Start stepping on the accelerator

Truth be told, Vivian’s heart still harbored doubts.

For instance… was Lucia truly dead?

But after a moment’s thought, she decided against pressing the Demon Emperor further.

The fact that the Emperor had indulged her earlier questions was already unprecedented.

Vivian doubted she’d get a clear answer anyway.

After all, Lucia wasn’t slain by the Demon Emperor herself but by the combined efforts of four other Demon Lords.

Asking would likely yield nothing more than, “Lucia is indeed dead.”

But what about the details? Where was her body? Why was there so little reaction from the Demon Clan?

The clan’s response was eerily calm, as if it were merely an ordinary general who had fallen.

After careful consideration, Vivian resolved to let it go.

First, the Demon Emperor’s tolerance of her earlier audacious questions—answering with a hint of amusement—was already a rare grace.

That being’s thoughts were as unfathomable as an abyss, impossible to predict.

Vivian loathed dealing with entities whose motives eluded her grasp.

To press further about a Hero’s fate at this moment?

Not only might the Emperor refuse to answer, but the act itself carried immense risk, teetering on provocation.

Vivian could almost picture the Demon Emperor’s half-smile: “Is the Demon Lord of Evernight so concerned about the Daughter of Light’s fate? Seems there’s something between you two, isn’t there?”

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Better to drop it.

Second, the Demon Emperor’s response would likely just reiterate “she’s dead.”

She hadn’t been at the battlefield; the details lay with the other four Demon Lords.

Pushing further would probably yield vague, official platitudes, stirring suspicion without uncovering any real truth.

Worse, such probing might be misread as evidence of some hidden, beyond-adversarial bond between Vivian and Lucia.

Finally, and most practically—whether Lucia was alive or dead, Vivian was powerless to change anything related to it now.

The child in her womb was growing rapidly, the Evernight Territory was in ruins awaiting rebuilding, and her own strength was diminished by pregnancy.

Pursuing a matter that offered no tangible benefit to her or her territory could only invite unwanted attention and trouble.

‘…I have more pressing goals right now. Better to avoid stirring up trouble.’

Vivian took a deep breath.

Upon returning to her tent, she issued a string of new orders.

The Evernight Crystals needed for her plans would be gradually mined over the next two months.

She would requisition ten percent of each batch under the name of “strategic reserves.”

The rest would be allocated for potential external trade and distribution to other territories.

This ratio was meticulously calculated—enough to avoid overtaxing the mines while ensuring a steady supply of “fuel” for accelerating her pregnancy.

She unfurled a parchment scroll, densely packed with data on the Evernight Crystal energy units required for each stage of acceleration.

Her fingers traced the numbers, cross-referencing them with the mine’s projected monthly output.

“With the requisitioned portion and necessary buffers… two months should be enough,” she murmured to herself.

The Evernight Crystals she currently held were sufficient to kickstart the process.

After factoring in the next two months of requisitions, she calculated she could sustain herself until the final month, just before slipping into a comatose state.

The crystals’ inherent energy supply would help.

The critical challenge lay in the later stages, especially near delivery, when the fetus’s energy demands would spike exponentially.

Vivian triple-checked her calculations to ensure no oversights before committing to the plan.

Of course, before starting the acceleration, she secretly slipped away to Blackthorn Village alone.

She entered the mine and located the quietly pulsating [Vein Core].

Vivian trusted the little core to grow safely in the mine, but she planned to check on it monthly to ensure all was well.

She navigated the familiar tunnel, thick with mineral dust and faint traces of mana.

Once again, she stood before the [Vein Core], hovering silently, radiating a soft, pulsing glow.

Compared to her last visit, its pulsations seemed stronger, more rhythmic, its light softer and warmer.

As Vivian approached, the glow flickered noticeably, conveying a pure, childlike joy.

“Hm…”

After a thorough inspection and finding no issues, Vivian nodded with satisfaction.

“You’ve done well this past month. Keep growing quietly, don’t disturb others, and don’t let anyone disturb you.”

In response to her words, the Vein Core’s light swayed gently, as if nodding, radiating a clear sense of “understood” and “at ease.”

“Good child.”

Feeling its response, Vivian nodded, a faint smile crossing her lips.

She reinforced the array of concealment and protective barriers she’d previously set, ensuring absolute security.

Then she turned and left, leaving the newborn child of the leyline safe in the depths below.

Immediately after, Vivian began accelerating her pregnancy.

