Shota is surrounded by monsters!

—I know that without you saying it.

Shota started sweating profusely. He'd completely forgotten that a ring wasn't something you could just give to any woman... Giving a ring at a time like this was undoubtedly suicidal. He knew it...

"Kyoukotsu, return the items..."

Yu Yi Tsuru's expression grew even colder. She said, "I don't need these things, and I am not someone to be played with. Show her out."

"Huh?"

Kyokotsu clearly hadn't expected the atmosphere between the two to become so awkward. She wanted to say something more, but then she noticed that even Hagoromo Gitsune's gaze towards her carried a hint of murderous intent.

"Um... wait a minute!"

Shota knew that once they were outside, he would have no choice but to resort to non-violent non-cooperation. So he quickly said to Hagoromo Gitsune, "I'm here to talk to you about something... about your... your... child!"

Chapter 167. Your Child—No, Your Child

"What's wrong with Lu Sheng?"

Without a second thought, Hagoromo Gitsune's previously icy expression instantly softened, and she immediately inquired about Rikuo's situation.

"..."

For some reason, Shota felt somewhat uncomfortable when she directly asked about Rikuo's situation. The current Hagoromo Gitsune was neither Kyoto Hagoromo Gitsune nor Yamabuki Otome of the Nura Clan; she was now a complete fusion of the two. However, between Rikuo and Abe no Seimei, the two children she held dear, she ultimately chose Rikuo.

To put it simply, the Hagoromo Gitsune in front of Shota has become a yokai representing maternal love, because this is Yamabuki Otome's greatest hope and Kyoto Hagoromo Gitsune's only obsession.

"It's not about mainland students."

Shota shook his head.

"Is it... Seimei?"

When the name was mentioned, Hagoromo Gitsune seemed a little embarrassed, but after all, he was still his own child, and he still looked at Shota with a questioning gaze.

"...It wasn't him."

Seeing Shota shake his head again, Hagoromo Gitsune's eyes gradually turned cold, and a slightly angry expression even appeared on her face. She was obviously very dissatisfied with Shota toying with her in this way.

"Kyokotsu, could you leave for a minute or two? I have some private... well, something I want to tell Hagoromo Gitsune."

The gift offensive clearly worked. Kyokotsu glanced at Hagoromo Gitsune and, seeing that she didn't shake her head, took a few steps back, leaving the space to the remaining two.

"Is there anything you wish to say to me?"

After only the two of them remained, Hagoromo Gitsune's expression subtly changed again. Of course, Shota knew there were many factors at play, so he could only sigh and say, "Can't we talk sitting down?"

He looked too stiff, at least when he was standing.

Hagoromo Gitsune didn't react at all, she just stared at Shota.

That's true. Someone like me who did that kind of thing to her isn't exactly someone to be nice to. Shota scratched his head and said, "To prevent you from interrupting me and making me repeat myself meaninglessly, could you please let me finish speaking before you ask your questions?"

Hagoromo Gitsune still did not react.

"Okay, then I'll tell you. It's because of what happened six months ago... that incident had a slight ripple effect... don't ask any questions yet."

Shota stopped Hagoromo Gitsune from attacking and said, "The conclusion is that I 'have' our child. Yes, not in your belly, but in my tail. The little life that we are developing because of an accident may be right here."

Hagoromo Gitsune's expression turned somewhat strange.

Then, Shota shamelessly began to explain the inheritance methods of his own race. After he finished explaining, Hagoromo Gitsune's expression became somewhat uncertain, and even her breathing became rapid.

Shota twitched his lips, wanting to say something, but then he thought he had nothing to be afraid of. Although he always seemed to play the submissive role in front of others, it seemed only this person in front of him had been thoroughly and utterly tormented by him. Since that was the case, what was there to be afraid of…

That's about all I wanted to say.

Shota concluded, "Regarding what happened half a year ago, I feel no remorse towards Hagoromo Gitsune, but as for Yamabuki Otome, I must apologize, even though you might feel like you've been caught in the crossfire. But what's done is done. I'm not here for anything else, I just want to ask you one question."

"Would you like to be the mother of my child?"

"Of course."

To prevent Rea from going berserk while she was in Tokyo, Shota thought for a moment and said, "There doesn't need to be much of a connection between you and me. But for a child who is about to be born, if possible, I hope he can have his own biological mother to accompany him."

Shota finished speaking. Then he looked at Hagoromo Gitsune, awaiting her answer.

"My child...?"

Hagoromo Gitsune's feelings were complex. Having this child would mean completely severing ties with Yamabuki Otome's past—because she had betrayed the person she once loved most. But if it really was her child… her own biological child…

She... genuinely wanted to be by her child's side.

Rikuo was his child with that other woman, so Hagoromo Gitsune naturally wouldn't resent Nura Rihan or hold a grudge against Rikuo, because the depth of their feelings from their past lives determined everything. Seimei was her child, but before and after his birth, she had been constantly used by him, though she couldn't hold a grudge against him either…

"It must be you."

Rea is impossible. The massive wound from back then had already damaged some of her internal organs. As a half-vampire, half-zombie, she lost a girl's most important ability—fertility—when she gained rebirth and a yokai physique.

