Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 73: Ideal Sanctuary

The drifting mist around them seemed to grow quieter, as though listening.

"It is neither death nor disappearance," she added calmly. "It is simply completion."

Lavayla’s chest felt unexpectedly tight.

Only now did she understand why Shalika had smiled that way earlier.

This was not merely an inheritance.

It was a farewell prepared long in advance.

Shalika looked at them both with peaceful acceptance.

"I have guarded this place for longer than either of you can imagine," she said softly. "Watching seasons pass without change... waiting for someone the space would finally acknowledge."

Her eyes shone faintly.

"It seems, that moment will soon arrive."

"Still, let me continue my explanation. I have told you about the space origin and the meaning of a successor. Oh right, one last thing, I do not know how the space chooses its successors so do not be surprised if when the time arrives, there are some occurrences. Do not be surprised or worried."

Lavayla nodded slowly, "Sure, thank you for the reminder."

Mirek echoed her words, "Thank you."

Shalika nodded with a small smile.

"Now, to continue," she said, folding her hands lightly upon the table. "This space is an ideal sanctuary for nurturing life. Whether it is plants, beasts, or any other living creature, nearly all forms of life thrive naturally here. The environment itself supports growth and evolution."

Her expression dimmed slightly.

"Of course, corrupted creatures are the exception. Beings like the infected serpent you encountered earlier cannot exist peacefully within this space."

Lavayla listened attentively while the mist drifted slowly between the trees, brushing against glowing flowers at their feet.

"Where there is abundant life," Shalika continued, "energy gathers endlessly. When that energy accumulates beyond balance, it becomes chaotic. And when chaotic energy seeps into beasts, corruption is born. That is how those creatures come into existence."

She lifted her gaze toward them again, her tone returning to calm warmth.

"Any plant you discover outside may be cultivated here without difficulty. This land accelerates growth and preserves vitality. Likewise, if you encounter beasts you wish to raise, tame, or even confine safely, this space provides the perfect environment."

Mirek’s ears twitched slightly at that, clearly taking note.

"And then there is time itself," Shalika added. "You already understand that its flow differs from the outside world. That alone makes this place invaluable."

She paused before continuing, her voice lowering with faint amusement.

"There are also rare herbs and spiritual plants here, including poisonous species long extinct in the surrounding lands. Outside of the Great Peaks, such resources are nearly impossible to find."

Her gaze shifted toward Mirek.

"As for beasts, deeper beyond the forest’s edge lies a vast and dangerous territory. Many powerful creatures roam there. While they may not rank among the absolute highest tiers, they are formidable enough to be classified as high-tier beasts. Should you wish to grow stronger, Mirek, that region will prove suitable."

Mirek inclined his head slightly, his expression thoughtful.

Shalika suddenly smiled mischievously.

"But I should not reveal too much. Once the space formally recognizes its successor, all knowledge within it will naturally become clear. I believe... a pleasant surprise will be waiting for you."

Lavayla released a quiet breath.

"I see. Thank you. This space truly is extraordinary," she said sincerely. "There are far more benefits than I imagined. Even though many things remain unclear, we are grateful that you explained everything to us."

Her voice softened.

"I would have liked the chance to meet you again under different circumstances. If fate allows it, I hope we will."

Shalika’s eyes curved gently.

"You need not thank me," she replied. "And I believe you will inherit this place successfully."

She rose slowly from her seat.

"Now then, is there anything else I may assist you with? If not, I will send you back. Once you return, hurry to your cave and prepare the plants I gave you. Mirek must consume them soon so the chaotic energy within him does not worsen."

Lavayla exchanged a glance with Mirek before shaking her head.

"There’s nothing else," she said. "We understand."

Mirek nodded in agreement.

Shalika studied them quietly for a moment, as though memorizing their faces. Then she lifted her hand.

The mist around them responded instantly.

Soft currents gathered beneath their feet, spiraling upward like flowing water. The surrounding forest blurred, colors dissolving into pale silver light.

Vai stirred in Lavayla’s arms, letting out a small sound as the energy wrapped gently around them.

Shalika’s voice echoed faintly through the mist.

"Until we meet again... successors."

The world folded inward.

Light swallowed everything.

