Another two months had flown by. I was now officially seven months pregnant, and my green kirtle was working overtime just to contain a baby bump that had completely taken over my petite 5'5" frame.
Luckily, I didn't have to stress about the tavern metrics today. Alice had completely taken charge of the kitchen and floor management at Lot 42, proving her skills as a top-tier manager. That allowed me to sit back in a squeaky, heavily rusted chair inside the dim, alchemically scented clinic of Doctor Bob.
The weathered, grumpy old physician adjusted his glowing diagnostic scanning device, tapping at a set of floating charts before stepping back and crossing his arms with a heavy, cynical sigh.
"Alright, Eirene, let's look at the data, Based on the latest alchemical scans, your little Cliff is currently about the size of a football. And let me tell you, he is being incredibly aggressive today. He's kicking like he's trying to break out of a maximum-security prison."
"Tell me about it, He's been running wind-sprint metrics against my ribs all morning." I sighed, leaning my head back against the wall as my massive crimson wings gave a tired, heavy flap.
"It gets worse, Look here. Because of your bizarre hybrid biology, the kid has officially sprouted his own set of wings. Solidified, razor-sharp blood wings. Eirene, when you eventually go into labor, those wings are going to scrape the inside of your uterus. It's going to feel like passing a bag of shattered glass and rusty razors." Bob continued, pointing a blunt finger at a glowing skeletal outline on the monitor.
"Oho! A porcupine baby! He's gonna shred you from the inside out, Mommy! Better stock up on internal bandages!" Plasma instantly hollered inside my skull, cackling like a lunatic.
I didn't even blink. I calmly patted my massive seven-month bump, my single jade-green eye looking up at Bob with a completely relaxed, lazy smirk.
"Eh, that's fine, You're forgetting my build, Doc. I literally have the Pain Manipulation skill. The moment active labor starts, I'm just going to set my nerve-ending sensitivity to zero percent and completely numb the entire zone. I won't feel a thing." I said casually, throwing out any professional decorum.
Doctor Bob stared at me for a long, deadpan second, completely exasperated by my casual cheat-code logic. He let out a grumpy grunt and tossed a couple of high-protein alchemical nutrient packs and iron vials onto my lap.
"Must be nice to just turn off your nervous system like a light switch, fine, Miss Cheat-Code. Just keep drinking your iron. Hybrid wings require massive amounts of hemoglobin to fully stabilize before delivery. And tell that giant slime sister of yours to stop stealing Bureau rations to feed you."
"I'll tell her, but no promises, Once Evelyn gets it into her head that she's 'gathering resources' for the family, there's really no stopping her. Besides, free military food is free military food."
Doctor Bob rolled his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he turned off the glowing alchemical scanners.
"Yeah, yeah, just don't blame me if Captain Friedrich brings a whole squad of Luminous Knights to your doorstep demanding his catering trays back. Now, get out of my clinic. You're taking up my good chair, and I have a batch of alchemical salves to brew."
"Right, right. See ya, Doc,"
I said, pushing myself up from the creaky chair with a slight groan. Carrying a football-sized hybrid with razor wings was definitely altering my center of gravity.
"Oh, look at Mommy go, waddling out like a terrifying, blood-sucking penguin! Make way for the Crimson Blimp!" Plasma cheered inside my head, his crude humor bouncing off the walls of my skull.
'Keep talking, Plasma, and I'm going to ask Bob if he has an alchemical formula for ghost repellent,' I thought back sharply, wrapping my heavy winter cloak around myself to shield against the afternoon sun before stepping out of the dim clinic.
The cool air of the alleyway hit my face, and I pulled the hood down low over my jade-green eye. I needed to swing by the bakery to check on Alice's supply metrics for the evening rush, and then it was straight back home to put my feet up before little Cliff decided to do another round of gymnastics against my spine.
I made my way through the narrow, winding alleyways of the 5th district, the heavy dark cloak wrapped securely around my front to keep the burning afternoon sun off my skin. As I approached the sector gate, I braced myself for the usual headache. Standing guard was Betch, a gatekeeper infamous for his rude attitude and snarky remarks.
