Flora Bloom took a ripe, red tomato from her space and held it in her hand. The three-eyed ape’s three eyes lit up at once.

"From now on, I’ll call you Three-Eyes. But starting now, whether you’re in my space or out here, you’re not allowed to cause any trouble. Got it?"

"Eat, eat!" Three-Eyes stared at the tomato in Flora’s hand, and it was unclear if it had understood her. With a sigh, Flora tossed it the tomato and stormed toward the villa.

Snowy was in the yard, licking the many wounds covering its body. Flora sent it back into her space. The evolved space and spiritual water had an even more potent effect on healing wounds.

When it emerged again, its coat was brand new, and all of its previous injuries had vanished.

Following Flora’s instructions, Caleb Bloom and the others all crowded into the villa to discuss a plan, even though they knew something was happening at the base. Flora first went to her room to check on her mother, Jade, who was still asleep. She said a few words to her before coming back out.

Just then, Selina was about to leave the villa with several lunchboxes in hand. Spotting her, Flora asked, "Selina, where are you headed?"

Selina smiled. "Oh, Flora, I’m just taking some food to the people in the other villa. Never mind Azure Leroy and Tianna Bloom, but isn’t Lucia pregnant? And with what she’s carrying... well, she still needs to eat!"

Flora’s gaze shifted. ’Of those women... I don’t even need to mention Lucia. Her motives are impure, and keeping her around will only cause trouble in the long run. I just can’t be sure if the child she’s carrying is actually Joel’s.’

’If things follow the pattern of my past life, Joel could awaken his superpower at any time.’

’Then there’s Azure Leroy. I always felt like there was something between her and Morgan Sterling. Now that Morgan Sterling is dead, she’s useless to me.’

’As for Tianna Bloom, I originally wanted to keep her locked up just so she’d stop causing me trouble. But today, I had a realization.’

’If I keep these people locked up, I still have to feed and water them, don’t I? Even if it’s just one meal a day, I’m the one providing that food.’

’It’s a bad deal. A really bad deal!’

"Selina, after you give them their food, please tell them this is their last meal. They need to leave afterward."

Selina was stunned. "Huh?"

"Food is scarce in this apocalypse. Why should I feed a bunch of freeloaders? It’s a waste of provisions!"

Selina suddenly grew tense. "But what if they won’t go? I... I can’t force them out."

Flora grinned slyly. "Don’t worry. They’ll leave."

Flora returned to her room, planning to enter her space and check on her pets. The giant python she had acquired from the primordial forest within the Eye of Terrestrial Fire had also fallen into a deep slumber after entering the space.

Meanwhile, in her spiritual link with her other pets, their spiritual power had begun to stir. She believed they would awaken soon.

What she found both funny and exasperating was the little wolf cub. After entering her space, it had obediently climbed into the chicken coop and was now sleeping soundly, snuggled up against a hen that had grown in size.

She plucked the Golden Crow, which was pretending to be quiet, from behind her ear. "Speak up. How did you manage to provoke that swarm of insects? Why wouldn’t they leave you alone? You nearly got us all killed!"

The Golden Crow’s golden eyes darted back and forth, avoiding Flora’s direct gaze. "I... I was just absorbing some Fire Element Energy in the volcano. I don’t know where that swarm of insects came from. They just started chasing me as soon as they saw me."

As it spoke, the Golden Crow seemed to be holding something in its beak, making its words muffled and indistinct. To Flora, its panicked expression couldn’t have been more suspicious.

WHOOSH! A breeze blew through the window of Flora’s room, and Lex Cross vaulted inside, his tall frame as agile as a panther’s.

"Y-You! What are you doing here?"

Flora’s hand, which was holding the Golden Crow, tightened. With a pained squawk, the bird was unceremoniously tossed into Flora’s space.

"Flora, isn’t it time you explained a few things to me?"

Lex Cross’s eyes narrowed, his expression taking on a roguish glint she’d never seen before.

"What things? I have no idea what you’re talking about!"

"Oh? You don’t know?"

With every step he took toward her, she took one back.

Apparently dissatisfied with Flora’s reaction, he said, "Cynthia Grant says you’re four months pregnant?"

Flora watched nervously as Lex Cross’s face drew dangerously close. "Er, what about it? She just took my pulse and told me to be a little more careful."

"Oh, look how late it is! I’m tired, time for bed. You should go get some rest, too," Flora said, trying to push Lex Cross toward the window.

"It looks like you have no intention of telling the truth." Lex Cross spun around and swept Flora into his arms as if she were as light as a feather. "It’s been four months since we first met, hasn’t it?"

"I... don’t quite remember. Heh. Uh, I’ll tell you when it comes back to me."

A slight smile played on Lex Cross’s lips as he gently placed Flora on the bed. "This is my flesh and blood!"

His large, warm palm came to rest on Flora’s slightly swollen belly. As if in response, the tiny life within stirred at his touch. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Flora knew she couldn’t hide it any longer. ’My plan was to wait until he reached the Middle Level, when he’d be able to sense it naturally. But he’s so certain... there’s no use denying it now.’

"Me, talking nonsense? How about I go get Cynthia Grant and ask her myself? Or are you telling me you’re not four months pregnant?"

"So what if I’m four months pregnant? Does that automatically mean it’s yours?"

"Am I saying it’s mine? Besides, you were drugged that day. Under those circumstances, a lot of things were out of my control. I’ve thought about it, and there’s no way you could have been with another man within a month of that night... Are you still going to lie to me?"

Flora grabbed the nearby blanket and wrapped herself in it. "Just shut up! Can we please drop this?" Only Flora knew that Lex Cross was right. In the depths of her grief after that day, she had been unable to even get out of bed for several days.

"Absolutely not. Flora, do you have any idea? When I heard from Cynthia Grant that you were four months pregnant, I nearly went insane!"

"..."

"You’re a cruel woman, you know that? Why didn’t you tell me from the start?"

Flora suddenly peeked out from a corner of the blanket, her large eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she gazed at Lex Cross. "Because... you don’t seem like the responsible type. If you were, why didn’t you ever come looking for me after what happened?"

Lex Cross gently pinched Flora’s cheek. The roguish glint in his eyes swirled with a deeper intensity, but his voice was softer than she had ever heard it. "Who says I didn’t?"

"Huh?" Flora racked her brain. ’Did he really look for me? Did I just forget because I was reborn? I was so heartbroken back then... I wasn’t paying attention to anything happening around me. Is it possible he actually did look for me?’

"I looked into you back then. I found out you had a boyfriend who loved you very much, so I didn’t want to bother you. I knew you wouldn’t want him to find out, so I pulled some strings to make sure everyone who knew what happened kept quiet."

"No wonder... there were rumors at the time, but they never went anywhere. Even the person who drugged me didn’t spill the beans. So that was your doing."

"Back then, if you didn’t have a boyfriend, I absolutely would have taken responsibility. After all," he said, a teasing glint flashing in his eyes, "it was your first time. So, Flora... does that mean I’m not just your first man, but your only one?"

"Are you completely shameless?" Flora yanked her head back under the covers.