Chapter 255: A touch of romance with the flu.

There was a flu outbreak at Beast Valley. Zyra had scrambled to contain it, nearly draining her merit points to buy medicine from the system shop for humans and beasts alike. Who could have known that this strain was so hard to cure and needed only high-grade herbs?

But among the victims, the most dramatic was Hunter. For a mere flu, the strong man had turned into a big crybaby, clinging to her like glue. She had to hand-feed him porridge, and he insisted on sleeping with his head buried in her lap. Zyra was seriously starting to suspect he was exaggerating the whole thing just to keep her tethered to his side. Each time she said no, he reminded her that he saved her from the dogs when they were children. Zyra was also regretting getting that tidbit out of him because it seemed like she would owe him for life.

She stared at him where he lay cocooned under three heavy quilts on the bed, patting the empty spot next to him with a weak, pitiful pucker. "Wifey_ it’s cold over here."

Zyra shook her head, exasperated. "Enough, it’s been three days. I have a whole community to run, Hunter. And right now, the only person I can actually rely on is lying in bed acting like he’s at death’s door."

The moment those words left her mouth, Hunter froze. He tossed the thick covers aside, sat up straight, and gave a vigorous stretch. "You know what? I feel so much better! The air in my lungs is crisp!"

Without waiting for her to threaten him with a spanking like she had for the last three days, he marched over to the vanity table, grabbed the bitter herbal tonic, and chugged it down in one go.

Zyra stood there, jaw wide open. "Are you kidding me?" For three days, she had been spoon feeding him the tonic because he claimed his hands were too weak. And she had to coax him during the process because he could not drink bitter medicine. Without a candy, he rejected the medicine. Now, he was chugging it down without so much as a frown!

Hunter wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking down at her solemnly. "How could I let you down? You just said I’m the person you rely on the most. A little sniffle can’t take down Zyra’s right-hand man and strong husband."

He quickly pulled a fabric mask over his nose and mouth, then stepped forward to scoop her into a giant, sudden hug.

"Hunter!" Zyra yelped into his chest.

"Your hugs have healing abilities, I swear, I think it’s because you are a soul maiden" he murmured, his voice softening as he held her close. "Thank you. For taking care of me. For indulging me in my silliness."

Zyra went still in his arms. She loved being this close to him_ closer than she dared to admit. But her mind was a tangled mess of confusion. She was starting to acquire complicated feelings, and all this affection was blurring the lines. Were they still just pretending to be husband and wife? Which parts of this performance were fake, and which parts were real?

Gently, Hunter pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. The silly, dramatic act vanished, replaced by a gaze so deep it made her throat go dry.

Even with the mask hiding the lower half of his face, his eyes crinkled into a soft, breathtaking smile. "You are beautiful, Zyra. Truly, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. These three days have probably been the highlight of my year." He lifted a warm hand, his thumb resting softly on the high curve of her cheekbone. Slowly, reverently, he began to trace her features. "Look at you," he whispered, his thumb trailing down the soft line of her nose, stopping for a brief second at the dip above her lip. "Every line of your face looks like it was painted by the heavens just to ruin me. Your eyes are sharper than any blade, but when you look at me like this_" He smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his touch feathered and warm against her temple. "_I forget how to breathe."

Zyra’s heart pounded against her ribs like a trapped bird. Was he serious? It was so hard to tell with that stupid mask hiding his mouth. Driven by a sudden spike of longing, she reached up and gently yanked the fabric down to his chin, searching his bare face for any sign of a joke.

There was none. Hunter’s gaze darkened, his eyes dropping to her lips. He leaned down, his breath warm against her mouth, closing the distance for a kiss_

A sudden sound shattered the romantic tension instantly. A sudden cracking sound that made them freeze. Near the corner of the room on the vanity table, the large human egg they had been keeping warm tipped off its padded nest, hit the tiled floor, and cracked.

"My egg!" Zyra gasped, pushing past the mood completely. She rushed toward it, panic surging through her. "Oh no, it’s damaged_"

Another cracking sound shattered the air. Blinding golden light suddenly erupted from the fissure, spilling across the room.

"Zyra, wait!" Hunter lunged forward, grabbing her around the waist and hauling her backward like she was stepping into a dragon’s den. He pulled her flush against his chest, wrapping his arms securely around her and shielding her eyes with one broad hand. "Don’t look directly at it! The light could blind you."

The light grew impossibly bright, shooting up toward the ceiling in a big, shimmering pillar of raw energy. The air in the room grew thick and heavy, humming with power as something began to materialize inside the glow.

The light snapped out of existence as quickly as it had appeared.

When Hunter finally lowered his hand, Zyra blinked away the spots in her vision. Standing in the center of the room was a fully grown woman. She was completely naked, dripping in a thick, translucent slimy fluid, and blinking at her surroundings with calm, deep blue eyes.

A crisp, mechanical chime echoed directly in Zyra’s brain:

[Congratulations Host! The human egg has successfully hatched. You have delivered a bouncing baby girl from the Ravager beast empire.]

Zyra stared at the slimy, lethal beauty standing on her bedroom floor, then slowly turned her head to look at Hunter, who was still holding her like a shield.

"Well," Hunter cleared his throat, his eyes looking anywhere but the naked woman. "That certainly ruined the moment and just saying---I am not its daddy."