Chapter 62: No, How Come I'm a Father Again??

Allen returned to the bedroom. The sound of Senis's deep breathing in her pregnancy echoed in his ears. He leaned against the door, a mocking smile playing at his lips.

'Paul is great at treating his family… but when it comes to controlling his lower half, he's as hopeless as ever. Lilia isn't completely blameless either.'

He shook his head.

'Participation score?'

A line of golden dust appeared.

[Current stage: Infancy. Cumulative participation score: 70 points.]

Allen stared at the words "Participation score: 70 points" in silence.

That's right—his score had completely stagnated over the past six months. No matter how much he tried to improve Rudy and Sylphy's favorability, it was useless. Maybe, just as the system said, his relationship with the two kids had reached a difficult threshold.

He needed a breakthrough elsewhere to gain more points.

That was the real reason he didn't interfere with the affair between Paul and Lilia.

'The cheating incident… Aisha and Norn are born. The participation score should rise this time, right?'

Allen's inner voice grew slightly anxious. He had accumulated points easily at first, most of it thanks to Luo Qixi. When the butterfly wings started flapping, his score skyrocketed in a short time.

But ever since he returned to the Greyrat home, the point surge stopped.

Satellite positioning ability was too important in a world without smartphones, especially after the Great Teleportation.

[There is definitely a chance for a score increase. But whether the host can make the best choices—and how much is ultimately earned—depends on your own ability~]

The system's writing had a teasing tone, causing Allen's mouth to twitch.

'No way, why do I feel like you're a bit too excited? Is my suffering entertaining to you?'

The handwriting danced cheerfully in front of him.

[Absolutely not~]

'This time, I have to gather enough points. If this continues, getting a full score will be impossible. Looking back, I was way too naïve before. Now I get why the full-score task rewards are so generous—it's just that hard to even pass 60.'

[Do you need a reminder?]

'Yes!'

[To obtain 60+ points, the host must deeply participate in the "Reincarnation: Jobless" event.]

'Deeply…?'

Allen blinked, and a mischievous spark lit up in his mind.

'What if I barge in right after Paul finishes, scare him into impotence? Wouldn't that be considered deep participation? That way, Aisha would still be born, but Paul would learn a lesson, avoid cheating again, and Rudy would be warned about the psychological risk of impotence. That's four birds with one stone!'

[…] Then Paul will send you back to James tomorrow.

'???'

The winter snow of the 412th year in the Ankylosaur Calendar lingered unusually long. Whenever the snow seemed to ease, a fresh layer would soon follow.

And amidst this back-and-forth, Lilia realized she was pregnant.

There was no way to hide this.

So, after dinner one evening, she returned the dishes to the kitchen. Before she began washing, she turned around, walked into the dining area, and stood quietly.

Her sudden move caught everyone's attention.

Senis blinked.

"By the way, Lilia… are you feeling unwell today? You haven't looked well since dinner."

Lilia glanced quickly at Paul—who stared at her in shock—then avoided Rudy and Allen's eyes. She took a deep breath, her gaze calm behind her glasses, and bowed slightly to Senis.

"I'm very sorry. I'm pregnant."

Senis's smiling face froze, and the expression slowly faded away. The news didn't even register at first.

But Paul's expression changed immediately.

Rudy's dazed eyes flicked between Senis and Lilia, who remained unnervingly calm.

Allen had already stepped away from the table and leaned against the wall like an uninvolved bystander.

'In the original story, Paul will soon be on his knees, and Rudy takes the lead in resolving the family drama. He throws all the blame on Paul, then persuades Senis to accept the situation and welcome the new member into the family.'

'Honestly… Senis was the only real victim. Rudy forced his own moral judgment onto her and smoothed things over in a way that left her no choice but to forgive.'

'Sure, Rudy later apologizes to Senis, but it always felt insincere. After all, she was already forced to make a promise.'

'Regardless of how Rudy handles it, I must stay out of the center of this mess. Senis won't listen to anyone right now. If I want to earn points, the right time is later—after emotions have cooled. Ideally, gather Rudy and maybe the whole family to calm her down and—'

His thoughts were interrupted as golden dust reappeared.

[Instant task activated: Lilia's Call for Help]

[Task Reminder: Lilia may appear calm, but internally she's despairing. She's prepared to be cast out in winter and is resigned to her punishment. Rudy hasn't taken any action yet. It's your time to step in.]

[Task Reward: If handled well, all members of the Greyrat family will feel grateful toward you. You will replace Rudy's original "status" in Aisha's storyline. Participation score: +20.]

[If handled poorly: 0 points.]

[At this crossroads of fate, among countless choices, can the host make the most appropriate decision—and redeem Lilia's heart?]

[Mission start!]

Allen stared at the glowing text. His expression froze.

He looked more shocked than Paul.

'What the hell is "redeeming Lilia's heart"?! Shouldn't we be focusing on helping Senis?! Are you kidding me?! If I interfere, won't I just get kicked out of the house alongside her?!'