Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 254: Episode 252: A Phenomenal Event

Iris’s black wolf ears perked up.

She leaned in closer, a bright smile spreading across her face, but then a shadow of worry crossed her violet eyes. She looked toward the door.

"But Mama," Iris whispered back, her tail giving a hesitant thump against the mattress. "What if Papa comes upstairs with the broth? Or what if Daddy Zarek comes back from the mountain?"

Roxy waved a dismissive hand, a rebellious grin taking over her features. "If the boys try to crash our party, we will write a sign that says ’No Boys Allowed’. And if anyone tries to open that door, we will toss a bunch of pillows at their face until they get the message and retreat!"

Tanith, who had been quietly listening while chewing on Roxy’s silk sleeve, suddenly seemed to understand the absolute brilliance of this plan.

The snake-toddler let go of the sleeve, planted her little hands on the mattress, and pushed herself up onto her unsteady, chubby legs. She puffed out her tiny chest, balled her hands into fists, and let out a fierce, determined roar.

"RARRRWW!" Tanith squeaked, trying to sound as intimidating as a dragon.

The sheer force of her own battle cry threw off her center of gravity. Tanith wobbled, blinked in surprise, and immediately plopped right back down onto her diaper-padded butt with a soft thud.

Roxy burst out laughing, the sound ringing clear and bright in the quiet bedroom. She scooped Tanith up, peppering her face with kisses until the toddler shrieked with giggles. "Exactly! Just like that, Tantan! They will be terrified of us!"

Iris scrambled off the bed, diving into a small wooden chest in the corner where Ren kept some parchment and charcoal for the children. Roxy pulled out a few colorful wax crayons she had bought from the System shop months ago.

The three of them huddled on the floor. It was a chaotic, messy collaboration.

Iris drew a remarkably good approximation of a wolf baring its teeth, while Tanith mostly scribbled aggressive red zigzags across the parchment. Roxy wrote "NO BOYS ALLOWED (Violators Will Be Pillowed)" in big, bold letters.

Armed with their masterpiece, Roxy crept over to the door. She cracked it open, checked the hallway to ensure Kaelen wasn’t lurking with a bowl of soup, slapped the sign onto the outside of the heavy oak wood, and firmly shut and locked the door.

"Mission accomplished!" Roxy cheered, tossing her hands in the air.

Iris jumped up and down, cheering alongside her mother. "So, Mama! What are we going to play? Are we going to hunt bugs? Or practice fighting?"

Roxy put her hands on her hips, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. Today, we are engaging in the highest form of luxury. We are going to do Mani-Pedis, Facials, and Massages!"

Iris and Tanith cheered loudly, throwing their hands up, completely oblivious to what any of those words actually meant.

System, Roxy called out in her mind. Open the cosmetic shop. I need the works. Spa day package.

[Purchasing ’Ultimate Relaxation Spa Kit’. Deducting 150 LP.]

A shimmering blue light materialized on the wooden floor. When it faded, it left behind an array of colorful bottles, plush robes, clay masks, and an assortment of tiny, fragrant tools.

And so, the greatest girls’ day in the history of the Beastworld began.

Roxy started with the mani-pedis. She sat the girls down on a pile of furs, opening tiny bottles of non-toxic, magical polish that shimmered in the sunlight.

She painted Iris’s little claws a vibrant, glittering purple to match her eyes, and carefully painted Tanith’s tiny toenails a sparkling emerald green. The girls watched in absolute awe as their hands and feet transformed into shiny treasures.

"Now it’s Mama’s turn!" Iris declared, grabbing a bottle of neon pink polish.

Roxy bravely extended her hands. What followed was less of a manicure and more of an abstract art project. By the time Iris and Tanith were done, Roxy had pink polish on her cuticles, her knuckles, and somehow, a streak across her wrist.

It was a messy, chaotic finger art masterpiece, and Roxy proudly blew on her nails to dry them as if they were painted by a professional.

Children would always be children won’t they?

Next came the facials. Roxy mixed a soothing, fragrant clay mask from the System kit. She carefully applied a thin layer to Iris’s cheeks and a tiny dab on Tanith’s nose, before slathering it over her own face.

But Tanith, feeling creatively inspired by the mani-pedi session, decided the brush was a toy. She grabbed a glob of the green clay and slapped it directly onto Iris’s forehead.

"Hey!" Iris yelped, laughing as she wiped it away, only to smear it further.

Tanith babbled happily, effectively painting Iris’s face until the wolf-girl looked like a little green swamp monster. Roxy laughed so hard her stomach ached, pulling them both in for a messy, clay-covered hug that ruined her silk shirt completely.

"Alright, swamp monsters," Roxy giggled, wiping tears from her eyes. "To the tub!"

