Fat and Ugly Villainess Wins Back Her Five Beast Husband

Hopefully.

Unfortunately...

The news spread across the tribe faster than wildfire.

Within half an hour...

Everyone knew.

Unfortunately...

News in the tribe traveled faster than wildfire.

Within an hour...

Everyone knew.

”Sora and Lukan are going to Sky God Mountain!”

”The Chief personally chose them!”

”They’re definitely coming back with cubs!”

”I wonder how many!”

”Twins?”

”Triplets?”

Sora nearly choked on her drinking water.

Can these people slow down?!

We’ve only agreed to attend!

We haven’t even packed!

Meanwhile...

Inside Martin’s house...

Lyra nearly dropped the basket she was holding.

”What did you say?”

Martin calmly continued sharpening a stone spear.

”I asked Kaelira and Lukan to attend.”

Lyra’s beautiful face stiffened.

”You let...”

She took a deep breath.

”...Kaelira...”

”...represent our family?”

Martin nodded.

”Yes.”

Lyra looked horrified.

”Have you lost your mind?”

Martin finally looked up.

”What do you mean?”

”What do I mean?”

Lyra pointed dramatically toward the door as though Sora were already standing outside.

”Do you know who’s attending Sky God Mountain?”

”Every major tribe.”

”And?”

”And every famous beauty from neighboring territories!”

She slapped her forehead dramatically.

”I used to be known as the most beautiful female in the East Africa continent!”

Martin blinked.

”...You still remind everyone.”

”I should!”

Lyra crossed her arms proudly.

”Beauty doesn’t expire.”

Martin wisely chose not to comment.

Lyra continued pacing.

”Imagine meeting all those females again.”

”They’ll ask...”

”’Lyra, where’s your daughter?’”

”And then...”

”I’ll point at Kaelira.”

She covered her face dramatically.

”I’ll die from embarrassment.”

Martin sighed.

”You exaggerate.”

”I do not!”

”They’ll laugh!”

”They’ll absolutely laugh!”

”They’ll laugh so hard they’ll scare birds out of nearby trees!”

Martin couldn’t help rubbing his temples.

Sometimes...

His mate was far more dramatic than their daughter.

Lyra continued ranting.

”Do you know how many jealous rivals I had when I was younger?”

Martin nodded cautiously.

”...Many.”

”They’ll definitely say...”

”Oh Lyra...”

”What happened?”

”You were so beautiful...”

”How did your daughter...”

Lyra couldn’t even finish the sentence.

She looked ready to cry.

Once upon a time, Lyra had been celebrated as the most beautiful female across the southeastern continent.

Wherever she went, beastmen admired her, females envied her, and countless powerful warriors had fought over the chance to become her mate. Even after all these years, she still held onto that glorious reputation with pride.

Which was precisely why...

She absolutely refused to let Sora embarrass her.

”If those old rivals of mine see her...” Lyra muttered dramatically, clutching her forehead. ”They’ll laugh until their teeth fall out!”

Martin blinked.

”...Wouldn’t that solve the problem for them?”

Lyra glared.

Martin immediately coughed into his fist.

”I mean... that’s not what I meant.”

She folded her arms, looking ready to declare war.

”Our daughter has lost so much weight,” Martin defended. ”She’s looking much better these days.”

”Much better?” Lyra echoed with disbelief.

”Yes.”

”Martin.”

”Hm?”

”You’re comparing her to... herself.”

”...”

”That’s like saying burnt meat tastes better than charcoal.”

Martin’s mouth twitched.

He quietly decided arguing with his wife was far more dangerous than facing a level-five beast.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he patiently coaxed, ”My dear, the Sky God loves all living beings equally. He’s not going to reject our prayers simply because someone isn’t the prettiest female in the tribe.”

Lyra rolled her eyes.

”That’s not what I’m saying.”

”Oh?”

”When you visit someone important, do you wear your finest clothes or your oldest ragged skirt?”

Martin paused.

”...The finest.”

”Exactly!”

Lyra looked as though she’d just won a grand debate.

”We’re going to worship the Sky God. Naturally, we should present the finest and most beautiful things we have. That’s sincerity.”

Martin scratched his head.

”...So what are you suggesting?”

Lyra smiled.

It was the kind of smile that always meant someone else was about to suffer.

”Simple.”

”Let Serena go.”

Martin froze.

”...What?”

”Serena is the most beautiful female in our tribe.”

She spoke as if describing the obvious.

”And Lukan is the most handsome beastman.”

”Imagine them standing together.”

”The other tribes would be green with envy.”

”They’d say, ’Floating Dream Tribe truly has unmatched beauty and strength!’”

”The Sky God would surely be pleased.”

The more she spoke, the more convinced she became that she was a genius.

Meanwhile...

Martin’s face grew darker.

”So...”

”You want my son-in-law...”

”...to attend the fertility ritual...”

”...with another female?”

Lyra blinked innocently.

”Yes.”

Martin nearly choked.

”Have you lost your mind?”

Lyra looked offended.

”What?”

”Lukan is Kaelira’s beast husband!”

”So?”

”So?”

Martin stared at her as if she’d suggested trading the tribe for a basket of mushrooms.

”How can Serena accompany another female’s mate?”

”What about Kaelira?”

Lyra clicked her tongue.

”She’ll survive.”

