Chapter 1

My best friend Amelia and I came to the primitive orc tribe together.

Women are scarce here, and polyandry is practiced.

Even though we are newcomers, we are allowed to choose the best partner.

Amelia chose the sexually powerful snakeman, and I chose the most loyal werewolf.

When the snakeman hibernated, Amelia couldn't stand the loneliness and chose several new partners, but was discovered by the snakeman.

He imprisoned Amelia in a cold cave like crazy and forced her to lay eggs in a nest.

In contrast, my werewolf was very gentle to me.

On the day when the werewolf became the leader of the tribe, the jealous Amelia pushed me off the cliff.

When I opened my eyes again, we returned to the moment of choosing a spouse.

This time, Amelia rushed over to claim the werewolf before me.

"Arya," she said triumphantly, "this time I will be the leader's wife."

I grinned and pointed to the tall, muscular white tiger shaman next to me.

"I choose him."

I don't want to be a useless spouse of a tribal leader.

Since women are qualified to rule this tribe, I will become the queen of the tribe with the help of the white tiger.

What's more, a white tiger in estrus is no worse than a snake man.

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I awoke on the exact day Amelia and I first arrived at the primitive beast-folk clan.

As I opened my eyes, I heard the elderly clan leader's voice.

"All our unattached males are here for you two esteemed women. Pick any you desire as your mate."

Previously, Amelia and I were bewildered and overwhelmed. Fortunately, we somehow understood the beast-folk's language despite being new to this world.

Amelia, always seeking excitement and considering herself a "dating expert" in our former world, didn't hesitate for a moment.

She immediately indicated the snake-shifter—attractive, with sharp, almost feminine features—and declared him her choice.

"Two tails? I can manage that," she whispered eagerly to me, nearly jumping with joy.

To her, this clan was paradise.

As she examined the remaining beast-men, she turned to me with a smirk. "Aria, you're too dull for someone flashy. If you pick someone too attractive, another woman might snatch him away. Go for someone ordinary and dependable."

She pointed out several beast-men who had average appearances in human form.

I followed her suggestion—not because I feared losing my partner, but because one of the beast-men she indicated was a wolfman.

I'd heard that wolfmen were intensely loyal to their mates. Once bonded, they would never abandon or betray them.

With him, I wouldn't have to worry about Amelia attempting to steal him from me.

And I was correct. My wolfman remained devoted to me, no matter how hard Amelia tried to entice him.

Her frustration grew, and one day, she sneered, "Ugh, Aria, your wolfman is so obstinate. He's too dim-witted to recognize what's good for him."

I only smiled in response.

Sure, he was single-minded when it came to his mate. But dim-witted? Far from it.

If he were truly dim-witted, he wouldn't have been able to use my influence in the clan to rise all the way to the leader's position.

Of course, Amelia was unaware of the lengths my wolfman went to protect and guide me.

This time, as soon as the clan leader finished speaking, Amelia wasted no time.

"I'll take him," she said, pointing directly at the wolfman.

Hearing her words, the wolfman's eyes brightened with surprise and delight.

In the White Tiger Clan, wolfmen were considered mid-tier at best—strong, but not exceptional. Most women overlooked them.

The other beast-men, however, were clearly displeased.

One particularly large black bear beast-man pounded his chest, saying, "Esteemed woman, why would you choose a lowly wolfman when I'm right here?"

The wolfman tensed, his expression revealing a hint of insecurity.

But Amelia approached him directly with a sweet smile.

"I'll take him. I'm certain that the mate I've chosen will prove to be the finest."

Before leaving, she leaned toward me and whispered smugly, "Aria, this time, I'm going to be the leader's wife."

I remained silent, observing as she confidently grasped the wolfman's hand.

The wolfman, overwhelmed with emotion, let out an excited howl.

The other beast-men could only glare enviously at him before turning their attention to me.

I surveyed the remaining group, my gaze settling on the snake-shifter.

Amelia noticed and smirked. "Aria, you know snakes are... adept in certain areas. You're inexperienced, so maybe he'd be a good choice for you. Spare yourself some discomfort, you know?"

I chuckled lightly, shaking my head. "No thanks. You know I dislike spineless creatures."

Then I indicated the tall white tiger shaman standing near the snake-shifter.

"I'll take him."

The shaman's eyes widened in surprise, while the loyal clan leader's face lit up with approval.

Amelia, however, couldn't conceal her amusement.

I knew what she was thinking.

The white tiger shaman wasn't just the clan's spiritual leader—he was also the clan leader's son and the heir to the White Tiger Clan.

Ordinarily, he'd be an ideal choice. But in my previous life, he'd been ambushed by a neighboring clan while hunting and succumbed to his injuries.

His death had cleared the path for my wolfman to rise to power.

This time, though, I wasn't about to let history repeat itself.

I would ensure the white tiger shaman survived—and I would transform him into the most formidable asset in my arsenal.

Amelia could have her trivial dream of being the leader's wife.

As for me? In a world where women ruled, why settle for anything less than becoming queen?

This time, I would seize control of my own destiny.