Of all the cursed years of my life, the one where I, a male fox fey, got stuck with a "Blessed Womb" System had to be the worst. And all because I was carrying the child of a Sword Saint on the Path of Detachment. Naturally, I did the only sensible thing. I ran for the hills. 1 I was being hunted. It was completely unreasonable. I’d only pilfered a few lousy enchanted berries, but did they really need to send a whole pack of sanctimonious clerics after me, chasing me from the heavens to the earth? Still, I was a hundred-year-old fox fey of some renown. I wasn't about to let them catch me. A frantic voice shrieked in my head. It was Pip. "Host, faint spatial fluctuations detected ahead! It's a hiding spot, go, go, go!" Just thinking about Pip gave me a headache. It called itself the Blessed Womb System, its grand purpose being to help me "capture superior genetic material" to produce the perfect offspring. Excuse me, I'm a guy. The system was clearly defective. But there was no time to argue. I dove headfirst toward the spot Pip indicated—a seemingly ordinary cliff face. My vision blurred, and a cold so sharp it felt like a thousand needles instantly enveloped me. I shivered, realizing I’d landed in a colossal, frozen pool. The water was surrounded by ever-frost, and the air hummed with a powerful, oppressive energy. My instincts screamed that this place was bad news. Suddenly, Pip let out a cheer. "SSS-grade genetic source detected! Compatibility: 99.999%!" "Procreation protocol forcibly initiated. Binding..." Whoa, hold on. What does that even mean? Panic seized me. It was all sounding a little too real. Could it actually make me pregnant? Just then, the immense energy signature surged closer. The air fluctuated between scorching heat and freezing cold. My head buzzed, and then an impossible, searing heat exploded from the core of my being. My consciousness began to fade, my body no longer my own. I don't know how much time passed before the chaotic haze in my mind cleared. I found myself lying naked on a massive jade slab, a dull, throbbing ache in a place I’d rather not think about. And next to me lay a man, equally naked. My eyes involuntarily drifted downward, and—holy hell, what is that? My heart leaped into my throat. I snapped my head away, then slowly, cautiously, forced myself to look at the man's face. It was a face the entire realm knew. Coldly handsome, all sharp angles and unforgiving planes, with a severe sword-shaped mark etched between his brows. Kaelan. Sword Saint of the Path of Detachment, the youngest elder of the Aethelgard Academy. At only two hundred years old, he had already forged a Sword Heart, ascending to the rank of Sword Saint. I was so terrified my heart nearly hammered its way out of my chest. I'm dead. I'm so, so dead. I’d just done the unspeakable with the legendary killing machine himself—a man who had renounced all mortal desires and emotions. They said anyone or anything that dared to taint his sacred path would be obliterated, their very soul sliced from existence by his blade. He was going to kill me. Absolutely. I scrambled to my feet, but my legs gave out, and I stumbled, falling right on top of him. "Oof—" I bit my tongue, frantically trying to push myself up. That was close. I almost planted my face on his icy one. Pip, ever the master of bad timing, chirped excitedly. "La la la, congratulations, Host! Successful acquisition of SSS-grade genetic material! Pregnancy chance: 100%!" "Hee hee, and it's a two-for-one special!" Seriously? With death breathing down my neck, now is not the time for jokes. Pip's voice was a grating buzz. "Host, don't run! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" "Shut up! If we don't get out of here before he wakes up, we're both finished." "Ground to dust, soul scattered to the winds, you get it?" I summoned every ounce of skill I possessed and bolted out of that frozen cavern like my tail was on fire. So long, sucker. Hope we never meet again! 2 I made it out, but a sense of unease lingered. A dozen days later, I found out why. I finally understood what Pip’s "two-for-one special" meant. I was pregnant. With twins. The world tilted on its axis. I wanted to die. "Are all you Blessed Womb Systems this deranged?" I asked, my voice trembling. Pip, completely oblivious to my despair, sounded immensely proud. "Pretty amazing, right? I could get a rock pregnant if I wanted to, hehehe." "Plus, my fetal protection functions are top-notch! As long as you're alive, the babies will be just fine!" My vision swam. I was going to faint. I found a small, mortal town to hide in, pretending to be just another person while I fretted over the impossible situation with the kids. One day, the town burst into a frenzy. Apparently, some demons were causing trouble just outside the walls. Curiosity got the better of me, and I squeezed through the crowd to the ramparts to get a look. Wow. A figure in white hung in the air, casually flicking out waves of sword energy that turned the previously arrogant demons to dust. The skill was breathtaking. So cool. And his face... even cooler. Wait. Kaelan? My mind went blank. I nearly dropped to my knees. Why was a powerhouse like him personally descending from his mountain to deal with petty demons? It made no sense. I decided to use the crowd as cover and slip away. I’d barely taken two steps when a gaze as sharp and tangible as a physical blade locked onto me, sending a shiver down my spine. My heart pounded against my ribs, and every hair on my body stood on end. I