But as I drew closer and my lone jade-green eye locked onto him from beneath my hood, his entire posture stiffened. Instead of spitting a nasty comment like he usually did, his face turned a little pale, and he cleared his throat with a strangely polite, forced smile.
"Ah... good afternoon, Eirene, Nice weather today, isn't it? Just, uh, the usual process, please." Betch said, his voice unusually high and frantic.
Ever since the Bureau discovered I was a vampire, Betch had completely shut his loud mouth. He didn't know I was a retired tavern owner just trying to live a quiet life; he probably thought that if he ticked me off, he'd end up as my next afternoon snack. I didn't bother correcting him. It made my life a lot easier. I casually handed over my toll and status card, watched him stamp it with trembling hands, and walked right through into the 4th district.
The streets here were a bit more crowded, filled with merchants and officials from the middle sectors. As I navigated the cobblestones, a very familiar face caught my eye. Walking down the sidewalk was Sydney Popov, the high-ranking registrar who used to process my bounties and guild paperwork back when I was a full-time hunter. She was practically burying her face in a massive, overflowing stack of official ledgers and documents.
Suddenly, a loud neigh echoed through the street as a runaway merchant horse came barreling down the path, heading straight toward her. Sydney was so distracted by her paperwork that she didn't see it coming.
Before the horse could brush past and send her flying, I glided forward, caught her firmly by the shoulder, and pulled her safely onto the sidewalk just as the carriage rattled past. The sudden movement caused my heavy cloak to shift, revealing my massive seven-month baby bump and a glimpse of the folded crimson wings on my back.
I reached out and caught a couple of loose papers before they hit the dirt.
"Let me help you, Sydney, Good to see you're still drowning in bureaucracy."
Sydney blinked, catching her breath as she straightened her glasses. She looked at the papers in my hand, then her eyes slowly traveled down to my very prominent stomach, and finally up to my face. Her sharp-eyed, no-nonsense professional mask completely cracked for a second, replaced by utter bewilderment.
"Eirene?! Holy gods, the rumors weren't kidding. The deadliest hunter on our registry really did trade her daggers for a baby blanket! What in the world happened to you?"
Sydney just stared at me, completely frozen. Ever since the Bureau had officially announced to the high-ranking staff that the Crimson Phantom was actually a winged demon, we hadn't seen each other face-to-face. For her, looking at me right now… with my heavy cloak, my rounded stomach, and my relaxed posture… must have felt like a bizarre dream.
I didn't let her linger in shock for too long. I reached down and efficiently gathered the rest of the scattered documents from the cobblestones, stacking them neatly into a pile.
"Yes, it's me, Come on, let's grab these paperworks and get them over to the Bureau before a breeze blows them away again." I said, handing the papers back to her with a lazy, unbothered shrug.
Sydney blinked, quickly snapping back into her sharp, professional mindset, though her eyes kept darting back to my stomach.
"Right. Thanks, Eirene. Let's move."
We began walking down the bustling streets of the 4th district toward the grand Bureau headquarters. As we walked, Sydney clutched her ledgers tightly, her dry, bureaucratic composure completely giving way to intense curiosity.
"I swear, Eirene, my entire office is still trying to wrap their heads around you, How a top-tier bounty hunter who casually slaughtered four high-ranking bounties suddenly turns out to be a literal monster... there are just so many questions. The whole registry is losing its mind. And seriously, who is the father? Better yet, stop hiding those wings from me under that massive coat. Come on, I want to actually see them." Sydney said, keeping her voice low so the passing citizens wouldn't overhear.
"Oho! Everyone wants a piece of the Mommy Eirene gossip train! Tell her the father was a deadbeat who lost his head! That'll spice up her official records!" Plasma cackled loudly in the back of my mind.
I adjusted the hood of my heavy dark cloak, making sure it completely shielded my face from the bright afternoon glare.
