Chapter 12: Hunger Beneath the Skin

Chapter 12: Hunger Beneath the Skin

The day passed like any other.

I woke to a bright morning, sunlight spilling through the curtains that framed the window. Nothing much had happened since the tense discussion in that office.

The only thing of note was how my newly declared mother, Szélanya, clung to me the entire day.

She overwhelmed me with the kind of motherly affection I had never experienced before.

It felt foreign. Uncomfortable.

I had grown up as an orphan in my past life, never touched by the warmth of a parent.

Her constant doting unsettled me, but I still played along.

I responded with equal affection, trying to match her enthusiasm, and I regretted it almost instantly.

The moment I clung to her like a needy daughter, she refused to let me go. She kept me by her side for hours, smiling sweetly as if I had always been hers.

By the end of it, I was completely exhausted.

My limbs were sore, but more than anything, I was mentally drained.

I sat up, shivering slightly at the memory.

"I need to avoid that obsessive mother at all costs," I whispered to myself.

Even though my mind was tired, I forced my body to move.

Staying active was important.

I needed to keep my health intact. Stretching would help ease the stiffness in my body and keep the blood flowing.

Movement was simple, but it mattered. It circulated oxygen and nutrients to my muscles and organs, and even if it wasn’t much, walking and stretching could still make a difference.

So I moved.

For thirty minutes, I worked through my limbs. I stretched my arms and legs until the tension loosened. Eventually, hunger struck, sudden and deep. That surprised me.

With my enhanced physique, I rarely felt hunger. Which could only mean one thing.

"This little brat is really sucking the nutrients out of me like a monster."

Even with a mid-grade body filled with traits and regenerative abilities, I could not keep up with the absorption rate. Mana, vitality and stamina were never enough.

The fetus inside me was draining everything. Not even my unique bloodline could handle the strain.

"If I don’t do something soon, I really might die from this."

That thought echoed in my head. My health was slipping, and I could feel it.

The only thing I could rely on now was the system.

I remembered it had triggered the moment I accepted the blood contract, but I hadn’t dared check the prompt.

I had been too afraid someone might notice.

This rotten system was still my biggest secret. It was unreliable and unpredictable, but it was mine. It was a tool I could use.

My personal lifeline.

I took a slow breath.

Time to check it.

✨📣DING

🖥️ 【SYSTEM NOTICE】

【BECAUSE OF YOUR DISCIPLINED RESTRAINT AND ACCEPTANCE, EVEN WHEN DECEIVED BY A POWERFUL BEING, THE SYSTEM ACKNOWLEDGES YOUR DECISION TO ACCEPT THE CONTRACT AS CORRECT.】

【AS RECOGNITION, YOU ARE NOW GRANTED ACCESS TO A REWARD. PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:】

🎁【PLEASE SELECT ONE REWARD BELOW】

1️⃣ 💰 100,000 GOLD COINS

2️⃣ 💡 RANDOM INNATE TALENT

3️⃣ 🗝️ RANDOM ARTIFACT

⚠️ [SELECT ONE REWARD]

I read the screen in silence, lips tightening in frustration.

"You’ve got to be kidding me. None of these will help with what I’m dealing with right now."

The system was testing me.

Again.

It was offering good rewards, but the timing was terrible.

Under any other circumstances, I would have considered these choices a blessing.

But right now, they were useless.

I narrowed my eyes.

Was this really just bad luck, or was this system deliberately messing with me?

"This situation is seriously starting to piss me off."

The first option was tempting. One hundred thousand gold coins.

That was an absurd amount.

Almost suspiciously so.

It made me think that this world’s entire currency system revolved around gold coins.

But if I accepted that much wealth, I would have to explain where it came from. I hadn’t brought anything with me when I arrived. Gramps Zach would question me for sure.

Even if I could maintain my carefully crafted personality, his suspicion would still bring trouble.

That kind of attention could make people wary, and I didn’t know how many variables might be watching from the shadows.

Sure, the contract protected me. But it didn’t mean others couldn’t find ways to bypass it.

