"Madam, your rank has reached Level Five. The lord is Level Seven. Your descendants with the lord will definitely be very powerful!"
"How do you know I'm Level Five?"
"Only at Level Five can one fully take human form! I don't know your exact level, Madam, but I think it's at least Level Five!"
After hearing Saning's explanation, Fannie understood this world a little better.
So, only when someone reaches Level Five can they completely turn into a human.
She realized that if she meets others like her outside, she must stay calm. Otherwise, the other person might transform suddenly, and she could be in danger.
---
Meanwhile, Alessio finished his patrol and rushed back to his territory without stopping.
He was eager to return, wanting to reach Fannie immediately, afraid she might secretly leave while he was away.
Thinking about this made Alessio even more anxious to see her. His heart felt like it was being pulled, full of worry.
When Alessio entered the cave where he lived, he didn't see his little companion as he expected.
Instead, he saw a stern-looking man sitting at a stone table.
Alessio was momentarily surprised, then his face lit up with joy. He ran to the man and hugged him tightly, shouting happily, "Brother, you finally came back!"
Miliano looked calm on the outside but did not push his brother away. He only said softly, "Enough hugging, sit down. I have something to ask you."
Alessio let go and sat next to Miliano.
He looked excited, eager to share his happiness. "Brother, I have something to tell you too. Yesterday, I rescued an adorable little female from the Rat Tribe. I really like her, and I already chose her as my mate!"
Miliano watched his younger brother's joy silently but felt heavier inside.
His gaze was sharp as he stared at Alessio. In a serious tone, he asked, "I heard she is a wandering beast. Do you know her background?"
Alessio didn't answer directly. He just said, "Her name is Fannie…"
Miliano's eyes sharpened. He locked onto his brother and spoke clearly, "I didn't ask her name. I asked if you know her background."
Alessio only knew Fannie's name. He didn't know anything else.
During yesterday's encounter, Alessio noticed that Fannie was hiding her identity from him. Even so, he chose to defend her in front of his brother and said simply, "I haven't had a chance to ask yet."
Miliano pressed further, "Haven't had a chance, or couldn't ask?"
Alessio quickly realized his brother didn't approve of his little companion. The smile on his face faded. "Brother, have you met Fannie?"
Miliano gave a small "hm" in response.
Alessio really liked his little companion. Even if his brother disagreed, he wanted to protect their relationship. With a bit of stubborn childishness, he declared, "Even if you don't like Fannie, I won't let her leave me. I like Fannie. I've already mated with her. I must be with her!"
Miliano's sense of smell was incredibly sharp.
Not only could he detect the scent Alessio had left on Fannie, but he also sensed a very strange scent from her. Even though he was not in his mating period, the strange scent unsettled him.
Under the temptation of that scent, his mind became restless and hard to control.
Fortunately, his willpower was strong enough to suppress the overwhelming desire inside, avoiding an impulse that could make him lose control.
Miliano did not mention how close he was to losing control. He spoke calmly, "As far as I know, your mating period is still a month away. Why has it started early?"
Alessio answered honestly, "It was supposed to be a month later, but after seeing Fannie, my mating period started early. Maybe it's fate."
Miliano's gaze was sharp as he asked directly, "Could it be because of the scent from that wandering beast?"
Alessio didn't like his brother calling his little companion a wandering beast. He said seriously, "Fannie is not a wandering beast. She is my mate. This is her home!"
Miliano did not look down on wandering beasts, nor did he dislike Fannie for being weak.
It was just that Fannie had too many things he couldn't understand. As an older brother, he had to protect his younger brother and could not let him be hurt by an unknown female.
Seeing his brother unhappy, Miliano put a hand on Alessio's shoulder and slowly said, "I must tell you, I cannot sense the beast aura on her. I can't even be sure if her beast form is a female leopard."
"If she is not from our kind, no matter how much you like her, you two cannot have offspring!"
"Do you understand what I mean?"
After a pause, Miliano continued, "The clothes she wears are similar to the Silk Tribe, but there is no Silk Tribe aura on her."
The Silk Tribe lives around Sang Mountain, far from the tribe in Yao Mountain. They have always lived peacefully, never leaving their territory, and never abandoning their weak tribe members.
"If she is from the Silk Tribe, why would she be wandering outside? If she is not, yet wears clothes made of silk, isn't that even more suspicious?"
"You are not only yourself; you are also the leader of the whole tribe! You must protect the tribe. You cannot let it fall into danger. This is your responsibility and duty!"
Miliano analyzed the risks, hoping his brother would act wisely and not recklessly.
However, Alessio did not take his brother's concerns to heart. His gaze was firm as he said, "I like Fannie. Even if she is not from our kind, even if we cannot have offspring, I still like her!"
After a pause, Alessio added a bit childishly, "Brother, if you think me being with Fannie will bring disaster to the tribe, then you can be the leader. After all, this position was given to me by you. It will be proper and right for you to take it!"
Miliano did not care about the leader's position.
He never thought of taking it back. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given it away in the first place.
Over the years, he had been searching for a way to restore his left eye's sight. As long as he was alive, he would continue searching day by day until the day his left eye could see again.
Nothing could stop him from pursuing the light.
"Enough!"
Miliano sighed quietly in his heart, afraid that if he kept talking, his stubborn little brother would really refuse to listen. "Since you like her, I cannot force you two apart."
"But…"
Miliano's tone turned serious, his expression stern. "You must promise me that you will find out her true identity as soon as possible.
