Chapter 495: The Small Matter of Pregnancy

“You’ve touched too?!”

The shock and resentment on Hanjo Ayame’s face were exactly the reaction Himekoji had wanted.

But—

“You’ve also touched?!”

Yukinoshita’s anger wasn’t!

This took Himekoji completely by surprise.

“I’m sorry! I was boasting! I didn’t touch!”

Himekoji hurriedly and nervously denied his previous arrogant claims.

Just to be clear, he wasn’t afraid of Yukinoshita herself! He was afraid for the baby inside Yukinoshita!

What if it caused problems with the pregnancy?

He’d already asked the System. The System said the child was his! Even a paternity test would say so!

Even though he and Yukinoshita hadn’t so much as kissed yet…

Anyway, the feelings of being a father for the first time were complicated, really hard to put into words.

Right now, Himekoji could only be glad Yukinoshita was the only victim.

Thank heavens, the Brave and Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye had escaped unharmed from that skill…

It was also thanks to those two not being ordinary characters; their resistance to abnormal states was something Yukinoshita, an everyday heroine type, just couldn’t match.

Otherwise, if Himekoji had to shoulder the burden of taking care of three “soon-to-be moms,” he might very well get so overwhelmed he’d want to smash his head against a wall!

As it was, just Yukinoshita alone was already more than he could handle.

How should he even tell Yukinoshita?

About this matter.. that it seemed she might… possibly… be pregnant.

Himekoji felt like he had two heads! He couldn’t think straight!

…

“I’m sorry! I was boasting! I didn’t touch!”

“Boasting?”

Yukinoshita wrinkled her brows, looking half-convinced, half-doubtful.

“Hah! So it was a boast? I knew it!”

Hanjo Ayame, however, was simple enough to believe it completely. Now ridiculously pleased, she mocked Himekoji relentlessly,

“Exactly. Besides me, how could anyone else possibly touch Rikka? Himekoji, I know you’re envious… downright jealous of me. But that’s no reason to pretend more than you are.”

She ended her speech in this earnest, lecturing tone.

It made Himekoji furious!

Humiliation! Outrage!

Who the hell was pretending?!

He had touched!

If it weren’t for needing to consider Yukinoshita’s feelings right now, he’d touch right then and there to show Hanjo, to strike down her arrogant attitude good and proper.

But he knew he couldn’t!

Early Pregnancy Notes –

1: The expectant mother should try to stay in a pleasant mood.

He forcefully swallowed Hanjo Ayame’s mockery, gritting his teeth while squeezing out a peaceful smile instead, looking pleadingly at Yukinoshita.

“Yukinoshita, come on, give me a smile.”

“Urgh—”

Instead of smiling, Yukinoshita threw up…

The strained smile on Himekoji’s face froze solid.

No way? Was it because his smile was too disgusting?

Himekoji’s pride took a heavy blow.

“What’s wrong, Yukinoshita? Carsick?”

Hiratsuka-sensei, noticing the commotion, clearly misunderstood. Seeing Yukinoshita looking rather pale, she voiced her concern.

As she spoke, she quickly rummaged around for the motion sickness pills they always kept in the car and handed them to Yukinoshita Yukino.

“Th-thanks…”

Just as Yukinoshita was about to take them—

“Wait!”

Himekoji immediately stopped her.

Himekoji jumped in fright, frantically snatching the pills from Yukinoshita’s hand.

“What are you doing?”

Himekoji naturally ignored Yukinoshita’s confusion and displeasure. He didn’t answer, urgently pulling out the medication’s instructions instead, scanning them.

Looking for the word ‘pregnant’—

[Currently, clinical trials confirm adverse effects on the fetus, though may be used in life-threatening situations for the mother.]

Adverse effects on the fetus, key point!

So she couldn’t take them!

They’d have adverse effects on his and Yukinoshita’s child!

“Yukinoshita, this isn’t a life-threatening situation for you… right?”

“Huh?”

Yukinoshita obviously didn’t grasp his meaning, blanking out for a moment.

“Urgh—”

Only when the nausea surged again did she urgently reach out to Himekoji,

“Pervert-kun, give me the pills. Quick.”

“No!”

Himekoji pulled his hand holding the pills further behind his back, clutching them tightly.

For the healthy growth of their child, Yukinoshita, bear with it!

“Akito, stop messing around.”

Beside them, Yuigahama couldn’t stand it any longer and spoke up for Yukinoshita.

Himekoji pretended not to hear, keeping a death grip on the pills, offering no reply.

Yuigahama, you wouldn’t understand the heart of a father!

“Himekoji, honestly, give the pills back to Yukinoshita.”

Even the Female Teacher driving couldn’t just sit back and watch. She glared back at Himekoji, almost causing an accident.

Giving Himekoji quite the scare!

Sensei, please watch the road and drive properly! Yukinoshita right now carries two lives at stake!

“Hey, Himekoji.”

Seeing Himekoji still hadn’t acted, Hiratsuka-sensei had to urge him again.

“Umm… Yukinoshita, do you want a lemon?”

Amid Hiratsuka-sensei’s urging, Himekoji brought out the lemons he’d bought just before getting in the car.

Specifically prepared for Yukinoshita.

Chinese medicine texts had records—

Lemons, beneficial for mothers and babies, extremely sour; ideal for pregnant women with liver deficiency cravings.

Also called Mother-Friendly Fruit.

“Lemon?”

Yuigahama showed her signature look of confusion.

To this, Himekoji offhandedly made something up: “Ah, they work wonders against carsickness! Tried it myself! Better than motion sickness pills! So, Yukinoshita… do you want to try?”

Himekoji had already cut the lemon for Yukinoshita and helpfully offered it. Yukinoshita couldn’t really find a reason to refuse.

Though she’d never eaten a lemon raw – always slicing them for water – this time she decided to humor Himekoji.

“H-how is it?”

Himekoji asked nervously.

“It seems… it seems I really do feel a bit better?”

Maybe it was just psychological or something else, but seeing Himekoji so concerned and worried about her made most of her physical discomfort vanish instantly.

“Yes!”

Himekoji pumped his fist hard, overjoyed.

Son, your dad protected you!

Huh?

Wait!

It might also be a daughter?

Yeah! Would a daughter be even better?

Crisis averted, his thoughts instantly scattered. Himekoji unconsciously found his eyes drifting towards Yukinoshita’s belly, stroking his chin and starting to agonize over whether a son or a daughter would be better.

The rest of the people in the car just looked at Himekoji in bewilderment.

What on earth was this pervert being so smug and excited about all of a sudden?

They all had big question marks floating above their heads.

Only Yukinoshita acted untypically shy, lowering her head to take small bites of the lemon.

The lemon Himekoji gave her wasn’t sour. It was a little sweet.

A sweet lemon.

…