The master bathroom, which just hours ago had been the site of a very different kind of steamy activity, was transformed into a waterpark. Roxy filled the massive stone tub with warm water and a mountain of sweet-smelling bubble bath.

They stripped down and hopped in. For Roxy, being in the water without the crushing pressure of the ocean or the heavy weight of a crown was pure, unadulterated bliss. She sat in the shallow end, scooping Tanith up by her little waist.

"Prepare for takeoff!" Roxy announced.

She lifted Tanith into the air, holding her out over the bubbly water like an airplane. Tanith spread her arms wide, her green eyes sparkling with absolute joy as Roxy swooped her from left to right.

Iris stood at the edge of the tub, her hands cupped around her mouth, providing the necessary sound effects. "Neeeeeoooww! Pssshh! The dragon is flying! Watch out for the mountain!"

Roxy dipped Tanith low, splashing her feet into the bubbles. Tanith giggled wildly, kicking her legs and splashing a wave of water directly into Roxy’s face.

"Oh, it’s a water battle you want?" Roxy gasped, wiping her eyes.

She splashed them back, and the bathroom erupted into a chaotic, soapy warzone. They played until the water grew cool and their fingers pruned, the sound of their laughter echoing off the stone walls.

Eventually, Roxy wrangled the slippery, giggling girls out of the tub. She dried them off, wrapping them in fluffy towels, and slipped into a fresh pair of comfortable cotton trousers and a loose top from her wardrobe.

"Okay," Roxy sighed, her muscles turning to jelly. "Time for the final phase. Massages." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

She lay face down on the thick rug near the hearth, letting out a long groan of contentment. Iris and Tanith took their assignment very seriously. They crawled onto Roxy’s back, their tiny hands patting and squishing her shoulders with zero technique but infinite enthusiasm.

"You’re doing great, girls," Roxy mumbled into the rug. "Right there. Yes."

After a few minutes, the girls got distracted by a butterfly outside the window and abandoned their post. Roxy sighed, deciding to sit up.

She pushed herself off the floor, planting her feet, and bent backward to stretch her spine.

The sound was loud, sharp, and distinctly un-graceful. Roxy froze, her eyes widening as a dull ache radiated from her lower lumbar.

Iris, who had turned back from the window, blinked her violet eyes slowly. She looked at her mother, tilted her head, and delivered the ultimate, innocent observation.

"Mama is old."

Roxy’s jaw dropped. A flush of hot embarrassment crept up her neck.

"I am not old!" she gasped, bursting out laughing at the sheer audacity of her wolf-daughter. "I am in the prime of my youth! My bones are just... settling!"

To prove her point, Roxy ignored the ache in her back, jumped to her feet, and began doing a wildly exaggerated, energetic dance. She spun around, did a high kick, and shimmied her shoulders, putting every ounce of her remaining energy into proving her vitality.

"See? Healthy and strong!" Roxy cheered, striking a pose.

Tanith thought this was the greatest performance she had ever seen. The toddler sat on the rug, clapping her chubby hands together and babbling a steady stream of excited nonsense.

Iris giggled, hiding her smile behind her hands, completely unconvinced but enjoying the show.

The burst of energy was short-lived. By late afternoon, the golden sunlight filtering through the windows turned deep amber. The exhaustion of the day finally caught up with the little ones.

Iris curled up in the center of the massive bed, her breathing growing deep and even. Tanith fell asleep right on the rug, her thumb firmly in her mouth.

Roxy smiled, her heart swelling with an overwhelming, protective love. She gently scooped Tanith up, carrying the sleeping toddler to the bed and tucking her in right next to Iris. She pulled the thick, soft furs over them, pressing a gentle kiss to both of their foreheads.

The room was finally quiet.

Roxy stretched her arms over her head, feeling the satisfying pull of her muscles. She began moving around the room, quietly arranging the mess they had made.

She picked up the discarded clay masks, capped the nail polish, and folded the damp towels, enjoying the domestic peace of her home.

She picked up the empty wooden cup from the nightstand, intending to take it to the kitchen.

Suddenly the system popped up.

[SYSTEM OVERRIDE: URGENT EVENT TRIGGERED.]

Roxy froze, the wooden cup slipping from her fingers to clatter onto the floorboards.

[Reminder: The ’Calamity Cycle’ has begun. The Wither-Rot Plague has breached the Southern Swamps. Estimated time until arrival at Iron-Wood Borders: 48 Hours.]

[Plague Details: Pathogen targets Alpha-level mana cores. Symptoms include necrotic flesh, severe aggression, and feral regression. Transmission via bite, scratch, or prolonged exposure to corrupted mana.]

[Main Quest Generated: The Shield of the Iron-Wood.]

[Objective: Protect your family. Cure the Rot.]

[Reward: 50,000 LP. And the Fragments of the Truth.]