prayed, begged, pleaded with any deity that would listen that he hadn't recognized me. But in my panic, my left foot tangled with my right, and I face-planted spectacularly. The bag of hot, freshly roasted chestnuts I'd just bought went flying, scattering across the ground. The next second, an aura of chilling cold washed over me. "It's you." No preamble, no context. Just those two words. But I knew exactly what he meant. Game over. It was well and truly over. 3 The fox did not die. "Why did the Master bring someone back? Whoa, it's a fox fey!" Honestly, death might have been preferable. This was utterly humiliating. Out of sheer terror, my fox ears and tail had popped out, and now I couldn't get them to go away. My hundred years of suave composure—gone. Wasted. Oh, why did I ever steal those stupid berries? "What did he do to get caught by the Master himself?" "Well, he is a fox fey. Look how handsome he is..." "Shh... don't gossip about the Master. But yeah, he's really handsome." My face was a mask of utter despair, but Pip was celebrating like it was New Year's. "Host, seize this chance! This man is prime quality, top-tier! I never lie." Thanks a lot. All I want is to live. I trailed behind Kaelan, my feet dragging, until we arrived at... somewhere. He stopped, and I huddled in a corner like a frightened quail. At this point, my fear was starting to subside. If you really thought about it, I was the one who got the short end of the stick here. Not that I'd ever dare say that out loud. He let out a soft sigh, choosing his words carefully. "You don't need to be afraid. I just..." Suddenly, his expression shifted. A palpable wave of mana, laced with icy cold, pulsed from him, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees. His brow furrowed as if he were fighting some immense pain. Strangely, that same bizarre heat I'd felt in the frozen pool began to stir within me again. I found myself pinned against the wall by Kaelan, his eyes clouded and unfocused. Mine were too, apparently. For some reason, his pale lips suddenly looked ridiculously inviting. ... When I came to my senses again, I was tangled up with Kaelan, completely naked, my tail wrapped possessively around his waist as if it never wanted to let go. Damn my weakness for beautiful men! I gritted my teeth and tried to inch away. And then Kaelan woke up. He must have been startled, because he jerked away instantly. I heard a sound escape my lips that I couldn't possibly describe. For a moment, both of us were frozen in a state of mutual, flustered panic. Finally, Kaelan hastily threw on his clothes and fled outside. I let out a long, shaky breath and curled up on the bed, wishing the ground would swallow me whole. We hadn't even had a proper conversation, and we'd already explored each other... inside and out. What kind of cursed fate was this? Enough. Stop thinking about it. After dressing, I cautiously stepped outside. A sword shot out, its tip hovering inches from my throat. I shrieked in terror. "Ah, don't kill me!" The blade trembled. Then its owner grasped the sharp edge and pushed the hilt into my hands. "I apologize," Kaelan said, his voice strained. "I was the one who wronged you. You can kill me or punish me as you see fit." I just stared at him, dumbfounded. Huh. Well, I guess that's the kind of integrity you'd expect from someone who forged a Sword Heart. He was certainly... fair. But there was no way I was going to kill him. If I did, the entire world of mages would be after my hide. My life was more important. And besides, it's not like I didn't get anything out of it... I lowered the sword and cleared my throat dramatically. "Ahem. Well, I am a magnanimous fox. We'll just call it even." "I'll be going now." Time to run. Run fast. "Wait," Kaelan said. 4 So, the fox ended up staying at Aethelgard. Reluctantly. It turned out Kaelan had experienced a mishap in his training, and an icy poison had invaded his body. Coincidentally, my sudden appearance and our... activities... seemed to have caused me to be afflicted by it too. I was baffled. I thought it was an aphrodisiac. I didn't feel cold at all... As for why those activities happened, Kaelan couldn't figure it out either. But we couldn't leave the matter unresolved, so I reluctantly agreed to stay and help him figure it out. It's not like things could get any worse. Pip, however, was screaming its digital head off. "Host, this is fate! A match made in heaven!" "Why do you think a Blessed Womb System was bound to you? Why did the famous Sword Saint have a mishap at that exact moment? Why did you run into each other while he was just clearing out some random demons? It's destiny, I tell you! Destiny!" So loud. I think the system has gone insane. I was given a place on Silvermoon Peak. Kaelan said it was quiet, but I wasn't so sure. The disciples of Aethelgard must have heard rumors, because they were constantly popping up to sneak a peek at me, their eyes gleaming with a thirst for gossip. "The Master is hiding him here. Are they, like, mates?" "He's so beautiful. I want a fox fey for a mate too." "But Master Kaelan is on the Path of Detachment... He's not going to be a deadbeat dad, is he? If he is, I'll go comfort the little fox. Maybe he'll fall in love with me!" "Shh, keep your voice down! You'll be in for it if the Master hears you." "In for what?" Kaelan’s cold voice cut through the air. The disciples' faces went sheet-white. They spun around, stammering greetings to Kaelan. "My master wanted to check my homework, Master Kaelan, I