Martin finally lost his temper.

”Lyra!”

His voice echoed through the house.

”I know you dislike Kaelira’s appearance.”

”I know you’ve always favored Serena.”

”But Kaelira is still our daughter!”

”A mother shouldn’t be this biased!”

Lyra’s eyes widened.

”...You yelled at me.”

Martin immediately regretted existing.

”I—”

”You actually yelled at me!”

Her eyes instantly reddened.

Within seconds...

Tears.

Lots of tears.

The legendary attack no husband could defend against.

”You ungrateful beast!”

Martin sighed inwardly.

Here we go again.

”If Kaelira had inherited my beauty, would I have worried like this?”

”I gave up countless outstanding beast husbands to stay with you!”

”I rejected princes!”

”I rejected chiefs!”

”I rejected handsome warriors!”

”And this is how you treat me?”

Martin silently wondered if mentioning the rejected beastmen was really helping his case.

Apparently not.

Because Lyra cried even harder.

Outside...

Several passing beastmen heard the commotion.

One whispered,

”...Chief’s in trouble again.”

Another nodded sympathetically.

”Looks serious.”

”Should we help?”

”...Unless you know how to stop an angry female from crying...”

”...No.”

”...Then keep walking.”

The entire patrol quietly increased their pace.

Inside...

Martin hurriedly pulled Lyra into his arms.

”I didn’t mean it.”

”You know that’s not what I was saying.”

She sniffled dramatically.

”Then what were you saying?”

Martin sighed.

”Kaelira is our daughter.”

”Our own flesh and blood.”

”Yes, she isn’t the prettiest.”

”But tell me honestly.”

”What female within a hundred miles can purify salt?”

Lyra blinked.

”...None.”

”Who can make pottery?”

”...None.”

”Who can cook food delicious enough to make beastmen forget their own names?”

Lyra hesitated.

”...Still none.”

Martin spread his hands.

”Exactly.”

”Our daughter has talents no one else possesses.”

”She’s not inferior.”

”She’s simply... different.”

Lyra muttered,

”...Different-looking.”

Martin pretended not to hear that.

”The important thing now isn’t beauty.”

”It’s keeping Lukan in our tribe.”

His expression became serious.

”You’ve seen how capable he is.”

”When Mark returns and eventually takes over the tribe...”

”...Lukan will become his strongest support.”

”If Lukan ever leaves...”

”...our tribe will lose far more than one outstanding warrior.”

Lyra slowly calmed down.

She understood.

She simply didn’t like it.

Martin continued,

”Gratitude fades.”

”But family doesn’t.”

”If Kaelira and Lukan have a child...”

”...he’ll never abandon his own cub.”

”And he’ll stay.”

Lyra finally understood why Martin was being so stubborn.

He wasn’t thinking about Sora.

He wasn’t even thinking about Lukan.

He was thinking about the tribe’s future.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Finally...

Lyra sighed.

”...Fine.”

Martin brightened.

”...Really?”

”But...”

Martin knew there would be a ”but.”

There was always a ”but.”

”I have one condition.”

Martin pinched the bridge of his nose.

”...Go on.”

”Serena goes too.”

Martin frowned.

”What?”

”As Kaelira’s older sister.”

”To accompany her.”

”To take care of her.”

She smiled so sweetly that Martin instantly knew there were at least seven hidden motives behind that innocent expression.

He wasn’t fooled.

Not even slightly.

”You just want Serena near Lukan.”

Lyra smiled even wider.

”I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Martin gave her a long look.

”...You’re terrible at lying.”

She sniffed.

”I simply care about my daughters equally.”

Martin nearly laughed.

That might have been the biggest lie spoken since someone convinced Damien that washing beast-skin skirts would instantly earn Kaelira’s affection.

Still...

He considered it carefully.

Taking Serena along wouldn’t change much.

The ritual itself required married pairs.

Only Kaelira and Lukan would participate.

Serena could merely accompany the group.

After a long silence, Martin finally nodded.

”...Fine.”

”But only as Kaelira’s companion.”

”Nothing more.”

Lyra’s eyes sparkled triumphantly.

She had achieved her goal.

Whether Lukan chose Kaelira...

...or happened to notice Serena instead...

...well...

Feelings couldn’t be controlled, could they?

After all...

Serena was gentle.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

Any normal male would naturally notice her first.

Surely Lukan would be no exception.

As for Kaelira...

Lyra secretly glanced toward the direction of the wild kitchen.

She couldn’t deny that the girl had changed.

She had slimmed down.

Her features had become more defined.

Even her smile looked brighter than before.

But...

Compared to Serena...

There was still a world of difference.

She simply couldn’t imagine any male choosing Kaelira first.

Meanwhile...

Far away in the wild kitchen...

Sora suddenly sneezed.

She rubbed her nose.

”...Who’s talking about me?”

Damien immediately looked alarmed.

”Did you catch a cold?”

Lucas frowned.

”Impossible. She’s been eating well.”

Ace calmly observed,

”Someone’s probably thinking about her.”

Xavier folded his arms.

”...Hopefully not another lightning bolt.”

Ryan silently sipped his tea.

Lukan looked toward the distant village before smiling faintly.

For some reason...

He had a feeling...

The upcoming trip to Sky God Mountain...

...wasn’t going to be peaceful at all.