So the gold was a firm no.

The third choice was just as dangerous. A random artifact? It could be powerful, but it would raise the same questions as the gold. I couldn’t afford that kind of scrutiny right now.

That left only one option.

A random innate talent.

It was risky.

It might be completely unrelated to my current problem. But it was the only one that had the potential to help.

I took the risk and chose it.

DING

🖥️【SYSTEM NOTICE】

⚔️🧠【YOU HAVE OBTAINED AN INNATE TALENT: BATTLE INSTINCT. INTEGRATION WILL NOW BEGIN. PLEASE REMAIN STILL TO MINIMIZE DISCOMFORT.】

The words appeared, and I felt a surge of irritation.

"Battle instinct? Seriously? That’s not what I needed at all."

I couldn’t help but curse.

This system clearly didn’t care whether I lived or died.

I knew the rewards were random, but a part of me still believed it might help.

Back in the cave, the system had healed me.

It had protected me before allowing this pregnancy to take hold.

I had hoped it would help again.

That it would recognize the severity of my situation and do something.

But it hadn’t.

I let out a long sigh and sank deeper into the bed.

Annoyed or not, I had no choice but to accept it.

Still, I decided to examine the talent more closely.

And what I saw surprised me.

"Wait. Battle instinct isn’t just some throwaway skill. This thing’s a treasure."

I reread the description.

Having battle instinct meant more than just reacting in combat. It meant my body would move before my mind processed danger.

It meant sensing threats, analyzing movements, and making life-saving decisions in the blink of an eye.

If someone tried to ambush me, I would feel it. Even if I wasn’t aware of the danger, my body would still respond.

It was powerful. Incredibly so.

"Not bad," I murmured, a small smile forming at the corner of my lips. "It’s definitely a good one."

It wouldn’t help with the monstrous fetus currently feeding off my life force.

But it might just keep me alive long enough if something sneaky tried to kill me in a single blow.

Without any doubt, I was genuinely relieved to receive it.

I knew the system was trash, but that didn’t mean I had no way to protect myself.

I turned my gaze toward the ceiling above my bed. It wasn’t high. If you stood up, you could easily touch it.

But that wasn’t what I was focused on. I was staring at a small bell tied to a string.

Its purpose was simple.

If I pulled it, the maids would hear and come immediately.

It was an ancient way of summoning a servant, and for some reason, it fascinated me.

Slowly, I reached up and gave the string a gentle tug.

Ting-a-ling.

I thought I would have to wait a few seconds, but just as I leaned back into my pillows, a voice called out to me.

"Young miss, what do you need?"

The moment I heard that voice, I recognized it without hesitation.

"Mia!"

"Yes, young miss?"

"Um... can I eat now? I'm feeling hungry."

I spoke softly. Mia answered with her usual calm tone.

"Please wait a few minutes, young miss. I will bring your food right away."

I gave her a small nod as she turned and quietly left the room. Her name was Mia.

She was one of the maids who had helped clean the room yesterday alongside Lynn.

I hadn’t known her name before since she had never introduced herself.

Strange for a maid.

But yesterday, she had helped me when Szélanya wouldn’t stop hovering. She reminded her that I was pregnant and needed space. I was genuinely grateful for that.

At the time, I was one second away from slapping Szélanya across the face.

Of course, I didn’t act on that impulse. I understood the consequences. So I let the thought pass and sighed as I waited for Mia to return.

I didn’t want to overthink things right now. But soon, I knew I had to ask her something important.

I needed to find a way to increase my mana and vitality.

She might know something useful. I had to prepare in advance in case the fetus inside me continued to drain me like this.

At this rate, I truly would wither away like a corpse.

I could almost feel my life force leaking away with every heartbeat

•••

An hour passed before I finished eating and getting dressed.

I didn’t let Mia leave just yet.

I asked her directly how I could increase my mana.

She paused, looked at me, thought for a moment, then answered.

"Increasing mana, young miss? Are you referring to the fetus that is absorbing a portion of your energy?"

"Yes, I am."

