The mountain wind whistled softly outside their temporary cave shelter. Rylan slept peacefully near the entrance, half-shifted—his beast form tail curled around him like a big fluffy blanket. Lucy… or rather Lisa… wasn't sleeping at all.
She sat with her knees to her chest, staring at the small fire they built.
And then reality hit her again.
.
She wasn't on earth.
She wasn't even fully human anymore.
She had cat ears, a tail, and a lewd system bullying her like a sarcastic AI roommate.
The longer she stared at the fire, the more memories surfaced. Her throat tightened.
Her Old World…
She remembered her boring workplace—the grey cubicles, the endless emails, the coffee machine that spat out bitterness in a cup.
But the clearest image?
Her manager. A man with the personality of a malfunctioning air-conditioner and the facial features of a poorly drawn pig.
She snorted to herself.
He must have panicked so bad when I didn't show up.
She imagined it:
---
Manager :
"Where is Lisa!? She has my presentation slides!"
Coworkers:
"Sir, maybe she quit."
Manager:
"QUIT!? Who quits on a Wednesday!? The disrespect!"
Lisa facepalmed, snickering to herself.
---
Then came her friend—Sissy.
The traitorous, loudmouthed, boyfriend-collecting menace of a friend.
The same friend who sent her a list of boyfriends like it was a grocery list.
The same friend who mocked her for being single.
The same friend who said only beasts would fall for her.
Lisa rolled her eyes.
Well, look who was right now? Sissy would die if she saw Rylan. He's literally a beast and he's hot.
A smirk played on Lisa's lips.
Then came the heavy thoughts.
Her mother.
Her only family.
Her home.
Her world.
Her heart sank slowly, like a stone dropped in a lake.
"If I died in that fall… Mom must be completely alone now," she whispered, voice trembling.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"I hope… someone takes care of her. At least…" she bit her lip, "maybe the landlord won't throw out her things."
The fire flickered, and tears formed but didn't fall.
"I'm in another world," she whispered. "Mom… I can't even tell you."
Silence answered her.
Lisa hugged her legs tighter.
Her career, her annoying manager, her favorite street-side hamburgers—oh god, she could smell those fries now. The crispy golden ones. The slightly burnt edges that gave flavor. The warmth of the paper packet.
She groaned dramatically.
"I WANT FRENCH FRIES!"
Rylan stirred in his sleep.
Lisa froze.
She waited.
He didn't wake.
But a thought struck her suddenly.
If she stayed here…
If she survived…
If she listened to this weird lewd system…
She could maybe, maybe, maybe…
Become something big.
A queen.
Powerful.
Admired.
Worshipped.
Desired.
She wiped her eyes.
"Fine," she whispered fiercely. "I'll make this damn world bow down to me. Beastmen or not."
The fire crackled in agreement.
"Bang!"—The Mountain Explodes
Just as she was breathing deeply, calming herself—
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The ground shook violently, rattling dust from the cave roof.
Lisa nearly jumped out of her skin. "What the hell!?"
Rylan shot awake instantly, hair messy, ears perked, tail puffed up like an angry raccoon.
"What happened?! Lucy, are you okay?"
She blinked at him.
He looked… strangely adorable in panic mode.
But before she could answer—
BOOOOOOM!
Another explosion echoed outside.
Rylan's instincts kicked in. He crouched low, listening. "Something is fighting."
Lisa froze. "Something!?"
Rylan nodded solemnly. "Stay behind me."
Lisa tried to peek out, and Rylan immediately blocked her with his arm.
His arm brushed her chest lightly.
She choked. "C-can you not press there!?"
Rylan blinked, realized, and turned red. "S-sorry!"
Lisa's face heated too.
This idiot.
This handsome idiot.
"Check outside! Stop blocking me with your muscles!"
Rylan looked offended. "You can't call them muscles like an insult!"
"Then stop using them like a shield!"
"You're fragile!"
"I AM NOT—!"
