~ Aika discovers that survival comes with rules (and none of them are fair)
Aika learned two important facts very quickly.
One: being carried by an S-rank alpha was not romantic when it felt like being transported by a very angry forklift.
Two: Kazuki's den had vibes.
Bad ones.
The moment he stepped inside, the cave reacted.
The blue crystals embedded in the walls flared brighter, the air thickened, and the temperature dropped just enough to make Aika's skin prickle. The forest outside quieted unnaturally, like everything was holding its breath.
Kazuki set the baby Shiranui down first, gently—annoyingly gently—on a nest of fur and moss near the back of the cave.
The little fluffball yawned, curled up, and immediately fell asleep.
Aika melted. "Aww… look at him. He just committed treason and now he's napping."
Kazuki shot her a look sharp enough to shave stone. "Do not encourage him."
"I'm not encouraging," she said. "I'm emotionally supporting."
Kazuki straightened and finally set her down.
Not gently.
She stumbled, caught herself on a crystal wall, and hissed. "Okay, rude. You could've at least lowered me like a princess."
"You are not a princess."
"Wow. Classist and speciesist."
He ignored her and turned his attention back to the sleeping child, his posture subtly shifting—less lethal, more… guarded.
Aika noticed.
Interesting.
Kazuki spoke without looking at her. "You will stay here."
Aika perked up. "Here like… temporarily?"
"Here," he repeated flatly. "In my territory. Under my watch."
"Oh." She blinked. "So this is… house arrest?"
"Yes."
"Cool, cool. Do I get yard time?"
"You get breathing privileges."
"Generous."
The system chimed happily.
[QUEST UPDATED: WIN THE BEAST KING'S TRUST] Progress: 3%
Aika squinted. "Three percent? From kidnapping royalty?"
[THE BAR IS LOW.]
Kazuki finally turned to face her fully.
Up close, it was worse.
He was tall—obscenely so—and built like the universe personally sculpted him to intimidate. His silver hair caught the crystal light, eyes sharp and calculating, runes along his skin pulsing faintly with restrained power.
Aika swallowed.
He crossed his arms. "You will answer my questions. Truthfully."
She raised a hand. "Before we start—if I tell you something insane, will you kill me immediately or after a dramatic pause?"
His lip twitched. "That depends."
"On?"
"How annoying you are."
She sighed. "I'm dead."
"Explain," Kazuki said. "Why beasts respond to you."
Aika opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Panicked internally.
Okay. Don't say: I'm here to make babies with you because a sadistic system told me to.
Say something… adjacent.
"I… attract animals?" she tried.
Kazuki's stare intensified.
"That was not an answer."
"I volunteer at shelters?"
"You smell like foreign magic."
"…Imported deodorant?"
Silence stretched.
The crystals hummed louder.
Kazuki stepped closer, and Aika's back hit the wall.
"Human," he said quietly, "my nephew rejected me and chose you. That does not happen."
Her heart thumped. "Maybe he just likes my vibes."
"There are no 'vibes' in instinct bonding."
"Well, maybe he's progressive."
His eye twitched again.
Aika rushed on. "Look, I don't know why beasts like me, okay? I didn't wake up this morning thinking, 'Yes, today I will emotionally destabilize an alpha.' I'm just trying to survive."
Something in her tone—raw, honest—made him pause.
He studied her.
Not like prey.
Like a problem.
"…You fear death," he said slowly.
"Very much."
"But you still interfere."
"I have anxiety," she snapped. "It overrides common sense."
Kazuki huffed. "Unacceptable."
[TRUST +1%]
Aika perked up. "Wait—that worked?"
"What?"
"Nothing!"
Kazuki turned away. "You will not leave the den without me."
She crossed her arms. "And if I do?"
"I will drag you back."
"Again?"
"Yes."
"…Kinda starting to feel personal."
He faced her again, eyes narrowing. "You endanger what little remains of my kind."
Her humor faltered.
"Oh."
The weight of that settled between them.
Kazuki's voice dropped. "The Shiranui are not endangered because we are weak. We are endangered because the world decided we were useful."
Aika swallowed. "Useful how?"
"Power. Bloodlines. Control."
The system flickered.
[DANGER: INFORMATION LEAK DETECTED.]
Kazuki noticed the flicker.
"…That thing," he said slowly. "It watches you."
Aika stiffened. "You can see it?"
"No." His gaze sharpened. "But I can sense when something interferes."
Her stomach dropped.
Great. Her tormentor wasn't invisible anymore.
Kazuki stepped back, clearly restraining himself. "Until I decide what to do with you, you stay."
"Decide… how?" she asked softly.
His eyes lingered on her a second too long.
"That," he said, "depends on whether you become a liability… or something worse."
[NEW SUB-QUEST: PROVE YOUR WORTH] Reward: Increased Protection Penalty: Isolation (Permanent)
Aika forced a grin. "No pressure."
Kazuki turned toward the den's entrance. "Rest. You are not leaving tonight."
She glanced at the stone floor. "Uh. Where do I sleep?"
He paused.
Then—very deliberately—he removed his outer fur mantle and tossed it at her.
She caught it, startled.
Warm.
Heavy.
Smelled like cold air and lightning and something dangerously comforting.
"Use that," he said gruffly. "Do not approach the child while I am gone."
"Gone?" she squeaked.
"There are consequences to trespassers."
He walked toward the exit.
Aika hugged the fur instinctively. "Wait!"
He stopped, not turning.
"…Thank you," she said quietly. "For not killing me."
A beat.
"…Do not give me reasons to reconsider," he replied.
Then he was gone.
The den felt emptier.
Aika sank onto the stone platform, wrapping herself in Kazuki's mantle like a stolen blanket.
Her heart pounded.
Her brain screamed.
The system chimed smugly.
[CONGRATULATIONS.] [YOU HAVE BEEN CLAIMED AS A VARIABLE.]
"…That sounds bad."
[IT IS.]
She groaned, lying back and staring at the glowing ceiling.
"New world," she muttered. "New life. Same me."
From the nest, the baby Shiranui snuffled and scooted closer in his sleep, tiny flames flickering warmly.
Aika sighed.
"…I'm never getting out of this alive, am I?"