time you won’t even know when you die."

Cutie, standing nearby, tried to keep his smile steady; his hand trembled a little. He was doing his best to act normal and loving—because Kaya had ordered it—while inwardly panicking.

Then Kaya pivoted and leaned close to Cutie, the same sweet smile painted on her face. "If you stop at another herbal stall—or any shop—one more time," she murmured, "I’ll kill you myself. Don’t worry, I won’t chop you up. I’ll make sure you’re half dead and leave you in front of the Tiger Tribe."

Cutie’s smile froze for a half-second. Then he forced it back on like a practiced mask. The three of them continued down the street — perfectly domesticated from the public’s eye, and utterly terrifying off-camera.

Kaya spent the day wandering through the capital as she had planned. The city was vast—too vast to explore in one go—so she decided to cover only a small part of it for now. Today, she came across a few shabby-looking shops, the kind most would ignore, yet they had something useful for her. She bought some medicine she thought might come in handy. Even Cutie picked up a few items, since he seemed to know more about herbs than she did.

Kaya only chose the ones that looked familiar—those she had used before in her own world. By the end, she had a decent little collection of remedies: something for fevers, colds, small wounds—nothing too fancy, but enough to get by if trouble came.

When she stepped out again, the sky was already dimming into dusk. She noticed how quickly the capital changed after sunset. The crowds thinned; laughter faded. Even though the streets glowed faintly from firewood torches and small braziers, the liveliness from the day was gone.

Kaya didn’t like wandering in the dark. This place might be called a capital, but it still lay cradled between forests and rough roads. Who knew what could crawl out once the night grew deeper? Snakes, insects, or whatever else this strange world held.

Sometimes, she found the logic of this place baffling—how animals could become beastmen, and yet the same species of animals still existed alongside them.

There were serpent beastmen who walked and spoke, but there were also normal serpents—"saap," as the locals called them. To Kaya, they were just snakes, dangerous and unpredictable. And she had no intention of being bitten or poisoned by any of them.