“…What?”
He could have let it slide that he stopped for no apparent reason. But when Argen answered next, a loud exclamation escaped him before he knew it.
“You have symptoms?” When Valen asked, Argen shook her head.
“Demon pregnancy differs from that of humans. I know not what symptoms you speak of.”
“Like feeling queasy, or needing more sleep…”
“You do sleep a lot, though.” Argen looked up at Nadol, his eyes shining. Nadol pulled up the corners of his mouth like a kind uncle. “Lord Argen. If you want to sleep more here, the only way is to die.”
“I suppose.”
“What do you mean, ‘I suppose’ ?” Valen stood beside Argen naturally. As the two demons stared as if wondering what he was doing, Valen gestured with his chin toward the front.
“Aren’t you going?”
“You want to come with us?”
“Did you think I was just going to wave goodbye at your backs?”
“Weren’t you?” Hearing Argen mutter to herself, he put his arm around her shoulder. It meant let’s hurry.
“You’ve never once come with us before.” Nadol spoke with puzzlement, then began walking.
This wasn’t her first test, it seemed. Valen hadn’t known Argen was consistently taking pregnancy tests. He hadn’t cared to begin with. Whether a child of his was growing inside her or not. Rather, the very existence of that being was nothing but an annoyance. He couldn’t possibly feel something as cumbersome as paternal affection.
Valen’s sole concern was escaping the Demon King’s castle.
“Don’t get your hopes up too high.” The dusk darkness spread up to the top of Argen’s head.
In the midst of this, a voice that spoke bluntly flowed in particularly resonantly.“I won’t do that.”
Valen stared blankly at the scene unfolding before him. “You can tell if someone’s pregnant here?”
It was a place with a lake as deep blue as the night sky. Despite it being evening, the surroundings were as dark as midnight. Not a breath of wind stirred, yet the water’s surface rippled. White lights like fireflies drifted through the surroundings, and on the lake rippling in one direction, thousands of colours tangled like threads, flickering on and off.
He had assumed it would be indoors. The lakeside was filled with lyrical peace and beauty. This place was truly… not wondrous or mysterious.
The first thought that came to mind was ‘How lame.’ Did all demons really come here to find out if they were pregnant?
Valen turned to Nadol with a disgusted look. “Are we in the right place? Did we suddenly take a wrong turn?”
It was entirely possible for demons. They were creatures who lived so impulsively. But Nadol shook his head. “Watch closely.”
As Nadol chanted an incantation, a gentle ripple spread across the lake. A blue flash erupted from the darkness, instantly forming a beautiful hexagonal pattern like snowflakes embroidering the sky. It spread wide like a bird unfurling its wings and flew toward Argen.
Trails of light scattered like debris, and an icy chill seeped into the surroundings. The light that had swallowed Argen plunged back into the lake, as if returning to its place.
“How about it? Beautiful, isn’t it?”
…Beautiful my ass.
The only thought that wouldn’t leave his mind was how utterly incompetent this medical skill was. Does she have to go through this annoying process every single time to find out if she’s pregnant?
He was tempted to buy a medical book from a human world bookstore and hand it to her. If a pregnant woman could just lie comfortably in her own bed, medical staff would come for a checkup, and she’d hear something like, “Congratulations.” Why does it have to be so flashy?
Valen placed his hands on his hips and stared with a look of disgust at the water where Argen had been sucked in. “How long do we have to wait?”
“She just went in, so she should be up in about two hours.”
“……What? Two hours?”
“Why don’t you sit here and have some tea?” Nadol pulled a thermos and two teacups from his coat. Who knows why he carried such things in his pockets. He perched on a flat rock, legs crossed like a girl. Then he poured hot lemon tea, making a splashing sound.
“Here you go. The shores of the Lake of Life are cold year-round, so you need to warm your insides with something hot.”
“Just to find out if she’s pregnant? Why go to such lengths? What if the baby suffocates and dies?”
“Just to find out? This is what Lord Argen and our entire demon realm desire.”
“Because of your vacation. Right?” Valen sneered, but Nadol didn’t seem bothered at all, instead making a loud, slurping sound.
“No demon has ever lost their life just by falling into the Lake of Life. There have been those who, as a last resort to survive, plunged in and ended up tragically, but… It’s the root of the demon realm, like a mother’s embrace. There’s no need to worry.”
“What the hell do doctors do? Didn’t you say you’re a doctor too?”
“I’m a trauma specialist, so there’s nothing I can do. Besides, even if I don’t have to step forward, everyone recovers with their own healing power.”
Valen’s cup cooled down, and Nadol’s cup showed its bottom.
“Still, other doctors treat allergies surprisingly well.”
“What with that thing wrapped around your face?”
“We don’t have any information on human allergies yet… How often do we see humans in the Demon King’s castle anyway?”
Nadal gulped the tea dry and shoved the cup into his inner pocket. Who knows if he’d bother washing it later.
Then, the water rippled again, and finally, Argen’s body surfaced. Unlike when she’d gone in, she walked out on her own two feet. Though she’d been submerged, not a single strand of her hair was wet.
Just as Argen was about to step onto the ground, Valen grabbed her wrist, supporting her safely and firmly. Nadal scrambled to his feet a split second later and rushed over to her side.
“How are you? Should I prepare to play the role of your rich, playful, friend-like uncle?”
Valen also found himself staring at her lips.
“Not yet.” The words fell flat.
It felt like all the momentum had suddenly drained away. Escaping the Demon King’s castle was out of the question. Valen accepted the outcome without much change in expression, while Nadol visibly sulked. Instead, Argen patted his back to comfort him.
“Stop buying children’s clothes. It doesn’t seem like it’ll be easy.”
“No way! Next time, I really think it’ll work. I can feel it.”
Argen laughed, a rare moment of empty talk. “You probably said the same thing last time.”
“Really, I mean it!”
Valen felt something twist deep in his stomach. I’m the one providing the sperm, so why are those two chattering away?
Valen stepped between Argen and Nadal. Argen was completely obscured by his body, and Nadol lost his line of sight.
“Huh…”
Valen hoisted Argen onto his shoulder like a bundle. Argen’s body lay spread out like laundry across his broad shoulders. Every time he lifted her like this, he felt how incredibly light she was. Valen looked down to make sure he was holding her properly. Argen’s feet dangled in the air. Is this really the weight of a human?
Ah, she’s not human.
Valen nodded to himself and strode off with his long legs.
“Where are you going?” Argen asked, hanging on without resistance.
“You said you weren’t pregnant. We have to keep filling you until you are.”
It happened to be the third day. The bruising hadn’t fully faded from Argen’s skin, but still, what had to be done had to be done.“…Before that, I want to fill something else first.”
Valen’s savage temper flared sharply at the mumbled words. What? The grip on her thigh tightened.
Does she need goat bastard semen? Because my seed won’t impregnate her? If she doesn’t care whose seed she takes, he shouldn’t have been kidnapped in the first place. So all that talk about a peace treaty with humans was nothing but a blatant lie after all.
The heat surging in his head made his eyes burn. Valen felt layers of filthy, charcoal-black emotions piling up inside him, the tendons on his knuckles standing taut. His teeth were clenched so hard they were about to crack open when—
Growl.
A loud rumble echoed from her belly, touching his shoulder. It was a thunderous sound, impossible to believe it came from such a small body.
“I’m hungry.” Argen spoke in a voice that seemed to crawl out.
That single phrase instantly scattered the heat that had gathered at the top of his head.
“Ah.”