Wanderlust Beastkin, Beauty and the Beastkin-Chapter 15: Beware Mermaid Magic

I had Milo whip up a hefty metal barrel perched on a stand, complete with a spigot and a pipe that snaked its way into the back of the toilet bowl. Once the trench was dug and the long pipe angled steeply toward the woods, I enlisted Kai to fill that colossal barrel with water. Initially, I thought he could manage it with a few smaller buckets, but he confidently declared he could fill it directly, and off he went, hauling it back as if it were a piece of paper.

"How does this contraption work?" Elara asked, her eyes wide as she took in my quirky invention. To her, it might have looked odd, but to me, it was a marvel and a prized possession.

"You do your business in that pot," I gestured toward the toilet seat. "Then, you use this eco-friendly paper to clean up. Once you’re finished, just push this lever to open the bottom, turn the spigot, and voilà! Water rushes in from the back of the bowl, carrying everything down the pipe and out past the trench outside. After it’s all cleared away, just close the flap, let the bowl fill up a bit with water, and turn off the spigot."

Elara blinked her eyes in shock while looking at it. "Wow, mermaids are sure clever. I never would have thought of something like that."

I smiled happily at her. "Thank you for the compliment but I’m going to need a moment to use it."

"Oh right, sure," she said and rushed out of the enclosure.

I gave it a whirl, and it turned out just as I had imagined. Thankfully, when the time comes, refilling the barrel won’t be a hassle for Kai. Honestly, it’s baffling how women in this world aren’t snatching up every high-level male crafter they can find.

Once I wrapped up my little project, I whipped out some hand sanitizer to freshen up. I’ll need to brainstorm some other ideas for later—maybe a sink that operates like the toilet if nothing more brilliant comes to mind. But for now, I think I’ve done enough inventing for one day; everyone seems a bit worn out.

I strolled out of my makeshift bathroom and made my way to the cabin. With the knowledge that Mino can magically whip up items I describe using his materials, my mind buzzed with possibilities for enhancing my surroundings. The thought of not being stuck with all these little annoyances lifted my spirits, and I found myself humming as I entered the cozy cabin.

As I stepped inside, it was pretty much what I had anticipated. A single main room, all crafted from wood, but at least there was a lovely wooden floor adorned with a rug. A ladder led up to a loft, and there was a bedroom tucked away in the back—nothing more. No bathroom, no kitchen, no entertainment area—I felt like I was in colonial times.

"Is there no way to heat this place?"

"We don’t really need to, if it gets cold, we just shift into our beast forms."

"I’m not exactly going to change into a beast anytime soon. Can I even change when I’m not in the water?"

I’m not about to sprout fur and transform into a beast anytime soon. Besides, can I even shift forms if I’m not submerged in water? Obviously, a mermaid didn’t have fur and wouldn’t be changing into her tailed form while not in water. It would be plenty warm since they were able to withstand extremely cold water but it would be too dry to be comfortable on their scales.

"We’ll figure out something for you tomorrow, for tonight you’ll have to cuddle with me since I give off a great deal of heat naturally."

I regarded him with a hint of skepticism in my gaze.

He put his hands up. "Just cuddling, I swear."

"Fine but if you start with me, I know how to deal with you," I said.

He raised an eyebrow looking at me skeptically.

"I will perform mermaid magic that you won’t be able to resist."

He smirked at me. "I think that you’ll find that a blue-level general is a lot stronger than you realized."

"We’ll see."

I stepped into the back bedroom, and of course, he trailed right behind me. Milo had claimed the main room with the wolf brothers, while Elara had taken over the loft. My heart raced as I entered the bedroom with Kai, but I knew I had to shake off the jitters eventually. Everything had changed; I was practically living a whole new life. As the system had declared, there was no turning back now.

But there was a little something I was itching to explore. I darted to the corner, discreetly retrieving an item from my bag, careful to keep it hidden from Kai’s view. With a swift motion, I flipped the rug back over my little secret and turned to face him.

"Now, if you happen to misbehave, just know that I won’t hesitate to reveal what’s underneath that rug. I’m quite curious to see if you can withstand my magic, General. Let’s see just how formidable you really are."

He flashed a playful smirk before sauntering over to the plush purple cushion nestled in the corner. With a flourish, he pulled the blankets aside, inviting me to join him. I nestled in beside him, and in an instant, he drew me close, lifting me effortlessly until our eyes met, a spark igniting between us. His mesmerizing blue eyes held a depth that captivated me, revealing a love so profound it felt almost surreal. How could he possibly love me after such a fleeting moment in time?

Compelled by the intensity of his gaze, I leaned in, brushing my lips against his in a tentative exploration, questioning whether the emotions swirling in his eyes were genuine.

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he lowered his lashes, leaning into my kiss. It began sweetly but soon ignited into a passionate blaze, infused with my vulnerability. This time, I realized this was no mere fantasy; he was not just a fleeting escape from my reality.

As our kiss deepened, he enveloped me in his arms, our bodies fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. A fierce desire surged within me, overwhelming and exhilarating. The chemistry between us was electric, threatening to consume me entirely, as if I might either dissolve into nothingness or carry a mark of him deep within my soul, in those hidden corners where only the truest essence of oneself resides.

Time seemed to stand still as we lost ourselves in that kiss, the world around us fading away until nothing existed but the two of us, entwined in that singular moment.

A rush of awareness hit me, a tangible reminder of his undeniable attraction, pressing against me, jolting me back to reality as if I’d been splashed with icy water. What on earth was I doing? I certainly wasn’t prepared for this.

With a swift motion, I freed myself from his embrace and the tangled blanket, making my way to the corner where I had cleverly set my little trap for Mr. Dashing General. He blinked, momentarily stunned by the abrupt shift in our dynamic. Then, with a lazy, sultry smile that could melt glaciers, he propped himself up on the plush cushion, his striking blue eyes sparkling with mischief. His tousled hair framed a face that was far too alluring, and without a shirt, his sculpted chest and arms were on full display, practically demanding admiration.

He was dangerously tempting, but I wasn’t about to leap into anything without thought. I craved to know him beyond the surface; I wanted my first experience to be with someone I knew longer than a day or two! Perhaps he could be that person someday—I couldn’t deny my attraction, but we were still strangers. I was certain we’d get there eventually, and it wouldn’t take long, but for now, I needed to take a step back.

With a playful grin dancing on my lips, I pulled back the rug to reveal my masterpiece.

Kai’s brow furrowed as he tilted his head, a picture of confusion. He rose slowly, curiosity guiding his steps as he approached my creation. "What is it? What’s it for?" he mused, circling the makeshift structure, inspecting it from every angle. Just as I had hoped, he stepped right into it and settled down.

"There’s something about this that I can’t put into words, but it just feels perfect. What makes it feel so perfect?" His ears perked up, and his tail swayed joyfully behind him as a soft purr escaped his lips.

There he was, nestled in a box I had crafted from medical tape, the shape carefully outlined on the floor. I had once seen a zookeeper perform this enchanting trick with a tiger in a video, where the big cat was irresistibly drawn to sit within the confines of the taped box, ensuring all its paws were safely inside.

Coming Next Time: Crafting System