613 Is the baby fine?

Vincent extended his hand for a handshake. The three adventurers were flustered and promptly stood up.

Mimi approached their location with a swift pace while her chest bounced.

Mimi smiled at the three adventurers looking at her before extending her hand for a handshake. She wanted to act like a proper administrator, unlike the secret-like job of being a Guild Master.

They gulped and respectfully wiped their hands on their pants as a sign of respect. One after the other, they shook Mimi’s hand anxiously.

Mimi smiled and felt happy that she could feel like a great person for once. She was always known as her father’s daughter by her vampire peers.

Becoming a Guild Master didn’t mean she could go around and flex her position. Like the reception Mimi received, barely anyone would believe her. Additionally, trouble would surely ensue if shady people were interested in the information Mimi holds.

‘I always wanted to feel independent and a part of something. Following my mother for half my life and later following my father for the remaining half of my life didn’t let me stay in one place and manage a business.’

Mimi looked at Vincent with a cheery smile. She winked at him while continuing to think, ‘I can’t believe the man who I love to drink his blood is making my wish to manage a business a reality.’

‘I will show my mother and father how the Questing Lion Company will be far better than the Adventurers Guild.’ Mimi thought with great determination to prove herself.

.....

Mimi wasn’t the daughter of the man who searches for people from another world or the daughter of the woman with centuries of one-sided love. Mimi was Mimi, and she wanted to make her vampire peers say her name at first glance.

[Is it me, or does Mimi look excited to take the position of manager of the Questing Lion?]

-Maybe Mimi doesn’t want to follow in her parent’s footsteps?-

[Hmm. I think your guess could be correct. Mimi could’ve wanted to become independent, and we offered her a way to do so.]

-I had a similar thought in my mind.-

Vincent and Kazumi almost guessed what was passing through Mimi’s mind. Vincent became happy to help Mimi unexpectedly, while Kazumi felt proud to be the one who created the business plan.

However, only one problem remained with the management of the company. How skilled Mimi was to be determined and, with it, the fate of the Lionheart’s reputation.

“Ahem. It is getting late, and after a long day, I am sure your men need to rest.” Vincent said with his hand still extended.

“H-h-how rude of I, not t-to shake your lordship’s h-h-hand!” The adventurer nearest to Vincent anxiously stuttered.

The adventurer was already sweating. He shook the hand of Baron’s woman first while leaving his hand hanging. It was disrespectful, yet Vincent acted as if he wasn’t bothered.

The three adventurers soon shook Vincent’s hand respectfully. They couldn’t believe there was a noble who wouldn’t reveal the faintest sign of a frown.

The vice-captains stood up. Instead of a handshake, they lowered on one knee and respectfully said farewell to both Vincent and Mimi.

[I can tell from their tone they have accepted this situation. It means if the previous action didn’t raise their loyalty status, then the conversation with the adventurers would.]

Vincent focused his gaze and checked their status window. The loyalty value remained the same, yet what Kazumi guessed was reasonable.

-The Slightly Cautious value now, but I think you are guessing correctly like usual.-

[I am the brightest one in the area, after all, hehe.]

‘Heh, Kazumi is flexing her photographic Memory again.’ Vincent secretly thought while watching the five men turn around and walk away.

Soon, the three adventurers and the vice-captains left together. After exiting from the gate and walking for a couple of minutes together, the two groups separated.

The five men’s thoughts of Vincent were quite similar. After meeting Vincent face to face, listening to his words, hearing his tone, and observing his expressions, they thought positively of him.

Such thoughts included how Vincent didn’t let his authority corrupt him, or how he managed to become a Baron despite being a commoner who married into nobility.

Vincent stored the furniture and turned around. He saw Mimi grinning at him and slightly swaying her body.

“Mimi... is there something the matter?” Vincent asked.

Mimi extended her hands and rushed to Vincent. She hugged him and licked his neck before taking a small bite.

“And here I thought you had a problem.”

“Problem?” Mimi questioned in a muffled voice. She removed her fangs from Vincent’s flesh and took a step back.

Mimi liked her blood-red lips and gulped. She poked her tongue, slyly winked, and gently tapped her head. “Hehe. I was so happy with the opportunity to prove myself all that I wanted to have a celebratory snack.”

