Exiled Villainess: They Threw Me Out, Now Every Beastman Wants Me
Chapter 9: Bald Lady & The Meat Situation

Chapter 9: Bald Lady & The Meat Situation

Tera found a spot near the edge of the clearing, far enough from the main fire to establish her own territory but close enough that she wasn’t completely isolated. And she had also noticed how a few of the beast men had stood at attention when she had gotten too close to the edge, almost as if they were ready to drag her back to where everyone was if she tried to run away.

She pulled down a leaf and placed her meat on it so it wouldn’t get dirty, then she gathered stones, sticks, and some dry grass to arrange them and build her fire pit.

Some of the beast folk watched curiously.

Tera started striking the small flint rocks she had managed to find.

"What is she doing?"

"She’s trying to cook her own meat."

"Can that one even make a proper fire?"

After several strikes of some flint rocks she had found, the pit finally caught on fire. tera then used another leaf to fan and blow the sparks carefully until a steady flame grew.

Then came the seasoning problem.

Tera stared at the raw meat. She had never been a good cook, and despite the seasoning in her apartment, she had survived on takeout and microwaved meals. But the bar here was so low it was underground.

All she had to do was be better than raw meat.

’Please tell me there are some salt and herbs nearby. Or at least any freaking thing I could use to season this meat.’

[Host is asking this system to locate seasoning?]

[This system is a Tribal Development System]

[Not a kitchen assistant]

’OMG. Please! I am begging you!’

[( ˘•ω•˘ )]

[Scanning surrounding terrain...]

Tera sat up, astonished.

And also slightly irritated.

’You had such a skill set all this time?!’

[(..◜ᴗ◝..)]

[You never asked]

Tera was speechless. Her survival aside, this feature would actually be very useful in rebuilding this place. And it had not even mentioned possessing such a thing!

[Scan Completed!]

[Sadly, there is no salt deposit nearby]

[However, wild herbs and two aromatic plants have been detected]

Tera immediately got up and went to work picking what the system had pointed out.

She crushed everything together between two flat stones, rubbed the mixture into the meat, and set it over her little fire.

Then she waited.

The smell hit the settlement before the meat was even half done.

A rich, warm, savoury aroma drifted through the camp, and heads started turning. Beast-folk who had been eating their own charred or half-done portions paused mid-bite. Noses twitched, ears perked, and a couple of them actually stood up from their spots and looked around, trying to locate the source.

Tera was the most surprised. The scent of the leaves had been weak when she had crushed them, but now they smelt delicious.

She just hoped it tasted as good.

This wasn’t the first time she had prepared a nice-smelling meal only for it to taste like shit later.

Two small figures appeared at Tera’s side before she even noticed them approaching.

They were both cubs. One had round bear ears and big brown eyes, and the other had spotted cat ears and a tail that was wagging so fast it was practically a blur. They couldn’t have been older than four or five.

Their greedy eyes were drifting back and forth between her and the meat.

"Your fire is so tiny," one of them pouted in a very cute voice.

"What did you put in your meat?" the other one asked.

Tera could not stop the small smile that crept to her face. They looked a bit dirty but were so adorable.

"I put some leaves."

Their noses scrounged up in disgust. "Why?"

"To make the meat taste better."

"Why?"

’Shit.’

Tera had the feeling she was about to be barraged by numerous whys. Children were the same no matter where one went.

She had to stop herself from laughing. Were they really asking her why the meat should taste better?

Before she could come up with an answer, the bear cub reached out and poked Tera’s arm with one stubby finger. He frowned and poked again, then ran his hand along her forearm.

"Where is your fur?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"She doesn’t have any," the cat cub said, already poking Tera’s other arm. "She’s all smooth. Like a fish."

"I am not like a fish," Tera said.

He poked her again. "Is your fur stuck inside?"

"What? No. I just don’t have any."

"That is strange. Are you sick?"

"Where is your tail?" The other one was already circling behind her to check. "Did it fall off?"

"I never had one."

Tera wanted to cry. These kids were bullying her!

Both cubs gasped as if Tera had told them she had never breathed air.

"Does it hurt?" the bear cub whispered.

"Does what hurt?"

"Not having a tail."

Tera bit her lip to keep from laughing. "No. It doesn’t hurt."

There was another jab at her side.

"Okay, children. That is enough—"

"Her skin is soft."

"Let me see!"

"No, wait—"

But it was too late. Both cubs were now poking her with the dedication of tiny researchers who had discovered a brand new species and intended to publish their findings.

Tera was struggling to handle them both when they suddenly turned towards the meat with desperate eyes.

"That smells so good. Can I have some? Can I? Can I?"

Tera sighed. "When it’s done, I will—"

"Get away from her!"

A beast woman grabbed both cubs by their necks and yanked them away from Tera as if she were a venomous snake.

She glared at Tera.

"Don’t eat anything she gives you. That meat could be poisoned!"

"Ma’am, I’m just trying to eat lunch," Tera groaned.

"But it smells so good," the cat cub whined as he was dragged away.

"She is playing a trick on you. Stay away from her."

"Bye, bald lady!" one of the cubs shouted.

Bald lady?!

The fire sputtered, and Tera immediately returned her attention to the meat already dripping juices into the fire. She rotated the spit, and the meat was starting to look appetizing to her.

’Please taste as good as you smell!’

Around the settlement, several beast-folk started staring at Tera’s meat. It was now golden and glistening and smelling like nothing they had ever encountered.