Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 976: Life Kicks Its Way Back In

A total of ten mothers in Aurum were reunited with their children. Their playful kicks and that familiar rhythm of an extra heartbeat had kicked their way back to their wombs. With a smile on their faces and tears rolling down their cheeks, they lay in bed for their checkups by Maria and the Valkyrie. Being the only ones present who’ve had children of their own, such responsibility fell right on them.

Neither Linkle nor Ditsy could make their way to Aurum until later that day, perhaps not even then since one was still working on repairs on the Tridents as well as setting up the improved teleportation stones everywhere, and the other was finally back in Inktaus where her seat as a Justice had been left empty for a long time.

"Who would’ve thought that I would have to be a nurse to a gaggle of mothers?" Not exactly happy with the arrangement, Helga grimaced, running a hand over Rose’s outstretched belly.

"Can’t be worse than your own pregnancy, right?" Maria laughed, standing beside Helga and checking Brenna as well as Aerin.

"Try giving birth to a pair of twins with sharp scales and a tail greater than their heads, and maybe then you would know what I went through with Stell and Tatiyana." Helga’s words painted a rather gruesome picture in everyone’s head. It quickly became clear that only someone as strong as her could handle giving birth to dragons.

Eyeing Maria for a spell, however, the valkyrie quickly shifted the attention from her to the ex-queen.

"Both your kids are human, aren’t they? Your Majesty?"

"Yeah, why?" Maria asked, but Helga didn’t respond.

Shifting her gaze, she looked at Rose again. Wearing a false smile while checking for any abnormalities within the child inside her belly. The babe moved amniotic fluid with a throbbing pulse and subtle jitters and other small movements. At times, Helga felt its hand pushing against Rose’s skin–making the mother giggle and smile while also holding back tears, for their separation had strengthened her need to feel the babe again.

’Raven’s not entirely human. I hope these children won’t have complications because of it.’ The fact that everyone the hero had impregnated was human and he himself was human in the flesh at the very least inspired some confidence within Helga, but while looking at Maria just a while ago, a troubling thought had crossed her mind. ’Viola, a spirit and a fae human...Markus mentioned some complications, but Raven never went back to check.’

Moving her hand off of Rose, Helga faked yet another smile and moved closer to Maria. Placing a hand on her shoulder, she pulled her away from Brenna. Although a bit surprised by the sudden development, the mistress of illusions followed the Valkyrie out of the nursing room. Closing the door behind them, Helga shared her worries with her.

"As soon as Raven gets better, you need to take him back to Athenia. I’ve already heard news about the influx of horrors, and I like it one bit that Viola is the only pregnancy that we’re not staying on top of."

"Damn it, I’d almost forgotten about that." Pursing her lips, Maria bit them hard. "Alright, as soon as Linke or Ditsy, whichever one comes first, is here, I will go to Raven and talk to him about it."

"Why not now? Valentina’s inside already; she and I can keep these women safe. You just go and be with him."

"Valentina? The Red Madam?" Narrowing her eyes, Maria scoffed. "That woman is a half-vampire, and you expect her to nurse children? She doesn’t have any children of her own; maybe that should be a sign, no? Not to mention, she apparently killed a demon general on her own before that damned vampire curse weakened her, but who knows? What if she gets thirsty again and you’re not looking?"

"Maria..." Squeezing Maria’s shoulder, Helga moved a step back. "The last person I wanna hear talk about some vampiric alliance is you. Do I need to remind you what you were doing before Raven found out about your own curse? Vlad, that name rings a bell? How about selling your soul to a demon to change bodies with the princess who was and did become the queen?"

Shoving her hand off her shoulder, the mistress glared daggers at the valkyrie.

"What’s your fucking point?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Helga shook her head, feeling drained from the conversation.

"Just fucking go; the last thing we need is something to happen to Viola. Markus may be strong, but he’s still a single man with suicidal thoughts. The least Raven can do is head back to Athenia for a while and check on the mother of his child."

"If something happens–"

"Maria!" Grabbing her by both arms, Helga stepped forward and leaned her head closer to hers. "I’ll be fine. I’ve seen this world revive itself from the ashes of dead gods. A fucking vampire is the last thing I would ever worry about, so just go!"

"Get off of me, you brute!" Struggling her way out of Helga’s grip, Maria stared her down for a full minute before another word was spoken between them. "Fine, but try not to be as rough with those women inside the room. I wouldn’t trust either of you with children, but what the fuck do I know, I guess? I’ve only given birth twice!"

Dismissively waving her hand, Helga no longer sought to fight over the matter. Especially since Maria had already begun to move and any further escalation would serve neither of them. Upon returning to the room, however, Helga couldn’t help but glance over at Valentina. Sitting in a corner with Daine and Lana watching her knit sweaters for the unborn children, the Red Madam was smiling and engaged in conversation with the other two.

"Hmm...Can never be too careful." Even so, Helga decided to bring Moeria to the room so she could keep an eye on Valentina and predict anything, usually with her foresight ability, long before it happens.

In the meantime, Maria stayed by Raven and the others. All of them were still struggling to get up and sit upright as a skull-splitting migraine had taken hold of them. Their time in the depths of the world was anything but kind, and the effect of confronting Nerva directly was presenting itself as horrors and nightmares flashing before their waking eyes.

Were they not already used to the tricks employed by horrors, such visages would’ve driven them insane. But even heroes have a limit, and in this battle of attrition, whether their bodies overcome the phantom illness or the horrors will take their minds first remains to be seen.