Chapter 195 – The Ones Waiting

*** Shimmer ***

Without the baroness's baggage, I was able to complete the mission much faster. There was also no need to hide anything. Lucky Geta got to use her full power the entire time.

I'm still not sure where she came from, but I know it wasn't the womb of any noble in this nation. I wonder how much she sees through me. Hopefully not enough to tell Elora. Things would be too messy right now if it got out.

I decided to head back to the house before going to Fluvis's house. Aurora is still here, and it would be best to have her join Alzi while we stay in the city.

Aurora should help Alzi keep going. I'm sure we'll stick around the kids for a while, and Alzi will need someone to help her learn a sliver about being a Mother.

"Lady Shimmer," a maid says as I walk in. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes," I say. "Aurora. I would like to check on her and any others that are hurt."

"She is the only one still injured," the maid says. "This way, Lady Shimmer."

She takes me down the first hallway to a guest room a short distance from the door.

Walking in, I find Lady Oriphusa inside with Aurora resting on the bed.

"Hello, Lady Shimmer," Lady Oriphusa says. "I can give you two some space. Aurora will be fine but do try to convince her to let me heal her more."

"I will see about it," I say. Why would Aurora not get healed completely?

The old maid has just a single arm down to the elbow, and the other is cut at the shoulder. I only see her legs down to the knee below the covers. The woman looks like she hasn't slept at all since the incident.

"Aurora, how do you plan to serve Alzi like this?" I ask, sitting on the bed. "You're bedbound."

"Do I deserve to serve my Lady?" Aurora croaks out. "I am here, alive, because of her, and she is kidnapped. I failed her enough."

"You fought alone and killed two before you ended up like this," I say. "Don't deserve to serve her? You did all that you could."

"My Lady does not like me," Aurora says. "Yet she cried when I may have been dead. Risked injury to heal me. She was dragged away by her hair as I lay there useless and dying. The only thing I did right was keep her kids alive. I can still give her those like this."

"You are going to make Alzi heal you if you stay like this, Aurora," I say, my hand going to her womb. "You should know better than to make your Lady heal you so much. How will you get her to like you if she has to work for you?"

"I will just be here ready to give my Lady her children in eight months," Aurora says.

"No, you are going with me," I say. "Alzi needs someone she kind of likes around and you are the one in this house she likes the most. I can't make you let Oriphusa heal you, but you should let her heal you. Alzi will be sad seeing you like this. My dear wife likes you more than you think."

"Lady Shimmer," Aurora says. "She will not care for this old useless woman."

"Too bad. You don't get a choice in this," I say, lifting the old maid with my mana. "You are coming no matter what you say, and like this, you have no way to stop me."

"Please."

"Go to sleep, Aurora. Alzi will need you," I say. Aurora won't be letting Lady Oriphusa heal her, and I don't have time to fight the woman.

I'm sorry, Alzi. You'll have to heal your maid. It'll be good practice and help you get a healer class next.

*** Yuki ***

Victoria is lucky this Princess is used to waking up early. I have to beat the sun coming up in the morning to keep her from complaining about the time. The next week or two should be nicer. We just need to buy things and make sure our armor and weapons are in good condition.

If she doesn't feel like doing this the hard way.

Hardly anyone is in the guild right now. Just a large empty building. A bar is attached so adventurers can easily drink away their shame after a failed mission or celebrate a promotion. A large row of counters for the handlers to pass out the missions. Only a few are staffed right now. And the upstairs, where the management lives doing who knows what.

My mother told me at one point, but I didn't care then, and it doesn't really matter now. It's likely just finance and sorting of requests.

Victoria is standing by the few counters, tapping her foot, her eyes locked onto me.

"Come on, Nakuma," I say. "Time to see if she lets me talk before accepting a mission."

Nakuma didn't take any time to convince. I just told her we were doing it, and she cuddled into my lap like a cute little puppy this morning.

The hard part with Victoria should be convincing her to talk before picking a mission. I can't share our goal publicly.

"Victoria!" I call out, faking a bright smile. "Can we talk about something? Before we accept a mission."

"Too late," Victoria says. "Already got a fucking contract. High priority mission so they let it go through, just needed you to walk in. Thank you, Isun; we'll clean up the damn Oni shortly."