Her body’s energy shifted to fully nourish the fetus, gradually allowing it to absorb energy and grow faster—a carefully initiated process.

This wasn’t an instant change but a precise, gradual physiological adjustment.

Her energy circulation, endocrine system, and even cellular metabolism had to reprioritize to meet the fetus’s exponentially increasing demands.

For the first few days, Vivian felt little difference.

She woke on time, handled piles of paperwork, listened to Aria and Lucia’s reports, and even conducted inspections herself.

Only late at night, while working through documents, did she notice a deeper-than-usual fatigue.

By the fifth day, a long-forgotten sense of unrelenting drowsiness hit her.

In the morning, when the first rays of light slipped through the tent’s seams, Vivian opened her eyes but felt her eyelids heavy as lead.

The instant clarity and boundless energy typical of a Demon Lord upon waking were gone.

In their place was a lethargy that refused to lift, a sensation as if her soul and body were glued to the soft bed.

Her thoughts slowed, and every movement to rise was met with a powerful urge to “sleep a little longer.”

“…Is this what accelerated pregnancy feels like?”

She sat on the edge of her bed, mildly panicked, shaking her head to dispel the heavy drowsiness, but to little effect.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up, splashing her face with cold water to jolt herself into working mode.

Despite starting the acceleration, she still had a mountain of tasks to handle.

With the mage tower rebuilt and Evernight reconnected to the mana network, messages from the outside world poured in like snowflakes.

The Evernight Territory had been silent for so long that some demons assumed it had fallen entirely.

Its sudden “revival” brought a flood of inquiries—old partnerships, acknowledgments of Evernight’s status, and more, piling up endlessly.

“The Winter Territory is asking about the specific timeline and quota for Evernight Crystals…”

“The Decay Territory sent ‘condolences’…”

“The Black Iron Chamber submitted a list of losses, demanding compensation for war-requisitioned supplies… Wait, did that even happen?”

“Border patrol reports repelling three small human adventurer teams, with spoils…”

The documents and messages stacked high.

Though busy, Vivian could see the Evernight Territory slowly reviving through the paperwork.

In her current state, a flood of documents was far preferable to military reports.

As the territory rebuilt, the patrols were all military units, but Vivian’s personal battles had eased, leaving her some breathing room.

Adventurers and mercenaries still occasionally slipped into Evernight, hoping for gains, but everything was steadily moving forward on the right track.

Two weeks into the accelerated pregnancy, Vivian’s energy began to wane dramatically.

Her stamina drained like a punctured balloon.

She now needed a full six hours of sleep daily and even a nap after lunch.

More strikingly, she grew increasingly aware of the presence in her womb.

The most tangible change was her abdomen.

No longer flat or slightly rounded, she could clearly feel the small life within drawing her strength at an unprecedented rate, growing robustly.

Her belly’s curve changed almost visibly, her clothes growing tight.

A heavy, undeniable sense of “nurturing” grew stronger by the day.

“…Pregnancy is terrifying.”

Feeling the life blossoming within, Vivian could only grit her teeth in resignation.

She pressed on with the acceleration while juggling her mountain of duties, all while fostering better coordination between Aria and Lucia.

“Aria, two months from now, I’ll be unavailable for a month. During that time, you’ll manage all territory affairs. Consult with Lucia and the other squad leaders if needed.”

“I understand, Lord Demon Lord.”

Aria nodded without question, accepting Vivian’s orders.

“Remember,” Vivian added, her voice tinged with exhaustion, “for difficult decisions—especially those involving negotiations with other territories, major resource allocations, or military actions—don’t act

alone. Convene Lucia, Gangluo, and the camp captains for discussion. Lucia is highly capable, but weigh her intentions carefully. Listen to her advice, but the final decision rests with you, prioritizing the

territory’s overall interests. Take the other captains’ opinions seriously too.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Aria nodded solemnly, committing every word to memory.

“Phew, after this child is born, I’ll need to find people and time to rebuild an administrative team—one that can keep Evernight running smoothly even in my absence.”

After finishing another day’s work, Vivian rubbed her brow, lost in thought.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than an even stronger wave of fatigue swept over her, accompanied by faint fetal movement.

Her eyelids grew unbearably heavy, her consciousness sinking rapidly into darkness.

Unable to even reach her bed, she slumped into the cold stone chair, slipping into a brief nap.

In an instant, the tent was filled only with the sound of her steady breathing.