Chapter 268: Gifts For The Pregnant Female

"Oh, sorry. I forgot about that."

Lucas looked at Xavier with an innocent expression, as though he had only just remembered that the other man was a snake Beastman.

"But it doesn’t matter. There are so many holes in these clothes. Your little cubs can crawl into whichever one they like. Don’t snakes love squeezing into holes?"

Xavier’s face darkened instantly.

Lucas, however, remained completely calm, as though he had just made a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

In truth, he hadn’t been particularly enthusiastic about making clothes for Xavier’s little cubs in the first place. After all, cold-blooded animals remained cold-blooded regardless of what they wore. It wasn’t as if wrapping them in animal hides would suddenly make them warm-blooded.

Still, as a Beast Father, Lucas believed he ought to treat everyone fairly.

If he was making clothes for Sora’s little cubs, he couldn’t deliberately exclude Xavier’s potential offspring.

So he had made a few pieces for them as well.

As expected, Xavier didn’t appreciate the gesture.

But that didn’t matter to Lucas.

As long as Sora liked the clothes, his efforts hadn’t been wasted.

Seeing her laughing so happily at Xavier’s expense made Lucas feel particularly satisfied. His carefully prepared gifts had accomplished exactly what he wanted: making Sora smile.

Besides, Xavier couldn’t speak for the little cubs themselves.

What if they liked the clothes after they were born?

Lucas had no intention of depriving them of the opportunity to express their own preferences.

Of course, deep down, he also entertained another possibility.

Perhaps Xavier wouldn’t have any little cubs to wear the clothes at all.

If that turned out to be the case, then the animal-hide garments would have been a complete waste of effort.

And Lucas wouldn’t be particularly upset about that outcome.

While Lucas and Xavier continued their seemingly polite but secretly hostile exchange, Ryan approached with a bundle of delicate, soft fabric in his hands.

He noticed Sora reclining on a wooden lounge chair and smiled gently.

"Kaelira, look at what I brought you."

He held out the fabric.

"This is Mermaid Gauze. It’s light, thin, and breathable. You won’t feel stuffy wearing it, even when the weather is hot. I thought it would be suitable for you and the little cubs."

Sora accepted the material and examined it curiously.

The moment she unfolded it, her eyes brightened.

The gauze was astonishingly thin, almost like a sheet of paper. Yet it had a smooth, lustrous surface that reflected even the faintest light in the room.

A soft glow seemed to shimmer across the fabric whenever she moved it.

It was beautiful.

More importantly, it was practical.

The Beast-hide Skirts she usually wore were relatively thick. Although they offered protection and warmth, they could become uncomfortable and stifling, especially now that her pregnancy was approaching its final stage.

She had already been thinking about finding a lighter material for the clothes she would wear after giving birth.

At one point, she had even considered asking the others to gather ramie plants so she could make linen clothing herself.

That would have required additional work, however, and she had enough things to worry about already.

Now, Ryan had brought her exactly what she needed.

Sora ran the gauze between her fingers, appreciating its delicate texture.

"This is perfect. I was just thinking about finding something lighter to wear."

She looked at Ryan with genuine satisfaction.

"Mermaid Gauze really is extraordinary."

Ryan smiled at her reaction.

When Lucas and Xavier heard her praise, they also turned their attention toward the fabric.

The moment they saw how thin and delicate it was, even they couldn’t help admiring it.

The Mermaids’ weaving techniques were truly remarkable.

To produce a fabric this fine and transparent required a level of skill that ordinary Beastmen could hardly match.

It was no wonder Mermaid Gauze was so highly valued.

While the three of them were admiring the material, a sharp, drawn-out voice suddenly rang through the room.

"Mermaid Gauze! So beautiful! Kaelira will look especially good in it!"

The voice was thin and high-pitched, making it impossible to ignore.

Sora lifted her head and looked toward the entrance.

There, dressed in black animal hides, stood Damien.

A colorful parrot was perched on his arm.

The bird tilted its head, its bright eyes moving from one person to another.

It was the source of the strange voice.

Xavier’s mouth twitched the moment he saw Damien enter.

