Chapter 192: Human Egg.

Zyra froze. She blinked once. She blinked twice.

_Wait, what? Human egg?! Zyra’s head whipped around, everyone was focused on the ant eggs. Scotty was declaring himself a daddy, as if Snowy was his beast.

"Beauty! Are you insane?! A human egg?! Is this some kind of sick joke because I was just talking to Hunter about ovaries five minutes ago and you gave me a little human?" Zyra hissed, in her mind.

Beauty sounded entirely too smug as she replied. [Nature works in mysterious ways, Host! Just nurture it with the High-Grade Growth Serum available in the System Shop. I am quite certain you will not be disappointed when it hatches.]

"Hatches?!" Zyra mentally shrieked. "Human babies don’t HATCH, Beauty!"

[Do you wish for the item to be placed in your private quarters, or should I keep it secure in the beast domain?] Beauty asked, completely ignoring her panic.

Zyra rubbed her temples, wondering what was in the egg. She glanced back at Snowy, who was now happily nuzzling her shiny new batch of assassin ant eggs, completely oblivious to her master’s impending existential crisis.

Zyra sighed internally, defeated. "Put it in my room. I’m more likely to remember to nurture it if it’s sitting right where I sleep.

[Item placed in Host’s Abode. Good luck, mommy!]

Zyra nearly choked on her own saliva. "Don’t call me that!" Her heart was racing wildly. Fingers crossed, whatever hatched was not actually human. Her eyes widened as the thought that it could be a Somnivore crossed her mind.

"No...no..no." She murmured. She could not be Somnivore mommy! "I will kill you, Beauty." She muttered.

****

That same morning after breakfast, Lita walked up to the Grand Patriarch’s office. Inside, the old man was standing behind his desk, reviewing stacks of reports alongside Maverick. Lita stepped through the doorway with the sweetest, most innocent smile plastered on her face.

"I hope I’m not interrupting anything, Grand Patriarch?" she asked, her voice dripping with docility.

The Grand Patriarch looked up, forcing a warm, gentle smile. What does this little fox want from me this time? he thought to himself, his inner alarm bells ringing. Outwardly, he smoothed his robes and replied, "Not at all, Lita. Come in."

Lita immediately stepped forward and bowed a full ninety degrees, holding the posture respectfully. "I came to thank you for setting up Zyra’s memorial stone. I am deeply grateful for your kindness toward my late beloved sister and me."

"Ah," the Grand Patriarch nodded, softening just a touch. "It was the least I could do for you two." He then squinted at her outfit. She was wearing elaborate, pant suit, fully accessorized as if attending a royal banquet. "Are you heading out somewhere? You’re awfully dressed up for a simple morning."

"I was planning to go visit my father," Lita said, giving her nose a tiny, subconscious scratch at the tip.

The Grand Patriarch’s eyes narrowed instantly. She’s lying—or at least hiding half the truth. The nose-scratch was a classic tell whenever someone was up to trouble. Instead of calling her out, he chuckled warmly. "Well, you can’t go visit your father empty-handed!" He gestured toward Maverick. "Maverick, take Lita down to the vault and give her twenty high-grade spirit stones and some things to bring to her father."

Lita’s eyes sparkled. She bowed again, her smile becoming much more genuine. "Thank you so much, Grand Patriarch! It warms my heart especially since I did not get a wedding present."

"Oh! That is bad." The Grand Patriarch feigned great concern. "I blame your careless husband here but I will pull his ears the moment he gets back."

Lita waved her hands dismissively. "I don’t not want to get in trouble because I said this_"

"No dear, you must get that wedding present." The Patriarch answered.

Lita then looked at Maverick, trying to hide her impatience. She didn’t want the Grand patriarch to change his mind because the butler took his sweet time taking her to the vault.

"Give me just a moment, Madam Lita, and I’ll accompany you," Maverick said smoothly. Lita offered one last polite nod and stepped outside the office to wait.

The moment the door clicked shut, the Grand Patriarch’s pleasant expression vanished. He leaned toward Maverick and whispered sharply, "Have one of our people follow her. Subtly. I want to know where that little fox is actually going."

"Understood," Maverick replied.

Before he could step out, a high-pitched ring chimed from the desk. The Grand Patriarch’s phone was buzzing.

Maverick bowed quickly, excusing himself to deal with Lita and the following her assignment.

The Grand Patriarch picked up the call. "I am listening." He didn’t say the name of the caller. He never identified his callers by name or saved their contact details by their identities, only the city code.

"It’s me, Frederick Greydrake," a gruff, aged voice echoed from the device. "I just received a desperate call from young Ian Scorpion."

The Grand Patriarch froze mid-breath. He slowly sat back down, perching right on the very edge of his chair, his brows furrowed. "Ian? Is he calling because he’s finally ready to accept the marriage proposal with your daughter, Ainsley?"

On the other end, Frederick sighed heavily. "Yes but there is a problem. Ainsley is throwing a absolute tantrum. She’s strongly against the marriage because she already has some suitor she’s smitten with."

The Grand Patriarch groaned, rubbing his temples as he leaned back into his headrest. This match had been his idea. The Greydrakes were honorable, powerful people who would treat the orphaned Scorpion boy right and shield him from his family’s enemies.

"However," Frederick continued, "there is another way to fulfill the arrangement. My eldest daughter, Isabelle is willing to take Ian in as her second husband_ on one condition."

"What condition?"

"She wants your grandson as a husband too," Frederick said plainly. "If Hunter ever returns, she must marry him as well. That’s her deal."

The Grand Patriarch closed his eyes, a heavy migraine threatening to burst behind his forehead. Hunter. Isabelle was in love with him. Had been since she was a toddler.

But the boy was as stubborn as a mountain ox. He couldn’t force Hunter to do a single thing he didn’t want to do when he was a child, and he certainly couldn’t force him now that he was a grown man with lethal strength.

But Ian was currently in deep trouble_ the mayor had him in his grasp.

"Fine," the Grand Patriarch exhaled, feeling ten years older. "I will do my absolute best to convince Hunter when the time comes but I don’t guarantee anything. It is up to Isabelle to convince him, otherwise, she can divorce Ian if it doesn’t work out."

He knew convincing Hunter was going to be an almost impossible task, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He was simply buying time for Isabelle to fall in love with Ian. By the time Hunter returned, maybe the girl would have let go of her obsession.

"Good enough for me," Frederick replied, relieved. "I’ll go pick up Ian up myself."

"Thank you, old friend." The Grand Patriarch disconnected the call and stared at the empty ceiling of his office. Now that Ian was safely out of the fire, his mind drifted elsewhere.

Ian is secured_ but where in the world is his sister?