"I'm allergic to sunlight, Sydney, If I flash my wings out here, I'll get a supernatural sunburn, and honestly, I don't feel like causing a public riot today. Let's just get inside the Bureau first, and then we can talk all you want." I replied in a flat, casual deadpan, completely ignoring Plasma's unhelpful input.
The heavy iron-reinforced doors of the Bureau swung open, and the familiar, chaotic atmosphere hit us immediately. Over the past few months, this place hadn't changed a single bit. The grand hall was still completely packed with noisy adventurers, completely full of ale, and filled with loud-mouthed mercenaries boasting about the high-tier beasts they had supposedly slain in the outer regions.
The moment we stepped fully into the dim, torch-lit interior away from the windows, I didn't hesitate. I unclasped the collar of my heavy dark cloak and let it slide right off my shoulders, letting it drape casually over my arm. My massive, solidified crimson blood wings instantly unfurled with a sharp, heavy rustle, stretching out into the crowded room. My prominent seven-month baby bump was now fully on display beneath my green kirtle, along with my sharp fangs and glowing jade-green eye.
Back in my past life on Earth, and even here right now, I had always been an unrepentant extrovert. I absolutely loved being the center of attention.
The entire roaring tavern section of the Bureau suddenly went dead silent. Mid-boast, dozens of seasoned hunters froze, their jaws dropping to the floor as they stared at the literal Crimson Phantom casually waddling in with a giant baby bump and terrifying demon wings.
Before the silence could get too heavy, a familiar, bumbling figure stumbled right into my path. It was Luscious Granhart, the professional portcullis gatekeeper who usually managed the grand entrance of Caria City. He was holding a foaming tankard of beer, and the moment his eyes locked onto my wings and my stomach, his face went completely pale. He gasped, tripping over his own boots and almost spilling the entire tankard of beer right into my kirtle.
"Eirene?! What the heck?! I… I heard the crazy news reports months ago, but actually seeing you like this?! You've got wings! And a… and a giant belly! What happened to the quiet, normal-looking girl who used to show me her status card at the front gate?!" Luscious stammered at the top of his lungs, flailing his arms to balance his beer.
I let out a loud, highly amused chuckle, my massive crimson wings giving a proud, dramatic flutter that sent a breeze through his hair. His jaw-dropping, overly panicked personality hadn't changed one bit, and it was absolutely hilarious to watch.
"Hey, Luscious, Life happened, man. I upgraded my biology, retired from the slashing business, and now I'm prepping for motherhood. What, you don't think the crimson wings match the pregnancy glow?"
I laughed out loud, leaning back slightly to let my heavy crimson wings flare out into the wide space of the hall, soaking up the collective gasps of the lower-level hunters.
"Hey, Luscious, don't sweat it. This isn't a boasting competition anyway, you win by default for not fainting on the spot. Catch you around, man."
I patted his trembling shoulder, and Sydney nudged me forward, gesturing toward the grand marble staircase that led up to the high-ranking executive offices.
"Come on, Eirene, Let's deliver these ledgers directly to Chief Anton Kif before the whole lobby turns into a spectator sport." Sydney said, adjusting the massive stack of paperwork in her arms.
As we began climbing the wide, carpeted stairs away from the noisy tavern crowd, the ambient noise drifted into a dull hum. Sydney glanced sideways at me, her sharp eyes scanning my very prominent seven-month baby bump beneath the green kirtle.
"Alright, now that we're away from the common ranks, let's review the main question, Who exactly is the father of your child? Don't tell me it was some random adventurer from the lower districts." Sydney said, her tone a mix of dry administrative curiosity and genuine disbelief.
"Well, if you really want the structural breakdown, remember when I took down the Immoral Knights commander, Cameron? During the infiltration at Rebelbub Castle, I used my shapeshifting ability to disguise myself as his wife, Vanessa Katt, to get into his private quarters for a clean execution metric. But the plan backfired. The guy instantly activated a high-tier ocular hypnotic charm magic on me. The spell overrode my motor functions and completely forced me to submit to him." I replied casually, my voice dropping into an unbothered, lazy deadpan as my crimson wings gave a relaxed twitch behind me.
