Villainess is being pampered by her beast husbands
Chapter 46 --46.

Chapter 46: Chapter-46.

As Kaya crouched by the river, cleaning the fish with her small knife, her hands moved with practiced ease, but her mind remained on high alert. Her focus was on the fish—on the rhythm of her blade slicing through its slick body—but she couldn’t ignore the faint, lingering presence she’d noticed a short distance away.

Someone was watching her.

They had been for a while now.

Still, Kaya didn’t turn around. Instead, she kept humming softly, letting her voice drift with the breeze.

"Hmm... lala la, lala laaa..."

Her tone was light, casual even, but her eyes had gone cold—sharp and focused under the surface.

Once she finished cleaning the fish, she rose to her feet and began walking back toward the cave. Yet again, that presence followed. Silent, careful. They didn’t make a single sound—no snapped twigs, no shifting leaves. If it weren’t for her training and years of experience, she might not have noticed at all.

But she did.

[To hell with experience—she just knew. After all, she’d spent half her life being assigned to hunt down hidden game consoles, contraband manga, and those so-called "limited edition" magazines boys thought they’d cleverly stashed. She’d learned to tell which room it was in just from the whisper of a page flipping behind a closed door.]

As Kaya neared the cave, the world behind her suddenly fell still. The subtle presence that had been trailing her all day vanished like mist in the sun. No soft steps. No lingering stare. Just silence.

She didn’t turn around right away. Instead, she let her eyes flick sideways, lips quirking into a smirk.

They were getting sloppy.

She’d been clocking the pattern since morning. When she was wrestling with that stubborn crab? They were there. When she was helping Cutie gather firewood? Nowhere to be found. Every time she was alone, that strange gaze returned—just close enough to feel, never close enough to catch.

And sure, sometimes they were there even when Cutie was around, but always at a careful distance. Watching. Waiting.

So Kaya pieced it together.

First thought? Maybe they were scared of Cutie. But that didn’t add up—she could feel them glaring daggers even with him nearby.

Which only left one option.

They were already with her. Sneaking off, then slipping back like nothing happened. Pretending they were by her side the whole time.

The idea made her chuckle under her breath.

Fine. Let them play spy.

She wasn’t going to say a thing. Not yet.

Still smirking, Kaya kept walking toward the cave, her hum light and carefree.

As night fell, the soft crackle of fire filled the quiet space, casting flickering shadows on the cave walls. The scent of roasting fish mingled with the earthy smell of damp stone and woodsmoke, while the occasional hiss of fat hitting the flame echoed like tiny sparks of life in the silence.

Kaya stood quietly, arms crossed, watching the fire dance. Her gaze slowly shifted to Cutie, who was crouched beside it, carefully adjusting the sticks to keep the flame alive—his fluffy ears twitching now and then, catching the light like delicate silk.

After a moment, she spoke—her voice low, almost casual, yet laced with quiet curiosity.

"You know," she began, her lips curling into a half-smile, "Cutie is a... pretty unique name."

Her eyes lingered on him a second longer before adding, with a small shrug, "Who named you?"

Cutie blinked, his ears twitching slightly as he looked up at Kaya. For a moment, he seemed surprised she asked. Then he gave a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze.

"Ah... that’s not really my real name," he mumbled, poking the fire again. "Just... what people started calling me. Because of the ears, I guess."

He glanced at her quickly, then looked away just as fast.

"My real name’s kind of boring," he added, voice trailing off.

Kaya raised an eyebrow as she settled down on a nearby rock, stretching her legs lazily. "Boring? What, are you named Dictionary or something?"

Cutie blinked, clearly puzzled. "Dicranry?"

Kaya snorted and waved her hand. "Forget it," she said, laughing under her breath.

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she looked at him. "So then... what’s the great story?"

Cutie kept his eyes on the fire, gently poking at the wild vegetables roasting over the flames. His voice came out a little quieter this time. "It’s not a big story. Just... my father gave me one name. Then, after he passed, my mother changed it."

Kaya’s gaze shifted from the fire to his face. His expression had changed — not dramatically, but enough. His eyes carried that distant glaze, as if he’d walked right back into a memory he hadn’t visited in a long time. And just like that, with one glance, Kaya understood. He had loved his father deeply.

She didn’t say anything at first. Just flopped onto a stone next to him, letting the silence fill in the spaces words couldn’t.

Then she gave a little grin. "So what do you think? Were you named something like Rabbit because of your tribe or something cute like that?"

Cutie chuckled, shaking his head. "No... it’s not that silly. Just... something normal."

He paused. Not long, but long enough for the moment to stretch a little.

Then he said, almost in a whisper, "Bunny."

Kaya turned her head to look at him, mouth twitching. "...You serious?"

He nodded, a little sheepish.

She stared at him for a second, then let out a quiet laugh. Not mocking. Just amused. "Well," she said, nudging his arm, "suits you more than Dictionary."

Seeing her smile genuinely, Bunny glanced up at her. Maybe it was the flicker of movement, or maybe her smile gave him the kind of courage he didn’t know he had—but before he could stop himself, the question tumbled out.

"What about you?"

Kaya’s smile faltered.

Just for a second, but it was enough to make Bunny panic. His eyes widened and he quickly covered his mouth with both hands like he’d just let out a national secret.