Chapter 229 – Starting the March

*** Alzi ***

This morning was a rush of activity. I took my last chance for a warm bath and then checked the equipment I would need to bring with me, which was easy because I only had the clothing on my back. Shyla had to bring everything I will need during this war.

I don't need much, just some warm clothing and shoes I can march and work in easily, which happen to be heels. I also have a few sets of Hunting Grounds.

Oh, and there are the emergency rations. Why, though? Aren't they a little useless, not being with the women they are meant for? Yes, yes, they are.

If I need them and Shyla isn't around, there's nothing I can really do but die, I guess. Though my mana can keep me going, and my newest Skill means any warm body would keep me alive for a while. I really need to find out how much mana I generate from having sex now.

Hopefully, that person is someone I don't like, so I won't have to feel bad about getting them extremely pregnant. Of course, that gives me an extra burst of mana.

I did ask for a way to generate mana, and I'm not sure how I thought that would play out. This was the only way with these types of classes and patron Goddesses.

I've been dreading the thought of telling the Princess about that Skill. My partner also gets some mana, along with the burst for getting pregnant. I guess I can be happy that they don't have to get me pregnant to get the extra mana.

Maybe I can keep it from my wives and just tell the healers? They would assume I've told my wives already, and then the healers and I can figure out how to use it when needed.

"Ok, it looks like we have everything and everyone accounted for," the Princess says. "Isda, take good care of the house."

"Of course, Love," Isda says, waving by the door of her carriage. Just a few maids are heading back to the estate with her, with Aurora among them, her belly truly starting to show now.

When I come back, I'll likely have a lot of kids to get to know. But that's only if I come back; I still don't believe the Princess about the whole 'healers are safe' thing. Why are they taking the woman who started this war to the front lines?

Whatever, I'll get a chance to heal, and I've lost plenty of kids already, so what's one more? The Princess will owe me a lot more than she already does if she fucks this up.

Of course, that requires me to lose my collar.

"Alzi, with me," the Princess says. "I'll drop you off with the healers. You'll be traveling with them for the marches."

"I'd better get a carriage or a horse, or let me fly," I mumble, taking a seat in the carriage.

"You'll get a horse," the Princess says. "If the terrain permits, you'll get a carriage. Ok, everyone else should know what group they're in. The war started last night, but the danger begins now. Be ready, everyone."

What comforting words to hear before she sits across from me. The carriage gives a small lurch to signal the start of our march.

Nobody speaks as we move out. My hands shake a bit, but there's nothing to do but hope this works out. Maybe my luck has finally changed?

The carriage seemed to crawl across the ground. The city cleared a path for everyone, but it seemed to do little to speed up the carriages. The entire party was moving out to the northern gate, with the citizens watching our sad parade.

The caravan didn't speed up much past the gates—not until some of it started to take the side roads a few miles from the city.

The number of carriages slowly dwindled until there was just the Princess's harem left on the main road, and soon, we reached our own camp. I would estimate the number of people, but I'm not great with large numbers, and this is certainly a large number.

"How did so many people get here this fast?" I ask. "They've had less than a month to get here."

"Money," the Princess says. "Nakuma isn't the only one with space magic. A network of teleportation circles has been set up in the main cities. But they require a lot of mana to use, so they are only used for emergencies. Like the start of a war."

"Then why not start closer to the border?"

"The circles get bigger the closer you are to the capital. They don't have the capacity to get everyone out to the farther cities. A few forward groups are patrolling the border, and if they see something, we'll start to teleport, but until then, we walk. We both started gathering troops at the same time, so we should be close. They are smaller than us from the last war, but we'll push them back quickly. They also have fewer women to join their army. The cold limits how much they can farm."

"Isn't winter bad for us as well? We always had less food in the village when it got cold," I say, welcoming the distraction. Not that talking about the war is much of a distraction.

"Yes, but we are producing a lot more mana food, so it will all last a lot longer," the Princess says. "This will be a hard winter for everyone. But we can pull through it, and then in spring and summer, we can make large strides to help end this war. Once all the kids are either born or have died, the war will have little reason to continue."

