Chapter 250 – Time With the Men

*** Alzi ***

The past few days were a lot easier without the Princess trying to get our unborn child killed. Inanos even came around to help regenerate some mana for me in the tent. Just oral, but it was nice having a wife come to me, offering to get on her knees while pregnant.

Just barely, but she is pregnant and apparently not as excited to see how big she'll get with quadruplets. I disagree, but I offered to change the count to five, and she seemed happier with the four after that.

I wonder how big Zarzi will get with her hundred, but she's probably already dead by now. I wonder how long Icy Bitch will make it.

"My Lady," Shyla says, having finished getting my healer uniform on me. "Today, we'll be having a short march. The enemy retreated fully last night, so we'll have nothing to do this morning while the scouts find a path free of poison traps. Would you like to check out the men's tent?"

"I guess," I say. "They were kind of fun at the party. I still don't get how you can bring them to war."

"Nobles need their release."

"Hmph, why not bring brothel girls? The nobles are willing to do some crazy things with them."

"Everyone wants a child, and they don't want to take time off from trying for that. The ransom is often just giving the capturer's family a few children."

"Just raping the men a bit. Who gives a shit about them," I mock. "We'll join them for a bit. Do I have to come running back if anyone runs into poison?"

"Yes."

The shifty bitch hasn't been seen since the Princess almost got my baby killed. Which has unfortunately stalled the Queen's progress, as well as Elora's sisters', Inanos said. Elora was clearly frustrated when she came by last night, or maybe she's just tired of making decisions.

She just bowed down to me and offered her body to me. I thought of giving her more kids, but I need her to be active to keep all of my currently growing children safe, so we just cuddled for a while. If I had gone any further, I know I would've just given her more kids.

"When will I learn how to ride a horse properly?" I ask. I probably can't do that while pregnant. Nobody dared to complain about my run out to save the Princess, but still, I got Shyla to admit it wasn't something they wanted me doing again, if possible.

"We don't have the time to do it right now," Shyla says, her hands wandering over my body again. "All the horses are needed for missions or have to rest for their next mission. You weren't meant to be traveling around until after you got comfortable with healing, but it is moving up in priority now that you are. How about we do it with your Mother after the marriage? For now, you should have someone help you."

"That works," I say. I don't know if it was a good idea for me to give Shyla free reign of my body in private. Her hands are always soft and playful, so that part is fine. But I don't know if it's a good thing to enjoy my time with her in bed so much. I don't see her like Mommy or Mai yet, but I do like her, despite the fact that she still doesn't truly see me as her Lady.

"It's a little annoying, my Lady, how you look beautiful in whatever I put you in," Shyla whispers. "I worry about what to do with the suit, but then I think about how you always manage to look nice, and I just circle around and around. I'm never able to commit to anything."

"Show me to the men's tent or area or whatever it is," I say. Is someone getting baby fever?

"Yes, My Lady," Shyla says, backing away. "They have a main tent for them to gather in, a few smaller tents for more private activities, and then their personal tents to host their wives."

"They fuck more than just their wives here?"

"Yes, men almost always fuck more than just their wives."

I'm starting to see why the men are always assholes or hardly do anything when they visit brothels.

We walked past the medical tent, so I guess Azula De fucking bitch has them too worried to let me heal the poor commoners and 'waste' my mana. Maybe I should just do it anyway?

"When will we travel?"

"It could be after lunch, or it may get delayed until tomorrow. It depends on the traps and how they are set up. It may be easier to just stay put and travel a bit for the attacks."

"You said we would have a short march today."

"I'm sorry for misspeaking, my Lady," Shyla says. "I meant that we may have a short march. The longer it takes, the less likely it will happen. I just know most of the army packed up like we would march at some point today."

Lucky them, having to pack up and sit out in the cold, just for the possibility of marching. Just fuck the commoners, I guess.

While the medical tent is off to the side, the men's portion of the camp is directly behind it and even separated a bit from it. A wall of wooden logs has been put up, with some women standing guard over it.

I guess this would slow women down too much if the medical section had it, but it would be nice to have more protection.

"My Lord wishes entry," Shyla shouts out to the gate.

Am I going to have to keep this coat on the entire time so they don't know I'm not wearing a suit? Am I going in as a woman?

"Shyla, am I going in as a woman or a man?"

"As a man, my Lord," Shyla says. "It makes things easier for all."

"But the dress?"

