Mira froze on the spot, goosebumps rushing over every inch of her skin.
Even her urine stopped immediately.
That voice… wasn't that Kade's voice?
The Beast King himself?
The same man who was just inside a few minutes ago?
Oh God.
If she had to get caught doing anything shameful… why couldn't it be literally anyone else but him!?
Before her brain even caught up, her body reacted out of pure survival instinct—
She tried to run.
But she didn't make it two steps.
A strong grip yanked her back so fast her body slammed into a hard chest. Kade's fingers wrapped around her wrist, tight enough that she feared her bones would snap.
His voice dropped dangerously low, cold enough to freeze blood.
"You dare run when you haven't answered my question?"
Mira looked up and met his icy green eyes—sharp, cold, and completely unreadable. She almost shrank into herself.
"I—I wasn't running away, I was just…"
Her words fumbled.
How did someone logically explain the most illogical nonsense?
This man looked like he was one second away from snapping her neck for peeing on his… whatever this mini-farm was.
As she panicked, Stella's voice chimed sharply in her head:
[Mission remains unaccomplished. Failure to complete the mission will result in punishment.]
[Warning!!! Beast King in critical condition.]
[Host, you need to save the Beast King if you want your mission to be completed.]
Save who exactly?
Mira almost screamed in her mind.
If anybody needed saving, it was her, from whatever this man planned to do to her for watering his vegetables with her bladder!!
Seriously, what kind of system was this!?
He looked perfectly fine—
But her thought wasn't even complete before it happened.
Kade's grip suddenly loosened.
His expression flickered—pain? shock?
Then, before she could blink, his imposing figure staggered back several steps and—
—collapsed onto the ground.
"What the—?"
Mira rushed to him on instinct, kneeling beside him.
"Are you okay?"
No answer.
"Hello? Hey—can you hear me?"
Still nothing.
Her heart thudded wildly.
Had he… passed out!?
SERIOUSLY!?
WHAT WAS GOING ON!?
She leaned closer and checked for his breath.
Her stomach dropped when she felt only weak, shallow puffs.
He was barely breathing.
She hurried to check his pulse—
And that was when everything spiraled into madness.
Because the hand she grabbed…
Was no longer a hand.
It was a scaly, green tail.
A snake tail.
She jerked back so fast she scraped her hands on the ground.
Kade—
Kade had turned into—
A tiny snake.
A palm-sized, green, scaly little snake barely breathing in the dirt.
Mira's brain broke.
She slapped her hands over her mouth and screamed so loudly birds probably fled the forest from her muffled scream.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
WHAT—
THE—
HELL—!?
Had he actually just turned into a snake!?
Why??
How!?
And why was he barely breathing like some dying worm!?
Oh no.
Oh no no no.
Mira staggered up, horror rushing through her veins.
She needed to go.
She needed to run far, far away.
If anyone saw her near this disaster, they would blame her instantly and she'd die a second death for something she didn't do or know anything about.
But Stella chimed again:
[Host, you can't leave. Saving him is a mission. If you fail, you will go blind for 160 hours.]
Mira almost dropped dead on the spot.
"Are you INSANE!!?" she yelled mentally.
"Why should I save him!? How!? And why is my eyesight suddenly at risk!?"
[Host, I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do. Saving him is your only option if you want to keep your eyesight. I suggest you take him somewhere private now before someone else sees.]
Mira bit back a curse so hard her jaw trembled.
Hands shaking, she crouched again and carefully—very carefully—picked up the tiny snake, holding him like he was a bomb.
"Don't bite me," she whispered frantically.
"Please don't bite me. I'm trying to help you, okay? Just stay unconscious or whatever you're doing…"
He didn't move.
He barely breathed.
This was insane.
Completely insane.
"So where am I supposed to take him?" Mira hissed under her breath.
"I need somewhere safe, hidden, and far from people if I'm going to 'carry out this crazy mission.'"
Stella replied calmly:
[There are many safe areas, Host, but if you don't want to be disturbed or caught… the only safe place I can recommend is King Kade's room.]
Mira blinked.
Then blinked again.
"…Sorry, what?"
His room??
HAH.
Fishy.
So, so fishy.
"Stella," she muttered slowly, suspiciously.
"Tell me the truth. Are you trying to hook me up with this man??"