Chapter 73: The Lentil Has Been Claimed
Tera fought the urge to let the shock and surprise show on her face. This wasn’t the first time she had experienced a jump in favourability.
Especially when it came to Ermin, but for it to happen right in front of her like this over something so small...
’Well, this wasn’t small. But I didn’t expect him to...’
[Ermin is sad he has disappointed Host]
’I mean. Clearly...’
But Tera didn’t want him to feel this bad.
’But he looks so adorable... urghhhhh!’
[(·•᷄ࡇ•᷅ )]
[What is your problem?]
’Leave me!’
"You are right," Ermin whispered. "And my silence would have hurt you..."
Tera fought the urge to smile. It was quite unfortunate that her excitement at his cute face was threatening to overcome her calmness.
"It is alright..."
Tera brushed her thumb across his cheek, wiping away the tear’s trail.
And it was at that moment that Ermin noticed it.
The panther had not even realised he had shed a tear, and it caused him to stiffen in shock, his tail going stiff.
Tera snatched her hands from his face and slapped her chest to clear her throat.
She was indeed not clearing her throat but trying to stifle the laugh that had threatened to burst out of her.
’NOT NOW!’
Xavi had been furious moments before, especially with the information Ermin had just told them. But the more he watched Tera handle Ermin’s confession, the more that fury softened.
She was very forgiving, and not entirely in a foolish way, given the reasoning she had given him earlier.
He had felt she was wise, but seeing her benevolent side made his chest swell with pride.
This was his mate, and she was building a future for his clan.
When Tera started coughing, the panther perked up in alarm, and Xavi sat up. Tera quickly shook her head.
"I am fine." Cough. "No worries."
Then she let out a small nervous laugh and smiled at Ermin. Xavi felt slightly jealous. He wanted her to smile at him too.
Tera patted the panther’s head, surprising him, and Xavi moved forward, pulling Tera into his chest.
"Xavi?"
[Xavi’s Favourability: 85% → 88%]
[Xavi admires Host’s benevolence]
’Well, damn.’
Ermin eyed Xavi with a look that screamed ’we were just having a moment’.
Xavi caught it and grunted.
"She has had enough for today. Let her rest," he rumbled.
"I am not saying she shouldn’t rest."
’OMG. I hope these two aren’t going to bicker.’
Xavi shook his head, patting her stomach. "She needs the rest very much."
Ermin’s gaze followed the motion. His eyes lingered on Xavi’s hand pressed against Tera’s stomach.
The sensation felt familiar, and Tera realised this was the fifth time Xavi had been touching her stomach since he pulled her against him.
"Why do you keep touching her stomach?" Ermin asked.
Tera’s face heated. She hadn’t exactly planned to break the news like this, but the opportunity had presented itself, and now a curious pair of eyes were set on her.
"I—" Tera started.
"She is with cub," Xavi announced with such pride in his voice that it sounded like he had personally hung the moon.
Ermin went completely still, but his ears perked up.
"With cub?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "You’re... with cub?"
"Surprise?" Tera offered with a weak smile.
Ermin surged forward, and for a terrifying second, Tera thought he was going to tackle her. Instead, he dropped to his stomach, his hands cradling hers.
Before she could say anything, he leaned closer and pressed his head directly against her belly, his whole body quivering with barely contained excitement.
[Ermin’s Favourability: 78% → 82%]
Tera stared down at the top of his head, her mouth falling open.
"What are you doing?"
"Listening," Ermin breathed, as if she’d asked the stupidest question in the world.
"Listening to what?!"
"The cub."
Tera blinked. "Ermin, there is nothing to hear."
’The baby is the size of a seed right now. It doesn’t have anything yet!’
"I can hear its spirit," he said solemnly, and Tera had to physically bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
Spirit? He was just listening to air and stomach acids!
[Ermin is attempting to communicate with a being that currently resembles a lentil]
[( ˘•ω•˘ )]
[This system is deeply amused]
’Lentil? Wtf?’
[(≖⩊≖)]
[What?]
Xavi felt jealous, and he let out a low huff. He wanted to lay his head on his mate’s stomach too. He shifted, slightly pulling Tera aside, but Ermin was still there.
"You are smothering her," he grumbled. "And you are too close to the cub."
Ermin didn’t even look up. "The cub needs to hear my voice so it knows me."
"It cannot hear anything. Tera just said so."
"Then it will feel my warmth."
"It is inside her body. It already feels warmth."
Ermin finally lifted his head, shooting a gloating look at Xavi. "You are just jealous because I thought to do this first."
Xavi’s eyes narrowed. "I am not jealous."
Ermin smirked. "It might be even my cub. It is best I talk to it first."
Xavi growled. "It might be mine."
"It’s mine."
"You don’t know that."
"I have claimed it."
"You cannot claim a cub before it is born!"
"I just did."
’Oh, Lord.’
Tera watched them go back and forth, her head swivelling like she was watching a particularly intense game of verbal ping-pong. The laughter she’d been holding back finally bubbled over, and she clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle it.
They both turned to look at her, their argument momentarily forgotten.
Tera wheezed. "Please, continue. This is the best entertainment I’ve had all day."
Xavi huffed. Ermin’s ears flattened, but then his expression softened, and he turned back to her stomach with that same reverent wonder.
"She is also my mate. Any cub that comes from Tera is mine too," he declared, voice firm. "I will love it, protect it, and teach it to climb trees and groom its fur."
[Ermin’s Favourability: 82% → 85%]
Tera’s laughter faded into something warmer.
The words landed heavier than either male seemed to realise.
Tera had honestly been slightly terrified by the timing and extra burden, including how everything would be slowed down now.
But watching them so eager for the babies made her actually look forward to it this time.
And she was eager to see the look on their faces when she would eventually tell them there were two cubs coming, not one.
Tera reached out and rested one hand on Ermin’s head, the other covering Xavi’s fingers where they still rested against her stomach.
"You are going to be good fathers," she said quietly, smiling.
Ermin’s ears flattened in embarrassed pleasure. Xavi’s chest rumbled with a pleased sound against her back.
Ermin smiled fondly. "I will be the best father."
"The best father would let his mate rest," Xavi cut in, though his voice had lost its sharpness.
This time, Ermin didn’t argue.
The exhaustion from the day started making Tera feel sleepy, and she didn’t even try to fight it.
As her eyes grew heavy, she heard the two bickering again, this time softly and less intense than before.
Xavi was muttering something about hunting enough food to feed three. Ermin was talking about building something called a "cub den."
Just before she drifted off, she heard Xavi whisper, "I hope it has her eyes."
Tera smiled in her sleep.
[Host has entered restful sleep]
[Male beasts: Still debating theoretical cub genetics]
[This system predicts a long night]
[(ᵕ—ᴗ—)]