"So that's what happened. I see. So, you guys are his prisoners then?"
Rodalina asked, her voice tinged with concern as she processed the story.
"Ugh, nothing like that, Mom! He just wants to learn about our culture, that's all."
Ronali quickly interjected, the idea of being a prisoner to this stinky human making her stomach churn. She threw a murderous glance at Kaisen, who was busy shamelessly ogling her mother like a pervy tourist in a foreign land.
"I see... In that case, welcome to our humble hut," Rodalina said, still a bit wary but polite. "Though I can't give you permission to stay here since her father is the one who will make the final decision. I'll inform him. Please understand."
Kaisen nodded, pulling off an exaggerated bow that would make any actor jealous.
"Yes, Madame. I humbly thank you for your generosity and kindness."
Rodalina let out a nervous chuckle, finally starting to relax now that she understood the situation a bit better.
"I'm sorry for my son's behavior earlier. It's just, this new law has been quite the headache. Now, let me see that little runt who tried to harm a human... Please wait here, my daughter will keep you company."
She smiled warmly, but Ronali knew that smile all too well. It was the same one that signaled Rony was about to get his tail handed to him—literally.
The thought made her feel a tiny bit better, knowing her brother was about to get his just deserts, but she still had to deal with this infuriating human.
Rodalina smiled sweetly as she grabbed her long hair, tying it into a bun with the precision of someone preparing for an epic showdown.
The unintended bounce of her breasts had Kaisen mentally screaming, Focus, man! but his internal monologue was definitely not helping.
Kaisen, trying to play it cool, shrugged and leaned back in his chair as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"No worries. Kids will be kids, after all. They're bound to get into trouble. Besides, your hospitality has been top-notch. I'm just glad to be here."
Rodalina, touched by his words, smiled warmly before heading off to find her son, leaving Kaisen and Ronali alone in a suddenly tense silence.
"You remember the route we took, avoiding the guards, right?"
She asked, hoping to jog his memory.
"Oh, aren't you going to see me off personally?"
Kaisen asked, his eyes wide with an exaggerated innocence that might've worked on a five-year-old.
"Shut up! Just ask me whatever you wanna know and let's get this over with."
Ronali growled, her tail swishing in irritation.
"It's dangerous enough having a human here, let alone housing one. And I'll be damned if I let anyone discover you. So, ask away before I change my mind."
Just as Kaisen was about to open his mouth, a loud, dramatic wail echoed from the kitchen.
"Ahhh! Momma, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do it!"
Rony's cries were punctuated by the unmistakable sounds of a good old-fashioned spanking.
Kaisen and Ronali exchanged a glance, both of them silently agreeing that whatever was happening in the kitchen was none of their business. They shrugged in unison, as if to say, Not our problem.
"Right, back to the important stuff."
Kaisen said, clearing his throat, deciding it was time to dive into the juicy lore.
"So, tell me about the history of this place. What's the deal with all the beastmen?"
Ronali sighed but began to recount the story, clearly eager to get this over with.
"Well, it goes like this. Sometime after the beginning of the world, there was a massive explosion of mana—like, boom—and no one knows where it came from. Everything close to the explosion got vaporized, and the survivors had to figure out how to live in the aftermath..."