Fat and Ugly Villainess Wins Back Her Five Beast Husband

After washing, Sora hung her clean beastskin skirt on a tree beside the outdoor kitchen.

While bathing, she had noticed that her neck had become noticeably slimmer, and the flesh on her hands had also reduced. Although her stomach was still round, it looked far better than before, when her whole body had resembled a ball.

Over the past several days, she had been constantly busy moving, cooking, and organizing her home. Even so, she hadn’t forgotten her skincare routine.

She gathered some Black Phoenix Fruit leaves, ground them into a paste, and carefully spread the dark mixture over her face as a facial mask.

While the mask worked, she began tidying her newly built kitchen.

That morning, after Lucas, Ace, and Xavier had finished making the tables and chairs, she had wanted to organize everything properly. Before, all of her belongings had been piled together because she had nowhere to store them. Now she finally had shelves and cabinets.

She neatly arranged her pots, bowls, and utensils.

But as she picked up one of the fruit-shell pots, she sighed.

The shell had become charred black from repeated cooking, and the bottom had grown so thin it was nearly burned through.

”I’ll have to replace this soon...”

The fruit-shell bowls weren’t much better. Their thin shells had warped after only a few uses.

”They’re starting to look more like dog bowls than dishes.”

She realized she urgently needed proper ceramic bowls, pots, and plates.

If she could find some good red clay, she could start making pottery. Unfortunately, the soil around the tribe was mostly sandy, so she’d have to search elsewhere.

After replacing the damaged containers with freshly picked fruit shells, she turned her attention to the wild boar meat that Lucas and Xavier had brought back several days earlier.

Fortunately, the weather remained dry and cool, so the meat—wrapped in leaves and buried underground—hadn’t spoiled.

Still, that wasn’t a long-term solution.

There was far too much meat to finish quickly.

If she wanted to preserve it, she’d have to dry it, smoke it, or salt it.

And every preservation method required one thing.

Salt.

After several days of cooking, her remaining salt was almost gone.

She barely had enough for two more meals, let alone enough to cure meat.

Compared to pottery, finding salt had become the highest priority.

”I have to find some tomorrow.”

Just then, a shadow descended from the sky.

Ace landed lightly beside the kitchen, his long panther tail swaying behind him.

Ever since tasting Sora’s popcorn and dumplings, he’d become completely hooked on her cooking.

Today he’d purposely arrived early so he could eat before Lucas and Xavier showed up.

That way he wouldn’t have to compete with them.

The moment he landed, however, he froze.

”...”

Standing before him was an entirely black-faced Sora.

He blinked twice.

They’d only been apart for a few hours.

How had she turned herself into a walking lump of charcoal?

Looking closer, he realized the black color only covered her face.

”...Did your trip affect you that badly?” he asked.

”Why did you paint yourself black?”

Sora glanced at him lazily.

”What do you know?”

”I know enough to see someone turned themselves into a giant black ball.”

Ace couldn’t help muttering under his breath.

Soon afterward, Lucas and Xavier arrived.

Lucas stared in surprise.

”...Are you dyeing yourself black?”

Normally he would have mocked her mercilessly.

But remembering the delicious food she always made, he swallowed his usual sarcasm.

”Black dye looks good on strong beastmen,” he said tactfully.

”It makes us look more imposing.”

”The effect...might not suit females.”

In other words—

Please stop before you look like a black bear.

Xavier, however, merely glanced at Sora before asking the only question he cared about.

”What’s for dinner?”

Explaining skincare to primitive beastmen would be impossible.

Sora decided not to bother.

”We’re having pan-fried dumplings.”

There were still plenty of dumplings left from lunch.

She heated a little oil, poured in a splash of water, covered the pan, and slowly steamed them until the bottoms turned golden and crispy.

The aroma immediately filled the air.

Ace had originally been disappointed they were eating leftovers.

But the moment he bit into one...

Crunch!

The crisp bottom gave way to a juicy, savory filling.

His eyes widened.

”They’re even better than lunch...”

Having already learned never to doubt Sora’s cooking, both Xavier and Ace immediately buried themselves in their food.

Only Sora ate sparingly.

After just a few dumplings, she set down her chopsticks.

Lucas looked puzzled.

”Why are you stopping?”

”They’re delicious.”

”I need to lose weight,” Sora answered simply.

Lucas paused.

Then he nodded seriously.

”That’s reasonable.”

Without another word, Sora slid the rest of her dumplings into Xavier’s bowl.

Lucas instantly regretted opening his mouth.

”...”

