Fat and Ugly Villainess Wins Back Her Five Beast Husband

The two trees Sora had chosen stood just outside the tribe, close enough that if anything happened, she only had to yell once and the entire tribe would probably come charging over—half to help, the other half simply because they loved gossip.

The more she thought about it, the happier she became.

A free bed.

A cool breeze.

No six overgrown puppies arguing about who got custody of her for the night.

Honestly, this hammock was the greatest invention she’d come up with since hotpot.

Lukan studied the hammock for a long moment before speaking gently.

”This place is comfortable, Kaelira... but sleeping beneath the trees means mosquitoes will probably feast on you tonight.”

Sora waved a hand lazily from where she lounged.

”No problem. I’ll burn some mugwort later.”

”...”

Seeing she had already planned everything, Lukan simply smiled and nodded.

She really didn’t need anyone to solve every little problem for her.

Just as Sora sat up, intending to wash her bowl before taking a bath, a familiar mechanical voice suddenly rang inside her head.

Ding!

Congratulations, Host! Ryan’s Affection has increased by 10 points.

Charm +5.

Sora nearly dropped her bowl.

”...Ryan?”

She blinked several times.

”System... are you sure you didn’t press the wrong button?”

Ryan?

That stingy, stone-faced wolf?

The same man whose affection points dripped out slower than water leaking from a cracked bucket?

She had cooked for him countless times.

She had shared food.

Saved him trouble.

Fed him delicious meals.

And every single time—

+1

+2

Sometimes she seriously suspected the system rounded his feelings down on purpose.

Yet today...

Just because of a hammock...

He casually donated ten whole points.

”...”

Sora suddenly looked toward Ryan.

The man sat there calmly drinking water as if nothing had happened.

You’re telling me...

A hammock impressed you more than hotpot?

What kind of weird preferences do you have?

Ryan noticed her staring.

”What?”

”...Nothing.”

Sora silently labeled him in her mind.

Hammock Enthusiast No. 1.

Ryan, meanwhile, looked away with a calm expression.

Truthfully...

He couldn’t stop thinking about that beast-skin bed hanging between two trees.

Simple.

Practical.

Portable.

Ingenious.

He had traveled countless places with caravans and hunters.

Never once had he seen such a thing.

It wasn’t complicated.

Yet somehow...

No one had ever thought of it.

His gaze shifted back toward Sora.

Compared to the foolish woman who used to stuff herself with dried weeds and act like the tribe’s biggest troublemaker...

The current Sora felt like an entirely different person.

Every few days, she invented something new.

Food.

Salt.

Furniture.

Now even beds.

Perhaps...

She really had become smarter.

Of course...

Ryan would never admit that aloud.

That would be embarrassing.

—

After settling the sleeping arrangements, everyone gradually dispersed.

They had spent an entire day collecting salt.

An entire night searching for Sora and Xavier.

Then another half day arguing over who she should sleep beside.

Emotionally exhausted.

Physically exhausted.

Mentally exhausted.

Even Lucas, who usually had endless energy, yawned three times before flying back toward his giant tree.

Only Damien looked like he still had enough stamina to wrestle a bear.

Unfortunately for him...

Timing was everything.

Chasing Sora now would only annoy her.

The clever bear reluctantly returned home.

”...Tomorrow,” he muttered confidently.

”I’ll definitely win tomorrow.”

—

The next morning...

Before the sun had fully risen...

Sora was already jogging around the tribe.

One lap.

Two laps.

Three laps.

Sweat dripped down her forehead.

Although she was still pleasantly plump...

The difference compared to before was enormous.

At least now...

When she ran...

The earth no longer trembled in sympathy.

Even Sora noticed the change.

”My face is slimmer...”

”My waist isn’t trying to assassinate my belt anymore...”

She happily pinched her own cheek.

Progress!

Weight loss really was addictive once results appeared.

Unfortunately...

Her skin was still rather dark.

Healthy bronze skin wasn’t unattractive...

But paired with her still-curvy figure...

She looked more like a strong village auntie than the elegant heroine she’d envisioned.

”Hmm...”

”I’ll deal with whitening later.”

”First...”

”A house.”

Her previous home had been reduced to charcoal.

Even if everyone insisted it was caused by lightning...

She couldn’t help feeling superstitious.

Once bitten, twice shy.

If lightning liked that spot so much...

She wasn’t volunteering to be struck twice.

No thank you.

After wandering around the tribe for quite a while...

She finally stopped beside the outdoor kitchen.

A slow smile spread across her face.

”This is perfect.”

The land here was wide.

Few people came near it.

Most importantly...

It was beside her kitchen.

”No more running back and forth while cooking.”

”I’ll connect the kitchen.”

”The bathroom.”

”My bedroom.”

”Maybe even a storage room.”

She clasped her hands excitedly.

”I’m building my own little villa!”

