Interstellar Beastworld: Raising A Cub With My Mummy System!-Chapter 19: GOING SHOPPING(1)

Magus tsked.

Uriel had been on Kyle’s side since day one.

"Just say you’re biased. You treat him better than you treat your own brother."

Uriel picked up the tablet, his eyes leaving Magus. "That’s because my brother is a fool and unless he leaves our father’s shadow he will continue to remain a fool in my eyes."

-_-

Magus shook his head, there was still hope for Usiel, after all Uriel was only 23 when he broke away from his father’s clutches, he believed Usiel would do the same when he saw ready.

"The young prince will be fine. I’ll carry out your orders and prepare the speeder."

Uriel nodded and settled down into the chair again.

Magus leaving gave Uriel the space he needed to think.

With the coming of his child, he could not allow them to remain in the castle.

They were safer in his estate.

Away from prying eyes and jealous cousins.

He knew his parents must have gotten news of it and they were waiting for the right time to show up.

"Blood, blood and more blood. I kill every single one of them.."

Lin Yue woke somewhere around noon.

The first thing she noticed was the weight. Her body felt heavier than when she fell asleep, her limbs sluggish and her back aching. She shifted, trying to find a comfortable position, and looked down at her stomach.

It had grown again overnight.

The curve was more pronounced, the skin stretched tighter. The baby moved beneath her palm, a slow roll that made the blankets shift.

[GOOD AFTERNOON. CURRENT STATUS: EIGHT MONTHS. YOU ARE APPROACHING YOUR DUE DATE.]

She nodded, too tired to be surprised. MS had been tracking her progress hour by hour. Eight months meant the end was near.

"I am hungry." she said.

[THERE IS FOOD ON THE TABLE. THE PRINCE HAD IT BROUGHT IN AN HOUR AGO. SCANNED AND SAFE.]

She looked over and saw a tray laden with bread, meat, and a pitcher of water. Her stomach growled loudly.

[ALSO. NEW MISSION.]

A screen materialized in front of her face.

[NEW MISSION: PREPARE A DELIVERY BAG]

[DESCRIPTION: YOU ARE APPROACHING YOUR DUE DATE. IT IS TIME TO PREPARE THE ITEMS YOU WILL NEED DURING AND AFTER CHILDBIRTH.]

[OBJECTIVE: COLLECT ALL LISTED ITEMS AND HAVE THEM READY FOR USE.]

[TIME LIMIT: 6 HOURS]

[TIME REMAINING: 5 HOURS 59 MINUTES.]

Lin Yue stared at the screen. "Six hours?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

[LABOR CAN BEGIN ANYTIME AFTER YOU REACH NINE MONTHS. YOU ARE CURRENTLY AT EIGHT. THE WINDOW IS NARROW.]

The list appeared.

DELIVERY BAG CONTENTS:

[3 clean soft cloths (for cleaning the baby)]

[ 1 warm blanket (for wrapping the baby)]

[2 high-energy nutrient bars (for you during labor)]

[ 1 hydration pack (for water during labor)]

[1 sterilized cutting tool (for umbilical cord)]

[ 2 binding strips (for securing the cord)]

[ 1 loose comfortable change of clothes (for after birth)]

[ 1 small container of healing salve (for postpartum recovery)]

Lin Yue read the list twice. "Is this even necessary? Don’t hospital have these things already?"

[CORRECT. BUT ITS BEST TO HAVE YOUR OWN. SAFETY AND HYGIENE.]

"And I have to find all of this in six hours?"

[YES. THE CASTLE HAS STORES. YOU HAVE GUARDS WHO CAN ACCOMPANY YOU. THIS IS DOABLE.]

She looked at the rewards and penalties.

[REWARDS FOR COMPLETION:]

[• 1000 BONUS POINTS]

[• ACHIEVEMENT: PREPARED MUMMY]

[• UNLOCKED: POSTPARTUM CARE PACKAGE]

[• UNLOCKED: BABY’S FIRST OUTFIT]

[PENALTIES FOR FAILURE:]

[• NO BONUS POINTS]

[• NO ACHIEVEMENT]

[• NO CARE PACKAGE]

[• POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS DURING BIRTH DUE TO LACK OF SUPPLIES]

Lin Yue’s stomach dropped. "Potential complications?"

[CHILDBIRTH WITHOUT PROPER SUPPLIES IS DANGEROUS.]

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood carefully. Her balance was off, her center of gravity shifted. She placed a hand on her stomach and took a moment to adjust.

"Okay. Six hours. Let’s go."

[EAT FIRST. YOU WILL NEED ENERGY.]

She grabbed a piece of bread and walked toward the door. The guard outside straightened when she appeared.

First things first.

She needed money.

And she needed company.

"I need to see Prince Uriel." she said. "Can you take me to him?"

The guard hesitated. "The prince is in a meeting, ma’am..."

"Tell him it is important. Baby..important."

He nodded and spoke into his wrist-comm. A moment later, he looked up. "He will see you. Follow me."

Uriel’s study was just down the corridor.

When she entered, he looked up from his data tablet, his gold eyes scanning her face for any sign of distress.

"You are well?"

"I am fine." She waddled inside and lowered herself carefully into a chair across from his desk. "I need to go shopping. For baby things. And I need you to come with me."

Uriel set down his tablet. "Shopping?"

"For the baby. Clothes, blankets, medical supplies. The castle has a store, right? A market wing?"

"There is a market wing in the lower levels. Everything you need can be found there." He stood and rounded the desk. "I will accompany you there."

She blinked. "Just like that?"

"You asked me to. Or have you changed your mind?"

"No, no.. you agreed so easily I was a bit taken aback.."

Uriel chuckled then stood up, grabbing his jacket and car keys from the rack.

"I also need..." She hesitated. "I need a way to pay for things. I don’t have any money right now.."

"You think I would let you pay?" Uriel grabbed his jacket and car keys from the rack by the door. "Come. The market wing is about five miles from here. We will take the car."

Lin Yue followed him out, struggling slightly to keep up with her new center of gravity. Uriel noticed and slowed his pace without comment.

They walked through the corridors toward the private garage where his car was parked.

The sleek black vehicle sat waiting, the same one she had climbed him in days ago.

Lin Yue felt her face warm at the memory but said nothing.

Uriel opened the passenger door and helped her inside before circling to the driver’s side.

The car hummed to life and lifted smoothly off the ground as they exited the palace.

The city unfolded beneath them, towers of glass and metal stretching toward the sky, flying vehicles weaving between them in organized patterns.

Lin Yue pressed her face to the window like a child.

"This is amazing.." she breathed.

Uriel glanced at her. "You have not seen much of the city yet."

"I have been a bit busy with the whole almost dying and growing a human inside me thing."

"Beastfolk. The baby is half beastfolk."