The next moment, cold stone pressed beneath Mirek’s boots.

Lavayla blinked rapidly as familiar darkness returned. The sound of falling water roared nearby. Damp air filled her lungs.

They were back inside the waterfall cave.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Only when the glow completely faded did Lavayla exhale.

"...We’re really back."

Mirek immediately scanned their surroundings, instincts taking over. After confirming there were no threats, and all their stuff came back with them, his tense shoulders finally relaxed.

"The energy here feels normal again," he murmured.

Lavayla looked down at Vai, who had already resumed playing with a strand of her hair as though nothing extraordinary had happened.

A helpless laugh escaped her.

"So we just got chosen by a mysterious sentient space," Lavayla muttered.

Her gaze swept across the cave before stopping on the bundle of vegetables and fruits they had brought back earlier. A moment later, she quickly moved toward Mirek, loosening the hide wrap around Vai and carefully placing the child into his arms.

"Take him," she said hurriedly. "I need to prepare something for you to eat quickly so the chaotic energy will not affect you."

Mirek accepted Vai without hesitation, supporting the baby securely against his chest.

Lavayla paused, then pointed toward the pile of fruits beside their supplies.

"And wash those fruits first," she added. "Eat some while I cook. It should help ease the discomfort."

Mirek nodded.

"I will spread the mosses outside first," he said. "Then I will clean them."

"Good," Lavayla replied. "Don’t overdo it."

Without waiting further, she picked up the bundle and hurried toward the cave entrance where light filtered through the falling water.

⸻

The cool mist near the entrance refreshed her immediately. Lavayla knelt beside the shallow stream flowing along the cave wall and began organizing everything in her mind.

They had just returned from the mist space. Mirek had absorbed chaotic energy and needed something warm and nourishing to stabilize it. Vai needed soft food that would not upset his stomach. As for herself, she needed strength after everything they had experienced.

Simple meals. Filling. Easy to prepare with what they had.

She mentally sorted through their supplies.

Earth tubers they had dug from the forest. Wild leafy vegetables. Forest garlic with its strong medicinal scent. Several edible mushrooms. Dried strips of beast meat from earlier hunts. A portion of fresh preserved meat. And the fruits Mirek had gathered along the way.

Lavayla nodded once she made her decision.

She would prepare three simple meals.

A soft vegetable mash for Vai.

A nourishing meat and tuber stew for Mirek.

And roasted meat with sautéed vegetables they could share.

First came water.

Lavayla filled a stone container from the flowing stream before scrubbing their cooking pot with sand and clean moss. She rinsed wooden bowls and flat stone plates carefully, unwilling to risk contamination after Shalika’s warning about chaotic energy.

Behind her, faint footsteps echoed.

Mirek returned after some time, his hands slightly damp. Outside the cave entrance, sheets of Velvet-Web Moss had already been spread carefully across flat stones to dry. The emerald strands swayed gently under the sun.

He had also washed the fruits. A few were already missing from the pile, evidence that he had eaten as instructed.

Now, holding Vai securely with one arm, he watched Lavayla work and assisted when he could.

The familiar rhythm steadied her thoughts.

Mirek arranged dry branches beneath their fire pit and struck sparks against stone until flames slowly came alive. Smoke curled upward and merged with the waterfall mist.

She peeled the tubers with a bone knife, rinsed away soil, and cut them into thick chunks. Half went into boiling water until soft enough for Vai, while the rest were reserved for Mirek’s stew.

Next came the vegetables. Leafy greens and mushrooms were sliced carefully, while forest garlic was crushed between stones, releasing a rich, savory aroma that filled the cave.

When the water began to bubble steadily, she added diced tubers, greens, and finely shredded meat. The broth slowly thickened as fat melted into the mixture.

For Vai, she removed a portion early and mashed the softened ingredients patiently until smooth. A little warm broth loosened the texture before she set it aside to cool.

Then she focused on Mirek’s meal.

Thicker cuts of meat entered the pot alongside garlic, mushrooms, and remaining tubers. The stew simmered heavily, releasing a deep, comforting fragrance meant to restore strength and stabilize energy.

Finally, Lavayla heated a flat stone near the fire and laid strips of meat across its surface. The fat sizzled immediately. She turned them carefully before tossing sliced vegetables beside the meat, allowing them to soften in the rendered juices.

