As Ana thought about their similarities—the loneliness, the longing to be loved—she made a decision.
She would give him a chance.
When Xavier returned, she took a deep breath and spoke.
"Xavier... uhmm... I'm sorry for behaving like that. I was really terrified of you. But I'm willing to give you a chance. Just... you can't take advantage of me. We have to wait until we understand each other well."
Xavier's eyes flickered with something unreadable.
"I'll never do anything inappropriate to you without your permission, princess."
But in his mind, doubts lingered.
'Is she being honest? Or is she just trying to coax me so she can escape…?'
Still, he nodded, accepting her words.
Fed up with her limited options, Ana finally asked, "Is there no rice or wheat here?"
Xavier tilted his head. "We can go to a village and get some rice if you want."
Ana perked up. "Village? What other items are there in the village?"
"Rice, wheat, medical herbs… If you want more advanced items, we'd have to buy them from Beast City."
Her eyes sparkled. "Ohhh!"
The next day, Xavier carried Ana in his arms as they traveled to a nearby village.
This village belonged to the bunny clan, a small and peaceful group known for their farming.
In the beast world, Beast City was the heart of civilization, where all clan members coexisted. Surrounding it were towns ruled by the stronger clans—tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and others.
Beyond those towns, scattered in between, were the smaller villages—like this one.
The moment the bunny clan members saw Xavier, they froze in fear.
A four-striped snake beast was the last thing they wanted in their village.
Ignoring their terrified expressions, Xavier pulled out a small crystal and handed it to one of the bunny merchants.
"Give me all the rice you've harvested."
The merchant's ears twitched.
Seeing the crystal, his face lit up with excitement. He quickly gestured for his clanmates to bring sacks of rice.
"Hachewwww! 🤧"
Ana suddenly sneezed.
A small cough followed, her body shivering from the cold.
Xavier's eyes darkened.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up and carried her to the sheep doctor in the village.
The doctor, though visibly trembling at the sight of the feral snake, still treated Ana carefully.
After checking her, he handed over a ginger root.
"Cook this golden root into a soup and drink it. Gradually, your cold will go away."
Ana's eyes widened.
"So here, ginger is called golden root and is used as medicine… Does that mean other spices are also medicinal here?"
A spark of excitement ignited in her chest.
"That means I don't have to eat bland meat anymore!"
She turned to the doctor eagerly. "Can you show me the rest of your medicines?"
The doctor hesitated, glancing at Xavier nervously. But when Xavier nodded, he allowed Ana inside.
She examined the herbs and immediately recognized garlic, chilies, and other familiar spices.
She carefully selected what she needed, hiding her glee.
Xavier paid for the herbs with an energy stone, and then they left—Ana once again carried in his arms.
Meanwhile, in the bunny village, the clan leader watched them leave with narrowed eyes.
He turned to one of his messengers.
"A female… with a feral?" he muttered. "No female would willingly stay with a feral. Send word—let the others know a female has been taken captive by a dangerous snake beast."
That night, after Xavier finished hunting, he turned to Ana.
"Wait here, Bella. I'll cook the meat."
Ana nodded and quickly got to work.
She crushed and mixed the spices she had collected, creating a marinade for the meat.
When Xavier returned, he stared in confusion.
"Bella… why are you spreading those medicines on the meat? Are you not feeling well?"
Ana rolled her eyes. "No, Xav. These aren't just medicine. Adding these will make the meat taste better. Give it a try, will you? It's not like I can poison you."
Xavier hesitated.
"Xav…?"
His head snapped up.
Ana blushed slightly. "Oh… I thought I'd give you a nickname, since you call me Bella."
Xavier's heart skipped a beat.
'She gave me a nickname… She's cooking with me…'
His eyes softened.
'Does this mean she's really accepting me?'
His chest ached with something unfamiliar.
Even if the spices were poison, he thought, he would gladly eat them.
Taking a bite, Xavier's eyes widened.
Then, a deep, satisfied growl rumbled from his throat.
"Bella… This is amazing."
His tail curled slightly in delight.
Then, without thinking, he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.
Ana stiffened.
Xavier pulled back, blinking. "Bella, why did your cheeks suddenly turn red? Do you need to see a doctor?"
Ana's face burned.
'Oh no! Am I blushing that much?!'
She quickly turned away. "N-Nothing! I'm just tired. I'm going to take a nap!"
She rushed off before he could say anything else.
Xavier chuckled to himself, watching her retreat with amusement.
For the first time…
It felt like she was truly his.