Chapter 373

Chapter 373

Reincarnated User Manual.

Episode 373: The Story I Wanted To Tell (2)

The birth of a new life was a blessing for everyone.

It was no different for Yuma, the one-horned demon.

“Is… the child safe…?”

Even before the lingering pain of childbirth had faded, Yuma spoke while gasping for breath.

—————

There was no crying. Even after living for tens of thousands of years, she had never heard of a child being born between a human and a demon. Her concern for the baby’s safety outweighed any worry for herself.

“It’s a healthy baby girl.”

The one who received the baby was Yura.

Lucia and Seira were focused on prenatal care, and Siriel, not being in full health, was busy with official duties. Since Yura had free hands, she volunteered to be the midwife.

“Shall I hand her to you?”

“Please.”

Yuma received the baby, still damp with amniotic fluid, from Yura.

At that moment, the pain vanished like the wind.

Yuma smiled, feeling an inexplicable yet wondrous sensation.

“It feels… familiar.”

“Really?”

“Yes. 500 years ago and now—both times, you placed a baby in my arms.”

“…That’s true. Though, it wasn’t a newborn back then.”

The baby Yura handed to Yuma 500 years ago—the first Prient—had been a crying infant in the ruins that Yura had taken in.

Black hair, black eyes.

Only after layering countless blessings upon the child did Yura finally bring them to Yuma.

“Back then, I was really worried you wouldn’t take the baby. But you did, somehow.”

“Why did you worry?”

“We were enemies.”

Yura had planned the future of the woman once called Blood Yuma, but truthfully, seeing how Kyrie had broken her horns and humiliated her, she had also felt concern.

“Well, at the time, I thought it was fate.”

Yuma continued speaking without taking her eyes off the baby.

“Now, I may have worn down a little, but back then, I was consumed by vengeance. There was no room to consider anything else. And…”

“And?”

“When I held that child… I felt at peace. Just like I do now.”

Yuma had raised countless infants over the years, yet the maternal love she felt now was so immense that it even surprised her.

So many heads of the household, so many mistresses who had come and gone. And then, there was Irina Prient.

“Lady Irina, Young Master Shiron’s mother, fell gravely ill after giving birth to him. In a cold, dull, and aged castle, life was never easy for a frail woman. But Lady Irina never once complained.”

She could have grumbled. She could have wanted to run away from this dreary castle.

But Irina Prient never did. Instead, until her final day, she called her beloved son’s name before passing.

“Back then, I honestly just felt sorry for her.”

“…And now, you don’t?”

“No.”

Yuma smiled faintly and nodded.

“Lady Irina was happy. She passed with a smile on her face, so thinking of her as pitiful was just my own selfish perception.”

“Happiness, huh…”

Yura glanced behind her.

Resting on a plush sofa was a white, oval-shaped sphere—[Angel’s Egg].

A week ago, as she had been crying in self-pity, calling herself a losing heroine, she had suddenly felt a warmth in her lower abdomen and called for Shiron.

-“…What is this?“

-“A… a fruit of love?”

And so, the smooth delivery—or rather, the smooth laying—took place.

A tiny, steaming egg, no bigger than a fist, had plopped onto the bed.

“Are you telling me an angel will hatch from this little thing? And it hasn’t even been two months since we slept together.”

“Right? I was worried something bigger than an ostrich egg would come out of me.”

They had been in such a state of confusion that Shiron and Yura had simply stared at the freshly laid egg for a long while.

[45%…]

Now, some time had passed, and the egg had grown much larger—so much so that the idea of a chick-sized angel emerging seemed laughable.

But that was in the past.

Having just assisted in a birth, Yura found herself facing a new concern.

“Do you think I’ll feel the same joy when my child hatches?”

“You mean… the egg?”

Yuma’s gaze shifted to the large egg.

“Yeah. I didn’t even go through real labor pains. The egg keeps getting bigger, but I have no idea what I’ll feel when it hatches…”

“You feel fear.”

“…Maybe.”

Yura gave a small nod.

Other women gave birth normally. Even Yuma, who had horns, had given birth the natural way.

—————

And yet, she alone had laid an egg.

It made her feel inexplicably isolated.

Like she was no longer human.

She had lived through adolescence and even over 500 years of existence, yet at her core, Yura had always considered herself human.

But from the moment she laid that egg, it wasn’t just an identity crisis—it was full-blown existential confusion.

“There are many kinds of demons in the Demon Realm.”

Sensing Yura’s emotions, Yuma quietly began to speak.

“Some demons have half-human, half-beast forms. There are even sirens, harpies, and lamias with snake-like lower halves.”

“…Are you telling me not to feel left out just because they lay eggs too?”

“No. I just wanted to tell you that they also feel maternal love.”

“…”

“I don’t know much about angel biology, but I’ve lived long enough to witness many different forms of family.”

Yura silently wiped the bloodstained room and opened a window.

Unlike Dawn Castle, the warm spring breeze blew in, pushing away the stale air.

“From what I’ve seen, they are no different from other species that bear children. Elves, humans, dwarves, lycanthropes… They all cherish their eggs, nurture their young when they hatch, and celebrate their birth anniversaries.”

Of course, there were differences.

For one, childbirth was less painful for egg-laying species.

Parenting was easier, too—unlike those who had to constantly care for infants, species like Yura’s had a relatively more carefree approach.

If that weren’t the case, Yura would have called the ever-free-spirited Encia to help with Yuma’s delivery instead of assisting herself.