The warm smell filled the cave.

Lavayla wiped sweat from her forehead and stirred the stew one last time before glancing back.

Mirek now stood nearby rather than sitting, Vai resting calmly against his arm as both watched the fire. His red eyes followed her movements attentively.

———

For a brief moment, neither spoke.

Then Vai let out a soft, impatient sound.

Lavayla laughed under her breath.

"Alright, alright," she said, reaching for the bowl of mashed vegetables. "Looks like someone knows dinner is ready."

As the fire crackled and steam rose into the cool cave air, exhaustion finally settled deep into her bones.

"Ugh," she muttered quietly, stretching her sore shoulders. "I’m so damn tired."

Just as she was about to sit properly, Mirek’s voice sounded from beside the fire.

"What... is this?"

Lavayla glanced up.

Mirek was staring at the food laid out before them. His brows were slightly drawn together, his eyes fixed on the bowls as though confronting something incomprehensible.

"I watched everything you did," he continued slowly, his gaze moving from the stew to the roasted meat. "But I still do not understand how those ingredients became this."

Lavayla blinked once before laughter slipped out of her.

She sat down then shifted closer, gently taking Vai back from his arms and settling the child onto her lap. Picking up the smaller bowl again, she scooped a portion of the soft mash and blew lightly over it to cool the steam.

Vai immediately leaned forward.

"Greedy little thing," she murmured fondly before feeding him the first spoonful.

The child swallowed eagerly, tiny hands grabbing at her sleeve for more.

Satisfied that it was safe for him to eat, Lavayla prepared another spoonful. As she did, she noticed Mirek had not touched his food at all.

He was watching her.

Or rather, watching the quiet interaction between her and Vai.

Realization dawned on her.

"Oh," she said, smiling faintly. "You’re still waiting for an explanation."

She fed Vai another bite before answering.

"It’s only because we gathered so many different vegetables that I could make something like this," she explained. "If I had more ingredients, I could cook something ten times better."

A wistful expression crossed her face as memories surfaced briefly, kitchens filled with spices, proper cookware, flavors she could no longer recreate.

She sighed softly.

"This is actually very simple," she continued. "That one is a nourishing meat and tuber stew. Easy to digest and good for restoring strength. And the roasted meat is just fried in its own fat with vegetables."

She shrugged lightly.

"Nothing special."

Mirek looked unconvinced.

To him, transforming raw roots, leaves, and meat into something carrying such a rich aroma was far from ordinary.

Still, he finally picked up the bowl.

The heat seeped into his palms as steam rose toward his face. For a brief second, he hesitated before taking a mouthful.

The effect was immediate.

Warmth spread down his throat and settled heavily within his chest. The rich broth carried a dense vitality unlike anything he had consumed before. It was not merely nourishment. The energy within the food moved gently through his body.

The restless turbulence that had lingered beneath his skin since absorbing the chaotic energy suddenly stirred.

Lavayla noticed it first.

Mirek froze mid-motion, his grip tightening slightly around the bowl.

A faint ripple passed through the air around him.

The violent, unstable energy she had sensed earlier did not surge outward this time. Instead, it folded inward, drawn toward his core as though guided by an unseen force.

Mirek exhaled slowly.

Heat spread through his limbs, but unlike before, it did not burn. The chaotic energy that once felt sharp and invasive now softened, breaking apart and dissolving.

Energy circulated through his veins, merging with his natural strength.

Lavayla straightened.

"...Mirek?"

He lowered the bowl slightly, clearly surprised.

"The energy," he said quietly. "It is changing."

Another wave passed through him, gentler this time. The tension in his shoulders eased, and the faint pressure that had surrounded him since their battle with the serpent gradually faded.

It felt as though the chaos inside him was being filtered, stripped of hostility and reshaped into pure ambient energy.

Just as Shalika had promised.

Lavayla released a breath she had not realized she was holding.

"Well," she muttered, relief creeping into her voice, "good thing my cooking skills are good and didn’t ruin the effectiveness."

Mirek glanced at her and his gaze softened.

"Hm, you are very good at cooking," he said.

Lavayla smiled. "Thanks for the compliment." Then she turned to continue feeding Vai.

