Chapter 97. Pregnancy
52nd day in the labyrinth.
【Pururu】─We’re still underwater. Why is it taking so long? Are you sure that’s the right path?
【Yumi】─Maybe that’s just the long way around, and there’s a shorter route. But since Neo Hyeong-seok only knows that path, well…
【Mysticism】─Even though it’s the deep sea, it’s still bright. 😮
A day had passed.
The exploration team was still in the depths of the sea.
It wasn’t because we ran into the Deep Guardians that it was taking so long.
Thanks to the newly tamed Deep Guardian, we were able to dive without any problems.
I banished them preemptively.
We’d already banished five Deep Guardians so far.
If we hadn’t tamed one and made it an ally, the exploration team would still be stuck in the same spot.
Probably still stranded on the uninhabited island above the sea.
Anyway.
It was simply taking a long time because the door Neo Hyeong-seok mentioned was located deep in the abyss.
“Neo Hyeong-seok.”
─［Yes, master. You called?］
“You’re not lost, are you?”
─［Do not worry. We are on the right path.］
“Really? Then that’s a relief.”
Well.
He did say he remembered the route perfectly, so there was no reason to get lost.
I stood up and headed towards Jafan.
And just as I was grabbing a bottle of water to quench my thirst, chugging it down.
“Gauntlet! Gauntlet!”
From a distance, Merino came running toward me, waving her arms awkwardly.
She stopped in front of me, catching her breath, and then, looking up at me with an excited voice, she said.
“I think I’m pregnant!”
“Pffft!”
I spat out the water I had been drinking.
The water I sprayed flew through the air and rained down on Niara Nepensis, who had been standing nearby.
【Pururu】─Huh?
【Bubble Bubble】─Pregnant???
【Yumi】─What kind of nonsense is that?
【Mysticism】─I don’t believe anything Yangyang says. 😐
【Rise Nova】─What wonderful news. Congratulations.
Leaving behind Merino, who had just blurted out something strange.
I first apologized to Niara.
“Uh… Niara, I’m sorry.”
［It’s fine, my son.］
Niara responded calmly.
She then raised her hand slowly and elegantly wiped the water off her face.
The droplets at the tips of her fingers.
She then brought her fingers to her lips, carefully savoring the water.
A satisfied expression spread across her face.
［Mmm. Since it was in my son’s mouth, it’s as sweet as expected.］
【Yumi】─???
【Bubble Bubble】─Why is she licking that?
【Pururu】─It feels like everyone here is crazy.
【Mysticism】─Looks tasty. 😋
【Rise Nova】─?
I stared at Niara with disdain, sighed, and then turned to meet Merino’s gaze.
“…Pregnant?”
“Yangyang!”
“Who’s the father?”
“Of course, it’s Gauntlet. Who else?”
“I’m the father…?”
【Bubble Bubble】─Gauntlet, explain yourself.
【Pururu】─What’s there to explain, idiot. It’s obviously Merino talking nonsense.
【Mysticism】─🤭 Yangyang has a habit of lying, just ignore her!
I was surprised when she suddenly said she was pregnant.
But of course, it was nothing but absurd nonsense.
I never had any sort of relationship with Merino.
She was either teasing me or had hit her head somewhere and lost her mind.
It had to be one or the other.
Merino grinned innocently and asked me a question.
“What should we name our baby, Yangyang?”
“What name? There’s no baby to name.”
“Parents are supposed to come up with the name together, Yang. Gauntlet, you need to think about it too, Yang.”
“Haa… Merino, I’m not the father. You’re not even pregnant in the first place.”
“Please don’t deny our child, Yang! The baby will be sad, Yang!”
【Yumi】─What’s wrong with her?
【Pururu】─Did she get shot in the head or something? She’s extra nuts today.
【Rise Nova】─Gauntlet. As a sexless being, it may be inappropriate for me to say this, but if a man has made a woman pregnant, he must take responsibility. Merino seems about to cry. Comfort her quickly.
【Bubble Bubble】─Is she really pregnant? No, right?
【Mysticism】─😶 Idiots.
I felt slightly dizzy.
She didn’t seem to be joking, but rather genuinely believed she was pregnant.
Since she said she was carrying a child, there was no way she didn’t know what the word ‘pregnant’ meant.
“Merino. Just asking, but… you don’t think that holding hands or just being together with someone makes you pregnant, right?”
“Yang? I’m not a kid. Who would think that, Yang?”
“Then do you know how pregnancy happens?”
【Pururu】─Of course she knows. She’s disgustingly lewd.
For some reason.
Merino’s cheeks puffed up as if they were about to burst.
Was she angry?
