Chapter 187: CP: 187 What Do You Mean Unreliable?
Alex felt the word settle in his chest like warm honey. Pleased. He accepted the carved wooden cup Boulder offered him, the syrup already diluted with warm water from a nearby pot. The first sip hit his tongue like liquid sunlight—thick, sweet, with that faint floral kick that made his whole body sigh in relief. Heat bloomed low in his belly, easing the deep ache in his pelvis and the tender fullness in his chest. Milk let down in a warm rush, and all four cubs stirred at once, tiny noses twitching toward him like compass needles finding north.
The first baby, still latched to his pinky, released it with a wet pop and immediately rooted for the real thing, her mismatched eyes—one ocean blue, one Leo-gold—blinking up at him with imperious demand. Alex shifted her gently, guiding her to his left breast while the youngest one, wriggled from Leo’s arms and claimed the right. The two of them nursed in tandem, fierce little grunts vibrating against his skin. The third baby, the snow-pale one with the thick baby mane, merely sighed and nuzzled closer to Naga’s coil, content to wait his turn. Roar, however, was having none of Pebble’s wrist anymore; he let go with a grumpy rumble and launched himself toward Alex’s lap like a tiny golden missile.
Pebble laughed, the sound rolling through the alcove like distant thunder, and helped guide the largest cub into place. "Greedy one, aren’t you? Just like your father." She ruffled Roar’s fur with one careful finger, then sat back on her heels, muscular shoulders flexing under her leather vest. The year of chief-training had sharpened her—broader arms, firmer jaw—but the softness in her eyes when she looked at the litter hadn’t changed at all.
Leo’s ears flicked forward, that proud little twitch he couldn’t quite hide. "They all will," Leo said quietly. "They’re lions." His voice cracked just a fraction on the last word, raw with the kind of wonder that came from holding four pieces of his heart when he’d once believed he’d die with none.
Naga’s coils tightened in a slow, supportive squeeze around Alex’s shoulders, cool scales brushing the back of his neck. "And they have their mother’s stubbornness," the serpent lord added, golden eyes half-lidded in quiet amusement. "Four at once. Even the old bloodlines in the deep marshes rarely managed that without losing half to the effort."
Zale drifted closer on silent webbed feet, water dripping one by one from his bright red hair. "The currents approve," he murmured, pressing a cool palm to Alex’s forehead. "Four new tides. Strong ones. They’ll pull the sanctuary deeper into balance."
Sally, who was gathering soft furs to lay the babies on, snorted. "Balance? We’ve got glowing rocks singing lullabies, an unreliable System, and four baby lions who already look like they’re plotting world domination. If this is balance, I want whatever the bears are smoking." She took a long pull from her own cup of syrup-water and sighed happily. "Okay, fine. This stuff is magic. I take it all back."
[What do you mean unreliable?] the System noted, even the hologram it showed flickered carrying a hint of dissatisfaction that made Alex’s lips curve. [I have guided this Host through dragon chase, stone quest, six serpent pregnancies, and a fall from the cliff without once suggesting he rename himself ’Error 404.’ Do you know how many would love to have a system like me? I’ve been the perfect guide anyone could ask for. I even offered a 15% discount on painkillers because I was feeling generous. ]
Sally barked a laugh so sudden she nearly dropped the stack of furs. "Perfect guide?
Alex told me you’re the reason why he even ended up in this world. You practically kidnapped his soul and first thing you decided was to make him preggo with a giant snake. "
[What nonsense are you talking about,] the System shot back, the words turning capital letters in hologram. [I did not ’kidnap’ the Host. I brought him here to save his life. Dimensional relocation in exchange for heroic destiny. Standard terms. The pregnancy clause is listed in every omegas’ life—’reproductive compatibility with highly compatible apex species for lineage stabilization.’ That is the must thing to do to survive in this world. And who told your brother to die from excessive study. ]
Alex nearly choked on his next sip of syrup-water. The warm liquid went down the wrong way, and he coughed, one hand steadying the baby girl against his chest while the little girl kept nursing like the interruption was beneath her notice. " Oh come on, I needed to pass my exam with a good score," he wheezed, laughing. " That’s not full awareness, that’s emotional manipulation with extra steps. Not to mention I couldn’t even take my exams. "
[Not my problem,] the System sniffed. The hologram rotated once, as if preening. [Results speak for themselves. Six healthy snakelings, four perfect lion cubs, one ongoing sanctuary, and a 312% increase in Host life satisfaction index. You’re welcome.]
Sally threw her head back and cackled so hard the stack of furs in her lap nearly toppled. "Three hundred and twelve percent? You’re keeping spreadsheets on his happiness now? That’s not a System, that’s a very judgmental best friend with admin privileges."
[Whatever,] the System agreed without missing a beat. [I’m far more efficient than the emotional support humans you call ’therapists.’ At least I come with a sufficient shopping mall to help out my host in need. ]
Leo’s golden eyes narrowed in that way that meant he was fighting a smile and losing. He shifted the second cub higher against his chest—the baby had tangled onto his naturally voluminous hair and was chewing contentedly at its ends, golden eyes softened with a smile—while his free hand rested on Alex’s knee, claws carefully sheathed. " It is incredibly chatty today, no? "
[How dare you, leo,] the System informed him loftily. [I thought we were pals. Besties going hand in hand. ]
Naga’s coils gave another slow, approving squeeze around Alex’s shoulders, the serpent lord’s low chuckle rumbling like distant water over stone. "Let it keep speaking. The cubs are calmer when it talks. Look."
Sure enough, the baby girl had paused her fierce nursing just long enough to tilt her head toward the faint shimmer of the System’s hologram hovering above Alex’s shoulder. One blue eye, one gold, both locked on with the same sharp focus Alex recognized from his own reflection in still water. The air stone responded instantly, spinning a lazy wisp of breeze that lifted a single strand of her cream-white fur and set it dancing like a miniature banner. She made a small, satisfied sound and went back to business.
Roar, never one to be outdone, had burrowed fully into Alex’s lap and was attempting to nurse and rumble at the same time, the vibrations traveling straight through Alex’s ribs in a way that felt equal parts ridiculous and perfect. The largest cub’s golden fur—streaked with those dramatic snow-white patches across his belly—caught the fire stone’s warm glow and threw it back like living embers.