Vai babbled happily, completely uninterested in life-altering energy transformations, demanding another spoonful instead.

The fire crackled warmly between them as Mirek continued eating.

With every mouthful, the chaotic remnants within him settled further, transforming into steady strength rather than destructive force.

Outside, the waterfall roared endlessly.

After they finished eating, Mirek gathered the bowls and cooking tools without being asked.

"I will clean everything," he said simply.

Lavayla did not argue. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her limbs, and she only nodded before carrying Vai toward the sleeping area deeper inside the cave.

The moss mats they had prepared earlier had been laid out, releasing a faint earthy scent that made the space feel warmer and more livable. Lavayla lowered herself onto one of the mats and settled Vai in front of her, gently holding his tiny hands as he babbled happily.

The child seemed unusually energetic despite the long day since he spent it sleeping, kicking his legs while grabbing at her fingers.

Lavayla smiled faintly and played along, letting him tug at her sleeve and hair.

Not long after, footsteps approached from the cave entrance.

Mirek returned.

He paused a short distance away, saying nothing. His gaze rested quietly on the two of them. The firelight flickered across his features, softening the usual alertness in his eyes.

Lavayla noticed the stare after a moment.

She tilted her head. "What’s wrong? Is the chaotic energy still affecting you?"

Mirek shook his head.

"No," he replied. "I was thinking that we were unable to hunt the beasts we needed today. It is getting late. Night will soon arrive."

"Tomorrow," Lavayla interrupted immediately.

Her tone was firm but tired.

"Tomorrow," she repeated. "We’ve done enough today. Yesterday we didn’t even have anything to sleep on. We slept directly on stone. One more night without proper coverings will not kill us."

Mirek studied her briefly before nodding.

"All right. I will start the fire."

He rose and moved toward the fire pit, feeding thicker branches into the flames until a large, steady fire burned brightly. Warm light spread through the cave, pushing away shadows while heat slowly filled the damp air.

Once satisfied, Mirek stepped outside.

Lavayla assumed he had gone to bathe, but time passed quietly. Nearly an hour went by before he returned.

When he finally entered the cave again, there was no visible moisture on his skin. Only faint droplets clung to the ends of his dark red hair, sliding down occasionally to disappear along his neck.

If not for that, she might have doubted he had gone near water at all.

Lavayla said nothing.

By then, Vai’s movements had slowed. She gently rocked him, humming under her breath until his breathing deepened and sleep claimed him completely.

Carefully, she laid him down on the softened moss bedding and covered him lightly with hide.

Mirek settled onto the mat nearby soon after.

"Good night," Lavayla said quietly.

He inclined his head. "Good night."

The fire crackled softly between them.

Lavayla closed her eyes, her consciousness slipping inward as she began speaking with Nessa about everything that had happened that day. The encounter with Shalika, the sentient space, the inheritance, and the strange promise of becoming successors.

Even now, it felt unreal.

Eventually, exhaustion pulled her into sleep.

⸻

Just like the previous night, Lavayla woke sometime after midnight.

The cave was quiet except for the distant roar of the waterfall and the steady rhythm of Mirek’s breathing nearby.

Careful not to disturb Vai, she rose silently and stepped toward the entrance.

Cool night air greeted her outside.

’Nessa, scan the surroundings,’ she thought.

A brief pause followed.

’Scanning complete. Within one hundred meters, no carnivorous beasts or hostile threats detected. Host may proceed safely.’

Lavayla exhaled in relief.

’Okay. Thanks.’

She moved toward the stream beyond the falling water, brushing her teeth first before washing thoroughly. The cool water shocked away the remaining fatigue clinging to her body.

After bathing, she changed into clean clothes and wrung excess water from her hair before returning inside the cave.

The fire had burned lower, glowing in quiet embers.

For a moment, she simply stood there.

Mirek slept lightly, one arm resting near where Vai lay, instinctively positioned as though guarding them even in sleep.

Lavayla’s gaze lingered.

So much had changed in such a short time.

A strange world. A child she now protected. A beastman warrior sharing survival beside her. And now, a mysterious space that might one day belong to them.

Lavayla returned quietly to her mat and sat down, careful not to wake Mirek or Vai.