Page 205 of The Villainess Chose Naps Over Death Flags

"And you get to stay home in comfort," Missy added.

"Exactly."

They watched for another twenty minutes. The expedition forces were slowly, painfully, pushing forward. Rosalie's purification magic was working—the land behind them was visibly less corrupted, the miasma thinner.

But it was clearly taking everything they had.

"They're going to make it," Lumi said softly. "They're suffering, but they're going to succeed."

"They're the chosen ones," Carol said. "It's literally their destiny. Of course they're going to make it." She shifted on the couch, her back starting to ache from sitting. "But I'm very glad I'm not there with them."

A movement caught her eye—not on the screen, but in the room.

Carol looked over at the warming nest where Snowball's egg rested.

The egg was moving.

"Oh!" Carol set down her popcorn and carefully stood, moving to the nest.

Lumi and Missy flew over immediately.

The frost-white egg was rocking gently, small cracks appearing across its surface.

"It's hatching!" Lumi exclaimed.

Carol knelt beside the nest—awkwardly, given her pregnant belly—and watched with delight as the cracks widened.

A tiny snout pushed through. Then a small head, no bigger than Carol's palm, emerged.

The baby Frost Serpent was absolutely precious.

Snowball was tiny—maybe eight inches long at most—with scales that shimmered frost-white and ice-blue in the light. Its eyes were bright silver, and when it opened its mouth in a tiny hiss, Carol could see the smallest hint of frost magic forming.

"Hello, Snowball," Carol cooed. "Welcome to the world, little one."

The baby serpent's head turned toward her voice, its silver eyes focusing on her face.

Then it slithered out of the egg completely and immediately curled up in Carol's cupped hands, seeking warmth.

"Oh, you're so cold," Carol said, feeling the chill from its scales. "That's okay. We'll keep you warm."

She carefully carried Snowball back to the couch and settled in, the baby serpent coiled in her lap. It seemed content there, soaking up her body heat.

Shadow, who had been sleeping in the corner, lifted his massive head and padded over to investigate. The shadow wolf—now easily the size of a small pony—sniffed at the baby serpent carefully.

Snowball hissed at him—a tiny, squeaky sound.

Shadow's tail wagged.

Mochi jumped down from his perch and approached as well, his Dreamweaver whiskers twitching with curiosity. He sniffed at Snowball, then decided the baby serpent was acceptable and curled up beside Carol.

Sunny, the young griffin, hopped over from where he'd been napping and chirped excitedly at the new arrival. He was getting bigger—about the size of a large cat now—but still had much of his downy baby plumage.

"Everyone, meet Snowball," Carol announced. "Snowball, meet your family."

The baby Frost Serpent looked around at all the creatures surrounding it, then apparently decided it was safe and nuzzled closer to Carol's warmth.

On the screen, the expedition forces were still fighting.