If he’d known, he would have kept quiet.

Ace watched the extra dumplings disappear into Xavier’s bowl.

For the first time in his life, he seriously questioned whether being so picky about food was worth it.

After everyone had finished eating, Sora clapped her hands to get their attention.

”Tomorrow morning,” she announced,

”Get up early and meet here.”

”We’re going on a trip.”

The three beastmen looked at her in confusion.

”Why are we going out?” Ace asked.

Sora sighed.

”I’m almost out of salt.”

”We need to find more tomorrow.”

Ace shrugged casually.

”That’s easy.”

”I’ll hunt extra prey tomorrow and trade with the people from the city-state.”

Sora shook her head.

”Trading won’t be enough.”

”I need a large amount of salt to preserve all the meat.”

She had already considered trading.

However, the city-state strictly controlled its salt supply. Each person could only obtain a limited amount—roughly the same quantity Lukan had given her before.

It was barely enough for everyday cooking, let alone curing large quantities of meat.

Besides, the traded salt was coarse and impure, leaving behind a slightly bitter taste.

She planned to refine it herself.

Lucas quietly lowered his gaze.

If he were still living in the city-state, obtaining salt would have been effortless.

Unfortunately...

Those days were long behind him.

At that moment, Xavier looked toward Sora.

”Are you planning to find those sheep we saw the other day?”

”Sheep?”

Ace looked utterly bewildered.

”What sheep?”

He stared at Sora suspiciously.

”Don’t tell me you’re planning to find another beastman.”

Lucas also looked curious.

Sora rolled her eyes.

She nodded toward Xavier.

”Yes.”

”If we find the sheep, we’ll find salt.”

The three beastmen had already grown accustomed to Kaelira’s strange yet surprisingly logical ideas.

After hearing her explanation, neither Xavier nor Ace questioned it further.

Instead, Lucas asked the question that mattered most.

”Then...what are we eating tomorrow?”

Sora smiled and pointed toward the neatly organized cabinets.

”We’ll take the pots and bowls with us.”

”I’ll cook wherever we stop.”

Then she looked at the three of them with a mischievous smile.

”But...”

”I won’t be walking tomorrow.”

”So...”

”Who’s going to carry me?”

Without hesitation, Xavier answered first.

”I will.”

Ace immediately objected.

”Choose me.”

Lucas refused to fall behind.

”I can carry you too.”

For the first time since arriving in this world, Sora watched several of her beast husbands openly competing for her attention.

Just one month ago...

Everyone had despised her.

They avoided even looking at her.

To them, she had been dirty, greedy, and impossible to tolerate.

Now...

Even if it was only because of her cooking...

They were all eagerly volunteering to help her.

No matter the reason, it proved one thing.

Her place within the tribe had finally begun to change.

Sora didn’t answer immediately.

Seeing her hesitate, the three beastmen enthusiastically began promoting themselves.

Helping Sora meant delicious rewards.

Who would willingly miss such an opportunity?

Ace remembered the sour plum snacks Sora had made during the flood.

Back then, he’d assumed she’d simply stumbled upon them.

Now he realized she had created them herself.

Although carrying Sora was still somewhat tiring...

It was absolutely worth it for another taste of her cooking.

He immediately spoke up.

”Pick me.”

”I’ve carried you before.”

”I already have experience.”

Xavier snorted.

”You actually have the nerve to mention that?”

”Weren’t you the one panting halfway through?”

”Your stamina is terrible.”

He stepped forward confidently.

”Choose me.”

”My speed is steady.”

”You won’t get bounced around.”

Lucas laughed loudly.

”Steady?”

”You’ve got scales all over your body.”

”If she rides on you, it’ll feel like sitting on a bed of rocks.”

Xavier shot him an icy glare.

Before he could reply, Ace nodded in agreement.

”Exactly.”

”My fur is much softer.”

”It’ll be far more comfortable.”

Lucas wasn’t about to lose.

”What good is soft fur if you aren’t stable?”

”My wings are the best.”

”Comfortable, smooth, and you’ll even get a beautiful view.”

Xavier immediately scoffed.

”And when the wind blows?”

”She’ll freeze.”

The three beastmen continued arguing.

”Choose me.”

”I’m the most stable.”

”No, choose me.”

”I’m the softest.”

”Choose me.”

”You’ll get to fly.”

”You’ve never flown before, have you?”

Listening to their endless bickering gave Sora a headache.

Finally, she pointed at Lucas.

”You.”

”I’ve never flown before.”

Lucas’s face instantly lit up with satisfaction.