Just as I was about to ask why she was scowling.
“Are you saying I don’t know that, Yang!?”
Merino lay down on the ground.
And then began to graphically demonstrate the process of getting pregnant with exaggerated gestures.
It was embarrassingly detailed.
“Like this, like this, Yang! Bam bam, pow pow, receive the baby, and then you’re pregnant, Yang!”
“…I get it, so stop and get up, you crazy girl.”
“Don’t you dare belittle my knowledge of sex, Yang!”
“Okay, I won’t belittle it…”
Apparently.
She was angry because she felt her knowledge of sex was being underestimated.
What a weird thing to be proud of.
“But Merino. I’ve never done any of that with you.”
“You haven’t?”
“Why would you ask? Of course I haven’t.”
“I’m sure we did in a dream, Yang?”
“You can’t get pregnant from something that happens in a dream.”
“Really, Yang? That’s strange, Yang…”
“You’re the strange one.”
“This is really weird, Yang. I’m sure I’m pregnant, Yang…”
Merino slowly lowered her head.
She lifted her shirt slowly, revealing her stomach.
Then, she lightly patted her slightly rounded belly and continued.
“Look at this, Yang. My belly is bulging. If this isn’t pregnancy, what else could it be, Yang?”
【Mysticism】─🧐
【Pururu】─Idiot.
【Rise Nova】─Her belly really is sticking out.
【Bubble Bubble】─Could it be a phantom pregnancy?
【Yumi】─That’s just a belly full of fat.
Her belly was indeed bulging.
But, as Yumi had commented in the chat.
It wasn’t from pregnancy, but just a little fat.
In other words, she had just gained weight recently.
“That’s just because you’ve been eating a lot lately. That’s why your belly is sticking out.”
“Yangyang?”
“You’re not pregnant.”
“Really, Yang? Are you sure, Yang?”
As we were having this conversation, Niara, who had been watching silently, called out to Merino.
［My dear daughter-in-law. Come here.］
“Yangyang! Mother-in-law, Yang!”
【Pururu】─Since when did those two become in-laws? WTF.
【Mysticism】─😶
【Yumi】─Must be like playing house or something.
Niara placed her hand gently on Merino’s belly and softly stroked it.
［Hmm. I don’t sense any life within you. You’re not pregnant.］
“Yangyang…”
［Don’t be discouraged. If you keep trying, you’ll definitely be able to conceive one day.］
“Yangyang! I’ll try harder, Yang!”
【Pururu】─Don’t try harder, you crazy woman.
【Bubble Bubble】─Phew. My heart almost dropped. Thank goodness she’s not pregnant.
Merino clenched her fists, determined.
I approached her and tapped her belly lightly as I spoke.
“Merino, you need to exercise more. You’re gaining weight because of your lack of exercise.”
“Ah-hngyang! I do exercise, Yang? I work hard at playing ball, Yang!”
“Standing still and just kicking a ball isn’t exercise.”
“Really, Yang? And cooking counts as exercise too, Yang!”
“That’s not enough.”
I turned my head and looked at Melody Fox.
She was chewing on a rock she had picked up off the ground.
I was startled for a moment but then relaxed when I realized it was a rock Merino had made for her.
“Melody Fox.”
［Kyuu?］
“Take Merino and make her do some real exercise. Not just ball playing.”
［Kyuaa!］
And so, Merino Ula was dragged off by Melody Fox and forced to exercise.
***
53rd day in the labyrinth.
On the second day after the exploration team set off.
Finally, in the deepest part of the ocean, the team discovered a giant door.
─［Piii! We’ve finally arrived!］
─［It really took a long time.］
─［Neo Hyeong-seok! Is that the right door? Is it
the right one?］
Jellyfish Princess, Arachne, and Bastet, seemingly excited, quickened their pace toward the door.
─［Yes, that’s it. We’ve finally arrived at the door.］
Neo Hyeong-seok calmly replied, following behind them.
The other members of the exploration team, barely able to contain their joy, placed their hands on the massive door and began to push.
Kugugung-!
The door opened.
Beyond the door, the water did not flow through.
It seemed that some strange force was preventing the water from entering.
It was likely that the area beyond the door was classified as a completely different space from the deep sea.
─［Is this the machine factory?］
The Necro Puppet Master cautiously stepped beyond the door and asked Neo Hyeong-seok.
Neo Hyeong-seok scratched his head and shook his head.
─［No, not yet. We still have a long way to go. It’ll take quite a while from here as well.］
─［Hmm? Didn’t you say the door in the deep sea was connected to the machine factory?］
─［Ah… I meant that the path to the machine factory is connected to the door.］
It seemed there was still a long way to go.