Chapter 146 - 146: Relief...

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In a certain room of a certain palace… 

"I'm pregnant, I'm really pregnant, I'm actually really pregnant…!" Hancock, who was still on her bed, couldn't help but keep exclaiming to herself with a bright red and extremely happy expression visible on her face. 

Even as she probed with her senses and proved for sure that she was truly expectant, her fair hands were still tightly gripping onto the bedsheets as she still felt a bit of disbelief. 

Her little heart was pounding in her ċhėst in excitement and joy.

She hadn't planned to give birth at such a young age, to begin with, but well, that was perhaps unavoidable, for, our two lovebirds never bother to restrain themselves after their first time. No matter the time, no matter the place. Without mentioning that Edam was very well endowed to start with and that his stamina seemed close to unlimited for this kind of activity cough… 

Anyway...

Although her abdomen didn't yet physically show that she was pregnant, it was a piece of cake to check for her, the very faint and vulnerable natal life force forming in her wȯmb couldn't be anything other than that and was something that she just so naturally did that it even shocked her a bit.

However, as her magnificent purple-blue eyes glanced at her surroundings she noticed a few strange things in her room. "...?"

And she didn't even need to ask who did it since the only one who could do such a thing was him. 

Though, she didn't know yet why he resorted to such an excessive choice… 

"...? A new bed?" She patted her new and particularly beautiful bed and noticed how it was actually made with fossilized clouds coming from these famous celestial islands. Her bedsheets were made of the softest fabric, one that she had never seen before while the bed's material itself was made of very sturdy woods.

On the corner-sides, on the wood, a lot of golden-colored symbols could be seen on it, engraved all around the bed's wood, decorating and giving it a sense of mystery and beauty.

She was gonna get out of her bed as she used her senses to probe the outside but found out that she couldn't sense his energy at all and so...

"Where is he?" It was with a slight curiosity that the beauty mumbled to herself.

And as if in response to her words, her bed lit up, or more exactly, the symbols engraved on it lit up to an even more powerful golden light.

The vast and vigorous amount of ki in the air slowly but surely converged in one place, right in front of Hancock who had a stunned and curious expression on her face.

The particles of energy very quickly formed Edam's silhouette and then his face's exact features. The silhouette was not only very detailed but was actually tangible, meaning that it could act like a real person for a time.

...Their two pairs of eyes met but Hancock's gaze was at first mostly stunned and curious before being overwhelmed with immense happiness…

"You're here…" A beautiful smile was drawn on her face as she whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"You…" While he was first surprised before he released a very happy sigh of relief. "You're finally awake… you truly scared me to death, Princess..." 

Edam kneeled on one knee and sighed deeply before lifting his eyes to stare deeply into her purple-blue eyes. 

He really felt like crying his heart out there but he was currently made of energy, solid ki as it may be it was still only energy. It could reproduce his whole body to a very detailed point but there was still a limit, of course. 

Hearing his words, her smile bloomed even more as she started ċȧrėssing his head, her hands going through his silky hair before saying with a soft and apologetic voice. 

"Forgive me, alright?" She smiled with a sorry expression noticing how much he had been worried.

"Hn…" He nodded quietly with a delightful expression.

"Hmm, where are you right now?" She asked clearly, understanding that the one in front of her wasn't the real one or more like not her "whole" Edam.

"Sigh, alright, I will tell you everything…" Edam said and then started to recount all the events to her. From how he learned her circumstances from Yamote to his departure from this world to find a solution. 

Unfortunately, as the transfer of memory would only work from the clone to the main and not the other way without the main body's consent, this Edam here didn't know of anything that happened.

This took about half an hour or so, and at the end, Hancock's pretty face was frowning.

She uttered in a rather sad tone. "I'm sorry… You're always taking immense risks for my sake… I'm just a burden…"

"..." Edam let her speak her heart out and then lifted her chin as their eyes met. "Hey, don't say that…"

"You're belittling yourself too much, you are a warrior, a princess, and the Empress of a whole nation…"

"And, you're perhaps not helping me now but you gave me everything else, everything that a man could possibly ask for, a home, a family, your unconditional love…" Edam said and stared deeply into her eyes with a particularly expressive face.

