Labyrinth Day 52.
A day has passed, yet the exploration team remained in the deep sea.
It wasn’t due to encountering a Deep Guardian for long.
Thanks to the newly tamed Deep Guardian, we were diving without any issues.
By using Forward Expulsion, of course.
So far, we had expelled five Deep Guardians.
If we hadn’t tamed even one Deep Guardian to our side, the exploration team would still be stuck in the same spot, on a deserted island outside the sea.
Anyway.
It was just that the door Neo Hyeong-seok mentioned was located deep in the sea, causing the delay.
“Neo Hyeong-seok.”
─［Did you call, Master?］
“Are we lost by any chance?”
─［Don’t worry. We’re going the right way.］
“Really? Then that’s a relief.”
After all, he said he remembered the route exactly, so there’s no way he’d get lost.
I stood up and headed towards Neo Japan.
And to quench my thirst.
While I was gulping down a bottle of mineral water.
“Gauntlet! Gauntlet!”
From a distance, Merino came running, waving her arms comically.
Merino, who stood in front of me, took a moment to catch her breath, then looked up at me with an excited voice.
“I think I’m pregnant!”
“Puhwup!”
I spat out the water I was drinking.
The water I sprayed flew through the air and poured over Niarah Nepensys, who was loitering nearby.
Leaving Merino, who suddenly blurted out something strange, I first offered an apology to Niarah.
“Ah… Niarah, I’m sorry.”
［It’s okay. My son.］
Niarah replied, slowly raising her hand to elegantly wipe the water from her face.
A droplet of water rested on the tip of her finger.
Niarah then brought her finger to her lips and cautiously savored the water.
And then, she wore a satisfied expression.
［Lick. It’s delicious, probably because it was in our son’s mouth.］
I looked at Niarah with disdain, sighed, and turned to meet Merino’s gaze.
“…You said you’re pregnant?”
“Yang Yang!”
“Who’s the father?”
“Of course, it’s Gauntlet. Who else would it be?”
“Was I the dad…?”
I was surprised at the sudden pregnancy declaration.
As expected, it was nonsense.
Since I had never had any relations with Merino.
It was either her trying to tease me or she bumped her head somewhere and went crazy.
One of the two.
Merino grinned and asked me a question.
“What shall we name our baby?”
“What are you talking about naming?”
“Normally, the baby’s name is given by the mom and dad together. Gauntlet should also join in on the thought process.”
“Ha… Merino, I’m not the dad. Besides, you’re not actually pregnant.”
“D-Don’t deny our baby! The baby will be sad!”
I felt a little dizzy.
It wasn’t a joke; she genuinely believed she was pregnant.
If she said she was carrying a child, she surely knew what the word “pregnancy” meant.
“Merino. I’m asking because I doubt it… you don’t think holding hands or just being together can make you pregnant, right?”
“Yang? Who would think like a child?”
“Then do you know how to get pregnant?”
For some reason, Merino’s cheeks puffed up like they were about to burst.
Is she angry?
Just as I was about to ask why she looked so serious…
“Do you think I wouldn’t know such a thing?!”
Merino fell to the ground.
She began boisterously explaining the process of getting pregnant in a way that left nothing to the imagination.
It was embarrassingly detailed.
“Like this, like this! Thump thump until you catch the little one, then get pregnant, I know it all!”
“…Okay, okay, just get up already, you crazy girl.”
“From now on, don’t underestimate my knowledge of sex!”
“Fine, I won’t underestimate it…”
It seemed she was angry because her expertise on the subject was dismissed.
She had a strange pride in something so odd.
“But Merino, I’ve never done that with you.”
“Didn’t we?”
“What are you talking about? Of course, we didn’t.”
“I definitely did it in my dream!”
“You can’t get pregnant from a dream.”
“Really? That’s strange…”
“The strange one is you.”
“It really is strange! I’m definitely pregnant!”
Merino slowly lowered her head.
She began to lift her upper garment slowly.
Then Merino’s belly became visible, and she lightly tapped her belly while continuing to speak.
“Look here! My belly is bulging! If this isn’t pregnancy, then what is it?”
【Mysticism】─🧐
Indeed, her belly was sticking out.
But as Hayumi pointed out, that wasn’t pregnancy; it was just a food baby.
In other words, she had probably gained weight over a few days.
“That’s just because you’ve been eating too much lately.”
“Yang Yang?”
“Not pregnant.”
“Are you sure? Is it definite?”
As we were having this conversation, Niarah, who had been silently watching, called for Merino.
［Our daughter-in-law, come here.］
“Yang Yang! Mom!”
Niarah carefully placed her hand on Merino’s belly and gently stroked it.
［Hmm. There’s no sign of life in your belly. You’re not pregnant.］
“Yang Yang…”
［Don’t be disappointed. If you keep trying hard, you’ll definitely get pregnant someday.］
“Yang Yang! I’ll try hard!”
Merino clenched her fists, determined.
I approached her and gently tapped her belly.
“Merino, you should get some exercise. It’s because you’re not active that you gain weight so easily.”
“Ah-heung! But I exercise! I’m playing ball hard!”
“Just kicking a ball while standing still isn’t exercise.”
“Is that so? Cooking is also exercise!”
“That’s not enough.”
Turning my head, I shifted my gaze to Melody Fox.
Melody was chewing on a rock that had fallen to the ground.
I flinched for a moment but was relieved to know it was a rock made by Merino.
“Melody Fox.”
［Kkyuu?］
“Take Merino and make her exercise. Not just playing ball.”
［Kkyuu!］
And thus, Merino Ula was dragged off by Melody Fox for some forced exercise.
*
Labyrinth Day 53.
On the second day since the exploration team had departed.
Finally, deep in the sea, the exploration team discovered a massive door.
─［Piiiii! We finally made it!］
─［That took a while.］
─［Neo Hyeong-seok! Is that it? Is that door it?］
Jellyfish Princess, Aracne, and Bastet, excitedly increased their speed as they approached the door.
─［Yes, that’s it. We’ve finally reached the door.］
Neo Hyeong-seok calmly replied as he followed behind.
The other team members, unable to contain their joy, began pushing against the heavy door.
Guguguguung-!
The door opened.
Beyond the door, water didn’t flood out.
It seemed a strange force was preventing the water from entering.
It must mean that the deep sea and the area beyond the door are indeed separate spaces.
─［Is this the Machine Factory?］
The Necro Puppetmaster cautiously stepped beyond the door and asked Neo Hyeong-seok.
Scratching his head, Neo Hyeong-seok shook his head.
─［No, we still have a ways to go. It’ll take quite a while from here too.］
─［Hmm? Didn’t you say the door in the deep sea connects to the Machine Factory?］
─［Ah… I meant it connects to the path leading to the Machine Factory.］
It seemed we still had a long way to go.
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