This Child Is So Deprived of Love

When the sun had fully risen, dispelling the morning mist, the beast-eared wind chime that had been hanging from the tree for over half an hour was finally let down.

"Ugh..."

Kuma sprawled on the slate ground, feeling as if the whole world was still spinning wildly. The sky was green, the grass was blue, and even the face of the Lady Witch in front of her had split into three.

"Are you awake now?" Felsy looked down at her from above, her voice as cold as ever.

"A-Awake..." Kuma struggled to her feet, fighting the churning in her stomach, and gave a trembling salute. "Thank you, My Lady... for the special training. This humble servant feels... terrifyingly strong right now. Even if I were thrown into a washing machine, I could make it out alive..."

"Good." Felsy nodded in satisfaction. "Since you're so full of energy, go get to work."

She pointed at Lynch, who was busy in the corner of the courtyard.

"My husband said he wants to expand the herb garden, so go help him. Remember, no slacking off, and no... blabbering."

Felsy deliberately emphasized the word blabbering, a cold gleam of warning flashing through her purple eyes.

"Yes! This humble servant understands! This humble servant is now a mute!"

Kuma shuddered all over, immediately covering her mouth and nodding frantically.

At this moment, Lynch was carrying a hoe on his shoulder, gesturing over a patch of wasteland on the outskirts of the courtyard.

Seeing Kuma stumbling over, Lynch immediately revealed a bright smile.

"Oh my, finished training? You've worked hard."

Lynch stepped forward and thoughtfully handed Kuma a cup of water. "Here, drink some water and catch your breath. Felsy just told me this is your traditional custom, and it really opened my eyes. But even though young people have good health, you should still practice moderation."

Looking at Lynch's harmless smiling face, a chill ran down Kuma's spine.

Fake! Just keep faking it!

It was obviously you and the Lady Witch teaming up to punish me for peeping, yet you actually managed to turn black into white, calling a punishment a custom! This ability to twist the truth is truly worthy of the man who conquered the Witch!

"Th-Thank you, Brother Lynch..." Kuma took the water cup. Although she was complaining inwardly, her body honestly assumed an obedient posture.

"By the way, Kuma."

Lynch pointed at the wasteland under his feet, his expression becoming somewhat serious. "It's good that you're here. I have a favor to ask of you."

"I plan to reclaim this land and double the size of the herb garden."

As Lynch spoke, he drew a circle on the ground with his hoe. "Roughly from here to the fence over there, the soil needs to be completely turned over, and then fenced in again."

Hearing these words, Kuma's drinking motion abruptly stopped.

In that instant, the radar in her mind went off like crazy.

Expand?

Double the size?

Kuma widened her eyes, looking at this piece of wasteland that, while not huge, was definitely not small either.

One must know that to the Demon Race, a territory was not just a piece of land, but a symbol of power projection.

Previously, these two had been holed up in that small courtyard like reclusive worldly experts. But now, after just one night—specifically, after that mysterious bedroom massage ritual—Lynch was actually taking the initiative to propose an expansion?

This was definitely no coincidence!

Kuma's brain worked at lightning speed, instantly connecting it to the explosive surge in Felsy's life force last night.

It must be that the Lady Witch had recovered some of her strength, and her ambition had revived along with it! And this Mr. Lynch, as Her Ladyship's partner, had immediately understood her intentions and begun establishing their own sphere of influence!

The so-called herb garden expansion was nothing but a front!

This was clearly the first step in establishing the first secret demon lair on the Central Continent! This land was about to be transformed into a dark base for cultivating demonic poisonous weeds and breeding war beasts!

Thinking of this, Kuma felt her blood boil with excitement.

As a member of the Scorched Earth Guard, nothing was more thrilling than watching the Demon Race's power take root and sprout in the human heartland.

Moreover, if she could participate in the foundation laying work of this great plan... wouldn't she become a founding contributor?

Her future was boundless!

"What's wrong? Do you think the work is too heavy?"

Seeing Kuma stay silent for a long time, Lynch scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly. "That's true. Even though you're a beast-eared girl with great strength, you're still a girl after all. How about we just forget it? I'll do it slowly by myself, it'll just take a few more days..."

"No! It's not heavy at all!"

Kuma slammed the water cup onto the ground, a blazing fire burning in her brown eyes.

"How could I let you do such heavy labor yourself! Leave it to me! I love turning soil the most! I was born to turn soil!"

To show her determination, Kuma even directly snatched the hoe from Lynch's hands and swung it with fierce vigor.

"Just give the order, and never mind this piece of land, I can even turn the whole village upside down!"

"Hey, hey, hey, there's no need for all that." Lynch was startled by her enthusiasm and hurriedly stopped her. "Then... let's talk about your wages? Although I'm not exactly flush with cash, according to the market rate, this kind of manual labor should pay at least..."

"I don't want money!"

Kuma said with absolute certainty.

Was he joking? Being able to participate in the construction of a demon lair was already a supreme honor, and she would ask for money? That would be an insult to the Lady Witch! That would be a blasphemy to her own faith!

"As long as you provide food, that's enough! That braised bear paw from last night... slurp... As long as you let me freeload on meals, I'd even pay you!"

Lynch was stunned.

He looked at the little girl in front of him, who only reached his waist, wearing a large messenger bag, yet swinging a hoe taller than herself while shouting that she didn't want money.

A soft spot in his heart was suddenly struck hard.

This child... just what kind of life had she lived before?

Lynch's mind automatically conjured up a tragic melodrama titled The Wandering Tale of a Beast-Eared Orphan.

Perhaps in her hometown, she couldn't even get enough to eat? Perhaps she had been bullied since childhood, so as long as someone treated her a little bit nicely and gave her a meal of meat, she was ready to tear her heart out for them?

So pitiful.

She really lacked love too much.

"Silly child, there's no such thing as working without pay." Lynch sighed, reaching out to affectionately rub Kuma's messy red hair. "Even if you don't want it, I can't not give it. How about this, I'll save your wages for you first, or exchange them for delicious food. From now on, as long as I'm home, feel free to come over for meals. Eat as much as you want!"

"R-Really?" Kuma's eyes lit up, and her ears twitched.

A long-term meal ticket secured! And it was the kind of top-tier medicinal cuisine that could restore demonic magic!

"Of course it's true." Lynch smiled gently. "Alright, let's get to work! Let's try to finish turning the soil today!"

"Yes, sir! Boss... uh, no, Brother Lynch!"

Kuma swung the hoe with full enthusiasm.

[Ding!]

Right at this moment, that drama queen system once again made its presence known.

[Congratulations, Host!]

[Your deceptive words and hypocritical smile have successfully brainwashed the naive Demon General!]

[Not only have you turned her into your free labor, but you have also made her deeply grateful to you! What masterful manipulation skills (scratch that)... what incredible charisma!]

[Demon Lair Construction Progress: 1%]

[Watching the beastgirl sweat as she works, do you feel the joy of being a ruthless farm owner... oh wait, a demon lord?]

Lynch ignored the system's nonsense, merely watching Kuma's tiny back as he pondered whether he should give her an extra chicken drumstick for lunch.

"Ah, such a sensible child. I will definitely have to look out for her from now on."

Under the sunlight, the two figures, one large and one small, threw themselves into their work with burning enthusiasm, each striving toward their own completely different vision of a "grand blueprint."