Chapter 352: The Sea God’s Bride
[Ding! Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host! Main Mission Complete: Mate with one of your husbands!]
[Reward:
+5 days Lifespan
+5,000 Spirit Points (SP)]
[Remaining Spirit Points (SP): 324,950]
[Remaining Lifespan: 213d 3h]
[Ding! Azul’s affection has increased by 17%!]
[Congratulations! Azul’s affection has reached 100%!]
[Learn about Azul’s past: Completed]
[Have a child with Azul: Completed]
[Help Azul awaken his true ability: Completed]
[New Title Unlocked: The Sea God’s Bride]
[Effect: Sea creatures will listen to you, just as they listen to Azul.]
Roxanna, who was lying beside the sleeping Azul, immediately widened her eyes when she received the notification.
She hadn’t expected that she would finally reach 100% affection with one of her husbands.
Curious, she asked the system, [But I also learned about Calen’s and Cyrus’s past. Why haven’t their affection levels reached 100% yet?]
[Please check the requirements again, Host. You haven’t had a child with them yet!]
Oh.
Roxanna finally realized it. She had shared countless intimate moments with all of them, but because she had been carrying Azul’s child, none of the others had been able to get her pregnant.
[Should I have children with them too?] Roxanna asked. [But Azura will still be just a baby when I leave her here.]
[Host, beastkins grow much faster than normal humans. By the time you see her again, she may already look like a one-year-old child.]
[Because of that, getting pregnant again soon won’t be a problem.]
Roxanna took a deep breath and fell silent for a moment.
After a while, the system asked, [Are you afraid of getting pregnant again, Host?]
[It’s not that I don’t want more children. Honestly... having Azura has been wonderful, and I can’t wait to give her little brothers and sisters.]
She paused before continuing. [But... giving birth wasn’t something I ever want to go through again.]
[The system understands.]
Roxanna frowned before replying angrily in her mind, [What do you know? You’re just a machine.]
[The system can measure a person’s pain level.] It answered calmly. [However, since your next pregnancy will be your second, the system will give you a special potion.]
[It can reduce labor pain by up to 80%, so you won’t suffer as much as you did the first time.]
Roxanna blinked in surprise. [Is that a guaranteed reward?] she asked.
[100% guaranteed, Host.] the system replied without hesitation. [The system has never deceived you, and it never will.]
Roxanna remained doubtful for a moment. But after thinking it over, she realized the system had always kept its promises.
[If that’s the case... then maybe I’ll think about it after I get home.]
As for which of her husbands would become the father of her next child... she still couldn’t decide.
Since it wasn’t something she needed to worry about until she returned to the Vixeria Settlement, Roxanna pushed the thought aside. She snuggled closer to the sleeping Azul, wrapped her arms around him, and slowly drifted back to sleep.
===
Roxanna bit her lower lip, doing everything she could to keep herself from crying as she watched Azura reaching for her over and over again.
"I’m sorry..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "I’m so sorry, but you can’t come home with me yet. You have to stay here with Daddy and Grandma for a little while."
Azura’s eyes slowly filled with tears, as if she understood every word her mother was saying. She squirmed in Azul’s arms and reached toward Roxanna with all her little strength, desperately trying to be held by her instead.
"It won’t be long. I promise," Roxanna said softly, trying to comfort her daughter even though her own heart was breaking. "As soon as you’re all better, Daddy will bring you home, and we’ll finally be together again."
She looked into Azura’s tearful eyes, her own filled with sorrow. After only a few more seconds, she couldn’t bear it anymore. She gently took Azura from Azul’s arms and held her close against her chest.
"I know... I know," Roxanna whispered as she slowly rocked her daughter in her arms. "I’m so sorry that we have to be apart like this."
Azura let out a soft cry and buried her tiny face against Roxanna’s shoulder. Her little fingers clung tightly to Roxanna’s clothes, refusing to let go.
Roxanna closed her eyes as tears finally slipped down her cheeks. She held her daughter a little tighter, wanting to remember every bit of her warmth before they had to part.
"We’ll see each other again soon," Roxanna whispered, kissing the top of Azura’s head. "But until then, Daddy will take good care of you."
As if she understood, Azura let out a tiny whimper and snuggled closer against Roxanna’s chest. Her little fingers stayed wrapped around Roxanna’s clothes, refusing to let go.
A soft smile appeared on Roxanna’s tear-stained face.
"Be a good girl for Daddy, okay?" she said gently. "Drink all of Mommy’s milk, sleep well, and grow big and strong."
She kissed Azura’s forehead again before slowly rubbing her back. "And don’t worry about Mommy," she continued, her voice shaking despite her smile. "I’ll be waiting for you at home every single day."
Azul silently watched the two of them, his heart aching. Seeing Roxanna like this made it even harder to accept that they had to be apart.
After a long moment of silence, he stepped closer and gently rested a hand on Roxanna’s shoulder.
"I’ll protect her," he said softly. "You don’t have to worry about anything here."
"I know you will." Roxanna gave him a gentle smile before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "I’ll miss you."
Azul smiled back, though there was sadness in his eyes. "I’ll miss you too."
Behind Roxanna, Calen floated in the water and looked like he was about to throw up from how affectionate the two of them were.
Zeir glanced at him and said with a straight face, "You’re just as bad whenever you’re being sweet."
Calen’s eyes widened.
"I am not—"
He stopped himself before the words could leave his mouth. With a quick click of his tongue, he looked away instead because the last thing he wanted was to ruin Roxanna’s mood.
Meanwhile, Roxanna turned toward Maristella. "Your Majesty," she said respectfully, "I’m leaving my daughter in your care."