CHAPTER 267: CHAPTER-267

Veer exhaled heavily, his chest tight with unease, before slipping the wooden ring from his finger to his pocket .

With a sudden beat of his wings, he soared into the sky, leaving the leather bag abandoned on the ground. He didn’t dare take it with him.

The scent clinging to it was dangerous—if another beastman from his tribe caught a whiff, their instincts would spiral out of control. Right now, he couldn’t risk it. Kaya’s safety was all that filled his mind. He would return for the bag later.

As his silhouette vanished against the clouds, the clearing grew quiet... until the bushes nearby rustled. Two soft, brown ears perked above the foliage, twitching.

A glow of white light shimmered faintly before taking shape—it was Cutie. His blue eyes gleamed like crystals, sharp and curious, following the path Veer had taken into the distance. Slowly, his gaze dropped to the bag left behind.

Without hesitation, he stepped forward, knelt by it, and drew a shallow cut across his palm. A few crimson drops fell onto the withered herbs resting on the leaf inside.

Instantly, a strange brilliance lit the air—the shriveled stems straightened, the faded colors flushed back into vibrant green, and the faint scent of life returned as though the plants had just been freshly gathered.

Cutie’s lips curved faintly, unreadable, as he gathered the restored herbs and tucked them neatly back into the bag.

Slinging it over his shoulder, he turned without a glance toward the mountain. His steps carried him in the opposite direction, the light around him dimming until only the faint shimmer of his trail lingered in the silence.

SLAM!

The wooden door banged open so hard it rattled the jars on the shelf. The old physician, who had been grinding dried horse herbs with a pestle, jolted so violently that his hand slipped. He stared wide-eyed at the figure storming in—Veer, eyes blazing, wings twitching with fury.

"Old man!" Veer barked, dragging Kaya forward. "Look at her! Tell me what’s wrong!"

The physician’s hands trembled as he hurriedly reached for Kaya’s wrist. He closed his eyes, feeling her pulse with practiced care.

But Kaya narrowed her eyes at him, swaying on her feet. Then, with a sharp tug, she yanked her hand back.

"Ehh—stay away from me, oldy!" she slurred, her words thick. "I’m not... interested in wrinkly hands touching me."

The physician’s jaw tightened. His teeth ground together, but he forced himself to endure. With a strained smile, he reached for her wrist again. Kaya giggled, swaying closer, and whispered, "Tch, tch... don’t fall for me, grandpa. I already have a prince." She jabbed a thumb at Veer, then hiccupped.

Veer’s jaw ticked. The physician ignored her, took her wrist, and let go—only to reach again a third time. That was when Veer snapped.

"Are you insane?!" Veer thundered, wings flaring. "Why are you holding her wrist again and again? Has age made your eyes and ears useless? Check her properly!"

Startled, the physician almost stumbled backward. "Y-yes, yes, of course! Veer, lay her down—there." He pointed at the stone bed covered with dried grass.

Veer scowled. "Are you crazy? That’s just a pile of grass on a rock!"

Kaya wobbled on her feet, squinting at the stone bed, then burst into a laugh. "Ooooh... did I transmigrate into a cave world now? A princess on a rock-throne bed, ha!" She tried to flop onto it herself but nearly missed, forcing Veer to grab her arm.

The physician glared at his beloved grass, then at Veer. Those weren’t ordinary weeds—they were soft medicinal grasses, collected after weeks of effort! But with Veer’s dark stare on him, the old man swallowed his protest.

"Please," he muttered, bowing his head, "I need to examine her properly."

With a growl of frustration, Veer spread his wings wide. With one sharp sweep, a gust blew away every blade of grass and even the layer of dust on the rock. The surface gleamed clean.

The healer nearly clutched his chest. My grasses... my precious grasses! Gone, just like that. But facing the spoiled prince’s glare, he only lowered his head, helpless.

Meanwhile, Kaya hiccupped again, poked the healer’s arm, and slurred, "Oi, oldy... if you make me lie on cold stone, at least... sing me a lullaby. Otherwise, I’m not closing my eyes, hmph!"

The healer groaned softly, regretting every choice in his life that had brought him to this moment.

As Veer carefully guided Kaya toward the stone bed, she stumbled once, then plopped down with a crooked smile.

"Sit on the bed," Veer coaxed.

Kaya blinked at him, nodded like a child, and obediently sat.

"Good," Veer said, almost relieved. "Now, sweetheart, put your feet up."

Like an innocent little girl, Kaya lifted both legs and plopped them on the bed with a proud grin. Veer couldn’t help but smile.

"Good. Now, baby, just lie—"

Before he could finish, Kaya suddenly jumped up and stood tall on the stone bed like it was a stage. Her eyes, still hazy but oddly sharp, locked on Veer.

"You!" she barked, her voice shifting into something fierce. "Soldier! What the hell are you doing here?"

Veer froze, blinking at her. "...S-sol..., what, dier?" he asked carefully, trying not to provoke her further.

"You damn soldier!" Kaya’s words slurred, but her tone was pure authority. She jabbed a finger at him. "Didn’t I tell you to run seventy laps around the training ground? What the hell are you doing in my room, huh?!"

She squinted, then slowly turned her head, taking in the stone walls and dusty jars. "...Wait. This doesn’t look like my room. Did I... change houses?"

She paused dramatically, then shook her head. "No... impossible. I don’t even have money for a new house." Her face lit up with drunken realization. "Ah! I got it, I got it!"

Kaya turned back to Veer, pinched both his cheeks hard, and pulled them outward like a mischievous child. "You soldier! You came all the way into the jungle to train, didn’t you? Hah! Good boy. Very good. Determined! That’s the spirit!"