Sydney's eyes widened slightly as she kept pace with me up the stairs.
"Because my shapeshifting perfectly replicates human biology, I felt every single sensation, He pinned me down in the missionary position, our sweaty skin pressing together, and we french-kissed until we were literally tasting each other's saliva. And honestly? His sperm was delicious… bitter, salty, but incredibly good. Right after he planted that sticky, heavy load of sperm deep inside me, anchoring his genetic material to my life force and making me pregnant, the charm dissipated. So I instantly summoned my Death Chant shotgun from my spatial inventory, pressed the muzzle straight to his neck, and blew his head clean off on the spot. Now, I'm forced to raise this heretic hybrid child. My very first thought when I found out was an abortion, but no, I'm not that much of a monster. It's just the permanent biological price I had to pay for completing that high-tier mission."
Sydney stopped dead in her tracks on the landing, her face twisting into a look of absolute, profound disgust as she clutched her ledgers tightly like a shield.
"Eww! Eirene, what is wrong with you?! Why did you have to explain that so graphically?! You could have just said the father was Cameron and left the fluids out of it!"
I let out a lazy, highly amused chuckle, rubbing the side of my belly with a smirk.
"Well, that spell completely triggered my physical sex drive after that, and honestly, thinking back to that ten-inch uncircumcised cock lunging deep inside my vagina and filling my warm womb with sperm? It was literally one of the best physical experiences ever."
Sydney rolled her eyes so hard I thought they'd get stuck, letting out a heavy groan of defeat as we reached Chief Anton's large double doors.
"You are absolutely horny and completely shameless. Remind me never to ask you about your bounty files ever again."
I let out a loud, rolling laugh that echoed off the high-vaulted ceilings of the corridor, my massive crimson wings giving a highly amused, dramatic flutter.
"Ha! I'm just joking around, Sydney, But I mean, it is completely true. All of us have sex drives, even bureaucrats. Honestly, if you ever need a lesson, I can teach you how to masturbate right now. It's easy, just interlock two fingers like this and gently rub them against… "
"Oh my gods, stop!" Sydney hissed, her face turning a bright, violent shade of red as she practically tried to bury her entire head into her stack of paperwork.
Truth be told, I wasn't just a pure extrovert; I was more of a chaotic ambivert. On the outside, I could be a perfectly chill, laid-back tavern owner or a cold professional, but on the inside? I was a total, unrepentant pervert who thoroughly enjoyed discussing the weirdest, most explicit things just to watch ordinary people lose their minds.
Sydney let out a long, exhausted groan, adjusting her glasses with a trembling hand as we finally stepped up to the grand double doors of the main executive office.
"I swear, Eirene, I had no idea you were a horny vampire. The entire bureau thought you were this legendary, cold, and pragmatic bounty hunter who only cared about blood and coin. You are a completely different person behind closed doors."
"People contain multitudes, Sydney,"
I replied with a lazy, casual shrug, keeping my hand rested over my prominent seven-month baby bump.
I raised a fist and knocked firmly against the dark mahogany wood. Within seconds, a deep, authoritative voice boomed from the other side.
"Enter."
I pushed the heavy doors open, and we stepped into the sprawling, well-lit office. Sitting behind a massive desk buried under a literal fortress of official documents, reports, and knightly decrees was Chief Anton Kif, the overall director of the Luminous Knights Bureau Association.
The moment his sharp, weathered eyes scanned the room, they locked right onto my massive crimson blood wings, my fangs, and the undeniable shape of my advanced pregnancy beneath my green kirtle. He paused, rubbing his tired temples before setting his fountain pen down with a heavy sigh.
"Well, well, if it isn't our legendary bounty hunter, Eirene, I've been reading the reports about your official maternity leave over the past few months. It's certainly quieted things down around the guild. And yet... greetings, Eirene." Chief Anton said, his professional, authoritative voice carrying a mix of deep institutional respect and slight exhaustion.
"Greetings, Chief, Just thought I'd drop by with Sydney to deliver your precious paperwork metrics before my little passenger here decides to kick a hole through my ribs." I replied informally, offering a casual, two-finger salute from my forehead as my wings tucked neatly against my back.
