Wolf visited seven female True-Namers from his list before running out of constitution enhancing potions.

During those five weeks, he repaired his Mind Palace, completed his third and fourth Mind Halls, earned an obscene amount of wealth, performed merit by extending the lives of Empire’s True-Namers and he felt like a well-paid whore. A deflowerer of grannies.

Worse, Wolf couldn’t perform the trade right after striking the deal. Instead, he had to simmer for three days, letting the potion kick in before the “Internal Energy transfer”.

While acutely aware that he had swindled piles of money from unsuspecting grandmas, Wolf didn’t regret it. The scam helped conceal his secrets. Besides, he believed himself abused, and no amount of wealth could buy his peace of mind, nor make him forget those leathery sensations.

Other than prostituting himself, Wolf wasn’t idle during his tour. Negotiating and fulfilling his promises took little time. The rest he spent learning healing spells, carving his Mind Hall, thinking…

Two observations he found of particular importance. One, after he completed his third Mind Hall, the fourth one’s development started slowly; roughly enough Soul Force to manifest its first seven columns disappeared into thin air, and he confirmed Silver didn’t touch it.

He also realized that life was much easier with abundant Soul Force. Wolf thought and learned swiftly, perceived minute details and reacted flexibly. With Soul Force to burn, the discomfort his Mental Aspects experienced when performing decoupled actions disappeared, helping him master multitasking. He even learned to use his second True Name while drowning in Soul Force.

When space twisted and he appeared in Silver City, Wolf felt reborn. He left weak, with Richard infusing the Spell Formation for him, but he returned stronger than ever.

Wolf smiled and headed straight to Mandy’s flat to check how their baby was doing. He had prepared a bunch of spells to see his little one, determine the gender, enhance Mandy to ensure their baby develops well…

Wolf was ready. Mandy wasn’t. A savage giant barged into her home, skipping with joy before crouching and cooing at her belly. The scene disturbed Mandy more than seeing a diminutive youth slaughter manlings and monsters.

“What’s wrong, Mandy?” Wolf asked, unaware of the disconnect between his actions and appearance.

When he looked like a child, he was a walking storm of blood. After learning he would be a father, he turned into a muscular hulk cooing and babbling to entertain a tiny woman’s still flat stomach.

“Nothing.” Mandy closed her eyes to calm down. “Everything is fine. You caught me by surprise. That is all.”

Wolf nodded once. Mandy’s words made sense. He wanted to surprise her.

“I prepared some spells for the baby. I can see your insides right now. The baby is the size of a bean. This big!” He gestured with his fingers, demonstrating how big beans were, in case Mandy didn’t know.

“Wolf, could you not look at my bowels? Please?” Mandy shuddered just thinking about things Wolf saw inside her. “Won’t that spell harm the baby?”

“Of course not!” Wolf protested. “Deep View alters my eyes, allowing me to see through surface layers of flesh when observing manlings at close distance.”

“Wolf, honey, could you please never use that spell again when looking at me? Please?” Mandy covered her face and torso with the tablecloth.

Wolf was about to say he can easily see through fabric and that covering up served no purpose, then realized he should count to five before saying stupid stuff. Instead, he took a deep breath and pursed his lips.

“Yes, dear.” He dismissed the spell, evincing that Mandy’s request hurt him.

Mandy, however, sighed with relief and cupped Wolf’s cheek. “Thank you.”

She didn’t want Wolf to view her as a flesh bag carrying his child, dissolving breakfast in her stomach and every other humiliating thing he saw when freely exploring her insides.

“Don’t sulk.” She lifted Wolf’s chin with her hand and kissed him on the lips. “I can’t describe how happy I am. I really am. Just, please, please, please, don’t view me as a baby spawner. Mandy McCoy is a woman who loves you, who loves this child she’s carrying, and she wishes to remain a human being in your eyes and a mother of our child. Not a convenient incubator.”

Anna walked in during Mandy’s speech and refrained from saying Mandy was a thing and a convenient incubator.