What was that troublesome Black Bear Beastman planning now?

Had Damien come to show off another ridiculous gift?

Xavier had barely recovered from Lucas’s mockery, and now Damien had arrived with a noisy bird.

He couldn’t help feeling that the room was becoming increasingly crowded with people determined to steal Sora’s attention.

"If you can’t bring something useful, then don’t bother," Xavier said disdainfully. "What’s the point of bringing flashy things that serve no practical purpose?"

Damien raised an eyebrow.

He didn’t seem offended in the slightest.

Instead, he pointed toward the parrot and smiled.

"Useless? Xavier, you’re mistaken."

He patted the bird gently.

"This little fellow loves talking. More importantly, it enjoys sharing all kinds of gossip."

Damien’s smile widened.

"With this bird keeping Kaelira company, she’ll have something entertaining to listen to every day. If she stays in a good mood, the little cubs will surely be born more smoothly."

He spoke with complete confidence, as though his reasoning were beyond question.

Of course, the truth was that Damien wasn’t particularly concerned about whether the little cubs would enjoy the parrot.

Sora was the one he wanted to please.

Ever since he had discovered how much she enjoyed watching exciting events unfold, he had realized that she had a particular fondness for entertainment and gossip.

He remembered how she had even watched the commotion surrounding the human bridge during its construction.

That had given him an idea.

If Sora enjoyed excitement so much, why not find something that could entertain her without requiring her to leave the house?

He had immediately sent people out to search for a suitable bird.

After several days of effort, the parrot had finally been delivered to him the previous day.

Now, he had brought it to Sora, hoping to win her favor.

Xavier opened his mouth to argue, but Damien’s explanation left him momentarily speechless.

The reasoning was twisted.

There was no denying that.

Yet it also made a certain amount of sense.

Most importantly, Sora appeared delighted.

Her eyes lit up as she stared at the colorful parrot.

"Really? It knows how to tell gossip?"

Damien immediately straightened with pride.

"Of course!"

He looked at the bird and gave its body a gentle pat.

"Come on, little bird. Tell everyone some gossip!"

The parrot flapped its wings and flew from Damien’s arm to the wooden eaves.

After finding a suitable place to perch, it tilted its head and opened its beak.

"The Leopard Tribe to the east is full of fools! Their leader’s wife is secretly having an affair with the leader of the neighboring Yellow Cattle Tribe!"

The room fell silent.

Everyone stared at the bird.

What?

The Leopard Tribe’s leader?

That Beastman was known for his sturdy build and impressive appearance. Anyone who saw him would assume he was a powerful and capable male.

Who would have imagined that his wife was secretly involved with someone else?

And the leader of the Yellow Cattle Tribe?

That Beastman always appeared honest and loyal. He had even publicly displayed his devotion to his deceased Female, making everyone believe he was a deeply affectionate male.

Yet, according to the parrot, he was secretly involved with another Tribe’s wife.

The contrast was astonishing.

Sora clicked her tongue silently.

Truly, appearances could be deceiving.

She had never expected the parrot to begin with such explosive gossip.

Her boredom vanished almost immediately.

She leaned forward slightly and looked toward the bird.

"Go on," she urged.

The parrot tilted its head as though considering what to say next.

Just as it was about to open its beak again, heavy footsteps sounded outside.

Someone was approaching.

A moment later, Nick Wilde appeared at the entrance.

He was carrying an enormous animal-hide blanket that was almost taller than he was.

The blanket was so large that he had to struggle slightly to keep it from dragging along the ground.

When he noticed Sora looking at him, he smiled with a hint of embarrassment.

"Kaelira, I made something for you."

He carefully lowered the blanket.

"It’s an animal-hide blanket. You can spread it across the floor so that you and the little cubs can walk on it barefoot without worrying about catching a chill."

Sora looked at the enormous blanket in surprise.

Nick Wilde had clearly put considerable thought into making it.

The hide was thick and soft, and the size meant it could cover a substantial area of the floor.

Once the little cubs were born, they would need a clean, comfortable place to rest and move around.

The blanket would also allow Sora to walk barefoot without worrying about the cold ground.

It was a thoughtful gift.