"Then why am I here? Shouldn't I be somewhere safe?" I ask. It really should have been obvious before that I shouldn't be here, but I think I'm a little too used to going along with whatever others tell me.

"You are the safest with me. The capital has to worry about other nations trying to jump on us while we are distracted. They will have their attention split in multiple directions, while I will have my focus on the army and you. Even then, I just need to lead the army and defend you.""How can you lead while defending me? Don't you need to see the battlefield for that?"

"I only need to defend you personally when you aren't healing. During that time, I will post a number of guards with you to make sure the rules are followed," the Princess says. "Don't worry. You'll be safe."

I'm starting to feel like this is their new 'sorry.' The Queen already has one kid with me and two more on the way with Lotus, so I doubt she cares that much about me. But it would be interesting to see if the ice mana does anything with my affinities. Not that they seem to interact much normally.

Or am I just weird when it comes to that? Fluvis didn't seem surprised by the variety of her kids.

Our carriage stops near the back of the camp—well, what used to be a camp. It looks like we have a day of marching to do, not that I have to walk.

All this over a kid and a Princess who willingly did something stupid.

Yuki better be safe on her mission. And it would be nice if she could finish it quickly.

"Alzi, this is where you get off," Elora says. "Oriphusa should be there already. Remember, you are in charge, but listen to her and learn from her. She should tell you who is in charge of the non-mana healers, and you three will need to work together. I'm hoping you can take complete control soon and let Oriphusa help elsewhere. Just let me know when you can take over."

"Ok, Princess," I say, shuffling to the door.

"Wait, my Lady," Shyla says. "You should put on a coat." She has one ready for me to slip into, and I now remember that I'm not in the artificially warm grounds of the castle or our home.

This is really going to suck.

With my new outer layer, I step out with Shyla following me. Oriphusa is bundled up by another carriage waiting for us. She motions us over and slithers in.

Oriphusa's carriage is longer than the Princess's, likely to help hold the Lamia. Inside are three other women: a maid and the two healers I briefly talked with last night.

Shyla joins me, so I'm not sure why the other two are missing their maids. Unless they aren't high enough in status to have maids in the army. Is that a thing?

"Hello, Lady Alzi," they say as I sit down. Shyla even takes a seat on my lap. There are no more seats, so I can't really complain.

"Lady Alzi," Oriphusa says. "Princess Elora has informed me you are looking to run the healers in this army. I'll do my best to guide you and quickly get you up to speed. If you take to this like with your healing, I won't be here long."

"Thank you," I say. "I appreciate the help."

"Happy to help a new strong healer," Oriphusa says. "Now, we should go around and let everyone know what skills we have that may help others. Unless they have a specific need, you can just go over the general idea or class of healing. I have a few group healing spells focused on curses. They're not likely to be needed, but it's something to remember. I have just a single poison healing Skill. If the reports are correct, they will have a mercenary that focuses heavily on poison. The rest are just general group healing or single healing Skills. Nothing that makes it important to bring any particular patient to me or anything."

She looks to me, and I have to decide how to explain my shit classes and Skills. Why didn't she let the others go next? I guess they don't have many Skills that matter.

"Um. I don't have anything too special. For the most part, the more sexual I am, the better I am at healing," I say.

"What do you mean?" Oriphusa asks, her eyebrows questioning her ears.

"The less clothing I wear, the more efficiently I use my mana. If I'm having sex with my patient, I use less mana. My sexual partners are better able to use their mana. Though I'm not sure how sexual partners are made," I say. "I also generate mana while having sex for me and my partner."

"I see. I didn't expect that," Oriphusa says. "I thought you would have some special healing Skills, but not like those. Well, we can work on that later. If sex is needed to save a life, do not worry about the patient. Their survival is more important than other things. That last one is something we will have to think about."

Great, Oriphusa thought I was already a healer and not a complete whore. Are even these two going to have better Skills than me?

What do I mean, even these two? Of course, they have good Skills. The only good one I have is the one that lets me generate mana, and maybe the sexual partners one if I liked my sexual partners more.