Exiled Villainess: They Threw Me Out, Now Every Beastman Wants Me
Chapter 38: Forty Five Seconds On His Tail

Chapter 38: Forty Five Seconds On His Tail

’Hmm... Maybe I shouldn’t have said that?’

Ermin frowned, caught somewhere between anger and something he clearly didn’t want to feel.

Tera nodded. "Yes."

She could see how confused he looked, and she also had the faint hope that she was finally getting through to him.

She needed to show she was serious about this.

"Is there a way to remove the imprint?"

It was ironic how the original Tera knew how to make someone her mate, but didn’t even know how to undo it.

’Was there even an option for that?’

[Imprint Removal Protocol exists]

[However, a probation period of four to six months after initial bonding is required before dissolution is possible]

[Host cannot break the bond immediately, even if she wishes to]

[(◞‸◟)]

[Current elapsed time: Approximately 2 weeks]

Tera’s heart sank. He would have to carry this bond for months before he could be free of it.

Ermin was shocked. She was willing to let him go?

But a bit of his bitterness returned. "The imprint cannot even be removed anytime soon. If I could, I would have gotten rid of it already."

Ermin turned away from her, pacing before he faced her again. The look on his face was biting.

"Is this what this is about? You are clearing your conscience now because you have found a new mate in the clan leader?"

Tera’s mouth opened in confusion.

"You derail my life and you are moving on with yours as if it meant nothing."

"No. That is not why I am here! This has nothing to do with—"

"Then why? Why now? Why do you suddenly care? Go back to being the same shameless female you were!"

’If I were truly that shameless, I would literally think of how I was going to eat that dick again, but no! I can’t have that!’

[(·•᷄‎ࡇ•᷅ )]

Tera blinked, wondering why out of all things, that popped into her head.

’Don’t say anything!’

Tera shook her head, briefly closing her eyes to get her thoughts back in order.

She was conflicted. She couldn’t tell him the truth about being a different person, but it was possible she could give him a version that was close enough.

But while Tera was deep in her thoughts, neither she or Ermin were aware of the silent beast that was listening to their conversation from a distance.

He quickly slinked off when he had gotten the information he needed.

Tera sighed. "I understand how my behaviour might be confusion. But when I was banished from the tribe, I fell down that hill and hit my head very hard. I almost died, and in that moment, I thought about everything, including all the things I wished I could undo... I do not like who I have been as a person, and I genuinely want to change."

Ermin looked less angry, not knowing what to do with himself or what Tera had told him.

"Just go."

He was telling her to go? Just like that?

Tera turned around and started walking back toward the rest of the clan. She was worried that if she waited and tried to insist, his favourability would go down.

But she felt relieved. She had said what she needed to say, and whatever Ermin did with it was his choice.

[Ermin’s Favourability: -29% → -19%]

Tera felt relieved, and she genuinely hoped Ermin would feel better eventually. He deserved that much.

Though it did sadden her slightly that if the mate bond was eventually removed, she wouldn’t have access to that dick anymore.

Or that tail.

But seriously, how could Naiya have just thrown him away? He hadn’t even done anything wrong. He was a victim, and instead of being furious alone at her scheming cousin, she had looked at the man she was supposed to mate and went "your dick will infect me" before tossing him into exile.

What kind of logic was that?

’She’s an idiot,’ Tera thought. ’A stupid, shortsighted idiot who threw away a perfectly good panther with a very talented tail.’

If it were her now, she wouldn’t have kept Ermin and soothed him.

[Is Host done mourning the panther’s genitals?]

[(·•᷄_•᷅ )]

[There is a settlement to build]

’I was reflecting on the injustice of his situation!’

[Host was reflecting on his tail for forty-five seconds]

[This system counted]

’Will you stop violating my privacy?’

[Host has no privacy]

[Not when this system is here!]

[This system has seen things it cannot unsee]

[(ᗒᗩᗕ)]

Tera decided to stop thinking and start walking.

She made it back to the clearing feeling tired but restless. The last thing she wanted was to sit down, because sitting down meant thinking, and thinking meant spiralling into sadness she did not have the energy to process right now.

She needed to keep her hands busy and her brain occupied.

Fortunately, the clan’s ongoing culinary crisis provided the perfect distraction.

The meat situation had worsened in her absence, which she hadn’t thought was possible but should have expected.

The leaf-paste disasters had been mostly abandoned, but the meat was still burning. The problem was that they had no concept of heat control. They built the fire as high as it would go, threw the meat on, and then seemed surprised when it turned into charcoal.

Tera spent the next few minutes moving between the fire pits to show them how to properly control the flames rather than just letting the fire do whatever it wanted. Turning the meat regularly wasn’t just busy work, but it was the difference between food and cremation.

Then she promised to help them search for which leaves were actually edible and which would make the meat taste good. Even though, Tera wasn’t going to use the plateau, she felt a bit uncomfortable just leaving it like that. Maybe she would turn the place into a farm. It would be more convenient growing herbs and some food there rather than searching deep into the forest each time they wanted something.

By the time the meat around the fires was looking less like evidence of arson and more like something a living creature might voluntarily eat, Xavi returned with the hunters.