Shota said frankly, "I won't force you to do anything. Actually, the main reason I came here was just to tell you about this. After all... I feel obligated to let you know."

—It's rare for a man to act like this.

"I need to digest a bit... Please come in and sit down for a while."

Hearing Shota's honest words and the shocking truth, Hagoromo Gitsune still couldn't fully adapt, but without a doubt, her wariness of Shota did lessen a bit, so she led Shota into the underground bedroom.

There was only a bed, nothing else.

"I'll just sit on the ground."

Sitting on the bed was still a bit too ambiguous, and Shota didn't want to provoke Hagoromo Gitsune's resistance at this moment, so he had no choice but to sit on the ground... Hagoromo Gitsune didn't insist any further, but just sat on the edge of the bed, watching Shota hesitate.

Rikuo, Seimei, and the child who was never born due to the accident...

One is the child of the person she once loved most, whom she considered her own. Another is the child she gave birth to, who betrayed her. And the third is the child she is about to be born because of a terrible accident, a child she can always be there for and look forward to.

"May I... feel his presence?"

Hagoromo Gitsune's gaze was fixed on Shota's limp tail lying on the ground.

"It should be okay, right?"

Shota turned around, his back to Hagoromo Gitsune, so that Hagoromo Gitsune could feel his tail... But why does this kind of thing unexpectedly feel like a shameful play?

Hagoromo Gitsune took two steps forward and walked behind Shota. She reached out and slowly lifted Shota's tail from below, then gently stroked the soft, fine fur of his tail with her other hand.

……

So comfortable.

With his tail being stroked so gently, Shota's body gradually relaxed.

Is it really inside?

Hagoromo Gitsune didn't feel any protrusion or bulge, and she asked hesitantly, "Why can't I feel anything?"

"This one……"

Shota didn't dare to check his tail himself, but after thinking for a moment, he said, "Only 6 months, which is about half a month in terms of human childbirth time, right?"

"So that's how it is."

For some reason, Hagoromo Gitsune seemed to sense that the tail was gradually becoming strange, becoming slightly harder, and the slow undulation... was as if something was about to bloom.

"This is……"

Mistaking this for the child's response to him, Hagoromo Gitsune excitedly pressed Shota's tail against her face, as if wanting to hear more clearly.

How could anyone possibly hear that?

Of course, that's impossible for Shota. Those reactions were just the natural reactions of his own tail. Of course, it would be unwise to expose this at this time.

"How much longer until he is born?"

"About 8 or 9 years, I think?"

Shota asked somewhat uncertainly, then said, "That's about it. If you can't make a decision... well, I'll bring the baby to see you after he's born."

Having said all that needed to be said, and with Hagoromo Gitsune showing no intention of staying with the child indefinitely, Shota prepared to take his leave, having done his duty.

As Hagoromo Gitsune watched Shota begin to walk outside, a hint of reluctance lingered in her eyes, but she never uttered a word to stop him.

Are you leaving?

"Ah, yes, things have been settled. Well, at least your sister and I shouldn't start fighting over a minor disagreement anymore."

Shota jokingly said to Kyokotsu, who was waiting for him at the door, "From now on, I'll hug this little bear. It looks much cuter. Haha."

"..."

Kyokotsu neither agreed nor refused, so Shota could only shake his head and walk outside.

They really are a group of monsters who are even more indecisive than I am.

Once on the ground, what came into view was a patch of pitch-black kerria japonica—kerria japonica is also called kerria japonica, and its original color should be yellow flowers and black fruit, but the kerria japonica here was a patch of black, fruitless kerria japonica.

"ほろほろと山风ちるか滝の音..."

As the wind swept through the patch of wildflowers, creating a sound like raindrops, Shota, unusually poetic, spontaneously recited a famous haiku he had memorized during his tutoring session a couple of days prior. Then, he used his demonic energy to stimulate one of the wildflowers before setting off towards home…

That's a wrap, time to go home!

"I... still wish to be by my child's side."

About half a minute later, Hagoromo Gitsune's voice came from behind Shota. When he turned around in surprise, he saw Hagoromo Gitsune standing in a patch of black Yamabuki flowers.

"I want to start from scratch... to be a dutiful mother."

A hint of anticipation crept into Hagoromo Gitsune's voice. She held a black Yamabuki flower in her hand, its golden fruit blooming within it. She let the breeze ruffle her skirt and black hair, causing the Yamabuki flowers on the ground to rustle softly.

"sure."

Shota gave a bright smile and said, "I'll let you know after the baby is born. Then... it won't be a problem for him to live with us, right?"

"Do not……"

Hagoromo Gitsune shook her head and said in an unyielding tone, "From now on, I want to witness that little life grow step by step."

In the very end, she realized a problem.

Choosing this unborn child doesn't mean abandoning Lu Sheng, whom she cares deeply for now. Because Lu Sheng already has a loving biological mother, but that unborn child…

But he only had a somewhat foolish father.

"Tsk."

Shota scratched his head, looking somewhat troubled. His plan was to stall for time with Rea before confronting her about the matter, but what if Hagoromo Gitsune really went back? Wouldn't that be incredibly awkward? But refusing Hagoromo Gitsune's request would also be awkward.