Beast Beauty System: The Exiled Fox is Pampered in the Beast World

Anaria woke feeling as though the forest had personally declared war on her body. Her shoulders ached, her throat still felt tender from the yesterday’s encounter with Kai, and the faint smell of smoke clung stubbornly to her hair. She sat up with a groan and immediately frowned at herself.

”I seriously need a bath.”

The complaint reminded her of something.

Her eyes widened. ”The Beginner Purification Wash.”

The system reward.

She had completely forgotten about it after everything that had happened with Kai’s rescue.

Making sure the cave remained quiet, Anaria slipped outside before either of the men could wake. The morning forest was peaceful, and after walking a short distance she found a narrow stream flowing between smooth rocks.

”Perfect.”

She called up the system.

A pale panel appeared.

[Beginner Purification Wash retrieved.]

A small bottle appeared in her hand. Curious, she opened it and caught the light floral scent drifting from inside.

”Well... at least it smells expensive.”

Following the system’s instructions, she used the wash. The silky foam spread across her skin before melting into clear water, carrying away layers of dirt, dried blood, sweat, and smoke. Tiny scratches disappeared, and even the lingering soreness in her skin eased slightly.

When she finally looked at her reflection in the stream, she paused.

Her complexion looked cleaner and healthier than before. Her hair was smoother, and the tired look on her face had softened a little.

She studied herself for another moment before sighing dramatically. ”So all that did was turn me into a cleaner version of ugly.”

Anaria laughed anyway. ”Fine. I’ll take the upgrade.”

Feeling far more refreshed, she returned to the cave. By the time she arrived, Rylan was already outside.

He stood near the entrance with his attention fixed on the surrounding forest. After noticing her return, he simply said, ”I’m checking the area. Stay inside.”

Before she could answer, he disappeared between the trees.

Anaria watched him leave before muttering, ”One day I’ll get more than one sentence out of that man.”

Shaking her head, she entered the cave. The shelter was unusually quiet.

Kai still lay asleep where they had placed him the previous night. His breathing had steadied, and the bandages around the wound near his chest remained clean.

Satisfied that he wasn’t getting worse, Anaria stepped closer.

A familiar chime echoed inside her mind.

[Warning.]

She stopped immediately. ”...Now what?”

Several blue panels unfolded before her.

[Beauty Core Stability: 12%]

[Warning: Beauty Core nearing depletion.]

Anaria frowned. ”Beauty Core?”

The system answered at once.

[Beauty Core is the primary life source of a Beast Beauty.]

[If the Beauty Core collapses completely, host death is unavoidable.]

Her expression froze. ”...You’re telling me I’ll die?”

[Confirmed.]

She covered her face with one hand. ”You really know how to ruin a perfectly good morning.”

Another notification appeared before she could complain further.

[Compatibility Scan Initiating.]

Anaria felt a sudden sense of dread.

The results appeared one after another.

[Husband Candidate #1 — Rylan.]

Compatibility: Low.

She blinked.

Then the second result appeared.

[Husband Candidate #2 — Kai.]

Compatibility: 96%.

”Ninety-six?”

Before she could recover from the shock, one final panel appeared.

[Recommended Recovery Method: Dual Cultivation / Mating Synchronization with Highly Compatible Target.]

Anaria stared at it in complete disbelief.

”...This cursed system gets more shameless every single day.”

She was still glaring at the floating panel when movement behind her made her turn.

Kai’s fingers twitched, and his breathing suddenly became uneven.

Anaria’s attention snapped away from the system the moment Kai’s breathing changed.

The steady rhythm from moments ago became uneven, each breath growing heavier than the last. A faint crease formed between his brows, and his body tensed as though he were fighting an invisible battle. Within seconds, a wave of heat rolled off him, warming the cave until the air itself felt uncomfortably hot.

Anaria frowned and hurried to his side. ”Kai?”

There was no response.

His breathing only became more ragged. Worried, Anaria instinctively leaned closer to check the bandages around his chest.

The change was immediate. The violent tension in Kai’s body eased, his breathing slowed, and even the unbearable heat filling the cave weakened.

Anaria blinked. ”...Huh?”

Confused, she took a cautious step backward.

The effect vanished instantly. Kai’s breathing became uneven again, and the oppressive heat surged back with even greater intensity.

Before Anaria could make sense of it, Kai’s crimson eyes slowly opened. He drew in a sharp breath, his brows knitting together as another wave of burning pain swept through him.

Instinctively, Anaria stepped closer again.

To Kai’s surprise, the scorching pain immediately eased. The suffocating pressure inside his chest weakened, and his breathing gradually steadied.

Frowning, Anaria cautiously stepped back once more. The relief disappeared at once, and the burning returned with enough force to make Kai grit his teeth.

Neither of them spoke. Anaria watched him in confusion while Kai silently observed her. When she moved closer again, the pain subsided. When she stepped away, it returned just as fiercely.

Kai’s expression slowly shifted from confusion to realization.

The attack had destabilized his dragon core and awakened his dormant dragon heat. Normally, only someone with extraordinarily high compatibility could suppress a dragon’s instincts this completely.

His eyes drifted toward Anaria before he immediately looked away.

That realization should have relieved him but instead, it horrified him.

Slowly, Kai looked toward Anaria again before deliberately looking away. He did it once, then again, and by the third time, Anaria’s eye twitched in annoyance.

Finally, she folded her arms and said, ”Could you stop looking everywhere except my face?”

Kai looked back, startled.

Anaria sighed dramatically. ”I already know I’m ugly. You don’t have to make it that obvious.”

Realization flashed across Kai’s face.

He had been so consumed by his own thoughts that he hadn’t considered how his behavior appeared from her perspective.

”I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. ”That wasn’t my intention.”

Anaria blinked in confusion before asking, ”Then what?”

Kai took a slow breath before continuing. ”The attack destabilized my dragon core and awakened my dragon heat. When you came close, the pain eased. When you stepped away, it returned. Somehow... you’re highly compatible with me.”

Silence filled the cave.

Inside her head, Anaria nearly burst into tears.

”THANK THE HEAVENS!,finally!. You already have the answers!”

She had been wondering how she could possibly bring up the ridiculous recommendation without sounding completely insane.

Instead, Kai had unknowingly explained everything for her.

She almost wanted to hug him.

Almost tho.

Kai lowered his gaze again and spoke quietly. ”Compatibility doesn’t mean obligation.”

Her smile faded.

”My instincts are demanding that I seek you out,” he admitted. ”But I won’t force that burden onto you.”

Anaria stared at him.

”If suppressing my dragon heat eventually costs my life, then so be it.”

She looked at him for several long seconds before one thought echoed through her mind.

”...Is this man stupid?”

Before she could respond, the system chimed.

[Warning.]

A blue panel appeared between them.

[Beauty Core Stability: Critical.]

[Time Remaining: Limited.]

[Mission Failure may result in the death of Host and Husband Candidate #2.]

Anaria slowly clenched her fists. ”This damned system...”

She looked from the glowing panel to Kai, who still sat quietly as though he had already accepted whatever fate awaited him.

A long sigh escaped her lips.

Surviving Beast World had been difficult enough.

Now she somehow had to convince an absurdly honorable dragon prince to save both their lives without making him think she was trying to take advantage of him.

For the first time since transmigrating, Anaria genuinely wondered whether the system’s missions were designed to keep her alive...

Or simply to test the limits of her sanity.