"If it's certain that she won't harm you or the tribe, I will sincerely bless you two. But if she could bring disaster to you, or even the whole tribe, then no matter how much you like her, I will never allow her to stay!"
Hearing his older brother relent, Alessio's tense face finally bloomed into a bright, warm smile, like the sunshine of spring.
Alessio looked at his brother firmly and said seriously, "I believe in Fannie! So brother, the things you worry about will not happen. Even if Fannie and I cannot have children, I will stay with her, never leaving her!
"By the way, brother, where did Fannie go?"
"She left on her own after I spoke to her for a few words. She didn't tell me where she was going."
"I'll go look for her outside!"
Before he even finished speaking, Alessio's figure had already disappeared outside the cave.
Watching this, Miliano could only shake his head helplessly.
For his stubborn little brother, he really had no way to intervene. He could only stay in the tribe for now and deal with his own matters after things were settled.
Alessio searched for a while and finally found Fannie in Saning's cave.
He liked Fannie so much that he hugged her tightly, as if afraid she would disappear in the next moment.
He looked at her with deep affection, his eyes full of love and longing, and softly said, "Fannie, I missed you so much!"
Before the words even finished, Alessio couldn't help but lean in to kiss her soft, delicate lips.
Fannie felt a little overwhelmed by Alessio's intense display of emotion.
She had already transformed into human form, so she needed to maintain some dignity.
Saning was still watching nearby.
However, Alessio didn't care if there was a third pair of eyes. The only thought in his mind was—he wanted to kiss his beloved little companion immediately.
Without hesitation, he reached out, held her restless little head firmly, and pressed a passionate kiss onto her lips.
The sudden intimacy made Fannie's cheeks turn bright red, cute and tempting like a ripe apple.
At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Tonight, she would be sharing a bed with two big leopards.
If Alessio lost control in the middle of the night and caused some commotion… thinking of this, Fannie's face burned even hotter, and her heart pounded nervously like a frightened deer.
Seeing his little companion's shy face, Alessio slowly let go of her head, a mischievous and charming smile on his lips. "I forgot to tell you, my brother and I look exactly the same. Did you mistake him for me?"
Did she even need to be asked?
She didn't just mistake him—she even acted cute with Miliano. It was a total social embarrassment!
Of course, Fannie would never admit such an awkward thing.
She shook her head decisively and then put on a very serious expression. "Although you two look the same, your personalities are completely different. Of course, I didn't mistake you for him."
As soon as she finished speaking, Fannie, worried that Alessio wouldn't believe her, quickly brought an ally—Saning—and gestured for support.
After receiving the instruction, Saning secretly groaned in her heart. She thought, "Madam is clearly lying with her eyes wide open!"
Clearly, she had made a mistake, and now she wouldn't admit it… Even though she felt conflicted and helpless inside, out of absolute loyalty to Madam, Saning still nodded without hesitation and said, "Yes, yes, yes!"
Alessio had only asked casually. Even if his little companion really confused the two of them, it didn't matter.
But when he heard his little companion say she hadn't made a mistake, a subtle joy arose in his heart that he couldn't explain.
Thinking of the untouched venison, Alessio frowned, looking worriedly at Fannie, and softly asked, "Fannie, you don't like venison? Tell me what you like to eat. No matter how hard it is, I will find a way to get it for you!"
Fannie didn't dislike meat; she just didn't like eating it raw.
Faced with Alessio's concerned question, she couldn't give that reason, so she answered politely, "My appetite hasn't been very good these past two days. I want to eat something light."
Although fruit could temporarily fill her stomach, it had limited nutrition. If she relied on fruit alone every day, her body would eventually suffer.
Now she was eating for two—herself and the baby in her belly. She could endure skipping a few meals, but the baby could not.
Dried meat could supply nutrients, but it was too hard to eat and not the best option for energy.
Starting a fire was urgent.
Once she had fire, she could eat cooked food. This could be seen as the first step for her to lead the tribe toward a civilized life!
When Alessio heard that Fannie's appetite was poor, he became anxious and immediately pulled her outside. "Let's go find Elder Bagu!"
Elder Bagu? Isn't he Batuya's father?
Why find him?
Fannie stood frozen, her steps not moving, and asked suspiciously, "Why are we looking for Elder Bagu?"
Alessio looked at her with concern. "Elder Bagu is the tribe's shaman and healer. If he examines you, you'll be able to eat!"
Fannie suddenly understood.
Batuya's father wasn't just an elder; he was also the tribe's doctor.
But she had to disappoint Alessio.
Only she knew the cause of her "illness," and only she could heal herself.
Fannie politely refused, "No need to trouble Elder Bagu. I know what's wrong, and it might be fine by tomorrow."
Alessio asked, "Really?"
Although Fannie hadn't experimented with making fire by rubbing sticks, she understood the principle that friction produces heat. Once she successfully made fire, her "illness" would naturally be cured without treatment.
Fannie nodded, "Really!"
Alessio sincerely thought his little companion was far too thin and weak. Especially yesterday, when they mated by the river, she had fainted immediately. He needed to help her regain her strength!
"If tomorrow you still have no appetite, you must go with me to see Elder Bagu. I said I'll make you plump and healthy, and I will keep my word!"
"I think this is fine."
"No, it's not fine at all. Last night by the river we…"
Alessio hadn't finished speaking before Fannie reached out and covered his mouth.