Chapter 162: 13 Moons

Ren stood there, clutching the scratchy wool towel like a shield, her mind racing with calculations and panic. She was tired of guessing.

She needed answers, and unfortunately, the only encyclopedia available was a perverted trickster.

She took a deep breath. ’Okay, Ren. Just ask. Be casual. Like you’re asking for the time.’

Vex was standing near a pile of furs, tying a fresh leather loincloth around his waist. He adjusted the knot with practiced ease, his tails swishing rhythmically behind him.

“Hey, Vex,” Ren called out, her voice pitching slightly higher than intended.

Vex hummed, not looking up. “Yes?”

“Quick question,” Ren started, trying to sound breezy. “How do… um… how do females in this world know if they are pregnant?”

Vex’s hands froze on the knot.

“I mean,” Ren added quickly, “it’s probably common knowledge, right? But with my memory loss and everything, I kind of forgot the specifics. Just curious.”

Vex turned slowly. He stared at her for a long, unreadable moment.

Then, a slow, teasing smirk curled his lips.

“Why?” Vex asked, tilting his head. “Do you think you have a cub in that flat belly of yours?”

Ren’s face flushed a brilliant shade of beet red.

“No!” she lied, waving a hand dismissively. “Of course not! I was just… wondering. Scientifically. For… academic purposes.”

Vex chuckled, a low, knowing sound that made Ren’s skin prickle. He turned back to the pile of junk he had been sorting through, tossing aside a polished rock.

“You aren’t,” Vex stated casually.

Ren blinked. “What?”

“You aren’t pregnant,” Vex repeated, throwing a dried bone over his shoulder. “Which is a surprise, honestly. Considering how many rounds the White Tiger King went that night. I lost count after five.”

Ren felt all the blood in her body rush to her face. She felt lightheaded.

“You…” Ren squeaked. “You were listening?!”

“I have very good ears, Little Rose,” Vex grinned, tapping his furry ear. “And tigers are not exactly quiet lovers.”

Ren wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She wanted to dissolve into the limestone floor.

“Anyway,” she stammered, trying to regain a shred of dignity. “How… how can you tell? I mean, how do you know I’m not pregnant?”

Vex stopped rummaging. He turned around fully, leaning back against the rock with crossed arms. The smirk was back, sharp and predatory.

“That is valuable information,” Vex purred. “What are you willing to give for it?”

Ren groaned internally. ’Of course. The paywall.’

“You owe me so much already,” Vex reminded her, counting on his fingers. “I saved you from the pit. I gave you access to my bath. I gave you herbs. And…”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“You still haven’t told me how you forced a Feral Beast back into his beastman form.”

Ren clenched her fists inside the wool towel. Vex was a Shaman of knowledge; information was his currency, and she had performed a miracle he couldn’t explain.

’Does the System know?’ Ren wondered desperately. ’Hey, System? A little help? Am I really not pregnant? Can you save me from making a deal with the devil?’

[System: …]

Silence.

’You don’t know, do you?’ Ren thought bitterly. ’Or maybe you do know, and you’re just not telling me because you want to watch me squirm?’

The System didn’t interject. It didn’t deny it.

’Sadist,’ Ren concluded. ’It’s enjoying this. It’s eating digital popcorn while I suffer.’

Ren sniffled, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. She had no points to buy anything from the system shop. She had no jewels. But she had one thing.

“Cooking,” Ren declared.

Vex raised an eyebrow. “Cooking?”

“I made a soup,” Ren confessed. “I made a special kind of soup and fed it to Kael. That is how I helped him shift back.”

Vex stopped leaning. He looked at her, his brows furrowing in skepticism.

“That’s it?” Vex asked, unconvinced. “Just… soup?”

Ren smiled proudly, puffing out her chest.

“Not just soup,” she corrected. “A very, very special soup. It has ingredients you’ve never seen prepared in ways you can’t imagine.”

Vex stared at her. He was a glutton. He loved food, though he hadn’t eaten anything good in a very long time. And the idea that food could have magical properties… it intrigued him.

“What kind of soup?” Vex asked, taking the bait.

Ren smirked. ’Got him.’

“You wouldn’t be familiar with the name,” Ren said smoothly. “But I would be more than happy to make it for you. If you agree to tell me everything about the reproductive systems of female mammals in this world.”

Vex looked at her for a moment, surprised by her negotiation tactics. Then, his surprise morphed into an impressed grin.

“You learn quickly, Little Rose,” he complimented. “Very well. I agree to your terms.”

He sat down on a flat rock, patting the space beside him. Ren stayed where she was, clutching her towel.

“Listen closely,” Vex began, adopting a professorial tone. “Our world is governed by the Great White Orb. There are thirteen full moons in a cycle.”

He held up a finger.

“First, the Thaw Moon. The ice on the river cracks, the ground softens. It is wet and muddy.”

“Second, the Budding Moon. The first leaves appear. The world turns green.”

“Third, the Song Moon. The birds return. The forest is noisy and annoying.”

Ren nodded, filing this away. ’Spring.’

“Fourth, the Flower Moon,” Vex continued. “The meadows are in bloom. The air is heavy with pollen. Everyone sneezes.” He rubbed his nose as if already feeling that irritating, burning sensation. “Especially me.”

“Fifth, the Long-Light Moon. The days are long, the nights are short and warm.”

“Sixth, the Thunder Moon. Heavy rainstorms. Extreme heat. A lot of beastfolk die.”

“Seventh, the Cicada Moon. Named for the bugs. It is hot, sticky, and loud.”

Ren nodded again. ’Summer.’

“Eighth, the Shedding Moon. Self-explanatory. There is fur everywhere.”

“Ninth, the Rust Moon,” Vex said poetically. “The leaves turn red and brown. The air gets crisp.”

“Then,” Vex grimaced, waving his hand vaguely. “The Frost Moon, the Howling Moon, the Snow Moon, and the Ice Moon. Also known as the ’Cold Nightmares’ where we try not to freeze to death.”

“The full moon appearing indicates the end of each season,” Vex concluded.

Ren analyzed the data in her head.

’Okay, so Moons equal Months. Thaw, Budding, Song are Spring. Flower, Long-Light, Thunder, Cicada are Summer? Wait, that’s four. Shedding and Rust are Autumn. And the four nightmares are Winter.’

It was a bit complicated. A thirteen-month lunar calendar based on weather and bug populations.

’I am definitely not going to remember all of that,’ Ren thought, rubbing her temple. ’I miss January. January was simple. It just meant ’depressing and cold’.’

“Okay,” Ren said, trying to keep up. “So we have thirteen moons. That’s… great.”

She looked at Vex.

“Which moon are we in currently? And what does any of this have to do with you being able to tell whether or not I’m pregnant?”

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