"And you're now about to give birth to our child…" He gently patted her abdomen with a faint smile on his face. 

"I… there was a time, I thought love was something only idiots thought they felt… And before I even knew It, I had already fallen for you and I could not stop loving you anymore than I could stop breathing…"

"I would be a completely different man If I hadn't encountered you… and I thank Heaven every day for not having fallen for another woman…You have already given enough and even more than necessary alright?"

"It is now my turn, as your man and a soon-to-be father, to shoulder everything else… okay?" In the end, Edam gently ċȧrėssed her cute cheek and smiled brightly.

Her eyes were wide open but not from surprise as she was certain that he wouldn't blame her, but the words he uttered still made her shed a tear as she nodded and wiped her tears off. "Hn…"

As she lifted her head, she then smiled although her eyes still glistened from being wet. And to Edam's surprise, she suddenly pounced into his arms and hugged him tightly.

This drew a smile out of him as he hugged her back and stroked her silky black hair.

A sense of being whole again filled Edam's soul.

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Afterward, Hancock went to see her sisters and elder Nyon. They were all very happy and relieved to see her safe. Marie and Sonia were both in charge of the island while she was away, but even after her return, they were still made to manage Amazon lily. Edam completely forbade her from doing anything arduous while she was pregnant. 

They then went to a peaceful place, a terrace built on a hill giving a clear look at the setting sun. She was accompanied by Edam as they spoke to each other.

"So, you don't know why I woke up?"

"Unfortunately, I still don't know, but... I can still feel the Destruction Core in you…" Edam said clearly feeling the Core's existence inside of her.

"I see… I just hope it won't hurt the baby…" Hancock rubbed her abdomen worryingly.

"Don't worry, my main body has surely found what he was searching for, and perhaps it is the reason why you actually woke up…" Edam said reassuringly and then added.

"Also, our child will surely be strong, hehe…"

Hancock's eyes lit up as she spoke with a motherly expression on her face. "Do you think it will be a girl or a boy? Kuja's are supposed to only give birth to girls right?"

"Well, I'm not human, to begin with, so I don't know how things work for that…" Edam rubbed his head before staring at the faraway setting sun. "But no matter… a girl or a boy, I don't care… as long as the child is safe, this is all I care about…"

The sun finally disappeared as he finished his line, giving way to the evening.

"What?" Hancock said and pouted as she clung to his glowing arm. "I don't want to…"

This earns her a small poke from Edam on her head. "Don't be naughty, Princess…"

"Aw…" She rubbed her head with a cute pouting expression. "Stay with me…"

"Sigh…" Her words caused a pinch on his heart. "This form is consuming energy you know… Although I have poured a few years' worths of energy to sustain this body, it was meant for emergency cases…"

"I see… nevermind then…" She then sighed in disappointment.

"..." Seeing this normally so stubborn princess give up so easily made his heart throb in pain.

He tried to think about a solution when something came to his mind.

He slightly gritted his teeth and said. "Alright, you know what? I don't need this form, I will just use as little energy as possible…"

"...?" She tilted her head in wonder as he replied.

"Wait a minute…" He closed his eyes and seemed to reflect on something.

A minute or so later, he opened his eyes as his body started to glow a blinding golden light.

It was powerful enough to force Hancock to close her eyes to block it.

"...!?" And when she opened her eyes again she was stunned to see the scene in front of her. "What?"

In front of her, Edam's towering figure was nowhere to be seen, instead, a mini Edam could be seen floating in the air. 

It was as if Edam had gone back in time and became even smaller, like a small pixie.

At this sight, Hancock's heart was smitten by it. "This is so cute!"

"Hey-...?!" Mini Edam was fiercely grabbed by her two fair hands and hugged against her face. "Alright, alright, calm down, princess, I'm fragile, hugging can kill me, unfortunately, and it's a bother to rebuild it…"

"Oh, sorry…" She pokes her small tongue out with an apologetic expression and slightly loosened her grip on him but didn't let him go.

She looked as if she had found a cuddly toy or something.

They both then went to eat something before going to sleep. 

She never let him go even once throughout the entire night, hugging him close to her at all times… not that Mini Edam mind it since his cushions were two bountiful and cotton-like bȯȯbs. He went on with her and just peacefully slept too.

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