Chapter 157: Spending on baby things
Hana woke up to the soft chime of the daily login alert. She blinked away the last remnants of sleep, her vision clearing as the translucent screen levitated in the dim fluorescent light of the den.
> Daily Login: Day 27
> Baby Condition: Stable (Optimal Energy levels) / Three days to delivery
> Current Balance: +117,880 Karmic Points
> New Eden Civilization Development Progress: 89%
Hana was completely alone in the room. She shifted her weight, feeling her heavy belly first and foremost before sitting up and stretching her arms above her head.
To her surprise, she didn’t feel a single ache or bit of soreness despite the intense, all-night session.
The passive regenerative abilities shared through her bonds with the Alphas had already wiped away any physical fatigue, leaving her skin smooth and her body thoroughly rested. It seems to work way better these days the more sex she has with them. Or maybe it’s just because Ren’s bond boosted the regeneration.
Looking around, she noticed the room was tidy. The sheets had been changed, and her mates had cleaned up so thoroughly that there wasn’t even a trace of semen or musk left lingering in the air. It was fresh, giving her no reason to be uncomfortable or picky.
As she pulled the fresh blanket down, her hand brushed against her chest. The front of her dress felt damp, and a distinct, sweet, milky scent drifted up to her nose.
She looked down, watching a tiny bead of white liquid well up against the fabric.
She had finally begun to lactate. It started the night before while they were having their fivesome.
Hana had been quietly worrying about it over the past week, wondering why her body hadn’t started producing milk even though she was only days away from her delivery date.
She had already been mentally preparing herself to buy baby formula from the system store right from the start. But looking at the damp fabric now, it didn’t seem like that was going to be a problem anymore. But she was still going to buy the formulas anyway.
Images of the previous night suddenly flashed through her mind, and a rare, sudden blush crept up her neck.
I seem to be doing way too much, she muttered to herself, rubbing her temples. Talk about unhinged...
Remembering the raw intensity of the fivesome made her look down at her large, heavy stomach. She recalled the exact moment she had licked Kulu’s semen from her fingers and muttered what a waste right in front of the blushing Alphas.
She touched the prominent curve of her belly, her voice dropping into a quiet murmur as she spoke to the little one inside. "You’re the one making me do these things, aren’t you? You have such a broad influence on my body, little one."
She let out a soft, resigned sigh. "I’ll go back to normal after giving birth. That’s my only reassurance. I’m not even a beastman, and yet it feels like I’m going into heat every single night."
But her embarrassment didn’t last long. Her face instantly lit up as she recalled the massive numbers of her current balance.
She finally had over 100,000 karmic points.
While a large part of her still wanted to hoard those points to buy the high-tier gun she had been eyeing in the armory section, there was a far more pressing matter at hand.
It was finally time to shop for baby clothes, blankets, and essential gear from the system interface. She wouldn’t find those things in the bunkers so this was the only way.
The thought of spending her hard-earned wealth made a wave of genuine excitement wash over her. It turned out going absolutely wild with her mates had been completely worth it since these points were golden.
With a simple thought, Hana summoned the system interface. She hummed in satisfaction at the clear display of her 117,880 current points and no debt in sight.
She tapped the floating blue screen, her eyes shining as she scrolled through the system store’s specialized baby section.
She had never been this excited since she came into this world. It was as if all loads and burdens had been lifted from her chest and she was just a simple expectant mother finally going through an online shopping list for baby necessities.
How fun.
Now that she had a massive six-figure balance, she threw caution out the window.
She was in full nesting mode, and the sheer variety of modern, high-quality items was entirely too tempting. And nothing was more satisfying than having money to spend at her own disposal.
She started clicking, the satisfying ping of the system’s purchase confirmation echoing repeatedly through the quiet den.
> Premium Hypoallergenic Organic Baby Formula (Dragon-Beast Hybrid Fortified) x10
> [System Purchase Successful]
> Ultra-Soft Self-Expanding Diaper Packs (Newborn Size) x15
> [System Purchase Successful]
I think I’ll have to teach those guys how to change a baby’s diaper. And if they’re a lost cause, I’ll just have to rely on Mina. She’s such a sweet attentive girl.
