XX. Conspiracy

After running a few hours, I stop by a clearing in between some trees.

"Stay here, Vivi, I'm gonna hunt some food. I'll be back in a few minutes. Use that sword if a small monster comes along."

"Yes, Valister-sama."

I leave Vivi in the clearing along with my stuff, still in my Direwolf form.

I sniff the air and find a few scents nearby. Two deer and a moose. Missed are usually big, but that one smells young, while the deer smell like adults.

I get into a low crouch and begin stalking my way towards the deer.

After a few minutes, I can see the two deer. They're both males, and it looks like the bucks are fighting. It's good for me that they're distracted.

I make it to them as close as possible and pounce for the back of the neck of the one on the right.

I bite down on its neck and twist my head, causing it to snap, killing it quickly.

The other one, still not realizing what just happened and still in its fighting stance, just stood there blankly.

I took that chance to quickly transform into a werewolf and grab its neck and squeeze.

I look down at my arm. It's in its werewolf form, but the rest of my body doesn't feel right.

I look further down my body and I find that it's still in the Direwolf form.

"What the hell??"

I 'half' transformed? That's pretty cool! If I can transform parts of my body, that means I could probably transform my elf form into a beast person form. It could be another form of disguise.

I immediately test this out.

I first transform into my elf form then I focus on only changing my ears and adding a tail.

I feel my ears change shape and a tail growing from my tailbone.

(A/N: BTW, his soft armor is equipped. Soft armor has a butt flap similar to kid pajamas to make going to the bathroom easier. His mom just made a few adjustments to add a hole for the tail when he transforms. And yes, the armor stretches up to the size of an elephant. It's a magical armor that works similarly to the Saiyan armor in DBZ.)

I touch my new ears and tail. Yep, they feel exactly like a beast person's. I will be able to use this to not cause a stir in the Primum Empire. I'll make an excuse for Vivi when I get back. She'll believe most of what I'll say at this point.

Transforming fully into a werewolf, I take the two deer on my shoulders and head back to the clearing.

----------

I arrived to see Vivi sniffing my clothes.

...

I won't judge.

"Ahem... I'm back."

Vivi, getting startled, just jumped up and threw my clothes back into its bag.

"V-V-Valister-sama! How do you do?! I- I was just organizing your luggage! That's all!"

"Sure you were. It's okay, I won't judge. If you want to smell me you can if you want."

Vivi just covers her red face with her hands and mumbles to herself.

"Uuhh... I've embarrassed myself in front of Valister-sama... but why does he have human clothes? it doesn't fit his great body..."

I set down the deer and begin cutting one of them up and draining the blood. I set a fire and use a crude pan I bought along with some cooking oils and salt and pepper. I silently begin to cook Vivi's meal.

Vivi just sits there looking at me and the pan then at my luggage.

"Are you wondering why I have regular clothes despite me being a Beastkin?"

Vivi slowly nods her head.

"How do you think I've been living in that human Inn? Besides my wolf form, I also have a form that allows me to integrate into human society. It was a... magic taught to me by my mother."

Vivi looks surprised at my explanation. Good thing it doesn't look like she's well versed in magic.

"I can only use it for about 12 hours a day, so I'll be using it to enter Primum. I don't want to start a commotion."

"Yes, that is understandable, Valister-sama."

Finishing up the deer by adding salt and pepper, I give a plate to Vivi.

"Thank you for the meal, Valister-sama."

I turn to the other half of the cooked deer and eat it along with the other deer that's still whole.

While eating I ask Vivi what was on my mind.

"Hey, Vivi, I wanna know something."

"Yes, Valister-sama?"

"Why were you kidnapped? Do you know, or have you overheard something from your captors?"

Vivi looks down at her plate sadly.

"It was due to a fault of mine... I don't know if I should tell an outsider this, but I trust Valister-sama. My... uncle, the Duke, betrayed me. Our family knew he was greedy, that he wanted more land and such. He wanted war with humans. I was visiting one of the villages under his jurisdiction, and while I was under his hospitality, I overheard him speak with someone with an odd scent I've never smelled before. They talked of war with humans. Now that I think about it, that odd scent might've been a human, and one higher up like my uncle. Since my uncle probably noticed me, he had secretly informed his human accomplice to attack my escort and sell me to someone as a slave..."

"And that's where I came in to save you."

"Yes! Valister-sama's gallant figure was very dreamy!"

Dreamy, huh? Is she a furry?

...

I mean, I guess she technically is... She has the real ears of an animal...

Vivi begins to eat the rest of her food while her face is red from confessing her opinion of me.

I just look at her while picking my teeth with a toothpick.

So a conspiracy to start a war, huh? Looks like this side quest evolved into a main quest.

The sun is still out. Judging from its position, it's about 4 o'clock, about 4 hours till sunset.

Seeing that Vivi finished her meal, I pack everything up, set my sword to my waist, and crouch down in front of Vivi.

"Get on. We're traveling some more while the sun is out."

"Yes, Valister-sama."

Vivi puts my bag on her back and gets on my back.

"Mhm! Sorry..."

Vivi flinches in surprise and apologizes as I grab her legs.

The sweet scent of vanilla starts permeating from her.

Oh no, she's horny.

Well, she is 14/15 years old. She's going through puberty like I am.

She's a princess though, should I really take her on? It's currently mating season for regular animals. Do beast people go through the same thing? I mean teenage girls usually don't go around smelling a guy's unwashed clothing, especially a guy who they just met a day ago.

What? Rukia and that Doctor? They were adults just looking for some fun! A one-night stand!

But a virgin teenage princess? Getting horny just from me touching her leg? Definitely due to mating season.

While my thoughts were filled with lewdness, we travel further north, getting closer to Primum with every step.