—

During breakfast...

She casually announced,

”After everyone finishes eating, help me bring back plenty of wood.”

”I’m building a new house.”

None of the men looked surprised.

If anything...

They’d been wondering why she’d waited this long.

Lukan looked around.

”Where are you planning to build it?”

Sora pointed proudly.

”Right here.”

Lucas nearly choked on his breakfast.

”Here?”

He looked around.

Weeds.

Bushes.

Uneven ground.

Random rocks.

It looked less like somewhere to build a house...

And more like somewhere snakes held family reunions.

”Can people actually live here?”

he asked honestly.

Sora grinned mischievously.

”I have my own methods.”

”You’ll understand later.”

Lucas scratched his head.

Whenever Sora smiled like that...

Someone was about to have their worldview shattered.

Again.

Ace patted Lucas’s shoulder.

”Stop asking.”

”Haven’t you learned?”

Lucas blinked.

”...Learned what?”

Ace sighed dramatically.

”When Kaelira says, ’I have a way,’ it means we’re about to witness another miracle.”

Xavier snorted.

”Or another headache.”

Damien folded his arms smugly.

”Either way, it’ll be entertaining.”

Lukan merely smiled.

”I trust Kaelira.”

Lucas looked around helplessly.

”...Why do I suddenly feel like I’m the only normal one here?”

The other four exchanged glances.

”No.”

”Definitely not.”

”You’ve never been the normal one.”

Lucas looked utterly betrayed.

”...You people are terrible.”

Laughter immediately erupted around the breakfast table.

Even Ryan, sitting quietly at the edge, lowered his head slightly.

The corner of his mouth...

Almost...

Almost...

Curved upward.

—

After breakfast, the five beastmen headed into the forest to collect timber.

Meanwhile...

Sora rolled up her sleeves.

”No slacking today.”

First...

The wheat.

The harvested wheat had matured nicely, but before grinding it into flour, it still needed proper drying.

Simply spreading it on the ground wasn’t ideal.

Moisture would ruin everything.

Luckily...

Wood-element powers weren’t just for fighting monsters.

They also made excellent DIY tools.

Within minutes...

Thin bamboo strips twisted and bent beneath her control.

Soon...

Several neat drying racks appeared.

She arranged the wheat across them with satisfaction.

”There.”

”Professional-grade drying equipment.”

If anyone from modern civilization saw this...

They’d probably cry watching supernatural powers used for farm work.

Sora, however, felt perfectly accomplished.

Next...

Lunch.

Today’s menu—

Oil-splashed noodles.

Just imagining them made her hungry.

Some of yesterday’s wheat had dried enough to grind.

Using the stone mill she’d previously built, combined with her water-element acceleration, grinding flour became almost effortless.

Soon...

Fine white flour filled a ceramic basin.

She slowly poured in cool water.

Mixed.

Folded.

Pressed.

Kneaded.

Before long...

A smooth, elastic dough rested beneath large clean leaves.

While waiting for it to relax, she wandered into the nearby forest.

Garlic.

Wild scallions.

Fresh vegetables.

Wild chili.

Everything she needed.

Returning with a basket full of ingredients, she checked the dough again.

Perfect.

She divided it into portions.

Brushed each piece with cooled rendered pork fat using wild scallion leaves as a makeshift pastry brush.

Then covered everything once more.

”Rest again.”

”Good noodles require patience.”

Just then...

Branches cracked outside.

Lucas arrived first, dragging logs almost twice his size.

Xavier followed carrying an impossible amount of timber across one shoulder.

Ace and Damien hauled thick support beams.

Lukan calmly carried perfectly straight construction logs as though they weighed nothing.

Lucas dumped his pile with a loud THUD.

”We brought enough wood to build half the tribe.”

Sora clapped happily.

”Perfect!”

She pointed toward the cleared area.

”Start driving wooden stakes into the ground first.”

Lucas blinked.

”Into the ground?”

”Why?”

Sora smiled mysteriously.

”My house isn’t sitting on the dirt.”

”It’s standing above it.”

”...Above it?”

Everyone froze.

Even Ryan, who had quietly arrived for lunch earlier than expected, paused mid-step.

Sora crossed her arms proudly.

”If bugs want to visit...”

”They’ll have to climb stairs first.”

Silence.

Lucas scratched his head.

”...She’s inventing another weird thing again.”

Damien grinned.

”I like weird.”

Xavier sighed.

”I’ve already accepted that following Kaelira means my common sense dies a little every day.”

Ace nodded solemnly.

”It died weeks ago.”

Lukan chuckled softly.

”I’ll fetch more wood.”

Ryan looked at the blueprint Sora had sketched in the dirt.

Then at her.

Then back at the drawing.

His expression remained calm...

But internally...

He had already added another ten imaginary admiration points.

This woman...

Really never stopped surprising people.