Villainess is being pampered by her beast husbands
Chapter 139 --139

Chapter 139: Chapter-139

It didn’t sit right with her.

Even if one school was destroyed, knowledge didn’t die that easily. There would still be scraps—papers, stone carvings, fragments buried in soil or memory. At least someone should have remembered. Even her husband—if he had ever lived with someone literate, he would’ve picked up something. Words, letters, habits. Over the years, it would stick. She had seen it happen in her world, more than once.

Wives who had never held a pen in their lives... eventually writing letters to their children just by living beside a literate husband for years. Five or six years of shared life was enough to sow the seeds of reading and writing.

So then... why was there nothing left here?

That, more than anything, was what made Kaya’s chest tighten with unease. Something wasn’t adding up.

That day, Kaya completely shut the topic. She wasn’t a fool—and this certainly wasn’t her turf. This wasn’t a place she wanted to take the risk of offending someone... or something. She didn’t know how those people disappeared, and honestly, she didn’t want to find out the hard way. So instead of pushing her luck, she turned her back on the facts.

Because you can only investigate if you’re still alive.

And right now, her priority was survival.

She could look for answers later—after this harsh winter, after she had a roof over her head, after she stayed healthy.

The next day came. Then the following day. Then the one after that.

Kaya waited three full days until the Nikala beastmen were completely healed. Only then did they begin the journey to the place where she had last spoken with Vayu. It was a long and punishing trip—four straight days of travel. But thankfully, Kaya didn’t have to carry a thing. All their supplies were loaded onto the backs of the Nikala beastmen, which made it somewhat easier for her. All she had to do was walk.

And walk she did.

Hours passed. Days blurred. Trees, trees, and more trees. Until finally—she saw it.

Kaya stepped out of the dense woodland and into an open clearing.

Wide. Bare. Not a single tree in sight. The land stretched green and flat as far as the eye could see.

For a moment, she stood there. Then—

A heavy sigh escaped her chest, like it had been trapped there for weeks. She dropped to the ground, letting her legs fold beneath her.

Everyone behind her looked shocked. A few of them instinctively stepped forward, reaching out, about to rush to her side. But Kaya raised one hand without looking. A silent command.

Wait.

She sat still, took in a long breath, and let it fill her lungs.

We always admire nature from afar—through phone screens, dreamy movies, aesthetic social posts. We crave the beauty of a green forest, the quiet peace away from the chaos of modern life. It looks like a retreat, doesn’t it?

But spend just two nights in that forest, walking through it day and night—

And you’ll understand.

At sunrise, it looked beautiful.

At dawn, it turned breathtaking.

By evening, with the golden sunlight draping across the leaves, it felt divine—like a place shaped by gods.

But as soon as night fell...

That same place became a deadly, unforgiving hell.

Looking up at the clear blue sky stretching above the endless green ground, a strange chuckle escaped Kaya—one that felt almost feral. A quiet "ha," then another. And then suddenly, she burst into laughter.

"Ha... ha... ha... HAHAHA..."

She laughed so hard that she grabbed her foot, curling over it, tears stinging her eyes—not from emotion, just exhaustion. Her body shook from the force of it.

Then, just as abruptly, she took in a deep breath and sighed.

God, she was tired. Not just tired—drained, to the bone.

Her shoes had been tormenting her for hours, maybe days. Finally, she bent down and yanked them off. She turned one around and stared at it.

The sole had completely given out—riddled with big and small holes. No wonder her feet had been screaming all this while. She tossed the shoe aside and placed her bare feet flat on the cool, soft grass. It felt... oddly nice.

She looked at her feet. They were raw, red, and swollen.

With a groan, she raised her arms and reached to tie her hair up—but halfway through the motion, she paused.

Ah. Right.

She had cut it.

Letting her hands fall, she exhaled and shrugged off her blazer. It was filthy—covered in travel dust and sweat stains. She draped it over a nearby stone and turned to face the others.

They were standing in silence, watching her. Waiting.

Kaya squared her shoulders, and her expression hardened.

"Listen," she said firmly, voice carrying with a crisp edge. "We’ve got less than sixty days. That’s all we have to build shelter, arrange food, and make this land livable."

Her eyes swept across the group.

"I know you’re confused. I know you’re wondering why we’re even here. But forget that. Don’t waste your breath trying to understand it."

She stepped forward.

"Just listen. And do what you’re told."

Her voice had changed—sharper, colder. It wasn’t the Kaya they had known on the journey.

It was the voice she used to use on soldiers.

Because now... now she needed them to work.

Kaya’s gaze landed on Vayu first. Without wasting time, she lifted her arm and pointed directly at five of the burliest Nikala beastmen.

"You. You. You. You. And you."

Her finger jabbed through the air, her voice sharp. "All of you—start working on a hut for us to stay in. Build it how you want. Make it big if you feel like it, or split it into smaller spaces. I don’t care about the design. Just make sure it’s sturdy. We need shelter by tonight."

The beastmen nodded, some already stepping away with purpose.

Then Kaya turned to the next group.

Her eyes locked on Rin and four others standing near her. "You five—scout the area. Check if there’s anything useful nearby... or anything dangerous." Her tone dropped a note lower, heavier. "Keep your eyes sharp. I don’t want a snake slipping into our camp while we sleep."