Villainess is being pampered by her beast husbands
Chapter 74 --74

Chapter 74: Chapter-74

After settling her thoughts, Kaya began preparing.

She had already decided her next destination would be the ocean. First, because it was the most reliable place to gather salt—an essential resource. Second, she was curious about the mermaid tribe she had heard mentioned in passing. Whether they were real or not, she needed to know. And third, salt could act as currency. If she had enough of it, she could trade for the things she needed without relying on anyone.

But before she could set off, there was something else to take care of—a weapon.

Her bullets were running low, and she couldn’t afford to waste them—not on hunting, not on defense unless absolutely necessary. If she ran out entirely, she would be left with nothing to protect herself.

So she turned to something she had learned long ago.

During training, there was a time she had run out of bullets. One of her fellow trainees, a quiet girl from a tribal background, had shown her another way to fight—without a gun. While others focused on traditional weapons like bows or spears, this girl taught her something simple and efficient: a bamboo launcher.

Kaya remembered the design clearly.

She selected a thin bamboo stalk, one with a straight form and minimal cracks. She cut the ends carefully, and then carved a narrow rectangular slot in the middle section. Into this, she inserted a slimmer bamboo stick—functioning as a plunger or pushing rod.

Then she prepared the projectiles. From smaller bamboo pieces, she cut pointed shafts, narrow and smooth. These would serve as makeshift darts.

She tested the mechanism. When she pulled back the inner stick and released it, the bamboo dart launched forward with decent speed, striking a nearby patch of bark.

It wasn’t as powerful as a bullet, but it was functional—enough to hit a target and cause damage when needed.

Kaya stared at it for a while, her hands still holding the simple tool. It was basic. But it worked.

Looking at the bamboo weapon in her hand, Kaya couldn’t help the smug little grin that crept onto her face. Damn, she still had it. Every cut, every notch—perfect. Honestly, it was impressive she even remembered how to make it. Well... maybe not just because of survival.

Back then, she’d secretly kept this trick tucked away for a very specific reason. If that bastard of a husband ever cheated on her—this little thing was going straight to the side of his neck. No mess, no evidence. Just clean, silent payback.

She rolled her eyes at the memory and huffed a laugh. "Tch, figures. Ends up being more useful here than back then."

Kaya gave the weapon a testing flick and nodded to herself.

Not bad. Not a damn bullet wasted. And hey—still deadly enough to make a point. Just the way she liked it.

Kaya took another two days—yeah, she knew time was running out, but she wasn’t going to leave without checking the area around her cave properly. There had to be something useful hidden nearby—spices, herbs, anything that might come in handy later. And lucky for her, the beastmen seemed to have no interest in most of the plants she used. Their loss, honestly.

She wandered around with sharp eyes, and it paid off. Jackpot. She found a patch overflowing with onions—dozens of them—some garlic, and to her surprise, even a few knobby pieces of ginger poking through the soil. That one made her stop and blink. Ginger? Here? That was unexpected.

They looked... huge. Not the dainty, market-sized stuff she was used to. These were big, chunky versions—onions the size of her fist, garlic bulbs like miniature rocks. But when she cut one open and took a sniff, the sharp, familiar scent hit her right in the nose. Strong. Clean. Just like home.

Still, it wasn’t enough. Spices were great, but she needed greens too—leafy stuff, something to balance the flavors and feed her properly. She knelt and pressed her fingers into the soil. Rich, dark, a little damp. Not too different from what she was used to. Maybe, just maybe, she could grow something here.

She started searching more intently, brushing aside wild shrubs and peering under thick leaves. Some of these vegetables looked weirdly prehistoric—massive and a bit awkward, like evolution had skipped the refinement phase. It reminded her of those old banana varieties—big, packed with seeds, and basically useless unless you were starving. But these? Despite the size, they held up. The garlic and onions might be bulky, but the taste? Spot on.

Holding one oversized garlic bulb in her hand, she smirked.

"Well looks like i have to wait".

Even though Kaya had managed to find almost everything she needed nearby, there was still one thing she couldn’t get her hands on. But honestly? What she did find was already more than enough. Still, there was no way—absolutely no way—she was going to haul all this stuff across a five-to-six-day walk to the ocean, only to come back like a fool and pass this spot again just to walk another ten days. No. She wasn’t that kind of stupid.

So she had an idea. A gamble, sure—but a clever one. The beastmen didn’t touch the herbs and spices she used. If they kept avoiding them, then... why couldn’t she just leave her stash here?

It was risky. Foolish, maybe. But carrying all of it? That was an even bigger risk. It was heavy, it was bulky, and it made her a walking target. So she decided to trust her gut—and the beastmen’s noses.

She went deeper into the cave, a part where the light didn’t reach and the air grew still. That’s where she’d do it. Kaya called Cutie and the others, made them help her dig—not a hole, but a pit. A massive one. The kind you’d bury treasure in... or bodies, if it came to that.

By nightfall, the hole was ready. Kaya got to work. First, she layered the bottom with dried leaves and a few animal hides—just for insulation.