I walked up to his massive mahogany desk and placed the heavy stack of ledger files right on top of his neat mountains of paperwork with a soft, solid thud.
Chief Anton Kif sighed, leaning back in his leather chair as his eyes scanned my prominent seven-month baby bump and the giant crimson blood wings tucked behind me.
"Eirene, how has your day been? Because according to the latest administrative audits, I heard that your new restaurant, Lot 42, is currently under investigation for tax evasion."
I blinked my single jade-green eye, totally unfazed.
"Oh. Sorry about that, pregnancy brain. Keeping track of garlic supply chains completely threw off my accounting."
Anton let out a dry chuckle, waving his hand dismissively.
"No worries. The Bureau has got your back. Consider the investigation frozen. You've brought in enough high-tier criminal heads to earn a lifelong pass on a few unpaid restaurant taxes."
As he spoke, my gaze drifted down to a separate, thick folder resting right in front of him, stamped with a bright red classification seal.
"What are those files?" I asked, leaning slightly against the desk as little Cliff gave a sharp kick against my ribs.
Chief Anton's relaxed demeanor instantly vanished, replaced by the heavy, authoritative gravity of the LKBA director. He tapped the folder with a serious frown.
"Well... there have been rogue demons roaming across our continent lately. Not you, Ever since you successfully took down the Immoral Knights leadership and killed Commander Cameron, their entire faction shattered. The rebels, the dark cults, and the corrupted humans who were originally allied with the Immoral Knights have decided to make their own desperate decisions. Without a commander holding their leash, these stray demons have begun illegally trespassing across the borders of the Andromeda continent, causing massive territorial chaos." Anton explained, his voice dropping into a low, professional tone.
A strong, instinctive urge to hunt surged deep within my chest for a split second. My inner Vanguard wanted nothing more than to grab my Death Chant shotgun, track down these rogue demons, and optimize their elimination. But the moment I shifted my weight, little Cliff gave an aggressive, heavy kick right against my lower ribs, reminding me exactly who was in charge of my body right now.
I let out a long, lazy sigh and gently patted my massive seven-month bump.
"Honestly, Chief, I'd love to help you clear out those trespassers, but my little passenger here is currently occupying one hundred percent of my processing power. If I try to dive into a war zone with a football-sized hybrid in my womb, my big brother will actually skin me alive."
Chief Anton nodded understandingly, a soft, respectful smile breaking through his stern demeanor.
"No worries, Eirene. You've done more than enough for this kingdom already. You are completely apart from this mess. Enjoy your maternity leave, look after your child, and let the Bureau handles the field for once."
"Appreciate it, Chief," I said, giving him a casual wave.
I turned around to leave the office, with Sydney following closely behind me into the quieter hallway. Now that we were away from the director's ears, I looked over at her with a wicked, teasing smirk, my massive crimson wings giving a playful flutter.
"Well, Sydney, since the Bureau is handling the demons, that leaves me with plenty of free time, are you sure you don't want that lesson on self-pleasure now? I'm telling you, once you learn how to handle that hyper-sensitive little clit of yours with the perfect rhythmic pressure, all this Bureau stress will just melt away. You'll be squirt… "
"Oh my gods, Eirene, shut up! Stop talking!"
Sydney shrieked in a panicked whisper, her entire face flashing a deep, furious crimson that completely put my blood wings to shame. She slapped her hands over her ears, utterly bothered, flustered, and mentally scarred by my unrepentant perversion.
"I am a respectable government official! Keep your incredibly lustful, horny vampire thoughts inside your own bedroom!"
"Your loss, babe. The offer stands," I cackled loudly, rubbing my round belly as I thoroughly enjoyed her sheer embarrassment.
Unable to handle my absolute lack of a filter for even another second, Sydney let out a defeated groan, turned on her heel, and practically bolted down the corridor to get as far away from the horny Crimson Phantom as humanly possible. I just laughed, highly satisfied with my work, and casually strolled toward the exit to head back home.