"If you wish to wear a suit, I can put one on you, but I think it would be best to just keep the coat on."

"That works," I say. That's one nice thing about never being too warm, I guess. But it does make the cold fucking awful, and they don't like when I use my mana to fend off the cold. "I'm pregnant."

"Yes, yes, you are my Lord," Shyla says. "Everyone can see that. You wear it well."

"Men don't get pregnant."

"You are a man, and you are pregnant, are you not?"

"They'd better not use this as an excuse to torture me or something."

"The rules are clear, or I wouldn't risk it."

The gate creaks open to reveal a few tents, the one in the middle looking similar in size to the medical tent. I wonder what the Princess's tent looks like. Inanos said they all live together in it, so it must be big.

Shyla takes me right to the big tent, which is much better decorated and furnished inside than the medical tent. It's almost like one of the drawing rooms back at the manor.

"Hello, Alzi!" Cornelius calls out, waving at me from the back. He sets a scroll down and starts towards me. The rest of the men just look at the pregnant woman with a bit of confusion. Clearly, they're confused about why I would be here. "I was hoping you would get a chance to come by. It doesn't feel right having one of the men missing. But I know you're doing more important work than we are back here. I would say we were a complete waste of resources if we didn't also help fill up some of the enchantments with mana. And I need to thank you for healing one of my wives. I know they can get a bit rude in the tent, but that is how they are with all the healers, as they don't like it when they have to get put back together. But they know you're doing good work. Now come, come, you must want to do more than stand there."

"Yes, thank you," I say. Cornelius directs us over to a small table, which I think is used for playing Hunting Grounds. It reminds me of what we played on back at the brothel, and the Princess said they would have the game here.

"You got my wives riled up after that party," Cornelius says with a hearty laugh, pulling out a chair for me. "Three of them threw me into the bed and wouldn't give up until they had their fill of me, complaining about being ignored all night. It was the most wanted I've felt in a while, and it seems you were busy, too. When are you due?"

"Thank you. I'm not sure," I say. Does he not know the story or why we are fighting at all? "I have a few skills that speed things up more than they used to, and I'm not sure if they are in play or not, and if they are, how effective they are."

"I see. My wives did say your pregnancies were faster than normal. Well, I wish you good health, not that you need it, even though we know how much work you are doing down in that medical tent. And I have to thank you again for healing my wife. Everyone in the camp is thankful for your work, even if they won't admit it. We sleep easier knowing you are doing all this work."

"Um, thanks," I say. "I've wanted to be a healer for a very long time now, and this isn't how I thought my first time would be, but it is good to finally be doing it."

"Good, good," Cornelius says, taking his own seat. "You are proving right now that the Queendom lost a great healer for a decade. Everyone was a little on edge when Oriphusa left, but I knew you could handle it. You found that wonderful little solution at the party so quickly, and everyone knows you have the mana for it. Princess Elora wouldn't let her army lack a healer; no, she is not that stupid. You have done well, proving their fear unfounded and silly. I just ask that you keep it up for our wives. We may grumble about them a bit too much, but that happens when you spend a lot of time with someone, and we do care for them. But what have you been up to since the party?"

Does he really not know, or does he want me to go over my latest raping?

"I got to spend some time with my kids with Duchess Fluvis," I say. I did have some good times. "A full week with the little girls. Elementals of different types, cute little things."

"Oh, I know you have little ones all over the place, but I'm happy to hear you got to see some of them," Cornelius says. "They are always so cute when they're so small. Their cries are nerve-racking, but getting to hold them and listen to them giggle are moments a parent should never have to miss, I think."

"Yes, I didn't mind the crying, but I do have the parts they're normally crying for, so probably a bit different, there."

"Ah, yes. I've never thought of it that way. Their cries often meant I had to let them go. I've only got two right now, but I'm hoping that by the end of this war, we'll have a third on the way. My wives are upset that the third didn't come after the party. Are any of your wives expecting as well?"

"Yes, Inanos is pregnant now," I say. I'm not sure if Elora is hiding her pregnancy, so I guess I can be nice and keep that quiet. "I had to do it to heal her."

"Bittersweet, then," Cornelius says. "Hmm, normally, we would drink to that, but you probably shouldn't. I can drink for the two of us; just don't tell my wives." A maid, his, I suppose, comes over with wine and a glass of water.

"Thank you," I say, taking the glass of water.

"Thank you."