Became a Demon with Pregnancy System-Chapter 120: Surreal

Luke gave a short nod. He could guess part of their story: they were likely watchers from some clandestine order, assigned to guard Hazel because of her father’s identity.

For now, it seemed they weren’t an immediate threat; they had, after all, helped defend the students. That was enough reason to set aside deeper questions until Hazel woke.

Not far off, the Totem Serpent coiled in a half-circle, apparently deciding to rest. Luke took in the scene: the quiet lake, the smoldering horizon, the battered arcs of broken snail shell, and the handful of battered survivors he’d gathered.

The carnage from the prior day’s chaos made it surreal how tranquil this morning felt.

A rustling of leaves signaled someone else approaching.

When the figure stepped out, it turned out to be none other than the black-winged tutor from Arcadia Academy—Laura Adams—who had parted ways with Perola earlier to scout. She paused, scanning the area with guarded eyes, then flicked her gaze at Perola.

"I looked around. The other students are safe in a makeshift camp near the southwestern edge of Avalon Lake. They’re preparing to regroup and—" Her lips twitched in a ghost of a smile. "They’re going to need some support."

Perola eyed Luke. "You heard her. We need to gather everyone if we can. But first, we can’t leave Hazel and Elias like this. They’re both on the verge of magical depletion."

Tanya moved closer to Luke. "I can stay with them," she offered. "Between my mid-level healing spells and the serpent’s presence, we should be safe here. You can search for the rest of the survivors."

Before Luke could respond, a faint groan came from the rock. Elias Vaughn stirred, his lashes fluttering, though he still seemed only half-conscious. He tried to mumble something about "pajamas," though none of them could decipher his delirious comment. Perhaps he was dreaming of simpler times.

Luke frowned curiously. "Pajamas?" he repeated under his breath. "What’s he going on about?"

Perola, crossing her arms, looked unconvinced. "He might be hallucinating, or it could be some code word from Arcadia Academy. Regardless, he needs rest."

Laura Adams snorted with soft laughter. "Pajamas might be the result of a rattled mind. Actually," she added in a sly tone, "I recall a certain advanced mental technique that can slip suggestions into someone’s unconscious. Could be related to—"

"Please, not now," Tanya interjected, waving a hand. "Let him babble. He’s too battered for us to read into it."

Their banter paused as an uncharacteristic grin tugged at Perola’s lips. "Speaking of pajamas," she murmured, glancing at Luke.

"We might need some. I suspect the clothes on these two will be in tatters once they awaken." She gestured to Hazel’s and Elias’s ruined garments. "Won’t do to have them catch cold, or be half-dressed in front of everyone."

Luke coughed lightly. Indeed, the state of their attire wasn’t exactly modest. "I’ll see if we can salvage something from the leftover camp supplies or the airship. We need bandages anyway."

While the others made small talk about potential clothes and bandages, Luke quietly reflected on the conversation he’d overheard earlier: that Perola and Laura Adams had a special method involving "sleeping clothes" or "pajamas."

Something about using them for... persuasion? He shook the thought from his mind; if it was a comedic slip or an actual ploy, he wasn’t sure. But with the pair revealing themselves as Fallen Angels, their motives likely ran deeper than comedic mischief.

For now, though, more pressing tasks awaited them. "All right," Luke said. "Let’s do this. I’ll head off to gather the rest of the students. Tanya, you stay with Hazel and Elias, keep them stable if anything else wanders by."

Tanya nodded briskly, stepping closer to her giant serpent companion, who remained watchful. "We’ll be safe enough here," she affirmed.

"But don’t be long. Hazel’s condition is still precarious—once her awakened power settles, she might need real medical attention beyond what my basic healing can provide."

"Understood," Luke replied. He rolled his shoulders, wincing at aches from his own bruises. "Laura, Perola—come with me. If there are still lost or injured students in the southwestern camp, we should gather them before any other local demons find them."

Together, the three headed off, leaving Tanya behind to watch over the clearing. The dawn had finally broken, gilding the treetops in soft gold. Despite the wreckage and the lingering smell of poison-laced air, the day felt oddly calm—a lull after the storm.

... 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

It took nearly an hour of navigating through the forested edges of Avalon Lake to locate the ragtag group of Arcadia Academy students.

They had apparently formed a makeshift camp on a raised patch of ground near the southwestern coastline.

A battered airship, grounded by the previous night’s torrential rain, served as partial shelter, its hull dented from stray demonic encounters.

When Luke arrived, the students’ expressions ranged from stunned to relieved. A flicker of hope shone in their eyes as they spotted their tutor—albeit minus the wolfish form—returning from the direction of the battle.

Some immediately crowded around with frantic questions about the status of Hazel Ross, or about the terrifying transformations they’d witnessed him undertake.

Luke answered as calmly as he could, instructing them to gather any salvageable resources: clothing, blankets, first-aid kits.

Eventually, they set out for the new rendezvous spot, each student carrying supplies. Officer Kirk—who had joined them on the expedition—coordinated with Laura Adams to manage the more panicked novices.

By the time midday sun climbed over the lake, the group had merged back with Tanya, Elias, and Hazel in the clearing, forming a modest but functional encampment.

The conversation about pajamas came up again, ironically, when they tried to find something for the unconscious pair to wear.

As luck would have it, only large, ill-fitting garments or comedic, star-spangled pajamas remained among the academy’s spares. T

he comedic pajamas even had cartoonish characters stitched on them. A few students snickered nervously, uncertain whether to be amused or mortified.

Luke, for his part, simply wanted Hazel and Elias to have something that covered them decently. Nudging the matter aside, he helped drape warm blankets over them until they regained enough consciousness to make their own choices.

...

At long last, with the immediate crisis over, Luke sank onto a rough log near the lake’s shore, massaging his temples.

His mind replayed the entire fiasco: from the initial foray into the lake region, to the fight with the fortress snail, the betrayal and revelation of Sierra Ling, Apollo’s partial possession by the Plague God, and Hazel’s luminous ascension. Each step felt surreal, like Chapters from a fantasy epic compressed into a single day.