“And besides, this isn’t something to worry about yet. You can think about it when the time comes.”

“Hmm…”

Yura cautiously picked up the egg.

She could feel its warmth, but it still didn’t feel like her child.

It felt more like… yes, like there was just going to be another angel around.

“Maybe it’ll feel different once it hatches.”

“I believe you’ll be a great mother, Yura. I can feel the kindness and love within you.”

“…Thank you.”

[46%…]

[47%…]

Neither of them noticed, but even now, the egg was still growing.

—————

At that moment, in the capital’s shopping district.

Encia hummed a cheerful tune, savoring her long-awaited freedom.

Even ten years ago, when she roamed freely, she had felt elated, but today’s outing was incomparable—it was something truly special.

Click-clack, click-clack.

The lively sound of high heels. The fluttering of a glamorous red dress.

Unlike before, today, Encia was not dressed in a maid’s uniform.

Her appearance was strikingly beautiful, and with every swish of her skirt, she attracted countless gazes. Some gentlemen, perhaps intrigued by her identity, even dared to approach with dinner invitations.

Hmph. At least they recognize beauty when they see it.

Naturally, Encia flatly rejected such offers. But she didn’t dislike the attention.

After all, she had worried that the sight of her grinding atop her young master’s waist might be too vulgar. And after spending time in an orgy with thirty-one demons, feeling like just another generic demon maid, she had been feeling a little unsettled.

Before experiencing sex, it might have been different. But now that she had tasted it, Encia was fully aware of her own femininity.

And as the First Concubine, acknowledged by none other than the great Siriel herself, the pride of being embraced by an incredible warrior was something that naturally followed…

“Hmm?”

Just as she was humming along the street, Encia suddenly stopped in her tracks.

A familiar scent drifted from an alleyway—blood.

It was faint enough that ordinary people wouldn’t notice, but as the fourth-ranked great demon of Dawn Castle, Encia’s sense of smell could not be deceived.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason her steps had halted.

Humans, like demons, were creatures that relished conflict, and the deeper one ventured into alleys, the more common the scent of blood became.

But this scent… she had smelled it before.

Ultimately, Encia passed by the baby supply store she had intended to visit and followed the scent. If it had been just any random blood, she might have ignored it, but this familiar scent was gnawing at her curiosity.

Her search led her to a grand-looking building.

What kind of place is this for it to smell so familiar?

[McQueen & Versailles]

Encia stroked her chin, trying to deduce what kind of establishment it was.

But aside from the fancy iron-carved nameplate, there was no other clue.

“Excuse me, what kind of place is this?”

“Hmm?”

Left with no choice, she flagged down a passerby and asked.

“Oh, this place? It’s a law office.”

“A law office? What’s that?”

“…Miss, did you go to school?”

“I didn’t.”

Hearing that, the man gave her a pitying look.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Just answer the question.”

“…A law office is where people hire representatives to fight legal battles in court.”

“What’s a court?”

“……A place where conflicts are settled according to the country’s laws.”

It was a surprisingly intuitive explanation.

Encia grinned.

“Aha! So it’s kind of like a church?”

“Miss… are you from some backwater village?”

“Anyway, thanks!”

He should have just said that in the first place.

Encia gave him a casual wave and then briskly headed inside the building.

—————

The scent of blood was getting stronger.

“Welcome to McQueen & Versailles Law Office. How can we assist you?”

As soon as she stepped inside, a neatly uniformed woman greeted her.

“There’s a smell of blood here. Do you know where it’s coming from?”

“…Excuse me?”

The receptionist’s face twisted in confusion at the sudden question.

Blood? What blood?

“I don’t understand what you mean. Are you here for legal consultation?”

“Ah, never mind. That was my mistake.”

“Wait, where are you—huh?”

The receptionist tried to stop Encia, but in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

Had she imagined it?

No, the striking red dress was far too memorable to be a hallucination.

Ignoring the receptionist, Encia followed the scent of blood.

In no time, she arrived before a tightly shut wooden door.

[Partner Attorney: Berta]

So that’s why it smelled familiar.

Encia grinned, delighted to have solved the puzzle, and grabbed the doorknob.

Whirrrr—

A faint resistance of magic met her touch.

So that’s why there was a smell of blood—someone had been using tricks like this.

“Aha?”

Encia simply pushed forward.

Though the barrier was ranked as an 8th-tier spell, to her, it was no stronger than a spider’s web in ruins.

The scene inside was gruesome.

A woman lay collapsed, bleeding from her stomach.

A middle-aged man holding a sword.

Two bulky men standing at his side like guards.

And a robed figure.

Encia covered her mouth and laughed.

“Oh my.”

“W-Who are you—?!”

CRACK!

The wizard’s head was smashed to pieces before he could even gasp out something like, “How did you break an 8th-tier barrier?!”

No matter how much humans struggled, they were always insignificant.

SPLAT!

“Aaagh!”

The once-pristine white walls were now stained entirely red.

The two bulky men turned and drew their swords at the same time.

They shouldn’t have.

The sudden surge of demonic energy made their eyes roll back into their skulls.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

She could have killed only those who attacked, but Encia was never one for discrimination.

She personally punched holes through the hearts of all three.

Click.

Closing the door behind her, Encia approached the collapsed woman.

Berta, having lost too much blood, was dizzy but still forced out a desperate plea.

“I… I don’t taste good…”

“Hello. Don’t you remember me?”