Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 885: Phantom Pregnancy

Busy with the mothers who’d lost their children, Maria and Brenna were both looking after them. However, not long before the news of the king’s return spread throughout Elenaris, something strange happened in the room where those women were being kept. Making matters even more disturbing, Lady Gray had reached out to the herbalist to relay a strange occurrence as well.

Viola, back in Athenia, was feeling strange movements inside her belly despite what had occurred not long ago. To get a closer look, Lady Gray had lifted the spirit’s gown, and to her surprise, even though the mother was no longer physically pregnant with the child in her belly, the imprint of a hand was pushed against the spirit’s skin from the inside.

The contour of her stretched skin had shifted as if the child was still being nurtured within, and to give more credit to the theory, Viola herself felt her child kicking her from within. Even so, being a spirit, she could no longer feel the baby inside her body. The disconnect was beyond bizarre, and with similar occurrences happening to the other mothers–all of them, it had become clear that this too was the work of Nerva.

Either false hope of their children being still alive would spread through their heads, only for the goddess to take that hope away, or in some bizarre way, the children were still drawing from their mothers, and if so, confronting Nerva and bringing her to her knees took precedence. The safety of the children and if they would ever be born or simply remain in Nerva’s grip when fully developed, such questions swirled in the heads of all those present, but with little understanding of how such things worked, none could say for certain.

The news, however, had made it to Raven. Although busy with some important tasks, he couldn’t rush to Elenaris as he wanted to. Back home, many issues still needed to be resolved before the hero could take his leave. Especially securing Athenia for his absence, and for that to even conclude, the Iron Tridents would have to be dispersed first for the safety of all their known territories.

Amongst these territories, Aranuvia stood apart. As the king of the land and the sovereign over the vault of cursed hands, he had to make a presence on the island and issue new commands. Much as he would in any other place, but the ceremony and customs of Aranuvia would take much longer. At least, in return, the land of warriors was offering the largest number of soldiers out of any of the islands. Unfortunately, however, the best of the best that they had were already killed by none other than their current king while they were still under the hand of Aran–the demi-god.

"This is madness..." Outside the room with the mothers, Maria turned her attention to Brenna, who seemed distracted by her own belly. Her hand was caressing her skin through the clothes with a gentle smile resting on her lips. "Brenna? Are you there, or has your mind been affected by this plague as well?"

Beyond frustrated from trying to unravel the mystery behind the strange occurrence, Maria snapped at the herbalist, and yet Brenna did not snap back. Instead, lifting her head, she kept smiling as she looked at the mistress of illusions.

"No, I’m just glad that there’s still a chance that our children can be brought back." The horror of horrors and their mother set deep within Maria’s heart in an instant. In her eyes, what Brenna was saying was nothing short of insanity. And yet at the same time, even she believed that there was some truth to their bizarre theories.

Having known the tricks of the enemy of mortalkind, however, the mistress of illusion couldn’t help but ponder.

"And what if it’s another game? What if they want us to have hope only to shatter it again?"

"Then so be," pulling her hand off her belly, Brenna narrowed her gaze and stared at Maria. "Wouldn’t be the first person I’ve lost, and there will be time for more children to come as soon as we’ve dealt with the accursed goddess."

Their voices echoed in the empty halls within the iron trident. Everyone was already resting in their rooms or preparing themselves for the coming battles. Thus, thankfully, whatever they said would remain with themselves.

"I wouldn’t be so sure of that just yet. Let’s try to figure out what this condition is first and then take it from there."

"I work in fertility, Maria. I doubt you even remember, but your son Milo and your daughter’s births were aided by my concoctions. So yes, I will be fine. But for now, let me have hope even if you don’t have any."

Falling quiet for a moment, Maria’s gaze bore into the background. Her own wretched body before she had changed places with the queen of Athenia long ago, the memory flooded back into her mind–reminding her the importance of strong pedigree. Her misadventures with soldiers and the likes to birth Milo and Tia, they served as bitter memories of just how much she herself had struggled with her children and their birth.

At times, she wondered if her rotten genes from her life as filth living on the roads of the lower city would poison her children despite having a much healthier body now. Alas, the curse of the vampire did not help either. However, then came Raven and slowly untangled the mess that she thought was impossible to untangle.

"I...If anyone," lowering her gaze to Brenna’s belly, Maria finally allowed herself a gentle smile. "I suppose it would be his children who can defy the tides of fate and be reborn... or just born in this case."

"He died once. Maybe that was his test, and his children if anything are following in their father’s footsteps." Raising an eyebrow, Maria glanced up at Brenna. "They will come into this world, Maria. I just know it."

"I wonder if this whole thing has rattled your sanity after all. Sometimes you make sense and the other you say things that make my hair stand on ends." Laughing it off, Brenna began walking towards her own room, leaving Maria alone to contemplate, whether this ordeal was a trick after all or a clear sign that the children were still alive and safe.