Another earth-shaking boom interrupted them.
This time both fell silent.
The Giant Duel
Outside, the trees shook as two colossal beasts clashed in the clearing under the moonlight.
One was a massive black tortoise, its shell glowing with molten cracks like magma veins. It reared its head and—
FWOOSH!
A beam of red-hot fire blasted from its mouth.
Lisa's jaw dropped. "That's a Pokémon."
"It is NOT a Pokémon," Rylan muttered.
The second creature, no less massive, stood with armored legs planted firmly. A giant crimson crab—the size of a two-story house—raised its enormous pincers and blocked the fire blast.
Steam exploded in all directions.
Then the crab retaliated—
PAPAPAPAPA!
A rapid machine-gun spray of water bubbles, each the size of a football, shot out of its claws.
Lisa gasped. "That's Squirtle!"
Rylan stared at her. "…Are you okay?"
"No! I'm hallucinating anime battles!"
Another explosion shook the ground.
Rylan grabbed her waist by reflex and yanked her away from falling rubble.
Lisa's face smashed into his chest.
Warm. Hard. Muscular.
One solid wall of man.
She squeaked.
He held her protectively, voice deep and steady. "Lucy. Stay close. Those are Earth-Level Demons. Even chief warriors struggle to defeat one."
Lisa blinked, still pressed against his chest.
Still inhaling his scent.
Still feeling weirdly dizzy.
"Earth-level what now?"
"Earth-Level Demon Beasts," he repeated. "One of them could destroy a whole town if angry."
Lisa stared at the battlefield.
The tortoise roared and slammed its shell into the crab with the force of a bulldozer. The crab retaliated by clamping a pincer around the tortoise's leg and flinging it like a toy.
Lisa's jaw dropped again.
"This is INSANE!"
Rylan tightened his grip. "You must not go near them."
Lisa huffed, trying to wriggle out of his arms. "I'm not trying to! But can you… uh… put me down?"
Rylan looked down.
Then realized exactly where his hands were holding her.
He turned red instantly.
"S-sorry!" He put her down so fast she nearly fell.
She turned red too.
She didn't even know who was more embarrassed now.
"Idiot," she muttered softly.
He ruffled his hair awkwardly. "…You were standing too close to danger."
"You could've just… warned me."
"You don't listen."
Lisa gasped dramatically. "Excuse me!?"
Rylan smirked slightly, teasing. "See? Not listening again."
"You—!" She tried to swat him.
He laughed. Actually laughed.
Lisa stopped mid-swing, stunned.
"You're laughing at me!?"
Rylan wiped a tear of laughter. "You were talking to yourself earlier, making weird faces about pigs, french fries and… mothers? I thought you were possessed by a forest spirit."
Lisa's ears turned flaming red.
"SHUT UP! I was remembering my past!"
Rylan's smile softened.
A warm, gentle look replaced the teasing one.
"You miss your home."
Lisa stiffened.
"I… I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay," he murmured, "but you're not alone anymore. I'm here."
Her heart hit her ribs like a drum.
Stupid beastman.
Stupid handsome beastman.
Stupid feelings.
Before she could retort, another earth-shaking crash echoed as the tortoise smashed the crab into a boulder.
Lisa panicked. "We should run! Or hide! Or pretend we're dead!"
Rylan calmly shook his head. "They won't come near the cave. This is neutral ground."
Lisa stared at him. "And what if they do come?"
"Then…" He placed a warm hand on her head gently. "I'll protect you."
Lisa felt her face melt.
Not blush.
MELT.
The stupid system chimed:
[Favorability rising… Host is doing well.]
Lisa mentally screamed.
SHUT UP, SYSTEM! I KNOW! LET ME HAVE THIS!
Outside, the beasts roared in the distance.
Lisa sighed, leaning slightly against Rylan's shoulder.
Danger. Chaos. Demon beasts.
But somehow…
She felt safer than she had in a long time.