“Wolf, dear,” she called him. “Wayde returned two days ago. He told me you have much to discuss. Also, when you find the time, I would love to entertain you in my room.”

Anna winked and licked her lip before leaving.

“Right,” she paused. “We need to discuss our wedding, and Marquess Richard Alexandria invited us to attend his wedding in three months.”

Wolf watched her leave, seductively swaying her hips, not understanding what was going on. What happened? I was gone for five weeks?

Wayde is here. That’s good. I will morph into a giant bird. Then we can fly straight to Northshield duchy in ten days. With Merge With Wind, we could reach the capital in half the time, but Wayde can’t cast Eighth Order magic. Wolf first thought of the most important matter, then his thoughts shifted towards other topics.

So, Frida agreed. I never expected she would remarry after what happened. And what’s up with Anna? She acted like she was horny, but I know it’s a sham. She’s probably jealous of Mandy. Is she crazy? She detests sex, but she’s jealous of a woman who loves it.

Wolf smiled, looking at Mandy. “I’m going to cast a spell which repels illnesses. Don’t resist. I read a ton of books about pregnancy and medicine while I was away. Fevers are dangerous for the baby. Also, some sicknesses that affect you can then affect the baby and that’s bad.”

While planning out his day, Wolf explained to Mandy which protective spells he was going to cast. He would make her impervious to weapons, elements, diseases, and if she fell by accident, magic would suspend her body…

Wolf planned for countless contingencies. Considering his Mage Order had shot past forty, any spell he cast would last much longer and have a greater effect than what manuals said.

“Have you eaten?” Wolf cast a spell of his own devising, an emergency healing, which triggered a regeneration in case any bleeding happened.

Mandy nodded. “You’ve been casting spells for half an hour. Are you okay?”

“Perfectly fine.” Wolf smiled as he picked up Mandy like a princess.

She wanted to say she could walk on her own, but kept her mouth shut and nuzzled against Wolf’s thick, muscular arm. It was better before.

She didn’t know why, but Mandy missed Wolf’s old body. That was the Wolf she knew.

“How long are you staying?” she asked, thinking whether she should persuade Wolf to use his old form.

“Not long, but I’ll return in two weeks.” Wolf bobbed his head down and kissed Mandy’s forehead while carrying her. “I’ll conquer Northshield for Wayde. We’ll make him Duke, and I’ll teleport back. Then, we can move together to Hillman City and they will treat you like a marchioness.”

Mandy pushed him when he said those words. “Wolf, Annabelle is the marchioness. I am your second wife, and I don’t think I should be that either. It might affect your image. Nobles and commoners might despise you over something we both agree is a technicality.”

The burly giant shook his head. “No way. What kind of lesson am I teaching our son? That his mother is no good? I won’t do that. You are his mother and he shouldn’t be ashamed of your position.”

“She won’t feel ashamed. And for the last time, we’re having a girl, not a boy,” Mandy gave Wolf a determined, steely gaze. She didn’t let him divine their baby’s gender, saying it was bad luck to know such things in the first trimester.

“We’re getting married and that’s not negotiable.” Wolf pressed the matter with as much determination as Mandy showed when he wanted to check whether they were expecting a boy or a girl.

Mandy’s lip twisted. Give and take, I guess. “Fine. But no using magic to look at my bowels and organs behind my back, and don’t divine our daughter’s gender for at least two more months. Got it?”

Wolf grumbled and nodded his head, placing Mandy on a chair in the kitchen.

“What do you want to eat? Meat, vegetables, nuts, eggs?” Wolf offered the best of the best he had in his Ring of Holding, avoiding food he read might cause harm to the baby or make Mandy’s body reject pregnancy.

While Wolf chopped peppers, Mandy got up and approached him from behind. She hugged him, and her hand slid down, squeezing.

“Mandy, it could be dangerous for the baby.” Wolf said without turning back. Meanwhile, Mandy smiled. The giant club which hung between Wolf’s legs halved in size. It was still too big, but it bordered on reasonable.