She liked Mina because she wasn’t doing too much. She wasn’t trying to act righteous and nice. She had seen her getting mad at some beastmen earlier, and threw stones at them. It was funny, because she always looked so gullible.
> Nutrient-Dense Infant Rice Purée & Fruit Blends x20
> [System Purchase Successful]
"Might as well get the actual furniture while I’m at it," she muttered, her fingers flying across the screen.
She tapped on a beautiful, dark-wood baby cot equipped with automated rocking and temperature-regulation runes.
Then came the softest fleece blankets, teething rings, a digital baby monitor that could track vital signs through scales, and stacks of tiny, adorable onesies.
The empty spaces of her bedroom began to fill up at an alarming rate.
Boxes of pampers stacked themselves against the stone wall. Containers of baby formula and food jars neatly piled up on her side table. The large, elegant wooden cot materialized right beside her bed, already fitted with a plush mattress and neatly folded fleece blankets.
Within minutes, the spacious bedroom where four powerful predators and her used to occupy with no issue, looked less like a bedroom and more like the stockroom of a high-end infant boutique.
Hana was so absorbed in her shopping spree that she didn’t even hear the approaching footsteps.
Mina walked in carrying a steaming basin of water and a fresh towel, intent on helping Hana with her morning routine.
But the moment her foot crossed the threshold, she froze. Her jaw dropped, her blue eyes widening to the size of saucers as she stared at the mountain of unfamiliar, brightly colored boxes and the strange, beautifully crafted wooden structure next to the bed.
"Uh... Miss Hana?" Mina squeaked, carefully stepping over a stray pack of diapers. "What... what is all this?"
Mina’s voice instantly snapped Hana out of her trance.
Hana blinked, looking around the cluttered room. She looked at the towering boxes of pampers, the stacks of formula, the cot, and then slowly glanced up at the top right corner of the system interface to check her remaining funds.
> [Current Balance: 20,450 Karmic Points]
Hana let out a long, slow breath—a breath she felt like she had been holding ever since she first started hoarding points for her survival.
The dizzying rush of adrenaline faded, replaced by a sudden, comical wave of realization.
She had completely, utterly gotten carried away. Why are baby things so expensive anyways?
Nearly 100,000 hard-earned points, gone in a single, unhinged morning blur.
"Oh," Hana murmured, rubbing her temples as she looked at the beautiful cot and the lifetimes’ worth of baby supplies surrounding her. She gave Mina a sheepish, slightly strained smile. "Good morning, Mina. Don’t worry about it... I just... did a little redecorating."
Mina carefully balanced the basin of water against her hip, her eyes still darting between a brightly colored diaper box and the glowing runes on the new baby cot.
"Redecorating," Mina repeated softly, trying out the strange word as if it were a spell. A small, knowing smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Well, whatever it is, it looks very comfortable. Master Raiden said breakfast has been ready for a while, but he didn’t want the others rushing in here and waking you up too early after last night."
Mina blushed slightly at her own words, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the basin.
Living so close to the Alphas’ den meant she wasn’t entirely oblivious to the heavy, pulsing energy that had radiated from the building until the early hours of the morning. And not to mention the sounds... it made her feel like her own heat was approaching.
Hana cleared her throat, her own cheeks warming up just a fraction as she pulled the blanket securely over her damp tunic. "Right. Breakfast. Thank you, Mina."
"I can help you dress, Miss Hana, or bring a tray up here if navigating... all of this is too difficult," Mina offered helpfully, gesturing to the literal maze of infant supplies blocking the path to the wardrobe.
Hana looked back at her pathetic 20k balance on the floating screen before dismissing it with a flick of her wrist.
The damage was done, but as her stomach let out a loud, demanding rumble, she decided she couldn’t afford to care right now.
The baby was already awake and signaling its hunger again, though thankfully with much less desperation than the night before.
"No need, I can make it down," Hana said, sliding her legs over the edge of the bed. Her feet touched the cool floor, and she took a steady breath, testing her balance. "Just give me a few minutes to freshen up. Let Raiden know I’ll be right down."
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