[...] “...” Vincent and Kazumi were at a loss for words. Yet they now learned making Mimi happy could cause Vincent’s blood to decrease exponentially.

Mimi grabbed the stunned Vincent’s arm, and her nose twitched. “Let’s see that cute baby, hehe.” She cheerfully said.

Later, both arrived in front of Lilith’s bedroom. They could hear giggles and multiple voices.

Mimi opened the door. Vincent and her saw Plow, Zefine, Leah, Clara, Beth, Lian, and Olive in the bedroom. They were looking at baby Shana sucking her finger cutely.

Vincent greeted them and asked if they liked Shana. The responses were all positive.

Shana’s eyes moved on to Vincent after hearing his voice. She watched Vincent approach her and pick her up gently.

historical

“Hello, Shana. I am Vincent. I am your father.”

“~Ehe~” Shana giggled, extending her tiny hands to touch his face.

Vincent lowered his face and let Shana touch his face. She giggled again and tapped his face. It brought a smile to everyone in the room, apart from one person.

Kazumi didn’t smile. Instead, she frowned while feeling the situation was strange. Shana was born today, and even though she had become Vincent’s retainer, it didn’t mean she would give intelligence to a newly born baby.

[Vincent... could you bring Shana’s status window again? I feel something is amiss with this situation.]

-Okay. But is there a reason?-

[Mutation does not give intelligence. Shana isn’t acting like a newborn.]

Vincent had never seen a newborn in his life. The youngest baby he saw was a couple of months old. Additionally, most or any information he saw was forgotten.

Vincent couldn’t tell how a newborn should act, causing Kazumi’s words to fill him with doubt.

.

[Name] Shana Lionheart

[Soul Synch] 1%

[Race] Mutated Lizardman

[Age] 0 (2 Days Old)

[Condition] Healthy

[Traits] Mutated Hardened Scales, Mutated Destined Fate

[Stats] Strength 0 || Agility 0 || Perception 1 || Mana 0

.

Vincent and Kazumi stared at the age and perception information. Shana strangely had become two days old. Additionally, her perception increased by one.

This was the reason Shana mysteriously became perceptive of Vincent’s voice. If there were other factors, Vincent and Kazumi had to find out at a later time.

[Impossible... is... is Shana aging faster than normal...]

-But not a day has passed. How is Shana two days old?-

“Why is Vincent Vincent making a strange face?” *Pho* Plow asked after Vincent stared at Shana for a couple of seconds while his thoughts were displayed on his shocked expression.

“Ahem.” Vincent cleared his throat. “I will need to regularly check on Shana to be sure she can grow healthy. That is all.”

Vincent didn’t want to alarm anyone. Not to mention he was in the presence of children. He didn’t want the five kids looking at Vincent to start to worry about Shana.

[Good thinking. We should keep it a secret, at least until we check on Shana’s age tomorrow. I hope Shana aging twice as fast was a one-time thing.]

-I hope so too.-

“Leave the baby to me. Believe it or not, I saved a few dozen orphan children on my travels. I know how to handle a baby.” Mimi offered.

“Can I learn? I want to learn how to hold her if I can.” Zefine asked. She hoped to be able to learn how to hold and take care of a baby with one arm.

“Sure.” Mimi agreed before the children raised their hands and also wanted to learn.

Vincent looked at the scene of Mimi becoming a caring child teacher.

‘I should leave this situation for tomorrow. I better go take a breather and rest my mind.’ He thought.

Vincent kissed Shana on her cute puffy cheek, and she giggled. He gently placed Shana in Mimi’s arms and walked for the door.

Vincent stopped and looked back. ‘Shana is still looking at me. How cute.’ He thought with a pleasant smile before leaving.

Later, Vincent heard the voices of his wives. He approached the living room and saw Ester, Lupa, Iris, Lilith, Sakura, Sofy, and Jun Ye Rim. They were chatting with warm empty cups on the coffee table.

Vincent entered the living room, and after conversing for a long time, they went to eat dinner together. Talking about how cute Shana was, sponsoring sixteen more soldiers, and the company Mimi was going to apply for built an appetite.

Later that night, Lilith went to find Mimi and the two women spent a long time talking alone.

Vincent was about to close his eyes when he heard Lilith return late to their bedroom. She briefly mentioned it being a business talk and gave a document with her signature before going to sleep beside Iris.

.....