Villainess is being pampered by her beast husbands

The creature that was once Lord Siss dug its newly forming, jagged talons into the rotting wood, its raw, muscle-exposed face twisting into a silent, agonizing scream of pure, unadulterated hatred.

The ancient snake had indeed lost a body in the treasury. But a creature that had survived for three centuries had not done so by relying on a single life. He had shed his skin before. He had abandoned heavily damaged vessels to regrow in the dark.

It would take time for his new, horrific form to fully stabilize. It would take time to gather the hidden, banished monstrosities of the deep marsh that even his own guards did not know existed.

But he had time. And when he finally returned to his canyon, he would not make the mistake of underestimating the human again.

.

.

.

Two months passed.

To the absolute shock of the entire beast continent, the Venom-tooth Canyons did not collapse into a bloodbath, nor did they fall to a rival warlord. Instead, they thrived in a way that defied all primitive logic.

Kaya’s gamble had paid off with staggering, exponential success.

The outer rings of the canyon, once a desolate, heavily guarded kill-zone, had been completely transformed. It was now a sprawling, vibrant marketplace. The air, which used to reek of sulfur and fear, was now thick with the scent of roasting meats, exotic spices, and the constant, rhythmic clinking of forged coins.

Merchants from every corner of the neutral zones had flocked to the West. At first, they arrived in small, terrified trickles, expecting the rumors of a "Free Clan" to be a trap. But when they arrived and found the gates open, the tolls shockingly low, and the terrifying Snake guards acting as polite, disciplined peacekeepers instead of extortionists, the floodgates opened.

Caravans heavily laden with grain, textiles, medical supplies, and iron ore poured into the canyon daily. The Free Clan’s treasury was swelling, not from raiding, but from a tiny, consistent percentage taken from thousands of daily transactions.

Kaya sat on the high balcony overlooking the bustling courtyard, a heavy ledger resting on her knees. She was tapping a piece of charcoal against her chin, her eyes scanning the columns of numbers. She wore a tailored tunic of deep crimson, her hair braided back, looking every bit the ruthless, untouchable Clan Leader she had built herself up to be.

"If we move the textile merchants to the second terrace, it frees up the main thoroughfare for the livestock traders," Kaya muttered to herself, making a quick slash on the parchment. "Cutie is going to need more men to handle the grain silos before the winter frost sets in."

A sudden, violent gust of wind rustled the parchment, nearly blowing it out of her hands.

Veer dropped from the sky, landing silently on the stone railing of the balcony. He folded his massive black wings into his back, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling market below with a mixture of pride and predatory alertness.

"You work too much, wife," Veer said, stepping down from the railing and plucking the charcoal directly out of her hand. "The treasury is full. The merchants are happy. The guards haven’t eaten anyone in sixty days. You have successfully dragged this primitive rock into a golden age. Take a breath."

Kaya sighed, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her tired eyes. "I’ll take a breath when the perimeter is completely secure. How was the aerial patrol?"

Veer’s playful demeanor instantly sharpened into cold professionalism. "The skies are clear. My father’s vanguard is holding the cloud line perfectly. But the ground is a different story."

Kaya sat up straight, all traces of exhaustion vanishing. "Who?"

"Lions," Veer said, crossing his arms. "A vanguard of about two hundred warriors. Heavily armed, marching fast from the Central Plains. They bypassed the neutral trading posts entirely. They aren’t here to buy grain, Kaya. They are carrying the golden banners of the Lion King. An envoy is coming to knock on our front door."

Kaya’s jaw tightened. She had known this was coming. The Central Plains relied heavily on extorting the caravans that were now safely trading inside her canyon. The Lion King was bleeding resources because of her market, and he was finally sending someone to demand his cut.

"Two hundred warriors is an insult," Kaya noted, her tactical mind spinning. "It’s too large for a peaceful diplomatic envoy, but far too small for a siege. It’s a flex. They want to march up to our gates, look intimidating, and demand we bend the knee."

"Do you want me to intercept them?" Veer asked, his hand dropping casually to the hilt of his twin blades. "A few boulders dropped from the clouds would scatter them back to the plains."

"No," Kaya said, standing up and smoothing out her tunic. "If we attack an envoy without provocation, we prove to the continent that we are just another pack of savage warlords. We lose the moral high ground with the merchants. Let them come to the gates. I want to look this envoy in the eye when I tell him no."

An hour later, the heavy iron gates of the Venom-tooth Canyons ground to a halt, remaining firmly shut.

Outside the walls, the Lion vanguard arrived. They were a magnificent, terrifying sight. Two hundred massive beastmen, their skin tanned and scarred from the sun-drenched plains, wearing heavy bronze armor that glinted blindingly in the daylight. Most of them had thick, golden manes of hair flowing down their backs. They moved with the synchronized, arrogant swagger of an apex predator that had never known defeat.

At the head of the vanguard stood their leader, a towering Lion beastman named Kael. He was practically vibrating with arrogance. He carried a massive bronze broadsword resting casually on his shoulder, and his eyes swept over the high obsidian walls of the canyon with thinly veiled contempt.

Kael stepped forward, slamming the pommel of his sword against the heavy iron gates.

"Open the gates in the name of the Lion King!" Kael roared, his deep voice carrying easily over the walls. "I am Kael, First Vanguard of the Central Plains! I have come to speak with the human who plays at being a warlord! Present yourself, and prepare to pay the King’s due!"

Silence greeted him. The wind whistled through the jagged rocks of the canyon.

Kael scowled, his golden tail swishing irritably behind him. He raised his sword to bash the gate again.

Suddenly, a massive shadow fell over him.

Kael looked up, squinting against the sun. Standing on the very edge of the towering, hundred-foot rampart was Kaya. She looked incredibly small from this distance, a fragile, magicless human wrapped in a crimson cloak. But the sheer, imposing presence of the forces flanking her completely negated her size.

To her right stood Veer, his massive black wings partially extended, a dark, lethal promise of violence from the skies. To her left stood Sarn, the massive Python commander, backed by a tightly packed row of elite Snake guards, their venom-tipped bows drawn and aimed directly at the Lion vanguard below.

Kaya looked down at Kael, her expression completely flat and unimpressed.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!