This absolute bitch.

"We can talk about it on the way and maybe string some missions together that push us out that way," Nakuma whispers. "Probably best to not have two kitsune stop taking missions after doing them nonstop. Questions and all that."

"Fair enough," I mutter, our warrior walking with purpose past us. With nothing else to do, I follow her. Picking up supplies on the road will be harder but should draw less attention.

Maybe this is best. No need to ruin my best chance to marry my beautiful dragon. The Ashmark family must be expecting some attempt on their life. The Queen gets to save her own assassins for this by pawning it off on us.

Just remember the reward.

"What are we killing this time?" I ask.

"I told you," Victoria says. "A Little Oni settlement is causing some fucking problems. The guild suspects the shits are here to try and claim a larger portion of land for a true village. The Queen wants them to know violence won't get them land. There are to be no survivors, and we need to display the heads for the larger pack."

"Disgusting as usual," I groan. "I know not all the top missions require such bloody killing."

"You're too old, Yuki. All of them are like this and I didn't even pick this shit out," Victoria says, tossing a scroll back. "Think I want to go this fucking far north in the ass of winter? I had to pick out a side mission of clearing out a fucking manticore to keep us from having too long of a time between mission completions."

Are these Oni even causing a problem, or is this just an excuse to move us up north?

This may be more important to the Queen than I thought. Wished I asked for more now.

"We'll have to go shopping more often on this mission," I say. "I think the Queen is moving us to something big."

Victoria doesn't care much about my shopping comment. She just keeps rushing us towards the northern gate, sliding past everyone else who starts their days early.

Not many are leaving the walls, as winter prevents most farmers from tending to their fields.

On the other side of the gate, our horses are already waiting for us. Victoria doesn't pause for a second before mounting up and riding out.

I guess this means she accepted.

*** Geta ***

"Do you know which is the firstborn?" I ask Estrella. Getting here early didn't do much. Both Nest and Fluvis already left, so all I could do is wait with Estrella and the twelve kids Alzi had with the Duchess.

The kids are cute with their random smattering of dragon features. Horns, wings, and tails mixed and matched between them all. Their scales match their elemental type.

"We don't know. Everyone in the room ran after Alzi was bought by the Princess," Estrella says. "Hoping Alzi can let us know. Of course, Fluvis is certain the kids she carries are dragons, and who knows what these kids are going to do when they grow up. All twelve have an affinity."

"Any golden?" I ask. Even staying a few days hasn't been enough to see all the kids. Estrella is running around trying to keep them all happy now that their father is gone and their mother is missing. I think I've met eight of them, so there are just four left.

"One has yellow horns, but not gold," Estrella says, the two kids at her breasts finishing. Maids come to burp them.

She didn't want to feed them in front of me, but it became clear she couldn't play the good host and take care of the little ones. It is just much easier to let them do what is needed for the kids. She has enough stress with her pregnant wife going into a fight.

"We all enjoyed the lactating at the beginning," Estrella says, covering up. "But now we are all getting a bit tired of it. The pain is a bit much. Kind of hard to let anyone else drink it when you're so sore."

"Teething yet?"

"No, it's still a few months before that should start," Estrella says. "That will be something this house fears. Luckily, they will start being weaned off our milk. Of course, Fluvis will be popping out another set then. Oh, and Alzi will be staying for a bit, so a few maids are likely to get pregnant."

"It'll be worth it in the end," I say.

"I know. It already is with them," Estrella says. "Hear their little giggles or tell them silly stories of when their father was a hero. They seem to smile at them, so maybe they understand how amazing she is. I hope we can get some stories of Alzi so they can learn about their mother. Oh. More I see. Sorry, Lady Geta."

Two more make their way into her arms. The maids are also feeding and burping the kids. A full-time job for Estrella and the maids, based on her description.

"Do not worry about me," I say. "Your pregnant wife is cleaning up our mess, and you are taking care of our husband's children. I should, in fact, apologize for not helping you."

"I can call in the healer that induced our milk if you wish, Lady Geta," Estrella says. Her soft chuckle was more hopeful than joking.

Would Alzi like it if I was producing milk? It would be a little dangerous for me to do so.

"Sorry," I say. "It would be wrong of me to feed her children before her." I should choose the safer option for now.