I wasn’t surprised she had seen through it. She had shown signs of using natural energy before. Anyone who could manipulate it like she did was clearly on another level.

Like Gramps Zach, who seemed to breathe it like air.

Her presence reminded me why people like Gramps Zach could dominate even the strongest.

I waited as she continued.

"Based on your core type, young miss, you possess a true monster core. It contains mana, which is primarily used by those who have not yet transcended their mortal form. I recommend using mana stones to replenish it. Given your current status, they should be easy to acquire. You can buy them at any time."

She spoke so casually, as if it were simple. But her explanation struck something deeper in me.

It widened my understanding of natural energy in a way that finally made sense.

"I see. I’ll ask Gramps Zach about it. Also, before you go, Mia... could you explain more about how natural energy works? Why can’t I absorb it normally?"

That question had been bothering me since the first time I sensed mana.

Something felt wrong.

Mia clearly had answers.

"Hmm. You’re indeed new to this, young miss. I will explain it clearly."

She set the dishes aside, calm and focused, while I leaned forward. I didn’t want to miss a word. I had no photographic memory, so I had to rely on full attention.

"First, natural energy comes in three separate foundational forms. The first is refined, filtered energy. This energy has stabilized and separated from chaos and is called mana. People have studied and cultivated mana since ancient times. One human even called himself an archmage and built everything around mana. He reached the ninth circle of magic. At its peak, even someone like me couldn’t match that power."

"What? You couldn’t match a mana user? How is that possible?"

I was genuinely shocked.

Even I couldn’t imagine reaching that level using only mana.

How could someone using only mana rival a natural energy wielder?

Seeing my confusion, Mia explained further.

"Humans don’t have monster cores like you. But that doesn't mean they cannot use mana. Throughout history, mages who began with basic spells were called first-circle mages. As they increased their mana density over decades or even thousands of years, some reached the ninth circle. At that point, they could bend space. Their power surpassed what most would believe possible."

Her tone never changed, but her words carried weight.

So that’s why humans can become legendary without cores. The time and persistence alone can make them terrifying.

I finally understood.

So humans had no cores, but they still cultivated mana and broke past their limits. It reminded me of how my physique worked.

My body produced mana when needed, and my core absorbed it through perfectly stabilized meridians.

Still, even without a core, humans could grow strong.

They could become strong enough to match those who used natural energy, the source from which mana originates.

Mia seemed to sense my thoughts and continued.

"As I said before, young miss, the reason I can use natural energy is that I have broken through my mortal limits. I followed a special path and evolved into a new species. My lifespan is longer, and my emotions have faded. But once, I was human. I was a mana user. I simply chose a different path and let go of my humanity."

Her words hit me like a crashing wave.

She had once been human.

So that was why I couldn’t safely absorb raw natural energy. I was still a mortal.

I hadn’t evolved.

I nodded in quiet understanding.

The pieces were finally fitting together.

But I wasn’t done.

I needed more.

I gestured for Mia to continue.

"I will explain the rest, young miss. The second form that separates from natural energy is spirit energy. It is a life-attuned force drawn from living beings, nature, and even the soul. It exists in a raw state, but it thrives best within the living. It responds to vitality, life force, and purity. It is the type of energy most commonly used by spiritual beings and nature-born entities."

I nodded slowly, letting each word sink in.

"And lastly, the third form is demonic energy. This is created when you separate the corrupt nature from natural energy, which makes it sinister and deathly. Anyone who possesses it feeds on death, chaos, and intense negative emotion. A Demon Lord once mastered it completely and used it to bring ruin in ancient times."

"Do you understand now, young miss?"

"Yes," I whispered.

Now I understood why I couldn’t absorb raw natural energy. It was because some of it was demonic in nature.

If I had absorbed it carelessly, if I hadn’t been cautious, I would have been corrupted from the inside.

I would have become something monstrous without ever realizing it.

I could feel how close I had been to disaster just by touching this energy.

Thank goodness I didn’t.

———

Readers be like, “Wait… did I understand that?”

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