[LU-EL@LIVESTREAM - GODDESS’S VESSEL]

"WHOA—that’s massive!" Lu-el exclaimed, surprised as he saw something he never thought could grow so large the moment he stepped out of the inn’s front door.

Poru@Beast: It’s a beast! A true BEAST!

In front of Lu-el was a two-meter-tall white wolf, its fur as lustrous as the snow scattered across the village, illuminated by the light of the incoming dawn, giving it a majestic aura.

Poru@Knight: Wait... is it, by any chance, a monster?

Poru@Astronaut: Is the village under attack?

Poru@Undead: I don’t sense DEATH in its aura, though.

Poru@Ghost: And it looks kind of friendly.

Poru@Sage: Is it a tamed monster, perhaps?

"What? You haven’t seen a Mystic Beast before?" Kaori said, following Lu-el outside and standing next to him to admire the Snow Wolf.

"Mystic Beast?"

Luvira@Goddess: Let me enlighten you, everyone, about what Mystic Beasts are.

Luvira@Goddess: In the world of Goddess’s Vessel, like humans, beasts can also gain power through intimacy. Female beasts that gain the power of Mana and learn to use magic are called Mystic Beasts. Meanwhile, male beasts that grow physically stronger through intimacy with their mates are called Alpha Beasts.

"Aren’t Liv—" Kaori paused, realizing she was about to say Lu-el’s class in public, before immediately correcting herself. "I mean, aren’t you supposed to be wandering from place to place, especially in the southern region?"

"How come you haven’t heard of or encountered a Mystic Beast?" she added, growing curious about Lu-el’s past rather than suspicious.

After all, she had already decided to trust him with her life.

"Of course I know about Mystic Beasts and Alpha Beasts," Lu-el replied, maintaining his laid-back demeanor while silently being thankful for the information the stalker goddess had just given.

"I just haven’t encountered any until now," he added, completing his half-lie, half-truth excuse.

"Well..." Kaori mumbled, understanding his reasoning. "It is indeed dangerous to approach an untamed Mystic Beast or Alpha Beast—or to get within their territory."

Poru@Beast: I want Mystic Beasts and Alpha Beasts! Get yourself some tamed beasts too!

Luvira@Goddess: That might be entertaining—Pfft!—I mean, interesting.

Poru@Knight: Let’s call for a vote, everyone!

Poru@Undead: What vote?

Poru@Sage: It means we decide a quest for our livestreamer.

Poru@Ghost: And Luvira-sama will approve it into the game.

Poru@Astronaut: She was one of the developers, after all.

Poru@Undead: I thought she was just another new pervert in the group.

Luvira@Goddess: RUDE!—Anyway, let’s see what kind of beast our dear livestreamer will get for himself.

---

[ISEKAI LIVESTREAMER SYSTEM]

[Quest 4 - Alpha x Mystic Beast]

[Reward - Familiar Bond (Necklace)]

[Objective 1 - Tame your first beast]

[Objective 2 - Find a mate for your first beast]

***

Dammit, everyone!

Didn’t Kaori just say it was dangerous?!

Why can’t you all just be content with a relaxing romance, R18, smut, slice-of-life-themed livestream about my daily life with Kaori?!

Lu-el continued complaining in his mind about yet another unreasonable quest from his loyal viewers, while maintaining his laid-back demeanor as he admired the Mystic Snow Wolf with Kaori—until its mate, the Alpha Beast, arrived.

"You’re already up, huh?" Daichi said, greeting Lu-el and Kaori as he arrived riding atop the three-meter-tall Alpha Snow Wolf. "I expected the two of you to still be doing it by this time, to be honest."

"Dammit..." Lu-el whispered, feeling both impressed and conflicted at the realization that his loyal viewers were right all along.

I really want my own tamed beast, he thought, daydreaming about riding a massive wolf with Kaori.

Kaori, meanwhile, was slowly getting embarrassed at Daichi’s teasing.

"We’re joining your caravan, so we can’t be late," she said, shifting the topic.

"Caravan? Aren’t we leaving, Kaori?"

