Chapter 129: Morning Moments And The Scream!
"Good morning..." Aldric greeted Neve as he stepped into the main cave.
Neve was washing his face and ears when he heard Aldric’s shy voice. He turned to look at him nervously standing near the entrance.
Today was another day. Another rotation of who would be protecting and watching over him. And it turned out to be Aldric’s turn. The calm one. The quiet one.
Neve paused mid-wash, thinking to himself.
’I wonder if Aldric could really protect me if something happened. Well, it’s not like I’m in danger or anything. Not right now at least.’
He finished washing his legs and turned to look at Aldric properly.
"Good morning," Neve said back.
"It’s cold, why are you washing your body?" Aldric asked, confused by Neve’s behavior.
"I’d like to be clean, Aldric," Neve said simply.
He was not going to skip basic hygiene just because it was winter and the water was cold. He was pregnant. He needed to maintain his hygiene more than ever.
He walked toward the newly dug cave where Doris’s siblings were playing a stone game together. The young beastmen were sitting on the floor, moving stones around in some pattern that only they understood.
As soon as they saw Neve, they waved at him enthusiastically.
Neve waved back with a smile. They were not crying anymore like they had been yesterday, which was better. Much better. He did not want to take them to the village because they might find out the truth about their sister. They might learn that Doris was dead. And then they would start crying again, and Neve did not think he could handle that right now.
"Popi?" Neve called out, standing outside the entrance to the females’ room.
Sif walked out first, wearing some silk that was wrapped weirdly around her body in an awkward manner.
Neve’s brows furrowed as he stared at her. The outfit was... not great. The silk was bunched up in strange places. It was not sitting right on her body. It looked uncomfortable.
"That face means it’s bad, right?" Sif asked, reading Neve’s expression immediately.
"I’m glad you know how to read faces," Neve laughed nervously, trying to be diplomatic.
"Of course, I do," Sif said proudly. "How do you think I have conversations with my brother? He doesn’t talk much, so I have to read his expressions."
She pointed at Aldric and he flinched at being called out.
Neve wondered if all male bears were actually like that. Shy. Quiet. Expressive mostly through body language and expressions.
He remembered why Aldric and his sister were staying here again. They had come to learn medicine from him. But Neve had been so busy dealing with everything else that he had not had time to teach them properly.
Suddenly, Popi walked out of the females’ room, wearing the same beautiful disaster that Sif had been wearing.
Her outfit was equally terrible. The fabric was puckered in some places. The wrapping was loose in others. The whole thing looked like it was going to fall off at any moment.
"How does this...?" Popi was about to ask about the outfit when Sif stopped her.
"Neve said it’s bad," she said simply.
Popi’s shoulders dropped in disappointment.
"What are you two even trying to do?" Neve asked, not understanding why both of them were wearing these poorly made outfits.
"Nothing. It’s none of your business," Popi frowned at him defensively.
"Popi was trying to make clothes like what you wear and she keeps failing," Sif exposed her new friend immediately.
"Sif!" Popi pouted her lips as she pulled Sif’s cheek teasingly.
"Aw! You can just ask Neve for help," Sif said, rubbing her cheek where Popi had pulled it.
Neve laughed. At least his morning was starting in a happy mood. That meant today would be good. That meant he could have a day without major crisis or trauma.
"Since we have nothing to do today, why don’t I make you some clothes?" Neve offered. "Since Kelly has a lot of silks, we can make some for the kids too! Everyone can have new outfits."
The young beastmen cheered from where they were seated playing their stone game, even though they did not fully understand what Neve and the older beastmen were discussing. They just understood that something fun was happening.
.
.
They went back to the main cave where they collected some of Kelly’s silk.
Neve took out the sewing kit that had been gifted by the system. The women watched as he cut the fabric with scissors. He did not need to measure the fabric first. He could just look at the person wearing it and estimate the right size. His eyes had become good at that.
The system had only given him tools for measuring, not actual knowledge on how to sew. He was just using common sense and what he had accidentally learned from the internet. He was using knowledge from the beastworld mangas he had read back in his old life.
What he had seen in those mangas was something like a wrapper for both up and down. Simple designs that provided coverage while also looking stylish.
He sighed as he tried to add something that would make the outfit less revealing and strong enough to hold their bodies properly. Something that would actually stay on and not fall off when they moved around.
All of them watched as Neve worked the needles like he was a professional seamstress.
Of course, he had learned how to use needles. Back in his old life, when he was a poor student, he had to learn how to sew his torn clothes without anyone’s help. He had no money for repairs or new clothes. So he taught himself through trial and error and YouTube videos.
He finished Popi’s outfit first. He handed it to her.
"Try it on," Neve said.
Popi picked it up, looked at it carefully, and looked back at him with confusion.
"How am I to wear it?" she asked.
Neve gestured vaguely.
"Just..." he said as he pointed at her chest area. He pulled his hand back quickly, trying not to look disrespectful.
"Just slip your hand through here and the other side and pull it down and wrap it behind," he explained.
But Popi got even more confused.
Popi immediately grabbed Neve and pulled him into the females’ room, closing the entrance behind them.
Neve heard the sound of fabric rustling as Popi stripped off her old clothing.
He turned away immediately, almost shrieking. He had forgotten that in this world, nakedness did not matter. Beastmen did not have the same sense of modesty that humans had. They thought nothing of being naked in front of others.
"So where do I put my hand in?" Popi asked.
Neve looked over his shoulder and saw her really trying to wear the outfit without understanding the design.
He tried not to look anywhere but her face as he held the fabric up and helped her wear it properly. He positioned the straps correctly. He adjusted the wrapping so it would stay in place.
When she was done, Popi absolutely loved it.
It was like a strap beach wear, but it had more coverage than that. It included the huge wrapping skirt that was longer and more practical than the short covering that Cael typically wore.
The outfit was beautiful. It was functional. It was comfortable.
"It’s perfect!" Popi hugged him tightly.
"I’m glad you like it," Neve said, his face flushing slightly from the close contact. "Now get off me."
He shoved her away gently.
Just when Popi pulled away from him and they were about to leave the room, a scream came from outside.
The sound was loud, filled with panic and fear.
It came from the main cave.
Neve and Popi exchanged looks immediately.
Something was wrong.
Without another word, they ran back to the main cave.