have to go." "I need to practice my sword forms, goodbye, Master!" "My mandrakes... I think they're about to sprout. Can't leave them alone. Gotta go, Master!" Their excuses were pathetic, but Kaelan just nodded without a word. Over the past few days, I’d realized that despite his chilling aura, he was actually quite easy to get along with. With one exception. In bed, he somehow became incredibly... fierce. The third time the icy poison acted up, it seemed milder than before, so my mind was much clearer. Kaelan’s restrained expression, however, was driving me crazy. We foxes don't really do "restraint." So, I got bold. I licked him. Things spiraled out of control. And I ended up a blubbering mess again. Pip, that shameless system, was providing a running commentary in my head. "Relax, Host. Breathe." "Sword Saint, an angle adjustment of 15 degrees is recommended for optimal ergonomics." Me: "...#￥%&!" I couldn't take it anymore. I begged Kaelan to slow down, but a wave of nausea hit me, and I retched right in front of him. Instantly, the look in Kaelan’s eyes was one of profound hurt. He was filled with self-doubt. "Am I... that bad?" "No, it's not—blegh—" 5 "Pregnant?" Kaelan's fingertips trembled. For the first time, his perpetually stoic face was a canvas of emotions: shock, doubt, disbelief, and something else I couldn't quite decipher. He reached for my wrist, his brow furrowing deeper the longer he held it. Finally, he asked hesitantly, "Are you... actually a girl?" His gaze drifted downward, as if he didn't quite believe it himself. I shrieked. "Male! Guy! Dude!" As for why I was pregnant, I couldn't take it anymore. The whole story about Pip came tumbling out in a frantic, jumbled mess. Kaelan looked utterly bewildered, unsure whether to believe me or to assume I’d lost my mind. I called out to Pip. "Can you please say something to him?" Pip was thrilled. "Sure, sure! As long as he doesn't resist, I can!" Kaelan’s mental defenses were incredibly high, so it took a while, but finally, Pip managed to connect with him. "Sword Saint, sir! I'm Pip!" "I'm the one who helped Finn get pregnant with your babies, hehehe." "Two of them, by the way." Kaelan fell silent. The room was so quiet it was terrifying. He just stared at my stomach, his face turning red. I'm pretty sure he wanted to punch the meddling system as much as I did. 6 Ever since he found out I was carrying his cubs, Kaelan had been acting... strange. He had long since transcended the need for food, but I hadn't. The enchanted food at Aethelgard was plentiful, but the taste was... underwhelming. My cravings were intense, especially for the humans' stinky tofu. If I didn't get some, I was convinced I would die today. I was about to sneak out when Kaelan found me. "Where are you going?" I pouted, a wave of petulance washing over me. "What, am I a prisoner now? Do I have to report my every move to you?" Kaelan froze, a flicker of uncharacteristic panic in his calm eyes. "That's not what I meant. I—I mean... if there's something you need, I can get it for you." My eyes lit up. I grabbed his arm. "Oh, that's perfect! Let me tell you, there's this stall down in the village..." Kaelan listened intently. When I was done, he said, "Wait here," and disappeared. I hummed happily as I headed back to my room. Having someone else run your errands was the best. Half an hour later, Kaelan returned. He'd brought back a lot of things. Besides what I'd asked for, there were other snacks too. He cleared his throat, looking at the wall instead of me. "They said pregnant people often crave these things. You can... try them." And with that, he vanished like a gust of wind. I didn't think much of it. After stuffing myself, I felt covered in the smell of food and decided to go for a soak in the hot springs. This place was a true treasure. The spring floor was lined with warming jade, and the walls were embedded with purifying pearls. A single soak felt like it could add five hundred years to a fox's life. And what do you know, Kaelan showed up. Huh? Why was he here? I thought he preferred cold pools. He seemed about to leave when he saw me. I knew he wasn't one for sharing spaces, but I was in a good mood and really wanted to talk to someone. So, he wasn't going anywhere. He kept a respectful distance, but I didn't mind and just started chatting. "So, have you figured out what's causing that icy poison?" He nodded. "I'm used to training in extremely cold environments. The chill from the ancient frost isn't like normal cold; it's much harder to dispel. Over time, it accumulated in my body until it erupted." Ah, so that's why he was in the hot spring now. "So... what happened with us was..." Kaelan stiffly turned his head to look at the distant mountains. His voice was soft, gentle. "I found a way to break the curse in an old text." "The most effective way to counteract the icy poison... is through intimate union with a body of pure solar energy." 7 A fox is a creature of fire, his fey power the essence of yang. Today, a fox discovered a secret. "Pip, this guy must be fate's favorite child, right? The moment his poison acts up, I literally fall into his lap to cure him." "His luck is just off the charts." Pip had its own take. "He's a golden ticket, Host! Latch onto the Sword Saint and enjoy life on easy mode. Becoming a great fey lord is just around the corner." A fey lord! Hehe, does that mean I'll get nine tails soon? Hehehe... Now, where's Kaelan? I need to go cuddle with him.
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