My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 20: Midnight Riverie

"Rufus, what is wrong with you?"

Claire asked in confusion.

Rufus shook his heavy head, and hearing his name seemed to snap him slightly awake as he caught sight of Claire through blurred vision.

"Finally … found you … help me…"

Rufus couldn't hold on any longer, and his massive body stumbled toward Claire.

Fortunately, at the final moment before losing consciousness, Rufus shifted out of his beast form.

Claire hadn't understood the situation before he fell into her and knocked her onto the grass.

She tried to push herself up but felt as if she was holding a piece of burning iron against her body.

Rufus' face was flushed red, and even the skin exposed to the air carried a faint pink hue.

"Rufus, do you have a fever? You're burning!"

Claire struggled to roll him aside and free herself, then emptied the sweet potatoes from her hide pouch.

She dragged Rufus onto the hide pouch.

Though the small pouch could only support his upper body, it made pulling him much easier.

Claire grabbed the strap and hauled him toward a nearby cave.

She went to the stream, gathered water in leaves, and brought it to Rufus' lips.

Within moments, his lips had cracked badly from dryness.

Sensing the cool water, he instinctively opened his mouth and drank even in his unconscious state.

After finishing, it still wasn't enough, and he clawed at himself before tearing open his hide clothes to reveal his firm chest.

Seeing him writhe on the ground made Claire increasingly uneasy.

She covered her mouth as realization dawned on her.

Rufus wasn't suffering from a fever.

He looked exactly like someone drugged with an aphrodisiac in television dramas.

"So there is something this twisted in the Beast World too? That's ruthless. Aren't they supposed to just knock someone out and drag them back to a cave if they want them?"

Claire's eyes widened in shock.

"Pome, Pome, come out. Do you have an antidote? I'll owe you and repay it after I have cubs."

Aside from calling Pome, she had no other idea.

She couldn't sacrifice herself to save someone else.

She didn't believe she was that selfless.

"Master, just accept it. It's destiny. Even the heavens want you two to mate and have cubs. He has been struck with the Beast World's Midnight Riverie, and it can kill a beast.

"Master, just close your eyes and it will be over. Rufus is extremely handsome. Even Fiona drools over him. I don't believe you feel nothing."

Pome tempted her persistently in her mind.

Claire rubbed her chin in thought.

"Fine, I admit he is very handsome, but he doesn't even like me. I don't enjoy fbeastfolking anyone. A fbeastfolked melon isn't sweet."

Pome fell silent for a moment.

"What does sweetness matter? Once you take it, it's yours. That's better than letting someone else steal him.

"Besides, he threw himself at you. Later you can say it slipped by accident when he lunged."

Claire's face turned bright red.

Pome always said the most shocking things.

"Pome, you might have a point hidden in all that nonsense, but you're too blunt. You can say it, but I can barely listen."

Claire still hesitated.

"I'm a good system who thinks of my master. Sigh. Being treated like this breaks my heart. I'm going to sleep. Whatever you do, I won't see or hear anything."

After that, no matter how Claire called, Pome didn't respond.

Claire reached out to touch Rufus' forehead, but the heat made her pull her hand back quickly.

"Damn Pome. It definitely has a solution and refuses to tell me."

She had only just bonded with Zane and cherished him deeply, and if she mated with another beastfolk so soon, Zane would feel hurt.

He had said she could take other beast husbands, but she knew it wouldn't be fair to him.

Drip.

A clear sound echoed within the cave.

Claire looked toward the deeper part of the cave, which was dark and seemed to stretch farther inside.

She cautiously stepped inward.

Outside the cave, behind a nearby tree, Nina peeked out and muttered suspiciously.

"Strange. Rufus was clearly drugged and still running around. Where did he go?"

She had waited until Rufus grew drowsy before scattering the powder upwind.

Fortunately, the breeze carried the Midnight Riverie straight into Rufus' nose and mouth.

After seeing his face grow redder and watching him struggle, she went to find Fiona.

By the time Fiona arrived, Rufus had already disappeared from the large rock.

Fiona exploded in anger and ordered her to find Rufus at all costs.

Nina followed the flattened grass trail to this spot but eventually lost him.

A low male groan drifted from inside the cave.

Nina smirked and hurried away to fetch Fiona.

She even complained that despite being dosed with something so strong, Rufus still managed to run this far.

Soon, Nina brought Fiona to the cave entrance.

Nina pointed at the cave and spoke, hoping to receive praise.