Seeing Lu-el’s confused expression, Kaori couldn’t decide whether to feel thankful that he wasn’t pressing her—respecting her secrets—or annoyed that he didn’t seem interested.

"I’m thankful for your trust, but at least ask where we’re going!"

***

While Manami gave them a ride on the Alpha Snow Wolf, and Daichi and Mikoto rode the Mystic Snow Wolf toward the village gate, Kaori took the chance to briefly explain their destination to Lu-el.

"We’re going to Florescence Town for the Goddess’s Trial," Kaori said, glancing at Lu-el, wondering if he knew what it was—or where Florescence Town even was.

[Luvira@Goddess: I guess I don’t have a choice but to bestow you with my wisdom so you don’t make a fool of yourself, my dear Livestreamer.]

Just say it already, you stalker goddess, Lu-el grumbled internally as he read her message on the holographic screen.

[Luvira@Goddess: In Goddess’s Vessel, a woman has the right to choose the man she wants to become her lover—and later, her husband.]

[Luvira@Goddess: However, noble lineage still carries responsibility and influence.]

[Luvira@Goddess: Therefore, if a noble boy wants to claim a noble girl as his lover, but she desires another, a ritual known as the Goddess’s Trial must be performed, where the two boys fight for the right to claim her.]

[Luvira@Goddess: To make it more entertaining—I mean fair—other boys, whether commoners or nobles, can also join the ritual if they wish to claim her.]

Reading Luvira’s explanation, Lu-el quickly understood why there were so many young men—around his age—waiting with a dozen carriages as they arrived outside the village.

"Does this mean every man here is going to participate in the Goddess’s Trial?" Lu-el asked, trying to show he wasn’t completely ignorant.

"Well..." Daichi said, stepping in as Kaori fell into an awkward silence, "every man would dream of having the Duchess’s daughter as their lover, right?"

"Wait..." Lu-el muttered, overwhelmed by the sudden flood of questions in his mind.

Kaori, meanwhile, quietly got down from the Alpha Snow Wolf and pulled Lu-el along with her, avoiding Daichi and Manami’s knowing, teasing glances.

Mikoto, on the other hand, remained unusually silent the entire time, still nervous around Lu-el, knowing that Goddess Luvira herself was personally watching everything happening around him.

***

While the caravan prepared to depart, Lu-el took the chance to ask Kaori about what confused him, making it clear she didn’t have to answer anything she wasn’t comfortable sharing yet.

"Are you really that laid-back, or are you just not interested?" Kaori asked, glaring at him as they stood outside the gate.

"I’m just not in a rush. I’d rather take my time getting to know you, Kaori," Lu-el replied.

That was enough to make Kaori fluster and blush—so much so that a few men who glanced their way grew annoyed at him for openly flirting with her.

Ignoring everyone else as they indulged in each other’s company, Lu-el asked his first question.

"Is Mr. Daichi going to participate in the Goddess’s Trial and try to claim the Duchess’s daughter as his lover and wife?"

"Seriously? That’s your first question?"

Though slightly annoyed, Kaori explained that it was Daichi’s responsibility as the chief of Daifuku Hot Spring Village—under the Duchess’s territory—to present himself at such an important ritual, and also to look after the men from his village who were participating.

"I see... That’s why he brought his wives and his tamed beasts—to show off," Lu-el said, once again impressed.

"Ehh... that might be true," Kaori muttered, surprised by his assumption.

As for Lu-el’s second question;

"I’ve never been there before," he said, offering another excuse before continuing, "but Florescence Town is where the Duchess resides, right?"

His concern came from the fact that Kaori had urged him to run away from the Duchess’s soldiers during their fight against Sera and Croc.

However, he wasn’t asking for her reason; he just wanted to know if she was okay with going to the Duchess’s town.

"Mhm..." Kaori nodded softly, reassuring him that he had nothing to worry about.

Or so Lu-el thought.

"So what exactly are we doing in Florescence Town?" he asked, his final question.

"I already said... it’s for the Goddess’s Trial." Kaori replied, keeping her gaze on him as her face slowly blushed.

"You mean we’re watching?"

"No, Lu-el... I want you to win the Goddess’s Trial and claim the Duchess’s daughter as your lover."

"HUH?—!"